I breathed a sigh of relief; I thought it was a reporter from "Social Panorama" or "People's Issues."
At Xu Delong's command, the soldiers began to dismantle the tents. With a peg pulled out and a kick to the knee, a tent would fall to the ground. Then, two soldiers would fold it up like a blanket, carry it on their backs, and walk away. The whole process took less than a minute, leaving onlookers in awe.
Just as the reporter got to the part about the "official completion," he continued, "Now, let's witness with excitement the students' relocation process to welcome the new year..." As he spoke, he turned around and realized that not only were the tents gone, but the 300 soldiers closest to him were already 20 meters away. I watched him stand there, gloating. Later, Sun Sixin said that he had hired them, and that they were his high school classmates, so I agreed to let the 300 soldiers reenact the tent dismantling once more after everyone else had left. Actually, I didn't want to tarnish the school's reputation, but luckily it was midnight news, so nobody was watching.
Just as trouble was brewing, a soldier carrying a large bag of knives passed by the bureau chief, piquing his curiosity. The bureau chief stopped him, reached in, and pulled out one, examining half of the blade. It was a battlefield knife, thick and narrow, with a deep, long blood groove, and covered in horribly rusted bloodstains from countless spills of blood. The bureau chief said doubtfully, "This knife..." I had been momentarily distracted, searching for Yu Ji. Her close relationship with Du Xing's two young female apprentices had given me a clue, but when I turned around, I was horrified!
"...This is a knife used for performances." I rushed over and made up a story.
The bureau chief drew his knife and casually swung it across the grass, causing a large patch of grass to obediently fall down. He held the knife up to his eyes, examining it from all angles, and said, "Could you give me one? I'm a knife collector."
What can I say? Do I dare to say no?
The bureau chief handed the knife to his driver, looking rather pleased.
How could I not be happy? This knife can kill when drawn, and can be kept as an antique when put back. Its practical value and historical value are beyond measure. Even if the bureau chief is a corrupt official, he might not be able to afford it in his lifetime.
I grabbed someone next to me and said, "Have Shi Qian keep an eye on him and find an opportunity to take the knife back."
The man asked in surprise, "Brother Qiang, what did you say?"
That's when I realized I was talking to Sun Sixin. The appearance of Yu Ji completely threw my mind into disarray. Even when I'm lucid, I sometimes lose track of time or period, frequently asking Li Shishi about the Ming Dynasty, and even discussing Tai Chi with Lin Chong…
Fortunately, Shi Qian was right beside me. I told him what had happened, and he asked, "Can we steal it back now?"
I said, "Are you stupid? What if he asks me for another one now that we've stolen it back?"
Shi Qian glanced at the car the driver got into, and said with a smirk, "I recognized it—"
To keep my promise, I hosted a banquet at the canteen at noon, where everyone could eat their fill. Fortunately, farmers these days are all well-off and don't mind a meal, so there wasn't a massive turnout. However, those who were there didn't leave. As they ate, they exclaimed in surprise, "Hey, this pig is from my farm!" I don't know how they figured it out.
The group of leaders went to inspect the cafeteria with smiles on their faces, but left without eating. I originally wanted to invite them to set up a "Eight Immortals Restaurant," but Old Zhang said, "I've got the connections to back it up, so don't bother with that. Save the money for the teachers' salaries."
I failed to get an invitation, and Tiger also came up empty-handed. He had originally intended to drag Dong Ping to "Baxianlou" (Eight Immortals Restaurant), but Dong Ping heard they only served Wuliangye (a type of Chinese liquor), so he didn't go. The 50 hotheads who came with him were quite indignant and seemed ready to challenge Dong Ping, but luckily 300 people lined up to eat, averting a potential fight. Tiger, however, was undeterred. He stubbornly handed over his phone to Dong Ping and then happily led his men away.
When I went to find Liu Bang again, that guy probably knew what I was thinking and had already run away with Black Widow. I had no choice but to intercept Du Xing's two female apprentices by myself, while Yu Ji was with them.
I greeted them with a grin, "Hello, beauties." The most beautiful girl in our department and another girl giggled. Yu Ji was chatting happily with them when I suddenly appeared, and she couldn't help but glance at me. She had changed her clothes and was carrying a long sword. Although she was laughing and joking, there was still an indelible melancholy in her eyes and brows, which gave her a certain charm. I remembered what Xiang Yu had told me: Yu Ji's beauty wasn't outstanding, but she had a captivating charm that was irresistible.
The department's most beautiful girl and another girl were both pretty, but compared to her, they paled in comparison.
I casually asked the most beautiful girl in our department, "Is this heroine your classmate?"
