Volume One: High School Days Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Journey Begins
After what happened with Liu Meng’s parents, Liu Meng always felt indebted to Liu Sheng, and she also believed her life shouldn’t be so bleak. Yet, so many things were beyond her control.
The next morning, Liu Meng emerged from her room with swollen, red eyes. Liu Sheng had gotten up early to buy breakfast, knowing Liu Meng must be upset and probably hadn’t slept well, making it hard for her to wake up.
“Liu Sheng, thank you for last night.”
Liu Sheng gestured for Liu Meng to sit and eat, and added, “Alright, come have breakfast. There’s an exam today—you need to get your mindset right. I won’t say anything; I know you’ll do fine. As for Ren Xiadong, I’ll just say: don’t sleep with your neck twisted, it hurts.”
After breakfast, Liu Sheng rode his electric scooter with Liu Meng, while Ren Xiadong pedaled his mountain bike. The three headed to school together. Along the way, many students saw Liu Sheng and Liu Meng and whispered, “Those two are always showing off, coming and going together every day. Don’t they get tired of each other?”
“The teachers don’t care about them, why should you? Unless you want to date someone too?”
Amidst the gossip and glances of their classmates, the three arrived at school.
During the break after the first exam, Liu Sheng sent Ren Xiadong a message: “Didn’t eat enough this morning, I’m a bit hungry. Want to go out for something?”
Ren Xiadong soon appeared at Liu Sheng’s classroom door. Liu Sheng saw him and walked out directly. The two headed to the wall beside the playground, exchanged a smile, and then, without hesitation, climbed over and out.
Once outside, they went to a noodle shop near the school. As soon as they walked in, the owner remarked, “Hey, you two are from Seventh High, right? Isn’t there an exam now? How did you get out?”
Liu Sheng laughed, “We’re good students. The teacher let us out specially to eat, then go back and do well on the exams! No more talking, just give us two bowls of noodles, and add an egg!”
By the time they returned to school, the second exam was nearly over. Ren Xiadong was blocked at the door by a teacher and made to stand as punishment, refused entry. The proctor said, “Even if you come in, you’ll just sleep. If you’re so capable, sleep while standing outside!”
“Excuse me!” Liu Sheng called from the doorway of Grade Two, Class One.
The proctor happened to be Liu Sheng’s homeroom teacher. Seeing Liu Sheng, she asked, “Where have you been?”
“Stomach trouble, I was in the restroom, almost couldn’t get out!” Liu Sheng replied.
The teacher, irritated, pressed further, “Did you fall in or what? An hour and a half exam, you spent an hour and twenty minutes in the toilet!”
Without thinking, Liu Sheng answered, “If you want the answer that I fell in and couldn’t get out, then that’s what happened. That’s why I was gone so long!”
His words made the entire class burst into laughter.
The teacher felt her authority challenged—so many students, and someone dared to talk back! She knew Liu Sheng’s personality and ways well: undeniably smart, but also notoriously unruly. To avoid more confrontation in front of everyone, she could only say, “Hurry up and get back to your exam!”
Liu Sheng was puzzled. The teacher never usually minded him, so why was she so angry today? Only when he sat down to answer the questions did he realize this exam was her subject—politics.
No wonder, he thought, she’s so upset—it’s her subject being tested.
Liu Sheng never cared what subject was being tested; whatever it was, he’d just do it.
He quickly scanned all the questions, picked up his pen, and started writing swiftly. The teacher was taken aback, thinking, “Not even reading the questions, answering this fast—he probably doesn’t even know what he’s writing.”
As soon as Liu Sheng put down his pen, the bell signaling the end of school rang.
“Students in the back, collect the papers.” Once the teacher had all the exams, she announced, “Morning exams are finished. Afternoon session starts at two—don’t be late.”
At lunch in the cafeteria, Liu Meng and Yang Fan ate heartily, while Liu Sheng and Ren Xiadong barely touched their food, still full from the noodles outside.
“Why aren’t you eating? Is it not to your taste?” Yang Fan asked.
Before Liu Sheng or Ren Xiadong could reply, Liu Meng jumped in, “They already ate.”
Liu Sheng immediately asked, “How did you know?”
“I’m not stupid. I know your little tricks,” Liu Meng said.
Yang Fan glanced at Liu Sheng and Liu Meng, then remarked, “You two are so lucky. Liu Sheng can’t hide anything from Liu Meng.”
Liu Sheng was used to not explaining himself, so he just smiled. Ren Xiadong knew the details but didn’t want to say much, afraid the conversation might shift to Xiaoya and upset Liu Sheng.
Liu Meng smiled at Yang Fan, “Actually, there’s more pain than happiness. You haven’t experienced it, so you don’t understand.”
Liu Meng meant that everyone thought she should be happy having Liu Sheng, but only she knew how painful it was to love him unrequitedly. She could see him, touch him, feel his presence, but never truly have him.
Liu Sheng didn’t explain because he was too lazy, and it wasn’t as if he’d go around telling everyone, “I’m waiting for someone I might never see again, so I won’t be with Liu Meng.” That would be absurd.
