Jiang Ruotang, with a purple clay teapot in his right hand and his left hand pressing the lid, was pouring tea into a cup. His fair wrist, long fingers accustomed to holding a paintbrush, and the dark teapot created a strangely heart-stirring contrast. He possessed a calm and collected demeanor that Bai Yingchuan inexplicably yearned for.

“You said you wanted to talk to me because your fans stormed Qilin Video, and you’re worried you’ll be blacklisted by investors and platforms from now on?” Jiang Ruotang asked.

Bai Yingchuan nodded, “And I know this is Lin Chengdong’s doing. He’s probably collaborating with Yunfeng Video recently, so he wants to sabotage my relationship with Qilin Video to do Yunfeng Video a favor.”

“Are you worried that other uninformed film and television companies will think you secretly incited your fans to attack investors, believing you’re vindictive and that your fans are too destructive and uncontrollable?”

Bai Yingchuan lowered his eyes and replied, “Yes.”

“Given the circumstances, there’s no need to overthink,” Jiang Ruotang slowly picked up a piece of beef tripe and chewed it deliberately.

He thought of his previous life, where he had been Lin Lu’s pawn. What Lin Lu was doing these days was the foolishness Jiang Ruotang had committed in his past life. Back then, Lin Lu, under the banner of fighting for Bai Yingchuan, incited Jiang Ruotang to hand out red envelopes and organize fans to complain to higher-ups. He single-handedly dragged many executives of Qilin Video into trouble, leading to a complete overhaul of its management, from the general manager to the financial director and copyright manager.

He had created such a huge fuss back then, thinking he was standing up for Bai Yingchuan, but it actually caused him a lot of trouble. Later, Bai Yue had to step in with various drinking and dinner engagements to secure some opportunities for Bai Yingchuan. Bai Yingchuan must have hated Jiang Ruotang to death then, truly embodying the saying: “Fear not a god-like opponent, but a pig-like teammate.”

This time, however, the one inciting the fans was Lin Lu, whose destructiveness and organizational skills were clearly not as strong as Jiang Ruotang’s.

“I can’t help but worry,” Bai Yingchuan took a sip of tea.

Jiang Ruotang unhurriedly said, “Don’t worry, it’s the entertainment industry… you don’t need thirty years; usually, what’s a mess this month is thriving the next. Capital is profit-seeking. When the benefits you bring far outweigh the uncertainty caused by radical fans, they won’t abandon you. On the contrary, they’ll think your fans are highly loyal, and casting you in a show will guarantee sky-high ratings.”

“Are you comforting me?” Bai Yingchuan rarely showed a helpless expression.

Jiang Ruotang took another crispy char siu bun and bit into it, “Then let’s talk about something practical. Aren’t you joining the crew of ‘Boiling Age’ after the seventh day of the Lunar New Year? Do you truly love acting?”

“Of course.” Bai Yingchuan’s expression was serious.

Jiang Ruotang also believed him on this point; Bai Yingchuan in his previous life was impeccable in terms of professionalism.

“Then be proactive and perform well. Mr. Feng Moshan, who plays your grandfather, is a first-class actor. Learn more from him and seek his guidance. Old Mr. Feng has a very good relationship with the Central Station. If he thinks highly of you, a single word of praise can earn you the Central Station’s recognition. Some intangible resource advantages are things you can’t get from Qilin Video or people like Lin Chengdong.”

Bai Yingchuan looked at Jiang Ruotang, who still appeared calm and composed. Everyone around him, whether his agent or his mother, wished for him to maximize his fame advantage while young. Jiang Ruotang was the only one who believed he could start pursuing a career as a serious actor as early as possible.

“You just need to wait until Qilin Video can’t attract even a tiny bit of traffic from K-pop’s top stars, then you’ll be Qilin Video’s treasured possession.”

“Can’t attract traffic from K-pop’s top stars?” Bai Yingchuan looked over, puzzled. “How is that possible?”

“Don’t you pay attention to the news? How do the candidates in Country K view us? Policy dictates cultural trends. Finding K-pop stars for shows now, from script to filming to post-production, takes a long time, plus the time for censorship. It won’t air for two or three years. But these two years are enough for various policy tug-of-wars from above.”

Bai Yingchuan suddenly understood. He also felt that Qilin Video was digging its own grave. He didn’t need to regret being blacklisted by Qilin Video.

