Chapter 18 An Unremarkable Special Admit

Chapter 18 An Unremarkable Special Admit

The howling wind, carrying the fragrance of white ash flowers, swallowed him up. The sky was dark with clouds, their edges tinged with white light.

There's an unusual phenomenon in the sky; some couple must be making significant progress today!

Qiao Qiao was already waiting for him at the theater entrance.

"Why are you so late? You're going to be late."

"Ran into Qin Yi," Ning Song said.

Qiao Qiao was taken aback: "Did he give you a hard time?"

"It's okay," Ning Song said.

This was the first time he had seen Qin Yi at the bookstore.

Although Qin Yi had long lost interest in him, seeing him suddenly at the bookstore, how could he pretend not to notice?

Fortunately, the second-generation heir usually picks on good-looking people, and Ning Song wasn't even worth his trouble. He just gave him a hard time to satisfy his own mouth.

The pitiful boy who used to be by his side was gone, replaced by another flamboyant and cheap-looking guy.

His taste really varies widely.

Fortunately, this flamboyant and cheap-looking guy, covered in tattoos, seemed to be willing. He was more agitated than Qin Yi, often tormenting Ning Song while Qin Yi watched indulgently.

He was bored.

It seemed the new toy didn't amuse him much. He looked listless.

Ning Song reasonably suspected that Qin Yi picked a tattooed boyfriend purely to annoy Li You.

"But there's something to be happy about. I heard that Heilong Construction is having financial issues, and everyone says Old Qin is going to run away!" Qiao Qiao couldn't wait for Qin Yi to be done for, "I hope he leaves the school soon and stops causing trouble!"

"I doubt it will be that easy," Ning Song said.

Because in the novel, such antagonists usually only face consequences when they provoke the main characters.

But no matter what, someone like Qin Yi, half a legal case, won't have a good ending!

Ning Song saw the principal and others, nudging his arm: "Hurry up, hurry up."

They entered the Upper East School's thousand-seat auditorium, quickly weaving through the bustling crowd.

"The seniors are over there."

This was a collective meeting for all performers at the Spring Festival, involving students from grades ten, eleven, and twelve. It was the first time he had seen so many people since coming here.

The music in the auditorium was loud, and as he passed through the freshmen, it felt like traversing a jungle.

These freshmen were all taller than him!

What did they eat to grow so tall?

The auditorium was very large, with half of it being the stage. Everyone was standing on the stage rather than sitting in the audience seats. The seniors were mainly clustered in the middle, and from afar, he could see Sheng Yan with his white hair, idly playing the piano. Li Qingyuan and others were leaning against the piano, chatting with him.

He bumped into Shen Lingsi, who smiled and held him back: "Be careful."

The refreshing scent that hit him was minty, clashing with the jasmine fragrance on his head.

After a week of nutritional supplements, despite being sick for a few days, Ning Song's complexion had improved significantly. He had cut his hair short yesterday, still thin but looking more spirited: "President, hello."

Chen Mo beckoned him over: "Ning Song, over here."

Ning Song hurried over and saw Pu Yu standing in the crowd watching him.

He greeted Pu Yu: "Yu Ge, are you participating too?"

"No," Pu Yu said, lifting his camera, "Come take a photo."

"He's the reporter for the school newspaper," Chen Mo said, "Our stage play group is over here. Come over here."

Ning Song nodded at Pu Yu and followed Qiao Qiao and Chen Mo towards the piano.

He saw the pale-skinned art student from upstairs, unusually without his dark-skinned husband clinging to him.

He was tall and fair, with a beautiful figure, standing out among the boys. Only he and Sheng Yan stood out in terms of looks.

Qiao Qiao also got a minor role, saying he wanted to perform with him.

Who says straight men and gay men can't have pure friendships.

Soon, the principal and teachers arrived, and the scattered crowd organized themselves into three groups by grade.

Neither of them was tall, and they automatically stood in the corner.

Standing in the center of the front row was naturally Sheng Yan, with the pale-skinned art student beside him.

The principal delivered an impassioned speech. The Spring Festival was the most significant event of the year in the four major schools.

