Unbridled 21

"Quickly, pay back all the money," Ding Ji pulled Liu Jinpeng to the side of the street. "Keep it clean, don't leave any traces behind and cause trouble in the future."

"Yeah, I get it." Liu Jinpeng nodded. "You've prepared for this. This person can really be trusted. He didn't ask you to write an IOU or set any conditions or anything?"

"No," Ding Ji turned around and glanced at Lin Wuyu, who was still sitting at the table eating the egg waffles.

"Then what if you don't repay him?" Liu Jinpeng said. "He won't have any evidence."

"Am I that kind of person?" Ding Ji clicked his tongue.

"This matter is temporarily resolved. You should focus on studying for now," Liu Jinpeng said. "I'll keep an eye on Lao Liu. How about you two have dinner later?"

"Sure," Ding Ji nodded. "Let's eat together, it's about time."

"No, I won't," Liu Jinpeng refused. "It's uncomfortable for me to eat with him. I feel awkward."

"What's uncomfortable about it?" Ding Ji looked at him.

"We're not from the same world. He's the kind of person who looks particularly smart and well-mannered at first sight," Liu Jinpeng sighed. "And when he looks at people, you know how I feel?"

"Really?" Ding Ji chuckled.

"He can see through people like me at a glance," Liu Jinpeng explained. "Being with him, I always feel my self-esteem is hurt."

"So sensitive," Ding Ji patted his back. "Alright, it's up to you."

During the summer, Lin Wuyu had no appetite, and inviting him to dinner became very difficult. The usual restaurants they loved didn't seem appetising to think about.

Ding Ji wandered around a few streets near the plaza and the hospital with Lin Wuyu.

"Are you planning to treat me to a buffet?" Lin Wuyu asked.

"Why?" Ding Ji stopped. A buffet would make things easier. They had just passed by a well-known seafood buffet, with good ingredients and fresh food, and apart from being a bit pricey, there were almost no drawbacks.

"First, finish off the egg waffles you just had, try to break even," Lin Wuyu said.

Ding Ji burst into laughter, "Did the egg waffles already break even?"

"It's almost there," Lin Wuyu rubbed his stomach.

"Let's go then," Ding Ji waved his hand. "Buffet."

Lin Wuyu was the nemesis of buffets.

Ding Ji looked at the four empty plates in front of them and felt a sense of achievement from eating at a buffet for the first time, feeling as if he had earned some money.

"It looks like you're really enjoying your food," Ding Ji laughed.

"Don't talk as if you didn’t eat anything," Lin Wuyu retorted.

"But don't overeat," Ding Ji said."The college entrance exam is coming soon, and you can't get sick."

"Then fortune-tell it for me." Lin Wuyu reached out in front of him. "Will I encounter any problems during the exam?"

"Hey!" Ding Ji swatted his hand away. "I won't do any fortune-telling! There won't be any problems, for sure!"

"Are you afraid of seeing something particularly foreboding?" Lin Wuyu laughed.

"There won't be anything bad!" Ding Ji stared at him. "When could anything bad happen? Don't talk nonsense."

"Oh." Lin Wuyu looked at him and silently laughed for a while.

Ding Ji chuckled too, "I really sound like my grandmother…"

"When is your grandmother being discharged from the hospital?" Lin Wuyu asked.

"She'll be discharged in a couple of days," Ding Ji said. "She'll go home to recuperate."

"So, you'll go home as well?" Lin Wuyu asked again.

"I'll go to my grandparents' house. Before the college entrance exam, I don't want any conflicts with my parents," Ding Ji said in a matter-of-fact tone. "It might affect my state of mind."

"Do you plan to be the top scorer in the college entrance exam?" Lin Wuyu laughed.

"Come on, with you around?" Ding Ji propped his chin. "To be honest with you, during my three years in high school, I only ranked first twice in the whole grade. In the midterm and final exams, I was only in the top three or five."

"You never really studied hard, but in the end, you can still strive for the top spot…" Lin Wuyu paused. "You're my formidable rival."

"You're quite good at encouraging people," Ding Ji chuckled. "Oh, by the way, what's the name of that second-ranked student in your school? Is he impressive?"

"Xu Tianbo," Lin Wuyu glanced at him. "Actually, anyone within the top five or ten ranks is impressive. You don't have to compare yourself to others. Everyone's situation is different, just compare yourself to your own progress."

"Then, based on that comparison, I'm already pretty awesome," Ding Ji smirked.

"Exactly," Lin Wuyu nodded.

This meal took quite a long time. The two of them chatted until Lin Wuyu's homeroom teacher called to scold him, ending the gathering.

