Chapter 621: Oboi Is Truly Ruthless and Merciless

"They haven't finished writing yet." Teacher Qi Xue didn't look up, still bustling about. "Among them, yours is the fastest."

The fastest to complete.

Jiang Nian silently added a line in his heart, then felt it was still early, so he simply watched Teacher Qi Xue do problems for a while.

Seeing her brush fly like the wind, he couldn't help feeling a bit emotional.

"Teacher, don't you need to calculate?"

"I know the answer at a glance." After saying that, Teacher Qi Xue felt a bit embarrassed. "Wait for me to finish writing."

"Mm, no rush." Jiang Nian nodded.

Hearing that, Teacher Qi Xue felt something wasn't quite right again. This student was too relaxed, making her a little nervous.

She always felt a guilty sense of wasting Jiang Nian's time.

"Forget it, I'll write it in a bit."

Teacher Qi Xue put down the pen in her hand, lightly rubbing her eyes. A trace of fatigue flashed across her face as she forced herself to perk up and said.

"Give me the test paper to grade. There are blank test papers over there. If you're so bored with nothing to do, just look over the questions."

"I looked at them before I came." Jiang Nian said.

Hearing that, Teacher Qi Xue let out a long "mm." She glanced at Jiang Nian with slight puzzlement, then lowered her eyes and pondered for a while.

"Then play with your phone."

Jiang Nian: "???"

No, that's something a teacher could say. He even felt he'd heard wrong, and instinctively asked another question.

"Play what?"

"Whatever you want."

"Oh, oh." In the end, Jiang Nian still didn't take out his phone, his gaze falling on the green plant on Teacher Qi Xue's desk.

"Teacher, the vegetable you're growing is almost dead."

"That's not a vegetable." Teacher Qi Xue, hearing that, also couldn't help feeling a bit speechless. She glanced at him. "That's a small-leaf red..."

Halfway through, she got stuck again.

"I forgot."

"It's all wilted, this little chive." Jiang Nian observed. "Teacher, want me to give you a pot of succulents?"

"That's not a vegetable, forget it..." Teacher Qi Xue turned to look at him. "Just tell me where they sell them."

To be fair, Teacher Qi Xue is also a bit of a non-stick pan.

Or rather, it's a teacher's instinctive reaction. On one hand, it's a professional need; on the other hand, she doesn't want to get too close to students.

"I grow them at home, propagating them has no cost." Jiang Nian said. "I just casually made a few, and I don't want to sell them."

"I'm planning to give a few to the subject teachers, so I'll give one to you, Teacher."

"Mm."

3

The top-tier non-stick pan still has to be Qing Bao. Compared to her, Teacher Qi Xue's "non-stick pan" skills seem a bit clumsy.

She thought about it for a while, figured it was fine, and agreed.

"Then thank you."

"You're welcome."

Coming out of the math office, it was already twenty minutes after school let out in the afternoon. Teacher Qi Xue had explained things in too much detail.

Mm, as slender as her fingers.

During the extra tutoring, Jiang Nian had caught a glimpse by accident. Teacher Qi Xue's fingers were long and slender, the kind of bony, elegant hand unique to a mature older-sister type.

A slap from that would definitely hurt if it landed on the face.

Before leaving, he lingered at the doorway of another office for a bit, found no teacher he knew, and left.

By accident, though, he ran into Chai Muying.

Jiang Nian had an impression of this person—Chen Yunyun and Wang Yuhe's scatterbrained roommate, always doing everything in a daze.

"Hey." He greeted her.

"It's you, Jiang Nian." Chai Muying glanced at him, and a silly grin immediately broke across her face like clouds parting to reveal the sun.

"Aren't you going to eat?"

"I was just squatting under the desk doing homework, and my legs went numb." She scratched her head. "Yunyun and the others left, and I can't get up."

"And then?" he asked.

Chai Muying said, "My legs felt like they were being pricked by needles, it took a long time to recover."

Jiang Nian: "...... What a character."

"Hehe." Chai Muying was about to head to the front gate to get something to eat, when she suddenly slapped her forehead and came back. "Oh right."

"Mm?"

"I forgot my money, I left it in the classroom." Chai Muying shook her head and swayed as she prepared to go up the stairs.

Jiang Nian opened his mouth, also impressed.

Wait.

He called out to Chai Muying, and handed her twenty yuan. Under her dazed gaze, he instructed.

"Don't make the trip, just pay Chen Yunyun back."

"You owe her money?"

"Mm."

Cafeteria.

Windows displayed large iron trays, each filled with different home-style dishes from big pots: dark stir-fried eggplant, shredded kelp.

Jiang Nian glanced and saw little food left. He turned aside and exited through the west gate, finding a five-yuan buffet.

Putting everything else aside, money really goes a long way near the county-town schools. Outside the Ximen, a single yuan could be split in half and still do the job.

The red signboard of Tuan Yuan Fast Food had faded; the walls inside were a bit dingy, and a few big light bulbs lit up the interior.

