Chapter 75

The last evening self-study session ended before the movie finished playing.

The lights snapped on abruptly.

Three minutes remained until evening self-study ended; the group that had cheered loudest for the movie had already started packing their bags.

The whole point was to be sweet before watching, bitter after.

Jiang Nian greeted the person beside him and left; Wu Jun Gu happened to exit with him. They parted at the door of the adjacent classroom—one stopped in the hallway, the other headed for the stairs.

Before going downstairs, Jiang Nian glanced back once.

A girl with a decent figure from the adjacent class, carrying a pink bag, approached Wu Jun Gu.

Hmm. A friend's wife must not be touched—he was just curious, so he cast a quick glance.

Her face was average, but… sister-in-law, isn't this advantage a bit too obvious?

Shit, did he actually land a girlfriend until Monday?

No way, bro, do you live on campus with a girlfriend like that?

You guys don't share a dorm, do you? When did the school start offering dorms like this? I didn't mean anything by it—I just have too much money and want to rent one temporarily.

Xu Qianqian was absent, so he didn't linger on the third-floor corridor.

He got home around nine fifty in the evening.

Before opening the door, Jiang Nian had planned to ask about the memorial rites. In past years, his parents always went in person to pay respects; if they were too busy, they'd send someone to light incense.

How should he bring it up? Say he'd suddenly changed his ways?

Though it was true—he'd grown up, everyone had their weird phase—but they'd probably mistake it for puberty, thinking he was lusting after their daughter.

He pushed open the door.

Jiang Nian walked into the living room and found his parents on the sofa. Mom was scrolling through TikTok with the sound on loud; Dad was watching TV, as if waiting for him specifically.

"Back?" Dad glanced at him.

"Yeah." Jiang Nian tilted his head.

"Come here, I've got something to tell you." Mom put down her phone, lowered the volume of the cringy BGM and canned laughter, her expression serious.

Jiang Nian set down his bag. "What?"

"Your school's holding a sports meet these two days, right?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

Hearing this, Li Hongmei turned and exchanged a look with her husband, then spoke.

"Are you busy during the sports meet?"

"Not really—I signed up for one or two events." Jiang Nian's throat tightened slightly; he sensed something coming. He sat on the edge of the sofa. "Anyway… everything'll be done by tomorrow afternoon. What's up?"

The living room fell silent.

"Little Nian, if you're free tomorrow, take two days off and go back to our hometown. These two days are your aunt's memorial—go represent me and your dad and light some incense."

"Hurry up, but if you can't stand it, stay a little longer. If you absolutely can't stay, at least spend one night in the countryside before returning—I'll give you the key tomorrow."

Mom kept chattering—where the quilts were stored, where the blanket was, who to call if the circuit breaker broke, which shop to get a water pipe from if the pump failed.

Jiang Nian's gaze drifted elsewhere; he started zoning out.

He actually didn't mind going—Xu Qianqian's mom had always been kind to him. But his motive was… just a bit off. Auntie was good, and so was her daughter.

Mom, this hardship? I can handle two and a half days.

Yay! Didn't see that coming, did you?

Dad, beside him, suddenly spoke up.

"The kid's grown up—he can handle it himself."

"You don't know shit!" Li Hongmei snapped back, annoyed. "Is it not your flesh and blood you're not worried about? He's going alone to the countryside—what if there's no water or electricity?"

"Isn't there old Xu?" Dad shrugged.

"Is that even human speech? Old Xu's in no shape to care for Qianqian—he's barely managing. Are you asking him to take care of your son too?" Li Hongmei looked utterly exasperated.

Jiang Nian stood to the side, grinning as he watched his parents perform their comedic routine.

The living room was brightly lit; for a fleeting moment, he wasn't sure if it was an illusion—he thought he saw the wrinkles at Mom's eyes and the white hairs sprouting on Dad's head.

The next morning.

There was no morning reading for the sports meet; Jiang Nian slept through until fully rested. Before leaving, he stuffed a piggy bank into his bag.

Xu Qianqian wasn't there—it felt strange.

Though they didn't usually walk to school together during this time—mostly they coordinated when to leave after evening self-study—at least he knew she'd left ahead of him.

As he left in the morning, Jiang Nian glanced at the shoe rack across the door. Xu Qianqian's prized sneakers, which she rarely wore, were gone—she must've taken them back to the countryside.

He strolled downstairs slowly and bought breakfast.

At school, the "Athletes' March" was already playing. Under blue skies and white clouds, students in summer white uniforms filled the grounds, interspersed with a few people carrying colorful flags.

The weather was clear, the autumn breeze gentle.

Liu Yang, the sports monitor of Class Three, carried the class sign out of the classroom and called back.

"Everyone hurry down! Assemble, assemble!"

A shrill whistle pierced the air, drowned in the deafening BGM. Sunlight bathed everyone; their white short-sleeve uniforms glowed.

Liu Yang turned around and nearly collided head-on with Jiang Nian, who had just come up the stairs.

"Brother Jiang, you're late?"

"Heh, overslept." Jiang Nian held his bag, dressed in the summer white uniform, standing outside the classroom door. "Should we bring benches down?"

"Nah, just stand there and listen to the idiots drone on." Liu Yang waved him off. "Events start this morning. Oh, get ready for the athlete parade formation."

"A formation of over a dozen people?" Jiang Nian blinked in slight surprise.

"No—the Gao San science Olympiad class is combining to form one formation." Liu Yang suddenly grinned mysteriously. "You know who's holding the sign for our formation?"

I didn't know before, but I know now.

So expressions really can make sounds!

"You're the monitor, right?"

