Chapter 91

Jiang Nian laughed. "You weren't saying that just now."

"Just now!" Chen Yunyun's face flushed red, she whispered, "I was just agreeing with Luo Yong, since off-campus housing really is more free."

"What about the rest?" He propped his head up, smiling.

"Like what?"

"Showering," Jiang Nian said. "Aren't you saying dorm showers are inconvenient? In winter you have to queue for hot water, and sometimes it's not even hot when you get to it?"

"Huh? Your home is in the county town! How do you know so much!" Chen Yunyun's eyes flickered with surprise. "Did you ever live in the dorms too?"

"No, my former desk partner was a dorm resident. I heard it from him."

"Oh oh, I see." Chen Yunyun suddenly understood, then immediately shifted topics. "Dorm showers are inconvenient, but I always shower with someone else."

Hearing this, Jiang Nian's eyelid twitched, but he merely uttered a calm "Oh."

"You shower together?"

Sounds good. I like hearing this. Tell me more.

"Why not? Saves time," Chen Yunyun didn't see anything wrong. "If my turn and Wang Yuhe's don't line up, we'd wait forever."

"Won't it be too crowded if two people shower together?" Jiang Nian feigned indifference, asking casually.

"Not too bad—one stands on the step above, the other below," Chen Yunyun thought for a moment. "Either way, it saves time, and we can do lots of other things."

"When the weather's hot, we have to rush back to the dorm right after school to get water. For convenience, our thermoses and buckets are kept outside."

"Won't someone steal them?" Jiang Nian asked again.

"Sometimes they do. You just have to accept bad luck," Chen Yunyun looked dejected. "I've already lost two thermoses. Buying more would drive me crazy."

"What about renting?"

"No way. Renting is so boring," she said. "In the dorm we can chat, and living somewhere remote is dangerous—you have to walk through dark alleys."

"Chat about what?"

"All sorts of things—middle school, hometowns, TV dramas, songs we like, gossip. And boys," Chen Yunyun slowed her speech.

Just before the 12:50 p. m. lock-in, Lin Dong slipped out of the dorm.

His pocket held a fully charged phone; he hurried toward the classroom.

But as soon as he stepped out the dorm gate, he ran straight into the one person he least wanted to see: Skinned Liuli.

Oh my god, estimated two hundred jin.

Lin Dong locked eyes with the black-skinned Skinned Liuli baby, instinctively feeling guilty. Instantly, he drew her attention—and in that moment, he already imagined his own epitaph.

【No one kissed her ruby lips, one punch killed the young lad.】

He was truly terrified. He'd thought Skinned Liuli's story was over. But now? It felt like a ghostly romance still lingering—was he about to be unboxed?

With her weight, she could just crush him outright.

Lin Dong instinctively lowered his head to walk away, silently chanting, "Don't see me, don't see me." But he'd barely taken a step when a deep, powerful voice called out.

"Stop!"

He snapped to attention, finally understanding the terror that junior students felt under the domination of the Mountain Demon. Just a moment ago, her voice was that squeaky net-love tone—how had it turned into Zhang Fei's now?

Scam! Holy shit!

Lin Dong nearly cried. He even began seeing his life flash before his eyes. After falling for net love, he now felt most guilty toward his family!

"What's your name?" Skinned Liuli asked.

"Sun Sun Zhicheng." Lin Dong instinctively blurted out his best friend's name—he'd used the alias Shen Cong for net love. "W-what's wrong?"

Skinned Liuli spoke gravely. "Do you know someone named Shen Cong?"

"Never heard of him," Lin Dong gritted his teeth, ducking his head and sidestepping, praying for a Hukou escape. "Ask someone else."

"Wait!"

Thud. Lin Dong felt himself flying. His body, like a deflated rubber ball, slammed into the wall, hit by a fully loaded Tiger tank.

He was pinned against the pillar beside the boys' dorm entrance, utterly immobilized. The punishment he'd endured for watching the spectacle that day finally came crashing down on him.

"Why the rush? Do you know Shen Cong?"

A seventeen-year-old, trembling like a grandson, too scared to vomit, tears nearly spilling.

Just die already, damn it!

"I really don't know who you mean," Lin Dong's voice cracked. "Is this karma? Who can save me? I'll never net-love again!"

"Why are you nervous?"

"I'm in a hurry, I'm not nervous! You just shoved me out of nowhere," Lin Dong explained with his last shred of reason. "How was I supposed to know what you'd do? I got scared!"

"Why is your face red?"

"I can't breathe!"

Hearing this, Skinned Liuli loosened her grip slightly, though her tone remained harsh.

"All you men are the same—play with someone's heart and then abandon them!"

"Classmate, I really haven't heard of anyone named Shen Cong," Lin Dong was numb, yet forced a fake smile. "I can keep an eye out, but I'm truly in a hurry now."

Skinned Liuli was displeased, but after a tense pause, she let him go.

"Then add me on QQ."

Gulp.

Lin Dong froze. His phone was logged in—on his SMALL ACCOUNT! Normally, QQ allows dual login, with both main and small accounts active simultaneously.

BUT!!!

Dorm residents aren't allowed to own phones, so his main QQ account couldn't be online.

Although his homeroom teacher might not spy on him, as math class representative, to set an example and avoid any slip-ups, he'd always stayed logged into his small account.

