novelraw Chapter 16 Let's go to school!
Chapter 16 Let's go to school!
The three of them leaned back to back, catching their breath for a long time, until their intense emotions slowly subsided like the receding tide. They looked at each other, their faces showing a mixture of exhaustion and relief, as they looked disheveled yet unharmed.
"He's so handsome, Lin Chi!" Shangguan Qiluo was the first to break the silence. She rubbed her still sore shoulder and winked at Lin Chi.
"That kick he kicked in, and that box he threw! He was so cool I almost fainted!"
"Chi'er," Lin Ruyan said, more concerned about something else. She looked at her son with worry in her eyes, "Why aren't you asleep yet? It's so late. It's dangerous for you to come here."
"Ah! I..." Lin Chi's face showed a hint of nervousness and confusion at being caught red-handed.
"I was sleeping when I suddenly remembered that I was almost out of Sunshine Grass and I was afraid I would forget it tomorrow, so... so I thought I'd come to the storeroom to get some first!" he explained.
Lin Ruyan's gaze lingered on his face for a moment, but she didn't delve into it. She simply reached out and gently ruffled Lin Chi's somewhat messy hair.
"Okay, it's all over now. Now that things are resolved, go back to sleep and be a good boy/girl. Kids shouldn't stay up late."
"Yes!" Lin Chi nodded vigorously.
And so, the three of them tacitly agreed not to mention the thrilling scene that had taken place in the dark room, and no one questioned each other about why they had "coincidentally" met there late at night.
They nodded to each other and then went to their respective rooms.
Sunlight pierced through the thick clouds and leaves, creeping little by little into Lin Chi's room along the rough window sill.
"Mmm—!" Lin Chi let out a satisfied sigh, stretched out a big yawn, and felt all the bones in his body relax.
He sat up groggily from the bed and rubbed his eyes.
"Today... I actually managed to sleep until I naturally woke up?" He moved his neck and shoulders in disbelief, feeling more energetic than ever before.
He habitually turned his head to look at the simple rooster-shaped alarm clock by the bedside, wanting to check the time.
"It's 11:16?!" Lin Chi, who was just enjoying a comfortable and lazy moment, was instantly sobered up as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head!
I overslept!
And so much time has passed!
But he clearly set his alarm for 7:30, so how come he didn't hear it at all?
Panic gripped him instantly. Missing his regular early morning study time was an almost unforgivable act of negligence for him.
He jumped off the bed in a fluster, hurriedly grabbed his clothes and put them on, only pulling his pants up halfway before rushing to find his shoes.
"Squeak—"
The door to the room was gently pushed open, and Shangguan Qiluo peeked in, a knowing smile on her face.
"I knew it was you who got up! There was a lot of clattering and clanging in the room!" She walked in, looked at Lin Chi's disheveled appearance, and chuckled.
"No need to rush. Your alarm clock was turned off by Sister Ruyan this morning."
Lin Chi stopped putting on his pants abruptly, standing on one leg, staring blankly at Shangguan Qiluo.
"She said, last night... well, anyway, she just wanted you to sleep a little longer and catch up on your sleep." Shangguan Qiluo walked to the window and closed the curtains a little to block out more sunlight.
"Idiot, there's no use in rushing now. Take your time washing up, and by the time you're all ready, it'll be almost lunchtime."
She paused, turned to look at Lin Chi, and her eyes became slightly more serious: "By the way, Sister Ruyan said that she has something very important to say during lunch later."
"Oh, okay," Lin Chi replied blankly.
But his long-standing habits prevailed. He quickly pulled up his pants, finished washing up as fast as he could, and then, as usual, jogged into the kitchen to help his mother.
"Dinner's ready!" Lin Ruyan's voice came from the kitchen.
She was carrying a roasted suckling pig that was golden brown, crispy, and smelled wonderful!
"Wow! What a wonderful day it is today! Why are you making so many delicious dishes!" Shangguan Qiluo exclaimed as she looked at the abundant dishes that were gradually being laid out on the table.
"Yeah, Mom," Lin Chi helped set the table and asked curiously, "What important thing do you have to say? Why are you making such a big deal out of it?"
Lin Ruyan sat down in the main seat, cleared her throat, and said, "Today is a very, very important day. It's the day our Chi'er goes to school!"
"Going to...going to school?" Lin Chi blinked, not quite understanding at first.
"That's right!" Lin Ruyan reached out and gently tapped Lin Chi's forehead.
"According to the tradition at the Divine Tower, every child enters the academy at the age of twelve to learn knowledge and skills, and to make more friends. In a few days, it will be your twelfth birthday, Chi'er. Although we started school later than other children, Mom believes that with Chi'er's intelligence and hard work, you will definitely be able to catch up with the courses quickly!"
"Going to school..." Lin Chi murmured, repeating the word, his eyes gradually brightening. A mix of excitement, anticipation, and a little nervousness welled up inside him. "Great! All those books I read every morning weren't for nothing! I'm sure I'll have no problem with the basics!"
