Spoiler-containing Warning Tags
Please refer to No.3 & No.4 on ToC page.
Following that, the relationship between Zhai Yao and Shen Heng embraced a subtle shift, unfolding quietly in the shadows.
Although they usually went about their own business and hardly talked much with each other, the frequency of Zhai Yao visiting Shen Heng’s home to see Shen Ziyao and Shen Heng appearing at Yang Ning’s dance studio had relatively increased.
On a subsequent weekend, when Zhai Yao was ready to leave after visiting Shen Ziyao, he was caught up by Shen Heng while unlocking his bicycle.
Shen Heng had to make a trip to the hardware shop since the light bulbs at his home needed to be replaced.
In the summer nights where the sky darkened later than usual, it wasn’t until approaching 9:00 PM that it finally enveloped everything in complete blackness.
The path to the hardware store and the route leading to Dragonfly Alley were in the same direction that weaved through a small commercial street along the way.
Although labelled as a commercial street, it was actually a gathering place for entertainment and leisure in the southern city. The street was only about 200 metres long, with some run-down KTVs, small internet cafés, massage parlours, public bathhouses, and the like on both sides. Police cars were often seen stationed at the entrances.
At the end of the street was a river with somewhat murky water, covered with a layer of green algae. When the temperature rose, an unpleasant fishy odour would waft from its surface.
The hardware shop Shen Heng was going to stood adjacent to the river bank.
And right at that juncture, a woman stood by the riverbank, adorned in a red, form-fitting tube skirt and black stockings. With her back turned to the subdued lights of the commercial street, she remained motionless, staring at the inky surface of the river.
No matter how one looked at it, it seemed like she was contemplating taking a leap.
As it turned out, she did jump, but in the fleeting moment just before she was about to plunge into the river, someone seized her collar and yanked her back in an extremely ungraceful posture.
The woman erupted into a frenzied struggle, her screams echoing in the air as she pounded vigorously on the chest of the well-intentioned citizen, Zhai Yao. Truth to be told, her strength was quite formidable.
Zhai Yao was on the verge of being hit to the point of internal bleeding by the woman. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Shen Heng, who was still standing by with a calm demeanour, seemingly indifferent. He clicked his tongue, and an exasperated mutter escaped his lips, “Damn it, stop watching. Come over and help!”
Shen Heng, seemingly unfazed, raised his chin. “Let her jump and see if the water can surpass her waist.”
Zhai Yao paused for a moment, then immediately released his grip, expressing impatience, “Should’ve said that earlier.”
The woman clearly hadn’t anticipated the river to be so shallow; she stood there, appearing at a loss.
Casting a glance at the river surface, she slowly raised her head and turned towards the “good Samaritan” who rescued her and the “good Samaritan’s companion.”
Upon seeing Shen Heng, her eyes flickered for a moment.
“Are you… Shen Heng?”
“?” Zhai Yao also turned his gaze towards Shen Heng.
Shen Heng showed no quarter. “Don’t know her.”
The woman nibbled on her brightly coloured red lips and, with lowered eyes, softly remarked, “You definitely won’t recognize me; I’m from Class 1.”
At that moment, a gust of wind swept through, coaxing the moon to reveal itself from behind the clouds. Its gentle light bathed the surroundings.
Zhai Yao watched in wide-eyed astonishment as the woman’s waist-length black hair was swept by the wind, fluttering into the river, and hovering lightly on the water’s surface. It bore an uncanny resemblance to Cho Yan-may from the horror movie, ‘A Wicked Ghost,’ as if she were about to emerge from the bottom of the river, sending shivers down one’s spine.
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.
With the wig gone, her face was finally fully revealed. While her facial features retained a certain softness, masculine traits were quite prominent.
Zhai Yao discreetly glanced at the throat once more—
The Adam’s apple was faintly visible; there was no doubt he was a man.
No wonder he was so strong.
