CHAPTER 952: CHAPTER 552: REVEALING ONESELF

After Jiang Ning simply ’rested’, he bid farewell to everyone and walked out from the crowd, heading straight to the outside of the gym room.

Tongtong was just inside the room, perhaps not wanting to be noticed, she waited outside.

Xue Yuantong was looking down at her toes, her shoelaces tied into a bow; sensing darkness in front of her, she looked up:

"Chuchu is here."

Jiang Ning counted the time: "Pretty early."

"They had self-study for the last class, she came out early." Chuchu specifically took leave, fearing the crowd after class might delay their small dinner plans.

"Hmm, let’s go."

Jiang Ning, carrying the Tongtong-branded access card, stepped onto the main path of the empty campus.

The midday sun was great, and the buildings on campus particularly dazzling, with the light reflecting off the glass windows.

They walked all the way to the school gate, where a young security guard, wise in the way of the world, guarded the slightly ajar gate.

"Open the gate." Jiang Ning placed Xue Yuantong in a noticeable position.

Xue Yuantong cooperated, holding her head high to show her identity.

Every day during the evening self-study period, Xue Yuantong would leave early, and the guard had long remembered her face, promptly opening the gate.

After the two walked out, the young guard felt envy, mixed with a hint of yearning — who hadn’t fantasized about having the privilege to leave school early when they were students?

In his youth, the guard too had dreams of being bold and pointing out the world, imagining waltzing out of the school in front of fierce guards, reigning over the school.

Unfortunately, time plays tricks on us — ten years later, the ambitious young man had become the person he once disliked the most... he had become a guard.

Jiang Ning activated his Divine Sense, spreading it like ripples to find Chuchu.

Getting closer, Xue Chuchu softly called, "Tongtong!"

She was looking at Tongtong, and Tongtong was looking at the roadside tofu fritters stall.

Jiang Ning took the beam, stepping forward to greet, "Chuchu."

Xue Chuchu’s gaze shifted as she saw Jiang Ning with a gentle smile; he was always the same at school and at home, always composed, perfectly fitting into any situation, even in a bustling market.

For some reason, Xue Chuchu thought of ’ordinary people,’ and found it absurd because he was originally just that.

Xue Chuchu wore a beige dress, simple and elegant.

Pushing a bulky black electric bike, as she walked, the hem of her dress swayed gently like ripples on a lake.

A roadside vendor selling skewers, chatting idly with an old lady selling sweet fermented rice wine, exclaimed upon seeing Xue Chuchu, "What a beautiful girl!"

Jiang Ning: "Let me do it."

Before Chuchu could politely decline, he took over the handlebars of the electric bike.

He was leisurely riding ahead, with Chuchu and Tongtong talking behind.

...

At this time, school hadn’t ended yet, the campus was still empty; after Jiang Ning parked the bike, the bell for the end of class finally rang.

The students from PE class were heading towards the cafeteria en masse.

Wu Yunzhi from the first-year high school, had just found Lan Zichen again, talking cheerfully, perhaps about something interesting, as Lan Zichen was amused into a beautiful smile.

Dan Kaiquan looked displeased, though he had won in weightlifting, he suffered a crushing defeat in matters of the heart.

During their conversation, Wu Yunzhi noticed Dan Kaiquan from afar, sending a provocative glance.

He felt a bit hit earlier, but Wu Yunzhi understood that he remained consistently outstanding.

Guo Kunnan noticed and made a gesture of a dog biting someone.

He consolingly told Kaiquan, "Let him show off for now."

Jiang Yanan and Shen Qing’e were happily discussing funny incidents from PE class.

Deng Xiang and Ge Hao were slinging arms around their buddies, laughing heartily.

Like this, many students gathered in groups of three or five.

As they walked between two teaching buildings, at this moment, their eyes naturally drifted towards the three figures in the empty square.

"Your family’s restaurant really tests connections..." Wu Yunzhi’s words trailed off as he instinctively stopped, his mouth ajar, looking at the graceful figure in a simple long dress.

He only saw the girl’s profile; perhaps due to the sunlight, or perhaps due to the stunning sight, Wu Yunzhi even found it dazzling.

"What’s wrong?" As he spoke, Lan Zichen also noticed the captivating figure.

At first glance, Lan Zichen was amazed; the girl’s profile was too beautiful, her contours and lines almost perfect.

Wu Yunzhi withdrew his gaze and looked back at Lan Zichen, suddenly finding it less appealing...

Jiang Yanan was initially saying, "It’s hard to imagine, Jiang Ning doesn’t look strong, yet he can lift 140kg, more than twice my weight. I wanted to ask him how he trains, but before class was even over, he left."

"But he leaves early for evening study too, having such a privilege is truly enviable!"

She was speaking when she suddenly noticed Shen Qing’e had stopped in her tracks.

Jiang Yanan followed her gaze and saw Jiang Ning, along with that dazzling girl beside him.

Jiang Yanan had seen that girl one evening at a small temple fair, who would have thought she came to Fourth Middle School, what was her relationship with Jiang Ning?

At this thought, Jiang Yanan couldn’t help but turn to look at Shen Qing’e, who was staring unblinkingly at the pair.

Jiang Yanan sighed softly; she had occasionally heard in conversations that Shen Qing’e and Jiang Ning actually came from the same junior high and got into Fourth Middle School together.

Back then, she thought they were a good match; after all, among the girls Jiang Ning hung out with, only Geng Lu had any competitive edge, then Chen Siyu joined, but Jiang Yanan didn’t think Qing’e was any less.

However, the girl in front of them now...

Thinking of this, Jiang Yanan felt heartache for her good friend, the gap in looks was too great.

Shen Qing’e remained motionless, her eyes unblinking; she seemed emotionless, yet the Ice Dew brand pure water bottle in her hand was being squeezed so tightly it made a noise.