Tang Lei looked at Jiang Shan’s profile and secretly poked Lu Jiuling with a finger.
He was very excited.
He had checked Amap. From here to Fan Clan Ancient Town, it was a two-hour drive—pretty dull. He had originally planned to pass the time reading, but now that Jiang Shan was sitting up front, if he could just get a few words in, this trip would be packed with memories.
Lu Jiuling understood how Tang Lei felt. It was like seating arrangements back in school—if a boy could end up desk mates with the girl he had a crush on, he could be happy for three whole years.
Tang Lei wanted to strike up a conversation with Jiang Shan, but didn’t dare open his mouth. Holding it in was so unbearable that he twisted back and forth like a big green caterpillar.
Lu Jiuling closed his eyes to rest.
Read?
Not even dogs would read!
As the gathering time drew near, the students arrived one after another, got on the bus, and found seats.
“I still know too little about Transcendents.”
Lu Jiuling sighed.
It was just like playing a game. He wanted to choose the strongest class, but that refined old man had said that what suited him best was the best choice. The problem was, how was he supposed to find the Transcendent profession most suited to him?
Lu Jiuling’s ideal was to get into a major company, earn money while accumulating skills and experience, then when he was more or less ready, leave to start his own business, open a company, become the boss, and finally achieve financial freedom.
Calling it an ideal was really just being forced along by a few taels of silver. If he were a rich second-generation heir and didn’t even need much savings—if his dad had left him ten million—who would still go work a 996?
Wouldn’t lying flat at home playing games every day be great?
Work?
Not a chance!
But I’m playing a game now too!
It’s just that this game is a bit life-consuming. I wonder what the next God’s Game will be about? And that Speaker of the Centaur Palace—White-Clad Big Sister said he’s a Sequence 8 Transcendent. I wonder if he’s completed another advancement ritual? How strong is he now?
Lu Jiuling’s mind wandered, all sorts of thoughts drifting through his head, when suddenly he felt someone shove him hard.
Opening his eyes, Lu Jiuling saw two boys standing beside him.
The one who had shoved him was very short, with a small square face and upturned eyes. He wore jeans, a T-shirt, and a pair of height-boosting sneakers.
It was the class monitor, Xu Shuo. The one beside him was his good friend, Jia Mingqiao.
“690, give up your seat!”
Though Xu Shuo was telling Lu Jiuling to give up his seat, there wasn’t the slightest hint of politeness in his tone. He even shoved him twice more as he spoke.
The meaning was obvious: hurry up and get up.
When Tang Lei saw Xu Shuo wanted to sit here, he knew it was because of Jiang Shan. He could only curse his bad luck inwardly and stand up to make room.
After nearly three years together, Tang Lei knew Xu Shuo had an explosive temper, was overbearing, and held grudges. Tang Lei was a little afraid of him.
“Jiang Shan, do you have any plans for the trip?”
Xu Shuo might have been short, but he was full of confidence. He revealed a smile he had clearly practiced in the mirror for a long time and spoke to Jiang Shan.
Compared to Tang Lei’s hesitation, Xu Shuo’s aggressiveness was maxed out.
“No!”
Jiang Shan replied somewhat coldly.
“I actually made a plan!”
Xu Shuo took out his phone, tapped away for a while, opened his notes app, and showed it to Jiang Shan. “How about we move together? I guarantee you’ll come back from this ancient town trip fully satisfied!”
“No need!”
Jiang Shan didn’t even sweep her eyes toward the screen.
Tang Lei envied Xu Shuo’s courage. If only he could be that bold too.
“Let’s go!”
Tang Lei’s seat was by the window. He nudged Lu Jiuling’s leg with his own, telling him to leave first, but his good friend didn’t move an inch.
What’s going on?
Tang Lei didn’t understand at first. Only after waiting two or three seconds did he react—Lu Jiuling couldn’t be planning not to give Xu Shuo the seat, could he?
Holy crap!
Since when was his friend this tough?
Xu Shuo didn’t keep pestering Jiang Shan. After chatting about a few other things, he turned his head and saw that Lu Jiuling was still sitting there. His brows immediately furrowed.
What was going on?
Was this guy trying to make trouble?
Xu Shuo had more shrewdness than others his age. He didn’t speak, but instead looked down from above directly into Lu Jiuling’s eyes, trying to exert pressure.
Unfortunately, the other party was too tall. Even sitting down, he was almost level with him, which greatly reduced the power of his “looking down”!
“Why are you still sitting there? Make room!”
Jia Mingqiao urged. He also wanted to sit with School Belle Jiang.
Hearing the commotion behind her, the doll-faced girl turned back to glance and couldn’t help feeling worried.
Inside the bus, the sound of people reciting lessons grew quieter. Everyone’s eyes turned over.
After all, the bus was only so big. Whatever happened inside was plain for everyone to see.
They were stunned. Lu Jiuling actually dared to go against Xu Shuo?
That was the second-ranked student in the entire grade, the homeroom teacher’s trusted favorite.
“Aren’t there seats in the back?”
Lu Jiuling replied coldly.
If the other party had spoken nicely, Lu Jiuling would have moved. It didn’t matter where he sat anyway. But this Xu Shuo kid had started by shoving him, without the slightest bit of manners.
To put it plainly, Xu Shuo was used to being forceful. On top of that, Lu Jiuling was an ordinary student, usually harmless, not very talkative, and even gave off a slightly weak impression, so Xu Shuo had never taken him seriously. Naturally, he didn’t bother being polite in his words either.
“Hey, are you trying to start something?”
Jia Mingqiao’s eyes widened. His posture was exactly the kind that said, hurry up and get the hell out of the way.
