The System is Abstract, Luckily, So Am I

Chapter 85 : In This World, There's Always Someone Quietly Caring About You

If it was a bottle, then it was fine. The current weak state was all too normal.

Lin Li patted Bai Bufan's shoulder, gratified and impressed:

"The human world record is thirty-six times in twenty-four hours. Bufan, I believe you can make a charge for this record."

"Not interested at all. I'm not interested in anything in this world right now," Bai Bufan shook his head.

Lin Li nodded again in understanding.

That's how it is in the post-nut clarity sage mode.

"Lin Li, you're finally here. By the way, what did Qiaoqiao say when she added you over the weekend?" Chen Tianming suddenly came over and asked, his eyes wary.

"Huh? She added me? I didn't notice." Lin Li was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then had a realization: "I was using my alternate account over the weekend, so I didn't notice. I haven't even added her. Did you push my contact to her?"

"Yes."

"What, does she like me? Have you become Feiyangyang? Then push my butt harder next time, or I'll have to find a new Feiyangyang."

Lin Li said casually.

"Stop being so full of yourself. More friends, more paths. She was just expanding her network. She added Baowei, Bufan, and Wang Ze too," Chen Tianming immediately glared and said.

"She added everyone? Bufan, what did you talk to her about?" Lin Li asked.

"Did we talk? I think so. No impression. I don't know," the somewhat dazed Bai Bufan shook his head, speaking in fragments.

One bottle really was too damaging to the body.

A lesson to be learned.

Wait, if Bai Bufan could handle one bottle, could he handle a bottle and a half?

But since she had added everyone and he wasn't special, then it was fine. So Lin Li asked Chen Tianming with some curiosity, "Tianming, how did the chat go over the weekend? Any progress?"

"653," Chen Tianming immediately said excitedly.

"Huh, what's that?" Lin Li didn't understand.

"This weekend, she sent me a total of 653 words. If you count punctuation, it's 724 characters! There were also a lot of stickers, not counting the default WeChat ones, a full forty-seven of them, and they were super cute! If you also count..." Chen Tianming explained in detail to Lin Li.

Lin Li: "..."

Lin Li wanted to speak but stopped, then wanted to stop but spoke. He patted Chen Tianming's shoulder and said earnestly, "When I get married, you and Wang Yuezhi can sit in the same row."

These two simps, if placed squatting at the entrance, one on the left and one on the right, might even serve as mascots to attract wealth.

"I'm already at the stage where we can say goodnight to each other," Chen Tianming said, unconvinced. "It's not the same as Wang Yuezhi! Lin Li, you're being too insulting!"

Lin Li smiled and gave a thumbs-up.

Whatever you say.

Compliance.

"I'm so looking forward to the autumn outing. I wonder if I'll have a wonderful encounter with her." Chen Tianming had already entered his fantasy time. He then patted Lin Li's shoulder: "Lin Li, thank you for persuading me to go on the autumn outing. When I get married in the future, you can sit at the elders' table!

Going on the autumn outing was the most correct decision I've ever made in my life."

"Oh, right, what was the result of the autumn outing vote? I didn't pay attention," Lin Li asked curiously, since Chen Tianming had brought it up.

"It's going according to the class president's plan. The other classes quite approve of it. The class president herself only managed to rope in one class, but a full four classes chose a similar route to ours, including Class 17," Chen Tianming replied.

The bell for morning self-study had already rung. Although Chen Tianming still wanted to say more, he had to return to his seat for now.

...

First period, class meeting.

"Those who brought phones and other electronic devices, hand them up voluntarily," Xue Jian came in holding a large storage bag and said to the crowd.

There must have been a notice in the group chat. Immediately, a large group of people went up to hand in their phones and even game consoles.

With the autumn outing this week, it was perfectly normal to bring electronic devices.

