◎42◎

This was a night of information explosion for Mingsi Education. The peak transaction volume of several million dropped by more than half after the livestream ended, and new and old parents used screen recordings to question them in groups, demanding explanations and the truth. Teachers and consultants were overwhelmed, privately messaging each one to do emergency public relations with the excuse of “volunteer application disagreements causing father-son conflicts.”

Only after handling most of it did Yuan Yi have time to settle accounts with his son.

After furiously dialing, the other end showed it was powered off.

And Yuan Yi had no idea where Yuan Ye was currently living.

The blood had just rushed to his brain, making the man’s head tight and painful. At this moment, with nowhere to direct his rage and humiliation, he could only grip the steering wheel hard and take out a cigarette to smoke.

At the same moment, Chun Zao was walking the streets with Yuan Ye.

After the boy dropped that bombshell to wreck the scene, he quickly left the collectively stunned Mingsi headquarters.

Unbuttoning the top button of his shirt and sinking into the fresh night air, the suffocating feeling left from the livestream room finally subsided somewhat.

He sent Chun Zao a “twenty minutes to your residential complex entrance” message, then turned off his phone, cutting off all disturbances in advance.

At that time, only Chun Zao and her father were home.

Her mother had finished clearing the dishes and went to the card room for today’s second evening mahjong shift.

Estimating she wouldn’t return home before 10:30, Chun Zao gathered courage to walk out of her bedroom, informed her father, who was concentrating on watching the game, and went downstairs.

As soon as she left the residential complex, she saw the boy under the tree’s shadow.

His white shirt was too eye-catching, clean as if washed by moonlight, or forming a beam of moonlight itself.

He turned to look at her and waved. His expression was normal.

Chun Zao quickly walked toward him.

She was still shaken, still immersed in his recent heroic act: “You ran out.”

“What,” Yuan Ye looked down at her from his height, his rolled-up sleeves revealing firm, defined forearms: “I successfully escaped, are you disappointed?”

Chun Zao twitched the corner of her mouth, half-mocking, half-admiring: “Just admiring, respecting, completely in awe.”

But Yuan Ye shrugged regretfully: “Too bad Yuan Yi was watching the livestream in his own office, couldn’t witness his humiliation in person.”

Chun Zao was afraid for him: “Aren’t you afraid of getting beaten?”

Yuan Ye looked completely unconcerned: “Can he find me? Can he even beat me?”

Chun Zao pretended to look away disdainfully: “So, why did you call me out so late? Don’t tell me you’re homeless and came to beg me to take you in.”

Yuan Ye narrowed his eyes slightly.

This girlfriend of his girlfriend.

She’d been talking a bit arrogantly lately, needing some discipline.

Thinking this, he reached out to pinch her cheeks on both sides, applying force with his thumb and fingers, making her mouth puff up.

Chun Zao slapped his arm, but he wouldn’t let go, even applying more force.

Unable to resist, she spoke unclearly: “Wha (What) ah you doin? Le (Let) go ah.”

Yuan Ye stepped forward half a step, lowered his head to plant a kiss, earning the girl’s bright black glare, then fearlessly moved close again before smugly letting go: “Want to accompany me somewhere?”

Chun Zao rubbed her face, not pleased: “Where?”

“You’ll know when we get there.”

“Is it far?” Chun Zao pointed to the nearby brightly lit windows with prominent signage [Sister Liu’s Card Room]: “My mom might come home at 10:30.”

Yuan Ye lifted his wrist to check his watch: “Then we’ll be quick.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Chun Zao’s wrist was grabbed, and they ran hard against the wind.

The city lights were like golden flowing sand, swaying tree branches, and flowers all flowing backward from both sides. The midsummer night wind billowed their clothes, and Chun Zao’s half-wet hair spread out. After several hundred meters, she forcibly pulled Yuan Ye to a stop, put her hands on her hips, and panted heavily:

“Bro! I already took a shower! This is summer! It’s still 28 degrees at night!”

