Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
When the bell rang in the afternoon, Wen Nian was still two questions away from completing. The math exam for college entrance exams was two hours long. Based on her current progress, it would be good if she could finish it, let alone consider finishing it before the time was up. Wen Nian let out a slight sigh.
The students began to trickle in from the dormitory to the classroom one by one. Wen Nian had already stopped writing and put down her pen. Although there were still more than ten minutes before class started, she stood up to stretch her legs and refresh her mind slightly. Otherwise, she knew she wouldn’t have the energy to focus in class later.
“The club recruitment for the new school year has started again. They will be setting up a stall in the field this afternoon and tomorrow to recruit new members. Have you decided which club you want to sign up for?”
“I want to sign up for the violin and continue learning tennis, but I can only choose one. It’s so annoying!”
“Sigh. I don’t really want to sign up for anything either. If I have free time, I’d rather relax by reading a comic book. But the school requires us to join a club, so I guess I have to figure something out.”
Wen Nian clenched her fists and punched her waist to relax her muscles. She had been sitting for hours every day, from seven in the morning until nine in the evening, and she felt like she was developing a herniated disc.
As she listened to her classmates discussing different clubs, Wen Nian also began to think about which one to join. In her previous life, she had started learning the piano in her first year of high school, but had only managed to grasp the basics in a year. She could play some simple children’s songs, but after dropping out of school, she had let it go. Later, while in prison, she had picked it up again. The prison had set up a choir to enrich the mental life of the prisoners, and because of their good performance, they were able to go out two to three times a year to perform in orphanages, nursing homes, and other places.
Wen Nian met a female teacher who taught piano, and after hearing Wen Nian play, the teacher praised her for having a spiritual aura in her music. This gave Wen Nian a lot more confidence in pursuing piano.
To inhale the fresh air outside, Wen Nian devoted all of her spare time to learning the piano. After spending five years in prison, she patiently waited for the release of the female prisoner who played the piano in the choir. Eventually, with her own efforts, she successfully gained this opportunity.
Therefore, Wen Nian decided not to pursue the piano and instead wanted to learn something more practical. She made plans to explore different club options after lunch with Shen Jun in the afternoon. After spending so many years in prison, she had forgotten what extracurricular activities the school had to offer.
At the end of the last class in the afternoon, Wen Nian closed her textbook and turned to Shen Jun. “What do you want to eat?”
Shen Jun suddenly recalled how Wen Nian had waved at the boy who gave her a ride in the canteen today. He wondered if they went home together for a meal.
Wen Nian looked at Shen Jun and nodded, “It’s okay, I understand.” She didn’t want to dwell on the matter and change the subject. “Do you have any club you’re interested in signing up for?”
The first part of Wen Nian’s sentence could be interpreted as making plans for another day, but the second half was a clear rejection of Wen Nian’s treat. Shen Jun’s attitude had completely changed from agreeing in the morning to rejecting in the afternoon. Wen Nian was feeling confused.
However, Wen Nian still wanted to show her appreciation and sincerity. She said earnestly, “I know you may think it’s a small matter, but your help yesterday meant a lot to me. Besides, I had to handle an urgent matter, so I insist on treating you to this meal.”
Shen Jun frowned slightly, feeling uneasy about the situation. He didn’t want to discuss the meal any further, so he replied, “Why don’t you just treat me to a bottle of soda instead?”
Seeing this, Wen Nian understood that Shen Jun really didn’t want to eat, so she smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll pay for the remaining two days of soda this week.”
Seeing that Shen Jun didn’t respond, Wen Nian quietly took out her lunch box from the drawer and began to eat. She couldn’t help but think that it was definitely not easy to win over a big shot.
After finishing her lunch at the canteen, Wen Nian grabbed her lunch box and headed straight to the field. Some of the people who have physical education classes in the afternoon had already signed up in advance, but many were still waiting for the evening. Although there was still half a day left to sign up tomorrow, Wen Nian wanted to get it done as soon as possible.
Many people knew Wen Nian as the school belle, but her reputation had been tarnished by Huang Yue, who spread rumors about her being bad-tempered, vain, and superficial.
There were many eyes on her, but Wen Nian remained unfazed and focused on choosing the club she wanted to join.
A bespectacled male student was cheerfully playing the ukulele while recruiting people on the side of the road. “Hey there, junior! Are you interested in learning how to play the ukulele with us?”
The ukulele’s cheerful and lively music style was appealing to Wen Nian, and the bespectacled male student’s bright voice made her feel relaxed and happy. However, she decided against learning it and shook her head in refusal. “I’ll take a look again.”