The most beautiful girl in the department said, "Yes, she studies dance in the art department of our school. Her name is..." Yu Ji coughed to stop her, and then said calmly, "My name is Zhang Bing."
Zhang Bing? Is there a difference between what others say and what you say yourself? Why not have the surname Yu?
I asked Zhang Bing abruptly, "Do you know Liu Laoliu?"
The most beautiful girl in the department and the other girl covered their mouths and laughed when they heard the name. I pointed into the distance and said to them, "Look who's over there?"
The most beautiful girl in the department turned around and exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, Li Bai!" Then she ran towards him. Song Qing and Li Bai were walking towards the cafeteria. Old Li seemed to have had a few drinks again, his face was flushed and he was staggering.
The remaining girl gave me a sly look, said "I'm going too," and ran off. What kind of look was that? Did she think I was a pervert?
She might not be the only one with this idea. I noticed that Zhang Bing moved her hand holding the sword closer to the hilt, so that she could draw the sword with her other hand and make sure it was pulled out in one go.
So I took two steps back, pointing my toes outwards, so that I could run in the opposite direction as soon as I took off.
Zhang Bing showed no reaction upon hearing the name "Liu Laoliu," indicating she genuinely didn't recognize him. My primary task now is to determine whether Zhang Bing is a time traveler like Li Bai or Qin Shi Huang, or a native-born modern person. Liu Bang said she was Yu Ji, but perhaps we should change "was" to "resembles"—resembles Yu Ji! It's not uncommon for two people to look alike; such things happen everywhere.
But why does she possess such a strong classical air and a tragic quality? If two people are so alike, even sharing the same temperament, what's the difference between them and the same person? Could it be…?
I suddenly remembered something Liu Laoliu once said to me about Yu Ji: he said Yu Ji had already been reincarnated. He didn't leave out the rest of his sentence, but rather swallowed it back. Could Zhang Bing be Yu Ji reincarnated?
Then I thought again, wait a minute! If a person is reincarnated with everything else remaining the same except for their memories, doesn't that mean I, Xiaoqiang, was still like this in my previous life? That's not so scary. What's scary is being like this in the next life, being Xiaoqiang life after life—that would be too hopeless. I'd rather do something bad and be condemned to eternal damnation after death...
I didn't have time to think about this question anymore, and I couldn't figure it out anyway. I took out my phone, dialed "7474748" while casually asking, "What do you think of Xiang Yu?"
As soon as I asked the question, I pressed the dial button on Zhang Bing's number. Only two words appeared on the phone screen: Rogue.
...This woman's thinking is truly boundless. How could Xiang Yu be associated with a rogue? Did she somehow connect it to the idea of a tyrant forcing himself on a woman?
...However, I immediately realized that the word "rogue" referred to none other than myself. Sigh, imagine you're a pretty girl walking down the street, and a somewhat sleazy-looking old man nearing thirty asks you: "Miss, what do you think of Xiang Yu?" Your first reaction would probably be the same.
What moved me was that, in the last moment of the mind-reading ability's effective time, a question mark appeared after the word "rogue." It seems they still only had doubts about my character, not a definitive judgment.
I immediately said in a serious tone, "Let's talk about Liu Xiahui." I don't know if this name can save my standing in her heart, but unfortunately, mind-reading can only be used once on the same person these days.
Zhang Bing glanced at me and said coldly, "You should discuss this kind of topic with Xiao Jing." Xiao Jing refers to the most beautiful girl in the Chinese department; her official name is Wang Jing.
"Is Miss Zhang from this area?"
Zhang Bing looked at the passersby, crossed his arms, and said, "Right?"
"Which area?" I asked shamelessly. Knowing more now would greatly affect the next step of the plan. I haven't decided yet whether to tell Xiang Yu about this if Zhang Bing is just Zhang Bing.
"Before we moved, we lived on Jiefang Road. I remember back then, all the houses were single-story, and each courtyard had a well at the entrance."
My heart sank when I heard this. It seems that Zhang Bing is indeed a native. That was all fifteen or sixteen years ago. If he hadn't grown up from childhood, there would be no way he would know about the sewer well.
"So where are you staying now?"
Zhang Bing didn't speak, but looked at me with a slight smile, the meaning was clear: Do you think I'd tell you?
"...Leave me your phone number."
"Maybe next time, I have to go." Zhang Bing walked quickly towards the school gate. Not long after, the most beautiful girl in the department and another girl rushed out. Wang Jing, the most beautiful girl in the department, looked around while holding her phone and asked, "Where are you? What, you went out? Okay, we'll be right out too." Wang Jing saw me as she ran and shouted, "Remember to remind Li Bai to buy the book I recommended!"