Sun Li snapped back, “Don't think I want to call you. If the city leaders weren't showing up for an inspection today, I wouldn't waste my breath on you!”
Li Yundong yawned widely. “City leaders? Are they that bored? Why on earth would they come to our school?”
Sun Li said, “The exchange day is in two days, and the city officials are coming to inspect our work. Hurry up and get here. We’re taking attendance in the class soon, and anyone absent will have their Science Points docked. If you’re not afraid, then don’t bother showing up.”
“Holy hell, that harsh?” Li Yundong shot up from bed instantly. “I’m on my way right now!”
With that, Li Yundong hung up, burst out of his bedroom, and found Su Chan emerging from her own room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Going to school!” Li Yundong announced, diving into the bathroom. Su Chan chased right after him, whining, “Take me! Take me!”
Li Yundong laughed. “Why don’t you stay home and sleep? The leadership inspection today is going to be dead boring. What do you want to go for?”
Su Chan wrapped her arms around Li Yundong’s neck. “No way! You promised you wouldn’t leave me behind!”
Li Yundong playfully blew a puff of air toward Su Chan, grinning mischievously. “I haven't brushed my teeth yet. I stink!”
Su Chan shrieked, covered her nose, spun around, and stomped her foot by the bathroom door, pouting. “You stink! You’re annoying! I don’t care, I’m coming with you!”
Li Yundong pointed toward the other bathroom next to Su Chan’s room. “Then hurry up and go wash up and change by yourself. We leave in ten minutes.”
A beauty of Su Chan’s caliber possessed an undeniably heart-stirring charm, even without makeup. She merely brushed her teeth, quickly washed her face, and casually pinned her hair up, instantly radiating a unique allure.
Watching the little girl whose face was still dotted with water droplets, Li Yundong felt the morning sun illuminate her swan-like, long, pure white neck, making her look exactly like a maiden carved from white jade—pure, yet possessing a captivating, adorable sultriness.
The two left the apartment, Li Yundong flagged down a cab, and they sped toward the university.
Upon arriving at Tiannan University and stepping out of the car, Li Yundong noticed a massive banner hung high above the entrance: “Welcome City Leaders to Inspect and Guide Our Work.”
Li Yundong curled his lip, shook his head, and scoffed, “Typical national characteristic!”
After paying the taxi fare, Li Yundong hurried toward the classroom building with the girl. As they reached the base of the building, Li Yundong saw a large crowd gathered, mostly female students, all uniformly dressed in school uniforms and wearing light makeup, chattering amongst themselves.
Sun Li spotted Li Yundong immediately and rushed over, lowering her voice. “You’re here?”
Li Yundong pointed toward the crowd. “What’s the gathering here for?”
Sun Li’s face shifted to one of displeasure. “Don’t even start. Some brainless idiot came up with the idea to dress up our students like hostesses to welcome the leaders.”
Li Yundong let out a hearty laugh. “Truly creative!”
Sun Li rolled her eyes at him. “And you’re gloating! Watch out for karma!”
Li Yundong smirked wickedly. “They certainly won’t drag me out to be a hostess.”
Sun Li shook her head. “I give up on you. You always stand clear of trouble. Don’t cause any chaos today, or not even heaven can save you if something goes wrong.”
Li Yundong sighed dramatically. “It’s not that I want to cause trouble; it’s just that a man as dazzling as me brings trouble wherever he goes!”
Sun Li burst out laughing. “Shameless.”
As soon as Sun Li walked away, Feng Na approached. She spotted Li Yundong and ran over with visible delight. “You’re here too? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
Li Yundong smiled. “What did you need me for?”
The round-faced beauty sighed. “It’s about Zhao Yujian, of course. We need you to go see him.”
Li Yundong paused, then it clicked—Zhao Yujian, the one he had injured. He sighed internally: What a mess. I completely forgot about that guy!
“Go see him?” Li Yundong asked.
Feng Na replied, “Yeah. No matter what, even though he started it, you still hurt him, right? Come visit him with us, chip in for a gift, and we can put this whole thing behind us. What do you say?”
Li Yundong considered it, then agreed decisively. “Fine. How much do I need to contribute?”
Feng Na was both surprised and pleased. “You agreed?”
Li Yundong laughed. “Why wouldn’t I? Do I look like an unreasonable person? Zhao Yujian provoked me first; that’s an objective fact. I injured him; that’s also an objective fact. Everyone has to pay the price for the objective facts they create, right?”
Feng Na looked at Li Yundong with appreciation, instantly viewing the unconventional young man in a much better light. She smiled. “I underestimated you. I had prepared so many arguments to convince you.”
Li Yundong waved his hand dismissively. “When should we go? How much am I paying?”
Feng Na said, “If it’s convenient, how about right now? As for how much you pay, that’s up to you to decide! You were the mastermind!”
Saying this, Feng Na winked at Li Yundong and laughed with a touch of schadenfreude.
