Chapter 647: The Patron's Gift

Yu Zhiyi didn't think much of it. She was broad-minded by nature,

because ever since she was little, the number of times she'd been ogled for her big pair of rabbits was too many to count.

Good and bad alike—if she took everything to heart, there'd be no time for anything else.

She wanted to shrug, but it was a bit heavy.

"This is a burden too."

"A beautiful burden." Dong Que added, her eyes full of envy, regretting she hadn't read more books when she needed them.

Milky.

Yu Zhiyi saw the look in Dong Que's eyes and knew what she was thinking, thinking to herself how anyone could still like this.

Then let's switch—let me wear the pretty little skirt.

Just as Yu Yourong was thinking this, she caught sight of a familiar figure in the crowd. One glance and it was that lecher—what's he looking at?

Jiang Nian didn't bother with Yu Zhiyi; he was looking for someone in the crowd. The two girls were usually inseparable, so he looked for Chen Yunyun first.

Wang Yuhe was too restless—she might be running all over the sports field.

"Hey!"

"My name isn't Hey, I have a name." Jiang Nian felt his shoulder patted and heard a familiar voice.

He opened with a Chu Yuzun combo, leaving the other party a bit speechless.

"Why'd you come down?"

"Can't I come down?"

"It's not that." Yu Zhiyi couldn't help swaying gently, her heels bobbing up and down without ever touching the ground.

If it were nighttime, Lin Zhengying would have to pull out a black donkey hoof to deal with her.

"Just asking you. In a bit I'm going to jump rope too."

"Oh." Jiang Nian had no particular reaction. His peripheral vision instinctively drifted downward, peering through the zipper at the sweater's bulge.

"Jump rope is pretty intense, right?"

"Yeah." Yu Zhiyi pressed her lips together, thinking to herself that he really was a lecher. "So annoying, I have to wear a jacket."

"Usually at home, I'm in even better shape."

As she said this, she secretly glanced at Jiang Nian's reaction, wanting to see if he was feeling any regret.

The implication being—someone didn't run that fast that day. She might have changed into something nice, maybe wanted to exercise,

regretting it now, right?

Of course, if Jiang Nian had actually stayed, that'd be another story. She wouldn't really change into a whole new outfit just to please him.

Why should she!

However, Jiang Nian's face showed no expression.

"Wearing a jacket is good. In case you trip on the rope by accident, you'll have some protection when you go rolling."

Hearing this, Yu Zhiyi blew up in an instant.

"You!!!"

"You really can't get ivory out of a dog's mouth!"

What does "protection when you go rolling" mean! Is this implying she has an unsteady center of gravity and will fall flat on her face?!

Jiang Nian said nothing. Seeing Yu Zhiyi blush, he

felt no guilt either, and just went on talking to himself.

"Dog teeth are pretty nice too. The sword in Inuyasha's hand is a dog tooth."

A maiden's blush speaks louder than any words.

"Go to hell!"

Jiang Nian didn't go to the spa, because Dong Que came over.

"Hi."

"Oh, you signed up too?" Jiang Nian glanced at her. She was only wearing a thin sweater.

"Yep." Dong Que smiled brightly.

But after exchanging a line about the weather, she froze up again. Watching him wave and walk away, she secretly regretted it.

If only she'd prepared something.

Jiang Nian had no idea the little lark was such a bot. He wove through the crowd and found Chen Yunyun by a running track.

"You signed up too?"

"No." Chen Yunyun shook her head, looked at him and said, "Yuhe ran off to the bathroom. I'm waiting for her here."

"Fleeing at the last minute, useless." Jiang Nian babbled nonsense, and immediately got swatted by Chen Yunyun.

"Don't talk nonsense." She shot Jiang Nian a look, her tone slightly reproachful. "If she hears it too often, she'll take it seriously."

Quite protective of her own.

"Got it." Jiang Nian agreed vaguely, but didn't take it to heart. "When she comes, I'll say less."

Hearing this, Chen Yunyun nodded.

"Mm."

Before long, Wang Yuhe came running from afar.

"Yunyun!!"

"Heh." Jiang Nian stood to the side, folded his arms and let out a cold laugh, indeed not saying a single word.

"What are you doing!" Wang Yuhe threw a punch, annoyed the moment she saw him.

"Tch."

"You!!" Wang Yuhe flushed in an instant, itching to land a few solid punches on that annoying face.

Chen Yunyun covered her face — the moment these two met, sparks flew.

"Cut it out, the competition's about to start."

"Pah! I won't lower myself to your level!" Wang Yuhe grabbed Chen Yunyun and ran off, taking the chance to turn back and stick out her tongue.

She had already listed Jiang Nian as a lifelong enemy — the duck-foot grudge had to be repaid — but she couldn't outscheme him.

But it didn't matter; she'd find an opening eventually.

When the time came, she'd ride him into the ground!

Calling it a competition was generous — really just an extracurricular activity.

Still, the grade group had scraped together a bit of funding for prizes. A few-hundred-yuan badminton racket, thermos cups, that sort of thing.

