Chapter 15
How did I come to like him?
I like him "so" much? Wu Qi's words make me sound like a simp. People who don't know better would think I have some kind of improper relationship with Yu Yuan.
I tried to pry Wu Qi's hand off, but I wasn't strong enough. I said, "Don't wrongly accuse me."
Wu Qi looked at me, showing no intention of letting go. "Tell me, how did I wrong you?"
I closed my eyes briefly: "I don't like him."
Wu Qi: "You'd better be."
I:"……"
Is it because what Mr. Yue said is not credible?
Wu Qi removed his hand and stretched his wrist. After thinking of something, he said, "Actually, there are no...no racial restrictions in the Heavenly Realm. If you like mortals and don't mind that they are older than you and only accompany you for a short period of time, then give it a try."
I couldn't help but look at him. Under the desk lamp, he was frowning, his face contorted with worry, as if he had made a difficult decision.
I folded one corner of the paper, pressed it down, and then folded it in the opposite direction.
Without realizing it, I went along with what he said: "The heavenly realm does exist, but there are no written regulations. If I were to actually marry a mortal, I'm afraid I would suffer a heavenly calamity."
Actually, I don't know if it's true or not, that's just what I wanted to say.
Wu Qi's words were too distant, making me want to test him. If something really happened to me, would he also have the same "let's try" attitude?
He replied, "Whoever dares to touch you, I will raze this heavenly realm to the ground."
I was taken aback.
“Just do what you want to do, and I’ll handle the rest, whether it’s in heaven or on earth,” Wu Qi said. “But…”
I hurriedly asked, "Just what?"
Wu Qi turned his head to me and mumbled something, but I couldn't hear it. When I asked again, he gave a faint "ah" and said, "Just don't make me angry anymore."
That's not what he just said, I'm sure.
But I know I won't get the answer out of him.
Although Wu Qi is a carefree person, he is actually more stubborn than anyone else at heart. You have to listen to what he wants to say, and there is no escaping it no matter how hard you try. Similarly, if he insists on not talking, you can't get anything out of him even by torture.
Neither of us spoke to each other that night.
As it grew late and I was getting ready for bed, Wu Qi, still clinging to the balcony door, turned back and asked again, "If you really have ideas..."
I was thoroughly annoyed by the nagging, so I closed my eyes and steeled my resolve: "No ideas! No worldly desires!"
Even immortals wouldn't be tempted, yet you're already having worldly desires? How idle of you!
Wu Qi paused briefly, then smiled. "That's not what I meant."
I asked, "Which one are you referring to?"
“What I wanted to say was…” Wu Qi opened the balcony door, the wind billowing his shirt and blowing the exam paper in his hand fluttering, “If a handsome guy like me standing in front of you doesn’t move you, what makes a mortal like you…”
His voice was carried by the wind, making it unclear and indistinct, as if he were using a breathy tone.
"Then you have really bad taste."
After saying that, he tossed a talisman and left, leaving only a cool breeze in the summer night that sobered me up a bit.
I rubbed my nose, but I could still smell Wu Qi's scent lingering in the room.
It's very refreshing.
Honestly, I've always felt that the draft in the human world is no different from this smell.
After washing up, I returned to my desk and packed my bag. Although I hadn't paid much attention at school, I still had the right attitude. I brought my prepared workbook and homework, along with two sheets of scrap paper.
This thing is so rare that as soon as there's a quiz, a bunch of people crowd around wanting it.
While tidying up Wu Qi's half, I suddenly found one of my chemistry papers among his pile of scrap paper.
I remembered that this was the copy I had given him.
The exam paper was spotless, and my distinctive handwriting ran from top to bottom until a spot was circled in blue pen, with a row of incongruous characters "邬启" below it.
It's MnO2, so stupid.
-
The southern part of the city is more suited to summer. The calendar tells it that autumn has arrived, but it still clings to the heat and the greenery, with the cicadas chirping and making an even greater fuss, their sounds piercing the sky.
