ACT TWO
“—I think the gameplay mechanics were really good. Plus graphics were practically cinema level!” Shang Wenduo insists.
Feng Phan shrugs his shoulders, “…the plot could do some work.”
Shang Wenduo almost sputters in outrage, “What?”
Feng Phan smoothly turns (completely ignoring the mutter-rant spewing out of Shang Wenduo’s mouth right beside him) to their best friend who’s been somewhat quiet all morning, “What do you think, Li Ming?”
Pu Li Ming blinks at the air before turning to the other two, “Haven’t played it.”
“Again, what?” Shang Wenduo exclaims.
Pu Li Ming smiles sheepishly, “I get a bit of simulation sickness playing games like that. Sorry.”
“Aw, don’t apologize.” Shang Wenduo says, “Not your fault your brain isn’t equipped for gaming.”
Blink. “…should I be offended?” Pu Li Ming says.
Feng Phan wraps an arm around his shoulder, “Don’t be.”
They slowly made their way towards the cafeteria and took up one of their free tables.
They spend most of lunch discussing their upcoming quiz for the next class.
“I have this part all memorized.” Shang Wenduo says, with a small burp of content from his finished plate. He set his printed notes, highlighted to oblivion on the table to flex.
Feng Phan looked at it and raised an eyebrow, “…is that from the handouts?”
“Yeah?” Shang Wenduo answers nonchalantly.
Feng Phan takes a piece of the free tissue he had asked for from the vendor and wipes his mouth, “Professor said he’d only include the details he had on the slides during the discussion on the quiz. That was definitely not there.”
Shang Wenduo paused. “…DAM—”
Pu Li Ming takes a bite of his baked bao bun after unwrapping it from the plastic, and says with a muffled voice, “Language.”
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.
Vtjcu Qfcveb bcis vfjvqjcr ja tlw.
Coafg atfs kfgf olcjiis vbcf, atfs kfgf boo ab atflg cfza mijrr. Aera jr Ue Ol Zlcu rabbv eq jcv wjvf tlr kjs ab obiibk tlr yfra oglfcvr abkjgv atflg mijrr, tf ofia j rtlnfg mgjki vbkc tlr yjmx. Ktfgf la kjr jujlc, rbwf rbga bo obgmf pera qbxlcu ja tlw yftlcv tlr tfjv.
He felt his heartbeat quicken, the rise and fall of his breathing a little more obvious, his hands clenching at the sudden tension.
He quickly turns around, scanning the area almost frantically. Only to find just the students in the cafeteria, nothing seems to be out of place. (Did he miss something?) Despite everything seeming normal, all the hairs on his arms raise making him aggressively rub them.
“Li Ming?! What are you waiting for?! Come on! We’ll be late for class!”
At the sound of Shang Wenduo’s shout, Pu Li Ming shakes his head and hurries after him.
–
“Be careful driving home, Li Ming.” Feng Phan says as they step out of the building.
“Ahh, Zhou Fi Hai’s picking me up today.” Pu Li Ming says, adjusting his bag’s strap on his shoulder.
Feng Phan almost falters in his step before continuing and letting out a small “…huh.”
Shang Wenduo meanwhile throws a look behind him from where he was walking in front of the other two.
“What’s with that tone… and look?”
“Nothing, nothing.” Shang Wenduo immediately said, two hands up in a sign of surrender.
“Why is he picking you up today?” Feng Phan asked, effectively derailing the interrogation Pu Li Ming was going to rip into Shang Wenduo.
Shang Wenduo shrugged and fiddled with his bag, “He took me to the mall this morning to buy some school supplies I needed then just dropped me straight to school. So I didn’t bring my car today.”
“I see, I see.” Feng Phan says, a contemplative look in his eyes, “Does he often take you to buy things you need?”
(A/N: Does Feng Phan see something no one else can?)
Pu Li Ming nods, “En, I guess so. Even things I don’t need, but he says I need. I try to argue with him but he always has counterpoints that I can’t really disagree with.”
“…” Shang Wenduo doesn’t say anything, just gives him a very loud look.
(A/N: …Does Shang Wenduo also see something no one else can?)
