Chapter 40 doesn't look like a serious matter.

One minute, or two minutes?

Suddenly, I lost all sense of time.

When Shi Miao was released, she saw Jiang Yingxu with deep, unfathomable black eyes.

He remained calm and composed, though the sweat on his forehead betrayed a hint of his earlier unease.

Shi Miao asked, "Were you feeling unwell just now?"

The kitten's round eyes were full of genuine concern.

Jiang Yingxu couldn't help but look away, lowering his long eyelashes, a hint of self-loathing flashing in his eyes.

Shi Miaoyue's concern was genuine.

The more he discovers his own filth.

"It's nothing." Jiang Yingxu's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, his voice extremely hoarse, as he spoke words that seemed both true and false. "I rarely have contact with people, so my skin might be a bit sensitive."

Shi Miao lowered her head, still confused.

Upon seeing Jiang Yingxu's hand, it suddenly jumped back, its tail fur standing on end.

Good heavens!

The cat forgot to clean up its thorns!

The kitten's eyes were brimming with tears, and since it couldn't see very clearly to begin with, it licked them out of instinct.

The barbs on my tongue scratched my skin, leaving red marks.

It was all over Jiang Yingxu's fair fingers and wrists.

The knuckles of the fingers had a faint pinkish hue, accompanied by a slight sheen of moisture, and were covered with crisscrossing red marks.

It doesn't look like a legitimate hand.

Shi Miao suddenly felt a little guilty.

Who told her to have never licked a human before? She had always forgotten that her tongue was covered with tiny barbs.

The kitten took two steps forward and pressed Jiang Yingxu's hand under its soft belly, as if this could alleviate some of his pain.

She said softly and apologetically, "I know, I hurt you by licking you. I'm sorry, I won't do it again next time."

Jiang Yingxu slightly curled his fingertips.

"……Um."

He responded in a hoarse voice, unable to discern whether the emotion welling up inside him was relief or regret.

That's fine.

This is good for both him and Shi Miao.

-

I ate a terrible lunch.

When Jiang Yingxu returned to the physics competition classroom, Lai Cheng even mustered up the courage to ask him about it.

"Jiang Yingxu, there's air conditioning in the classroom. You should eat in the classroom next time."

He offered his sincere advice.

"It's so hot outside. Your face and ears are all red. You must be sweating a lot."

Mao Yuhu sat in the chair and glanced around, immediately noticing Jiang Yingxu's hand hanging by his side, covered in red marks.

Jiang Yingxu's naturally pale skin made the large patches of red stand out even more.

She couldn't help but ask, "Where did you bump or rub it? It's so red, do you need to put some medicine on it? I remember that Ms. Xu from the Biological Competition Department keeps a small first-aid kit in her office, should I go and ask her for you?"

Jiang Yingxu: "It's nothing, it's not a big problem."

He politely thanked the two of them.

The kitten, which had been eavesdropping with its ears perked up, gradually flattened into a soulless little cat pancake inside the schoolbag.

It's her fault.

How did you lick Jiang Yingxu until he hurt?

Jiang Yingxu held back from telling her, but he broke out in a cold sweat and his eyes were moist, so he didn't know if he had been crying.

He can endure so much pain; how much suffering must he have been in to be unable to control himself from making a sound?

The kitten stayed quietly in the schoolbag for an entire afternoon.

At six o'clock, Reid finished explaining the last problem and put down the chalk in his hand.

He glanced at the eager students below and, with a touch of mercy, said, "Alright, get out of class dismissed. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me."

"The cafeteria is closed today. Did you all bring money? Go to a proper restaurant near the school gate for dinner. Don't go to those mobile stalls; they're not hygienic."

"Come back to study at seven o'clock, don't be late."

Lai Cheng had been impatient ever since he heard the sound of students leaving school coming from the next classroom ten minutes ago. His butt was still in his chair, but his legs were already leaning towards the door.

Hearing this, he jumped up and cheered, "get out of class dismissed!"

Mao Yuhu and Shao Hanfei also stood up.

At Lai Cheng's enthusiastic recommendation, they decided yesterday to go to that rice noodle shop for dinner.

Their gazes fell on Jiang Yingxu in front of them. The three of them exchanged glances, carefully considering their words before extending an invitation, but worried that he still had part-time work to do and it would take up his time.