"Did he scold you?" Ding Ji stood with him at the entrance of the restaurant, waiting for a ride. "I heard him shouting pretty loudly."

"Yeah," Lin Wuyu smiled. "He checks our dorms every night now. He doesn't force us to study, but he doesn't allow us to roam around freely, fearing that something might happen."

"He's better than our homeroom teacher," Ding Ji said. "Our homeroom teacher is a strict older sister. I always avoid her. When she catches me, she scolds me, just like my parents."

"Do you dislike her?" Lin Wuyu asked.

"Not really. Although she's also scolding me, saying I should be doing better with my intelligence, it feels like she genuinely worries about me. My parents say, 'You should,' while our homeroom teacher says 'I'm worried about you'," Ding Ji explained.

Lin Wuyu nodded.

Ding Ji was a very unique person. Amongst all the people he had come into contact with, there was no one even remotely similar to him, making comparisons impossible.

Being with Ding Ji was like going on an adventure. With every turn and every hill, you could see a completely different landscape.

He could sit at the plaza and pretend to tell people's fortunes, squat in front of a watermelon stall… It was a thought that shouldn't be entertained, but just thinking about it made him burst into laughter… Hahaha…

He could effortlessly make up lies on the spot to get out of trouble and get deeply involved in the act. He could creep around like a thug and beg for mercy, yet he would think about how difficult a thug's father's life was.

When you finally accepted that he was an astonishingly insightful thug, you would then discover that his straightforward and rough persona was not what it seemed. Before you could get used to that, you would notice his kindness and sensitivity, seemingly discovering it by chance.

He was simply… like a thousand-faced little chicken.

This financial transaction was probably the last time he would meet with Ding Ji before the college entrance exam.

When Lin Wuyu returned to the dormitory building with four large boxes of chicken wings, Old Lin was sitting on a chair in the empty space outside the dormitory door.

"What does this mean, Old Lin?" Lin Wuyu was somewhat surprised as he walked up to him.

"…Chicken wings, right?" Old Lin leaned over and sniffed by the bag. "Give me one first."

Lin Wuyu opened the box, and Old Lin took out a chicken wing and started munching on it.

"Haven't eaten yet?" Lin Wuyu asked.

"I didn't have time to eat. How can I be as carefree as you?" Old Lin said.

"I just… went out for a walk and had dinner with a friend," Lin Wuyu said.

"Before the college entrance exam, you should focus on being alone first. Temporarily avoid meeting friends," Old Lin stood up, wiping his mouth as he spoke. "I told you to relax and not put too much pressure on yourself during the review. It's not about going out to have fun. What if something goes wrong? What did you eat today?"

"Seafood buffet," Lin Wuyu said.

"What if you have a seafood allergy?" Old Lin said. "And it's too cold and you get diarrhea?"

"Got it, I won't go out." Lin Wuyu sighed.

"It's just for a few more days. Hold on. There's no need to worry," Old Lin patted his shoulder. "I have confidence in you, but I'm also quite anxious. When the four of you disappeared for a while today, I searched everywhere…"

"Eat a few more chicken wings," Lin Wuyu quickly took out the box.

"No need, I'll go to the cafeteria. I'll ask the auntie to cook some dumplings for me," Old Lin patted his arm. "Go back to the dorm."

The chicken wings were very popular, and Lin Wuyu felt like he should have bought some more for the dorm.

Now, with just a few days left before the college entrance exam, their review was almost done. Everything that needed to be memorized, revised, and completed was more or less in order. It was like the two days right after the day of their death sentence was announced, and everyone just calmly waited for their demise.

Each of them had a big appetite.

Xu Tianbo was nibbling on a chicken wing and lightly bumped Lin Wuyu's shoulder. "Come."

Lin Wuyu followed him out of the dormitory and stopped at the end of the corridor.

"Let's not beat around the bush," Xu Tianbo said.

"Okay," Lin Wuyu nodded.

"Are you in a relationship?" Xu Tianbo asked.

"Huh?" Lin Wuyu was taken aback, "No."

"Oh," Xu Tianbo continued eating the chicken wing. "Old Lin asked me today. He was very worried. I thought there probably isn't anything, but when he asked, I wondered if there might be something…"

"There really isn't," Lin Wuyu said.

He and Xu Tianbo had been good friends since their first year of high school. Xu Tianbo's worry was evident. He was afraid that something might affect Lin Wuyu's college entrance exam. Otherwise, given the awkward stage they were currently in, Xu Tianbo's personality wouldn't allow him to ask if Lin Wuyu was in a relationship.

