MNL Chapter 82

Chapter 82: Untying the Knot: The Righteous, Unconventional Hottie.

Chapter 82: Untying the Knot: The Righteous, Unconventional Hottie.

Ever since that weekend, Xu Jing felt that Cha Fei’ang had become somewhat different. When passing out test papers, he no longer turned around to joke with him like before, and during breaks, he no longer crossed his legs and lively gossiped with them. His ears were suddenly quiet, and he was a little unaccustomed to it at first.

What truly made Xu Jing realize that something was wrong with this guy was during the subsequent activity period. In the past, during that time, Cha Fei’ang would call a few boys in the class to sneak out of school to play games at a nearby internet cafe, and Xu Jing was always the one dragged along. But recently, this guy hadn’t called him even once, appearing to be isolating him unilaterally.

Xu Jing felt very perplexed. He originally never cared about these things, but after all, he had known Cha Fei’ang for more than a year. Although this guy was talkative, he wasn’t annoying to him.

Cha Fei’ang came out of the office, holding the class’s chemistry weekly test papers from last week, his face looking somewhat unpleasant.

As he entered the door, half the class swarmed around him like they were injected with chicken blood to see their grades. Cha Fei’ang initially tried to stop them a couple of times, but no one paid him any attention. Until most of the test papers that were snatched fell to the ground, Cha Fei’ang angrily roared, “I told you all not to squeeze, what’s the rush!” Immediately after, he threw the remaining test papers down and turned back to his seat.

Everyone was stunned. Cha Fei’ang was known in the class for his good temper. Even if he was scolded one second, he could still smile and eat three bowls of rice the next. They had never seen him get angry since the beginning of the semester, let alone in such a harsh manner.

Xu Jing was originally doing math problems, but after hearing the commotion, he looked up at the person who came back.

With the test papers in hand, everyone was asking each other about their grades. Sometimes individual grades weren’t important; relative grades were more valuable for reference.

However, looking at the heaven-defying scores on those two test papers, the boy distributing the papers still sighed deeply, walked to the last row, and howled, “Yan-shen, Jing-ge, can you guys leave us a way out?”

Liang Ge heard this and looked back, then his heart completely died.

Sure enough, they were still at a level that disregarded the survival of others—one full score, and the other only missed one multiple-choice question.

But Liang Ge did well this time. He turned around to complain to Cha Fei’ang, only to find that the other person was lying motionless on the table, like a deflated balloon.

Liang Ge pointed at Cha Fei’ang, silently asking Xu Jing what was wrong with this guy. Xu Jing looked back with a blank expression.

How would he know?

He also wanted to know.

The chemistry teacher was a young man named Lin Ping. Just like his name, he was calm and easygoing. After simply announcing the grades, no one sighed under the stage. After all, too many blows turned into motivation. Liu Ping never called on anyone to answer questions in class, but today he was very abnormal. Near the end of class, he suddenly called on Cha Fei’ang.

“Class representative, can you tell me which question I was lecturing on?”

Cha Fei’ang was supporting his head with his left hand, his eyes empty, his mind wandering far away. It was Liang Ge who reminded him before he reacted. But the action of getting up was too big, knocking all the books on Xu Jing’s desk to the ground.

The entire class quieted down.

Xu Jing only lifted his eyelids slightly and didn’t move.

Cha Fei’ang was completely awake, but he had been spacing out for the entire class and had no idea where they were at all.

Liang Ge quickly reminded him, “Question 23.”

Cha Fei’ang heard it, but didn’t answer.

Liang Ge thought his voice was too quiet, so he pushed the test paper further to the side, pointing to the question about the ionization constant of weak electrolytes, and repeated, “This question, this question.”

Liu Ping couldn’t stand it anymore and said, “Okay, Liang Ge, you’re trying too hard.”

The class laughed, and Liang Ge also smiled awkwardly at Liu Ping, taking back the test paper.

“It seems our class representative is in a bad mood today.” Liu Ping’s faint tone carried a kind smile. “It’s common for you high school students to have a lot of pressure, but you still have to learn to regulate yourselves. Although you are enemies in the examination hall, everyone should care for each other in daily life. Sit down.”

