《The Promise Sealed with Our Lips》
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
In the 1960s and the 1970s, the mothers who drove the poption boom of this eastern country was led by the Heroic Mother1 to mould the future sessors of the countrys socialist system. And because of the traditions passed down in the past five thousands years, the phrase continue on the familys line to keep prospering was deeply rooted in peoples hearts. For a society that revolves around farming, physical prowess was regarded favourably. Hence, a familys status in society was determined by how many males there were in the family. And in this era of distorted thinking, Hei Nuo reported to the call for socialism.
However, for the parents whose only daughter died at a young age, what they looked forward to was the birth of a girl whom they could treasure in their palms. As for a son... the birth of another male could not offer them the usual pride or happiness anymore. For people of their economic status, managing to raise five sons was really more than enough. They have already done their duty, and could proudly face their Hei familys ancestors. Now, they just want a gentle, sweet daughter whom they could cradle in their arms and spoil rotten. This idea was bolstered when their cute, infant daughter of three months passed away and left them. After a period of rest, Hei Papa and Hei Mama regained their strength and will, and were determined to fight the heavens to take back their daughter.
Hei Mama fulfilled her wish and was pregnant once again. She didnt have any obvious pregnancy symptoms, like vomitting. In the first few months, the baby was rtively quiet and peaceful. Hei Papa and Hei Mama were convinced that this baby was their daughter reincarnate. Their excitement slowly rose with the ergement of Hei Mamas belly. Unexpectedly, on a snowy midnight, their usually obedient daughter showed an abnormal wilfulness by moving her due date in advance. In the small, southern county where their nights were so dark you couldnt see your fingers and where there was no traffic ormunication devices, Hei Papa could not send Hei Mama to the hospital. It was only after he frantically knocked on the doors of his neighbours before he managed to find a midwife.
The Hei Mama who had went through several sessful births was full of experience and courage, but even this Hei Mama had to admit defeat. The little one wreaked havoc in her belly, and yet refused toe out. At first, Hei Mama was still smiling happily, and helped her baby exin, Daughters tend to be more delicate, please pardon her. But with the deepening of the night, Hei Mama could no longer smile, and did not even have the strength to follow the midwifes instructions. Hei Papa was originally happily strutting about outside, then he sat on a chair and anxiously rubbed his hands, but by the end he was squatting on the ground, holding his head in worry.
Before dawn, Hei Papa finally heard the crying of a newborn. For someone who had several past experiences of bing a father, Hei Papa actually looked up in disbelief. It was only after he heard the sound of sessive cries that he stood up on his sore and numb legs. He breathed a sigh of relief and a big grin spread across his face as he walked towards the door, anticipating his first meeting with his precious daughter. However, when the door opened, someone rushed out and knocked into him. That person was his colleagues wife, Zhang Baozhen.
Old Hei, hurry, hurry and go in, Ill go look for people. Zhang Baozhen threw down these words and ran out.
Hei Papa felt the energy drain from his body, and vaguely heard the midwife shout, Hei Ma, dont sleep. Hei Ma, dont sleep! Dont sleep! When she saw Hei Papa, she dragged him over and said, Talk to her, dont let her sleep!
Hei Papa didnt know how he arrived at the bedside. His nose was filled with the smell of blood. Hei Mas eyes had lost their past brilliance, and he could not even find his own reflection in them. Hei Papa panicked and fumbled about to search for Hei Mamas hand. He found it, grabbed it and pleaded, Hua Di, Hua Di, dont sleep. Talk to me, talk to me.
Hei Mamas eyes lit up again and smiled weakly. That little one...in the future she will definitely be a crafty one. Let me see her.
Hei Papa turned around, took the baby from the midwife and bent down to let Hei Ma see her. Hei Ma wanted to lift her hand up, but did not have the strength to so her fingers could only tremble in Hei Papas palm. Hei Papa held her hand up to the babys face. Pre-tty, daugh-ter... her weak voice drifted off at thest syble.
By the time Zhang Baozhen led her husband and some other men to look for a handcart and rushed back to bring Hei Mama to the hospital, the bedding had already been stained red with blood. Zhang Baozhen pushed the rigid Hei Papa away and called people in to carry Hei Mama along with the bedding onto the handcart, then they frantically ran into the depths of the night.
Hei Mama never returned again. The grieving Hei Papa was wounded heavily by the hands of fate within one night. Thest straw came when the midwife turned to him and said, We need to hurry and find some milk for this little son of yours.
Son? he repeated in confusion, then when he realised the meaning behind the word son, he suddenly hollered, Son! Its a boy?!
Footnotes:
1. Mothers are given the title Heroic Mothers if they gave birth to a lot of children... in a time long long ago it was considered an honour to be a baby production factory lol but this was cuz at the time I think they needed a poption boost
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Hei Papa did not need thefort of others to get back on his feet and resume his life. Even though he was never the type to whisper sweet nothings to his wife, everyone could tell how good their rtionship was just based off how many children they had together. This was the kind of love that they had gradually built up bit by bit. After 13 years of sharing their life together, he had already long been smitten by that woman. He was very proud that he had her. In this small county, his woman beautified itsndscape. Even though the whole country was dressed in the same grey-blue colours, the same oversized clothes that looked like a uniform C that grey and that blue on his wife appeared extraordinarily elegant.
Hei Papas love was expressed through Hei Mamas status in the family. He was unlike the other families chauvinists who would go home expecting to be fed, and knock over oil bottles but refuse to pick them back up. He liked to pick vegetables, cook and do other chores with his wife while he appreciated her every look, every smile and every raised brow. His heart radiated with warmth and happiness. When the men got together to drink and joke about, a few drunkards would envy Hei Papa for marrying such a beautiful woman who looked like she descended from Hangzhou1. The uncouth blue-cored workers would cajole Hei Papa to describe Hei Mamas beauty and loveliness. Hei Papa would only chuckle andugh patronisingly. Please, why would he want to share his baby with others. This amazing woman was his, and he didnt want to share even a strand of her hair with others.
It was exactly because of their strong rtionship that everyone was surprised at how quickly Hei Papa recovered. He could already return to work and talk to everyone normally C as if nothing had changed in his life. But, no one saw the tears Hei Papa shed alone at night, and no one saw the hole that had formed in his heart. The woman he loved had left him forever, but she left behind five sons who were relying on him to get back on his feet. Please forgive Hei Papa for not considering the newborn, because he really had no milk to give him. Milk powder was a luxury that he couldnt afford, so the newborn had been entrusted to a colleague whose wife had just given birth and could share a bit of her milk with the baby.
The Hei family had five sons, and the oldest was already twelve years old. Each of them were about two to three years apart. Respectively, they were the eldest Hei Aiguo (1960), Hei Aidang (1962), Hei Aijia (1965), Hei Aiwen (1967) and Hei Aige (1970)2. The Hei Papa who didnt have good naming sense gave his sons names rich with social vour, which realistically reflected the strange inclination of that era. The two eldest sons Aiguo and Aidang dutifully took over most of their mothers work. They understood that the departure of their mother was permanent; but the other three little ones, Aijia and Aiwen still couldnt fathom why their little sister hadnt arrived, but took their mother away instead. Their relentless questions only added onto the burden on Hei Papas heart.
Five monthster, the new mother had done the most she could and sent the youngest son back. In these times when resources were scarce, no one had it easy; an additional mouth was really too much to bear. At the same time, Hei Papa found an effective way to cover up his wounds: every day after work, he would hang out with his colleagues, listen to their nonsense, drink some strong white wine and go home slightly drunk so that he could have a peaceful sleep.
The ones who got the worse end of the stick were the children. They often had to wait for their father to give them money and tickets before they could buy rice and noodles to cook for dinner. The elder two had already begun to nt cucumbers, tomatoes, eggnts and shallots in their yard, but the nts needed time to grow. The seeds didnte from a celestial sisters hands that, once nted, would miraculously sprout fruit the next day. But no matter what, the children proudly watched the seeds they nted sprout, flower and bear fruit. Hei Papa never noticed any of this, if not for what happened next.
One day, he was called up by the Cultural Revolution Working Group. The team leader was an old colleague who patted Hei Papas shoulder and sighed, The organization understands that youre experiencing some difficulties, but right now everyone is going through a hard time, why cause such trouble? In the face of difficulties, we should bite down on our lips and continue to work hard, not engage in capitalism....... his words only served to confuse Hei Papa even further. When he remained dumbfounded after several hints and reminders from his old colleague, the team leaders face ckened and said, Xiao Hei, I dont care if you ept it or not, the organization has already handled it. We chose to handle it as gently as we could because you are a hardworking member of our working ss. Go back and think about it carefully.