---

Jiang Ruotang finished a char siu bun and was looking for a napkin. Bai Yingchuan tore open the packaging of a disposable towel and actually offered to wipe Jiang Ruotang’s hands. This surprised Jiang Ruotang, who immediately pulled his hand back, staring blankly at Bai Yingchuan.

“You… you…”

“What’s wrong? Weren’t you going to wipe your hands?” Bai Yingchuan retorted, as if it were the most natural thing.

But Jiang Ruotang’s action of pulling his hand back was like a sharp thorn, piercing deeply into Bai Yingchuan’s heart. Jiang Ruotang used to support him, arrange airport pickups, and various themed events. If he were still his biggest fan, perhaps nothing would have spiraled out of control. Bai Yingchuan would have been happy to have such a supporter, and his fans might have been positively guided to become his help, not a death knell.

But what exactly made Jiang Ruotang stop liking him?

Jiang Ruotang thought of something and then said, “As for your mother…”

“What about her?”

“She’s seen all the intricate human relationships in the entertainment industry, but she’s not particularly shrewd herself. So, when she encountered Lin Chengdong, she developed a sense of reliance. The more she invested, the higher the sunk cost, and the more reluctant she became to give up the resources he provided, hoping to eventually recover her losses.”

Bai Yingchuan’s brows furrowed, “You mean…”

Jiang Ruotang turned his head and glanced at Bai Yingchuan, “You know exactly what I mean.”

Bai Yingchuan was momentarily at a loss for how to continue the conversation. The small private room was so quiet that only the sound of Jiang Ruotang pouring tea for himself could be heard.

As Jiang Ruotang raised his teacup and gently sniffed the aroma, Bai Yingchuan suddenly spoke: “Then what do you think I should do?”

“You haven’t even graduated from high school, what can you do? Where do you want to go to college?”

“Beijing Film Academy.”

“Your mother can’t possibly move to the capital just to keep an eye on you, can she? She has her own filming commitments, social engagements, and network. Once you go to university, you can build your own team and try the things you’ve wanted to do but couldn’t while with your mother. If you succeed, Teacher Bai Yue won’t be able to restrict you. Your mother’s ideas might not be wrong, but the era she experienced and the era you are about to experience are different. Of course, you should listen to her, but there are no two identical leaves in this world; you don’t have to become another her.”

Bai Yingchuan stared at Jiang Ruotang in a daze. From the first time he acted, people constantly repeated, “This child is so lucky, he’s Bai Yue’s son,” “He’s won at the starting line, a definite top-tier second-generation star,” “His mother has won so many awards, this child’s future won’t be bad…”

He was destined to be packaged with Bai Yue from birth, his label always “Bai Yue’s son.” Only Jiang Ruotang told him, “You don’t have to become another her.”

Moreover, Jiang Ruotang’s analysis of the situation was not impossible, and his advice was very practical. Living in the present was indeed more important than worrying about the future. Bai Yingchuan also gained some appetite, finishing another crispy char siu bun. He usually didn’t like such slightly sweet pastries, finding the sweet meat filling strange, but today it inexplicably tasted crispy and delicious.

After their meal, Bai Yingchuan put on his mask and hat again. Jiang Ruotang hailed a taxi by the roadside, and the two returned to school.

---

As soon as Bai Yingchuan entered the classroom, Lin Lu, who had been napping, sat up, looking expectantly at Bai Yingchuan. He waited for Bai Yingchuan to tell him where he had gone for lunch, but when he saw Jiang Ruotang enter shortly after, that speculative jealousy and sourness surged again.

But Jiang Ruotang didn’t immediately return to his seat. Instead, he ambled to Lu Guifan’s desk at the back, tiptoeing to see if he was asleep. Lu Guifan slowly turned his head, probably sensing Jiang Ruotang’s arrival. He gently smoothed his bangs, then reached into his drawer for his glasses. It was this somewhat dazed look that made Jiang Ruotang’s heart feel soft.

“Did you eat my ribs?” Jiang Ruotang asked with a grin.

Lu Guifan put on his glasses and poked Jiang Ruotang’s stomach, “Aren’t your ribs right here?”

Jiang Ruotang giggled, tickled by the poke.

“You go back to sleep, I’m leaving.”

Lu Guifan glanced at Jiang Ruotang’s retreating back, then lowered his head to find a small handful of mints on the corner of his desk. Yesterday, he had lectured Jiang Ruotang for several hours in the air-conditioned room, and his throat was a bit hoarse. He thought this kid was heartless, but he still remembered.

