CHAPTER 742: CHAPTER 575: STUDENTS SKIP SELF-STUDY, STROLLING THROUGH THE PARK WITH A WOMAN

"Hello, hello, big star."

"Hmph, copycat!"

Jiang Nian was driving and couldn’t afford to be distracted.

So, the responsibility of the video call fell to Huang Fang in the passenger seat, who was a bit reluctant.

Huang Fang wasn’t too willing, but Jiang Nian pulled her onto the thief’s ship.

"Zhizhi, good morning."

"Good morning, Fangfang." Zhang Ningzhi giggled, her voice sweet and soft, "Not home yet?"

"Almost there." Jiang Nian replied.

Huang Fang chatted for a while before ending the video, sighing as she spoke.

"I feel guilty."

Jiang Nian glanced at her, "Fangfang, let me ask you, have I done anything shameful?"

Upon hearing this, Huang Fang couldn’t help but fall into deep thought.

"You’re lying."

"A benevolent lie, the best in the world," Jiang Nian rambled on, "Anyway, you don’t understand friendship."

Huang Fang: "... I’m almost unable to look at those two words seriously anymore."

"Then just lie there and watch, you’re so inflexible." Jiang Nian lightly accelerated, driving into Upper River Village.

This was a small village far from the town, built alongside a river, with "Upper" referring to its location.

On the way, they passed Lower River Village and Middle River Village, saw frost-covered rice fields and some withered trees clustered together.

Huang Fang’s home was halfway up the hill, a one-story building with whitewashed walls, a typical new rural renovation house.

"Can’t go up, right?" she asked worriedly.

"Can’t I go up?" Jiang Nian downshifted in advance, accurately pressed the accelerator, shouted, "Showing off!"

The old Santana engine hummed, swiftly going uphill and stopping steadily in the open area.

"Fangfang, how do you rate it?"

"I feel like vomiting." Huang Fang looked pale, damned push effect, "Come on in for a glass of water."

With a bang, Jiang Nian got out of the car, scratching his head.

"You vomit and then make me drink..."

Out of the house walked a hunched man, with dark skin, graying hair, and a limp in his step.

"Nannan, you’re back!"

This was Huang Fang’s father, who looked more like a grandfather, as he and his wife were nearly fifty when they picked up Huang Fang.

"Dad." Huang Fang called him straightforwardly.

"And this is...?" Father Huang looked at Jiang Nian, puzzled and secretly thinking they might be dating.

"He’s our....."

"Deputy class monitor." Jiang Nian introduced himself, "I’m also in the same group as Huang Fang, sitting front and back."

Upon learning that he was his daughter’s classmate, Father Huang became extremely courteous, preparing tea and offering sunflower seeds and jujubes.

Jiang Nian, like magic, pulled fruit and milk out of the car.

"Lead the way."

"When did you buy these?" Huang Fang was surprised, quickly holding him back, "Don’t give them, it’s too much....."

"Yu Zhiyi bought them in town." Jiang Nian forcefully entered the room, where a faint herbal medicine smell could be detected.

"Where’s Auntie?"

"Nannan’s mom is unwell and hasn’t been able to work in the fields recently." Father Huang forced a smile, laughing twice.

There was nothing funny, but one can’t mourn every day.

"Oh, it’s okay." Jiang Nian, without hesitation, went into the room to greet Mother Huang and then came out for tea.

Father Huang was stunned for a moment, becoming even more enthusiastic.

"Did you come alone?"

"No, there’s a group of classmates." Jiang Nian said while cracking sunflower seeds, "They’re staying in An Town and didn’t come over."

"Have you eaten?" Father Huang asked.

Jiang Nian shook his head.

"Nannan, cook for your classmate," Father Huang said, "Pick some vegetables from the garden, and cook that fish in the water tank too."

"Oh, okay." After putting her luggage back in the room, Huang Fang changed into old clothes and started washing rice to cook.

Jiang Nian didn’t decline, smiling and continuing to chat boastfully with Father Huang.

"Just in time to taste Fangfang’s cooking."

"Tch." Huang Fang rolled her eyes, passing through the living room and asking, "What about the group leader and Ma Guojun?"

"They’re freeloading at Yu Zhiyi’s place, what else." Jiang Nian waved his hand, "Anyway, they have thick skin."

...

An Town.

Yu Zhiyi leaned half body out of a street-facing window, shouting downstairs loudly.

