Chapter 9: Ding Ling
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
A line of notification flashed on the translucent panel in front of Li Chengqian.
[You have listened to the class for 6 minutes. You have received 60 experience value points. You have 289 experience value points remaining in the Experience Pool.]
“Learning from his experience, skill proficiency upgrading shouldn’t be done during lesson time.” Li Chengqian’s heart ached so badly. He quickly walked out after packing up.
In the past, Li Chengqian would usually wait for Jian Qingli to go home together.
But Jian Qingli had already left. If this had happened in his previous life, Li Chengqian would definitely be very upset, but right now he was not affected at all.
“Li Chengqian, over here.” Just as he stepped out of the school gates, a clear and pleasant voice rang out.
The person who called out to Li Chengqian was Ding Ling. She was also Li Chengqian’s neighbor.
She was wearing a loose-fitting sweater that covered her petite body, and a pair of black-framed glasses that covered half her face. A plain hat covered her hair and forehead.
Ding Ling looked plain and ordinary.
Hearing Ding Ling’s voice, Li Chengqian paused, and the smile on his face suddenly became bright.
In his previous life, when he failed the university entrance examination and his parents met with a traffic accident, Ding Ling was the only classmate who came to pay respects to his parents. When he was handling his parents’ funeral, Ding Ling stood by him and never deserted him.
After the university entrance examination, Ding Ling was admitted to the Divine Dragon Conservatory of Music. During the holidays, she always came to hang out with Li Chengqian, encouraging him not to give up.
Ding Ling then went on to do very well in life. But even so, she would visit and chat with Li Chengqian whenever she could find time to do so.
Li Chengqian naturally knew Ding Ling’s intentions. However, because he had been in such a sorry state in his previous life while Ding Ling was doing so well, he felt unworthy of her.
As such, he was deliberately hurtful toward her.
Ding Ling then left with a broken heart.
“Ding Ling.” Li Chengqian suppressed his overwhelming emotions and walked over to Ding Ling.
“Eh, why isn’t Jian Qingli with you?” At the mention of Jian Qingli, a hint of gloom flashed in Ding Ling’s eyes. But in front of Li Chengqian, she could only suppress the bitterness in her heart and act as if everything is alright.
Usually, the three of them would go home together. Rain or shine, Li Chengqian would wait for Jian Qingli.
“Where is she?” Li Chengqian pointed to the opposite side. Jian Qingli was smiling and walking side by side with Bi Jialiang.
Bi Jialiang also noticed that Li Chengqian was looking over. He flashed Li Chengqian a victorious smile and deliberately walked closer to Jian Qingli, parading himself like a triumphant peacock.
“She seems to be in a relationship with Bi Jialiang.” Li Chengqian smiled casually and continued, “In the future, the two of us will go home together.”
Ding Ling had wanted to say something, but when she heard Li Chengqian say “the two of us will go home together”, a shy expression appeared on her face, and her heart started beating wildly.
“Yes.” A mosquito-like voice came out of her mouth.
Li Chengqian looked at Ding Ling’s shy appearance and cursed himself for being so blind in his previous life.
Ding Ling appeared plain now because she had deliberately dressed this way to cover herself up.
After graduating from university, she took off her black-framed glasses and exchanged her loose-fitting sweater for a white dress. With some light makeup, she looked like a fairy who had walked out of a painting.
She was beautiful and elegant.
“Let’s chat while we walk.” Li Chengqian and Ding Ling walked side by side. “I’m planning to sign up for the Junior Informatics Programming Competition.”
“That’s great. Our form teacher also talked about it in class today, but only Bi Jialiang signed up.” Ding Ling nodded. Her face was still flushed. When she said Bi Jialiang’s name, she even secretly glanced at Li Chengqian, worried that he might be irritated.
“The registration has to be done in a team. Each team can have a maximum of three members.” Li Chengqian didn’t pay attention to this detail. He continued to speak.
