Chapter 157

On ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the fifth day in Spring City, Ji Qing met Gu Lingxue and the others.

Gu ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Lingxue wore a thin, translucent white shirt, a pair of fitted denim shorts, and Sun-Protection Sunglasses as she enthusiastically waved at Ji Qing from the pavilion where they had agreed to meet. Her tied-up High Ponytail swayed from side to side with the motion, making her whole person look bright and sunny.

She ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had changed so much. Ji Qing hesitantly waved back inwardly.

At ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍this point, an entire semester had passed since his last meeting with Gu Lingxue, roughly three or four months. Ji Qing could already sense the enormous changes in Gu Lingxue from the expression she revealed—not only changes from her family situation, but also changes that came from herself.

Multiple ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍B-rank Commissions, multiple A-rank Commissions, the Final Assessment… While completing the school’s semester assessment, Gu Lingxue had also been gradually accumulating experience and building confidence. The current her no longer felt inferior when standing beside her classmates.

After ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍noticing Gu Lingxue’s movement, a petite figure poked her head out.

Ling You’er wore a Black Dress today, along with a Black Bucket Hat. Her curly purple hair was tied into two Low Braided Pigtails. After discovering Ji Qing’s figure, the corner of her mouth curved into a faint smile, and she waved her left hand at Ji Qing with a small motion.

Seeing this, Ji Qing also waved.

When he reached the pavilion, Gu Lingxue was the first to greet him with a smile. “Good afternoon, Student Ji Qing.”

Ji Qing smiled. “Good afternoon.”

At the same time, Ling You’er raised her head and sighed with emotion. “I really didn’t expect you to be in Spring City, Ji Qing. It feels like we haven’t seen each other in almost half a year.”

Ji Qing lowered his head and said helplessly, “If we count Winter Vacation, then yes.”

Ji Qing’s Winter Break Practicum had been done in a team with Xie Chang’an and Jiang Cuo, and later, on the reporting day of the second semester, he had also failed to smoothly meet Ling You’er, Song Xiaoran, and the others. Ji Qing sighed inwardly. Put that way, it really had been half a year.

“Long time no see, Ji Qing.”

Song Xiaoran, who had been sitting properly on the stone bench in the pavilion, finally stood up as well. Today, he wore a Blue-and-White Checkered Shirt and a pair of jeans. His long green hair was tied into a Low Ponytail, making him look like someone from a Reclusive Family in a modern cultivation novel who had gone out to temper himself, carrying an ethereal temperament.

“Long time no see… It really is rare to see you not wearing the school uniform.”

Ji Qing looked Song Xiaoran up and down with some surprise.

Although Third Ability Academy allowed students to wear their own private clothes on rest days or when going out, Ji Qing had never seen Song Xiaoran wear his own clothes. During school, Song Xiaoran’s outfit was usually only a school uniform and a pair of sneakers. At most, he would occasionally tie up his hair because of a change in class requirements.

After hearing this, Song Xiaoran scratched his cheek somewhat awkwardly.

He defended himself in a low voice, “Isn’t that because it isn’t necessary…? Besides, two sets of school uniforms are enough to rotate between…”

“Huh—” Hearing this, Ling You’er folded her arms in front of her chest and gave Song Xiaoran a disdainful glare. “You might as well just say you didn’t have any. Who was the little kid whose own clothes couldn’t even fill a twenty-inch suitcase on moving day?”

“And you kept wearing one pair of broken shoes even after the soles were worn down.”

Song Xiaoran smiled bitterly after hearing this. “But they weren’t broken, were they?”

Ling You’er instantly puffed up her cheeks. “…I don’t want to talk to you right now.”

“Hahaha…”

Ji Qing could not help laughing softly a few times.

Although their reunion had only lasted a short time, he could already sense how close Ling You’er and Song Xiaoran were. Sometimes, the manga readers’ strange descriptions were quite fitting. The way these two got along really did resemble a mother and son.

But before seeing the scenes shown in the manga, Ji Qing had never imagined such a change would occur.

Perhaps everything had already shown signs before the Team Competition? Ji Qing thought thoughtfully to himself. Feng Youyou and Ling You’er’s friendship was established through their duel in the Individual Competition, while Song Xiaoran and Ling You’er’s friendship deepened through their cooperation in the Team Competition.

Put that way… the School Competition really had changed many people’s fates.

While Ji Qing had been busy with practical combat training, busy formulating a plan to find the World Book, and busy paying attention to the manga’s reaction and Xie Chang’an’s movements, his classmates had all formed good interpersonal relationships with one another, which were now budding and growing.

“Don’t you all feel hot staying outside all this time?” Ji Qing reminded them kindly. “It’s almost lunchtime now too. Why don’t we find a cool shop and talk about what we’ve each been through while eating? I’m rather curious about what happened to all of you afterward.”

Although the manga had already spoiled most of it for him. Ji Qing silently added in his heart.

“You’er and I were just talking about that.” Hearing this, Gu Lingxue clapped her hands lightly. Her eyes bright as she moved closer to Ji Qing, she asked expectantly, “Student Ji Qing, you don’t mind eating something cool, do you? With ice cream and dessert afterward?”

“Uh… of course I don’t mind.” Ji Qing curved his eyes in a smile.

“Then let me lead the way! We’ll eat something simple and refreshing at noon! At night, we’ll eat something more luxurious!” Gu Lingxue instantly strode forward with great vigor, like an experienced tour guide.

Seeing how excited she was, the remaining three could not help exchanging smiles.

Ling You’er took small steps over to Ji Qing’s left side and explained quietly, “Lingxue rarely goes out to have fun with other people.”

