Chapter 23 Rising Step by Step

Jiang Nian burst out laughing and shoved a school bag into her arms.

“Alright, carry my school bag for me.”

Saying that, he stuffed the empty school bag, which contained 20,000 yuan, into her arms. Then he directly took off her school bag, weighed it in his hand, and clicked his tongue.

“Did you bring bricks back? Are you not sleeping tonight?”

Xu Qianqian was speechless but didn’t retort, merely carrying Jiang Nian’s school bag down the stairs. However, as she walked, she felt something was off and couldn’t help but ask curiously.

“What did you put in your bag? Did you only bring one vocabulary book?”

“Money.”

“You’re sick.” Xu Qianqian walked forward, hugging the school bag. Catching a whiff of the sweaty smell emanating from it, her face turned pale. “Jiang Nian, how long has it been since you washed your school bag?”

“I just washed it last week. It just has some of my sweat smell on it.” He leaned closer, pulling at his white short-sleeved shirt. “Hey, if you don’t believe me, smell it.”

“Disgusting!” The girl shook her head, putting distance between them.

On the way home, in sparsely populated areas, Xu Qianqian still couldn’t resist striking up a conversation.

“Hey, I heard the promotion list came out.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Which class did you get into?”

“Ah, don’t even mention it. I got into Olympiad Class 3, 403.”

Hearing his regretful tone, the girl’s lips curled up. It was as if she was saying, ‘You want to be in the same class as me that badly, huh?’ But then she thought about it and couldn’t be happy.

Indeed, not being in the same class, she felt a subtle sense of disappointment.

“It’s a good thing you didn’t come. I’m quite happy about that.”

Back home, upstairs, the two had already swapped their school bags back.

Jiang Nian entered the door and happened to see his parents still awake. They were calculating something in the living room, with Old Jiang specifically wearing his glasses and muttering softly.

Li Hongmei didn’t even glance at Jiang Nian and said directly,

“Take a shower and go to bed early.”

Jiang Nian didn’t respond. Instead, he walked to the center of the living room and stood in front of his parents. The couple both turned around, looking at their son with puzzled expressions.

Li Hongmei immediately frowned, “Go take a shower quickly. You smell sour.”

“It’s not that I won’t wash, the time isn’t right yet.” Jiang Nian said the most audacious words, unafraid of the harshest beating. “Ahem, Comrade Li Hongmei, Comrade Old Jiang, I have an announcement.”

Old Jiang was puzzled, and Li Hongmei sneered, thinking of getting up to grab the feather duster.

Suddenly, she saw her son pull a booklet out of his school bag. No, not a booklet, it seemed to be… money? Neatly stacked together, two fingers thick.

Li Hongmei’s face instantly turned white, and she shot up.

“Did you rob a bank! Give it back quickly!”

Old Jiang was calmer. Recalling Jiang Nian’s reaction that morning, he seemed to have thought of something. He looked at the money on the table, then at his good son.

“You earned it?”

“Yes, I’ve only earned this much so far.” Jiang Nian spread his hands. “I don’t know what will happen in the future, it’s hard to say. Anyway, you can spend it freely, no need to save.”

When Li Hongmei heard the words “no need to save,” a hint of emotion flickered in her eyes. But she still complained while telling Jiang Nian to deposit the money back, nagging on and on.

“Won’t there be places to spend money in the future? You’re full today and not hungry tomorrow, right? Your dad and I will handle the household matters; what are you, a child, worrying about?”

Jiang Nian chuckled, throwing out a remark that it couldn’t be deposited after being withdrawn, as it was a restricted day. Without waiting for Li Hongmei to react, he left the table of money and scurried into his room.

Click, the door locked.

Leaving his parents in the living room, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Who did this child take after? He’s like a slippery rogue.

The next day, Thursday.

“National Day is coming soon. How many days do you think the school will give us off?” Jiang Nian walked along the road, eating breakfast as he went. “They’re so stingy, three days off and they’ll be satisfied.”

“I don’t know. Acquired National Day, perhaps.” Xu Qianqian’s pink lips were pursed very small, biting the soy milk straw, her eyes slightly narrowed, making one want to kiss her.

Jiang Nian’s throat bobbed, and he fiercely chastised himself for this absurd thought.

Damn it, even rabbits don’t eat the grass near their burrows!

He didn’t know what was wrong with him lately. Maybe he’d been single for too long, as he saw Xu Qianqian as fair and delicate. Sometimes, he’d dream of her and punch her, turning her into a cream puff.

Absurd, truly absurd.

Jiang Nian roughly defined it as adolescent syndrome, shook his head, and continued walking.

When they parted ways at the stairwell, Xu Qianqian let out an “Aiya.”

“What is it?” Jiang Nian thought she was going to bring up the milk tea. “I’ll treat you to it at noon. Why drink milk tea so early in the morning? Are you a born water barrel?”

“Who cares!” Xu Qianqian spat, giving him something.

Jiang Nian looked down. It was a box of “Step by Step Rise” pen refills, with festive red packaging. He looked up, and the girl had already walked away, turning back at the classroom door.

Their eyes met. Jiang Nian tilted his head, expressing confusion. Xu Qianqian gave him a middle finger (Hmph).

During the morning break, the homeroom teacher suddenly burst in.

“Jiang Nian, move your desk.”

Hearing this, Jiang Nian became a bit sheepish. “Teacher, you know, I’m quite reluctant.”

The homeroom teacher looked at his mischievous expression, slightly speechless. “Then stay? I’ll write a report for you, special case, special handling.”

“Ha, I’m just kidding.” Jiang Nian gave an awkward laugh.

The class immediately erupted in laughter, and a cheerful atmosphere filled the break.

“Go on, go on. Study hard and don’t bring shame to our class.” The homeroom teacher waved her hand. “Upstairs, 403. Move all your desks, chairs, and books there now.”

Jiang Nian found two good friends to help, but unexpectedly, Le Zhi also came.

“Uh, thanks.”

“No problem, just lending a hand.” Le Zhi had been a bit quiet these past few days. Ever since the exam, he had been holed up by himself, and surprisingly started reading books.

They arrived early; everyone else had gone for morning exercises, and Le Zhi directly skipped it. He didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving, standing in the hallway outside classroom 403, chatting with Jiang Nian.

“The other day, I had a falling out with them.”

“Uh, why?” Jiang Nian also felt a bit awkward.

Le Zhi leaned against the corridor, sunlight scattering down, and recounted what happened on the day of the exam.

“I think that group of people, mixing together, will eventually turn into idiots. I think the homeroom teacher was right about one thing: after enduring high school for so long, you should at least get into a good university.”

After chatting for a while, Le Zhi left.

Jiang Nian felt no ripples in his heart. He had wanted to move up a class precisely because he didn’t want to get involved with Zhou Yuting and her group. Whether they truly broke up or not was irrelevant to him.

Due to the morning exercises, there was hardly anyone in the teaching building. Suddenly, he heard the sound of tables and chairs being moved from the stairwell.

Jiang Nian turned his head and saw a familiar face.

Zhang Ningzhi?

Hmm? She seemed to be coming in his direction. Only one girl was helping her move the tables and chairs, looking a bit strained, and Zhang Ningzhi’s small face was flushed.

After a few seconds of stunned, Jiang Nian walked over to help.

“We meet again. You’re…”

“Oh, it’s you!” Zhang Ningzhi blinked, then looked a bit embarrassed, softly calling his name, “Jiang Nian. I’m moving up a class, to 403.”