This humble Taoist priest wants to take the college entrance exam.

Chapter 143 Let's take a walk together, class monitor

Three people, four dishes and one soup.

Lin Mengqiu ate two bowls of rice, while Lin Ming ate three bowls of rice.

Chen Shi'an's cooking was so good that both father and daughter were stuffed...

Lin Ming had forgotten how long it had been since he had eaten three bowls of rice. Thinking back to when he was young and hungry, he would eat in the school cafeteria, where the white rice would be piled up as high as a small mountain. Back then, he was as thin as a bamboo pole, but he could eat as much as he wanted without gaining weight.

Later, when his family's financial situation improved and he finally made it through, his appetite decreased. He would only eat a bowl and a half at most per meal and feel full. However, he still experienced middle-age weight gain and developed a beer belly.

At the tea table, Chen Shi'an and Lin Ming were drinking tea and chatting.

"...Uncle Lin, from a biological perspective, this means your bodily functions are declining and your metabolism is weakening. From a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, this means you have spleen deficiency with dampness, phlegm accumulation, and qi stagnation. I'll give you acupuncture another day to regulate your body."

"Shi'an, you even know acupuncture!"

"I have a basic understanding, all of which pertain to medical principles."

“I heard from Mengqiu that you also prepared a stomach-soothing tea for her last time, and said it worked very well.”

Chen Shi'an smiled and looked at Lin Mengqiu, who was sitting on the sofa watching TV.

Lin Mengqiu pretended not to hear, her eyes still fixed on the TV, holding a cup of warm tea in her hand.

"She's had a bad stomach since junior high school, and she's seen many doctors but nothing has helped. It's thanks to you, Shi'an, that she has this amazing skill."

"Medicine and medicine are only supplementary. The key is daily maintenance. Uncle Lin himself also does this. He exercises more, eats less raw, cold and greasy food, drinks less alcohol, and can practice Baduanjin when he has free time."

"Hehe! I am practicing! I've been practicing by myself every night recently."

"If Uncle Lin has time in the morning, it's best to practice in the morning. Baduanjin is good for your Yang energy. Practicing at night can easily affect your sleep."

"Good, good. When it comes to health preservation, Shi'an, you and your master are definitely authorities."

The two chatted about everything from meals to health and wellness, and then from health and wellness to traditional Chinese culture. Lin Ming had also seen the video of Chen Shi'an lecturing on traditional Chinese culture on the streets of Xijiang River recently. Some university professors he knew even called to ask him if the young man in the video was a student of his Yunqi No.1 Middle School!
Fortunately, it gave Lin Ming a lot of face.

However, Lin Ming also knew very well that this was not due to the school's cultivation at all. Which teacher in the school was qualified or knowledgeable enough to teach him these things!

It was said that Master Chen used his personal connections to get Chen Shi'an enrolled in school, but for Lin Ming, this favor was probably something he owed Master Chen. It was like sending a treasure to Yunqi No. 1 Middle School!
When the conversation turned to setting up a stall, Chen Shi'an checked the time; it was past eight o'clock in the evening. He then extended an invitation:

"Uncle Lin, squad leader, how about we go for a walk along the West River? We've finished eating and rested, a stroll can be good for your health."

Lin Mengqiu, sitting on the sofa, blinked and picked up the remote to turn off the TV.

"it is good."

Then she quickly got up and went to the door to change her shoes.

My daughter, who usually stays at home when she has nothing to do, has never been so enthusiastic before.

Although Lin Ming, as a father, has a slight generation gap with his daughter, he can still see some of her thoughts.

Seeing that the two were going for a walk along the West River, the old father finally showed some understanding this time and chuckled:

"Then Shi'an, you can go ahead. I still have some documents to process."

"Isn't Uncle Lin going?"

"Go and explore the area. It'll be very lively along the Xijiang River during the National Day holiday!"

"..."

……

Chen Shi'an and Lin Mengqiu went downstairs together.

The lingering heat of the day had not completely dissipated, but the evening breeze had already gently melted away the sweltering heat, and the temperature dropped with the night.

Lin Mengqiu put on a thin jacket, covering the short-sleeved school uniform she wore underneath.

Chen Shi'an was still wearing his summer school uniform.

Without her father by her side, walking side by side with Chen Shi'an in the cool night, Lin Mengqiu felt even her steps were lighter.

The night seems to have a magical power. Even though it's the same road as usual, walking side by side, I always feel that we are closer.

Lin Mengqiu secretly glanced at him; this was the first time she had taken a leisurely walk with him like this.

Come to think of it, this is the first time in my life I've ever walked with a boy like this at night.

Tomorrow is the holiday, and I ate a big meal tonight. The warmth spread through my stomach. Lin Mengqiu put her hands in her coat pockets. When the wind brushed past her neck, she couldn't help but shrink her neck slightly, like a little animal with warm hands.

"Is the class monitor cold?"

"not cold."

Do you usually go for walks?

"No."

"Then why are you out again tonight?"

"...You called me."

"I thought the class monitor would say, 'I'm not going, I'm going to study.'"

"Then why did you call me?"

"I wanted to ask you to go out for a walk, and I thought you would refuse. That's not the same thing. I asked you to go out for a walk because I wanted to."

"Oh."

Lin Mengqiu's small hand, hidden in her pocket, twitched slightly. She pressed her thumbnail against the edge of her index finger, and after a few seconds, she whispered:

"Then I agree."

"Yes, a pleasant surprise."

"...What do you like?"

"When I first became the class monitor's deskmate, I thought I would be disliked by him, but now it seems that he doesn't dislike me after all."

"...Why do you think that?"

"Does the class monitor dislike me now?"

