Chapter 22: TMS
Not knowing whether it was a matter of stubbornness or something else, Ji Mian didn’t want to go home often.
During the first semester of his senior year, Ji Mian only returned home five times, most of which were during official holidays and before the phone call with Duan Zhuang.
After that, there was the special seven-day Spring Festival break for senior students, but this return home wasn’t particularly enjoyable either.
Ji Mian only had a brief encounter with Duan Zhuang, who then left under the pretext of having work outside, returning only on the day Ji Mian started school again.
The only thing that could barely prove the existence of their connection was a sudden transfer of ten thousand yuan that appeared in Ji Mian's bank account in January. That was Duan Zhuang's allowance for him.
The day he received that money, Ji Mian felt incredibly ashamed, even briefly contemplating quitting school to take up a job instead.
If it weren’t for the system comforting him with, “This is the salary he owes you; you worked for him, and this is what you deserve,” he might have impulsively gone to the homeroom teacher to handle his withdrawal from school.
Ji Mian’s flushed face took a long time to calm down as he silently wiped away his tears in the dormitory and tried to forget about the matter.
Time flew, and by April, with only two months left until the college entrance exams, Ji Mian’s scores stabilized at around 580, which was more than enough for a decent first-tier university.
However, Ji Mian still wanted to push himself further.
At this point, the school curriculum focused on reviewing mistakes, but among all the mistakes the teacher discussed in class, only about one-fifth were things Ji Mian wanted to hear.
He couldn’t help but feel anxious.
【Take a leave; I’ll tutor you,】the system said.
【!! Really?】Ji Mian was a bit surprised.
Over the past year, Ji Mian’s rapid progress was largely thanks to the system. Every time he got stuck in a dilemma, the system could clarify his confusion with just a few sentences.
【Thank you! System.】
【Hmph, it’s because of the affection points. I just think that if you get into a good university, the greater the contrast, the more affection points you’ll ultimately earn.】
【Also, the affection points you earn in each world, the system takes a ten percent commission from them. So, within my capacity, I will still do some work.】
It’s not the kind of system that just takes money without doing any work!
Ji Mian thought for a moment and accepted the system’s proposal.
That night, he submitted a leave request to his homeroom teacher. Ji Mian’s senior year homeroom teacher was Lin Zhenghua, a middle-aged man with a literary demeanor, who was generally very good to the students and reasonable.
However, when he saw Ji Mian’s two-month leave request, he hesitated for quite a while.
“Two months… Ji Mian, in the two years you’ve been with us, all of your teachers have witnessed your progress. You are the most determined and resilient student I have ever taught, but during this final two-month sprint, self-studying at home may not be as efficient as studying at school. I suggest you think it over.”
“Teacher Lin, I’ve made up my mind. Don’t worry, I won’t joke around with my future.”
Lin Zhenghua pondered for a moment and said, “Alright. But for a long leave from the school dormitory, you need a medical certificate; you’ll have to go home.”
“For a long leave, your guardian needs to sign as well. Your brother’s surname is Duan, right? Have you communicated with him?”
Ji Mian was taken aback.
……
【What’s the big deal about just calling Duan Zhuang? Why be so shy about it?】
After returning from the homeroom teacher’s office, Ji Mian lay on the desk with his head drooping, looking dejected.
【You wouldn’t understand.】
【……What in this world is there that I don’t understand?】
【He doesn’t want to talk to me. He doesn’t want to see me; he’s long since… stopped liking me.】 Ji Mian said quietly, sniffing subtly.
【Hmph, it must be because you’ve been spending his money for school.】 The system analyzed confidently, 【Duan Zhuang considers himself your half-boss; the labor force at the store has decreased by half, and this labor force is a two-legged money-eating beast. It’s surprising that he can give you a good face.】
【……Is it really about the money?】 Ji Mian felt a bit hesitant.
The system, drawing on its years of experience as a system, spoke in a worldly tone, confidently saying, “Ninety-nine percent of the problems in this world are money problems.”
“What about the remaining one percent?”
The system had no idea; it merely said something profound to sound deep.
It decided to commit fully to this profundity, saying with a tone of seriousness, “Silly, the remaining one percent is, of course, about love.”
“Oh.” Ji Mian immediately lost hope.
“Well, all the money I earn from now on will go to him.” There was a hint of stubbornness in his words.
He hoped to earn a lot of money, enough to throw it in Duan Zhuang's face.
“If I have money, will he be willing to talk to me again?”
“Not just talk to you; if you want, he might even work like a horse for you.” After saying this, the system suddenly remembered something, “Wait a minute, the person you ‘like’ is the female lead. What does it mean to give the money to her brother?”
Ji Mian thought for two seconds and replied, “Then most of it goes to him, and the rest goes to Sister Yu Man.”
“……”
The system still felt something was off, but couldn’t pinpoint why.
“Anyway, just call him first…”
During the lunch break, Ji Mian didn’t return to the dormitory. He took out his old Nokia phone and, after a series of internal struggles and system brainwashing, dialed Duan Zhuang's number.
After two “beeps,” the call connected.
“Hello.”
Duan Zhuang's deep voice came through the receiver, making Ji Mian's ears tingle, so he pulled the phone a little further away from his ear.
“Brother, it’s me. Um…” He stammered, wanting to get everything out in one breath according to the script he had prepared. But upon hearing Duan Zhuang’s voice, all his rehearsed lines vanished from his mind.
Suddenly, Ji Mian found himself at a loss for words.
He unconsciously clenched the hem of his school uniform, feeling like he was the most ungrateful person in the world.
It was he who had been shamelessly living in Duan Zhuang's place, relying on him to continue his education.
But now, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of hatred towards the voice on the other end that had helped him.
Ji Mian’s nose tinged with a bit of moisture as he suddenly felt a little wronged.
“Wronged” was a strange emotion that could instantly turn affection into hatred, gratitude into resentment, and admiration into enmity.
Once, Ji Mian had been so grateful to Duan Zhuang, and at that moment, he hated him just as much.
“Ji Mian, speak.” The voice on the phone quickened, tinged with an urgency.
“I, I…” Ji Mian stuttered for a long time but couldn’t express himself.
“Ji Mian. Why is your voice shaking?” This time, the tone sounded somewhat impatient.
Ji Mian: “…”
Ji Mian didn’t know what he was thinking, nor did he know where he found the courage. He unexpectedly pressed the red end call button, disconnecting the call.
【You!! Why did you hang up?!】If the system had a physical form, it would surely be gaping in disbelief.
Ji Mian kept his head down, staring silently at his old phone.
After the lunch break bell rang, he put the phone back in his desk drawer and pulled out his textbooks for the next class.
The system realized Ji Mian truly didn’t want to communicate and had to give up trying to talk to him.
Ji Mian’s scores on past college entrance exam papers had remained stable at around 570, and if he performed normally, he could barely scrape into a top-tier university.
The system had no choice but to let him be for the time being.
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