Liu Meng didn’t explain, because she enjoyed the feeling of others believing Liu Sheng was her boyfriend.
Seeing Yang Fan baffled by Liu Meng’s words, Liu Sheng said, “Just focus on your studies.”
Hearing this, Yang Fan responded, “Speaking of which, you all must be good students, right? I heard science in Grade Two is especially tough—all the science students are top-notch.”
Ren Xiadong quickly said, “You guys chat, I need the restroom!”
Liu Sheng and Liu Meng burst out laughing. Liu Sheng grabbed Ren Xiadong, who was trying to leave, and said, “Your brother here is the best student among us.”
Ren Xiadong, who had been fine moments ago, now wished he could disappear. He didn’t even believe it himself, yet Liu Sheng said it so smoothly—what nerve!
Amidst laughter and conversation, lunchtime passed. Since meeting Liu Sheng and the others, Yang Fan’s personality had improved a lot; she wasn’t as timid and could laugh freely.
After lunch, Liu Sheng, Ren Xiadong, and Liu Meng went up to the roof of the teaching building. Liu Sheng and Ren Xiadong smoked, while Liu Meng chatted and joked with them.
“By the way, I’m booking plane tickets now—for tomorrow night. How does that sound?” Liu Sheng said.
Ren Xiadong and Liu Meng had never flown before, so they were both excited.
Ren Xiadong said, “I heard you can’t open windows on planes. What if it gets hot?”
Liu Sheng shot him a look and kept booking tickets. Liu Meng commented, “Of course you can’t open the windows in winter—it’s already cold, and you still want to open the windows? Open them in summer, maybe! By the way, Liu Sheng, should we bring a blanket? It must be cold on the plane, right?”
Liu Sheng couldn’t hold back any longer. “Seriously! You two have bigger imaginations than me! A plane worth tens of millions, you think they wouldn’t install air conditioning? Also, the speed is so fast—if you opened a window mid-flight, we’d all fly out!”
“So you’ve flown before? No, I don’t remember you ever traveling far,” Ren Xiadong asked, puzzled.
Before transmigrating, Liu Sheng had traveled often, flown many times, but he couldn’t let them know he was from the future. So he replied, “You really must have eaten too much pig brain. Even your backside could figure this out! Stop chasing girls all the time—read a book once in a while!”
After two days of exams, the students were released for winter break. Regardless of their results, everyone was happy—they wouldn’t have to come to school for the next month and a half.
The three quickly packed their bags at home. Ren Xiadong called his driver, who delivered them straight to the airport.
“Forget flying—this is my first time even being at an airport!” Ren Xiadong exclaimed, pulling out his phone to take endless selfies.
After a while, he approached Liu Sheng and Liu Meng, “Let’s take a photo together. Make sure you pose close—if you’re going on a trip, you have to look like a couple!”
To highlight their closeness, Ren Xiadong had Liu Sheng carry Liu Meng on his back for the shot, then sent the picture to both of them. Liu Sheng commented, “You’ve got real potential, but you focused on Liu Meng, right? If you don’t look closely, it’s hard to tell who’s carrying her!”
Liu Meng smiled happily at their only photo together.
“Flight from Xinghai City to Chong City is about to depart. Please take your boarding passes to Gate 22 for check-in.”
Hearing the announcement, Liu Sheng said, “Alright, stop taking pictures and hurry up—if the plane leaves, you’ll have to run to Chong City!”
As they searched for Gate 22, Ren Xiadong quipped, “Did you say ‘ascending the throne’? Are you becoming the emperor?”
Liu Sheng spotted Gate 22 and walked straight over, saying, “You’re such a joker! From now on, keep quiet. Don’t get on the plane just to shout ‘wow!’”
Once on board, Ren Xiadong saw the stewardess greeting them and immediately exclaimed, “Wow, the flight attendant is gorgeous!”
She smiled politely and replied, “Thank you for the compliment. Have a pleasant journey.”
“I can’t take it, you’re all too gentle—can I add you on WeChat?”
She continued smiling, “Sir, please refrain from using your phone during the flight; it may affect the plane’s operation.”
Liu Sheng laughed, pulling Ren Xiadong along, “Flight attendants are amazing—not just their service, but even their refusals are so tactful.”
Ren Xiadong protested, “What are you doing? Didn’t you see I was trying to get her WeChat?”
“Are you stupid? She already turned you down. Don’t let your lower half take over every time you see a pretty woman,” Liu Sheng said, searching for their seats.
They took seats near the back—Liu Meng by the window, Liu Sheng in the middle, Ren Xiadong on the aisle.
After the plane took off, Ren Xiadong and Liu Meng, on either side of Liu Sheng, acted like children seeing the world for the first time, eyes full of wonder, mouths constantly shouting, “Wow, wow!”
Liu Sheng felt incredibly awkward, as everyone on the plane stared at them. Helpless, he put on his headphones, closed his eyes, and listened to music.