Red Line Resurrection Chapter 4

Chapter 4

◎First day of school.◎

Shen Lingjun slept until seven the next morning, only groggily opening his eyes when He Wen came in to wake him up for school.

He didn’t have trouble sleeping in a new bed; his sleep quality was rock-solid. Shen Lingjun smiled at He Wen, his hair sticking up wildly. Although he was a thousand times unwilling to go to school, he dared not defy the practical arrangements even slightly, so he quickly ran off to wash up.

His ironed school uniform was hanging on the rack. Shen Lingjun currently had no plans for his academics, only silently praying that Liang Ji’an wouldn’t make him start over from the first year of high school. Fortunately, while eating breakfast, He Wen gave him a general overview and added a reminder: “Young Master, the walls of City No. 1 High School are very high, and the overall facilities are quite advanced.”

Shen Lingjun was stuffing an egg into his mouth when he heard this, and he nearly choked on the yolk. He wasn’t used to having someone stand beside him while he ate and just wanted to finish quickly. He never expected He Wen to subtly warn him not to climb the walls and skip school. He choked until his face was red and his neck was thick, and tears even streamed out.

He Wen timely handed him the milk, smiling with concern. “There is plenty of time, Young Master, no need to rush.”

“Mr. Liang prepared some stationery for you; it has all been placed in your school bag.”

Liang Ji’an was treating him like a first-grade elementary student, but Shen Lingjun appreciated it. He was too embarrassed to open the bag in front of He Wen, waiting until he was in the car heading to school before eagerly flipping through the bag to check everything.

Liang Ji’an must have put a lot of thought into his schooling. Not only did he transfer him to the best high school in the city, City No. 1 High School, and arrange for him to be in the best class of the third year, but the so-called stationery wasn’t just paper and pens—it was a phone, a tablet, and a Learning Device.

Shen Lingjun was overjoyed. His old second-hand phone had been used for over three years and was only good for basic, non-lagging chat. Liang Ji’an replacing it was like giving a pillow to someone who was sleepy—a true help in time of need.

However, after checking them all, they were uniformly set to Child Mode. Without a password, he couldn’t operate any entertainment apps. The cartoons were all BabyBus, and only the dictionary and various learning apps were functional.

Shen Lingjun’s initially excited heart instantly calmed down. He clicked on the remaining two apps without any hope, and sure enough, the account balances were all zero.

He slumped in the back seat, clutching his school bag in despair. He had thought Liang Ji’an might feel that giving him money directly would make their relationship awkward, and perhaps he had quietly prepared some funds. Shen Lingjun hadn’t felt comfortable asking for it, nor could he subtly inquire with He Wen. Who would have thought Liang Ji’an would have the nerve not to give him any!

Didn’t Liang Ji’an know that people needed money when they went out?!

Shen Lingjun leaned against the car window, his heart like stagnant water, holding the pile of metal gadgets. By the time the car reached the school gate, his soul had already left his body. It had been too long since he attended school, and now seeing so many people, the thought of classes and homework made him want to vomit.

A teacher was waiting for him at the entrance, a very gentle old man. After taking him to the classroom, he had Shen Lingjun give a brief self-introduction. There were about thirty people in the class. He was assigned to sit in the back row by the window, where he could look up and see the school’s wisteria corridor.

He only learned after arriving that City No. 1 High School was a private institution. The annual tuition was extremely high. Eighty percent of the enrolled students were wealthy individuals preparing to study abroad, with the three years here merely a transition period. The rest were carefully selected top students, whose fees were entirely waived, and the school provided them with the best platforms and quality resources.

Shen Lingjun belonged to neither category. He silently complained that it would be better to just give him all that money; he wouldn’t be able to learn anything anyway, and it would last him a long time.

There were three morning classes: Math, Physics, and Biology. He couldn’t understand anything, but he didn’t dare to sleep. The gene for fearing teachers was ingrained in him since childhood. It wasn’t until the long break between classes that he finally couldn’t hold on anymore and slumped down. Because he was so tired, his face slammed directly onto the desk, but he didn’t hurt himself. Someone had reached out and cushioned his fall. Shen Lingjun only felt his nose hit the person’s palm, and he instantly woke up with a jolt.

He awkwardly lowered his head and patted his face, thinking the person had just helped him in passing. To his surprise, when he looked up again, their eyes met. Shen Lingjun glanced at him and said, slightly embarrassed, “Thank you.”

Zhou Shunan stared at him for a moment before saying, “It’s nothing.”

“If you had slammed down like that, you might have gotten a nosebleed. If you’re tired, just lie down and sleep. The teacher won’t say anything.”

Shen Lingjun mumbled a response. It was his first day as a transfer student, and he was unfamiliar with the place. Having someone suddenly talk to him made him feel grateful, but also raised his guard due to many past incidents. Seeing the person still standing there made him feel restless.

Zhou Shunan seemed to notice something and smiled. “My name is Zhou Shunan. I sit right behind you. The free time will be over soon. Want to go to lunch together later?”

“The school cafeteria food is pretty good.”

City No. 1 High School had five cafeterias, and the campus was huge. If no one guided him, he could easily get lost. Shen Lingjun immediately dropped his guard and quickly agreed.

He was very afraid of being left alone, and if Liang Ji’an forgot to load money onto his meal card, having a temporary companion could help him out of a tight spot.

Shen Lingjun thought that this person, both in looks and personality, seemed gentle and shouldn’t be a bad person.

He and Zhou Shunan stood one behind the other in the line for food. Zhou Shunan spoke to him, asking why he suddenly transferred in the second semester of his senior year. Shen Lingjun stammered, picking and choosing what he could say, afraid to reveal that he was someone’s Illegitimate Son.

He turned his face slightly. From Zhou Shunan’s elevated perspective, he noticed a small mole on Shen Lingjun’s drooping eyelid. Further down, he could even see a tiny mole on his collarbone, visible beneath the collar of his partially unbuttoned shirt.

To be fair, Shen Lingjun was indeed very good-looking, the kind of outstanding person who would catch attention anywhere. Otherwise, Zhou Shunan wouldn’t have taken such an interest in him. There were too many idle rich kids at City No. 1 High School; someone like Shen Lingjun, who lacked any aggression, was an anomaly.

His hands, tucked into his pockets, felt an unbearable itch. He wanted to pinch Shen Lingjun’s earlobe. Shen Lingjun, however, felt Zhou Shunan’s gaze like needles on his back. He didn’t know if it was his imagination or something else, only wishing the line would move faster.

“I’ll take a serving of sweet and sour pork ribs, mustard shrimp balls, and stir-fried Chinese broccoli,” he quickly rattled off his order and scanned his face. The machine prompted that his meal card balance was 9,972 yuan. Shen Lingjun stared at the four-digit number, falling into a strange silence. He didn’t even hear Zhou Shunan talking to him, and he walked away, holding his tray, his face flushed with anger.

His aggression instantly flared up; he looked like a hedgehog.

Zhou Shunan finished getting his food and sat down opposite him, asking with concern, “What’s wrong?”

Shen Lingjun said nothing was wrong, only biting furiously into a rib. In his heart, however, he was thoroughly criticizing Liang Ji’an. Why was he so considerate?! Did he think Shen Lingjun would starve to death, loading so much money onto the meal card? Now what excuse did he have to ask for some pocket money?

He wanted to buy a bottle of cola right now, but he only had two and a half coins in his pocket. Liang Ji’an was both stingy and generous. What exactly was he trying to control?

[Author’s Note]

Smooch smooch smooch!

I should have the comment section open now, right?