Chapter 92 No, bro, why did you hit the opponent… Your mom, did you surrender?

Jiang Nian turned his head, always feeling that Li Qingrong had smiled just now, it must have been an illusion.

He had been staring at her profile, and her lips hadn’t moved at all.

So strange, let me look again.

Stare—

It seemed she hadn’t smiled; she wasn’t paying any attention to his side. Unlike someone like Yao Beibei, who could swallow a bun when she smiled, the class monitor mostly had a faint smile.

That afternoon during the sports meet, under the warm twilight, that pursed-lip smile still made him unforgettable.

A thin blush of pink, hard to describe in words.

Forget it, let’s do the test paper.

He started with the multiple-choice questions for the comprehensive science exam, choosing to go through biology first, then moving downwards, skipping any questions he didn’t know.

But for questions that were a bit difficult, yet he felt he could solve, he would still take the time to do them.

Comprehensive science had three subjects, and his mind needed to switch from one discipline to another. If the order was messed up, his rhythm would be messed up.

In the end, he would be flustered, trying to patch up holes everywhere.

Jiang Nian had a solid foundation, but he couldn’t do slightly harder questions. So, he still chose the traditional approach.

First, do all multiple-choice questions, then quickly tackle the biology long-answer questions, followed by rapidly inserting the chemistry long-answer questions, and finally physics.

He would first secure the points from easy and medium-difficulty questions, and then decide which long-answer questions to do based on the remaining time. He would selectively focus on challenging questions to get a higher score within the limited time.

Half an hour had passed since the exam began, and Sun Zhicheng still hadn’t finished the chemistry multiple-choice questions.

A drop of sweat fell onto the test paper, and his mind suddenly buzzed.

Even though he had slept at noon, he felt as if someone had continuously cast a spell on him.

He held his pen, dazed for a moment, and remembered the photo Lin Dong had sent him at noon.

This made his already tattered mood even worse.

An absurd thought spontaneously popped into his mind.

Could Jiang Nian like Chen Yunyun?

Logically speaking, it shouldn’t be this way.

The two had no interaction at all, so why would they suddenly—could it be that they added each other on QQ and chatted every day?

He wasn’t good at these kinds of questions, so it seemed he still had to consult Brother Dong.

Lin Dong wasn’t in much better shape; after what happened at noon, he couldn’t concentrate on the exam at all, feeling both disgusted and regretful.

As he did the test paper, his mind became increasingly chaotic. It wasn’t the first time he had been in an online relationship, but it was the first time he had been exposed offline at such close range.

Things weren’t that bad yet; he was just momentarily flustered, too aware of where those Seniors who had crashed and burned had failed.

He was too involved to think clearly, and he was most afraid of making random moves; he had to find an uninvolved outsider to help him out.

Lin Dong wrote on his test paper, his mind sifting through potential candidates.

It would be best to resolve the issue this afternoon or evening. He had a premonition that Liuli would message him this afternoon, and he definitely wouldn’t return to the dorm this afternoon.

If there was no good solution, he could use the excuse of his phone running out of battery, which could barely buy him time to reply by evening.

He could even drag it until tomorrow, but it was best not to, as things would become uncontrollable by then.

He didn’t know what would happen, as it was the first time he had encountered such a situation.

Thump, thump, thump, he could hear his heart beating rapidly. His mind was racing as if on fire, sifting through the people he knew. Who had an average relationship with him?

Or even better, someone he hadn’t spoken to! Even if he didn’t get a solution, it wouldn’t leak out.

Ten minutes before the end of the exam.

Jiang Nian frantically tried to score points, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Li Qingrong had already put down her pen.

To be honest, he felt a little broken inside; how could everyone be so good at comprehensive science?

Damn, damn, damn!

Li Qingrong glanced at his test paper out of the corner of her eye, her gaze carrying a hint of curious inquiry.

Ring, ring, ring!!!

The exam ended, Jiang Nian took a deep breath and put down his pen.

He irritably rubbed his hair, stood up from his seat, and passed the answer sheet forward.

He turned to look at Li Qingrong and saw her curiously looking at him. His movements immediately slowed down, and he awkwardly rubbed his neck.

“Ha, it’s so hot.”

Li Qingrong nodded and lowered her head to pack her stationery.

Jiang Nian had already packed his stationery in no time, and just as he was about to leave, he felt something was missing.

So he turned to look at Li Qingrong, observed her for a while, and asked.

“This hair tie looks good with this hairstyle, Class Monitor. You tied it yourself, right?”

