Chapter 38: Rua the Dog

By the time the opening ceremony of the sports meeting ended, it was almost 11 o’clock. Next, it was free activity time for everyone, with some trivial tasks to handle, like distributing the athletes’ numbers and setting up a few desks around the field as the class headquarters.

The girls gathered in small groups, taking photos and shooting short videos.

“Can I borrow your mirror for a sec?”

“Did you bring any powder? I’ve been standing in the sun so long, my nose is getting oily.”

“Hey, where’s my comb?”

At this age, they’re all obsessed with beauty, each one practically wanting to weld the comb to their hand, combing their bangs every three seconds.

Meng Yuanyuan took out a small comb from her school uniform pocket and used her phone with a black screen as a mirror, carefully checking herself.

Jiang Mingzhi stood by, helping Zhuang Heyang distribute the athletes’ numbers.

Meng Yuanyuan looked at Jiang Mingzhi enviously. “In the summer, having bangs is such a hassle. You’re lucky, it must feel so cool for you.”

Jiang Mingzhi always wore her hair sleek and neat, with no bangs. Her jet-black hair was swept back, sometimes into a high ponytail, sometimes into a low ponytail, giving her a refreshingly clean look.

While continuing her work, Jiang Mingzhi casually responded, “Well, you could just grow your bangs out and style them.”

“I can’t do that. Without bangs, my face looks even bigger,” Meng Yuanyuan said, brushing her bangs again. “Also, I occasionally get pimples on my forehead, so having bangs helps cover them.”

Summer is the season for acne outbreaks, and Meng Yuanyuan’s face would break out as soon as summer arrived. Without bangs to cover them, it would be awful.

Jiang Mingzhi replied, “Actually, bangs can trap pimples, and if you keep combing them, they’ll get oily too.”

The school didn’t prohibit girls from having bangs, only from perming or dyeing their hair. So, many girls liked having bangs because they made their faces look smaller.

Jiang Mingzhi could understand Meng Yuanyuan’s feelings. She had been through the same phase. When she first returned to this body, she had thick, eyebrow-length bangs too.

It was her soul in her twenties that had pinned her bangs back and allowed her hair to grow long and styled up.

Meng Yuanyuan looked conflicted. She glanced at Jiang Mingzhi’s smooth and full forehead, then felt her own bangs again, thinking she was probably better off with bangs.

Jiang Mingzhi handed Guan Jingxu his athlete number tag, then turned to Meng Yuanyuan. “I know a really good hairstylist. If you want, I can take you there and let him give you some professional advice.”

Meng Yuanyuan’s eyes lit up. “Really? Can we go after school today?”

She had been wanting to change her hairstyle for a while, but a few failed experiences had made her wary of hair salons.

But since Jiang Mingzhi recommended it, she trusted her 100%.

Jiang Mingzhi didn’t expect her to be so eager. She chuckled, “Sure, but the salon’s a bit far from here, we’ll need to take the subway.”

The salon was one she had discovered by accident when she was low on money and couldn’t afford her regular places anymore.

Boys’ hair grows quickly, and they need a trim every half month. Back then, she couldn’t afford her usual salon, so she had to find one of those cheap roadside shops.

She was pleasantly surprised to find that the old lady who ran the shop had excellent skills. A haircut there only cost 30 yuan, which was even better than some of the expensive salons with famous stylists.

The more she went, the more she learned about the old lady’s family. The salon had been there for ten years. It was originally her husband’s shop, but after the customers increased, the old lady started learning to cut hair, and her skills surpassed her husband’s. She was especially good at men’s hairstyles.

At just the right moment, Guan Jingxu chimed in, “I also need a haircut. Can I join you guys?”

Jiang Mingzhi glanced at his hair and smiled, “Sure, why not.”

His hair wasn’t particularly long, but it wasn’t styled either. His soft, black hair naturally fell, making him look like someone you’d want to “rua” (a playful expression meaning to pet or stroke something).

