Chapter 6: Copying Homework

In the end, Jian Mingzhou finished the porridge.

Although the first bite was quite shocking, after a few more, his senses gradually detached, allowing him to swallow without much difficulty.

He exuded a faint sense of warmth.

Thinking about how Xie Jing seemed to have helped him tidy up yesterday while he was unconscious and covered him with a blanket…

This warmth lingered until he went back to his room to take medicine.

The medicine box was on the bedroom table, a colorful pile. When Jian Mingzhou picked up the medicine, he noticed a note next to it and casually picked it up: What’s this?

The familiar handwriting caught his eye.

Damn it!!!

Jian Mingzhou’s fingertips trembled, barely holding back the exclamation.

Wasn’t this the checklist the editor-in-chief wrote for him for the comic exhibition?

Why did it boldly appear on the desktop like that?

“…”

After a shaking that lasted for more than ten seconds, he finally forced himself to calm down and carefully analyze

Last night, he had a fever. Xie Jing helped him tidy up and covered him with a blanket.

But Xie Jing wasn’t the type to go through someone’s things. It should be that the note fell out, and Xie Jing placed it on the table.

Did he see the content on that note?

Jian Mingzhou looked at the several exhibition names written on it, and although he couldn’t figure out much just by the names, a quick search would reveal a lot:

BL: Student-Teacher, Office Romance, Forbidden Love…

The most damning part was the note at the end with Xia Yelóng Fēi Wǔ Fèng Wǔ, saying:

“Go find your favorite manga artist for a signature!”

“…” Jian Mingzhou closed his eyes. Let him die.

Before he could figure out how to test Xie Jing’s attitude, a voice came from outside: “Uncle.”

Xie Jing walked over after washing the dishes.

Jian Mingzhou didn’t have time to think much, and his body moved suddenly under the domination of rational thinking! He clenched the note in his hand, opened his canvas bag, and pretended to rummage through it.

“I’m going out. If you…” Xie Jing walked to the door, but his words paused.

Jian Mingzhou made a show of searching for things, not bothering to lift his head, and just replied with a nonchalant “Hmm.”

Xie Jing didn’t say anything more.

Whether it was due to manners or maintaining a distance, anyway, he leaned against the door frame patiently, waiting for him to “finish” being “busy.”

Jian Mingzhou, “…”

He was still recovering from a serious illness, and his fingers were turning green from clutching the note. He couldn’t help but scream in his heart: Hurry up and ask me what I’m rummaging through!

A drop of sweat slid down his forehead.

Finally, Xie Jing on the other side spoke, “Can’t find what you’re looking for?”

Jian Mingzhou sighed in relief. “I can’t find a note.”

Xie Jing paused. “The blue one? It fell out yesterday, and I put it on the table. Don’t you have it?”

Jian Mingzhou shook his head.

Xie Jing’s eyelashes drooped. “Is it important?”

“It’s a memo written by my boss. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet.”

“…Sorry, my bad.”

With the conversation reaching this point, if he had seen the content, he probably wouldn’t pretend not to know anymore. Jian Mingzhou put down his act a bit and consoled, “It’s okay; I’ll ask him to write it again.”

He had mastered the demeanor of controlling his superior, and Xie Jing, after a slight movement of his lips, swallowed down the words he was about to say politely and added,

“I’ll be heading to school now. If you need anything, just call…”

“I know, 120.”

“…”

Xie Jing gave him a deep look and said, “Hmm.”

After he left, Jian Mingzhou unfolded the note in his palm:

The writing on it was folded like a kaleidoscope, revealing a colorful and varied world.

Actually, Xie Jing had a good sense of measure.

It seemed like he could be a bit more at ease.

—

The summer cold, like a sudden rainstorm, came quickly and went quickly.

After a few days, Jian Mingzhou was almost fully recovered.

With the drop of “Adjourn” in the company meeting room, the editors dispersed. Jian Mingzhou also walked back to his department with Xia Ye along the corridor.

“It’s that time of year again,” he said.

“Yeah,” Xia Ye was expressionless.

—The departmental research and cooperation meeting on Fridays.

In simple terms, it was the mid-year conference attended by editors-in-chief and deputy editors from various departments. Its purpose was to summarize the past, look ahead to the future, and then write a report with vague words and empty rhetoric.

Xia Ye wrote with a pen, “It’s like farting every year.”

Ding! Jian Mingzhou skillfully blocked with a ballpoint pen: “But we still have to think about how to beautifully fart differently each time.”

Ding, clank, “It’s all useless workload.”

Ding, da, ding, “… I know you’re dissatisfied. But can you not use a pen to fight with me?”

Everyone is looking over here!

Just as he said that, a colleague passed by and jokingly said, “Chief Xia seems suitable for the Romantic Department~”

After the other party finished speaking, they walked away, leaving a tense atmosphere.

Jian Mingzhou turned his head to look at the silent Xia Ye.

Actually, Xia Ye was different from him. He originally belonged to the Literary Department but hadn’t been the chief editor of the Literary Department, so he was transferred to the Romantic Department.