Those things were unisex — only the price differed.

Jiang Nian watched for a while, mildly interested in the first-place badminton racket — it looked pretty high-end.

But he hadn't signed up, so he wasn't eligible to compete.

The competition had no real rules either — just a bunch of people jumping. Then find

The student council counted and did an initial screening.

Mistakes meant elimination — survival of the fittest.

In the end, seven or eight people remained in each gender group, and they'd have a final.

Yu Zhiyi came in with great momentum, skipping sixty-something. But as time wore on she couldn't hold it, and went down with a clatter.

The burden was too heavy — understandable.

She returned in defeat, turned her head, and caught Jiang Nian watching her with an idle look, a schadenfreude grin on his face.

"Bastard!" She glared at Jiang Nian, so angry her stomach ached. "Of all people, he had to see that!"

Jiang Nian wanted to laugh — Yu Zhiyi skipping rope looked just like a duck. He'd secretly snapped several photos, saving them for memes.

And she still put on that weak, girly act.

Soon, the top eight were decided.

The elementary-schooler had serious strength and naturally made the celestial ranks. Artsy girls like Dong Que were purely along for the ride.

The class monitor hadn't joined — she didn't like showing off. The hardest she'd ever worked was at the autumn sports meet.

As for Xu Qianqian and her lot, they wouldn't dream of joining. Those two sisters dodged this kind of activity whenever they could. Thanks to the previous homeroom teacher, the whole class had basically no collective honor.

Class Four was in chaos — a patchwork of warlords.

When Class Three came at them, they were the first to run.

Even though the school had given them a new homeroom teacher, with the college entrance exam right around the corner, there was no point in repairing things.

Once they graduated, they could just stop talking to each other.

"What the hell, you ran all the way here?" Li Hua grabbed him. "You bastard, spying on girls, huh!"

Then Ma Guojun showed up, grinning.

Behind him were Liu Yang, Lin Dong, and the rest. Basically most of the boys from Class Three had come over to watch the finals.

"Huh?" Jiang Nian was a bit confused. "Why's everyone here?"

"We lost."

"All of us got knocked out in the first round." Liu Yang looked awkward. "The boys' group — fierce competition."

"Sigh, should've had you go from the start."

"I can't skip rope," Jiang Nian refused.

Lin Dong heard that and looked genuinely puzzled.

"There's something you can't do?"

Jiang Nian rolled his eyes. "Plenty of things. Rope-skipping is for PE students to practice."

"But even PE students can't outrun you," Lin Dong quipped.

Nobody dwelled on the topic. Li Hua said, "Should've come to the girls' side from the start."

"Jiang Nian got the whole show," Ma Guojun added with a sly grin.

"What the hell, this bastard really has no shame," Li Hua groaned. "You mutt, had a good look, didn't you!"

Actually, he hadn't — late February wasn't warm, and the girls were generally wearing jackets. Nothing worth seeing.

There were some in bunny-hop style too, but Jiang Nian couldn't be bothered to go over.

Small-scale stuff wasn't worth watching, and large-scale stuff he'd seen plenty of. In broad daylight, he still had some sense of shame.

"Hua, you know what 'a gentleman is cautious when alone' means?" he said. "It's broad daylight — how could I be like you?"

"Eat shit."

Ma Guojun held back a laugh. "A gentleman is cautious when alone — Li Hua watches smut."

"Hahahaha!!"

All the boys burst out laughing — only Li Hua, alone, achieved the world of eating shit, flushing, and suffering.

Class Three's luck wasn't bad — at least they'd kept a spot in the girls' top eight. Wang Yuhe had stormed into the finals.

Their class circled around, waiting to watch the final.

"Go, Wang Yuhe!"

"Take the championship!"

Jiang Nian stood in the inner ring and glanced at the elementary-schooler. She was tall and had stamina — after a full round she hadn't even broken a sweat.

Jacket sleeves rolled up, revealing a pair of jade-white arms.

Wang Yuhe's brute strength was practically overwhelming among the girls. Even against boys, she still beat most of them.

This much, he was clear about.

Jiang Nian was already scheming in his heart about how to smoothly swindle her pair of badminton rackets away.

Wang Yuhe glanced at him and covertly flipped him the middle finger.

"Hmph!"

Jiang Nian didn't mind, but a sweep of his peripheral vision startled him. He actually discovered that among the women's top eight, there was still a familiar face.

The big money-sponsor, Xu Shuang.

Xu Shuang also saw him, her gaze lingering a moment longer. Feeling it would be rude to look away, she simply nodded.

Jiang Nian was a little surprised, thinking to himself, the sponsor's physical fitness is this good?

"Mm."

The whistle blew, and the scene instantly erupted with nonstop cheers. Like a mountain roar, they burst forth, echoing across the sports field.

The jump ropes almost became afterimages, wrapping the few people up.

As time passed, people gradually made mistakes. Or, unable to endure the strain, they fell one after another.

In the end, only four remained in the women's group.

