Chapter 61.1 – Calm Down A Bit

The headmaster moved his gaze and noticed Song Yu. He was surprised, “Yu… Song Yu, how come you’re late?”

The teaching director’s tone wasn’t very gentle, “He said he was acting for a just cause.”

Song Yu’s gaze only lingered on Qin Mo for a second before shifting away. He opened his mouth to speak to the headmaster, smiling and happy, “Yes, not only was it for a just cause, but it was also for the sake of our school’s glory.”

The teaching director was so angry that he gnashed his teeth.

The headmaster sighed, then thought about his illness and shook his head, “Ah, you… don’t be late next time.” He then turned his head towards the teaching director and said, “Teacher Tian, students of this age also need their dignity, and punishing them with standing here also delays their morning study time. Have them go back first and write a review.”

The teaching director had to do as the headmaster said, but he was still upset about the late students in his heart. He turned around and lifted up his loudspeaker to shout, “Each person is to write an 800 word review for me! Absenteeism and fighting—are you anything like students? You don’t study properly when attending school and remain at the bottom of the rankings. How will you live up to your parents’ expectations?”

Song Yu was dissatisfied when he heard this and raised his hand, “Teacher, I was ranked eighty-eighth in the monthly exams.”

Ever since he’d come to Jingcheng No.1 High, this was the one thing that was most worth praising.

No one was allowed to not know about it!

Teacher Tian glared at him as if to say ‘you’re so amazing’.

Qin Mo watched on from beginning to end. He had a clear and gentle smile on his face, appearing polite and easygoing.

The headmaster recalled that they were both from A City and asked, “Do you know each other?”

Qin Mo replied lightly, “Not familiar.”

The headmaster didn’t think too much of it and genially said, “That makes it sound like you guys have met before. The teaching building for Senior One and Senior Two aren’t very far away. You guys can be friends.”

Qin Mo laughed briefly and didn’t speak.

Song Yu held his books and headed back towards the teaching building after they dispersed. Ren Wenhan hugged his school bag and ran after him, gasping for breath, “Brother Yu, Brother Yu.”

Song Yu was just about to go upstairs. He stopped for a moment and bowed his head to look at him, puzzled, “What’s the matter?”

Ren Wenhan’s pale face was a bit red, and his eyes, hidden behind the lenses of his glasses, were a bit damp and held a little shyness. He riffled through his bag and handed Song Yu a bottle of milk, whispering, “Thank you.”

His fingers trembled and he seemed very embarrassed.

Song Yu thought to himself: Wow, this guy gets shy so easily.

He felt that this person might end up with eyes as red as a rabbit’s again if he refused, so he was very understanding and accepted the milk, “You’re welcome.”

Ren Wenhan smiled shyly and walked away, still hugging his bag.

Song Yu brought the bottle of milk to class. The classroom that was originally noisy and bustling quieted down for a second when he appeared.

Song Yu held his books in one hand and the milk bottle in the other as he went to sit down at his seat.

Ma Xiaoding was depressed, “Brother Yu, why did you leave on your own today? I have so many questions I want to ask you.”

Song Yu rolled his eyes; it was precisely because I didn’t want to answer your dog shit questions.

Xi Bowen’s gaze was on Song Yu’s hands, “Hey, when did Brother Yu start drinking milk in the morning?”

Song Yu didn’t think about it as he replied, “I helped a boy and he gave it to me as a gift.”

Ma Xiaoding made a ‘wow’ sound and took the lead in applauding, “How can there be such a handsome person with such a good nature as Brother Yu in this world?”

Song Yu ignored him. The spot beside him was empty, so he tilted his head and asked, “Where’s Xie Sui?”

Xi Bowen explained, “God Xie was called out by the class teacher. There’s always an endless stream of teachers to see when one is number one in the grade.”

“Oh.”

Song Yu stuck the straw into the bottle of milk and took a sip of the warm milk. He stared at the blackboard, somewhat absentminded.

It had been very calm when they spoke together online, both acting as if nothing had happened.

