Chapter 279 You actually wanted to see it, didn’t you?

“Oh, one more thing, the duty student tomorrow, remember to wipe the blackboard!”

As Tao Ran’s voice faded, the bell for the end of evening self-study rang.

The classroom instantly became restless, and no one heard clearly what he said.

“Fangfang, I think it’s our turn for duty tomorrow, right?” Li Hua asked.

Huang Fang turned to look at him, quite speechless.

“Yeah, it’s our turn.”

Ever since Jiang Nian started calling her “Fangfang” every day, Li Hua and Wu Jun Gu and the others followed suit. It wasn’t that it was forbidden, it just felt a bit mushy.

Li Hua pondered for a moment, then spoke.

“I’ll come early tomorrow and clean the blackboard.”

Hearing this, Huang Fang, who was about to solve one more problem before evening self-study ended, suddenly paused the tip of her pen on the paper.

Before high school, she often cleaned blackboards in winter at her rural middle school.

The middle school blackboard was a real chalk blackboard. It didn’t really matter if it wasn’t perfectly clean. But if the teacher saw it and was in a bad mood, she would directly refuse to teach.

Since the water in the morning during winter was especially cold, no one wanted to touch it. This task would either be endlessly delayed or eventually fall to her.

Middle school boys were more rebellious, thinking, ‘Who cares if we have class or not, I’m not listening anyway. Does that stupid teacher look down on me and want me to wipe his blackboard?’

‘Wiping tombstones would be fine.’

Since Huang Fang was a top student and wanted to listen to class, they’d let her wipe it.

Huang Fang would actually go and wipe it, not because she was afraid of being scolded. She just thought it would be hard to wash off black spots if they got on the teacher’s white down jacket.

Her hands, immersed in the icy cold water, would turn purplish-red the moment they were lifted out.

A fine, dense pain, like being pricked by needles.

Hiss~ She was already having phantom sensations, and Huang Fang involuntarily curled her palms.

She thought for a moment and said, “I come even earlier, so I’ll wash it.”

On such matters, Li Hua was purely chauvinistic. He waved his hand in refusal, signaling that the other party didn’t need to say more.

“No need to argue, I’ll take the rag home tonight.”

Huang Fang: “.”

The team leader is a bit of an idiot, becoming more and more abstract.

The weather was getting colder, the streets were empty.

Jiang Nian tightened his school uniform, glancing at the wet, reflective road. The mottled water surface reflected the dim, yellow streetlights.

He turned back to the girl with the schoolbag and said,

“Xu Qianqian, I have something amazing to tell you.”

Jiang Nian was a rascal, usually speaking casually. But he had never said “damn it,” “Hell,” or “your mom” in front of Xu Qianqian.

Actually, he didn’t know if Xu Qianqian minded it or not.

He couldn’t control others, but he felt he should mind it himself. After all, he had received many favors when his aunt was around, so he considered it repaying a debt.

“I also have some amazing gossip, want to hear it?” Xu Qianqian’s face showed that “you know what I mean”, quite ambiguous, smile.

“I’ll listen to yours first.” Jiang Nian decided immediately.

Compared to dating gossip, a minor incident like a car accident was simply too weak. After all, the compensation wasn’t for him; at most, it was just seeing injustice.

“Actually, it’s nothing much, a girl in our class was talking to another boy.” Xu Qianqian pursed her lips, “A boy flew over and slapped that boy.”

“Why?” Jiang Nian asked, puzzled.

“A secret relationship, what else could it be?” Xu Qianqian didn’t continue, because the rest involved some intimate gossip.

Sharing it with a crude guy like Jiang Nian would easily get her into trouble.

“That’s pretty normal, ‘repairing the plank road in the open while secretly passing through Chencang’.” Jiang Nian commented sharply, “Some people just like that kind of thing, flirting in front of the husband.”

Xu Qianqian was speechless, knowing that no good words would come from his mouth.

“What were you just going to tell me?”

“Oh, right, it’s like this.”

Their figures disappeared into the end of the street, turning into a small alley.

Night gradually deepened.

After returning home.

Xu Qianqian was in her room picking out clothes for her shower, and her hand inexplicably paused when she touched her underwear. Although it was dry, she still wouldn’t wear that set.

Although she knew it wouldn’t come to that, what if?

They were both adults, and there was no need to avoid such sensitive topics. Besides, Old Xu was a male doctor, so there was some subtle influence.

Not to the point of actively studying it, but… she also knew there was nothing shameful about such things.

It’s normal for high school students to have high hormones and high desires. It’s just that some boys indulge themselves, and then they end up with sore waists and knees, dizziness, and tinnitus.

Would Jiang Nian?

“Ah-choo!!” Jiang Nian had just come out of the shower, let out a sneeze, “Late at night, who’s thinking of me, craving my body, huh?”

After drying his hair, he happily leaned back on the bed.

Then he felt uncomfortable in that sleeping position, so he rolled over and lay on his stomach. Bang, bang, bang, he habitually hit the bed three times, and only then did his pelvis feel a bit more comfortable.

