Chapter 123

Chapter 123

◎ Peach Blossom Curse ◎

When Dai Yuanjiang received the phone call, he was completely stunned. His father had fallen off the roof while repairing it and hit his head directly. He was still alive, and his mother had called the villagers for help to take him to the hospital, where he was currently undergoing emergency treatment.

There was still the money his son had just transferred in the card, along with previous savings, totaling nearly ten thousand yuan. However, this amount was clearly far from enough. Dai Yuanjiang's mother, fearing the worst, wanted her son to come back and see his father one last time, so she hurriedly called him.

Dai Yuanjiang panicked immediately and quickly booked a ticket home. While packing, his mind was completely numb.

There was no way he could take the parrot with him. Dai Yuanjiang prepared food and water for it and left the window open for easy access, telling it to stay home and not wander off, though he wasn't sure if it could understand.

After settling things at home, Dai Yuanjiang called to ask for leave and headed to the train station.

By the time he returned to his hometown, his father had already come out of the operating room but was still in critical condition.

The doctor was explaining the situation to his mother. When he fell, not only did he hit his head, but a piece of broken tile had also pierced his skull. For now, they could only maintain his vital signs, as the doctor capable of performing such a major brain surgery was on the way.

If they proceeded with the rescue, there was no guarantee he would survive, and the cost would be high. If they gave up, it would likely be over soon. Given the patient's current condition, he might not even be able to leave a last word.

The doctor analyzed various possibilities for the family, asking them to think carefully.

Dai Yuanjiang's mother had already cried herself weak. The person who was fine in the morning had suddenly turned into this state. How could she accept it? Seeing her son, she cried even more uncontrollably, holding him and not knowing what to do.

Dai Yuanjiang felt a numbness throughout his body. After understanding the details of his father's accident, he suddenly remembered the comments he had seen earlier about how spending stolen money wouldn't bring retribution.

But he had spent that money too. The cash the parrot had brought back was all spent by him. Why wasn't he the one who got into trouble, but his father?

The villager who helped bring his father to the hospital sighed at the pitiful sight of the mother and son, saying, "Decide quickly whether to save him or not. The longer you delay, the worse it will get."

Dai Yuanjiang wiped his tears and said, "Save him! No matter what, we have to try. At worst, I'll be in debt. I'm still young. As long as we can save my father, I'll pay back the money slowly in the future!"

The villager wanted to warn about the possibility of losing both the person and the money, but it felt too cold-hearted to say that at this moment, so he kept quiet and only said, "I'll go back to the village and see if the village head can help you think of something."

Dai Yuanjiang's mother bowed in gratitude. Outside the intensive care unit, her already not-so-straight back hunched even more.

Soon, a nurse came with various documents. Due to the emergency, they had started the rescue immediately upon arrival, and now it was time to pay for the hospitalization.

Since they decided to proceed with the rescue, a craniotomy was needed. The hospital asked for an advance payment of one hundred thousand yuan. Even with a medical insurance card, the cost of the craniotomy and treatment would only be higher. If they could save him, the subsequent treatment costs would exceed one hundred thousand yuan, and the hospital advised Dai Yuanjiang to prepare financially for fundraising.

Looking at the money that had arrived in his account in the morning, it was all gone by the afternoon. Even including the savings he had accumulated over the past two years, it was just enough to cover the one hundred thousand yuan. Holding the thin payment receipt, Dai Yuanjiang looked lost, leaning against the wall, not knowing what to think.

The joys and sorrows of humans are not shared. Some people are emptying their savings and borrowing everywhere, hoping for a miracle of life, while others are eagerly preparing for a spring outing.

The annual spring outing of Yulan High School had begun.

The senior year's joint exam was scheduled for April, on Friday and Saturday. To avoid interfering with the exam, the school set the spring outing for the first and second years on Friday, with the second year and below having no classes on Saturday.

This year's spring outing was chosen to be held at a farm grassland, a large grassy area with many entertainment activities such as grass sliding, high-altitude ropes, horseback riding, and feeding alpacas. There would be a picnic area and an orchard where students could pick cherries.

Grills and racks could be rented at the grassland, and students could also bring their own ingredients. The cost of renting the grills had been agreed upon by the class and would be deducted from the class fund. Other activities were not mandatory, and students could form teams and pay for them if they wanted to participate.