Ning Song was moved by the principal's speech, feeling that youth should indeed be grand and passionate.

He hadn't experienced such a vibrant youth. His youth was impoverished and arduous, filled with bitter memories.

This gathering seemed to include all the outstanding boys from the entire high school. Qiao Qiao started telling him about the seniors and freshmen who were the most handsome.

Ning Song was dazzled by the scene when he suddenly noticed someone pointing a camera at their group. He turned his head and, through a crowd of boys over 1.8 meters tall, saw Pu Yu's camera aimed at the people in front of him.

He watched Pu Yu for a moment before Shen Lingsi walked up to him and whispered something in his ear. As Pu Yu listened, he glanced over at Ning Song, met his eyes, then looked away. Shen Lingsi also turned to look at Ning Song and gave him a slight smile.

Both men were about the same height, tall and slender, but their demeanors were entirely different—one like a refreshing spring, the other like a misty winter.

As he thought this, Shen Lingsi made his way through the crowd toward him.

"I didn't expect you to sign up too. What role are you playing?" Shen Lingsi asked softly.

Because Shen Lingsi had moved closer, the principal glanced over. Ning Song stood next to the freshmen, who were whispering among themselves. He faintly heard them say, "That special admission student from second year..."

Ning Song quickly became desensitized. Initially, he had cared about the gossip and judgment that came with being around these main characters, but lately, the baseless rumors had become so outrageous that he barely noticed them anymore.

Eventually, everyone would realize that he was just a minor character passing by the main characters.

His role was probably just to provide contrast.

Shen Lingsi was also very tall, requiring Ning Song to tilt his chin slightly upward to speak with him.

Due to the job transfer, Ning Song had a great impression of the president. He said, "I'm just an extra, playing a small attendant."

Shen Lingsi smiled and said, "I just got back, and it's been hectic these past few days. I haven't had a chance to visit the bookstore yet. How's work? Are you adapting well?"

"The place isn't busy, and the managers are very nice to me. I really enjoy it," Ning Song replied with a smile.

Perhaps due to the lighting, Shen Lingsi noticed that Ning Song's lips seemed less pale than when he first started school. Real life always brought out more vibrancy.

After chatting with Shen Lingsi for a while, Ning Song realized that Shen Lingsi was sharper in person, so he wore round glasses to give off a scholarly vibe, which softened his striking beauty and made him appear more approachable.

It felt like a gentle breeze.

His best friend had excellent taste.

Thinking of this, he suddenly imagined how his best friend would react if she knew he was in her favorite novel and talking to her crush. She might jump for joy.

At this thought, Ning Song couldn't help but smile. Shen Lingsi's phoenix-like eyes slightly drooped as he watched Ning Song's smile.

Older people often fear laugh lines, as they can make one look older, but on a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old boy, those lines added a charming touch. His lips were a bit dry, so he licked them, revealing a hint of red. Hearing the pitter-patter outside, Ning Song remarked, "It's raining."

Shen Lingsi said, "The temperature has dropped again. Take care of yourself; don't get sick again."

Ning Song smiled, noticing Pu Yu watching them from across the crowd.

Tall and thin, Pu Yu looked sharp with his bangs parted to reveal his eyebrows.

After the principals left, Shen Lingsi went back on stage to speak. Standing in the crowd, Ning Song felt that Shen Lingsi truly exuded remarkable grace.

He didn't seem like a high school student; his demeanor was more akin to a college student.

Graceful, composed, and gentle, his glasses glinted with a blue hue, enhancing his reserved and serene charm.

Their school truly had a wealth of talent.

After the meeting, they headed to a nearby small conference room.

He sat down in a corner with Qiao Qiao.

As soon as they sat down, Sheng Yan entered.

Sheng Yan spotted him, paused, and then smiled, "You're here too."

Ning Song smiled, "I'm playing your attendant."

"Is it you? Airei?"

Airei was his character's name.

In the entire play, only when Sheng Yan's character, Leto, called his name as he died for his king.

Ning Song nodded.

Sheng Yan sat down beside him.

Others looked over curiously. Li Qingyuan shouted from the middle of the long table, "Ah Yan, sit over here."

