Chapter 80 - Locked
“Come, come, come, MingEn, over here!” Bai YanZhu crouched and brought his camera to his face, making the standard amateur photographer pose. He then started to snap photos of the pa.s.sing students from different angles.
His movements were exaggerated, and his voice was loud, attracting the gazes of the people around him. Even the policeman on guard duty couldn’t help but glance at the man, his mouth quirking up to a smile.
Every year, the atmosphere outside the college entrance examination hall would either be tense, emotional, or torturous. It was rare to find someone so joyous like Bai YanZhu, who was taking photos with a ma.s.sive grin on his face.
Bai YanZhu was utterly immersed in his own little world, unaware of all the complicated eyes looking at him.
All the students and parents of other schools were puzzled by his behavior. It was only the examinees of No.12 High School that understood his excitement.
Bai YanZhu had been a teacher for many years, and he spent most of his tenure teaching the lower cla.s.ses. So many students had already pa.s.sed through his cla.s.sroom. However, this was the first time in a long while that Bai YanZhu experienced such a tense, but fulfilling atmosphere.
In the past year, the lowest senior cla.s.s in No.12 High School had made remarkable achievements.
Bai YanZhu’s Cla.s.s 8 and their neighboring Cla.s.s 7 were initially notorious in school for being the ‘abandoned’ cla.s.ses. However, after they entered their senior year, the two cla.s.ses began a relationship with the top cla.s.s and, under the guidance of a few top students, began their counter-attack.
In the last city-wide examinations, the average score of Cla.s.s 7 and Cla.s.s 8 students was 100 points higher than the previous city-wide exam. However, no one was surprised by this so-called miracle.
Because everyone could see that the underachievers of No.12 High School had come a long way. Their monthly average scores raised from 20 to 30, then to 50…At first, other schools in Rong City doubted their grades. Now, everyone was used to it.
One can only imagine just how excited Bai YanZhu, the cla.s.s teacher of Cla.s.s 8, was. He prepared all his props days before the exam and was the first one to appear outside the examination hall just so he could record this precious moment.
At Bai YanZhu’s call, Dong MingEn turned around, made a V-sign, and smiled. “Yeah~”
Bai YanZhi pressed the camera shutter and recorded Dong MingEn’s heroic posture. Content, he put down his camera and asked: “Come on, tell the teacher what you ate this morning!”
Dong MingEn proudly replied: “A fried dough stick and two eggs!”
Bai YanZhu gave him a thumbs up. “Very good! You’ll definitely get full marks in the college entrance exams!”
Jiang TingJun, who just arrived, heard their idiotic conversation and was speechless. He couldn’t help but interject: “I say, are you two ok? A full score means 150 points. You only ate 100 points; that’s pretty ominous for you!”
Bai YanZhu: f.u.c.k!!! I was careless!
Dong MingEn screamed: “Ah, ah, ah- what do I do?! Will I fail the college entrance exams?”
His yell attracted the attention of the people around him. Jiang TingJun saw the policeman on duty glance in their direction and hastened to pat Dong MingEn’s shoulders. “Calm down, calm down. Believe in yourself, ah. It’s your efforts in the past year that will affect your results, not your breakfast.”
Dong MingEn took deep breaths. With cold sweat dripping down his back, Bai YanZhu patted his chest and said: “Ah, almost scared me to death.”
Jiang TingJun had black lines all over his face. “Teacher Bai, as a pragmatic soul, why are you so superst.i.tious?”
Bai YanZhu gave him a wry smile: “What…I teach Chinese, ah. I’m more of an emotional thinker, rather than dialectical.”
Jiang TingJun commended him. “…Even if you’re not dialectical, you’re still quite cunning.”
Bai YanZhu felt momentarily guilty, then decided to change the subject. “Come, let me take a picture of you.”
“No need. It’s just the college entrance exams, ah. Do you need to make such a big deal out of it?” Jiang TingJun truly deserves to be a student in the top cla.s.s for being so calm in the face of the looming college entrance exams. If he only straightened his posture and put away his hand that was doing the V-sign…he would probably look a lot cooler then.
While he was talking, Lou XingGuang flew towards them from the bus stop, an exercise book in his hands. He said: “Jiang TingJun, so nice to see you! Please tell me if I solved this problem correctlyk2026;”
Jiang TingJun sweated a little, then accepted the proffered notebook. He carefully read through the page, then lifted his head to give Lou XingGuang a rea.s.suring look. “You did it right.”