Zhuang Heyang, looking pleased, thought his friend was getting smart and creating opportunities to spend time with her. Although it was a three-person outing, it was still better than being stuck at school.

Guan Jingxu nudged him with his elbow. “What about you? Are you coming?”

Zhuang Heyang waved his hand. “I’m not going. It’s nice to not have evening study. I’m going home to play games.”

Class 6’s headquarters was not far from Class 9’s. Pei Jinyang could see what was happening over there with just a glance.

Even though he knew Jiang Mingzhi and Guan Jingxu were close, seeing them together always stung his eyes.

Irritated, he ruffled his hair and turned away from them.

Chen Zhanbei observed his emotions closely. Anyone with experience in relationships would immediately notice Pei Jinyang’s odd behavior.

He leaned in and gave Pei Jinyang a meaningful look, asking, “You’ve been acting strange lately. Is something going on?”

Pei Jinyang glanced at him but neither denied nor confirmed.

Chen Zhanbei put an arm around his shoulder. “Come on, tell me. Big brother will help you figure it out.”

In response, he received a roll of the eyes. He had expected Pei Jinyang to tell him to get lost, but to his surprise, Pei Jinyang actually spoke.

“Why is it that when I hate someone, I can’t stop paying attention to her?”

This question completely threw Chen Zhanbei off guard.

Why? He didn’t understand either. It wasn’t something the teacher had taught.

“Maybe it’s because you’re eager to watch the other person make a fool of herself,” Chen Zhanbei suggested.

Pei Jinyang shook his head.

Chen Zhanbei scratched his head.

He glanced at Jiang Mingzhi’s direction and, terrified, asked, “Bro, you’re not talking about Jiang Mingzhi, are you?”

He already had an answer in his heart but still wanted to confirm.

Pei Jinyang silently acknowledged.

Chen Zhanbei immediately realized the seriousness of the situation. “You’ve been acting strange since you got back from your holiday. Did something happen in Sanya?”

He boldly ventured to guess.

Two teenagers, unrelated by blood, living under the same roof every day, even going on trips together—this could easily lead to trouble.

Pei Jinyang replied, “No.”

Chen Zhanbei was well aware of what could and couldn’t be said. He patted his shoulder. “Bro, you’re in a whole different league. I’ve never played in this kind of game.”

If he hated someone, he definitely wouldn’t keep paying attention to them. Out of sight, out of mind. He’d want them to disappear from the world entirely.

Pei Jinyang’s situation was clearly different and more complicated.

---

At 4 PM in the afternoon, Jiang Mingzhi snuck out of the school gate with Meng Yuanyuan and Guan Jingxu.

At this time, the events on the sports field were still ongoing, and the three of them had sneakily left ahead of time.

During the sports meet, the security guards usually slacked off. The side gate was open, and many students took advantage of the guard’s inattentiveness to sneak out.

It took about an hour to get from the school to the salon, so they had no choice but to sneak out like this in order to get back home early.

When they arrived, Meng Yuanyuan was stunned.

She had been prepared to spend half a month’s pocket money on a haircut, but when she saw the sign outside the salon, she couldn’t believe it: Shampoo 15 yuan, Haircut 30 yuan.

She could get a milk tea for that price! She’d even mentally prepared herself for a much higher cost.

“Can they really do a good job?”

Because the prices were so low, she started doubting the owner’s skills.

Jiang Mingzhi pulled her inside. “Of course, trust me.”

It was indeed cheap right now, but the price would likely go up in a few years—haircuts were 49 yuan.

Since it was a weekday, there weren’t many people in the shop.

Jiang Mingzhi casually greeted the owner. “Boss, can you give my friend a haircut?”

The owner, sitting at the counter playing on her phone, looked up and instantly felt that her shop had brightened up with the three lively high school students standing there. She smiled and walked over. “Are you all getting haircuts?”