Chapter 89 Bear Hair Tie

On the way home that night, Xu Qianqian suddenly asked.

“Don’t you think tonight’s essay topic is very strange?”

Jiang Nian hesitated, “Are you talking about ‘patina’?”

“Yes, to write an 800-word essay on the theme of ‘patina’.” Xu Qianqian stroked her chin, her delicate brows furrowed, “I want to know what you wrote?”

After a moment of hesitation, Jiang Nian said, “Alright, I wrote that even beautiful things, when old, still retain their charm.”

Xu Qianqian was stunned and quickened her pace, moving away from a certain person.

After washing up, Jiang Nian lay on his bed and opened his bank card balance.

One hundred seventy-one thousand three hundred-plus.

For a high school student, it was enough if he wanted to show off. For an adult, one hundred seventy thousand could also do many things.

However, for Jiang Nian, these one hundred seventy thousand were his game points.

Besides studying, he had to consider how to allocate this money. First, System tasks occasionally involved spending money, requiring him to use the System’s money to earn more money.

Therefore, he must set aside enough money to avoid being unable to complete tasks.

Secondly, there was always a portion of money that could be liquid. Constantly saving it without spending, or spending only a small amount, did not align with Jiang Nian’s life consumption philosophy.

He had already decided how to spend this money: the rich leading the poor.

He would get rich first, master the System, and then lead Old Jiang and Comrade Li Hongmei to get rich.

Comrade Li Hongmei was relatively frugal and always wanted to move into a bigger house. If everything went smoothly in the future, maybe the whole family could live in a high-end, large flat in the provincial capital.

Old Jiang had always been indifferent to fame and fortune. Jiang Nian wanted to see if he would still be so indifferent to fame and fortune when he drove an Audi A8, and if he would still smile apologetically when offering cigarettes to people.

Jiang Nian was more pragmatic. After seeing the mission line of that damn System, he completely gave up. Money was money no matter how it was spent, and finding fun was better spent at home.

It wasn’t his fault; it was this stupid place, Zhennan.

No, this place had high bride prices and low wages; even a bottom-tier native like him couldn’t get ahead in the county town. Wouldn’t the folks in the townships be even worse off? Who else to blame but Zhennan?

Hate, hate, hate! One punch to blow up this stupid hometown!

After calming down.

Jiang Nian took out a blank notebook and began to sort out the gold coins he had “exploded” for his family, so as to allocate funds more precisely and further build a beautiful family.

Initially, he paid off the utilities and then bought shoes for the whole family. The later fifty thousand yuan bought a washing machine, a refrigerator, clothes, and phones.

At this stage, he could take out twenty thousand yuan to improve the family’s quality of life. Nearly a week had passed since he last took out money, and his parents had grown accustomed to his “gold explosions.”

This rhythm couldn’t stop; he had to desensitize them. Otherwise, if he suddenly “exploded” an Audi A8 one day, Comrade Li Hongmei would worry all night and not be able to sleep.

After some thought, Jiang Nian first pre-deposited five hundred yuan into the utility account.

He didn’t need a computer for now; he’d think about it after the college entrance exam. Games? Who would pay for that? He basically had no time to play games during holidays, and besides, the default skins were pretty good.

Oh, right, a wardrobe. Let’s get a new bed and wardrobe. And the range hood in the kitchen, a pressure cooker.

He jotted them down one by one. In case he couldn’t live in a big house in the future, or if the System was incompetent and couldn’t even afford the wheels of an A8, then what he was doing now would accompany his parents for twenty years.

Compared to a vague future, Jiang Nian felt he was not a Saint. If he had this intention in his third year of high school, his filial piety might degenerate in university, and he might forget about it when he was having too much fun.

He knew himself too well: an ordinary person, with a personality that was neither good nor bad. He couldn’t get pure gold, couldn’t manage pure love, and almost became a simp.

He had many strengths, but his weaknesses were also very obvious.

If he pinned his hopes on being filial to his parents in the future, it might be delayed year after year. Amidst countless trivial matters and the pressure of dating, he might end up not even doing the smallest things.

He bit his finger and pondered for a while, then selected items on his phone, added them to his shopping cart, and slowly compared them. He wasn’t short on money, but he didn’t want to waste it.

No rush, he planned to take a week to complete his purchasing plan.

The next day.

Exams continued on Monday.

The morning was uneventful; the class monitor had a new hair tie again.

Jiang Nian finished his English paper early and noticed it while staring blankly at Xi Bao. Xi Bao always stared at the class monitor’s hair when passing by, only to discover it was to look at the little bear hair tie.

Good, good, good, a Teacher’s Day gift was settled.

No, he would graduate next year, so he couldn’t celebrate Teacher’s Day with Xi Bao. Then it would be a New Year’s gift. He always got food from Xi Bao anyway, so it was a give-and-take.

Cao Cao liked married women; he didn’t like married women, not at all.

Midway, Xi Bao stood by the edge of Jiang Nian’s seat for a while. Seeing that Jiang Nian had finished, she quickly scanned his paper and nodded, about to leave.

