He’s So Sweet After Class

School was getting back on track. With the nourishment of love, Jiang Chenming was more energetic at practice. His occasional small mistakes were all gone, and his condition was so good that his coach was full of praise for him. 

On the other hand, Mo Lingqiu devoted himself to writing a thesis. He just took over a subject and decided to complete it with Yang Sheng and Liao Nan by guiding them. 

Before Labour Day 1 1st of May , Jiang Chenming and Mo Lingqiu had agreed to go to the beach together, but City A and City B had held a large joint basketball game. Jiang Chenming’s coach was invited to be a referee and he’d suggested that Jiang Chenming come along to widen his horizons. 

“I…” If it was before, Jiang Chenming would have definitely agreed with no hesitation because he would not only be widening his horizons, but he could also have the opportunity to do some sports market research. 

However, because he’d already agreed to travel to the beach with Mo Lingqiu to make up for not being able to seriously go out during the Qingming Festival, Jiang Chenming still needed time to think about.

“It’s okay. Think it through and give me an answer tomorrow.” His coach was open-minded; he just patted Jiang Chenming on the shoulder, leaving the choice in his hands. 

Jiang Chenming thanked him profusely and left to meet Mo Lingqiu at the school gate. 

When he was in Mo Lingqiu’s car, Jiang Chenming explained what his coach had said, “Teacher Mo, I’m still thinking about whether or not I should go.” 

“You can go if you want.” They could travel at any time, but there weren’t many opportunities to be a ref and learn on the job. Mo Lingqiu felt that Jiang Chenming should follow his heart. 

In fact, just by even hesitating, it was clear that he actually wanted to go. 

“Then, after that… after that, we’ll travel again.” Jiang Chenming was obviously determined to make it up to Mo Lingqiu. 

“Okay.” Mo Lingqiu was a little disappointed, but he was no longer a child. As an adult, he would need to know how to make a decision. “In City B?” 

“Yes, we’ll go in the morning on the 1st. The competition’s gonna start the 2nd and end the afternoon of the 4th,” Jiang Chenming explained. 

Although he would need to come back for work due to his change of shifts, with the five days off for Labour Day, it was just a rather short long vacation. 

“Okay.” Mo Lingqiu nodded. 

On the morning of the 1st of May, Mo Lingqiu slept past eight o’clock. When he woke up, he saw that Jiang Chenming had already made breakfast and was sitting in the living room waiting for him to wake up. 

When they finished breakfast, Mo Lingqiu drove Jiang Chenming to University A’s gate where his coach was waiting for him, surrounded by a few other players who were going to represent City A. 

Jiang Chenming got out of the car and leaned over to say goodbye to Mo Lingqiu who was still sitting inside. “Then, I’ll head out, Teacher Mo. Be careful on your way back.”

“En.”

“Teacher Mo, come here.” Jiang Chenming waved at him.

Mo Lingqiu was stunned. He stuck his head out of the open car window.

Unexpectedly, his lips were kissed. Although the kiss was in a visual blind spot for the people around, Mo Lingqiu’s face still became red. 

Jiang Chenming said goodbye again after he kissed him, and then went on his way to get on the bus to City B. 

As he watched the bus drive away, Mo Lingqiu was silent for a while. Then, he turned around to go back home. 

In the evening, Mo Lingqiu bought a skewer, which he rarely did, and read some literature as he ate it in his room. 

Jiang Chenming only video-called him after nine o’clock. Through the screen, Mo Lingqiu saw his handsome face and thought that he was too charming to be real. On the other side, Jiang Chenming thought that Mo Lingqiu looked cold and beautiful under the dim light, like he was free of worldly cares. 

“Teacher Mo, what did you buy? Fish tofu?”

“En.” Mo Lingqiu held up the half-eaten fish and tofu skewers to show him.

“Is it tasty?”

“En.”

“That’s good. I ate a cup of instant noodles.” Jiang Chenming raised the empty bowl he’d just finished with an aggrieved expression. There was still a little soup left. 

“Well, why didn’t you go out to eat?” Mo Lingqiu’s lips turned down. 

“Coach went out to eat with a few in-game refs from City B. I didn’t know them, so I didn’t want to go.” Although Jiang Chenming could get along with everyone, those people were all known to his coach and not to him. Their dinner would have nothing to do with him; the scene would just be awkward if he went. 

“Oh,” Mo Lingqiu said. He propped up the tablet and looked at the takeout menu on his mobile phone. 

“Teacher Mo, what are you looking at?” Jiang Chenming was a little jealous. He was clearly video calling with himself. Why wasn’t his Teacher Mo looking at him, but at his phone? Were mobile phones so attractive? 

“Takeout.” Mo Lingqiu’s voice was very soft. Jiang Chenming let out an ah. He obviously hadn’t heard him clearly, but he did hear Mo Lingqiu ask him, “Which hotel are you staying in?” 

“…Megri-La.” After answering, Jiang Chenming found that Mo Lingqiu was staring at his mobile screen with a serious face, as if he were looking for something. Suddenly Jiang Chening had a thought. “Teacher Mo, don’t tell me you’re ordering takeout for me?” 

With his intentions exposed, Mo Lingqiu didn’t say a word. Instead, he pretended that nothing had happened, still carefully figuring out at which Megri-La Jiang Chenming was staying.

Using his outstanding memory, Mo Lingqiu quickly recalled the competition venue and the area where the hotel was located. 

The corner of Jiang Chenming’s mouth rose. “Teacher Mo, what did you order for me?” 

“I just ordered something.” 

Hearing such a casual answer, Jiang Chenming couldn’t help but laugh and cry. “Is it that simple?”