A few tables of students squeezed together, ordering two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes. If you weren't full you could add as much as you wanted—one metal basin for the dishes, one for the rice.

"Jiang Nian?"

Yang Qiming waved at Jiang Nian as he walked into the shop. Sitting around him were Huang Cailang, Lin Dong, and a circle of other boarding-school boys.

"Don't you eat at the cafeteria? Why'd you come out to eat?"

"They ran out of chicken legs," he said.

"Damn, they're out again?" one of the boys cursed. "The cafeteria boss is getting cocky again, huh?"

Town South Middle School had two cafeterias in total.

One by the Ximen, one by the North District dorms—and that one had three floors.

Four contractors in total ran the food service, and they competed with each other.

But the Ximen cafeteria had opened first, and it was close to the teaching building. It had every advantage of timing and location, so it acted a bit smug and untouchable.

Last year, because it was too lazy and sloppy, the students boycotted it. Later, they switched owners and things got better.

"Anyway, there's nothing left to eat," Jiang Nian said with a grin.

"We just got here too—hurry up and get your food," Lin Dong said. "Perfect, I'll save you a seat."

"Alright."

A few boys at one table ate and commented on the day's dishes as they went. There was meat, eggs, and soup—basically everyone was pretty satisfied.

Best of all, five yuan for unlimited food—even if you found a hair in it, they'd quietly hide it away.

"The place next door doesn't have as many dishes, and the portions of meat are smaller," Lin Dong said. "And sometimes you get something that tastes off."

"True, not as good as this place," Yang Qiming agreed. "Also, I feel like the boss lady's daughter is pretty aloof."

"What's up, bro?" Huang Cailang shoved a huge bite of food into his mouth, cheeks bulging but still not forgetting to play along.

"When that girl dishes out the food, she always makes eye contact with me." Yang Qiming covered his face, looking a bit embarrassed.

"No way, cousin," Lin Dong, sitting in the middle, immediately broke out in a nervous sweat. "You're crushing again?"

"No." Yang Qiming waved his hands shyly.

"Bro, be brave." Huang Cailang said, "Too bad the chicken legs here are limited—if you two got together, they'd be unlimited."

Lin Dong: "Oh wow."

At that moment, Jiang Nian walked over carrying his food basin. He plopped down in the middle of the group, and inside the basin were three chicken legs.

"Damn, this place is pretty generous, huh."

Instantly, the whole table went quiet. The boys from Class Three almost all looked at Jiang Nian's basin in unison.

Huang Cailang was completely stunned, his eyes hooked onto the chicken legs like fishhooks.

"Thr... three?"

"What?" Jiang Nian looked left and right, finding it strange. "Wait, why are you all looking at me like that?"

In the end, Lin Dong couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Damn, who served you?"

"That girl over there." Jiang Nian turned and pointed at the youthful girl manning the ladle. "She's been helping her parents out since middle school."

He couldn't help but sigh, "She's really impressive."

Yang Qiming's eyes went blank; he glanced at the girl serving the food. His lips trembled, and his heart completely broke.

If Zhou Yu was born, why was Zhuge Liang born too!

Suddenly, he felt the girls in this shop were pretty ordinary. Too focused on looks—way too shallow.

Maybe it was just that the lights in the shop were too dim.

Huang Cailang swallowed hard, looking at the chicken legs and then at Jiang Nian.

"Isn't it only one per person?"

"Is it?" Jiang Nian asked, then glanced at the girl again. "She told me to come find her if I wanted more."

Lin Dong had been barely holding it together, but hearing that, he completely lost it.

"Holy shit! Is she raising pigs?!"

Night fell, and evening self-study was approaching.

Chen Yunyun had just entered the classroom; her peripheral vision instinctively swept over a certain someone's empty seat before she returned to her group.

The moment she sat down, two ten-yuan bills appeared in front of her with a snap.

"Huh?"

She looked up and met Chai Muying's gaze.

"From whom?"

"Returning it to you."

"Me?" Chen Yunyun was baffled and glanced at her again. "I don't remember ever lending you twenty."

Wang Yuhe arrived and, hearing this, couldn't help striking a Conan-style pose.

"I know!"

"Chai Chai's brain must be all mixed up—she got the wrong person!"

"No!" Chai Muying's face flushed red as she argued, "Jiang Nian lent it to me, and he said to return it to you."

Hearing this, Chen Yunyun froze for a moment.

Her face showed nothing, like a calm sea. Her heart pounded, as if something were filling her up.

"For me?"

"Yeah."

"Mm." Chen Yunyun didn't know how she took it; when she came to her senses, Chai Muying was already gone.

She pulled out her phone and sent Jiang Nian a red envelope.

"【Red envelope】Chai Muying gave me this."

Jiang Nian: "Hold it for me. I'll ask you for it later."

Seeing this, Chen Yunyun typed a message on her phone. Her fingers paused, then deleted it all.

"Alright."

After putting her phone away, she stared at the two ten-yuan bills for a while.

Suddenly, she couldn't help smiling.