In junior high, spring outings were mostly visits to memorial halls or museums, where students had to follow the teachers and had no freedom. For many, this camping-style spring outing was a first, so they were excitedly preparing for the trip early on.

Xie Paner lay in her pile of toys, watching the Young Celestial Master practicing calligraphy and then glancing at Xiao Ye, who was actively preparing for the trip. She sighed and said, "It's been a long time since I went out to play."

Ji Nanxing chuckled at her words without looking up, "Who was it that didn't come back even after the sun rose in the morning?"

Xiao Ye, who was packing snacks, looked up and glanced at the corner. Although he couldn't see anything, he knew Ji Naonao was talking to the senior, so he silently continued packing without interrupting.

Xie Paner stretched lazily in her pile of toys: "I was just helping to find the gold thief, but I don't think that parrot is from our neighborhood. I've already scoured the entire community and seen a lot of things I probably shouldn't have, but I haven't seen that parrot."

Ji Nanxing stopped writing and turned to look at her: "Why are you looking for the parrot?"

Xie Paner: "It's just that things have been quiet lately. If I can find the robber, it would be like doing a good deed and earning some credit."

Xiao Ye placed the packed backpack on the sofa: "Done! I've already arranged for the barbecue supplies to be ready, so we don't need to bring them. They’ll be delivered directly to the scenic area tomorrow."

As he spoke, he walked over and sat next to Ji Nanxing: "What's up? Did you find that thieving parrot?"

Ji Nanxing shook his head: "No."

Xiao Ye: "It seems like there hasn't been much activity these past couple of days. Even the neighborhood chat group has been quieter. They can't keep hitting the same neighborhood. Maybe they've changed targets."

Ji Nanxing shook his head: "I don't know. I just hope that guy stops in time."

Xiao Ye: "Otherwise, the consequences will be severe?"

Ji Nanxing glanced at him: "Otherwise, he'll eventually get caught. The bigger the fuss, the more attention it attracts. As long as the police put in the effort, there's no one in the city who can't be found."

Xiao Ye sat next to Ji Nanxing and smiled. His desk mate was so endearing. Every time they discussed metaphysics, he’d counter with science: "I thought you would say that person would definitely face retribution."

Ji Nanxing dipped his brush in ink and continued writing. Karma is inevitable. Sometimes a single word or a seemingly trivial thing could be the karmic feedback for something in the future. But some people are fortunate in this life, and even if they do bad things, they can still live a wealthy life.

This isn’t about avoiding retribution, it's just as the saying goes, the time just hasn't come yet. As for when that time will come, it might be someday in this lifetime, or it might be in the next. In any case, what's coming can't be avoided.

To make it easier to manage the students, even during the spring outing, they are not allowed to wear their own clothes. Everyone is required to wear their school uniforms.

But since it's a rare opportunity to go out and play without classes, and they can bring their phones to take pictures, who’d want to wear those drab school uniforms? Everyone had their own little tricks. They couldn't change the tops, so they had to wear the school uniform short-sleeved shirts, but they could slightly change the pants. Some girls specifically changed into skirts, pairing them with the school uniform short-sleeved shirts, instantly creating a vibrant and stylish look.

Jiang Tangtang tugged at her specially changed jeans of a similar color, looking at Yuan Yimeng behind her, and said with a wrinkled face to Lin Yi: "I should’ve worn a skirt too. Skirts look so much better in photos."

Lin Yi rubbed her face, and Xiao Xiao came over after counting the number of people: "If you’re attractive, even the school uniform looks good. Look at the academic god."

Jiang Tangtang sighed: "How can mere mortals compare to gods? What delicious things did you bring? I brought some beef jerky my aunt sent. It's super delicious! I'll share it with you later."

Chen Shiyi, with his not-so-full backpack, approached Ji Nanxing: "Did you pack a lot of snacks?"

Ji Nanxing gestured with his eyes to the large bag beside him.

Chen Shiyi exclaimed: "Wow, that much? Then I'll have some of your snacks today."

Ji Nanxing looked at his bag, a bit puzzled: "Didn't you buy any?"

It was a bit strange for someone who brought a bunch of snacks even during the military training ceremony at the beginning of the school year to not bring any snacks for the spring outing.

