Chapter 22 – Sending Off

After they returned to the lodge, the whole group, academics and college students alike, have been carrying vacuum-sealed packages of roast duck. There wasn’t any selection to talk of, however was it their fault that every time individuals talked in regards to the specialty meals of the capital, the very first thing that got here to thoughts was Peking duck?

They’d simply walked into the lobby of the lodge once they met the academics and college students of Jingcheng No. 1 Excessive College popping out. In comparison with the smooth and trendy suitcases dragged by the opposite group, the individuals from Furong No. 3 Excessive College with their luggage of roast geese didn’t look cool or fashionable in any respect.

Fortuitously, there have been gracious individuals on either side. They didn’t make impolite remarks simply due to successful or dropping the competitors. After just a few well mannered phrases, each events left.

Xiao Ji’s eyes saved straying to Shen Shao, however he by no means stated a phrase.

After they entered the elevator, Zhang Li put down the issues she was carrying and shook out her fingers. “So heavy.”

Shen Shao regarded on the roast geese and commenced to think about a severe query. Specifically, once they went via the safety verify on the airport, would the workers assume they have been roast duck maniacs? They traveled to the capital, however the one factor they introduced again was roast duck. When he considered it, there actually wasn’t something to brag about.

The elevator went up one ground and stopped. When the door slid open, two individuals walked inside. After {the teenager} within the lead entered the elevator, his gaze swept previous the pile of roast geese and at last landed on Shen Shao.

Shen Shao had a slight impression of this individual, though his clearest reminiscence was of a fleet of Mercedes-Benzes and a gaggle of good-looking bodyguards in fits. When he noticed the younger man him, Shen Shao didn’t perceive the explanation, however he smiled and nodded to him anyway.

Then he noticed {the teenager} avert his eyes and unobtrusively transfer a small half-step to the aspect. Shen Shao silently touched his nostril. Was his smile that unhealthy?

The person behind the younger man pressed a lit-up ground button. Because the elevator rose, everybody was silent.

Ding ding. This was the ground the place Shen Shao and the others have been staying.

Their group of six walked out of the elevator with all their luggage of roast duck. Shen Shao was the final to exit. When he left the elevator, he glanced again and noticed the younger man standing in the course of the elevator, trying immediately at him with an emotionless face.

Seeming to note that Shen Shao was him, {the teenager} reached out and pressed the “shut door” button. The elevator rapidly closed in entrance of Shen Shao.

Shen Shao: …

Contained in the elevator, Gu NingZhao considered his instinctive motion simply now. He stared expressionlessly on the “shut door” button on the elevator panel and pressed his lips collectively.

The subsequent day, the group from Furong No. 3 Excessive College departed the lodge with a number of circumstances of roast duck in addition to a trophy. They boarded a taxi and rushed to the airport. Possibly as a result of Shen Shao had gained the championship, their temper was much more excited than once they got here. Or possibly it was due to the entire scrumptious roast geese they have been bringing again.

On the airport, there have been one other two hours earlier than it was time to board, in order that they weren’t in a rush. They dragged their suitcases slowly in direction of the safety verify. He didn’t know if it was a coincidence or destiny, however Shen Shao noticed {the teenager} from the lodge yesterday. This time the younger man was adopted by just a few extra bodyguards. He was almost ten meters away, however the aura of a younger grasp from an eminent household was palpable.

Possibly… This was the aura of thriller possessed solely by the wealthy?

Shen Shao inwardly complained to himself and walked straight forward with the remainder of his group following. Then, when he was ready in line for the safety inspection, a person in a go well with got here as much as him.

Why did this scene someway really feel like déjà vu? Was he simply imagining it?

The suited man supplied him a wrapped package deal, and Shen Shao regarded down at it. He saved a well mannered smile on his face and requested, “Could I ask what you’re…”

Vice Principal Yao and the 2 academics, deliberately or in any other case, squeezed subsequent to Shen Shao to forestall the suited man from abruptly doing something.