During a self-study period, the homeroom teacher was grading homework in front of the class. To let the whole class know about her anger, she kept slamming the notebooks down.
"If you didn't know better, you'd think some unit was setting off firecrackers..." Meng Xiaoqiong whispered to me.
“Speak louder,” I urged her.
“I just want to die too much, but it’s unnecessary,” Meng Xiaoqiong told me about her dreams. “I still have to achieve something great, like keeping a few male high school students as mistresses.”
"She's a high school girl, right? What do you think of me?" I said. "Would you like to keep her?"
Meng Xiaoqiong: "...I'd better study."
The boy with the long face entered the classroom carrying two sheets of paper. Meng Xiaoqiong and I immediately lowered our heads to do our work. He greeted the homeroom teacher twice, then called out, "Wu Qi."
Everyone in the class looked up, except for the person in question.
I jerked the stool back sharply, a jolt that sent Wu Qi reeling back to the Tang Dynasty. He stood up, looking bewildered, and yawned as he responded, "Ah."
"What do you mean 'ah'? Sleeping during self-study? Go outside and sleep standing up!" The homeroom teacher fired another shot.
The man with the long, narrow face stopped him, saying, "Wait a minute. This is Wu Qi's exam admission ticket. He'll be taking the exam this Saturday morning at the Provincial Experimental School."
Wu Qi walked to the front, his school uniform open, and slammed onto the desk with a clanging sound.
The man with the long, narrow face patted him on the shoulder and said, "Keep an eye on the time, don't be late. I wish you good grades."
...
It would have been better if I hadn't said that, because as soon as I did, everyone burst into laughter.
"He really dares to say that you should get good grades."
"Isn't it just polite talk? It's encouragement, don't you understand?"
"It's hard to say. I can only say that it's like being in a completely different field."
In contrast, Wu Qi appeared unusually calm. He took the admission ticket and asked, "Is there anything else I need to bring?"
The man with the long, narrow face said objectively, "Use your brain."
Wu Qi: "Okay."
I twirled my pen twice, my gaze shifting from the exam paper to the red hand ribbon, when I suddenly heard Li Guangheng in front of me curse, "Damn it."
He said, "This is outrageous!"
That's unusual.
Are people actually defending idiots these days?
Before I could even finish wondering what was going on, I heard Tian Qingqing chime in, "Yeah, how come Wu Qi has such a good temper? He didn't even yell back?"
Li Guangheng said, "What's wrong with our Qi-ge? He's a star on the basketball court, don't bully him!"
Tian Qingqing: "Exactly!"
Unexpectedly, in just a few days, Wu Qi has already made a name for himself on the basketball court, changing the perception of most boys.
I was really curious, so I asked Tian Qingqing, "Why are you defending Bald Qiang because he played basketball with Wu Qi?"
Tian Qingqing: "Is that even a question? Of course it's because he's handsome!"
I:"……"
I suddenly remembered that Tian Qingqing had been saying he was incredibly handsome.
Li Guangheng: "I can't stand it anymore! This weekend I'm going to support my brother Qi. How can we let that brat Yu Yuan steal the spotlight from our Yizhihua!"
Tian Qingqing quickly thought about her schedule: "I'll go too! I'm free! Sang Yue and Xiao Qiong, you two should come too! Many hands make light work!"
I was stunned for a moment.
Meng Xiaoqiong spoke first: "I can go, but let's make it clear that I won't take sides; I'll remain neutral."
Li Guangheng clicked his tongue in disappointment, "This is really boring."
Meng Xiaoqiong: "What are you tsk about? Yu Yuan and I are brothers, it's like we're made of iron. If I support Wu Qi, then all those times I called him 'Little Glasses' would be for nothing."
Tian Qingqing: "Wu Qi is still sleeping, so he's standing in your place as punishment!"
Meng Xiaoqiong: "That's why I'm neutral! Don't ask me! Why don't you ask Sang Yun? It's obvious that these two are fighting because of her."