“Give up on the jumping; not only does the water stink to death, but you also won’t die.” Zhai Yao, with no intention of meddling in other people’s business, prepared to leave as he mounted his bicycle. Shen Heng also didn’t speak a single word, turned, and headed towards the hardware store.
“Shen Heng!” Upon noticing them leaving, the young man behind them hastily called out.
Even though he had just cried, his voice was still clear, resembling the unbroken tones of a child yet to hit puberty.
Shen Heng halted and, incidentally, also held onto Zhai Yao’s bicycle handle.
Zhai Yao disdainfully waved away Shen Heng’s hand, saying, “You’re the one he’s calling; what are you grabbing my bicycle handle for?”
The young man took a deep breath, as if gathering courage, and approached them. He said to Shen Heng, “They all say you’re the boss at 9th High School. Could you… could you help me?”
Sensing Shen Hen’s silence, the boy’s eyes quickly darkened, and he spoke softly, “If you also won’t help me, I’ll have no choice but to go and die.”
Shen Heng: “If you have something to say, say it.”
The moment the young man sensed an opportunity, he eagerly nodded, striving to articulate his thoughts, “My name is Zhang Bailin, and my family owns a KTV on that street! About half a month ago, the boss from 8th High School and his gang came to my shop to hang out. Upon hearing my voice, he insisted that I, in front of him and his friends, imitate a woman dancing and singing…”
Shen Heng glanced silently at Zhai Yao, who immediately shot his glance back and retorted, “Piss off, it wasn’t me for sure.”
Zhang Bailin gritted his teeth. “I didn’t want to comply, but he kept insisting that I was a girl and demanded I take off my pants to prove it. When I resisted, he and his gang forcibly stripped me… Since his family holds power and influence, my parents fear that offending him might affect our KTV business. So, they persuaded me, saying it was just a joke among classmates. After all, I wouldn’t lose anything since I’m a guy.”
As he recounted the events, Zhang Bailin seemed to be plunged back once again into the humiliation of that moment, trembling uncontrollably.
“Afterwards, he kept coming to my house, each time more audacious… My vocal cords are underdeveloped from birth and haven’t undergone the stage of voice change… But what wrong have I done?!” He spoke and lowered his head to look at his clothes, his gaze somewhat unfocused. “He came today again, forcing me to change into this outfit that he brought and drink with him… Yet, my parents still insist it’s just a joke! I really don’t know what to do… I can’t endure it any longer!”
Silence fell around them as Zhang Bailin slowly crouched down, hugging his head in his hands, murmuring in a hoarse voice, “Is it that only by gouging out my Adam’s apple will everything get better?”
The wig on the water’s surface became fully drenched, sinking little by little, emitting bubbles with a “gurgle, gurgle” sound.
Shen Heng stared at the disappearing wig in silence. He didn’t say it, but in actuality, the river was indeed pretty deep, enough to claim lives every year.
“Zhai Yao,” Shen Heng halted before continuing, “he’s from your 8th High School.”
“I’m not deaf.” Zhai Yao pushed his bicycle, stopping it under the eaves of a nearby small store, locking it with a click.
“Time to f*ck him up.”
Truly, when the tiger is away, the monkey self-proclaims to be the king.
How fricking embarrassing!
…
*
After Ma Jiabao finished relieving himself, he wandered aimlessly inside and outside the KTV in search of his “Little Skylark,” but his quest proved fruitless.
Little Skylark was the “pet name” he gave to Zhang Bailin; it was because his voice was both high-pitched and delicate, and when he spoke, it resembled the melodious chirping of a small bird.
Making his way unsteadily towards the private room, Ma Jiabao leaned against the wall, murmuring incessantly, “That damn little bird, if he still doesn’t come back, Laozi will wreck this shabby place…”
Recently, Ma Jiabao managed to establish a reputation for himself at 8th High School by leveraging his connections with the vocational high school and being willing to splurge some cash. The current him was riding high on the winds of success, revelling in the triumphant glow of spring.