“Hi there, Scholar Shen. The second younger grasp of our household loved your efficiency within the competitors very a lot. He heard that you just’re leaving in the present day, so he got here to see you off. This small reward is only a token of respect. The younger grasp hopes you’ll prefer it.” The suited man prolonged the package deal to Shen Shao with a severe face. Given what he’d stated, if Shen Shao refused, he’d be rejecting the younger man’s good will.

Shen Shao thought this was all a bit mysterious. He regarded up and noticed {the teenager} standing with a suited bodyguard not distant. The suited man was dressed similarly to the bodyguard behind the boy. Was he the one who despatched the reward?

“Don’t settle for issues from random strangers” was a compulsory lesson in kindergarten. Shen Shao didn’t wish to settle for it, however when he noticed the younger man’s expressionless face staring again at him, lethal severe, Shen Shao needed to attain out and take it.

Even when the field contained unlawful gadgets, he was in a public place and will show his innocence. There was nothing to fret about.

Shen Shao noticed that the individuals behind him have been ready for the safety verify. He stepped away from the road and let the individuals from his college go in first. He walked over to {the teenager} whereas holding the considerably heavy field in his hand and stopped three paces away from him. “Thanks for the reward.”

Gu NingZhao checked out Shen Shao. His face was clean. “You’re welcome,” he stated in a flat voice.

Shen Shao noticed that {the teenager} didn’t appear to love speaking. After fascinated by it, he pulled a case out of his backpack. It contained the pen that was his foremost reward for successful the competitors. “To reciprocate, that is for you.”

Gu NingZhao regarded on the pen case with the Gu household emblem, then slowly reached out and took it. After clutching it for a number of seconds, he stated, “Thanks.”

Though the opposite get together’s tone was nonetheless boring and impassive, Shen Shao didn’t thoughts. With a smile, he waved on the boy. “Goodbye.”

As he watched Shen Shao stroll into the gate for the safety verify, Gu NingZhao’s grip on the pen case grew tighter and tighter. When he might now not see Shen Shao’s determine, solely then did he flip round and go away.

“Shao Ge, is that wealthy younger grasp actually your fan?” Zeng Ping regarded on the field Shen Shao was carrying. The skin was so lovely that he puzzled what was in it.

Shen Shao smiled. “I assume he watched our competitors and had a very good impression of me, so he gave me somewhat one thing.” Possibly the opposite get together was feeling bored and determined to ship him off at random, however Shen Shao nonetheless felt grateful to {the teenager} for making a particular journey to the airport. Even when the reward wasn’t a lot, it was the thought behind it that counted.

The field was somewhat heavy, however it wasn’t massive, so Shen Shao determined to hold it as an alternative of checking it along with his suitcase. When he sat down within the terminal, Shen Shao couldn’t escape the curious stares of Zeng Ping and Zhang Li. He had no selection however to open the package deal.

When Zeng Ping and Zhang Li noticed what was inside, they have been each confused. “Huh?!” 

There was nothing treasured within the field, just a few superbly packaged snacks and three books. One was a reference e book for the faculty entrance examination, and the opposite two have been from a youngsters’s fantasy collection that was standard in the meanwhile.

“Evidently younger man simply now actually is a fan of yours.” When Vice Principal Yao noticed the issues within the field, he relaxed. It wasn’t something precious, so there was nothing mistaken with accepting it.

Shen Shao smiled and distributed a number of the snacks to his touring companions. As he closed the field he joked, “Possibly we’ll be fellow faculty alumni sooner or later.”

“Shao Ge, don’t joke round. There are such a lot of universities in China and there’s solely a small chance of your going to the identical one. However even if you happen to go to the identical college, you gained’t be in the identical grade. And even if you happen to’re the identical age, you gained’t essentially be in the identical division. It’s extraordinarily unlikely you’ll meet up that means.” Zeng Ping chewed the meat jerky and shook his head. “The percentages are simply too low.”

“Low odds doesn’t imply inconceivable.” Zhang Li put the snacks that Shen Shao gave her into her backpack. “When predestiny comes, it might probably’t be stopped. Possibly Shao Ge and the new man simply now might be in the identical class sometime.”

