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nXing Xing came just in time, I chatted with him for a bit then asked if he could distract his aunt.

n“My aunt? Oh, I just remembered! I thinks she’s a headteacher at your school! My damn brain, I forgot to remind you!”

nXing Xing made an apologetic expression.

n“Uh, it’s fine don’t worry about it. Think of a way to distract her so I can leave.”

n“What, does your school even care about where students eat?”

nXing Xing made a expression of righteous indignation, since he felt it was a violation of human rights.

n“They don’t really care if you’re out eating by yourself, but it’s a different story for two people.”

nThe headteacher evidently did not know that I was acquainted with Xing Xing. When she saw that I was speaking to her nephew, she displayed expressions of alarm and surprise.

nXing Xing also realized that there were two sets of tableware on the table, and there was even a small folding umbrella placed on Shu Sha’s side.

n“Eh? Brother Ye, you came out to eat with a girl? Where is she?”

nI wanted to point under the table, but felt that it was not appropriate.

n“Don’t worry about it. Since the headteacher is monitoring us so closely, we can’t leave, so it’s your time to shine!”

nXing Xing made a difficult expression.

n“Brother Ye, my aunt has a pretty bad temper. Usually, even my dad would try to avoid her. Now you’re telling me to distract her, that’s a bit…”

n“What’s so difficult about it? Just tell her you saw a student from 28 Middle smoking in the bathroom!”

nXing Xing clasped his palms and said: “Good idea! Brother Ye, you’re really brave and smart! As your younger brother, the admiration I have for you is like the water of the Yellow River, unceasing…”

nI don’t know why he was kissing my ass at a time like this, it was just a waste of time. I was planning on getting up and making a beating action, telling him to hurry up.

nTo my surprise, when I moved my foot, I don’t know if it was because I stepped on her hair, the class leader let out a shout.

nI stood up halfway and immediately sat back down.

nXing Xing had a puzzled expression: “Brother Ye, your companion crawled under the table? Is it…”

nI panicked, afraid that he would say something shady, so I fiercely stared at him and scolded:

n“There’s nothing to ask! You can’t even handle this small task! Do you still want to cut people down with me!”

nWhen he heard that I would bring him along to cut people down, his eyes lit up. He quickly nodded and ran back to the headteacher.

nI don’t know what Xing Xing said to headteacher. Anyway, after listening to his words, the headteacher followed him in the direction of the men’s washroom. When he left, he glanced towards our direction.

nAs soon as the alarm was lifted, I lifted the tablecloth, grabbed the class leader’s hand, and pulled her out.

nThe class leader was like a diver who held their breath underwater for too long. Her face was deathly pale, and she gasped for air. It seemed like she had a lot to say, but couldn’t talk.

nI didn’t intend on listening to her complaints and started pulling her towards the exit.

n“Umbrella! Umbrella!”

nThe class leader pointed to the umbrella on the table. I walked back and grabbed it and continued to pull the class leader towards the exit.

n“Slow…, slower, my legs are numb! Every step hurts!”

nI rarely hear the class leader plead. I really wanted to slow down, but if the headteacher came back, it would have been a waste of effort.

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nSo I scared the class leader:

n“I don’t care! If you don’t go faster, I’ll carry you!”

nThe class leader seemed to be very scared of this proposal. She frowned, her face had an obstinate expression, and her pace immediately increased.

nShe would twitch her brows with every step, it seems to be really painful.

nIt was hard to get out of the revolving door of the cafe. There was still some light rain outside, but compared to earlier, it’s like a clear sky.

nI saw that the class leader’s foot had pretty much recovered, so I released her hand and walked into the rain.

nShe stared blankly, but my hair and shoulders were already wet, even if she gave the umbrella to me now, it would be of no use.

n“I’m going, this kind of light rain is fine for me, class leader, you can go home yourself!”

nI turned around and waved my left hand as farewell.

n“Ye Lin!”

nThe class leader shouted at me, but hesitated for a while and seemed like she did not know what to say.

n“You… are you really going to hack people?”

nI almost couldn’t help but laugh, she actually took the joke I told Xing Xing seriously.

nBut it doesn’t make much sense to explain it here. Anyway, I’m a violent person beyond redemption and I don’t intend to change the class leader’s impression of me.

nSo I replied with my usual hoodlum tone:

n“Yeah, for people in this line of work, if we don’t hack people for three days, our skills would go to waste, so I have to work hard and learn hard! Tomorrow, I’m going to take my younger brother to to collect protection fees! If I don’t collect any fees, how would I treat people to meals?”