In other words, the moment he opened his phone—he'd be dead.

"Take out your phone!" Black Skin Liuli urged, growing impatient. "Hurry up, don't waste my time—I saw your phone in your pocket!"

At the critical moment, he had a sudden idea.

"Miss Meimei, let me add you on WeChat."

"You? You dare to add me on WeChat?" Black Liuli glanced at him with disdain, clearly furious—spittle splashed onto his face as she spoke.

"You want to see my daily photos? A toad trying to eat swan meat!"

Lin Dong wanted to die; before dying, he wanted to fly to Korea and get a new face.

Along the way, a few people had been watching from afar, but now the commotion drew a crowd. People were gathering, some even pulling out their phones to take pictures.

You can't take pictures of that!

Between humiliation to his dignity and total ruin, Lin Dong chose the former and forced out a smile.

"I'm not."

"You're not?" Black Skin Liuli mimicked Lin Dong in a shrill, mocking tone, "I know all you stinking men—you just cheat girls' feelings!!"

"Wahhh!! I just got dumped, and now everyone's picking on me!!"

Thud-thud-thud—three punches shattered Lin Dong's bravado.

Your mom!

In the end, he bowed his head and endured it for three full minutes. Once the wild boar buff passed, he successfully added her on WeChat and bolted away.

As he ran, he gagged—the frantic sprint and the foul smell on his face drove him to kneel beside a sandpit and vomit.

He spat out a few mouthfuls of sour fluid, feeling like his stomach was coming out, before finally regaining some composure.

A few passersby cast curious glances, but Lin Dong didn't care. Lice multiplied, no itch left—he'd already lost all dignity; he just hoped no one had captured his face.

The most important thing now is—

He pulled out his phone, opened WeChat, and prepared to delete Black Skin Liuli. Trembling, he tapped open her profile—when suddenly, a new message popped up.

【Sun Zhicheng, if you block me, I'll camp outside Dorm 5 until you never come back! I'll find out your classroom!】

【I hate men who lie to me. Try me.】

Lin Dong's hands shook violently—he began to regret it! Why had he left the dorm? Why had he even said "Sun Zhicheng"? He could've made up any name!

He regretted it. His whole body trembled.

Finally, he let out a muffled sob, his heart sinking into an icy abyss.

Why had this happened? Why was he being stalked? How did she know he was in Dorm 5? His alt account was hidden so well!

Zong, Yaoyao sent a new message—he had no heart to check it.

Standing in the sunlight, his heart dipped below zero.

Lin Dong looked up at the sky and muttered to himself: Had the sky over Zhennan darkened? Or was it just his imagination?

It was noon—why was the light so dim?

Oh, he'd mistaken it. His life had simply gone dark.

Lin Dong's teeth chattered as he dragged his weakened legs forward like a zombie—his expression numb, emotionless, a soulless corpse.

Walk by the river often enough, you'll get your shoes wet.

He never imagined he'd crash so absurdly—it was truly unjustifiable.

When he reached the base of the classroom building, Lin Dong pulled himself together. It was done—there was nothing left to say. He'd just have to keep living.

He'd have to stall Black Skin Liuli for now. Sigh.

Lin Dong climbed the stairs and was about to enter the classroom when his sharp eyes caught it—Chen Yunyun was laughing and chatting with Jiang Nian, close enough to touch.

Send it to Sun Zhicheng. He shouldn't be the only one suffering.

Tang Mu, see the truth!

He sneaked a photo while pretending to play with his phone, then quickly sent it to Sun Zhicheng. Afterward, he returned to his seat, head down, pretending to scroll on his phone.

Sun Zhicheng replied with an ellipsis—nothing more.

Lin Dong smiled. His inner pain lessened slightly. He thought: Tang Mu Cheng, do you know what apocalyptic disaster your father just endured?

After lunch.

Ding-ding-ding, Jiang Nian groggily rose from his seat and noticed two brown-wrapped coffee hard candies placed beside the corner of his desk.

Zhang Nengzhi had already arrived and was asleep on the desk, one cheek buried in her arms, the other side facing him—her long eyelashes trembling slightly.

Jiang Nian stared for a moment, snatched the candies, shoved them into his pocket, and murmured, "Thank you."

He shook his head, planning to step outside for air—he'd slept too long. He went to the restroom to wash his face and relieve himself, preparing for the three-hour science exam in the afternoon.

As he stood in the corridor, he turned and saw Zhang Nengzhi exiting the classroom, heading for the restroom. His gaze followed her without hesitation—she paused, then quickened her pace.

Only when he saw the girl's steps turn nearly into a run did he finally laugh out loud.

Afternoon exam: Science.

The entire exam hall was drowsy—some sipped water, others slapped themselves.

Li Hua pulled out his menthol oil, stuck out his tongue, "Eww~"

Jiang Nian had slept through lunch and washed his face with cold water—he was no longer sleepy, but his mind felt sluggish, as if a small piece of wood had been jammed into the back of his skull.

He turned to look at the class monitor—and froze. Li Qingrong's hair tie had suddenly changed from a black elastic to a bear-shaped one.

"Monitor, did you find your hair tie?"

Li Qingrong hummed in reply, not turning to look at him.

"Found it."

Not finished. Still more.