Chapter 451 - 214: The So-called Sense of Ritual (Part 4)

Chapter 451: Chapter 214: The So-called Sense of Ritual (Part 4)

She quickly averted her gaze, as if she had just been looking around casually.

While Li Zhi was lost in thought, Yang Ze, who was beside her, spoke up. "Damn, these Peace Fruits are getting more and more expensive. One of them costs as much as a monthly subscription card."

"Exactly! Only an idiot would buy a Peace Fruit," Ah Jie chimed in. "Just go mooch one off Sister Li, and you’re set."

"Hm?"

Shen Yuan looked at Ah Jie in surprise.

Ah Jie looked at Shen Yuan, his expression a matter of course. "What? Sister Li gets at least ten on Christmas Eve, and Sister Shui gives one to everyone in our class. That means we can mooch two."

Shen Yuan: "Huh? Yang Yishui buys you guys Peace Fruits on Christmas Eve?"

"Yup!"

Seeing Ah Jie nod, Shen Yuan felt his defenses crumble.

’Yang Yishui, you damn traitor! You’re not even buying one for me!’

...

"Shen Yuan! Zhou Shaojie! Come here for a second!"

On Christmas Eve, just before the lunch break began, Yang Yishui poked her head in through the doorway of Class 15.

Hearing this, Ah Jie’s eyes instantly lit up.

"Let’s go, let’s go! Time to get the apples!"

Shen Yuan and Zhou Shaojie exchanged a look, then stood up and followed Yang Yishui out.

The cold air outside the classroom door made them shiver. Ah Jie tucked his chin in and mumbled, "Sister Shui, how many boxes of apples did you buy? Was it necessary to make such a big production out of this?"

"Four boxes."

Yang Yishui walked ahead, swinging her car keys. "Two boxes for your class, two boxes for Class 14."

When the three of them reached the doorway of Class 14, Yang Yishui poked her head in again and called two more boys out.

"Sister Shui!"

The boys from Class 14 also greeted Yang Yishui enthusiastically when they saw her.

Apparently, they also knew what they were going to do.

Puffs of white breath dissipated quickly in the winter afternoon as the group sauntered over to the parking lot.

Yang Yishui pressed her key fob, and the trunk popped open. Inside were four large boxes filled with one exquisite smaller box after another, which they figured must be the apples.

"Whoa! Sister Shui, did you clean out the entire fruit stand?"

Yang Yishui rolled her eyes at Ah Jie. "I bought you the sugar-hearted ones from Xinjiang today. They’re pretty expensive! Don’t you dare give them away! I wrapped every single one myself!"

"Holy shit!"

Everyone gasped in astonishment.

"Then I guarantee I won’t give it away! I have to eat this one myself."

"Can you eat an apple any other way than with your own mouth?" a boy from Class 14 asked.

Ah Jie replied with a straight face, "I could chew it up and feed it to you."

"Get lost, get lost!"

"Alright, enough nonsense. Hurry up and carry these back to the classrooms!"

The four boys each grabbed a box of fruit and started huffing and puffing their way toward the academic building.

Shen Yuan strode forward to catch up with Yang Yishui. "Sis, is my portion ready?"

Yang Yishui glanced at Shen Yuan and said, annoyed, "It’s ready. You can come get it whenever you want."

"Heh heh, I’ll get it tonight. Just hold on to it for me for a bit."

Yang Yishui rolled her eyes at him. "It’s not like I see you getting one for me!"

"Hey now, we’re practically brother and sister. Don’t make things awkward!"

"Pah!"

Ah Jie and Shen Yuan each hugged a heavy cardboard box, huffing and puffing as they walked back to their classroom.

The heavy weight of the boxes, combined with the cool winter air and the uniquely fresh, sweet scent of apples, drew frequent glances from other students they passed.

"Damn, this is so heavy, Sister Shui! How many pounds did you even buy?"

Hugging the box, Ah Jie grimaced and shifted his arms, trying to find a more comfortable way to carry it.

Walking ahead, Yang Yishui tossed back without turning, "That’s just ’cause you’re weak. See Shen Yuan? Has he said anything? Anyway, there’s enough for one each! Now quit your whining and walk faster, I’m freezing!"

Ah Jie had to keep stopping to rest as he walked. If he hadn’t run into Yao Junhao, the PE committee representative, halfway there, he probably would have collapsed from exhaustion.

Finally back at Class 15, Ah Jie nudged the door open with his foot and bellowed at the top of his lungs, "Come and get ’em! A gift from Sister Shui! The Peace Fruits are here!!"

His shout was like a stone dropped into a still pond, instantly electrifying the classroom’s atmosphere.

Students who had just been engrossed in their books or quietly discussing problems all snapped their heads up in unison, their gazes burning holes in the two large cardboard boxes.

The once slightly dull pre-lunch-break study period was instantly shattered by a WHOOSH of excitement and anticipation.

"Woohoo! Long live Sister Shui!"

"Hurry! I’m dying for mine!"

"Tsk, have a little self-respect, will you?"

It wasn’t just Class 15; at this moment, the neighboring Class 14 had also erupted in cheers.

Shen Yuan glanced at the crowd, who were like baby birds crying to be fed, and steadily placed the box on the teacher’s lectern.

Working together, the two of them opened the box. Instantly, beautifully wrapped apple gift boxes came into view, and the faint fruity fragrance grew more intense.

The exquisite wrapping paper shimmered faintly under the classroom lights. Each gift box was tied with a pretty ribbon or had a small card attached, a testament to Yang Yishui’s thoughtfulness.

Ah Jie looked at the eagerly waiting crowd and announced with clear emphasis and a teasing tone, "Alright, listen up! Sister Shui said you have to eat these yourselves! You hear me? Eat them with your own mouths! Chewing it up and feeding it to someone else still counts as giving it away!"

"Bullshit! There’s no way Sister Shui said it like that!"

"Exactly! Would Sister Shui be as crude as you?"

"Give it away? Hell no! I guarantee I won’t!"

"I’ll definitely devour it myself! I’ll even eat the core!"

"What are you thinking? Who would be willing to give this away?"

Amidst a chorus of laughter and promises, Ah Jie and Shen Yuan began to distribute the apples.

The two of them each took a box and went down the rows.

The students held their apples, marveling at Yang Yishui’s immense generosity.

"It’s over, I can’t even bring myself to open it!"

"It’s too beautiful, I can’t bear to."

Amidst the laughter, Shen Yuan arrived at his own seat.