When Hei Papa left the factory, he met Zhang Baozhen and Aige who were waiting for him. Hurry home and take a look, theyre still crying at home.
On the way back, Zhang Baozhen exined what had happened to him. Someone had reported that the Hei family secretly nted vegetables in their yard to the Cultural Revolution Working Group. Once they were notified, they immediately dispatched some people to get rid of the vegetables and confiscate the ones that had ripened. This was a symbol of nipping the capitalists roots in its bud. When he got home, the children were standing next to their garden that had been ravaged into a mess. Some held tears in their eyes, while others were snivelling. The moment they say their father, the third and fourth son pounced on him while crying, Papa, papa, they- the bad guys came.
As she looked at the crying faces of the children and Lao Heis sorrowful face, Zhang Baozhen knew that this family needed a new mistress.
Footnotes:
1. Women from Hangzhou are apparently famous for being beautiful?
2. Lolol omg the sons names. The direct trantions are: Aiguo = Love country; Aidang = Love political party; Aijia = Love family; Aiwen = Love literature; Aige = Love revolution/reform?
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
With a dual ie and Hei Mamas meticulous nning, raising the kids they had was barely manageable. But now that their ie was suddenly cut in half, the family immediately fell into a tighthold. One could imagine how difficult it would be to also try to find a woman under these circumstances. Hei Papas colleagues and neighbours were filled with enthusiasm as they pitied the children, so there wasnt ack of people who were trying to help Lao Hei. However, many were scared away the moment they heard the number six. After several twists and turns, a girl whose surname was Zhou from the countryside finally agreed. She was a prettydy, but it was because of her above average looks that she was a bit proud, and was thus unwilling to marry someone from the countryside. Now she was already 25 years old, and was considered a pure, olddy in her vige.
A family with a woman in it slowly recovered its vitality. Aside from Aiguo and Aidang who, because they were older, couldnt really get close to the new woman, the other three little ones happily epted Zhou Xiaoyu as their new mama. As for the sixth son who couldnt understand anything, it was still the eldest and second son who were taking care of him. Instead of the sixth son, the new mama would rather y with the fourth son who would act coquettishly and the fifth son whom was more talkative. Hei Papas face was also slowly regaining some colour. As such is life. Even though the one he loved was the woman who had passed away, Hei Papa still had a duty towards his six children and was obliged to provide them with a proper home. As he gained apanion to apany him through the lonely nights, he felt a spark of hope and the courage to continue living, so he was unwilling to continue ruminating over the past.
With Zhou Xiaoyu as a new addition to the family plus her ie from her new job at the factory, their days passed by peacefully. By the time Hei Papa knew that his wife was pregnant, they had already been married for almost two years. Several conflicting feelings arose in Hei Papa. They could barely afford feeding all the mouths in his household, but asking Zhou Xiaoyu to never have a child of her own would be too unreasonable of him. Eventually he and Xiaoyu would need to have a child of their own. At this thought, his previous wish of having a daughter was slightly stirred up again, though his heart still remembered the trauma from two years ago. Zhou Mama waspletely ted at the news, who wouldnt want to have a child of their own? Even though there were six sons in the family, ording to conventional ideas, she could not rely on any of them on the future. As the saying goes, raise a child so that someone will look after you in old age, Zhou Xiaoyu also needed to make ns for herself. She hoped that it would be a son, so her status in the household would be more stable.
This time, Hei Papa was abnormally worried, so in the summer of 1975 Zhou Xiaoyu gave birth in the hospital.
The birth of the newborns...brought one parent happiness, and the other sorrow. Was the heavens telling Hei Papa that he was cursed to never have a daughter? Or were the heavens being way too kind to him? As Hei Papa looked at the twin boys who looked exactly like each other, hepletely destroyed his dreams of having a daughter. Zhou Mama could not rein in her excitement, with these two sons she no longer had to worry about the future.
After they left the hospital, Zhou Mama gave her two beloved sons resounding names: Hei Junhui and Hei Youhui1. No wonder they were husband and wife. Zhou Mama admired soldiers who had impable honour and high statuses in their society, so she wanted her sons to be friends of the army. At night, the couple happily looked at the two new names added to their household register2. They flipped the pages back and forth to look at their big family, and counted every persons page. Eh? The couple looked at each other. They were missing a page? Whos missing? They flipped through the book again, and realised that the sixth son wasnt on their household register.
The next day, Hei Papa entrusted the duty of registering his sixth son to his third son who was almost ten, Aijia. When Aijia went to the office that handled household registrations, the uncle who worked there asked him for the name he wanted to register. That was when Aijia realised that his dad didnt tell him what name he should report.
The Dragon Boat Festival was currently ongoing, and the colleague who walked in passed a dumpling to the uncle who was working in the office, Eat up, its pretty good. I wolfed down a few in one go.
Glutinous rice? Or white rice? (In the north, dumplings were made with glutinous rice; they were fragrant and even had fillings like red bean or jujubes. Originally there were even delicious bacon fillings, but in the times they were living in, how many families would have meat? So as long as they had glutinous rice it was good enough. But because the southerners werent very good at making dumplings, they used white rice instead. White rice scattered easily and didnt have as good a mouthfeel, so its texture left much to be desired. The difference in taste between dumplings from north and south was immense)
Of course its glutinous rice! Its so sticky it sticks to your teeth, delicious!
Uncle was about to tear the dumpling wrapper when he realised that the little boy Aijia was still around, so he asked, Do you have a name yet?
The smell of the dumpling had already wafted into Aijias nose. When his mum was still alive, she would wrap dumplings for them, and even though each of them only got one dumpling, it felt like they were celebrating a grand festival. Because Mamas dumplings were really too delicious, around this time of the year many families would ask Mama to help wrap dumplings for them. After they cooked the wrapped dumplings for about 5 hours, they would send Mama a few but she never epted a single one of them. For the past two years, they havent been able to eat those fragrant, delicious dumplings again.
Faced with the uncles question, Aijias head was full of images of green glutinous rice dumplings, so he blurted out, Glutinous rice.3
............... the two uncles were stunned for awhile before they burst out inughter.
Glutinous rice? Little buddy, do you want to name your brother Glutinous Rice? Un, let me see, Hei Nuo Mi, thats good, the next one can be called Hei Gao Liang4. Uncle teased.
Aijia scratched his head. He really didnt know what name toe up with. The uncle who was looking from the side interrupted, Why not we leave out the Mi, Hei Nuo sounds pretty good too.
Hei Nuo, Hei Nuo, Aijia repeated a few times, and thought it was pleasant on the tongue. Ok then Uncle, Hei Nuo it is.
Uncle started writing in the new name, then suddenly said to his colleague, Might as well change the Glutinous Nuo character to the Promise Nuo character5, it sounds a little better than Glutinous Rice?
Un, this name sounds really good, once you change the character it really makes a difference.
After being a nameless member in the Hei family for the past 3 years, the sixth son finally had his own name and even had his own page in the household register. He had formally be a member of the Hei family C Hei Nuo.
Footnotes:
1. Jun = army/miltary, You = friend, Hui = light, so calling her sons Junhui and Youhui if you join the Jun and You together it bes Junyou aka friends of the army?
2. China has something called the Hukou system. From Wikipedia: Hukou is a system of household registration in maind China and Taiwan, although the system itself is more properly called huji, and has origins in ancient China. A household registration record officially identifies a person as a resident of an area and includes identifying information such as name, parents, spouse, and date of birth. A hukou can also refer to a family register in many contexts since the household registration record (simplified Chinese: ڲ; traditional Chinese: ڲ; pinyin: hku b) is issued per family, and usually includes the births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and moves, of all members in the family.?
3. Aijia said Nuo Mi; Nuo = glutinous, Mi = rice?
4. Gao Liang refers to sorghum which is a type of crop, so maybe he was trying to make a food joke lolol like name all your brothers after food!!?
5. Ŵ and ŵ are both pronounced the same way i.e. Nuo, but Ŵ = glutinous and ŵ is a part of ŵ which means Promise?
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Zhou Xiaoyu definitely isnt like Snow Whites evil stepmother; she still liked the sons of the previousdy, especially the third, fourth and fifth sons. But deep down in her heart, even if she doesnt admit it she knows that she treats her own flesh and blood differently. She gives them the most sincere kind of love C the selfless love that a mother gives her own children. Once the two newborns were off weaning, Zhou Xiaoyu needed to go back to work. At this time, the little big brother Hei Nuo was old enough to enter elementary school, so she couldnt bring him to work anymore. But due to their financial difficulties, they couldnt send all three to the nursery, plus the twins still couldnt be by themselves, so they were sent to the nursery while Hei Nuo stayed home.