Seeing this, Song Xiaoran also swiftly walked to Ji Qing’s right side and chimed in, “Her family’s rules really are strict. Before I met her, I had never seen anyone who could complain nonstop for an entire day about their own small and complicated family rules…”

Weak and helpless, he had been pressed down by the other two on the principle of “sharing fortune and hardship” and forced to listen for an entire day. He had almost withered away completely.

Ji Qing smiled bitterly after hearing this. “I more or less understand.”

Although he did not have Song Xiaoran’s troubles, Ji Qing had also directly faced the scene of Gu Lingxue’s parents coming to the teacher to make her drop out. Ji Qing thought: Gu Lingxue and her parents were practically tormenting each other, but things should have improved a lot now…

Ji Qing looked at Gu Lingxue’s bright smile before him and smiled in relief.

He thought: It seemed she really had changed quite a bit.

Although entering Third Ability Academy and being promoted into Class S had both been Gu Lingxue’s own decisions, and although she herself had been confused about both matters, that had not stopped her from overcoming these difficulties one by one and successfully gaining a foothold in Class S.

“Why isn’t Feng Youyou with you?” Ji Qing suddenly asked.

“Don’t even mention it—” Ling You’er’s tone once again became dissatisfied. “It was a perfectly good Summer Vacation, but that person insisted that she wanted to follow a senior from her News Club to participate in an interview. No matter how I tried to persuade her, I couldn’t get her back. In the end, she just said goodbye.”

Song Xiaoran summarized with a smile, “She went to participate in a program interview for the Federal News Agency.”

“So that’s how it is.” Ji Qing smiled in understanding after hearing this.

That was quite in line with Feng Youyou’s unyielding personality. A reporter was the profession Feng Youyou dreamed of taking up, and the Federal News Agency was the company Feng Youyou dreamed of joining in the future… For Feng Youyou herself, every day she spent interning at the Federal News Agency was incomparably happy.

Ji Qing turned to ask Song Xiaoran, “Why did you suddenly want to come to Spring City? It seems quite far from your base.”

“Well… the reason is rather complicated.” Song Xiaoran looked embarrassed, then quickly changed the subject. “But what about you, Ji Qing—why are you in Spring City?”

“The client for my Final Assessment commission lives in Spring City.” Ji Qing paused slightly, then smiled gently. “After finishing the commission, I simply lay around in a hotel in Spring City for a few days. Yesterday, I originally planned to ask how you all were arranging your Summer Vacation, but I found out that you were all gathering toward Spring City, so I thought we might as well meet.”

Song Xiaoran said, “That’s way too coincidental.”

Ling You’er said, “It would feel a little regrettable not to meet under these circumstances.”

“Exactly. So—didn’t I come?” Ji Qing blinked playfully.

“Hahaha…”

The two who heard this immediately laughed at the same time.

On the other side, Gu Lingxue turned back and was surprised to discover that the three people behind her had not kept up with her vigorous pace at all. Instead, they were laughing together where they stood. Seeing this, Gu Lingxue immediately ran back and protested loudly, “No way—you have to include me when you talk gossip!!!”

“Hahaha…”

The other two laughed even louder after hearing this.

12:15 p.m., a Cantonese-Style Teahouse in Spring City.

Because Gu Lingxue had specially reserved a Private Room last night, the four of them were able to enter the teahouse’s Private Room at the busy noon hour without waiting. Before entering, Ji Qing deliberately glanced at the long line waiting outside the teahouse for a meal and could not help inwardly sucking in a breath of cold air.

After walking into the reserved Private Room, Ji Qing asked, “Are there this many people out having fun on weekends in Spring City?”

“It isn’t only Spring City locals, I suppose.” The only Spring City native present answered casually. “Some of them are probably tourists. Whenever holidays come around, this city gets a huge flow of people. And isn’t it Summer Vacation now? Middle school and high school students from nearby cities all come over to have fun.”

“Mm… maybe you don’t know, Ji Qing.”

“Before students from Regular High Schools graduate, their Military Training is usually arranged during Summer Vacation. Spring City hosts the Military Training bases for several nearby Regular High Schools. My father said before that quite a lot of kids take the opportunity to have fun during this period.”

Ji Qing exclaimed in admiration after hearing this. “Wow, that sounds impressive.”

Ling You’er stared at the menu and solemnly agreed, “It is rather impressive.”

Song Xiaoran sipped tea and solemnly agreed, “I agree too.”

But in the next second, the two of them immediately broke character.

Ling You’er’s eyes shone as she said, “Wow, so many desserts! I’ve decided! For lunch, I’ll just have one Xiaolongbao and some Pan-Fried Dumplings, then bring me this Stir-Fried Yogurt and Almond Milk Pudding afterward, and also this Taro Ball Grass Jelly, and this Banana Split!”

Ji Qing complained inwardly: …This is already beyond the level of after-meal dessert.

Song Xiaoran, meanwhile, turned to ask Gu Lingxue, who was sitting upright beside him, with a serious expression, “Does this place sell its tea? I think we could keep some for drinking when we play Mahjong in the future.”

Ji Qing complained inwardly again: …That sentence just now wasn’t describing the tea, was it?

Gu Lingxue was also stunned after hearing this.

After a long while, she seemed to react and laughed brightly. “Haha… yes, of course they sell it… hahaha… I should say, even asking the shop to give us some wouldn’t be a problem. My father is also a Shareholder of the teahouse. I’ll ask them to give us a few tins later.”

Ling You’er exclaimed in admiration, “Wow, Uncle is so impressive.”

“Father really is quite impressive.” Gu Lingxue first agreed, then held her cheek with a gloomy sigh. “But it’s precisely because of that that they kept insisting I walk the path they arranged for me. But let’s not talk about that. Hurry up and order first!”

“We still have to wait for all the dishes to be served! Incidentally, I also want Stir-Fried Yogurt!”

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