“…Hmm?” Mo Lingqiu finally put down the phone and raised his head.

“It’s nothing.” Jiang Chenming thought, No matter what Mo Lingqiu ordered for me, shouldn’t I eat it all willingly?

After chatting for a while, Mo Lingqiu was about to take a bath. Jiang Chenming told him not to turn off the video. Mo Lingqiu couldn’t change his mind, so he took a clean change of clothes and left the room, leaving the tablet on the table with the video call still running. 

Bored, Jiang Chenming changed the internet TV, which wasn’t playing anything interesting, while he watched the empty video call interface, waiting for Mo Lingqiu to come back. 

More than ten minutes later, the intercom phone in Jiang Chenming’s room rang and he picked up the receiver. 

“Is this Mr. Jiang? This is the front desk of the Megri-La Hotel. You have a few takeaways here. Are you free now? We will let the staff deliver it to you.” The lady at the front desk was very polite.

“Okay, sorry for the trouble.” Jiang Chenming hung up the phone and waited at the door.

Not long after, a knock sounded. When he opened the door, he saw the staff carrying both large and small bags of various colours that were full of takeout. 

Jiang Chenming held back his surprise and returned to his room with the takeout bags, looking at what Mo Lingqiu had bought for him, one by one. 

When he’d looked through all of them, he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. From the braised food to the rice with meat and vegetables to the duck blood noodles—and even including the large package of various snacks—Teacher Mo was really feeding him like he was a big eater. 

Mo Lingqiu came back from the bath, wiped the water from his hair as he glanced at the screen, and saw Jiang Chenming eating duck blood noodles.

Mo Lingqiu hesitated. He asked, “Is it delicious?” 

Jiang Chenming heard his voice and quickly raised his head. “Very. Teacher Mo, what if I get fat from all this food?” 

“…Then just get fat.” Mo Lingqiu’s answer was as simple as ever.

Jiang Chenming laughed. With a smile, he said, “When the time comes, my abs will be gone, Teacher Mo. You’ll have to lay on my fat beer belly.” 

“…Hmm.” Mo Lingqiu didn’t believe his nonsense at all.

After eating the last bite of duck blood noodles, Jiang Chenming opened another bag of crisp potato chips and munched on them. “Teacher Mo, go and blow dry your hair.”

“Wait a minute.” Mo Lingqiu wasn’t in a hurry. He was still a little hot from his shower. 

Jiang Chenming didn’t know what the weather was like in City A at the moment. “It’s easy to catch a cold.”

“It’s so hot.” Mo Lingqiu felt stuffy and had a feeling that it might rain soon.

“Is it hot? Why don’t you turn on the air conditioner if you really can’t bear it?”

“It’s stuffy.” With a sigh, Mo Lingqiu took out the hairdryer from the cabinet and slowly dried his hair with the low mode.

His hair had grown a bit longer recently, and, when it was blow dried, strands of hair fell on his forehead, pricking his eyes, which was a little uncomfortable. After raising his hand and flicking it a few times, Mo Lingqiu’s hair was half dry. It was so hot that the tip of his nose was covered with a thin layer of sweat. 

“Take a break if you’re hot.” How Jiang Chenming wished to be able to directly help him.

“En.” Mo Lingqiu was really hot, so he put away the hair dryer, not planning to finish drying his hair. 

“You…” Jiang Chenming was about to continue when he heard a thunderous sound. Although it had come through the screen, it still shocked him.

Mo Lingqiu was also frightened. He glanced outside and was stunned at what he saw: a dark night sky with lightning streaking across, lit up for a few moments. The thunder was deafening.

He walked over and closed the window before hugging the tablet and getting into bed. 

“Teacher Mo, will you be able to fall asleep without me there?” Jiang Chenming asked, starting up his sweet nothings again. 

“…I’ll be okay.” He was used to having someone beside him all the time, but, suddenly, he was sleeping alone. He definitely wasn’t used to it and, with the weather so bad with the thunder and rain, it was very depressing. 

Jiang Chenming knew that he wasn’t speaking honestly, but he didn’t call him out. With a smile, he said, “Teacher Mo, let’s sleep tonight without ending the call. I want to watch you sleep, otherwise I won’t be able to.” 

Mo Lingqiu was stunned. “Are you a child?”

“Yeah. Fresh, eighteen-year-old Xiao Jiang tongxue.” Jiang Chenming immediately acted cute. 

Mo Lingqiu never thought that this big man would be cute. He was really amused. “I’m eight years old.”

With Mo Lingqiu joking with him, Jiang Chenming laughed even harder, full of joy. “Eight-year-old Lingqiu, cuter than anyone else?” 

“…Shut up.” Mo Lingqiu was really not as thick-skinned as he was.

Jiang Chenming cracked up. When he was done laughing, he noticed that Mo Lingqiu was lying on his side, the two top buttons on his shirt unbuttoned. The beautiful scene came through the screen completely. “Teacher Mo.” 

“What’s wrong?” Mo Lingqiu didn’t hear him speak for a long time after calling out for him, so he moved his eyes away from the news on his phone to the video call. 

“Can you show me while doing it yourself?” Jiang Chenming asked, voice deep.

Mo Lingqiu was dumbfounded, not understanding what he was talking about.

“Hmm,” Jiang Chenming said, propping up his phone, “can you do that?” 

He thought, What would my always cold Teacher Mo look like doing it by himself?

Mo Lingqiu finally had a clear understanding of what he meant and blushed. “…Don’t want to.” 

“Really?” 

Outside, the thunder was growling. Mo Lingqiu smelled the faint smell of bitter almonds enveloping him. After a long pause, he conceded. “…Only once.” 

1st of May