Chapter 32

The end of May break did not only kickstart their evening self-study sessions, but also put an end to full weekends, leaving their class with only a single day off on Sundays.

Amid widespread complaints, Lin Xigu alone wore a smile on his face and accepted the new schedule with grace. Now, he would only have to endure one day a week without She Xiao instead of two.

As the weather gradually warmed, there was no longer the need to wear their uniform jackets. Lin Xigu had transferred to this school around the same time last year, when he had immediately made a beeline for the vicious-looking She Xiao sitting at the back of the room.

Lin Xigu was thankful that he had been so superficial as to voluntarily sit in the back of the room for a pretty face.

When the bell rang for break, he made a detour by She Xiao’s desk, casually picking up his water bottle, and returned it after refilling it at the fountain. “Remember to stay hydrated,” Lin Xigu reminded him quietly, as he always did.

She Xiao continued to ignore him. He no longer spoke to anybody, even their teachers had stopped calling on him. He could make it through the whole day without saying a word.

The plump and scrawny duo who had sat in front of him last term were still miraculously together. Whether by fate or design, they now sat diagonally behind Lin Xigu. Dong Xuan still chit-chatted with Lin Xigu every now and then.

Lin Xigu strolled back to his desk and greeted Dong Xuan along the way.

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“Dktw, obyv’p tskdt sd okvb usw yde Fbl Dkys?” Psdt Dwyd ypjle.

Fs lhld usw yal ypjkdt xl, Nkd Dktw vbswtbv yp bl pbssj bkp blye okvb y pxkzl. “Lsvbkdt, lhlauvbkdt’p qkdl.”

Psdt Dwyd’p vsdtgbws yzalyeu bye y alvsav alyeu qsa bkp dspu elpjxyvl. “Gb,” Psdt Dwyd zlqv kv yv vbyv. “Mbyv’p tsse yv zlypv.”

Nkd Dktw pyv esod yde vssj swv bkp cssjp qsa vbl dlmv nzypp. Ebu oyp lhlaucseu ypjkdt bkx ycswv Fbl Dkys? Nkd Dktw eked’v vbkdj vbl alnldv elhlzsrxldvp pbswze nsxl yp y pbsnj. Mblka eudyxkn bye clld vbl pyxl ewakdt bkp qkapv vlax yp olzz, okvb bkx nbyvvlakdt yoyu yde Fbl Dkys ktdsakdt bkx. Mblu bye pkxrzu alhlavle vs vbyv saktkdyz pvyvl.

Mbl sdzu altalvvyczl ekqqlaldnl oyp vbyv Fbl Dkys oyp ds zsdtla vblal obld bl zssjle clpkel bkx.

Mbl ekddla calyj clqsal lhldkdt plzq-pvweu oyp qya vss pbsav, ps xspv rlsrzl yvl kd vbl nyqlvlaky. Nkd Dktw oyp blyele kd vbyv ekalnvksd obld bl qlzv y vwt sd bkp nzsvblp. Tl vwadle yde pyo Hbydt Wldt.

Nkd Dktw ktdsale bkx yde nsdvkdwle oyzjkdt.

“Tyhl usw ds xyddlap?” Hbydt Wldt nywtbv wr vs bkx yde pzwdt bkp yax yaswde bkp pbswzela.

“I don’t say hi to strangers,” Lin Xigu said coolly.

“Come on now, we’re practically buddies.” Zhang Feng laughed, flicking Lin Xigu’s forehead before releasing him and walking away with a friend.

It was funny the way things had turned out. After receiving a beatdown from She Xiao and hush money from Lin Xigu, Zhang Feng and him now shared a kind of strange bond. One time, Lin Xigu had been taking out the trash and Zhang Feng had grabbed the bin out of his hands and helped him throw it out.

But Zhang Feng was still obnoxious and never outgrew the habit of teasing him at every opportunity. Lin Xigu didn’t mind him and his friends much anymore. Although they were delinquents, they never actually bullied anyone. True to his word, Zhang Feng never told anyone else about the fight after accepting his money, and he and his friends left She Xiao alone.

Perhaps they really were delinquents with principles.

Li Balei ran up from behind him. “What were you doing hanging around them?”

“I wasn’t. I don’t even know them.”

“Then why did he have his arm around your shoulder?” Li Balei stole a look behind her, then leaned in with her voice lowered, “Shit, you have no idea how nervous I was just now. She Xiao was walking right behind me but he took off towards you as soon as you started speaking to that guy! I thought he was going to beat your ass.”

As soon as she said this, Lin Xigu immediately whipped his head around, but he didn’t see any sign of She Xiao.

“I really thought he was gunning for you! Scared the bejesus outta me too. I was just about to warn you when he stopped and I don’t know where he went after that. Why’s he gotta be so jumpy all the time?”

Lin Xigu’s heart quickened in excitement.

His eyes gleamed as he looked at Li Balei. “Was he really running towards me?”

“Yes! He got super close too, but then he just left,” Li Balei said.

Lin Xigu suddenly laughed. Still laughing, he said out loud, “Ah ah ah ah.”

“…” Li Balei stared. “What’s wrong with you?”