Chen Shiyi opened his backpack to reveal a few bags of bread: "I saved up and bought some filling snacks."

Zhang Yuan walked by and took a look: "What's going on? Did your parents completely give up on your grades and decide to cut off your food supply to make you self-reliant?"

Chen Shiyi rolled his eyes at him and then said to Ji Nanxing: "I bought a drawing tablet! I secretly saved up for it. I was still a few hundred short, but coincidentally, that brand was having an anniversary sale with big discounts. Plus, I got a few hundred from my family for the spring outing, so I bit the bullet and bought it."

Ji Nanxing smiled: "That’s a big investment. You’ll need to commit and stick with it. No matter what you do in the future, having an extra skill is never a bad thing."

Chen Shiyi nodded: "I'll give it a try first."

Every friend around him had something they were committed to. Ji Nanxing was committed to being a Taoist, Zhang Yuan wanted to be a forensic doctor, and even Xiao Ye had decided to start his own business. Although he hadn't figured out what he wanted to do in the future, at least he could try something he was interested in now.

These days, there aren't many students in each class, only about thirty, so roughly two classes share one bus. If there aren't enough seats, they just stand.

Class 7 ended up sharing a bus with Class 5 next door. As soon as they boarded, Jiang Tangtang quickly grabbed a front-row window seat and waved to Ji Nanxing, "Hey, genius, over here!"

A front-row window seat could help with motion sickness, and he was their class’s top priority, so they had to take extra care of him!

Xiao Ye walked over, "Why are you so eager?"

With him around, his little deskmate could sit wherever he wanted. After all, Ji Nanxing himself had dubbed him the class bully. It would be a shame not to act a little domineering.

Jiang Tangtang retorted, "You can be eager, but I can’t? You’re really playing cop here."

What’s wrong with being eager toward her own idol? She was happy!

Ji Nanxing didn’t fuss about the seat and accepted Jiang Tangtang’s kindness, sitting by the window. Xiao Ye placed his bag on the adjacent seat and pushed Jiang Tangtang aside, "Move it, you’re in the way."

Jiang Tangtang let out a "Hey!" but before she could grab Xiao Ye, Lin Yi wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her away, "Let’s head to the back. It’s tight in here, don’t start anything."

Jiang Tangtang obediently stopped messing with Xiao Ye, huffed, and rolled her eyes at him. She was about to follow Lin Yi to sit behind Ji Nanxing when someone kicked her, "Move, don’t block the way."

Jiang Tangtang turned around and came face-to-face with a guy who looked down at her with his nose in the air. He wasn’t ugly, just plain average, with hair that seemed meticulously styled, traces of hair gel evident. He carried a single-strap backpack with one hand and had the other in his pocket, wearing multiple chains around his neck. He tilted his head slightly, looking as arrogant as if he owned the place.

He was the definition of a greasy, try-hard bad boy. Even the cheesy idol dramas from twenty years ago wouldn’t dare portray such a character, fearing they’d drown in the cringe.

Jiang Tangtang frowned in disgust, her expression as if she were looking at something filthy. After all, seeing Ji Nanxing every day had greatly elevated her aesthetic standards. Even the annoying Xiao Ye was a sunny, refreshingly handsome guy. Compared to this overly pretentious greasy guy, she felt physically repulsed.

She looked away, refusing to glance back. The kick wasn’t hard, but after being so grossed out, she didn’t bother making a scene. She was afraid one more look at him would ruin even Ji Nanxing’s good looks.

She and Lin Yi took seats behind Ji Nanxing. Just then, the greasy guy who had been standing behind her let out a yelp and fell onto the seat beside her.

Jiang Tangtang looked up and saw the guy clutching his calf, grimacing and glaring fiercely at Xiao Ye.

Xiao Ye sat in his seat, giving him a cold look, "What’s your problem? Sit down or get off. You’re in the way."

More students piled onto the bus, and the aisle was getting packed. Feng Ziyu knew of Xiao Ye. Although they weren’t in the same class, Xiao Ye’s reputation was well-known not just among their grade but even among the seniors.

If it came to a fight, he definitely wasn’t Xiao Ye’s match. Plus, with people behind him urging him to move forward, Feng Ziyu gritted his teeth, shot a fierce glare at Xiao Ye, and walked away. He’d make sure to pay him back for that kick!

