Chapter 71: Dreaming of Becoming a Butterfly?

On the staircase.

Sensing Jiang Nian pause at the upstairs corner and look at her, Zhang Ningzhi's face was calm as still water, but inside her heart was already bubbling like boiling water.

Sunlight wandered freely through the corridor, drawing a clear line of light and shadow. Zhang Ningzhi's ears flushed faintly pink as she watched the boy whose shoulders were bathed in sunlight, and she stopped walking.

"What is it?"

Playing dumb.

Jiang Nian sighed and pointed. "Your shoelace is untied."

"Huh?"

Zhang Ningzhi dropped her head sharply. The shoelace really was undone, a long white strip trailing to one side. She inwardly thought how embarrassing, and just as she squatted down she heard him speak again.

"When did your hairpin fall off?"

The girl was instantly thrown into a daze by his combination of feints, her mind completely unable to keep up. The Lin Daiyu-style brooding she had been holding in all morning instantly went blank.

"It didn't fall off... I put it away."

"Oh~"

Zhang Ningzhi was made a little guilty by that meaningful, drawn-out "oh," and once her shoelace was tied she hurried off as if fleeing.

Elsewhere.

Under the sun on the sports field, Yu Tongjie was gasping for breath, hands braced on his knees, stopped on the red running track. Sweat blurred his eyes, stinging so badly he couldn't open them.

"You've got to be kidding, how can anyone run that fast?"

He wiped away some sweat and looked across half the field at Li Qingrong on the track.

No way, is that the kind of pace a three-kilometer run is supposed to have?

Yu Tongjie had been lapped by Li Qingrong in the very first lap; every time she lapped him, within a hundred meters she pulled away again. He couldn't keep up, completely couldn't keep up.

Holy shit, is she even human?!

No wonder they said he could give up if he couldn't hold on, but he wasn't going to give up!

Afternoon.

In the office, Jiang Nian sought out Old Liu to explain in advance that he might need to take the afternoon off during the sports meet.

Old Liu's brow furrowed, looking as if it were a very difficult matter.

"The Dean's Office only just put out a notice yesterday that no sick leave or personal leave for students during the sports meet will be approved. You asking for leave at a time like this, this....."

"That's what they say, but Teacher, you definitely have a way, right?" Jiang Nian didn't back down either. This leave was one he was asking for with full justification — damn it, it was his rightful right.

Old Liu wasn't one to deny his debts, and he uttered that classic line.

"In principle, it's not allowed....."

It happened that Old Liu wanted some tea; the moment he picked up his thermos, he paused to think for a while.

"Look at this empty thermos, Jiang Nian. Do you think the water will automatically get into the teacher's cup?"

Jiang Nian was speechless. Alright, alright, you old bastard!

The more you get, the more you want.

"Of course it will, Teacher." Jiang Nian rose respectfully and brewed tea for Old Liu.

Jiang Nian watched eagerly as Old Liu blew and blew at the steam rising from the cup's rim, then took his first sip. Only then did Jiang Nian put on a look as if just remembering, slapped his forehead, and asked.

"Teacher, there's one more thing. Wu Jun Gu wants to ask about the procedures for switching to boarding."

At the words, Old Liu immediately set the thermos down on the desk, his expression displeased.

"How is there still more? Approving your leave I've already done my best. How did another person wanting to switch to boarding pop up from your group? I know Wu Jun Gu."

"He has absolutely no need to board. Are you going to speak up for him too?"

Jiang Nian was a little embarrassed. "Same group, I was just asking a question. I can't very well refuse, can I?"

Teacher, I just want to improve so badly.

"Fine, fine." Old Liu waved impatiently. "This one requires his parents to call me, plus a written application, buying insurance, and paying the boarding fee."

"Thank you, Teacher." Jiang Nian slipped away at once.

Back in the classroom, he first relayed Old Liu's words to Wu Jun Gu. The latter expressed his thanks, then turned away with a furrowed brow, lost in thought.

Ceng You, on hearing this, was unusually excited, wearing the expression of a man luring a decent woman into the water.

"Brother Jun, you're going to board?"

Wu Jun Gu did not deny it, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper.

"Ah, considering it."

"Come on, our dorm just happens to have an empty bed. Only downside is it's next to the toilet." Ceng You's face was alight with excitement; he even stopped reading his novel.

"Our dorm supervisor's an idiot — barely any hair on his own head but loves nitpicking ours, always turns the lights off early."

"How's your sleep? Every dorm has someone who snores. Ours is a little better."

Ceng You rattled on and on, and with every point he made, Wu Jun Gu's face went a shade paler.

"Stop, stop talking."

Li Hua nudged Wu Jun Gu and began to speak.

"I boarded for a while in my first year of high school, it's actually nothing. Just don't go searching online — they make it sound like you're going into a concentration camp. Our key high school doesn't have that much bullshit."

Ceng You nodded. "True, at worst they'll mooch your shampoo."

Jiang Nian listened from the side without offering any opinion. He propped his hand on the desk, wondering whether after finishing the three-kilometer run tomorrow he could still catch the bus back to his old hometown.

Xu Qianqian was asking for leave; her homeroom teacher would definitely approve it, and she might have already started her leave this afternoon.

Taking advantage of the break between classes, he surreptitiously — and brazenly — pulled out his phone from his pocket for a look. Xu Qianqian had indeed sent him a few messages; he tapped to open them.

"I got the leave approved, waiting for my dad to come pick me up."

"【Photo of the school gate】"

"Cheer them on at the sports meet, don't come in last."

"【A meme that would make a Korean person furious】."

Jiang Nian: "......."

Holy crap, Xu Qianqian's message reeks way too hard — wonder who she picked that up from.

He really wanted to reply, "I got the day off too, going back to my hometown tomorrow to visit."

But on second thought he gave up — he'd just show up out of nowhere tomorrow.

Blitzkrieg Little Dragon Pool Village.

Not to give her any surprise, but... Xu Qianqian would definitely see the message and reply with some outrageous meme, 【Want to flip butterflies?】

Knowing each other too well isn't always a good thing.

In the aisle, Li Qingrong walked over holding a few athlete numbers and some paper clips. Ceng You got a fright and instantly slapped a book over the spare phone on the desk.

Then he closed his eyes, thinking, Brother Nian, it's not that I won't save you.

Too late.

Wait till I watch some ads to revive you another day.

However, Li Qingrong merely glanced at Jiang Nian looking at his phone, expressionless. She set the numbers down on Li Hua's desk and left without a word.

Ceng You turned his head, "??????"

Jiang Nian had already sent the message, "JK cheer set, can I still redeem it?"

Whoosh — Xu Qianqian replied almost instantly.

"Who said yes to you!"

Jiang Nian smiled, put away his phone, and looked up to see Li Qingrong's back as she walked up to the podium. He couldn't help staring a few extra seconds — had the class rep changed her hair tie today?

Not sure, let me look again.

He turned and saw his own number bib — yellowish, a little dirty.

Li Hua fiddled with it for a bit, then clipped it right onto himself, asking as he did.

"Hey, do I look cool?"

Jiang Nian was speechless. "Cool my ass — you going to run in my place?"

"Then forget it, I've got my plans for tomorrow." Li Hua took the bib off and tossed it to Jiang Nian. "I'm gonna bathe, burn incense, wash my hands clean... and hehehe in the classroom."

Jiang Nian nodded. "Bro Hua, is your jerk-off ritual really this elaborate?"

He couldn't help but give a thumbs-up.

"Impressive — whoever dates you gets flowers on Qingming Festival."