But he still felt like he was splitting hairs over an insignificant problem, hung up on Xie Sui’s ‘like’.

I want to kiss you, I like you, this is instinct—what do you mean by that, hey.

Even if his heart was inclined to believe that Xie Sui like how he was in the book, terrified and lacking love, and felt too much gratitude towards him, which led to him saying those kinds of words despite not really liking him—

But now that it was Monday and he was about to meet him again in person, he started to think aimlessly again and even felt a little confused.

How should he treat Xie Sui later on? How could he correct his false cognition?

Xie Sui came back from the office when the bell rang to signal the end of class.

Song Yu was still holding the bottle of milk. He looked at him fixedly, inch by inch, his gaze moving over that familiar face, from his eyelashes to his nose, then to his lips, the features familiar, with that same cold alienation.

But Xie Suiseemed different no matter how he looked at him after his confession.

His line of sight briefly met that pair of dark and deep eyes.

Xie Sui stared back at him, smiling lightly, “Did you get a proper count this time?”

Song Yu bit the straw and froze.

He’d been drinking milk, so there was a bit of white staining his lips. Looking at it made Xie Sui’s eyes darken slightly.

Song Yu’s expression was sheepish. He’d been able to answer that he’d been counting eyelashes very naturally last time, but this time, a bit of embarrassment suddenly floated up from deep within him. He silently turned his head after being stunned for a brief moment and acted as though nothing had happened.

Xie Sui raised his eyebrows a little and asked, “When did you start drinking milk?”

Song Yu hadn’t yet had time to answer—

Ma Xiaoding had already spoken for him, “A boy gave it to him out of gratitude. Tsk, I feel that Brother Yu’s really kind. He always acts bravely for a just cause and helps the weak.”

Song Yu’s mood was complicated as he corrected him, “Not always.”

Ma Xiaoding: “Brother Yu, don’t be modest.”

On the other hand, Xie Sui seemed quite interested in this matter. He casually asked, “What did you help that person with?”

Song Yu didn’t dare to meet his eyes as he spoke, “I just helped him get rid of a bunch of gangsters from No.13 High.”

Xie Sui fell silent for a moment, then laughed briefly. His mood couldn’t be determined from his tone, “What a coincidence.”

Song Yu: “What?”

“You once helped me get rid of a bunch of gangsters, too.”

Xie Sui’s eyes seemed bottomless as he indifferently asked, “Are you so good to everyone?”

Song Yu could detect that Xie Sui’s current mood wasn’t very pleasant.

Ma Xiaoding, as someone who’d professionally screwed him over for ten years, certainly lived up to expectations at this point, “God Xie, you’re the only one amongst us who is the most unqualified to ask this question, okay? Brother Yu put in a lot of effort in order to become deskmates with you. How well he treats you is visible to the naked eye!” 

Xi Bowen also chose to insert his comment at this time, “The whole class can see how well God Xie treats Brother Yu, too.”

Song Yu gritted his teeth. Finally, the two deskmates who were speaking in perfect harmony both shut up and fell silent under his cold gaze. They put up their Chinese books and began to memorize the text.

Xie Sui: “Let’s talk?”

Song Yu muttered, “There’s nothing to talk about.”

Xie Sui laughed lightly and didn’t say anything else, but the last look he shot at him made Song Yu’s entire back stiffen.

Song Yu frowned briefly.

He dispiritedly thought—it’s still better to stay away. He’d been too good to Xie Sui, making it so that he’d mistakenly started to think that he liked him. He’d stay away so that Xie Sui could think clearly!

Song Yu was particularly serious in class that day. He didn’t doze off and he sat up straight. He continued burying himself in writing after class; in any case, he didn’t try to say anything else to Xie Sui.

Ma Xiaoding wasn’t sensitive to these things and was oblivious, but Xi Bowen frowned and smacked Ma Xiaoding’s arm, “Do you feel like there’s something wrong between Brother Yu and God Xie?”

Ma Xiaoding: “Ah? How so?”

Xi Bowen hated iron for not being steel and sighed.