---

After another week of intensive practice and prediction, they welcomed the final exams of the first semester of senior year. Jiang Ruotang finished his last exam. As he walked out of the classroom, he saw Lu Guifan leaning against the corridor, waiting for him. His posture was as straight as a pine tree, combined with his exquisite profile, attracting many gazes.

A classmate patted Jiang Ruotang’s shoulder, “Wow, you’re really amazing. After every exam, the top student in the grade waits for you at the door. Anyone who didn’t know would think he likes you!”

Jiang Ruotang’s heart swelled with sweetness, like a swarm of little bees buzzing. He punched the other person’s chest, “Look closely, I’m a guy. Even if you’re making up a story, it’d be the top student waiting for his boyfriend!”

“What?” Lu Guifan asked, seeing him come out and walking over.

Jiang Ruotang immediately said, “Nothing, just checking answers.”

“Let’s go, I’ll check them with you.”

“Then I won’t check.”

“Why?”

“In my exam room, I’m a top student. If I check answers with them, they’ll all believe I’m right. But if I check answers with you and there’s a disagreement, I’ll definitely be wrong,” Jiang Ruotang said, full of conviction.

As he spoke, he wrapped himself in a wool scarf, and with the down jacket over his school uniform, he looked like a plump little bear. Lu Guifan followed behind him, thinking how much this little bear feared the cold.

When the final exam results came out, Jiang Ruotang almost hugged Lu Guifan’s shoulder and squealed like a pig. He had improved from 250th in the grade to 189th. Even their homeroom teacher, Song Qinghe, exclaimed, “Jiang Ruotang is progressing at rocket speed! I used to think he just needed to stay firmly on the ground, but now he’s landed on the moon!”

The English teacher also nodded, “His English essays are getting better and better too. The framework and sentence structures are excellent. I wonder where he found the templates.”

Old Master Wang grumbled, “Where else could he have found templates? The top student in the grade custom-made them for him!”

Another young Chinese teacher next to him smiled, “But I think his Chinese scores are also quite good. He filled in all the famous quotes he needed to memorize, his essay didn’t go off-topic, and his logic was quite rigorous. He finally broke a hundred points!”

Old Master Wang sniffed proudly, “If he spent a little more effort on Chinese, his total score might even break the 500 mark!”

In this final exam, Lu Guifan remained first in the grade, sitting comfortably. Cai Ji, with a stable learning environment and family care, broke into the top ten in the grade, successfully meeting Lu Guifan in the first examination room. Jiang Ruotang was praised extensively by homeroom teacher Teacher Song as a model of improvement.

After the results were released, Teacher Song announced another piece of news: they would be adjusting the seating arrangements in the class. After all, a long time had passed, and some students had grown taller. For example, it was no longer appropriate for a tall student like Zhao Changfeng to still be sitting in the second to last row.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ruotang immediately turned to look at Zhao Changfeng. He didn’t want to be separated from his little brother! Zhao Changfeng’s eyes also held a hint of reluctance; he had just established a strong brotherhood with Jiang Ruotang!

Teacher Song called all the students to the hallway and asked them to line up by height. Jiang Ruotang was relatively tall, standing about two-thirds of the way down the boys’ line. He was shorter than Lu Guifan and Zhao Changfeng, which was acceptable, but why was Cai Ji seven or eight spots behind him?

Song Qinghe began assigning seats. Many students had been desk partners for a long time and were accustomed to each other, so the change made them reluctant to part. But Song Qinghe was actually quite considerate. To avoid affecting everyone’s mood, he kept those who could remain desk partners together.

For Jiang Ruotang, it would be best if he could avoid Lin Lu; after all, he didn’t want to be noticed by the other party no matter what he did, which wasn’t very comfortable. If possible… being desk partners with Lu Guifan would be even better. At this moment, Jiang Ruotang hated himself for being so unmotivated; why hadn’t he grown to 1.85 meters!

Lin Lu, Bai Yingchuan, Cai Ji, and Jian Sha were successively called into the classroom. Jiang Ruotang was still standing outside, bored enough to start drawing circles on the ground.

“Jiang Ruotang, come in.”

