Dou Sheng walked off as he said, and shortly after, initiated a real-time location sharing with Xie Lan.

Xie Lan stood by the window, looking at the expansive river surface. Vehicles flowed continuously on the cross-river overpass. The pedestrian paths on both sides of the bridge were narrow, almost negligible from a high vantage point.

He was silent for a moment, then looked down at the map—the small green dot representing a certain someone was currently on the bridge.

A burst of static sounded in the real-time intercom line, and Dou Sheng said, “Nice view.”

Xie Lan: “…Based on your speed estimate, you will be late.”

The sound of rushing wind suddenly filled the phone. “I’m jogging forward.”

The small green dot sped up slightly on the map.

Driving from home to school required quite a detour, but walking was a straight line. Even so, it was nine kilometers.

With some effort, he wouldn’t be late.

Just didn’t know how hungry he would be at night, or if he would cry discovering he had no money for a late-night snack.

Xie Lan returned to his desk calmly and opened the music arrangement software on his phone.

Inspiration struck suddenly, originating from this striving little green dot on the vast map. Not enough for a song, but writing a short, simple melody was sufficient.

Twenty minutes later, Xie Lan posted on Weibo.

@Xie Lan_em: During exam prep, writing a casual melody daily to relax. Today’s is called “Wandering Big Cat.” Please help repost and vote, thanks.

Comments flooded in quickly after the post.

• Wandering Big Cat? Grass (LMAO) hahaha.
• Did you exile him?
• Bean said he wanted to experience extreme poverty for 25 days. Did he go scavenging?
• Sounds good! Although only a dozen seconds, the simple melody is very nice!
• Cub, you finally got the hang of it. This is how you canvas for votes! This is very suitable to share for votes!

Xie Lan liked a few comments.

This was indeed the best way he could think of to canvas for votes. It wasn’t begging for nothing, nor did it take up exam prep energy. The rest could only be left to luck.

Before leaving for school, Xie Lan saw the green dot was already near the school, so he hung up the real-time sharing.

But when he sat in the classroom, the seat next to him was still empty. Nearing the preliminary round, the Night Owls were running around asking questions. He explained two problems to Che Ziming and Wang Gou. Even when the warning bell rang, Dou Sheng was still nowhere to be seen.

Hu Xiujie appeared at the classroom door, and everyone returned to their seats.

Hu’s gaze swept over the empty seat next to Xie Lan. “Dou…”

“Teacher.” Dou Sheng’s slightly panting voice sounded from the back door. “Sorry, a bit late.”

Hu Xiujie frowned. “Hurry in.”

Dou Sheng strode across the podium and returned to his seat.

When Xie Lan stood up to let him in, he noticed his tattered schoolbag seemed even bulging than when he left home.

Xie Lan whispered, “Where did you go?”

Dou Sheng replied even more quietly, “Nearby market, snatched vegetables with the aunties.”

“?”

Dou Sheng sat down, quickly unzipped his schoolbag, paused for two seconds, then zipped it back up. “These only cost three yuan.”

Xie Lan caught a glimpse. It was actually a large bag of unknown green leafy vegetables, a tomato, a section of white radish, and two eggs.

“…?”

Dou Sheng lowered his head, quickly wrote a note, and pushed it over.

[Tips learned from the Frugal Tieba forum. Leftover vegetables are sold cheap in the market at dusk. You have no idea how cheap. Near-expiry sterile eggs are forty cents each. Bean Heaven.]

Xie Lan finished reading those lines and heard a gurgle from someone’s abdomen.

—After a nine-kilometer march plus an interception battle, hunger was only natural.

Xie Lan smiled without mirth. “Looking forward to your survival documentary.”

Enduring the homeroom teacher’s evening self-study, the dismissal bell rang. Hu Xiujie stood up and clapped her hands. “Announcement. Need to collect the printing fee for competition materials for this month until the final exam. Pre-collecting based on last month’s volume, refund for overpayment and supplement for shortage. Only our class has this fee. Nineteen yuan per person, cash or transfer is fine. Collecting tomorrow.”

Xie Lan was unfazed. He looked down to pack his bag, but his hand suddenly paused on the zipper.

He looked up at Dou Sheng. “What to do?”

Dou Sheng didn’t care at all. “Talk about it tomorrow. The Frugal Forum says, one must live in the present.”

“…”

On the way back to the dorm, Dai You and Wang Gou chatted about homework as usual. Dou Sheng lagged a few meters behind, schoolbag on his shoulder, yawning lazily.