"Yeah!" Liu Yang grinned, shifting sideways along the corridor, waving his arms excitedly. "Let's go watch together later, how about it!"

"You don't know, but our monitor is the one who holds the sign every year at the sports meet."

Usually, only the prettiest person gets to hold the sign.

Of course, only if they're willing.

"That doesn't seem right. What if we get caught? It'd be so awkward." Jiang Nian instinctively wanted to refuse, not wanting to be the guy who gets caught, but he couldn't wriggle out of it and finally agreed.

What's there to see in the monitor? Just a white short skirt and long legs. How beautiful can a girl's legs be? Just white, huh? Might as well take a look.

No special reason—mainly because I'm not short on time.

Nine o'clock.

On the playground, the leader's speech had been going since eight and lasted until nine. The autumn sun overhead grew brighter, and dissatisfaction began to stir among the ranks.

"Shit, how the hell can this guy talk so long?" Ma Guojun fanned himself with a book in the formation.

In Class Three's formation, nearly everyone held a book or a vocabulary notebook.

Fatty always hated the heat; after fanning himself for two minutes, he unilaterally sent the leader's mother to the afterlife.

He turned his head—Jiang Nian was gone. After asking, he learned all the athletes had gone to form up. He turned to look for Li Hua and saw the guy holding a thick copy of Dragon Clan.

Ma Guojun left his spot and walked over.

"Huh?"

Li Hua looked up blankly, "Ah?" His expression wasn't good.

"Yeah, I've been saving the plot for almost a week, didn't dare to read it. Since I woke up this morning, I've been reading—from the great escape all the way to Ghost Road."

Watching the weird Li Hua, the big fat Ma Guojun looked utterly confused. He glanced around—no one was talking to Li Hua. Who the hell was he talking to?

Come on, we're bros, don't scare me like that.

"Oh, Dragon Clan?" Ma Guojun said casually. "I heard it's pretty good, but I haven't read it. Is it good? Let me read it after you're done."

Li Hua fell silent. He had a bad feeling. He nodded.

"Alright, wait till I finish."

Jiang Nian was now standing in formation in the shade. Athletes got privileges—they didn't have to sweat under the sun.

The leader hadn't finished speaking, but everyone had scattered to sit around.

Jiang Nian sat on the edge of a shady flowerbed, playing with his phone, left hand holding a bottle of mineral water. Liu Yang fidgeted, scrolling through the class group chat one moment, standing up and pacing the next.

He looked up at Liu Yang.

"Sports committee, are you hot?"

"Not hot at all. It's pretty cool here, even breezy." Liu Yang sat beside him and lowered his voice. "Bro, I'm not hot—I'm anxious."

"Anxious about what?"

"Come on, don't play dumb." Liu Yang made a Chen Zidan-style emoji face. "You little bastard, you forgot why we came here?"

"What? Form up and then compete in the long jump!" Jiang Nian coughed once, then coughed again.

"Fine, fine, keep pretending!" Liu Yang's mouth curled into a Nike-logo grin. "Why isn't the monitor out yet? If she doesn't show up soon, we'll have to form up and march!"

"Cough, cough." Jiang Nian looked up at the sky.

"Holy shit, you're still pretending to be awkward!" Liu Yang couldn't believe it, slapped him. "Don't tell me you don't want to see her—you're the one who wants to most!"

Mid-sentence, Liu Yang suddenly realized something. His smile vanished instantly. His finger froze midair, beads of cold sweat breaking on his forehead.

"Huh? You're just messing with me, right?"

"Oh my god, Brother Jiang, we're bros. Don't pull this kind of joke—it could kill someone."

Jiang Nian turned his head away, giving him the look of "good luck, brother."

Liu Yang's fingers suddenly trembled. He turned back slowly. A figure in a white short skirt stood quietly there, her face expressionless.

Her hair was pinned up, her makeup light but flawless—no less stunning than a star.

"M-Monitor!" Liu Yang's legs nearly gave out. Caught red-handed by Li Qingrong—he'd thought this only happened in movies. Oh my god!!!

Li Qingrong said nothing. Her calm gaze swept past him, then landed on Jiang Nian behind. The man was looking down, scrolling through his phone, pretending to be busy.

So easily ditching your bro? No wonder you're a guy.

Jiang Nian felt zero guilt. He'd hinted several times. Sports committee, you had zero reaction—was I supposed to take the bullet for you?

"What were you just looking at?" Li Qingrong asked.

"N-nothing! It was all Jiang Nian!" Liu Yang went weak and immediately stabbed his friend in the back. "He said he wanted to come see, was too scared to come alone, and dragged me along!"

Oh shit!

Jiang Nian went numb. Can you at least betray me from a distance?!

You haven't even been hit three times and you've already sold me out!

Twelve volumes of crimes—every single one names me!

Fine, fine, fine!

Li Qingrong glanced at Liu Yang. "The formation's about to start. Aren't you supposed to help line everyone up?"

"Oh, oh, right, right!" Liu Yang felt like he'd been pardoned. He turned back with a guilty look at Jiang Nian—Bro, good luck—and bolted away.

Jiang Nian felt awkward as Li Qingrong walked over—he instantly wanted to kneel.

He'd misjudged Liu Yang.

It wasn't that Liu Yang was weak—he was just terrified of Li Qingrong's aura.

In three seconds, Jiang Nian thought of five ways to apologize, and finally decided to speak first.

At the same time, Li Qingrong also spoke.

"I was wrong." ("Seen enough?")

The delivery was late, I was starving, and the mess I'd written I deleted and rewrote.

Late, my apologies.