FIMA Ch9: Obvious

Beichuan High School was only about a ten-minute taxi ride away from the city center.

Gu Siyuan directed the driver to drop him off right in front of an electronics mall. He came here, naturally, to buy a phone and build a computer.

For someone who had lived two lifetimes like him, making a bit of money wasn’t too difficult, but wanting to make big money still required a certain amount of time and the accumulation of capital and connections.

For now, the easiest methods were none other than trading stocks and selling software programs, and a computer was the most essential equipment for both.

He had just walked onto the second floor of the electronics mall when a salesperson enthusiastically greeted him.

“Handsome, here to buy a computer? Roughly what price range are you looking for?”

Gu Siyuan’s expression was indifferent: “I’ll pick the parts myself.”

The salesperson’s smile remained unchanged. Their electronics mall was adjacent to A City’s university town, so young college students often came over to custom-build computers, and many of them were experts in the field.

In the computer and electronics industry, you absolutely couldn’t judge someone by their age. Moreover, often the younger the person, the more formidable their skills might be.

It was just that this customer today was truly overly handsome, almost not looking like a typical science and engineering geek.

Because he came fully prepared, it saved the time of repeatedly hesitating and picking parts. In less than twenty minutes, everything was configured exactly to Gu Siyuan’s specifications.

Gu Siyuan sat down on the spot, preparing to try writing a few lines of code.

When he worked, he was always entirely focused, completely oblivious to his surroundings.

He didn’t know when he finished, but someone was standing behind him.

This person was in his early twenties. Seeing him snap out of his focus, the man immediately asked with considerable excitement, “Are you also a student from A University’s computer science department?”

A University was the best university in their province. Its main campus was right here in their city, and it ranked in the top ten nationally, though it still had some gap compared to Q University.

Gu Siyuan shook his head. “High school senior.”

The young man’s eyes widened slightly, but then he became even more pleasantly surprised: “Then you’re self-taught? You’re very talented! Let’s add each other on WeChat. Since you’re a senior now, do you want to apply to our school for the college entrance exam? I’m a junior in the computer science department. When the time comes, I’ll take you under my wing…”

Gu Siyuan glanced at him and said expressionlessly, “We can add WeChat.”

The upperclassman had an enthusiastic personality. Seeing him like this, he chuckled, “What? Only adding WeChat? Are you afraid you won’t score high enough for our A University?”

A University’s computer science department was a highly sought-after major. In recent years, the lowest admission cutoff score was around 670.

Gu Siyuan said calmly, “I’ve already been admitted to Q University.”

“Don’t be afraid. Young people need to have some…” The upperclassman continued with a face full of smiles. As he spoke, he suddenly paused: “Did you just say… admitted to Q University? You mean you’ve already been admitted early to Q University?”

Gu Siyuan nodded.

The upperclassman looked at this guy in front of him, who remained completely unruffled by favor or disgrace. He couldn’t help but sigh, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “Alright, you’re better than this upperclassman. My name is Jiang Hefeng, and you?”

“Gu Siyuan.”

The reason Gu Siyuan spoke so much to him and was willing to add him on WeChat was that they had been acquaintances in his past life.

Later, when Gu Siyuan founded his technology laboratory, Jiang Hefeng had served as the deputy head of the computing group there.

He had headed straight for this electronics mall earlier because Jiang Hefeng had once mentioned that when he attended university in A City, his favorite thing to do in his free time was stroll around here.

During his junior year, Jiang Hefeng had already secured a guaranteed spot for postgraduate studies. Furthermore, the mentor he studied under was incredibly formidable, possessing cooperative relationships with several large internet companies.

Since there was a ready-made connection right here, Gu Siyuan naturally wouldn’t forsake what was near to seek what was far.

…

The weekend.

Xie Qingxiao spent the whole morning finishing his test papers for all subjects. After eating lunch, he grabbed his phone and prepared to head out.

He had just limped down the stairs when a mocking female voice came from the living room.

