Morning light was soft and gentle. Liu Chang’an woke up on time, opened the bedside lamp, washed his face, and put on his shorts and short sleeves to go out for a run.
As usual, he circled around the Bao Long Center. With Zhu Juntang’s personality, he would never give up easily. In history, there were many women like Zhu Juntang who were ambitious and controlling, but most of them were foolish and obsessed with dominating strong men.
Compared to them, Zhu Juntang was particularly captivating. Liu Chang’an had seen many famous beauties in history, but most of them couldn’t compare to Zhu Juntang.
It was because of nutrition, skincare, makeup, and natural evolution that modern women generally surpassed ancient women in terms of skin quality, height, and physique.
If it were someone like Qin Yanan, she would have been considered a beauty in ancient times, but except for a few dynasties, literati who set beauty standards might not have appreciated her plump figure and towering height, which surpassed those of frail intellectuals.
In a patriarchal society, elite men would probably consider it the best era to toy with women, with all sorts of beauties and charms on display.
Liu Chang’an didn’t have strong masculine chauvinism, so he didn’t mind working with women or men. However, Zhu Juntang’s ambition was difficult to support, and recruiting Liu Chang’an would make many famous people from ancient times, who had left their names in history, roll their eyes in scorn.
After finishing his run, Liu Chang’an bought noodles at the market and cooked them with lard. He added ginger and garlic to the sauce, and the aroma filled the air.
The refrigerator was truly a great invention. In the past, Liu Chang’an’s homemade lard sauce could only be stored for twenty days in the summer, and its flavor would change, losing its aroma. Now, it could be kept fresh for ninety days.
As for the leftover dog meat and sauce from yesterday, Liu Chang’an packed them in a lunchbox to take to school.
Zhao Si came to deliver soy milk and placed the package by the door.
“Big Brother Chang’an, didn’t you kill the dog today?” Zhao Si asked, biting on her soy milk bag as she watched Liu Chang’an walk out the door.
“I killed a chicken today,” Liu Chang’an replied, opening the car door and peeking inside.
He lifted Zhao Si, who was trying to climb into the car, and pulled her back down. Zhao Si didn’t insist on getting back in and instead ran far away, standing on a brick and tiptoeing to look.
Inside the garage, it was quiet and still. As a little kid, Zhao Si still had a keen sixth sense, which hadn’t fully disappeared. After being pulled down, she didn’t try to climb back in and instead ran away to stand on a brick and peek.
Liu Chang’an found the small hen in the corner of the garage, stiff and lifeless in his hand, without a hint of vitality. Even the dog’s head from yesterday was better, as it at least showed that it had once been alive. This small hen, however, seemed never to have been alive, without any remaining vitality or blood.
Liu Chang’an carried the small hen out of the garage and looked up at the parasol tree. The leaves on the tree had indeed stopped falling.
His appetite wasn’t great, but he should take care of himself. Liu Chang’an took an iron spade and dug a hole in a far corner, burying the small hen. He covered it with a layer of dirt. This small hen was definitely inedible, lacking any nutritional value or flavor.
Zhao Si watched Liu Chang’an with wide eyes, waiting for him to finish burying the hen before hiding behind the stairs.
“You buried the small hen in the ground, and it will attract centipedes to its body. Are you scared?” Liu Chang’an teased her.
Zhao Si had originally wanted to dig up the small hen after Liu Chang’an left, but after hearing his words, she quickly shouted, “I’m not afraid of stinky centipedes!” and ran back home.
Kids were the most annoying, Liu Chang’an thought, putting away the iron spade and heading to class. He rode his bicycle, which he had ridden back home last night.
When Liu Chang’an parked his bicycle, Zhao Wuqiang also parked his beside him, smiling at Liu Chang’an.
“It’s unexpected, I thought you and Bai Lü would have already fallen out, but instead, you’re sitting together.”
“Yes, sitting with Bai Lü, I discovered that Bai Lü is really lovely, with a great figure, like a two-dimensional beauty.”
Zhao Wuqiang was taken aback, then laughed and said, “You’re not supposed to like Ann Wan, right?”
Liu Chang’an nodded and patted Zhao Wuqiang’s shoulder, walking slowly towards the school.
“Liu Chang’an!”
Liu Chang’an turned around to see Bai Lü standing behind him. He and Zhao Wuqiang were standing behind the bus stop canopy, and Bai Lü had come from the other side.
“What a coincidence,” Zhao Wuqiang said, shrugging his shoulders and leaving first.
“You heard that?” Liu Chang’an asked, looking at Bai Lü’s slightly red cheeks.
“You knew I was here and said that on purpose, right?” Bai Lü looked at Liu Chang’an, trying not to reveal any emotions.
