EmbersCh14 - An Empty Classroom

translator: daisy


Xing Ye: “Mn, I do.” 7Hupfg

On cue, Sheng Renxing fished out his phone and waved it in his direction.

Xing Ye reported a string of numbers.

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

Pressing search, a profile popped up. The display name was “Not adding friends” and the profile picture was a red “X”.

“?” pU3NEM

Sheng Renxing stared at his name, and suddenly felt that his “x” was no longer cool.

He glanced at Xing Ye, who was still eating seriously, and couldn’t help but laugh.

Xing Ye lifted his head.

Sheng Renxing turned his mobile phone to show him the screen, “Your name is so pretentious.”

0hpNHf

He casually explained: “Too many people wanted to add me before, and it got troublesome.”

Someone had sent his account ID to a confession wall before, and ever since then, there would be someone who requested to add him everyday. Xing Ye was so disturbed that he eventually changed his screen name.

Sheng Renxing smiled and gave him a thumbs up. Noting his name, he sent out the friend request.

Xing Ye took out his phone, pressed the confirmation button in front of him, and put it away. 67igza

Looking at him, Sheng Renxing pocketed his phone as well.

For the remainder of the lunch period, Sheng Renxing remained very focused on his meal. In his concentration, one would’ve thought that he was eating French cuisine instead of this bowl of six yuan dumplings.

The taste itself was rather ordinary, unlike how the flavors at the noodle stall last time had given him a pleasant surprise. However, since he didn’t have any expectations going into today’s meal, all in all, it was worth the price. RpTFjf

Xing Ye didn’t converse while eating, and Sheng Renxing was also taught to keep quiet during meals and bedtimes.

As he ate, he divided half his attention to look intently at the other.

He found that Xing Ye really had no appetite; he chewed methodically, and took his time to swallow, as if he was going to fall asleep at any moment.

The store was at the end of the alley, tucked away in a small corner. Sheng Renxing began to suspect that the other party had just found a store without much thought, as long as there weren’t many customers. DhAldo

Further within the interior of the shop, two young girls had finished eating and were about to leave.

Their table was near the door, with Sheng Renxing against the wall, and Xing Ye sitting on the aisle.

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As the two came over, they stood still. Xing Ye tilted his head and quickly glanced at them, drawing his chair in to make room.

Both of them had long legs, and the two boys bumped into each other accidentally. bduv8K

Sheng Renxing spread his legs and didn’t look up.

The two girls still didn’t leave.

Sheng Renxing felt that something wasn’t right. He lifted his head up to just see the two staring up at him.

As they didn’t wear uniforms, he couldn’t tell if they were students or not. The short-haired girl grinned at them: Hey handsome, let’s be friends?” dEBczD

She shook the phone in her hand, “Add our QQ?”

Xing Ye didn’t seem to hear it, while Sheng Renxing grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth and then said, “This handsome guy doesn’t have QQ.”

The other long-haired girl pouted: “I just saw you add his QQ though.”

Sheng Renxing looked at her lips unconsciously, and couldn’t tell whether she was wearing lipstick or if she forgot to wipe her mouth. gZONMC

He thought about it and pointed to Xing Ye: “Which one do you want?”

Xing Ye stared expressionlessly at him.

The two girls obviously did not expect him to ask such a question, and for a moment, there was an hesitant look on their faces, as if they were seriously deciding between attending Tsinghua or Peking University. adzQno

After a while, the long-haired girl made her choice. Pitching her voice, she asked: “Can’t we have both?”

Sheng Renxing was astonished: “You’re so greedy.”

The short-haired girl realized that he was teasing them for his own amusement, and didn’t actually want to give his QQ at all. And the other had been eating with his head down this whole time, not even sparing them a glance.

She had a thin face, and so after glaring at Sheng Renxing, she dragged her friend away. r5OsR4

The customers at the table next to them were listening in on the conversation, muffling their laughter the entire time. After the girls left, the guy gave Sheng Renxing a thumbs up: “You guys are so cool.”

Sitting across from him was most likely his girlfriend, who was wearing the No.13 High School’s uniform.

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Sheng Renxing politely nodded, and then swiveled his gaze towards Xing Ye: “Why didn’t you say anything just then?”

Xing Ye swallowed a mouthful of dumplings, eyes full of mirth: “You didn’t seem to need cheering on.”

Sheng Renxing was momentarily stunned, but then quickly launched his counterattack: “I didn’t know that you were such a surprise package.”

Rbk la kjr Wlcu Tf’r aegc ab yf raeccfv: “Qtja vb sbe wfjc?” 8zTsi2

Vtfcu Efczlcu vlvc’a gfrqbcv, jcv rb atf ues rlaalcu yfakffc atfw gertfv ab jcrkfg: “Lf wfjcr atja sbe’gf ilxf j rwbivfglcu fwyfg!”