… Poke at the sore spot again, poor guy.

“Never mind.” Xia Ye suddenly changed his serious expression, pushed up his glasses, and with a somewhat proud look, he said to Jian Mingzhou, “Let’s not talk about this. I know a very niche reporting website; it’s in the form of a forum, and you can copy homework.”

Jian Mingzhou instantly raised an eyebrow and said, “Bring it on!”

Xia Ye smirked, “Or forget it; what if we run into each other?” After saying that, he walked away.

Jian Mingzhou, “…”

His gaze was deep. The curse of Guna La’s darkness.

—

After returning home, Jian Mingzhou opened his computer to prepare the report.

They say that when illness comes, it’s like a mountain collapsing, and when it goes, it’s like pulling silk.

He was still pulling silk now, not wanting to rack his brains to write such a nutritionless thing.

But that annoying chief editor didn’t share the website with him, so he had to search on his own.

Jian Mingzhou sat cross-legged on the sofa and searched the web.

After searching for a long time and finding nothing new, he couldn’t help but look towards the kitchen where Xie Jing was cutting carrots. “Xiao Jing, have you ever bookmarked a website like this for writing reports and essays, where you can copy templates and homework?”

“…” Xie Jing continued to peel the carrot. “No.”

“You’ve never copied before?”

“Instead of bothering to search, it’s faster to write it yourself.”

Jian Mingzhou had a moment of enlightenment: That makes sense, but it’s not easy!

He took a deep breath, reclining on the sofa.

The light from the ceiling lamp fell into his eyes, and he let his thoughts wander, saying, “But I can’t write anything now. The cold medicine not only killed the virus but also took away my remaining brain cells…”

Xie Jing:…

Jian Mingzhou suddenly realized: Wait, what is he doing? Is he acting cute with a child?

He immediately restrained his expression, sat up, and was about to say that he was talking nonsense when Xie Jing’s voice came from the kitchen:

“Do you want me to help you write, Uncle?”

Jian Mingzhou was stunned, looking over.

In Xie Jing’s deep eyes, there was a kind of composed charm, and he moved his throat. “This is not appropriate…”

“I haven’t paid the rent; it’s just a casual thing.”

… How is writing this kind of thing casual?

Jian Mingzhou closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he had solemnly handed the computer to the other person, saying, “Well, thank you, Xiaojing.”

“…”

Xie Jing didn’t know the specifics of his job but knew it was in the publishing industry. He could write an outline and a template, and Jian Mingzhou could add some work details himself.

While Xie Jing was writing the report for him, Jian Mingzhou went to peel carrots.

Midway through, Xie Chi called to ask if he was feeling better. Hearing the sound of him cutting vegetables, Xie Chi suddenly became furious.

“How dare Xie Jing do such things!”

Jian Mingzhou held the phone and was almost deafened by his anger. “…He’s writing the report for me.”

Xie Chi, “?????”

The unexpected business scope left the other person silent.

Jian Mingzhou hung up the phone and started cooking curry.

Not long after, the tapping sound from the living room stopped, and Xie Jing called, “Uncle, come and take a look.”

“So fast?” Jian Mingzhou went over to see, and the entire original report was surprisingly well-written. He even considerately left blanks for him to fill in!

He gently touched the long fingers. “Is it okay, Uncle?”

“Um…” The screen reflected a bright light in Jian Mingzhou’s eyes, and there was a touch of color between his eyebrows. After a while, he pressed down his excited heart, patted Xie Jing’s shoulder, and praised

“Xiaojing, you’re really capable.”

—

Jian Mingzhou belatedly realized that his guard had weakened. He even handed over the computer to the other person.

But it didn’t matter; he got a perfect report.

The department meeting on Friday quickly arrived.

He went upstairs to the conference room with Xia Ye. Xia Ye was still inquiring, “How’s it going? Is the report done?”

Jian Mingzhou smiled with a touch of arrogance and said, “It’s well-written.”

Upon entering the meeting room, there was a large oval table inside. The big bosses sat at the front, and the chief editors of other departments were present. Jian Mingzhou and Xia Ye took seats facing each other.

The meeting quickly began.

The big boss pointed people to report, and Jian Mingzhou sat in his place, listening to other chief editors reporting one by one. When it was the turn of the Literature Department, the chief editor stood up.

With an elegant and steady elite demeanor, he spoke with a well-mannered smile.

After listening for less than two minutes, his phone suddenly vibrated.

Jian Mingzhou looked down.

[Chief Editor]: Beyond.

?  He transliterated it and then realized that the other person had cursed him with a beautiful Chinese phrase in English.

In his impression, Xia Ye was gentle and well-behaved, looking respectable. He rarely used foul language so openly. Jian Mingzhou lightly removed a question mark:?

[Chief Editor]: Don’t call me later.

[Mingzhou]: What are you talking about?

He glanced at Xia Ye across from him, the reflective glasses blocking the other’s expression, leaving only the tightly pursed lips and the slightly trembling hand tapping messages. The screen lit up.

[Chief Editor]: He fucking copied the same thing as me.