“Zhao Wuqiang probably thought the same, and might have even cursed me as a scoundrel.” Liu Chang’an said, “It’s really a misunderstanding. I was completely sincere.”
“Who would believe you?” Bai Lü raised her head, looking away as she brushed past Liu Chang’an, her hair fluttering, leaving the scent of shampoo behind.
“Peach blossoms don’t need to boast their beauty,
already surpassing the spring wind by half.”
Liu Chang’an himself didn’t believe it, and so he slowly walked to the school, not going directly to the classroom. Instead, he went to the gymnasium and sat down, seeing Ann Wan and the volleyball team members changing out of their uniforms in the locker room. Almost the entire team had gathered, consisting of the tallest and most athletic legs in the entire school.
The team members from the first and second years had to practice during early morning and after-school hours, while Ann Wan’s schedule was more flexible. Except for the Junsha City High School Volleyball League in June, Ann Wan didn’t participate in other small competitions.
“Warm up, you guys! Liu Chang’an is getting more and more daring, he didn’t even show up for early morning practice!”
“He’s here to watch you girls, he’s a pervert, and loves to watch you young girls!”
“Ha! If he’s a pervert, wouldn’t you have been tainted already?”
“Hehe, do you guys think Ann Wan is still a young girl like you?”
“Ahh! Ahh! I’m going to…find him and beat him up!”
The girls teased and joked, then started their warm-up exercises. At this moment, the side door of the gymnasium was pushed open, and a tall figure cast a shadow on the floor. He stretched out his hand, beckoning Liu Chang’an.
Liu Chang’an followed him out, and Ann Wan saw it and quickly ran over. In the school, only Chen Changxiu was so tall and sturdy!
When Ann Wan ran over, she was dumbstruck to see Liu Chang’an sitting calmly on the stairs, while Chen Changxiu was lying on the ground, rubbing his bruised face.
“Ah…are you okay?” Ann Wan asked, still looking worried, but Liu Chang’an seemed fine.
After hearing Ann Wan’s voice, Chen Changxiu stopped rubbing his face, not wanting to lose face, and stood up, his eyes fixed on Liu Chang’an with a hint of fear.
“No, Chen didn’t trip,” Liu Chang’an said, “you should be more careful, don’t cause any trouble before the college entrance exam.”
“There’s no way, I was just getting used to it, the beautiful volleyball players had already led the way in high school, and in college, it’s even more impossible!” Liu Chang’an said, satisfied with himself, “it’s good that my fists are hard enough.”
“You’re satisfied with your fists? You enjoy fighting?”
Ann Wan’s face turned red with anger, wanting to teach Liu Chang’an a lesson. She found many reasons to scold him, such as saying she led the way, and that he still wanted to fight in college, so she attacked him from different angles.
Ann Wan punched Liu Chang’an’s fist, not allowing him to be proud of his fighting skills.
Liu Chang’an stumbled back, his expression changing, and he did a backflip, falling from the stairs and clutching his chest.
“The girl’s fist is even harder!”
Ann Wan burst out laughing, and Liu Chang’an pointed to his chest, saying, “hit me here, girls always hit guys in the chest when they’re angry.”
“Ugh, you’re disgusting!” Ann Wan hit him on the chest, satisfied, and Liu Chang’an said, “you’re going to beat me up?”
Chen Changxiu stomped away, furious, holding his head and shouting, “you’re the shameless ones!” He didn’t expect not only to get beaten up by Liu Chang’an but also to witness such an embarrassing scene, making his scalp crawl. The rumors that Ann Wan liked to hit Liu Chang’an were true!
“Did you go easy on him?” Ann Wan asked, panting, looking at Liu Chang’an’s calm face.
“No!”
“Then that’s good,” Ann Wan said, her eyes sparkling, looking at her long legs. Unfortunately, Liu Chang’an still liked Bai Lü’s large breasts, but her own legs weren’t as important, and her thoughts quickly returned to her previous concerns. “You…you meant that we’ll be like this in college too?”
“Of course.”
The sunlight fell on his face, warm and gentle, as he looked at Ann Wan with a familiar, soothing gaze, like a forest. Ann Wan stood on tiptoes, feeling her heart racing like a small deer that had been shot, almost…almost falling for him.
“Did you just want to kiss me?”
“Get lost, I didn’t! You’re dreaming!”
“I’ll dream about it then, and you won’t hit me?”
“You didn’t tell me, so how could I hit you?”
“You didn’t tell me, so what’s the point? I’m lovelier when I’m angry!”
“I’m lovely all the time! You’re provoking me again!”
The warm sunlight shone down, and the Dragon Boat Festival was approaching.
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