CY – Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

“Hey, have you heard?” Lu Yibo came to Class One’s doorway during break to find Lu Bai, and they stood by the corridor window chatting. “The school is selecting students to go to B City University for study and visits. They say there are quotas for each grade.”

“B City University?” Lu Bai propped himself up on the windowsill with his arms. “Which university in B City?”

“Don’t know.” Lu Yibo crossed his arms. “You say since it’s arranged anyway, why can’t the school arrange for a super impressive school? Are they being stingy?”

“Heh, then you sponsor it?”

“Not capable of that,” Lu Yibo said. “Besides, I won’t be selected. Those with higher rankings will be prioritized, of course.”

“Not necessarily.” Lu Bai swung his legs back and forth. He looked up and saw Zhang Xiaotian appear at the stairwell and called out to him, “Tian’er!”

Zhang Xiaotian walked over to him. Lu Bai told him, “Lu Yibo said the school is organizing a university visit for students.”

“Who’s going? To which school?” Zhang Xiaotian asked.

“The school will definitely select people later. The school is in B City,” Lu Bai replied.

Lu Yibo slapped the windowsill. “Zhang Xiaotian, tell me, isn’t the school stingy! There are so many famous schools, and they’re just going to B City. Not grand at all!”

“What does it matter if it’s a famous school? You won’t get in just by visiting,” Zhang Xiaotian said.

“How can you say that!” Lu Yibo slapped the windowsill again. “What if I go there, get greatly inspired, and work hard when I get home?”

“Then you should just dream on,” Lu Bai scoffed. “It’ll save the school some funds.”

“Don’t bully a young man for being poor!” Lu Yibo clenched his fist. Just as he raised it, the preparatory bell rang. Lu Bai jumped off the windowsill and walked towards the classroom. Before leaving, he turned back to Lu Yibo and said, “Aren’t you saying the school is stingy? Then don’t hit that windowsill. Be careful that Director Chi makes you pay later.”

“Lu Bai, you just want to be beaten!” Lu Yibo swung his fist at him.

As expected, the class teacher, Old Zhang, specifically mentioned the school’s study tour before the end of evening study and explained how the quotas were allocated.

“This study tour, besides broadening everyone’s horizons, the school also hopes to let everyone experience the academic atmosphere of a university. The reason for arranging to go to B City is because B University is a relatively strong school in our north, with many star majors. It would be even better if students have greater aspirations after the visit. If not, they can also set B University as a temporary goal.” Old Zhang said this, waving the list in his hand. “Only the first and second-year grades have the opportunity. The school has allocated fifty spots for our grade, ten for each of the four experimental classes in arts and sciences, and ten for the regular classes. For these ten spots in our class, I have already discussed with Li An. Li An.”

After Li An stood up, he continued Old Zhang’s words. “The class teacher will not be going on this study tour. I will lead the team. Accompanying us will be all the study group leaders, and the following individuals who performed outstandingly in the last exam.” He then read out several names.

Lu Bai was a group leader, and Zhang Xiaotian was in the same group. He had also made significant progress in this exam, so both of them were on the study tour list.

“The school will cover food and accommodation. We depart this Sunday and it will last for a week. Remember to inform your parents when you go home. If there are any special circumstances, please have your parents contact me privately.”

Old Zhang left right as the dismissal bell rang. Students who knew they wouldn’t be going left quickly, and soon only those on the list remained in the classroom.

“That was close. I almost had to be separated from Chengcheng for a week.” Yin Li said. She had also made some progress this time, and her English score ranked in the top ten in the grade, while Han Chengcheng’s biology score was first in the grade. Zhang Xiaotian only knew a few people in Class One, and they were all going on this study tour together. He breathed a sigh of relief and also felt a hint of anticipation for the trip.

“A trip!” Han Chengcheng exclaimed. “It’s been so long since I traveled.”

“You said you didn’t want to go to the beach with me during summer vacation this year,” Yin Li said as she packed her schoolbag and sat on her stool waiting for Han Chengcheng.

“I had to attend remedial classes,” Han Chengcheng explained.

“I think you just wanted to stay home and binge-watch dramas.”

Seeing that most others had left, Li An called everyone on the list to come over to him.

“The school has booked hotels for everyone, all double rooms. You can discuss who you want to share with. Later, one person from each room will come to me to collect the room keys. I’ll create a group chat tonight and send the itinerary for the week.” He glanced at Zhang Xiaotian, then quickly shifted his gaze. “Zhang Xiaotian, are you in the class group chat?”

Zhang Xiaotian shook his head.

“You’ve been in our class for almost a month, how are you still not in the group chat?” Li An muttered under his breath, then turned to Lu Bai. “Old Lu, you two are so close, how could you forget to add Xiaotian to the group chat?”

“Adding new members to our class group chat requires administrator approval,” Lu Bai reminded him.

“Ahem,” Li An cleared his throat and waved his hand at Lu Bai. “That was my oversight. You add him to the group chat tonight. That’s all. Everyone go home.”

“Did you see that just now? I’m dying of laughter,” Lu Bai said to Zhang Xiaotian as soon as they exited the teaching building. “When Li An coughed like that, Yin Li instantly covered her mouth. If she hadn’t been fast enough, she would have burst out laughing!”

Zhang Xiaotian nodded.

“Truly adaptable,” Lu Bai pretended to sigh deeply, then continued, “Bring some board games and poker or something for later.”

…He probably wouldn’t be able to sleep early.

“…We can also order takeout and play games,” Lu Bai was still fantasizing when he suddenly turned around and asked Zhang Xiaotian, “Tian’er, you’re definitely staying with me, right?”

“Huh?”

Zhang Xiaotian thought, isn’t that obvious? He barely spoke to anyone else. Yin Li and Han Chengcheng are both girls. Who else would he stay with if not Lu Bai?

