OCY - Chapter 5

Chapter 5, Nitpicking

Deyin didn't have monthly exams, there were only two major exams each semester, midterm and final.

The midterm exams were held last week. The teachers graded the papers very quickly, and Teacher Chen printed the results, asking the class monitor to put them on the bulletin board at the back of the classroom.

For a time, the bulletin board was crowded with people.

Shen Shaoyan was the first to push through the crowd. After reading the results, he squeezed back to his seat and announced the good news, "Heng Ge! You're first again!"

Gu Hengzhi's expression was unruffled, as if it were expected.

Ji Linxue looked at Shen Shaoyan, "What about me?"

Classes had already been divided in the latter half of the first year of high school, with Class 1 being a science class. Ji Linxue had skipped a grade and would still take the academic proficiency test with the first-year students in the next semester.

"You two are tied for first place," Shen Shaoyan grinned.

Gu Hengzhi folded his arms, "What were the scores?"

"Both of you got 725. Second place is Lu Yu with 706 points," Shen Shaoyan secretly peeked at his face. Gu Hengzhi used to always claim first place alone, so it was normal for him to be unhappy with a competitor now.

To his surprise, Gu Hengzhi showed no sign of being upset. Instead, he took a cup from his desk drawer and extended it forward.

"I'm thirsty."

Ji Linxue looked down at him.

Gu Hengzhi weakly coughed twice, "I think I caught a cold during the last swimming class."

If Ji Linxue hadn't seen him eating ice cream yesterday, he almost would have believed his nonsense.

He said nothing, took the cup, filled it at the water dispenser, and placed it in front of him.

Gu Hengzhi picked it up and took a sip, "Too hot." Then he put the cup back on the desk and looked at Ji Linxue.

Shen Shaoyan was caught between the two, not daring to speak. He didn't know what bug had bitten Heng Ge recently. 

Ever since that day he saved someone, he started taking advantage of it, making the other person do this and that for him, and he was always nitpicking, very annoying.

He was afraid Ji Linxue wouldn't be able to hold back and would just splash water on him.

Lu Yu silently scooted his chair with his butt, moving further away from the battlefield.

To their surprise, Ji Linxue stared at him for a while, then took the cup and left. After two trips, Gu Hengzhi was finally satisfied with the water temperature. He unhurriedly drank the water in the cup, his lips curving into a clear arc.

After class, the class monitor announced that the equestrian class was canceled because the equestrian coach was sick and needed to take two days off, so they would have self-study in class.

Naturally, everyone wasn't so well-behaved. Those who couldn't attend their usual class went to other elective classes to hang out.

Archery and badminton were the two most popular courses besides equestrian.

Many more students gathered around the archery range as spectators. After the teacher explained the key techniques, he let them practice freely.

Ji Linxue had just settled into position when someone suddenly appeared beside him.

Gu Hengzhi held a bow identical to his own, speaking with a righteous tone, "Teach me archery."

"How did you sneak in?" He then looked at his right hand, "And where did you get this recurve bow?"

Gu Hengzhi looked outside the archery range. Ji Linxue followed his gaze and saw Shen Shaoyan leaning on the fence, tears welling up in his eyes.

His archery class... his bow...

Gu Hengzhi showed no guilt about taking someone else's class, "Can you teach me now?"

Ji Linxue, "..."

Although Gu Hengzhi no longer looked at him with disdain as he used to, he always seemed to want to cause trouble, as if he had found new enjoyment from somewhere.

"Stand here, legs apart, put your weight on the balls of your feet." He pulled Gu Hengzhi's arm, "Then nock the arrow, push the bow handle with your thumb webbing, draw the bow to the anchor point."

A warm touch came from his skin. Gu Hengzhi suppressed the unusual feeling in his heart, looked straight ahead, and under the other's guidance, shot his first arrow.

Nine points.

For a beginner, that was already a good score.

As he practiced more, Gu Hengzhi's accuracy improved significantly, often hitting the bullseye.

Archery was also a physically demanding sport, requiring constant repetition of the drawing motion, which tested arm strength. After one class, the surrounding students' arms were sore, but Gu Hengzhi and Ji Linxue felt nothing.