Red waved first, "Yingxu, come with me."

Jiang Yingxu picked up his schoolbag and followed Red out.

Reid pushed open the door to the classroom, which had been converted into an office for competition teachers, walked to his desk, and put down a glass full of tea leaves.

Do you have work during the National Day holiday?

He softened his voice, "I tried to decline as many offers as possible. This time, the school secured a spot for the training camp in Jiangcheng. Several of the lecturers were once part of the competition question-setting team. It's a rare opportunity, so you'd better participate."

Jiang Yingxu nodded: "I've already submitted my resignation, so I'll work until tomorrow."

Reid smiled with satisfaction and pulled an application form from the table.

“Okay, this training camp is self-funded. Please fill out this application form and I will submit it to the foundation for you. This is for your learning expenses, and the foundation will cover all of them. You don’t need to worry about the money.”

No. 1 Middle School often has off-campus training activities.

However, most training camps are self-funded, and the various expenses add up to at least several thousand yuan. Jiang Yingxu has never been able to afford this money, so he has never participated.

Jiang Yingxu was pressed down on the shoulder by Lei De and sat down in the office chair. He took out a pen and began to fill out the application form.

After filling out the form, he thanked Reid again before leaving the office.

He lingered for a while, and by then the students from the competition class had all left.

Jiang Yingxu walked to the school gate, only to see an unexpected figure.

Yan Zhaozhou leaned against the gate, holding his phone to his ear, his voice roguish yet amused, full of intimacy.

“I told you not to pick me up… I’m free later, Brother Li, please tell the driver to drive slowly and be careful.”

Jiang Yingxu glanced at it indifferently, and as usual, walked towards the public bicycle shed.

The phone spun for over ten seconds before finally scanning the QR code successfully.

The car lock popped open with a snap.

Jiang Yingxu pulled out his bicycle. When he looked up, a shiny black luxury car slowly drove past on the street in front of him, its goddess logo gleaming in the sunset.

The Ghost stopped at the school gate.

Yan Zhaozhou smiled and strode forward, "Brother Li!"

The car door opened.

Yan Shuli got out of the car from the back seat, his eyes gentle, and with a light smile, he opened his arms and hugged Yan Zhaozhou.

He was only one year older than Yan Zhaozhou, but having been groomed as the successor of the Yan Group for a long time, and dressed in a well-tailored suit, he exuded a composure and dignity beyond his years.

She doesn't resemble her immature peers at all.

Yan Zhaozhou was always an arrogant young master in public, but he would show some obedience in front of his cousin with whom he grew up.

As Yan Shuli ruffled his hair, he muttered, "You messed up my hairstyle."

Yan Shuli patted his arm.

"You won't let your brother rub it anymore?"

Yan Zhaozhou chuckled softly, "I've grown up."

Following his younger brother's lead, Yan Shuli asked gently, "How is your maternal grandmother's health?"

Yan Zhaozhou: "He's doing well. He can eat and sleep well, but he sometimes gets confused."

Last year, my grandmother fell and, although the caregiver took her to the hospital in time, her health inevitably deteriorated.

Both parents hold important positions in the Yan Group and are unable to leave their posts.

Yan Zhaozhou took the initiative to accompany his grandmother, which is why he transferred from the capital to Ningcheng.

Yan Shuli nodded: "I brought some gifts for your grandmother, and had the driver take us directly there... Xiao Zhou, what are you looking at?"

He followed Yan Zhaozhou's gaze and saw a boy carrying a black backpack riding away on a bicycle.

Her short, jet-black hair fluttered gently in the wind.

I only caught a fleeting glimpse of that indifferent profile before I quickly rounded the corner and disappeared from sight.

Yan Zhaozhou clicked his tongue lightly, "Nothing much, just a senior, and he's pretty arrogant..."

Yan Shuli joked, "It's rare that Xiao Zhou has actually met someone you can call arrogant."

"Tch, he's much more pretentious than me; he doesn't like to talk to people at all."

Yan Zhaozhou casually sat down in the car, "Never mind him, get in the car quickly."

Yan Shuli chuckled, leaning against the car door. Before getting in, for some reason, he glanced again at the empty, deserted corner.