Chapter 404: My Lord, You

Liu Shaowen's snitching was like tossing a small pebble into a corner—it never even reached the lake, barely ruffled the water, and sank silently into the mud, ignored by all.

Kong Junxiang claimed he would investigate the matter, but in reality, he made no extra moves at all.

He merely glanced twice at the corner of Li Luo and Ying Chanxi and Yan Zhusheng's classroom when entering, and upon seeing nothing unusual, considered the investigation complete.

On Saturday morning's self-study period, Kong Junxiang sat on the podium in Class Eight.

Along the way, he called Li Luo to the corridor to inquire about the New Year's Eve party preparations; after confirming everything was fine, he let him return to his seat.

Liu Shaowen, sitting in the back, saw Li Luo being called out and assumed Kong Junxiang was going to privately reprimand him about dating.

The one who had snitched immediately lowered his head, yet couldn't help sneak glances toward the corridor.

But when Li Luo returned to the classroom, his expression hadn't changed from before, leaving Liu Shaowen uncertain about what Kong Junxiang had asked, feeling uneasy yet secretly hopeful.

Li Luo himself had no idea what had happened—Kong Junxiang, hoping to let small matters fade, never mentioned it to him.

In Kong Junxiang's view, Li Luo's little group not only maintained Ying Chanxi and Li Luo's academic performance excellently, but also propelled Yan Zhusheng's rapid progress.

Besides that, Zhao Rongjun and Qiao Xinyan's grades had also improved significantly through their private study group.

Xu Yinghuan, originally the weakest student, had slowly risen to a mid-to-upper level across the entire school.

With results like these, unless Kong Junxiang had lost his mind, who would waste time meddling in these kids' private romances?

As for stepping on two boats…

Kong Junxiang, back on the podium, glanced at Li Luo returning to his seat, then at Ying Chanxi and Yan Zhusheng, and couldn't help sighing in resignation.

He could only say this class monitor was simply too outstanding.

Girls as exceptional as Ying Chanxi and Yan Zhusheng—among the very best in the entire school—were drawn to Li Luo, and no doubt secretly vying for his attention.

But as long as it didn't affect grades or lead to fatalities, Kong Junxiang didn't care.

He just hoped this kid wouldn't give him any extra trouble.

After the morning self-study period ended.

Li Luo and the others went together to the cafeteria for lunch; the afternoon was for their respective club activities.

Although Ying Chanxi no longer had the competition class to keep her busy, the Student Union was still swamped due to the New Year's Eve event.

The New Year's Eve party was next week, and today's afternoon was the final rehearsal.

Ying Chanxi organized the Student Union members, arranging today's rehearsal with perfect order.

Li Luo and Yan Zhusheng, as members of the rock club, also had to wait by the gymnasium according to the rehearsal schedule to participate in the dress rehearsal.

"You're scheduled for rehearsal at two p. m. —get ready early," Xu Youyu said from the doorway of the rock club's second-floor activity room, tapping the frame with a smile.

"Aren't you going home?" Li Luo raised an eyebrow.

"Teach your apprentice, exhaust your master," Xu Youyu rolled her eyes. "I just told Xixi to learn how to delegate, and she immediately assigned me tasks—but I'm only handling the rock club's rehearsal coordination, then I'm done."

Although Xu Youyu had stepped down as Student Union president, as Class Sixteen of Gao San's class monitor, she was still a member of the Student Union.

Today, she'd become Ying Chanxi's practice subject, assigned to do chores.

"So after our afternoon rehearsal, we can leave early, right?" Li Luo asked.

"Of course," Xu Youyu nodded. "But aren't you waiting for Xixi here?"

"I'm going to Xijie to check on my uncle's milk tea shop," Li Luo said. "I'll leave right after rehearsal."

"Milk tea shop? I think you mentioned it before," Xu Youyu recalled. "I never went, but today, can you take me?"

"Why would you go to a milk tea shop?"

