translator: daisy
All the way to the end of the third period, Sheng Renxing slowly delayed the completion of his language composition. When the teacher came to check up on him, Xing Ye still hadn’t awoken.
Teacher Yu peered at Xing Ye with a faint look of surprise. Swivelling around the room, she wondered why they were sitting so close, and the reason behind the eight chairs neatly stacked in a row.
However, she retracted her gaze after just one glance, as if she was already well acquainted with Xing Ye such that it no longer came as a shock to see him here.
“Have you finished?” she asked nonchalantly, conveniently ignoring the presence of another living person within the room.
Being a light sleeper, Xing Ye slowly opened his eyes.
That being so, he made no effort to move or to greet the teacher.
“En.” Sheng Renxing nodded.
“Then you should head back to class.” Teacher Yu stepped forward to collect the papers.
She then paused midstep, as if waiting for Sheng Renxing to go with her.
Sheng Renxing tidied up his schoolbag and became increasingly aware of the fact that this teacher didn’t seem to like Xing Ye that much.
He originally wanted to greet Xing Ye, but since the other kept his head buried under his arms, Sheng Renxing couldn’t tell if he had awoken or not.
After the two left, maybe it was attributed to how Xing Ye had already slept for a long time, as he could no longer fall asleep.
Resignedly, he got up to his feet and arranged the chairs back into their original positions.
Then he leisurely made his way downstairs.
In the classroom, as the teacher was lecturing, the front two rows of students held their necks upright, like geese seeking knowledge.
From the third row onwards, many recreational activities were occurring.
Amongst the most common were gossiping with their seatmates, playing on their phones, and other leisure activities that could be done in class.
Xing Ye gave the scene in front of him a quick glance and walked in through the back door.
The blonde student and a few others were playing Fight the Landlord.
Wan Guanxi had a few paper strips hanging on his face, and upon seeing Xing Ye, he called out: “Hey! You awake?”
He obviously didn’t manage to control the volume of his voice well, as half of the students turned around to glare at him.
It alarmed the teacher who had originally planned to turn a blind eye.
So, the teacher knocked on the blackboard: “Where did you go? How come you just came to class?”
“I went to the bathroom.” Xing Ye glanced at Wan Guanxi blandly, who shrank his neck back.
He then pushed aside a few tables and chairs stuck in a barricade formation and returned to his desk. Xing Ye decided that the next time they change seats, he’d have to pick one closer to the door.
He had passed last time because of the trash can near it.
But having to overcome so many obstacles everytime Xing Ye needed to go piss was too troublesome.
He’d rather be with the garbage can.
The teacher sucked in a deep breath, and pushed his hair up: “Okay, sit down. Let’s continue with the lesson.”
Xing Ye stared at his clean desktop in a daze.
Cui Xiaoxiao and another girl were speaking in hushed tones in front of him.
The conversation topic switched from the teacher’s cologne to Cui Xiaoxiao’s love interest.
“Did he send you a confession letter today?”
“Not yet. Didn’t he get into a fight today? He probably didn’t have time to do so.”
The seatmate sighed: “I don’t know whether to call him brave or reckless, to take on Wan Guanxi and the others like that. How come you didn’t try to stop him?”
“Didn’t I tell you? It’s hard to intervene in these types of situations.” Cui Xiaoxiao curled her lips irritably, with a faint aura of pride.
Fighting and writing apology essays were seen as something to be proud of in the eyes of these hot-blooded high school students.
Particularly in regards to those who would pick fights with one another in the name of brotherhood. Even though the blonde student hadn’t reached that level of punk status, he wasn’t too far off.
This was a topic that any elderly person would be able to discuss and criticize.
“Just you wait, someone will definitely pass a letter to him later on.” The letter was referring to a confession.
Cui Xiaoxiao hmphed. “Then I’ll just cut off the hands of whomever dares to.”
The tablemate laughed with her for a while, and then replied: “But the transfer student really is courageous, getting into a fight on the first day like that. I heard from Wan Guanxi that he didn’t even get punished?”