Wang Yuhe rummaged through her drawer again and found that her duck feet—morning, noon, and night—had vanished once more.

Her first thought was Jiang Nian.

"Where are my duck feet! (Angry) (Angry) (Angry) @Jiang Nian"

In the trio's small group chat, the furious shouts of elementary students echoed, along with Jiang Nian's slow reply.

"Not me."

Wang Yuhe: "You!! It's definitely you!!"

In their childhood, children from Zhennan were taught that animals are humans' good friends.

Piggy, ducky, chicky, goosey.

As they grew up, they realized their brothers tasted delicious—so delicious one pot couldn't hold it all, and after eating, they could only stumble out leaning against the wall.

Jiang Nian pulled out duck feet from his pocket, then glanced at Old Liu, who was sipping tea in the Chinese language office.

Seeing him about to turn, he casually tucked his phone away.

"Teacher, you didn't call me just to..."

Hearing this, Old Liu froze.

"You know?"

"Prize ceremony tomorrow?" Jiang Nian guessed. Seeing Old Liu's micro-expression, he knew he was almost right.

Old Liu now used a full tea set to brew tea—like swapping a crossbow for a cannon.

"Who told you?"

"Someone else."

Seeing he wouldn't say, Old Liu dropped the question. He tossed a pinch of tea leaves into a bone-china bowl and began showing off his tea skills.

A ten-thousand-yuan-per-jin Jin Jun Mei, after three infusions, flowed into the fairness cup.

Old Liu poured two cups, then tapped the spout twice as if unable to finish urinating. He looked at Jiang Nian with a smug grin.

"How's my technique?"

"Pretty good," Jiang Nian said with a fake smile.

"Anyway, you've been selected," Old Liu said.

"But wasn't I already eligible?" Jiang Nian mused. "Can't 666 even stand on a podium?"

Old Liu leaned back in his chair, grinning at him. "Getting the award is easy. What about the top-tier prize money?"

"How much?"

"One thousand five hundred."

"Holy shit?" Jiang Nian froze. He thought the prize money was indeed high. "Thanks a lot, Teacher."

Hearing this, Old Liu waved his hand.

"No merit, no reward. I wanted to push for you, but I failed—I got the notice that you're in the top tier."

Jiang Nian couldn't help looking up. Could someone really be trying to lift him toward his lofty ambitions?

"Who is it?"

"I don't know. Maybe Vice Principal Gao," Old Liu shrugged. "But he probably doesn't have time to care about this."

The two analyzed every possibility and finally reached a conclusion.

A kind-hearted person.

Evening self-study, bell rings.

Jiang Nian stepped out of the Chinese office, and as he went upstairs, he checked his phone—Zhou Haifei had sent him a message.

"Done. Thank you."

She kept saying "thank you," as if it were the only thing she could offer Jiang Nian in return.

He replied, "No need. This was what Lan Lan fought for you."

He went upstairs into the classroom.

Jiang Nian saw Yu Zhiyi collecting homework—biology's second-round practice booklets, ready to be checked.

On the podium, a thick stack had piled up.

"Jiang Nian!"

Yu Zhiyi caught him and waved him over.

"You're just in time. Help me carry them down. The teacher said she'll check the booklets during evening self-study."

At the same time, she called out to the class below.

"Those who haven't handed in the small workbook

hurry up and turn it in, we're leaving soon."

Jiang Nian glanced at Yu Zhiyi on the podium, his gaze drifting slightly downward, and thought to himself that Ao Bai really was ruthless.

"My hand hurts, find someone else to carry it."

After saying that, he walked straight back to his seat, leaving behind a furious Yu Zhiyi, throwing punches in frustration.

Jiang Nian wore an indifferent expression — he wasn't an errand boy, and besides, this woman just couldn't stand anything going smoothly.

He even suspected Yu Zhiyi might be an M.

The more you hit her, the more fired up she got.

"Chishi, late again?" Li Hua was about to open a pack of spicy strips, planning to enjoy them with the local "Brother Ge."

"Damn, have you no shame?" Ma Guojun, sharp-eyed, caught Li Hua's movement. "Eating spicy strips in the classroom?"

"That's just how Hua is." Jiang Nian returned to his seat, then turned to glance at the little angry ball Baby Zhizhi.

Zhang Ningzhi also shot him a look, tossed her ponytail, and buried her head back in her problems.

"Hmph!"

Jiang Nian: "???"

When the first evening study period was almost over.

Old Liu came by the classroom, announced the award ceremony for tomorrow, then vanished in a flash.

The whole class immediately began to feel anxious, guessing who would win.

"Did you make it?" Li Hua asked.

"Mm."

"Really made it? Holy shit!" Li Hua's face showed pain. "Just take the award, but leave the prize money, will you?"

"You can't hog every good thing for yourself!"

Jiang Nian said, "I'll treat you to a late-night snack."

"But on the other hand..." Li Hua suddenly changed his tune, then saw Cai Xiaoqing walking over. "Cai Xiang?"

"I'm looking for Jiang Nian." Cai Xiaoqing pointed at him and said.