Hearing Teacher Song’s voice, Jiang Ruotang immediately walked into the classroom. For some reason, he felt like he was under everyone’s gaze, as if countless eyes were watching him. Lin Lu was surprisingly desk partners with Bai Yingchuan again, but this time, the seat on Bai Yingchuan’s other side was still empty. No wonder so many people were looking at him; they probably thought he was going to be Bai Yingchuan’s desk partner, which was a coveted spot throughout the school. Bai Yingchuan was wiping the adjacent desk with a tissue, exuding gentlemanly charm. In his opinion, based on height, Jiang Ruotang should definitely be his desk partner.

Jiang Ruotang, however, secretly took a deep breath… No, no, no, I don’t want to be desk partners with Bai Yingchuan. He looked in Lu Guifan’s direction, who was looking down at a book, not even sparing him a glance.

How outrageous! Even though there’s a slight height difference between us, can’t you at least slightly hope I’ll sit next to you? At least we’re so close, you should care where I’ll sit, right?

However, Teacher Song Qinghe performed a dramatic twist.

“Jiang Ruotang, you’ll sit next to Lu Guifan.”

What? Was this a stroke of luck? With that one sentence, Jiang Ruotang almost wanted to erect a memorial tablet for Song Qinghe! As if fearing Teacher Song would change his mind, Jiang Ruotang eagerly grabbed his backpack and went to Lu Guifan’s side.

Bai Yingchuan, who had been wiping his desk for his desk partner, froze, slowly pulling the tissue back into his palm, clenching it tightly until his knuckles turned slightly white.

“And your practice papers and reference books,” Teacher Song reminded him helplessly.

Lu Guifan suddenly stood up and neatly moved Jiang Ruotang’s reference books over. To have the class monitor actively “serve” him was a first, anywhere!

After sitting down, Jiang Ruotang realized this spot was simply amazing! Although he had moved back one row, Lu Guifan was on his left, Cai Ji was across the aisle, Jian Sha was in front, and Zhao Changfeng was behind him! He was surrounded by friends and family.

“Brother! We’re still together!” Jiang Ruotang turned and hugged Zhao Changfeng’s neck. Honestly, Zhao Changfeng was quite happy too, and he rarely raised his hand to pat Jiang Ruotang’s back.

Bai Yingchuan turned around, only able to watch Jiang Ruotang’s expression, as if he had won the lottery. This new seat made Jiang Ruotang incredibly happy, his heart stirring. He turned his head to look at Lu Guifan. Finally, he could admire Lu Guifan reading from this angle in the classroom.

Lu Guifan, however, stretched out his arm and pressed on the top of Jiang Ruotang’s head, “What are you thinking? You’re smiling so foolishly.”

“Thinking about you!”

“Crazy.” Lu Guifan gently pushed his head towards the desk, but without actually using force.

“You know, ‘near vermilion, one gets red; near ink, one gets black.’ I’m wondering if being your deskmate means I can also break into the first exam room next semester?”

At these words, not only Lu Guifan but also Jian Sha and Cai Ji looked over. Zhao Changfeng couldn’t help but say, “People still need to have some self-awareness.” Jian Sha also added, “IQ is not a pheromone; it can’t spread through the air.”

---

With the seating settled, Teacher Song Qinghe announced that after the subject teachers finished reviewing the final exam papers, it would be time for the parent-teacher conference. For Jiang Huaiyuan and Zhao Yunshu, it was a moment of great pride.

Jiang Huaiyuan met Lin Lu’s mother, and the two exchanged polite greetings. In the past, Lin Lu’s mother had felt quite superior to Jiang Huaiyuan, but now, Jiang Ruotang had changed so much in just a short time.

“Oh, Director Jiang, I heard that your Ruotang not only aced the art entrance exam but also made rapid progress in the monthly exams. It seems he’s definitely secured a spot at Shengda Academy of Fine Arts!”

Lin Lu’s mother used to think that Jiang Ruotang would never get into a domestic university and would only be able to spend money to get a degree from a third-rate university abroad after the college entrance exam. She never expected him to rise so quickly in just one semester.

Before Jiang Huaiyuan could speak, Jian Sha’s mother added, “Didn’t Jiang Ruotang also win the championship in the Young Talent group of the Fu Chunshi Art Competition? He’s the only one in the entire province; truly talented! The good news is still posted on the school bulletin board!”

Geng Yu’s mother passed by and snorted, “How uncultured. Someone who can win the Fu Chunshi Art Grand Prize would never stay in Shengshi. They’d be snatched up by professors at the Capital Academy of Fine Arts.” This made Lin Lu’s mother’s face turn from green to purple.

