Chen Nuo was stunned for a second, his eyes narrowing as he walked straight over to Sun Keke's side.
"What happened to your face?" Chen Nuo exhaled. "Did someone hit you?"
Old Sun?
Impossible!
Old Sun doted on his daughter. Ever since Sun Keke was little, Old Sun had never once hit her.
Yang Xiaoyi? How much hatred would a mother have to harbor to hit her own daughter like this? And to strike her face, no less?
Someone else? Sun Keke was always well-behaved and unobtrusive at school, never causing trouble. Who would hit her? Besides, her father was the Head of Instruction, and word was already out that after the reforms next term, he would become the vice principal.
Who in the school would be so foolish as to beat up the vice principal's daughter?
Sun Keke looked helpless, merely wincing as she endured the pain.
"Don't—don't overthink it," the girl sighed helplessly, her face downcast. "I fell down the stairs on my way home last night and hit my face on a step..."
Chen Nuo: "..."
Well, there goes the chance to vent my anger!
I can't exactly go to Old Sun's place and tear down the stairs, can I?
"Really... it really was from a fall?"
"Really," Sun Keke said with a woeful expression. "I feel so unlucky. I was just walking up the stairs to go home when I suddenly slipped and fell... It hurts so much!"
Chen Nuo extended a hand, his fingers gently touching the bruised area on Sun Keke's forehead and the corner of her eye.
The girl pouted, half aggrieved and half coquettish. "It hurt so much that I couldn't sleep well last night."
Seeing his little girlfriend, who had been perfectly fine, now injured like this, Chen Nuo felt genuinely distressed.
That morning, Chen Nuo simply switched seats with someone, sitting next to Sun Keke to keep her company.
Luo Qing, the young master, naturally had no objections. Sun Keke's usual seatmate was also a pretty female classmate.
However, while keeping Sun Keke company all morning, Chen Nuo unexpectedly learned something.
Next Tuesday was Comrade Jiang Fusheng's fiftieth birthday.
No wonder he was planning a dinner.
But the teacher was considerate; he hadn't told Chen Nuo the reason for the dinner, probably worried Chen Nuo would bring a gift and wanting to save his students money.
Old Jiang was known as a good man at school, with an old-fashioned, unassuming demeanor.
He had good relationships with everyone, always wearing an amiable smile, and even had a good reputation among the students.
For his fiftieth birthday, according to Huaxia tradition, a celebration was a must.
But Old Jiang wasn't going overboard. He only invited Old Sun's family, two teachers he was close to, and his two apprentices, Chen Nuo and Zhang Linsheng.
And he hadn't told Chen Nuo the real reason... He probably hadn't told Zhang Linsheng either.
That showed what kind of person Old Jiang was.
Moreover, among the invited guests, there wasn't a single school leader—Old Sun didn't count!
The day passed peacefully.
Actually, Sun Keke's mood hadn't been very good.
It's in a girl's nature to love beauty. Ordinarily, she barely had enough time to dress up nicely.
This fall had nearly disfigured her. With two large bruises on her face, the girl was truly unhappy.
But Chen Xiaoguo really knew how to comfort people. He patiently stayed by her side all day, coaxing her with sweet and tender words, which eventually cheered Sun Keke up.
In his spare time, under the guise of being affectionate with his little girlfriend—holding hands, putting an arm around her shoulder, and the like—and using the excuse of checking on her injuries by touching her little cheeks...
He secretly transferred a wisp of telekinesis to help ease the bruising.
I didn't dare to overdo it... Otherwise, if the injury was so severe in the morning and then suddenly healed by evening, that would be a fantasy story.
For the next day or two, Chen Nuo stopped running around and focused on keeping Sun Keke company at school.
As for Lu Xixi...
I really didn't dare to think about her or provoke her again.
And... Lu Xixi has probably left Jinling City by now.
「Two days later, the three-day final exams began at No. 8 Middle School.」
This schedule was to free up time for revision and supplementary classes by the school teachers for the graduating senior class.
The second-year class, which Chen Nuo was in, had their final exams scheduled from Saturday to Monday, spanning three days.
The students didn't have much of an issue with it.
An early death or a late one, death was inevitable.
Besides, summer vacation was just around the corner after the exams.
The students were dizzy from three days of final exams. At No. 8 Middle School, where the school spirit and academic atmosphere were generally mediocre, a tense learning environment only became apparent during the midterms and final exams each semester.
Whether they loved studying or not, everyone had to buckle down during these few days.
Even if it was last-minute cramming, scoring a few extra points meant slightly happier parents during the summer break, right?
As for Chen Yanluo...
He relied on his "cheat" as usual.
He had made a habit of skipping classes all semester, to the point where many teachers barely knew him.
As for the exam questions, they might recognize Chen Nuo, but he certainly didn't recognize them.
But thanks to his "cheat," he could still avoid failing.