"Isn't Xijie along the western edge of Qian Da?" Xu Youyu said. "I'm going to school there next year—I'm scouting ahead. Maybe I'll end up frequenting your uncle's shop regularly."

"Fine," Li Luo nodded. "Come along—I'll buy you milk tea."

"Me too," Yan Zhusheng, tuning her guitar beside them, raised her hand.

"I already assumed you'd come along," Li Luo said, pressing his large hand on Yan Zhusheng's head and ruffling her hair. "Ready?"

"Ready," Yan Zhusheng shook her head, and her previously messy long hair instantly smoothed back into perfect order.

She handed her guitar to Li Luo, already recalling her last visit to the milk tea shop, feeling a quiet anticipation.

Li Luo saw her mischievous expression and poked her cheek, warning her in advance: "Drink your own milk tea—don't steal mine."

"Oh… I won't steal," Yan Zhusheng immediately put on a sweet, innocent face, caught out.

Before two p. m., the rock club members gradually arrived at the activity room and, under Li Luo's direction, did some preparations.

At two p. m., guided by Xu Youyu, they went downstairs to the temporary stage set up in the center of the gymnasium.

Since it was only a rehearsal, no sound system was connected; they brought their instruments to the stage and, per the Student Union's schedule, rehearsed the songs planned for the New Year's Eve party.

Ying Chanxi stood nearby, holding the program list, watching the stage while listening to reports from Student Union members, confirming the rehearsal order for subsequent acts.

At this moment, Xu Youyu drifted over to Ying Chanxi, hearing Yan Zhusheng's group begin singing, and leaned close to whisper: "After Li Luo's group finishes, the three of us will head back first."

"Mm… I know," Ying Chanxi rubbed her temples, thinking that once this New Year's Eve event passed, things would be much easier.

So when the rock club's rehearsal ended, Li Luo handed his guitar to Xie Shuchen to carry back upstairs, then walked straight to Ying Chanxi.

"I'm going to my uncle's milk tea shop this afternoon—Xuejie and Zhusheng are coming too," Li Luo said. "What do you want? I'll bring you back a cup."

"Red bean milk tea," Ying Chanxi said. "Hot."

"Alright," Li Luo reached up and patted Ying Chanxi's head, smiling. "You've worked hard, my lord—when we get home, I'll give you a massage."

"What are you saying…" Ying Chanxi's cheeks flushed red; she shook her head to brush off his hand, glancing sideways at Jiang Liuxian, embarrassed, and pushed Li Luo aside, whispering, "Don't say things like that at school."

"Who's been asking me for massages every day at home? I'm just telling the truth."

"Still, don't say it in front of other classmates," Ying Chanxi pouted. "You're damaging my image as Student Union president."

"Alright, alright," Li Luo chuckled, pinching her cheek. "We're off then—keep working."

"Got it. Say hello to my uncle for me."

"Alright."

Watching Li Luo, Yan Zhusheng, and Xu Youyu walk away, Ying Chanxi watched them leave through the gymnasium's doors before turning her head to Jiang Liuxian nearby.

"Who's next?"

"Oh, right, the next act is a skit prepared by Class 9, Grade 10," Jiang Liuxian said quickly, glancing at the subsequent rehearsal schedule.

After she finished speaking, the student union member responsible for coordinating the skit had already arrived with the group.

Watching Ying Chanxi liaise with them, Jiang Liuxian couldn't resist quietly pulling out her phone and opening 【Dongdong the Cutest in the World】.

【Jiang Liuxian】: Why do I feel like Li Luo and the others get along so well?

【Ren Zheng】: What do you mean? Any new developments?

【Jiang Liuxian】: Ying senior is busy with the New Year's Eve rehearsal, so she's had no free time this afternoon.

【Jiang Liuxian】: Then Li Luo senior went to a milk tea shop with Yan senior and Xu senior, couldn't bring Ying senior along, but Ying senior doesn't even seem jealous—she just quietly accepted it?

