Chapter 26: It’s Tempting to Make Mistakes

When they met Jing Sicun at the hotel near the second round of the open auditions, it was still the rainy late spring.

Now it was midsummer, and even at night, it was somewhat hot.

The two of them and the dog squeezed together at the narrow cashier counter.

Beer cans were covered in damp frost;
The goldfish swam back and forth in the tank;
The chandelier above swayed gently;
The shadows swayed along with it;
Sicun.

Tuesday’s tail flicked loudly against the counter cabinet and cardboard boxes.

The Cat Family, curious, tiptoed over to see what was going on………………

Ke Ni’s calves pressed tightly against a pile of old books on the floor, so close right in front of her was Jing Sicun, leisurely raising a hand to steady the chandelier.

Ke Ni felt stifled.

Not just stifled, but stifled on another level.

Oxygen chaotically clogged her throat and lungs, and her heart quietly covered itself with a layer of restless frost, like the beer cans…………

For some reason, Ke Ni’s gaze landed on Jing Sicun’s neck——

Jing Sicun raised his head to look at the chandelier.

The veins on his neck subtly bulged, and his Adam’s apple pushed against thin skin, casting a smooth shadow.

It really made you want to bite it………………

While Ke Ni was lost in these wild thoughts, Jing Sicun suddenly lowered his eyelashes, still holding the chandelier.

Jing Sicun asked, “What are you looking at?”

Ke Ni was startled and quickly glanced toward the snacks on the shelf behind Jing Sicun.

“Looking at the duck neck and chicken feet!”

“Or could it be… looking at me?”

Having said both, Ke Ni effortlessly pushed past Jing Sicun who was blocking the exit.

Ke Ni squeezed out of the cashier counter between Jing Sicun and Tuesday with great difficulty.

Her knees grazed Jing Sicun’s pants.

Her elbow touched Jing Sicun’s solid upper abdomen.

Her chin brushed against Jing Sicun’s shoulder.

Ke Ni bypassed Tuesday, grabbed two cans of beer, and quickly fled the scene.

What Ke Ni didn’t know was——

A few hours earlier, Jing Sicun had encountered Feng Zi’an in the corridor at the recording site.

Feng Zi’an’s intent to cause trouble was obvious even from the corner of his eye.

As Feng Zi’an forcefully charged at Jing Sicun, Jing Sicun calmly used his shoulder to push back…………

Ke Ni also wouldn’t know——

Before Jing Sicun’s family moved to a house with an elevator, they lived near the grocery store, two buildings away from Ke Ni’s rented place.

Back then, Jing Sicun’s grandfather was still alive, paralyzed from the waist down, unable to move, and even less mobile than Jing Sicun’s father and grandmother.

The old apartment had no elevator; the old man relied entirely on Jing Sicun to carry him up and down the stairs whenever he went out.

Ke Ni could only see the situation in front of her.

She turned around, surprised to find that with just a casual bump, Jing Sicun leaned against the shelf like he had no bones, as if she were a naturally strong warrior.

Jing Sicun teased, “Are you really not going to…”

Ke Ni quickly turned back and punched Jing Sicun’s shoulder hard, “You go rush forward and win the fridge yourself!”

Jing Sicun rubbed the spot she hit, laughing, “I’m very weak.”

“You weak my ass.”

Lin Xirun works out at the gym every day, controls sugar and oil, yet there’s never been a trace of muscle definition.

Ke Ni frowned and examined him.

Jing Sicun like this…

Can it even be called weak?

Ke Ni shot back, “Who believes you.”

Jing Sicun chuckled softly, “The internal injury from your last punch still hasn’t healed.”

Ke Ni didn’t even look back, “Serves you right.”

“Ke Ni.”

“What?”

“Is there any beer for me?”

Before Jing Sicun finished speaking, a small “missile” marked with the Ke surname flew straight at him.

Jing Sicun caught the beer, leaning against the shelf with a smile.

Ke Ni could hardly imagine that after recording the first episode of the show, her heart would feel so calm that night.

She sat at the grocery store entrance, blowing the slightly warm night breeze, listening to the noisy cicadas.

Tuesday fetched the little toy that Jing Sicun had thrown out, proudly dropping it in front of Ke Ni, wagging its tail to show off.

After showing off, it brought over each of the cats from the Cat Family, all wearing expressions that clearly said “I’m not happy,” one by one for her to see.

That night, Ke Ni learned a few things:

For example, the cats outside the grocery store were pets adopted by Tuesday, starting with just one and gradually growing into a large Cat Family.

Also, why He Zhi was so nervous.

While Ke Ni and Tuesday played, Jing Sicun received a call from He Zhi’s parents.

Jing Sicun glanced at Ke Ni, then put the phone on speaker and set it on the chessboard.

