Chapter Twenty
During the National Day holiday, Cheng Xiangbei was almost overwhelmed by the books his brother brought back.
Economics, history, social sciences... the books on homosexuality alone were over a foot high. Brother Cheng simply wrote two words on the note: "Look."
So Cheng Xiangbei had to abandon his travel plans and stay in his room reading. Ever since he smashed the room to pieces in his rage, Cheng's father had hired a renovation company to redecorate it. The original children's room design was no longer adequate, and Cheng's father could only console himself, "Good thing my son smashed it!"
The newly renovated room has a minimalist style. The color scheme is mainly black and white, simple and clean, which perfectly matches Cheng Xiangbei's personality. The original wooden bunk bed has been replaced with a simple double bed, the TV has been mounted on the wall, and the computer has been replaced with the latest model. The Japanese-style small table has been replaced with a large desk, and Cheng Xiangbei's books are scattered on the tabletop.
The only thing that hasn't changed in the room is the long-haired carpet under the skylight.
In the afternoon sunlight, Cheng Xiangbei would often wrap himself in a blanket and roll around like Lu Nan. Although he couldn't understand the fun, he felt that the distance between them wasn't so far through Lu Nan's little habit.
So, what is Lu Nan doing?
He was learning to organize his belongings. In the dormitory hygiene competition, Lu Nan deservedly came in last place. It wasn't that he wasn't clean, but his forgetful nature always made his space look messy. The student council inspector frowned at his bed, and with a few quick strokes, Lu Nan's name was placed at the top of the notice board.
The hygiene standards were not met, ranking first.
"A scholar can be killed but not humiliated," Lu Nan thought, returning home with a dark expression. Her parents wanted to participate in a school-organized trip and could bring family members, but Lu Nan firmly refused. She decided to spend the entire National Day holiday pushing herself to the limit.
After Lu's parents left, Lu Nan rolled up her sleeves and began a thorough cleaning.
It took him two days to clean the house thoroughly, and another three days to put his scattered things back in their place. After all that fuss, the long holiday was almost over. Lu Nan absentmindedly cooked, thinking he needed to get a new pair of glasses. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he accidentally singed a tuft of hair. Oh well, might as well get a haircut while he's at it!
Lu Nan left with the money in his pocket. Because he wasn't very good with directions, he only bought things in familiar places. The same went for getting his glasses; after having his eyes checked and pupillary distance measured, Lu Nan turned and went to the barbershop across the street. He used to just shave his hair short when it got too long; he didn't really care about looks. Cheng Xiangbei, however, couldn't stand it and would drag him to the best barbershop in the city as soon as his hair grew long. He remembered needing some kind of card or something, it was all very troublesome, so he just randomly picked a shop near his neighborhood and went in.
The shop was small and empty. Lu Nan was happy; he didn't have to wait. He smiled and said to the barber who was sitting behind the counter, lost in thought, "Haircut!"
The barber was stunned, pointed to his nose, and asked, "Me?"
"If it's not you, then who is it?" Lu Nan asked curiously.
"I...I haven't even finished my apprenticeship yet!"
"Do you need a chef to cut hair?" Lu Nan scratched his head and asked, "Are we going to cut it or not?"
"Cut, cut!" It would be foolish not to do business! The man quickly came out from behind the counter, washed Lu Nan's hair, and helped him sit down. Taking a deep breath, Lu Nan mustered his courage and said, "Then I'll cut it!"
"Go ahead and cut!" Lu Nan nodded, closed her eyes, and waited for it to begin.
What kind of hairstyle do you want?
"A buzz cut!" The shorter the better, it saves trouble.
Half an hour later, Lu Nan opened his eyes and stared at the figure in the mirror—a man whose scalp was reduced to a thin layer of short, downy hair. He squinted, arched his back, and leaned closer to the mirror. After a moment, he pointed at his reflection and asked, "Is that me?"
The barber nodded awkwardly from behind. "Hehe...it was an accident..."
Lu Nan stood up and touched his head. He felt that it didn't even look like a human head anymore; it looked more like a potato covered in mud.
"Um, how much?" he asked expressionlessly.
"No, no money needed," the barber quickly waved his hand. He'd said he wasn't a fully trained barber, yet he insisted on having his hair cut. See? He's already being kind by not having to pay for it!
"Oh." Lu Nan nodded and floated out of the store. All the way, he kept touching his head, feeling pretty good about himself. It was rare to get such a short haircut; at least he wouldn't have to worry about his hair for two or three months.
He was wearing a potato covered in mud, and on top of that, a pair of black-rimmed glasses that covered half of his face.
Lu Nan appeared at school in his most eye-catching outfit. Zhou Pu was stunned when he saw him and hurriedly asked, "Great Immortal, what's gotten into you that you're behaving so badly?"
Lu Nan opened her eyes wide innocently, "No! I'm perfectly fine!"
Zhou Pu immediately convulsed and collapsed to the ground. Before falling, he didn't forget to send a copy of Lu Daxian's heroic figure to his boss.
Unexpectedly, Cheng Xiangbei calmly replied: I saw it a long time ago.
Zhou Pu was coughing up blood, and you saw it but didn't stop him?
Why stop her? That way no one will notice how beautiful Nan Nan is! The person remained calm, secretly delighted.
Zhou Pu foamed at the mouth and collapsed to the ground.
Lu Nan's new look didn't bring him any good luck.
In fact, his life after the National Day holiday was absolutely terrible.