June was like a progressive symphony; even the evening breeze was heating up. He didn’t drape his arm over Xie Lan as usual, just walking side by side with him.

Their arms touched inadvertently. Walking past the corner of the building, in that half-meter of dim space, he squeezed Xie Lan’s hand.

Xie Lan’s heartbeat skipped, and the sultry heat of summer suddenly intensified.

The voices of Dai You and Wang Gou talking ahead suddenly became distinct, and there were other laughing students behind.

Just for a second or two.

Walking out of that half-meter of darkness, Dou Sheng released his hand naturally, letting it hang by his side, only the corners of his mouth lifting extremely slightly.

Xie Lan’s expression remained calm as usual. He tilted his head slightly to the other side and gently licked his lips in the warm wind brushing his face.

Passing the dorm entrance, Dou Sheng raised his voice, “We’re going to buy something.”

Dai You responded. Xie Lan followed Dou Sheng straight past the dorm building, turning onto the road to the cafeteria. There was a narrow and deep gap between the cafeteria and the adjacent building. No surveillance, no lights. Standing at the deepest part of the gap at night, one wouldn’t be discovered even if someone passed by outside.

As if sharing a tacit understanding, he looked at Dou Sheng’s back, and sure enough, Dou Sheng went there.

Fumbling in the dark all the way in, it got quieter and quieter. The ground between the buildings was uneven. Dou Sheng walked in front, reaching his arm back to hold Xie Lan’s hand.

Reaching the innermost part, Xie Lan whispered, “Are you hungry?”

“Starving,” Dou Sheng replied. “Can’t wait for tomorrow’s meal.”

Xie Lan instinctively glanced at the bag hanging on his shoulder. In the gloom, only the outline was visible.

Just as he wanted to ask about Dou Sheng’s plan, Dou Sheng suddenly reached out and held his waist, moving down a bit, stopping just above his hip bones.

Sultry and dim, Xie Lan suddenly felt a rush to his head.

Almost subconsciously, he extended both hands to clasp Dou Sheng’s shoulders. Dou Sheng pulled him into his arms, gently stroking his neck, whispering in his ear, “Hungry, so I can only take a bite of boyfriend.”

In the quiet narrow gap, there were only the rising and falling breaths of the two and continuous, slight sucking sounds.

It was hot; just a touch made them unbelievably agitated. They hugged each other, Xie Lan’s T-shirt pressing against his chest, the thumping heartbeat impossible to hide. Fingertips and arms touched Dou Sheng’s top; the fabric was a bit stiff. No need to see clearly to imagine what kind of triumphant, fallen young master look that person had.

Suddenly, students passed by outside, almost sticking to the entrance of the gap. Laughter and chatting burst in, then gradually faded away.

Xie Lan’s heart skipped a beat. He pressed his back against the wall behind him, bracing his legs outward on the ground.

In the narrow space, their legs tangled a bit. Dou Sheng moved an inch to the side, his left leg between Xie Lan’s legs. He lifted Xie Lan’s chin, leaning in to continue kissing him.

Only a second or two later, Xie Lan pushed him away, panting.

The posture of half a body standing between his legs was too fiery, even though only knees and calves touched occasionally.

Summer, too easy for accidents to happen.

Xie Lan walked out quickly, face red and ears hot. Dou Sheng laughed low behind him. Xie Lan walked all the way to the end of the dorm building before glancing back.

Dou Sheng had just emerged from the building gap, squatting to tie a shoelace, then stood up and winked at him lightly.

Agitated.

The kind of agitation that required half a minute of cold water in the dorm’s public shower and furiously writing half a page of competition papers on the bed to calm down.

The public showers in the Yinghua male dorms were just built in the last two years. Each floor only had six spots. While Xie Lan was sitting on the bed doing problems, Wang Gou came back from outside, muttering, “How greedy for cold is Bean? Cold shower is one thing, but showering for so long. Doesn’t he know the unspoken rule that showers shouldn’t exceed three minutes?”

Just as he finished speaking, the dorm door was pushed open.

Dou Sheng entered with a towel around his neck, hair soaked with cool moisture, and threw his things on the desk.

Dai You suddenly said, “What are you wearing?”

He had changed into a set of spare clothes brought from home. There were two small holes near the shoulder of the T-shirt, looking like they were poked by pen tips, making him look even more destitute.

Dou Sheng dried his hair with the towel nonchalantly. “Challenge to live frugally, recording a video.”