Song Yu did exam questions. He encountered a pressure axis question, but it was wrong no matter how he calculated it. There was also a step he couldn’t understand when he looked at the answer. He subconsciously wanted to ask Xie Sui, but the sounds in his throat hadn’t yet come out when he shut up again. After this inexplicable ‘not speaking’ began, it became particularly embarrassing to open his mouth again.

So Song Yu turned around and placed the exercise question on Xi Bowen’s desk. He used his pen to draw a line, “This step, explain it to me.”

Xi Bowen: “???” This was the first time Brother Yu had ever asked him about test questions. What should he do? He was in a really damned complex mood.

Ma Xiaoding: “???” That’s not right, Brother Yu, don’t you have a number one in the grade as your private tutor? Why aren’t you asking such a badass learning god?

Song Yu: “Take a look. Can you do it or not.”

Xi Bowen’s hand trembled around the pen he was holding.

Although Xie Sui didn’t look over and his line of sight didn’t turn back, he felt as though the air had chilled a little bit.

He didn’t dare be able to do this question.

Xi Bowen wanted to cry but didn’t have the tears, “Brother Yu, you should ask God Xie.”

Song Yu: “Oh.” He took it back and didn’t say anything else as he continued to study in silence.

Ma Xiaoding finally realized that something wasn’t right after this event. “F*ck, they’re really not talking. Weren’t they fine during the morning self-study period?”

Xi Bowen calmed down his own heart, “I told you, but you didn’t believe it. You can see it now, right? I’m depressed about it, too.”

Ma Xiaoding opened his mouth wide. Something suddenly seemed to connect in his mind, scaring him so much that he didn’t hold his book steady and smashed it against his own face, “No way, could it be because of that secret?”

Xi Bowen’s ears perked up and he lowered his voice, “What?”

Ma Xiaoding’s expression was sad, “God Xie made Brother Yu cry, you know?”

Xi Bowen: “……”

Chapter 61.2 – Calm Down A Bit

Song Yu gathered up his books and went straight back to the apartments once he finished class, picking up his pace as soon as he stepped out of the teaching building. He hadn’t yet breathed out a sigh of relief after entering the corridor when his arm was suddenly pulled from behind.

A tall figure approached him. Xie Sui’s tone was cold, “What are you hiding from me for?”

The corridor was very narrow, causing the breaths of the two people to intertwine. Song Yu stepped back to lean against the wall. He felt suffocated all over.

There was a smile at the corner of Xie Sui’s lips, but his eyes were slightly chilly, “Shouldn’t you give me an explanation?”

How would Song Yu admit that this naive cold war had been started all by himself? He faltered, trying to change the topic, “About that, what explanation?”

Xie Sui lightly answered, “Weren’t you the one who said that we’d act like nothing happened?”

Song Yu choked. He didn’t know how to explain his own mood to him, “Sigh, isn’t this because I’m afraid you haven’t thought it through clearly? I wanted to stay away from you first and give you enough time to calm down.”

Xie Sui’s eyes darkened to black and he smiled, “I’m very calm.”

Song Yu: “……”

Since he’d already been exposed, Song Yu went all out. He closed his eyes, “I’m not calm, okay!”

He ran straight up the stairs after saying that, taking three steps at a time. He’d practically deserted and fled.

He didn’t know if that sentence of his was really useful or if Xie Sui had gotten angry at him.

In any case, the atmosphere was already like this.

Song Yu felt relieved in his heart.

The two of them seemed to have returned to the feeling of being strangers, even more so than before when they’d met in Linshui. Xie Sui reverted back to the cold temperament that treated everyone like a stranger. In the past, he would still smile slightly, but now he didn’t even bother with any sort of expression. His gaze would skim across him inadvertently, his eyes cool.

Ma Xiaoding and Xi Bowen: Trembling and shivering, not daring to speak.

Once people started paying attention to something, the issue would be magnified infinitely. Song Yu actually felt that the atmosphere was a little strange; dammit, he’d wanted to keep some distance between the two of them first, yet it had turned out like two lovers having a fight. The more he wanted to ignore it, the more he cared. For example, when he was trying to memorize books and Xie Sui was writing, the scratchy sound of him writing was particularly able to affect his heart.

