I don't want to pretend anymore.
Before Chu Sinian could even return to his apartment, Ning Zicheng called him back to his dormitory.
The dormitory manager left as soon as he entered the room.
Liang Tong, who had been waiting for a long time, came up to him and said, "Why don't we see you coming back to the dormitory often?"
“He’s a very busy man,” Ning Zicheng answered for him expressionlessly.
Zhou Zhuo looked at Chu Sinian, then at Ning Zicheng, and grabbed Liang Tong's wrist. "Come with me to the supermarket to buy some things. I need to change my toiletries."
Liang Tong waved his hand dismissively, "Use mine."
Zhou Zhuo closed his eyes briefly, somewhat speechless. He pulled him out of the dormitory as they walked, saying, "Come with me. I already went to the internet cafe with you to play games last time."
"You're even threatening me now? I'll go..."
The sound carried far.
Ning Zicheng pulled up a chair, sat down casually, and looked at him, "What's going on?"
Chu Sinian found it amusing for no reason and leaned against the door, saying, "Are you interrogating me?"
"Look at how wrinkled your clothes are now, and those red finger marks on your wrists. You didn't go and get into a fight, did you?"
Chu Sinian raised an eyebrow before realizing what was happening and looked down at his own appearance.
The dust on the shirt was unusually noticeable, the collar was wrinkled beyond recognition, and there were five shocking finger marks on a section of the wrist at the cuff.
Chu Sinian patted his clothes. "Am I the kind of person who gets into fights? I just broke up a fight."
"Damn it." Ning Zicheng stood up and grabbed his wrist. "What's this? Who touched you?"
Chu Sinian instinctively shrank his neck, and Ning Zicheng immediately exploded, "Cover your ass! Do you think I can't see you? Who touched you?"
Ning Zicheng got even angrier when he didn't speak. "You asked about Zhao Jiechao before. Today, when his group went to deal with Chen Chi, did you go too? Did you get involved with them?"
Chu Sinian said helplessly, "I'm really fine, it was just an accidental injury."
"Those obvious finger marks on your neck and wrists, do you think I'm stupid? Who choked you?" Ning Zicheng started rattling off names before he could answer, "Zhao Jiechao? Chen Chi? Zhang..."
"Do you think anyone can hurt me?" Chu Sinian asked calmly.
Ning Zicheng was speechless for a moment, then burst into anger. "There are so many open and covert struggles and grudges in our circle, and I've never seen you care about them or be curious about them. But when it comes to Zhao Jiechao's matter, you just jump in like a duck!"
Chu Sinian interjected, "I didn't rush, it was just a coincidence."
"Pah!" Ning Zicheng's chest heaved with anger. "The infirmary is closed now. You're coming to the hospital with me."
"Is it really necessary? It's just a mark, it'll disappear in a few days."
Ning Zicheng retorted, "You want me to investigate you, right?"
Chu Sinian went to the hospital with Ning Zicheng.
—
Since the school tightened dormitory management, Chu Sinian has not returned to his apartment. His application has been delayed, and he has declined to write a paper.
Fortunately, Liang Tong and Zhou Zhuo each had their own boundaries, and with Ning Zicheng being an acquaintance, his life wasn't significantly disrupted; otherwise, he really would have had to use his connections.
Ning Zicheng was very angry about this, but at the same time, she was glad that he didn't go back to the apartment so they could stay together.
However, amidst the half-hearted gaming atmosphere in the dorm, Chu Sinian surprisingly started playing PUBG with them. The game was incredibly addictive; he had absolutely no knack for online games and often died in all sorts of unexpected ways.
He sometimes even laughed in exasperation, becoming a burden to be protected in the team, often subjected to Ning Zicheng's sarcastic remarks. Each time after making a sarcastic remark, fearing that Ning Zicheng would really get angry and quit the game, he would try to make amends with kind words, coaxing her for half a day until she was satisfied.
However, in the past few days, Ning Zicheng has been spending all her time in the studio because of the upcoming national competition. She only comes back when the curfew is approaching at night, and sometimes she even trains all night long.
Chu Sinian had known Ning Zicheng for a long time and had some idea of his abilities. He doubted whether Ning Zicheng had the qualities to work hard in the team, and the person in question overheard him.
He was very excited when he found out, and insisted on dragging Chu Sinian to their studio.
