Chapter 300 | Chapter 301 | Chapter 302
Chapter 300: Livestreaming
On the mid-sized bus heading toward Yunjin Tower, Jiang Chuchu explained the situation regarding Ruan Tanyu to Yin Xisheng. Hearing Ruan Tanyu’s name, Yin Xisheng grew somewhat tense, her fingers gripping her hem tightly. Jiang Chuchu softened her tone even further: “Don’t worry, he’s gone, and he won’t be contacting you ever again.”
She sounded so certain that Yin Xisheng slowly began to relax. By the time she finished listening to the full account, Yin Xisheng’s face was a mask of utter astonishment. She whipped out her phone, and upon confirming that she had indeed been deleted by the “File Transfer Assistant,” her fingers began to tremble.
Gu Qinghuan, seated beside her, reached out to give her hand a reassuring squeeze: “Don’t be afraid. Chuchu says she already had Ruan Tanyu delete the alternative account; all the records are gone now.”
As for whether Ruan Tanyu might have kept backups, there was truly no way to guarantee that. However, with Jiang Chuchu’s threat hanging over his head, Ruan Tanyu shouldn’t dare to pull any more stunts.
While Yin Xisheng felt a sense of relief that she had only used the File Transfer Assistant as a digital notepad rather than a diary, she was simultaneously struck by a profound sense of revulsion toward Ruan Tanyu.
Her affection for him had been genuine. Being able to receive kindness and support during her most helpless moments allowed her to forgive almost every flaw Ruan Tanyu had. She had always believed that because Ruan Tanyu used to be so kind, his current state must be due to some external influence—it couldn’t possibly be his own fault. Thus, she would forgive and tolerate him, convincing herself over and over again that he would eventually revert to the person he used to be.
Yet, she hadn’t anticipated that the kindness back then wasn’t because Ruan Tanyu was a wonderful person; it was simply that his worst traits had been skillfully concealed and had yet to be exposed.
Now, knowing that Ruan Tanyu had secretly played such dirty tricks while they were dating, the filter through which Yin Xisheng had viewed him shattered instantly. The reason she had loved him was because he respected and cherished her and understood her pain; now that he had become the very person inflicting that pain upon her, how could she not feel deep hatred?
Watching Yin Xisheng sit rigidly in her seat without moving, Xu Xinghe couldn’t help but grow anxious, terrified that she was still grieving over that despicable guy. He spoke up: “Forget about him. Look, you’ve finished the High School Entrance Exam, and come September, you’ll be entering a new school. You have us seniors backing you up, and you even managed to make a sound today.”
“Everything is moving toward a better situation. Anything that needs to be discarded should be left in the past!”
Yin Xisheng lifted her head to look at Xu Xinghe, nodding earnestly. Indeed, she had so many people caring about her now; she didn’t need to cling to the warmth of the past and refuse to let go.
She began scrolling through her phone, unfollowing Ruan Tanyu on every social platform. Anything that could be deleted, she deleted; for some platforms, she even went as far as cancelling her account entirely.
“Don’t you feel a bit reluctant?” Ming Xiaolan asked.
Yin Xisheng thought for a moment and shook her head decisively: [I am truly grateful for the help he gave me in the past, but looking back, there is far more pain than anything else. I want to make a clean break with the past.]
Ming Xiaolan nodded, offering a rare smile: “Well done.”
Yin Xisheng smiled back. She truly loved this trait about everyone in Class Three: they would praise her, support her decisions, and point things out when there was an issue. Though it was a pity she couldn’t become a student of Class Three, as long as she could get into Mingde, she would be able to get that much closer to Class Three.
The bus pulled to a stop at the entrance of Yunjin Tower. Today, Yunjin Tower was hosting an event: local High School Entrance Exam candidates could present their exam admission tickets to receive a flower and a special Yunjin Tower souvenir gift. The souvenir was exactly the dessert combo Gu Qinghuan had previously proposed, merely adjusted in variety based on seasonal ingredients. Additionally, there were showcases and sales events highlighting Yunjin Tower, primarily focused on drumming up publicity.
Although the exam had only just finished, because they had released trailers in advance, examinees living nearby had already arrived, lining up to collect their flowers and gifts. Jiang Chuchu had originally intended to have someone send a portion over exclusively, but Yin Xisheng shook her head and went to line up herself: [The line isn’t long, and I want to participate in the event too.]