Wlcu Tf rajgfv ja atf ues olgra jcv atfc ja Vtfcu Efczlcu.

Sheng Renxing felt that the guy was talking too much nonsense. Smiling at the other, he said: “I’m praising you.”

Xing Ye wordlessly lowered his head to eat another dumpling. r63Kp

The guy looked at them with amusement, and then responded, “I know you, second year’s Xing Ye.”

“I heard that you’re amazing at fighting. They said that you were going to steal the big head’s seat?”

Xing Ye tilted his head to look at him, as if to size the guy up. He then shook his head.

The guy continued to smile, “You fought my good bro last time.” ruK1cF

Xing Ye merely regarded him without a trace of expression, and slowly swallowed a dumpling: “Which one?”

Sheng Renxing’s sight wandered between them.

First, the guy’s serious yet pretentious tone earlier caused goosebumps to erupt on his arms.

And then he had to stifle back laughter after Xing Ye’s question. Wql51R

Although Sheng Renxing felt that Xing Ye might’ve asked out of genuine curiosity instead of sarcasm.

The guy obviously didn’t realize, judging by his wavering smile: “You’re a little arrogant.”

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The atmosphere was getting rather tense. Sensing that things weren’t right, the girlfriend grabbed the guy’s hand: “What are you doing? Didn’t you say that you’re going to accompany me to lunch!”

The boy shrugged his shoulders: “Let’s do it this way then. At Pusan Plaza tonight, you tell Wan Guanxi and the others, either apologize to my friend or get ready for a rematch.” yAs5XE

Xing Ye nodded.

After spitting out the harsh words, he left with his girlfriend.

Unfortunately, she hadn’t even finished half of her bowl.

“Are you going tonight?” Sheng Renxing asked. He didn’t think Xing Ye would apologize. BdzmjF

Unexpectedly, he shook his head.

Sheng Renxing shot him a suspicious glance.

“I’m not going.”

“Oh.” Sheng Renxing nodded. Seeing how the table next to them was unoccupied, he straightened his legs. As the table was a bit short, his long legs had been feeling rather cramped. PdypwS

Xing Ye lowered his head and glanced at the legs dangling beside his chair. He added, “The blonde student and the others won’t want to go.”

“?” Sheng Renxing laughed, “Are you going to stand him up?”

Seeing Xing Ye’s calm face, he continued to laugh, “Not only are you full of surprises, but it seems that you’re pretty wicked as well.”

Now Xing Ye understood his previous comment. He imitated the guy and shrugged without saying a word. MtsugL

Sheng Renxing was still a little curious: “Why aren’t you going?”

“I don’t want to fight at school.”

Sheng Renxing raised his eyebrows. After all, Xing Ye sounded like an adult lecturing about not fighting with children.

He couldn’t help but ask again: ‘Why not?” N1REAH

Sheng Renxing remembered the “rules” he previously mentioned. Was this also another one of his principles?

As he was deep in thought, pondering over this question, Xing Ye piped up: “Because I have to pay for the medical expenses.”

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“?” Sheng Renxing was stupefied at this response. He blinked twice and uttered a sincere “fuck”.

After his swearing ordeal was over, he couldn’t help but burst into a fit of laughter yet again. d06DUe

“Why don’t you just make sure that it doesn’t get to the point where you’d have to enter a hospital?”

Xing He shook his head: “When you get in the zone, it’s easy to forget everything else.”

Young people like him fought recklessly, unheeding of the consequences.

After the two finished eating, they parted ways with a goodbye. Sheng Renxing casually said “See you in the afternoon”, before he realized that the other might not come to school later. Tjr9Y1

Xing Ye didn’t think so much of it, and repeated the phrase back to him.

Sheng Renxing headed back to his hotel to obtain a change of clothes and to quickly shower. In the nick of time, he made it to school as the bell rang.

Teacher Yu brought him to the fifth floor, which had three classrooms: Class 11, 12, and 13.

There were also two empty classrooms, one of which was an office, but it had turned into a storage room with how it was stacked to the brim with tables and chairs. anW9NQ

When the school was being built, they planned to construct five floors. Although they didn’t need so many classrooms, it had been done so for taboo reasons.

After holding a discussion, the two extra rooms were converted for general purpose usage, including but not limited to making up exams, writing homework, writing apology essays, etc.

It could be regarded as making best use of the space. yiADPp

As Sheng Renxing was going to stay until tomorrow, Teacher Yu gave him the office instead of the empty classroom.

She brought two sets of papers, Chinese and Physics.

Sheng Renxing randomly found a place to sit down at and took out his writing utensils.