Yuan Ye let out a laugh: “Just take another shower when you get back.”

Chun Zao pretended to be deaf, acting like she was going to find roadside steps or flower beds to rest.

Yuan Ye: “Where did all that half-hour daily workout practice go?”

Chun Zao gave up and sat down: “Anyway, I need to rest. I absolutely won’t run anymore. Even if the Jade Emperor comes, I won’t run.”

Black trouser legs walked in front of her, sneakers made a 180-degree turn, then her vision was filled with a back as clean and broad as snow veins.

The young man kneeling on one knee in front of her turned back: “Come on, princess.”

Chun Zao’s lips curved up, uncomfortably tugging at her bangs twice: “No need.”

Also… not quite appropriate.

This person had just made enemies with the world and fled to her side to seek refuge. For her to be so “bullying” would not be gentlemanly behavior.

Chun Zao pretended to immediately regain energy, stood up, and jumped twice in place: “I’m done resting, now I’m full of energy.”

Yuan Ye also stood straight, smiling as he asked: “Fast charging?”

Chun Zao: “Yeah, energy-efficient, long-lasting, green, and environmentally friendly. Is this your first day knowing me?” After speaking, she bounced forward, like race-walking.

Yuan Ye caught up, hooked one hand around her neck, naturally leaning his upper body weight over: “So amazing? Then you carry me.”

Chun Zao’s steps slightly faltered, having trouble breathing: “Go away.”

…

The two played around, chatting about everything, and before Chun Zao knew it, Yuan Ye had led her into a winding path.

She noticed the road becoming quiet and dark: “Where are we going?”

“Drinking, want to go?”

Chun Zao’s eyes flickered: “Huh?”

Yuan Ye looked down at her: “What’s this ‘huh?’ attitude – do you want to go or not?”

Chun Zao thought about it: “Fifty-fifty.”

She pinched out a tiny gap: “I’ll only drink a little bit.”

Yuan Ye chuckled lightly, looking up: “Mm, still two hundred meters to go.”

When the words “Food Eclipse” appeared before her eyes, Chun Zao’s interest level immediately shot up. She had always liked this kind of elegant and unique small shop, not to mention it was hidden in such a secluded location.

Yuan Ye stepped forward to lift the rolling shutter, motioning for her to enter first while he followed behind.

The woman behind the bar, wearing a gold-purple floral qipao, glanced over and froze.

Yuan Ye made eye contact with her: “Boss, are there any seats available?”

Aunt Qin smiled: “Yes,” she looked at Chun Zao a couple more times and pointed to a spot: “Sit over there.”

Shortly after, the woman brought over the menu.

This place was almost exclusively craft beer. Chun Zao scanned the alcohol prices, thinking that Yuan Ye couldn’t conveniently turn on his phone right now, so she patted her chest generously: “Today I’m treating. What do you want to drink?”

Yuan Ye stretched his upper body: “Have you decided?”

Chun Zao replied: “Fruit-flavored fresh draft.”

Yuan Ye said, “Then I’ll have the Knight Wheat.”

The boy waved to call someone over. Chun Zao picked out these two drinks and selected three marinated side dishes before handing over the menu and taking out her phone: “Scan code or?”

“No need,” the graceful middle-aged woman smiled, “I’m treating you.”

Chun Zao was surprised: “Huh? Why?”

She tilted her chin toward Yuan Ye’s position: “Your boyfriend is handsome.”

After speaking, she gracefully left.

Chun Zao: “?”

She looked at Yuan Ye incredulously: “This is allowed?”

The boy across from her continued acting, pressing his lips seriously: “Now you know what a huge advantage you’re getting.”

“…Don’t be so smug.”

Aunt Qin quickly brought over two glasses of golden, clear draft beer, with snow-white, dense foam at the rim, fizzing upward.

Yuan Ye stopped hiding and politely called out: “Thank you, Aunt Qin.”