Jiang Tangtang leaned over the seat back and gave Xiao Ye a thumbs-up, "That’s our Ye Ge for you, so cool."

Xiao Ye swatted her hand away, "You’re all talk with us. You didn’t even fight back when someone kicked you."

Jiang Tangtang protested, "Who says I’m only tough with you? I’ve been waiting for this trip forever. I didn’t want to spoil the fun by starting something."

Lin Yi patted her on the side, "Relax, don’t get worked up. Have some fruit. I brought a container of sliced fruit."

Students continued to board, and the bus grew noisier and more crowded. Ji Nanxing said, "You’ve got yourself an enemy."

Xiao Ye shrugged, rummaging through his bag for some preserved plums for Ji Nanxing, "Big deal if he’s got a grudge. I’m not scared of him."

Ji Nanxing, "Watch out. That guy…"

Xiao Ye raised an eyebrow, "What, does he have some superpower or something?"

Ji Nanxing replied, "Nothing special, but it seems like he’s got something going on."

Xiao Ye frowned and glanced back. Just then, a pretty girl pushed past the person sitting next to him and tried to take the seat. He turned to the window, pretending to be annoyed, but his eyes gave away his smugness.

Xiao Ye looked away, "What’s he got? A little ghost?"

Ji Nanxing shook his head, "A fox’s stench."

Xiao Ye let out a surprised "Ah!" and leaned closer to Ji Nanxing, whispering, "Is this guy raising a fox spirit or has he been possessed by one? I know who he is now—he's that Feng guy from Class Five. Two girls fought over him so fiercely that their parents got involved. If he's raising a fox spirit, then it all makes sense."

After all, that Feng guy has no looks, no family background, and not much brains. His grades are mediocre, and there's nothing remarkable about him. Yet, two girls fought over him.

Girls these days have high standards. With all the information and exposure to good things out there, they don't just go for any guy. Not to sound full of myself, but it's been a while since school started, and no girl has confessed to me. Of course, I don't need it, but for that Feng Ziyu to cause such a stir, Xiao Ye couldn't understand.

But if this guy is up to something, then it makes sense.

Xiao Ye crossed his arms and snorted, "I want to see how he plans to mess with me."

As he spoke, he reached out and hugged Ji Nanxing's arm, squeezing close to him, "Naonao, you better protect me."

Ji Nanxing, unable to move due to the hug, laughed, "The Class Seven bully needs my protection?"

Xiao Ye practically leaned on Ji Nanxing, putting on a delicate and helpless demeanor, "I really do need it. I can't do without you."

Zhang Yuan, who had just boarded the bus, saw this eye-sore scene and walked away in disgust. A love-struck buddy is beyond saving.

During the two-hour journey, some slept while others chatted the whole way. When they arrived at the farm grassland, everyone ran wild like kids let loose.

Each class had a homeroom teacher and a subject teacher, since one teacher couldn't handle the whole class alone.

The PE teacher, who was accompanying Class Seven, blew a whistle to get everyone in line.

The farm grassland was a park with grassy areas that required tickets to enter. The teacher had already laid out the rules in class: after entering, the class would have some freedom to move around. First, choose a spot to set up camp, rent stoves and charcoal, and then move freely.

Their class entered early and chose a scenic open area. Lin Yi and Xiao Xiao laid out a picnic mat, and Jiang Tangtang quickly moved it towards Ji Nanxing and his group.

Lin Yi stopped her, "Don't."

Jiang Tangtang looked at her strangely, "What's wrong?"

Lin Yi said, "Some people in class are spreading nasty rumors, calling us 'green tea tomboys' and stuff. Let's just play by ourselves. Let's call Yimeng over, and the four of us can hang out together."

Jiang Tangtang snorted, "Who cares what others think? Just because they're mean, should we stop being friends? Whether we're 'green tea tomboys' or not, others don't know, but we do. As long as we have a clear conscience, that's enough!"

Chen Shiyi had already laid out the picnic mat and shouted, "What are you doing? Get over here!"

Jiang Tangtang pulled Lin Yi over and shouted to Xiao Xiao, who was arranging the grill, "Xiao Xiao! Come over when you're done!"

Xiao Xiao gave them a thumbs-up.