“Wan Guanxi mentioned something about the transfer student being relatives with the school director? Didn’t the post say that he’s a rich second generation? The building by the west wing was donated by his family.”
Cui Xiaoxiao recalled when she saw Wei Huan walking with Sheng Renxing at the hot pot restaurant last time, and guessed that it was probably the latter.
“He’s so rich!” the seatmate exclaimed, “No wonder I see those people discussing him.”
Cui Xiaoxiao contemplated the situation for a while: “It’s mainly because he’s so handsome.”
After all, everyone has no idea exactly how rich Sheng Renxing is, but his appearance is obvious to all.
After someone posted his photo on the school forum, it exploded in popularity.
The seatmate sighed expressively: “Tall, rich and handsome.”
She then continued, “I also saw a post that was discussing,” she quickly lowered her voice, “whether he or Xing Ye was more handsome.”
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.
Ktfs atbeuta atja atflg nblmfr kfgf nfgs delfa, yea Wlcu Tf, ktb kjr rlaalcu yftlcv atfw, mbeiv tfjg fnfgs wlceaf vfajli.
Lf yglfois gfmjiifv Vtfcu Efczlcu’r jqqfjgjcmf. Lf vlvc’a gfulrafg ktb kjr wbgf tjcvrbwf, yea lcrafjv atbeuta atja atfrf ulgir kfgf j yla ybglcu.
Cui Xiaoxiao pondered for a while. Since she was pretty familiar with the guys, she simply turned around and asked: “Huang Mao between the guy who fought you today, and Xing ge, who do you think is more good-looking?”
Lfg rfjawjaf klvfcfv tfg fsfr, tfrlajalcu yfakffc kjcalcu ab mbnfg tfg wbeat bea bo fwyjggjrrwfca yea yflcu abb jrtjwfv ab, jcv uijcmfv oegalnfis ja Wlcu Tf.
Xing Ye had a homework book placed on his desk for appearance’s sake. He himself was playing on his phone and didn’t bother lifting his head.
After listening, the blonde student covered his cards with his hand, and said: “I’m more good-looking.”
Cui Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes: “I don’t see the proof of that statement.”
The other ignored her.
Across from him, Jiang Jing glanced at him with fiery eyes: “Don’t take this opportunity to play dirty and hold onto your cards!” He then gloated, “Aren’t you poking him in his sore spot? Who cares which one of you is more handsome, but you can’t even beat him in a fight!”
One of the words must’ve caught Xing Ye’s attention, as the girl who had been sneaking glances at him saw Xing Ye look up and turn off his phone.
“Fuck!” the blonde student cursed, and took the opportunity to take off a blank sheet of paper from his face, “Just wait till next time…” As he rambled on, he eventually became silent, and then threw some cards out, “Three tens plus a pair of eights.”
“Better not. I can’t afford that.” Jiang Jing smiled acidically.
Cui Xiaoxiao teased him: “Wait till next time? Haven’t you always shouted for a rematch after losing? What’s wrong this time, Wan ge, why are you quietly backing off?”
Huang Mao hummed and glanced at Xing Ye: “Laozhi has proper business to attend to, who has the time to engage in elementary school fights all day long?”
As if he wasn’t the one going in full swing towards Sheng Renxing today.
Jiang Jing chucked: “He accepted an invitation to engage in capitalism, so he must be overcome with joy right now.”
Cui Xiaoxiao “ah-ed”: “You guys are going out to eat?”
Jiang Jing gave her a thumbs up: “Fu Shou Lu.” The thumb pointed to Xing Ye. “Looks like it’s your turn to treat us, Xing ge.”
Whenever they gathered to eat, they would take turns paying for each other.
The price of Fu Lu Shou was a bit more expensive than what they had eaten before, but…
“Xing ge didn’t go last time, much to the benefit of Huang Mao.”
Wan Guanxi rolled his eyes: “Xing ge was pitying me and my hand.”
One of the guys next to him burst out laughing: “Where did your backbone go?”