“You truly can’t bear to stay at home for even a moment. You just got back last night, and now you’re running out again. Anyone who didn’t know better would think our home is a dragon’s pool or a tiger’s den,” Gong Li said, sitting on the sofa, holding a fruit platter and eating while watching TV.

Xie Qingxiao paused his steps and glanced at her: “I’m going out to get my dressings changed.”

Gong Li was rendered speechless for a moment, but meeting Xie Qingxiao’s cold gaze, she couldn’t help but instantly retort sarcastically, “Hmph. An Omega getting injured all day long. Who knows what you’re even doing at school?”

Xie Qingxiao smiled lazily: “Auntie Gong, rather than caring about what I do at school, you’d be better off caring about what Xie Gaoyang and Xie Gaohan do at school. Otherwise, as students, how come they manage to rank dead last in every exam?”

“You…” Gong Li glared in anger and tossed the fruit platter onto the coffee table.

This little bastard.

Ever since she married Xie Chengfeng, she had secretly tripped Xie Qingxiao up quite a few times. But while this kid looked aloof and above worldly matters on the surface, he was actually incredibly deep and exceptionally cunning. He was also ruthlessly insidious and refused to suffer even the slightest loss.

Every time she humiliated or mistreated him even a little bit.

This kid would turn right around and find a way to pay it back multiple times over by taking it out on her two children.

In the end, besides relying on her status as an elder to jab at him with words now and then, she was actually completely helpless against him.

Furthermore, she couldn’t even gain any advantage with words.

This kid would always pretend to be pitiful, helpless, and understanding in front of his dad, but the moment he was in front of her, he was full of sarcastic mockery and sharp-tongued remarks.

But as it happened, he was truly good at enduring and pretending. From childhood to adulthood… for over a decade, he had been able to maintain the exact same facade. His academic performance was also great. That damn Xie Chengfeng always treated him as his golden facade and cash cow.

Thinking of this, Gong Li felt a mouthful of stagnant blood pooled in her chest, suffocating unless she spat it out.

“An Omega, so young, yet with such a deep and scheming mind. All you know how to do all day is put on acts. How do you look like a normal high school student at all? Hmph, truly not likable in the slightest.”

Xie Qingxiao abruptly raised his eyes and cast a look at her. His pupils were pitch-black, deep, and devoid of light.

Gong Li was startled, but unwilling to back down, she clutched her chest and said, “Wha… what, am I wrong? You’re so young, yet your mind is malicious and mean. No Alpha would ever like an Omega like you!”

Xie Qingxiao ignored the exasperated Gong Li behind him. Dragging his injured leg, step by step, he walked out of the residential compound’s gate.

He usually boarded at school. For the convenience of changing his dressings next week, he had subconsciously chosen a well-reviewed private clinic near the school last night to bandage his wound.

The doctor had instructed him to come every day to change the medicine.

However, just as he was about to step up to the clinic entrance, through the glass door, he unexpectedly saw two familiar people inside.

In a cubicle within the clinic, Shen Ting carefully half-carried Lu Jiayang onto the bed and asked with concern, “Does it not hurt anymore?”

Lu Jiayang shook his head. “Actually, it’s fine.”

While the medicine was being applied, Shen Ting squatted nearby, hovering anxiously.

Whenever Lu Jiayang furrowed his brows even slightly, it would draw a barrage of condemnations from Shen Ting directed at the doctor.

“Doctor, be gentler! Can’t you see he’s frowning?”
“Doctor, do you know what you’re doing?”
“Doctor, do you even know how to apply medicine?”
“Doctor, can’t you see he’s in a lot of pain?”
“Doctor…”

By the end of it, regardless of whether the doctor was angry or not, Lu Jiayang felt a bit embarrassed and swatted him lightly. “Shen Ting, enough. I’m not that fragile…”

However, despite the complaining tone, it was evident that the corners of his eyes and brows were steeped in the flavor of happiness.

