Chapter 16
ng Ji Ning also rembered Zhen Bao, and he believed that any boy who was once in the sa class as Zhen Bao would not forget her. But ng Ji Ning's deepest impression of Zhen Bao was not her delicate and sweet face, but that no matter the class or grade honors, Zhen Bao's na was always right behind his. For the midterms and finals, the seat behind his, which was #2, always belonged to Zhen Bao. A beauty, a studious beauty, ng Ji Ning thought it would be hard not to have an impression.
But after being in the sa class for a year, Zhen Bao sat in the middle of the classroom while he sat in the last row. ng Ji Ning and Zhen Bao had barely spoken. Only once during an exam, Zhen Bao's eraser fell to the ground and he picked it up for her. Zhen Bao smiled at him and thanked him, her smile was pure and bright, her gaze towards him only contained the most simple gratitude between classmates, without any shyness or affection that other girls had.
As for exam grades, ng Ji Ning did not intentionally compete with anyone. Being number one every year was nothing to be arrogant about, but when the rankings for the end of freshman year ca out, he realized Zhen Bao had surpassed him. ng Ji Ning inevitably felt a little complicated inside, it wasn't self-bla or jealousy, just a feeling that Zhen Bao was very smart and getting high science scores was not sothing diligence and hard work alone could achieve.
After sumr vacation started, ng Ji Ning forgot about the score sheet and went travelling everywhere. When he returned to school for sophomore year, he continued with classes. The class arrangents for science students were posted on the bulletin board. ng Ji Ning saw his own class, he was still #1, but the #2 below had a different na. ng Ji Ning thought of Zhen Bao, assuming she had been placed in another class. He looked through each science and liberal arts class, but did not see the familiar na.
Later ng Ji Ning heard from classmates that Zhen Bao had dropped out of school because her family did not have money.
ng Ji Ning felt regretful, and from then on whenever he entered the classroom for an exam, he would habitually glance at the seat where the second-ranked student used to sit. It changed almost every ti, never again sitting there was a simply dressed girl with her hair in braided pigtails, that girl with the especially warm smile.
Zhen Bao was a unique shadow of ng Ji Ning's high school years, a mory belonging to his youth. He did not intentionally reminisce about her, but when Zhen Bao appeared before him again, ng Ji Ning could not conceal his shock.
"Zhen Bao, do you, do you still recognize ?" After a brief mont of shock, ng Ji Ning left his seat and smiled gently at Zhen Bao, as if seeing an old friend.
"The grade's perpetual number one, of course I rember you. But you seem different from high school, I didn't recognize you at first just now." Zhen Bao held the big white cat in her arms and spoke as naturally as she could. She had to admit, holding a cat seed to make her less nervous.
"You know each other?" Feng Yue's smile was sowhat stiff, because she noticed ng Ji Ning's attitude towards Zhen Bao was much warr than with her.
"We were classmates in freshman year."
ng Ji Ning gave a simple explanation, then looked at the well-behaved big white cat nestled in Zhen Bao's arms. ng Ji Ning resignedly laughed, and said to Zhen Bao: "Cat Lord was a stray cat picked up by a departnt director in the tech departnt previously, he's always been kept here and doesn't like people much. So we started using Cat Lord to interview new mbers. Everyone's professional skills are about the sa when they first enter university, so we just competed on who has better rapport with animals."
Last year when I ca to interview, Cat Lord just stretched his neck to sniff
a little. You did better with him."
This cat is called Cat Lord?
Zhen Bao also laughed, looking down at Cat Lord, his chubby eyes narrowed to a slit, he really did look like the big shot characters on TV.
"We're taking three people this ti. Zhen Bao you're definitely in, Feng Yue why don't you try?" There were still other new students waiting to interview outside, so ng Ji Ning got down to business first and had Zhen Bao put Cat Lord on the table, then asked Feng Yue to give it a try.
Zhen Bao did as told, placing Cat Lord on the table. Cat Lord lazily glanced at her, keeping his round cat head facing her direction. Feng Yue went forward and bent over to reach out to Cat Lord for a hug, but Cat Lord turned his head the other way instead, curling up into a big white ball.
Feng Yue was unwilling to give up and went around to try and play with the cat. Cat Lord seed very impatient, suddenly stretching out and lightly jumping off the table. Then he stood up his fluffy tail and walked over to rub against Zhen Bao's legs, closing his eyes comfortably. Being petted by an animal was a very enjoyable thing, Zhen Bao bent down to pick up Cat Lord, smoothing his fur, then walked over to Feng Yue's side, using her eyes to signal Feng Yue to try stroking him.