Li Qingrong slowly nodded, “Mm.”

“It looks very nice.” Jiang Nian left, holding his stationery bag.

He first threw his exam supplies back onto his desk, moved his books from outside the classroom back to his desk, and also moved Zhang Ningzhi’s books.

Since there was no need for the last self-study period in the afternoon after the weekly test, most people chose to eat or return to their dorms.

Jiang Nian was no exception; he planned to go out the west gate of the school to eat at a stir-fry restaurant.

He liked to eat alone, without delay.

When he was in that circle, he had gained some interesting insights. Although the original intention was to pursue girls, it could also be used to make friends.

That was to do things that matched the relationship progress bar.

Maintain a certain distance, don’t be presumptuous, which can both maintain freshness and avoid many conflicts.

It sounded a bit rigid, but it was very effective.

For example, he never asked Zhang Ningzhi where she was going to eat, fearing that if he asked too much, the young lady would feel embarrassed. Then she might try to invite him, but their relationship clearly hadn’t reached that point.

What would they talk about if they ate together?

A person’s daily conversation quota is limited, especially during a period like Senior year that requires a lot of energy. If they were tense while eating and chatting,

They wouldn’t enjoy the meal, and their conversation quota would also be used up.

“Correct friend” means doing the right thing at the right time. He is free, and his friends are also free; they don’t need to overthink.

Walking in the corridor.

“Jiang Nian!”

“Huh?” He turned around and found that it was Lin Dong calling him.

He couldn’t help but feel a little confused; the two seemed to have no interaction.

If he had to say, Lin Dong was the math class representative. Why was he suddenly looking for him? Could it be that the math test scores were out?

Jiang Nian stood still and waited, but unexpectedly, Sun Zhicheng suddenly appeared, called out “Brother Dong,” and without explanation, put his arm around Lin Dong’s neck and walked him to the other side.

“???? What’s going on?”

Jiang Nian was confused, and Lin Dong was even more confused; he was about to invite Jiang Nian to eat. But then Tom Cheng (Sun Zhicheng) intervened, and he immediately pushed Sun Zhicheng’s hand away and said,

“Ah Cheng, I have something urgent.”

“Brother Dong, I also have something urgent,” Sun Zhicheng said seriously.

“I know you’re urgent, but don’t be urgent yet,” Lin Dong said, fearing Jiang Nian would walk away. He broke free from Sun Zhicheng’s grasp, backing away while instructing,

“Send me a message on QQ; I can see it.”

Lin Dong said, then turned and ran.

Below the Senior year building.

Jiang Nian didn’t expect Lin Dong to catch up again and invite him to eat. He couldn’t help but feel a little puzzled, as they weren’t familiar, so he subconsciously intended to refuse.

However, Lin Dong said,

“How about the North Gate cafeteria? A new stall has opened near our dorm building. The quality is all above standard; it’s much better than the cafeteria here at the West Gate!”

Jiang Nian smiled, “What do you need me for?”

“I do have something, I want to ask for your opinion.” Lin Dong scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed, “I know this is a bit sudden, but—”

“Help, bro, it’s a huge matter!”

“Hmm, tell me first, why are you looking for me?” Jiang Nian was not in a hurry, staring into Lin Dong’s eyes.

Classmates who weren’t close wouldn’t necessarily harm him. But one thing was one thing; he couldn’t be used as a tool.

“I initially looked for Wu Jungu, but he said it was useless to find him and told me to find you.” Lin Dong sighed, recalling Wu Jungu’s expression when he said those words.

【If you want to find someone capable of helping you, and who is also very discreet, go find Jiang Nian. He… I guarantee with my character, he is reliable and very discreet.】

He gritted his teeth, decided to try anything, and simply laid everything out.

“Brother Nian, my roommate has been doxxed.”

“Huh?” Jiang Nian was stunned. He had thought of many possibilities, but never this kind of opening. “What did you do to get doxxed?”

“Let’s talk as we walk, Brother Nian.” Lin Dong’s address had already changed.

His phone in his pocket kept vibrating; he didn’t know if it was from Liuli or Sun Zhicheng. In any case, he wasn’t in the mood to deal with it now.

Lin Dong had already spilled most of the beans on the way, of course, using the phrase “I have a roommate” to slightly obscure the truth.

It had the same ingenious effect as “I have a cousin” or “I have a friend.”

Along the way, Jiang Nian only listened, without interrupting or expressing an opinion.

Cafeteria.

