Outside the corridor.
Jiang Nian leaned against the railing, curiously glancing at Cai Xiaoqing. He wondered what was going on, making it so mysterious.
"What's up?"
"We need to put up a bulletin board on Friday," Cai Xiaoqing said, "but I have to take a leave tomorrow, can you help out?"
"Why are you taking a leave?" Jiang Nian looked at her.
They were sowhat familiar with each other, having had many interactions. Also, given their relationship as classmates, helping each other wasn't unusual.
"An elder from our extended family passed away," she said.
"Oh, my condolences."
Hearing this, Cai Xiaoqing replied,
"It's alright, I've barely t them. I just need to go, but rember the bulletin board."
"Just ?" Jiang Nian was bewildered.
"There's also the arts committee mber,"
she said. "Usually, she and I do it together, but when it's my turn, it's just writing words."
"That's doable then," Jiang Nian nodded, agreeing to the small favor, "My lettering on the board is decent, at least neat."
"Yeah, I know," Cai Xiaoqing waved her hand, "Neat is good enough, doesn't need to be fancy."
Back in the classroom, Li Hua and Zeng You were sneaking a peek at "GG Bond."
"Damn, that pig is getting techy again."
"Eating lollipops, huh!"
Seeing GG Bond unable to handle it anymore and entering super lollipop mode, they were instantly thrilled.
"The hormones are potent!"
"Super tech pig, unbeatable."
Playing with the phone was just ordinary, but doing so during study periods felt truly delightful, bringing a classmate along made it exhilarating.
"Hmm?"
Li Hua turned his head and glanced at him.
"You're back?"
He raised his eyebrows, as if discovering new fun.
"What did Cai Xiang want with you?"
"Said I'm good at handling things and asked to help kill soone," Jiang Nian said, then looked at Li Hua with a smile.
"There's an idiot in class, always trying to test her by asking for leave."
Upon hearing this, sweat appeared on Li Hua's forehead in an instant.
"Old Ma did it too."
Through the corridor, Ma Guojun heard the conversation clearly.
"Damn it!"
Zhang Ningzhi was still angry, glancing at Jiang Nian. She quickly looked away and continued to focus on her work.
Jiang Nian noticed but didn't ask imdiately.
Won holding onto emotions are hard to appease, just like a pig before the New Year. Asking now would only invite trouble.
Better to let it cool off and talk when she's calm.
After the second evening self-study.
Zhang Ningzhi simply lay on the desk sleeping, eyes open under her arms, staring blankly at the light under her legs.
The classroom was brightly lit, bustling after self-study.
She heard the sound of Jiang Nian getting up and moving his chair. After a while, the sound gradually faded.
She imdiately pouted, wondering how he could be so heartless.
Next ti, she'll definitely... forget it, the urge is strong.
Zhang Ningzhi decided she could no longer hold it in, putting aside her girlish grudge to get up and go to the restroom.
Suddenly, footsteps approached her.
Hmm?
Zhang Ningzhi's actions stopped abruptly, feeling her arm being poked, and soone's teasing voice followed.
"Here, have so candy."
She lifted her head from under her arm, glancing at Jiang Nian. After holding back a bit, she finally took it gracefully.
"Where from?"
Jiang Nian said, "Picked it up on the road, I was too scared to eat it."
Zhang Ningzhi was about to unwrap it but imdiately put it down upon hearing that. She gave him a fierce glare, sulking.
"You're awful."
"Just kidding," Jiang Nian said with a grin, carefully considering what to say next, "Wanna go to the cafeteria?"
She initially intended to refuse but after hesitating, nodded.
"Oh."
"Oh... what's that?"
Zhang Ningzhi pursed her lips, giving him a side-eye.
"Let's go."
Most of Group Seven was gone, the class president had been taken away by Cai Xiaoqing, and no one noticed the two of them leaving.
Passing by the staircase, Zhang Ningzhi actually wanted to visit the restroom.
But glancing at Jiang Nian, she hesitated to speak.
She wanted to present her best side to him; a true beauty couldn't associate with restroom talk.
"What's up?" Jiang Nian turned back.
"Nothing."
"Alright," Jiang Nian said, leading the way down the stairs slowly, strolling leisurely towards the cafeteria.
"Hey, aren't we going to the cafeteria?" Zhang Ningzhi noticed he was going the long way. "A straight line would be faster, right?"
Jiang Nian turned back, speaking with poetic sincerity, "If one walks too fast, their soul won't keep up."
Zhang Ningzhi: "???"
"But..." she pointed direction, "We're walking along the school's edge since we ca down."
It wasn't about slow walking; it was clearly taking the long way.
If it weren't for walking together, saving on expenses, Zhang Ningzhi might have suspected Jiang Nian of clocking like a taxi.
"You're weird."
"Am I? Why would you think so?" Jiang Nian held a straight face, trying hard to act normal.
He was completing a system task with two goals.
One was to stroll the campus with Zhizhi, the other to eat at the school gate.
The study break was only ten minutes, not enough for both, but he could buy so ti.
The third evening self-study was under Qianbao's watch, but she had already ditched, half-an-hour late back to class wouldn't be a big issue.
As for the classroom, with Cai Xiaoqing there, it wasn't an issue; she wouldn't refuse such a small favor.
Ding ding ding!!!
As they arrived at the cafeteria, the study bell rang.
"Class is starting," she said.
"Oh, let take a look inside." Jiang Nian told her to wait while he took a turn inside and ca out, "There's nothing to eat."
She thought for a mont, "I have so snacks in my backpack."
Jiang Nian replied, "But I want sothing hot."
Zhang Ningzhi: "...."
"Wanna have instant noodles?"
"Let's go out to eat," he said.
"What?" Zhizhi was taken aback, turning to look at the dark playground and the bright teaching building.
"It's study ti, we can't go out."
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