Sheng Yan replied, "It doesn't matter where I sit. Give me the script."

Li Qingyuan glanced at Ning Song and pushed the script over.

The script slid along the table, and Sheng Yan caught it.

With his white hair and black uniform, he was even more striking, reminding Ning Song of a pure love Japanese movie he had seen, featuring a rebellious white-haired protagonist who later dyed his hair black after finding true love.

He loved the youthful energy of that movie.

Sheng Yan had that same youthful spirit—carefree and unruly, not as wild as Li You, but not as gentle as Shen Lingsi.

Because of Pu Yu, Ning Song was now somewhat immune to Sheng Yan sitting beside him.

He knew what people would say. He figured that not only he but others were also used to it.

Being around these big shots only made them shine even brighter!

They formed a perfect contrast.

There were fourteen people in total for the stage play. Besides the two absolute male leads playing brothers, there were six other main roles, and the rest were minor characters. Qiao Qiao's role as an extra didn't even have a name; he was simply a guard standing on stage with weapons.

Ning Song envied his role immensely.

He also learned the name of that fair-skinned art student this time. He was a fine arts major named Fu Huisheng.

Beautiful person with a beautiful name; letting his bun down to let his hair flow, he was a living embodiment of a handsome medieval man.

Fu Huisheng seemed to recognize him. As soon as he saw him, he blushed and pursed his red lips.

He had much more modesty than his husband.

After the meeting, they started their first script reading. This stage play was a short one, only about ten minutes long, so the reading went quickly. They read through it three times in total. Chen Mo was the director and screenwriter... He was really talented, writing lines with exceptional eloquence.

Chen Mo then outlined their rehearsal schedule: every Friday from four to six in the afternoon, which conveniently coincided with both classes' free periods on Fridays.

"Everyone, please memorize your lines when you go back. Next week, come try on your costumes. Give me a call beforehand to confirm. Next Friday, we'll have our first rehearsal, so come dressed in your costumes."

After the reading, they measured everyone's height and vital statistics on the spot. When it was his turn, Chen Mo pursed his lips and kept whispering, "You're too thin."

Even Li Qingyuan couldn't help but turn his head and whisper to Sheng Yan, "He's really skinny."

He was indeed very frail, looking as if a gust of wind could knock him over. Because of this, Sheng Yan felt that it was remarkable that he could still help him out at the KTV that day.

He found Ning Song much sunnier than when he first met him, possibly due to the bespectacled boy beside him who chattered nonstop.

They were chatting constantly, and listening to them was quite amusing.

"Where are you guys going to eat later?" Sheng Yan asked.

Ning Song replied, "To the cafeteria."

"Which one?"

"The second cafeteria."

Sheng Yan stood up, "Together?"

Qiao Qiao got up with Ning Song, tugging on his arm. Sheng Yan said, "Wait, I need to tell Li Qingyuan."

He went over to Li Qingyuan, handed him the script, and came back.

Qiao Qiao exclaimed, "Oh my god."

Ning Song knew what he meant. He had told Qiao Qiao about the KTV incident, but Qiao Qiao still had wild speculations like the others.

Sheng Yan was incredibly beautiful, the kind of beauty that could be described even in real life. This made Ning Song feel that the distance between them was vast, so vast that he didn't even feel nervous or awkward around him, because Sheng Yan seemed to float in the clouds... no, in the universe.

In contrast, people like Pu Yu and Li You made him feel more constrained.

Thunder rumbled in the theater, but it was muffled. Upon exiting, they saw a bolt of lightning split the sky, and the outside looked as dark as dusk.

"Wow." A gust of wind blew Ning Song's bangs up, and he laughed, turning away. In the dazzling flash of lightning, Sheng Yan saw his white teeth and red tongue tip. The thunder rolled over, and Li Qingyuan and the others shouted. Amidst the commotion, he reached out and gently touched Ning Song's nape, smiling as he pulled him behind him.

"Damn, can we use an umbrella? Will we get struck by lightning?" Qiao Qiao asked.

Ning Song laughed and retreated into the theater.

The music inside played, "Turn around and see you, the pouring rain disappears with the wind."