The doctor had a deep impression of the two from yesterday. He teased them now: “You young couples are just so hot-tempered. Yesterday you were fighting, and today you’re stuck together like glue!”

Lu Jiayang blushed slightly and said, “No, Doctor, you misunderstand…”

The doctor rolled his eyes. “Misunderstand what? It’s only when you’re young that you have the free time to bicker and romance like this!”

Hearing this, Shen Ting immediately burst into cooperative, loud laughter.

Lu Jiayang couldn’t really say anything more.

Xie Qingxiao didn’t even know what he was doing himself. Lu Jiayang’s dressing change took nearly half an hour, and Xie Qingxiao just dragged his injured leg, standing outside the clinic and watching with a morbid sort of fascination for that entire time…

Until, at the very end, when Shen Ting carried the person back out, he actually subconsciously hid himself.

It was only after those two left in a car that he came out and hobbled away, completely forgetting to even get his own medicine changed.

In a daze, Xie Qingxiao didn’t know where he should go, so he just followed the tree-lined boulevard forward.

He didn’t know how long he had walked, but the stabbing pain in his calf became somewhat unbearable. He looked up and around, wanting to find a place to rest, and at a glance saw the bright red national flag fluttering in the wind not far away. His heart suddenly felt a few degrees warmer.

No wonder the surrounding scenery had been growing increasingly familiar.

He hesitated for a moment, but still walked through the gates of Beichuan.

Today was the weekend, and all the high school seniors at the school had gone home.

However, there were still some people around.

Yesterday had been continuous dreary rain and gusts of cold wind.

Today, as if in compensation, the sky was clear and the air was fresh. The sun hung high in the eastern sky bright and early in the morning.

After lunch, Gu Siyuan found a sunny spot on campus. He sat leisurely on a stone bench, playing chess against himself while holding a tub of ice cream.

In his past life, his childhood and teenage years were fraught with hardship; he had basically never enjoyed snacks. After graduating, he threw himself entirely into research. Let alone eating delicacies, he didn’t even have regular times for his three daily meals.

Reborn into this life, he naturally did whatever made him comfortable…

When his interest peaked, he narrowed his eyes in considerable satisfaction, looking like a lazy leopard dozing in the sunlight.

However, everyone knew that this was just an illusion. Once prey appeared, he would strike with the force of a sudden thunderbolt, hitting the mark in a single blow.

Gu Siyuan had always been sharp. Being stared at for so long, he naturally reacted.

He raised his head and asked flatly, “You want some?”

“Ah?” Xie Qingxiao was dumbfounded.

It took him quite a while to realize what Gu Siyuan was asking. He quickly shook his head: “No.”

Gu Siyuan put the ice cream tub on the table, reached out to make an inviting gesture, and said leisurely, “Black or white?”

Xie Qingxiao was gradually able to keep up with his train of thought. He gave a light laugh and replied casually, “White.”

Gu Siyuan nodded: “Sit.”

When it came to Chinese chess, Xie Qingxiao actually knew a bit.

But as for Go, he didn’t even know the rules. He wasn’t in the mood anyway, so he simply followed Gu Siyuan and placed pieces blindly.

However, Gu Siyuan didn’t mind.

He hadn’t expected this person to play seriously with him anyway. He just saw that this guy’s mental state wasn’t very good, and was just bestowing a little kindness and patience upon his mission target.

Xie Qingxiao grabbed a piece and slowly put it down. He looked at Gu Siyuan and asked tentatively, “If… I mean, if…”

Gu Siyuan scoffed. “Why don’t you just say ‘asking for a friend’?”

Xie Qingxiao nodded, speaking as if he didn’t care: “Right, I do have a friend. Even if he finds out… his boyfriend might not like him and doesn’t care about him, what do you think…”

Gu Siyuan toyed with the chess piece in his hand, his eyelids lifting slightly, and said lazily, “Shen Ting doesn’t like you. Isn’t that obvious?”

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