“Thanks, Class President!”
Upon hearing Hu Mengqing’s words, the students seated in the private room immediately turned to her and replied in unison.
“It’s nothing, just what your Class President should do,” Hu Mengqing said with a smile to her classmates before quickly leaving the room.
Once she was gone, the others in the room resumed their lively chatter, just as before.
“Ah Jing, what happened today? Why are you so late getting to the Food Court?” Liu Sheng couldn’t help but ask his best friend, puzzled by his tardiness.
Hearing this, Zhao Jing, who had just sat down, replied promptly, “Ran into a bit of a hiccup on the way, that’s why I’m late.”
“A hiccup? What kind of hiccup?” Liu Sheng asked, curiosity piqued.
Zhao Jing answered evasively, “Just… a rather unusual thief.”
“A thief? Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?” Liu Sheng’s face showed surprise, and he immediately reached out, grabbing Zhao Jing’s shoulders to look him over and check for any injuries.
Understanding his friend’s concern, Zhao Jing quickly smiled and reassured him, “Don’t worry, I’m fine. The thief I caught was a bit tricky, but he was no match for me.”
“Really? Sounds like you’re bragging to me,” Liu Sheng said, casting a skeptical look at Zhao Jing. Having known him for years, he was well aware of his capabilities.
Noticing his friend’s doubtful expression, Zhao Jing frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure in his tone. “I’m not bragging. It’s the truth.”
Seeing the change in Zhao Jing’s expression and sensing his irritation, Liu Sheng quickly backtracked, “Alright, alright, it’s the truth. You’re my brave, do-gooder pal.”
Feeling somewhat mollified, Zhao Jing replied, “That’s more like it.”
With that, Zhao Jing shifted his attention away from his best friend and scanned the room, looking for a few familiar classmates to chat with.
But before he could finish looking over all the faces he knew, his gaze was drawn to a little girl with striking white hair and red eyes, dressed in a beautiful outfit, sitting at another table.
“Liu Sheng, who’s that beautifully dressed little girl with white hair and red eyes? Is she someone’s younger sister?”
Hearing his friend’s question, Liu Sheng quickly answered, “Oh, her? That’s not anyone’s sister. She’s our classmate, Yan Qi.”
“Our classmate? But why don’t I have any memory of her?” Zhao Jing, who had only transferred into Class Ten two months ago and had never met Yan Qi before, turned to Liu Sheng with a questioning look.
“Of course you don’t remember her. She stopped coming to school about two months ago.”
“Stopped coming to school two months ago? Isn’t she worried about failing the college entrance exam?” Zhao Jing couldn’t help asking, confused.
Hearing this, Liu Sheng realized the misunderstanding and hurried to explain, “Ah Jing, Yan Qi is the most gifted genius our Class Ten—no, our entire school—has ever seen. She’s already been recommended for admission by the relevant authorities. She doesn’t need to take the gaokao to get into university.”
With that explanation, Zhao Jing’s confusion cleared, and his expression turned to one of understanding. “Oh, I see! So that’s why she hasn’t been in school for the last two months. She’s already got a guaranteed spot.” He paused, then asked, “Hey, Lao Liu, are you jealous of her?”
“Of course I am. Getting into a top university means more good job opportunities in the future. But I also know I don’t have talent like hers.”
Hearing the dejection in Liu Sheng’s tone, Zhao Jing, as his best friend, couldn’t just stand by. “Lao Liu, you really don’t need to feel so down. The world isn’t the steady, predictable place it used to be. Supernatural powers have emerged. Getting into a prestigious university might not be the advantage it once was.”
“Hmm, you’re right. The world isn’t ordinary anymore. Whether you get into a top-tier school or a regular university, the outcome might not be all that different in the end.”
“Glad you see it that way.”
Having successfully cheered up his friend, and recalling their earlier conversation, Zhao Jing ventured cautiously, “By the way, Lao Liu, if you had the chance… would you want to become a Super?”
“Become a Super? Why do you ask?” Liu Sheng turned to his friend, clearly a bit puzzled.
“Just curious, that’s all,” Zhao Jing said, offering a casual excuse.
Accepting this, Liu Sheng closed his eyes briefly in thought before arriving at his answer. “If I had the chance? Of course, I’d want to become a Super. From the looks of things, it’s shaping up to be a very lucrative profession in the future.”
“Why are you always going on about money? Can’t you have any loftier goals?” Zhao Jing complained.
“What’s wrong with talking about money? Is there something ignoble about it? Could you even survive without any money?” Liu Sheng shot back without hesitation.
Stumped for a moment, Zhao Jing conceded, “Alright, you’ve got a point. Without money, I probably couldn’t make it on my own either.”
Pausing briefly, and now aware of Liu Sheng’s perspective, Zhao Jing started to continue, “Speaking of which, since you’re so keen on becoming a Super, I might have—”
“Okay, the hot pot is here! Everyone, make some space and be careful not to get splashed by the hot oil!”
Just as Zhao Jing was about to hint that he might have a way for Liu Sheng to become a Super, Hu Mengqing returned to the private room with Food Court staff carrying the hot pot and promptly called out to warn everyone.