I was caught in the crossfire; all three of them turned to me at once, catching me completely off guard.
"Yeah, yeah, who should Sang Yue choose?"
I……
I certainly can't say it's about Wu Qi. I can't say that I not only supported Wu Qi, but I also sold him exercise books and explained problems to him. If I said that, my crime would be several levels higher.
Meng Xiaoqiong even mentioned revolutionary friendship, and I even ate Yu Yuan's pudding... No, I can't say that, it's too unkind.
I could only say, "I'm neutral too. I'll support whoever gets the gold medal."
That's a very apt statement.
Because I feel that Wu Qi is more flexible, but Wu Qi is not as experienced as Yu Yuan, so the evaluation is very fair.
Disappointed at not hearing the answer they wanted, the three turned away.
Saturday came as expected. Early in the morning, before I was even fully awake, the doorbell rang.
I thought it was a neighbor. I was wearing a fluffy pajama set and my hair was unkempt. I went to open the door, but all I saw were these three idiots and Xu Feng.
"Hi--"
Before I could even finish yawning, I abruptly shut them out.
Take three seconds to calm your breathing.
Hold.
Damn it!
If I am guilty, please punish me according to the law, instead of letting me meet my classmates with a shiny face.
I instantly snapped out of it, quickly threw on a white short-sleeved shirt, washed up, and then combed my hair while it was still wet.
During that time, I berated myself many times.
This moon god has been wreaking havoc on humanity for many years, and this is the first time he has seen humans so eager to clean themselves up.
When I opened the door again, I looked completely refreshed. I forced a smile at their bewildered faces and said, "Let's go."
The group of people seemed not to have reacted yet. They looked at each other, then stood aside and watched me lock the door, looking completely at ease.
Xu Feng asked first, "Sang Yue, what about that just now..."
I pretended to be clueless: "It's not him."
Xu Feng: "Okay."
We headed towards the Provincial Experimental School, debating for a long time whether to take the bus or walk. In the end, we agreed that since the math competition exam was still a while away, we should just stroll over.
Meng Xiaoqiong explained to me, "Bald Qiang was in class with Little Bee just now, and I dragged him over after class."
"Little Bee" should be Xu Feng; Meng Xiaoqiong's skill in giving nicknames is unparalleled.
I nodded; it's none of my business who comes.
Tian Qingqing walked to my left. "Speaking of which, this is the first time I've seen Sang Yue wear her own clothes."
Li Guangheng turned around and looked me over: "Yes..."
I asked nervously, "Is it strange?"
"No, no," Tian Qingqing said. "It might just be my personal feeling, but I think mulberry leaves and red go very well together."
Xu Feng said, "My God, does anyone really think my Sister Yue is ordinary? I can't find another face like her in the whole high school. Not only does red match, but red and green both look good on her."
Tian Qingqing recalled Wu Qi's words from that day and said, "That makes sense. Sang Yue, you're so beautiful, you didn't fall from the sky, did you?"
I:"……"
It really is true.
This topic is so awkward, I've already dug a hole in the ground beneath my feet. If I keep going, I'm going to get really cocky and impulsively go to a beauty pageant next year.
I scratched my head and changed the subject, saying, "Stop talking about me. Why did you guys come to No. 1 High School back then? Why didn't you go to the Provincial Experimental High School?"
Xu Feng: "Do you know why Nancheng No.1 Middle School is called 'No.1' Middle School? It's because it's very prestigious. People with high enough scores usually go to No.1 Middle School, and only those who can't get into No.1 Middle School go to the Provincial Experimental School."
Meng Xiaoqiong: "Indeed, the first choice is definitely No. 1 Middle School. Its teaching staff is among the best... Putting aside those few exceptions, No. 1 Middle School's college entrance examination pass rate has always been the highest in the province."
Tian Qingqing: "And the environment is good too. We'll see when we go in. The Provincial Experimental High School is far inferior to our No. 1 High School."
When I actually arrived at the Provincial Experimental School, I realized that Tian Qingqing's words were "far from the truth," and I didn't know how much face she had given the Provincial Experimental School.