Dai You gave an “oh,” but Wang Gou looked up sharply as if seeing a ghost. “One hundred and fifty?”

“Mm. A month.” Dou Sheng said lightly, “Oh no, accurately speaking, until before the final exam, 25 days left.”

Both looked at him like he was a ghost.

Only Xie Lan was calm. He put away the papers, lifted the blanket, and lay down.

Only after Dou Sheng turned off the main light and climbed into bed did he mutter a low reminder, “I don’t want to drink powdered milk tea. If worse comes to worst, we won’t drink.”

Dou Sheng hummed. “Understood.”

---

Breakfast the next day was fairly normal.

The cafeteria sold wedge cakes for eighty cents. The size was close to one-sixth of a large pizza, portion sufficient. Xie Lan usually just had one wedge cake plus an egg and soy milk. Dou Sheng spent a huge sum of 1.6 yuan to buy two cakes, added twenty cents of dried radish, and got two bowls of free porridge, slurping down more than usual.

“1.8 yuan already. Your daily average is six yuan.” Dai You glanced at the GoPro placed on the dining table recording Dou Sheng eating, paused, but still said, “Bean, stomach problems can’t be trifled with.”

Dou Sheng ate with relish, mumbling, “I know the count.”

Wang Gou’s eyes were full of fatherly pity. “Then what about lunch?”

“Lunch is already secured, don’t worry.”

Xie Lan instinctively glanced at the schoolbag a certain someone placed beside him, remaining silent.

During the morning break, he secretly used his phone for a while. In the latest voting for Youth on Strings, he had overtaken Mr. Jiada. Although only by a fraction, it was unprecedented.

The method of posting short demos to canvas for votes was good. The last hot search incident had indeed brought a lot of passersby to his Weibo, leaving plenty of room for canvassing.

Catching the long lunch break, Xie Lan wrote another short piece and posted it on Weibo.

The name was nonsense; today’s was called Eighty Cent Wedge Cake.

Walking to the cafeteria at noon, he clicked open Weibo to read comments.

• 2333 Such a grounded name.
• Chin in hand, could this be Big Cat’s poor man’s recipe?
• Today’s repost for votes, get.
• Whispering, Second Cat don’t let Big Cat go too hungry, he has stomach problems.

Xie Lan put down his phone and whispered at a volume only Dou Sheng beside him could hear, “Perhaps today I can treat boyfriend to lunch?”

“No need today.” Dou Sheng smiled, carrying his schoolbag. “It’s settled.”

“…”

Cosplaying a rabbit in public in the cafeteria?

The kind of rabbit that gnaws on radishes after gnawing on greens.

Xie Lan sighed listlessly. “I seem to suddenly understand why you dragged us to the cafeteria in the last wave.”

Dou Sheng shook his head. “No, you don’t understand.”

It was almost twelve o’clock. There weren’t many people left in the cafeteria. More than half of the self-select windows were closed, and the remaining two were almost sold out. Dai You and Wang Gou went straight to eat beef noodles.

Beef noodles, seven yuan for a large bowl, very economical, but exceeded Dou Sheng’s daily budget.

While Xie Lan queued for beef noodles, Dou Sheng was at the self-select window next to him.

The auntie had just finished stir-frying the last replenished dish, chili fried meat, and scooped the dish out with a ladle.

Xie Lan silently glanced at Dou Sheng, then at the price of the chili fried meat.

2.9 yuan.

Dou Sheng casually took a tray and handed it over.

The auntie took it and said, “Only this one dish left. How many portions do you want?”

Dou Sheng smiled. “None. I want one yuan of rice.”

“Eating plain rice, young man?” The auntie was stunned. She used a small aluminum bowl to serve rice. One yuan’s portion was one and a half bowls, piling up a small mountain on the tray.

She placed the tray with rice on the counter. Dou Sheng calmly unzipped his schoolbag. “Auntie, using the hot wok, can you help me stir this bag of vegetables?”

Xie Lan: “?”

Auntie: “?”

Dou Sheng pulled out that bag of vegetables from his bag.

It was actually f*cking washed.

“Too poor recently, can’t afford cafeteria food.” Dou Sheng sighed. “Is it okay?”

Dai You and Wang Gou pinched each other’s thighs, screaming silently, tears streaming down.

Xie Lan was completely numb, feeling sorry for the auntie.

After a long time, the auntie said stiffly, “It’s not troublesome, but… maybe I haven’t seen much of the world.”

She hesitantly took the bag of vegetables, took them out, and shook off the water. “I’ll just throw them in the wok and fry them for you?”

