Chapter 78: Shura Field at the Dining Table

Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Shura Field at the Dining Table

The junior high graduation ceremony was quite grand. A banner celebrating the graduating ninth-grade class hung at the school gates.

As Xiao Heqing stood in her school uniform, sighing with emotion, Han Wenwen clung to He Qing’s arm and looked at the nearby transcript. "Yeah, this year went by so fast. It feels like we got to this point in the blink of an eye. And Lin Zhengran is really amazing... He got perfect scores in every subject except for Chinese."

Xiao Heqing was quite used to it. "He’s just like that. Aside from occasionally not wanting to write during regular quizzes, he always gets perfect scores on major exams."

Jiang Xueli stood beside them and asked, "Speaking of that idiot, where did he go?"

Han Wenwen looked back, blinking her fox-like eyes. "Lin Zhengran was just here."

He Qing also scanned the area until she spotted his figure and smiled. "Lin Zhengran is over there!"

Coming out of the restroom, Lin Zhengran heard the teacher calling everyone to take photos. He walked over to the three girls. "Stop chatting, you three. The teacher is calling everyone for the graduation photo."

Xiao Heqing and Jiang Xueli gave an "Oh" and went to line up with their own classes, while Han Wenwen followed Lin Zhengran to Class One’s line.

The Little Fox pulled two tissues from her pocket and handed them to him, sticking to her duties as his secretary. "Wipe your hands, Zhengran."

Lin Zhengran took them, entirely used to this. The affectionate address "Zhengran" was something Han Wenwen only used when they were alone. Whenever He Qing or Jiang Xueli was around, she would switch to calling him Lin Zhengran.

Lin Zhengran had a rough idea of why this fox did this; calling him by his full name created a sense of distance.

Of course, this was all a deliberate smokescreen created by the fox to confuse others.

Seeing Lin Zhengran looking at her, Han Wenwen blinked her fox-like eyes. "Why are you looking at me like that?" She blushed and added playfully, "You’re making me shy."

"Heh." Lin Zhengran threw the used tissues into a nearby trash can.

During these three years of junior high, Lin Zhengran hadn’t done much. Most of his attention was focused on reading and cultivation to accumulate his strength.

After all, he was an adult on the inside. He knew perfectly well that focusing on other things at this age was completely useless. No matter the world, it was impossible to get by without strength.

However, the three girls—Han Wenwen, Jiang Xueli, and He Qing—had just reached a level of mental maturity. Their first year had been a phase of confusion, and in their second year, after getting a slight glimpse into the adult world, they had started thinking about romance and puppy love. It resulted in Lin Zhengran having less time to read every day.

Fortunately, last year—ninth grade—after experiencing certain events, the three of them had all grown in their own ways. They were no longer constantly obsessing over those things like they had in their second year. Although it still happened from time to time, it wasn’t nearly as frequent.

That was why their ninth-grade year had gone by exceptionally fast.

After all, the three girls were busy improving themselves, preparing for the high school entrance exams, and getting ready to welcome their new high school lives.

Lin Zhengran and Han Wenwen joined Class One’s lineup, with the teacher standing at the front directing everyone.

"Everyone, stand in your assigned spots. Once you’re in position, don’t move around and stop talking."

The photographer adjusted the camera and said to the teacher, "Sir, please stand at the front of the group as well."

The homeroom teacher gave a sound of agreement and went to sit at the front of the group.

The photographer half-squatted and shouted, "Alright, we’re going to start taking the photos! Don’t close your eyes, students. Look at the lens, not at me. Ready? Three, two, one!"

CLICK. He checked the photo. "Great shot! Alright! Next class."

Lin Zhengran waited for Class Three to finish taking their photo as well, and then the four of them grabbed their things and left the school together.

The four of them were sixteen this year.

In a little over a month, they would officially be high school students.

On the way out of the school, Lin Zhengran looked at Xiao Heqing standing to his left. Han Wenwen was clinging to Xiao Heqing’s arm as usual. Last year, due to some kind of reform in the small town, many entertainment events had been postponed for half a year.

"He Qing, the town’s Taekwondo tournament should be starting after high school begins, right?"

Xiao Heqing replied in her soft, sweet voice, "I checked the schedule. The Taekwondo tournament is scheduled exactly one month after high school starts. When the time comes, I can just come over on the weekend to compete."

Lin Zhengran then looked at Jiang Xueli, whose twin tails bounced with every step as she walked with her hands behind her back. "What about you? Has the studio mentioned any changes recently?"

