"Alright, let me show you the might of the Purple Jade Chess Saint."
Hou Yong didn't want to be a spoilsport either. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, and the surrounding students instinctively cleared a path for him.
"What is the Purple Jade Chess Saint? Did Monkey Bro win an award in the chess world?"
Some students heard Hou Yong mention the Purple Jade Chess Saint and thought he had actually participated in chess competitions.
"Monkey Bro lives in a residential area called Ziyu Huayuan," a student who knew the context explained.
"Come on, I'll let you have a Rook, Knight, and Cannon."
To display his confidence as a "Chess Saint," Hou Yong magnanimously removed his own Rook, Knight, and Cannon.
"Teacher, who goes first?"
No one reminded Hou Yong, and Gu Xiao asked with a smile.
"You go first."
Ten minutes later, Hou Yong looked at the board where he was left with only a General and an Elephant, and his mouth twitched slightly.
"Monkey Bro, you lost."
The boy standing next to Hou Yong reached out and patted his shoulder, reminding him that the game was over.
"Fine, Gu Xiao, you're really something. Let's play another round. This time, I won't give you a handicap, but you can still go first."
While saying this, Hou Yong quickly returned the chess pieces to their starting positions.
Fifteen minutes later.
Hou Yong fell into deep thought as he saw the situation on his side of the board: his General was cornered and checkmated by Gu Xiao's two Rooks and one Knight.
"Ahem."
Seeing Hou Yong's stunned expression, a student was about to tease him, but suddenly heard Hou Yong clear his throat.
Their gazes were subconsciously drawn over, and they saw Hou Yong suddenly stand up.
"Everyone's here, right? I'm going to talk about the procedure for today's Graduation Ceremony."
"Monkey Bro, your way of changing the subject is too half-hearted. It's just a Graduation Ceremony; you go in, sit down, listen to the school leaders boast, and it's over. What 'procedure'?"
"So what if you lost? We won't laugh at you."
Feng Kai, standing to Hou Yong's right, delivered his mockery perfectly.
"What nonsense are you spouting? Do you think everyone is like you? Gu Xiao and Lu Li are going up on stage as outstanding student representatives to give speeches. Do you think everyone is a slacker like you?"
Hou Yong stiffened his neck. Come on, let's hurt each other.
"Monkey Bro, that personal attack is too much."
"I haven't even brought up the time you failed sixteen blind dates in a row to mock you."
Hmph, who's afraid of whom? Keep talking.
"Alright, everyone return to your seats and sit down first."
Hou Yong decided not to bother with the youngsters. He clapped his hands, signaling all the students to return to their seats.
Jokes were kept brief, and everyone cooperated by returning to their seats.
The Chinese chess game was projected directly using a Smart Wristband, so there was no need for troublesome cleanup; they just needed to turn off the software on the Smart Wristband.
"Ahem, let me explain. Our Graduation Ceremony officially starts at nine o'clock, so everyone head to the Auditorium at eight-thirty."
"To avoid crowding and chaos, please line up when you go."
"Once inside, report your class to the teachers there, and they will tell you where to sit."
"Next, Gu Xiao and Lu Li, you two go straight backstage. When you are called, you can go up immediately."
"Alright, that's all."
Hou Yong clapped his hands together, making a loud sound.
"You're done talking, Monkey Bro. Let's keep playing chess," Feng Kai waved at Hou Yong.
"I have so many things to do. You guys play by yourselves." After speaking, Hou Yong walked toward the classroom door without looking back. When he reached the entrance, he stopped and turned around. "Lu Li, at eight-thirty, just lead the students over."
Lu Li was their Class Monitor, so naturally, this task was assigned to her.
"Understood, Teacher."
Hearing Hou Yong's instructions, Lu Li nodded.
After Hou Yong left, the students gathered in small groups again.
Some chatted, some played cards, and some played chess.
This time, Gu Xiao didn't rush up to play; she had already had her fill.
The main reason was that they were too weak. After the initial thrill of crushing novices passed, it became boring.
Playing chess with her Grandfather was much more satisfying. It took the combined effort of two minds—Gu Xiao and Jing Yuan—just to barely win a move against the Jing Family Grandfather.
"Gu Xiao, Lu Li, are you going straight home after the Graduation Ceremony?"
Feng Kai, who was sitting in front of Gu Xiao and Lu Li, stood up, turned around, and sat on the stool to ask.
"Why wouldn't we?"
After the Graduation Ceremony, they would officially graduate from high school, and there would be nothing left for them to do at school.
"I feel that after we graduate, we'll all go our separate ways, so let's have a gathering at school tonight."
The Professional Trial is held half a month earlier than the ordinary College Entrance Examination. If students who participated in the Professional Trial failed, they would look for other paths in a few days and couldn't wait until the ordinary College Entrance Examination concluded.
That is to say, if they waited until the College Entrance Examination was over for a class reunion, they wouldn't be able to gather everyone.
"Even so, why do we have to do it at school?"
Shouldn't class reunions be held at restaurants, followed by bars or KTVs?
"Of course, it's about the feeling. Look, usually we're miserable at school. It's fine for you day students, but us boarders have to wake up and sleep on time. Life is so dull and boring; every day when we open our eyes, we just wish for a holiday to go home."
"But now? During the time we should be having class, we can play however we want. And when it's time to sleep tonight, we can eat hotpot and sing songs. It's hard to describe the feeling, but it's just so thrilling."
"Especially when we see the younger students still having to attend class and sleep on time, but we don't."
Feng Kai really wanted to find a word to describe this feeling, but after thinking for a long time, he couldn't find a suitable one.
"Eating hotpot in the middle of the night? Didn't you guys do that all the time before?"
Gu Xiao said with a laugh, seemingly recalling something amusing.
"It's been so long, and you still can't let that go, can you?"
Seeing Gu Xiao's smiling face, Feng Kai immediately recalled a certain unpleasant incident.
"I can't help it. Back then, everyone in your dorm had their photos taken and posted on the doors of all the male and female restrooms in our school."
"Below them were written all your 'crimes.' You could see them every time you went to the restroom. The impression was too deep; I feel like I'll never forget it."
Especially since those photos were printed out at the time, they were all "black and white photos."
And they were each holding a bowl in their hands. Posting that on the restroom door was truly a masterpiece; it made me laugh every time I saw it.
Hearing Gu Xiao's words, Lu Li, who was sitting next to her, also couldn't help but laugh.
In an instant, it was like a hundred flowers blooming, intoxicating to behold.