"Thanks," he said.

"What's there to thank?" Xu Tianbo glanced at him. "Mainly, I'm afraid you'll give up the top spot to me. I feel awkward just taking it from you like that."

Lin Wuyu laughed, "That's not possible."

---

"It's not impossible," his grandma leaned against the bed and touched Ding Ji's face. "But if you don't care about being the top scorer, then just take the exam casually."

"You still have to encourage him," his grandpa scolded lightly, brewing tea on the side. He seemed dissatisfied with her comment. "It's almost time. After striving for so long, if you deflate his morale now, how can that work?"

"He doesn't like hearing all those words!" his grandma retorted. "Don't be like his parents, always motivating him, what's the use? If you encourage him a couple of times more, he might explode."

Ding Ji leaned against the edge of the bed, grinning all the while.

"You stinky little brat, you only know how to laugh!" his grandma gave him a slap on the back.

"It's okay, Grandma," Ding Ji looked up at her. "I'm aiming for the top three now. It's not that I'm not willing to be outstanding, but it depends on whom I'm being outstanding for."

"Of course, it's for us," his grandpa said proudly. "You've been eating, wearing, and using my stuff. Who else do you want to impress?"

"That's right," Ding Ji said with a smile. "I have to make you proud. I'll show everyone the skills of my grandparents."

Currently, his grandpa and grandma's relationship with his parents was a bit tense, not because of their attitude before his grandma was hospitalized, but because of him.

The old couple had little education and had no expectations of him since he was young. They only hoped that he would be happy. But ever since his parents returned to the country, it was as if they had ruined someone else's child… Whenever his grandpa mentioned his son, he would always sigh.

Ding Ji was bursting with energy. Lin Wuyu was not his target; Lin Wuyu was smarter and more strategic than him. Setting his sights on Lin Wuyu wasn't practical. His target was the top three. If that wasn't possible, being in the top five would still make him quite satisfied.

No, it had to be the top three. Being in the top five wouldn't do justice to his grandparents.

As the college entrance exam drew nearer, Ding Ji felt more and more like he was floating and ungrounded.

Picking up the exercise book, he felt he had grasped everything, and there was no problem with solving the problems. However, when he put the book down, he would often shudder suddenly, feeling like he had missed something, and he wanted to pick up a pen and do a few more test papers.

All along, he wasn't used to getting too close to people. He knew almost all the people who frequented the plaza, and he could chat and laugh with them, but Liu Jinping was the only true friend he had. When he thought about his classmates, he didn't have any particularly close relationships. After his father forbade him from living in the school dormitory, his classmates became just classmates.

Now, feeling unsettled, he wanted to chat with someone, but he couldn't find a suitable candidate.

Lin Wuyu.

He decided to take back the extremely erroneous assessment that Lin Wuyu was a soft-hearted person. This cold-blooded person hadn't contacted him again after that big meal. His social media was just blank.

…Had he fallen so low that he was hoping for his own debtor to contact him?

He could only grit his teeth and endure.

Every day, he felt his mind was heavy, and he just hoped to take a breath after the college entrance exam.

But a reassessment was quickly given out again.

Two days before the college entrance exam, the cold-blooded debtor called Ding Ji.

"You took my money, and not a single IOU was written. Then you disappeared like this?" Lin Wuyu said.

Ding Ji laughed.

Perhaps he had been feeling suffocated for too long. When he heard Lin Wuyu's voice, he felt much more relaxed, and he even thought that Lin Wuyu's voice sounded very pleasant, like a big juicy watermelon.

"Do you know what it means to dodge debt?" Ding Ji laughed. "Debts are meant to be avoided, and creditors are meant to be avoided even more."

"Is your review almost finished?" Lin Wuyu asked.

"Just waiting to trample on the students from No. 3 Highschool and beat the gods from the affiliated high school," Ding Ji said.

"After the exam, let's compare answers," Lin Wuyu said. "I want to see how you'll deal with me."

"Looking forward to it," Ding Ji said.

The college entrance exam was getting closer and closer!

This phrase had been heard countless times, day after day, and every teacher had it on their lips.

When the day finally came, Ding Ji was awakened by his grandfather from bed, feeling like he was still sleepwalking when he put his feet on the floor.

But once he stood up, he instantly became clear-headed.

Damn! It's today!

"Your parents are waiting for you downstairs," Grandpa said. "I have prepared breakfast for you. Grandma said to eat something light. After eating, go downstairs quickly."

"Okay," Ding Ji nodded.

After washing up, he quickly finished his breakfast. Grandma directed Grandpa to reheat yesterday’s porridge for him and even made dumplings.

