Chapter 69

After completing two sets of exercises, their minds were exhausted. Noticing it was just past nine, they went downstairs for a few laps to relax.

Below the residential complex was a basketball court, enclosed by a chain-link fence. Several kids were playing inside, some too young to understand the game, holding the ball in their arms and giggling loudly, while they chased after the older boys and girls.

Jiang Zhihuo genuinely wanted to move around, but his injury hadn’t healed, making any big movements painful. As a result, he couldn’t participate and could only sit on a stone bench beside the court to watch. Yan Mu sat next to him.

Streetlights, a bench, the evening breeze, and two tall boys.

A competition is scheduled in half a month. Today, the No.1 High School’s competition team distributed two practice papers. Yan Mu skipped evening self-study, and Xie Qiu, who needed to leave early for personal reasons, took the papers with him. Since Yan-ge lived nearby, Xie Qiu handed the papers to him as he was leaving.

Yan Mu told Xie Qiu he was at the basketball court. After hanging up, he went back to watching the kids play ball with Jiang Zhihuo.

When Xie Qiu arrived, he saw the two sitting shoulder to shoulder. Yan-ge was helping Jiang Zhihuo zip up his jacket, ensuring it was fully closed to keep out the wind.

Xie Qiu was taken aback. He rolled the practice paper into a tube and nudged it between them. “Yan-ge, did you skip evening self-study just to sit here and watch the kid play basketball?”

“You’re here.” Jiang Zhihuo greeted Xie Qiu and helped Yan Mu with the practice paper.

“Wait, you two are together again?!” Xie Qiu looked sternly at Jiang Zhihuo, then at Yan Mu. “Yan-ge, you’re really led astray by Huo-ge! How many classes have you missed now? You skipped last Saturday’s self-study session again, didn’t you? Huo-ge, you can’t allow yourself to have a negative influence on our Yan-ge. He’s a contestant in the national competition!”

Yan Mu: “……”

Jiang Zhihuo watched the two, feeling both amused and angry.

Say that again—who’s leading whom astray? Who was the one sitting here refusing to go back, ah?

“Xie Qiu,” Yan Mu called him.

“Here.” Xie Qiu responded.

Yan Mu took the practice paper from Jiang Zhihuo, smoothed it out, folded it neatly, then held it in his palm and said, “I heard something is happening at home? Go back now. Thank you.”

Xie Qiu: “?”

Xie Qiu usually couldn’t decipher anything from Yan Mu’s eyes, but today, his expression was unmistakably clear. It almost seemed to say: Don’t interrupt me while I’m on a date, leave quickly.

Xie Qiu left reluctantly.

If it weren’t for family matters, Xie Qiu definitely wouldn’t have left. Yan-ge always seemed like a rational person. How did falling in love turn him into a love-struck fool?

Hold on, aren’t they not even dating yet?

He had already walked out of the neighborhood, yet he was still sending messages back in.

Xie Qiu: Yan-ge, the competition is important!!

Xie Qiu: You can date after the exams are over, but the competition only happens once!

Xie Qiu: Yan-ge, don’t let me down!

Yan Mu: ……

Yan Mu silently swiped away the chat window from this person with a speechless expression.

Jiang Zhihuo saw Yan Mu type six dots and send them, causing an uncontrollable urge to laugh while standing nearby. With a low laugh brink and a sense of helplessness, he couldn’t resist. Even after returning home and sitting at his desk, he continued to find it hilarious, doubling over, clutching his waist, with his shoulders shaking intensely.

This week, they only needed to attend classes for four days. Starting Friday, there would be a three-day New Year’s break. Although it was only one more day than usual, the mood at school had become much more cheerful in recent days, and even the top students were excited about the holiday.

Jiang Zhihuo injured his waist, so he avoided going to the bar and took a week off.

Without Shin, something always felt missing at Xiang Yao. Many female customers kept asking Qu Xiao to bring him back, so Qu Xiao, acting as the boss, told Jiang Zhihuo he needed to appear and refused his leave. Jiang Zhihuo responded by sending a photo of his waist wrapped with gauze.

Jiang Zhihuo: I’m too miserable. I really can’t go.

