After saying that, he leaned on the table, his soul transferred into the body of the Dragon King, and with a wistful glance at the bright sunlight, he controlled the Dragon King to sink into the depths of the sea, covering himself with mud and sand. Then his soul returned to his own body. Seeing Hai Long get up again, Wang Hongtao asked, "Are you feeling unwell?" Hai Long shook his head. Soon, the sound of the leather shoes of the class advisor, Mr. Wang, came closer, and after entering the room, he called Zhang Hai out. Wang Hongtao said, "Zhang Hai is in for trouble." Hai Long said, "We are all in for trouble."
Half an hour later, the class advisor returned, followed by a dejected Zhang Hai. The class advisor, Wang Xinmin, said, "After discussing with the English teacher, we have decided to deduct 5 points from the regular scores of everyone except those who were listening in class." He continued, "You can skip class if you want, but you cannot disrupt the class. Mr. Li said that if this happens again, all regular scores will be deducted, and you will not graduate."
"You kids just don't know how to cherish things. Back in the day, we would wake up at 4 in the morning, grab a cornmeal pancake, and head to school, walking 5 kilometers each day. At noon, we would eat that cornmeal pancake for lunch. Look at you, eating well and living comfortably, with dormitories in the school. Learning is like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you will fall behind. If you don't study hard, how will you graduate? If you can't graduate, how will you find a job? And if you can't find a job, how will you face your family..." Watching Mr. Wang, who had a tendency to talk excessively, Hai Long couldn't help but think back to the first day of school.
The first class was Mr. Wang's, and the respectable Mr. Wang didn't say a single word related to the textbook from start to finish. He spent two hours lecturing on moral education. If you didn't listen and Mr. Wang noticed, he would call you out and lecture you about your family, your current situation, and your future. For example, the student in front of Hai Long, Xiao Chong, fell asleep after an hour of moral education and was called out by Mr. Wang. Without getting angry, Mr. Wang talked incessantly for another hour about Xiao Chong's lack of studying. Xiao Chong not only suffered mental trauma but also physical pain from standing straight for an hour. Therefore, no one in the class was not afraid of Mr. Wang, fearing his lectures. Mr. Wang's instructions became the highest authority in the class.
Finally, the bell rang, and seeing Mr. Wang's unsatisfied expression, everyone's hearts raced, fearing he would use the 20-minute break to lecture them again. Fortunately, Mr. Wang had another class and had to leave, saying, "I'll educate you when I have time," and then left.
Everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. Hai Long took out 10 yuan and gave it to Wang Hongtao, saying, "I can't take it anymore; I need to rest. Buy me lunch later, and I'll sleep a bit." Wang Hongtao said disdainfully, "Damn, you're just lazy," and put the money in his pocket and went downstairs.
Hai Long changed to a more comfortable position on the table and transferred his soul into the Dragon King's body. Hai Long had to quickly get the Dragon King back to the abandoned shipyard. He was still very afraid of the sea because humans really don't understand it. The vast ocean, mysterious and unknown, made Hai Long fear that a single mistake could cost the Dragon King his life.
Today's progress was good, exploring a new area, though it was a dead end. Hai Long felt that he was not far from finding a navigable channel.
After lunch, Hai Long continued his exploration until the end of the school day. Xiao Chong and others showed deep respect for Hai Long, admiring his water skills. Wang Hongtao gave him a thumbs up and said, "Bro, you're really smart, timing it just right." Hai Long looked at him disdainfully and asked, "How was the DOTA game at noon?" Mentioning this, Xiao Chong became angry and said, "It's all Wang Hongtao's fault. He used a god in the mid lane and couldn't beat the short-legged gods. Let's all look down on him." Hai Long thought, "I knew this guy would hold us back. Every time he asks to carry the team, and they let him lead the mid lane. Isn't that just asking for trouble?" With 10 minutes left before the end of the school day, Hai Long chatted with his classmates. Suddenly, his desk mate, Wang Hongtao, said mysteriously, "Have you heard of the golden croaker?" Seeing the puzzled looks on their faces, Wang Hongtao said proudly, "I knew you hadn't. Let me tell you, the golden croaker is a very valuable fish. It's said that a mature golden croaker, weighing a certain number of kilograms, is worth that many million yuan. Two years ago, a fisherman caught a golden croaker weighing over 100 kilograms, and it was bought by a wealthy businessman from Shanghai for over a million yuan." Xiao Chong said disdainfully, "Are you kidding? There's no such expensive fish." Seeing Xiao Chong's disdainful look, Wang Hongtao said, "Don't believe me? Look it up online. It's said to be a great tonic in traditional Chinese medicine, especially beneficial for women's health, even a life-saving remedy." Hai Long asked, "Why are you suddenly talking about this?" Wang Hongtao said, "I was reading the news online and saw that a fisherman in our city caught a golden croaker over a meter long in the sea yesterday. When the fisherman tried to catch it, the golden croaker disappeared. Today, another fisherman spotted the golden croaker, and many fishermen are preparing to catch it together." Hai Long asked, "Do you know which sea area it is?" Wang Hongtao shook his head. After the bell rang, Hai Long left the classroom. Hu Jing had called him at noon, saying she would treat him to lunch, so he couldn't be late.