Although there were still many “remnants” of the “former boss” in the school who were yet to acknowledge his authority, Ma Jiabao was confident that, given time, he could bring them all under his command.
Ma Jiabao returned to the reception desk again and ordered a case of beer, while also urging Zhang Bailin’s father to promptly get in touch with Zhang Bailin and call him back.
Today was his own birthday party, and he hadn’t had enough fun yet.
Ma Jiabao, holding the beer, stood outside the private room. The interior was dimly lit, and for some reason, the deafening music stopped as he approached.
Without dwelling on it much, Ma Jiabao simply assumed the sudden silence was a consequence of his prestigious presence, thinking that without him around, no one would sing. He assumed an air of complete boss-like panache and pushed the door open. “Sing and get hyped! Tonight, we’re going all out!”
“……”
The private room was quiet and still. His group of brothers, previously called in by him, were now sitting primly on the sofa. Each maintained an upright posture, their eyes uniformly directed downwards.
Among them, Ma Jiabao’s most obsequious follower noticed his return and subtly signalled with his eyes for him to leave, but received a disapproving click of the tongue from someone. Startled and terrified, he quickly resumed his seat.
A tangled mass of something was thrown at Ma Jiabao’s feet. He lowered his head to see the skirt and stockings he had carefully prepared earlier for Zhang Bailin.
Following the trajectory of the thrown garments, Ma Jiabao almost dropped the beer he was holding when his gaze settled on the culprit.
“Zhai-Zhai Yao!” Ma Jiabao’s mouth hung open in disbelief.
Zhai Yao, leaning against the wall with arms crossed, gave Ma Jiabao a slight nod upon hearing his name spoken by the latter. “So you recognize me, huh? That simplifies things.”
With a nonchalant slight push, he lazily stood up and sauntered towards Ma Jiabao, coming to a halt right in front of him. “Heard you’ve taken charge at 8th High School now that I’m gone?”
Ma Jiabao instinctively wanted to refute the claim, but under the watchful eyes of the people he had brought with him, he hesitated. If he yielded now, he could forget about even holding his ground at 8th High School in the future.
Ma Jiabao quickly scanned the private room and noticed that Xie Ziming and the few capable fighters weren’t present today. Zhai Yao’s only companions were the timid and cautious Zhang Bailin and a little white face who had his head lowered throughout the entire confrontation, quietly seated in the corner flipping through the song list. This realization bolstered Ma Jiabao’s confidence and guts.
He coldly stared at Zhai Yao, raising his chin. “Zhai Yao, today is brother’s—my—birthday. We used to be classmates; give me some face. Sit down and let’s celebrate together. I’ll foot the entire bill.”
After listening to Ma Jiabao’s words, Zhai Yao fell silent for two seconds, then let out a sudden burst of short, crisp laugh.
The group of people on the sofa felt an immediate chill down their spines; they were acutely aware of Zhai Yao’s formidable nature.
Zhai Yao tilted his head. “What if I don’t wanna give?”
“Zhai Yao, I suggest you to assess the situation. We outnumber you,” Ma Jiabao asserted, reconfirming that besides Zhai Yao, only Zhang Bailin and the seemingly studious little white face were present. Through gritted teeth, he said with a fierce tone, “With just you alone, you won’t get any spotlight today.”
Once those words were spoken, in Ma Jiabao’s limited-capacity mind, an immature idea swiftly took shape—wouldn’t his standing at 8th High School be undoubtedly solidified if he were to defeat Zhai Yao?
“With which eye of yours did you see only him?” Suddenly, a voice floated unexpectedly from the corner, breaking the silence.
It took Ma Jiabao a while to realize that those words came from the mouth of that little white face in the corner.
If one were to say he had some reservations about Zhai Yao, facing this seemingly frail bookworm who appeared as though a single punch could knock him down, Ma Jiabao simply didn’t take him seriously at all.
Ma Jiabao sneered. “Where did this good student come from? Finished your homework yet?”
