Chapter 59

Public opinion is fermenting, and the sea is roaring.

The exams that need to be taken still need to be taken.

Qu Qi initially watched the excitement in the large group chat, laughing at the nonsense those people were spouting, and even considered using a secondary account to stir things up in the group.

When Da Hai suddenly appeared, she was so startled that she almost threw her phone at He Qizheng's face.

"Holy crap! When did Da Hai sneak in?!" He Qi cursed as he caught his phone, which almost fell into the bowl.

"Life is truly like a play," Qu Qi squinted at the equally frightened classmates around him and sighed softly, "It's all thanks to acting skills."

“Director Lu has a lot of tricks up his sleeve,” Liang Jing said, putting down her phone and touching Yin Zixuan’s knee with her other hand under the table. “He updates his skills every time he takes on a new class of students.”

“Hmm,” Yin Zixuan nodded, but couldn’t help but smile. She grabbed the girl’s hand and shook it gently. “Jingjing is right.”

Qu Qi and He Qizheng: "..."

"Those who show affection in public will automatically leave the group," Qu Qi said.

“Early romance ruined our philosophy group!” He Qizheng said.

Liang Jing blushed and pulled her hand away, glaring at the person who seemed to have no fear of being scalded by boiling water.

She cleared her throat, her expression unchanged, but anyone could tell she was busy changing the subject: "The discipline committee member of Class 7 in the previous year told me that Director Lu secretly arranged for a few people to loiter around the water room during each break. They were even equipped with recording pens, which made everyone feel insecure. That year's water room was the quietest it had ever been since the school was founded."

"Holy crap..." He Qi's mouth gaped open, forgetting to put the noodles he'd picked up into his mouth. "Dahai is really ruthless..."

The water room has always been a key information hub for No. 1 Middle School, and Lu Botao's move directly nipped the students in the bud.

"Then You Xiaoyu..." Qu Qi was obviously thinking more. She had once again realized the power of the sea. How would he deal with You Congxi and the others?

“It’s alright, there’s always a way around policies,” Liang Jing said. “So that year’s students were moved to the playground.”

Walking briskly while chatting is a win-win situation – spreading gossip and getting some exercise at the same time.

"Later, when the principal took a walk, he complained that the playground was too noisy, and some students also wrote complaints into the principal's mailbox, so Director Lu removed the spy guarding the water room," Liang Jing said.

"Ergou, what's wrong? Why are you looking so dejected?" He Qi greeted his friend next to him, who was looking for a seat with a long face.

"Nothing, I'm just still sleepy," Er Gou said.

He Qi frowned and stared at him for a few moments, the more he looked, the more he felt something was wrong.

Er Gou is usually a carefree, roguish guy. The last time he shed tears was when his big yellow dog, who had grown up with him since he was a puppy, died.

"Why are you making such a face if nothing's wrong?" He Qi asked, staring at Er Gou's reddened eyes, his suspicions surging like an ocean.

Since Dahuang is dead, the only possibility is—

"Which school beat you up...?" "Xiaoyun broke up with me, sob sob!"

He Qizheng: "?"

Before he could even realize who Xiaoyun was, Er Gou's fist-sized tears had already fallen.

"Waaaaah... Xiaoyun... Dahai is talking to her... Xiaoyun... Waaaaah..." Er Gou squatted down and lay on the table, making a sound like a boiling kettle.

"Stop it!" He Qi's head was throbbing from his crying. He glanced at the three heads that had been silently watching the show and turned back to him. He turned back to him and continued, "Speak properly!"

"Uh..." Er Gou choked for a moment, then sobbed a few more times before continuing, "Lu Botao... he broke me up with Xiao Yun... sob sob sob..."

He Qi was stunned. He looked at Er Gou's grief-stricken face, and somehow, it gradually overlapped with Shen Yue's flamboyant face.

"Holy crap..." he muttered, his face stiff, "Dahai's serious this time..."

Regardless of the commotion, it was ultimately just a few threats in a group chat. The afternoon exam proceeded as scheduled. He Qizheng turned his head away several times, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself, which caused the political teacher who was proctoring the exam to keep hovering around him.

"If you want to copy, then copy," Shen Yue handed the collected papers to the podium, looking at his absent-minded deskmate with a bit of a puzzlement, "What are you dawdling about?"

He Qizheng wondered if Shen Yue knew that he and You Congxi were being targeted by Dahai. The news had spread throughout the group chat, so Shen Yue must know... but why did Shen Yue look so relaxed, as if nothing had happened...?

He Qizheng organized his thoughts for a moment: "You..."

"Shen Yue!" someone called from outside the door, "Da Hai wants you to go to his office!"

The noisy classroom suddenly quieted down.

“And there’s also the You Congxi River!” the man added.

Shen Yue stood up and exchanged a glance with You Congxi. He felt as if dozens of eyes were staring at them as they walked out of the classroom.

After a day of quizzes, the students were as relaxed as if they had just finished the college entrance exam. Everyone had a happy smile on their face, howling in the classroom before being punished by the homeroom teacher who rushed over.