nThe class leader’s voice trembled:

n“It turns out that you used money that you stole to pay for the meal…”

nHer tone was full of complaints as if I had poisoned her food.

nI didn’t bother to talk to her again, I didn’t answer her, and walked away in the rain.

nAfter walking for around ten steps, I heard the class leader’s screaming with resentment:

n“You bastard! I don’t care about you anymore! You should just die under someone else’s machete!”

nYou won’t care about me anymore? Thank the heavens, hopefully you would do as you said.

nI hummed a tune and walked back home in the light rain.

nOn Sunday, I was supposed to go and watch Ai Mi’s acting, but Peng TouSi called to inform me in the morning that the shooting was cancelled because the rain destroyed the set.

nBecause she felt that the heavens were against her, Ai Mi had a tantrum and threw her teddy bears across the room. When Peng TouSi called me, she was already sprawled on top of her bed, fast asleep.

nI felt a bit regretful that I couldn’t watch them film, but there would be tons of opportunities in the future.

nFor students, weekends always feel short, and in the blink of an eye it was already Monday.

nBecause there was a flag raising ceremony, I wore my school uniform. Xiao Qin should also learn and wear her school uniform.

nAlthough she wore her uniform, she arrived even later than me.

nHer face was gray like ash, holding her abdomen as if she was shot, she greeted me dispiritedly:

n“Y-Ye Lin classmate, I was able to see you before I died, I have no more regrets…”

nAfter she said that, she plopped onto her desk and did not get up for the first two classes.

nI was wary of traps, so I didn’t talk to her.

nShe started reviving in the third class.

n“Ye Lin classmate, did you know it rained on Saturday?”

n“…”

n“There was a lot of thunder!”

n“…”

n“I was worried about you, I called your home, but no one answered. Why did you go out in the rain?”

nWhen Xiao Qin called, I was out eating with the class leader, but I can’t tell her, or there’s no telling what she would do.

n“Ye Lin classmate, you don’t want to go out during rainstorms, you would get killed by lightning!!”

nXiao Qin warned me very seriously.

n“What are you talking about! Why would I be killed! I haven’t done anything wrong!” (TN: A belief that you would be struck by lightning if you did something wrong, or have a guilty conscience)

nI only ate a meal with the class leader, and you are not even my girlfriend. Why do I feel like I’ve wronged you? Besides, that meal did not improve the relationship between me and the class leader! She’s still cold towards me!

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nXiao Qin said while drawing circles on her desk with her finger:

n“Lightning is really scary. A friend of my grandfather was killed by lightning!”

n“Eh? What happened?”

nI was a bit curious, Auntie Ren was born in a martial arts family. Since Xiao Qin’s grandfather is the father of Auntie, was he also a martial arts master?

n“Well… I heard my mother say that my grandfather’s friend was also a martial artist. He once made a bet with my grandfather that he’s faster than lightning. He walked outside holding a steel rod during a thunderstorm, the result was that he was killed by lightning…”

nDamn it to hell! What kind of martial artist is this! It’s terrible being uneducated! Why did your grandfather not stop this friend of his? Doesn’t he know that a person can’t be faster than lightning?

n“Xiao Qin, what kind of bet did he make with your grandfather? Why was he so desperate?”

n“Well, it seems that if he escaped the lightning, then he would marry my grandfather’s daughter, so my mother…”

nIt turns out that this martial artist wanted to be your grandfather’s son-in-law! I can’t believe he asked his good friend for his daughter’s hand in marriage! Is he a lolicon? There were already lolicons in Xiao Qin’s grandfather’s generation!

nFortunately, he was killed by lightning. I don’t know how moronic Xiao Qin would have been if she was the daughter of that geezer!

nAs we talked, Xiao Qin’s expression became more and more odd. Sometimes it was of fear, and other times it was of pain. As if an invisible person had stabbed her with a knife.

nShe trembled and the table shook along with her, and she started groaning as if she was going to die.

nI could only watch from the sidelines as I did not know if she was really uncomfortable or just pretending.

nFinally, she took a deep breath, wiped the fine sweat on her forehead, and laid down on the table, facing me.

nI couldn’t read the expression on Xiao Qin’s face. There was happiness, there was modesty, like she was secretly celebrating, but also like an imminent disaster.

nShe blushed and said to me:

n“Ye Lin classmate… from now on, I’m a real woman…”

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