The woman’s movement of setting down glasses suddenly stopped, pretending to be unsatisfied: “Ending the act so quickly?”

Yuan Ye laughed, glancing at Chun Zao, who remained confused.

The two beers were easy to distinguish. Chun Zao’s had a tropical fruit aroma, while Yuan Ye’s had a fresh malt flavor.

The girl wasn’t in a hurry to taste it, having realized, “You know each other?”

Yuan Ye made an “mm” sound: “She’s my mom’s friend.”

Chun Zao turned to look at the graceful figure who had returned behind the bar: “…You should have said so earlier.” She hadn’t even greeted her.

Yuan Ye curled his lips and was just about to grab his glass to quench his thirst when the girl across from him called out: “Hey.”

He looked up: “Mm?”

Chun Zao held up her tall draft beer glass: “We haven’t clinked glasses yet.”

Yuan Ye smiled, without hesitation bringing his glass over, not rushing to collide: “Need a toast?”

Chun Zao was full of ceremony: “Yes.”

“You do it. You have better literary talent.”

Chun Zao pondered for a moment: “Wishing us both – bright futures -” and was about to bring her glass forward.

Yuan Ye’s hand holding the glass handle pulled back, seemingly unsatisfied: “Just that?”

Chun Zao: “What else do you want?”

Yuan Ye: “Wishing us bright futures,” he paused, “and a hundred years of happiness together.”

As his words fell, the glass smartly came over, the glass clinking with a clear, crisp sound, like an oath, also like a final note.

Chun Zao was flying with happiness, but pretended: “What’s that? So cheesy.”

Yuan Ye was nonchalant: “What do you know? The most vulgar is the most elegant.”

—

After most of the draft beer, Chun Zao had started burping. Aunt Qin came to chat at their booth again, caring for the two youngsters and praising Chun Zao nonstop, directly complimenting Yuan Ye’s good taste.

After eating and drinking their fill, the two went to the bar to pay.

Chun Zao insisted on paying, so Aunt Qin went along with her wishes.

Before unlocking her phone, Yuan Ye, from his height, inadvertently glimpsed her lock screen and couldn’t help but smile.

As they walked out together after she finished scanning the code, the boy looked over with slightly mischievous eyes: “Do you admire yourself?”

Chun Zao didn’t understand: “What do you mean?”

Yuan Ye said, “Your phone lock screen seems to be a photo of yourself.”

Chun Zao was speechless.

Yuan Ye put his hands in his pockets: “Why not use our photo together? The one from after the college entrance exam.” – After all, he was currently using that one.

Chun Zao was silent for a few seconds, lit up her phone, and thrust it under his eyes: “Look clearly, this IS our photo together.”

Yuan Ye focused his gaze.

In the center of the screen was a girl in school uniform making peace signs with both hands, the wind gently lifting her thin bangs and hair ends, her eyes slightly curved with a light smile.

Seeing that the background was the green field of the playground, Yuan Ye guessed this photo should have been taken on graduation photo day.

The image quality was also very high, obviously recorded with better equipment.

But regarding the claim of it being a “group photo,” Yuan Ye had reservations: “Mm?”

Chun Zao pointed to a blurry, thin, tall figure not far behind her right side: “This is you.”

She explained: “On graduation photo day at the end of April, after we finished the group photo, didn’t we have half an hour of free activity? Classes one, two, and three were all on the playground. I kept… secretly watching you, but had no way to take a photo with you, so I felt a bit down…”

The girl seemed to return to that day’s situation, turning down the corners of her mouth, somewhat unhappy: “Tong Yue noticed. She brought a mirrorless camera and said she’d take a solo photo of me, but she deliberately searched for a good angle for a long time to get you in the same frame too.”

“A few days after the college entrance exam, she sent me all the photos from that day, including this one.”

“I only knew you were in this ‘solo photo’ after she told me. Although you can’t see clearly, she told me that you were looking at me at that time. I guess it made up for the regret from back then.”

