Chapter Eighty-One

  The next morning, Yu Cai, who had slept well, took a book to the third floor and lay down on the swing to read. When she looked up again, she found that Qi Shi had also come up at some point and was standing not far away from her, staring blankly at a plate of osmanthus flowers in front of him.

  "A Xi, when did you arrive? Why didn't you make a sound?"

  He turned around and looked at her silently.

  Yu Cai sighed, "A Shi, are you blaming me?"

  Jiexi shook his head, Yucai beckoned him to sit down beside him, and took out a photo from the book. "Look, this is an alumnus of our school's Physical Education Institute, who works as an assistant instructor at the Taekwondo gym on campus. I'm learning Taekwondo this time just so I can go learn from him next semester and give him a good first impression."

  "You don't have to."

  "Axi, give me a chance," an opportunity to return to normal life, Yucai silently added in her heart.

  Ji Shi fell silent, Yu Cai also stopped speaking and lowered his head to read a book.

  Ji Xue didn't see Yu Cai when he went downstairs, thinking that she must be on the third floor again. He went upstairs to call her and just as he reached the staircase, he saw Yu Cai sitting cross-legged on a swing, looking down at a book with her long hair falling around her face, covering half of it. Ji Xue leaned against the swing, unconsciously twirling a white jasmine flower in his hand, his expression calm as he gazed into the distant sky. The two of them seemed like a soft and serene painting.

  "Xiao Cai, it's time to eat," Qi Shu Fan's mouth curled up into a genuine smile, his eyes softening.

  Yu Cai lifted her head, jumped off the swing and put on her shoes, smiling, "Looks like I need to set an alarm clock from now on. My biological clock has been a bit out of sync lately. Time's up and I didn't even notice. Let's go eat."

  Yu Cai's residence, her high school classmate He Qi was even more so, only to be pitied that he had lost his goal of taking the college entrance exam. In the house, he ran around in circles, finally Yu Cai couldn't bear it anymore, "He Qi, if you're bored, go out and play".

  "Are you going too?"

  "I won't go, ask A Shi."

  Qī shì zhī lěng lěng kāi kǒu, "bù qù".

  Translation:

  "Let go of the cold opening mouth, 'do not go'."

  What a blow, "A Xie, you are getting more and more boring".

  He didn't expect him to go over there, and then he was immediately startled. "Zizhi Tongjian? Ah Shi, you can actually read this kind of book!"

  Yu Cai also became interested and walked over, humming in praise. "I was planning to watch it too, but I never had the time or courage."

  He knocked his head and said, "A Shi, compared with you, I finally found out how shallow I am."

  Yu Caiyu seemed to be deep in thought, "Perhaps I should also read a stack of books first, especially history books, before considering how to write".

  He was speechless, he studied history, is it strange to read "Zizhi Tongjian"? Yesterday, Yu Cai's thick book "Criminal Law" also seemed like a profound book to him.

  Yu Zai put down the computer and stood up, "I want to go to the bookstore to buy books, who's going with me?"

  "What's wrong with him? He's still so energetic! 'It's so hot outside, and he goes out to buy books?'"

  Yu Cai started packing her purse, "If you're not going to buy any books, then don't go. Running back and forth is quite tiring."

  Qizhi stood up and said, "I'll go with you."

  "No need, I'll buy a few books quickly."

  Fine, let's start collecting the money, okay? What else can He Qi say? Might as well resign himself to accompanying two old men to buy books on this scorching 40-degree day!

  Although it's very hot, there are many people in the book city, everywhere is crowded with people sitting on the floor reading books with great interest, okay, He Qi classmate once again realized his own shallowness.

  Yu Cai chose a set of "The Twenty-Four Histories", and then went to the poetry section to pick some more. Just as she was happily flipping through "Hua Jian Ji", she heard someone behind her exclaim in surprise, "Yu Cai!"

  Yu Cai lifted her head, and it was Shi Chengyu. Beside him stood a 14 or 15-year-old girl who looked obviously unhappy, with a sulky face and a huffing expression.

  "What a coincidence."

  Shi Chengyu nodded, "Jie'er, call Yu sister".

  The little girl pouted and called out "Yu Jie" again, then turned her head away. Shi Chengyu smiled apologetically, "Are you alone?"