As for scoring high... I wasn't interested. If my score was too high... and Old Sun got too excited and arranged for me to study hard in senior year and try for college, that would be going too far.
As for Li Yingwan...
What exam should a foreign exchange student take... She should just stay at home!
Once the final exams were over, the second-year students would be on holiday. This meant no need to come to school, which also meant no worries about Comrade Jiang Fusheng encountering Jiang Yingzi's daughter.
During the summer vacation... Hmm, I must find a way to make Jiang Yingzi take her daughter back home!
After three days of exams, the second-year students were pretty much let loose.
He didn't know about others, but Chen Nuo certainly was.
After leaving the exam hall, Chen Nuo first went to the school's tuck shop and bought two bottles of soda, then leisurely walked back to wait outside the classroom. When Sun Keke came out, he handed her one.
School belle Sun was in a fairly good mood. Over the past few days, the bruises on her face had mostly healed—thanks to Chen Nuo's secret treatment, the bruising that might have taken ten days or half a month to disappear was gone in less than a week.
It couldn't heal any faster, or it might draw attention.
The last subject of the day was history.
Sun Keke must have studied hard because she did alright; stepping out, she looked quite relaxed.
Taking the soda from Chen Nuo, Sun Keke was in high spirits and threw her delicate body into Chen Nuo's arms, resting her chin on his shoulder. "Where shall we go to have fun this afternoon?"
"Hmm... let's go out and buy some things. Isn't it Old Jiang's birthday tomorrow? He didn't tell me the truth, but I can't really go empty-handed. Besides, my sister has been staying at Old Jiang's house recently, so I need to repay this favor."
Sun Keke thought for a moment and smiled sweetly. "Alright, then I'll treat you to McDonald's."
The girl was inherently kind-hearted. Knowing that Chen Nuo needed to buy a gift and would likely spend a fair amount, she took the initiative to offer to buy Chen Nuo dinner to save her boyfriend some money.
After all, Sun Keke rarely spent the pocket money Old Sun gave her, so she had saved a little.
New Street Entrance... I don't dare go there!
The hotel where Lu Xixi stayed is at New Street Entrance!
I don't know if this woman has actually left... Logically, she should have.
But what if she hadn't?
So he simply went to a shopping mall in their district instead.
The two spent the afternoon strolling about.
Outside the school, Sun Keke let go of much of her reserve. Out in the open, she held hands with Chen Nuo as they walked through the mall, her joy practically written all over her face.
Chen Nuo didn't buy any expensive items like gold or silver jewelry.
I still have several gold bars hidden at home—if I brought them out for Old Jiang, wouldn't that scare him?
Besides... recently, Old Jiang has made millions from me!
At a state-owned tobacco and alcohol store, he purchased two bottles of Maotai. In 2001, the price of Maotai hadn't skyrocketed as it would a decade later; it was still reasonably priced.
Thinking about this, Chen Nuo seized the opportunity when Sun Keke went to the restroom. He snuck back to the store and ordered ten cases, paying for them immediately!
When he returned to wait for Sun Keke by the restroom...
The girl came out, her face dejected, full of annoyance and grievance.
"What's wrong?"
Sun Keke pursed her lips, hesitated, and then her eyes reddened.
"Chen Nuo..."
"Ah? What happened?"
"I, I, I..." Sun Keke's mouth quivered, and she nearly burst into tears. "My phone fell into the water..."
"Uh..."
Chen Nuo was stunned for a moment.
After asking in detail, he found out that after Sun Keke had finished using the restroom and was washing her hands at the sink, there was a bucket next to her, left by a janitor. It was filled with water, probably for cleaning.
Somehow, her phone slipped from her hand and plunged straight into the bucket!
"It's completely soaked... It won't turn on anymore." Sun Keke held up her dripping phone, showing it to Chen Nuo with a mournful face. "What should I do... My dad will definitely scold me when I get home... And... this phone was expensive."
In truth, it wasn't that expensive; it was just a Nokia 3210.
But for an ordinary family like the Sun family, buying a mobile phone for their high school daughter was already a pampering gesture.
Moreover, what worried Sun Keke was that if this phone was broken, her family might not agree to buy her another one.
Without a phone, nothing else would be affected.
But... contacting Chen Xiaoguo in the future would become inconvenient.
Sun Keke's great mood from the afternoon instantly turned gloomy.
Thinking of her grievances and annoyances, she was so upset that tears began to fall, DRIP, DROP.
"Why am I so unlucky recently..." the girl lamented, "A few days ago, I fell and badly bruised my face, and now I broke my phone..."
Chen Nuo sighed, took Sun Keke by the hand, and went straight to the mobile phone counter on the first floor of the mall. At the Nokia counter, he slapped a few hundred yuan on the table and bought a new 3210.
I didn't dare buy too good of a phone, fearing Sun Keke would be afraid to take it, and also that she might wonder where I got the money.