Soon, Class Five also arrived. It was clear that Feng Ziyu had set up the picnic mat close to them on purpose. As soon as he arrived, a girl from their class, Zhou Na, brought over a bunch of food and drinks. Another girl, Xu Yan, hesitated nearby, wanting to join but held back by Zhou Na.

Jiang Tangtang couldn't help but roll her eyes and said to Lin Yi, "Look, that's Xu Yan. I told you about my neighbor who worked her butt off to buy her boyfriend a pair of shoes worth over three thousand yuan, even if it meant eating nothing but plain buns. That's her."

Lin Yi looked at the other girl who was being overly attentive and frowned, "And who is this girl?"

Jiang Tangtang, "Zhou Na, the class beauty of their class, an art student who dances. I really don't know what's so good about Feng Ziyu. Look, he's not even as handsome as Chen Shiyi. What do they see in him?"

Chen Shiyi, who was sitting on the ground eating chips, pointed at Jiang Tangtang, "First of all, I didn't provoke any of you!"

"What do you mean 'not even as handsome as him'? Am I the baseline for guys?"

Jiang Tangtang grabbed a bag of jerky and threw it at him, "Just eat your snacks."

The food Xiao Ye ordered arrived—two big insulated boxes, one packed with meat and the other with veggies, all washed and skewered, plus a bunch of fruits and drinks.

Zhang Yuan glanced at the prepared items, "Isn't this a bit too much?"

Xiao Ye: "There are so many people here. If we can’t finish, we’ll give each person a few skewers. We’ll definitely finish it all."

Zhang Yuan: "I mean there’s too much to grill. It’ll be exhausting."

He looked around and shouted towards the distance, "Zheng Heng, Guo Can! Come over quickly, we’ve got some great food!"

They rushed over, amazed by the boxes full of ingredients.

Zhang Yuan smiled as he watched, glad he’d found some grilling assistants.

Feng Ziyu, noticing the commotion, rolled his eyes. "So showy, as if he’s afraid people won’t know his family is rich."

"What’s so great about being rich? For some people, acquiring wealth is all too easy," he thought, looking at Xiao Ye as if he were a clueless nobody.

"Money, family background, and good looks—what’s so special? Real talent is what makes someone the real star!"

Unaware of Feng Ziyu’s quiet jealousy, Xiao Ye washed a box of cherries and brought them to Ji Nanxing. "I just tried one, it’s really sweet and not sour at all. Remember to spit out the peel; it’s a bit sour if you bite it. Or I can peel them for you."

Seeing Ji Nanxing frown slightly with displeasure, Xiao Ye put down the fruit. "What’s wrong? What’s bothering you?"

Ji Nanxing frowned. "We’re downwind."

The stench of body odor wafted over, which was absolute agony for someone with such sensitive senses like him.

Xiao Ye, noticing Feng Ziyu nearby, instantly understood his desk mate’s meaning. "Still coming closer, huh? Looks like my reputation as a bully can extend to other classes."

As Xiao Ye prepared to go over and confront him, Ji Nanxing grabbed his arm. "If you hit him without a reason, you’ll just cause trouble. Let’s light the stove. Once it’s lit, I’ll burn some talismans to get rid of the smell."

Xiao Ye immediately went to set up the stove. Ji Nanxing placed a stack of talismans at the bottom, and after Xiao Ye covered them with charcoal, Ji Nanxing performed a hand seal, and the stove ignited instantly.

Guo Can, who was organizing ingredients nearby, exclaimed in amazement, "Wow, you’re a pro at lighting charcoal! It’s blazing up in no time."

As the talismans burned beneath the charcoal, an unseen energy spread, and the unpleasant body odor vanished completely.

Zhou Na, who had been following Feng Ziyu and sucking up to him, suddenly felt a moment of clarity. She looked at the food she had made with her own hands, then at Feng Ziyu, who seemed annoyed but was actually enjoying the attention. She felt so disgusted she nearly threw up.

Zhou Na closed the food container and casually tossed it to a boy nearby, not even bothering to see who it was. Then she ran over to her friends, grabbing her best friend’s hand in panic. "I think I’ve been possessed! What do I do? I really think I’ve been possessed!"

The thought of her sucking up to Feng Ziyu and even competing for his attention made Zhou Na feel like she was going crazy!