The next period was activity period. As soon as the bell rang, Cha Fei’ang stuffed the chemistry paper filled with red crosses into his drawer and walked out of the classroom without saying a word. Xu Jing glanced at the tall, lonely figure and got up to follow.

Near the corner of the stairs, Xu Jing stopped Cha Fei’ang.

Cha Fei’ang’s eyes darted around, his tone somewhat strange. “Is something the matter?”

Xu Jing raised an eyebrow. “Have you been possessed by an evil spirit lately?”

Cha Fei’ang paused, forcing a smile that was extremely strained. “No, I’m fine.”

“Tell the truth.”

“I’m really fine.” Cha Fei’ang’s cheeks were tightly tense. “I just want to be alone for a while.”

After a moment of eye contact, Xu Jing stepped aside, making way.

Cha Fei’ang absentmindedly walked forward, but as soon as he stepped down the stairs, he missed a step, scaring him into losing his voice on the spot, his heart almost jumping out of his throat. Fortunately, a hand reached out from behind in time and pulled him back immediately.

He thought he could leave gracefully, but he still made a fool of himself.

After calming down, Cha Fei’ang sat down on the steps in self-abandonment, his head drooping in dejection. “Actually, I don’t know what’s going on. I just feel like I don’t know how to interact with you guys anymore.”

Xu Jing asked, “Just because of that day?”

The calm tone made Cha Fei’ang feel even more ashamed.

“This matter is quite important.” Cha Fei’ang stared at the ground, slowly saying, “I know this kind of thinking is childish, but I do feel a bit uncomfortable in my heart.”

Xu Jing frowned, but didn’t say anything.

“You don’t have to worry about me. I just need to calm down by myself. I—”

Xu Jing interrupted him. “Do you really think I can just casually pull out a million yuan right now?”

“Isn’t that… the case?”

Although Cha Fei’ang said that, the main point he was thinking about wasn’t this at all. The main point was that there was a big gap between him and them. These days, he couldn’t help but recall his previous petty behavior, like the time he helped Shen Yan celebrate his birthday. He did play tricks and take advantage of it, but he hadn’t slept well for an entire week because of it. But thinking about it now, that little bit of money was nothing to Xu Jing.

To put it bluntly, he was just inferior.

“You’re overthinking things.” Xu Jing said faintly, “My family does have some assets, but it’s not that exaggerated. I only said that that day to make Gu Qianqian choose cautiously.”

Cha Fei’ang sat there blankly like a half-section of wood, opening his mouth. “What about Liang Ge?”

“Do you think his simple brain can think of these things?”

Cha Fei’ang: “…”

Come to think of it, Liang Ge was now revolving around Gu Qianqian every day, wishing he could follow behind her twenty-four hours a day. And he obviously didn’t care about these things, or else he would have publicized it widely on the first day they met.

“What about Yan-shen? His father…”

“That person is that person, Shen Yan is Shen Yan. Don’t lump them together.” Xu Jing’s tone was cold.

“Got it.”

“If you care about this kind of thing, then you’re just stupid as hell, because no one will care. No one will look at you with new eyes just because your family is wealthy, nor will they look down on you because your family is average. What you think of yourself is what you are in other people’s eyes.”

This was the first time Cha Fei’ang had heard Xu Jing say so many words in a row. Although the content was still very unpleasant, he also knew that Xu Jing was comforting him, so he nodded heavily and said, “I understand! Thank you, Jing-ge.” Then he stepped forward, wanting to give Xu Jing a big hug, but Xu Jing retreated several steps like he was avoiding a plague, disdainfully saying, “You need to take a shower.”

Cha Fei’ang: “…”

He just showered yesterday!

As he was about to exit the stairwell, Cha Fei’ang called out to Xu Jing’s back again, taking a few steps forward anxiously, his tone hesitant. “Jing-ge, then… what am I like in your eyes?”

Xu Jing paused, and after a long while, a calm voice came over, with a hint of imperceptible smile.

“A righteous, unconventional hottie.”

The sunlight shone obliquely on the walls on the side of the teaching building, casting a glittering light like crushed diamonds through the twisting, yet wildly growing vines.

Cha Fei’ang stared for a while, his heart suddenly enlightened. He chuckled and also laughed.

Since entering high school, Gu Qianqian was always the last to leave after school, but now there was an accompanying idiot in the classroom.