“One is in charge of mathematical modeling, one is in charge of programming, and the other is in charge of liaison.”
“For now, there is only me in my team. Would you join me on my team?”
Ding Ling nodded without hesitation. “Sure!”
“Alright, then when I sign up tomorrow, I’ll fill in your name as well.” Li Chengqian’s smile became wider. In his previous life, Divine Dragon University was Ding Ling’s first choice. However, her results weren’t good enough, as such she could enroll in Divine Dragon Music University.
Li Chengqian couldn’t change Ding Ling’s academic performance, but he could send Ding Ling to Divine Dragon University, her dream school, via the Junior Informatics Programming Competition.
Along the way, Ding Ling chattered about the interesting things that happened in class. Li Chengqian had a gentle smile on his face as he kept nodding and saying a few words occasionally.
Soon, the two of them arrived downstairs.
“Li Chengqian, I realized that you’ve changed!” In fact, Ding Ling had always been worried that Li Chengqian would be angry, upset, and sad because Jian Qingli and Bi Jialiang were together, and that he was faking the smile on his face.
Along the way, she carefully observed Li Chengqian’s reaction. She realized that he was very calm, very confident, and genuinely happy.
He didn’t look like he was faking it at all.
Instantly, she felt relieved.
“You’ve become more confident! Your eyes have become especially lively.”
“Also, I feel that you have suddenly become very mature, like an uncle who has experienced endless vicissitudes,” Ding Ling said half-jokingly.
Li Chengqian smiled. “I’ve matured, and I’m in better spirits now.”
“That’s why I have now realized that you are the best. In the past, I was blind to this. Now that I have cleared my mind, I will naturally cherish what I have.”
Li Chengqian’s words were like a bolt of lightning, making Ding Ling’s mind go blank.
After being stunned for more than ten seconds, she came back to her senses.
Her face instantly turned red, and even her neck instantly turned pink.
Happiness, shyness, nervousness, and panic overwhelmed her at once, making her all flustered.
She panicked and ran back home, and couldn’t even recall exactly how she responded to Li Chengqian.
Li Chengqian smiled as he watched Ding Ling return home before walking back home.
…
“Chengqian is back. Do you want bread or noodles?” Chen Li, who was preparing food for him in the kitchen, asked with concern.
Li Chengqian got teary-eyed.
“Mom! Noodles please. I like the noodles you make the most.” Li Chengqian suppressed his voice, but he still choked and sounded nasal.
In his previous life, he was young and ignorant. He took his parents’ concern for him for granted and even found them annoying sometimes.
After his parents were gone, he realized that only his parents would give him the type of unconditional love that he took for granted.
“My child, why are you crying?” Chen Li brought out the noodles. When she saw Li Chengqian’s red eyes, she immediately panicked.
“I just miss you guys too much!” Seeing his mother’s familiar face and the heartache on her face, Li Chengqian could no longer hold it in and went forward to hug her.
“Were you bullied in school? Tell us.” Chen Li comforted him gently.
His father, Li Tianlan was originally sitting on the sofa with a stern expression. He had already received the teacher’s notification of Li Chengqian’s exam results.
He was prepared to have a “good talk” with Li Chengqian.
Seeing how Li Chengqian was now, he immediately panicked. “Chengqian, who bullied you? Tell Daddy, I will stand up for you.”
Li Chengqian let go of Chen Li and rushed forward to hug Li Tianlan. “Daddy, no one bullied me. I just missed you guys, really.”
If he counted the time in his previous life, he had already been separated from his parents for decades.
“This time, I promise I won’t disappoint you again. I’ll definitely get into university.”
“I will definitely make the two of you proud.” Li Chengqian said earnestly.
“Alright, we don’t care if you make us proud. We just hope that you can become a capable person, so that one day when we’re no longer around, you can support yourself and live a peaceful and dignified life,” Chen Li said with a smile.
“Come, let’s not talk about anything else. Let’s eat the noodles first.”
3 s
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