Cai Ji’s grandmother also came over to speak with Jiang Huaiyuan and Zhao Yunshu, expressing endless gratitude: “Only kind people like you two can raise such upright and kind children like Ruotang and Changfeng! This exam is Cai Ji’s highest ranking ever! If it weren’t for your help, our Cai Ji would never have been able to study calmly and would probably still be in dire straits!”

The elderly lady’s gratitude was witnessed by other parents, who discussed it amongst themselves. “Hey, I remember when I came for the parent-teacher conference before, this Jiang Ruotang was just a little playboy, always putting on airs like a young master and refusing to study properly. How is it that today his reputation has done a 180-degree turn?”

“His award announcement is still posted outside! It’s said to be the first time such a major art award has been won in Beicheng Guangyao!”

“My daughter told me that this Jiang Ruotang actually studies quite hard, progresses quickly, and has good social skills. Even the most ignorant boys grow up; isn’t he doing well now?”

Jiang Huaiyuan sat in Jiang Ruotang’s seat, and people kept coming up to greet him and praise Jiang Ruotang, making his cheeks ache from smiling so much as a father. As for Zhao Yunshu, she never expected so many parents to specifically come over to greet them and get to know the couple, such as bank presidents, relevant department leaders, and so on. Zhao Yunshu never thought that her son’s excellence could also bring them networking advantages.

Lu Guifan’s mother came to his parent-teacher conference. The current Mrs. Lu was more confident, looking dignified and graceful even without makeup, wearing a very figure-flattering wool coat. She also came to thank Zhao Yunshu for introducing her to such a good job. The Hong lawyer family were all very good people.

Suddenly, Jiang Huaiyuan and Zhao Yunshu became the darlings of the parent group, with everyone saying that they not only raised their children well but also that their whole family was righteous. Lin Lu’s mother couldn’t get a word in. The crucial thing was that Lin Lu’s grades were also stable this time, scoring over a hundred points higher than Jiang Ruotang, yet no one said a good word to her, and she still had to endure the eye-rolls from Geng Yu’s mother.

After the parent-teacher conference, Zhao Yunshu realized that those parents who were usually not very active were actually hidden talents, with extensive networks and exceptional skills in various industries.

While the parents were having their meeting, Jiang Ruotang and his friends went to eat hotpot across the street from the school. Their chopsticks “fought” in the bubbling red soup, laughing and having a great time.

---

Back home, Jiang Ruotang also received good news from Mr. Zheng. Gao Cheng went to the bank to discuss a loan. Although some banks were still very conservative and not optimistic about “Little Sweet Fruit”, Gao Cheng brought Chen Dan, and Qi Yanfeng helped organize a dinner party, which actually made several banks reconsider the loan conditions for Little Sweet Fruit.

Chen Dan was very loyal. As a shareholder, he agreed to mortgage the large villa his parents gave him. Qi Yanzhe was not to be outdone and mortgaged his cars as well. Seeing this situation, Jiang Ruotang knew he couldn’t be stingy, so he had Lawyer Dai help include his overseas fixed assets. Gao Cheng felt that these shareholders were very sincere in their entrepreneurial spirit, so he naturally wanted to do great things.

With money, Gao Cheng personally went to Japan, the anime kingdom, to negotiate animation copyright packages. He introduced dozens of titles at very affordable prices and negotiated revenue sharing for popular animations, hoping to finalize collaborations after the New Year. Everything was on track.

After the parent-teacher conference came the winter break and Chinese New Year. On Lunar New Year’s Eve, Jiang Ruotang received many New Year’s greetings, many of which were sincere blessings, not mass messages. For example, Cai Ji wished him to successfully get into the Capital Academy of Fine Arts, Jian Sha wished him to become a pioneer in modern art, and even Bai Yingchuan sent a blessing text message, hoping that all his wishes would come true and that they could go to the capital together in the future.

Jiang Ruotang waited a long time and didn’t receive a message from Lu Guifan, which annoyed him. Outside, fireworks and firecrackers boomed, and downstairs, the Spring Festival Gala’s “Unforgettable Tonight” was playing. The time was just right, but Lu Guifan’s message still hadn’t arrived.

Jiang Ruotang sat at his desk, shaking his foot, constantly telling himself to be patient… Why should I be patient? If I want to talk to someone, I should speak boldly!