Since she had requested it, Jiang Chuchu let her be, calling Gu Qinghuan to go check on the preparations for the buffet.
Xu Xinghe accompanied Yin Xisheng to the registration desk. The marmots exchanged meaningful winks, but after being glared at fiercely by Xu Xinghe, they swiftly vanished into thin air.
Once Yin Xisheng entered the restaurant carrying her flower and souvenir, the buffet officially commenced. Everyone gathered in small groups, chatting while they ate in a lively and joyful atmosphere. After all, for everyone, today was the very first day of summer vacation—they were meant to have a blast!
Gu Qinghuan was just gnawing on a lamb chop when she saw Bao Qingsong approach: “Class Monitor.”
She chewed and swallowed the lamb before speaking: “Something up?”
“I wanted to ask if you’re free the day after tomorrow,” Bao Qingsong scratched his cheek. “The AI search tool I helped develop is officially launching the day after tomorrow.”
Calling it an official launch sounded quite grandiose; in reality, it still required the support of massive amounts of data, and extensive post-launch debugging and refinement. However, the authorities had provided significant support. While they couldn’t directly provide the official database due to security risks, they had offered considerable convenience and publicity.
For instance, the official launch the day after tomorrow included a dedicated livestream presentation. As the youngest member of the development team, Bao Qingsong was naturally a highlight, and many people had already taken note of him during the preliminary promotion phase. The livestream script for the day after tomorrow also included an interview segment for Bao Qingsong.
Gu Qinghuan nodded: “I know. There’s a livestream, right? I already set a reminder, and I’ll be watching.”
She had already planned it out; once the livestream ended, she would count this content as a mission reward for Bao Qingsong, so she certainly wouldn’t miss it.
“No,” Bao Qingsong coughed once. “I wanted to ask you if you’d be interested in attending the livestream in person.”
Gu Qinghuan was uncharacteristically stunned: “Huh? Why would I go? I didn’t even contribute anything to this AI.”
“Don’t worry, you won’t have to be interviewed, and you won’t appear on the stream. I just wanted to invite you to visit the scene,” Bao Qingsong said hastily.
Gu Qinghuan was genuinely interested in visiting the scene, but why would he randomly think to invite her?
Facing Gu Qinghuan’s suspicious gaze, Bao Qingsong had no other choice but to spill the truth: “Actually, it’s just that my sister’s colleagues have many people who want to meet you.”
“There were too many things going on when Jinding collapsed, and the winter vacation was followed by the Lunar New Year, so everyone felt too embarrassed to bother you; the same applied during the school term,” Bao Qingsong explained.
“Now that everything is resolved and it’s summer vacation, they felt you might have some free time, so they wanted to meet up.”
“Why do they want to meet me?” Gu Qinghuan asked.
Bao Qingsong froze for a second, finding it utterly inconceivable: “Class Monitor, do you have absolutely no concept of your own reputation? How could anyone not want to meet you?”
Anyone who heard Gu Qinghuan’s “exploits” would undoubtedly be filled with curiosity about her, right?
Bao Qingsong felt too embarrassed to mention that, according to his sister’s plan, a promising seedling like Gu Qinghuan should be made a good impression upon as early as possible, to make it easier to poach her later!
Chapter 301: Choosing Subjects
Since Bao Qingsong had put it that way, Gu Qinghuan could hardly refuse. Besides, it was just visiting the scene to watch the livestream without having to make an appearance herself, so Gu Qinghuan treated it as just going for a stroll.
Seeing her agree, Bao Qingsong instantly let out a sigh of relief; he no longer had to worry about failing his sister’s task.
“It’s a deal, then. I’ll send you the location and time tomorrow,” Bao Qingsong said before taking his leave.
Yu Xin, having finished selecting her meal, carried her plate over. “Did Bao Qingsong have something he needed?”
Gu Qinghuan gave a brief summary, and Yu Xin understood immediately: “Getting to know more people is a good thing.” Yu Xin left the second half of her thought unsaid—given Gu Qinghuan’s talent for stirring up trouble, if she had connections within the police force, she would likely find it much easier to resolve things should she ever encounter any genuine problems.
Everyone finished their buffet meal thoroughly satisfied. For Yin Xisheng, this was the first time she had ever eaten with such a large group, making the experience both novel and exhilarating.