While Aiguo graduated and started doing apprenticeships, Aidang and Aijia attended junior high, Aiwen and Aige went to the same elementary school everyday, the two little friends of the army started modelling after their mother and were saying their first words, Hei Nuo was already about 5 years old. He was a rather obedient child. Even though his parents were away at work and his brothers went to school so he was always alone at home, he never caused any trouble.
He liked to read the xiao ren shu1 his brothers borrowed. While they were in school, he could take his time to read them. He was illiterate, but he would try his best to guess the meaning of every picture. Once in awhile, his brothers would discuss the plot and people in the xiao ren shu while he listens intently at a side, then he would go back and reread the book again to verify the characters in it. Second Brother and Third Brother stayed in one room, while he, Fourth Brother and Fifth Brother would stay in another. Fourth and Fifth Brother have always yed, attended school and went home together after school since they were young, so they were very close.
Actually, in this families residential area2 there were many children, every family had a few. Naturally there were children about Hei Nuos age too. But these children yed in the nursery together everyday and had cultivated very close rtionships; because Hei Nuo didnt go to the nursery, he wasnt close to the other kids, so no one would take the initiative to invite him to y. There were a few times when he saw some boys and girls ying, and he did want to join them but he was very shy so he just stood at a side to watch them. He didnt have the courage to ask if he could y with them.
During one of the midsummers nights, everyone was outside cooling themselves down. The children in the families residential area were making a racket and ying together as usual. Hei Nuo was looking at a game of soldiers VS robbers; he watched them use wooden swords and rods to attack the enemys camp and the desire in his eyes leaked out. Early on, he had already found a rtively straight tree branch and emted a picture he saw in the xiao ren shu by holding up the tree branch as a wooden gun. He hoped that the others would be intrigued by his exquisite gun and invite him to join them.
One of the neighbours sons who was one year older than him, Han Ming, really did see his gun and asked his friends to check it out too. Everyone was interested in the gun, becausepared to their rough and shoddy weapons, the gun looked way more sophisticated. The children all wanted to use the gun in their battles. Han Ming said to Hei Nuo, If you let all of us use your gun, well let you y with us.
Hei Nuo happily nodded and stood at a side to wait. The children started a new round of games and the gun was transferred from one childs hands to another C when someone sacrificed the gun, it was passed onto someone else. Hei Nuo happily looked at how excited each child was when they got ahold of the gun, as if he was the one who was excitedly being epted into their group, not the gun. Once everyone had their turn, Han Ming returned the gun to him, the children were all tired from running about so they left. Hei Nuo was a bit upset, but he wasnt used to expressing his feelings so he just quietly returned home.
When he walked up to his house courtyards door and pushed the door, the door wasnt as easy to push as before so he used a bit more strength to push it open. Suddenly, a big cry rang out, and in front of him one brother was sitting on the floor crying while the other was standing at a side bawling. He was stunned. What happened? Zhou Xiaoyu was sitting in the courtyard when she heard the cries and quickly came over to carry little Junhui, coddling him while chastising Hei Nuo, Why would you use so much strength to open the door, you hit your two little brothers...
Originally the door could be opened and closed from both sides, such that one could stand outside and push the door toward the courtyard side while another could stand in the courtyard and push the door towards the outside. When Hei Nuo came home and pushed the door, coincidentally little Junhui was also pushing the door to go outside too. The Hei Nuo who was older by Junhui by 3 years naturally had more strength, so the Junhui behind the door got pushed back down onto his butt and even knocked into Youhui. The Hei Papa who had heard the cries also ran out, and when he saw that the kids started to cry even more he asked, Whats wrong, whats wrong?
Zhou Xiaoyu carried Junhui and pursed her lips toward Hei Nuo, Hei Nuo doesnt even know how to control his strength when pushing the door and rushed in so roughly. The door hit Junjun, who knocked Youyou. Hurry and check if Youyous ok. As Hei Papa carried Youyou, Zhou Xiaoyu coaxed Junhui, Junjuns a good boy, dont cry anymore, ask Papa to hit him, Papa will hit him for Junjun, Junjun no more pain.
Little Junjun didnt give in and continued crying loudly while pointing at Hei Nuo, Papa hit, papa hit. Youyou copied him and said, Papa hit, papa hit. Hei Papa lifted his leg up and kicked Hei Nuo, who cried out as he flew and harshly fell onto the hard ground.
Papa has hit him already, dont cry, if you keep crying you wont be a good boy anymore. Mama continued coaxing the two. Hei Nuo stifled his anger, and as he saw his brothers slowly stop crying he didnt dare to cry either. He crawled up from the ground, and when he saw that no one was paying any more attention to him, he returned to his room. His other two brothers whom he shared the room with havent returned. He carefully rubbed the area that had been kicked. It had a stinging, fiery sensation.
Footnotes:
1. Xiao ren shu is also known as Lianhuanhua, which is a palm-size picture book of sequential drawings found in China in the early 20th century. You can think of it as like premodern Manga LOL?
2. From what Ive found, it just seems like a type of residential area. Not too sure about the specifics though?
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Hei Nuo knew that if he let his brothers feel any more pain, he would be hurt too. So he unconsciously started to avoid his little brothers, afraid that he would hurt them again. Luckily, his little brothers preferred Fourth Brother and Fifth Brother because their Mama likes them, so she feltfortable with them carrying her sons.
In the blink of an eye, another year pa.s.sed. After they celebrate Chinese New Year, Hei Nuo will need to attend school. This year, the political arena had experienced momentous changes. Even though the people were in the midst of a disaster, their leader had turned the tide and brought them out of their terrible plight. During the new year, Mama made an exception and bought two pounds worth of sweets. She called up every child in the house (the oldest had gone out to celebrate with his colleagues and .s.smates) to share the sweets. The third to fifth son left to find their friends once they got their sweets, while Hei Nuo stood right at the back and waited for his two little brothers to take their sweets before he took his share. Because the other brothers all left, Mama wanted the twins to take more so the two little ones both grabbed a big handful to stuff into their pockets. Hei Nuo came over and looked around before picking one sweet C he picked it because he thought its wrapper was very pretty. He was about to put it into his pocket and leave when his brother grabbed him, I want this one.
Hei Nuo didnt loosen his grip on the sweet, and when his brother saw that he wasnt handing the sweet over he looked to Papa and Mama for help, I want this one, I want this one......
Dont you already have sweets? You have so many, Hei Nuo only has one, dont take his. Mama just finished talking when the little one started wailing.
Mama quickly took a few more sweets and gave it to the little brother, Dont cry, dont cry, there are still so many here, Mama will give you more, Mama will pick out the tastiest sweet for you.
Sadly, little brother refused all the sweets Mama gave him and cried, Dont want, dont want......
Hei Papa saw this and told Hei Nuo, Exchange the sweet with your little brother.
Hei Nuo didnt respond, and didnt move. Hei Papa was a little unhappy, Youre older, and youre his elder brother, why dont you give in to your little brother a little? Hurry and give your little brother the sweet.
When the little brother heard his Papas words, he cried even more sorrowfully.
Hei Nuo lowered his head and didnt say a word. Hei Papa got even more angry, Are you asking for a beating? Its the New Year and you want me to whip you a good one.
Mama walked over and tried to make peace, Stop it, stop it. Hei Nuo, be a good boy and exchange your sweet with your little brother, will you? as she was talking, she reached out to hold Hei Nuos hand. Hei Nuo avoided her grasp, walked to the door, and mustered all his strength to swing his right arm as hard as he could out the door.
Everyone was stunned. When the little brother realised what he had done, his crying instantaneously became ear-piercing. Hei Papa flew into a rage and scurried over to p Hei Nuo. Mama tried to stop him, so Papa grabbed the broom lying behind the door.
What are you doing, were celebrating the New Year!1 Isnt it just a piece of sweet? Mama soothed, Hei Nuo, hurry and tell your Dad that youre sorry.
Hei Nuo neither ran nor hide, he just stood rooted in ce. Hei Papa got even angrier and pulled Mama away, Move aside. Hes already this disobedient at this age, I need to discipline him.
The little brother was still crying at a side, so Mama went over tofort him. As Hei Papa used the broom to whack Hei Nuos b.u.t.tocks and legs, he scolded, Do you know that youre wrong? Will you admit your fault? ......
Hei Nuo didnt say anything, and didnt raise his head. There were a few times when he was. .h.i.t till his knees almost buckled. After Mama stopped little brothers tears and saw that on this side the beating was still ongoing, she walked over and said, Leave it, leave it, its the New Year.
