Chapter 009: Brother Wants to Go to College

When Qi Yue returned with Yang Zhiyun after buying cigarettes, the five brothers were already making a ruckus, and Lin Yu found himself swept up in a passion he hadn’t felt for ages. In that moment, he silently thanked the unseen hand of fate that had brought him back to this point in time.

Since Yang Zhiyun had never spoken with Lin Yu or the rest of the group, Qi Yue took it upon herself to introduce her to the brothers. True to her nature, Yang Zhiyun’s expression remained cool and aloof as they greeted her; she only nodded slightly, saying nothing. Yet her demeanor was poised and gracious, not the least bit awkward, her presence commanding.

This aura made the usually unruly group of delinquents behave with uncharacteristic restraint, none daring to meet her gaze, which made for an amusing spectacle.

Lin Yu was the last to greet her, speaking their first words to each other in three years: “Hello, my name is Lin Yu. We’ve been classmates for three years.”

Only then did Wang Yan and the others realize that Lin Yu and Yang Zhiyun had shared a classroom for nearly three years without ever exchanging a single word. They couldn’t help bursting into laughter.

Even Yang Zhiyun, for the first time, gave a slight smile, extending her right hand and saying softly, “I’ve heard much about you.”

Indeed, she had—Qi Yue mentioned Lin Yu to her every single day.

So now, facing Lin Yu, she felt no hint of unfamiliarity. It was as though they were old friends who had known each other for years.

Unlike the others, Lin Yu’s gaze held no trace of timidity as he looked at Yang Zhiyun; there was only a quiet appreciation, a confidence in his eyes.

This surprised her. Her striking appearance and academic excellence, combined with her role as class president, had cultivated a dignified, aloof air. Most classmates felt uneasy in her presence. Now, seeing Lin Yu’s almost scrutinizing gaze, she wasn’t quite used to it and was the first to break eye contact.

Then, the five brothers, cigarettes in hand—white sand brands bought for five yuan—walked home together with the two girls. The cool breeze carried the subtle fragrance from the girls, drifting into the hearts of the boys and stirring something within them. Poplar trees stood tall along the roadside, and the sunset stretched their shadows long, almost across the entire street.

The scene was peaceful, like a beautiful painting by a master, brimming with youthful vitality.

When they reached the crossroads where they would soon part ways, Lin Yu flicked his half-smoked cigarette into a trash bin by the road and solemnly declared, “Starting tomorrow, I’m going to study hard. From now on, I won’t skip classes anymore. But if there’s ever a fight, don’t forget to call me.”

“Huh? You’re going to study? You’re going to study…” The brothers’ eyes nearly popped out, convinced they must have misheard him.

Qi Yue, who knew Lin Yu best, gently rested her fair, lotus-root-like hand on his head, muttering with a strange expression, “Doesn’t seem hot, probably not a fever!”

“I mean it,” Lin Yu replied quietly, his face serious and his eyes tinged with sadness. “I want to study hard, get into a university, and ease my parents’ worries.”

He spoke sincerely; part of his resolve stemmed from his parents’ expectations. The other part, though he carried memories from his previous life and possessed a search system in his mind, was the realization that he still needed to improve his knowledge and abilities to truly change his fate.

For instance, if he wanted to start a company, he would need to study business management. If he aspired to be an investor, he’d have to learn economics. Otherwise, his current abilities weren’t enough.

Seeing Lin Yu so earnest, the others patted his shoulder in support.

Zhang Zhilong even offered to help look after Qi Yue for him—only to be rewarded with a swift kick to the backside.

Yang Zhiyun felt a faint urge to help Lin Yu with his studies, but quickly shook her head, deciding their relationship hadn’t reached the point where she’d be willing to make such an effort.

At that moment, Lin Yu burst out laughing, his confidence shining through. “Don’t worry! I’m a genius; I’ll definitely get into college! Just look at the back of my school uniform—you’ll see what I mean.”

On his uniform was a hand-drawn image of Hanamichi Sakuragi, red-haired and bold. Zhang Zhilong grinned slyly and teased, “Third Brother, you are a genius. But just like Hanamichi, you’re a genius with a simple mind and strong limbs. When it comes to fighting or running, you’re a genius. But studying… heh…”

“Shut up, go die!” Lin Yu shot him a flying kick.

But Zhang Zhilong knew him so well he could anticipate his moves like a gamer facing an opponent, and this time Lin Yu’s kick missed.

The scene made Qi Yue laugh so hard she nearly doubled over.

Then she looked at Lin Yu, her gaze full of affection, and said boldly, “Idiot, don’t be afraid. If you can’t get in, Grandma will pay your way—we’ll study abroad together.”

Everyone was stunned by Qi Yue’s words. They knew she liked Lin Yu and came from a well-off family, but none expected her to make such a promise.

After all, studying abroad could cost tens of thousands—even hundreds of thousands. That was no small sum!

They were only high schoolers. Even if they were truly in love, it might just be a fleeting memory, fading with the passing years until it became a distant recollection, something rarely revisited.

Moreover, everyone understood that Lin Yu and Qi Yue were fundamentally different. The gap between their families was an insurmountable chasm. Even if they could be together now, the realities of marriage and life would eventually pose countless obstacles.

A brief silence fell over the group.

This hadn’t happened in his previous life; perhaps it was a butterfly effect caused by his rebirth, Lin Yu mused silently.

He was a man of strong pride—how could he accept Qi Yue’s kindness? He responded boisterously, “Go abroad? Forget it, your third brother’s conservative, not into foreign girls. I’ll stay here and enjoy the beauties of the East.”

“Oh, you’re asking for it!” Qi Yue gave him another kick.

“Stay away from me,” Lin Yu said, glancing at her, then turned to the somewhat isolated Yang Zhiyun. “Yang Zhiyun, could you lend me a copy of the study materials for every subject? I don’t know where to begin.”

“Are you serious?” Yang Zhiyun’s bright eyes studied Lin Yu, trying to discern whether he genuinely wanted to learn or was just using this as an excuse to get close to her.

“Yes, I’m very serious. I want to try my best this time,” Lin Yu replied firmly. With the help of the search engine in his mind, he felt confident about studying.

“Alright, I’ll organize the materials tomorrow and make a copy for you. These are the most important points. If you can master them all, and work hard through your final year, you have a shot at getting into a second-tier university,” Yang Zhiyun answered, seeing his sincerity.

Her flawless features, bathed in the golden sunset, seemed even more alluring. Her simple words carried an air of command.

Those present felt that Lin Yu had shed much of his rebelliousness; he seemed older, more mature, and different from before. They found themselves having a bit more faith in him.

But then Lin Yu suddenly asked a question that left everyone dumbfounded: “How many subjects are there in the liberal arts exam, and what are their scores? How many points do I need to get into Tsinghua?”

“Are you stupid? The full score is 750! You need over 600 to get into Tsinghua! Stop dreaming…” Qi Yue laughed as she spoke.

Everyone joined in, laughing at Lin Yu’s naive confidence.

Yang Zhiyun, unable to stand it, added softly, “Just so you know… top liberal arts students usually apply to Peking University or Renmin University of China…”

“Oh, I see!” Lin Yu pretended to be enlightened.

In truth, he knew full well that aiming for Peking University or Renmin was unrealistic. He’d purposely mentioned Tsinghua just to lighten the mood.