The person playing the music had a good sense of timing.

Many didn't bring umbrellas. Some classmates came with umbrellas to pick up their friends. Chen Mo also contacted other classmates to bring umbrellas, but the fourth class arrived earlier than theirs.

Li Qingyuan gave Sheng Yan an umbrella, and Sheng Yan directly called out to Ning Song, "Together."

Then he said to Qiao Qiao, "You go with Li Qingyuan."

Li Qingyuan smiled at Qiao Qiao, "Let's go."

Qiao Qiao didn't refuse. Whether it was Sheng Yan, Pu Yu, or Shen Lingsi, he actually wanted others to see Ning Song with them.

To infuriate them, ideally making them scratch their heads in frustration, their eyes bleeding with jealousy, without knowing why.

Sure enough, seeing Sheng Yan and Ning Song under one umbrella, many at the theater entrance watched them.

Regardless of anything else, Qiao Qiao thought Ning Song was impressive in one aspect: he never cared about others' opinions or comments. On forums, some comments made Qiao Qiao angry, prompting him to argue, but Ning Song always told him to calm down. And Qiao Qiao could tell that Ning Song genuinely didn't care; it wasn't an act. Sometimes, he even found the forum comments childish.

Qiao Qiao believed that just for this reason, Ning Song wasn't as bad as everyone said.

How many people could remain so composed while interacting with these wealthy scions?

Over time, he even began to think that Ning Song's previous docility around Li You and Qin Yi might have been an act.

Not that he wasn't obedient, but rather, he didn't experience the emotional fluctuations of fear or flattery.

He simply preferred to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Just a short walk from the theater, Ning Song spotted Fu Huisheng... and his athletic boyfriend.

Seeing them together, Ning Song realized belatedly that he had been sleeping soundly lately, without hearing those rhythmic sounds of love.

It turned out the young couple was having a spat.

He saw the athletic boyfriend frowning, and upon noticing him and Sheng Yan, he sarcastically said, "Your campus idol partner is here. Go eat with him."

Fu Huisheng immediately blushed, "Don't talk nonsense."

The athletic boyfriend snorted, grabbed Fu Huisheng, and walked away upon seeing Sheng Yan looking over.

Li Qingyuan chuckled, "Gao Hongxuan is jealous of you again."

Sheng Yan said, "They're dating?"

"Everyone in the class knows they're dating except you. Gao Hongxuan comes to our class every day."

Qiao Qiao said, "I know all about them!"

Ning Song: "Me too."

And he was probably a named supporting character in their love story, with high involvement!

He could already imagine the upcoming plot: his crush and a super handsome guy performing in a stage play together, making the athletic student extremely jealous.

Oh no, he wouldn't be hearing banging noises again tonight, would he?

"Can't believe Chen Mo picked Fu Huisheng to act with you. Isn't Jin Yang from their class better looking?" Li Qingyuan said.

See, even the supporting characters assume that only good-looking people can be the main characters.

Qiao Qiao said, "Jin Yang wouldn't act with anyone else."

"Is Ah Yan just anyone else?"

"Except for Young Master Pu, everyone else is the same to him!"

Ning Song laughed, and Sheng Yan turned to look at him. The wind and rain were so strong that it felt like they could blow Ning Song away, so he put his arm around Ning Song's shoulders. Ning Song wasn't used to such close contact, but Sheng Yan said, "Don't move; this way we both get less wet."

Thunder rumbled, and the scent of rose and cedar filled the air.

As they walked, Sheng Yan asked, "Is Pu Yu dating Jin Yang? I thought he always went solo."

"Jin Yang is just infatuated with him," Qiao Qiao said. "Our classes are so close, how do you not know anything?"

Sheng Yan laughed loudly, and when lightning struck, he tightened his grip on Ning Song's shoulder.

So skinny, he didn't dare use much force, afraid he might break his bones. This kind of frailty doesn't inspire lust but does evoke sympathy from any empathetic guy.

Sheng Yan had his own circle of friends at school, with Li Qingyuan being one of the core members. Surrounding them were several golden badge holders, mostly children of leaders within the Sheng business empire. They had grown up together and were very close.