“Student Song Yu, say, should the answer be A or B in this last multiple choice question?”

His attention had been on Xie Sui the whole time during class.

Song Yu only came back to his senses after being abruptly called on to answer a question.

The chemistry teacher had noticed that he was distracted and deliberately called him out.

The corners of Song Yu’s lips pulled down. He looked at the calculation question for aluminum, “I…”

Just now, he hadn’t heard a single thing. How would he know the answer? Xie Sui was indeed his nemesis!

“A.”

There was a cold voice beside his ear.

Song Yu was stunned for a moment. He looked down, but when he saw that Xie Sui wasn’t looking at him, he lifted his head again to look at the blackboard, his expression cold.

Is it A just because you said it’s A? An inexplicable fire burst out from his heart. Song Yu said, “I choose B!”

The whole class sucked in a breath of cold air.

The chemistry teacher stared at him. He knocked the blackboard eraser against the blackboard and hated iron for not being steel, “Are you still choosing B? I just spoke for twenty minutes about the chemical properties of aluminum. Weren’t you listening? Aluminum is an amphoteric metal; do you not know something so basic? Don’t keep looking at your deskmate during class, okay? Listen properly in class and spare me a glance!”

The whole class, “Er.”

Song Yu: “……”

F*ck.

The last PE class was taken over by Old Cheng. Simply speaking, it became an evening lecture in the auditorium.

“During high school, everyone will more or less be faced with some problems. Between parents, between teachers, and between fellow students. For this time’s lecture, we’ve had Teacher Zhang from the psychological consultation room come to make a speech. It will be held at 7PM, and everyone should go and listen. I will be taking names when the time comes, so you should all be careful.” Everyone had originally had some complaints about having their PE class taken over, but now that they heard that the lecture was replacing the self-study period at night, they all became excited again.

Song Yu didn’t go back to his apartment for dinner in order to avoid Xie Sui. He went and ate at a small store in a back street, eating spicy hot pot with Ma Xiaoding and Xi Bowen.

Ma Xiaoding: “Brother Yu, what happened between you and God Xie?”

Song Yu: “Nothing.”

How could Ma Xiaoding believe this? “Did you guys quarrel because of what happened at the Internet cafe that night? Oh my god, could it be that God Xie did something to you by accident in the dark? Did he hit you?”

Song Yu stuffed a skewer of fish balls into his mouth, “Shut up.”

There was a group of girls from Senior Two sitting at the table next to them. They were currently in the midst of an enthusiastic discussion about the new transfer student.

“A new handsome big brother came to Class One. He’s really handsome, tall, and good-looking. His temperament is mild, and he smiles at everyone.”

“I saw him. He looks very gentle, just like the type I like.”

“Don’t think too much about it. It seems that he’s from A City, and his family background is so good that it goes beyond your imagination. You won’t be able to climb up that thigh; just looking is enough.”

“Sigh, why are handsome guys so hard to get these days.”

Song Yu bit down on a skewer of seaweed, his expression cold. Qin Mo really was used to hiding himself using a superficial gentle appearance.

Xi Bowen used a napkin to wipe the fog off his glasses and tentatively asked, “Brother Yu, when will you and God Xie sort things out?” In fact, what he really wanted to ask was, Brother Yu, when will you stop being angry? Because he always felt that between these two, God Xie hadn’t taken this fight seriously at all, and it was Brother Yu who had constantly been stewing over it.

Song Yu stared at him coldly, “We didn’t fight.”

Xi Bowen: “……” Okay, you guys aren’t fighting, you’re playing a game between lovers.

There was a psychology lecture at night, so Song Yu went back to class first, intending to take out a set of homework questions and have a look. Ma Xiaoding naturally followed behind him, talking continuously.

God Xie wasn’t there, so he would accompany Brother Yu and relieve his loneliness.

