one cent

"You're here."

"Well, what are you looking at?"

Chen Yu moved the book to the middle of the chair and pointed: "I've been thinking about this question for a while, but I can't find an idea."

"You, uh, you're not in a hurry, are you?" Zhou Xi also sat cross-legged on the ground, with his arms resting between the two wooden boards of the chair, which was a bit uncomfortable.

Chen Yu put down his pencil, took off his glasses, and rubbed his eyes. "Yuxiu's teaching progress is much faster than No. 3 Middle School. I finally caught up, but No. 3 Middle School focuses on in-class basic knowledge. I'm really unfamiliar with many of the extracurricular questions you guys are doing. If the exam is a little harder, I'll be at a big disadvantage. Why don't you help me out when I'm in trouble?"

Zhou Xi stroked the rough paper, wanting to say something but stopping herself, her mouth slightly open. She shouldn't have asked this. She finally had some free time and they had to discuss the topic again. Chen Yu was still playing this trick. Good brother, really a good brother, challenging her to a duel every day.

Before, she dragged Chen Yu into the Five Blessings Group, and then the eldest lady suddenly had an idea and updated the group name to Six Six Great Fortunes. So, wouldn’t Seven Stars Brighten Up the Next?

If she were to have another person like Chen Yu, would she still have a peaceful life...

"What are you two doing?"

Zhou Xi turned his head and saw two long legs, then a pair of curious eyes looking up: "Do you want to see it?"

Before Gao Liyang could refuse, he was pulled down by a warm hand: "Hey, wait a minute--" Oh, it was too late, his butt had already fallen on the stool.

Gao Liyang stared at Zhou Xi's profile and saw his long eyelashes come together and then separate. He lowered his head to look at his hands and shifted his gaze. The book was covered with dense pencil marks.

"Are you discussing physics problems?" Gao Liyang saw the pencil flying on the draft paper, glanced at the questions, and fell silent again.

With three people sitting together, the stool seemed a bit narrow. Gao Liyang looked at the two people discussing the topic, with their heads only separated by the distance of an apple, and was really immersed in it.

"Are you done with the discussion?" Gao Liyang yawned and supported his head with one hand.

"Do you understand?"

"Zhou Xiaoxi, you are a very nice person. You even remember to drag me along when studying. It's a pity that I didn't quite understand what you said. It was too difficult." Gao Liyang stood up and stretched his arms. After listening to two questions, his head was filled with various symbols and formulas. Zhou Xi's voice when he was explaining the questions was so hypnotic that he felt like he should be lying on the bed the next second.

Zhou Xi also stood up: "Your physics is a little weak, you didn't study hard, and you fell out of the top ten."

Gao Liyang brushed the dust off his pants and said, "I'm not choosing physics, so it's okay."

"Did you choose politics, history and geography?" Zhou Xi took out his cell phone. Yang Jinyang replied with a message, but he had already run back to coax him.

"Yeah, pure text warrior, what about you? And you, Chen Yu?"

Chen Yu barely thought: "I'm a pure warrior."

"Wow, brother, we are about to part ways. It's okay, you will see me on the honor roll then." Gao Liyang raised his head to look at the sky. The white clouds were floating, just like him.

Zhou Xi saw that Gao Liyang's eyebrows were full of confidence, and his clear jawline seemed as if he had a clear and definite plan. The school uniform he was wearing was very suitable for him at this age.

"I'm fine with either."

Gao Liyang's head suddenly dropped: "Whatever you want to say is fine? What are you going to do?!"

"you guess?"

Gao Liyang shrugged and approached Zhou Xi. "You don't want to study politics, history, or geography, do you? I'd be happy if you chose the same major as me and were assigned to the same class. But can you handle it? After all, pure literature requires memorizing to death. Science should be a piece of cake for you."

“Oh my god—”

Gao Liyang and Zhou Xi looked towards the source of the sound at the same time. It was Lu Zisheng's scream while playing games.

"I'm still considering it. Both options are pretty similar, and I'm a bit conflicted." Zhou Xi retracted his gaze and kicked the stones on his toes. "Why did you choose Politics, History, and Geography?"

"I like it. For example, can I reach the maximum level of verbal combat power? Or there are other things, I don't know yet, but when I see physics, my smile disappears automatically." Gao Liyang demonstrated with a dead face.

Zhou Xi couldn't hide the dimples on the corners of his mouth: "Don't mention it, they look quite similar."