Qu Xiao: ?

Qu Xiao: Who are you, friend? I’m looking for Shin.

He was in a different persona and forgot to switch to the one Qu Xiao was familiar with.

Jiang Zhihuo deleted that line and said: My little brother.

Jiang Zhihuo: Not going. /smile

The tiny yellow character¹[T/N: It can refer to a Minion-like character or just a joking nickname for someone acting petty or dramatic. The phrase is a common internet meme used to describe low-stakes situations that feel emotionally humiliating or ridiculously offensive.] rolled his eyes twice—though it didn’t hurt much, the insult was harsh.

Qu Xiao: You have a little brother, too?

Qu Xiao: Then you have to come in on New Year’s Day—double pay.

Jiang Zhihuo: No.

Qu Xiao: Triple.

Jiang Zhihuo: No.

Qu Xiao: Quintuple.

Jiang Zhihuo: Alright.

Yan Mu entered with sliced fruit, while Jiang Zhihuo lay on the table, holding his phone and laughing.

“What did you do this time?” Yan Mu was used to Jiang Zhihuo’s quick laughter. He could giggle at anything all day long.

Jiang Zhihuo forked a piece of Hami melon and showed the chat history to Yan Mu. After reading it, Yan Mu frowned and said, “Don’t go. I’ll talk to him.”

“No need, no need.” Jiang Zhihuo patted Yan Mu and handed him an apple. “I was planning to visit one of these days anyway. I’m going to resign. It’s better to say it in person.”

He initially went to the bar simply to get close to Fu Xiuwang. Now that it was over, there was no reason to keep going.

Yan Mu helplessly reached out and tousled Jiang Zhihuo’s hair. Jiang Zhihuo looked up and smiled at him.

Jiang Zhihuo had been enjoying himself excessively these past few days.

He insisted he was staying put, but in fact, he slipped away quickly. Since leaving the hospital, Jiang Zhihuo hadn’t returned home once. Yan Mu constantly made some awkward excuses to keep him there, refusing to let him go back or even retrieve his clothes. All his belongings, including his clothes and utilities, were with Yan Mu.

Yan-ge was a genuinely warm-hearted person. Being here meant he didn’t need to do anything at all. He could entirely relax and be a total layabout, which Jiang Zhihuo really enjoyed. When he was young, Qin-ge looked after him in the same way. After experiencing all that, it seemed like nothing had truly changed.

He was so happy that he forgot everything else. He spent the entire day staying close to Yan Mu, rushing to Class 4 immediately after class to find him. It wasn’t until Li-ge called out to him that he noticed. Only when he overheard some girls talking did he recall that the first episode of Pick U 101 had already aired last Friday and Saturday.

After morning exercises, a group of girls gathered in a circle during the long break, with a phone placed in the center.

“The pretension from Group 1 is quite obvious, isn’t it?”

“Right? It was so cringey that I curled my toes in discomfort. If I were at home, I’d be peeling the wallpaper off the walls.”

“By the way, this training camp is actually taking place in Lincheng.”

“Is this real? Where exactly?”

“Didn’t that resort area get fully booked last month? We originally wanted to reserve it for New Year’s, but it was completely full. Turns out, it was the Pick U production team that booked the whole place.”

“Wow, should we go check it out during winter break?!”

“Let’s go! It’s my first time watching a talent show, so I’m feeling a bit excited!”

“Are you guys talking about that talent show?” Jiang Zhihuo happened to pass by and leaned in to ask.

“Yeah, yeah.” A girl answered, “Huo-ge, you’re watching it too?”

Jiang Zhihuo: “Haven’t watched it yet. How’s Yun Xiaoxu’s performance?”

“You know him too, Huo-ge?! He’s so handsome! A cool puppy! And he dances so well!” The girl was captivated by Yun Xiaoxu after watching that episode and eagerly got excited when Jiang Zhihuo mentioned his name. She beckoned Jiang Zhihuo to come over and join them. “Let me find the clip for you. Huo-ge, come here!”

The girls moved over to create space for one more person. Jiang Zhihuo squeezed in, while the girl who had been speaking tapped on Yun Xiaoxu’s part in the debut performance cuts.