After heading back to his hotel today, he ran to the nearby stationery store to purchase various school supplies. This way, he didn’t need to ask Chen Ying to borrow a pen. SDVA0q

Teacher Yu held out her hand: “Phones during exams are not allowed due to the possibility of cheating. Please give me your phone.”

Sheng Renxing replied: “I left my phone back in the classroom.”

Chrysanthemum Garden.

She nodded her head: “That’s fine.”

Teacher Yu then placed the two exam papers on the desk: “Hand these in to me before the school day ends.” H3ilEu

Sheng Renxing glanced at the test paper: “Can you hand it in in advance?”

“Yes.” Teacher Yu was unsurprised by his inquiry. “Just be sure to place it on my desk, and go back to class.”

He nodded, and Teacher Yu rushed out with her lesson plans without saying a word.

Before she left, she didn’t even say that he could begin the exam. 5H7Yk3

Sheng Renxing waited, but she never came back.

While wondering if evaluations at the school were always done in such a casual manner, he flipped over the papers.

He picked up the pen and twirled it smoothly around his fingers, and began to examine the question.

This exam was pretty easy. deBgEH

It was a lot easier than the ones he was used to.

If it was a regular test, the lack of difficulty would have been understandable, but it was a monthly exam.

Sheng Renxing thought that he once again found an indicator to how the skill sets of these students were like.

The allotted time passed quickly. B8s9Fq

After he finished answering a few pages, Sheng Renxing wanted to check the time, but found that he wasn’t wearing a watch.

It really has been far too long since he last took an evaluation.

There wasn’t even a proctor within the room that he could ask.

He stared at the wall in front of him, when a voice drifted in from behind: “It’s almost three o’clock.” BGWl3

Sheng Renxing jumped with fright.

He rapidly twisted his head to face the voice, only to find Xing Ye sitting a few paces in front of him.

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

“What on earth are you doing here?” This situation was rather unexpected, and left Sheng Renxing staring back with a puzzled expression.

Xing Ye pointed to the chairs placed in a row next to him: “I come here to take a nap.” KA3FHy

“…When did you arrive?” Sheng Renxing didn’t even detect the additional presence of the other.

“About ten minutes ago. Are you doing an evaluation?”

“Yeah.” Sheng Renxing sat sideways looking at him, “I’m making up for the first monthly exam.”

Xing Ye nodded, and seeing that Sheng Renxing wasn’t moving, he asked: “So you finished?” Oyw3Xj

“Of course not, these take much longer”, he replied as he rested his elbow on the back of the chair, “I’m just taking a break.

Sheng Renxing asked again: “How can you manage to fall asleep here?”

Xing Ye: “When I want to sleep, I often come here, I guess it’s become a force of habit by now?”

“Even in the morning?” Sheng Renxing recalled how Xing Ye had climbed over that wall. VFgZ9q

“Mn, when I’m not skipping class.”

Sheng Renxing found this interesting and raised his eyebrows: “Aren’t you skipping classes right now though?”

Xing Ye: “It doesn’t count if I don’t leave the school premises.”

Sheng Renxing thought that was logical and reasonable. PXysmU

The other nodded in agreement: “So this classroom is your domain?”

“There typically isn’t anyone here.” Xing Ye didn’t particularly agree with what was said about it being his domain.

Xing Ye hadn’t planned on coming this afternoon, but Director Li must’ve heard something from someone or another and had insisted on him staying at school today. However, the classroom was too noisy to rest properly, so he came here instead.

Wan Guanxi and the others were going to come to play cards, but their plans fell through at the fear of getting caught. kn3V2E

Who knew that he would bump into Sheng Renxing here?

Current, with one hand propped under his chin and the other twirling the pen, Sheng Renxing exuded a serious and studious aura.

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He looked so serious that Xing Ye moved around woodenly for ten minutes without actually sleeping. He ended up shifting the chairs around to make a bed, and although he deliberately suppressed the volume, nonetheless, it still wasn’t very quiet.

Sheng Renxing hadn’t even realized until Xing Ye spoke up. 34C7jd

The posture and mannerisms he was upholding made him look every bit like a model student.

He would look even more like it if it didn’t take him an average of three pen twirls to answer a question.

Although Xing Ye originally came up here to take a nap, he ended up watching Sheng Renxing guess an answer for more than ten minutes, not even interrupting until the other wanted to know the time.

Seeing Sheng Renxing squint his eyes and take a very solemn rest, he asked: “Are the questions difficult?” 8GJMNt

“Eh? It’s alright.”

After replying, he remembered that Xing Ye already passed the exam. So he threw the question back at him: “What did you think?”

Xing Ye nodded: “It was also alright.”

The other was a little surprised by this. Could it be that beneath his unsuspecting persona, he was actually a curve wrecker? U17Po8

After resting for a moment, Sheng Renxing was ready to continue. Seeing that Xing Ye’s bed was set up, but he was just sitting there, he asked: “Are you not going to sleep?”