Hearing the bell, Hai Long slowly left the classroom with the crowd. Just as he stepped out of the classroom door, he heard a girl's voice calling him. Turning around, he saw Hu Jing with wide eyes, looking at him in disbelief, her mouth still open. She looked incredibly cute. Hai Long was also very excited. "Isn't this Hu Jing? How come you're behind me?" Looking at Hu Jing's position, she was in the classroom next to his. A sense of wonder filled Hai Long's heart. Could it be that Hu Jing's classroom was right next to his? Hu Jing, who had recovered first, walked up to him with a strange feeling and asked, "Why are you here?" Hai Long smiled and said, "I'm here for class. My classroom is right here." He pointed to his classroom and then asked, "What about you? Why are you here?"
Just then, the other three girls from Hu Jing's dormitory came out of the classroom and noticed Hai Long. They all looked at him in disbelief and said, "No way, bro, your classroom is next to ours?" Hu Jing knew her roommates wouldn't help, so she glared at them and told them to be quiet. She then said helplessly, "My classroom is right next to yours. I'm here for class too."
The youngest sister said excitedly, "This is like a fairy tale about grandpa and grandma." Hu Jing was helpless, but Hai Long laughed. The three sisters also laughed, making Hu Jing so angry that she chased them away. As they left, the oldest sister said to Hai Long, "Bro-in-law, take good care of our little sister." Then they ran off, leaving Hu Jing feeling helpless.
Hai Long laughed and said, "I never thought we'd be neighbors." Hu Jing, blushing from her sisters' words, looked down and said, "Yeah, I never thought we'd be neighbors. Why haven't I seen you before?" Hai Long thought, "If I had known you were next door, I would have waited for you every day after school. But I've been controlling the Dragon King in the sea, always the last to leave, so I never ran into you." He never imagined he would meet Hu Jing in such a way. It seemed fate had a hand in it. Just yesterday, the old man told his story, and today it happened to him and Hu Jing. Could it be just a coincidence?
Hai Long didn't respond to Hu Jing's question but smiled and said, "What a coincidence. We've met five times in less than a week."
Hu Jing also found it strange and looked up excitedly, saying, "Yeah, we've met five times. The most important thing is that our classrooms are so close, right next to each other. Am I destined to be in your clutches?"
Seeing Hu Jing's cute expression, Hai Long said, "Let's go together. I'll walk you back to your dorm." Hu Jing nodded, and they walked side by side to the dormitory. Hu Jing looked a bit melancholic today, wearing a white sweater that matched her rosy cheeks, making her look especially beautiful. It was already chilly in late September, and Hu Jing's clothes were a bit thin. Hai Long took off his outer jacket and put it on her. Hu Jing, walking with her head down, felt a sudden warmth from the jacket, which was still warm from Hai Long's body. She looked up at him, puzzled, as if asking, "Why?"
Hai Long smiled and said, "It's cold. Don't catch a cold. Girls, when you're away from home, no one will take care of you if you get sick. Take care of yourself." Hu Jing looked down and said, "Thank you." Hai Long didn't see that her face was a bit red...
At the dormitory entrance, Hai Long, who had walked with Hu Jing, felt that time had passed quickly. He hadn't enjoyed enough the happiness of walking with Hu Jing and was reluctant to see her go into the dormitory.
Looking at Hu Jing's face, Hai Long didn't know how to express his feelings. He could only wait for her to say goodbye, a heart-wrenching two words. But just as he thought Hu Jing was about to go upstairs, she suddenly said, "Hai Long, can you walk with me outside the school? I've been in Donghai for so long and haven't been outside the school yet."
Hai Long thought, "This is exactly what I wanted." He quickly agreed and took Hu Jing out of the school. They had met more than five times, and for Hai Long, Hu Jing was his goddess. If not for her singing helping him solve his soul's madness problem during the half-month by the sea, he wouldn't know if he was alive or dead. Moreover, he had only been to the school a few times and had already met her five times. Her beauty made him feel inferior, and he couldn't even ask her to have dinner with him. Today, he would use this opportunity to thank her and get to know her better.
Hai Long said to Hu Jing, "Do you have plans tonight? I'd like to treat you to dinner." Hu Jing looked a bit melancholic but smiled and said, "Sure, I won't turn down a free meal."
Hai Long smiled and said, "Don't worry, this meal will be unforgettable."
Smart girls react quickly. Hu Jing immediately said to Hai Long, "Tell me, what kind of restaurant are you taking me to?"
