Chapter 929: Since Childhood 23

Jin Chen clicked his tongue, "Promising, can't you wait for Mu Henian to come chase you?"

"But… he now also doesn't like me."

Cheng Huai propped his chin on one hand, shook his head in dejection, "Besides, there's such a long chasm between us."

He gestured a distance, "It's called a family background gap."

He doesn't even have a home anymore.

"I know thinking about this now is too far ahead; even if I catch up with him, we might not necessarily reach the stage of meeting parents."

Facing his friend, Cheng Huai voiced the worries that have been pressing on his heart lately.

His delicate face scrunched up, feeling lost, gloomy, and at a loss.

"But I just tend to overthink; I've been like this since I was little."

Jin Chen: "Indeed."

Otherwise, you two wouldn't have been entangled in your previous life.

Cheng Huai grinned, "I was just joking; don't take it as you mocking me."

"Call out 'big brother' and listen; brother will help you think of a solution."

Jin Chen lifted his chin at him, totally asking for a beating.

"Tsk… you can't even catch up with A Xu yourself, yet you're trying to help me figure things out."

Cheng Huai burrowed under the covers, "No way, I'm going to discuss it with A Xu tomorrow."

Jin Chen: "……"

"Forget it!"

——

What came of their discussion, Jin Chen didn't know; on Friday, the day of the school's opening exam, all the scores were released.

Jin Chen's class rank jumped from thirtieth (mid-tier) straight up to fifteenth.

Although still not outstanding, compared to all his previous results it's already a huge improvement.

In the last class meeting on Friday, he received Lao Cao's special praise.

Unfortunately, Liu Xiao, who had consistently stayed in the top five of the class, fell to eighth, and his year rank dropped even further, into the twenties.

Liu Xiao's grades were unstable; he was already unhappy, and then he had to listen to the homeroom teacher praise someone he'd always looked down on—his frustration was beyond words.

But Jin Chen couldn't care less.

All he looked forward to was the weekend, wondering what reward Xiao Yu'er would give him.

So early Saturday morning, when Song Xu woke Jin Chen at seven, he wasn't angry and just grabbed Song Xu's hand, pulling him onto the bed.

"Why get up so early on vacation?"

Jin Chen yawned, still not fully awake.

"Let's go to the amusement park today, bro, hurry up."

Song Xu was pinned down by one of Jin Chen's legs, couldn't move, gave up resisting, and pulled Jin Chen's face outward by pinching it.

"Amusement park!"

Jin Chen shot up from his sickbed.

"Could the reward be a date for two?! That'd be great! The amusement park is a perfect place to heat up feelings!"

He sprang up like a carp flipping, left hand brushing teeth, right hand combing hair, then splashed water on his face, finished washing up! Changed into a cool outfit!

"Let's go, baby!"

Song Xu, still eating breakfast in the living room: "……"

"Okay, okay, fast."

Jin Shu slowly set down his teacup, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

"Kid… what's with your outfit today?"

"Ah! I get it."

Jin Shu, who keeps up with the times, suddenly realized, "What's that… the current trend… high‑street fashion?"

"Pretty good, handsome!"

"Just looking at it makes you feel hot."

Ms. Liu Ou gave her opinion, "I remember the earphones on your neck are already broken."

"If you're trying to look cool, I suggest you wear a neck‑hanging fan."

Song Xu's final verdict: "Bro, it's hot at the amusement park; no need to wear long sleeves and pants."

Jin Chen, hit with three blows: "……"

"It's not like I'm trying to look sharp for a date or anything!"

【I just said this outfit doesn't look like something a normal person would wear.】

But it's no big deal; Jin Chen changed clothes again and came out still bursting with enthusiasm.

Jin Shu still wondered, he'd often taken the two kids to the amusement park when they were little—why was he so excited this time?

The insightful Liu Ou girl remarked, "Youth really is great!"

Ten minutes later.

Jin Chen's face was full of black lines as he stared wide‑eyed at Mu Henian.

"How the hell are you here?"

Mu Henian: "…… I was about to ask you the same thing."

He still thought it was a solo date with Cheng Huai.

He even sprayed perfume! Pointless.

Song Xu and Cheng Huai in the front seats muttered.

Cheng Huai was obviously nervous, clutching the hem of his clothes, "Can we really do this? I'm still worried…"

"Ah Huai is usually the bravest, there's nothing to worry about."

Song Xu, who came up with the idea, patted his shoulder, "Besides, from what I've observed, Mu Henian definitely likes you too, though he's probably a bit… shy, so he's not good with words."

"Then I'll give it a try."

Cheng Huai steeled himself and nodded, "We'll definitely succeed today!"

The two in the back seats continued to stare at each other.

Jin Chen: "What are they talking about?"

Mu Henian: "Go pull Song Xu away."

Jin Chen glanced at him, "Are your legs disabled?"

Mu Henian covered his head, "No, I'm carsick."

Having lived two lifetimes, this was the first time the domineering CEO said that on a bus.

Jin Chen: "……"

"Xiao Yu'er~"

He leaned forward, putting his arm around Song Xu's shoulders, "You're isolating me!"

Song Xu and Cheng Huai exchanged a glance, tacitly dropping the topic, turned to soothe Jin Chen, "All right, brother, Ah Huai and I are planning today's itinerary."

"You have to listen to me the whole way," he patted his chest, "The tour guide's arrangements—no falling behind."

"Yes, sir!" Jin Chen saluted.

The weekend amusement park is always lively.

After getting off the car, Song Xu and Cheng Huai went to redeem the electronic tickets, looking mysterious.

Jin Chen and Mu Henian followed behind, their expressions equally cold.

"Brother… I want to draw this!"

Song Xu finally hooked his arm through Jin Chen's, pointing at the street body-painting stall, full of novelty.

"All right," Jin Chen took the pattern book from the boss's hand, then turned to see Song Xu exchanging glances with Cheng Huai again.

Cheng Huai nodded, biting his lip as he tugged at Mu Henian's sleeve, "Henian, I want to draw too."

Mu Henian agreed, was about to discuss the design with the boss, then heard the boy behind him, "Ah Xu was personally painted by Jin Chen…"

Mu Henian looked over there; Song Xu tilted his head up to face Jin Chen, their pose intimate.

He gave Jin Chen a dark stare; this too calls for competition.

Bewildered, Jin Chen asked, "Are your eyes twitching?"

Mu Henian ignored him, took the paint pen, and gently looked at Cheng Huai, "I'll paint you."

"Mm!"

Cheng Huai happily lifted his face, his eyes sparkling, the brush bristles very soft, touching his face with a strange sensation; he felt a little itchy, his eyelashes trembled, and he gripped Mu Henian's sleeve tighter.

The distance between them grew even closer.

Stall owner: "……"

No, then what am I supposed to do?

Do customers nowadays all serve themselves like this?

Song Xu initially had the leisure to glance at Cheng Huai's side, but soon had no time to bother; the close proximity made their breaths mingle, the sprayed heat suffusing, making him ever more sensitive.

"Xiao Yu'er…"

Jin Chen suddenly leaned in closer, almost touching noses, "Why is your face red?"

"I… am hot."

Song Xu averted his gaze, the flush deepening.

【Villain Heartthrob Value detected +2, total 52!】

"It's done."

Jin Chen put down the paintbrush, gently stroked Song Xu's nose tip, "Little sprite."

Song Xu checked himself in the stall's mirror, very pleased, smiling as he praised, "Brother, you're amazing."