As they were about to leave the archery range, the archery teacher walked over and said to Ji Linxue, "Do you have time to talk?"

Ji Linxue nodded.

"It's like this, I see you have a lot of talent. Would you like to try participating in competitions?" He smiled, "I know the national team's coach. If your competition results are good, I can even introduce you to them."

Ji Linxue shook his head, "Sorry, teacher, I don't have any intention of participating in competitions."

Coaches had approached him in his previous life too, but he hadn't agreed. He didn't want to turn his hobby into a profession, not only would there be endless pressure, but his love for the sport would no longer be pure.

The teacher wasn't angry, but he was a little regretful, "It's rare to see such a promising talent."

"Thank you, teacher."

The other students had already returned to the classroom early. Ji Linxue walked alone on the road, looking at the yellowing leaves by the roadside, only then realizing that it was already autumn.

It seemed it was also autumn when he first arrived in this world.

"What are you looking at?"

The familiar voice made Ji Linxue slightly startled. He looked towards the source of the sound. Gu Hengzhi was leaning against a ginkgo tree, his long legs casually propped, his dark eyes gazing over, looking relaxed and handsome.

Unfortunately, his opening remark ruined the harmonious scene, "Walking so slowly, are you a snail?"

Ji Linxue composed himself, "Are you waiting for me?"

"Don't be so narcissistic," Gu Hengzhi casually swung the cola bottle in his hand, "I'm just thirsty."

The school's supermarket was on the inevitable path from the archery range back to the classroom. Ji Linxue nodded knowingly and walked directly past Gu Hengzhi.

Someone quickly followed from behind, soon walking shoulder to shoulder with him. Ji Linxue looked straight ahead. Before long, the boy's annoyed voice came from beside him.

"Hand out."

Ji Linxue didn't move. A large hand reached out from the side, placing a can of milk into his palm. The can still carried the warmth of the other person's skin, as if it had been held in his hand for a long time.

He picked up the item in his hand and looked at it. The four characters for "Wangzai Milk" on the red can were very striking.

Ji Linxue tilted his head, his eyes questioning.

"Just picked it up," Gu Hengzhi said matter-of-factly, "Didn't you say you don't drink carbonated beverages?"

Ji Linxue quickly found this memory. In early September, the weather was hot, and Shen Shaoyan bought a large bag of iced drinks, distributing a bottle to everyone around. When it was his turn, he refused, citing that he didn't drink carbonated beverages. He didn't expect Gu Hengzhi to remember.

He cupped the can in his palm, Ji Linxue's eyes clear, "Thank you."

The two walked side by side on the road. The autumn wind rustled, making a sound. Gu Hengzhi asked him, "What did the teacher talk to you about?"

"Asked if I wanted to participate in competitions."

"Did you agree?"

"No."

The two chatted idly. They soon reached the entrance of Class 1. Just as Ji Linxue was about to enter, he happened to see Liu Qingyang limping from the other side of the corridor, leaning on a crutch.

Seeing him, Liu Qingyang glared fiercely.

Ji Linxue entered the classroom as if nothing had happened.

Soon after, Liu Qingyang also came in. He sat down in his seat, and his deskmate immediately leaned over, "It's been almost half a month, and your foot isn't better yet? Did you break a bone?"

"No fracture, just strained a tendon." He looked back, "Ji Linxue is getting along well with them?" He didn't dare say Gu Hengzhi's name, but his deskmate understood what he meant, "Are you kidding? How could that be! He's ordered around by Young Master Gu every day, even his homework has to be carried by him. It's really miserable."

Liu Qingyang pondered.

In a flash, it was Friday afternoon. Tomorrow was the weekend, and Shen Shaoyan was very excited, talking non-stop, very noisy.

"Can you shut up?" Lu Yu put down his English book, his face looking bad, "You're interrupting my vocabulary memorization."

Shen Shaoyan tugged his arm, "It's almost the end of school, what's the point of memorizing?"

Lu Yu cursed, "Neurotic."

After bothering Lu Yu, Shen Shaoyan turned his target to Gu Hengzhi, "Heng Ge, I want to come over to your place tomorrow. How's Cookie doing lately?"