"Well, if you're really stuck, just flip a coin and pick whichever side it comes up on. Here, I have a coin for candy bar change."

Zhou Xi took the small coin from Gao Liyang's palm, tossed it around, took two steps back, and looked at the unruly man leaning against the tree.

"I thought you would say, listen to the opinions of people around you, but I didn't expect you to be so casual."

"Other people's opinions are all biased. Like me, I can't deny that I think you're more suited to physics and chemistry. However, whether or not that's right for you is something only you know."

"then!"

The coin drew an arc in the air and finally landed in Gao Liyang's hand.

"What kind of noodles?"

Gao Liyang tilted his head and showed one side of the coin to Zhou Xi: "Look, what is the expected side."

Zhou Xi squinted his eyes. It was the front.

Gao Liyang looked at Zhou Xi's serious expression and took a deep breath. "You really decided this? What if you regret it?"

"No regrets, I've thought it through." Maybe it was at a certain moment that Zhou Xi suddenly wanted to try something different.

"What?"

"We'll know when the time comes." Zhou Xi reached out and took the coin. "Give it to me?"

"Well, just consider it a commemoration of the choice it made for you. Ten cents can buy your Zhou Xi's life choice, it's worth it."

The coin was icy cold, and even a dime was not light. Zhou Xi looked up, and the coin just blocked the sun.

Gao Liyang looked at the high ponytail in the sunlight, it was dazzling, just like the person in front of him.

"Yangyang, save me!"

"Here I am!" Gao Liyang retracted his gaze and took Lu Zisheng's phone. "If you're dying, come find me. You can. My skin feels good."

"This is a gift from Hot Pot, ugh, now I should say I love coriander."

"Yangyang, wait for me, help me, my health bar is almost gone!" Xiao Xiaoyu also ran over.

When Chen Yu heard the word "coriander", he stopped obviously and complicated emotions surged up. He didn't eat coriander. When Le Cheng helped him pick coriander before, he said that he was like the Princess and the Pea, who was very picky.

"Le Cheng is playing games again?"

"Ah, yes. He said his dad doesn't care about him anymore, so he often plays with me. This limited edition skin is a gift from him. It's so cool. Hahahaha, I want to hug his thigh tightly!"

“Is this game fun?”

"It's fun, Chen Yu, you don't know!" Xiao Xiaoyu threw her cell phone away, slipped over, and tried to bring Chen Yu, a good student, in as well.

"Chen Yu, do you want to play? We'll teach you. What kind of fighting style do you like? I'll recommend a character for you!"

Chen Yu closed the book: "I have learned a little bit, and I want to try to assist."

Lu Zisheng opened his eyes wide and frowned: "Ah, support? Usually it's played by girls. Chen Yu, do you like this kind of role?"

"I want to try it."

Xiao Xiaoyu's eyes lit up. He was indeed a gentle and handsome guy. "Come on, Chen Yu, let me teach you. I can play as a support. I'll be there whenever you want to play."

"Is it okay now? I'll go download it."

“Sure, sure!”

Lu Zisheng roared, "Wait a minute! Miss, wait until this fight is over and don't trick me!"

"Oh oh oh, Chen Yu, you go down first."

"Xiaoyu, I want to play too." Gao Yuanyuan raised her hand.

"Ahhh, okay, come on, I'll teach you!" Xiao Xiaoyu gave Gao Yuanyuan a bear hug and rubbed her face. "Hey, Sister Zhou, come too, let's go play in the big world together!"

"No, I've played this before, it's too easy."

Xiao Xiaoyu placed her phone horizontally in front of Zhou Xi and scrolled through the game interface. "What? Sister Zhou, you really played it before? It's simple? What character did you play?"

Zhou Xi looked up and down. There were over a hundred characters, many of which she had never seen before. "I forgot. My brother used to play with me, but I got tired of it and deleted it. I started playing it quite early."

"How early? Your brother? If he's not your brother, why would he take you to play games? Sister Zhou, it seems you had a rich life in the past. You're really a hidden talent!"

"I'm going to answer a call." Gao Liyang was listening to the conversation attentively when his cell phone rang. He knew his father's number even though he didn't save it. He picked up the phone and walked away.

Zhou Xi vaguely sketched in the air with his fingers. According to his brother, Gao Liyang should be very suitable to be a walking clothes rack.

"I think I started playing it when it first came out. My brother was at that age and loved playing games, so I was bored, so I joined in."