On the way, Ning Zicheng kept talking, saying that he had made great progress under Chen Chi's grueling training and had suddenly gained a clear understanding of those difficult problems he used to face.
The two got out of the car, and Ning Zicheng put her arm around his shoulder, saying as they walked, "Our studio is quite big, about the same size as your house, with complete and advanced facilities. Chen Chi is really generous."
Chu Sinian slapped his hand away, "I heard he's been running a company for several years now."
"Yes, but he's quite low-key and hasn't mentioned it to the outside world."
Chu Sinian lazily raised an eyebrow. "He's the kind of person who likes to do things quietly."
"Wow, that person looks so familiar," Ning Zicheng said in surprise.
Chu Sinian also looked diagonally forward.
The man lingered furtively along the side wall of the studio, glancing around every now and then.
"Zhao Jiechao, what are you doing?"
By the time Chu Sinian realized what was happening, Ning Zicheng had already run over there.
He hurriedly followed, only to see Ning Zicheng grab Zhao Jiechao's wrist and ask, "What are you doing at the studio?"
Zhao Jiechao tried to shake off the hand, but found the force was too strong. "What's it to you? I'm here to get my things!"
Ning Zicheng asked him suspiciously, "What are you taking? Haven't you cleaned everything up?" He continued, "The finals are coming up soon, you're not here to steal anything, are you?"
Zhao Jiechao immediately blushed, "You're the one who steals!"
Chu Sinian watched the two argue with great interest, laughing as he said, "If you want to get revenge on Chen Chi, why not crush him academically?"
Zhao Jiechao snorted coldly, "Why should I listen to you?"
Ning Zicheng pouted and let go of her hand. "You're incredibly stupid, always going down the wrong path."
Zhao Jiechao raised his eyebrows. "Who are you talking about?"
Chu Sinian said, "Whatever you need, let's go get it together."
Ning Zicheng immediately said, "No way! What if he goes in and smashes up the studio?"
“He doesn’t look like he has a mental illness,” Chu Sinian said with a smile.
So the three of them actually went inside together.
The studio's decor was extremely inhumane, completely black, with even the most basic desks, computers, water supply equipment, and even the bathroom being perversely decorated in a dark style.
Chu Sinian curled his lips into a smile, and after finishing the tour, he sat down on the sofa, listening to the two bickering.
"See? My programming is way better than yours," Zhao Jiechao said, pointing to the computer he used to use.
"You're talking nonsense, you're no better than me."
"Who's going to compare yourself to me? Do you even know anything about goods?"
"Go to hell! If you don't believe me, let Chu Sinian come and see for himself. He's an astronomy major, he can't possibly be ignorant of these things!"
"Bring it on! Who's afraid of who!"
Chu Sinian was pulled up from the sofa by Ning Zicheng.
He was pulled and pushed to the computer, and Chu Sinian leaned on the table to look at it.
The device began to demonstrate his algorithm. From the dense, fleeting numbers, one could see the owner's deep expertise in this area. Without close examination, one could not find any flaws.
He glanced at Ning Zicheng's computer again. The innovative programming language was somewhat immature, neither particularly good nor bad.
Chu Sinian rolled his eyes and said, "Each has its strengths. Your foundation is very solid, and Zhao Jiechao's programming is innovative. They are both good and it's hard to say which is better."
"Bullshit, mine is way better than his, okay?" Zhao Jiechao retorted.
Chu Sinian chuckled softly, "He really can't compare to you in terms of innovation."
Ning Zicheng looked like she was about to get annoyed, but after glancing at the computer, she stopped talking. "If you hadn't caused trouble, you would have been able to participate in the finals smoothly in a while."
Zhao Jiechao turned away angrily, "I just can't stand Chen Chi. What gives him the right to boss me around like that?"
Ning Zicheng was speechless and didn't want to talk.
Chu Sinian touched the end of his eyebrow and glanced at him sideways. “There are too many people in this world, and it’s inevitable that there will be endless geniuses. Even Chen Chi wouldn’t dare to say that he is the most powerful person in the world.”
"If you insist on comparing yourself to others and can't handle the difference in experience, you'll just keep going in circles."
Zhao Jiechao said unwillingly, "I'm a genius too. My parents and friends all say I'm a genius."
"There are barriers between geniuses. What matters is not what others say, but what you want to do."
Zhao Jiechao was taken aback and shut his mouth.