Back home, whether it was Hu Junting or Yin Xinsong, neither would speak during meals. On one hand, they had nothing to say; on the other, they held no interest in each other and had no desire to learn about the other’s situation. On the rare occasions they did feel like conversing, they would shift the topic to their only common point—Yin Xisheng.
Consequently, for Yin Xisheng, time at the dinner table became a different kind of torture. Because when the topic shifted to her, neither parent understood her actual circumstances, turning the conversation into a series of detached, unrealistic lectures.
As time wore on, forget eating together; even when her parents weren’t home, she would have the nanny set her meal outside her bedroom door, which she would then bring inside to eat alone.
So it turns out that eating together can be this happy, she thought. Even if I can’t speak, just listening to the others chat is immensely interesting.
Once the meal concluded, everyone naturally went their separate ways. When Xu Xinghe dropped Yin Xisheng off at the car belonging to the Yin family, he still couldn’t resist saying with lingering concern: “If you need anything at all during the summer vacation, don’t hesitate to reach out.”
Yin Xisheng nodded. The entrance exam was over; for now, she just had to wait for the results, register for Mingde, and then wait for school to start. Days without summer homework sounded blissful. Of course, she had plenty of arrangements and plans, and every day would be immensely fulfilling.
The Yin family’s car drove away, yet Xu Xinghe stood rooted to the spot, feeling a distinct sense of reluctance.
Qin Yue patted Xu Xinghe on the shoulder: “Stop looking. If you keep staring, you’re going to turn into a statue!”
Xu Xinghe withdrew his gaze, employing the counter-attack of a love-brain: “I have someone I like. Do you?”
Before Qin Yue could respond, he lifted his chin high and walked off with a look of immense pride.
Qin Yue stared, dumbfounded: “Has his brain finally fully snapped?”
Tao Shenxing mused: “The point he’s making is ‘I have someone, you don’t,’ right?”
“So what if he has someone? Who doesn’t?” Qin Yue scoffed.
“Oh? Who do you like?” Tao Shenxing acted as if he had discovered a new continent.
Qin Yue held up an index finger and wagged it: “My mom, my dad, and my brother!”
Tao Shenxing instantly retracted his anticipation; he had hoped to harvest some juicy drama, but instead, he’d just been played by Qin Yue.
As always, Gu Qinghuan was arranged a private car home by Jiang Chuchu, who also gave her a heads-up: “I’m going abroad with my mom and dad and won’t be back until the first ten days of July. There’s a time difference, so I might not reply to messages promptly. If you have any urgent business, just reach out to my brother.” With that, she pushed Jiang Yuxuan’s WeChat contact to Gu Qinghuan.
“Your brother isn’t going abroad with you guys?” Gu Qinghuan asked, curious.
“His university break hasn’t started yet, and he has zero interest in going abroad, so forget him.” Jiang Chuchu didn’t even blink.
So Jiang Yuxuan was left alone in the country? Gu Qinghuan felt his family status was abundantly clear.
Before getting into the car, she gave Jiang Chuchu a hug: “Have a blast abroad. I’ll have your birthday gift ready, waiting for you to return.”
Jiang Chuchu’s eyes brightened instantly: “What is it?”
“Don’t rush. Go have your fun first, and you’ll find out when the time comes.” Gu Qinghuan said.
Since she had said as much, Jiang Chuchu suppressed her anticipation, waiting until the time came to receive her gift.
Back home, Gu Qinghuan played with Xiao Si for a while to let her food settle. Once she had had her fill of cat-time, she sat at her desk to organize her summer homework into a To-Do list, while also preparing a Done list—she would follow the former, and adjust based on the latter. After all, she might hit a wall on a specific assignment; rather than bashing her head against it, it was better to swap it out for something else. The To-Do list confirmed the total workload to be tackled in batches, while the Done list kept track of actual progress. In Gu Qinghuan’s experience, combining the two promoted efficiency.
As for an academic powerhouse like Yu Xin, there was no such thing as “hitting a wall.” Once the workbook was spread open and she picked up her pen, it was just a matter of writing it all out—she was basically a bulldozer.
Once she finished the plan, Gu Qinghuan took a photo and sent it to the group chat. Several members suffering from procrastination treated it like a priceless treasure.