Ke Ni heard He Zhi’s parents’ nervous voices, carefully asking, “Sicun, how did your recording go today?”

“Stable.”

They said they were afraid of affecting He Zhi’s mindset, so they didn’t dare call him directly.

Jing Sicun said He Zhi performed well today, but He Zhi’s parents still conveyed a strange anxiety in their words.

He Zhi’s parents said:

What if the next competition isn’t a math-related event that Ah Zhi is good at?

It’s so hot, will it affect Ah Zhi’s preparation?

There’s a temple nearby that’s said to be very effective—should we go burn incense and pray for Ah Zhi?

What if Ah Zhi doesn’t pass the first two rounds of elimination?

Ke Ni wanted to argue on He Zhi’s behalf:

It’s just a show.

If you don’t pass, you don’t pass.

What’s the big deal?

He Zhi is only sixteen…

But what right did she have to argue with someone else’s parents?

Wasn’t she also treating the competition like a calamity herself?

Ke Ni recalled what Jing Sicun said—“Ke Ni, you seem to be very hard on yourself.”

Is it really being hard on myself?

Ke Ni looked at the person who said this.

Jing Sicun patiently comforted He Zhi’s parents, saying that He Zhi had their group of friends by his side, and that he’d been in fairly good condition lately.

Jing Sicun addressed He Zhi’s elders as uncle and aunt, telling them not to worry, reminding them about the heat and to avoid crowded temples to prevent heatstroke.

He Zhi’s parents were still uneasy, their anxiety mirroring He Zhi’s perfectly.

Genetic inheritance?
Environmental influence?

Jing Sicun listened to their needless worries, drank his beer, and deliberately let his gaze settle on Ke Ni.

Ke Ni stiffened.

He looked at her: “Ah Zhi performed excellently today. We all hope he can enjoy the competition happily.”

Who exactly was this meant for?

Ke Ni swallowed her beer, but the restless feeling wasn’t relieved by the drink.

The shadow of Jing Sicun’s head rested near Ke Ni’s feet, and she quietly stepped on it.

A playful “tsk” sounded nearby.

She wickedly ignored it and stepped on it again, childishly.

After ending the call, Jing Sicun glanced at the time on his phone, repeating the same line:

“It’s not safe to let a drunkard go home alone.”

Ke Ni grinned, “I’m not drunk!”

Ke Ni swore she wasn’t drunk at all today.

She wasn’t impulsive or speaking nonsense.

She just found Jing Sicun’s neck and Adam’s apple very attractive, almost like she could see the pulse throbbing, twitching with her eyelids, somewhat tempting her to make a mistake.

Jing Sicun stood up, “Not drunk or not, I can’t let you walk home alone at night.”

Ke Ni walked beside Jing Sicun, occasionally glancing at his neck.

It itched.

She really wanted to bite it.

Jing Sicun said He Zhi became interested in programming because he attended an Olympiad math class; He Zhi had taken both Olympiad and youth programming courses for many years.

Ke Ni stared at Jing Sicun’s moving Adam’s apple.

To Jing Sicun, years of training and study didn’t seem like an embarrassing weakness.

On the way, Jing Sicun didn’t say anything else, but when they parted at the stairwell door, he suddenly leaned in closer.

He squinted, “Ke Ni, what exactly are you looking at?”

His breath brushed past Ke Ni’s ear, the brim of his duckbill cap touching her head.

Ke Ni turned, startled, and met Jing Sicun’s deep, sharp eyes.

Their gaze met for three seconds.

Ke Ni backed away hastily, fleeing, “I’m leaving first!”

After that night, everyone entered the tense final exam preparation phase.

There were no classes during exam week.

Most of the time, Ke Ni studied key subjects in the school library or study rooms; some of the time, she listened to Professor Wang’s analysis of competition projects at his home, following her father’s advice.

The production team of Extreme Brainpower posted a notice in the group:

Considering most contestants are students, the second round of competition recording would be scheduled for the July summer vacation.

The exact time would be announced later, allowing contestants to focus on exams or preparations first.

Without recording, Ke Ni and Jing Sicun wouldn’t have much contact.

She didn’t see them for about a week, only occasionally receiving WeChat messages from Song Yi or He Zhi.

Song Yi sent Ke Ni promotional photos he snapped from the staff computer, also photos of him and He Zhi together.

Heard that Dai Fanze returned to school to prepare for exams; He Zhi recently stayed at Song Yi’s place.

Sometimes, while flipping through notes, Ke Ni would recall that night at the grocery store drinking beer.

Ke Ni decided to quit drinking.

Alcohol seemed to turn people into vampires, always interested in other people’s necks.

Even in dreams.

That was too strange.

Stranger still was that thinking about the next recording, Ke Ni felt she wasn’t as resistant as before.

Why was that?

Ke Ni pouted, resting her lips and nose on the stylus as she leaned over her tablet.