"Are you going to work at Xingyue this week?" Ning Song asked Sheng Yan.

Sheng Yan said, "Yeah, I earn money from it. Want to come along? I'll get the boss to give you a discount."

"I can't afford it," Ning Song said, "maybe just help out."

Sheng Yan said, "Sure, if you come, we can keep each other company."

Qiao Qiao said, "I'll go too."

Ning Song asked, "Why are you going?"

"The pay at Xingyue is really high."

"Really?" Ning Song became interested.

Sheng Yan smiled, seeing the excitement on Ning Song's face. "Three hundred an hour."

"Damn." Ning Song felt that didn't quite fit his persona and pursed his lips.

Sheng Yan chuckled, "Wanna come? If anyone tries to hit on me, you can call for help."

Li Qingyuan looked at Sheng Yan, "Boss Xing pays you three hundred an hour?"

Sheng Yan raised an eyebrow, "Yeah."

Li Qingyuan didn't bother to expose him, "I want to go too."

Ning Song was truly tempted now.

Three hundred an hour, at least a thousand Yabian per night.

"What are the requirements?"

He remembered that Xingyue had high standards for appearance and height. All the waiters he saw were handsome and beautiful.

"You're fine," Sheng Yan said, "the Upper East School uniform is your ticket in."

He had heard Qiao Qiao mention it before, thinking it was a protagonist's halo in a novel. To highlight the status of Upper East School, even when working part-time outside, people would respect them more upon hearing they were from Upper East School.

Like Tsinghua or Peking University in real life?

It started as a casual conversation, but after dinner, Ning Song actually went for an interview with Sheng Yan.

Money was too tempting to resist.

Ning Song wanted to become independent and earn money to relieve his family's burden.

He had washed dishes in restaurants since junior high and didn't think there was anything wrong with working. Even though others pitied him for his young age, his limp, and lack of parents.

Qiao Qiao was a bit worried and insisted on going along.

Sheng Yan said, "I won't sell him."

"I'll just go and spend some money."

"Please, Young Master Qiao, come right in," Sheng Yan said.

Ning Song laughed again, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

Sheng Yan smiled at him.

With him around, the interview was just a formality. But Brother Xing thought Ning Song was too skinny and specifically checked his ID: "We can't hire anyone under sixteen."

"Seventeen, almost seventeen exactly," Ning Song said.

Sheng Yan picked up his ID to check his birthday.

Brother Xing, giving Sheng Yan face, decided to let him try it out first.

Ning Song excitedly went to change into the waiter's uniform. Li Qingyuan asked Sheng Yan, "Three hundred an hour, you're paying?"

"Brother Xing is paying. I really am getting three hundred an hour."

"He'd pay you thirty thousand an hour if he could. The question is, do the others get the same?"

Sheng Yan replied, "Who cares what they get? As long as he gets this much. It's not coming out of my pocket. Look at his build; he even dared to be a hero and save someone. Isn't that worth three hundred?"

Li Qingyuan: "Hero? Where's the beauty in that?"

Sheng Yan pointed to his own face and smugly went over to Ning Song.

Since Li Qingyuan had heard about the KTV incident, he also felt quite fond of Ning Song and didn't ask further. Whether it was three hundred or thirty thousand, it was all peanuts to them, and they were happy for the kid to earn it.

Sheng Yan entered the changing room. They shared one changing room for male waiters, with a row of lockers. Ning Song's locker was in the corner. When Sheng Yan entered, Ning Song had just taken off his clothes.

He was truly skinny, with barely any flesh under his T-shirt.

Although Ning Song was thin, he wasn't short. He looked tall in the waiter's uniform, but it was a bit loose on him due to his slim frame.

After changing, he saw a waiter's handbook on a chair and picked it up to read. Sheng Yan took the handbook away and said, "Don't worry, I'm here. Brother Yan will take care of you."

Ning Song turned and saw Sheng Yan's muscular upper body.

He had always thought Sheng Yan's mixed heritage wasn't very obvious, with a very East Asian face. But seeing his tight pants, he finally understood where the mix showed.

