"Hey, when did we start discussing military strategies?" Luo Qianqian was a bit perplexed looking at the book in front of her, "If I could ’devise strategies within a command tent, and win battles a thousand miles away,’ what do I need you for?"
"It’s knowledge you should be aware of," Qin Liang rolled his eyes, "Your uncle said so."
"He’s just bored with nothing better to do, speaking without feeling the pain because he doesn’t have to do it himself. Let’s see him study this much?" With Luo Xiying not around, Luo Qianqian’s dissatisfaction burst out all at once. She was already tired, what with so many papers to work on, and now they were giving her more pointless tasks.
Qin Liang nodded repeatedly, agreeing that they were simply bored and looking for trouble. But still, he did his duty and said, "Just treat it as a diversion during your break time, or if that’s too much, think of it as something to pass the time while squatting in the toilet. After all, he won’t know and I’ve delivered the message."
Luo Qianqian stood up, placed the book on the stool, and sat down on it with a plop, "Alright then."
Qin Liang nodded, didn’t say a word, but clearly approved of Luo Qianqian’s way of dealing with it. He didn’t agree with Luo Xiying’s method of trying to turn his niece into a jack-of-all-trades and thereby drawing resentment.
"Today it’s this set of papers—write two of them and then sew two patches of cloth," Qin Liang said indifferently as he took out a test booklet.
Looking at Qin Liang’s well-defined profile, Luo Qianqian asked blankly, "Boss, what are you trying to train me into, exactly? Do I also have to be skilled in needlework?"
"What needlework? It’s training in suturing," Qin Liang was taken aback, his face covered in disbelief. Had this kid been driven to stupidity by all the busyness?
"Boss, don’t you feel like the more I learn, the more I forget? Isn’t it said that if you’re too greedy in learning, you can’t digest it?" Luo Qianqian flipped through the papers, her face weary. Although she hadn’t increased her physical activity, the mental exertion and having to spend most of her day expending physical energy, it would be odd if she still had any spirit left.
"You forgot? Then do it again. You were supposed to memorize English vocabulary and essential essays this morning. Did you do it?" Qin Liang rolled his eyes—who didn’t know tiredness? This was already being considerate of your hardship, lessening the burden. Otherwise, would you still have the energy to complain?
However, the only positive thing that was apparent was Luo Qianqian’s determination. Clearly unable to bear it, yet she still clenched her teeth and persevered, completing the papers no matter how drowsy she felt. As for the rest, she often acted as though she had forgotten and wouldn’t even look at them, like those emergency medical treatments.
"Does my uncle know you’re mistreating me ?" Luo Qianqian was on the brink of tears, a protesting look on her face, but her hand writing with the pen didn’t stop. After looking at the test paper for a long while, she said, "Boss, how do I do this one?"
Qin Liang looked at Luo Qianqian in surprise. After studying together for over three months, Luo Qianqian had never asked him any questions, as if she was inherently knowledgeable. But thinking of Luo Qianqian’s brother, Luo Shufan, the once famous Top Scholar of the college entrance exams whose whereabouts were now unknown since he took a leave of absence, Qin Liang came to a realization—it might just be in her genes.
Then he smiled, "What’s the problem?" He looked at the test paper in Luo Qianqian’s hands and was instantly confused—temperature and climate? Isn’t that geography? "Why are you doing geography?"
"The graduation exam is not like the college entrance exam; they can test us on anything. I can’t skip it entirely," Luo Qianqian yawned and pointed at the pile of books on Qin Liang’s desk, "Help me flip through them quickly; I can’t remember a thing."
Luo Xiying, who had been eavesdropping outside the door, wore a face of relief. He waved his hand and led Bai Yixian out of the dorm, as they couldn’t just stay there waiting for doom.
"Let’s go find Xiao Xi first. We’ll talk about the rest later. Hopefully, there will be some news on that end." Luo Xiying sighed, looking at the thermos and medicine Bai Yixian carried with him, feeling a bittersweet emotion, "It’s my fault you’re mixed up in this."
Bai Yixian shook his head, his face stern, "I feel like Qianqian is hiding something from us."
Luo Xiying was startled, then revealed a faint smile, "Kids often have some secrets they don’t want to be known, especially during adolescence."
Luo Qianqian indeed had a secret, a secret so heavy on her chest that she couldn’t sleep well. With time inching closer to the New Year, she became even more restless. It was the impending, terrifying earthquake that left her anxious day and night. She knew about it, but couldn’t convince the world to believe her.
Not only was Luo Xiying extra attentive to Luo Qianqian’s studies, but Qin Liang, Zhang Jin, and others were as well. Whether it was highlighters, colored water-based pens, or sticky notes, she had everything that others in the school had, and even the things they didn’t, she would try every means to obtain them, regardless of their usefulness.
"I feel like you’ve been distracted recently, is something the matter?" Qin Liang asked with concern, looking at Luo Qianqian biting her pen cap with a distressed face. He put down his geography book and continued, "I’m somewhat of a doctor, and I’ve also studied some psychology. Do you want to talk about it with me?"
Luo Qianqian looked at Qin Liang with a conflicted expression. With less than half a year left, how should she explain?
"Boss, if, I mean if, you knew about something that could cause a great loss, possibly cost many lives, but you didn’t know the source of the information and only had your intuition to back it up, what would you do?" Luo Qianqian finally spoke up.
"If the sky falls, aren’t there tall people to hold it up? Are you under too much pressure?" Qin Liang frowned, looking at Luo Qianqian who seemed genuinely troubled and became more serious, "Do you know something? How did you find out?"
Luo Qianqian pondered for a moment, organizing her thoughts, "Since I was little, I’ve had a dream that Huaxia Country will face a disaster next year. That dream has accompanied me for over a decade."
"You’re not saying you dreamed about the earthquake in Sichuan Province, are you?" Qin Liang looked at Luo Qianqian with shocked eyes.
Luo Qianqian looked back at Qin Liang in utter disbelief, her voice faltering as she asked, "How did you know?" Could it be that you too are reborn?
Qin Liang’s mouth fell open. It couldn’t be true, could it? His sister’s words were actually real? "My sister, Qin Nuan, has been saying since last year that she’s been having a dream about a disaster in Sichuan Province, even specifying the exact location."
"Could it also be Sichuan City?" Luo Qianqian’s eyes widened. Qin Liang’s sister? Last year? Returned last year? Reincarnation? She became eager to meet this person.
Qin Liang nodded, "Yes." The astonishment in his eyes could not be concealed.
Luo Qianqian gave a wry smile, "Boss, could I talk to your sister? A phone call will do." Unconsciously, she used a respectful tone, Luo Qianqian felt a bit afraid. She wasn’t the only one? Luckily, she hadn’t done anything to outrage the heavens and decry reason, nor did she have the power—although she could predict major events, surely someone with an agenda would discover her sooner or later.
"Sure." Qin Liang, without any hesitation, picked up the landline, dialed the number, said a few words to the person on the other end, and then handed the phone to Luo Qianqian.
"Boss, could you give me some privacy, please?"