The Last Taoist

Chapter 4: Luo Yaxi

It's late at night now, and I dared not enter through the main gate with Guo Zifan on my back. Instead, I took him to the shortest wall at our school, where we usually sneak out to go online. When we stay out late, we always climb back in from there.

But bringing Guo Fatso over the wall was quite troublesome. I had to push him in with all my strength before climbing in myself.

With Guo Fatso on my back, I returned to the dormitory building and opened the door to our room.

At that moment, Qin Jiang and Shen Kai were sitting on the bed smoking.

"What are you two doing up so late?" I walked in and tossed Guo Zifan onto the bed.

"You, you're okay?" Shen Kai looked at me in surprise.

"Pfft, you two cowards. Guo Zifan just tripped behind that grave and passed out. Look at how scared you two are," I mocked.

"We saw Guo Zifan's photo on that tombstone," Shen Kai said.

"You must have seen wrong," I replied. "Anyway, let's go to sleep."

Qin Jiang looked at me and asked, "Axiu, are you really okay?"

"I'm fine," I waved it off.

"Damn, Xiuge, you're really brave. Given the situation, going back to find Guo Zifan, I'd be scared to death if I were you," Shen Kai admired.

"Well, of course. Can you guys compare to me? My full name is Zhang Xiu, and my nickname is Zhang Bold. Haven't I told you guys?"

With Shen Kai praising me like that, I started feeling proud too.

The experience tonight was too bizarre. I slept for a long time on the bed, unable to fall asleep for a while. It wasn't until the latter half of the night that I dozed off.

"Hey, Axiu, wake up." I was sleeping soundly when I heard Qin Jiang's voice.

I opened my eyes to see Qin Jiang hastily getting dressed.

"What's up with you?" I yawned. "It's early in the morning, can't you let people sleep?"

"Today is our old man's class. Shen Kai and Guo Fatso have already gone. I'm telling you as a last resort." After saying that, Qin Jiang ran out of the dormitory.

That coward, I was about to continue sleeping when suddenly I sat up. What old man's class?

Our university has strict management, but I'm a bit rebellious. I often skip class, but our old man is different.

Our class teacher is a very strict old man. Once he finds out someone has skipped class, they usually get punished.

I quickly got up from the bed, dressed as fast as I could, and ran out of the dormitory towards the classroom.

As soon as I arrived at the classroom door, I felt dizzy. The old man had already started the class inside.

Shen Kai and Qin Jiang, seeing me at the classroom door, looked delighted.

While Guo Zifan still looked pale, he was sitting in his seat dozing off.

I thought for a moment, then, when the class teacher turned to the blackboard to write something.

I turned my back to the classroom and slowly backed away, pretending to want to escape the classroom.

After a few steps back, the class teacher scolded, "Stop right there. You think you can escape my class? Go back to your seat."

"Yes, sir." I turned around, pretending to look like someone who failed to skip class.

Then I walked over and sat down next to Qin Jiang and Shen Kai.

Shen Kai, looking surprised, said, "Damn, Axiu, you really pulled it off. This method works?"

"Don't you see who I am?" I boasted. "If being handsome could feed me, I'd be a feast. You'd at most be a street vendor's level, the kind that sells five-dollar noodles."

Qin Jiang angrily handed me the flowers, "If you're so great, then you do it."

"Watch me." I confidently took the flowers, ran my hand through my messy hair, and ran out, with Qin Jiang and Shen Kai following curiously.

Actually, I wasn't sure myself, I just started teasing Qin Jiang. But now that Qin Jiang gave me flowers to give to her for free, isn't it a beautiful thing?

Ruo Yaqian was wearing a pink dress today, very beautiful.

She walked outside the classroom with three female classmates. Standing in front of her female classmates, Ruo Yaqian had an extraordinary feeling.

Although all of us in the dormitory like Ruo Yaqian, none of us have spoken to her much. She's cold to everyone.

When Qin Jiang saw Ruo Yaqian walking towards the classroom door, he walked up to her with the flowers and said a few words. Unexpectedly, Ruo Yaqian ignored him completely and walked away.

"Haha," Shen Kai and I laughed when we saw Qin Jiang embarrassed. I walked up to Qin Jiang and mocked, "Xiao Jiang, how should I describe you? This is an age where people judge by looks. Ruo Yaqian could be interested in you, but it's strange."

Qin Jiang looked very upset, glared at me, and said, "Where are you any better?"

"Oh, come on, brother, I'm different from you," I laughed. "If being handsome could feed me, I'd be a feast. You'd be at most a five-dollar noodle on the street."

Qin Jiang angrily handed me the flowers, "You try then."

"Watch me." I confidently took the flowers, ran my hand through my messy hair, and ran out, with Qin Jiang and Shen Kai following curiously.

Actually, I wasn't sure myself, I just started teasing Qin Jiang. But now that Qin Jiang gave me flowers to give to her for free, isn't it a beautiful thing?

Ruo Yaqian had already walked to the foot of the teaching building. I quickly caught up and shouted, "Hey, Ruo Yaqian."