A smile returned to Chun Zao’s eyes as she quietly muttered: “I’m still hiding at home this vacation, afraid my mom will see, so I don’t dare use too obvious wallpaper. I chose this one.”

“But this is our photo together.”

Yuan Ye was slightly stunned.

He stopped in the sunset-colored light circle at the entrance of Food Eclipse. Before Chun Zao could ask what was wrong, he grabbed her hand and immediately turned around, going back into the tavern.

Seeing them return, Aunt Qin asked in surprise: “Did you leave something here?”

Yuan Ye took Chun Zao’s phone and handed it to her: “Aunt Qin, could you help us take a photo together?”

Aunt Qin smiled: “Now?”

“Yes.” Yuan Ye’s expression was serious: “Also, do you have my mom’s contact information?”

Aunt Qin was stunned: “I might only be able to give you an email. Do you mind?”

Yuan Ye smiled: “That’s fine.”

—

Chun Zao wasn’t very unwilling. She hadn’t dressed up carefully, wearing a loose pajama-style T-shirt, and her hair was still messy from running and the night wind. But Aunt Qin, who took multiple shots for them, kept praising the clicking sounds:

“Being young is great – you look good no matter how you’re photographed.”

Selecting the most natural and brilliant smiling new group photo, Yuan Ye lowered the arm that had been around Chun Zao’s shoulder, imported the photo into her QQ email, and filled in his mother’s email address in the recipient field.

Chun Zao tugged at him, somewhat shy: “Are you going to send this photo to your mom too?”

“Yes.” Yuan Ye nodded, almost without thinking, his fingers typing the main content rapidly.

Chun Zao read silently behind him:

“Mom,

I found my ’42’.”

Are all science students like this? Even writing a letter is like solving a mystery room puzzle. Chun Zao was confused: “What is 42?”

Yuan Ye smiled without answering, maintaining mystery.

On the way back, no matter how his girlfriend pretended to be unreasonably demanding or eagerly curious, he remained silent.

When they were almost at Chun Zao’s residential complex, Chun Zao’s phone buzzed once in her pants pocket. She quickly took it out – sure enough, it was an email reply notification.

She hurriedly handed the phone to Yuan Ye.

Yuan Ye held the phone low, pulling her to look together.

The other party had also sent back an image attachment. It was a double headshot with a short-haired lady with an eye-catching smile on the left, with moth-like eyebrows and bright teeth – obviously Yuan Ye’s mother. To her right was a blonde, curly-haired, high-nosed, deep-eyed, young, white, handsome guy. They were cheek to cheek, looking intimate and vivid.

Chun Zao was amused by her text content of unknown authenticity: “Little Ye, congratulations. What a coincidence, this is also my 42nd dating partner.”

Yuan Ye also laughed heartily, then gazed at the woman in the photo for a long time before turning off the phone and returning it to Chun Zao.

Chun Zao sighed: “Your mom is… a role model for our generation.”

Yuan Ye’s brow tightened, and he raised his hand to grip the back of her neck, pretending to warn: “Don’t learn from her.”

Chun Zao repeated in a flat tone: “Role model for our generation.”

“Say that again?”

“Role mod…”

Yuan Ye moved over and suddenly blocked her words back into her lips.

Chun Zao remained unrepentant: “Role mod… mmph.”

Cut off mid-sentence again.

Chun Zao had no way to deal with him and could only use other verbal attacks: “You’re so annoying—”

Yuan Ye pulled back, held her, and happily accepted this description: “Is this my first day being annoying?”

“You get more annoying every day.”

“Assuming 365 days a year, one leap year every four years, one hundred years is about 36,525 days. Calculate progressively – how annoying will I be then?”

“…” Spare her. The math weakling gave up struggling, raising both hands in surrender.

Author’s Note:

Two more chapters until the main story ends

Those who forgot the “42” reference can go back and check chapter 45