Zhai Yao opted for a wordless stance and cast a silent glance towards Shen Heng, sensing that there probably wouldn’t be much room for him to exert himself in the unfolding interlude for the time being.
Shen Heng closed the song list, having just glanced through it briefly. There were quite a few old songs inside, and he contemplated how Shen Ziyao would probably enjoy them. He made a mental note that bringing him along to the KTV next time could be an option for the old man to have some fun.
The ballpoint pen used for selecting songs clicked repeatedly in Shen Heng’s hand. He rose from his seat, strolled over to where Ma Jiabao stood, paid him no mind, circled past, and decisively secured the latch on the private room’s door without sparing him a glance.
The next moment, Ma Jiabao hadn’t even had a chance to clearly see the other person’s movements when he felt an intense pain on his scalp. The locks of bangs he took great pride in were grabbed and forcefully pulled backwards.
“Ah!!” Ma Jiabao screamed in pain, forced to tilt his head against the door, tears on the brink of flowing down due to the pain.
The ballpoint pen’s tip hovered close, stopping near his left eye and then switching to the right.
“Which eye saw it? Hmm?”
“Y-you what… what the hell are you trying to do?!” Overwhelmed with fear, Ma Jiabao was struck dumb to the point where he couldn’t even speak coherently; he clamped his eyes shut, as if defying death itself to remain unopened.
The voice beside continued questioning, “Left, or right, or both.”
No one dared to breathe, and there was a pervasive feeling that a scene, usually cut in movies, was about to unfold right in front of their eyes.
Zhai Yao at the side coughed softly right then. “Shen Heng, don’t go too overboard.”
Shen Heng fell into a momentary silence, making a faint “Mm” sound. With deft agility, he twirled the ballpoint pen in his hand and promptly stowed it away just before Ma Jiabao succumbed entirely to the shock.
With an air of tranquility and nonchalance, Shen Heng said to Ma Jiabao, “Just playing a joke.”
Everyone: “????” How the hell does this look like a joke!!!
Seeing Ma Jiabao trembling to the point where his legs seemed to give way, Shen Heng added, “Aren’t you fond of playing jokes on others?”
Ma Jiabao knew he was referring to the incident with Zhang Bailin; he gulped down nervously and dared not retort. Fortunately, he managed to keep his eyes, and everyone except Zhai Yao secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
However, before he could recover from the shock, Ma Jiabao belatedly realized the name Zhai Yao had just shouted—
Shen Heng.
Ma Jiabao’s eyes rolled back, and he prepared to faint again.
What kind of sin did he commit to first meet Zhai Yao and then encounter Shen Heng next on his birthday!
At that juncture, Ma Jiabao’s little follower also deeply regretted, fearing that Ma Jiabao might sacrifice him in a moment of panic by claiming he was the one who first suggested messing with Zhang Bailin. So, he had no choice but to speak up for his boss, “Um, Shen Heng… -ge, you see, this is our 8th High School’s business. If it’s okay, could you let us handle it ourselves for now?”
Shen Heng shifted his gaze towards him, and Ma Jiabao’s little follower immediately stood at attention and kept his mouth shut.
Shen Heng pointed to Zhang Bailin not far away. “He’s from my 9th High School.”
Then he pointed to Zhai Yao. “So is he now.”
“Any more problems?”
The follower obediently said, “Gotcha, ge! No problem, ge!”
…
The author has something to say:
Vtfc Lfcu: Itjl Tjb lr 9at Llut Vmtbbi’r. Pc mbcmierlbc, tf’r wlcf cbk.
Itjl Tjb: Ulrr boo = =
So powerful !❤️ I wonder who will be the top.. SH I suppose.. It would be great if they were a Switch couple ! 😋
💀 they’re high schoolers
Well it’s a yaoi so there will be sexual intercourse 😉
But yeah I agree
Which eye…so crazy good! TY ❤️❤️❤️