However, Ding Ji didn't expect the dumplings to be so light, with just cabbage filling.

He joyfully ran downstairs.

Mom and Dad didn't say much. They hadn't seen each other for a while, but the atmosphere was slightly better than when they saw each other every day before. Perhaps they were afraid of affecting his mood, so Mom and Dad exercised some restraint.

"Relax during the exam," Mom said, "Don't think about anything. You will definitely do well."

"Yeah," Ding Ji responded and looked down at his phone.

As he saw several taxis with red ribbons pass by, he suddenly thought of Lin Wuyu.

[Ding Ji] Are you on your way to the test center?

He sent a message to Lin Wuyu.

[Lin Wuyu] On the way.

[Ding Ji] How are you going? By taxi?

[Lin Wuyu] I have a dedicated car for top students, and the driver is our class teacher.

Ding Ji smiled but soon felt somewhat indignant.

Even if he didn't think highly of Lin Wuyu or was dissatisfied with him, on such an important day as the college entrance exam, his parents actually didn't care at all.

[Ding Ji] Call me after the exam.

Ding Ji sent another message.

[Lin Wuyu] What if I finish the exam early?

[Ding Ji] Let's not show off so much, class genius. Be steady.

"Should we hold onto your phone?" Dad asked.

"I'll hand it over to the class teacher," Ding Ji said. "She will be waiting at the entrance throughout."

"Alright," Dad said.

---

"Give me your phone," Old Lin stopped the car, and the first thing he did was reach his hand in front of Lin Wuyu. "Don't put it in your pocket and take it inside later."

"It won't happen," Lin Wuyu smiled and handed his phone over to him.

"Don't leave the exam hall early," Old Lin pointed at him.

"Huh?" Lin Wuyu looked at him.

"I see you looking so relaxed now, I feel like you can definitely handle this!" Old Lin was vigilant.

"I promise to do well," Lin Wuyu said. "You can trust me, I won't pretend to be something I'm not for my future."

"Good luck," Old Lin patted his arm.

There were many people outside the exam hall, students, parents, teachers, and police.

Lin Wuyu felt a moment of desolation.

When he saw parents cheering and encouraging their children, he felt a little uneasy.

"So early!" Xu Tianbo's voice sounded behind him.

"I came with Old Lin," Lin Wuyu turned around. "I suspect he woke up at four o'clock."

"Maybe he didn't sleep," Xu Tianbo said with a smile. "I just saw that he has heavy dark circles.”

"You have dark circles too," Lin Wuyu looked at him.

"I didn't sleep well last night, I felt uneasy," Xu Tianbo patted his face. "I almost overslept this morning."

"Good luck on the exam," Lin Wuyu said.

"Good luck," Xu Tianbo smiled.

He almost forgot to wish Ding Ji good luck.

Lin Wuyu subconsciously touched his pocket, remembering that his phone had been taken away by Old Lin, and Ding Ji's phone was probably not with him either.

He hesitated for a moment, turned half a circle, and quickly threw a peace sign in the direction of Sanzhong Exam Hall.

Good luck!

Cicadas were singing outside the window.

Their chirping in the sunlight seemed unusually quiet.

Ding Ji couldn't remember when the cicadas started singing this summer. Many things happened unintentionally and passed by unintentionally.

But he remembered that cicada song today very clearly. In the years to come, when he heard the cicadas, he would probably remember this day, when he was anxiously yet calmly answering the exam questions on a sunny day, leaning on the desk.

[Ding Ji] Little prodigy, are you out yet?

[Lin Wuyu] I'm out. Just got my phone back.

[Lin Wuyu] When I came out, I foretold that you did pretty well.

[Ding Ji] Shouldn’t those be my words? What's your talent in fortune-telling?

[Lin Wuyu] I can do mental math

Ding Ji laughed for a while and sent a message to Lin Wuyu. "Do you want to compare answers, god of learning?"

"I already had lunch," Lin Wuyu said.

"Where did you eat?" Ding Ji asked. "Did you eat outside?"

"Yeah, would I go back to the school cafeteria?" Lin Wuyu smiled.

"Where will you rest at noon?" Ding Ji asked quickly.

"I won't rest, I don't have the habit of taking a nap at noon," Lin Wuyu said.

"Alright," Ding Ji frowned. "Then we’ll chat while walking, go eat first."

"…Thought I would hang up and call you after I finish eating?" Lin Wuyu said with a smile.

"I'm feeling quite dizzy after the exam," Ding Ji sighed. "I feel more at ease after chatting with you for a while."