Hei Papas anger had also subsided quite a bit, but because Hei Nuos silence seemed to indicate a hint of rebelliousness, he was still irritated so he punished Hei Nuo to continue standing at that spot to reflect on his actions. It was only after they all left that Hei Nuo bent over and patted his pants. Luckily it was winter, so his cotton pants absorbed most of the urine that leaked as he was being hit. He took the broom that his Papa threw away and swept the bit of stain left at where he was standing which had seeped into the bricks. (In the olden days, no ones house had cemented floors. Red bricks were used for both flooring and the construction of the house)
Once he made sure that there was no one else in the house, he took off his cotton pants and hung them next to the stove to roast. By the time Papa and Mama returned, not only had he roasted his pants dry, he had also released the weird urine smell that arose from the roasting of his pants out of the house. Only a slightly weird smell was left on his body because of the cotton pants he wore. His parents looked like they were in a good mood, and Papas tone when he asked if Hei Nuo knew he was wrong wasnt as stern anymore. Hei Nuo softly replied, I wont... eat sweets... anymore.
They couldnt hear what he said clearly, but because he looked like he knew that he was at fault, Mama asked him to go out and y.
When he left the house, little Hei Nuo headed towards the river next to his house C the ce where he usually spied on the other children who were ying. It was winter; there was a fish pond a few hundred metres away that was frozen solid and became a natural ice skating rink for children, so no one went to the river. He walked to the river bank, picked up a small piece of rod, found a ce he liked and started digging through the soil. Even though the winters soil was hard, he managed to quickly dig a small hole the size of a fist. He looked left and right, ensured that there was no one around, then he smiled proudly. His left hand dug into his pocket and took out a prettily-wrapped sweet which he ced in the hole, If I eat sweets Ill get hit, so I wont eat sweets anymore. Ill hide you here instead.
1. For the Chinese celebrating Chinese New Year is a really big thing and its supposed to be an auspicious & happy asion, so Hei Papa hitting Hei Nuo was kinda shameful (if other fams knew about it) and inauspicious in a way I guess. No bad things must happen during New Year!!?
TN: As a Chinese who was born into and raised by a Chinese family (with a lot of China influence; Chinese families from other countries are slightly different), this type of discipline by Hei Papa & Mama is actually considered normal (Hei Nuo is a slightly special case cuz hes like...the middle of the middle child LOL). As the eldest, I was always expected to give in to my little bros too. Always, without exception, cuz in my parents words I was older. The youngest ones are always pampered like crazy. Yeah so Hei Papa and Mama really arent being exceptionally mean to Hei Nuo or anything, its just Chinese culture. Not saying this type of parenting is right though.
Chapter 6
Chapter 6
It was time to attend elementary school! For Hei Nuo, this was a happy asion because he has always wanted friends whom he could y with. In this enterprise families residential area1, everyone knew one another; even if they were in different departments, they wouldve seen each other around at some point in time. So even their children were the same. These children whose parents worked in the same corporation would attend the same nursery, the same enterprise-owned elementary school and junior high. They would have the same .s.smates, and maybe even the same desk mates in thisdder system. This system has its pros and cons: the children who went through this system would have forged strong ties from a young age, or at least be familiar with the other kids in their cohort; while for children like Hei Nuo who werent part of the earlier stage of the system, it was as if they had just entered a strange, new world. He still spent most of his time alone while looking at his .s.smates y. His desk mate was a girl who would talk to him once in awhile, but once the other girls call for her, she would leave in a sh.
Afterwards, the 38th parallel2 started trending between the boys and girls, which refers to a line drawn in the middle of their desks that no one was allowed to cross. Hence, the gender divide widened even more. When they became third-year elementary students, the students were eligible to take part in their schools sports festival which roused much excitement. The physical education teacher asked everyone to report the segment they wanted to partic.i.p.ate in, so the students were fighting one another for the limited spots. For the sake of fairness and getting good results in the festival, the physical education teacher conducted apet.i.tion for each segment. What surprised everyone was how Hei Nuo took the top ce for both the 100m and 200m dashponents, so these two segments was automatically a.s.signed to him.
Little Hei Nuo and other students who were selected for the festival practiced together after school. The sports festival didnt have many segments, but it had a lot of partic.i.p.ants. Students from the third to sixth year of elementary school and the three grades of junior high could partic.i.p.ate. The segments include short-, mid- and long-distance running, and throwing-type sports like javelin, shot put and primary-level softball (simr to modern day tennis, but with throwing involved instead). No matter if he seeded at the games or not, this sports festival provided Hei Nuo with the opportunity to bridge the gap with his .s.smates and give his .s.smates the chance to notice him. He always carried a little bit of excitement inside of him when he ran a few rounds around the track everyday. Spectators would praise him for being fast and cheer him on, which was a nice feeling.
Hei Nuo took first ce in the 100m race, and second ce in the 200m race which were pretty good results. After the festival, he befriended the boys in his .s.s and didnt have to y by himself anymore. In the following year, Hei Nuo was once again one of the main forces in the sports festival. He was mainly in charge of the 100m and 200m singles plus the ry race. He didnt let his .s.s down, he always took either first or second ce in his segments. By the time they were in their fifth year, the 4 ry runners were confident that they would win first ce. For the past two years they had been the undefeated champions of both the 4100 and 4200 ry races.
But they lost miserably. Not only did they not win first ce, they didnt even take second or third ce. Hei Nuo was thest runner in the ry; when he took the baton and was about to run, his .s.smate stepped on his shoe. Because it was thest 100m of the race, and thest runners were the fastest ones in the other teams, their moment of panic allowed their opponents to overtake them easily. Even if Hei Nuo didnt try to wear his shoe properly and half-limp-half-ran to the finish line, they would still be far behind the rest. When they returned to the ce their .s.s was sitting at, Hei Nuos eyes were stinging. The .s.smate who had stepped on his shoe was already crying.
Ever since he was young, the clothes Hei Nuo wore were all hand-me-downs. These clothes were even handed down to Third and Fifth Brother before him. But now that his three eldest brothers were working adults, he didnt have many second-hand clothes to pick from. The same goes for shoes, yet at the same time it was a bit different. Even if the clothes were too big and loose, Hei Nuo could still wear them. But with oversized shoes, Hei Nuo had to walk carefully and ensure that the shoes stuck to his feet as he walked; running in them was an even bigger issue.
There was still one more 4200 ry race, so everyone wanted him to change to a new pair of shoes. Hei Nuo didnt go anywhere to change his shoes; if he had a spare pair of shoes, it would be a pair that was even more ill-fitting than his current pair. So he took a piece of paper, crushed it and stuffed it into the tip of his shoes. Then he winded his shoces around his shoes a few times before tightening them. His teammates werent satisfied, they were afraid that his shoes would fall off again, so they asked him to exchange his shoes with one of their .s.smates. A good fitting shoe really made a world of a difference; he could run in themfortably and easily took back his first ce. The few little ones were smiling happily again. The ry race was thest segment of the sports festival; when it ended, the students dispersed chaotically. After they moved their chairs back to their .s.srooms, the students went home to prepare for the next days races.
Hei Nuo didnt look for his .s.smate to switch their shoes back before he hopped back home in glee. Of course he was happy; during this time of the year he would receive books and soap boxes as prizes. When his family was having dinner, his .s.smates mother went to their house with his .s.smate to ask for the shoes back. It seemed like his mother thought that Hei Nuo was trying to cheat his .s.smate of his shoes, so she was angry and anxious to get it back. One pair of white shoes costs 3 yuan, while a technicians sry was only 36 yuan, not to mention the even lower sries ofmon workers. Hei Papa and Mama patronisingly offered the pair of mother and son some polite words to send them away.
After the unweed guests left, Hei Papas face immediately turned ck. He angrily reprimanded, We might be poor but we still have our dignity! and started throwing all sorts of nasty phrases at Hei Nuo like useless, not just poor in person but also poor in character, and how he pletely threw away Papa and Mamas dignity and face. He warned Hei Nuo that if he dared to borrow anything from his .s.smates again, he would break his legs. Finally, he punished Hei Nuo by making him stand in front of the wall. Even though he was young, he could grasp the hints of doubt and condescension in his .s.smates mothers words, so he admitted to ruining his parents reputations.
His sharp insight was built up from reading so many of his brothers books. When his big brothers novelsid about idly, he would pick them up to read. He not only finished reading the four .s.sic novels3 by the time he was in his third year, he had also read a ton of other misceneous genres: military, history, biographies and even a Ze Wutian biography written by a j.a.panese author when he was in his fourth year. For someone like him whocked a source of entertainment, reading books was his greatest joy.