"Oh my goodness, you're an early player. I didn't know about the game until three or four years after it came out. You started playing games when I was still playing with Barbie dolls!" Xiao Xiaoyu finally understood why Zhou Xi was always not interested in anything. It turned out that what they were playing now were just leftovers from others.

"Later, practicing the piano was too tiring, and I had already finished the game, so I didn't keep it. I didn't expect that after a few years, the game would still be doing well."

"Big World?" Gao Yuanyuan searched the app store, and a variety of apps came up. "This one, what a weird name."

"Oh, all game names are like that. If you're not used to pronouncing them yet, they'll become like plain water after playing for a long time. Actually, when I first heard 'Big World', I thought it sounded fake, just a mobile game. But after playing it, I realized it's really big. There's all kinds of stuff going on, and I get betrayed by my teammates every day." Xiao Xiaoyu helped Gao Yuanyuan operate her phone for a while, then turned around and said, "Chen Yu, come here, let me show you how to read the map..."

"Wait a minute, your ID is Chen Yu, why don't you change it?"

"It's okay, let's take a look first."

"Okay." Xiao Xiaoyu opened a game room, picked up a hero at random and took two newbies to explore the map. After a few operations, she was confused. With several years of gaming experience, an idea lingered in her mind.

"I hate you guys a little bit. You two are obviously not suitable for supporting roles! What are you rushing for? You like to hit people so much. You are supports! Not damage!" Xiao Xiaoyu threw the phone to Lu Zisheng and lay on Zhou Xi.

Lu Zisheng changed into a hero and jumped around in the game: "Come on, come on, welcome, welcome, you really have to join my camp!"

Lu Zisheng picked a hero for Chen Yu, and he had no choice but to give up researching support for the time being. Characters with strong offensive power are indeed more comfortable and simpler to operate, but Chen Yu was not very interested.

"You teach Gao Yuanyuan first, I'll go take a look." Chen Yu exited the room, turned off some things in the settings, and clicked on the character search.

"Okay, come on, Gao Yuanyuan, fight with me in the big world!"

"Okay, this, this, how..." Gao Yuanyuan's fingers were busy, clicking skills randomly and hitting anyone she saw.

"Hey, hey, hey, wait a minute, you almost beat me to death, I'm your teammate, this! This! The blue one, don't go over there, run!"

"Oh, I remember..."

Chen Yu hesitated for a moment, and without clicking on the shiny avatar icon, he turned to his gray new account's personal center, logged out, and created a new one.

"I'm going back first."

Zhou Xi discovered that Gao Liyang had taken off his school uniform. The black sweater underneath made his skin look even whiter. Under the slightly bulging veins on his fingers, he was holding a cell phone in a black case.

"What's wrong? Yangyang, why are you going back now?" Xiao Xiaoyu divided her hair into two strands and pulled her loose hair hard. She really wanted to change her hair color, but she didn't know when she could do so.

"My dad urged me to go back and get some things to catch a flight."

"Tsk, your dad is really busy. Okay, then, Yangyang, go back and wait. Lu Zisheng and I will come to support you."

"Bye." Gao Liyang glanced at Zhou Xi, who was in a daze, and snapped his fingers. "What are you doing?"

"It's okay, see you next week."

"Well, don't miss me too much." Gao Liyang turned around and lowered his eyes. Even the sunlight shining from above his head could not hide his smile.

Xiao Xiaoyu pulled Zhou Xi over and protected him behind her: "Damn it! Yangyang, why are you so greasy!"

Gao Liyang raised his hand and waved it back in the air: "Don't miss me too much! Hahaha..."

"Fuck! Get out of here!"

The spring rains bring new growth to the branches, and the birds that flew south return in pairs to build nests.

The balcony door closed gently, Zhou Xi opened the small storage box, unfolded the felt folded into a square, and took out the pen, ink, paper and inkstone.

Squeeze the bottle with a little force, and the black ink flows through the opening into the ink-colored porcelain dish.

Zhou Xi lay on the table, staring at the ink flowing little by little, and finally forming a closed loop on the bottom of the ink disc.

If black ink is poured into the mouth, the teeth...

“Knock knock!”

The sudden knock on the door broke the peace of the daydreamer, and he woke up with a start. His face was covered with spots of ink, which were flowing down his face.

Silence is better than words at this time...

…

"Sister Zhou, these flowers for you! How are they? Are they beautiful?"

A large area of ​​red caught his eyes, and his irritation was instantly smoothed away. Zhou Xi stepped back a little, took it carefully, lowered his head and sniffed it. It was very rich.

