Massaging his temples, Lin Yu felt a headache brewing.
Why had things progressed to this stage? If it became too unbearable, perhaps transferring schools might be an option. Grasping his hair, he felt doubt seep in. Considering the notorious reputation of Third Middle School, the likelihood of successfully transferring was as slim as Tang Manman’s childhood friend suddenly coming to beat him up.
Just drop it. It's come to this. Let's grab some lunch first. Overwhelmed, Lin Yu decided to let himself wallow in frustration for a while. Any monumental issue could wait until after he had eaten.
Though Third Middle was infamously lousy, the cafeteria was actually quite decent. Not only was the food delicious and affordable, but the cafeteria auntie’s technique was impressively stable. Praise was due!
After purchasing several of his favorite dishes, Lin Yu, with a loaded tray, searched for a secluded corner to enjoy his scrumptious meal. However, he couldn't help but notice a familiar face. Instinctively, he turned for a clearer view and suddenly his eyes widened in shock.
Good heavens. Seems you've crossed over too, huh? And a direct port over at that?
Lin Yu marveled at the tall, burly fellow with a sense of malaise. Carrying his tray, he sat beside him and gazed at the face identical to that of his past life, so much so that he almost wanted to give him a big hug in eager recognition.
However, remembering his current delinquent appearance, Lin Yu refrained from acting on impulse. He decided on a more subtle approach to hint to this person of their shared origin.
Plucking a few slender leaves from his plate, Lin Yu nibbled the larger ones and meticulously arranged the smaller leaves on the tabletop. As the details took shape, a clear message in the form of a symbol and an Arabic numeral emerged against the light tone of the table surface.
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+3!
With the message complete, Lin Yu eagerly awaited the tall youth's surprise. Unexpectedly, the young man showed no interest in Lin Yu's leafy creation, even appearing to frown in disdain.
Lin Yu’s brow furrowed with confusion. The hint couldn’t be any clearer—how could a veteran forum browser not catch on?
As time passed and the burly youth continued to quietly eat without comment, Lin Yu leaned in, whispering the code phrase meant to trigger recognition: "Old Man, unleash some gold coins!"
At these words, the youth tensed up, apparently mistaking the jest for a literal threat. "I don't have any money," he blurted, clearly intimidated.
This puzzling reaction made Lin Yu reconsider. Could he really not be the same person? After examining him closely and confirming even the mole behind his ear matched his memories, Lin Yu felt a mixture of frustration and irritation.
"Niu Dafei, can you just stop messing around?" he said, annoyed. "Do I have to beat you with adhesive in public before you recognize me?"
He watched, waiting for the familiar cadence of "all this red tape," hoping for a shared moment of acknowledgement. But despite his wait, Niu Dafei only grew more anxious.
Lin Yu’s bewilderment deepened. Surely Niu Dafei had to know the joke; they’d played it out countless times before crossing over. It was one of those inside bits no one could forget.
Could he truly not be Niu Dafei? Lin Yu’s thoughts spun in circles.
Staring at the tall youth, deciding to cut through any potential deceptions, Lin Yu opted for a final attempt using a surefire joke that always made Niu Dafei laugh—a cold joke involving a twist on a lyric from Andy Lau’s song, turning "cold rain" into "cold fish" that foolishly "slaps the face."
Recalling that Niu Dafei found hilarity in a meme of a cartoon character smacked by a frozen fish, Lin Yu decided to play his trump card. Mentioning the joke or phrase had always sent Niu Dafei into fits of laughter.
Lin Yu braced himself and delivered the punchline, watching Niu Dafei intently, ready to leap at any sign of recognition.
Time ticked away. Not even a twitch of a smile appeared on Niu Dafei’s face; his eyes now held even more fear. It was that moment Lin Yu confirmed the truth.
He really was not Niu Dafei.
"I got the wrong person, buddy," Lin Yu said, feigning calmness as he patted him on the shoulder, then quickly turned to leave.
Damn it. I hope he doesn't know what "adhesive" means in that context.
How utterly embarrassing!