The Foolish Bookworm of the Aristocratic Boys’ School chapter 86

Chapter 86: I’m a Level Above You

For the rest of the journey, Lin Jinghang chattered endlessly about his experiences fighting zombies in the apocalypse.

He talked about crossing deserts and encountering living people, only to find the living were more vicious than the zombies—blocking roads, robbing, and even eating human flesh.

When fleeing for their lives, his teammates were more insidious than the last, some even pulling others in front of them to block the zombies.

“I’m only telling you this because you look like a good person. I haven’t spoken to a human in so long.”

“You have no idea how boring the apocalypse is. I raised a chicken, and it got infected by a zombie. Turned into a zombie chicken.”

Wen Rong, who really didn’t want to hear these horrific details, felt his heart soften and played along. “How did you earn points in that kind of environment?”

“Simple. In the apocalypse script, you earn points by killing zombies. I headshot every zombie on the globe.”

“That’s amazing.”

“No, no, just average amazing.” Lin Jinghang flipped his hair coquettishly. “Don’t worry, from now on you’re my little brother. Once I enroll in Floriman Academy, the two of us will form an F2.”

Huh?

“Then we’ll make F4 carry our shoes!”

Imagining the scene of Senior Leon being forced to carry his shoes, Wen Rong instinctively declined. “Sorry, I’d rather not.”

“Why?” Lin Jinghang was shocked, his expression comparable to a primary school student learning that there was someone in the world who didn’t want to be the boss.

“I know you mean well… but my grades are very poor. I have to study hard every day, and I have to go to work later to earn money. I don’t have time to be F2.”

“Were you a total failure in your past life? How are you still hustling for a living even after transmigrating into a book?”

Although he hadn’t been outstanding before, compared to the other children in the welfare home, Wen Rong genuinely felt he hadn’t been a failure.

“Not… really.”

Lin Jinghang put on an “I understand” expression. “Let’s not talk about the past. Since we’re living again, we just want to be different from before.”

Wen Rong knew he still thought his past self was a failure, but there was no need to argue. He remained silent, waiting for the man to continue.

“Would you believe it? I wasn’t this chatty before. After staying in the apocalypse, I just stopped caring about appearances.”

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“You must have had a hard time over there.”

“Yeah. Bathing in muddy water, eating expired canned food, and having to guard against zombies burrowing up from the ground. Let me tell you, the zombies over there ate everything. And as they ate, they evolved. Just like apes evolving into humans, some of them had pretty high IQs and even knew how to make tools. Good thing I headshot them all, or they might have built rockets and flown to outer space. Zombie astronauts—scary, right?”

“There are no zombies here. You can live a good life here.”

“That won’t do. I still have to find someone.”

“If I meet this person, I will tell him.”

“You’re a real brother.”

Wen Rong thought about the practicality of this and found it difficult. He couldn’t exactly ask every person he met, “Do you know Lin Jinghang?”

So he asked, “Does he have any other distinguishing features?”

Lin Jinghang thought hard, his brows knitting together. He was silent for a long time before saying, “Actually, I can’t remember clearly.”

“Huh?”

“I stayed in the apocalypse too long. Before the apocalypse, there was a horror game script. If we’re talking about reincarnation, I’ve lived three times. Three lives, three worlds, you know? So forgetting things from before the transmigration is normal.”

Perhaps Wen Rong’s stunned expression looked too much like doubt, or maybe Lin Jinghang felt guilty, because he hurriedly added, “It’s really not my fault. The System said every transmigrator goes through this. You too, right?”

“…”

“Right?”

Facing that burning gaze eagerly seeking validation, Wen Rong had to nod first. Then, realizing that he had indeed gradually forgotten things from before his transmigration, he nodded again with certainty.

But thinking about it this way made it even stranger. “If you don’t remember, why are you still looking for him?”

“Because I like him.”

“Oh…”

“I really like him.”

“Mhm…”

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“People need some obsession before they die, right? My obsession before I died was him, so I’ve always remembered. You have an obsession too, right?”

Wen Rong nodded to soothe his urgent need for agreement. In his heart, he couldn’t help but think that Lin Jinghang must have had an unforgettable romance; to not forget that person even after experiencing such terrifying plotlines created a tragic contrast with Shi Ye’s parents.

Bzz—

A phone vibration abruptly interrupted Wen Rong’s sigh. The name “Leon” popped up on the screen.

[Are you at the terminal station yet?]

Senior!

The train passed through a tunnel with a thunderous roar, plunging the carriage into darkness. The light from the mobile screen illuminated Wen Rong’s smiling face.

With his back against the wall, he typed with both hands: [Senior, you’re back?]

Leon: [Mn.]

Leon: [I happen to be going to watch Shi Ye’s finals too. We can meet up in District 1.]

Wen Rong didn’t think too much about the implication of the word “too.” His mind was full of the fact that the Senior was back and wanted to meet him. He nodded at the phone screen and typed: [Mhm, mhm.]

[When is convenient for you?]

[I have to go for an interview after I arrive at the train station. I’ll be free after the interview.]

[Interview?]

Wen Rong explained his resume submission to Leon. He was a little excited, typing a few words and then putting the phone down to look out the window to calm himself—even though the train was still in the tunnel and it was pitch black outside.

He took a deep breath, unable to suppress the corners of his mouth.

Wen Rong was actually a little proud.

Because this was his first job, and he was also fulfilling the promise to go to the finals and watch Shi Ye win the championship.

“Your woman?”

Lin Jinghang’s voice finally made Wen Rong realize there was still someone in front of him. He froze. “Huh? What?”