Pu Li Ming frowns, “Again with that look?”
“Just ignore it!” Shang Wenduo threw his hands up, “I mean nothing by it!”
“‘Nothing’,” Pu Li Ming playfully scoffed, “Yeah right.”
This time it’s Shang Wenduo who shrugs before shoving his hands into his pocket, “Hey, not my problem if you don’t believe me.”
He then catches sight of Zhou Fi Hai’s black car passing through the gates. He parks along by the front of the building and beeps the horn when he catches sight of Pu Li Ming.
Pu Li Ming gives him a smile and an enthusiastic wave as the window goes down revealing an equally smiling Zhou Fi Hai waving back.
“I’m off everyone!” Pu Li Ming says, turning to them before backing up and turning back around to make his way to Zhou Fi Hai.
He opens the passenger side, and just before he goes in, he turns back to his two best friends and gives them a wave.
As the tinted window slowly starts to go back up, they see a glimpse of the two hugging each other in greeting, the older’s face pressed against Pu Li Ming’s hair.
And soon right after, the car leaves the school gates.
“…” Shang Wenduo gives Feng Phan a look.
Feng Phan notices but doesn’t acknowledge it and just ignores it.
–
“I ate a baked bao bun during break time in the afternoon.”
“Ahh, baked bao again, little baobei?” Zhou Fi Hai teased.
Pu Li Ming laughs but it soon recedes once he remembers what happened during lunch time.
Immediately noticing the change of mood, Zhou Fi Hau hums at him in question.
Pu Li Ming just shakes his head, yet the thought of it doesn’t quite leave his head no matter if he tries to continue the conversation.
Soon enough, Zhou Fi Hai breaks the ice.
“Is something the matter Xiao Ming? Would you like to try explaining it to me?” Zhou Fi Hai asks the other as Pu Li Ming slumps in his seat right beside him on the couch.
He immediately abandons his paperwork and shoves it away to turn fully to the other boy when he spots the odd look on his face.
“I don’t know, sometimes I’m just sitting or standing somewhere… then I feel something in my gut, or something in the back of my head. I don’t know how to explain it but…” Pu Li Ming explains, a hand clutching onto the couch right beside his leg where he had set it. “…it makes me feel paranoid… scared? Feels as if I am being watched.” He continues before sighing. “But in the end, it turns out to be nothing. Just things like gossipy seniors at the University creeping up behind me or something like that.”
Zhou Fi Hai’s eyes soften as he bumps his hand into Pu Li Ming’s tense one, slowly relaxing from its tight grip on the couch, then interlocking their fingers together with a squeeze, “If it’s making you feel scared and paranoid, then tell me about it next time okay?” He asks, softly rubbing his thumb against the palm of Pu Li Ming’s hand back and forth.
“Even if it’s just nothing, I’d rather you tell me anyway. I’ll make sure you’re safe, Xiao Ming.”
Pu Li Ming smiles and nods, “En, thank you, Zhou Fi Hai.”
“No problem at all, Xiao Ming.” The other replied with a fond smile given right back.
–
As soon as he left, Zhou Fi Hai immediately started looking for an answer. He had to reach further back to gather the necessary connections he needed. He couldn’t make sure that Pu Li Ming was safe by his own power. He wouldn’t risk Pu Li Ming like that.
A tall man with a professional uniform of a black suit finally entered the room and handed an envelope to Zhou Fi Hai.
With a wave of his hand, the man is dismissed and he retreats back into the shadows and leaves.
Zhou Fi Hai wordlessly opens the envelope to reveal the contents, placing them one by one on the table in front of him.
A picture of a person with a camera, just behind a wall by Nom Si University’s entrance as soon a Pu Li Ming walks by. A nondescript car is seen far too many times close by the neighborhood of the Pu’s. Reports of students mentioning a strange woman always present in the cafeteria during Pu Li Ming’s lunchtime, despite not being someone any of the students could identify.
Zhou Fi Hai doesn’t like the picture this is giving him.
This author has something to say:
ACT TWO FINALLY COMMENCES
If you got bored during all that build-up, I apologize-
BUT THIS IS WHERE THE PLOT RISES
