The Other Truth of the Physical Test

Jiang Yue and the others walked out of the school gate. Mao Doudou kept looking back.

"What are you looking at?" His roommate Wang Xiawei slung an arm over his shoulder.

"Where's Old Yu? Isn't he coming?" Mao Doudou was a little annoyed.

Old Yu's full name was Yu Hongtu, another roommate in their dorm. They were the closest group of friends.

"Haven't seen him. Maybe he'll come later. He knows the Big Soldier Restaurant like the back of his hand. Let's just wait until we get there!" Wang Xiawei didn't suspect anything.

After walking less than a hundred meters, the sound of a bicycle bell jingled behind them.

They turned around and saw Han Jingjing following them on a beautiful bicycle.

Screech!

She slammed on the brakes, tilting her proud swan-like neck. "Hmph, don't you guys have any manners? You're going out for a meal and you don't even wait for a female classmate!"

"Han Jingjing? Aren't you guys going to an Awakener gathering? What would you want with a plebeian event like ours?" Mao Doudou hated the whole group of Awakeners now, holding a grudge.

Han Jingjing sneered dismissively. "Who told you I was going to the gathering? Did I say that?"

Mao Doudou scratched his head. It seemed Han Jingjing hadn't actually said anything. Fang Ziyang had just announced it unilaterally, a one-sided effort.

Tong Di, standing nearby, instantly went into his usual awkward state, shrinking behind Mao Doudou's sturdy back. He looked like a timid daughter-in-law afraid to meet her in-laws.

Clearly, he thought Han Jingjing was chasing after him.

He felt both shy and anxious. So many people here! Would Han Jingjing confess her feelings in public?

Should I accept? Or should I accept?

Even if I accept, what should I say to sound elegant and sophisticated?

"Hey! Fatty, do you have a sore on your face? What are you hiding for?" Han Jingjing clearly noticed Tong Di's strange behavior and was utterly bewildered.

Tong Di's heart pounded faster. She even used an affectionate nickname like "Fatty." Jingjing, I'm a reserved person. Even if we're going to start a relationship, can't we take it a little slower?

Mao Doudou suddenly remembered what happened that morning and chuckled mischievously.

"Jingjing, I heard you've been secretly watching Fatty a lot lately, and it's made him so shy. He's probably afraid you're going to confess to him. Tell me, what is it about him you like? I'll tell him to change, alright?"

"What?" Han Jingjing's beautiful eyes widened. "I like Fatty? I like that he's plump and eats a lot, using up so much fabric? Or I like that he's so greasy he could be used to make oil? Who's the scoundrel spreading these rumors? Aren't they afraid of being struck by lightning? Was I watching him?"

"Then who were you watching?" Mao Doudou asked with a wicked grin.

"I was watching..." Han Jingjing suddenly stopped, giggled, and tilted her head, giving Mao Doudou a sidelong glance. "What business is it of yours?"

"It's none of my business, but it's the class monitor's business, right?" Mao Doudou's smile grew even more wicked.

Jiang Yue kicked him from behind. "Let's go. Maybe a few beers will shut that foul mouth of yours."

Tong Di was dazed for a moment. What did that mean? What happened? Where am I?

How could this be? Han Jingjing wasn't looking at me? She... she must be blind!

Love comes fast, and it goes fast.

Three minutes of romance, three seconds of heartbreak. This was par for the course for Tong Di; it didn't dampen his enthusiasm for life at all.

The meal wasn't attended by many people, but it was exceptionally enjoyable.

Jiang Yue was unusually generous this time, letting them order whatever dishes they wanted and drink as much as they pleased.

Even Miss Han, who seemed completely out of place in such a small restaurant, managed to drink two bottles of beer.

During the meal, Mao Doudou couldn't help but complain, "Old Yu is so boring! He's already ditched us without even doing anything yet."

They were from the same dorm and usually hung out together. With the class monitor organizing a dinner party at such a crucial juncture, Yu Hongtu's absence said something.

"Still so many complaints? Looks like you haven't had enough to drink. Let's get another dozen," Jiang Yue said. He was actually quite open-minded. As for these cliques, he, who was hailed as the core of the group, actually didn't value them as much as Mao Doudou and the others did.

It wasn't that these people weren't important to him, but with Jiang Yue's mindset, he wouldn't fuss over someone coming or not coming to an event like this.

If they could be brothers, they would be brothers. If not, they could still be ordinary classmates.

After a few drinks, Tong Di started his usual rambling again. "Old Yu not coming is definitely a loss. This dinner party tonight, the class monitor must have had a profound purpose. This is a test, and also a screening for a new circle. Any great powerhouse who achieves great things always has a trusted team around them. This team often comes from their most trusted friends, buddies, and companions. I believe that when we look back on this dinner party decades from now, it will be a great dinner party, a victorious dinner party, a united dinner party, a dinner party of milestone significance..."