【Zhang Guohuang】: That's what a class president does—calm, calm, it's just basic stuff.

【Zhu Yufei】: Get used to it.

【Lin Yuan】: I'm seriously doubting whether I Am Really Not a Star will only end when the class president marries all three of them. After all, it's all based on real life.

【Zhang Guohuang】: That actually makes sense—but now that you mention it, I want to send him a blade. When the hell is this going to end?

【Zhu Yufei】: Why send a blade? Just bring one next week.

The QQ group was buzzing.

On Li Luo's side, he walked out the front gate of Fuyi High School with Yan Zhusheng and Xu Youyu, their backpacks on their backs, turning right toward Qianjiang University.

On the way, Yan Zhusheng noticed Xu Youyu yawning as she walked and kindly asked, "Senior Xu looks so tired—why not go home and rest first?"

"Huh?" Xu Youyu turned to look at Yan Zhusheng, smiled warmly, and asked, "Are you offering to come home and sleep with me?"

"I'm not tired," Yan Zhusheng shook her head.

"I'm not tired either—just yawning," Xu Youyu said. "I've never been to that milk tea shop—I've got to check it out."

"When you start college next year, be sure to recommend it to your classmates," Li Luo said cheerfully. "My uncle's shop sales depend entirely on you."

"What good is just my recommendation?" Xu Youyu rolled her eyes.

"Once you're in college, with your looks, plenty of guys will chase after you," Li Luo said seriously. "Just say you won't drink anything except milk tea from that shop—and the sales will come naturally."

"Oh? So you're already planning to use me for your business?" Xu Youyu narrowed her eyes, hummed twice, then grinned slyly. "But you're jumping the gun—I think nobody's going to chase me anyway."

"How's that possible?"

"Why not?"

"Either way, it doesn't matter," Li Luo said. "Then just ask Uncle Xu to help with some promotion."

"My dad can't do that," Xu Youyu rolled her eyes. "You'd be better off sponsoring a school event."

"Then let my uncle worry about it," Li Luo laughed.

After all, the three shops on Xijie were mainly meant to give family members something to do—not because they absolutely needed to succeed.

The biggest profit still came from the housing price surge after the subway opened.

The actual profits from running the shops were just a fraction of the housing price increase.

That's why Li Luo casually handed the milk tea shop over to his uncle Lin Xiu.

As long as they held the property, how the business actually performed didn't matter at all.

With Qianjiang University's foot traffic, once the future Tianjie across the street was built, the shops on Xijie couldn't possibly lose money.

For Li Luo, these storefronts—no matter what they sold—were profit as long as they didn't lose money.

As he thought this, the three had walked through Qianjiang University's south gate, passed Ningshan Avenue, and arrived at the intersection where Xijie met it—the first intersection after exiting the Ningshan Tunnel.

"Huh?" Just before turning the corner, Xu Youyu, who had been chatting with Li Luo and Yan Zhusheng, suddenly let out a soft exclamation and pointed ahead. "What's going on over there on the road? It's all cordoned off."

"They're starting subway construction," Li Luo said. "It was already confirmed—the subway from South Station will extend four stops north, and this is the location of the terminal station."

"Oh? Really?" Xu Youyu was surprised. "So we'll have a subway here too? That'll be convenient."

Not everyone kept up with such news—Li Luo and Li Guohong and others had known about the new subway plans early, but Xu Youyu and Yan Zhusheng clearly didn't pay attention to such things.

If Li Luo hadn't brought them out for a stroll, they'd probably only find out when their elders happened to mention it.

Even if they did hear, they wouldn't care much about the implications behind it, nor think about how housing prices might change—they'd just think it'd be easier to get to the city for fun.

"Uncle."

Turning onto Xijie, passing the Sichuan-Chongqing hotpot restaurant managed by Li Guohong, Li Luo led them into Lin Xiu's milk tea shop.

Inside, Li Luo greeted Lin Xiu behind the counter.