Li Yundong grimaced, rubbing the bank card in his pocket, sighing inwardly. “Ugh, time to lose some money again! Money really isn't money these days!”
Li Yundong asked Feng Na, “By the way, I thought the city leaders were coming for an inspection soon? Weren’t you supposed to be conscripted as a hostess?”
Feng Na put a finger to her lips. “Shhh, keep it down! I just managed to hide away! I don’t know which idiot made this decision; it’s idiotic! I heard they also want us to line up to greet those American students for the exchange meet the day after tomorrow, and they’re even demanding we girls wear short skirts to meet them at the airport!”
Li Yundong looked genuinely astonished. “No way? Is it that exaggerated? It sounds like the US President is visiting! Is it necessary?”
Feng Na’s face twisted in disgust. “Exactly. It was supposed to be a nice event, but all I smell is an odor of slavish admiration for foreigners and groveling!”
Li Yundong chuckled, about to speak, when a voice cut in from nearby. “Hey, you two girls! What are you doing over here? Why haven’t you changed into your uniforms? We’re short exactly two people right now!”
They both turned to see a middle-aged teacher shouting loudly at them.
Li Yundong sighed. “Great, guess we’re not going anywhere!”
Feng Na complained, “It’s your fault, you jinx! Now look, we really got roped in!”
The middle-aged teacher walked up to Li Yundong, then his eyes widened when he saw Su Chan standing next to him; he nearly dropped his jaw, silently amazed: We have a female student this beautiful at our school? How have I never known?
Feng Na, noticing the teacher’s utterly improper gaze—it looked as if he wanted to strip Su Chan bare—coughed pointedly. “Mr. Liu, we have some other errands to run.”
Mr. Liu snapped back to reality, clearing his throat sternly. “You can go take care of your business, but this young lady should stay and act as a hostess. We are short one person who can present flowers to the leaders and foreign guests, and this girl meets all the criteria.”
Li Yundong stated bluntly, “That won’t be necessary, Mr. Liu. She’s not a student here; she’s my girlfriend.”
Mr. Liu froze, feeling a mix of disappointment and anger. “Not from our school? Then what is she doing inside?”
Li Yundong couldn’t stand the hypocritical facade the teacher was putting on and sneered coldly. “When did Tiannan University become a closed compound where outsiders aren’t allowed in or out?”
Mr. Liu grew furious, his face reddening. “How dare you speak to a teacher like that! Which department and year are you? What is your name?”
Li Yundong scoffed. “Second year, Chinese Department, Li Yundong. What, are you going to expel me because we disagree? You’re certainly not the first teacher to try that!”
Mr. Liu was so enraged he nearly jumped out of his skin. “Good! Good!”
Li Yundong sneered. “Good for what? If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving.” He then nodded to Feng Na. “Hey, are you coming or not?”
Feng Na’s eyes were wide; she never expected Li Yundong to have such explosive anger, ready to challenge a teacher on the spot!
“You’re crazy, man!” Feng Na followed Li Yundong for some distance, then looked back at the still cursing Mr. Liu, utterly stunned. “You actually confronted a teacher! You are too powerful! You really are my idol!”
Li Yundong chuckled coldly. “The way he looked at Su Chan just now, it’s an act of kindness that I didn’t beat him until he needed assistance with basic life functions! And he calls himself a teacher responsible for educating the youth!”
Su Chan, not to be left out, fanned the flames maliciously. “Should I go kick him in the balls?”
Li Yundong and Feng Na both shuddered instantly. Li Yundong quickly said, “Just settle down, okay!”
Su Chan took Li Yundong’s hand. “I’m just trying to vent your anger for you!”
Li Yundong smiled wryly. “You’d be venting anger, but I’d be paying the price!” Saying this, he pinched her nose lightly.
Feng Na looked at Su Chan, then at Li Yundong, and somehow felt a sudden wave of melancholy. She said sourly, “You two really have great chemistry.”
Li Yundong smiled humbly. “Average, average. Third best in the world.”
“Nana!” As the two walked, a voice called out. Feng Na turned and saw Cheng Cheng, her best friend.
“Cheng Cheng, you snuck out too?” Feng Na exclaimed, overjoyed, grabbing Cheng Cheng’s hand and cheering.
Cheng Cheng patted her ample chest and sighed. “Of course, I snuck out! Those idiots actually made us practice the welcome chant—something like, ‘Elme, elme, warm elme!’”
Li Yundong and Feng Na both burst into loud laughter.
Li Yundong laughed so hard tears almost streamed out. He gave a thumbs-up. “Who thought up that welcome line? That’s so damn brilliant—a fusion of East and West!”
Feng Na laughed so hard she bent over backward. “Then should we yell, ‘GDGDUDY, DYDYU? Study hard, make progress every day’?”
Following that, the three of them erupted into another fit of laughter.