Study Monster Cultivation System-Chapter 249 - 248 as always

Li Zheng’s hand froze mid-air, and the distance from the water bottle stretched as long as a lifetime.

No words were needed, just that moment of bewilderment was enough for Xu Mengxi to foresee the inevitable.

"Don’t say it... I know..." Xu Mengxi wiped her eyes, clutched the water bottle, and smiled as she turned her head, "Anyway... see you on the 10th... I’m off."

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

With those words, she turned and fled.

In that instant, a flash of fleeting regret crossed Li Zheng’s face.

Then, he heavily bowed his head.

"It should be my fault, isn’t it..."

"Don’t speak! Just don’t..." Xu Mengxi’s tears overflowed, and she ran outwards, clutching the water bottle tightly.

It was as if she could outrun the piercing words if she moved fast enough.

She didn’t even notice that she had bumped into someone.

"Ah..." Zhang Xiaoke clutched her shoulder, watching Xu Mengxi’s disappearing figure around the corner of the hallway, her eyes slowly turning solemn.

In that frozen moment, a booming voice came from behind: "What’s up? Did you check by the water dispenser?"

Zhang Xiaoke’s eyebrows tightened then relaxed, as she quickly turned around with a smile, gently pushing Qiao Bixia and said, "Not there, Sister Xia, let’s look somewhere else~"

"That’s strange, if someone found a water bottle, they would have definitely left it by the water dispenser," Qiao Bixia muttered under her breath, "Must have run into a pervert, could it be Liu Xin, that kid?"

"If you ask me, very suspicious," Zhang Xiaoke said, waving her fist enthusiastically, "Come on, let’s go interrogate him."

"Hmm... Liu Xin is still running the 1000 meters," Lin Yujing, who had also jogged over, glanced around worriedly, "Could it be with Mengxi? Have you seen Mengxi?"

"True, where’s Mengxi?" Qiao Bixia was about to push past Zhang Xiaoke toward the water room.

"Hmm... She seemed to have been called away by Teacher Yu..." Zhang Xiaoke blocked Qiao Bixia, "Right, Jiang Qinghua has been acting all sneaky, perverts always look like that, it must have been him, right?"

"Oh?" Qiao Bixia’s eyes widened, "Now that you mention it, his demeanor... is indeed quite suspicious."

"Gross..." Lin Yujing’s face darkened instantly, "The water bottle from the NASA camp... tsk... forget it... don’t want it anymore..."

"Let’s confront him first, go!" Zhang Xiaoke gathered the two of them, calling out as they headed to the field to denounce Jiang Qinghua.

No matter what the motivation, this did give Li Zheng time to cool down.

Li Zheng picked up the water bottle, filled it up, and brought it to his lips, but he choked on the first sip.

Water spilled all over him, and he couldn’t wipe it away, eventually sitting down on the ground in embarrassment.

Just now, it did feel like a lifetime had passed.

In that moment of vacuity, even though he didn’t want to, he still did think.

If two choices existed, they would split into two distinct universal paths.

Then somewhere else, he might already be embracing her, holding hands and walking together.

Afterwards, spending every weekend together, and often visiting her campus to experience college life.

Snuggling in a movie theater, spending each today under candlelight.

In the swell and ebb of life, forming deeper ties.

That did seem quite fulfilling.

But life also had another aspect.

He would inevitably dedicate himself to scientific research, visiting home no more often than An Ning would.

Each word he spoke, she would gradually come to not understand.

That ordinary distance, with diverging experiences piling up in the future, would only grow day by day.

Maybe, at the start, they could have been each other’s Sun.

But under the grander influence of life, one day they will turn into a distant cold star.

Regardless of how far away, or how faint the light that reaches us.

In this lonely orbit, she remains without resentment or regret.

Just like every moment that has passed.

So.

Whether it’s now or the future.

Whether it happens or not.

"I’m sorry..." Li Zheng looked up, finished the rest of his water, and raised his glass to the air, "I’m truly sorry."

...

"It’s not... I’ve been sitting right here..." Jiang Qinghua looked at Qiao Bixia with grievance, "I thought you were here for some humiliating truths..."

"You do seem pretty sincere... your tears are about to come out..." Qiao Bixia could only shake her head, "Forget it... it won’t be needed anymore."

Lin Yujing also pouted with a look of grievance, "Goodbye, little rocket..."

"Hey, hey, here it comes." Zhang Xiaoke suddenly raised her arm in excitement, "Over here, this way!"

Following her voice, Xu Mengxi ran over with a water bottle, her eyes still red and wet.

"I’m sorry... I was supposed to get water for everyone..." Xu Mengxi said with her head down as she handed the water bottles to each person.

"Little rocket!" Lin Yujing hugged the water bottle like a child that had been found, affectionately cuddling it before noticing Xu Mengxi’s expression was off. Her own expression immediately turned sour, "Did someone bully you?"