He had just picked up his phone to dial Lu Guifan’s number when, unexpectedly, the other party’s name vibrated on the screen, startling him. The phone spun 720 degrees in the air before Jiang Ruotang miraculously caught it just before it hit the ground.

“Happy New Year,” Lu Guifan’s voice sounded in Jiang Ruotang’s ear. Through electromagnetic waves, along the auditory nerve, a tingling sensation was released, like honey pouring into Jiang Ruotang’s heart. Countless little ants crawled up, making him feel both sweet and itchy.

“Happy New Year! But Class Monitor, you’re a minute late!”

Lu Guifan seemed to laugh on the other end, a slight exhalation that intensified Jiang Ruotang’s itchiness. “I just finished making New Year’s calls to a lot of people. I thought I could call you right on time, but I miscalculated.”

“Oh, who was ahead of me?” Jiang Ruotang asked, feigning annoyance.

“Teacher Song.”

“Hmm, I agree with that being ahead of me.”

“Aunt Zhao.”

“Hmm? Which Aunt Zhao?”

“You and Changfeng’s mother. Thank her for introducing my mother to such a good employer. The Hong lawyer family are all very good people.”

“That… I also agree with being ahead of me.”

“And Cai Ji’s grandparents.”

At this, Jiang Ruotang felt he was in the wrong. Cai Ji was his good friend, and he hadn’t even thought of wishing the two elderly people a Happy New Year.

“The elderly couple were very happy to receive my call and talked a lot. I couldn’t bear to hang up, so my call to you was a little late.”

“Hmm, well… alright. Lu Guifan, Happy New Year,” Jiang Ruotang lowered his eyes and said softly.

They chatted for a while. Jiang Ruotang originally wanted to invite Lu Guifan to watch a New Year’s movie together, but he learned that from New Year’s Eve until the third day of the Lunar New Year, Lu Guifan had to go back to his family village in Chengtan with his parents to visit his grandmother. He would only return on the fifth day, because on that day, Lu’s mother would take dried sausages and cured meat to visit the Hong lawyer family, and the items were a bit heavy, so Lu Guifan needed to help carry them.

Jiang Ruotang only wanted to see Lu Guifan as soon as possible, so he said, “Then I’ll also go to Aunt Hong’s house on the fifth day to give New Year’s greetings.”

“Okay, together.”

Finally, counting on his fingers, the fifth day arrived. Zhao Changfeng was still lamenting how quickly the holiday was entering its countdown, but Jiang Ruotang was like a joyful swallow, grabbing his New Year’s gifts and heading to visit Lawyer Hong. He met Lu Guifan and Lu’s mother outside Lawyer Hong’s house.

---

Upon meeting, Lu’s mother squeezed Jiang Ruotang’s cheek, saying with great affection, “Oh, Ruotang, how did you get so thin? When I first saw you, your face was so cute and round, but now…”

Lu Guifan, beside them, smiled, “Mom, if you keep giving him the wrong impression, he’ll actually think he’s lost weight.”

Jiang Ruotang chuckled, “Then am I fat or thin?”

Lu Guifan lowered his head and whispered in his ear, “Pinch your little tummy, see if it’s thick?”

Jiang Ruotang unconsciously actually pinched, “No, where’s a tummy?”

Lu Guifan had already carried the items inside. The first thing he saw was a movable whiteboard in the living room. On the whiteboard was a problem, and several chairs were arranged in a semicircle in front of it. The living room seemed to have transformed into a tiered classroom.

Lawyer Hong walked over with a smile: “This must be Guifan, right? So tall and handsome, won’t he charm all the girls in his class? Do they even have the heart to study?”

Praised in such a way, Lu Guifan felt a little embarrassed, lowering his head and saying, “Aunt Hong, Happy New Year.”

Lu’s mother said, “Oh, with his cold personality, who could he charm! They say there’s a celebrity in their class, that’s the one who’s truly tall and handsome.”

Lawyer Hong took out a long-prepared red envelope, “Guifan, wishing you great fortune in the new year. Auntie wishes you great success and soaring high in the college entrance exam.”

As Lu Guifan was about to politely decline, Jiang Ruotang, with hands clasped, immediately said, “Aunt Hong, Happy New Year, may you stay young forever, always eighteen!” Lawyer Hong beamed and gave Jiang Ruotang another red envelope. Jiang Ruotang took it and exclaimed, “May you be prosperous!”