Li Hua stroked his chin, suddenly amused, elbowed Jiang Nian and said, "If a Captain Dragonfly showed up, that'd really hit the spot."

Jiang Nian turned his head, face perfectly calm, and said.

"So here's the question—do you know why it's Captain Dragonfly, and not some other Captain Cock?"

Li Hua was like Louis XVI, completely baffled.

"Cock?"

"Isn't that thing illegal to whip out?"

Ma Guojun beside them couldn't hold back, opening his mouth to educate, "Because dragonflies in Little Japan are the insects of victory."

"Oh, oh." Li Hua, half-understanding, suddenly looked up in surprise, "Damn, how do you know that?"

You don't fear a friend being dim,

You fear a friend becoming enlightened.

Holy shit, secretly studying, are you?

"Saw it in AV."

"Oh, huh?"

Even more outrageous, Li Hua even suspected his own ears were broken, "You just said what V? You meant DV, right?"

Ma Guojun said, "Saw it in a film, the male lead went back to the countryside.. ：：：

》"

"Cut it out." Liu Yang couldn't hold it together—those two bastards were even more shameless than him, and there were girls all around.

Jiang Nian stroked his chin, "You're quite the refined one, liking art films. Remember to send me a copy."

Liu Yang couldn't take it anymore, these three damned rascals.

"Let's watch the match."

Among the final four, one girl was drenched in sweat. Her movements slowed, and in the end she couldn't hold on and fell.

After securing at least top three, another girl voluntarily stopped.

In the end only Wang Yuhe and Xu Shuang remained, still insisting on jumping rope, and the sweat on the sponsor's face grew more and more.

Gifted beyond measure, in the end she still lost... to an elementary schooler.

A regretful defeat.

Once Wang Yuhe had a stable top-two finish, Jiang Nian already stopped worrying—the second-place rackets weren't bad either.

But first place would open up even broader horizons.

"Holy shit!! First place!"

"Champion!"

"Wang Yuhe is really fierce, how is her cardiopulmonary function this strong?"

Among the crowd, Class Three erupted in cheers. Although it was a school event, victory truly lifted spirits.

After the award ceremony ended over there, Jiang Nian mixed into the crowd, preparing to head back.

Suddenly, his arm was nudged by someone.

"Wait a sec."

"Hmm?"

He turned his head and found it was the sponsor, Xu Shuang. The latter had broken a light sweat and was using a tissue to wipe her fair neck.

She wore a fitted athletic outfit, the curves of her chest faintly visible.

"Do you know how to play badminton?"

Jiang Nian was stunned. What did that mean? In this day and age, after accepting a task, does one still have to entertain the sponsor?

But then again, she pays too much.

"Mm... yeah, I do."

Just this once—a person can't keep selling their conscience over and over.

"Then this is for you." Xu Shuang took the runner-up prize she'd won, a brand-new pair of badminton rackets, and shoved them at him.

"Th-this... how could that be right?" Jiang Nian exclaimed.

It's fine, it works.

He didn't necessarily accept gifts from others, but the sponsor was rolling in money—Jiang Nian understood that, no need for false politeness.

"I have one at home, my little brother... you know how it is." Xu Shuang shook her head, looking utterly exasperated with him.

What did your brother do to you!

Our i-Mountain don't start trouble, but we don't fear it either! Don't let the slander and abuse ruin Young Master Xu's future as a doctor.

In Jiang Nian's eyes, Xu Yuanshan was practically perfect, just like a little money-bringing boy.

Jiang Nian had nothing to praise, so he borrowed a catch-all formula: "Not bad, your brother's pretty tall."

Xu Shuang: "

"

"That's it, I'm heading back to class." She stuffed the racket into his hands, waved, and left.

In the classroom, Wang Yuhe stopped in the corridor.

"Where'd you get that racket?"

"None of your business?" Jiang Nian cut in, pretending to head into the classroom, then turned back and ruffled her hair.

"Ah!!" Wang Yuhe swung at him.

Unfortunately, Jiang Nian slipped away too fast.

The third period was Qian Bao's class, and ten minutes had already been eaten up by the activity; the classroom still wasn't full.

But Qian Bao didn't mind—she was still slacking off in the office.

"Huh?" Li Hua had just returned to his seat and thought he was seeing things. "Holy crap, where'd you get that racket?"

"Someone gave it to me," he said flatly.

Zhang Ninzhi hadn't come back yet, so Jiang Nian was extra confident. Big deal, just a gift from the sugar daddy.

"A girl gave it to him, I freaking saw it," Ma Guojun said. "That one from last time, the one on stage."

Hearing this, Li Qingrong in the back row paused her pen.

She glanced at Jiang Nian, who was still trash-talking with a few boys. A thoughtful expression crossed her face.

Baby Zhizhi came back, unaware of the racket.

When she reached her seat, she glanced at the new racket hanging on Li Hua's chair, a flicker of doubt in her eyes.

But in the end she didn't ask.

Zhang Ninzhi sat down with a sweet smile. "Jiang Nian, guess what Beibei and I just did?"