Jiang Xueli shook her head. "No changes. They said the town concert is scheduled for two months from now, perfectly staggered with He Qing’s tournament."

"That’s good. I’ll be there to accompany you both for your events. It’s time to see the results of your three years of practice."

Hearing this, He Qing and Jiang Xueli exchanged a glance. Then, one blushed and looked away, while the other lowered her head in shyness.

Han Wenwen looked curiously at the three of them, just like she used to in the past. Only this time, she couldn’t keep herself out of it; a hint of jealousy lingered in her eyes.

At the school gates.

Surprisingly, they saw Lin Yingjun and Lin Xiaoli waiting at the entrance. His mother grinned. "Ranran, you’re out of school?! And Qingqing, Lili, and Wenwen! I came to pick you all up."

Lin Yingjun chuckled, thinking to himself that after watching the gates for so long, it seemed only his son was surrounded by so many beautiful girls.

Lin Zhengran was curious. "Mom, Dad? Why are you here?"

Lin Yingjun replied, "Isn’t it your graduation today? Your mother and I happened to be free, so we made a huge feast at home to celebrate you all graduating from junior high."

Seeing the two adults, Han Wenwen, Jiang Xueli, and He Qing quickly greeted them with polite restraint. They said in unison, "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Lin."

Lin Xiaoli was used to it. "Hello, hello! Oh, right, Qingqing, are you heading back this afternoon?"

Xiao Heqing nodded. "Yes, I’m taking the three o’clock bus." She asked Han Wenwen in a low voice, "Wenwen, is your uncle still doing business up north this year?"

Han Wenwen nodded. "Yeah, I definitely can’t go back again. But he called me yesterday and said he might stop doing it once high school starts. If there are any changes, I’ll let you know."

Xiao Heqing was pleasantly surprised. "Really? That’s great." She nodded with a smile.

The Little Fox clearly also felt that once high school started, it would be time to tell Qingqing about her living alone.

Lin Xiaoli clapped her hands. "That’s perfect, then! Everyone, come over to our place for a celebratory meal. This afternoon, I’ll have Ranran see you off one by one! Besides, I bought a new car today, so I can take you all for a spin."

Lin Zhengran sweatdropped, but since his parents had prepared all this on such a special day, he naturally wouldn’t say anything to ruin the mood.

It wasn’t the first time the three girls had been to Lin Zhengran’s home, so they didn’t decline.

They said together, "Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Lin."

The four of them split up into Lin Yingjun’s and Lin Xiaoli’s cars and headed to Lin Zhengran’s home for their graduation lunch.

Upon arriving at the house, the three girls politely helped the adults with tasks like serving dishes and cutting fruit.

Lin Zhengran thought the kitchen was incredibly lively.

However, Lin Xiaoli and Lin Yingjun had been so focused on celebrating graduation—and only remembering that the three of them visited often—that they had completely forgotten this was the very first time all three girls were visiting their home at the same time.

Once the piping hot dishes were placed on the table, the meal officially began.

Looking at the variety of incredibly delicious ingredients, Lin Zhengran saw his mother start eating. He was just about to pick up his chopsticks when Xiao Heqing habitually peeled a shrimp and placed the meat into his bowl.

"Have this, Lin Zhengran."

Despite Jiang Xueli’s tsundere nature, and although she wouldn’t admit it out loud, she had also become much more proactive over the past year. She took the initiative to place food in his bowl. "Try this, you huge idiot. Mrs. Lin’s cooking is delicious."

Han Wenwen, who was sitting next to him, picked up a piece of spare rib and placed it on his plate—whether out of jealousy or just a deliberate desire to join the fun. "Have a rib, Lin Zhengran."

The three girls looked at each other and then at Lin Zhengran, while his parents sat there in stunned silence.

Lin Xiaoli leaned over and whispered into her husband’s ear, "Oh no. We didn’t pave the road to hell with good intentions, did we? I just wanted to treat the kids to a meal."

Lin Yingjun whispered back, "Ranran getting perfect scores in almost every subject made me so happy that I completely forgot about this. The three of them sitting together is a recipe for disaster."

The couple exchanged a glance, suddenly coming to a tacit understanding as they whispered in unison, "Who do you think Ranran will eat from first?"

At the dining table, everyone focused their undivided attention on Lin Zhengran, staring intently at the movement of his chopsticks.