If You Can Catch It, You're Amazing

Not a cloud in the sky, the weather was clear and bright. An occasional breeze blew past, chasing away a trace of the summer heat.

Shen Nian looked up at the sky, his vision blurring slightly. For some inexplicable reason, this completely blue sky gave him a dizzying sense of weightlessness.

"The weather is really nice today," he murmured.

"Hmph." Xia Yanchun walked with her hands behind her back, denying him the chance to hold her hand. She clearly didn't really want to talk to him.

Walking sullenly to the parking shed, Xia Yanchun asked Shen Nian for the keys, taking on the rare role of the driver.

She let Shen Nian wrap his arms around her waist as she drove him to the nearby subway entrance.

"Don't fall asleep and miss your stop."

"I definitely won't."

"Bye-bye." Xia Yanchun waved her small hand.

Shen Nian grinned, grabbed her hand, and brazenly kissed the back of it right there in public.

Xia Yanchun was shocked and flushed with embarrassment, looking left and right. Fortunately, there weren't too many people around at noon, mostly just some street cleaners resting nearby. If a crowd had watched them, she would have gone home and sulked!

"Bye-bye!" Shen Nian waved back, stepping onto the escalator and riding it down.

Sigh, he really couldn't bear to leave his little Yanchun.

He should finish his task and come back as soon as possible. He just hoped the Village Chief wouldn't be unappreciative.

He had the whole process planned out. First, he would confirm if his dad was the so-called Guardian God. If not, he would visit his elementary and middle schools to check with the principals or homeroom teachers. If none of them were the Village Chief, he would go ask around at his kindergarten.

As long as he claimed to be an outstanding alumnus and a strong contender for the provincial top scorer in the upcoming college entrance exam, those principals wouldn't mind meeting with him.

Especially the middle school. If he actually became the top scorer, they would probably hang up a banner telling everyone that the provincial champion came from their school, basking in the glory.

Once on the subway, even though it was Sunday, it wasn't as crowded as he had imagined.

It was definitely because the weather was too hot. A hot afternoon was best suited for sleeping.

He was still a bit far from the bus terminal, so Shen Nian put on his Bluetooth earphones to listen to some music.

Nearing the terminal, he caught sight of a familiar figure.

Chen Dong was holding a girl's hand, taking a seat in another carriage. He didn't know when they had gotten on. If Shen Nian hadn't casually glanced around, he might not have spotted him.

The two were talking and laughing, sitting close together. Was this girl... Chen Dong's childhood sweetheart?

He remembered Chen Dong mentioning that his childhood friend had been in an accident, injured her leg, and had to use a wheelchair to get around. It looked like she was better now.

It had been a while, after all. The proverbial hundred days of recovery for a bone injury should have passed by now.

It was just that the girl looked a bit familiar. He felt like they had crossed paths once, but he couldn't remember where he had seen her.

Wait a minute... wheelchair...

?

Shen Nian compared the memory of the girl he met carrying a wheelchair during his morning exercise in the park last semester with the girl sitting next to Chen Dong. It seemed they were indeed the same person.

That day, when returning to school, he had also run into Chen Dong leaving the campus with a pass. So early in the morning, it turned out Chen Dong was going to meet her.

Well, well, well.

Perhaps because he had been staring for too long, Chen Dong also cast a glance in Shen Nian's direction.

"Bro! Why are you here?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing," Shen Nian sweatdropped.

"I just came back from the mall." Chen Dong walked over to Shen Nian, pulled a small packet of raisins from a bag, and shoved it into his hands. "Nine bucks a pack. Am I a good bro or what?"

"The best. Say no more, I'll gift you this subway train."

"You really are my good buddy."

"Haha, we're bros." Shen Nian tipped his chin toward the girl and whispered, "Hey, your romantic interest?"

"Uh..." Chen Dong looked a bit embarrassed.

One look and he knew he had guessed right.

Shen Nian wanted to laugh. This idiot Chen Dong was the first to claim he and Xia Yanchun had a thing going on. Now that the tables were turned and he was pointing out Chen Dong's romance, the guy was actually getting shy.

"Childhood sweethearts, how romantic."

The usually carefree Chen Dong felt his face heat up for the first time and quickly changed the subject. "Where are you going?"