Yun Xiaoxu had assembled a group with trainees from several other companies and was performing a dance to a lively English song.

During the group performance, Yun Xiaoxu stood out in particular. The camera consistently focused on him, making him easily recognizable even from afar.

After his performance, the mentor signaled him to do another round.

Yun Xiaoxu’s extra round dance was even more electrifying. He maintained a perfect rhythm and moved with effortless control, which made one’s scalp tingle. For the finale, he executed a flawless airborne flip and landed steadily, supporting himself with one hand and raising his head. It was incredibly cool.

The girls became excited each time they watched.

The mentor inquired, “How long have you been practicing?”

Yun Xiaoxu stabilized his breath and replied, “It’s been over a year.”

The camera shifted to the audience, revealing their exaggerated expressions.

Over a year?!

He’s only been dancing for a year, and he’s already performing at this level?!

The mentor asked again, “Why did you want to become a trainee?”

Yun Xiaoxu grasped the microphone, still breathing heavily from the intense dance. “Initially, I didn’t intend to do this. Before signing with the company, I tried many different things. I nearly ended up doing manual labor. I also joined a professional gaming training camp, the KOG club, but I eventually quit.”

The mentor thought the topic was intriguing and inquired once more, “Why did you quit?”

“It was terrifying!”

Yun Xiaoxu’s brows furrowed deeply, and his expression appeared entirely sincere.

“Sleeping starting at four every night, waking up at four in the morning, and sitting in front of the computer all day, even updating rankings. If your score drops, you get moved closer to the water dispenser, and the farther you go, the worse it becomes. No matter how much you love gaming, you can’t handle it—it’s killing yourself! If a kid becomes addicted to the internet, sending them there for a month, I guarantee, they will study harder when they come out. E-sports does make people quit for real! I’m not joking! It is real! Honestly, that schedule isn’t healthy. Stay in it for a month, and your dark circles might hang down to your mouth. Dancing, on the other hand, is definitely the more wholesome choice.”

Yun Xiaoxu spoke very quickly, rambling nonstop without pause, making editing difficult. He was quite different from the cool, handsome little puppy he appeared to be while dancing—overly energetic, full of punchlines, and clearly made for variety shows. The entire crowd was laughing.

Although Yun Xiaoxu’s skills didn’t fully compare to those of the later debut contestants after two episodes, he still managed to become a trending topic with a moderate ranking on the show’s first airing day.

That evening, upon returning, Jiang Zhihuo looked up Yun Xiaoxu’s Weibo, seeking any clues from his past. Sadly, the account was managed by the company, and aside from posts promoting Pick U 101, there was no additional content.

Jiang Zhihuo closed Weibo lazily and opened the platform app.

The voting channel was already open. With twelve debut spots available, Yun Xiaoxu was currently in twentieth place. Jiang Zhihuo used all his available votes for Yun Xiaoxu and even borrowed Yan Mu’s account to cast an extra vote.

Each day went by, and as the short break drew near, Yan Mu’s schedule still showed no time to relax.

His next competition was in mid-January, followed by the national competition a month later. The schedule was tight, with each event taking place in a different city.

With limited time remaining, Young Master Yan focused entirely on competition training, even studying on New Year’s Eve.

Jiang Zhihuo wasn’t participating in the competition, so the pressure on him was lower, but he still studied with Yan Mu every day. He also had to prepare for the college entrance exam, so they shared a single table equally.

Even a top student would occasionally get distracted.

He always remembered that not long ago, he was almost overwhelmed at this very table by Jiang Zhihuo’s foolishness. Now, somehow, they can sit together peacefully, working on practice problems.

The world changed much too rapidly.

Unknowingly, Yan Mu slightly curved the corners of his lips.

Jiang Zhihuo wasn’t only doing his part, either.

When he grew tired of solving problems, he would look at Yan Mu’s competition papers to clear his mind.

Occasionally, he and Yan Mu disagreed and discussed their approaches. Each wrote a series of equations, but neither could persuade the other.

