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

Chapter 72 The Taoist Priest was somewhat troubled

Chapter 72 The Taoist Priest was somewhat troubled
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On Saturday afternoon, after the last class, the classroom suddenly became more lively than ever before.

Holidays are the most comforting time of year.

Even Lin Mengqiu, who was so studious and so inquisitive, had a change in her usually calm expression the moment she heard the bell ring.

"~~~"

Her tense shoulders quietly relaxed, her brows gently unfurrowed, and she let out a lovely sigh.

The soft, continuous breathing sound was as light as a stretched cotton thread; others might not be able to hear it, but it couldn't escape Chen Shi'an's ears.

Chen Shi'an turned to look at her, never expecting that the class monitor, who studied so hard, would also be happy because of the holiday.
After catching her breath, Lin Mengqiu, like the other students, quickly began packing her things.

Chen Shi'an could feel the atmosphere in the class at that moment; it felt like Chinese New Year. If firecrackers were allowed in the classroom, he had no doubt that some students would set off two strings of firecrackers to celebrate.

Chen Shi'an unscrewed the cap of the mineral water bottle, drank the last few sips of water in one go, and put the empty bottle back in the drawer.

Why don't you buy a water bottle?

Perhaps because he was in a good mood, this was the first thing Lin Mengqiu said to him today.

“Mineral water bottles can be used too.”

Chen Shi'an also noticed that it seemed that apart from him, who was still using a mineral water bottle to store water, every other student in the class had their own bottle or cup specifically for storing water.

"How long have you been using it?"

Lin Mengqiu's eyes twitched as she looked at his old mineral water bottle, which had no wrapping paper and was slightly wrinkled.

"It was about six months and nine days. I would pack some water with me when I went down the mountain."

"..."

Lin Mengqiu was momentarily speechless, unsure whether to praise his good memory or his remarkable frugality...

Although the outer packaging is gone, judging from the red cap and the size of the bottle, it is probably a 550ml bottle of Nongfu Spring water priced at 1.5 yuan.

But who doesn't just throw away the bottled mineral water after finishing it? Who would use it for half a year like him?
The class monitor was convinced and said tactfully, "It's not good to use this kind of bottle for too long. If you don't have enough money, I can lend you some to buy a new one."

"Would you like to buy a new bottle of mineral water?"

"...?"

Is that what I meant?

The girl, with her utmost malice, assumed that the stinky Taoist priest's mineral water bottle must be covered in foul-smelling saliva after using it for so long!

Chen Shi'an had finished packing his things, and seeing that he still didn't put a single book in his bag, just like after evening self-study, Lin Mengqiu couldn't help but say again:

"Aren't you going to take any books home to read tomorrow?"

"Huh? Isn't it a holiday?"

"..."

Lin Mengqiu never imagined that she would be rendered speechless by such a righteous statement.

"You didn't read a book all day, you just played around?"

"It's not really playing around. I need to go find some mountains tomorrow to collect some herbs."

"climb mountains?"

"Hmm, let's go for a walk. Class monitor, do you want to come along?"

"..."

The girl didn't speak, but instead showed him her fair and delicate hand, where a small red dot had been bitten by a mosquito at some point. Her meaning was clear—you want me to be carried away by mosquitoes in the mountains?

"Don't worry, I won't get any mosquitoes if I'm with you."

"No, I'm going to read."

"Ok."

What kind of herbs do you want to collect?

"Let's see what's in the mountains first, and collect anything that can be used."

“These things are not available in the mountains that have already been developed into tourist attractions.”

"Yes, so I plan to go hiking on some less-visited mountain peaks."

"……be safe."

"Thank you for your concern, class monitor."

Seeing that Chen Shi'an hadn't brought his English textbook back either, Lin Mengqiu ignored him.

To be honest, I admire him quite a bit. Despite being so far behind in basic skills, he still has the leisure to climb mountains and collect herbs.

Lin Mengqiu felt she couldn't do it. If it were her, she would definitely have to wait until after the college entrance exam... no... after graduating from university... no... after finding a job... no... after retiring before she could truly relax.

On the mountain...

Does following him really mean there won't be any mosquitoes...?

For some reason, Lin Mengqiu, who was always conscientious and hardworking, suddenly felt a little tempted by his invitation.

But even though I'm the kind of person who would refuse something as easy as having a meal with classmates, I've actually become interested in the strenuous task of hiking...

Forget it! There will definitely be too many mosquitoes! I'm not going!