When they were in their sixth year, they experienced the sadness a.s.sociated with leaving their young, ignorant selves. It was thest ry race for the 4 runners, and even though their junior high school wasnt too far away (in fact it was right opposite their elementary school and the children of the enterprise workers will end up in the same junior high), the chances of the 4 of them all ending up in the same .s.s again was slim. So everyone was aiming for first ce, which wasnt an impossible task for them, and it should even said to be a guaranteed win. But two days before the sports festival, Hei Nuo smashed his knees. After he applied some reddish medicine, his injury looked horrible so it was impossible for him to partic.i.p.ate in the sports festival.
His friends thought it was regrettable that he had to miss out, but it was even more regrettable when they didnt get first ce. No one knew that when Hei Luo saw them fall behind the rest, he almost regretted smashing his knee. This years sports festival required partic.i.p.ants to wear shorts and white shoes C and it was these two requirements that blocked Hei Nuo from leaving the spectator stands.
Footnotes:
1. A residential area where the families who all work in the same enterprise live... is what Ive interpreted from the novel?
2. The 38th parallel forms the DMZ border between North and South Korea. Also used by kids to create an imaginary divide between boys and girls cuz...you know...kids LOL?
3. the Four .s.sic Novels of Chinese literature, namely: A Dream of Red Mansions tlj ¥[Hong2 lou2 Meng4], Romance of Three Kingdoms x [San1 guo2 Yan3 yi4], Water Margin ˮG ˮ䰴[Shui3 hu3 Zhuan4], Journey to the West [ӛ μ[Xi1 you2 Ji4]?
Chapter 7
Chapter 7
At the time Hei Nuo entered junior high, the countrys leader had been correcting wrongs and restoring order for the past few years. Every industry was undergoing a period of recovery and there were a mult.i.tude of tasks to handle, but the economy saw an obvious improvement. It reflected off the families who had their brick flooring changed to cement floors, and who now had adequate food plus other supplies. Some families even had extra cash to afford luxury goods C televisions started making their way into many homes, and by 1983 there were even families who had obtained aundry machine.
This was probably the earliest marker of the difference between the rich and the poor. Hei Nuos family had a lot of people. His Papa and Mama came from the vige so even though Papa managed to became a worker, Mama was only a family member, so their ie was peanuts 1. Other families had just three or four children, and along with the families who had to adhere to the one-child policy that the governmentunched in 1976, they managed to strip off their poverty status and joined the ranks of the well-off. Inparison, the Hei family looked even poorer than they already were. Fourth Brother was in his second year of senior high, while Fifth Brother was in his third year of junior high and will be entering senior high soon. The eldest and second eldest brothers were already 24 and 22, yet they still have not tied the knot. This was because they were poor and couldnt afford the brideprice for any of their prospective partners. The money they earned from their past few years of work all went into maintaining their familys finances, which ruined their chances of finding a wife.
The two eldest brothers never said anything about this, but as they watched their colleagues and people their age start their own families, their hearts were filled with envy and bitterness. Because they were the older ones, they werent expected to study much, so they graduated after their first year of junior high to do apprenticeships. Even after they resumed their senior high education, they didnt have the chance to take the college entrance examination. Hei Papa had already felt very bad because of this, but now he felt even more guilty. The stubbornly proud Hei Papa finally yielded and borrowed 500 yuan to give to the eldest brothers girlfriends family, and heaped on an additional basket of praises as well. After guaranteeing that after eldest brothers marriage he wouldnt need to contribute to the familys finances anymore, eldest brothers marriage was finally settled.
Soon after, Hei Papa settled the problems on Second Brothers side too. Hei Papa asked Second Brother to stop giving him his earnings from work and start saving it up instead for his future brideprice. From then on, the Hei family had to repay their debts monthly, and the tightness of their finances wasnt hard to imagine. Hei Nuo clearly understood that his family was poor, because putting aside the fact that they dont own a television, he couldnt even afford new clothes to celebrate Chinese New Year. Fourth and Fifth Brother have always been more favoured by their parents, so they would receive new clothes. The twins were the youngest which gave them some special privileges, so their wardrobes would see some new additions during Chinese New Year too. As for the Hei Nuo who always had a weaker presence in the household, he was usually neglected by his parents.
As usual, he would pick up the leftover clothes from his older brothers, including underwear. However, his schools sports festivals have all added new requirements for the students dressing C white shirt, blue pants and white shoes for the opening ceremony, and singlet and shorts for the partic.i.p.ants. He had never even seen a new pair of underwear before, much less a pair of athletic boxer briefs. When he was in elementary school, most of the time he didnt even wear underwear; underneath his pants he would wear tights, woollen underpants or cotton-padded trousers depending on the season. It was only during summer that he would wear his brothers old underwear. Hence, Hei Nuo had topletely bid goodbye to his schools sports festivals. His new .s.smates were the same .s.smates he had for the past 6 years from his previous elementary school, and everyone knew he was fast. Thus, he had to restrain himself during physical education lessons and ended up as one of thest few runners at the back.
Junior high the beginning of youth. Students were already starting to pay attention to their appearances; girls wanted to be pretty, while boys hoped to have a chance at impressing the girls. But they didnt really know how, so they just tried their best to help the girls with what they could and tidied up their appearances. Previously, there was ayer of light muslin between the boys and girls that was now sprinkled with the wonderful prime of youth. Hei Nuo also had the heart of a teenager and experienced the ripples of youth, but before long it had settled down peacefully and disappeared without a trace. Because he realised that even if he partook in the drama of youth, he would only y a supporting role. Someone like him who wore raggedy and tattered old clothes was the perfect prop to enhance the splendour of others. Besides, students were more willing to befriend those whose families were of simr statuses.
Hei Nuos friends were books. He loved reading books, and had read many books of various genres. He already had ess to a few magazines; he liked The Journal of UFO Research, Readers Digest and Shiyue2. And because he had already read so many literary .s.sics, he became more interested in Shiyues Bone Red wuxia novel instead. It was this Bone Red that lured Hei Nuo into the wuxia world and the works of Liang Yusheng, then Jin Yong3. Even though today it looks like Mr Jin Yongs status as the master of wuxia novels is untouchable by Liang Yusheng, the Hei Nuo of that time preferred Liang Yushengs works. If we were to talk about who his favourite character was, it would be Li Shengnan, the character from Jade Bow Connection; a woman who was deeply in love and craftily deceitful. Its not that Hei Nuo didnt have any male characters he like, he did like Chronicles of the Shadow Swordsmans Zhang Danfeng, The Bride with White Hairs Zhuo Yihang...... he could picture all of these characters vividly in his imagination, but none of them could match up to the straightforward, self-a.s.sertive and resourceful Li Shengnan.
Due to these reasons, Hei Nuo always scored high marks for hispositions and they would be exhibited as model essays. But he preferred to keep a low profile, so even though hisnguage teacher would rmend him to join some oratorial contests, he would always refuse. His clothes had already shown a noticeable discrepancy from those of children frommon families, and his dressing had often thrown him into an unwanted limelight. He had no interest in making himself stand out anymore than he already was to let other people criticise his tattered clothes. So what usually happened in junior high school was that he would sit down and listen to other people present the speeches he wrote, and of course the honour it came with was enjoyed by them too.
Footnotes:
1. Okay I am a bit confused about this but in the enterprises factory that they work at there are a few different roles. From what Ive read so far theres a technician role, a worker role and a family member role C in order of decreasing rank and sry. Idk what each role does but I guess the main point is their low sries?
2. The Journal of UFO Research is Chinas only science magazine that focused on unidentifiable flying objects. Readers Digest is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Shiyue is a Chinese literary magazine. It was established in August 1978 as a quarterly periodical in Beijing. Since 1980 Shiyue has been published bimonthly.?
3. Chen Wentong, better known by his pen name Liang Yusheng, was a Chinese writer. Credited as the pioneer of the New School of the wuxia genre in the 20th century, Chen was one of the best known wuxia writers in theter half of the century, alongside Jin Yong and Gu Long. Jin Yong is a Chinese wuxia (martial arts and chivalry) novelist and essayist who co-founded the Hong Kong daily newspaper Ming Pao in 1959 and served as its first editor-in-chief. He is Hong Kongs most famous writer.?
TN: I did so much googling for this chapter cuz of all the novels Hei Nuo read. Btw all the novels he read are actual works, and those are the English names Ive found for the novels eg. Jade Bow Connection, Chronicles of the Shadow Swordsman and The Bride with White Hair.
Also, Shi Yan appears in the next chap!!! Hes a d.i.c.k!!!!!!! (at the start...he gets....better......I have mixed feelings.......)
Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Chapter 8:
Senior high was no longer dominated by a single enterprises children. In the face of the recruitment of children fromrge, state-owned enterprises, somepet.i.tiveness would inevitably arise. But Hei Nuos results have always been above average, so it wasnt difficult for him to meet the requirements for enrolment. It was rare for him to have to burden his parents. They didnt even have room to breathe after they repaid their debts when Fourth Brother tested for college and enrolled in a university situated in Bashu1. Fifth Brother was in his third year of senior high, while his two little brothers had just entered junior high. After struggling with himself for a long time, Hei Nuo still couldnt bear to give up on his studies, so he enrolled in senior high.
The difference in travel time between senior high and elementary or junior high was only about 10 minutes. Even though it was slightly further from home, it still only took about 25-30 minutes to reach on foot. On the first day of school, Hei Nuo reached especially early. It wasnt as crowded as junior high, so he could avoiding into contact with others. Hei Nuo was used to keeping his distance from other people. After finding his name in the name list of the .s.s 2, he followed the instructions and made his way to his .s.sroom. Surprisingly, there were already quite a few people in the .s.sroom, and they were currently retrieving their learning materials. From the looks of it, everyone came early, so it would be good enough if you werentte.
Laoshi2 asked the students who had retrieved their learning materials to randomly look for a seat, and once all the students had taken their books, Laoshi gave a simple speech. Tomorrow was the schools formal opening ceremony, so Laoshi told them to head straight to the main hall to gather and reminded the students to be on time. Laoshi then announced the name of 6 students, and exined that the .s.s will be split into 6 groups; these 6 groups will be working together on all future group activities for the next 3 years, and the names she had announced were the group leaders of these 6 groups. Thest task Laoshi entrusted the students with before leaving was to have the group leaders take their own groups name list and familiarise themselves with their group members, then discuss with the other groups about the arrangement of the cleaning duty schedule from Mondays to Sat.u.r.days. The group who has duties on Friday should stay back after .s.s today to clean the .s.s, because today was Friday.
The children of the countys top few enterprises were all in this senior high, and the leaders of these enterprises naturally had a lot of power and say in the county. Thus, before the start of the school term, the form teacher had already investigated the backgrounds of the students in his .s.s to see who were the children of Leaders. The princ.i.p.al even had to take into consideration the proportion of Leaders children in each .s.s in order to minimise potential conflict amongst them. Almost every .s.s .s.s president was the child of a Leader. Hei Nuos seat was situated at the back, close to the wall. He was flipping through his new learning materials, waiting for his name to be called.
Shi Yan should be considered the child of a Leader. His father was one of the few university graduates of that time, and because he married a woman of high social status, he managed to avoid political persecution3. After the Cultural Revolution, the superiority of his higher education easily suppressed the rest, and he jumped from being a mere director to the second-inmand of thergest state-owned enterprise in the county. People who were highly educated were particr about their quality of life, so his father decided that having one daughter and one son was enough way before the governments family nning policies were announced. Shi Yan was lucky enough to be the one son, and he had an older sister who was 5 years older.
This little young master was pampered since his birth. Dont me everyone for spoiling him, Shi Yan was a smart little one. He wouldnt talk when others did and he was an absolutely beautiful baby. When he attended nursery, all the nursery aunties were fighting over him, and this wasnt entirely because of his fathers influence. This little kid had his own charisma, which made other kids listen to him and follow him. No matter which .s.s he was in, that .s.s auntie would be able to rx and do her own things. Shi Yan would gather the kids in his .s.s in a circle to tell stories; or lead the group to sing, dance and y in the courtyard. They didnt need the auntie to follow them, because Shi Yan would bring the .s.s back at the preallotted time for afternoon breaks for their afternoon naps. Who wouldnt love this kind of child?
Along with his fathers rising status in society, Shi Yan appeared increasingly outstanding. His elementary school teachers were full of praise for him; in junior high he started understanding how to make use of his privileges. His teachers adored him, and his schoolmates idolized him C he was the G.o.ds favoured one. His teacher gave him special privileges C he could sit with whomever he wanted. Both boys and girls felt that it was an honour to be his desk mate. He was beautiful, handsome, and he enjoyed the affectionden stares from the girls that followed him wherever he went. In the end, within the 3 years of junior high (aside from the uglier ones) he should have sat with every girl in his .s.s. He had also experienced a few puppy loves, though it all ended rather easily. There was a countless stream of people throwing embroidered b.a.l.l.s4, including those from other .s.ses, or from the senior or junior levels. So after the period of novelty was over, he would be hopelessly enticed by another embroidered ball.
During the summer break that had just ended, he was in a pa.s.sionate rtionship with one of his junior high schoolmates, but they separated before school started. Because he understood that he was about to enter senior high, and senior high still had many girls he could get acquainted with. As for his summer fling who couldnt even enter senior high, it wouldnt be appropriate for her to be seen with him again.
1. Sichuan?
2. Means teacher. Its the chinese version of sensei?
3. I think the author was referring to the Socialist Education Movement. The goal of the movement was to cleanse politics, economy, organization, and ideology (the four cleanups). It was tost until 1966. What this movement entailed was that intellectuals were sent to the countryside to be re-educated by peasants. They still attended school, but also worked in factories and with peasants. The campaign is described by Donald Klein in the Encyclopedia Americana 2007 (Grolier Online), as a nearlyplete failure. Maos dissatisfaction over this programs inefficacy set the stage for the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976).?
4. In ancient times, Xiuqiu was used to symbolize love. As such, if a girl handmade an embroidery ball and gave it to a boy C it meant that she had given her heart to him. If a girl was in seek of a fated life partner, she would toss the ball high where a bunch of boys were. The boy who caught the Xiuqiu would be the husband to-be. Nowadays, Xiuqiu tossing is a traditional game in festivals marking the blooming season or harvest time.?
TN: I just finished reading volume 1 (~100 chapters). It was......eventful..... ;_; Hei Nuo is a cinnamon roLlLlLl. ALSO, WTF, apparently Hei Nuos Hei is p.r.o.nounced as He C the author only mentions it in the next chapter but Ive grown attached to the name Hei Nuo ;_____;
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Without a doubt, Shi Yan was one of the 6 group leaders. Today he hade to school earlier with a few of his junior high buddies. Like the old saying those of the same kind flocked together, his buddies all had parents who wielded some sort of power in their county. Before they came, they had already known who would be allocated to which .s.s; Shi Yan and one of his buddies, w.a.n.g Feng were in .s.s 2, while the rest were scattered amongst the other five .s.ses. The reason they came to school early wasnt because they were in different .s.ses, nor was it because they were excited to start school. Truthfully, they just did it to look out for pretty girls. The moment the both of them sat down, they started to scan the field of flowers; there were a few who didnt look too bad, but Shi Yan didnt think they were pretty enough to make him fall in love at first sight. What he was satisfied with, though, was how the lights of the other decent-looking boys dimmed when he showed up the girls didnt even have them in their line of sight anymore.
He took his groups name list and counted; there were 9 people in his group, including him. Then he started to call out the names on his list one by one, every member who came would do a short self-introduction to the rest of the group. Of course he noticed the blissful look on the girls whose names he had called out, but none of them looked particrly striking, though there also werent any whose looks would ruin his appet.i.te; as for the guys, there werent any whom he felt was threatening. The next name entered his field of sight, Hei Nuo, this surname actually existed? Instinctively, he thought that anyone called Nuo would be a girl, plus her surname was Hei, so she must be a very dark-skinned b.u.mpkin...who was the blind person who allocated a crooked melon with ugly cracks to my group. He loudly called out, Hei Nuo! Hei Nuo!
A boy walked over from somewhere near the wall. From his peripheral view, Shi Yan had casually nced over his figure but he quickly looked away in disgust and continued shouting while he looked around the rest of the .s.sroom, Hei Nuo! May I know who is Hei Nuo?
A clear and light voice called out from his side, My name is He (p.r.o.nounced HE) Nuo, sorry, this surname is a bit umon, so there arent many who are familiar with it. Shi Yan saw that he was the one from his peripheral vision just now. He had quickly skipped over this figure before because he didnt want to burn his eyes. Shi Yan had always revered beautiful things, including people. The person in front of him wore discoloured clothes that were terribly worn out, and his pants were even hanging on his legs (which refers to pants that were too conspicuously short); just that pairing C in fact, calling it a pairing of clothes was probably overdoing it C of clothes on his body depicted the image of a primitive man covering himself up with leaves. Ever since he was young, Shi Yans family never had any trouble with their finances, and in recent years his living standards were even better than most other families. When he was in junior high, he was already paying attention to the matching of his clothes and the quality of what he wore. So when such a figure had appeared in his line of sight just now, he instinctively ignored it.