The two were queuing at the counter, and Lin Dong was still whispering. Seeing Jiang Nian’s usual expression, his sense of security grew stronger.

If Jiang Nian had asked a lot of questions, or looked worried, or said something like ‘tell the teacher’ or ‘find some friends,’ he would have immediately walked away.

However, Jiang Nian had no reaction; he just listened to him speak.

His eyes didn’t even blink once, but Lin Dong could feel that he was listening, and listening very carefully.

In fact, though he didn’t want to admit it, Jiang Nian’s reaction indeed gave him a huge sense of security. It was a feeling of having a backbone, very stable.

Even if the other party didn’t say a single word, there was a sense that they had been through countless battles, that this matter was trivial to him, and that as long as he spoke, the problem would be solved.

“That’s about it, Nian Ge, what do you think I should do?”

Just as he was speaking, the cafeteria aunt shouted.

“What do you want next?”

“Oh, oh, I want that winter melon, onion, and scrambled egg, and also…” Lin Dong only then reacted, finished speaking, and turned to look at Jiang Nian, “Nian Ge, you order.”

Jiang Nian was unhurried. He had actually been distracted after hearing the gist of the matter, only using some techniques to keep it from showing.

But the calmness was real. He thought it was a big deal, but it turned out to be just this?

“I’ll have the onion scrambled eggs, and also…” Jiang Nian ordered a few dishes. Just as he was about to pay, with a ‘drip,’ Lin Dong had already paid with his meal card.

“Oh, thank you.”

“No problem, let’s find a seat first.” Lin Dong had also calmed down by this point.

In the afternoon, there were fewer people in the North District dormitory cafeteria.

Boarding students were busy showering, playing on their phones in their dorms, studying in classrooms, or simply eating outside. The peak hour for the cafeteria had passed.

Jiang Nian found a window seat, and Lin Dong followed him and sat down. He then got up and went to the water bar, swiping his meal card for two bottles of iced drinks, which he placed on the table.

“Thank you,” Jiang Nian said.

“No need, Nian Ge, look at me…” Lin Dong stared at him, asking eagerly.

“See, you’re rushing again.” Jiang Nian unscrewed the iced tea and took a sip. “So, you don’t want to be with her and want to get rid of her permanently?”

“No, Ge, I have no relationship with her.” Lin Dong got anxious, not even using the ‘roommate shield.’ “What I did might be problematic, but it didn’t cause anyone any loss.”

“Ah, I’m not saying you’re problematic.” Jiang Nian looked out the window, taking a bite of his food. “The matter is actually very easy to handle, and the method is very simple.”

“What?” Lin Dong swallowed.

Jiang Nian turned his head, “I ask you, are you Shen Cong?”

Hearing this, Lin Dong became tense. The methods he had anticipated were deleting the account or issuing a statement, but he had mentioned Sun Zhicheng, and the other party had threatened to expose him.

Yet, he never expected Jiang Nian to ask this.

“Yes or no?” He scratched his head, “I don’t know if I am or not, Nian Ge, you… you say, should I be or not?”

“Give me your phone.” Jiang Nian’s gaze swept over him, and he extended his hand.

“My phone… Okay, do I need to unlock it?” He asked a very silly question, then instantly realized, “Oh, oh, it’s unlocked.”

Jiang Nian took Lin Dong’s phone, logged out of the account, and deleted the account record. He then logged back into Lin Dong’s main account and casually deleted Liu Li’s WeChat.

Ten seconds later, Lin Dong was completely bewildered.

“Huh?” He stared at his phone.

“You are not Shen Cong. Never heard of him, don’t know him, haven’t seen him,” Jiang Nian said directly. “You are not him, no one can trouble you, and you don’t need to think about it anymore.”

Lin Dong seemed to understand, then his Face became troubled again.

“What if she really comes to our class, then what?”

“Why so many ‘what ifs’?” Jiang Nian said, “A second-year high schooler, do you think she’s the FBI? And if you ask me, that Yaoyao you were chatting with probably has issues.”

“How could that be?” Lin Dong was surprised.

“Side accounts. People in the Jianghu, how can they not have a few side accounts?” Jiang Nian said, “Even if it’s not a side account, who doesn’t have a few close friends? It’s simple to bait you in return.”

Lin Dong was stunned, “Ge, how do you know so much?”

“Huh? Do I?” Jiang Nian was a little embarrassed. “I often use Xiaohongshu. I hear them say that using side accounts to create personas is a relatively low-level tactic.”

