X
“With that, the meeting will officially commence.” The Literature Club President rose from her chair.
“As everyone is aware, the primary agenda for today’s meeting concerns the Literature Club’s work assignments for the school sports meet.”
“Our tasks are relatively straightforward compared to other departments, starting with—”
The Literature Club President explained, writing on a small whiteboard with a marker as she spoke.
“Firstly, on the afternoon of September twenty-seventh, which is next Tuesday, we will assist the Organization Department and the Work-Study Department in setting up the sports field.”
“At that time, we simply need to follow their instructions.”
“Secondly, after the school sports meet officially begins on September twenty-eighth, our Literature Club will divide into three groups.”
“Each group will be responsible for approving the cheering drafts over the course of three days.”
“Cheering drafts?”
A first-year member voiced their confusion.
“It’s precisely what it sounds like: slogans written to encourage and cheer on the athletes.”
“After we approve them on-site, we’ll hand them over to the Broadcasting Department members for them to announce over the loudspeakers on the field.”
“Ah, I understand!”
“These are all the specific tasks.” The President wiped the whiteboard clean, then inscribed new details.
“Next, we will outline the arrangements for the approval personnel over the three days.”
“There are ten second-year members and twelve first-year members.” The President explained.
“I intend to form groups of four, with four second-year members leading four first-year members in their work.”
“With this distribution, the two second-year members who don’t fit into a complete group will join my team, also leading four first-year members.”
She grouped the Literature Club members’ names and wrote them on the whiteboard.
The two second-year members assigned to the President’s group were none other than Bai Ruijin and Li Jianren.
Bai Ruijin had, in fact, somewhat anticipated this outcome.
‘Thank you,’ she thought to the President, a faint smile gracing her lips.
“These are the specific arrangements. Any issues?”
“None!” Li Jianren was the first to raise his hand in approval, then, rocking his chair, he loudly declared to the members beside him, “The President’s arrangements! Who dares to object! Step forward if you have an opinion!”
“Hey, be careful, you’ll tip over again.”
Several members of the Literature Club burst into laughter.
“Oh, thank you for your concern, President.” Li Jianren continued to rock his chair.
“I won’t fall in the same place twice!”
“If I were sitting where Ruijin is, I’d definitely kick your chair leg.”
“That’s so cruel, President.”
“People only remember the pain and learn to repent after falling a few times.”
“Hmm, you’re right, but I think spaghetti should be mixed with Grade 42 concrete, because the length of this screw can easily affect the excavator’s torque, and then I forgot the rest.”
The Literature Club members laughed even harder.
“Alright, alright, we get it, you’re widely knowledgeable,” the President said, clapping her hands with a smile.
“If there are no other opinions, then the meeting is adjourned.”
“Alright! Xiao Bai, let’s make a run for it!”
“Oh, okay.”
The two who had arrived first were also the first to depart.
As they slowly walked back towards the teaching building, Li Jianren glanced around, eventually settling his gaze on Bai Ruijin’s watch.
“Xiao Bai, what time is it now?”
“Hmm… it’s almost five o’clock. Self-study is about to end.”
“In that case, why don’t we just head straight to the canteen?”
“Straight to the canteen? I suppose that could—” Bai Ruijin paused mid-sentence.
“Is that… are we… eating together?”
“Hmm? If you want to, I don’t see why not…”
Bai Ruijin’s face instantly flushed.
“I’m sorry, I misunderstood what you meant!”
“No need to apologize, no need to apologize,” Li Jianren said, waving his hand dismissively with a relaxed tone.
“It’s my fault for not being clear.”
“Ugh…”
Bai Ruijin turned her face away, shifting her gaze from Li Jianren’s direction.
‘How embarrassing to have gotten the wrong idea…’
‘This is the first time today I’ve wanted to go back to class so badly…’
****
Zhong Tian inexplicably had little appetite that evening.
Gazing at the half-eaten meal before her, Zhong Tian found herself in a dilemma.
She couldn’t eat any more, yet throwing it away felt terribly wasteful. What was she to do?
‘If only Ren were here, he’d just eat it, and I wouldn’t have to fret.’
Su Linxi, observing Zhong Tian’s distress over the food on her plate, tilted her head.
“What’s wrong?”
“I can’t eat any more.”
“Then… just throw it away.”
It was a remarkably straightforward reply.
Zhong Tian nodded.
“Alright, I suppose I have no choice but to throw it away…”
“Woah, that’s such a waste.”
Having just finished discarding her food, Zhong Tian heard a familiar voice.
She looked up to find it was Li Jianren, the very person she had been thinking of moments ago.
“You’d rather give it to the slop bucket than to me, huh? What’s wrong with you?”
“What’s wrong with *you*? That should be *my* line,” Zhong Tian retorted, her tone exasperated.
“I didn’t even know you were in the canteen. Besides, what kind of normal person begs others for their leftovers?”
“Oh, there are plenty. Which one of your group members wouldn’t want it?”
“…Are they even considered normal people?”
Zhong Tian noticed Bai Ruijin approaching behind Li Jianren, carrying her own bowl and chopsticks, and immediately adjusted her tone and volume.
“Hello, Zhong Tian…”
“Hello.”
Zhong Tian looked from Bai Ruijin to Li Jianren, seemingly understanding why Li Jianren hadn’t returned to the dorms to eat.
Zhong Tian offered Bai Ruijin a smile, a gesture that conveyed both politeness and approval.
Bai Ruijin understood the meaning behind Zhong Tian’s smile and nodded to her.
‘What’s going on lately? Things seem to be progressing quite quickly.’
“I’ll head back first.”
“Oh, alright.” Li Jianren waved to Zhong Tian, still holding his rice bowl.
“See you later.”
“See you.”
****
‘I finally made it through!’
Yu Yinlian, having at last overcome her writer’s block, was so overjoyed in her dorm room that she nearly shouted aloud.
‘It really works, sleeping through difficulties.’
‘Though I did oversleep a bit…’
Having slept through the afternoon, her mind now sharp, Yu Yinlian not only resolved her writer’s block but also conceived a method that might help Zhong Tian remember her even during ordinary days.
She decided to consult with Zhong Tian before she left school for the day.
Consequently, she changed out of her pajamas into her school uniform, left the student dormitory, and made her way back to the teaching building, where she waited outside the door of Class 2-3.
Yu Yinlian arrived at 8:15 PM, with fifteen minutes remaining until the end of evening self-study.
She settled down in the stairwell and began playing on her phone.
The fifteen minutes passed quickly, a fact Yu Yinlian had often experienced while writing.
She heard the dismissal bell, rose, stepped into the real world, and stood at the entrance of Class 2-3.
Peering inside, she saw Zhong Tian packing her belongings.
After a moment’s thought, she decided to enter the classroom directly.
“Zhong Tian!”
She walked around to Zhong Tian’s desk and waved to her.
“Yu Yinlian… Is something the matter?”
“To avoid delaying your departure, I’ll be brief,” Yu Yinlian said.
“I was hoping you could do me a favor and copy down this passage.”
“Copy it down? On paper?”
“Yes, on paper!”
“What’s this for?”
Zhong Tian asked, looking at Yu Yinlian’s phone.
Your next favorite story awaits! Don't miss out on The Villain Will Fulfill His Role – click to dive in!
Read : The Villain Will Fulfill His Role