"Took a leave of absence. Heading back to my hometown."

"What's wrong?"

"School is boring, just going home to chill."

"Damn. Getting first place in the whole school has really inflated your ego, it seems." Chen Dong paused, then chuckled. "But if it were me, I'd be inflated too. I'd be flying."

"Awesome."

"Where's the class monitor? You guys actually aren't out together?" Chen Dong glanced around.

"What are you talking about? We're just normal classmates."

"A normal classmate relationship where you go to and from school together, eat together all the time, and even take days off together? Yeah, that's very normal."

"Mind your own business."

Shen Nian was helpless. He had been bolder at school this semester, so anyone close to them had probably noticed to some extent, let alone Chen Dong, who suspected they had a thing from the very beginning.

He hadn't really tried to hide it anyway. If they noticed, they noticed.

He had to admit, Chen Dong was pretty sharp. Even before he himself realized things were getting romantic with Xia Yanchun, Chen Dong had already seen it.

To this, Shen Nian only felt pity.

Chen Dong was already eighteen... A dog's one year is equivalent to five human years.

After chatting for a bit longer, it was time for Shen Nian to get off.

Chen Dong sat back in his original seat and took the girl's hand again.

"Was that your classmate from No. 2 High School?"

"Yeah, he's insanely good. A total dark horse who shot up to a score of seven hundred in just one semester."

"Is he even human?"

"Hard to say."

...

After taking the subway and then a bus, he left at 1 PM and finally arrived home at 5 PM.

The front door was open, and the familiar pickup truck was parked in front. Shen Nian was a little surprised.

They usually didn't get back until six o'clock.

Before he even entered the house, he smelled cooking fumes. Shen Nian strode into the kitchen, calling out "Mom, Dad," and sure enough, he saw his parents bustling about inside.

"Hey, how did you get back so fast? The food isn't even ready yet!" Chen Minyue was overjoyed. She walked around Shen Nian, patting him here and there, afraid he had lost weight while away from home.

Fortunately, Shen Nian was growing stronger and didn't look down at all, which put her mind at ease.

"I just hurried back early. Tomorrow I'll go work in the fields with you guys."

"Alright, alright."

Shen Shi muttered from the side, "Other kids take time off to come home and rest. Taking time off to come home and do manual labor is a first for me."

"Doesn't that just show how unique I am?"

"Very unique indeed," Shen Shi chuckled. "Other people's kids hug their parents and say heartfelt things at their coming-of-age ceremonies. You're the only one who stuffed money into my hands."

"Then give the money back. I'll give you a hug and tell you how hard you've worked, Dad."

Hearing this, Shen Shi's smile instantly vanished. Good grief, trying to take back money that was already given? This boy was too wicked, it must be from playing on his phone too much.

"What are you guys talking about? What money?"

"Cough, nothing, nothing. Shen Nian, go sit outside. Dinner will be ready soon!"

"Okay." Shen Nian slipped away quickly.

Home was still the most comfortable place. Even the air seemed to smell better.

The last time he ate at home was during the New Year. In the blink of an eye, almost half a year had passed.

Shen Nian pulled up a chair and sat outside. The sun couldn't reach him, and sitting there playing on his phone, he didn't feel hot at all. Life was truly pleasant.

After messaging his two older sisters to let them know he arrived safely, Shen Nian glanced at the time. It was already five o'clock.

We haven't eaten yet, so it looks like tonight will be a massive feast.

A black car pulled into the front yard next door. Xia Herui stepped out and looked at Shen Nian in surprise. "Hey, Shen Nian, did you take the day off?"

"Yeah, I came back to get some rest."

"The college entrance exams are right around the corner. If you're not feeling well, you really should rest up."

Shen Nian sat with his legs crossed. "Yeah, the exams are almost here."

"There's a long vacation after the exams, and college is full of new and exciting things. It's a lot of fun. You'd better do your best on the exams, kid. Then you can apply to the same university as Xiaochun. It'll be great for you two to go to school together."

"Uncle Xia, aren't you afraid I'll win your daughter over once we're in college?"

Xia Herui was taken aback.

This brat actually had the nerve to say that.

"Then you need to work even harder. If you can actually win Xiaochun's heart, I'll admit you're really something."

Shen Nian felt completely at ease.

It seemed he was indeed quite something.