"Don’t wander too far downstairs, lunch will be ready soon."

"Okay." Li Hua looked up and smiled.

"Damn, your mom." Ma Guojun panicked, "Lunch will be so awkward, where’s Jiang Nian?"

"In Chi Shi." Li Hua squatted downstairs, watching a kid ride a bicycle down the street, feeling equally frustrated.

"He’s eating at Huang Fang’s place and won’t be back until after lunch."

"Shit, what do we do for lunch?" The chunky boy said, "You deal with the adults, and I’ll eat silently."

"Alright." Li Hua stood up, "I’ll just say you’re mute, had a high fever as a child, and babble babble."

"Get lost!"

After lunch, Jiang Nian finally arrived, spreading his arms and saying.

"Guys, I miss you!"

"In Chi Shi!" Li Hua was convinced that it was the most awkward meal he’d ever had, too nervous to eat his fill.

"Did you really eat at Huang Fang’s?" Ma Guojun asked.

"Yeah, why would I lie?" Jiang Nian chuckled, "I’m good-looking, almost got kept as a son-in-law."

"You’re really shameless." Li Hua couldn’t hold back.

"Hey, who’s becoming a son-in-law?" Yu Zhiyi came downstairs wearing a purple down jacket with two purple ears on the hood.

Jiang Nian gave her a look, nodding, "I heard those who wear purple have a repressed spirit."

Yu Zhiyi widened her eyes, looking at him incredulously.

"What did you say about me?"

"Nothing, it’s getting late." Jiang Nian turned around and said, "I’m heading back, these two are all yours."

Li Hua: "In Chi Shi!"

Ma Guojun: "I’m leaving too."

Soon, only Yu Zhiyi was left standing there. Watching Jiang Nian’s departing figure, she angrily chased after him.

"Stop right there, what did you say about me!"

Yu Zhiyi chased, panting, grabbing his collar. Feeling somewhat dissatisfied, why didn’t this person stop at all?

"Praising your inner and outer beauty, let go." Jiang Nian fastened his seatbelt, glanced at her, "Are you going back to Zhennan County?"

"Tch." Yu Zhiyi then let go.

"Bye-bye."

The car sped away, and only then did she realize. The overnight gaming felt like yesterday, and the separation, too, was so sudden.

The next meeting could only be at the start of school.

...

Jiang Nian drove towards Zhenan County Town. He wasn’t so sentimental, rambling with no purpose.

In his view, the winter break was pitiably short.

An eighteen-day holiday wouldn’t mean playing for eighteen days. At best, he’d play till the third or fifth day of the new year, and then he’d have to study.

Qianbao had hinted at a piece of information during a chat.

After the New Year, the school would organize teacher training sessions. Meanwhile, some empty classrooms would be opened as study rooms.

The purpose was to provide nearby students with a self-disciplined study environment.

Jiang Nian fit this perfectly and planned to go.

"Where are you guys going tomorrow?" Li Hua asked from the passenger seat, turning to look at Jiang Nian and the big guy in the backseat.

"Internet cafe, let’s go?"

"No, tired of it." Ma Guojun shook his head.

"I’ve got a date." Jiang Nian said openly while driving, "You kids go play by yourselves."

Upon hearing this, Li Hua and Ma Guojun both lost their composure.

"Damn!"

"Jiang Nian, you shameless bastard!"

"Haha." Jiang Nian laughed for a while, then mentioned his plan to self-study after the New Year, "Are you guys going?"

"Are you nuts?" Li Hua stared at him.

"For god’s sake, the entire semester hardly had any breaks. Finally, New Year’s here and you’re heading to self-study."

Jiang Nian while driving said, "If students don’t self-study, should they be strolling in the park with women?"

"True, nothing much to do for a while." Ma Guojun also wavered; the big guy was a fence-sitter.

Li Hua felt these two were simply incomprehensible, "You can play games, or just lie in bed and chill."

Jiang Nian smiled and said nothing, after a moment he suddenly spoke.

"Li Hua, check out the birds."

"In Chi Shi!"

Good news, the provincial road is lively.

Bad news, it’s all bromance.

After returning to Zhen Nan, Jiang Nian dropped them off at their homes. Then he slowly wandered back, parking under his apartment building.

Before getting out of the car, he took out Qianbao’s limited edition teddy bear, texting his sponsor as he went upstairs.

"Got the item, should I bring it over?"