Chapter 33: A Campus Stroll, Military Worries, and Unexpected Confessions

A colossal statue of a great figure stood prominently before the main teaching building of Nanli Affiliated High School. The aura emanating from this figure was so potent that any ordinary person who glimpsed it would be profoundly moved, a sight forever etched into their memory.

Wang Linshu had arrived early, waiting beneath the statue in his casual summer attire. As Lin Duo approached, her school uniform skirt swaying like a lotus leaf in the breeze, his eyes immediately lit up, and he hurried to meet her.

“Lin Duo, this school uniform truly suits you. It looks as if it was tailor-made just for you!”

Everyone enjoyed flattery, and Lin Duo was no exception. The corners of her lips curved upwards slightly.

“It’s only been a few days, and you’ve grown even more glib. Out with it, what did you want to see me about?”

“What else could it be? Let’s explore the new campus together!” Wang Linshu scratched his head, a hint of shyness in his demeanor. “By the way, my parents made a special trip to take me to Hainan last week, and I only just returned yesterday. I really missed not seeing you this past week.”

Lin Duo was in good spirits, as the new campus appeared quite lovely, and her tone became lighter.

“You used to sneak glances at me all the time in junior high, for an entire year. Haven’t you gotten tired of it yet?”

“Never. I could watch you for a lifetime and never tire!” Wang Linshu, perhaps having read too many fantasy novels, was quite adept at such flowery, ‘harem-genre’ language.

Lin Duo, still rather naive when it came to matters of the heart, lowered her head, a blush creeping up at his words.

“Don’t be so cheesy. We’re still just students.”

“We’re high school students now, no longer children.” As Wang Linshu observed Lin Duo’s bashful, timid expression, his heart swelled with even greater delight. “Since we both have some free time these two days, let’s wander around the campus!”

Thus, barely two hours later, Lin Duo embarked on her second tour of the campus. Like before, it took only fifteen minutes to complete, after which the two settled beneath the shade of a century-old plane tree, chatting idly side by side.

With no benches beneath the tree, they simply sat on the ground. Because she was wearing a short skirt today, Lin Duo leaned her back against the tree trunk, her legs extended together, carefully pressing down her skirt. This accentuated her already slender legs, making them appear even longer, drawing Wang Linshu’s gaze like a magnet.

Lin Duo felt a surge of triumph inwardly, though her words were sharp.

“Hey, where exactly are you looking?”

Wang Linshu reluctantly averted his gaze, clearing his throat. “You can’t blame me; your legs are simply too beautiful. Oh, by the way, have you heard about the military training? This year, the school is sending us to Nanxi Greenbelt.”

“Nanxi Greenbelt? What kind of place is that?” Lin Duo hadn’t really explored much of Nan’an City and was unfamiliar with many places.

“Its full name is the ‘Nanxi Exemplary Patriotism Education Base.’ It’s quite remote, almost like a massive resort. Of course, many high schools will be conducting their military training there this year. Due to the large number of students, our conditions won’t be anything like a vacation; it seems like more than twenty people will be crammed into one room.”

“More than twenty!” Lin Duo was startled. “How are we supposed to live like that?”

Wang Linshu patiently described it. “It’s just one large, empty room packed with bunk beds. It’s military training, after all; the conditions are meant to be a bit tough.”

“Ah, I see…”

Lin Duo’s brow furrowed slightly with worry. Given such poor accommodation, the bathing facilities likely wouldn’t be much better, probably the traditional communal bathhouse style. If that were the case, she would be in a lot of trouble.

Wang Linshu, naturally unaware of Lin Duo’s true concerns, tried to comfort her. “Military training only lasts about ten days or so. Just bear with it, and it’ll be over before you know it. Oh, by the way, do you remember Hu Xuanyuan from our class? I heard he got into Yucai Middle School…”

Having been deskmates for a year, they had plenty of common topics, and half an hour passed without them realizing it. Finally, Lin Duo grew a little tired of talking. She stretched languidly, her eyes narrowing as she watched the dappled sunlight filter through the leaves.

“It’s so comfortable here, cool and breezy. I really want to take a long nap!”

Wang Linshu quickly interjected.

“Then go ahead and sleep. I’ll protect you!”

“You? Hmph, I wouldn’t trust you for a second if you were nearby. Who knows what you’d do while I was asleep!” Lin Duo only seemed to unleash her sharp tongue when speaking to Wang Linshu, perhaps because the slightly chubby boy was so easy to tease.

Wang Linshu, in truth, felt a little uncertain himself. After all, the girl beside him was so lovely and charming; if he couldn’t maintain his composure, he might indeed try something like touching her chest or legs. He chuckled awkwardly, changing the subject.

“It’s a real shame you’re in Class 5 and I’m in Class 6. We won’t be deskmates anymore.”

Lin Duo also felt a slight pang of reluctance, though she didn’t show it.

“It’s fine. Maybe you’ll get a new female deskmate, one who’s much prettier than me, and then you can fall for someone else!”

Wang Linshu shook his head repeatedly, his gaze unusually serious.

“No, I won’t. Even if I meet a girl who’s much more beautiful, I won’t ever fall for someone else.”

“W-what exactly is good about me?” Lin Duo averted her gaze, feeling a little guilty.

“Well, I can’t quite pinpoint it. But as the ancients wisely said, to love someone is to love everything about them, isn’t it? Anyway, I truly like everything about you; I like you immensely.”

“Is that really true?” Lin Duo’s head hung low, her small hand idly tracing patterns on the grass with a twig, her voice barely a whisper. “If you knew the real me, you definitely wouldn’t think that.”

“My feelings won’t change.” Wang Linshu’s voice was resolute. “If there’s anything troubling you, please tell me. As the ancients said: ‘If you share your joy with a friend, your joy doubles. If you share your sorrow with a friend, your sorrow halves.'”

“Which ancient person was so chatty…” Lin Duo couldn’t help but mutter under her breath. “Anyway, we’ve been out long enough today. Let’s go back!”

Wang Linshu insisted on escorting Lin Duo all the way to the dormitory entrance. Fortunately, boys were forbidden from entering the girls’ dorm building, otherwise, he would undoubtedly have escorted her right into her room.

****

Upon hearing about the military training conditions, Shen Jing’an also wore a distraught expression.

“So many people crammed together, I definitely won’t be able to sleep comfortably. What if someone grinds their teeth or sleepwalks in the middle of the night? I’m especially afraid of that… And, I finally managed to lighten my skin a bit this summer, but it’ll all be for nothing after being out in the sun. Hmph, I don’t want to go, I don’t want to go!”

“You can’t enroll if you don’t participate in military training, so you decide what to do!” Lin Duo, on the other hand, had already calmed down. “Oh, by the way, do you have any good novels or movies on your computer? Could you copy some for me?”

Shen Jing’an instantly perked up.

“You’ve definitely asked the right person! I am a master collector of danmei. I have over ten thousand classic danmei novels, enough to keep you thoroughly entertained!”

“Danmei? Like boys’ love? But I don’t really like that genre…”

“Hey, hey, are you even a girl!?”

Unable to resist Shen Jing’an’s enthusiasm, Lin Duo reluctantly tried opening a historical danmei novel that her roommate had strongly recommended. This was, in fact, the first time Lin Duo had ever read such explicit content, and the detailed descriptions of physical intimacy made her blush and her heart pound. Eventually, she couldn’t help but close the laptop. Shen Jing’an, realizing her new roommate wasn’t of the same persuasion, felt a touch of disappointment. However, she quickly found something new to do, pulling Lin Duo into playing some online multiplayer games.