With a large amount of alcohol and rich food consumed, Tong Di's face was greasy. He waved his arms, lost in his habitual overthinking.

Seeing how engrossed he was, Jiang Yue almost couldn't bear to interrupt him.

Han Jingjing blinked her big eyes, staring blankly at the spittle-flying Tong Di. She was also completely confused by Tong Di's behavior.

Then, she cast a questioning glance at Jiang Yue, her eyes clearly asking, Is this Tong Fatty's brain full of water?

Jiang Yue smiled without answering.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, the gathering finally broke up.

Han Jingjing, slightly tipsy from the alcohol, pestered Jiang Yue to give her a ride home.

Jiang Yue still had the manners for that. He called Mao Doudou and the others aside and warned them to be extra careful recently, advising them not to go out at night if possible, and to stick together if they had to go out.

He got on Han Jingjing's bicycle, and she hopped onto the back seat, naturally wrapping her arms around Jiang Yue's waist.

"Ride slower, slower!"

Every time Jiang Yue pedaled hard, Han Jingjing would pinch the soft flesh on his waist. The journey wasn't long to begin with, and he was pedaling so fast they arrived in no time.

Han Jingjing didn't want their time together to be cut short so unceremoniously.

However, no matter how slow they went, they would eventually reach home.

"Jingjing, let's go up."

"No, I want you to stay and watch the stars with me."

"There are no stars tonight."

"Watching the moon is fine too."

"There's no moon either."

"Then is watching me okay?" Han Jingjing pouted, her lips pursed.

"..."

"Jiang Yue, you're a bad guy!"

"What did I do?"

"During the Physical Test that day, did you hold back? You hid your strength, playing the pig to eat the tiger!"

Jiang Yue didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Had he caught Tong Di's "de-masculinization" after just one meal with him?

"Fang Ziyang's Physical Test score ranked in the middle among the five of us. You pushed him so far with just a light shove. Are you telling me you weren't hiding your strength?"

"Maybe he was just pretending?" Jiang Yue gave a wry smile. "I swear to the heavens, I was completely normal during the Physical Test. Maybe the machine was biased against me?"

"Hmph! Anyway, I know you were hiding your strength! I, Han Jingjing, never misjudge people. If the apocalypse comes, you're the man who's going to protect me, how can you be a weakling?"

Jiang Yue hadn't actually held back during the Physical Test. The check-up had been two days ago. His physical body had only improved by 50% after he eliminated that vengeful spirit early this morning.

It was no wonder Han Jingjing was mistaken. Logically speaking, anyone with a bit of sense would make such an association.

"Jingjing, how excellent was your Physical Test, exactly?"

Han Jingjing made a mischievous face. "You want to know?"

"Tell me, let this country bumpkin broaden his horizons."

"If you promise me one thing, I'll tell you."

"What thing?"

"I haven't decided yet. I'll tell you when I figure it out."

Then, without further ado, Han Jingjing began to speak mysteriously.

"Actually, the blood draw is to see if there are any obvious genetic mutations. Those results aren't out yet. I heard this blood test is particularly strict this time. Apparently, there have been many supernatural incidents around the world, and there's evidence proving that species that absolutely didn't exist before have appeared on Gaia Planet. These species are already posing a threat to humans. So..."

"Jingjing, who told you this?"

"I only heard it from my family this afternoon."

"So, the blood draw isn't just a physical check-up, but also a screening to see if any abnormal creatures have infiltrated humanity?"

"You could say that." Han Jingjing looked a bit troubled. "I heard that there have been many rape and murder cases in Star City these past few days, specifically targeting young girls. Jiang Yue, is the apocalypse really coming? Is everyone losing their respect for the law?"

As expected of the daughter of a high-ranking official in Star City, this inside information was quite astonishing compared to what most of the clueless classmates in the class knew.

"Jiang Yue, why don't you walk me to my door?"

"Alright." With things said, if Jiang Yue refused, Han Jingjing would definitely put on a pitiful act. Jiang Yue was all too familiar with this routine.

When they reached her doorstep, Han Jingjing leaned against the door, a charming smile on her face.

"You didn't bring your key? Knock then!"

"My parents are definitely not home right now. They don't come back from overtime until midnight every day. How about you come in and chat with me? Can you bear to leave me alone at home? There are so many perverts out there, what if one of them sneaks into my house and... rapes and murders me first..."

"I have a guest at home today. It's already late for me to go back. If I don't hurry, my sister will hunt me down all over the place!"

"Oh? Our top student is actually afraid of his sister?" Han Jingjing was an only child and had no concept of sibling relationships growing up.

"Okay, I know you have your key. Go on in. Lock the door..."

Before Jiang Yue could finish speaking, the security door of Han Jingjing's house, which was supposedly empty, suddenly creaked open from the inside.