This was the beauty of mathematics. No matter how the process unfolded, there was only one correct answer. Right or wrong, it was always clear, and the challenge of solving it was what made it truly engaging.

Anyone who saw this scene would have their jaw drop in shock.

Who’d believe that someone with a 330 score could be talking about ‘increasing powers,’ ‘identity transformation with plus one minus one,’ and ‘convergence and divergence of improper integrals’—and even try to convince the God of Learning Yan?

Not only were practice papers spread out on the desk, but there was also a tablet propped up, playing the Hunan TV New Year’s Eve concert. The volume was turned down very low. There was no way the God of Learning would get distracted by just that.

Jiang Zhihuo and Yan Mu continued their discussion on how to resolve a particular problem.

This problem gives a set of 2019 points and defines a set of line segments E. You’re asked to find the constant n that satisfies a series of conditions involving two-element subsets given in the problem.

The pair had differing opinions on the issue. They spent some time scribbling and sketching on a draft paper, working through the problem step by step and gradually moving toward a solution. When they arrived at a certain stage, Jiang Zhihuo suddenly paused, put down his pen, and exclaimed, “Wait!!”

He crouched down and retrieved a box of small fireworks from his bag.

Yan Mu, deeply immersed in the problem, finally realized that the New Year’s Eve concert was already counting down.

The camera rotated in mid-air, showing a venue filled with four to five thousand attendees. Numerous voices mingled as they counted down along with the big screen, which displayed the numbers with a fiery visual effect—

10！

9！

8！

7！

Jiang Zhihuo took out his lighter.

3！

2！

1！

A burst of light illuminated their vision, and a tiny firework fizzled as it bloomed in their hands.

When the clock hit midnight, the new year started.

“Happy New Year, Yan-ge!” Jiang Zhihuo handed the small firework and its box to Yan Mu. “Since we can’t set off real fireworks, here’s something with a bit of ceremony. This was your Christmas gift. I was going to find some excuse to argue with you before giving it to you, but since there’s no reason to argue now, I’ll give it to you directly.”

“I won’t say anything further; I only hope Yan-ge has a joyful New Year.”

Midnight served as a dividing line.

Last year and this year, yesterday and today—each new day represents a fresh start and happiness.

New Year’s Eve was like any other night—solving practice problems, studying, and heading to bed when tired.

In the latter half of the night, Jiang Zhihuo awoke once. He didn’t disturb Yan Mu and, still half-asleep, instinctively reached for his phone.

The screen brightness was set to minimum. Jiang Zhihuo squinted at the screen, scanning everything. Social media was bustling on New Year’s Eve, flooded with New Year greetings, but the pinned chat with Yan Mu showed no new messages.

The person was right next to him, so there was no need to message; they had already conveyed it before sleeping.

However, Jiang Zhihuo noticed a text message.

—Since no one typically uses text messages at this time, this notification stood out the most amid the incoming alerts.

The one who sent the text was no one else.

It was Yan Mu.

At some point, a box wrapped in red, white, and green with a Christmas theme was placed beside the pillow. It was another Christmas gift that hadn’t arrived in time to be given.

Happy New Year, Xiao Zhou.

Thank you for every bit of your warmth and passion.

*

January 1st, Friday, 9:20 a.m.

He Miaomiao was standing outside the detention center’s iron gate.

She waited for a moment before the small door at the far end opened, revealing a blond man walking out.

He was wearing a light shirt, with the hem tucked into his waistband.

His hair was casually tied up, but not tightly. Two loose strands hung down, blown away by the wind and messily sticking to the sides of his face.

He Miaomiao handed him a coat.

When he took it, her hand brushed against his, and it was cold.

Then He Miaomiao took out a lighter, flicked the switch, and the flame danced in the wind. She smiled and said, “Happy New Year, Qin Nian.”

The author has something to say:

The blond man appeared in Chapter 2 and Chapter 26.

That’s the very intelligent fraudster.

Thank you so much for reading this far!

I love you all so much!

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  [T/N: It can refer to a Minion-like character or just a joking nickname for someone acting petty or dramatic. The phrase is a common internet meme used to describe low-stakes situations that feel emotionally humiliating or ridiculously offensive.]