Chapter 26: I Actually Think This Kid Is Quite All Right

"National Flag Guard?" Lin Bai asked, looking over.

"That's right. You must have heard of the National Flag Guard. They recruit a new batch of freshmen every year, but..."

"But what?"

"But I've heard the selection criteria for the National Flag Guard are incredibly strict. Fu Rao told me that out of 168 people who signed up last year, guess how many actually passed the assessment?"

Qin Ruowei wore a playful expression.

"A hundred?" Lin Bai guessed.

"No way, the entire Guard has fewer than seventy members."

"Last year, out of those 168 people, only three passed."

Hearing such a terrifying pass rate, Lin Bai was stunned. "So few? Isn't the elimination rate a bit too high?"

Qin Ruowei wagged a finger that looked as delicate as a scallion.

"No, no, no. The Guard's assessment rarely actually 'eliminates' people. It's just that the training intensity is so high—starting at five in the morning and continuing for two hours every evening—that very few people can stick with it."

"So, rather than saying most students were eliminated, it’s more accurate to say they chose to quit."

"And as for you, I think you can handle it. Just the thought of you in a uniform, marching in formation, makes me so excited."

Qin Ruowei looked infatuated, oblivious to how many boys around them were staring in a daze.

After hearing this, Lin Bai felt a strong curiosity about the National Flag Guard. Besides, he had already formed a habit of daily exercise, so it would fit his routine perfectly.

"Fine! I'll take the challenge. That's the one! But..."

At this point, Lin Bai narrowed his eyes. "If I manage to get into the National Flag Guard, what reward do I get?"

Seeing Lin Bai's mischievous smirk, Qin Ruowei realized his implication a second too late. Her face flushed instantly, and she lowered her head to focus on her food.

"I’m not talking to you anymore, you bad guy."

Lin Bai loved seeing her shy side. However, thinking about the main mission the system had given him, which still had no progress, he couldn't help but feel anxious. Given their current relationship, that sort of thing was completely out of the question.

*Take it slow,* Lin Bai told himself silently. He pulled a pen from his bag and wrote "National Flag Guard" on the application form.

Unbeknownst to them, in another part of the cafeteria, a man in a short-sleeved shirt and sunglasses was sipping a bubble tea, enjoying it leisurely.

People bustled through the cafeteria, but the man’s gaze remained fixed, staring straight at Lin Bai and Qin Ruowei in the corner. He took in every intimate gesture between the two without a flicker of expression, watching them until they finished their meal and left.

Lunch break lasted two and a half hours, and since Lin Bai had no classes in the afternoon, it was the perfect time to pick up his new phone.

***

"Bro System, how much can I withdraw right now?"

[Beep! System balance: 1,600.]

Lin Bai felt a surge of excitement at the number. He was currently receiving a daily stipend of one thousand yuan, which was more than he could ever spend.

"Withdraw it all!"

[Beep! Full balance of 1,600 yuan has been transferred. Please check your account.]

[XX Bank: Your account ending in 6832 has received 1,600 yuan. Current balance: 2,364.8 yuan.]

Looking at the balance, Lin Bai felt a complex mix of emotions. Two thousand yuan might not seem like much to others, but for a poor student who previously lived on five hundred yuan a month, it was a world of difference.

His first act was to transfer one thousand yuan to his mother. Like many parents, his mother immediately initiated a video call.

Lin Bai found an empty corner to answer. Facing his mother's worry and questions, he maintained a relaxed tone.

"Don't worry, Mom. I earned this myself during the holidays with a part-time job. And..."

"I've started a small business with a classmate. It's more than enough to cover my expenses. You and Dad don't need to send me any more living money."

"Hurry up and accept the transfer. I have to get to class this afternoon, let's talk later."

After easing his mother's worries, he hung up. He knew that if he hadn't mentioned his afternoon class, she would have talked for another hour. Seeing that she had finally accepted the money, Lin Bai let out a sigh of relief, feeling as if the world were brighter than ever.

Qin Ruowei had classes that afternoon, so Lin Bai left the school alone, driving toward the nearest Huawei specialty store.

Not long after his Mercedes pulled out of campus, a BMW X7 followed suit, keeping a steady distance behind him. The roads were busy, and Lin Bai didn't notice anything unusual.

Inside the BMW, the man in sunglasses from the cafeteria was driving with one hand, holding a document in the other. Sitting in the passenger seat was Wang Peichuan! If Lin Bai saw this, his jaw would have hit the floor.

"Brother Yulong, here is all the information on Lin Bai." Wang Peichuan said, wearing a fawning smile and a servile tone.

The driver, the "Brother Yulong" whom Wang Peichuan spoke of, didn't even acknowledge him. He continued to drive while studying the document, his brow furrowing from time to time.

The Huawei store wasn't far. A few minutes later, Lin Bai parked on the side of the road and walked into the shop. The BMW pulled over nearby as well. Inside, Brother Yulong pulled two hundred yuan from the center console and tossed it at Wang Peichuan.

"Good job. Go ahead, and remember what I told you."

Wang Peichuan took the money and nodded repeatedly. "Don't worry, Brother Yulong. I'm the class monitor; he won't be able to escape my grasp."

"Good. Go. I'll contact you if I need anything."

After more obsequious nodding, Wang Peichuan stepped out of the car. Brother Yulong watched the phone store, continuing to scan Lin Bai's file.

About fifteen minutes later, Lin Bai emerged from the store carrying a shopping bag, looking pleased, and drove away. This time, Brother Yulong didn't follow. Instead, he got out of his car and walked into the store.

"Hello, sir. Are you looking for a phone?"

"Not looking for a phone. The young man who was just here, Lin Bai—what did he buy?" Brother Yulong asked directly.

The saleswoman paused. "It seems... it seems it was the latest Huawei Mate XT folding phone."

Brother Yulong's eyebrows knitted together. He knew the price of that model well. He shook his head and left the store.

***

Night. Maple Town.

"Twenty years old, rural family, parents are farmers, annual household income less than 30,000..."

Qin Ruowei’s father, Qin Yang, placed the document gently on the table, lit a cigarette, and looked at his son, Qin Yulong, who was sitting across from him.

"Do you think this information is credible?"

Qin Yulong pursed his lips in thought. "It does seem strange, but I can guarantee the data is absolutely accurate."

Both father and son fell silent, both realizing the oddity of the situation.

"An annual income of 30,000, yet he can afford a Mercedes GLE? And a phone costing over 10,000?"

It didn't add up.

"And Father, during the National Day holiday, this Lin Bai was still working part-time. His monthly living expenses were only five hundred. It's said he's quite the romantic fool; he gave up a chance at a 985 university for a high school classmate named Chen Shuya."

"During the holiday, Chen Shuya went traveling with another guy, and it was right around those days that Lin Bai started getting close to Xiaowei."

"I think the kid is actually pretty decent, just a bit mysterious. I'll keep observing him."