Let's Not Meet Again

Unfortunately, Director Fu wasn't able to shoot the little brat dead in the end.

After interrogating him repeatedly, he decided not to do anything to Huai Shi out of consideration for the Astronomical Society. But as he left, he warned him again, "Remember, stay away from my daughter."

"Yes, yes, of course."

Huai Shi nodded vigorously, forcing a stiff smile, and watched Director Fu walk away.

As soon as the opening ceremony was over, Huai Shi was cornered by the girl at the classroom door. She pulled him aside and reached into his pants pocket to grab his phone. "Dude, hurry up and help me out... I'm about to fall to Bronze, and my 'otaku goddess' persona is about to collapse."

"Miss Fu, please don't do this—"

Huai Shi weakly pushed her hand away, his face flushing. "I've reformed."

"Don't worry, if I don't pay, it's not considered prostitution."

No longer the pure and cute girl she was with her father around, Fu Yi shed her innocent bunny persona and, like an old hand, skillfully started her car. "Help me get back to Diamond, and I'll cover your attendance for the next two weeks. They're cracking down on this stuff in the student council lately, and you don't want to get a notice, do you?"

Huai Shi rolled his eyes.

Even though he was an arts and sports student, the school still had requirements for class attendance. Without Fu Yi's help, Huai Shi would have a hard time meeting them.

But thinking of Director Fu's expression as he left, Huai Shi couldn't help but flinch.

If your dad finds out you're secretly live-streaming mobile games in the arts and sports room during evening study hall and that I'm an accomplice, will he send the elite forces of the Ascendant suppression troops to take me out?

Besides, all your fans know you suck. Every time you switch out, they're all spamming the bullet screen with "Welcome, substitute player brother!"

"Alright, I'll talk to you later. Don't run off..."

Seeing the homeroom teacher coming upstairs for a class meeting, Fu Yi quickly slipped into the classroom. Before leaving, she clasped her hands together in a pleading gesture, winked, and stuck out her tongue.

She already fiddled with her toes so much in private, but when she put on a cute act, she was more skilled than anyone.

Huai Shi rolled his eyes. He felt nothing at all; in fact, he kind of wanted to run.

Shouldn't he run?

If he didn't run, Director Fu would send him to the East Suburb crematorium!

He might even have to buy himself a coffin!

So, halfway through the class meeting, Huai Shi seized the opportunity when the homeroom teacher was distracted and bolted.

As soon as he stepped out, he heard Fu Yi, the class monitor, slam her desk in the classroom. "Teacher, that bastard Huai Shi ran off again!"

Fine, you father and daughter are both leaders. I can't afford to offend you...

Then he ran even faster.

In his memory, the school's management of arts and sports students had always been very laid-back.

Perhaps it was related to the consistently low college admission rates. Besides recruiting a large number of repeat students every year, they offered many privileges to arts and sports students, whose path to higher education was significantly easier.

As long as the numbers on the banner hung at the school entrance after the college entrance examination results were released were impressive enough, nothing else really mattered.

Moreover, Huai Shi's performance had always been acceptable. He never caused trouble, and his cello scores were excellent. After promising to catch up on his cultural coursework next semester, the academic affairs office readily issued him a certificate, granting him the special privileges of an arts and sports student—always wandering around during class, idling about when he had nothing to do, and disappearing immediately when it was time for duties or anything similar...

To other high school students who studied until they bled, such an annoying creature was practically a campus stray dog...

Even Huai Shi was surprised at how easily he obtained the certificate.

Others had to get their art or music teachers to vouch for them and sign before they were allowed to leave. Why was it that for him, they seemed eager to shove the certificate into his hand?

He didn't realize that a certain middle-aged man, who was staring at him intently through the surveillance cameras, was just eager for him to get out of the classroom and stay as far away from his precious daughter as possible.

It could only be said that middle-aged uncles who were always ready with sniper warnings were truly terrifying.

Huai Shi, who had come to understand some things, sighed and shook his head, feeling that his privacy had been violated. But looking at the cameras on the wall that rotated 180 degrees to aim at him, and thinking of all those burly men with their long guns and short cannons... he decided to forget about it.