There weren't many people in the corridor. It wasn't time for school to end yet. There would be a short class meeting later, a long-standing tradition at No. 1 Middle School. After the quiz, we would summarize the day and look to the future. Those who did well shouldn't be arrogant, because it was just a small test. Those who didn't do well shouldn't be discouraged, because it was just a small test.

Shen Yue was surprised to see Zhao Xinli in the director's office.

"Dad?" He closed the door behind him. There were four people in the office, including himself and You Congxi. "What are you doing here?"

"I'll bail you out," Zhao Xinli replied succinctly.

"Cough, cough, cough," Lu Botao choked on his tea, taking another sip to calm himself. He then said to Zhao Xinli, "Shen Yue's father, the reason I called you to the school is to discuss something about early..."

Knock knock.

Everyone in the office looked over. The door opened, and the woman smiled apologetically as she walked in: "Sorry, there was a bit of traffic on the way."

You Congxi subconsciously looked at her stomach.

Jing Ling walked in and stood next to You Congxi, glanced at her but didn't say anything.

After receiving You Congxi's message, she didn't see it immediately due to the time difference. When she did see it, she immediately called You Congxi.

After making ten calls to You Congxi without getting an answer, she had no choice but to call You Yuanming. It turned out that You Yuanming's youngest daughter answered and rattled off a bunch of things, which made Jing Ling feel increasingly disheartened.

The child didn't know what a breakup meant; he only knew that his sister said, "That's it," shed tears, left the house, his father smashed a cup, and his mother argued with him.

Jingling immediately bought a plane ticket back to China and spent the entire flight looking through photos of You Congxi when she was a child.

Actually, there wasn't much. She divorced You Yuanming when the child was very young. After the divorce, she devoted herself to her career. The child initially lived with her grandmother in the village. The elderly in the village didn't take care of the child much. There were also cousins ​​of similar age in the family. The elderly had traditional ideas. They said that taking care of the child was just about ensuring that the child was fed and clothed, and that the child wouldn't starve or freeze.

When You Congxi reached school age, she was taken to live with her father in the city. Her stepmother was pregnant at the time and naturally couldn't take care of her much. At that time, Jing Ling's career was on the rise, and he was willing but unable to bring her to live with him.

Jingling's career stabilized when he entered junior high school. Just as he was thinking of bringing his child with him, his company offered him an opportunity to be sent abroad. Between his career and his child, Jingling chose his career.

You Congxi absolutely refused to stay at her father's house, so she rented a place outside and hired a part-time worker to take care of three meals a day and housekeeping.

She flipped through old photos. The most photos were from birth to one year old, and then fewer and fewer. Two years old, three years old, four years old... After that, there were only one or two photos each year. Even from ten to fifteen years old, there were no photos at all. After that, there was only a photo of her back that she secretly took at the beginning of this year... Her child grew up slowly on his own during the first seventeen years that she was always absent from.

As soon as I got off the plane, my teacher called.

She placed her suitcase at the office door, raised her hand to knock, and felt a cool sensation on her face. She reached out to touch it and found it was tears.

She wasn't a good mother, and only now does she dare to admit it.

"Shen Yue's father, Cong Xi's mother, I called you here today to talk about the two children..."

“Director Lu,” Shen Yue interrupted him, “I was the one who relentlessly pursued You Congxi, but she completely ignored me. It has nothing to do with her. If you want to punish someone, punish me!”

"Children are not allowed to interrupt when elders are speaking." Zhao Xinli glared at him, then turned to Lu Botao and smiled apologetically, "Director Lu, please continue."

Lu Botao's reprimand was interrupted. He awkwardly took a sip of tea before continuing, "Teacher Tang is having a class meeting and will be here soon, so we..."

“I am still considering it,” You Congxi said, “but it’s a mutual affection.”

“Xiaoxi…” Jing Ling tugged at You Congxi’s sleeve, signaling her not to say anything out of line.

"You two..." Lu Botao was so angry he almost choked. He patted his chest hard and gulped down several mouthfuls of tea before pointing at the two men, panting, "You two go wait outside!"

Shen Yue was still dazed and immersed in the fantasy that the girl he liked said they were "mutually in love," with a worthless smile on his face. Zhao Xinli thought he was pathetic and looked away in annoyance after just one glance.

Shen Yue ran to open the door, and only after You Congxi left did he run back to close it.

"Hey, You Xiaoyu," Shen Yue nudged You Congxi's shoulder, his voice brimming with barely concealed excitement, "You just said..."

“I made it up,” You Congxi interrupted mercilessly.

"Ah—" Shen Yue groaned softly, but still unwilling to give up, he reached out and poked the girl's shoulder again, "But I meant it, I really like her..."

"Shut up," You Congxi said.

There was no sound from the side. You Congxi waited a few seconds. Several classes had just finished school around the corner of the corridor, making a lot of noise. But this corner was only the office, so it was unusually quiet.

She pursed her lips, glancing sideways out of the corner of her eye—

"Little Yu," she felt her earlobe being gently pinched. The boy's voice was chuckled and very close to her ear, the breath he created brushing against her earlobe as he spoke, "Why are your ears red?"

You Congxi suddenly took two steps to the side.

at the same time--

"Oh, you two," high heels and voices rang out as Tang Miaosong walked over gracefully, her gaze lingering on the two of them. "Talking?"