Cookie was a cream and white Cavapoo, and also Gu Hengzhi's seventh birthday present. Cookie was almost ten years old now, nearing his senior years, looking lazy every day.

Gu Hengzhi hadn't been home for several weeks, so he naturally didn't know the dog's situation, but Cookie had dedicated caretakers, so if anything happened, someone would definitely notify him.

He lied without changing his expression, "Cookie's fine. I have plans tomorrow, so don't come."

Shen Shaoyan's disappointment was evident, "What plans? I haven't petted Cookie in ages."

Gu Hengzhi didn't intend to tell him about those messy affairs, brushing him off, "Nothing important."

Seeing his expression, Shen Shaoyan shut up, but his eyes were still darting around, as if he was brewing some mischief.

The next day, Ji Linxue spent the entire day studying in the self-study room. Although Deyin didn't have evening self-study sessions, 24-hour self-study rooms were set up in classrooms, libraries, and dorms, open all day on weekends.

He studied until about 5 PM when he felt his eyes were tired. He put away his books, intending to go to the supermarket outside the school.

There were many small alleys outside the school. To take a shortcut, many people chose to walk this way. Ji Linxue had only gone halfway when he was surrounded by a group of people, roughly six of them.

Leading them was a short boy with bean-shaped eyes and a chubby build, it was Liu Qingyang, who had pushed him into the water last time.

Perhaps it was because there was no expression of surprise or fear on his face, Liu Qingyang was very annoyed, "If you beg for mercy now, I can tell them to go easy on you."

Ji Linxue's gaze shifted downward, looking at his ankle, "Is your foot better?"

His sore spot touched, Liu Qingyang subconsciously hid his injured right leg backward. He glared fiercely at Ji Linxue, and seeing his calm and composed demeanor, his anger flared even more.

He gritted his teeth and instructed the people around him, "Teach this arrogant brat a lesson for me!"

The yellow-haired boy next to him smiled obsequiously, "Young Master Liu, don't worry, I won't let him walk out of this alley in one piece."

Liu Qingyang patted his shoulder, "There will be benefits for you if this succeeds."

He glanced at Ji Linxue, imagining the scene of him coming to school tomorrow with a swollen pig's head, almost unable to stop himself from laughing. He turned and left the alley, his mood greatly improved as he heard the sounds of fists and feet connecting from behind him.

Until a miserable scream pierced the air—

It sounded familiar, seemingly the yellow-haired boy's voice. Liu Qingyang's expression slightly changed, and he hurried back.

In the alley, Ji Linxue was still standing intact. A large number of people had fallen around him with a clatter. The yellow-haired boy was pinned against the wall by Ji Linxue's reverse grip, his knees half-bent, groaning in pain.

Ji Linxue released the yellow-haired boy, dusted himself off, and slowly walked towards Liu Qingyang.

This guy's fighting skills were that good?

Liu Qingyang subconsciously retreated a few steps, then remembered something and shouted into the distance, "Ah Qiang, Ah Zheng! Come quickly!"

Two neat, steady sets of footsteps approached from afar. Two bodyguards in black suits stood behind him, one on his left and one on his right, bowing respectfully, "Young Master."

Good thing his dad followed the trend of those rich people and hired some bodyguards. Seeing he had sprained his leg last time, he sent two over, otherwise, he wouldn't have known what to do.

The people behind him gave him a great sense of security. Liu Qingyang pointed at Ji Linxue, saying unceremoniously, "Go, beat him to death for me!"

Ji Linxue stopped. The two men in front of him were burly and tall, their muscles not looking like they were built in a gym, but rather like they had experienced many real fights.

He was not their opponent.

Realizing this, Ji Linxue immediately shifted into a defensive stance, wary of their movements.

The two bodyguards exchanged glances. One of them looked up and honestly said, "We are only responsible for protecting your personal safety. Assault is illegal."

Liu Qingyang blustered, "My dad paid money to hire you! He's going to hit me now, and you won't do anything?"

"Young Master Liu, we just follow the rules. Please don't make things difficult for us."

The two still didn't move. Liu Qingyang stomped his feet in anger. Just as the atmosphere was deadlocked, a faint male voice sounded from not far away.

"What are you doing here?"​