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“You’re so happy, obviously chatting with your wife.”

“No, no,” Wen Rong explained. “It’s my Senior.”

“You like your Senior?”

“Ah? No, no.”

“I looked exactly like you when I thought of that person,” Lin Jinghang teased. “First love is just like that.”

“No…”

Wen Rong’s voice trailed off because the train finally left the tunnel. Light flooded in, and Lin Jinghang was smiling at him.

Head tilted, the smile bright and playful.

Even after studying micro-expressions for a long time, this was the first time Wen Rong had seen such an expression, so he shouldn’t have understood it.

But unexpectedly, he felt that any words at this moment would appear pale. Lin Jinghang was silently saying: Let’s see how you deny it.

The phone vibrated. Another message came.

Leon: [That’s really good. You’re a level above Senior. Senior has to spend money to get in, while you are going to earn money.]

Leon: [Then can you let Senior earn some hitchhiking money to subsidize the cost of this trip? Otherwise, this trip is a big loss for Senior.]

Wen Rong was even more elated.

Praised, he felt happy enough to fly.

“My good brother, you can’t even keep the corners of your mouth down. If that’s not liking someone, what is it?”

Wen Rong bit his lip, his face burning hot. He turned and realized that just by crossing a mountain, the weather outside had turned from cloudy to sunny, with sunlight pouring in sparsely.

He shifted a step into the shadows, put the phone in his pocket, and cooled his cheeks with the back of his hand.

The phone vibrated again. Senior sent another message.

Just then, the train broadcast sounded: “Dear passengers, this train will arrive at the terminal station in ten minutes. Please take your luggage and exit from the left side of the train.”

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Arrived.

Wen Rong looked out the window and realized the scenery had changed. There were no longer towering buildings; the houses stood independently, only their roofs visible as they were blocked by dense trees.

It seemed that time moved faster here than at Floriman Academy. It had thoroughly entered spring. The sunlight was warm, like a towel soaked in warm water spread over the face.

“Wow, the places rich people live really always have this many trees.” Lin Jinghang’s gaze shifted from the window back to Wen Rong’s face. “When I was in the apocalypse, the capitalists lived in places this good too. Like a Peach Blossom Spring. Water, electricity, and food were abundant, and so was ammunition. One zombie came, one zombie died.”

Wen Rong, looking out the window, saw a huge billboard by the road. Shi Ye’s magnified face was on it, his expression cold and super arrogant. Wen Rong only felt the warmth of seeing someone familiar in a strange place.

“Dear passengers, this train has arrived at District 1. Please take your luggage and get off from the left exit.”

Wen Rong’s thoughts returned. He picked up his duffel bag and walked out.

Because Senior Leon had messaged saying he was already at the station entrance.

“Hey—”

Ah! Forgot.

Wen Rong turned back in embarrassment and apologized to Lin Jinghang. “Sorry, I’m in a hurry to meet my Senior.”

Lin Jinghang scoffed with a laugh. “I get it, I get it. I won’t disturb you.”

Then he waved his hand. “Go on. See you at school.”

“Goodbye.”

Wen Rong carried his bag and squeezed into the crowd, not even noticing when he bumped into people, reckless as a young boy.

Lin Jinghang couldn’t help but let out a small mocking laugh. He slung his bag over his shoulder with one hand and, following the deepest memory in his mind, buried his head and walked behind the crowd.

As the Federal Capital, the District 1 train station occupied twice the area of the station near Floriman Academy.

The crowd surged, but Wen Rong didn’t get lost. Above every corridor were brand new electronic signs and maps. Following them for ten minutes, he could swipe his card to exit.

By the door, barriers cordoned off a wide path for exiting passengers. Outside the barriers stood many people holding signs: “New Youth Senior Tour Group,” “Handsome Boy Takes You to Play in District 1″…

In the dark sea of people, Wen Rong saw a touch of pale gold.

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It was very obvious because it “stuck out.”

Senior Leon was taller than everyone else. This hadn’t been obvious at school.

Then Wen Rong realized that he himself wasn’t exactly short either.

Finally, Wen Rong concluded that the average height at Floriman Academy was just too high.

“Wen Rong.”

He was already very close. Leon raised his hand to signal him.

“Senior!”

Wen Rong trotted toward him. By the time he reacted, he had already reached out and hugged the Senior.

Maybe his emotions were too agitated. When agitated, he just wanted a hug.

“Before getting lovey-dovey with Leon, shouldn’t you give me an explanation?”

The cold, hard voice forcibly dropped the surrounding temperature to freezing point. Wen Rong looked up hesitantly, his gaze crossing Leon’s shoulder to meet the eyes of Zhou Xie, who was standing behind with a dark face.

Those pitch-black eyes were like lasers capable of killing, stabbing viciously at him.

Wen Rong shrank his neck in fright, treating Leon as a shield, hiding from Zhou Xie in panic.

He felt he hadn’t done anything wrong.

But having been caught, he was instinctively a little afraid.

Zhou Xie didn’t let him off. “What are you hiding for? You’re so brave, why don’t you tell us where you’re staying next and how you’re going to watch the finals.”

“…”

“Leon, let go of him. Let him speak.”

Leon waved his hand. “Alright.”

Then he asked Wen Rong, “Are you hungry? Do you want to eat before the interview?”

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Interview!

Two bolts of lightning connected in Wen Rong’s brain, and courage gushed out.

He stretched his neck and retorted to Zhou Xie, “I’m a level above you. I’m earning money while watching the competition.”

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