"Ah... no..." Xu Mengxi quickly turned away to wipe her eyes, "That... um..."

Zhang Xiaoke immediately jumped up, "I get it, it must have been Teacher Yu who called you to the office for a tearful farewell, she must be reluctant to part with such a good class representative."

"..."

"To think Teacher Yu is also a person of feelings." Qiao Bixia guessed that was it and packed up the water bottle, "Alright, mystery solved, let’s go to the cat café."

"Hmm..." Lin Yujing hesitated, "Mengxi doesn’t seem to be in a great state, why don’t we wait until after the college entrance exams?"

"Exactly!" Zhang Xiaoke eagerly fanned the flames, "Cat cafés are so boring, I’ll treat everyone to the dog park after the finals."

"I’ll go if it’s the dog park," Jiang Qinghua said dismally, raising her hand.

"Boys aren’t allowed!"

"..."

...

By the time Li Zheng had returned, the girls had already left together.

Liu Xin, who had just finished running, grabbed the water bottle from Li Zheng and guzzled it down.

Jiang Qinghua held her knees, sitting desolately where she was.

Li Zheng plopped down beside Jiang Qinghua, "So... this is the end, huh..."

"Doesn’t matter anymore." Jiang Qinghua turned blankly, "Do you want to hear a humiliating truth?"

"Go ahead..." Li Zheng patted his shoulder.

Jiang Qinghua immediately brightened up, "Then you can’t tell anyone else!"

"Don’t worry, I’m not Zhang Xiaoke."

Jiang Qinghua rubbed his hands together before finally saying, "It’s just... I was a bit lost this term... I discovered... I might... of course, not now, but back then... I might have developed feelings for a teacher... can you guess..."

"Okay." Li Zheng interrupted with a grim expression, raising his hand, "Teacher Tang has fatal flaws."

"I... I know that..." Jiang Qinghua’s face reddened, "But maybe... under certain circumstances, for some people, this... this could be seen as an advantage, right?"

Li Zheng pondered deeply, his expression changing several times before he finally patted Jiang Qinghua’s shoulder, "This is... indeed quite embarrassing... You win, no more running for you."

"It’s not... this thing is reasonable, you know, many mammals rely on pheromones to discern situations, from that perspective, a stronger... more distinctive odor, is actually a survival advantage. You know... every time I enter her office..."

"Alright, alright, very reasonable." Li Zheng patted Jiang Qinghua even more solemnly, "I will help you guard this secret."

"Thanks! I feel much better now." Jiang Qinghua, holding onto Li Zheng’s hand, said, "And I won’t say anything about you and Mengxi in the utility room either, I won’t let Lin Yujing find out, this is the bro code, rest assured."

"???"

"It’s too obvious, from start to finish, too obvious." Jiang Qinghua said with a bitter smile, "I just didn’t expect Mengxi to take that step, she’s got way more courage than I do."

With the conversation reaching this point, Li Zheng also did not continue to hide it, only letting out a sigh.

"Before, whenever I shredded those love letters, I never felt anything, but this time, it really... I just... felt like I’m such a damn low-life..."

"You probably still like her a little bit," Jiang Qinghua patted Li Zheng in return, "that simple, ordinary kind of liking."

"Hmm... before we discuss this question, you first explain to me what exactly is an intense ’heavy taste’ kind of liking."

"... you’re slick, Li Zheng, you’ve become slick!"

...

That night, Li Zheng added a lot of new problems to his study software and casually optimized the code, managing to send the last two weeks’ worth of 100+ MB tailored exercises to Xu Mengxi before nine o’clock.

Xu Mengxi replied with a thank you, Li Zheng wished her goodnight, as if nothing had happened.

But that promise still circled in Li Zheng’s mind, causing him, who usually fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, to suffer a rare bout of insomnia.

The next morning, he arrived early at school to run.

Round and round, lap after lap...

Until he returned to his seat, panting, but the anxiety remained unabated.

"Heh, even you have dark circles under your eyes?" Zhang Xiaoke snickered as she brought out her books.

"Been up all night studying." Li Zheng fumbled for an excuse.

"More like up all night worrying," Zhang Xiaoke casually flipped open her Chinese book, twirling her hair, and seemingly offhand said, "Life coach Teacher Yu and your devoted disciple, Xiaoke Xiaoke, awaiting inquiries at any time~"

"So... you heard everything..." Li Zheng said in a lowered voice, "Don’t spread it around."

"Oh, you think you can teach me, with that first-level thinking of yours?" Zhang Xiaoke laughed, shaking her head and waving her hands dismissively, "Don’t worry, I’ve already taken care of it all for you."

"I’ve noticed that at crucial moments, you are indeed trustworthy," Li Zheng said, then he took out a stack of printed papers, "Last night, I also helped you out with half a jin."