Lin Zhulu: [Aw yeah! I finally have a study schedule for my summer homework!]
Song Yi: [I’m just going to follow Sis’s schedule. This time, I’m absolutely not dragging it out until the last day!]
Ming Xiaolan: [I suggest you break it down even further; the Class Monitor’s schedule is aimed at finishing all homework within two weeks.]
Gu Qinghuan: [After all, you can only play properly once the homework is done.]
Ai Ning: [Although the timeframe is incredibly compressed, looking at it like this, the daily workload isn’t actually that high.]
Ouyang Wushuang: [It’s actually less than usual…]
Murong Tianjiao: [So why is the summer homework always impossible to finish…]
Shen Jianwei: [Naturally, because we just don’t want to do homework during break!]
Qin Yue: [Exactly! Vacation should be for resting! Who writes homework!]
Jiang Chuchu: [I sent Qinghuan’s schedule to your brother. He said it’s great and told you to follow it.]
Qin Yue: [Why are you only focused on tripping me up!]
Jiang Chuchu: [How is this tripping you up? I clearly just don’t want you frantically playing catch-up on the final day of summer vacation.]
Gu Qinghuan: [Don’t forget to use the methods I mentioned before; it saves effort.]
Gu Qinghuan: [Also, the subject selection results have been handed in. The teachers probably won’t mind if you haven’t done—or only partially done—the work for subjects you didn’t choose.]
At the mention of subject selection, everyone grew quiet.
Mingde operated on a class-roaming system. By the time they reached their second year of high school, while the three main subjects would still be taught in the same class, the personal elective subjects would involve heading to different classrooms according to the schedule. By that point, the time everyone could spend gathered together would be significantly reduced.
Just thinking about that point made everyone feel a little lonely.
Gu Qinghuan: [It’s not like we’re splitting up entirely; nothing to be sad about.]
Gu Qinghuan: [Does not being in the same classroom mean we’re no longer marmots in the same melon patch?]
The marmots: Absolutely not! We absolutely cannot miss out on a single bite of drama!
Thinking about it carefully, they were all highly diligent during class anyway, and they always saved their chats for after class. Since they weren’t in the same classroom, they still had the class group chat to stay connected at any time!
Bao Qingsong: [Plus, being in a classroom with students from other classes might actually mean we get to harvest drama from other classes too.]
The marmots’ eyes lit up: Good, good, good! As expected of the head of intelligence; he makes a solid point!
Students of Mingde (excluding Class Three): Why do we suddenly feel a chill down our spines?
Chapter 302: Meeting
Bao Qingsong had already made such a request, so Gu Qinghuan couldn’t possibly refuse. Besides, just visiting the site to watch a livestream didn’t require her to make an appearance, so Gu Qinghuan just treated it as a chance to go out and look around. Seeing her agree, Bao Qingsong let out a sigh of relief; he no longer had to worry about failing his sister’s task.
“It’s a deal then. I’ll send you the location and the time tomorrow,” Bao Qingsong said before taking his leave.
Yu Xin had finished picking out what she wanted to eat by then and walked over with her tray. “Did Bao Qingsong need something?”
Gu Qinghuan gave a brief summary, and Yu Xin understood immediately: “Getting to know more people is a good thing.” Yu Xin left the second half of her thought unsaid—given Gu Qinghuan’s talent for stirring up trouble, if she had connections within the police force, she would likely find it much easier to resolve things should she ever encounter any genuine problems.
Everyone finished their buffet meal thoroughly satisfied. For Yin Xisheng, this was the first time she had ever eaten with such a large group, making the experience both novel and exhilarating.
Back home, whether it was Hu Junting or Yin Xinsong, neither would speak during meals. On one hand, they had nothing to say; on the other, they held no interest in each other and had no desire to learn about the other’s situation. On the rare occasions they did feel like conversing, they would shift the topic to their only common point—Yin Xisheng.
Consequently, for Yin Xisheng, time at the dinner table became a different kind of torture. Because when the topic shifted to her, neither parent understood her actual circumstances, turning the conversation into a series of detached, unrealistic lectures.
As time wore on, forget eating together; even when her parents weren’t home, she would have the nanny set her meal outside her bedroom door, which she would then bring inside to eat alone.