Even those tight pants bulged so much that he thought they might rival Pu Yu's.

Sheng Yan's physique was similar to Pu Yu's, and mixed-race people generally have more body hair, though it wasn't very noticeable. He did have six-pack abs, very white, and lean.

Truly a born star.

Sheng Yan worked three days a week, Friday through Sunday.

But Ning Song could only work one day.

Because Brother Xing was worried about his health.

Ning Song wished he looked stronger.

He would need to train harder in PE class and double up on supplements!

Sheng Yan said, "Let's start with one day a week. If you can handle it, we'll add more."

They started work at eight on Fridays and finished at midnight. Four hours, earning twelve hundred.

Ning Song called Liu Fen to inform her.

Liu Fen disagreed: "We don't need the money that badly now. Your father and I will get our salaries soon, which are higher than before. Supporting you isn't a problem. You're not in good health; focus on your studies at school."

"Just four hours a week, and I've already signed the contract," Ning Song said. "I'll take care of myself. My classmates are working there too. I want to help lighten the burden on Mom and Dad."

Liu Fen couldn't argue with him, but she was secretly pleased, feeling that her son had grown up.

Coincidentally, Mrs. Pu asked Pu Yu why he hadn't returned with Ning Song, so Liu Fen told her about Ning Song's part-time job.

She felt a bit reluctant and said to Aunt Sun, who worked with her, "Pu Yu started his own business in junior high. It's good for boys to be independent, but Xiao Song is too frail. Can he handle it?"

"I'll call him tonight to check," Liu Fen said.

Pu Yu, who had been quietly eating, suddenly asked, "Where is he working?"

"At a KTV nearby, something called Xingyue," Liu Fen said.

Mrs. Pu said, "Xingyue, that's close by."

She looked at Pu Yu and said, "I've been telling you to make more friends and go out singing on weekends. Then you wouldn't be clueless about places like Xingyue."

Pu Yu: "..."

He honestly asked, "Which Xingyue?"

Mrs. Pu smiled and asked, "Are you going to find him?"

"Isn't it near Millennium Gate? It's been there for years, an old KTV in the East District," Aunt Sun said.

Pu Yu finished eating and searched for Xingyue online.

He knew Millennium Gate, an old commercial street. Before Queen's Avenue developed, Millennium Gate was the most prosperous area, and he used to go shopping there with his family when he was young.

He was used to being alone. His only friend, Rong Jiahe from the Rong family, was at Holy Grace School across the ocean, and they rarely met. Indeed, he hadn't been to many entertainment places.

He didn't feel it mattered before, but now he realized his life was rather dull.

Unable to sleep, he got dressed and left.

The rain was still heavy, and he took a car to Millennium Gate.

The driver asked, "Young man, going to play? Don't be fooled by the empty streets; it's bustling inside. Some nightclubs stay open all night."

Pu Yu shook his head and said, "Let's go."

The car was just about to leave when he saw familiar figures at the entrance of Xingyue: Qiao Qiao, Li Qingyuan, and a very thin silhouette. The latter seemed cold, hugging himself.

They appeared to be waiting for someone at the door. Perhaps because of the rain, there weren't many people at the entrance of Xingyue. The few boys were standing there talking. A tall, beautiful teenager with white hair took out a hoodie and tossed it to Ning Song.

Ning Song thought Sheng Yan had gone back to fetch something, so when he saw it was a jacket for him, he said, "No need, I'll be warm once I get in the car."

Sheng Yan: "Don't fuss."

"Still, you should put it on. You don't want to catch a cold after being up all night," Qiao Qiao said.

Ning Song put on the hoodie, which had a strong scent of roses and cedarwood.

Their car arrived, and Sheng Yan let Qiao Qiao and Ning Song go first.

Ning Song and Qiao Qiao got into the car, and once they were far away, Sheng Yan and Li Qingyuan went back into the KTV.

That night, Pu Yu couldn't sleep.

He felt that Ning Song naturally preferred lively and cheerful people, like Qiao Qiao, Shen Lingsi, Sheng Yan, and even his younger brother Pu Ying.

Ning Song seemed much more relaxed around them.

