We ordinary people also need to fall in love.

"Li Mubai, Xie Shu, what brings you here too?"

In the traditional Chinese painting classroom, Chen Qiuhe turned around and looked at the two people sitting behind her.

"Because I couldn't get a spot in the calligraphy class, I had to come to the traditional Chinese painting class instead," Li Mubai said.

Chen Qiuhe then looked at Xie Shu, who nodded slightly.

Li Mubai looked around. Chen Qiuhe's deskmate was a girl he didn't recognize, probably not from their class. Among the other students, one or two were from Class 3.

He looked away. It was the first time he had sat at the same table as Xie Shu, and Li Mubai was a little cautious.

"Hello, my name is Wang Yuxin." The girl sitting next to Chen Qiuhe took the initiative to turn around and greet them.

"Yes, yes, this is our art club president," Chen Qiuhe quickly introduced.

So that's how it is. Li Mubai thought she was Chen Qiuhe's classmate from her first year of high school.

"Hello," Xie Shu replied.

"Hello, hello, Xie Shu. I thought you would be a rather aloof person, but I didn't expect you to be so... approachable, haha."

Wang Yuxin chatted enthusiastically with Xie Shu, while Li Mubai was left out in the cold.

Well, he began to examine the tools on the table—a fine brush, a palette, a bottle each of ink and water, and a felt mat on the table.

The table is made of walnut-colored solid wood.

Li Mubai thought to himself, "They're really rich. Their desks are so much better than the worn-out desks in ordinary classrooms."

"Cough cough."

A young woman's voice, amplified by the little bee, came from the podium.

The teacher arrived five minutes early and was currently adjusting the small bee device on her body.

Ring ring—

The teacher spoke only after the bell stopped ringing:

"Good afternoon, everyone. Some of you may not have been able to attend our Chinese painting trial class last week, but that's okay. My surname is Su, so please call me Teacher Su. In the trial class, we talked about the history of Chinese painting, while the regular class will focus more on practice."

Teacher Su speaks slowly and deliberately, which doesn't make people sleepy but rather makes them feel like they're basking in a gentle breeze.

"I'm sure everyone has noticed the items on the table. Just a reminder, if you take them or damage them, you'll have to pay the full price."

After giving a few more instructions, Ms. Su began the formal lesson. She first taught the students about the tools used in traditional Chinese painting, and then introduced the proper way to hold a brush.

"Keep your wrists suspended in the air, not pressing down on the table; keep your shoulders level and your back straight."

Li Mubai adjusted his posture, feeling quite novel. He used to learn by haphazardly, without textbooks or teachers to guide him.

He glanced at Xie Shu, who was sitting very properly.

"What's wrong?" Xie Shu turned his head and asked in a low voice.

"…without."

Being caught peeping is really embarrassing.

"Next, everyone pour a little ink onto the palette. Dip your brush in the ink and try drawing vertical and horizontal lines on the rice paper."

Where is the Xuan paper?

Oh, it's in Teacher Su's hands; she's distributing it.

Li Mubai tried dipping his brush in ink, pressed down, and made a stroke. A rough line immediately appeared on the rice paper; the ink was so thick that it almost pierced through the paper.

"If you dip your brush directly in ink, it will be thick ink. If you want the ink to be thinner, add water. Everyone should try adding just a little bit first."

"There are four types of ink: dark ink, heavy ink, light ink, and clear ink. The difference lies in how much water is added."

Looking at his own crooked and fuzzy lines, Li Mubai glanced at the neat and clean horizontal and vertical lines drawn by Xie Shu next to him.

"Did you not gather your brush bristles properly? You can smooth them out on the edge of the palette after dipping your brush in ink." Xie Shu also glanced at his lines.

Following Xie Shu's advice, Li Mubai tried it out and sharpened the brush bristles.

"Don't draw too fast, be steady, and then use the middle of the brush to draw, placing the tip of the brush in the middle of the line, like this." Xie Shu demonstrated it to him.

Li Mubai copied the model, and the lines he drew were indeed much smoother.

"Class monitor, have you ever learned calligraphy before?" Li Mubai asked in a low voice.

"No, this is what the teacher just said."

You can learn it in one listen? Such a brilliant genius is not allowed to exist on Earth.

At the end of the class, Teacher Su showed everyone a picture of bamboo leaves and asked them to try drawing one.

"We haven't even left the beginner village yet, how come we're already fighting bosses?" Li Mubai thought to himself.

"Haha, Li Mubai, what did you draw, chicken feet?"

As get out of class was about to end, Teacher Su asked the students to exchange ideas with each other, and Chen Qiuhe immediately turned around and smiled.

"Xie Shu, your drawing is very accurate," Wang Yuxin praised from the other side.

"Luckily, I drew it based on the picture."

"Xie Shu, have you never studied traditional Chinese painting before?" Chen Qiuhe asked, leaning over as well.

"without."

"Wow, that proves Xie Shu, you're very talented."

"Um."

"Xie Shu, would you like to join our art club?" Wang Yuxin asked.

"No."

"Why would I join any clubs in my second year of high school?" Li Mubai thought to himself.

……

During Friday's morning exercise break, Li Mubai and Xie Shu went to the printing room in the administration building to pick up their class nameplates.

This is his first time here. Who would come here for no reason?

This building was only completed in the last year or two, and currently only the principal and faculty members such as the Party Committee and the Youth League Committee work in this building.

The printing room is convenient; it's right on the first floor.

There were already quite a few people from other classes present. Li Mubai even saw Xing Yi, that idiot. After seeing him and Xie Shu, Xing Yi gritted his teeth, looked away, picked up a box, and hurriedly left.

"There."

Following the direction Xie Shu pointed, Li Mubai found a box on the ground labeled "Class Three".

"Take the box and wait for me at the door. I'll go register," Xie Shu said.

"OK."

Li Mubai tried to lift it, and thankfully the box wasn't big or heavy. He carried the box to the door of the printing room and waited.

"Li Mubai! What a coincidence, I didn't expect to meet you here." A male voice suddenly came.

Li Mubai stared intently.

"Zhang Wen," he replied.

"You were also conscripted?" the other person asked with a smile.

"Um."

Zhang Wen was his deskmate in the first year of high school, and they were considered to be among his closer classmates that year.

He came alone and started chatting with Li Mubai while standing at the entrance of the printing room.

"By the way, Li Mubai, how are things going in Class 3?"

"That's great. Which class are you in?"

He remembered that Zhang Wen also wanted to choose literature, but he didn't know which liberal arts class it was in.

"Class 12 is far inferior to Class 3, and our class only has three boys."

There are less than half the number of people in Class 3, no wonder they were conscripted here.

After chatting for a few more minutes, Zhang Wen asked:

"By the way, Li Mubai, didn't you already move your suitcase? Why are you still standing guard at the door? Waiting for someone?"

Yes, waiting for someone.

"Your class monitor?"

"right."

Zhang Wen suddenly revealed a meaningful smile and said:

"Hey kid, you've become the vice squad leader of Class 3, haven't you?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"I'm guessing. Didn't you give a speech under the national flag last semester?"

Oh, he had almost forgotten about speaking up; he only remembered that Xie Shu had trained him.

"So, is there a chance?"

What do you mean by "is there a chance"?

"Li Mubai." A clear voice rang out; it was Xie Shu calling him.

"Goodbye, Zhang Wen." Li Mubai lifted the suitcase and walked past him.

Bro, awesome!