There wasn’t just one teacher, Old Clark, in the office, nor was it only Chris Brooks and Brian Foster; the group of students who had just been riding their bikes were there too. When they saw Chris Brooks put his cigarette into his pocket, David Harris complained discontentedly, “Even people like him can get into college? He’s dragging down the average quality of college students.”

Immediately, a girl retorted, “Chris Brooks usually gets good grades. The fact that he only got into a second-tier university this time was actually a fluke. Maybe he smokes because…”

She suddenly stopped mid-sentence. She wanted to say “the shock of a failed confession,” but the girl involved, Julia Bennett, was right there.

Bringing it up only made things worse. David Harris became even more annoyed: “He was never a good guy, even got into fights with thugs outside of school.”

David Harris was about to continue badmouthing him when Chris Brooks actually walked over on his own. “You’re all here.”

David Harris turned his head away, not wanting to acknowledge Chris Brooks, so Chris Brooks greeted the others. When he saw the envelope in Julia Bennett’s hand, he grinned and asked, “Which school is Miss Bennett going to?”

“Donghai University.”

Julia Bennett replied, then asked, “What about you?”

“What a coincidence, I’m going to the School of Finance right across from you. We’ll be neighbors from now on, so we should hang out more.”

Chris Brooks hadn’t expected Julia Bennett to be right across from him. Thinking back, it was a bit of a pity. Once he got into college, he let himself go, and with so many pretty girls in the School of Finance, he’d completely forgotten about Julia Bennett, the ultimate beauty.

At this moment, David Harris sneered from the side, “Donghai University is a 985 and 211 school, but the School of Finance is just a second-tier university. That’s a pretty forced ‘neighbor’ relationship!”

David Harris also studied in Jianye, at the top-tier School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, but he was on a different campus, several hours away from Julia Bennett. The jealousy and dissatisfaction on his face were impossible to hide.

Chris Brooks chuckled to himself, thinking, “If you keep running your mouth, I’ll really win Julia Bennett over and see you cry.”

With that thought, he happened to notice the Siemens mechanical watch on Julia Bennett’s wrist and asked, “What time is it now?”

Julia Bennett instinctively raised her wrist. “5:25.”

“Nice watch. Did you just buy it this summer?”

Chris Brooks grabbed Julia Bennett’s fair hand, pretending to check the time but actually taking the opportunity to feel her hand. David Harris was furious: “Damn it, Chris Brooks failed his confession last night, and now he’s not using his mouth, he’s using his hands?!”

Julia Bennett quickly pulled her hand back, glaring angrily at Chris Brooks.

Having taken advantage, Chris Brooks didn’t linger at all. He immediately called Brian Foster to leave, leaving the rest of the group staring at each other in confusion.

It was exactly 5:30, and the school loudspeakers started playing music. Considering today was the day for receiving admission letters, the radio station specially played Xu Wei’s “Blue Lotus.”

Nothing can hold back

Your yearning for freedom

A life as unrestrained as a wild horse

Your heart is free of worries

……

Blooming, never withering

Blue lotus

……

There were still some second-year students attending make-up classes at school. Walking among the bustling crowd, seeing all the young faces along the way, listening to the melodious folk song, and breathing in the refreshing air, Chris Brooks felt in an exceptionally good mood.

“High school really is the best. Too bad I’ve already graduated!”

……

Chapter 4: The Little Carp Goddess

Port City is a small city with a slow pace of life. People getting off work rode their bikes in twos and threes along the streets. Chris Brooks and Brian Foster strolled leisurely in the afterglow of the sunset, the twilight casting enchanting light and shadows, stretching their figures long and thin.

All along the way, Chris Brooks was taking in the scenery with great interest. Some of the buildings would be gone in a decade or so, so seeing them again now felt surreal.

He was observing with relish when suddenly a crisp bell rang out behind him. Chris Brooks turned to look and couldn’t help but complain inwardly, “First day after being reborn, and I’m already tangled up with them again.”

It turned out that Chris Brooks and Brian Foster were walking, and at a slow pace, so Julia Bennett and the group of students on bikes quickly caught up to them.

Brian Foster politely waved in greeting, but Chris Brooks found it troublesome and turned his head away, pretending not to see. However, Julia Bennett deliberately called out to him.

“Chris Brooks, Brian Foster, you two are the only ones who haven’t written in my yearbook.”

Julia Bennett stopped her bike and took out a delicate hardcover notebook from her bag. “Just write whatever you want, as a keepsake.”

At first, Chris Brooks wasn’t very interested, but seeing the scene, his greasy soul prompted him to carefully study that pretty, rosy face.

When Julia Bennett smiled, dimples appeared faintly on both cheeks, and her round, slender calves were planted on the ground—she really was quite a sight.

“Chris Brooks, write in the yearbook properly. Where are your eyes looking!”

David Harris had also looked away, but he couldn’t bear to miss the beautiful view in front of him, so he tried to sneak a glance out of the corner of his eye. But when he turned his head, he saw Chris Brooks openly staring at Julia Bennett from head to toe.

David Harris cursed furiously. Even Brian Foster was puzzled—Chris Brooks had always been a bold character, but he used to treat Julia Bennett with respect and rarely looked at her so rudely.