“Mmhmm, no need to wash the wok. Eh right, no need to scrape off the stuck minced meat and chili either. Yes, all together, all together…”

Dou Sheng directed from close range, tutting repeatedly. “Smells so good. Cooking in the Yinghua cafeteria really requires extraordinary skills. Oh right, your son is in junior high at Yinghua Affiliated, right? If he has questions he can’t solve, he can come ask me. I’ll leave a WeChat. I’m the top of the second-year science grade.”

Hearing this, the auntie’s eyes lit up. “Grade first?”

“Mm.” Dou Sheng quickly wrote down his WeChat ID on paper.

The auntie sighed deeply. “Come again tonight, Auntie will fry for you again. Come later, there are vegetables that can’t be sold out.”

“Thanks, I’m eating noodles tonight.” Dou Sheng smiled humbly. “Is tomorrow noon okay? I still have half a radish, I’ll cut it into chunks and bring it.”

The auntie nodded. “Then same time. Tomorrow’s replenished dish happens to be radish brisket. Using the same wok, flavors won’t clash.”

The GoPro strapped to Dou Sheng’s arm, small and inconspicuous, recorded all the absurdity of the world.

The last time Xie Lan felt so shocked… forget it, there was no last time.

Wang Gou exclaimed in amazement, “Holy sh*t, opened the door to a new world for me. As expected of the boss, you simply pioneered a new train of thought for saving money. I want to learn from you!”

Hearing this, Xie Lan glanced back at him gloomily, hesitating to speak.

Dou Sheng took the freshly fried green vegetables. The rich smell of soy sauce mixed with a faint meat aroma. He sighed with satisfaction, “Just happen to be a bit hungry.”

Xie Lan: “…”

“Accompany me to pick up a package later. The noodle cakes I bought arrived.” Dou Sheng said while eating, “24.9 yuan free shipping, thirty noodle cakes. Averages to only 0.83 yuan per pack. I’ll cook a pot of tomato egg noodles in the dorm during dinner time. Oh, Doggy, lend me your small electric pot.”

“Got it.” Wang Gou quickly pulled out his phone calculator. “Breakfast 1.8, lunch rice 1, bought vegetables 3, noodle cake 0.83. Total 6.63. Exceeded by 0.63. But you still have half a radish for tomorrow’s lunch. This wave is very OK.”

Dou Sheng nodded with hmm-hmms. “Ate more this morning than usual too, mainly because I was a bit hungry last night. Tomorrow eat one less cake, drink two more bowls of porridge, can save another 0.8.”

“You already drank two bowls of porridge.” Xie Lan doubted life. “Are you going to drink four bowls?”

“Ah, free porridge can’t be finished every day, so wasteful.” Dou Sheng sighed. “I really am a good youth of the motherland.”

“…”

Taking advantage of the two lowering their heads, Xie Lan picked up two slices of beef from his bowl and quickly poked them into Dou Sheng’s vegetables.

Dou Sheng suppressed a laugh, leaned in, and whispered, “Reward received.”

What reward?

Xie Lan instantly thought of last night.

He immediately stomped hard on Dou Sheng’s foot under the table.

Dou Sheng’s meal was simple but went well with rice. He ate more rice than usual.

On the way back, he even burped lightly.

“Miscalculated. Tomorrow I should take less rice too, can’t burst my stomach,” he sighed.

Xie Lan: “…”

---

Monday afternoon PE class happened to be the hottest time of the day.

Today’s highest temperature reached 32 degrees. Under the scorching sun, the PE teacher insisted on leading everyone through a set of “stretching.” Ten minutes of stretching later, Xie Lan’s hair was about to ignite. Clearly not much exercise volume, yet he was panting a bit. Upon dismissal, he followed his instinct completely and turned toward the convenience store.

Everyone surrounded the convenience store’s freezer. He queued for a long time before reaching the side of the freezer.

He habitually took the grape ice Dou Sheng often bought. When paying, he asked the person beside him casually, “What did you get?”

“Didn’t get anything.”

Xie Lan was dazed for half a second before remembering. Turning his head, he saw Dou Sheng gently licking his lips.

It was really hot. Dou Sheng got hot easier than him; his arm pressing against him felt burning hot.

Xie Lan walked straight to the freezer next to him. “My treat.”

“No need.” Dou Sheng grabbed him. “Only the first day.”

Xie Lan insisted, “Classmates treating each other to ice cream is very normal, right?”

