"Chen Yuan, thank you so much."
"You're too kind, Teacher's wife."
Chen Yuan bowed slightly to the Teacher's wife and watched the lovely mother and daughter leave the school.
Behind him, Lao Mo's dark resentments were so intense.
"I didn't know you were also a little vet," Lao Mo said sarcastically.
"Just know a little, you flatter me."
"I wasn't praising you."
Although Lao Mo had some complaints about Chen Yuan causing him trouble, he thought that it was all for Dou Dou's good, which was why he said such words.
As for the check-up, it's just a waste of money, but if it can give Dou Dou peace of mind, it's good.
"Teacher Mo..."
Chen Yuan looked at Lao Mo, wondering whether to speak his mind or not.
The fluctuations in the teacher's life expectancy were small, but strange.
This Countdown of Life ability couldn't predict the long term as it was essentially based on the state of one's health.
After these past few days, Chen Yuan had discerned some patterns.
First, the Countdown of Life would change preceding a special event.
For example, just before an imminent car accident, the countdown above Atai's head would turn to 0.00001. He wasn't sure when the change started or how much time he had to react, but he knew it was enough to notice.
In short, this accounts for an accidental death.
Second, make predictions based on this trend.
For instance, Xia Xinyu, because she was determined to cook for him before committing suicide, would die in two days without interference from the outside, accurately, without interference from 'Chen Yuan the observer.'
Third, a life that ends in natural death.
This is why so many people in his class, even the weakest, could live past their fifties.
Statistically, only a few dying young would be normal.
This should account for… in the calculations, there are also unpredictable accidents that this ability can't predict.
At a glance, this ability's cool factor has indeed dropped a bit, but its playability has increased.
Thanks to his recent advice, Xiao Bai's lifespan leaped from seven to three thousand four hundred and fifty-five, becoming a Lucky dog that would live well over a decade.
"What is it, say it?" Lao Mo didn't know what this kid wanted to tell him, but his eyes seemed genuinely concerned.
What could be wrong with me?
You have a heart problem.
But why didn't the routine physical exam catch it?
It's hard to say, it might be a condition that can't be detected by a standard check-up.
Of course, it's also possible that he was wrong.
But the change in lifespan due to emotional fluctuations was not present in others.
"Your daughter is so well-behaved," Chen Yuan admired sincerely.
To be frank, saying this to an old man felt a bit disgusting.
To be frank, hearing this snot-nosed kid say it felt a bit disgusting.
But...
As an extreme daughter-slave, he felt secretly pleased.
"Study well and improve your English." After dropping such a line, Lao Mo turned around, carrying the lunch his wife made with love, and walked towards the office.
Teacher, watch your facial expressions.
Your lips are curved up like a Nike logo, beware of being fished away by Deng Gang.
"Chen Yuan... cousin, I'm going to head back first."
Packing the square container properly into the shopping bag, Xia Xinyu bid Chen Yuan goodbye.
"Ah? Okay." Chen Yuan paused for a moment, then looked at her confusedly, "What did you just call me?"
"I was afraid that teacher just now would hear... so I called you that." Xia Xinyu explained somewhat awkwardly.
"So, what did you call me?" Chen Yuan still looked puzzled.
"..." Xia Xinyu furrowed her brow, her cheeks puffing up slightly, entirely unwilling to indulge in his perverse humor, "Then I'm going to go now, bye."
He had thought she was an obedient girl next door, but clearly, Chen Yuan was wrong. She wasn't foolish at all and understood what she needed to. Internally, she likely disliked this type of frivolous harassment.
Ah, I was too presumptuous.
But that single 'cousin' was quite thrilling.
It had a kind of romantic allure like the men and women of suitable age in Jia family.
"Yeah, bye." Chen Yuan waved his hand, and just as Xia Xinyu was about to leave, he called out to her again, "About that, do I need to bring anything home to cook today?"