Chen Shi'an suddenly stopped and turned to look at her.

Lin Mengqiu was stunned for a moment, and when she looked up, she met his gaze.

It was clearly a very inappropriate interpersonal relationship issue, but he asked it with complete confidence and without any change in expression, as if he were just asking "Do you need to bring an umbrella tomorrow?"

Lin Mengqiu, who had just been snuggled up in a warm blanket, suddenly tensed up and didn't dare to look at him. The cool night breeze made her cheeks burn.

"I didn't dislike you until you asked this question."

"Oh? So it depends on the situation whether you find it objectionable or not?"

"Ah."

Lin Mengqiu didn't look at him, but kept her eyes on the ground in front of her and nodded very seriously.

In fact, my index finger in my pocket had been pinched so many times by my thumb that it had many marks.

Suddenly, Chen Shi'an pulled her wrist.

The girl snapped out of her daze and looked up at him.

"This way."

“…I know.” “Really know?”

"...I'm complaining about you again."

"??"

……

The banks of the Xijiang River were bustling with activity during the holiday.

Colorful lights were strung along the river railings and roadside trees, and red flags hung down, swaying gently in the wind. The number of people was more than double that of a normal weekday, and the road was densely packed with people.

Chen Shi'an and Lin Mengqiu mingled in the hustle and bustle, strolling slowly along the riverbank.

Unlike Wen Zhixia and Li Wanyin, she rarely spoke during walks with the class monitor.

With her hands in the pockets of her light coat, she deliberately walked close to the inside of the railing. A breeze blew by, and stray hairs fluttered at her temples. Her gaze was fixed on the night cruise ships passing by on the river.

But his mind was on the arms that had bumped between the two of them—

The riverside pedestrian walkway was crowded with people. As they walked, the two were pushed closer by the flow of people. Their elbows would occasionally touch lightly before quickly separating, but the faint touch and warmth lingered on their skin for a long time.

Lin Mengqiu quietly took her hands out of her pockets, since bending her elbows took up more space.

But when I took my hand out, it felt empty and unsupported when it hung down by my side. After hesitating for a few seconds, I obediently put my paw back into my pocket.

I should have taken out the thermos...

Reaching a spot with a wide view, where the river view and distant lights created a beautiful picture, Lin Mengqiu stopped and gently nudged Chen Shi'an beside her with her elbow.

"Hmm? What's wrong, class monitor?"

"Could you... take a picture of me?"

"Okay, last time when we rode bikes together, I wanted to take a picture of you but you said you wouldn't."

"...I really dislike you."

"If you don't like me, I won't take your picture."

"?"

The girl pursed her lips and glared at him irritably.

Chen Shi'an was amused by her. It was indeed difficult to make the class monitor happy, but it was a piece of cake to make her angry or annoyed!
"Come on, how does the class monitor want to film this?"

"……do not know."

Lin Mengqiu answered honestly.

She was just looking at the river view when she suddenly wanted to take a picture.

She has never liked taking pictures, but when facing the camera, she didn't even know where to put her hands.

After hesitating for a few seconds, she suddenly looked up:
"How about I take a picture of you?"

"what?"

Chen Shi'an was stunned. "How come you suddenly started taking pictures of me?"

"Will you take the picture or not?"

"alright."

So the two switched places.

Taking his picture openly and legitimately caught the girl's eye, and by sheer accident, she found herself with such a perfectly legitimate reason.

Lin Mengqiu took out her phone and started gesturing at Chen Shi'an.

She couldn't even think of any poses for taking pictures just now, but when she was taking pictures of Chen Shi'an, it was as if she suddenly had a flash of inspiration. She would have him lean against the railing one moment and turn his head to look at the river the next, taking more than ten pictures in a row.

I carefully examined each and every one of them before finally moving them to my private album with satisfaction.

"Have you finished filming?"

"Ah."

How many were filmed?

"...Not many."

"Let me see."

I'll send it to you later.

"Okay. So, class monitor, are you still going to film?"

"……never mind."

"Want to take a photo together?"

"it is good."

Lin Mengqiu agreed almost immediately. Compared to taking photos alone, taking a photo with him seemed less awkward...

Chen Shi'an stood next to her, leaning against the stone railing behind her just like her, then raised his phone and switched to selfie mode.

"...Your phone is so blurry, let me have mine."

"also."

Chen Shi'an took Lin Mengqiu's phone.

Both of them looked at the camera.

On the screen, the usually aloof girl now had a tense face and looked dazed, completely different from how she was in class.

When Chen Shi'an didn't press the shutter, Lin Mengqiu waited somewhat anxiously, her beautiful eyes darting around nervously, sometimes looking at the lens, sometimes at the screen, sometimes at the pedestrians around her, and sometimes at him.

"Squad leader, don't you ever smile in photos?"

"...That's how it's filmed."

"You can smile, just a slight smile, with the corners of your mouth turned up a little."

"..."

Lin Mengqiu tried to tug at the corners of her mouth, but no matter how she moved, her expression felt stiff. Looking at her awkward self on the screen, she felt like a stranger.

Chen Shi'an couldn't help but laugh when he saw her like this.

Lin Mengqiu got annoyed and turned to glare at him.

At that very moment, Chen Shi'an pressed the shutter.

The photo didn't capture her smile, but it did capture her glaring expression, with a hint of reproach in her eyes and a flushed cheek. She looked much more natural than when she was tense earlier.

Lin Mengqiu was quite satisfied with the photo.

They were standing so close just now, their shoulders were almost touching...

She was a little embarrassed to say the word, but it certainly sounded very intimate...

Did the class monitor just say something negative about me?

"Disgusting."

(End of this chapter)