Hai Long, seeing her nervousness, said, "Don't worry, we're just going for chicken wings." He couldn't help but laugh.
The restaurant Hai Long mentioned was a specialty restaurant in Donghai City, popular among young people, especially students. The restaurant was called "Shengjing Chicken Wings," and its specialty was chicken wings. The chicken wings were divided into several levels: mild, slightly spicy, medium spicy, very spicy, and extremely spicy. Northerners love spicy food, and the first time customers visit the restaurant, the waiters often recommend the chicken wings, saying how spicy and delicious they are. After eating, customers can write their thoughts and stick them on the wall. Freshmen, full of energy and resilience, often challenge the extremely spicy chicken wings, thinking they can handle it. One of Hai Long's friends was tricked into trying it once and came out with a twisted face and watery eyes. Before leaving, he took the pen and paper from the waiter and vowed, "I will make all my friends try the extremely spicy chicken wings at this restaurant!"
Then, Hai Long and his friends were tricked into going to this restaurant one day. His friend took the menu and, with the air of an experienced person, stopped the waiter from pitching and ordered a chicken wing for each of them, along with a 1.5-liter bottle of iced grape juice for each. Seeing their puzzled looks, his friend said, "The iced grape juice here is really good. Trust me, it's great."
Soon, the chicken wings arrived. Hai Long, curious, asked his friend, "Dude, where are the chicken wings? Are these four chili pieces on the table a mistake?" His friend said nonchalantly, "This is the chicken wing. Don't worry, it's not very spicy. Come on, let's try it." Hai Long was the first to eat. As soon as he bit into it, he knew he had been tricked. Seeing his friend's teasing look and the other two's curious expressions, Hai Long endured the spiciness and said, "It's not spicy at all. You two should try it." As the other two bent down to pick up the chicken wings, Hai Long quickly opened his mouth and took two deep breaths, then looked at his friend disdainfully. His friend was curious, thinking, "Did they change the chilies? Is it really not spicy?" Seeing Hai Long glare at him, he realized what was happening and almost laughed. Hai Long quickly stopped him. One of Hai Long's friends, who loved spicy food, heard that it wasn't very spicy, grabbed a chicken wing, and ate half of it in one bite. The other person took a bite and immediately shouted in pain. We all looked at the person who had eaten half the chicken wing. Although his face was turning red from his forehead down and he was sweating, he looked at us disdainfully and finished the chicken wing, saying, "It's just a bit spicy, not really spicy at all."
Although his face was already red to the neck, we still admired him. After staring at him for five seconds, he suddenly grabbed the iced grape juice from Hai Long, who had only taken one sip, and drank the remaining 1.5 liters. After finishing, he sighed and said, "It's damn spicy."
Since then, Hai Long and his friends often brought their acquaintances to this restaurant to get revenge.
Hai Long walked with Hu Jing, introducing the restaurant along the way.
Hu Jing was also curious about what kind of chicken wings could be so spicy. They walked and talked, and Hai Long asked Hu Jing, "You seem a bit down today. What happened?"
Hu Jing said, "Two good friends dropped out and decided to go south to start a new life. I feel sad to lose two more good friends. The older you get, the lonelier you feel."
Seeing Hu Jing's loneliness, Hai Long said, "Am I not your good friend? If you feel bored, come find me. I'll be with you."
Hu Jing looked at Hai Long happily and said, "You are the first good friend I made at this school, and you've been very nice to me. I believe we will become very good friends."
Hai Long also said, "Yes, we will definitely become very good friends."
Unconsciously, Hai Long brought Hu Jing to the front of his mother's small shop. Through the window, he saw the lights still on, meaning his mother was at home.
Seeing the lights still on in his mother's shop, Hai Long said to Hu Jing, "This is my mother's shop."
Hu Jing suddenly smiled playfully and said, "If I hold your hand, what will your mother think?"
Hearing this, Hai Long was taken aback and said awkwardly, "My mother will probably think you're my girlfriend."
Hu Jing said, "Let's try it, hehe." She then took Hai Long's hand and ran forward, laughing like a silver bell. They ran past his mother's shop and stopped.
Hai Long, following Hu Jing, felt his heart burst with warmth despite the deep autumn. "She actually wants to hold my hand."
Hu Jing, out of breath from running, bent over and held her stomach. Hai Long, concerned, said, "Are you okay? Are you feeling unwell?"
Hu Jing, still out of breath, said, "I haven't exercised in a long time. It's really uncomfortable. Hey, did your mom see us running past just now?"
Hai Long said, "No, she didn't. We ran too fast, and she was probably watching TV inside."
Hu Jing said, "Then we ran for nothing?"
Hai Long said, "Yeah, we ran for nothing, silly."
Hu Jing pouted and said, "Let's go have dinner then."
Hai Long looked at his hand, which Hu Jing had just held, and his heart couldn't calm down. "This girl is so cute and wild."