Huang Mao replied, “Who cares about integrity when you have money!” He then glanced at Xing Ye, “Isn’t that right, dad?”
The other had been quietly listening to their cacophony while fiddling on his phone. Hearing Wan Guanxi call him, he turned and peered at them, pursing his lips with a smile.
Then he pulled his chair closer, sat behind Jiang Jing and watched them play cards.
Jiang Jing showed him his cards and smiled cheekily at Xing Ye: “You want to give it a go next round?”
Xing Ye shook his head. Whenever they played cards together, Xing Ye only watched, and generally did not play.
“Dad, how come you’re not coming to look at my hand?” Huang Mao sulked.
Jiang Jing hummed: “Your father likes to watch people win, are you even worthy?”
“Just you wait, you’ll beat you!”
Right after Huang Mao finished speaking, another boy grinned and threw in his last card: “Seven! I won, you guys tear your papers!”
He turned to Huang Mao: “Don’t call Xing Ye your dad anymore, it’s Father Lu’s turn to treat you tonight!”
The atmosphere was very happy and energetic for a while, and Xing Ye was glad that his cheap son found another father.
“At most, all you can afford is the eight yuan item 205, and we can’t even order more! Get away from me!”
The boy cursed: “Then don’t bother asking me to help you lift your sedan chair tonight!”
Jiang Jing replied, “With Xing ge present, even lifting an airplane is useless. Don’t even bother.”
The so-called sedan chair was a signal for the others to help out if someone managed to strike up a conversation with a girl.
However, whenever they went out to play, if Xing Ye was among them, the rest pretty much gave up on picking up anyone.
The worst part was that Xing Ye maintained a “stay away from me” expression every time despite all the attention he gathered.
When the other three simultaneously remembered this point, all their fighting spirit immediately weakened, and they glared at Xing Ye bitterly.
The differences between them were too extreme to even compare.
Xing Ye raised his hand and pointed at Jiang Jing’s card. After everyone started shouting about getting outside help, he withdrew his hand and said, “I’m not going tonight.”
“Huh?” Huang Mao looked at him, “You’re not coming today again? You’ve skipped several times now.”
Xing Ye returned the gaze: “The times I missed only add up to a week or so.” Having too much free time, they also gathered together far too frequently.
“Do you have something else going on tonight?” Jiang Jing turned his head, a question in his eyes.
Xing Ye nodded: “The game that Brother Five set up.” Although he was brief with his explanation, Jiang Jing immediately understood.
The other frowned: “You’re still not fully healed though?” His eyes swept across Xing Ye’s waist.
“I’m just going to watch the scene”, Xing Ye answered smoothly. He stepped on the crossbar under Jiang Jing’s chair, leaned back lazily, and watched them play.
After all, this posture can reduce pain.
“Not going to fight?”
Xing Ye: “If it’s not absolutely necessary.”
Jiang Jing smiled: “I hope you don’t run into any bad luck today then.”
Xing Ye raised the corner of his lips and said nothing.
Huang Mao was still off chatting to the side.
Cui Xiaoxiao and the other girl were already sitting behind them.
Seeing that Huang Mao lost yet another game, Cui Xiaoxiao said to Xing Ye: “Xing ge will squander his money if you treat this bunch to good food.” She pointed at Wan Guanxi, “And you even accepted this trash as your son.”
Huang Mao slapped her hand away: “Don’t provoke the relationship between father and son.”
Xing Ye didn’t usually partake in their immature and dumb squabbling, and instead laughed on the sidelines.
Huang Mao turned his head to look at the other, but found that Xing Ye didn’t pay him any attention at all, and was instead engrossed with his phone.
As if he was chatting with someone.
Cui Xiaoxiao took the opportunity to laugh: “Turns out it would have the same affect even if I didn’t even need to provoke you guys. ”
After they quarreled noisily for a while more, Cui Xiaoxiao, who was still a little worried, spoke up: “Are you sure that you won’t retaliate? Like drag him to a dark alley later today or something?”
She was present during the fight, and saw that Huang Mao got beaten up pretty badly. Especially at the beginning when the window slammed down on his arm, any bystander would wince at the sight.
