Chapter 25
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
As they stepped out, both Lin Hao and Zhang Tong let out a long sigh of relief.
“Haha!”
Zhang Tong couldn’t help laughing, amused by the rare sight of Lin Hao appearing a bit nervous. She had noticed that every time Teacher Chang called on him, Lin Hao would get visibly tense. In other words, he too was a bit afraid of the teacher, who was particularly strict with him.
“Go ahead, laugh it up. Man, I just hope the teacher actually took in what we said,” Lin Hao said, still feeling the weight of the conversation. Though he wasn’t officially the class president, he practically had the role, as shown by the teacher calling him in to discuss things. But in this era, not many students could go head-to-head with teachers.
“I wasn’t laughing at you. I just thought it was funny to see you nervous. It shows that we’re all the same, really,” Zhang Tong quickly clarified.
“Otherwise, what? Do you think I have three heads and six arms?” Lin Hao replied, exasperated. His classmates often put him on a pedestal for all kinds of reasons, treating him as if he were invincible.
“Hahaha!”
“Oh, you’re too easily amused,” Lin Hao muttered, checking his watch. It was already past 2 p.m., and they’d missed the school cafeteria’s lunch hours. “Well, enough of that. It’s past lunchtime, so how about this? I still have an extra meal ticket from a restaurant yesterday. You can have it.”
Zhang Tong looked embarrassed. “Oh, no, I couldn’t. Save it for your dormmates.”
“Worried about those guys?” Lin Hao chuckled. “Don’t be. They already scored freebies yesterday. Today, I’m not letting them off so easily. Besides, the ticket expires today, so don’t waste it. I’ve already got meals covered for this afternoon and evening.”
“Who’s treating you?”
“A good friend, a TV host. I’ll introduce you sometime. But for now, take it! I gotta go!”
“Alright… thank you!”
As Lin Hao turned the corner and left, Zhang Tong stood in place for a moment, smiling as she put the meal ticket in her bag and returned to school, feeling lighthearted. Her lips curled into a contented smile as she walked. Among the few female students in Class 96 who hadn’t gained weight in the first semester, she had a quiet pride, especially because Lin Hao had thought to give her the ticket.
…
At a nearby restaurant, He Jiong had already been waiting for about an hour, though he didn’t mind. Being somewhat well-known now and with a bit of money, he’d reserved a private room. The room was cozy, with a simmering copper hot pot giving off pleasant steam. Leaning back in his chair with a book, he occasionally glanced outside at the snowy scenery and passing people.
Unlike his peers in their chaotic senior year, He Jiong, who had already secured a minor program on CCTV and a teaching position at the school, was in a more relaxed phase. After wrapping up work, he finally had time to invite Lin Hao out for a meal.
“Knock, knock, knock!”
There was a knock at the door. “Mr. He!”
“Coming!”
He Jiong rushed to open the door, knowing it could only be Lin Hao. After all, he hadn’t told many others about the gathering. Now that he had secured his teaching role, Lin Hao was the first person he wanted to celebrate with.
…
At the doorway, Lin Hao stood with a few snowflakes on his hair, dressed in a black fur coat and a black-and-white fringed scarf that made his skin look as smooth as jade, his dark eyes bright with a smile.
“Mr. He! Congratulations!” Lin Hao hadn’t seen him in a while and greeted him with a warm hug.
“Thank you, thank you!” He Jiong couldn’t help noticing that each time he saw Lin Hao, he seemed even more striking—either because he’d shed some baby fat or because the busyness of recent months had slimmed him down.
“I knew you’d make it! And of course, you’re treating us to dinner,” Lin Hao teased with a playful grin.
They both laughed as the waiter brought in the dishes. Lin Hao immediately tried the hot pot lamb that He Jiong had raved about. From his slightly surprised expression, it was clear the humble little restaurant had quality lamb.
“Where did you find this place? I didn’t know there was such good food around here!”
“Oh, this place looks shabby from the outside. I know you well enough. If you’d seen it, you’d never have stepped inside,” He Jiong teased, pretending to be scornful.
“It’s just the first impression!” Lin Hao said, laughing, though the hot lamb was so scalding that He Jiong quickly passed him a bowl to catch the drips.
“Well, if it’s really good, I can put up with a less-than-ideal setting. But wait—did you find this place, or was it recommended?”
“A friend recommended it,” He Jiong said, amused by Lin Hao’s gusto, and added, “Eat up! Later, we’re heading over to another friend’s place. He’s a foodie too, so you’ll definitely hit it off.”
…
The meal was a cheerful one, filled with laughter and conversation about their respective lives. He Jiong shared his stories about hosting a radio show and encountering various amusing incidents, while Lin Hao recounted some of the funny moments in class. As students, they had plenty to complain about regarding the course load.
Lin Hao’s life recently had been mostly confined to school, with nothing quite as colorful as He Jiong’s experiences. But with a lighter course load next semester, they would have more time to meet up and share moments like these.
…
After a few hours of eating and chatting, it was almost dark outside when He Jiong suddenly realized, “Oh no! I almost forgot we have dinner plans tonight! We’d better hurry!”
Lin Hao gathered his things, and they both stood up to leave.
“Boss, the check please!” He Jiong called.
Lin Hao, true to his generous style, tipped handsomely. The owner, visibly surprised, responded with a broad grin, “Thank you, sir! Hope to see you again soon!”
As they made their way out, laughing, they eventually arrived near the Beijing Film Academy. Lin Hao was a bit puzzled but didn’t ask questions. There was a bit of rivalry between students of Beijing Film Academy and the Central Academy of Drama. Zhang Ziyi had once famously said that only those who couldn’t get into Central Drama went to Beijing Film.
They walked around for a while, finally arriving at a door that was slightly ajar. From within, the sound of chopping on a cutting board was faintly audible.
“Mr. Huang, we’re here!”
“Oh, Jiong, you’re in a good mood today, calling me by a nickname?” A voice answered from inside, followed by a figure in an apron coming out to greet them.
Seeing the young man with striking features beside He Jiong, the person smiled and said, “So, this must be Lin Hao. Jiong has told me so much about you; it’s great to finally meet in person.”
“Hello, Brother Lei.”
Lin Hao was genuinely taken aback. Firstly, Huang Lei was actually quite handsome when he was younger. And secondly, that nickname—well, it was a bit cheesy.
“Well, you should call him Teacher Huang,” He Jiong said with a laugh. “And here you are, among the first to hear that he’s officially staying on as faculty.”