Even so, a phone worth a few hundred yuan made Sun Keke's eyes widen in shock.
"Chen Nuo! Where did you get the money?"
"Uh, I got my paycheck."
"No! I don't want it!" Sun Keke shook her head, "You need that salary for living expenses, and for supporting Xiao Yezi!"
She turned to the sales clerk and said, "We're not buying it! Please put it away."
"Don't be like that, listen to me! Ring it up!" Chen Nuo immediately went over and tore the phone's packaging, turning to Sun Keke with a smile, "See? The package is torn now, we can't return it."
"..." Sun Keke stared at Chen Nuo with wide eyes. After a moment, she moved closer, her voice plaintive, "Chen Nuo... am I causing you trouble? Buying me a phone... it costs so much money..."
"A man, you know, if he can earn money, he can spend it! And... you're my girlfriend. Who else would I spend it on?" Chen Nuo tapped his chest, "Don't worry, business has been good at the shop lately. Brother Lei gave me a raise, so I can afford a phone for a few hundred bucks."
Sun Keke tilted her head, thought for a moment, then suddenly pulled out her small wallet.
She took out a little over one hundred and sixty yuan and shoved it all into Chen Nuo's pocket.
"That's all I have." Sun Keke took Chen Nuo's hand, her voice soft, "Let's consider the phone bought by both of us. You... you're earning a salary now, but you can't just spend it recklessly... And later on, in the future..."
At this point, Sun Keke lowered her head, her voice dropping a notch, a blush spreading across her face, "In the future... there will be many other expenses. You should save some money."
Chen Nuo thought for a moment, then gently squeezed Sun Keke's hand and didn't resist.
Yeah... I need to find a way to legitimately make a fortune. Otherwise, it's inconvenient to constantly have money I can't openly spend.
Chen Nuo pondered how he could legitimize the origins of his wealth...
Sun Keke also proposed skipping McDonald's to save money, suggesting they find a noodle shop outside to eat wontons.
This girl was the epitome of a pure and kind young lady from a modest background...
In fact, it was precisely this charmingly innocent and pure kindness that tugged at Chen Nuo's heartstrings, the very thing that made him care so deeply.
However, before the two could find a noodle shop after leaving the mall, Old Sun called Chen Nuo's phone.
"Chen Nuo, Keke is with you, right?"
"Yeah."
"Why can't I reach her phone?"
"Uh... her phone fell into the water."
"..." Old Sun paused for a second on the other end, then slowly asked, "When will you guys be back?"
"After dinner, I guess."
"...Don't bother eating. Tell Keke to come back immediately!" Old Sun's tone was slightly unfriendly.
Chen Nuo chuckled, "Old Sun, don't be so stingy. It's just a broken phone, not worth getting angry about."
"..." Old Sun snorted on the other end, "It's not about the phone! Tell her to hurry back."
CLICK, the call ended.
Chen Nuo looked at Sun Keke, a bit puzzled.
Skipping their meal, Chen Nuo escorted Sun Keke home.
Upon opening the door, Old Sun's face was indeed grim, as if he was suppressing his anger.
He didn't even invite Chen Nuo to stay for dinner but told him to get lost right away.
Chen Nuo returned home, somewhat confused. As soon as he got back, he received a call from Sun Keke.
The young girl's voice on the phone was tinged with tears and grievance.
"What happened?"
"I... I didn't do well on my exams," Sun Keke cried. "The teachers have already marked the papers from the first and second days... My dad saw my papers... He yelled at me and said if I don't take my studies seriously, he won't let me associate with you anymore..."
"...Uh..." Chen Nuo was slightly taken aback.
Her not associating with me is out of the question. Old Sun must be truly worried.
I might not be planning to attend college, but Old Sun's expectation for his daughter is that she must attend one, even if it's just a community college.
Attending a community college in 2001 wasn't shameful.
Old Sun had already resigned himself to his daughter associating with this Chen Xiaoguo... but she couldn't let it affect her studies. If Sun Keke failed to get into college and it jeopardized her future, Old Sun would never tolerate it.
"You... didn't you say you did pretty well?"
"...I don't know either," Sun Keke replied, her voice full of sorrow. "My dad said he looked at my papers and there were so many places where I just carelessly made mistakes... On the math paper, for many of the major problems, I clearly wrote the process correctly, and even calculated the answers right, but I wrote down the wrong symbols. I missed the square root sign on two problems. And for several multiple-choice questions, I definitely picked the right answers... but I wrote them in the wrong places. I wrote the answer for one question in the space for the next, so a whole string of them ended up wrong..."
Chen Nuo was at a loss for words!
Sun Keke burst into tears. "Why, why am I having such bad luck lately..."
Chen Nuo also felt a little odd.
Based on what she said... it seemed like Sun Keke's recent state was a bit off.
All this bad luck couldn't just be coincidental, could it?
Were all these misfortunes piling up one after the other?
Something definitely felt off.