CHAPTER 724: CHAPTER 566: WHY NOT ASK...

1:30 AM.

Jiang Nian is still at his desk solving problems when his phone buzzes a few times.

During a break, he sees it’s a message from Han Xiao. Limited to three sentences, he sends a lengthy reply instead.

"Where can I find you tomorrow?... (yada yada)"

The big pot of four dishes and one soup, right.

The message is too long, so he can’t be bothered to read it.

Jiang Nian types back, "No need to find me, focus on your exams first. I’ll come find you, OK?"

Han Xiao: "When?"

"When the time is right."

Han Xiao: "...You just don’t want to see me."

"You’ve used up your three-sentence quota," Jiang Nian types, "Tomorrow you’ll get a new quota, bye."

Meanwhile.

In the air-conditioned room, Han Xiao is so frustrated, wearing only pajamas, that he rolls around the bed, his phone getting thrown into the pillow.

"Ahhhh!! Bastard!"

He didn’t expect to get tricked by Jiang Nian, thinking for a moment that this person really wanted to see him. As it turns out, a leopard can’t change its spots.

His pajama buttons done up half-heartedly, revealing the milky white skin that rises and falls intensely. Under the light, it looks like white jade.

"Just you wait!"

...

Early next morning.

Jiang Nian doesn’t run into Zhou Haifei, and the psychological knowledge competition matter is already settled, so she should prepare for what’s next.

Lan Lan, that woman, who knows if she’s easy to deal with.

"Morning, Fangfang."

Huang Fang turns her head, looking gossip-filled.

"The team leader has been acting a bit strange lately."

Jiang Nian is startled for a moment, then intrigued.

"Tell me more."

Thinking back, Li Hua has been quite well-behaved lately, often fiddling with his phone and playing idle games.

To be honest, Li Hua’s gaming doesn’t interfere with his study.

"I overheard the team leader calling someone ’baby’ while gaming," Huang Fang says, unable to hold back a laugh.

"Are you serious?" Jiang Nian can’t contain himself, "When was this, how come I didn’t know?"

Huang Fang says, "During the psychology competition, he was very quiet."

After a while, people start arriving in class.

"Hello, hello."

"Good morning, superstar." Jiang Nian greets, but his gaze is fixed on Ma Guojun’s seat.

"Zhizhi, did you see Li Hua and the others when you came?"

"No, why?"

"Nothing."

A bit later, Li Qingrong arrives. She puts down her bag and, without hesitation, starts reviewing a test paper.

The several red X marks on the paper look glaring.

Hmm, someone’s test paper.

"Is it corrected?" Jiang Nian turns his head to ask.

It’s the math test paper he finished during last night’s study session, which Li Qingrong completed before him.

So he simply handed it to her.

Li Qingrong looks at him, "Yeah, you made quite a few mistakes, only got one small question right in the conic sections."

Jiang Nian: "...."

He’s completely resigned, scratching his head.

"Can’t you be a bit gentler?"

Li Qingrong thinks for a moment and says, "Then why don’t you guess whether the number of questions you got right in conic sections is singular or plural?"

"No more guesses." Jiang Nian gives up.

"Got tricked!"

Li Hua slides into the room like a sliding tackle, followed by a big guy in a blue jacket, resembling an interstellar soldier.

"The student union downstairs is crazy, they were taking names before the bell even rang."

Zeng You asks, "Did you get written up?"

"Hehe, Jiang Nian’s name." Li Hua grins cunningly, "I saw Lin Dong behind me on the way up."

"Whose name did you write?" Zeng You turns to ask Ma Guojun.

"Tao Ran’s," the big guy says, "I saw the class monitor carrying a bag of steamed buns, leisurely walking from the grove."

"I’ve realized, none of you are decent people." Zeng You gives them a thumbs up, suddenly regretting coming early.

He should’ve been late and filled Yang Qiming’s name.

Jiang Nian isn’t bothered by Li Hua writing his name; ever since becoming a provincial top student, he’s practically immune.

Forget getting written up; even punishments won’t stick.

"Hua, pal."

Upon hearing this, Li Hua immediately springs up from his seat.

"Got tricked! Damn you!"

Zhang Ningzhi turns around, not understanding what they’re up to.

"?"

Li Qingrong also looks up, glancing at Jiang Nian.

Sometimes boys can be even more affectionate than girls.

At the classroom’s entrance, Lin Dong and Tao Ran appear simultaneously. Both with expressions of getting tricked, cursing continuously.

"The bastards, don’t know who wrote our names."

"Was it corrected?"

"Nope, I wrote Liu Yang’s name."

"I wrote Li Hua’s."

"What the heck?" Li Hua hears this, dumbfounded.

Jiang Nian seizes the moment, wrapping his arm around Li Hua’s neck, showing a smile that all the guys understand.

"Still acting like a lapdog for bad women?"

Upon hearing this, Li Hua starts stammering.

"Don’t speak nonsense."

"It’s just out of boredom; she’s just a gaming friend. Just logging in to do a few activities."

His following words, about things like "gaming spirit," "mutual help among friends," are a bit hard to comprehend.

But it’s likely that Li Hua really is acting like a lapdog.

Everyone around laughs, and Jiang Nian laughs along, pondering to catch him in the act next time.

The opportunity soon arises.

During the third class in the morning, Jiang Nian takes a nap at his desk. Li Hua, sneakily, opens his phone in his desk drawer.

Just as he completes a few activities, he feels like someone’s watching him.

He shivers involuntarily.

He turns to see a half-open eye staring at him. Cold, clammy eyes intensely scrutinizing the screen.

Jiang Nian sleeps with one eye open, keeping watch with the other.

"Caught you."

"Got tricked!" Li Hua is instantly frightened, covering the screen tightly, "Why are you so sneaky!"

"What’s wrong?" Jiang Nian rises, opening both eyes, "Hua, is it silly kitty?"

"Shush, why don’t you get a megaphone and shout it?" Li Hua points like a husky, directly warning him.