Chapter 64: The Boisterous Recruiter and the Quiet Wait

During the last class of the afternoon, all the major clubs at Taishan High School dispatched their members to give presentations in the self-study classrooms.

Li Jianren and Bai Ruijin were paired together, meeting downstairs in the first-year teaching building. Bai Ruijin, clutching a pen and notebook, greeted Li Jianren.

“Good afternoon…”

“Hmm, good afternoon,” Li Jianren gestured for them to start. “Come on, we’re in charge of classes one through four.”

“Okay.”

Li Jianren seemed to be in high spirits, brimming with enthusiasm. He led Bai Ruijin straight to the door of Class 1-1, and without even knocking, he burst into the classroom.

“Junior classmates! All eyes on me! I have an announcement!”

Li Jianren’s booming voice startled the students who were engrossed in self-study, causing them to instinctively focus their gaze on him.

The already quiet classroom grew even more silent.

If this were a game, the students in the class would probably have exclamation marks and question marks popping up above their heads in quick succession.

Bai Ruijin was also stunned, lingering outside the door.

This was quite different from the recruitment process she had envisioned…

Nevertheless, she followed closely behind Li Jianren, taking her place beside him.

“We, you see, are members of the Literature Club. We’re here today for no other reason than for you, our junior classmates!” The students’ gazes didn’t make Li Jianren show the slightest hint of timidity; instead, they seemed to act like a buff, making his tone even more impassioned, embodying the spirit of a certain warlord from Jiangdong. “The Literature Club’s annual recruitment drive is here! Don’t walk by, don’t miss out! Miss this chance, and you’ll have to remake to sign up again!”

Li Jianren’s fervent words and lively expressions seemed to strike a chord of amusement with some students, and the previously silent classroom gradually livened up.

“Join our Literature Club, and the benefits are truly immense! Firstly, you can use your Literature Club member status during self-study periods to read books in the Literature Club room and the library. It’s like leaving school early! Secondly, Literature Club work is easy. Look at the Broadcasting Department or the Work-Study Department; if they tell you their work is light, that’s absolute nonsense! When it comes to easy work, our Literature Club claims the top spot, and no other department can come in second!”

Bai Ruijin glanced at the members of the Broadcasting and Work-Study departments waiting outside the door, ready for their own presentations, and suddenly felt a pang of dread.

“Thirdly! Our Literature Club is a hybrid of a club and a department. We have both activities and school duties, all offering excellent practical experience! Fourthly! Join our Literature Club, and you can also join another club of interest. Unlike those departments, once you’re in, you can forget about leaving! Any Anime Club or Basketball Club will just *poof* disappear from your options!”

Bai Ruijin was now wondering if she should go out and apologize to them.

“Fifthly, our Literature Club is full of handsome guys and beautiful girls!” Li Jianren declared loudly. “Look at me, your senior, and then look at this senior student! I ask you, isn’t it true? Aren’t we handsome guys and beautiful girls?!”

Caught off guard by Li Jianren’s sudden remark, Bai Ruijin immediately felt embarrassed. Her face flushed slightly, and unsure how to react, she could only stand there silently, clutching her notebook and pen.

The students in the class were now thoroughly entertained, and several immediately engaged in friendly interaction with Li Jianren, expressing their desire to sign up.

“Those who wish to sign up, please raise your hand,” Bai Ruijin said, raising her voice. “I’ll record your names. Then, the registered students should gather for an interview at 5 PM tomorrow evening in the school’s music building conference room.”

Many hands shot up in response, indicating that Li Jianren’s presentation had been quite successful.

Bai Ruijin admired Li Jianren’s ability to speak so loudly and confidently in front of so many people without a script. If it had been her, she would surely have become a soulless script-reading machine.

Although Li Jianren’s presentation tone sounded like a pre-battle rally, and the content resembled a pyramid scheme, it was impressive nonetheless!

Bai Ruijin, consulting the roster, recorded the names of those who raised their hands, then gave Li Jianren an OK gesture.

“Let’s go, we’ll take the back exit.”

Hearing this, Bai Ruijin glanced at the frowning members of other departments at the front door, feeling a surge of awkwardness. She cautiously followed Li Jianren out through the back door.

“Excellent! Next up is Class Two!”

****

Su Linxi ultimately failed to catch up with Yu Naixi.

Rather, she couldn’t even find a trace of her.

She didn’t know where Yu Naixi lived, and the only place she knew Yu Naixi might appear was the school.

Although she didn’t think Yu Naixi would return to school, she still jogged all the way to the school gate.

It was currently the last class, so she decided to wait there for a while.

Su Linxi found a clean spot to sit, quietly observing the school grounds.