“That’s not how you employ the phrase predestiny. Don’t use it randomly.” The glasses Zeng Ping was sporting couldn’t conceal his derision. “You solely care since you assume that man was scorching.”

They began quarreling once more, however Shen Shao was used to it by now. At any time when this occurred, all he needed to do was stand by and watch them go.

After returning to Furong Metropolis, Shen Shao and others didn’t report to highschool instantly. They stayed house that night and rested. The subsequent morning, as quickly as he stepped into the classroom, he was greeted by thunderous applause.

“Shao Ge, you’re superior!”

“Shao Ge, you have been within the newspaper. You noticed it, proper?!”

The entire class applauded, some individuals whistled, and some of the ladies joined in with high-pitched cheers. Everybody was excited.

Shen Shao was embarrassed by all of the fuss. When he circled, he noticed Zhang JiaHe, the top instructor, standing on the podium.

“OK, college students, let’s give Shen Shao one other spherical of applause. Scholar Shen Shao, please sit.” Zhang JiaHe observed that Shen Shao felt embarrassed. “If you wish to say the rest, you are able to do it later. We have now to start out class proper now or the individuals subsequent door will come over and complain.”

The scholars broke into laughter, and the category as soon as once more burst into heat applause.

Shen Shao hurried over to his seat and sat down. He smiled at Liang Cheng, his deskmate, and took out a e book from the drawer, as if he meant to pay attention significantly to the lecture.

When the opposite college students noticed this they stopped making noise and commenced to deal with the lesson. Nevertheless, Shen Shao’s perspective gave them a very good impression. Irrespective of how they checked out it, they couldn’t assist feeling that Shen Shao was at all times hard-working and down-to-earth. What a very good classmate.

Inside just a few days of Shen Shao’s return to highschool, some individuals from the Guo Metropolis native TV station visited Furong No. 3 Excessive College. They advised the college that lots of people from Shen Shao’s hometown have been inquisitive about his day by day life, they usually hoped to spend a day with Shen Shao on campus. Nevertheless, they have been primarily going to shoot issues that occurred after college, they usually wouldn’t intervene with class. At most, they’d take just a few pictures outdoors the classroom.

Though the college officers knew this might be a great way to publicize the college, they didn’t agree instantly. First they requested Zhang JiaHe to speak privately with Shen Shao. Provided that Shen Shao agreed would they permit the request.

Shen Shao didn’t assume the Guo Metropolis TV station can be inquisitive about a highschool scholar like himself. He was shocked till it occurred to him that possibly the individuals in his hometown had watched the dwell broadcast of the competitors on the Capital Metropolis TV station. That should be why the native TV station despatched a cameraman to movie him.

When he discovered that the reporter from his hometown TV station traveled all the way in which right here simply to movie him, and that the college was too, he agreed. Folks dwell on the earth, they usually have to decide on the trail that’s most useful to them. He wasn’t a saint who refused to eat the meals of widespread mortals. Naturally, he wasn’t going to show down this sort of good publicity.

The subsequent morning, when Shen Shao, Liang Cheng, and Zhou ZeYu arrived on the gate of No. 3 Excessive College on their bicycles, a cameraman and reporter from the Guo Metropolis TV station have been standing on the gate ready for him.

TL Notes:

300!! That is the three hundredth chapter I’ve posted ﾟ･✿ヾ╲(｡◕‿◕｡)╱✿･ﾟ

Because of everybody for studying ♥

Gu household emblem – 顾氏华风LOGO – the unique stated Gu Household/Clan Huafeng emblem

Even when the reward wasn’t a lot, it was the thought behind it that counted – 礼轻情意重 – goose feather despatched from afar, an insignificant current with a weighty thought behind it (idiom); It’s not the reward that counts, however the thought behind it.

predestiny – 缘分 – destiny or likelihood that brings individuals collectively / predestined affinity or relationship / (Budd.) future

scorching man – 帅哥 – shuài ɡē – good-looking younger chap, good-looking younger man, cute man

refused to eat the meals of widespread mortals – 不食人间烟火 – lit. not consuming the meals of widespread mortals / fig. inserting oneself above the widespread populace