Before Lin Xiu could react, Yan Zhusheng and Xu Youyu, flanking Li Luo, greeted him cheerfully: "Uncle, hi~"

Lin Xiu was busy making milk tea. Seeing Li Luo enter, he nodded at the familiar Yan Zhusheng, then glanced at the relatively unfamiliar Xu Youyu, smiled, and asked Li Luo, "Why isn't Xixi here today?"

"She's student union president—swamped at school," Li Luo said, standing at the counter. "I'll have a grass jelly drink. What about you two?"

"Pearl milk tea," Yan Zhusheng said. "No pearls."

"Then I'll have pudding milk tea," Xu Youyu said.

"Alright," Lin Xiu nodded, then called toward the seating area on the other side of the shop. "Jian Chun! Come help!"

"Coming!"

Jian Chun, who had been writing in the rest area, immediately dropped what she was doing and walked over.

Seeing Li Luo arrive with two girls, she raised an eyebrow slightly, then went to the back to assist Lin Xiu.

"Senior Jian," Li Luo asked as she approached, "Are you writing another weird thesis again?"

"How can you call it a weird thesis?" Jian Chun smiled at Li Luo, covering her mouth. "I finished the thesis on your novel over summer vacation. This semester… well, I didn't have one before, but now I'm not sure."

"... What do you mean?"

"Didn't you write another new book?" Jian Chun said, expertly making milk tea as she spoke to Li Luo. "Professor Xu's elective course lets students choose any modern novel written in the past five years."

"Then submit a critical essay as part of the final grade."

"One of the recommended books is called Chongran, by the author Chongran."

Li Luo: "?"

"You wrote a new book?" Lin Xiu asked, surprised. "What about the previous one?"

"I'm still writing that one. This one, 'Little Joys,' is just something I entered in a writing contest during my free time," Li Luo said, waving his hand, then glanced at Jian Chun with some concern. "Jian Xuejie, not many people picked my book, right?"

"How could that be?" Jian Chun laughed. "Lots of people picked your book."

"Huh? But compared to those writers who specialize in modern novels, mine must be way behind, right?"

"But it's good," Jian Chun said. "The content is simple and clear, and it's about the college entrance exam—everyone relates to it. Of course people will pick the easiest one to write reviews for."

"Many of those other modern novels on recommended lists lean toward avant-garde literature—they're incredibly dull."

"Just reading them once can put you to sleep, let alone writing a review—it's torture. Your 'Little Joys' has basically saved everyone."

Li Luo: "..."

Li Luo found this situation somewhat absurd.

But if it was about 'Little Joys,' his resistance wasn't as strong as before.

After all, unlike 'I Am Really Not a Star,' 'Little Joys' was a real novel. Though both were set in urban environments, their content was vastly different—truly worthy of evaluation.

At least it wouldn't make anyone die of shame.

Thinking of this, Li Luo felt at ease.

But on the other hand—

"Jian Xuejie..."

"Don't worry," Jian Chun saw his expression and knew what he wanted to ask. She handed him the grass jelly milk tea and smiled. "I haven't spread your identity around campus. Only you, me, and Professor Xu know."

"Good," Li Luo nodded in relief, then took the pudding milk tea.

"Help me open it," Xu Youyu pouted, then curiously asked Jian Chun, "Jian Xuejie, the Professor you just mentioned—isn't that Professor Xu Rongsheng?"

Li Luo inserted a straw into the pudding milk tea and held it to Xu Youyu's lips.

Xu Youyu didn't hesitate—she immediately leaned forward and sucked twice.

Watching this scene, Jian Chun glanced at Yan Zhusheng beside her, thinking she remembered another girl having been here before.

Then she looked back at Xu Youyu and nodded. "Yes, Professor Xu Rongsheng. Do you know him?"

"He's my dad," Xu Youyu said, blinking.

"Huh?" Jian Chun froze, looking from Xu Youyu to Li Luo, then recalling the image of Li Luo feeding Xu Youyu the milk tea—her mind suddenly went blank.