After speaking, Jiang Ruotang glanced at Lu Guifan. Lu Guifan immediately understood his meaning: he should accept it and not refuse.

“I can already smell the sausages Sister Lu made, even before they’re steamed,” Lawyer Hong said, taking the items from Lu Guifan’s hands. But Lu Guifan didn’t let go for a long time, as if his soul had been taken, staring blankly at the words on the whiteboard.

Lawyer Hong followed his gaze and shook her head, smiling helplessly: “Oh, my husband, Old Yang, put that out. He came back from abroad for the New Year. As soon as his friends heard he was back, they came over to discuss academics with him, things like battery conversion rates and transmission efficiency. I don’t understand it. His friends just left, and now he’s hidden away in his study, I don’t know what he’s doing! When he’s thinking, no one can disturb him!”

Jiang Ruotang looked at Lu Guifan’s slightly longing expression and smiled faintly to himself.

“Aunt Hong, your great professor left a problem without an answer. Isn’t that just tempting people to solve it?”

“Haha, Ruotang, if you can solve it, go ahead and try,” Lawyer Hong said with a laugh.

Jiang Ruotang smiled charmingly, taking the sausages and cured meat from Lu Guifan’s hands. Lu Guifan then snapped out of it and began to speak, “I…”

“Go and try. I think you can do it.” Jiang Ruotang lifted his chin towards him.

Lu Guifan looked into Jiang Ruotang’s eyes, seeing his own clear reflection in the limpid, bright pupils. “Okay, I’ll try.” Lu Guifan looked at Lawyer Hong, “May I?”

“Of course! Welcome! If you can solve it, I can tease my Old Yang properly.”

Lu Guifan stood in front of the whiteboard, picked up a marker. As he concentrated, the entire world fell silent. He could no longer hear the baby crying upstairs, nor the adults chatting, nor the occasional firecrackers outside—everything receded from his world. He was like a computer, beginning his calculations and operations.

He didn’t know how long he had been writing, nor whether his ideas were correct. When he hit a dead end, he searched everywhere for an exit. When he wanted to erase something he had written incorrectly, someone would hand him an eraser. When he wanted to move the upper and lower boards, someone would help him with force.

Time passed bit by bit. Lawyer Hong sat on the sofa, chatting with Lu’s mother. Lu’s mother said apologetically, “My Guifan is like that; once he gets absorbed, he can’t get out of it—doesn’t talk, doesn’t drink water, doesn’t eat, like he’s possessed…”

Lawyer Hong quickly waved her hand: “It’s alright, he’s just like my Old Yang. If the two of them met, they’d definitely get along.”

Perhaps they had been sitting for too long, as Lu’s mother started to feel awkward. If they sat any longer, it would be time for dinner. Lu’s mother opened her mouth to call her son back, but Lawyer Hong made a shushing gesture.

“Don’t disturb them, Sister Lu. How about we go to the kitchen? You can teach me how to make sweet and sour pork ribs.熙熙 (Xixi) has started being picky again these past few days you’ve been away!”

Lu’s mother smiled and nodded, and the two went to the kitchen together.

After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Ruotang, who had been standing beside him, grew tired. He pulled up a stool and sat next to Lu Guifan, resting his chin on his hand and watching him.

Just as Jiang Ruotang’s stomach let out a “grumble—,” Lu Guifan closed his eyes, tilted his head back slightly, and let out a long sigh. Lu Guifan’s sharply defined Adam’s apple bobbed with a swallow. He propped himself against the board with one hand and held the marker with the other, his figure tall and slender. His expression seemed as if he had just returned from another world.

“Did you solve it?” Jiang Ruotang asked.

Lu Guifan heard the other’s voice, like a drop of warm water falling on his somewhat tired heart. He turned his head and saw Jiang Ruotang’s eyes.

“I don’t know if it’s considered solved. The final proof has to come from experiments,” Lu Guifan put down the pen and gently rubbed the top of Jiang Ruotang’s head. Jiang Ruotang’s eyes curved, revealing a foxy expression.

“Are you two hungry or not?” Lawyer Hong asked, arms crossed, amusedly looking at them both.

Lu Guifan then looked at the clock in the living room. It was already 9:40 PM? They had arrived at 3 PM, so six hours had passed, and Lu Guifan hadn’t even noticed.

“Me! Me! I’m hungry!” Jiang Ruotang raised his hand high.