Rebirth 08: A Happy Life Begins in Elementary School

Chapter 118 Yearbook

The yearbook is something Li Zhao still doesn't know whether it's a relic of the past or something unique to elementary school.

It was all the rage when I graduated from elementary school in my previous life, but nobody used it after graduating from junior high. Instead, people started exchanging small gifts, and I never saw a yearbook again.

I wonder if later elementary school graduates are still playing this game.

After all, everyone has QQ and can keep in touch daily via mobile phone, so the significance of a classmate directory has diminished considerably.

Looking back now, it was actually quite interesting.

A beautifully crafted notebook, each page like a file: name, nickname, zodiac sign, birthday, hobbies, motto, etc.

QQ/Phone number, address, future dreams, favorite food —

It's even more detailed than a household registration survey.

Because everyone filled it out themselves, each person's personality was vividly portrayed on the page.

Add to that a page of messages and well-wishes—some joking, some perfunctory, some hiding secrets—

Li Zhao didn't do this in his previous life because everyone said it was "for girls," but as graduation approached, most of his classmates had a copy.

He only wrote for others, keeping nothing for himself.

However, if you look through the list during the process, you'll find that many classmates you thought were dull and boring actually have a very fun personality.

You can also discern some special thoughts or feelings, and understand their meaning.

This yearbook has to be handed over in person. Your facial expressions and body language are all readable; some people might even watch you write on it and then point to a particular entry and say, "Oh, so you like this."

It's incredibly ceremonial.

Some girls take their yearbooks very seriously. Close friends can write messages on them in densely packed pages and carefully select a nice headshot to paste on it.

However, Li Zhao remembered that He Shuyao had never given him a yearbook to fill out in his previous life.

I brought it over this time.

Chen Nian, who was watching from the sidelines with a "let's see what happens" expression, never expected that He Shuyao would actually hand him the yearbook directly.

?

Not to mention Chen Nian and Li Zhao, the two parties involved, even the other classmates who were still chatting were stunned.

"Shuyao, why didn't you give it to Azhao? Has he already filled it out?"

Li Zhao shook his head.

Chen Nian panicked.

"You two had a fight? That's none of my business!"

He Shuyao rolled her eyes. "I'm definitely going to go to the same junior high as him. We'll still be classmates. Why bother writing in a yearbook?"

Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly realized what was going on.

Then I swear.

In the first round of comments, He Shuyao was surprisingly firm, even using the word "definitely".

The second question is: He Shuyao is so confident that getting into New Taipei First High School is no problem for her?

The third question: Why not include this person in the yearbook since we'll still be classmates? Does it mean that everyone else has a "what if" situation where they don't get into New Taipei First Senior High School?

In short, He Shuyao is quite something.

Chen Nian, who was also watching the drama unfold, was shocked for a moment. Then, he took He Shuyao's yearbook and filled in his name, "Chen Nian," before realizing something was wrong.

Since I went to the same junior high school as Li Zhao, we'll still be classmates, so I don't need to write in his yearbook.

Then why are you giving it to me?

Emperor Shuyao, I, Chen, demand an explanation!

Chen Nian looked at He Shuyao with incomprehension and resentment in his eyes.

"Don't overthink it, Chen Nian. You're still my good friend. I hope we can be classmates again in the future."

"Then I don't need it either—"

"It would be impolite to dwell on this."

If there is any real killing intent.

The resentment in Chen Nian's eyes vanished, and his gaze returned to its clear state.

This time, Li Zhao was the one who couldn't understand it.

After Chen Nian finished writing, He Shuyao took the yearbook to find other classmates, and Li Zhao got up and walked out of the classroom.

"Ah Zhao, aren't you going to get one?"

Li Zhao hesitated for a moment. He now found the yearbook very interesting, but since his rebirth, he had only spent one semester with these elementary school classmates, and he didn't remember some of them at all.

"Never mind," Li Zhao shrugged. "Let's go back first."

Even though it's a familiar route home, walking it after graduation exams has a unique charm.

"Ah Zhao, is it because of graduation? Why does this pedestrian street look so much nicer to me?"

"No, you might have been so engrossed in your studies this month that you overlooked how the pedestrian street changes every day," Li Zhao said. "Besides, most of the work is invisible when you're doing the basics, but now that you're doing the decoration, it's easy to notice, and it's faster."

"————" Chen Nian showed a speechless expression.

That's how emotional appeal is ruined.

Unfortunately, Li Zhao didn't feel much about this graduation, after all, he had only been back for one semester.

However, the announcement for the pedestrian street, which He Shuyao had promised to make in June, has been delayed, making Li Changlin and Zhou Xiaoyun a little nervous. But since June is not over yet, they dare not say anything more.

However, Li Zhao observed that the construction intensity at his own shop had increased dramatically. Logically, it should have been finalized, and the public announcement was probably just going through the motions.

"Aren't you going to make a yearbook?" Li Zhao asked.

"What I do is all girl stuff."

"—Then why did you ask me that just now?"

"It's different, Ah Zhao. Haven't you noticed that more people ask you to write in their yearbooks than to me?"

'

Indeed, Li Zhao still had four unfinished books in his drawer, making it seem like an assembly line operation. Moreover, not only people from his own class would come to him, but people from other classes and even other grades would also come to him.

At first, he filled out all the forms, but later he simplified it to the extreme. He would just sign his name, write a message, fill in a few other pieces of information, and then return it.