"Who are you?" Ruo Yaqian turned around, looking at me calmly.

"I, uh, we've been classmates for almost a year. I'm Zhang Xiu, and these are for you," I handed her the flowers.

How embarrassing, we've been classmates for almost a year, and she still doesn't know me.

Ruo Yaqian coldly snorted and said directly, "A toad wanting to eat swan meat. Besides, I already have a boyfriend."

I glanced back at Qin Jiang and Shen Kai, who were watching from behind, and noticed more people around us, and as much as I had a thick skin, I couldn't withstand being ridiculed by so many people. I awkwardly chuckled and said, "Don't misunderstand. I'm not trying to pursue you. As the saying goes, flowers match with beautiful people. After thinking it over, I thought it was most appropriate to give this bouquet to you."

Ruo Yaqian smiled after hearing my words, "You're quite articulate."

With that, she took the flowers from my hand and walked away.

"See that, see that?" I walked back to Shen Kai and Qin Jiang, boasting, "That's why I said, it's all about looks. Handsome guys giving flowers, how could anyone refuse?"

"Wait, look at this," Shen Kai pointed behind me.

I turned around to see an Audi A8 parked outside the teaching building. Ruo Yaqian got in, and driving was a handsome young man in his early twenties.

As Ruo Yaqian got into the car, she casually tossed the flowers I gave her onto the ground before the car sped away.

"Damn, she's not giving any face," Qin Jiang said, visibly upset.

"Come on, the three of you, Ruo Yaqian has hooked a wealthy young master. The three of you don't stand a chance," a gossiping girl next to us said enviously as she watched the car drive away.

Qin Jiang retorted, "What's so great about being rich?"

"Whatever, at least richer than you three losers," the girl sneered at us before leaving.

Qin Jiang cursed, "Who are you calling losers, come back here!"

Shen Kai and I held onto Qin Jiang tightly.

Qin Jiang had a hot temper; sometimes he would just start hitting people without saying a word. If Shen Kai and I didn't hold him back, he probably would have gone up and hit that gossiping girl.

"Come on, you, she just called you losers, and you're getting so worked up," I said with a smile. "I'm not angry. Whoever's a loser gets angry."

Deep down, I felt quite embarrassed. Being told by Ruo Yaqian that a toad wants to eat swan meat, and on top of that, I've liked her for so long. But I'm a person who values my pride. Even though she said that, I didn't show any signs of being affected.

"What about Fatso, should we call him?" Shen Kai asked.

"Forget it, he's not feeling well. He might have to go to the hospital later. Let's go for a drink ourselves."

After saying that, the three of us walked out of the school. Just as we reached the school gate, suddenly, a person in a suit shouted at me, "Zhang Xiu."

"Which grandson is calling himself grandpa?" I retorted as I looked over, feeling quite upset at the moment.

Yan Beixun.

"Oh, it's only been a night, and you're already calling yourself 'grandpa'?" Yan Beixun walked over with a smile, putting his arm around my shoulder and said, "I need to talk to you, come with me."

"What's up?" Qin Jiang glared at Yan Beixun.

"It's nothing. This is my friend. You two go for a drink first, I'll find you later."

After saying that, Yan Beixun put his arm around my shoulder and led me to an alley near the school.

"Yan Daochang, what do you need from me?" I asked.

"I need your help."

"I'm busy," I immediately refused.

Last time I helped him, I ended up tying myself up and pretending to be possessed in the pavilion. Now he's asking me for help again. Can I help him?

"This time it's a bit tricky," Yan Beixun smiled. "A wealthy man came to me. His father passed away, and he wants to hold a funeral. He asked me to arrange it for him."

"You want me to help with a funeral?" I asked, puzzled.

"No, it's just that having an apprentice by my side gives me more face and makes me seem more powerful. I'll pay you for helping, what do you say? It's tomorrow night. After it's done, I'll give you a thousand."

"A thousand, no cheating." As soon as I heard a thousand, my eyes lit up. A thousand is not a small amount for a university student like me who has to ask for money from home.

Yan Beixun took out a thousand from his wallet. "Alright, take this first. If you perform well tomorrow, there's a bonus. Be at the school gate at five tomorrow."

After that, Yan Beixun happily left.

As I watched Yan Beixun leave, I felt something was off. How could I earn a thousand so easily?

But since I already took the money, I couldn't give it back.

I called Shen Kai and Qin Jiang, got their addresses, and then went to them, treating them to a meal, which cost me only two hundred.

We got drunk and went back to the dormitory to sleep. I slept until two in the afternoon the next day.

There were no important classes today, except for Fatso, both Shen Kai and Qin Jiang were lying in bed. After I got up, I called Fatso. He wasn't feeling well and had gone to the hospital.

It soon became five o'clock. I tidied up my clothes, bid farewell to Qin Jiang and Shen Kai, and went to the school gate.

As soon as I arrived, I saw Yan Beixun's car. After getting in, Yan Beixun tossed a blue Daoist robe to me, "Put this on."