Chapter 80: Chapter 78 Brother Nan is Not a Normal Person
That person really looked too much like Zhou Li!
So much alike!
She turned her head to look at the Zhou Li standing in the formation next to her.
Hmm...
It must have been an illusion!
Classmate Li Nan bowed her head, closed her eyes tightly, and then opened them again before looking up—
Still alike? What’s going on! It must have been because of playing chess too late last night! Let’s try again— Even more alike, what should I do?
While the parade had not yet started, she turned her head and, after a quick flurry of messages with Huai Xu, finally got through to him.
"Zhou Li, look!" Li Nan gestured toward the spectators not far away with her chin; that ’Zhou Li’ was still standing there. "Look, there’s someone who looks exactly like you!"
"Really?"
"Yes! It’s you, right?"
"I..."
"Look carefully!"
"They’re wearing a hat and a mask..." Huai Xu squinted and observed Zhou Li. "He does have a physique quite similar to mine."
"Not just the physique! Also the hair, face shape, walking posture, I mean, it’s the whole vibe!"
"Is that so." Huai Xu thought it was really interesting.
"Don’t you have any comment?"
"Oh." Huai Xu paused like the usual Zhou Li. "If he hasn’t left later, let’s go check it out. It’s quite amusing to meet someone you think looks so much like me."
"It’s not that he looks like you, it *is* you!" Brother Nan corrected.
"..."
You must have some issues!
At that moment, Li Daimao grinned. "Hehe, just kidding. But you two really look alike. Let’s find him after it’s over. If his face also looks similar, you two could become friends. What do you think?"
"Okay."
"It’s a deal!" Brother Nan thought for a moment. "Right, remember to sign up with me for the volleyball club and the Bicycle Association tomorrow. We agreed!"
"Got it."
"And cycling around Dian Lake!"
"Yeah."
"Smart!"
"..."
"After the performance is over, let’s go out to celebrate. My treat. Consider it a token of thanks for the soda you gave me last night."
"Fine."
"Remember!"
At that moment, a whistle sounded from the front. The entire football field suddenly fell silent.
Brother Nan also stopped talking. She stood straight, but her eyes involuntarily glanced towards the not-too-distant area—that person had disappeared. Then appeared again.
When he reappeared, a strange girl was next to him, and the two occasionally whispered to each other. Brother Nan thought about it; the Zhou Li, who suffered from autism, definitely wouldn’t behave like that...
She started observing closely.
Speeches from various leaders were being delivered from the dais. They talked on and on, but that person hadn’t left, seemingly not afraid of being discovered.
Soon, the command officer started giving orders. The parade began.
Brother Nan’s formation moved back a bit, creating some distance from the spectator stands. That person became blurred in her vision, but strangely, this blurry figure looked even more like Zhou Li than the actual Zhou Li by her side.
The dagger handling formation began their performance, then came the military boxing, and last was the campus anti-riot drill.
After it finished, three formations stood in the space left in the center, while other formations started their parade.
Brother Nan was lost in thought and nearly made mistakes several times.
After the parade ended, each company broke into squares, neatly laid out on the football field, very quiet. In the sky, apart from the red flags, only the drifting voice of the command officer could be heard.
They announced the advanced companies. Brother Nan thought she heard Fifth Camp Fourth Company.
They announced the advanced individuals. Brother Nan thought she heard her own name, but only reacted when someone behind her called her; she hurriedly ran up to receive her award.
Each squad leader received an award, except for Zhou Li.
By this time, the performance review had reached its end. When Brother Nan returned with her award and saw her instructor standing by the company, she nodded towards the instructor with a heavy heart, and the instructor smiled back at her.
But as soon as she stood properly, the instructor abruptly turned, saluted them, and before everyone could react, trotted away.
It wasn’t just their company; it was the same in every company.
Brother Nan was somewhat stunned. The exclamations from the male student company next door and the screams of the girls in her own company filled her ears. After a while, she even heard a girl crying.
The person in the spectator stands seemed to think there was nothing interesting left to watch and calmly turned and left.
The instructor’s retreating figure;
Zhou Li’s retreating figure;
Brother Nan was momentarily at a loss.
"Dismissed!"
The freshmen scattered at once. Some ran, trying to chase after the instructor, but they only saw a bus driving away in the distance.
"DAMN!"
"I don’t believe you won’t come back next year!"
"Instructor, SOB SOB..."
"..."
Brother Nan felt this military training had ended very abruptly.
Actually, Sister Xiangxiang was a cute girl and wasn’t strict with them at all. As the squad leader, Brother Nan interacted with her the most, and they usually got along well. Brother Nan had never imagined their farewell would be like this.
At least... a few polite words should have been said, right?
She had intended to chase after that other Zhou Li with the Zhou Li by her side after they were dismissed, but now she suddenly didn’t have the energy for it.
Until Baozi tugged at her sleeve.
Huai Xu also approached her, took off his hat to fan himself, and looked at her, puzzled. "Where did you say that person was just now?"
"Gone."
"Oh, then let’s go eat."
"Okay."
"What should we eat?"
"Let’s eat Sa Pie."
"Oh, the instructor ran off so suddenly just now. Many people in the company were quite sad," Huai Xu said in Zhou Li’s tone.
"I was a bit too."
