Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation-Chapter 47 I am also pitiful

The first evening self-study after the Mid-Autumn Festival had ended.

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There were five minutes left before class started.

Jiang Ning had just arrived in the classroom when he noticed an unusual atmosphere.

He had pushed the door open, remembering that Class 8 usually left the door open except during holidays and after school.

The classroom was full of students, but it wasn't the noisy hubbub it usually was; instead, it seemed somewhat eerie.

The sports committee member, Zhang Chi, dressed in a school uniform, stood at the lectern, staring straight over.

The classmates also looked over one by one, and Jiang Ning laughed:

"What's going on, giving me a special salute?"

Laughter erupted in the classroom, dissipating the previously oppressive atmosphere a bit.

Sitting in the front row, the mature-looking Huang Yuzhu said, "Zhang Chi's basketball is missing; he was just asking if anyone knew where the basketball was."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Jiang Ning replied.

Xue Yuantong placed his schoolbag on the desk; Jiang Ning didn't linger at the front and returned to his seat, where his deskmate Ma Shicheng immediately said:

"Don't know which bastard stole the basketball, that's just low!"

Jiang Ning casually said, "Who knows."

Guo Kunnan also looked upset, "The basketball was specially borrowed by Zhang Chi for the physical education class to play with. After last week's PE class, he put the basketball at the back of the classroom and went straight home."

"But when school resumed, the basketball was gone."

"I heard the basketball costs over one hundred yuan."

Guo Kunnan shared a dormitory with Zhang Chi, so he knew more than most.

Listening to these statements, Jiang Ning looked at Zhang Chi on the lectern, who was in a school uniform.

The uniforms of Fourth Middle School were cheap, cost only a few tens yuan each, of middling quality, and unattractive; fortunately, Fourth Middle School did not enforce a uniform dress code on ordinary days.

Only during school anniversaries, speeches, sports meets, and other occasions were students required to wear uniforms.

Hence, very few students wore the unattractive uniforms on normal days, but Zhang Chi often wore his school uniform during this back-to-school period.

It was said that he ate vegetarian meals in the cafeteria, didn't buy snacks, and it was evident his family wasn't very well-off.

One hundred yuan, for someone like him, amounted to more than a week's living expenses.

Ma Shicheng asked a few people, "Now that the basketball can't be found, it must have been stolen. Do you guys know who locked the door that day?"

He figured since the basketball was lost, whoever was in charge of the classroom keys held a significant responsibility.

Upon hearing about the keys, Guo Kunnan took over the conversation: "We discussed this in the dorm, Zhang Chi locked the door himself, and he made sure to close the windows before leaving."

With no way forward, Ma Shicheng said, "This is tough, with no clue who stole the basketball."

Geng Lu turned around after listening and said:

"What if we really can't find out? Does Zhang Chi compensate for the basketball himself?"

"What else can we do? He has to compensate, more than one hundred yuan," Ma Shicheng added.

With a flash of inspiration, Geng Lu suggested:

"How about you guys chip in for him, share the compensation? That way, Zhang Chi's burden would be much smaller."

Geng Lu believed it was reasonable for everyone to share the burden since Zhang Chi borrowed the basketball for the classmates to play with.

At Geng Lu's suggestion, the expressions of several boys present changed; while they sympathized, they felt no obligation to share in the loss.

Ma Shicheng shirked the responsibility, "Sharing the compensation is too much; I was even dragged to play basketball that day!"

Dan Kaiquan, tapping on his phone, followed up, "Zhang Chi borrowed the basketball himself; we didn't ask him to."

Standing in the middle, Guo Kunnan's attitude was clear, "Compensating is indeed not feasible. Zhang Chi losing the basketball is definitely his biggest responsibility, but how much should he compensate on his own?"

School had just started a few days ago; to say there were deep friendships would be impossible. Everyone was a student, and except for a very few, family conditions were similar; divided among everyone, each person would have to pay about fifteen yuan.

Outside, a night at 'Yucai Internet Cafe' costs only ten yuan.

Several yuan, a real hit to the wallet, no one wants to give that up for free.

Originally, a few guys in the back row were discussing enthusiastically, but a remark from Geng Lu silenced them all.

Seeing the unexpected expressions on the boys' faces, Geng Lu wanted to say something, but ultimately, she held back.

She was naive but not entirely foolish, aware of the changing dynamics amongst the group. She knew she had misspoken.

Now, feeling awkward, she wanted to turn back but felt too embarrassed, leaving her no choice but to stand still.

Jiang Ning, noticing her discomfort, said at just the right moment,

"It's okay, class is going to start soon. Everyone get ready. The first class is with Chen Haiyang—he'll grill you guys if you're not prepared."

Such exchanges happened in every corner of the classroom.

When Dan Xiao heard some casual chitchat about Zhang Chi, he felt no sympathy.

In the class, only he and Zhang Chi regularly wore the school uniform, equally poor. While Zhang Chi resigned himself to his fate, Dan Xiao strived to advance.

After he got the keys to the classroom not long ago, he had made a copy immediately, secretly keeping it, which cost him two yuan.

Zhang Chi, pitiful?

Wasn't he pitiful too?

Hearing that the basketball was actually worth more than one hundred yuan, Dan Xiao felt heartbroken. To make a quick sale, he had gone back to his hometown over the break and sold the basketball to a kid from a neighboring village for just twenty-five yuan.

Such a loss, right?

Thinking this, Dan Xiao decided that before he sold anything he came across in the future, he would make sure to find out its price to maximize his benefit.

Up until class started, Zhang Chi still hadn't figured out who had stolen the basketball. He was furious, suspecting every classmate but powerless to do anything.

He could only sit back down with his frustration.

Jiang Ning guessed that it was Dan Xiao who had stolen the basketball, but he didn't step forward to accuse him.

The basketball was already gone, and he had no proof; moreover, he couldn't be bothered to point fingers.

Jiang Ning wasn't a savior, always there to pull someone out of trouble.

If he did that, how would he ever continue his '' cultivation''?

It was probably for the best. Let Dan Xiao keep going crazy; sooner or later, he'd end up in jail, enjoying all-inclusive accommodation.

…

Although Class 8 had experienced the "basketball incident," it was quickly forgotten by everyone after just two class sessions.

Having just had a three-day break, everyone was very active on the first day of evening self-study.

"Jiang Ning, I'm going to the mini-market. Do you want anything? I'll get it for you,"

Geng Lu stood in front of Jiang Ning, looking down from above, her face plump with baby fat, a warm smile spreading across it.

Jiang Ning looked up, and from this angle, his view was somewhat obstructed.

Geng Lu's eyes were filled with expectation. Previously, Jiang Ning had helped her out of a tight spot, and she wanted to show her gratitude.

Of course, there was a bit of her own wishful thinking involved.

"No need," Jiang Ning waved his hand.

"Then I'll get you a cup of red bean milk custard—it's on me," Geng Lu clapped her hands lightly, deciding for him.

Ma Shicheng saw this and pinched his voice, "I want milk custard too. Could you please get one for me?"

Geng Lu glanced at him and completely ignored him.

Then she turned and left the class with style.

Dan Kaiquan sat on the desk, one leg on the floor, sharing his story with everyone:

"Fellas, let me tell you, when I came to school today, I took that bus, right? I was sitting by the window, and right next to me was this girl."

"She was really good-looking, that cool type of girl, you know?"

"She had a colorful butterfly tattooed on her arm and earrings on…