Feng Yue's face was already flushed red. If she was trying to play with a stray cat on the streets with no one watching, she wouldn't care if the cat ignored her. But doing this in front of ng Ji Ning, who she secretly liked, and having the cat disrespect her, Feng Yue felt she lost face. Especially in contrast with Zhen Bao. But Feng Yue wanted to stay openly and properly, so she still forced a smile and tentatively tried to pet Cat Lord.
Cat Lord swiped his paw at her.
"Forget it, this cat has a temper, don't let it scratch you." ng Ji Ning promptly stopped her. After all they were alumni, ng Ji Ning decided to give Feng Yue another chance. "Why don't you keep Zhen Bao company and wait a bit longer? If we don't get enough people in the end, I'll add you in too."
Feng Yue smiled and thanked him.
Zhen Bao put Cat Lord down and she and Feng Yue first went outside.
"Are you very familiar with him?" Feng Yue pulled Zhen Bao to a corner and asked softly.
Zhen Bao shook her head, "We barely spoke."
Feng Yue stared at Zhen Bao for a few monts. Thinking about how Zhen Bao already had a boyfriend even more handso than ng Ji Ning, she sighed helplessly and intimately hugged Zhen Bao, "I really envy you beauties. I was classmates with him for two years and it took him several extra seconds just to recognize . Yet for you, this gorgeous girl he hasn't seen in three years, he rembered you with one look."
"You're beautiful too, maybe my na is just more unique." Zhen Bao laughingly analyzed. Her surna wasn't very common, paired with her unfashionable given na, she was often teased in elentary and middle school with jokes like "full from eating" and "buy treasures".
But Feng Yue insisted on her own guesses. She could make herself presentable with makeup and dressing up, but compared to Zhen Bao she simply wasn't on the sa level. n cared about looks.
Twenty minutes later, all the interviews were done. Aside from them, there was one other male and female left waiting inside.
Feng Yue could barely keep smiling.
ng Ji Ning was also out of options. After the other two left, he comforted Feng Yue, "As a mber you can still participate in all the activities together with everyone." She just wouldn't get activity points for assessnts.
Feng Yue hugged ng Ji Ning's arm and whined to him softly, "Aren't you the departnt head? Can't you take one more?"
ng Ji Ning politely smiled and tactfully declined, "That wouldn't be appropriate."
Feng Yue bit her lip and looked at Zhen Bao pleadingly.
Zhen Bao glanced at ng Ji Ning. ng Ji Ning secretly signaled her not to get involved.
So Zhen Bao could not do anything more. The association had its own rules, and ng Ji Ning was handling things according to the rules. It wasn't suitable for them to pressure him to relax the requirents just because they were alumni.
"Let's go eat dinner together tonight, my treat." ng Ji Ning tidied up the table and changed the topic.
"Okay, since you're being so principled, don't bla
later for ordering the most expensive dishes." Feng Yue found a way to get off the stage.
ng Ji Ning was very generous, "Order whatever you two beauties want, don't stand on ceremony."
Fifteen minutes later, ng Ji Ning brought the two to the highest end restaurant near University A, called Ju Xian Lou. The interior decor was elegant and refined, clearly different from the ordinary restaurants outside. ng Ji Ning chose a private room and sat next to Zhen Bao, letting the beauties order.
Zhen Bao had eaten at even higher end restaurants with Fu Ming Shi before. Coming here now, she was no longer restrained. She personally just liked simple, hocooked food anyway, so she only ordered one dish - spicy tofu. The hot tofu was both fragrant and paired well with rice. Because of the interview today, Zhen Bao had eaten much later than usual and was hungry.
"Zhen Bao is too considerate. Ordering like this, I don't even feel good about ordering expensive dishes." Feng Yue looked strangely at Zhen Bao.
"I just love eating this." In front of two alumni, Zhen Bao's expression was natural.
"What a coincidence, I also like eating this, the spicier the better." ng Ji Ning chid in agreent with her.
Zhen Bao smiled lightly.
Feng Yue lowered her head to hide the dissatisfaction in her eyes. She casually ordered two mid-priced dishes, which she did genuinely enjoy eating too.
Finally ng Ji Ning took the nu and ordered several signature dishes.
While waiting for the food, they inevitably chatted about life in high school.
ng Ji Ning curiously asked Zhen Bao, "Did you transfer schools again later?"
Zhen Bao nodded lightly towards the table, giving a soft "Mm
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