But he couldn't learn to be like them.

He spent the whole night playing "Black Rose Academy." He thought this was the only thing he could do for Ning Song.

He hoped Ning Song would become famous.

On Saturday morning, as soon as Ning Song woke up, he received a message from "Mackerel."

It was sent at six in the morning, very short, offering a suggestion for a side quest.

He thought the suggestion was good and discussed it with the rest of the team. They worked all morning.

The other team members said, "Our boss really likes your game. He's very optimistic about you and is personally overseeing this project."

Of course, the boss wasn't blinded by his fondness; the requirements were still stringent. It might take some time before Ning Song's game could be launched.

He had also asked "Mackerel" why he didn't join their team.

"Mackerel" replied, "I'm working on another project and can only give you advice."

"My colleagues are more professional than me."

Work can change a person and the tone of their conversations. As they talked more about work, they started feeling more like partners. Ning Song rarely teased "Mackerel" anymore, and their interactions became more mature, like those between grown men. Ning Song thought this was a good thing. If they ever met in person, it wouldn't be awkward due to their professional relationship.

Business as usual.

Qiao Qiao wasn't at school this week. On Sunday, Deng Xun had a birthday, and Qiao Qiao went to set up a surprise party.

After lunch, he went swimming at the pool.

It turned out he did have some athletic ability; he had learned to do the breaststroke, though he swam slowly due to his weak body.

After swimming, he returned books to the library and received a call from Liu Fen on the way.

"Are you on campus?" Liu Fen asked.

"Yes, aren't you supposed to come home after three?"

Liu Fen was going home this week and asked if he wanted to go home too and if he had any clothes to wash.

He had already washed his clothes, but since he only saw them once a week, he decided to go home.

"Just now, Mrs. Pu told me that Pu Yu is going for a health check-up and asked if you want to go along for a check-up too."

"Huh?"

In fact, Ning Song's health wasn't great, and Liu Fen had taken him for many check-ups, but nothing serious was found. He just had a naturally weak constitution. But the hospital and doctors the Pu family used were better than the small hospitals they usually visited. She was somewhat tempted, although she felt it was a bother. For her son's sake, she hoped Ning Song would go.

"Come along. Get checked, and then we can target the supplements better," Liu Fen said.

This time, Ning Wei came to pick him up and took him directly to the hospital.

It was a private hospital, not very large, but most of the cars parked outside had flags with white pine needles.

Ning Wei took him inside, where he saw Pu Yu.

"Brother Yu."

Pu Yu nodded and accompanied him for a full-body check-up.

The check-up lasted until evening. Some results were available, while others would be ready the next day. Pu Yu stayed with him the entire time but spoke little.

After the check-up, they sent Pu Yu back first.

Liu Fen was still waiting for them.

Coincidentally, Pu Ying returned and insisted on playing games with Ning Song.

Ning Song had dinner at the Pu residence.

After dinner, he played ball with Pu Ying. His weak body made him perfect for playing with the child. The rain had stopped, but the temperature was low. Ning Song wore a beige sweater, making him look even softer.

Pu Yu sat nearby.

Love is an uncontrollable attraction, a compulsion to look whenever he is there.

After Ning Song and his family left, Pu Yu returned to his room and dressed a figurine in the same outfit as Ning Song.

A beige sweater, faded blue jeans, and white sneakers.

Not even his figurines have wavy hair.

His phone vibrated, and Rong Jiahe, who hadn't contacted him in a long time, sent him a message.

He opened it to find a screenshot from the Upper East School forum.

He knew about this forum at their school but had never visited it. He wasn't interested in these things; if not for Rong Jiahe sending him the screenshot, he would have forgotten that their school even had such a platform.

But the screenshot immediately caught his full attention.

Because he saw himself and Ning Song in it.

On the weekend, during heavy rainfall, everyone might have been cooped up at home with nothing to do, making the forum particularly active today.

The hottest post was about Ning Song.

"Let's dig into our school's new special admission student, Ning Song."

It all started because of his transfer to the book bar in Building No. 1.