The three of them quickly left the studio. Zhao Jiechao carried a small box of odds and ends away. Watching his lonely figure, Ning Zicheng couldn't help but say, "He's too stubborn."
Chu Sinian said, "If he uses his personality in the right place, he might actually be able to achieve something great."
"Who knows?"
The two of them had some rare free time today, so they took advantage of the clear blue sky and arranged to have dinner with Kong Bo, whom they hadn't seen in a long time.
Ning Zicheng chose a restaurant she frequented, located near the school. The restaurant's decor was rather old, but it was quite popular, mostly with students from the same school.
Chu Sinian held the menu, his gaze lingering on the wine list, but before he could figure it out, it was snatched away. "What are you looking at? I haven't had time to check if you've been drinking lately."
Chu Sinian thought for a moment, "I only had a few drinks, I can't drink much."
"That's not bad, at least Uncle Huang isn't keeping an eye on you."
Chu Sinian traced the rim of the cup with his fingertips. "Occasionally."
Ning Zicheng glanced at him, ordered the food, and handed the menu to the waiter. "I haven't asked you yet, who were you going to help when you broke up the fight? Chen Chi or Zhao Jiechao?"
"Originally it was Chen Chi, but later it was found that Zhao Jiechao was needed more."
Ning Zicheng asked suspiciously, "What do you mean?"
Chu Sinian looked up at him, revealing a shallow glint of his teeth: "Your coach is too strong. I thought he was going to get beaten up."
That's true, nobody's a little kid who can be bullied anymore.
Ning Zicheng continued, "Tsk tsk tsk, let me tell you, the muscles on his body could knock me flying with one punch. When I heard he was going to be surrounded, I wasn't worried at all; he looks like he's made of steel."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Kong Bo walked in from the doorway.
He wasn't wearing casual clothes, but rather a suit and tie, and there was a faint joy on his face, as if something happy had happened.
As soon as Kong Bo saw Ning Zicheng, he joked, "How's your little white car?" He said as he sat down.
“Xiaobai…she hasn’t been paying much attention to me lately.” Ning Zicheng wasn’t worried and spoke frankly.
Chu Sinian looked at his expression and asked, "Did you go to discuss a project? You're dressed quite formally."
Kong Bo laughed and said, "Yes, we just finished negotiating an 80 million contract."
Chu Sinian became interested, "What project is worth eight thousand?"
Kong Bo said with great interest, "Guess what, you might know that party in the transaction."
Chu Sinian's eyes flashed, and as if he had expected it, the name surfaced in his mind, "Chen Chi?"
Kong Bo raised his eyebrows and laughed, "It's him, it's him. This guy negotiated the contract with me like he was robbing me, he wasn't polite at all."
Ning Zicheng asked in surprise, "Wow, how do you know him?"
Kong Bo picked up his glass and clinked it against his. "Speaking of which, you're actually the one we met the latest."
Ning Zicheng immediately retorted, "Impossible, I've known him since high school."
Kong Bo glanced at Chu Sinian and said, "Sinian and I have known each other since we were children."
Ning Zicheng was bewildered. "Damn, the Dong'an circle is too small."
Chu Sinian chuckled, “Dong’an is very big, but we love to gather from all over the country, so we know a lot of people.”
The dishes were served one after another. During a break, Kong Bo turned to Chu Sinian and said, "When I saw him a few days ago, he seemed quite strange."
Chu Sinian gestured for him to continue.
"That day, his clothes were all wrinkled, and his expression was somewhat gloomy. I was prepared to have a physical altercation with him, since this new product was in high demand. But as soon as he sat down, he said he would pay 80 million, take it or leave it."
“He looked so fierce and menacing at the time, I felt that if I showed even the slightest sign of disagreement, he would turn around and leave. My dad also told me that I had to win him over, so I couldn’t agree immediately.”
"In the end, before the meal was even finished, he drank half a bottle of wine and left. What kind of behavior is that?"
Chu Sinian almost laughed, "Does he have to put on airs when he's negotiating a business deal?"
Kong Bo sighed, "After I left that day, I asked my assistant to find out what was going on with Chen Chi. Later I found out that he was quite ruthless and a bit cunning in the market, but not as blatant as he is now. I guess he didn't want to pretend anymore since he knew me."
Chu Sinian couldn't help but burst into laughter when he imagined his domineering manner.
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