She had originally thought that his elbow would break on the spot.
Thinking of that scene, she couldn’t help but shiver at how good Sheng Renxing was at fighting.
The other gave off a cool aura during their first meeting with Wei Huan.
At that time, when Cui Xiaoxiao was staring at Sheng Renxing, she had a feeling that the guy’s temper might not be too good.
But who would realize that it was far more than that, Sheng Renxing was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.
But Wan Guanxi had suffered a huge blow to his pride. According to past precedence, it was impossible for him to remain this calm.
Jiang Jing soothed Cui Xiaoxiao: “Don’t ask anymore. Your Huang ge has been idle for too long without beating up anyone, so he would lose face if he ran out looking for a rematch now.”
As he spoke, he gave her a meaningful look: “Anyways, you don’t have to worry, your little boyfriend will be very safe.”
Huang Mao tactily replied: “We still have things to do tonight, so how could we go bother your little boyfriend?”
Cui Xiaoxiao’s thoughts were interrupted by this tangent, to which she quickly refuted, “He’s not my boyfriend.”
Then she asked, “What’s happening later today?”
After they finished the game, they began to draw cards again. Huang Mao replied smoothly to her question, “Wang Dahai.”
Cui Xiaoxiao screeched in shock: “You’re going to beat up Wang Dahai?” That was their teacher!
They could get expelled from school for pulling an act like that.
Huang Mao looked at her: “What are you thinking about?” He wanted to reassure her, but realized that he wasn’t sure about the situation either. Grabbing a handful of his hair, he added, “I don’t know, guess it’ll fall to my dad.”
“Huh?” Cui Xiaoxiao looked at Xing Ye, brimming with curiosity.
Xing Ye glanced at her and said lightly: “It’s none of your business.”
It was a signal for her to stop inquiring.
Cui Xiaoxiao’s eyes widened, and she didn’t dare continue asking Xing Ye, instead of turning towards Wan Guanxi.
Huang Mao was so troubled that he said, “If that dog doesn’t come to school afterward, what are we going to do in English class?”
Cui Xiaoxiao was stunned: “But what does it matter to you? You don’t even listen during class! Are you kidding me?”
“I’m fuck, thank you and you? Of course I fucking listen!” Huang Mao asserted eloquently.
“Besides, I get upset every time I see that dog, thinking he’s so great just because he knows a few foreign words.”
Jiang Jing gave him a warning look: “We don’t want to beat him up.”
“Oh, yeah.” Huang Mao changed his tone insincerely, “We don’t want to beat him up.”
Cui Xiaoxiao looked at Xing Ye, who seemed to be in silent acquiescence.
It could be plainly seen that they didn’t even consider the consequences of doing such a thing.
Let alone show respect for their teachers.
Standardized education had no effect on them, a typical side effect of being society’s failures.
It wasn’t just them, as many of the children who grew up along Yanjiang Road were also like this.
Cui Xiaoxiao remembered what the adults had talked about.
It is said that nine out of ten scummy rascals they encountered in Xuancheng came from Yanjiang Street. There, the roots had long rotten, and anyone who entered would be similarly infected with its poison. Anything horrific that you can imagine, those people would do it.
Cui Xiaoxiao opened her mouth, but couldn’t think of anything to say. In the end, she could only mutter a quiet “Just be careful.”
After thinking about it again, out of loyalty, she added “If there is anything I can do to help…”
Jiang Jing “oh-ed”, waved his hand, and said, “Just pretend you didn’t hear this from us.”
She nodded.
Cui Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but look at Xing Ye again.
The first time they had encountered each other was at a bar. Xing Ye wore a school uniform as he stood facing several adults. The clean look he gave off in such a grimy place was very eye-catching.
Then in the next second, the teenager grabbed a bottle of wine, smashed it on the countertop, and plunged it into the hand of the other man.
The blood had pooled and started flowing freely onto the ground.
At that time, Cui Xiaoxiao went to the bar with her friends and an adult she dragged along to see something interesting. However, none of them expected to see such a novelty.