Being watched wouldn't cost him anything anyway.

He figured he'd just skip class when he had something to do, and otherwise, he'd mostly stay in the music room. Thanks to Huai Shi's consistently excellent cello scores and various competition certificates, the school had granted him a small backdoor in this regard.

For example, there was a private, not-so-narrow compartment in the music room, so he didn't have to queue up for time like everyone else.

Anyway, he was the only one playing the cello at school.

After entering and tidying up the accumulated dust from the summer, Huai Shi opened his cello case and skillfully began to... slack off.

Practicing the cello in the music room?

Impossible!

Directly above his compartment was the teachers' office, with excellent WiFi speed. Videos never lagged, unlike the broadband line that Crow had stolen. Not only was the speed sometimes not great, but he also had to be constantly on guard when using it.

He habitually browsed local news first, which consisted of soft articles like "Full Sparrow Feast Becomes Popular in Xinhai, Business Booming and Reservations Hard to Get," and occasionally, unfortunate news about recent tomb robbers in the city who had plundered public cemeteries.

He watched for a few minutes and then closed it.

Thinking to pass the time, he clicked on the client for "Silent Crown." He hadn't logged in for a long time. After downloading a rather large update package, a pop-up window appeared.

[Limited-Time Event: Dark World · Dragon's Maze City!

Under the exploration of the pioneer team, the mysterious kingdom of Yamatai, hidden in the depths of the Dark World, has revealed a strange corner of the iceberg.

What mysteries lie hidden in the kingdom that died a thousand years ago, and what treasures are buried in the ruins occupied by Calamity?]

[Heaven and Earth Great Power · Divine Ability Freedom - Calamity · White Emperor Child (SSR) has been added to the limited-time gacha pool...]

Another sudden major update, hundreds of thousands of words of original plot, and enough stones for three ten-pulls. Looking at the drop list, quite a few precious items could be easily obtained... This production team is so conscientious, they must be crazy?

It's just a shame that the SSR drop rate in this game is so abysmal, and Huai Shi is both stubborn and unwilling to spend money. To date, the official has released over thirty SSRs, and he only has one. It was the clone hero Yan Qingge, automatically given to him after he received the "African Continent Medal." The title is quite impressive, "Or Self-Solidify Body · Cloud Color Is Me," but unfortunately, he's a support character and his output is terribly weak. In high-level matches, he's just fodder.

Not to mention, the newly released young lady is really damn good-looking. Judging by her character design, she seems to be a clumsy, sporty girl. Her fully broken art is amazing, making Huai Shi feel the urge to spend money.

Clinging to a sliver of hope, he did a ten-pull, and then saw a sky full of blue sky and white clouds... Well, a hundred stones, and they went to the scammer Xia Er again.

As he hadn't closed the game yet, he heard a bang as the door was kicked open. A petite figure walked in and skillfully sat on the small sofa opposite Huai Shi:

"Quick, I'll help you rank up!"

It was Fu Yi.

This place was practically becoming her base. Even this small sofa was moved by her from the student council room. In the corner, a large power strip was plugged in, charging her pile of handheld consoles, ready for whenever.

If the television hadn't been too inconvenient to move, she probably would have brought over a couple of home consoles.

Huai Shi rolled his eyes, "Skipping class again?"

"You skipping class is skipping, but me, the student council secretary, skipping class, is that considered skipping?"

Fu Yi glanced at him sideways, "Besides, I'm going into closed training at the art studio next week. Leaving early doesn't matter. Isn't it better to rank up first than to waste time?"

Saying that, before Huai Shi could react, she skillfully opened the game, pulled Huai Shi into her team, and started duo queuing.

After the popularity of the battle royale mode in Dark Zone King, Silent Crown, this broken game's latest MOBA mode, Dispute, was released, and it started another wave of pleasant skin-induced spending.

Fu Yi's skill level is actually quite good. After all, she's a somewhat popular amateur streamer. Besides relying on her looks, her mechanics are passable. However, she's always too bold and loves to do flashy plays, and insists on playing ADC. Usually, nine out of ten games are a loss, but by chance, the entertainment value is off the charts, and she's managed to trick quite a few rockets.