Lin Xigu was over the moon. Was it possible that She Xiao had been ready to fight Zhang Feng again because he’d thought Lin Xigu was being bullied?

And then he had left once it was clear that nothing was wrong?

Ah! Lin Xigu, who had been neglected for half a term, suddenly came alive. Even his steps felt light and cheerful.

But where was She Xiao now? Where was he going to eat dinner if not the cafeteria?

Lin Xigu turned and wrapped Li Balei up in a big hug. “Thank you, Ballet Grrrl!”

And then he sped away.

Li Balei quickly checked her surroundings to see if anyone had noticed. Damn it, Lin Xigu! Their relationship was purer than distilled water but what if someone else had seen? Even strong, independent women like herself had secret crushes too! Basketball hotties might still get the wrong idea if they saw her hugging someone else!

“Lin Xigu, you’re mental!” She yelled after him.

Lin Xigu laughed as he sprinted out of sight.

He grabbed two combo meals from the cafeteria counter and brought them back to the classroom in separate containers. Predictably, he found She Xiao sitting at his desk, staring out the window.

Lin Xigu plopped down in the seat next to him, holding the takeout container.

She Xiao turned in alarm, his arm lifted defensively out of habit, but he slowly lowered it again when he saw that it was Lin Xigu.

“You haven’t eaten yet, right?” Lin Xigu asked, smiling.

He had been running too hard and there was a sheen of sweat on his forehead. He wiped it off casually with his sleeve as he told She Xiao, “You should eat something. It’ll be late by the time you get home.”

Lin Xigu opened one of the containers and laid a pair of chopsticks down by She Xiao’s hand. Continuing quickly in a whisper, he said, “It’s all yours. I’m leaving a bottle of yogurt here as well. Remember to drink it after you’re done. Don’t worry, I won’t sit here and bother you. Enjoy.”

Lin Xigu gave him another small smile before returning to his desk with his food.

She Xiao still cared about him after all!

Lin Xigu resisted the urge to look over his shoulder as he ate. After he finished, he stood to throw out his container, and that was when he noticed that She Xiao hadn’t touched the food he had bought at all; it had been pushed to the side. He hadn’t opened the yogurt either.

Lin Xigu’s good mood dampened slightly.

By the time evening self-study came to a close, She Xiao still had not eaten anything.

Lin Xigu massaged his belly. He had been running too much and he hadn’t been able to eat his dinner mindfully with his mind wandering elsewhere. His stomach was hurting.

Perhaps She Xiao hadn’t been running towards him after all. Perhaps he had been making silly assumptions again.

Carrying the weight of his backpack, he smiled mockingly. Lin Xigu, why are you so stupid?

He didn’t see She Xiao on his walk home. She Xiao always left at the first opportunity, and he had never been able to catch up. Perhaps She Xiao had changed routes because he didn’t want Lin Xigu following him anymore.

The past couple of days, Lin Xigu had walked home with Xie Yang instead. Xie Yang was in his final year of high school and his Gaokao exam was right around the corner.

“How’s the studying going?” Lin Xigu asked.

“Eh, not bad,” Xie Yang said nonchalantly. “Probably good enough for me to get into a second-tier uni at this point.”

“That’s actually quite good,” Lin Xigu rubbed his stomach as he walked, making conversation. “Where are you looking to go?”

Xie Yang shrugged. “Nowhere. I don’t want to leave this city. I’m fine staying where I am.”

Lin Xigu nodded. “Valid.”

“And you?” Xie Yang asked. “Have you thought about it yet? Where are you going to apply?”

It took a long time for Lin Xigu to come up with an answer. “Maybe Beijing? I’m not sure. Probably Beijing.”

With grades like his, She Xiao was bound to end up in Beijing – that was the hope, at least. There were plenty of universities to choose from and Lin Xigu could probably find a decent school for himself too. If She Xiao were to end up somewhere with fewer options, there was a good chance that the good schools would not admit him and the ones that would would not be good enough. He wouldn’t be able to follow him in that case.

“Why do you keep rubbing your stomach? What’s up?” Xie Yang asked, looking at Lin Xigu’s hand.

“Nothing, just a stomachache. I was running right before I ate.” Lin Xigu remembered how silly he had been and chuckled.

“Does it hurt a lot?” Xie Yang had one arm slung over Lin Xigu and he patted the hand Lin Xigu was using to cover his stomach.

Xie Yang had only touched him given the natural flow of conversation. Neither of them cared much but it might have seemed like an intimate gesture to an unknowing bystander, as if Xie Yang were holding Lin Xigu while feeling up his hand.

Lin Xigu shook his head. “Nope. I’ll sleep it off.”

“Well, give me a call if it gets worse. You can call my number.”

Lin Xigu smiled. “I’m fine, really. I just ran a little too hard.”

Spring was turning into summer and the weather was mild. The road was sprinkled with students on their way home from school, returning home with their backpacks on their shoulders. Some were walking in pairs, others were lone silhouettes in the night.

Their shadows stretched before them beneath the street lamps. Chatting and laughing, Lin Xigu and Xie Yang made their way home together.