But now that they were standing face to face, Shi Yan realised that this figure was a rather slim guy, and even though he didnt have an outstandingly beautiful face like himself, his facial features were surprisingly delicate and fine. If it wasnt for his shabby dressing, he really could have taken away half of Shi Yans glory and be a decentpet.i.tor. Now Shi Yan was secretly d: he actually wasted such a good face, how can someone like thatpete with me? Hepletely forgot that all hispet.i.tiveness was one-sided, others had no idea he had such thoughts. As he saw the girls around him curiously size up the old-fashioned figure in front of him, Shi Yan felt more and morefortable: with this b.u.mpkin at his side, his own gloriousness would only stand out even more. Not bad, this grouping was really not bad.
After the group members introduced themselves, the first agenda Shi Yan implemented was the cleaning duty schedule. He proposed the following allocation: for the girls, one would be in charge of cleaning the ckboard, door and windows; 3 would sweep the floor. In the .s.sroom, there were 8 seats in one horizontal row, but 2 people could sit together so vertically 8 people would take 4 rows. Shi Yan is someone who would y favourites, the 4 girls had no opinion towards his allocation. Out of the 5 guys, 2 of them were in charge of fetching water and mopping the floor (within the .s.sroom), one was in charge of cleanliness of the corridor outside .s.s 1 and .s.s 2, and thest 2 were burdened with the least popr task the sharing area the area outside the school building that was allocated to each .s.s to clean. After attending school for so many years, everyone had .u.mted tons of experience. The sandstorm from the north during spring and the winters snow were the reasons why the students hated cleaning the sharing area.
From the way Shi Yan allocated the cleaning duties, one could see the methods he employed in order to win over peoples hearts. Even though Shi Yan was a very arrogant person, he wouldnt stupidly disy his haughtiness in front of others. When he allocated the duties to the guys, he couldnt neglect his role as a leader, so of course he had to pick the toughest job C the sharing area. But the one he pulled along with him to be his partner in cleaning the sharing area for the next 3 years was the He Nuo whom he could only describe as cutting a sorry figure. This was perfect for Shi Yans sinisters side.
Hey, bro, the sharing area will be handled by you and me. Is that ok? Shi Yan appeared to affectionately put his hand on He Nuos shoulder, and looked like he was asking for his opinion after he had already written down the other 3 guys names in the appropriate columns on the cleaning duty schedule sheet. Shi Yan wouldnt give other people a chance to refute his decisions.
Hei Nuo nodded his head, and slightly backed away from the grasp of that hand. Shi Yans lips lifted up with a slight, interested smile. This bright and beautiful students affectionate movements might look like kind gestures to others, but what He Nuo saw was the overwhelming superiority above everyone else hidden behind that kindness. He didnt reveal his true talents and abilities, but he was definitely far from being stupid. He Nuo had seen through this guys hypocrisy with just one look.
Shi Yan gave He Nuo a few meaningful nces. It seems like no boy or girl had ever rejected the olive branches1 he personally handed out before, even if they were fake.
1. Olive branches = symbol of peace, like the dove of peace (its a dove of peace right?)?
TN: This will be thest daily post for awhile, busy week next week~ Also Im really not used to the name He Nuo.... I read the rest of volume 1 calling him Hei Nuo in my head :)
Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Once he entered senior high, He Nuo felt the strain of time. Firstly, the number of subjects he had increased, so he had a wider curriculum to cover. The mountain of homework he had to do after school far outnumbered that of junior high. It wasnt like the times in junior high when he would have some extra time after doing his brothersundry (I forgot to mention, he started washing small items since he was 5, and gradually moved onto washing bigger items, and hes been doing theundry till now). His afternoons were either spent on washing clothes or doing his homework from his early afternoon .s.ses. He ended his afternoon .s.ses at 5:30, then had to return at 7:00 for night self-study1. Within this one and a half hour break, he spent an hour of it travelling to and fro home. Students who stayed a bit further rode bicycles. He Nuos house had two second-hand bicycles, but one was used by Fifth Brother, and the other was shared by his two little brothers.
Self-studysts till 9:00. By the time he reaches home, it would already be 9:30. If he does theundry too, his day would only end around 11:00. He didnt have the time to read his books because in order to ensure that his Fifth Brother who was in his third year of senior high wasnt disturbed, he had already moved out and was sharing a room with his two little brothers. His little brothers had just entered junior high. They slept by 9:00, and they were resolutely against turning on any kind of light as they slept. So He Nuo could only make use of the time in school to try his best and finish all his homework during self-study.
He Nuo always reached his .s.s when the bell rang, and left without talking to anyone, much less mingle with the other new students. He had a new desk mate who was a boy, and they would politely greet each other everyday, but Hei Nuo didnt really get close to anyone. Every Friday he woulde a bit earlier, because he was basically the only one who cleaned the sharing area. The group leader wouldnt be absent, but he had to go to the .s.sroom and corridors to check up on everyones cleaning progress; he would usually just take a few cleaning tools and walked one round before leaving. He Nuo knew his ns from the start, so he had never pinned a single hope on him and didnt bother making a fuss over this. Shi Yan also knew that He Nuo wouldnt tell on him, so he had handpicked He Nuo to be in charge of the sharing area with himself. One can say that when Shi Yan was splitting duties, he never expected himself to actually take a broom to clean and eat a mouthful of sand.
The first school term was nearing its end. Shi Yan continued his elementary and junior highs dreamy-like demeanour that dazzled the ma.s.ses; he had both poprity and prestige. He liked ying ser, and often brought a group of boys to the field topete, which often garnered much support and cheers from the girls. He Nuo swept away the fallen leaves in the autumn wind and removed the build-up of frost during the winter alone, as if it was expected of him to do it by himself. No one noticed this, and of course the victim didnt voice anything either. Shi Yan was pretty satisfied with the b.u.mpkins performance; he didnt look as disobedient as he did on the first day of school.
But this thought was immediately subverted. This guy really didnt know his ce. So what happened was this: Shi Yans buddies came from good families, so a few of them had starteding into contact with cigarettes. For boys their age, smoking was seen as the symbol of maturity and adulthood; plus it was a disy of coolness. But no matter how cool you want to be, the high school students code of conduct clearly stated that smoking was prohibited, so this kind of disy of maturity in school had to be done in secret. That day was a rare, bright winter day in the south, a few of them were smoking in the early morning on He Nuos territory. But He Nuo only cared about doing his own cleaning duties.
They threw a cigarette b.u.t.t onto a spot that He Nuo had just swept, then He Nuo went to sweep it away. After awhile, another cigarette b.u.t.t fell. He Nuo looked up and saw that no one was looking his way, so it should have been unintentional. He swept it away again. When the third cigarette b.u.t.t showed up, He Nuo walked over, Hey, student, could you not throw your cigarette b.u.t.t here?
He Nuo didnt know that the one he was talking to was teaching the other guys how to flick away their cigarette b.u.t.ts far away in a cool and imposing manner.
The few of them were stunned, then sized up the oversized uniform he was wearing. The uniform belonged to his older brother. Because his older brother received a new uniform every three years, his old uniform would be pa.s.sed on to He Nuo; it was much warmer than the other cotton coats he had that had been washed countless times to ruins. Its not that his brother wanted him to wear old clothes on purpose, but the standard uniforms colour would change every 3 years, and his workce required workers to wear the standard uniform. A 3-year-old uniform would inevitably be old and worn-out, but other than a few un-washable stains from work, He Nuo had cleaned the uniform thoroughly.
Shi Yan walked in fashionablyte. Someone shouted, Shi Yan, your territory prohibits smoking?
Shi Yan walked closer, nced at He Nuo, then asked his buddies, Who said so? Who prohibited it? I never said anything, you can smoke whatever you want here.
Your subordinate said so, a few of the guys said at the same time. Shi Yan red at He Nuo, Its not that big a deal, you wont die from sweeping a few more times. Cant you just finish sweeping the rest of the area first, thene backter to pick up the cigarette b.u.t.ts.
He Nuo understood clearly that there was no need to continue talking to them, so he took his broom and turned around to sweep the trash that he had piled up into his dustpan and tossed it into the dustbin. When he came back, Shi Yans buddies said to him, Hey, pick up these cigarette b.u.t.ts.
He Nuo ignored them and continued walking towards the school building. Well arent you an impressive one. Shi Yan, he doesnt listen to us, guess its up to you.
He Nuo.
He Nuo clearly understood why Shi Yan called for him, so he didnt want to respond to his call. But after all, they were .s.smates, so in the end He Nuo hesitated a bit before turning around.
Come over.
He Nuo looked at them, but didnt walk over.
Shi Yan got irritated, then walked over and grabbed him, Pick them up!
He Nuo tried to break free of his grasp and failed, but he still refused to pick up the cigarette b.u.t.ts. Shi Yan felt like he had lost face, so his tone turned sharp, You better pick them up you f.u.c.ker.