Her eyes fixed on the study materials on the screen, but her mind wasn’t focused on the content.

Only a night lamp was on in the rented room, and the phone on the table suddenly rang.

Rang again and again…………

It was Song Yi’s WeChat.

Ke Ni had spent over four hours at Professor Wang’s house studying competition projects and returned at nine in the evening, delaying her study time.

Now it was 11:27 PM.

Why was Song Yi messaging her at this hour?

Ke Ni opened the chat:

“Ke Ni, are you asleep?”

“Old Dai came back today.”

“We’re at the grocery store.”

Ke Ni held her phone and walked to the window; just as she peeked out, she saw Song Yi waving.

Song Yi initiated a voice call: “We saw your lights on, so we know you’re still up. We’re all here; come down and join us?”

Ke Ni spotted someone wearing a duckbill cap, and the pale, cold-white neck shining under the light.

She said “Hmm.”

This gathering came unexpectedly.

Ke Ni sat at the grocery store entrance, listened for a long time, but didn’t hear anything important.

Jing Sicun’s neck skin was very pale.

Ke Ni awkwardly avoided his gaze, turning to notice He Zhi blushing, avoiding her eyes and looking at Song Yi.

Song Yi covered his mouth with his fist, coughing and looking away nervously toward Dai Fanze.

Ke Ni: “?”

Dai Fanze remained calm, slowly recounting what happened on the recording day.

He said a contestant deliberately bumped into Jing Sicun and then played the victim.

Dai Fanze said, “What was that guy’s name again?”

Song Yi answered, “Feng Zi’an.”

He Zhi also said, “I think I saw it; almost fell.”

Ke Ni thought Jing Sicun was the one almost falling, and quickly looked at him, “Do you have soft bones now?”

Dai Fanze seemed slowed down, “No, no, it was Feng who nearly fell… Lin Xirun said he works out with Feng Zi’an every day? Is this the result?”

Ke Ni wanted to ask Jing Sicun why Feng Zi’an suddenly staged that, but before she could, Song Yi shouted loudly.

Song Yi’s performance was obvious: “Ke Ni, help me grab the charger, quick, quick, my phone’s about to shut down!”

Ke Ni jumped up and ran into the grocery store, “But, where’s the charger?”

“At the cashier!”

Ke Ni rushed blindly into the cashier counter, then paused slightly when she saw the goldfish tank.

She suddenly felt something was off.

Why wouldn’t they let Jing Sicun come in if they wanted the charger?

Who knew the grocery store better than Jing Sicun?

Ke Ni hesitated and peeked outside, only to see Jing Sicun deliberately blocking her view.

Ke Ni asked suspiciously, “What are you all doing?”

Jing Sicun said, “Go see for yourself.”

Ke Ni, filled with question marks, went out and saw they had somehow gotten a small cake no bigger than a palm, lit candles on it, and suddenly shouted at her, “Ke Ni! Happy Birthday!”

At 12:01 AM, Ke Ni turned to look at Jing Sicun in surprise.

Jing Sicun smiled, “Song Yi checked the date from the sign-in sheet, the main planner was He Zhi, happy birthday.”

They began singing the birthday song, and Tuesday wagged its tail, barking along.

The secret was revealed, He Zhi stopped avoiding Ke Ni and encouraged, “Make a wish, Sister Ke Ni.”

Ke Ni’s father never celebrated anyone’s birthday, and her mother used to be unhappy about this.

Her mother probably became another Ke Jiangcheng due to being overworked.

The small cake with its flickering candle was pushed in front of Ke Ni, and she was somewhat stunned.

Song Yi loudly sang the English version of the birthday song, and Tuesday howled in harmony.

Ke Ni originally planned to close her eyes…

When suddenly, a middle-aged woman upstairs pushed open a window and shouted, “Xiao Jing! What time is it!”

Ke Ni jumped in fright.

Song Yi said, “Not good, run!”

Ke Ni crouched and crawled back into the grocery store with them, hiding behind the shelves, leaving Jing Sicun outside to apologize alone.

Jing Sicun walked in with his hands in his pockets, stood in front of the shelves, looking down at the four people and one dog huddled together, his gaze finally resting on Ke Ni.

Jing Sicun looked at Ke Ni, “Found your companions?”

Ke Ni: “?”

Jing Sicun said, “Tomorrow you all bring Tuesday to join the Boys and Girls Rush Forward competition.”

Ke Ni:

Song Yi slapped his forehead, “Wait, why were we running just now?”

Everyone looked at each other, then suddenly burst out laughing like lunatics.

He Zhi laughed unevenly, “Ke, Ke Ni sister, what do we do, the candle’s already blown out.”

Ke Ni clutched her belly from laughing so hard and thought:

It’s okay.

The night breeze has already made a wish for me.