Chapter 24: Values Follow the Senses

"Young man, you’re in great shape. Ever thought about working with us regularly?" The deputy manager of the "Laughing Water" delivery station in Canglong District eyed Li Jie’s muscular build with undisguised longing. With a physique like that, it would be a crime not to put him to work loading and unloading.

"Uncle, I’m just trying to buy a new video game. I’m two hundred short. If I need pocket money again, I’ll come find you."

"Good, good, you’re always welcome, always welcome." The deputy manager was thoroughly pleased—Li Jie worked like an ox, tireless and efficient. The only flaw was his unwillingness to become a full-time laborer.

This route mostly covered three schools and one office building. With a dust scarf across his face and a towel wrapped around his head, Li Jie’s appearance was completely concealed.

After delivering to the elementary school, he headed to Canglong District’s School of the Arts. The gatekeeper opened the door, letting the "Laughing Water" truck through.

Li Jie looked around and quickly noticed something new.

"Uncle, the uniforms here are different for each grade?"

"It’s a three-plus-two vocational college program. Of course the grades have to be distinguished."

"No wonder the uniforms aren’t the same."

"The last two years, college students don’t have uniforms—just some kind of student attire, I forget."

"So only the three years of the vocational program have uniforms?"

"Exactly."

"And the sleeve badge color marks the grade?"

"That’s right."

Good heavens…

Li Jie’s heart skipped a beat. If this "Shake-a-Shake" was telling the truth, then she was still in vocational high school? At most, eighteen years old.

Time to make myself scarce.

At this point, Li Jie had no desire to investigate further, even though he had narrowed down his search.

Because at Canglong District Art School, the sleeve badges for the three vocational grades were red, yellow, and blue. This term, third-year students wore red. The "selfie" sent by "Shake-a-Shake" had a red badge.

So, if her story was true, she was a third-year student.

The school wasn’t large—its predecessor was an old provincial arts training class. The bigger classes had about thirty students, the smaller ones just a handful. Whether it was traditional opera or fine arts, these were not fields that attracted large crowds.

Realizing she could be a high school girl, Li Jie gave up altogether.

And who was he now? A member of director Lu Xiaoguan’s debut film cast and crew. If word got out that he’d been following or stalking a high school girl, he’d be finished!

Forget the tens of thousands in earnings—the entire "Fairy and the Strange Ape" crew would tear him apart.

Time to get out while I still can.

After a day of temp work, he treated it as his "aerobic day." That evening, back in the dorm, Li Jie decided to lay his cards on the table. He sent a message to "Shake-a-Shake":

"Listen, man—fun’s fun, but don’t get me into trouble with schoolgirl uniforms. It’s been a pleasure knowing you, but I think it’s time we go our separate ways. Here’s a small token—let’s part as friends."

He sent a red envelope of 188 yuan.

He was a man of principle.

If you’d pretended to be a college student… well, we could have chatted. But a high school student? That’s just asking for trouble—worse than that damned system!

"Shake-a-Shake" replied quickly: "What’s wrong, Brother D?"

"I went to Canglong Art School today. Not to be harsh, but next time you want to scam someone, don’t use a school uniform for under-eighteens! It’s scary as hell. Still, I had a nice time, so take the red envelope and buy yourself a skin."

"……"

At home, Su Mengyao was stunned. Was her "Lord Fengxian" always this decisive?

Ah, she liked him even more.

Flushing, she quickly typed, "Brother, I didn’t lie to you. I just turned eighteen this year."

Just turned eighteen…

Li Jie shuddered involuntarily, a strange, insistent tune playing in his mind.

"Take care, buddy. If I’m free, I’ll duo-queue with you again. Got work tomorrow, so I’m out."

"……"

Su Mengyao was speechless. Her "Lord Fengxian" could lie without blinking, but when it came to others, he was on high alert.

Still…

She found him even more endearing.

Li Jie didn’t block "Shake-a-Shake," he simply turned away to chat idly with his counselor.

Though he’d declared a major, his main task at Jianye Art College was to compete in the athletic games and represent the school in competitions.

As a first-class athlete, he’d easily get a ranking, at least within Jianye or the provincial university leagues.

No one at the school cared how much his photography skills improved—it wasn’t his future profession anyway.

The administration was flexible. His counselor, Guo Rong, just reminded him that the autumn sports meet was approaching and he should be prepared.

The city university league and the school’s own meet were a month apart. But Guo Rong’s bonus included an honor stipend—so he hoped Li Jie would represent the School of Media and win him a thousand or so in prize money.

"Lao Li, my monthly pay is only sixty-five hundred. If you take first place, I get an extra two hundred. Two firsts and I get four hundred… I’ll treat you to ‘Crazy Wings’!"

"Brother Rong, you’re making it sound like a business deal. As a proud member of the School of Media, I have to run faster than Western journalists! Sign me up for everything—discus, javelin, shot put, the ten-thousand-metre—just name it. I hauled two hundred barrels of water at work today, broke the district record! What am I, if not naturally gifted with the physique of a beast, Brother Rong?"

"Let me send you two hundred first, go ahead and enjoy ‘Crazy Wings’…"

His counselor was even more generous than he was.

Being on good terms with Guo Rong meant Li Jie could take leave whenever he wanted, always had full attendance and participation scores, and as long as he didn’t commit any crimes, graduation would be a breeze.

The teachers had no objections either.

Guo Rong had bonded with Li Jie during military training. In public, he called him "Teacher Guo," but in the dormitory building? He was "Brother Rong."

The reason the teachers indulged Guo Rong had nothing to do with his father, Guo Wei, being the vice dean of the neighboring School of Industrial Design. It was pure admiration for Guo Rong’s dedication and sense of responsibility toward his students.

Li Jie was chatting away with Guo Rong when suddenly a video call invitation popped up.

What the…?

A video call from "Shake-a-Shake"…

Come on, man, you’re still not giving up?

Li Jie hung up immediately.

"Brother, I want to explain face-to-face! Please!"

Another video call from "Shake-a-Shake"…

"Tch."

Li Jie was exasperated. He wanted to block her, but curiosity got the better of him, and he accepted.

Holy…

"Listen to me, Brother D! I wasn’t lying, I really am—"

"You don’t have to say anything!"

The moment a beautiful girl appeared on his screen, Li Jie forgave "Shake-a-Shake" on the spot.

Don’t ask why. Sometimes the heart leads and the head follows.

What was the point of talking? He’d known it—this girl was stunning!

Look at those big eyes! Those double eyelids! That glossy, dark hair! And—my God—the proportions, truly generous!