As time slowly passed, Su Linxi’s heart gradually settled.

She shouldn’t have chased after her.

It was risky and meaningless…

According to her own conjecture, Yu Naixi would definitely come back for her, regardless of whether she had regained control of her body; it was only a matter of time.

…Since I’m already out, I might as well consider it picking up Zhong Tian on the way home.

Seeing that it was still early, Su Linxi decided to find a place to sit and have a simple meal, considering it dinner.

She recalled the bubble tea shop called “Winter Flower.”

****

Yu Naixi hadn’t come to school again this afternoon.

No one in the class, including Zhong Tian, was surprised.

Compared to the fact that she had barely attended school for a whole year prior, this single afternoon’s absence seemed unremarkable.

Had it not been for her good looks and exceptionally good grades, perhaps she wouldn’t have been remembered by anyone in the class at all.

The last class ended, and Li Jianren, who had gone to participate in club activities, hadn’t returned. Zhong Tian guessed he had sprinted ahead to the cafeteria.

…

“Ruijin, please take the list back to the Literature Club!”

These were Li Jianren’s last words to Bai Ruijin before he dashed towards the cafeteria.

Only Bai Ruijin was left standing there, clutching her notebook, in a daze.

This…

She felt both disappointed and astonished, left with no choice but to return to the Literature Club alone.

… …

Su Linxi entered the bubble tea shop named “Winter Flower.” Bach’s “Air on the G String” played softly in the background, lending an elegant atmosphere to the store.

“What would you like, little lady?”

It was the same stout owner as before, his tone just as enthusiastic.

Su Linxi carefully examined the menu. “I’ll have a plate of spaghetti and a cup of freshly squeezed apple juice.”

“Alright, pick a seat.”

Su Linxi nodded, choosing a window seat.

Through the window, she could see the first-year students of Taishan High School gradually leaving, and the street in front of the school slowly becoming livelier.

After the duration of two songs, Su Linxi’s spaghetti was served. The shop began to fill with more students, and the stout owner, along with two other staff members, became bustlingly busy.

At that moment, the shop was playing a piece titled “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.”

Su Linxi stirred her spaghetti with chopsticks, suddenly thinking of Zhong Jing, who would soon be getting off work.

She wasn’t home, and Zhong Jing didn’t know how to cook… Would she end up eating instant noodles?

…

Never mind.

Su Linxi simply cast the thought aside and began to eat her pasta.

****

Zhong Tian nimbly climbed into Li Jianren’s dorm room.

Before entering, he noticed the air conditioner’s outdoor unit was running, indicating Li Jianren was already inside. Upon entering, he immediately asked, “Ren, what did you have for dinner tonight?”

Li Jianren sat on the edge of his bed, bowl in hand, his mouth full, and mumbled in response, “Chicken.”

With that, he gobbled down a few more mouthfuls.

“…Can you please try to improve your table manners?”

He swallowed the food in his mouth in one go, then declared with an air of righteousness, “Of humanity’s three great desires, appetite comes first. If you’re not enthusiastic about eating, there’s something wrong with your thinking, understand?”

“Being enthusiastic about eating is one thing; having poor table manners is another. Don’t try to substitute one concept for another.”

Zhong Tian tied up his hair and sat down on the bed beside him.

“Oh, come on, I’m just more uninhibited in front of you,” Li Jianren chuckled. “If someone else were sitting next to me, my table manners would definitely be impeccable.”

“Alright, alright.”

… …

In the dimly lit and somewhat messy room, Yu Naixi was curled into a ball on her bed.

She had recovered and regained control of her body, but she remained gripped by fear. She feared she might lose control again, just like that morning, and try to harm others.

Was undoing the memory alteration on Zhong Tian the only way?

Perhaps not.

But…

Yu Naixi’s eyes were somewhat hazy as she looked out the window, seeing a blurry, purplish-gray night sky.

Her once clear future now seemed as blurry and distant as that night sky.

She felt utterly lost.

****

Evening self-study quickly concluded. Zhong Tian finished his homework and even managed to sketch a few drafts, feeling that he had spent a fulfilling evening self-study session. Contentedly, he prepared to head home.

He exited the school gate and, from a distance, saw Su Linxi standing beside his bicycle.

“Linxi?” Zhong Tian walked up to her. “Why are you here?”

“To pick you up.”

“Pick me up?”

Zhong Tian was puzzled, but he didn’t just stand there. As he spoke, he unlocked his bicycle.

“Yes,” Su Linxi replied. “And to pick up some daily necessities.”

“I see,” Zhong Tian pushed his bike onto the road, then turned to Su Linxi. “Get on then.”

“Okay.”