The three of them walked out of the football field, attracting quite a few looks from other young men and women, but they didn’t speak to each other again.
It wasn’t until they were halfway there that Brother Nan turned to look at Huai Xu. "I suddenly want to beat you up."
"Why?"
"You’re a strange person—insincere and inconsiderate!"
"What happened?"
"I believed you! I believed what you said! But then you didn’t believe what I said; you didn’t believe me!"
"What do you mean?"
"I don’t want to talk about it!"
"..."
Huai Xu thought hard, his eyes darting around.
「...」
Zhou Li was also on his way home.
He took off his mask and hat, hands in his pockets, strolling leisurely. He saw a store selling flower cakes and bought a pound. He then saw a shop selling potted plants and went in for a browse.
When he got home and opened the door, Tuanzi rushed out and hugged him again!
"MEOW~~"
"HISS~"
"Haha, scared again!" Tuanzi clung to Zhou Li’s leg and wouldn’t let go, letting him drag her along. "You’re too dumb!"
"Not as smart as you."
"That’s true."
"I bought some flower cakes. Do you want some?"
"Yes! Lord Dumpling also wants boiled cabbage in broth."
"..."
Zhou Li had just sat down on the sofa when, suddenly, with a blur, Huai Xu appeared in the living room.
"Zhou Li, I have something to tell you!"
"How did you come back?"
"I’m actually eating with Li Daimao right now."
"Is it tasty?"
"Tasty... Oh, no! I’m in the restroom right now!"
"You’re eating in the restroom?" Lord Dumpling’s voice chimed in. Then, her little face showed a thoughtful expression as she looked towards Zhou Li.
"I have something to tell you." Huai Xu ignored Tuanzi. "Li Daimao just said something very strange to me."
"What?"
"It’s..."
Huai Xu relayed his entire conversation with Brother Nan to Zhou Li, then looked at him expectantly. "What did she tell you? What did you tell her? It feels a bit awkward to talk about..."
"Oh, we’ve been found out."
"???"
"That’s it." Zhou Li was quite composed.
"Impossible! No normal person would think that way, right?" Huai Xu’s eyes widened. "Even if we both appeared at the same time, a normal person would just think we’re twins!"
"She’s not a normal person."
"Besides, my disguise was absolutely..."
"She’s Brother Nan."
"..."
Huai Xu showed a deep sense of frustration.
Zhou Li casually picked up a flower cake from nearby and offered it to him. "Want one? It’s a cake made from flowers. Yes, the kind of flowers you said couldn’t be eaten. It’s a local specialty here, quite tasty."
"...No thanks!"
"Too bad."
"Is it... is it really tasty?"
"Mhm."
Zhou Li saw Huai Xu quickly grab two cakes and vanish with a WHOOSH, probably back to the restroom.
Zhou Li shook his head helplessly and sat down, lost in thought—
His and Huai Xu’s little scheme had been discovered. This was undoubtedly a terrible thing, but if it was Brother Nan who found out... Zhou Li suddenly leaned over and gently stroked Tuanzi’s forehead, asking, "What are we eating for lunch today?"
「...」
That evening, Zhou Qianqian convened a class meeting.
At such times, of course, it was the real Zhou Li who showed up. He walked with his roommates, following the crowd pouring out of the dormitory gate.
The class meeting was held in a large classroom.
According to Chen Yang, this class meeting was for Class Three and Class Four together because they shared the same class advisor. Class One and Class Two had their meeting before them, and future class meetings would likely be organized the same way.
When they arrived, Class One and Two hadn’t finished yet, so they squeezed by the doorway and waited a while before they could enter.
Suddenly, Chen Yang nudged Zhou Li’s arm.
Following his gaze, Zhou Li saw Brother Nan waving at him, with Baozi sitting next to her.
Zhou Li walked over.
People gradually took their seats, and Zhou Qianqian also arrived.
But the classroom was still noisy. Everyone was excited after just finishing military training. Seeing familiar faces from their own or adjacent companies, who had swapped their identical military training uniforms for casual clothes with personal style—ranging from short-sleeved T-shirts to jackets—felt novel.
Zhou Li was dressed very casually, and so was Brother Nan.
Baozi wore a black slip dress, which made her skin look especially pale, as if she hadn’t gone through military training at all.
Zhou Li ignored the smiles from many people passing by who saw him sitting with Brother Nan. He hesitated for a moment, then turned his head and said, "Actually, I do believe what you said, and I believe you."
Brother Nan looked at him sideways, not saying a word.
Zhou Li imagined Brother Nan tossing her head and snorting lightly. He paused for a moment, then reached into his pocket, fumbled around, and pulled out a few flower cakes. "I heard they’re a specialty here in Caiyun. They taste quite good."
Brother Nan stared at him for a long while before taking the flower cakes with the air of a big boss. "Explain this to me."
"He’s not me!"
"As expected!"
Brother Nan glanced at Baozi, then leaned closer to Zhou Li and lowered her voice. "I noticed something was off about you during military training. Many things were off. The most off thing was you fighting with the instructor. Someone like you wouldn’t even dare to kill a chicken..."
She’s just stating the obvious after the fact, Zhou Li thought.
But outwardly, he had to nod. "Right..."
He lifted his gaze and glanced at Huai Xu. Huai Xu was standing stock-still, like a wooden chicken, probably deeply reflecting on his disguise skills.