Compared to our high school, the Provincial Experimental School is more like a "high school". The three teaching buildings are densely packed together, and the playground is dilapidated and looks white at a glance, without any sense of youthfulness like a "green lawn".
The basketball hoop was half broken, but there were a few pieces that weren't broken, and some students were playing basketball underneath without seeming to mind.
When we reached the last teaching building, the security guard wouldn't let us go in, so we stood in a row on the first-floor balcony. From a distance, it looked like we were being punished.
As the exam was about to end, Meng Xiaoqiong checked her watch 61 times per minute: "Family, I'm getting a little nervous, what should I do?"
Li Guangheng scoffed: "Aren't you neutral?"
Meng Xiaoqiong swallowed: "Actually, I'm still a little nervous about my brother Qi, since Yu Yuan is sure to do well on the exam."
Tian Qingqing prayed to the heavens, "I only pray that Brother Qi won't embarrass himself too much..."
"Can't you pull yourselves together?" Xu Feng shouted. "We'll stand up for Qi-ge! Anyone who dares to look down on me, I'll speak up!"
I thought to myself, it's not that serious, there's no need for it.
Why do they all look like they're waiting for the college entrance exam?
Then I secretly wiped the sweat from my palms.
The bell rang precisely on time, and the five of us fell silent instantly.
The handrail of the stairwell swayed and creaked, and someone was helping them down. Holding my breath, I watched as Wu Qi walked down like a supermodel.
The supermodel was wearing a black short-sleeved shirt, his hands in his pockets, scrolling through his phone with one hand. His hair was parted in a 2:8 ratio, revealing a small section of his smooth forehead, and his backpack hung on his waist, highlighting two well-defined muscle lines.
Seemingly noticing a row of gazes, he slowly raised his head: "Oh, everyone's here."
That idiot is such a show-off.
Tian Qingqing gritted her teeth and muttered, "Is it possible that we're waiting for you, Brother Qi?"
Li Guangheng took two steps and hopped over to Wu Qi: "How did the exam go?"
Wu Qi thought for a moment and said, "Not bad."
"What do you mean by 'not bad'?" Li Guangheng asked again.
"It's pretty simple—"
Li Guangheng knew this man wouldn't speak seriously, so he was prepared to cheer him on regardless of the consequences.
Before he could even think of what to say, a large group of people came running down the stairs behind him, screaming like they were on steroids.
"It's him! It's him! Stop him!"
"Let's see where he thinks he can run to!"
"That person! Yes! He has a really weird surname! His surname is Wu!"
...
I think I heard an alarm.
The students from Class 5 reacted even faster than me. In less than three seconds, they had already formed a formation. I don't know how many times they had rehearsed it in their minds. They surrounded Wu Qi like a sow protecting her piglets.
I have eight thousand thoughts in a single moment.
Did Wu Qi cause trouble? Did he anger the teacher? Is it because he's too handsome and it's affecting their exams? ...These good students are just unreasonable; why do they fight in groups?
It was definitely worth the trip.
I drew a red line behind my back, ready to get into position at any moment.
The corner of the staircase quickly became clearly defined, giving the impression that a major battle was about to break out.
Just then, the leader of the opposing team paused, then asked, "What are you doing?"
Li Guangheng, Level One Combat Readiness: "Ready for Battle!"
"...Accept the challenge? What is it!" the man said. "We want to ask Wu how he managed to finish such a difficult test in half an hour!"
Li Guangheng: "?"
Wu Qi, standing behind and oblivious to the situation, whistled merrily.
We turned around one by one, our expressions blank, puzzled, and doubtful, until we finally realized, amidst the rising emotions on the other side, that what they were saying might be true.
One of the good students seemed to notice our surprise, pushed up his glasses, and said seriously, "You might not believe it when I tell you."
What do you not believe in?
He said, "Some people treat math competitions like mental arithmetic flashcards, I'm not kidding."
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