Chapter 21 The Box of Hidden Treasures

Chapter 21 The Box That Hides the Treasure

The glasses were removed, freeing his eyes from the black frames, and the contours of his eyes became clearly visible. Jiang Ruotang adjusted the lighting and snapped several photos of him.

Perhaps because he knew Lu Guifan couldn’t clearly see his gaze, Jiang Ruotang could stare freely at his eyes.

They were exactly the same as they would be ten years later—with deep sockets and gently upturned corners.

"Done?" Lu Guifan asked.

"Done." Jiang Ruotang nodded.

Lu Guifan put his glasses back on, automatically adjusting them. He took Jiang Ruotang’s phone and compared the photos to the painting, his demeanor just like when he'd analyze data years later.

"See? I didn’t get it wrong. My observational skills are top-notch," Jiang Ruotang said, his voice tinged with pride.

Out of the entire class—no, the entire school—after two-plus years around Lu Guifan, Jiang Ruotang was the only one who knew his real appearance.

Lu Guifan stayed silent, which made Jiang Ruotang uneasy again.

Maybe he was being overstepping. Perhaps Lu Guifan was perfectly content with how he looked now and had no desire for anyone to see his face without those black-framed glasses.

"Though the eyes are very similar, the facial proportions seem more open. Is this artistic touch?"

"There’s some creative liberty, yeah. Because this is how I imagine you’ll look ten years from now. Haha."

"If you win that competition, will it help your chances in the art school entrance exams?"

"Probably not… But if I still don’t get into the Central Academy of Fine Arts, maybe I can find a good teacher at another school."

"Where’s the release form? I’ll sign it," Lu Guifan said flatly.

What? Just like that?

"Awesome! You’re the best, Class Monitor!" Unable to contain himself, Jiang Ruotang slung an arm around his shoulders before rummaging through his bag for the documents Professor Liang had printed.

Lu Guifan showed no reaction, flipping to the last page of the authorization form and signing it.

"Aren’t you going to read it first?"

"Is there anything special about my face that requires such caution?" Lu Guifan countered.

"Of course it’s special—next-level handsome!"

No sooner had he spoken than Jiang Ruotang’s stomach emitted an embarrassing rumble.

"Handsome or not, your stomach is definitely special-level hungry."

Lu Guifan got up from his chair and walked to the cooler, picking out a triangular rice ball and a basic chicken rice bowl, both bearing yellow clearance tags. "Want some?"

Then, he suddenly realized something.

Jiang Ruotang came from a well-off family. He didn’t need to buy day-old items—his home surely provided fresh, delicious late-night snacks.

Just as he was about to return the items to the cooler, Jiang Ruotang leaned over the counter, stretching his neck. "That rice ball—the one with black pepper beef filling, right? Can you heat it up for me?"

Lu Guifan flipped it over. Sure enough, it read "Black Pepper Beef."

"I can find one with a better expiration date," he said, kneeling to search the cooler again.

"No need, this one’s fine. It’s 30% off."

"You don’t have to change your preferences just to save face for me," Lu Guifan said.

"Huh? But I always wait until after 8 p.m. to buy discounted day-old bakery items and fried chicken wings at the supermarket anyway."

Lu Guifan studied Jiang Ruotang’s eyes. He clearly wasn’t lying—he even knew exactly when supermarket markdowns started.

He heated the rice ball in the microwave for thirty seconds before handing it to Jiang Ruotang.

"How much is this? Do you need to scan it?"

"Yeah." Lu Guifan nodded, scanning the barcode for him.

The rice ball was piping hot. Jiang Ruotang sat beside Lu Guifan, peeling back the wrapper carefully. The rising warmth steamed up Lu Guifan’s lenses.

Lu Guifan took them off, intending to wipe them with a tissue. But he couldn’t find any napkins, and the stiff fabric of his store uniform wouldn't do. So he just held the frames lightly, shaking them to let the fog clear on its own.

"Here, let me." Jiang Ruotang reached out, taking the glasses from him. He lowered his head and carefully wiped them against the hem of his shirt.

Since he’d come from the studio, he’d changed out of his school uniform into a cotton T-shirt that was wash-and-wear.

His fingers polished the lenses with the cloth as he asked, puzzled, "Class Monitor, there are so many thinner, lighter lenses available now. Have you really never considered switching? These ones scratch easily and could shatter if dropped."

Lu Guifan replied calmly, "I got these glasses in my third year of middle school. My grandfather went with me. After he passed away, my prescription never changed, so I kept them. I’m used to them now—new ones give me headaches."

"Yeah, I get that."

Jiang Ruotang turned slightly, carefully placing the glasses back on Lu Guifan’s face.

At that moment, Lu Guifan’s blurred world came into crisp view. Right before him were Jiang Ruotang’s attentive eyes, the curve of his smile, and his bright smile.