So it turns out that eating together can be this happy, she thought. Even if I can’t speak, just listening to the others chat is immensely interesting.
Once the meal concluded, everyone naturally went their separate ways. When Xu Xinghe dropped Yin Xisheng off at the car belonging to the Yin family, he still couldn’t resist saying with lingering concern: “If you need anything at all during the summer vacation, don’t hesitate to reach out.”
Yin Xisheng nodded. The entrance exam was over; for now, she just had to wait for the results, register for Mingde, and then wait for school to start. Days without summer homework sounded blissful. Of course, she had plenty of arrangements and plans, and every day would be immensely fulfilling.
Having written her homework for an entire day, Gu Qinghuan had been so diligent that her father, Wang Jia’an, suspected she might have taken the wrong medicine. “Aren’t you tired?”
Gu Qinghuan was currently in a state of high excitement. “I’m tired, but watching my homework load decrease page by page is incredibly satisfying.”
Fortunately, Gu Qinghuan wasn’t in that state for too long. When the day of the livestream arrived, she woke up bright and early, got herself tidied up, and headed out to the livestream location. Since she was receiving an official interview, the venue was naturally provided by the authorities and was selected to be at the city’s radio and television station.
Gu Qinghuan didn’t need to be interviewed, so she naturally didn’t have to go through the trouble of getting styled or changing clothes. She wore a blue and white color-blocked short-sleeved hoodie paired with light blue straight-leg jeans, looking both simple and refreshed.
As soon as she stepped through the main entrance of the TV station, a security guard approached. “What are you here for?”
Following the information Bao Qingsong had given her, Gu Qinghuan replied, “My classmate is here for an interview today. He invited me to the site, saying I could get in by reporting his access card number.”
The security guard escorted Gu Qinghuan to the registration desk. She reported the number, and after the staff verified it, they gave her a temporary access card to hang around her neck.
Gu Qinghuan donned the pass and, under the guidance of the guard, took the elevator to the fifth floor. Just as the elevator doors opened, she happened to see a woman in a police uniform walking toward her.
Gu Qinghuan didn’t recognize Bao Rujian. She had only ever communicated with her online, so she had naturally never seen her in person. Although Bao Rujian had come to Mingde during the New Year’s gala, she had been disguised as a greeter, and it was dark out then; how could Gu Qinghuan possibly have made out her features? However, Bao Rujian and Bao Qingsong’s eyebrows were almost identical, and Gu Qinghuan identified her immediately. “Excuse me, are you Sister Bao Rujian?”
Bao Rujian was taken aback to hear the honorific “Sister.” Bao Qingsong usually just called her “Sis” or “Old Sis,” so hearing “Sister” felt unexpectedly endearing. Still, Bao Rujian wasn’t about to lower her guard; she was well aware of how capable Gu Qinghuan was.
“I am Bao Rujian,” Bao Rujian nodded slightly. “This is our first official meeting, right? Hello, Gu Qinghuan.”
“Hello,” Gu Qinghuan said with a beaming smile. “It’s finally time to meet Sister Bao.”
Bao Rujian naturally wasn’t about to let Gu Qinghuan linger at the elevator entrance. She led her inside. “We still have a while before the livestream starts. Qingsong is getting his makeup done, so I’ll take you to him.”
Hearing the words “getting makeup done,” Gu Qinghuan instantly grew energized, walking swiftly alongside Bao Rujian. She took the opportunity to chat: “Come to think of it, Sister Bao’s name sounds so cool. Is it because your eyebrows look like swords, so you were named ‘Rujian’ [Like a Sword]?”
“That…” Bao Rujian shook her head. “It’s actually taken from a poem: ‘With eyebrows like jade and rosy powder, she is truly like a sword, killing everyone in the world without them knowing.’“
Gu Qinghuan was quite surprised. If that was the explanation, then Bao Rujian’s name carried a fair amount of killing intent.
Seeing the surprise on Gu Qinghuan’s face, Bao Rujian couldn’t help but smile. “Although the origin of the name is quite fierce, I quite like it. After all, it means being strong, doesn’t it?”
“True,” Gu Qinghuan nodded. “It sounds like someone not to be trifled with at first hearing.”
“Exactly,” Bao Rujian said with satisfaction. “I wanted that ‘not to be trifled with’ vibe.”