Instead of wasting time, she could stay home and read some books, and then help him organize the high school math, physics, biology and chemistry study materials he might need later. This lazy Taoist priest is so unmotivated, how could she, as the class monitor, just sit idly by?

Hmm... Thinking of this, Lin Mengqiu felt at ease. If it weren't for the fact that she was the class monitor and her father's task, she wouldn't have bothered with him.

After packing their things, Lin Mengqiu stood up with her backpack, and Chen Shi'an also stood up, pushed his chair under the table, and the two walked out of the classroom one after the other.

……

There were a lot of people on the stairs right after class ended.

The crowd was even more boisterous than when we were eating.

In the narrow and crowded stairwell, Lin Mengqiu was forced to lean against and squeeze against Chen Shi'an.

Thinking back to that day when Wen Zhixia and I were also forced to squeeze together on the stairs, the feeling was completely different from now.

Both of them were wearing short-sleeved school uniforms, and every unintentional touch and rub of their arms against each other felt like a pebble being dropped into her heart, rippling outwards in waves of tingling pleasure...

Lin Mengqiu, who had never been so close to a boy before, was now in a state of panic. All her consciousness and attention were uncontrollably focused on the skin where their arms were pressed together.

Lin Mengqiu didn't know if it was because the hallway was too crowded and stuffy, but she felt her face getting hotter and hotter, and her usually cool expression began to show a hint of panic.

In her confused state, she accidentally missed a step and stumbled. As she did so, she instinctively grabbed Chen Shi'an's arm as if it were a lifeline.

Very strong and powerful arms.

The warmth of his arm seeped through her palm, coursing through her body like an electric current.

Even though it was she who grabbed him at that moment, Lin Mengqiu felt a force coming from his arm, which made her steady herself in an instant.

Lin Mengqiu was certain that her palms had started sweating at that moment.

And the sweat from his palms must have stuck to the skin of his arms.

Are you going to be disliked?

Is this foul-mouthed Taoist priest going to say, "[Class monitor, you've tainted me]"?
If it were her, Lin Mengqiu felt that if a boy's sweaty hands touched her arm, she would be extremely disgusted.

Chen Shi'an did indeed speak—

"Monitor."

"..."

"Your hands are so cold, like walking barefoot on a tiled surface in winter."

"XXX!"

Lin Mengqiu felt her cheeks instantly burn up, and even her ears felt hot.

You stinky Taoist priest! You stinky Taoist priest!
Can't you be a gentleman and pretend nothing happened?! Lin Mengqiu regretted not twisting his hand 360 degrees when she grabbed it.

Fortunately, Chen Shi'an didn't say anything more.

Finally, they reached the spacious exit on the first floor. As the crowd dispersed, Lin Mengqiu, who had been following closely behind him for thirty steps, quickly pulled away from him.

"There are so many people," Chen Shi'an remarked.

"..."

Lin Mengqiu remained silent, afraid that speaking would reveal her still-pounding heart.

...The two continued walking along the school path.

The evening breeze gently dispelled the stuffy atmosphere in the stairwell.

The setting sun hung obliquely on the eaves of the teaching building, gilding the gray cement school path with a warm golden edge, and lengthening the shadows of the two people walking home together.

This was the first time Lin Mengqiu had gone home with someone else, and she was even bringing this person home to her own house.

She didn't tell Chen Shi'an how to get to her house, but just walked ahead as if leading the way, occasionally glancing at him to see if he was keeping up.

Chen Shi'an was not as silent as her.

"Squad leader, do you only go home during holidays?"

"Ah."

How long will it take to walk back?

"Eighteen minutes."

"I heard from Uncle Lin that you live in the direction to the left of the school gate?"

"Ah."

"Uncle Lin, you have so much free time to cook today."

"Saturday."

Why are there so many people queuing at the school gate?

"With a unified dismissal time, many parents come to pick up their children, so we control traffic and divert them out."

Since they had to queue anyway, Chen Shi'an and Lin Mengqiu walked at a leisurely pace, while many classmates carrying large and small bags hurried or jogged past them.

"Did Uncle Lin say what he's going to cook tonight? I'd really like to try his cooking."

"he……"

Before Lin Mengqiu could reply, familiar footsteps came quickly from behind, and then a small hand gently patted Chen Shi'an's right shoulder.

"Taoist priest!"

"Hey, little cicada? Why are you so slow?"

Chen Shi'an turned his head to the right, and the girl who had just patted his shoulder and was now walking beside him on his right was none other than Wen Zhixia, who was carrying large bags and small packages and was preparing to take a car back to celebrate her mother's birthday.