After solving the last physics problem and packing up her bag, Gu Qianqian got up, preparing to leave. However, at the door, she paused and coughed lightly.

The boy, who had been dozing off with his head propped up on his hand, jolted awake. After seeing the figure about to disappear, he quickly slung on his bag that he had packed long ago and followed.

She walked, and the person behind followed. She stopped, and the footsteps behind her stopped abruptly.

She had clearly slowed down her pace so much, but someone just wouldn’t come forward, only quietly following behind, keeping a polite and deliberate distance.

After exiting the school gate, Gu Qianqian couldn’t help but turn her head back, looking at the tall, handsome boy under the streetlights. “What are you doing?”

Their eyes met, and Liang Ge’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “I’m walking you home.”

Gu Qianqian said faintly, “I remember you board at school.”

“I completed the procedures for becoming a day student with Teacher Liang last week. I’m not anymore.”

Gu Qianqian’s fingers hanging by her side curled slightly, then slowly relaxed. “Is it for me?”

Liang Ge hummed in agreement, saying softly, “I’m afraid that man will do something to you, so… I didn’t mean to stalk you.”

I just want to protect you.

After a long silence, Gu Qianqian’s eyes flickered slightly. “Then why are you so far away from me?”

Liang Ge shifted his body, his eyes a little evasive. “I’m afraid of a situation like last time happening again. I know you don’t like people getting close to you.”

“Yeah, I really don’t like it.”

Liang Ge nodded.

Gu Qianqian turned around, leaving a sentence, “But you can be an exception.”

Her heart felt like it was scratched by something, suddenly missing a beat. The ears of the person standing in place gradually turned red, until the slender figure in front of her got further and further away before he hurriedly ran up.

Gu Qianqian’s house wasn’t far from the school, only a fifteen-minute walk, but it was in the opposite direction from Liang Ge’s house. On the way, Gu Qianqian asked again, “How long are you going to walk me?”

Liang Ge thought she was asking about the future, so he replied without thinking, “Until the end of the college entrance exam!”

Gu Qianqian was stunned, and she was also misled by Liang Ge’s firm tone.

“Why the end of the college entrance exam?”

“Ah? I was thinking that we should be going our separate ways after the college entrance exam, so how else would I walk you?”

Gu Qianqian frowned, her tone a little heavy. “Why would we be going our separate ways?”

Liang Ge’s steel-straight-man physiological structure was a single intestine leading straight to the brain, completely unable to understand the winding thoughts behind a girl’s words. He could hear that Gu Qianqian’s voice was a little unhappy, but he didn’t know what he had said wrong again.

“There are so many universities across the country; the chances of getting into the same one are too small, and my grades are far worse than yours.” Liang Ge’s voice got softer and softer.

“Liang Ge, you’re really stupid,” Gu Qianqian couldn’t help but interrupt.

“…”

Liang Ge lowered his head, admitting, “Okay, I don’t seem to be very smart.”

“You can apply to the same major at several universities, and if your grades aren’t as good as mine, you can study hard. Otherwise, what was I doing in the first year of high school?”

Gu Qianqian thought that she had already said it to this point, and if he still didn’t understand, then he was truly hopeless.

Liang Ge was indeed in a state of confusion when he heard the first two sentences, until the last sentence.

In the first year of high school, he and Gu Qianqian were deskmates, and Gu Qianqian had been tutoring him. She was helping him improve his grades. She wanted him to catch up with her, so Gu Qianqian wanted them to get into the same university?!

In the instant he understood, Liang Ge’s heart beat faster than ever before. Although he didn’t know how many times he had been scolded by Gu Qianqian in such a long time, at this moment he understood that Gu Qianqian might dislike him for being stupid, but she definitely didn’t hate him!

Liang Ge said again firmly, “I understand, I will catch up with you!”

Sure enough, he was a northern boy. Saying such ambiguous words sounded like he was about to salute.

Although Gu Qianqian knew that Liang Ge’s “catch up” was definitely just a literal meaning, she was still quite happy that this person could think to this point.

The girl’s cold eyebrows and eyes held a faint smile, quiet and beautiful under the moonlight, as if she was glowing.

Liang Ge turned his head in an instant, his heart “booming.”