“Sigh, sitting for so long every day, my butt’s turned to iron.”

Jiang Nian suddenly remembered that Zhang Ningzhi had bought a seat cushion, which was truly a Young Miss’s billion-dollar subsidy giving away free benefits.

Counting the days, the express delivery should be arriving soon.

The driving school had already pre-registered him for Subject One, but the actual registration required a serial number from the vehicle administration, only then would it be considered truly registered.

It required time in between, but Jiang Nian, as a VIP, didn’t have to worry about it.

If he practiced quickly, learning Subjects Two and Three in a single day, then he would just wait to take the test and get his driver’s license. The attendance punching would be handled by them.

Bored, Jiang Nian decided to video call Xu Qianqian.

Ding, ding, ding, as expected, it was rejected.

Half a minute later, Xu Qianqian replied with a message.

“What is it? I’m showering.”

Jiang Nian thought, ‘Of course I know you’re showering, why else would I video call?’

“Nothing, I suddenly had amnesia just now, and I suddenly wanted to see your face, perhaps I could find my past memories.”

Logically, there would be no more messages after this. But a minute later, his phone suddenly popped up a message from Xu Qianqian.

“You actually want to see it, don’t you?”

Late night.

Jiang Nian in his room instantly sat up from the bed, completely hooked by that one sentence, like a hooked fish.

His heart instantly rose, and his chest felt slightly deprived of oxygen.

He thought about it, this was a paradox. If he said he really wanted to see it, Xu Qianqian would definitely send a message saying ‘pervert,’ and then it would be a tease.

If he said, ‘I didn’t really want to, you’re really being pretentious.’

Then there’d be no teasing, the chat would just end.

On the other side, Xu Qianqian was almost done with her shower.

The bathroom was filled with steam, obscuring her graceful figure. Her hair was tied up, wrapped in a shower cap, and her back was smooth and fair under the light.

She didn’t hear her phone ring, thinking, if Jiang Nian said he wanted to see it, she could openly attack him before bed, and then just tease him.

She would sleep well anyway and go to school happily in the morning.

She would also test his self-control; she just needed to slightly trick him tomorrow. Then she would know if he had a sore waist and knees, dizziness, or tinnitus last night.

If Jiang Nian refused, she would just ignore him.

To specifically take a picture of a toenail or a doll to indicate that he was thinking too much would be a bit like ‘no silver here, three hundred taels,’ too much like entrapment.

Just don’t reply, let him toss and turn all night.

Let him carefully consider whether he really missed some opportunities, and then in the middle of the night, like a clown, send a message: “Are you asleep?”

As soon as she thought of that scene, Xu Qianqian giggled.

Little first-time boy, under control.

After a while, the phone buzzed.

Xu Qianqian was getting dressed, so she ignored it. In such cold weather, only truly big news would make her brave the cold to check messages.

Clearly, Jiang Nian’s messages were all… not very nutritious.

She finished dressing, and once she was no longer cold, she picked up her phone from the shelf and glanced at it. Jiang Nian had sent a very long paragraph.

“The small window is scorching hot, the brightest and hottest summer I miss the most. Blah blah blah, look at yours.”

Xu Qianqian: “.”

Jiang Nian always manages to come up with something fresh and new, yet still… un-commentable.

On the other side, Jiang Nian was also anticipating.

With a buzz, Xu Qianqian’s reply came.

He eagerly opened WeChat, only to see two words.

“No.”

Jiang Nian flopped onto the bed, these two words making him itch. He thought, ‘Between

‘no’ and ‘yes,’ there’s only one ‘no’ of feigned reluctance.’

But very quickly, he keenly realized this was a bad woman’s little trick.

She wanted to keep him awake, didn’t she?

He thought for a moment, a person should have their own rhythm, and then turned to chat with Chen Yunyun.

As long as the mood changes quickly, he won’t get hooked.

Hu Nianzhong didn’t sleep all night, his eyes bloodshot until dawn.

It’s gone.

Two thousand six hundred yuan in principal, one thousand four hundred yuan in profit. All gone.

Watching the numbers on the software rise, yet unable to withdraw. Clicking withdraw would show the platform changing the withdrawal date, only allowing withdrawals at midnight on Sunday.

If immediate withdrawal was needed, a handling fee was required. Or, one had to invest more money to reach a certain amount to meet the immediate withdrawal balance requirement.

How could he not understand? The platform had started its kill.

No need to wait until next Sunday, they would run away this week. At that time, many desperate leeks would throw money in with a last glimmer of hope.

Of course, it was just like a mud ox entering the sea.

Jiang Nian had been completely right, not a single detail missed.

Hu Nianzhong looked at the four thousand yuan tucked under his pillow, subconsciously counting it with his fingers.

He couldn’t imagine what he would have done if he had left directly yesterday afternoon after being startled, and then returned at night to find the money he put on the platform was trapped. Would he collapse or…

The more he thought about it, the more his back grew cold. While his gratitude towards Jiang Nian grew stronger, he suddenly lost the desire to attend class, wanting only to go home.