“But that would be boring. Need to produce video content; basic program effect must be guaranteed.” Dou Sheng’s Adam’s apple moved. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

Xie Lan had to pay hurriedly. Going out, he couldn’t find the person.

He searched around the small cafeteria building and finally saw Dou Sheng on the road to the gymnasium.

The kid might have been stupefied by the heat. Everyone was going to the shady place on the north side of the building, but he alone walked towards the blazing sunlight. In the huge campus, amidst the laughing crowd, only one figure walked on that empty concrete ground.

Too hot. Xie Lan took a bite of the grape ice and walked quickly to catch up.

“You’re going the wrong way, bro.” Xie Lan sucked on the grape-flavored coldness melting on the tip of his tongue, his voice carrying a trace of cool texture. “It’s sunny here, no people, didn’t you notice?”

“Noticed,” Dou Sheng said.

But he didn’t look back, still persisting in walking towards the sunny place. With difficulty, he reached the wall and stood under the only tree around.

Better than nothing, barely shading a little sun.

Xie Lan was speechless and could only stand beside him, continuing to eat the ice.

“Take a bite?” He held the popsicle to Dou Sheng’s lips.

Dou Sheng didn’t move. Xie Lan paused for a second, looking around uneasily. “Hurry up, it’ll be over if someone comes later.”

“No one will come. Are they fools? Coming here to seek heatstroke.” Dou Sheng said lightly, “You eat. Your face is red from the heat.”

Xie Lan had to retract his hand. Ultimately not daring to be too rampant, he lowered his head and bit the remaining ice into his mouth in two or three bites. A wave of cold rushed to the back of his head, freezing him into a headache for a moment. The slush slid down his throat, cooling his whole body.

Xie Lan recovered from the numbness in his brain and exhaled a long breath.

Before the breath was fully exhaled, the person beside him suddenly leaned over to kiss him.

Clear, hot summer. Unmanned playground.

Dou Sheng tasted the coolness left by the grape ice in his mouth, and a little sweetness on the tip of his tongue.

From a distance came the sound of basketballs hitting the ground, coming towards the gymnasium. Before those people appeared around the corner of the building, Dou Sheng straightened up.

Yu Fei and the others dribbled across the concrete ground under the scorching sun and ran to the gymnasium entrance. “Playing?”

“Not playing.” Dou Sheng shook his head. “Just standing here to cool off.”

Wang Gou wondered, “To cool off, go to the small playground. The tree-lined path is much cooler.”

Dou Sheng didn’t respond, and Xie Lan didn’t speak. After that group went in, Xie Lan barely raised his hand and wiped the corner of his mouth.

“You did it on purpose.” He glared at a certain someone. “Planned it back at the convenience store, right?”

Dou Sheng laughed and sighed. “To be greedy for this bit of coolness, it’s not easy.”

---

Returning to the classroom after class, Xie Lan filled a cup of water and sat in his chair to alleviate the heat.

He poked open WeChat casually and suddenly realized Dou Sheng had changed his name again.

• Ren Jian Tan Liang Dou (Worldly Greedy for Coolness Bean)

The boy’s fingertips trembled. Seemingly without thinking much, he hurriedly changed his nickname too.

• Wu Hou Pu Tao Bing (Afternoon Grape Ice)

Sitting in the noisy room, Xie Lan turned his head expressionlessly to look out the window, looking annoyed by the heat, yet a tinge of red spread on the tips of his ears.

Che Ziming nudged Yu Fei. “Hey, Bean said he’s going to buy milk tea. What do you want? Post in the class group.”

“Buying for us?” Yu Fei frowned and looked up. “What stimulated him?”

“Maybe finals are coming, seeing everyone studying so anxiously. Care from the grade number one.” Che Ziming muttered while typing.

Xie Lan was stunned. Exiting his personal info page, he realized there were already nine messages in the class group.

• Ren Jian Tan Liang Dou: Going to buy milk tea from that shop outside school that doesn’t deliver. Hurry if you want on board. Time is tight, closing orders in one minute.

Below were all praises and milk tea lists.

Yu Fei and Che Ziming posted theirs, exactly making up ten cups.

• Ren Jian Tan Liang Dou: Alright, closed. Can’t carry more.
• Liu Yixuan: Already very hard to carry.
• Che Ziming: Running fee for you, one sweet kiss.
• Ren Jian Tan Liang Dou: Get lost.

About ten seconds later, Dou Sheng posted again: Their shop collects stamps on cards. Ten cups redeem one. I’m redeeming it directly.