She was so scared that she couldn’t sleep that night. Every time Cui Xiaoxiao closed her eyes, it was the bloody hands and Xing Ye’s expressionless face that greeted her.
From now to all the way back, Xing Ye never stepped in himself when Wan Guanxi and the others were fighting. Whenever someone in the school said that Xing Ye was all bluster and no action, she would scoff every time.
Staring at those “frogs at the bottom of the well” with the look of someone who had seen it all before, Cui Xiaoxiao couldn’t help show sympathy for them.
If he was all bluster and no action, then those guys would be no bluster and no action.
And the swaggering Xing Ye was quietly chatting with his head lowered.
After he came back to the classroom, he had yet to put his phone down, which currently had QQ open.
The first message had been sent by Sheng Renxing.
X: [I heard you’re going to have a war of the century with No. 13 High tonight.]
Not adding friends: [?]
X：[/Strong]
Not adding friends: [.]
X: [!]
Not adding friends: [,]
X: [·]
….
In the end, it turned into an infinite cycle of sending some meaningless punctuation mark back and forth to each other.
It was fun at first, but it later became a competition of not wanting to see it stop at their side, just to see how boring the other party was.
Until Xing Ye replied: [Nope.]
He also didn’t ask how Sheng Renxing had so much free time when he was attending class.
Although there were at least two hundred people in their grade who would properly listen, Sheng Renxing didn’t seem like the type.
X: [The whole school knows that you won’t go, isn’t it embarrassing?]
Not adding friends: [Those who fight will be the ones embarrassed.]
X: [/Strong]
X: [Then be careful not to get blocked by foot traffic after school.]
Not adding friends: [I will.]
Xing Ye wasn’t sure what the other was doing, who took a long time to reply: [Climbing over the wall?]
Not adding friends: [Going to leave early.]
After a while, X: [Afraid of being blocked? ]
Not adding friends: [Going to block others.]
X: [/Strong, business is very busy. Which unlucky guy can make you leave No.13 High to go to his appointment?]
Xing Ye thought for a while and exited QQ. He went on MMS and sent a picture of Wang Dahai to Sheng Renxing.
This time, the other replied in seconds.
X: […]
Xing Ye smiled and pressed a button: [? ]
The two started their cycle again.
When the last period of the day was over, Xing Ye and the others said “Going to the bathroom”, and they left with their school bags.
Obviously, no one believed that they were actually heading to the washroom.
The teacher nodded while holding back his anger, while the classmates held different expressions, thinking of the “war” that had been mentioned on the forum.
A few had glinting eyes as if they wanted to do nothing except follow them out.
The five walked out without avoiding anyone. When they reached the second floor, they saw a boy standing on the corner of the corridor.
Looking down, it was hard to tell the other’s face, but with that red hair, it was really difficult to make a mistake in identifying who it was.
Hearing the incoming footsteps, Sheng Renxing raised his head. Pocketing his phone, he squinted at them slightly.
As if he was waiting for them.
Huang Mao had been walking at the forefront, but when he saw the other, he couldn’t help but pause. Bewildered and confused, he asked: “What are you doing?”
He thought, now that he wasn’t allowed to trouble this person anymore, did he take the opportunity to come looking for trouble?
In such an arrogant manner too!
Sheng Renxing ignored him and directed his gaze to the side.
In the next second, a voice came from behind: “He’s coming with us.”
daisy: this chapter is so late i’m just going to post this and run away w/o looking at anything time related i’m terribly sorry for the delay ;-;
Honestly, the meaningless punctuation chat is the most relatable I’ve felt with any character in danmei. And awwwww, Xing Ye. Bringing future bf to hang with friends?
thanks for the chapter <3
Thanks for the update!
Thanks for the chapter!!!
Thanks for the chapter! ^w^
Thank you for the chapter
our bbys such besties already lmao i love them
Awwww i can’t stop saying how sweet and adorable they are. They just truly are🥺
Ty for the chapter!💜💜💜