Zhang Xiaoke glanced at it, dismissing it casually like a big shot receiving a bribe, "Got it, just put it there."

"It’s just a token of my gratitude, nothing more," Li Zheng said modestly.

"Hmph, seeing as you understand things so well, I’ll give you another tip," Zhang Xiaoke beckoned Li Zheng closer with a crook of her finger, "Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you. Didn’t I help you with your ’experimental clothing’ phobia before?"

Li Zheng himself was at a loss, and under the circumstances, even if she were a quack advisor, he had to listen to what she had to say.

Zhang Xiaoke then whispered into Li Zheng’s ear.

"There’s no need to panic about this," she murmured.

"From what I know about Xu Mengxi, she really has been taken care of by you but can’t figure out how to help you, so she’s using this method as a way to repay the favor."

"It’s you, afraid to be alone with a girl, who’s making things complicated."

"Now that it’s started absurdly, all you can do is to end it boldly and decidedly."

"Your Teacher Mengxi has already ’pushed the tower’ with an A grade, so fulfill her last little wish," she sighed.

"And of course, you absolutely must not speak of this to anyone, or you’re dead meat."

Li Zheng listened closely, "So you mean it’s me, with improper thoughts, overcomplicating things?"

"Exactly, just treat it like you’re an ordinary classmate," Xiaoke advised, leaning in next to Li Zheng’s ear, "During those three days, you just say you’re cramming for a final sprint at home. In short, don’t think of yourself as a man; think of yourself as a tool, just satisfying her will do."

"Now that you mention it… why does it feel even weirder?"

Zhang Xiaoke paused for a moment before reacting and pointed at Li Zheng with her mouth wide open, accusing, "Master, you’ve sunk to Shi Yang’s level! I’m punishing you by ignoring you for two classes!"

"How is it Shi Yang? I just think it’s weird, alright?"

"Pretending!"

"No, really, can you explain to me what exactly is weird?"

"You can’t be serious... You don’t know… about that stuff?"

"What stuff?"

"Just… never mind… I’ll look it up for you…" Zhang Xiaoke opened her phone, typed in some odd terms, and handed it to Li Zheng, "This, you should know, right?"

"Ah…" Li Zheng’s eyes widened, a real eye-opener, "You really do know your stuff… Wait, this ’Store Favorited’ on the bottom right…"

[Zhang Xiaoke launched amnesia charge]

"You saw it wrong!!"

…

After Grade 12 stopped attending classes, the school became much emptier.

But at the same time, final exams were approaching, and the atmosphere of study hadn’t slackened at all.

Li Zheng and Lin Yujing’s exam preparation entered the final stage, Liu Xiaodong especially brought in a large batch of experimental consumables, and Tang Zhifei, Zhu Hongbo, and Tao Feifei, the three teachers, also collaborated in secret, striving to maximize their support.

Often, they weren’t even looking for problems anymore but for academic papers.

After all, the two’s problem-solving abilities were already nearing the limits of various exams. Using scholarly papers to improve had become a steadier approach, much like the final "super reading problem" of the competition round, requiring on-the-spot learning and understanding, which is what could stretch their nerves.

Besides that, this was also part of Zhu Hongbo’s cunning plan.

In his view, Li Zheng and Lin Yujing already had the capabilities on par with graduate students and would inevitably delve into scientific research. Keeping them together to pore over papers might seem mystical in terms of competition improvement, but for their future undergraduate and graduate study phases, it was solidly beneficial.

If it were someone else, being locked in a lab with a bunch of mysterious papers would have driven them crazy.

But these two were liable to ascend to heaven.

True to expectations, Li Zheng and Lin Yujing quickly slipped into a cooperative state, playing house with scholarly papers.

Li Zheng even regretted and felt frustrated.

Why hadn’t he played like this before?

On June 7, this year’s college entrance examination officially commenced.

Lake Ying Middle School was not an examination site, and classes proceeded as usual.

Yet, everyone knew that across the district, across the city, across the country, in classrooms big and small, countless people were launching their final charge toward the most critical battlefield of their lives.

On June 9, Li Zheng took a three-day leave to prepare for the competition at home and split the last of the papers with Lin Yujing, each tackling it head-on.

On June 10, a sliver of sunlight shining through the gap in the curtains woke Li Zheng.

By this time, his state of mind had completely settled.

At 8:30 am, after washing up, the doorbell rang.

Upon opening the door, Xu Mengxi stood there in plain jeans and a t-shirt, shyly standing at the front.

Li Zheng had thought that seniors might go for a drastic makeover after the college entrance exams, but she hadn’t.

Clean and unadorned, her hair was as usual.

Li Zheng had been worried about how to interact with her, but seeing her as natural as ever, he was no longer flustered.

Xu Mengxi giggled and lifted the insulated lunch box, sticking out her tongue very occasionally.

"Time for breakfast."