Lou XingGuang gasped, still in a state of shock. “Ah, thank G.o.d! I feel like I added a few more points to my score.”
Bai YanZhu’s camera ramped up again. Quick shutter sounds colored the air as he pa.s.sionately exclaimed: “XingGuang, not giving up on a hard question even when he’s already in front of the examination hall…I’ve recorded this heroic scene!”
Lou XingGuang was surprised by Bai YanZhu’s actions. “Teacher Bai, ah, why didn’t you tell me you were taking pictures? I would’ve shown you my handsome pose.”
Bai YanZhu gave him a thumbs-up: “You’re already very handsome.”
Lou XingGuang didn’t believe him one bit. “Bah, no need to lie. You think I don’t know my best angle? I look best when photographed in the side at a 45-degree angle! Come one, take another photo.”
Lou XingGuang turned his head with great precision. As he did so, he told Bai YanZhu: “You’ve got to take it at a 45-degree angle, alright? One degree below or above that won’t work.”
Jiang TingJun was stunned and muttered to himself: “Is he used to randomly getting photographed on the street?”
But Bai YanZhu went along with Lou XingGuang’s whims and asked: “MingEn, lend me your protractor. I need to measure…”
Jiang TingJun: “….” He suddenly regretted the casual V-sign he did before. Look at Lou XingGuang’s pose! He totally lost.
While Jiang TingJun was distraught, Lin Qian, Zheng PingQing, and Xu Yao, the three auspicious treasures of No.12, finally arrived.
Dong MingEn immediately ran to Xu Yao and said: “Ah Yao, what should I do? I only had a single dough stick and two eggs for breakfast today. Does this mean I’m only getting 100 points?”
The flexible Xu Yao dodged the incoming Dong MingEn and happily replied: “Fortunately, I was smart enough to eat one straight dough stick, another dough stick in the shape of a five, and several eggs. 150 points is my minimum score!”
Lin Qian: “…..”
Zheng PingQing, who was hanging onto Lin Qian’s shoulders, sighed. “….brother-in-law’s temperament often makes me feel like he’s a member of our Cla.s.s 8.”
“d.a.m.n it!” Dong MingEn was in a panic. “Why didn’t you tell me ahead of time that you were doing such a sure-fire method!”
Xu Yao refused to take the blame. “How could I have known that you would do something so silly and eat 100…”
Dong MingEn felt extremely wronged. “When I was in primary school, my mom gave me the same kind of food…”
“Did you score 100 points in your primary school exam?” Xu Yao asked.
Dong MingEn was ashamed as he replied: “….no.”
Xu Yao patted him on the shoulder. “There you go. That means this kind of prayer doesn’t work on you. Don’t mind, don’t mind.”
Dong MingEn thought about it and felt that what Xu Yao said was reasonable. Dong MingEn was about to say something, but Xu Yao proudly continued: “But I’m not the same. I ate 100 shaped foods in primary school, and I got 100 points. Since I ate food shaped like 150 this time, I think I’ll at least get into C University.”
Dong MingEn felt very distressed. “Ah Yao, are you comforting me or not?”
In the end, Dong MingEn ran around like a headless chicken.
Xu Yao: “…?” Why is he so fl.u.s.tered, ah?
Xu Yao realized that Dong MingEn was actually nervous. Dong MingEn can’t sit the exam in this condition, ah.
Xu Yao scratched his head, then took a deep breath. For his brother’s sake, he needed to work hard. Xu Yao stopped Dong MingEn and said: “Don’t be nervous, ah. Here, hold hands with the study master. Won’t this give you the same results as touching a blessed statue and ensure that you pa.s.s the exams?”
Dong MingEn and everyone else was gobsmacked.
Xu Yao’s brain was too amazing…what’s with this amazing thought process?!
Xu Yao felt moved by his own words. Xu Yao was a steel-straight man who had always been intimidated by the two gays next to him. Yet for his brother Dong MingEn, Xu Yao decided to sacrifice his hands for this n.o.ble cause. This kind of dedication can’t be achieved by just anyone, ah.
Xu Yao endured the uncomfortable gooseb.u.mps rising from his skin, stretched out his hand like he was the empress dowager, and waited for Dong MignEn to attack him.