"That's right!" Shangguan Qiluo replied with a smile, pointing at Lin Chi lightly with her chopsticks. "You feel uneasy if you don't spend some time engrossed in your books!"
"Alright, alright," Lin Ruyan raised her glass, her face radiant with a rare brightness, "Let's toast to this new beginning, to Chi'er's upcoming entry into the academy!"
"Cheers!" Lin Chi and Shangguan Qiluo also raised their glasses happily, and the three glasses clinked together in the air.
The lunch was exceptionally warm and satisfying. After the meal, Lin Ruyan gestured for Shangguan Qiluo to clear the dishes, then took Lin Chi's hand and led him into his room.
Lin Ruyan's smile faded slightly, replaced by a determined seriousness, along with a hint of barely perceptible tension.
"Chi'er," she lowered her voice, looking into Lin Chi's eyes, "Listen to what Mommy has to say. This afternoon, go out as usual and carefully check the location of the teleportation array and the road conditions. When you come back tonight, we'll quietly pack our things. This morning, after everyone is sound asleep, we'll set off for the fifty-eighth floor! We'll go to school there! Okay?"
"Okay!" Lin Chi then thought of something and asked, "What about Sister Qi Luo? Where is she?"
Lin Ruyan shook her head: "Sister Qiluo... she will stay and help take care of some daily affairs at the camp. And I asked her, and she said she has already attended the academy and doesn't need to go again; she herself doesn't really want to go."
"Stay?" Lin Chi frowned, muttering under his breath with some displeasure, "What for? To take care of that crazy old man in the darkroom?"
"Chi'er!" Lin Ruyan gently covered his mouth. "Don't say that. Be good, listen to Mommy. This time, Mommy will go with you. We'll leave this place and start a new life, okay?"
Lin Chi looked into his mother's eyes and nodded: "Okay, I'll listen to you, Mom."
Lin Ruyan touched Lin Chi's face: "Chi'er, be good. Be careful when you go out this afternoon, and come back early after you've found out everything. Now, get some rest and recharge your energy. Mommy's going out now."
She pulled the blanket up for Lin Chi, then tiptoed out of the room and closed the door behind her.
"Going to school...?" The room fell silent. Lin Chi lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
The word was both foreign and fascinating to him. He had never actually gone to school, and had hardly ever spent any time playing or interacting with children his own age.
There were so many people around my age. What would they be like? Could I become friends with them? I kept thinking about it.
Time passed quietly, and soon it was time for the camp's daily "escort" mission to gather.
The "little lambs" of the day had already gathered in the open space in the front yard, and were being pushed and shoved by Madman's men into a crooked line.
"Lin Chi!" Crazy Old Man's signature voice, still carrying the afterglow of madness, rang out.
He glanced sideways, found Lin Chi in the crowd, and then pointed to Uncle Ming, who was always wrapped in an old black cloak and was taciturn.
"Today it's just you and that guy... oh, old man Ming! You two, take him to that teleportation point in the west."
As the madman spoke, he casually waved behind him. A figure stepped out timidly.
The man was dressed in tattered clothes, the original color of which was almost unrecognizable. His face was covered in dust and grime, so dirty that his features were barely visible, except for his eyes, which were darting around nervously.
He scurried up to Lin Chi and Uncle Ming, bowing and scraping, forcing a fawning smile.
"Greetings, Young Master! Greetings, Master Ming! With you two leading the way, the journey must be safe, smooth, and successful! My name is Liang Zhuo, you can just call me Xiao Zhuo, hehe..."
Lin Chi glanced at the man and immediately understood—this was a penniless nobody that Crazy Master had casually handed over, someone who couldn't squeeze a single penny out of him, and was just going through the motions, symbolically completing an "escort" mission.
Normally, Lin Chi would have argued with Crazy Grandpa for a while and then changed the subject. But today, he was preoccupied with the important matter his mother had entrusted to him, and he needed such an inconspicuous and effortless task as cover.
So Lin Chi simply nodded expressionlessly and replied calmly, "Okay."
"Oh dear!" Seeing this, Madman slapped his thigh exaggeratedly and let out a strange, cacophony of laughter. "Finally got it today? Good, good, good! Congratulations! Looks like you've grown up and become sensible!"
He ignored Lin Chi, turned to the entire front yard, raised his voice, and roared in a frenzied tone, as if announcing a grand ceremony: "Alright! I declare—today, the escort operation begins! Have a safe journey, everyone! Hahahaha!"
At his command, a cacophony of urging, shouting, and intimidation erupted in the front yard.
Madman's men shoved their respective "goods" and headed down different paths leading to different teleportation points.
Lin Chi silently gestured for "Xiao Zhuo," named Liang Zhuo, to follow, and they joined the distorted flow of people.