Being a police officer required people to be afraid of crossing you. A name that carried enough authority helped curb the arrogance of criminals.
As they spoke, Gu Qinghuan followed Bao Rujian into the makeup room and spotted Bao Qingsong immediately, sitting in a chair and letting a makeup artist dust powder on his face. Bao Qingsong had one eye half-closed, but the other eye caught the arrival of Bao Rujian and Gu Qinghuan immediately, and he waved frantically.
“I see you. You just focus on your makeup,” Gu Qinghuan waved back at Bao Qingsong.
Having seen her own brother, it was time to see someone else. Bao Rujian led Gu Qinghuan to another room. The room resembled a meeting room, though a small one, containing only a long table and eight chairs. At that moment, two people sat on one side of the long table.
The younger man appeared to be in his thirties and wasn’t wearing a police uniform, but rather a simple white shirt and dark gray dress slacks. The other was a woman around fifty with short hair cropped at the ears, and a few strands of silver at her temples, looking kind and amiable.
Seeing Bao Qingsong and Gu Qinghuan, the woman in the center smiled slightly: “This must be little friend Gu Qinghuan.”
Gu Qinghuan found the term “little friend” quite novel. Ever since she entered elementary school, it felt as though no one had called her that anymore.
Gu Qinghuan responded: “Yes, I am Gu Qinghuan. May I ask who you are?”
The young man stood up to answer: “This is our Bureau Chief. Her surname is Ren; you can call her Bureau Chief Ren.”
“Nice to meet you, Bureau Chief Ren.” Gu Qinghuan greeted her politely.
Bao Rujian lowered her voice to introduce the man’s identity to Gu Qinghuan. The young man was the leader of the Technical Investigation Detachment, surnamed Meng. Though young, he was highly skilled and possessed a high level of professional expertise. Captain Meng looked at Gu Qinghuan and couldn’t help but sigh: “This little student really doesn’t look like someone who would be so good at stirring up trouble.”
Bureau Chief Ren smiled: “How can you call it stirring up trouble? She is someone who identifies problems and solves them.”
“You’re too kind with your praise,” Captain Meng shook his head, then turned to Gu Qinghuan with great enthusiasm: “Little student, do you have any interest in entering the police academy in the future?”
Bao Qingsong didn’t tell me everything, Gu Qinghuan thought. They didn’t just want to see me; they wanted to scout me.
Gu Qinghuan responded, “I don’t even know what they teach at the police academy yet. Besides, my myopia isn’t exactly mild. Wouldn’t that be an issue?”
“As long as you get vision correction surgery, it will be fine,” Captain Meng said immediately.
Seeing Gu Qinghuan’s hesitation, he added: “Or you could join the public security system through the civil service exam!”
“That’s still a long way off. The little friend hasn’t even taken the college entrance exam yet. Rather than worrying about the future, focusing on her studies right now is more important,” Bureau Chief Ren interjected. She smiled at Gu Qinghuan again: “You don’t need to be so nervous. We just heard about your recent actions and felt you were exceptionally talented, which is why we wanted to meet you. There’s no other motive.”
Gu Qinghuan secretly let out a sigh of relief and smiled back: “I thought I was here for an interview.”
“If it were about your capabilities, we already saw everything we needed in the group chat,” Bureau Chief Ren said. “Meeting you in person now was purely just to see you.”
“May I know what your impression of me is?” Gu Qinghuan asked boldly; she was genuinely curious.
Bureau Chief Ren laughed: “You’re a sharp and lively little friend, and you are working hard toward your own goals.”
“Though I don’t know what those goals are, I can sense your determination.” Bureau Chief Ren’s gaze grew even gentler: “To have such firm goals at your age is truly remarkable.”
Gu Qinghuan was surprised, yet she quickly relaxed. Although she didn’t know how Bureau Chief Ren had discerned that, receiving such praise truly lifted Gu Qinghuan’s spirits.
She flashed a brilliant smile in return: “Yes, I am currently working on something very important, and I want to do it to the best of my ability.”
Bureau Chief Ren nodded slightly: “If you encounter a situation like the Yan family again, be sure to contact the police. Resolving such matters is exactly our responsibility.”
“Yes!” Gu Qinghuan nodded vigorously.
With Bureau Chief Ren’s promise, she felt much more confident about tackling illegal activities the next time she encountered them.