“Mn, in a while.”

Xing Ye stretched his body towards the sun, looking rather relaxed.

Sheng Renxing turned around and continued to work. The sounds of the pen scratching the paper soon filled the air, evoking a feeling that they were completely shut off from the cacophony of the rest of the school. TF3tk9

It was a small bubble of tranquility amongst the usual chaos.

Xing Ye loved it.

He sprawled on the makeshift bed, staring at Sheng Renxing’s back in a daze. With the sun half-shining on the other’s table, he gently pressed on his bruised ribs and eventually dozed off still looking at the other.

Xing Ye was startled awake by the bell. As he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Sheng Renxing’s straight back. 6SHdNg

It was the exact same position compared to before, as if Sheng Renxing hadn’t moved a muscle in the time since.

Xing Ye didn’t have a talkative temperament, let alone the fact that the other was still taking an exam. Regardless of whether Sheng Renxing was guessing or actually doing the questions seriously, he might get spooked if Xing Ye spoke out again.

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

He thought about this while the roar of students coming from outside grew increasingly loud.

Sheng Renxing’s figure finally moved, as if having awakened from the statue-like state from before. He tilted his neck back and forth, placed the pen down and did a few stretches. AzrNgE

He then turned around, and scared himself to death yet again upon seeing Xing Ye.

Sheng Renxing swore under his breath, wondering how anyone who turned around to see another party quietly staring at themselves wouldn’t be frightened into cardiac arrest.

Xing Ye looked unapologetic, as if he was amused by the other’s reaction: “Done?”

Sheng Renxing nodded: “I’m starting the second paper.” BdeC8p

He had started to write the Chinese exam.

The sooner he finished, the sooner he’d be able to return to class.
But… Sheng Renxing glanced at Xing Ye and decided that it would be okay even if he didn’t hand in the papers before the deadline.

“Have you gotten enough sleep?”

“No.” Xing Ye was still lounging on the chairs as he talked, “I got woken up by the bell”, meaning that he would continue to nap. dr5Uuc

Sheng Renxing glanced at the useless chair bed, and licked his lips: “Do you want to sleep here instead?”

He pointed to a spot in the same row as him.

Xing Ye shook his head: “There’s no sun there.”

Sheng Renxing was taken aback. At this time, the sun had set a little bit more than before, and as it shone across Xing Ye, it gently softened his cold temperament. vPkNUS

Xing Ye then patted to a spot next to him: “Come sit here and bask in the light.”

Before Sheng Renxing even had the time to process the rejection, his heart took off first.

The desks and chairs here weren’t neatly arranged like in a classroom, and there was a significant distance between each set.

Xing Ye was referring to the seat a little to his right. 38KxiU

At the same time he asked, he got up and took the “bed” apart and pushed one of the chairs closer to the right.

After such a warm invitation, of course Sheng Renxing couldn’t refuse.

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So taking the pens and papers with him, he moved to a different home.

The table was warm. Sheng Renxing momentarily overcame his distaste for dirty surfaces and pressed the back of his hand onto it. uMJ0Q7

The warning bell rang again, but the deafening noise gradually quieted down, restoring their previous state of silence. Amidst the rays of light, Xing Ye’s eyes closed as he lay slumped on the desk. The pen in the other’s hand twirled quicker and quicker as Sheng Renxing took in the sight.

Translator's Note

6 yuan is about 0.16 USD.

Translator's Note

Both universities are part of the elite C9 League of Chinese of higher education, so they are pretty much on equal standing in terms of prestige/reputation.

Translator's Note

0dlmrR

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Xiangsheng/crosstalk is a comedic act involving two performers making witty comments, puns, innuendos, etc. in a quick, bantering style. Xing Ye refers to himself as the “penggen”, or the supporting actor to Sheng Renxing’s lead actor, hence the cheering on.

Translator's Note

He used a slang word to describe those whose cold/quiet exterior hides a passionate persona. They typically do not express or expose their emotions, but in particular situations, they unexpectedly appear. The slang word is a transliteration of “man’s show”, suggesting that the “performance” has a “show element”, which is why Sheng Renxing’s reply matches with Xing Ye’s comment about xiangsheng.

Translator's Note

The number four sounds like the word for death, if possible, four floors are typically avoided.

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7 comments

  1. How are these two so cute one moment and so cool the next? And the romantic tension, I need them to get together already, ahhhhhhh!!!!

  2. That’s interesting! Many hotels in the US don’t have 6th floor or rooms that end in 6… the Dell corporate headquarters in Round Rock, TX has buildings 1-5, and 7 & 8. No building 6! Funny how people can be with unlucky numbers. Lol