Suddenly, her arm was poked by the cap of a gel pen.

“Hmm?” She looked down.

This fellow Jiang Nian, with his hand propping his head, boldly pointed at a multiple-choice question, asking the invigilator for the answer. His finger pointed at option B, seemingly waiting for her to answer.

Xi Bao sneered, let out a ‘heh,’ shook her head, and left.

Jiang Nian said “Oh” and filled in another answer.

Thank you, Bodhi Old Xi.

After the English exam, because of the test, there was no need for morning exercises during the long break. Most people left their seats, either to go to the restroom or discuss answers.

Jiang Nian also planned to leave; he intended to go downstairs to the cafeteria to buy a preserved vegetable pancake for a snack.

Turning his head, he saw the class monitor still sitting at her exam seat, looking at the English paper. The answer sheet had already been handed in, so why was she still looking at the English paper?

So serious?

He should call Xi Bao over; she would be moved to tears and teach her everything.

Before leaving, he always felt that the class monitor was a bit off, but he couldn’t figure out why at the moment.

Did she not do well on the English exam? Then it’s better not to make her angry.

After thinking for a moment, Jiang Nian greeted Li Qingrong before he left.

“Class monitor, I’m leaving, okay?”

Li Qingrong glanced at him, nodded, and then turned back.

Only after he had completely left the classroom did Li Qingrong look up and stare blankly at her desk.

Then she took out a black hair tie from her pocket and replaced the little bear hair tie.

Jiang Nian ran into Le Zhi in the cafeteria, and both felt a bit awkward.

Actually, the two used to have a good relationship, but after that incident during the summer vacation, they gradually drifted apart. This was the first time they had met since Le Zhi helped move tables when he was promoted to the class.

“Ha, what a coincidence.” Jiang Nian held a preserved vegetable pancake and said his second sentence, “Oh, oh, you also bought this pancake, let’s pay together.”

Beep, he paid for Le Zhi.

Le Zhi was at a loss, not even knowing what to say. Jiang Nian’s two sentences created three thick barriers; Chinese class had become reality.

My lord!

Jiang Nian also noticed that Le Zhi was much more introverted than before, while in Le Zhi’s eyes, Jiang Nian was much more cheerful.

Damn it, this isn’t Jinjiang!

To avoid the atmosphere turning gay, the two walked out together.

Maintaining a certain distance in between, they were silent for a few seconds before Le Zhi asked if the Olympiad was very tough.

Jiang Nian replied with a laugh, “Haha, not bad,” and the atmosphere became stiff again.

Le Zhi paused, “Zhou Yuting, on her side, I…”

“Did you get her?” Jiang Nian asked with a smile.

Le Zhi didn’t know what to say. He used to think Zhou Yuting was the prettiest in the parallel class.

It might not be because she was truly the prettiest; perhaps it was because even an ordinary buffet felt like a state banquet when fighting over food with brothers.

After Jiang Nian moved up a class, Le Zhi then found a short-haired girl from the next class, who had good grades, very cute.

She would write homework at her desk after school and had cute little fangs when she smiled.

He had already planned to ask for her QQ; he didn’t want to date, just wanted to get closer to her.

He always felt that kind of girl was more down-to-earth, with an aura of sunshine about her.

“I’m not pursuing her anymore; I plan to study hard.” Le Zhi gave a bitter smile, scratching his head, “Zhou Yuting’s circle, well, I’m not going to be a part of it anymore. It’s quite boring.”

“Oh, oh, study hard, Young Master Le.” Jiang Nian said habitually.

Two girls walked towards them. One saw Jiang Nian and immediately pulled the other girl forward to pat him on the shoulder.

“Hi, Jiang Nian!”

“Chen Yunyun, where are you going?” Jiang Nian asked curiously, “To the convenience store?”

“The cafeteria. I didn’t eat breakfast this morning; I’m starving.” Chen Yunyun had obviously forgotten about last night’s events and said cheerfully, “Is this your friend?”

“Yes, a good friend.” Jiang Nian smiled.

“Oh, oh, well, we’re going first. We have a math test later and are afraid we won’t have time.” Chen Yunyun greeted Le Zhi and pulled Wang Yuhe away in a hurry.

Le Zhi smiled and looked at Jiang Nian.

“Not bad, you already have a girlfriend?”

“No, just a regular classmate.”

“Ha, you rascal, you’re still too shy to admit it.”

“It’s really not.”

Jiang Nian didn’t care either; the more he rushed, the more it looked like he was hiding something.

While eating the preserved vegetable pancake, they walked towards the teaching building. In front of the third-year teaching building was a small lawn where many students gathered to sunbathe.

He and Le Zhi both planned to finish eating before going up, and chat for a while.

As they were talking, a pair of girls walked towards them.

I am guilty; only two updates today. Poor updating, but I really haven’t been playing games.

You can’t accuse someone using a first-generation Xiaomi laptop; they can’t play computer games at all.

Secondly, I’ll continue writing now and update more and faster tomorrow.