Lu Bai clearly realized this too.

“Of course, it’s me. What if someone snores or grinds their teeth at night?” he said confidently. “I, for one, don’t snore or grind my teeth.”

“Mhm, mhm,” Zhang Xiaotian agreed with him.

“Damn, I’m a little excited!” Lu Bai suddenly shouted and ran far ahead by himself. “We’re going out to playyyyyy!”

What a lunatic. Zhang Xiaotian was startled by him and stopped in place, watching him go crazy on the road alone. It was already late at night, with few cars on the road. Occasionally, pedestrians out for a walk or walking their dogs passed by. Lu Bai wasn’t embarrassed, but Zhang Xiaotian wished he could pretend not to know him and leave. After hesitating again and again, he still shouted to Lu Bai, “Hey!”

Lu Bai seemed not to hear him and was still running wildly ahead. Zhang Xiaotian shouted again, “Lu Bai!”

This time Lu Bai turned back and shouted to him, “What’s up?”

Zhang Xiaotian yelled at him, “Come back!”

“You come!” Lu Bai stood there without moving. “Tian’er, you come!”

Zhang Xiaotian felt that he couldn’t continue singing folk songs across the road with Lu Bai like this. He quickly walked towards Lu Bai, wishing he could keep his head down if it weren’t for watching the road. He reached Lu Bai and asked him, “Let’s go, stop messing around.”

“What’s wrong?” Lu Bai grabbed his wrist. “Look…”

“Not looking, let’s go,” Zhang Xiaotian didn’t break free and directly pulled Lu Bai forward, only slowing down after they passed the intersection.

“Why are you walking so fast? Afraid your family will worry?” Lu Bai asked as Zhang Xiaotian slowed down.

“I’m afraid your family will worry,” Zhang Xiaotian said. “Look what time it is, and you’re still running around like crazy.”

“It won’t make much difference,” Lu Bai let go of Zhang Xiaotian and put his hands in his pockets.

“What were you trying to show me just now?” Zhang Xiaotian rubbed his wrist, which had just been tightly held.

“Nothing, just that the moon is so round tonight,” Lu Bai replied.

They had walked too fast just now and were both a bit out of breath. Zhang Xiaotian was a little surprised by his answer and couldn’t help but ask, “It’s just a trip, why are you so excited?”

“It’s different,” Lu Bai shook his head. “Going out to play with friends is much more fun than going out with family.”

“Really?” Zhang Xiaotian had never gone out with his family, so he had no basis for comparison.

“Really,” Lu Bai said. “When traveling with parents, you have to get up early every day, and no matter where you go, it’s always the same few things. It’s boring.”

“Let me tell you, one time, my dad and mom insisted on going hiking early one morning. I said I couldn’t get up, but they dragged me along. You don’t know how cold it was on that mountain, the wind was like knives, stinging my face! My mom is the most annoying. Halfway up the mountain, she started taking pictures, just of one tree, and she took more than ten pictures, asking me to help her pose. If I didn’t take good pictures, I’d get scolded!”

Lu Bai complained verbally, but a smile gradually appeared on his face. Zhang Xiaotian watched him and unconsciously got drawn into his story. He listened to Lu Bai talk about traveling with his family, and as he listened, they arrived at his doorstep.

“Tsk, we’re here.” Lu Bai clearly hadn’t finished talking, but he still waved goodbye to him. “Go up, I’m leaving.”

“Lu Bai,” Zhang Xiaotian called out to him.

“What is it?”

Zhang Xiaotian looked at him. There were tall trees at the entrance of the neighborhood, and the light from the streetlamps shone through the branches, falling precisely on Lu Bai alone.

“Don’t forget to add me to the class group chat,” Zhang Xiaotian said.

“Didn’t forget.”

Lu Bai turned and left. Zhang Xiaotian watched him gradually walk away and then turned to enter his empty home.

Lu Bai must have grabbed his phone as soon as he got home. When Zhang Xiaotian came out after washing up, Lu Bai had already joined the class group and the study tour group, and had also received friend requests from Yin Li, Han Chengcheng, and others. Zhang Xiaotian didn’t look closely at who they were and accepted them all. Just as he was about to put down his phone, he received another message notification. It was Li An posting the seven-day itinerary for B City in the study tour group.

Zhang Xiaotian clicked on it and skimmed through it. The week’s schedule wasn’t very full. Besides a lecture on the first day, there were visits to the library, cafeteria, and laboratories. Most of the remaining time was free for personal activities and sightseeing in B City, but expenses would be self-funded. Lu Bai must have just finished reading it too, and shared a note on B City sightseeing with him.

“When we have free time, let’s go visit these places,” Lu Bai messaged.

Zhang Xiaotian opened the note. B City was the second-largest city in the province, with both natural landscapes and historical buildings. He scrolled down, his fingertip stopping at one place.

Baoguang Temple.

He continued reading. The text described the temple’s legend: two demons fought, one was defeated and fell gravely wounded in this place, where he was rescued by a young monk. The demon initially thought the young monk had ulterior motives for saving him, so he confessed that he didn’t have much time left. To his surprise, upon hearing this, the young monk wept with grief and still sincerely tried to save him. Time reveals a horse’s strength, and long acquaintance shows a person’s heart. The demon, moved by the monk’s sincerity, left his last Soul Fire before dying. With a tear the monk shed for him that day, it created a lamp for the young monk. The young monk chanted scriptures before this lamp day and night. The lamp burned all night without oil and was said to have the ability to Clarify the Mind and Discern Nature.

Zhang Xiaotian read this passage for a long time and actually became a little interested. He then looked up the method for offering incense and precautions for visiting temples before putting down his phone to sleep.