"Thank you, the flowers are beautiful. What made you suddenly think of buying this?"

"It's beautiful, and you said you liked roses, so I bought a bunch. How about it? Do you love me a little more?"

She likes roses. She likes them because roses represent forgiveness and letting go to her.

Zhou Xi hugged Xiao Xiaoyu: "Thank you."

It was wrapped in the common tinfoil, but the flowers were very fresh and pure red, and the decorations on the side seemed less important. Zhou Xi reached out and gently touched the velvety petals. It had been a long time since anyone gave her flowers.

Xiao Xiaoyu shook her head, frowned, and pursed her lips: "Sister Zhou, don't you smell anything? It's stinky and a little fragrant!"

"I was just about to practice calligraphy, and I might have bought pirated ink. It does have a bit of a smell." Zhou Xi put down the flowers, turned around, and saw Xiao Xiaoyu holding the ink tray in her hand, with her head leaning close.

"Really, it smells both good and bad! Well, let me open the door." Xiao Xiaoyu put down the ink tray and took a few steps back.

"It's okay, you're not used to it. I went to class before and stayed there for a whole morning. The whole classroom was filled with the smell of ink." Zhou Xi sat down and smiled as he held the pen. A thin green ring rope was hung on the end of the pen.

"Play with your phone for a while. I'll go out with you after I finish writing."

"Great, wow, Sister Zhou, your handwriting is so beautiful!" Xiao Xiaoyu was afraid of disturbing Zhou Xi, so she didn't dare put her hands on her shoulders. She just stood behind her with her hands on her waist. She was also afraid that if she stood too close, her exhaled air would blow on Zhou Xi, so she held her breath for a long time before turning her head to exhale, then took a deep breath and continued reading.

"I've written a lot, so I'm just more skilled at it. It's nothing."

After completing the last stroke, Zhou Xi released his hand and stopped pressing down on the creased rice paper. He moistened his brush and stared at the original paper.

Even though I was copying and had practiced countless times, and I had memorized where to put the pen, the structure of the characters, and the horizontal and vertical alignment, I still brought in my own writing style and couldn't change it.

"I'm like a fish..."

Gao Liyang was woken up by the ringing of his cell phone.

The bedside remote control was confiscated, and the TV wallpaper in the room was changed one after another. He had just watched a three-hour foreign documentary, and his eyes were tired and wanted to cry. He ignored everything and lay down to rest. As he lay there, he felt sleepy and forgot to turn on silent mode on his phone...

Gao Liyang turned over, muted his phone and threw it to the end of the bed. He rolled up the quilt to cover his entire face and buried it tightly.

Sleepy, sleepy, sleepy.

Sleep, sleep, sleep.

One sheep, two sheep, three sheep.

My mind was awake, but my body wasn't. I lay there like a conscious zombie. Continue sleeping? Impossible! Get up? Impossible!

The quilt was pulled back, and Gao Liyang stared at the ceiling expressionlessly. Finally, his face twitched slightly. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply. He felt sad. He really was being scolded by the school. Now he couldn't sleep even if he had time.

He raised his eyebrows, and the hair on his head swayed with laughter. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed the narrator's pillow and smashed it hard on the bed.

"Fuck you!"

His sleep quality is the best in school. With noisy background music, he can fall asleep on the table in seconds. The teacher's class is like a hypnotic march. He even tried to secretly bring his mobile phone to record the teacher's voice in class, and play it on time before going to bed at night. As a result, he got two bigger dark circles under his eyes the next day.

The bed was in a mess, with several dolls pushed down. Gao Liyang struggled to sit up holding a long piece of bamboo, and the screen of his mobile phone was still on.

“Ding-ling, ding-ling!”

Gao Liyang's fingers stopped on the video of Zhou Xi practicing calligraphy posted in the group, and the doorbell kept ringing as if it was urging him to die.

Haha, he put on his slippers, slowly arranged the dolls, and put on a light gray knitted sweater over his pajamas.

He bent his body slightly and opened the peephole with his fingers. There was no one there and the doorbell stopped ringing, but there was a faint knocking sound from outside the door, as if someone was preparing to dig a tunnel.

Gao Liyang had the answer in his heart, turned the door handle and leaned against it.

"Get up, there are treasures on the ground."

"Yangyang! I can't stand it anymore..." The first second Xiao Xiaoyu saw the person, tears fell down and her nose was sore.