“In the future, get involved less with these things. If you meet someone who knows how to play the game, they’ll pinpoint your location, pull you into a group, spread rumors to amplify the impact, and in the end, even if you call the police, you’ll be primarily responsible.”

Lin Dong broke out in a cold sweat, “Understood, Nian Ge. What if she waits for me downstairs at the dorm?”

“If you really run into her, just act angry and pretend you don’t know her. You’ve seen crazy people, right? Just treat her like a crazy person you met on the street, and it’ll be over.”

With a ‘buzz,’ Lin Dong had an epiphany.

Indeed, those involved are confused, while bystanders see clearly.

His problem was that he was too afraid, afraid of losing Face in public.

Jiang Nian’s few words made it clear: ultimately, he wasn’t Shen Cong.

Who knew about this matter? Heaven knew, Earth knew, he knew, Jiang Nian knew. No third person would know.

Forget about what happened at noon too. He never spoke to Liu Li. Never met this person, never was forced to add her WeChat. What Shen Cong? Never heard of him.

Most high school students have a moral Obsessive-compulsive disorder and won’t deny things they’ve done.

For example, Lin Dong thought about denying he was Shen Cong, but never thought about denying what happened at noon.

In his subconscious, lying was wrong. But online matters were virtual, only he himself knew, so he could lie to himself.

But what happened at noon, he was indeed pressed against the wall by Liu Li.

And it was seen by passersby. Although there weren’t many people, it was indeed seen, and some even took pictures.

This made Lin Dong subconsciously believe that this matter had already blown up and become a foregone conclusion. He had been worrying about it but had never thought of denying it.

So why not? How many people saw it?

So what? I’m not him, I haven’t seen him. It’s that simple!

“Nian Ge, thank you.” Lin Dong grabbed Jiang Nian’s hand, a huge weight lifting from his heart. “Really, Nian Ge, I almost wanted to kneel to you.”

Looking at Lin Dong’s excited expression, Jiang Nian smiled.

“The food at this window is indeed good. I’ll treat you next time.”

A warm current immediately surged through Lin Dong’s heart. He was a student who came from a small town, the kind of “Genius” student his teachers talked about.

As long as he studied a little, he could easily achieve grades that others couldn’t achieve even with a year of hard work.

Before, he thought that a Genius didn’t need to study every day.

Occasionally playing with his phone, then easily getting first place—that’s what a Genius should do.

And then, he easily achieved it.

He started chatting online in junior high, his online name evolving from “Sunshine Boy” to “Sorrow of Departure.” Finally, it became “Rain in the South City,” “Nap Planet,” and “Old Cat at the End of the Alley.”

A Genius is someone who, once they touch an industry, master it, until they are proficient in everything.

The person Lin Dong admired most was Frank from ‘Catch Me If You Can,’ who handled everything with ease. He felt he should be like that too.

So, when the ‘rollover’ moment arrived, he was exceptionally panicked.

Especially since the other party was someone with a very aggressive physique and appearance, and the method used was a Physical Body reveal.

When Lin Dong found himself unable to handle it calmly, he chose to seek help.

After searching around, he approached Jiang Nian, whom he hadn’t particularly liked before.

Now he finally understood Wu Jun’s meaning. He used to only see Jiang Nian’s promotion to a higher class, only saw Jiang Nian’s grades, and looked down on him with his own advantages.

All he saw were thorns; he couldn’t stand anything about him.

Until now, he found that things he couldn’t handle were not a problem for Jiang Nian. Only then did he realize that everyone has their strengths, each person has their own forte.

Today, Lin Dong was fortunate enough to witness this, and he suddenly felt like a mayfly seeing the vast sky.

“Cough, cough, Ge, can you keep this matter of mine a secret?” Lin Dong lowered his voice. “At least, don’t tell anyone for this Senior year.”

Jiang Nian said, “I won’t.”

“Thanks, Ge.” Lin Dong let out a long sigh. Just then, his phone buzzed.

He glanced at it; they were all QQ messages from Sun Zhicheng. The general idea was for Lin Dong to analyze whether Jiang Nian liked Chen Yunyun or not.

Lin Dong thought for a moment and solemnly replied with a message.

“Give up, A Cheng, you can’t win against Jiang Nian! Letting go is also a form of fulfillment!”

Sun Zhicheng: “(Confused)?? No, Ge, you…”

No, buddy, you said you fought to the other side, but it turns out…

Damn it! You surrendered!

The promised four chapters from yesterday, twelve thousand words, are finished.