"How does it make sense?" Lu Guifan knew the other was probably just making conversation, but he asked anyway.

"This way, only I know what you really look like." Jiang Ruotang beamed again.

These glasses were like a treasure chest.

"Oh." Lu Guifan murmured softly.

Jiang Ruotang lowered his head and began eating the rice ball with single-minded attention, the picture of innocence.

A while later, Xiao Gao called, asking when he'd be done.

"You can go first. Don't wait up for me," Lu Guifan said.

"Alright then. See you tomorrow, Class Monitor!"

Jiang Ruotang left, leaving Lu Guifan by himself behind the register.

Without thinking, Lu Guifan touched the frame of his glasses, as if the ghost of warmth of another’s fingers still remained.

The next morning, Jiang Ruotang woke up aching all over—his arms from playing badminton, his backside, and both legs throbbed with pain.

He wondered if he’d actually spent the night doing manual labor instead of playing sports.

As he death-gripped the railing, descending the stairs like a tin man needing oil, Sister Juan looked alarmed.

"Ruo Tang… are you okay? I’ll have Xiao Gao get you to a doctor!"

Jiang Ruotang waved his hand: "It's nothing... I'm just not used to exercising..."

"Just not used to exercising?" Sister Juan was stunned.

Jiang Ruotang gave a bitter smile: "More like I was lying on the road getting run over by a truck back and forth all night?"

Sister Juan nodded: "Yeah..."

This description had special meaning in a certain genre of novels.

He, Jiang Ruotang, after being reborn, had yet to have a boyfriend but had already experienced the kind of description found in novels.

After much difficulty, Jiang Ruotang finally reached the bottom step of the stairs.

Xiao Gao, while driving, glanced at Jiang Ruotang, finding his whining about various aches quite amusing.

Jiang Ruotang, meanwhile, looked out the window and suddenly shouted, "Stop!" Xiao Gao quickly slowed down and pulled to the side, wondering if his driving had made Jiang Ruotang carsick and nauseous.

To his surprise, Jiang Ruotang pointed at a shop under renovation outside and asked, "How long has this FAIRY milk tea shop been open? How many branches does it have in Sheng City now?"

Xiao Gao paused. "This should be a brand that started last year, right? Unlike regular powdered milk tea, it boasts using high-quality milk sources and premium-grade tea leaves, so it's almost twice as expensive as the milk tea near the school... Most middle schoolers don’t seem to drink this because it’s pricier, so it’s usually located in commercial areas rather than near schools."

But Jiang Ruotang had treated Jian Sha and Lu Guifan to this brand because he cared more about taste and quality.

"It... hasn’t gone public yet?" Jiang Ruotang pointed at the shop.

"Not yet." Xiao Gao shook his head. He had thought Jiang Ruotang’s rich kid impulses were acting up again, wanting to use his allowance to open a milk tea shop. Who would’ve guessed he was asking about going public? Since when did this kid care about such things?

"It’s fine, Xiao Gao, keep driving."

Jiang Ruotang lowered his head and took out his phone to continue searching for information about FAIRY.

At this point, FAIRY was just a rising star brand in the beverage industry. No one could have imagined that milk tea, seen by parents as an unhealthy drink, would become a daily habit in just a few years.

FAIRY was the leader in this industry, leading a drink revolution that emphasized health and diverse flavors. Its products updated quickly, making a lasting mark on a generation of young people. It would eventually become the top of three major domestic beverage brands capable of competing with overseas chains.

Not listed yet? Jiang Ruotang searched his memory—wasn’t it during his senior year of high school?

He looked it up online and, sure enough... it was expected to go public next week. But financial analysts weren’t optimistic, with industry ratings being average to low. Compared to investing in a beverage brand, the market favored the rapidly growing real estate sector.

Good thing he was already eighteen. He needed to open a third-party custodial account at the bank before next week.

When the car stopped at the school gate, Jiang Ruotang struggled to get out. Xiao Gao looked at him worriedly and asked, "Do you need me to help you up?"

"No need!" Jiang Ruotang waved grandly. If novel characters could survive being run over by a truck all night, surely he’d be fine after just some badminton?

However, by the time he reached the teaching building, his head was pounding.

Class 1, Senior Three was on the third floor!

Jiang Ruotang clung to the handrail, painfully dragging himself up with great difficulty.

As long as Lu Guifan doesn’t see me, nobody else matters!

"Huh... Jiang Ruotang, what happened to you?"

Jiang Ruotang turned his head and saw Cai Ji with his curly hair.

Though Cai Ji was barely noticeable in class—having been moved to the back row by Wang Fuzi at the start of the term to give his seat to Bai Yingchuan—he never complained. If hardship meant fortune, he’d have been overflowing with blessings long ago.

"Cai Cai... I played badminton yesterday and can hardly move today. Can you help me?" Jiang Ruotang gave his trademark eight-tooth grin, he added.