I’m Not Paying Anyway

I’m not paying anyway~

In Xia Chen’s view.

The long and boring cycle of reincarnation, each life different, had actually left him with very little.

It turned him into who he is now—detached, indifferent, seemingly calm and unbothered.

It also made him extremely accustomed to boredom.

So while other students his age were still worrying about when the class would finally end, he could sit quietly and read the book in his hands.

The characters Xia Chen looked at seemed to come alive, drilling straight into his mind. With just a quick glance, he could effortlessly and clearly absorb everything on the page.

From language to history to politics, then physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, and English.

He finished all these textbooks.

Xia Chen only needed about a single class period.

And he didn’t even need time to process it—while the teacher was still lecturing, he could perfectly keep up with the pace.

His lips moved slightly, giving answers to every question the teacher asked almost immediately after.

He didn’t know which past life’s identity was influencing him.

It seemed that old Taoist once said that the Nine Cycles of Reincarnation meant merging the soul of every life into oneself, turning them into tools.

Thankfully, it hadn’t turned into multiple personalities, or he might have become some kind of schizophrenic madman.

However, when Xia Chen was reading the history book, he suddenly heard a faint voice beside him—perhaps just an illusion.

“People today will never know what true history really is. Like the so-called ‘beacon fires to amuse the lords’—just to make a beauty smile—it was merely a prelude to something far more cruel.”

Isn’t that just insane?

Xia Chen glanced suspiciously at Tong Si.

He thought that even after so many reincarnations, he should still stay far away from crazy people.

Meanwhile, Xia Chen’s repeated indifference finally made Tong Si doubtful—was her intuition wrong?

Was he not the person she thought he was?

But… her instincts shouldn’t be wrong… such deep hatred—how could there be such a deviation?

And Xia Chen’s behavior couldn’t even be described as guilty—it was more like irritation and confusion, as if she had become some kind of bizarre exhibit, saying and doing strange things to him.

All of this made Tong Si extremely hesitant and uncertain.

Until school ended.

Xia Chen packed his things cleanly and left his seat.

No hesitation at all, as if he had no attachment to anyone or anything in the classroom.

But soon, he noticed that despite his quick pace, someone still caught up to him.

At the lively and noisy school gate, Xia Chen turned slightly and saw Cao Qingyi, her face faintly flushed.

“…Why are you following me?”

Xia Chen asked, slightly puzzled.

Cao Qingyi froze for a moment, her face reddening further.

“I’m not! Th-this is your phone, right? You left it on your chair!”

When she opened her palm, revealing a phone that looked like an old-fashioned device, Xia Chen was briefly taken aback. It was indeed his phone—but when did he start forgetting things?

Though a bit doubtful, Xia Chen still took the phone.

“Then why didn’t you call out to me earlier?”

“I… I did! You just didn’t hear me!”

Of course, Cao Qingyi hadn’t called out—otherwise, there was no way Xia Chen wouldn’t have heard. She just didn’t want him to know that she used returning the phone as an excuse to follow him and see where he would go after school. Not out of curiosity… or so she told herself.

After all, this boy came to class whenever he felt like it, skipped whenever he didn’t—and missing six days a week was unbelievable.

If he wasn’t attending classes, what was he doing?

After being caught, Cao Qingyi used the excuse she had already prepared.

Xia Chen glanced at her. He didn’t expose the obvious lie, instead noticing the snack street just ahead.

Zhijiang was a city famous for its street food and late-night snacks. Its nightlife was more vibrant than people imagined—not in terms of luxury venues, but in a way that truly brought joy to life.

Those fleeting pleasures meant nothing to Xia Chen.

What truly mattered was flavor—the kind that lingered in your mouth, that made your taste buds rejoice. That was what he considered real happiness.

Perhaps that was the reason he stayed in Zhijiang.

“Want to grab something to eat?”

“Huh…? Is this to thank me for returning your phone?”

Cao Qingyi was a complete foodie, unable to resist nearby delicacies. The only thing holding her back was the usual concern about weight and figure.

Xia Chen nodded.

“Xiao Wen’s skewers are pretty good.”

Cao Qingyi agreed wholeheartedly.

Standing in front of Xiao Wen’s skewer shop, watching the sizzling skewers inside, she suddenly thought of something.

“Oh right, your phone… can it scan to pay later?”

Xia Chen put his hands in his pockets and calmly looked at Cao Qingyi, who was a head shorter than him.

“Does it matter?”

“Uh… don’t tell me you brought a lot of cash?” Cao Qingyi asked, confused.

Xia Chen shook his head.

“The boss is paying.”

Then he took the skewers handed over by the shop owner, stuffed them into his mouth, and said while eating—

“I’m not paying anyway, so why would I bring money?”