  "No, Ah Xie has arrived, and everyone went to look elsewhere."

  Shi Chengyu suddenly let out a sound, only to find himself speechless again. Just as he was wracking his brains, Yu Cai spoke up, "By the way, I've been wanting to thank you for what happened last time. When you have time, let me treat you to a meal."

  "What's wrong?"

  Yu Cai smiled and said, "You've forgotten, both I and A Shi did very well in math on the college entrance exam. At least half of that was thanks to you, so you have to let us treat you to a meal."

  Shi Chengyu said sincerely, "Eating is just eating, but you guys doing well on the exam is because of your own hard work, I didn't help much."

  "Don't be so modest, anyway we remember your feelings, what book are you here to buy?"

  "My cousin wants to buy some materials for the college entrance exam," Shi Chengyu said with a smile, "She's upset because she thinks her family is too controlling."

  "Are you going to take the middle school entrance exam soon?"

  "Uh-huh."

  "It's time to work harder, just like you, getting into No. 6 Middle School, and who knows, maybe one day get into Peking University."

  The little girl couldn't help it, "I got into No. 6 Middle School but still can't get into Peking University!"

  "If your elder brother can get in, you naturally can also get in."

  The little girl hummed and stopped talking, Shi Chengyu smiled apologetically again.

  Yu Cai glanced at her watch, it was just eleven o'clock, "Do you have anything this afternoon?"

  Nothing

  "Why don't we just run into each other and have dinner together?"

  Shi Chengyu nodded, "There's a pretty good one around here."

  The little girl immediately spoke up, "I'm not going."

  "Jiar!"

  The little girl pouted and said, "I'm sick of your hypocritical politeness!"

  Yu Cai laughed and said, "Little sister, we're not just being polite, but truly sincere. Your older brother helped me a great deal, I really want to thank him."

  The little girl continued to pout, "Who knows if you're looking at my brother because he's handsome!"

  "Jiar!"

  Yu Cai waved her hand, "It's okay, she's just a kid, and she didn't say anything wrong. Although I invited you to dinner not because of your good looks, but if you looked better, I'd be more willing to spend money."

  Shi Chengyu was depressed, but the little girl became interested and looked up and down Yu Cai, "You're quite interesting".

  "Listen, I advise you to be polite to her. Otherwise, when you find out who she is, you'll definitely regret it and want to bang your head against the wall."

  "Really? Who is she?"

  Yu Cai stretched out her hand, "I'm Yu Cai, nice to meet you, little sister".

  The little girl held her hand, "I am Shi Chengjiao, Yu Cai, is Yu Cai a very formidable person? Why haven't I heard of it?"

  Yu Cai smiled and turned around, pulling out a few books, "Shi Chengyu, have you all made your choices?"

  "Jiar said she wants to pick a Song Dynasty poem, let me take another look."

  Yu Cai stuffed the book into his hand, "Help me hold it, I'll go call A Shi and He Qi".

  On the other side, Jiexi met an acquaintance, who turned out to be Xia Mei. After asking, Yucai found out that Xia's mother's boyfriend was a doctor at Provincial Second Hospital, and they were planning to get married after the new year. The new house was also ready, and it just so happened that Xia Yunyun had summer vacation, so she and her mother moved over together. Of course, Yucai secretly thought that Xia Yunyun must have heard that Jiexi was also in the provincial city, which was why she agreed to come over.

  Shi Xiaomei's eyes lit up as soon as she saw Jiexi, and she exclaimed, "This brother is so handsome! Even more handsome than my own brother!"

  Then thoroughly forgot that he had vowed not to have dinner with a group of hypocritical people and followed them into the restaurant.

  Ji Shi is still very grateful to Shi Cheng Yu and thanked him sincerely for his help. The few of them are about the same age, and with the addition of a lively Shi Xiao Mei, they made quite a lively group.

  After eating, Shi Xiaomei, without being reserved at all, asked to go play at the home of a handsome guy who was even more handsome than her older male cousin. She was struck down by Shi Chengyu and her small face puffed up like an apple.

  Shi Chengyu said he wanted to send his sister back home to study and bid farewell, leaving four people to go to the Qi's house together.