Xue Jian's gaze wasn't on the people handing in their phones, but on those who remained seated:

"Who handed in what, and what kind of phone, I might not remember clearly. But who didn't hand one in, I remember very clearly! You'd better behave yourselves. During the autumn outing, those students who didn't hand in their phones, you'd better not let me see you playing on them. Otherwise, hehe."

Xue Jian's words indeed had an effect. A few people who were still in their seats were persuaded and handed over their phones.

Bai Bufan remained motionless.

This was the composure of an old-generation artist (tactical lean back).

Of course, it was also possible that this kid had been "Daoist-templed" into a daze and simply didn't hear what Xue Jian was saying.

As the saying goes, if I don't go to the mountain, the mountain will come to me.

Xue Jian walked straight to Bai Bufan's side and smiled, "Bufan, you're staying at school this week. Don't tell me you didn't bring your phone. Be a good boy."

It was clear that the fateful encounter this weekend had made Xue Jian remember Bai Bufan completely.

The old-generation artist couldn't remain so composed. Just as he was about to speak, Xue Jian added:

"And don't say your phone is at Lin Li's house. If it's at his house, Lin Li will have to bring it to me for safekeeping tomorrow anyway."

Bai Bufan choked slightly. He had been predicted. He could only give a sheepish laugh.

"Ah, this..."

"Take it out."

Under Xue Jian's merciless gaze, he finally, silently, took his phone out of his schoolbag and handed it to him.

Only then did Xue Jian sneer, leaving satisfied.

"I should have bought a dummy phone. It's over. I can't grind Genshin for these four days. How many primogems will I lose!" After Xue Jian left, Bai Bufan grabbed his hair in frustration and said sadly.

"This is the price you have to pay for going to Tianhong with me," Lin Li teased with a smile.

"If I had to do it all over again, I'd still go. That experience was too much fun. It's just handing over a phone, totally worth it. Lin Li, when are we going on an adventure again? We don't need to bother with Baowei and Wang Ze. You know, we've never been that close to them, it's all fake. Only we are for real."

Lin Li shook his head. He had only brought Bai Bufan along for the mission. Now that the mission was complete, there was no need.

Besides, he couldn't be so high-profile anymore. First, he had experienced everything he needed to. Second, if he kept being so high-profile, others would sooner or later discover his identity.

"If you want to be publicly named, you can go on another adventure," Lin Li said after simply analyzing the pros and cons with Bai Bufan.

"Uh... never mind."

What Lin Li said made sense.

Bai Bufan still chose to be cautious. Fun was fun, but the premise of fun was that his identity couldn't be exposed. This matter couldn't be known to his family.

...

In the evening, when he returned home, he found an old woman standing at his door.

Looking closely, it was Zhang Fang.

"Grandma Zhang, why are you at my door? What's wrong?" Lin Li asked in a gentle voice.

Only after seeing Lin Li did Zhang Fang let out a long sigh of relief:

"Little Lin, it's good that you're okay, it's good that you're okay."

"Huh, what happened?" Lin Li was even more confused.

"It's Old Zhou, the Grandpa Zhou who usually exercises with you in the morning. He noticed you hadn't shown up for a few days, so he came to find me."

"He said things like 'you're missing,' 'there's a conspiracy,' 'the situation is urgent,' 'everyone is in danger,' 'we must find you immediately.' Anyway, he was probably too worried about you, a bit incoherent, thinking you'd been abducted or tricked by someone."

"Your situation is also a bit special, usually you're home alone. It's normal for Old Zhou to be worried. I called the number your mom left with the property management, but it turned out to be a disconnected number.

Worried that something had really happened to you, I came to your door to wait for you. Now that I've confirmed you're okay, Grandma is relieved," Zhang Fang said, holding Lin Li's hand.

So in this world, there was always someone quietly caring about you.

Little Zhou actually cared about him so much.

After noticing he hadn't appeared for three days, he actually thought something had happened to him.

It had to be said, although this was a bit 'overly sensitive,' Lin Li was genuinely touched.

Thank you, Grandpa Zhou

(End of Chapter)