"Everyone wants to keep your yearbook. If you offer it to them to write in, I feel like they'll all write very carefully," Chen Nian said.

Li Zhao smiled and said, "That's too much trouble, forget it."

"Ah Zhao, why do you think Shu Yao won't write for you?"

As they approached the bus stop, Chen Nian finally asked the question he had wanted to ask for a long time.

"Just like she said, she feels that since we'll all be classmates in the future, there's no need to..."

"But the class monitor and the academic representative should have no problem getting into the top high school, so Shuyao still gave them the yearbook."

""

"I don't quite understand, maybe they're girls."

"You really don't understand?" Chen Nian blinked.

"If you know, then say so."

"It's just a guess, don't you really understand? Ah Zhao, this shouldn't be the case."

Chen Nian's surprise was genuine, and it genuinely made Li Zhao a little embarrassed.

He's usually so mature and wise, but now he can't understand what a little girl is thinking.

That shouldn't be the case.

But Li Zhao really didn't know.

"Tell me your guess first."

"I understand," Chen Nian clapped his hands, "You're testing me."

"Let's just treat it as a test."

Chen Nian glanced around, as if they were having a secret conversation, and said, "I think Shu Yao is putting pressure on herself."

"Um?

""

"Isn't that right? She's determined to go to the experimental class at New Taipei First Senior High School. She has to be in the top 50, which means she has to perform at least as well as the top student in our school."

This is no secret.

Chen Nian continued his analysis, "So, the reason she doesn't let you write in her yearbook is probably because she's thinking that if she doesn't get into the same class as you, or even if she doesn't get into New Taipei First Senior High School, it will be difficult to keep in touch with you! She's not giving herself any way out, and she refuses to face a future where she can only hold onto her yearbook and cry while drifting further and further away from you!"

Is this... really that convoluted?

What young adult novels have you been reading lately?

"Huh? How did you know?"

Li Zhao chuckled and patted Chen Nian on the shoulder, "You have some talent, you could try writing novels."

"Was my analysis wrong? What does it mean?"

"I really don't know." Li Zhao shook his head. "Chen Nian, don't try to guess what a young girl is thinking."

That evening, New Taipei City TV's local news program broadcast the changes to the pedestrian street plan, and the public notice was simultaneously posted online and also near Li Zhao's shop, as well as at the entrance of the Planning Bureau.

Li Zhao's parents finally breathed a sigh of relief, but then Li Zhao's words, "Be careful of the people from Kaiyu who might cause trouble at our store," made them nervous again.

"What could this be about?" Li Changlin asked curiously.

"Even a fool could see the commercial value of our shop. Mom and Dad, do you think anyone will come and discuss selling it?"

Zhou Xiaoyun laughed, "Of course not."

"Of course you won't give 400,000, but what if someone offers a million?"

"————"

To everyone's surprise, Li Zhao had prepared counter-questions of two million and five million, but the question of one million left his parents speechless.

"You're swayed by a million?!"

"You can earn 600,000 without doing anything—" Zhou Xiaoyun was interrupted by Li Changlin before she could finish speaking: "My problem is that I haven't done a proper calculation yet."

"It's impossible to calculate it accurately right now," Li Zhao said. "But you should at least find out how much money those shops in popular pedestrian streets or near tourist attractions in New Taipei City make."

"That makes sense." Li Changlin nodded.

"Furthermore, think about it, if someone wants to buy our store but can't, wouldn't they want to rent it?"

"I won't sell, no matter how much you rent it out," Zhou Xiaoyun said.

"That's not right either." Li Zhao shook his head. "If our store can ideally earn 50,000 to 60,000 a month, but the other party is willing to pay 40,000 to 50,000 just for rent, why work ourselves to death for 10,000 to 20,000? When the other party is no longer willing to rent, it's probably the end of the store's life cycle. Then we can take over. Without rent, we can still make a profit."

Zhou Xiaoyun nodded, glanced at Li Changlin, and said, "Then, your dad and I will ask around first, so we'll have a better idea of ​​what to expect."

"Not only that," Li Zhao continued, "with business booming, there will definitely be plenty of troublemakers—"

"I understand that, son." Li Changlin raised his head confidently. "I certainly know more about smear campaigns and scheming in the business world than you do."

"Tsk." Zhou Xiaoyun frowned and glared at Li Changlin.

"Dad's right. He's been through it, I haven't, so he definitely has more experience," Li Zhao said. "Anyway, things aren't that simple. Now that the plan is finalized and the pedestrian street is under construction, it's expected to officially open around this time next year. There should be an earlier opening process, so we must get there before then."

"Don't worry," Li Changlin said.

"Let's communicate promptly about anything; this is a family matter."

"it is good."

A seemingly normal and smooth family meeting ended naturally.

Is it normal?

Normal my ass!

Whose elementary school son is a decision-maker who issues orders?

But since Li Changlin and Zhou Xiaoyun can accept it, there's nothing more to say.

"By the way, son, you've finished your graduation exams. Are you still going to school?" Zhou Xiaoyun asked.

"Go ahead, you still need to take graduation photos and review exam papers. Whether you go again after that depends on the situation."

"How about we skip the entrance exam for New Taipei First Senior High School? I think you can start your summer vacation after you finish taking your graduation photos," Li Changlin said. "Have a good chat with that Song guy you met last time, you can hang out together during the summer vacation."

"I want to participate."

"Um?

"The exam only lasts one morning. If I get first place, I can enroll in school. Wouldn't that be great?"