"Just bring some loofah and eggs, we'll make soup."
"Where's the meat?"
"Eating meat every day..."
"I saved some pocket money last month, and this month's living expenses are plentiful. How about buying some ribs?"
"Then you've got to choose carefully, try to get more of the middle ribs."
"okok."
After giving her instructions to Chen Yuan, Xia Xinyu turned and left.
It wasn't until she walked a good distance that she realized a problem.
Wait, why did he ask me what to buy for today's meal?
Aren't I supposed to cook for him the day after tomorrow?
Hiss.
So does that mean I can die today?
Alright, I'll ask him what he meant when I get back, to see if today's meal could count as the last supper.
The feeling of coming home to someone cooking for you is just too good.
Although I'm just a wasteful high school student consuming society's resources without producing any value, I'm already enjoying the treatment reserved for Japanese corporate livestock.
Xinyu, I'm home.
Wait, this is Xiao Xin!
"Fuck, you beast! Pua on an underage girl, you really deserve to die!"
Just then, Zhou Yu, who had been lurking somewhere, suddenly ran out, glaring at him with utter disdain.
"But I'm also an underage boy."
"Shut up, say that in jail. Let's see what the police have to say!"
"Policeman."
"Stupid."
"Rebound."
"You two act like an old married couple discussing what to buy and what meals to cook... I never expected you were that deep," He Sijiao said, amazed. She couldn't believe her desk mate was so awesome.
"So, what are you guys up to?"
Chen Yuan asked, puzzled as he looked at the three of them.
"Out of curiosity, we just casually bought some bread to fill up and then followed you," He Sijiao said. Although she didn't really have any designs on Chen Yuan, as his desk mate, she didn't mind skipping a good lunch to catch this fun.
"Seriously, with a stunning neighbor like her, how can you bear to keep it from us? How do you have the face to hold it in and not tell anyone?" Zhou Yu demanded.
"I only just started greeting her recently."
"And then you started sharing meals and living together?"
"If I told you that a high school girl who had shaved her bangs and overspent her living expenses wanted to crash a few meals with me, but felt too embarrassed to do it for free and offered to cook for me in return, would you believe it?"
"Believe you... yeah, right," Zhou Yu put his hand on Chen Yuan's shoulder, revealing a silvery smile, "Don't screw up and get kicked out with an old cliché."
"Screw up? You mean dropout, right? How can someone mess up speaking as bad as typing?"
He Sijiao thought Zhou Yu didn't understand Chinese.
In reality, she didn't understand Zhou Yu.
"Scram, scram, scram." Pushing Zhou Yu's hand away, Chen Yuan was certain he wouldn't experience those classic cheesy scenes from domestic youth movies.
High school students these days are very safety conscious.
"Boring, I'm going back to the classroom."
He Sijiao had thought the two of them would sneak into some corner of the school to nibble, but playing it so pure and innocent disappointed her a bit.
"Don't go spreading rumors, we're just normal neighbors."
Chen Yuan was still a bit worried that these people would gossip in the class.
If Teacher Mo found out he was neighbors with a beautiful high school girl, with his twisted character, he might even complain to Chen Yuan's parents.
If it was a typical parent saying, "Dare to date early and I'll break your legs," that would be one thing, but Old Chen was the kind of offbeat middle-aged man who'd probably just say "Ah, growing up" and might suddenly come over to see their prospective daughter-in-law.
However, if they booked their tickets too late, the prospective daughter-in-law might not last until they arrived.
Yet neither of the two made a promise to keep their mouths shut.
So, he turned his gaze to the transfer student, hoping she wouldn't think of using her classmates' secrets as a topic to quickly fit in with the group—that would be really low.
Unfortunately, to his sadness, it seemed she felt nothing and simply didn't care at all.
No, wasn't she just stealthily watching me earlier, with a shy smile?
How can she be so indifferent?
Eh...
What to do if I'm too popular?