Damn it, I'm surrounded by childhood sweethearts

After returning, both pretended as if they hadn't discussed the previous topic and naturally began chatting with Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi.

"Alright, alright, you two aren't needed in the kitchen, go watch TV in the living room." Xu Qingfan pushed Zhang Chunxue and Zhang Yiyi out and closed the kitchen door.

Downstairs, Zhang Yiyi placed the rice to cook earlier, and now steam was puffing out from the rice cooker vent.

Xu Qingfan tied on an apron and started cooking, while in the living room Lin Wanning was sharing with Zhang Chunxue about the performance they planned for the New Year's Eve party.

"This is the first stage performance designed by Yiyi and me. It's too bad I sprained my foot and can't participate in the balcony performance, boo boo~" Lin Wanning raised her fist making a crying expression.

"It's fine, Wanning. Watching the performance from the audience gives you a clearer view of your results, doesn't it?" Zhang Chunxue placed her right hand on Lin Wanning's shoulder, patting it to comfort her.

Lin Wanning tilted her head, thought for a moment, then immediately beamed a bright smile: "Hehe~ indeed!"

"Auntie, Auntie, have you seen the new comic we drew? It's 'That Year That Rabbit Those Things~.'

Looking sideways at her daughter, Zhang Chunxue laughed: "Of course I have! Auntie finished reading it immediately. Everyone's art is fantastic!"

She held a thumbs-up towards Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!"

"Brother Qingfan said once we go to college, we'll turn the comic into an animation. He also mentioned... that there will be a big movie with the same name."

Though her right foot couldn't move, Lin Wanning happily swung her left foot.

"Auntie will definitely support you all."

Chatting with Lin Wanning, listening to her soft voice made Zhang Chunxue feel as if she instantly became twenty years younger.

Everyone has emotional inclinations, and the feelings they put in differ, impacting how much they cherish something.

After Xu Qingfan, Lin Wanning was the second person Zhang Chunxue treated as her own, which is also one main reason she didn't oppose the idea of the three kids being together in the future.

The conversation was mostly Lin Wanning sharing daily campus life tidbits, with Zhang Yiyi occasionally chiming in, leading to Zhang Chunxue giving her comments.

"Auntie, our Chinese teacher's Mandarin is so unstandardized, I have no idea what he's talking about." (嗷乜: "talking about" in Cantonese.)

"Back in my school days, reciting ancient poems was done in Cantonese, like 'the clacking of the weaving loom, Mulan weaving in front of the door…'

...

Xu Qingfan planned for four quick dishes for lunch, using both pots simultaneously.

Twenty minutes later, he finished the last dish, oil-braised prawns, and the nearby stove had congee cooked to a milky white.

Xu Qingfan poured the congee over the blanched Emperor greens and garnished the oil-braised prawns with a sprig of cilantro.

"The rice is cooked, Auntie and Yiyi come in to get bowls; I'll carry Wanning to wash hands." He opened the kitchen door and called out to the three still chatting on the sofa.

"Carry me, Brother Qingfan!" Lin Wanning eagerly raised her hand, waiting for him to carry her.

Though her foot was much better, and with a crutch or hopping on one leg, she usually managed alone; Lin Wanning just wanted Xu Qingfan to carry her.

She liked it.

When Xu Qingfan carried Lin Wanning back to the dining table, Zhang Chunxue and Zhang Yiyi had already served the rice and were waiting for them.

"Delicious!" After being put down, Lin Wanning couldn't wait and picked up a piece of baked chicken wing with chopsticks, blowing on it while taking small bites.

"Be careful not to burn your mouth; it's just out of the oven." Xu Qingfan rubbed her head and sat beside Lin Wanning.

"Hehehe~" Lin Wanning appeasingly picked the largest chicken wing for him.

Everyone exchanged smiles and picked up bowls and chopsticks to eat.

...

Staying at Zhang Chunxue's place until afternoon, they had a driver pick up Xia Xiaoxiao, Wu Lingyu, and Xiao Ruawen. The three of them then directly took Auntie's car back to school.

This year's New Year's Day was on a Sunday, so there was no need to adjust work schedules. From December 31, 2011 (Saturday) to January 2, 2012 (Monday), the holiday lasted for three days.

The school's New Year's party performance was scheduled for Thursday night, so although prior plans suggested attending the remaining weeks of evening self-study at home, they had to return to school this week to catch up on rehearsal progress.

Except for Wu Lingyu's class, which was eliminated, the performances of the four other classes made it to the New Year's Eve party finals.

Xia Xiaoxiao's class was performing a folk dance, while Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi's class presented the skit "Langya Mountain Five Heroes," where aside from the five heroes, the rest of the class members were appointed to play enemies, wearing costumes specially made by Lin Wanning's family garment factory for a grand spectacle.

As for Xu Qingfan's class, unsurprisingly, Xiao Ruawen was singing.

"All choose C!"

"All choose C!"

After another round of practice, Xiao Ruawen exhaled deeply, put down the microphone, and asked Xu Qingfan: "Qingfan, how was the effect this time?"

"I think it's almost there. First place gets 2000 yuan for class expenses, and it's practically ours," Xu Qingfan left the drum set and saved the video he had just recorded on his phone.

"I think so too, Class Leader Qingfan. Who exactly wrote this song? It's insanely amazing!" Wu Shichong slung his guitar behind him, giving a big thumbs up.

"It's indeed amazing, and honestly, Class Leader, do you have a team behind you for this after-school tea party? Your Weibo has millions of followers — you must have a team, right?" Lai Chenglang nodded in agreement.

Among the classmates, many were skilled in singing, dancing, and rapping, but Xu Qingfan was most familiar with these two goofballs, so they were chosen to form a band.