Chapter Thirty-Eight: That Girl Has No Conscience

With a start, Chu Dong hurriedly averted his gaze, straightening himself so rigidly that he looked more upright than any gentleman, and asked with earnest seriousness, “When are we setting off?”

Yuer didn’t reply, jumping out of the car and running over to Teacher Xiao, chattering away about something Chu Dong couldn’t hear. At last, she returned to the car alone.

“There are still ten minutes to get ready. By the way, how’s the driver you found? I hope he won’t crash before we even set out…” Little Yuer feared nothing more than mishaps on the road.

He quickly covered her small mouth. Qiangzi was already feeling wronged enough; doubting his driving skills would be too much for him to bear. Chu Dong was afraid Qiangzi might hear and refuse to drive, forcing him to take the wheel himself. He whispered comfortingly into her ear, “Don’t worry. There’s absolutely no problem.”

So they waited until all the students had boarded the buses. The lead bus sounded its horn, and with one in front and two following behind, the three vehicles set off.

They hadn’t yet left the city when little Yuer’s mouth was busily devouring all sorts of snacks Chu Dong had “offered” his little sister-in-law. Zhu Dawei and Four-Eyes, whether out of restraint due to Chu Dong’s presence or because Yuer was normally far too fierce, sat quietly, barely uttering a word and refusing all offered treats.

The sunshine was exceptionally bright that day. As soon as they left the city and hit the highway, Yuer impatiently rolled down the window, letting the fresh air pour in. The car ahead wasn’t moving fast, and Qiangzi hummed a tune as he tailed it effortlessly, already planning to chat up a girl once they stopped.

Soon, they arrived at the development zone. There were only two stops on today’s trip: first Lijiao Bay, then Tongniuling. With both mountains and water, it was perfect for immersing themselves in nature. The buses also carried barbecue equipment and the ingredients prepared by the class committee, ready for a proper feast.

Wang Yue, Tian Hai, and a few of their sworn brothers sat at the back of the bus, looking back at the Cadillac trailing behind them and gnashing their teeth. Clearly, the presence of that car had thrown a wrench into their original plans.

“Tian Hai, aren’t you supposed to be a star swimmer? When we get to the seaside, find a chance to toss that show-off into the water. If you can get him thoroughly drunk, I’ll give you my limited-edition Japanese DVDs,” Wang Yue whispered conspiratorially.

“Me? I’m not feeling so well lately. But I’ve heard you brag—if your parents hadn’t stopped you, you’d have swum the Bohai Strait and even the English Channel by now. Zhang Hai would be out of a job.” Tian Hai wasn’t stupid. He’d seen Chu Dong smash his brother’s car with his own eyes. People like that couldn’t be judged by common sense. For all he knew, Chu Dong might be a bigger menace than any tough guy in the water, and getting involved would be suicide.

“Lost your nerve, have you?” Wang Yue raised an eyebrow, clearly dissatisfied with Tian Hai’s attitude.

“Don’t blame others if you’re scared yourself. I think you’re the one who’s afraid,” Tian Hai replied coolly, hiding any trace of unease.

“You two are so capable—why not team up? You’d have a much better chance together,” Bian Feng, who hadn’t spoken in a while, stepped in to ease the tension.

“Exactly. With both of you, it’s double insurance,” the others chimed in. With that, the quarrel subsided, and under the watchful eyes of their companions, the two reluctantly shook hands.

Chu Dong, however, felt no anxiety at all. At this moment, he was lounging comfortably on the luxury car’s sofa, the cigarette in his mouth snatched away by little Yuer, who replaced it with a lollipop. He continued spinning tall tales in a storyteller’s tone.

“Back in the day, when I was making my way in the world, it was a proper spectacle. My boys were all broad-shouldered and tough as oxen, and most importantly, loyal. Those West Point punks wouldn’t even dare breathe in my presence…”

Zhu Dawei and Four-Eyes listened with rapt attention, craning their necks so as not to miss a single word. This made Yuer, who had long since finished her snacks, flare up with jealousy. How could her little followers be so hopeless? She glared at them fiercely, but the two were so drawn into Chu Dong’s stories they didn’t even notice. Fuming, she tore open another bag of chips and began crunching angrily.

Just as Chu Dong was passionately exaggerating his legendary exploits overseas, the car suddenly stopped. The jolt sent his head straight into the partition behind the driver’s seat.

“Qiangzi, were you dozing off? What kind of driving is this?”

Before Chu Dong could finish complaining, Qiangzi answered from the front, “The car ahead stopped suddenly. Nothing to do with me. Good thing my instructor drilled me well—otherwise, my dad’s car would be headed straight for the shop.”

Chu Dong rolled down the window and stuck his head out. The sky and sea stretched endlessly before him, the waves rolling in with majestic force—they had arrived.

“Out, out! Let’s go have some fun.” He opened the door and Zhu Dawei and Four-Eyes leaped out first, with Chu Dong calling to the half-asleep Yuer.

“What is it? I just fell asleep,” Yuer grumbled. She’d woken up early that morning and eaten plenty on the bus. Now, drowsy and annoyed, Chu Dong’s shouting made her feel even worse.

“Then sleep here—we’ll go play.” Seeing her so reluctant to move, Chu Dong left her alone.

“Wait! Think you can leave me behind? Not a chance.” Yuer grabbed Chu Dong’s hand and, letting him pull her up, smacked her lips sleepily. “Wait for me outside. I need to change into my swimsuit.” With that, she rummaged through her little backpack.

“Going swimming? Why didn’t you say so earlier?” As Chu Dong watched her pull out her colorful swimsuit, goggles, and other gear, he felt a pang of regret. With his swimming skills, he’d have had a crowd of girls begging him for lessons…

“Tell you? As if I’d give you the chance to take advantage of me! Dream on.” Yuer kicked him with her little foot as he lingered in the car, not caring if her skirt flipped up and revealed more than intended.

The curtains were drawn inside the buses—one for boys, one for girls. Soon, the doors opened and out poured boys and girls in swimwear, shouting as they rushed out.

“So that’s why they needed two buses—I was wondering why they brought so many. Turns out they used them as mobile changing rooms,” Chu Dong muttered, regretting that he hadn’t thought of it earlier.

“Haha, here’s my chance! See, fortune favors the persistent. Armed with just a pair of swim trunks, I can still win the girls over. Ta-da!” Qiangzi pulled out a transparent bag containing all his swimming gear and waved it in front of Chu Dong, snatching it away before Chu Dong could grab it.

“Damn it! You couldn’t have reminded me? That’s so low,” Chu Dong shouted after Qiangzi, who was already sprinting off into the distance.