Chapter 74

"Jiang Nian? How did he get promoted? Did he cheat?"

Classic, hit right in the face with the first line.

"It's not cheating, don't just spit out nonsense," Le Zhi slammed his chopsticks on the table, frowning at them, his expression far from pleasant.

They'd already clashed once before; today he came only because of Zhou Yuting.

No need to give face—it wouldn't help anyway.

"Who knows?"

"If you don't know, shut up. Did your mom tell you in a dream?" Le Zhi didn't hold back, firing right back.

He used to be a dumbass, but that didn't mean he had no temper. Anyone who became friends with Jiang Nian had a fiery streak underneath.

He wasn't afraid they'd flip the table—fight if you want. The county's so small, fights are just the same old thing; those with connections get their elders to mediate.

Classic opening move: kids being immature, just apologize to each other and call it done.

"No problem? Wait till I get into xxx—then we'll see if one more beating is enough. Such a short fuse? What kind of street thug are you? Can three blows shatter your gangster dream?"

"You just know?" The man softened.

Le Zhi was speechless, too lazy to talk, and broke open a new pair of chopsticks.

He hadn't thought much about it before, but since Jiang Nian got promoted, he suddenly felt lost.

Gao San has less than eight months left—should he keep wasting time?

Before, they teased each other, both chasing Zhou Yuting.

Now he suddenly realized the other guy had quit the game, and suddenly he wasn't interested in Zhou Yuting anymore.

Sometimes he even wondered: would a different life really be different?

"Alright, Jiang Nian's promotion must have its reasons," Liu Feipeng avoided the topic entirely, leaving all the dirty work to his underlings so he could keep a clean reputation.

"Yeah, the Olympiad class," Zhou Yuting smiled faintly, saying no more, a hidden ache in her heart. "But his personality's not great—he probably isn't doing well in the new class."

"Yeah, he hasn't contacted any of us since the promotion—completely cut off. Even when we run into him on the street, he doesn't say hello."

Yu Tongjie looked startled, turning to Zhou Yuting.

"You and Jiang Nian were in the same class before?"

At this, not just Zhou Yuting, but Le Zhi and Liu Feipeng also turned to Yu Tongjie. They'd known he was promoted too, but hadn't cared which class.

After all, none of them had paid attention to Jiang Nian's situation—yet it turned out to be such a coincidence.

"Yu Ge, you're in the same class as Jiang Nian—you must know him well, right?" Someone perked up, asking eagerly. "Since his promotion, is he really struggling?"

Before Yu Tongjie could answer, Le Zhi spoke up.

"If you can't speak properly, don't speak at all. Even if he's struggling, isn't he still better than you? Try getting into the Olympiad class yourself."

The more Yu Tongjie heard, the more absurd it felt—he scratched his head. He knew Jiang Nian's grades were real, painfully so; he wouldn't dare clarify.

He wouldn't slander him outright, but secretly hoped others would dump more dirt on Jiang Nian.

Saying Jiang Nian had a bad personality? He fully agreed!

Fuck, he's like an electric shock kid!

One spark and he explodes.

Seeing Yu Tongjie stay silent, Zhou Yuting felt a flash of delight.

If Jiang Nian's grades were truly terrible, the news would've reached her ears. But it hadn't—meaning his grades weren't inflated.

Yet after his promotion, he hadn't contacted anyone, vanished completely.

That fit his personality—he was okay in class, but never had close friends.

He was probably still the same after the promotion.

The Olympiad class was full of prodigies—all seeds for top-tier universities. Jiang Nian, coming from a parallel class, wouldn't fit in—that was normal.

Even if he kept up academically, could he get along with those around him? Either way, her heart finally felt balanced.

"Anyway, let's drop Jiang Nian—talk about something else," Zhou Yuting smiled.

At this moment, she had let go.

Liu Feipeng lifted his wine cup, smiling softly.

"Yuting, didn't Jiang Nian used to chase you?"

At the mention of this, the others at the table found their outlet—all chimed in, cheering, booing, laughing.

"That guy used to buy lemon water—so funny."

"He wasn't even worthy of Sister Ting—he only switched classes after failing to win her over. Hilarious. In my opinion, only Brother Peng here is truly suited for Sister Ting."

"Stop talking nonsense, don't say stupid things," Zhou Yuting frowned—there was still Le Zhi at the table.

Le Zhi showed little reaction. Without Jiang Nian present, Zhou Yuting was just a sunk cost to him—he'd liked her for one or two years, couldn't just let go.

Liu Feipeng saw this as weakness, and couldn't help smiling as he drank.

Yu Tongjie didn't understand what these people were doing—their relationships seemed messy. Especially Liu Feipeng—he wanted to piss on him, he was even better at pretending.

What's my status? What's yours?

He had a vague memory of Le Zhi—his dad was that guy, right? Such a sharp tongue reminded him of someone from the past, making him feel uneasy.

Why does Jiang Nian keep haunting me? Just go away!

Just as Yu Tongjie was enjoying the others' slanders against Jiang Nian, someone suddenly said, "Jiang Nian's probably locked in self-isolation every day, hahaha."

"Sister Ting was probably the prettiest girl he'd ever seen. Now he's surrounded by greasy ugly girls who won't even look at him—he just buries his head in books."

"No no, you're exaggerating," Zhou Yuting waved her hand—truthfully, she still felt pleased.

"Ugly?" Yu Tongjie couldn't sit still, staring at them in disbelief. "Wait—you've never been to the Olympiad class? Are the girls in our class ugly?"

Zhou Yuting froze, seeing Yu Tongjie was angry, and quickly backtracked.