“What? Seats in the back can’t be sat in?”
Lu Jiuling asked back, completely unflustered.
Want to fight?
Then come on!
“Come on, come on, let’s sit in the back!”
Tang Lei didn’t want a conflict to break out and tried to pull Lu Jiuling up to leave.
The college entrance exams were almost here. Getting a disciplinary punishment because of a fight wasn’t worth it; it would affect university admissions.
“Sit down!”
Lu Jiuling ordered.
“Jiuling!”
Tang Lei was worried. He wanted to persuade him, but when he looked into Lu Jiuling’s calm, rippleless eyes, he grew stunned. He realized that the good friend he had known for more than two years had suddenly become much stranger.
But deep down, Tang Lei also felt relieved!
Because from the bottom of his heart, he didn’t want to give Xu Shuo the seat either!
Why should he?
I want to sit with the girl I have a crush on too!
The sound of reciting lessons in the bus had completely disappeared. It was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
The students were all silently watching this sudden conflict.
“690, I get a little carsick, so I’d like to sit up front. Please be considerate!”
Xu Shuo spoke with a smile on his face.
Jiang Shan didn’t turn back, but hearing the words behind her, she felt somewhat worried.
Lu Jiuling was going to suffer a loss!
This was Xu Shuo placing himself in the position of the disadvantaged.
I get carsick, and you won’t give me your seat. That means you don’t care about your classmates, and it also shows that you’re unsympathetic!
Jiang Shan didn’t want Xu Shuo sitting in the back, or else she’d be annoyed by him the whole way.
Forget it. Once he sits down, I’ll find an excuse to change seats.
“Are you really carsick? You’re just lusting after the school belle!”
Lu Jiuling fired back directly.
No one had expected Lu Jiuling to be so tough, and the way he said it was so sharp that everyone froze for two or three seconds. Then the bus erupted into booming laughter.
“Haha, I didn’t realize 690 had such a sense of humor!”
“He really isn’t indulging Class Monitor Xu at all!”
“I never noticed before. 690 is actually this tough!”
“We’re about to graduate, so he doesn’t want to put up with it anymore, right?”
“Honestly, Xu Shuo is pretty annoying!”
The students murmured among themselves.
When going on a trip, people naturally sat with their own small groups of friends, so they were especially unrestrained when whispering.
Most of the class didn’t have a good impression of Xu Shuo, but his grades were too good, and the teachers trusted him, so he sat firmly in the position of class monitor.
No one was willing to offend someone like that.
Xu Shuo’s face instantly flushed red. The corner of his mouth twitched, and with a bang, he punched the back of the doll-faced girl’s seat, giving her a huge fright.
Jiang Shan turned back in surprise. Aside from studying, she paid no attention to outside affairs, so she wasn’t familiar with quite a few of her classmates.
In her view, the most Lu Jiuling would say was “I get carsick too,” which would already count as a very appropriate answer. Who would have thought he would directly say that…
This was practically pointing at a monk and calling him a bald thief. Wouldn’t Xu Shuo be furious to death?
“Student Jiang Shan, this kid spoke rudely and insulted you.”
Xu Shuo was indeed shrewd. He wanted to drag Jiang Shan in to deal with Lu Jiuling together.
If the first and second ranked students in the school both went after you, what kind of waves could you possibly make?
Jiang Shan really wanted to curse, idiot!
She wasn’t cursing Lu Jiuling, but Xu Shuo.
“He said school belle. He didn’t name me, did he?”
Jiang Shan’s tone was cold and hard. Inwardly, she thought, why would I rush forward to join in this mess?
Besides, she knew that her best friend Li Jiayao beside her seemed to have a good impression of Lu Jiuling. That made it even more impossible for her to speak up for Xu Shuo.
Speaking of which, she hadn’t noticed before—Lu Jiuling was actually rather quick-witted.
“Aren’t you the school belle of our No. 2 High?”
Jia Mingqiao flattered her.
“How come what I heard was that Shaowei is very pretty?”
Jiang Shan was already annoyed. She stood up, preparing to get off the bus for some air.
The doll-faced girl grabbed her hand. She was worried that Lu Jiuling would suffer a loss, or even get beaten, so she planned to quickly stop the fight if Xu Shuo made a move.
Jiang Shan looked at her best friend and sat back down.
“She’s already annoyed. Why are you still standing here like a mangy dog?”
Lu Jiuling was equally impatient.
“690, who doesn’t know Xu Shuo likes Jiang Shan? Do you not understand what it means to help make a couple happen?”
From the back of the bus came a teasing voice.
Lu Jiuling turned back to glance. It was a stocky boy named Zhang Shuai. He was very good at basketball, and it was said that from middle school until now, he had dated five girlfriends.
Zhang Shuai didn’t like Xu Shuo. Although it sounded like he was speaking up for him, in truth, first, he liked watching the fun and didn’t mind making the matter bigger; second, if he could provoke Xu Shuo and 690 into fighting, it could affect their mentality.
If the two of them ended up bombing the college entrance exam and failing to get in anywhere, that would be perfect.
“You’re pretty good at being generous with other people’s things. Why don’t you crawl over here and let Great Class Monitor Xu sit on you?”
Lu Jiuling shot back.
He had never been the type to grit his teeth and swallow grievances to begin with, let alone now that he was a candidate Speaker of the Centaur Palace in the Divine Council, holding two Taboo Items. These people ought to thank the heavens he wasn’t taking the initiative to cause trouble.
Whoa!
The whole bus burst into an uproar. Everyone stared at Lu Jiuling, dumbfounded.
For the first time, they discovered that this boy—the most handsome in the class, no, probably the entire school—actually had such a forceful side.