First, her books mysteriously disappeared, and her notebooks were torn to shreds. Then, her bed sheets and blankets were soaked in sewage. Lu Nan had no idea what was going on; everything just happened inexplicably.
Zhou Pu believed Lu Nan had offended someone, but Lu Nan couldn't figure it out even after two days. Zhou Pu had a deep understanding of how quickly Lu Nan offended people; everyone was a suspect, yet no one could possibly be a suspect. Lu Nan felt that the more reaction there was, the more pleased the other party would be, so he decided to deal with things as they came. In short, he was ready to let things take their course.
So, on Sunday, Lu Nan's two freshly washed clothes fell to the ground. She picked up the dirty clothes and went to the washroom to wash them. A classmate bumped into her, spilling half a basin of dirty water on Lu Nan's jacket. The classmate quickly apologized, saying it was not intentional. Lu Nan stared at the classmate for a while, said nothing, and took the basin back to the dormitory to change her clothes.
His coat was either washed or dirty, so Lu Nan pulled out his suitcase and simply put on his down jacket. Although the weather was cold, it wasn't yet the season for down jackets. He wore a short-sleeved T-shirt underneath, the down jacket over it, and went barefoot in slippers into the cafeteria. As soon as he stood at the entrance, the cafeteria fell silent for three seconds. Lu Nan completely ignored the stares of the others and shuffled straight to the food window; he was starving after a morning of work.
He was happily eating his meal, unaware that a pair of eyes were watching him with a complicated expression from the corner.
Midterm exams have begun, but Lu Nan's bad luck is far from over.
Before the last exam began, everyone was getting restless. A mix of excitement and nervousness caused the number of people rushing to the restrooms to increase dramatically. Lu Nan couldn't find a restroom on his own floor, so he ran upstairs to the second-year students' area. The second-year restrooms were nearly empty; after Lu Nan finished, there was no one left. He fastened his pants and prepared to wash his hands. However, before he could even turn around, he was forcefully pushed into a nearby stall where tools were stored.
Click, the door slammed shut and locked. Lu Nan hurriedly turned around, banged on the door, and shouted, "Who is it?"
"Enjoy yourself inside." The soft voice carried a teasing tone as the other person walked away lightly.
"Let me out!" Lu Nan shouted hurriedly.
But no one answered. He still had an exam he couldn't afford to miss, but no matter how hard he jumped, ran, or kicked the door, he couldn't escape the cramped space. "Help! Let me out!" Lu Nan shouted frantically, but the school bell drowned out his voice. The thought of missing his last exam made Lu Nan so anxious he almost banged his head against the wall.
He tried to climb up using the mop handle, but the wooden handle was too slippery and he couldn't get a foothold. After jumping around for a long time, he still couldn't climb out. Lu Nan had no choice but to kick the door hard, once, twice... He would stop when he got tired. He didn't know how much time had passed—bang—the door finally opened! Lu Nan practically rolled out with the momentum.
He got up, about to lean against the wall to catch his breath. Looking up, he saw the head of the grade staring at him. "Which class are you in? What's your name?"
Lu Nan was seething with anger. She only made it to the second half of the exam and was given a dirty look by the teacher when she entered the room.
Not to mention the toilet incident; not only was he locked up for half a day, but he also got charged with vandalism, meaning he had to pay compensation and receive a demerit. After the exam, Lu Nan, carrying her luggage, left the school gate dejectedly.
At the school gate, several boys were saying goodbye. One of them, with slender eyebrows and eyes, stood out. His tall stature and gentle demeanor attracted the attention of many girls. Lu Nan kept her eyes straight ahead, slowly walking forward with her luggage.
"Ninth Young Master, are you free during the New Year? Let's hang out together!"
"Of course, just give me a call when the time comes." A gentle voice reached Lu Nan's ears, and he suddenly froze. Why did this voice sound so familiar? He slowly turned around and glared at the smiling boy.
"Wow, seriously! The moment Long Jiu appeared, the girls didn't even look at us!" someone protested!
"I haven't paid attention to that many girls, what are you worried about?" The teasing voice further confirmed Lu Nan's suspicions. He widened his eyes and stared intently at the boy with slender eyebrows and eyes.
"Who are you?!" Lu Nan shouted angrily.
"Huh?" The boy pointed to himself, as if he had just noticed him. "Are you talking to me?"
"Yes, it's you! Your name!"
"Hahaha... Ninth Young Master, I didn't expect you to be so charming that even boys are attracted to you!" Everyone teased, pointing at Lu Nan's mud-covered potato-shaped head and bursting into laughter. "Classmate, you should think twice before trying to hit on Ninth Young Master, shouldn't you?"
Ignoring the others' mockery, Lu Nan stared directly at the boy. "Name!!!"
The boy raised an eyebrow, walked up to Lu Nan, and smiled, "I'm Long Jiu Mo. But..." He leaned down and whispered in Lu Nan's ear, "...I'm not interested in boys. But if you take the initiative, I might consider it."
"Go to hell!" Lu Nan dodged Long Jiu Mo, her face flushed with anger.
"What the hell are you saying?" a lackey jumped out and yelled.
Long Jiu waved his hand, indicating that everyone could leave. The group dispersed with their luggage, leaving Long Jiu Mo with only a backpack. He was about to get into a private car parked by the roadside. Seeing him about to leave, Lu Nan quickly grabbed his backpack strap, urgently saying, "Don't go! About the restroom..."
Long Jiu easily brushed Lu Nan's hand away. He calmly got into the car and smiled at Lu Nan, saying, "What? Not locked up long enough? Hmm?"
After saying that, he closed the car door and drove away.
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