Someone posted out of jealousy: "This new guy, Ning Song, is really something... Although he may not have any background, he somehow got transferred to the book bar in Building No. 1! So many people want to work there. The young masters of the Black Emblem usually hang out at that book bar. What a great opportunity for him! I heard the president arranged it!"

Initially, this was just typical gossip, like how the president is probably just a figurehead, and the real power lies with the Pu family. The Pu family has significant influence, and a simple recommendation letter could make the school take him seriously. Or how the school wants to use this sole student from the slums to create a more relatable image.

Until someone said: "Just a little secret, the new transfer student has more than just this. Friendly reminder: check out Sheng Yan's latest follow on Facebook."

...

Gossiping about Li You and Ning Song, or Pu Yu and Ning Song, didn't have enough impact because there was no concrete evidence of any close relationship between them. The only proof was that his parents worked for the Pu family.

But linking Li You, Pu Yu, Sheng Yan, and Shen Lingsi together made a huge difference.

It was the effect of one plus one plus one plus one equals infinity!

The person mentioned that Sheng Yan followed him, but the accompanying picture was an old one that had been thoroughly discussed on the forum before.

Last week, during the rain, Pu Yu and Ning Song shared an umbrella, and this time, a few "bystanders" in the corner were circled in red.

One of those bystanders was Li You.

The photo was enlarged repeatedly, showing Ning Song and Pu Yu walking past Li You and others under an umbrella. Li You stood with his hands in his pockets, watching their backs from under Zheng Xiaobo's umbrella, half his face hidden in the shadow, looking somewhat fierce. Pu Yu, with his naturally raised eyebrows, looked elegant yet cold.

The rain added to the atmosphere, creating a scene where the most precious young master of Upper East School and the most down-to-earth troublemaker walked alongside the frail-looking Ning Song, making him appear delicate and pitiful yet oddly compatible.

This revelation caused a stir, and soon Ning Song, the ordinary special admission student, became legendary.

The post grew increasingly lively, attracting many students who never visited the forum.

"Actually, during the meeting today, Sheng Yan sat next to him in our class, and we were all shocked. They were chatting and laughing, clearly knowing each other!"

"More than that, I saw them leave the campus together and get into the same car!"

"During the meeting, President Shen was also chatting and laughing with him. Although the president is always friendly, he just came back and shouldn't be familiar with the bean sprout. Yet, he specifically went over to talk to him."

"What kind of magic does this new transfer student have? Is his background so deep that it can't be uncovered? Could he be the illegitimate child of some big shot?"

"No matter what the reason, it definitely isn't because they like him!"

"That is indeed the least likely possibility."

The discussion was so heated that it reached the attention of the main figures involved.

Rong Jiahe asked: "This Ning Song at your school is quite popular lately. Did you finally make a new friend? Your new friend is pretty impressive."

Pu Yu didn't know that Ning Song knew Sheng Yan.

How did they meet?

Sheng Yan wasn't easy to get along with and usually only hung out with friends within his circle.

Shen Lingsi initially planned to use his authority to silence a few people on the forum who were discussing Ning Song again, but when he saw the revelations, he was stunned.

Pu Yu alone was surprising enough, but what about Li You and Sheng Yan!

Li You felt the same way.

Pu Yu alone was surprising enough, but how did Sheng Yan and Shen Lingsi get involved with Ning Song?

He thought Ning Song needed his protection, being just a fragile bean sprout.

Sheng Yan ignored the private messages asking how he knew Ning Song and instead asked Li Qingyuan, who showed him the screenshots: "Are Young Master Pu and Li You also close with Ning Song?"

Ning Song was unaware of all this. He went to bed early, feeling very tired. At home, surrounded by familiar scents and sounds, and with the thunderstorm outside, he slept soundly.

The next morning, Ning Song received a text from Pu Yu, a private message from Sheng Yan on Facebook, and a message from an unknown number.

The message from the unknown number read: "Don't look at the school forum recently. It's full of nonsense. I've shut it down. (Shen Lingsi)"

Sheng Yan's private message: "Hello, Little Benefactor, you're quite famous now."

Pu Yu sent two texts:

The first one asked: "Can I visit your place today?"

The second: "If it's convenient."