Chapter 47: Change in Mindset

Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Change in Mindset

In the next second, as Chen Jingle turned his head and pretended nothing had happened, he suddenly realized a problem.

"Why should I be afraid? Why should I feel awkward?" he wondered.

Was it shame? Was it a lack of confidence? Or had this emotion unknowingly developed into a pathological sense of shame?

"It’s completely unnecessary," he told himself. "I’m just running, and she’s just sitting in the stands watching. Neither of us is crossing any lines. Even if someone is looking at me, so what? Will I lose a piece of flesh from being stared at for a few extra seconds?"

Why act like a thief in broad daylight? Was he really too shameful to be seen?

"It seems I’ve never really thought about this problem seriously before," Chen Jingle mused, letting his thoughts wander.

For example, when crossing the street at a traffic light, he would always subconsciously look at his phone to mask his unnatural emotions, always feeling that the people in the cars were looking at him with teasing, disdainful gazes. When it was severe, as he walked, he sometimes didn’t even know whether to step with his left foot or his right foot. Just like earlier—after realizing someone was watching him, his running rhythm fell into disarray.

"This probably counts as a severe psychological issue, right?" Chen Jingle frowned slightly.

It was truly unnecessary, and it shouldn’t be this way. When he was ordinary and unremarkable in the past, it was fine that he didn’t want to be noticed. But now, he was slowly becoming excellent, standing out more and more. While he didn’t have to actively show off in front of outsiders, he didn’t need to hide himself either. When it was time to be poised and natural, he should be poised and natural. He had nothing to hide!

"It’s probably because I’ve changed so much lately. My physical exterior has adapted to these new changes, but my mental state hasn’t caught up. Actually, there’s no need to care at all," he concluded.

Within a few short seconds, thoughts spun rapidly through Chen Jingle’s mind. Once he figured this out, a heavy burden instantly lifted from his shoulders. Because of the negative impacts brought about by his childhood environment, a mental block that had troubled him for years was cured without any treatment.

After completing his five-kilometer run, the number of students walking around the campus had noticeably increased.

The girl in the stands was still there. Seeing Chen Jingle look over, she smilingly waved at him again.

This time, Chen Jingle didn’t avert his gaze. Instead, he smiled and nodded in response. To him, this was a massive improvement. He didn’t need to deliberately show off in front of others, nor did he need to reveal timidity or an inferiority complex. He just needed to maintain a normal state of mind and be himself.

The girl was clearly a bit surprised by Chen Jingle’s response. However, before she could think too much about it, Chen Jingle had already turned around, hopped onto his electric scooter, and left.

"Eh?!"

She blinked, not understanding why, in just a short interval, it seemed as if some sort of change had occurred within Chen Jingle.

"How interesting," she mused. She just wondered if he would come again at this time tomorrow.

In the student cafeteria.

"Excuse me, could you help me swipe your meal card? I’ll transfer the money to you."

"Huh? Aren’t you the guy who got interviewed yesterday..." The male student he stopped actually recognized Chen Jingle. It seemed Chen Jingle had underestimated the popularity of that video and the recognizability of his own face.

"Uh, yeah, that’s me. Is that okay?"

Seeing that he was recognized, Chen Jingle was still a tiny bit embarrassed, but it was much better than he had expected. At least he didn’t flush bright red and flee in panic.

"No problem!" the guy agreed readily.

"Thank you!"

"You’re welcome! Bro, you’re genuinely handsome!"

"Thanks, you’re not bad yourself."

"Haha, thank you too!"

When a guy calls you handsome, it means you’re genuinely handsome! Of course, to show his gratitude, Chen Jingle routinely handed him a carton of milk.

He noticed that quite a few people in the cafeteria were whispering about him, but he was now able to accept it calmly. After all, Teacher College was just an ordinary second-tier university. Unlike those top-tier universities that naturally generated their own topics, it was rare for hot, explosive news that interested the students to emerge here. Now that a video related to their own college had finally popped up, it naturally spread rapidly among the students.

Chen Jingle’s striking good looks were certainly one aspect, but the comedic effect of the program was also highly explosive. It was just something for fun in the first place, and since it could bring a smile to his face, why should he resist it?

Just like that, in a single day, Chen Jingle became a "celebrity" at Teacher College.

"From the looks of it so far, the situation is relatively normal."

Chen Jingle felt completely at ease. As long as it didn’t interfere with his daily exercise, it was fine.

Upon returning home, just as he finished his daily image management under the system’s urging, he received a WeChat message from Liang City.

"Moshi moshi!"

Liang City asked straight to the point, "How have your chats with Zhong Qing been these past few days?"

"Not bad, just chatting normally," Chen Jingle replied casually.

"Put in some effort!" Liang City urged. "You old dog, have some self-awareness. Don’t wait for the other person to take the initiative."

"Personal attacks are going a bit too far." Chen Jingle sent over a playful flying punch emoji.

"Just telling the truth." Liang City encouraged him, "By the way, you’ve been staying at home for so long, why not go out for a trip? Like to the provincial capital? Let Zhong Qing be your tour guide."

Chen Jingle rolled his eyes. "I lived in the provincial capital for almost ten years between studying and working. Do I need her to be my tour guide? If you want to arrange for us to meet, just say so."

"Then when are you planning to meet her?"

"What’s the rush? It’s not time yet."

"When is the right time?"

"Depends on the situation."

"Ugh." Seeing that he didn’t take the bait, Liang City instantly felt disgusted. At this rate, bro, when would you finally become my brother-in-law?

Chen Jingle changed the subject. "How do you have so much free time to slack off? Don’t you have work to do?"

"How am I slacking off?" Liang City replied. "I just got to the office, and it’s not even working hours yet. Besides, since my transfer is already finalized, I’m just handing over my current work now, so I can barely catch my breath."

"So jealous!"

"Get lost! Jealous of what? Jealous that my one office wears a dozen different hats? Jealous that I work holidays without overtime pay? Jealous that I get smacked on the forehead with a carrying pole by an old lady during mediation? If you’re so jealous, why didn’t you take the civil service exam?"

"Forget it, my personality just isn’t suited for that environment."

"You say that as if I’m suited for it. In the end, it was all for the so-called ’stability’ that my parents kept talking about. If it weren’t for the fact that I couldn’t breach the five-year service contract, I would’ve bolted ages ago. Now that I’ve survived the five years, if I run away now, wouldn’t all my previous suffering have been for nothing?"

Sigh, as the saying goes, those outside the besieged city want to get in, and those inside want to get out.

Chen Jingle felt a pang of sympathy. "It’s fine, the skiff has passed ten thousand mountains—the worst is behind you."

"Not even close. Once I actually get to the municipal bureau, I’ll still be destined to work like a dog, just a bit closer to home."

Liang City had already come to terms with it; the grassroots level simply wasn’t a place for human beings to stay. Alas, his wife was Zhong Jing, not a Zhong Xiaoai.

"Anyway, complain when you need to complain, curse at your leaders when you need to curse, and don’t wrong yourself."

"Absolutely!"

For Liang City, the path within the system was far less glamorous than people imagined, nor could it help him cross any so-called class barriers. On the contrary, he might have to use his lifelong passion to break through the social shackles and fetters he encountered in his work, and to resolve the difficulties and poverty of the people he saw with his own eyes. In fact, Chen Jingle was the one he was truly envious of.