There weren’t many people in the classroom when they arrived. There was only one girl that they were familiar with there—Lin Shuangqiu. Lin Shuangqiu was obviously stunned when she saw them, then laughed in surprise, “Brother Yu! Oh god, what a coincidence.”

Song Yu stood at the door. He was obviously a little stupefied by her bright gaze and only barely managed to control his expression, “What’s the matter.”

Lin Shuangqiu smiled wide enough to show her two tiger teeth, her eyes as bright as the hairpin in her hair. She quickly took a pink envelope out from her school bag, smiling shyly as she said, “Someone asked me to deliver a love letter, so I rushed to class, but I didn’t run into you. What a coincidence, it must be that the old heavens are helping that sister.”

Ma Xiaoding chuckled briefly, then cheerfully whistled.

Song Yu’s line of sight landed on the envelope in her hand.

It was light pink, with green vines circling around the edges, as well as some budding roses, and there seemed to almost be a hint of fragrance floating around it. The words ‘To My Husband, Brother Yu’ were written in a clear and playful font, clearly illustrating a girl’s heart.

Lin Shuangqiu said, “A girl from Class Five gave it to me. She and I know each other, so I was too embarrassed to refuse.” She covered her face, “Thankfully God Xie isn’t here. Otherwise, I don’t know if I would’ve had the courage to deliver it.”

This was the first time that Song Yu had ever received a love letter.

It was quite strange. They were clearly just as handsome as each other, but Xie Sui had a basket full of love letters with lots of bright and beautiful blessings while he had never even had a peach blossom.

Of course, Song Yu wasn’t particularly concerned about this.

Ma Xiaoding started cajoling, “Brother Yu! I think it’s great!”

Song Yu returned the love letter and said, “I don’t think so.”

Lin Shuangqiu blinked, “Brother Yu?”

Song Yu said, “I can’t accept this. It’s not good to throw it away or just keep it. It’s really awkward, so you should give it back to her.”

Ma Xiaoding: “Brother Yu, you’re breaking their hearts.”

Song Yu was only stunned for a second, but he quickly responded and his tone was careless, “Tell her that although she might not necessarily meet someone better than me in the future, the fact that she likes me proves that she has good taste. Just this one point is enough for her to be happy and proud. Tell her not to be sad.”

Ma Xiaoding: “???”

Lin Shuangqiu couldn’t hold back her laughter, “Okay, husband.”

Song Yu: “…… Don’t call things out at random, little sister.”

Ma Xiaoding was still chattering on the way to the auditorium. “Brother Yu’s really powerful. If it was me, I would’ve accepted it. But that makes sense; Brother Yu, you must’ve been liked by many people from childhood. Even your rejections are so skillful and easy.”

Song Yu was stunned.

Rejecting people with skill and ease.

He frowned, and his light-colored pupils looked lost for a moment.

So then what did he need so much time to calm down for?

The auditorium was very large and could accommodate all three grades. They sat according to their grades, with the Senior One students sitting at the front.

The lecture hadn’t yet started, so there were a few girls who’d sat down and started to chat.

Liang Yingying said, “Is it because you already have a preference in your heart? How come I feel that Qin Mo is pretty good?”

Jiang Chunian was drinking milk tea, “He’s not good at all. Really hypocritical. Ew.”

Liang Yingying’s eyes grew wide, “What happened to you?”

Jiang Chunian hadn’t yet started talking when her line of sight shifted and she almost choked on a pearl in her milk tea, “Isn’t that God Xie?!” They all followed her gaze and looked. Xie Sui sat in the corner and there was a girl leaning in towards him slightly. She had long hair and was wearing a light blue v-necked dress that showed her delicate collarbones. Bai Xuexin.

Song Yu walked over to where they were sitting. But before he sat down, he heard Jiang Chunian’s cry, “Brother Yu, come quickly! Bai Pay The Bill is seducing your man—oh, wait, your deskmate.”

Song Yu: “……” Couldn’t they let him have some quiet for a while?

Liang Yingying: “……” Who was Bai Pay The Bill?