To return the money to Yu Tongjie, and give the rest of the money for household expenses.

To see his parents, and then worship the Lord of Fortune at the temple.

Thinking this, he had already simply packed his schoolbag. He wrapped the money in layers of plastic bags, three red plastic bags in total.

Then he stuffed two pieces of clothing into the bag, putting the change for the bus in his left pant pocket.

After doing everything, he slung the bag over his chest. He got up quietly, not even bothering to wash up, and silently put on his shoes, walking to the side of the dorm room.

Before leaving, he glanced at the dorm room, seeing only a blurry window covered in white steam, with faint morning light outside.

A Hell-level abstract thought suddenly popped into his mind: if his roommates woke up in the morning and saw him cosplaying a teru teru bozu, would they be surprised?

Hu Nianzhong took a deep breath and gently pulled open the door latch, stepping out.

The cold wind rushed into the stairwell, and he couldn’t help but shiver. His mind cleared considerably, but his body shivered uncontrollably.

He clearly wanted to live, but if such a combination of punches had truly happened yesterday, could he have coped?

The answer, perhaps, only Heaven knew.

It was still dark outside as he walked down the stairs. His pant legs were full of cold wind, and he descended two or three steps at a time, his posture stiff.

The gate of Building Five dormitory opened at 5:30 AM.

The old man occasionally overslept, sometimes opening at 5:45. But most students who liked to jog in the morning would directly bang, bang, bang on the door.

Luckily, the door was open.

Hu Nianzhong walked out, turned, and headed towards the North Gate. He passed through a dark alley with a plastic awning overhead, and went straight to the bus stop to wait.

A thick fog hung in the air, streetlights still shone in the distance, and he could faintly hear the regular rustling sound of a street sweeper in the distance, while white steam billowed from a bun shop.

At 6:15 AM, there was a shuttle bus that went directly to Youshuixiang Street.

The sky slowly brightened, and at 6 AM the streetlights also went out.

The shuttle bus honked as it approached from a distance, stopping at the bus stop. Not really a bus stop, just a tin sign with red characters.

The dim lights in the car, and the stuffy, foul smell that assailed him, were nauseating.

The ticket seller cast a sidelong glance at the student who got on, then at the empty street. She said nothing, shrinking back into her seat.

The fare was usually collected after the bus had left the county town for a while and picked up a few people.

Hu Nianzhong found a middle seat and sat down. Even though he hadn’t slept all night, leaning back in the chair, he felt not the slightest bit of drowsiness.

He looked out the window at the rapidly receding streets and composed a leave request message for his homeroom teacher, Old Liu. Something about family matters, and then added,

【I’m already on the bus home】

After sending it, his mood immediately improved. He thought for a moment, then added Jiang Nian as a friend in the class group, expressing his gratitude in the application message.

Perhaps, he had gained more than he lost.

Outside the window, sunlight pierced through the thin mist, scattering onto the old buildings, as if draping the cold world in a layer of pale gold.

And he, on his way home.

A line suddenly popped into his mind, “The boat drifts lightly, the wind blows my clothes. I ask the traveler for the road ahead, regretting the faint morning light.”

“Damn, it’s cold.” Jiang Nian got up and put on a thicker jacket, still maintaining his early morning routine of washing up, “Who the Hell added me so early in the morning?”

Oh, it’s him.

Jiang Nian accepted his friend request and also saw his thank-you message.

He was about to reply when the other party sent a photo of a field outside a car window.

“【Image】I’m home.”

Jiang Nian: “?????”

He sent a few question marks, thinking, ‘Damn it, sending this kind of message first thing in the morning. So what if you don’t have to go to class, are you that great? Do you think anyone would be envious?’

Damn, what a jerk, I’ll just delete him.

After washing up, Jiang Nian left his room and entered the classroom, only to find a lump of something on the podium.

“Hua?”

Li Hua was about to get a basin of water to wipe the blackboard. Hearing the sound, he turned around and saw Jiang Nian, and he was also stunned for a moment.

“Holy crap, you came so early?”

“You animal! You told me not to be so competitive, but you secretly get up early, huh!”

Jiang Nian was a bit embarrassed; he did have that intention.

“I should be asking you, sneaking in so early, trying to have a date with Fangfang, huh?”

There were only three people in the classroom, two boys and one girl.

Huang Fang sat in the back of the classroom doing homework. Hearing this, she couldn’t help but look up at the two idiots at the podium, showing a speechless expression.

“Why are you talking about me?”

“Isn’t it?” Jiang Nian said, walking towards the back row with his bag, “Caught you dating early in the morning, a group internal romance, huh?”

“red stone, red stone, red stone!!” Li Hua couldn’t be bothered with him, pulling out a plastic bag from his arms, which contained the classroom rag.

“I specifically got up early to wipe the whiteboard, unlike you, who does nothing productive all day.”