Everyone on the milk tea train replied with an OK.

Xie Lan stared blankly at the words on his phone for a long time.

The long break was twenty-five minutes. Dou Sheng probably ran there and walked back. When he entered the classroom, there were three minutes left before class.

He carried eleven cups of milk tea in both hands. As soon as he entered, the room cheered.

Those who missed the train sighed. Dou Sheng slid the milk tea bags off his wrists one by one and placed them on the podium.

“Claim them yourselves. I plan to do this good deed until before the final exam. Capped at ten cups daily, equal opportunity for everyone.”

A group of people went up laughing to claim milk tea. He casually picked up the cup on the far edge, strode back to his seat, and placed it in front of Xie Lan.

“Here.”

He lowered his voice. “Milk tea has been waiting for its master for a long time.”

Wang Gou didn’t hear what he said, only praising from the side, “I can only say high level, truly high level.”

Xie Lan sipped the milk tea.

Very refreshing milk and tea flavor. Sweet, but not cloying, cool.

A certain someone squeezed into the inner seat, panting lightly, and opened the window. Just in time for a rare cross-breeze.

He pulled his T-shirt collar to fan himself, yawning lazily towards the window.

“Want some?” Xie Lan extended the milk tea, the straw intentionally or unintentionally touching Dou Sheng’s lips.

No one around was looking. Dou Sheng lowered his head and drank two mouthfuls from his hand quickly.

His Adam’s apple slid up and down cheerfully.

He raised his head, sighed deeply leaning against the wall, and cursed lowly.

“I’m alive.”

The GoPro sat on the corner of the desk, light still on.

Xie Lan glanced at the lens in panic. “Be careful when editing footage.”

“Mm.”

Before class started, Xie Lan finished the milk tea and threw it in the outside trash can.

Just as he was about to return, he saw Hu Xiujie appearing at the classroom door.

The class quieted down instantly.

“Dou Sheng!” Hu Xiujie held a small slip of paper in her hand. “This is your material fee?”

Silence in the class. Everyone turned to look at the last row.

Che Ziming, drinking water at the door, was bold enough to sneak a peek at the small note.

“Mother of god.” He read in shock, “Know everything, don’t need materials…??”

Under everyone’s gaze, Dou Sheng sat up straight and gave a dry “Ah.” “No need to waste money.”

Gasps of cold air in the class.

Dai You and Wang Gou, who knew the truth, looked at him sympathetically.

“You come out.” Hu Xiujie was crisp and decisive.

Class hadn’t started yet. Xie Lan stood in the corridor without going in.

Hu Xiujie didn’t pay attention to him, just frowning and scolding Dou Sheng, “What kind of moth are you playing again? Didn’t have time to scold you this morning. What kind of mess are you wearing? There are holes on the shoulder. Stop stirring things up every day and pay the material fee.”

Dou Sheng sighed. “Can’t afford it, Teacher.”

“Nineteen yuan, stop joking.” Hu Xiujie rolled up the lesson plan in her hand and tapped his shoulder. “Can you not waste my time? I’m rushing to teach All-Subject A.”

Dou Sheng pondered for a moment. “Does the school have any financial aid green channel? Similar to the conditions given to Wang Gou?”

“?”

Hu Xiujie looked confused. “Are you sick?”

“Then I really don’t want it.” Dou Sheng sighed. “Sigh, Teacher, I really know it all. If there’s something I don’t know, I’ll look at Xie Lan’s and write on scratch paper.”

“It’s fine, but Teacher wants to know exactly why?” Hu Xiujie was a bit desperate. “Doubts about the price of school materials? Ten cents for two single-sided sheets. Our Class A charges strictly according to the number of materials; it will only be less, not more. If you print outside, it starts at double the price.”

Dou Sheng didn’t make a sound, just turned his head to look out the window.

Some depressed emotions were masked in those eyes, but quickly returned to the usual indifference.

What is the best drama academy in China?

Xie Lan wanted to sign him up.

After a stalemate of half a minute, Hu Xiujie finally sensed something wrong.

She looked Dou Sheng up and down again, hesitating for a moment. “Did something… happen at home?”

Dou Sheng paused. “Hmm?”

His eyebrows raised slightly, as if suddenly gaining some inspiration.

“Ah.” Dou Sheng stuffed his hands into his pockets somewhat melancholically, looking out the window and sighing softly.

“My mom hasn’t been home for almost two weeks.” He said with faint sorrow, “I suspect the family business went bankrupt. She might be hiding from debts outside.”