As soon as they entered the game, she instantly locked in [Hand of God], driving her teammates crazy.

This kind of high-skill, late-game character can be incredibly flashy, but in the early game, it's incredibly weak. More than once, players have complained that the official's hero design is problematic, too easy to counter. To survive until the late game, it all depends on luck.

"You're already starting to mess around?"

Huai Shi sighed, and could only choose [Moon Chant] to support her, "Fine, who told me to love you."

And as expected, five consecutive losses.

Not only did she successfully drop below Bronze, but Huai Shi's rank was also dragged down with her. Huai Shi had regressed too much. After not playing for over a month, he could barely heal before, but now he could only be a duo-fail with her.

After a few ranked matches, Huai Shi rejected her invitation for another game and turned off his phone.

As if it were an afterthought, Fu Yi skillfully pulled out a cigarette from the hidden compartment of Huai Shi's guitar case, lit it for herself, and then tossed one to Huai Shi.

Her posture, with her legs crossed and smoking, exuded an aura of a thug, completely unlike the image of a pure white bunny she had in the morning at school. If Director Fu knew, he would probably order Huai Shi to be executed on the spot.

Heaven knows, Huai Shi learned how to smoke from Fu Yi.

What doesn't this old driver know?

Huai Shi wanted to say something but stopped, finally waving his hand powerlessly and looking sadly at the sunlight outside the window, as mournful as an abandoned mistress:

"Let's not see each other anymore."

"What are you afraid of?"

Fu Yi laughed gloatingly, "Afraid he'll break your legs?"

Huai Shi was stunned.

"Did he really break someone's legs?"

"He did."

Fu Yi, with a cigarette in her mouth, tucked her hair behind her ear with her free hand and tied it back into a ponytail. "The last time he found a love letter in my bag, he broke the legs of the guy who confessed to me.

Before I could even enjoy being pursued, no guys in class dared to talk to me anymore."

Huai Shi stared blankly, "What happened then?"

Fu Yi shrugged, "Then my mom divorced him. Domestic violence. He couldn't control me and my mom anymore."

"..."

Huai Shi was stunned for a long time, then sighed helplessly, "Sorry."

It could only be said that curiosity killed the cat.

Huai Shi had never been interested in other people's affairs. He was just curious this one time, and ended up stepping on a landmine.

"It's okay," Fu Yi said, waving her hand without dwelling on it, "I'd only tell you.

"Then I guess I'm just unlucky."

Huai Shi shook his head, leaned closer to Fu Yi, and beckoned her over. Fu Yi rolled her eyes at him and handed him the lighter. Click.

The flame, turned to its maximum, almost set Huai Shi's hair on fire.

Seeing Huai Shi's flustered state, she proudly slapped her knees and burst into laughter.

Only in places without anyone else would she reveal this side of herself, beyond her ladylike demeanor. Otherwise, she was always proper, decent, and kept her distance from all boys and harmful substances.

Just like every parent's good daughter, every teacher's student council secretary, and every student's class president.

It seems like every family has its own troubles.

Huai Shi sighed, flicking a singed lock of hair from his forehead, and said nothing more.

If there was one thing that commanded respect between people, it was maintaining distance. Life was already bad enough; there was no need to condescendingly point fingers at others' lives.

Among all his classmates, if he wanted to make friends, there were always better choices than himself. Wasn't the fact that this unhealthy friendship could exist and endure until now precisely because of the tacitly maintained distance?

Among all his classmates, she was the only one Huai Shi had never envied.

Fu Yi had told him during the school anniversary rehearsals.

"Because I realized that you're nice to everyone, you can talk to anyone, but I don't think you actually want to be popular. You must dislike everyone."

She said, "Because I'm the same way."

So, it was good to have a corner where both of them could vent a little.

Birds of a feather flock together; to some extent, people who are unwell will not only appear in the same online forums taking fake medicine but will also have places like a support group.

Huai Shi couldn't exactly kick her out just because she had a powerful father.

The rectification is complete. Don't ask me what ■■ is; I don't know either. Just assume Huai Shi and Fu Yi were stressed before the exam and were burning incense for a bodhisattva!

Only one update today, I'm a bit stuck.