Chapter 58: May Cicadas Chirp
Chapter 58: Chapter 58: May Cicadas Chirp
They both bought half-price student tickets, and Lin Xiaoman got in for free since she was under 1.2 meters tall.
But for that reason, she couldn’t try any of the more thrilling-looking rides. She could only ride the carousel, the trolley, and play on the slide with the other children.
"Why don’t you go have some fun?" Jiang Xia asked, tilting his head to look at her.
Lin Yanwan leaned on the railing, watching Lin Xiaoman’s joyful laughter. "I’m not a kid anymore."
"You’re not that old yourself."
"Then why aren’t *you* having fun?"
"Oh, I want to, but I only want to have fun with you. Besides, we have a little tagalong with us right now." Jiang Xia smiled. "Let’s wait for next time."
"Do you think our parents know we’re dating?" Lin Yanwan couldn’t help but ask, recalling the way Jiang Wende had looked at her.
"Even Xiao Man can tell, so what do you think? This three hundred yuan they gave me today was basically their contribution to my dating fund."
Jiang Xia sounded a little exasperated. His parents were sharp as tacks; they probably knew everything and were just one step away from confronting him about it.
But there was one thing he couldn’t figure out. His whole life, Xia Shanshan had forbidden him from dating while he was a student. So why, at this critical moment right before the college entrance exams, was she suddenly giving him her silent approval?
"Could it be that my grades are so good they think this will motivate you to keep improving?"
Jiang Xia’s eyes lit up. "That might be exactly it."
"So, is that really the reason your grades have been improving by leaps and bounds lately?" Lin Yanwan asked, a smile in her eyes.
"Whatever you say, babe."
"Hmph. Such a smooth-talker."
Cirrocumulus clouds drifted across the vast blue sky, gathered in clusters like ripples on the surface of the water.
In the sunlight, Jiang Xia took Lin Yanwan’s hand, slowly raising it to his lips to press a kiss against the back.
"Babe."
"What is it?" She turned to look at Jiang Xia’s profile, a searing heat spreading across the back of her hand as if from a brand.
"Nothing."
"Then why did you call my name? Just for fun?" Lin Yanwan shot him a look.
"Yeah. Just for fun," Jiang Xia chuckled.
He didn’t know why he was laughing. He just knew that being with her right now felt incredibly peaceful.
A little later, Lin Xiaoman got tired of the carousel, so the three of them went to ride the bumper cars. As a result, that goofball Jiang Xia nearly rammed his little sister-in-law into tears.
The most fun part had to be the ring toss. It was ten yuan for ten rings, tossed from two meters away. The prizes were mostly little trinkets worth only a few yuan, but you couldn’t hope to win anything without spending dozens.
Over the course of the morning, Jiang Xia took his little sister-in-law to nearly every attraction in the park, and the smiles never once left their faces.
It wasn’t until lunchtime that the three of them went to a nearby KFC for burgers.
"Did you have a good time today, Xiao Man?"
"Mhm! Brother-in-law is the best!"
"Then how about we go home after we finish our burgers?"
"Okay!"
Watching the two of them beaming, Lin Yanwan couldn’t help but smile herself.
’In this life,’ she thought, ’everyone is going to be happy, aren’t they?’
◇
Cicadas chirped in May as the weather grew warmer. With only one month left before the college entrance exams, all the high school seniors were entering the final sprint.
During the ten-minute break between classes, Jiang Xia remained focused on drawing *Cat and Mouse*.
He had already finished producing six episodes. By the time the college entrance exams were over next month, he’d have about eight or nine ready, and he could start thinking about selling the first-run broadcast rights to a television station.
Chen Yao was baffled. The guy paid attention in class, but she never saw him do anything related to his studies outside of it.
How could someone with that kind of attitude still manage to steadily improve with every exam? He was now ranked in the top 20 of the entire school, a fact that had left many people’s jaws on the floor.
If drawing could really improve one’s grades, then Jiang Xia must be some kind of academic prodigy sent from the heavens.
"Do you stay up studying late every night?" Chen Yao couldn’t help but ask.
Jiang Xia replied with a straight face, "Yes. You only see me drawing during the day. You don’t see me drawing with even more passion when I’m alone."
"..." Chen Yao silently rolled her eyes. ’Not a single truthful word ever comes out of his mouth,’ she thought.
"So, how’s your cartoon coming along?"
"It’s coming along. In the near future, I’ll be an animation tycoon who pioneers a new era. If you ever hit rock bottom and can’t find a job, you can come look me up."
"Well, thanks in advance, then," Chen Yao replied, her face a blank mask. It wasn’t that she looked down on animation, but pioneering a new era? This guy really had some nerve to even think it.
’All that, just from a cat and a mouse he’s drawing?’
Jiang Xia just smiled, saying nothing. ’When his *Cat and Mouse* airs on TV this summer,’ he thought, ’it won’t be long before it’s a massive hit all across the country.’
"Have you decided which university you’re going to apply to?"
"There’s no point in thinking about that until after the exam scores are out."
"That’s true."
With their simple, daily conversation over, Chen Yao returned to her tense review session. As for Jiang Xia, with his current academic scores, he was already practically guaranteed a spot at a decent university.
She was envious, but she couldn’t draw. It wasn’t the kind of advantage you could just wish for.
◇
「At 12:00 PM.」 The math teacher wrote the final answer on the blackboard and dismissed the class.
Just like always, Wang Ming walked over to Jiang Xia, bowl in hand.
"Lunch?"
"Yeah, one sec." Jiang Xia pulled out a sheet of paper and skillfully finished sketching the action for the current storyboard panel.
"Lookin’ good," Wang Ming commented with a casual glance.
’It’s been months since I touched a paintbrush after the art school entrance exam,’ he thought. ’I’d be lucky if I still have half the skill I used to.’
"It’s just a matter of practice. If you drew dozens or even hundreds of keyframes every day like I do, you’d be this good too." Jiang Xia smiled, packed up his drawings, and grabbed his bowl to head to the cafeteria with him.
"Dozens? Give me a break. By the way, what episode are you on with your animation?"
"Storyboarding episode seven."
"Holy crap, that fast?"
Wang Ming was floored. That pace was far beyond his expectations. He’d figured that with Jiang Xia juggling school and animating, he’d be lucky to have two or three finished episodes by now. He never imagined Jiang Xia would have already completed six.
"It was slow at first, but once I got into the rhythm, my efficiency shot up," Jiang Xia explained.
’The main reason is that my wife is helping me,’ he thought. ’With her handling the voice acting, I don’t have any other worries and can focus completely on the animation.’
"So when do I get to see how it’s turning out?"
"Hahaha, that’s a trade secret. I’ll show you when you decide to come help me out."
Jiang Xia was being deliberately mysterious, nudging him with his elbow. "Speaking of which, how are things with you and Shen Ying? The exams are right around the corner. Haven’t you thought about, you know, confessing?"
"Sigh. You think I don’t want to? But what if I confess and we can’t even be friends anymore? What then?"
The words had barely left his mouth when Lin Yanwan and one of her close friends walked over, arm in arm.