Upon hearing someone suddenly burst in, breaking the peace, Lin Mengqiu also looked to Chen Shi'an's right.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, and her fingers, hanging at her sides, curled up gently.

It's Wen Zhixia again...

After the class reshuffle, I rarely saw her except on the honor roll. But now, both she and her name keep appearing in front of me.

The two used to be deskmates, but now when they met on the same school path, they acted like strangers and neither spoke to the other.

Wen Zhixia acted as if she didn't see her, her eyes were only on Chen Shi'an, and she only spoke to Chen Shi'an.

"I'm not slow, okay? There are so many people. I came out as soon as get out of class ended. It's clearly you who's slow. You're so slow even on the second floor."

No one understands each other better than their rivals, so how could Lin Mengqiu not understand what she was saying?

Even though she was traveling with Chen Shi'an, Wen Zhixia excluded her directly, saying "you slow down" instead of "you guys slow down".

"There are so many people at the school gate right now, so what will you do later..."

While Chen Shi'an and Wen Zhixia were talking, Lin Mengqiu suddenly spoke up, saying to herself:
"He said he'd make ginkgo stewed chicken, spiced braised pork ribs, chopped chili fish head, and silverfish omelet tonight." These were the words she hadn't had a chance to answer Chen Shi'an earlier.

Chen Shi'an paused for a moment, then finally turned his head to the left, looking at Lin Mengqiu.

"Uncle Lin, did you prepare such a lavish meal tonight? I thought it would just be a casual dinner."

Wen Zhixia, seemingly oblivious to their conversation, spoke up on her own, "Taoist priest, could you help me carry these things?"

"Why did you bring so many books? You've only been back for a day..."

"My dad asked me to ask you if you have any dietary restrictions."

"I don't mind..."

"Oh! Didn't I say I'd recommend an English movie to you last time? I just remembered a really good one, have you seen 'The Legend of 1900'?"

"without……"

"We're out of drinks at home. What would you like to drink? I'll go buy some in a bit."

"..."

Lin Mengqiu and Wen Zhixia spoke faster and faster, talking back and forth to themselves, until Chen Shi'an finally couldn't keep up.

God knows how I inexplicably ended up in this situation!

Can't we just chat together on the same channel?

Although there were three of them traveling together, the tension between the two girls was growing stronger, and Chen Shi'an couldn't possibly not sense it!

"Ahem—!"

Just as Lin Mengqiu and Wen Zhixia were waiting for his answer, Chen Shi'an suddenly coughed. After coughing, he closed his mouth tightly, then opened it to speak, only to cough again...

"Some hair got into...cough cough...my throat...cough cough!"

Lin Mengqiu: "?"

Wen Zhixia: "?"

snort! !

The two girls simultaneously snorted inwardly, and finally fell silent...

Chen Shi'an walked in the middle, Lin Mengqiu walked on his left, and Wen Zhixia walked on his right.

The three of them maintained a strange atmosphere, neither of them spoke nor left first, and walked side by side to the school gate, lined up together, and came outside the school together.

It was clear that continuing to work together was impossible, and Chen Shi'an inexplicably had a feeling that he was about to be released from prison.

He carried Wen Zhixia's bag and offered it to her, but Wen Zhixia seemed not to see it and made no attempt to reach out and take it.

Lin Mengqiu was even more direct. After leaving the school gate, she turned a corner and walked straight to the left, already about five meters away.

This……

Chen Shi'an couldn't help but speak up, whispering to Wen Zhixia who was waiting for the bus:

"Aren't you going to take your bag back?"

"Oh, so your cough is all better?"

"..."

"It's so heavy, please help me carry it. If you're in a hurry, you can just put it on the ground."

Can this be placed on the ground?

On the other side, Lin Mengqiu, who had already walked far to the left, stopped and looked back. The meaning in her eyes was very clear—are you still coming or not?
Chen Shi'an stood frozen in place.

Even with his skill in dealing with people, he found himself in a dilemma at this moment.

"Are you leaving yet?"

The words that were originally in her eyes became the words she spoke, and Lin Mengqiu uttered them aloud.

"wait for me."

"How long?"

How would I know how long!

Fortunately, the life-saving No. 247 bus arrived at the station in time, and Wen Zhixia finally took the bag he was carrying.

"Let's go. Bye."

"it is good."

Chen Shi'an breathed a sigh of relief and then quickly walked towards Lin Mengqiu.

"Taoist priest! Don't forget what you promised to give me!"

Behind him, Wen Zhixia suddenly called out.