Dong MingEn thought for a moment, then suddenly turned towards Lin Qian and asked: “Study master, can you please lend me your hand?”
Since he has to find a top scorer, he might as well get the best one!
Dong MingEn: logic expert√
Xu Yao: “….”
Xu Yao has been hara.s.sed by Dong MingEn for so long, yet now that he’s voluntarily offering himself, he was tragically abandoned! Xu Yao was furious.
Xu Yao angrily exclaimed: “Dong MingEn, don’t think you’ll still have the privilege to touch me later!”
Lin Qian looked at his friend and shook his head. “Ah Yao, your lines are too suggestive. I almost got gooseb.u.mps.”
Xu Yao: “…” You gays say way cheesier lines and act out cavity-inducing scenes on a daily basis, ah. How can something like this cause you discomfort?
Dong MingEn’s crazy-tinged eyes never left Lin Qian as he replied to Xu Yao: “Give me a moment, I promise to touch it in a bit.”
Lin Qian: “….”
“Excuse me?” Lin Qian didn’t have time to respond when Zheng PingQing spoke. Despite his light tone, Dong MingEn shivered.
Dong MingEn slowly turned his head and saw his Boss’s murderous eyes looking straight at him.
Dong MingEn waved his hands wildly and said: “Nothing! I didn’t say anything.”
Zheng PingQing snorted and imposed his claim on Lin Qian. “This is mine. No one’s allowed to touch him!”
Everyone looked at Zheng PingQing with hateful eyes: Wooow. This one’s trying to monopolize the G.o.dly top student? Too domineering!
It was only Xu Yao who went: “….”
Xu Yao bravely tried to resist this overwhelming power. “….haha, that just made me super uncomfortable.”
Dong MingEn looked at Lin Qian, who was lightly encircled in Zheng PingQing’s arms. Eyes full of admiration, he couldn’t help but say: “I want to raise a big koi too.”
After Dong MingEn said this, he silently turned towards Xu Yao. Feeling a little guilty, he said: “Ah Yao….” The implications were clear.
Xu Yao rolled his eyes. “Just a few seconds ago, you didn’t want to buy this koi. Too bad, you’ve already lost me.”
Dong MingEn continued to call out to him affectionately: “Ah Yao….”
Xu Yao: “….”
Dong MingEn’s eyes were full of tears. “Ah Yao….”
Xu Yao could only concede.
After a moment’s thought, Xu Yao stretched out his right index finger. “You can only touch for a little bit. Just a little bit, alright?”
Dong MingEn was overjoyed. “Ah Yao, I know you’re the only one for me.”
Xu Yao hurriedly refuted: “No, no, no, don’t think like that.”
Disregarding any sort of courtesy, Dong MingEn stamped his unauthorized claim on him: “I declare Xu Yao to be my best and closest brother.”
Nearby, Lou XingGuang sighed. “The world has become hypocritical....”
So under everyone’s gaze, Dong MingEn solemnly stretched out his finger and gently touched Xu Yao’s fingertip.
In the background, frantic shutter sounds could be heard as Bai YanZhu took photographs. The touching scene made Bai YanZhu pleased and shouted: “Ah, witnessing the friendship between Cla.s.s 8 and Cla.s.s 1!”
Xu Yao looked at Dong MingEn with an indifferent expression on his face. “I declare: Dong MingEn has obtained my IQ.”
Dong MingEn laughed: “Hahahahaha, I think I can get into C University too!”
Other people: “…..”
Zheng PingQing turned to Lin Qian and earnestly asked: “To ensure that I get into the same university as you, can we also deepen our relationship and touch each other?”
Lin Qian gave him a faint smile. “When we were brushing our teeth this morning, we already touched each other with our mouths. How deep do you want to go, ah?”
Zheng PingQing looked at his boyfriend’s expression and knew that his cheap attempt to take advantage of the situation failed.
However, ‘Triple Concentrate’ Zheng PingQing was a hardworking man who never gave up.
Zheng PingQing gripped Lin Qian’s wrist and lifted it between them. Then, he solemnly brought his own hand up and pressed his index finger onto Lin Qian’s fingertip.
“Beep, the contract is made. I declare that Lin Qian and Zheng PingQing’s hearts are permanently locked together.”
Lin Qian: “…..you’re so coquettish, ah.”