"Yu Ge, he didn't mean it like that…"

"Right, I mean everyone around Jiang Nian is ugly." The guy nodded in panic, blurting whatever came to mind. He just liked to follow the crowd, not that he had no brains.

Today's gathering was clearly arranged around Yu Tongjie.

He was still a bit confused, saying what's wrong with Jiang Nian? Is there some problem? He had originally planned to use some clown as a laughingstock, but it seemed like the car had flipped into a ditch.

"Do you fucking know how to talk!" Yu Tongjie suddenly stood up and slammed the table.

Hearing that line "everyone around Jiang Nian is ugly," Yu Tongjie's nameless fury flared up. Insulting Jiang Nian is fine, but splashing it onto Li Qingrong won't do!

Although they had no particular relationship, only having more contact recently because of the sports meet. But Yu Tongjie didn't care—if it splashed onto her, they deserved to die!

Liu Feipeng was also dumbfounded. Last time his underling spoke ill of Jiang Nian and offended Le Zhi. Now another round, and somehow Yu Tongjie got offended too?

"Young Master Yu, there might be a misunderstanding here."

"Misunderstanding my ass!" Yu Tongjie had wanted to leave anyway, pointing at Liu Feipeng, he said, "Stop fucking fantasizing all day, go up to the fourth floor when you're free and see what real beauty looks like!"

"Jiang Nian really is no good, just take his—"

Although Yu Tongjie had once felt a trace of fondness for Zhang Ningzhi when he first moved up a class. But that last sliver of goodwill vanished completely after she snitched on Jiang Nian.

Besides, he's now a pure-love believer, his heart doesn't hold two people.

He originally wanted to say class monitor, but from a pure-love perspective. Even in his own words, he didn't want to put Jiang Nian and the class monitor together, so he changed what he was going to say.

"Just take his female deskmate—she's more beautiful than all the girls in your class combined, plus her!"

Yu Tongjie pointed at the dumbfounded Zhou Yuting, "—all of them! Get out and look around more, stop fantasizing here. What nonsense, no beauties in the Olympiad class? Hilarious!"

As his words fell, the furious Yu Tongjie grabbed his phone and left, cursing as he went.

"What kind of stupid shit is this, don't call me for this kind of thing in the future! Eat your mom's barbecue!"

At the entrance of the barbecue restaurant.

At one table, Zhou Yuting was dumbfounded, her mind completely blank.

Yu Tongjie went off with zero frames of startup, no one knew which sentence had set him off. He looked like a pretty honest guy, then suddenly flew into a rage, cursing out everyone.

What happened?

Liu Feipeng was really feeling his defenses crack this time, his fists slightly clenching.

He suspected he was having a run of bad luck lately. The little clique he used to control like a fish in water. Now it kept exploding—last time he offended Le Zhi, this time Yu Tongjie.

Ever since Jiang Nian moved up a class, everything had been off.

From now on, the name Jiang Nian is banned, otherwise his reputation would surely rot at this rate. Spending all this money and still getting scolded—if word got out, he'd be a pure clown.

Le Zhi's chopsticks hadn't even been put down yet, he just felt that what Yu Tongjie had just said sounded a bit familiar.

Isn't that my line?

He looked up and sized up this little clique he once thought was cool and flashy. Suddenly felt it was a bit like an unfinished building, full of holes everywhere.

Forget it, let's go.

Le Zhi tossed the chopsticks in his hand, picked up his phone, and stood up to leave.

"The meal money, I'll transfer it to the group later, this one's on me. Don't call me for this kind of thing in the future either, I'm prepping for the college entrance exam, don't want to play anymore."

As his words fell, Le Zhi left without looking back.

Zhou Yuting was stunned, the fish in her pond—both those that had entered and those that hadn't—all swam away. Le Zhi's conditions weren't bad, and on reflection, Jiang Nian's conditions were actually pretty decent too.

Although neither was as rich as Liu Feipeng's family, nor as steady as Liu Feipeng, but... in the future they might be potential stocks.

Now, all gone.

The little circle she'd played in for two years, the harmonious fish pond she'd painstakingly built. Gone in the span of one meal. Blame Jiang Nian? He didn't even show up, probably didn't even know.

But everything started because of him, Zhou Yuting suddenly felt a bit of regret.

If back during summer break at the KTV, she had spoken up for Jiang Nian. Would everything be different now? Jiang Nian wouldn't be burying his head in studies, and the one who moved up a class would be herself.

After entering the Olympiad class, her own value would rise further, and handling them would only get easier and more effortless.

But... now.

The barbecue stall owner came over carrying a few dishes, glanced around and noticed fewer people, and spoke up.

"The dishes you ordered can't be returned, the kitchen already made them."

The night wind blew past, Zhou Yuting gazed at the dim yellow streetlamp in the distance, and suddenly felt like breaking down.

The words Jiang Nian had said that night resurfaced in her mind.

【Your dream is your dream, what does it have to do with me? If we were friends, there'd still be room to maneuver, but unfortunately I won't be your friend anymore.】

【Learn from your mistakes, guess why I moved up a class? Wasn't it to get away from you and your stinking circle? People change, baby.】

【I stopped liking you long ago, I don't feel anything for you at all, go home and play house by yourself.】

The drifting night wind curled up the withered yellow fallen leaves. On the main road not far away, the streetlamp's light scattered down, like a golden avenue had been laid out.

Zhou Yuting suddenly shivered, and a sentence popped into her mind for no reason.

"Perhaps... autumn coming means an ending."

Begging for monthly tickets, begging for monthly tickets, bro, please vote, in real life I'm just a goblin who's never been in a relationship.

Please vote, the room has no air conditioning and it's really hot, I boiled some water to fill my stomach, the moment the water boiled, tears just streamed down.

Boohoo, now there are two boiling creatures at home.