Actually Shi Yan felt that it wasnt a big deal for He Nuo to pick the cigarette b.u.t.ts up to give him some face in front of his friends. Usually didnt he clean the sharing area by himself withoutints anyway? But this guy just had to be stubborn in front of other people, his buddies were all watching! It was impossible to stop halfway at this point; he had to pick the cigarette b.u.t.ts, even if he didnt want to.
He Nuo continued standing in ce with no hint of moving, so Shi Yan got a bit anxious and kicked the back of his knees, Pick them up.
Footnotes:
1. The amount of time u spend in school in China is crazy... in high school their days are like this: 7:00AM C 12:00PM school, then 12:00PM C 2:00PM break where students usually go home to have lunch, then 2:00 C 5:00 PM school, 5:00PM C 7:00PM break for dinner at home, then 7:00PM C 11:00PM night self-study. These timings vary, I guess since He Nuo just started senior high the night self-study periods arent that long yet?
TN: Everything in brackets are the authors notes, not mine.
Chapter 11
Chapter 11
He Nuo had always been a minor character who Shi Yan would never have in his sights, so Shi Yan never paid a single sliver of attention to him; usually He Nuo didnt have much contact with other students either, so who would know that he was actually so stubborn? So when He Nuo was unexpectedly kicked into kneeling on the floor and didnt immediately jump back up to retaliate, Shi Yan mistakenly thought that He Nuo had yielded. Shi Yan then released his grip on He Nuo. However, He Nuo didnt pick up the cigarette b.u.t.ts. He just stood back up, patted the dust away from the front of his knees and the footprint marks at the back, turned around to pick up his broom and dustpan and walked back to the school building.
The group of boys were dumbfounded as they stared at the retreating figure, and only reacted with raucousughter when the figure had disappeared into the building. Zhou Xiaodong knocked on Shi Yans shoulder with a fist, Your .s.s actually has someone who doesnt give a d.a.m.n about you? Looks like your kicknded on a bed of cotton, he doesnt care about you at all.
Shi Yan rolled his eyes, Who cares about him. If no ones picking them up, then those who threw the cigarette b.u.t.ts pick them up themselves!
Well, they definitely werent gonna pick them up themselves. They just called over another student who was on duty to sweep the cigarette b.u.t.ts away.
This was just a small incident, since its over then He Nuo just let it be, he wouldnt take it to heart. But, someone else did. Shi Yan felt like his reputation had suffered; he had never been treated so lightly like this by anyone before. In fact, he didnt just take him lightly, He Nuo basically outright mocked him! This gloomy rat who always stayed in a corner actually had the audacity to treat him like this! The more Shi Yan thought about it, the more angry he got. Every time he saw He Nuo he got irritated, and he always felt like he needed to be taught a lesson.
Shi Yan was one of the organisers for his .s.s New Years party. The .s.s was split into the 6 groups as usual, and Shi Yan had to arrange the programme list and snacks for the party with a few other people. The .s.s funds could only be used to buy some sweets, melon seeds and peanuts etc., how could it be enough tost the students for a whole 5 to 6 hours in the afternoon? So aside from these provisions, everyone in .s.s was also asked to bring along one canned food or some other dish, it would be even better if someone could provide fruits. In the past, He Nuo wouldnt attend events like these and would stay home. But now that he was in senior high, his form teacher specially stressed that no one was allowed to take leave, everyone was expected to attend. He Nuo wasnt really interested and just wanted to get it over and done with so he didnt join in the heated discussions about the party with his .s.smates. Thus, he thought that the party would just be about watching the programmes that his .s.smates had prepared, so he showed up at the party empty-handed.
The tables had already been separated into 6 cl.u.s.ters every groups tables had a bunch of food. That was when He Nuo realised that everyone else had brought something along. Actually, even if he didnt bring anything, no one would say anything about it or even pay attention to him. Those who brought food would just ce it on their own groups tables and leave, its not like there was someone going around taking stock of the food; you could take as much or as little as you want. Everyone was either excitedly introducing the stuff they had brought to others or going around tasting the food that other people had brought. No one would care about someone like He Nuo who didnt take the initiative to approach people and ask what he had brought. But He Nuo felt like it would be a bit embarra.s.sing to take other peoples food when he didnt bring any, so he only took a few melon seeds and peanuts.
The students parties typically had a lot of riddles, singing, dancing and games. Those who were engrossed in the activities were enjoying themselves, while students like He Nuo who stayed at a side became the spectators. The students were singing some popr songs that had spread around, but unfortunately He Nuo had never heard these songs before, so he couldnt make anyments; but the riddles were rather interesting. He didnt know if everyone was just trying to create an atmosphere of exaggeration, but the riddles he heard were simple to the point of being stupid, yet it still required a few guesses before the students got it right. He didnt take part in the guessing but he listened to the riddles intently.
Shi Yan had just finished offering New Year greetings to the other .s.ses in the same year as the .s.s representative and returned to his groups table. He was immediately surrounded a group of enthusiastic .s.smates, everyone wanted him to have a taste of their contributions and thanked him profusely for the oranges he brought. The fruit that most families in the north had was apples; those of lower statuses would have Guogang apples, while families with higher statuses would have golden or red delicious apples. It was only a few yearster that apples like red fuji apples would appear. Oranges were rare and expensive. Shi Yans family didnt have a lot of people his sister was studying in an overseas university, so his family only had three people. But the amount of oranges that the unit had distributed (leader-level) and gifted was not little, so he had brought a few for the .s.s party.
Shi Yan proudly scanned the .s.s and saw that everyone had some leftover orange peels in front of them, un, except for one person. Shi Yan thought unhappily, Great, this guy doesnt even think my things are worth eating. This really was a huge misunderstanding, He Nuo had also just received the news that the oranges were brought to .s.s by the group leader. Plus, it was a long-standing habit of his to refrain from randomly picking whatever was on the table he had been taught to not take a single thing from others, and he also felt guilty for eating when he himself didnt bring any food.
To Shi Yan, his principle was that if he wasnt happy, then the person who made him unhappy shouldnt be let off easily either. But even if he wanted to cause some trouble, he needed a match to light the fire with. It just so happened that a .s.smate told him that one of the dishes was really delicious, but it was a pity that he camete so everyone had polished it clean. So he asked, He Nuo, which te is yours?
...... He Nuo started to squirm about ufortably.
Shi Yan saw his difort, and quickly counted the number of tes on the table. Indeed, there was only 8 tes. He smiled brightly with malicious intentions, Dont tell me it had been polished off too?
He Nuo saw that everyone was looking at him, so he admitted, Sorry, I didnt pay attention to the notice so I didnt bring anything.
Chapter 12
Chapter 12
No one said anything or showed any kind of resentment. No one could tell if they had any thoughts on it, or they just kept quiet because He Nuo had always been a very in, honest and quiet boy.
Shi Yan grabbed a sweet and stuffed it into his hand, Its okay even if you didnt bring anything, but at least eat something. Were all part of the same group, if you didnt bring anything then just eat what the others had brought. Shi Yan said generously, though he had purposely mentioned that He Nuo didnt bring food rather than he didnt know he had to bring food.
He Nuo heard the hidden meaning behind his words, but he did think that he was in the wrong so he just epted the sweet and thanked Shi Yan. After awhile, he made sure that no one was looking before putting the sweet back onto the table. But a hand suddenly grabbed him out of nowhere. It was Shi Yan.
Shi Yan was incensed. He had made some trouble for He Nuo, so he gave a sweet in return as a smallpensation, akin to giving a kid a sweet treat after pping him. But he had caught He Nuo putting the sweet back. This guy was really showing him utter contempt time and time again.
Shi Yan had to upkeep his reputation in front of his .s.smates, so he grabbed He Nuos hand tightly and pulled it underneath the table. His grip was so tight that He Nuo winced in pain. He Nuo still didnt understand what was up with Shi Yan, so he looked at him with a confused look. This kind of look in Shi Yans eyes was filled with provocation. Shi Yans other free hand took another sweet with its wrapper still intact and ced it against He Nuos lips. He smiled happily as he said, This sweet is super good, it has a filling. but his grip tightened underneath the table, and he said in a voice that only He Nuo could hear, If Laozi wants you to eat, then you better eat up!
He Nuo knew he was in trouble. He usually doesnt eat sweets, but this couldnt be used as a reason anymore. The He Nuo who wanted to cate Shi Yan replied nicely, Thank you, but my teeth arent really good, so I dont eat sweets.
If Shi Yan had epted that excuse, then he wouldnt be Shi Yan anymore. At this moment, even if He Nuo had told Shi Yan the true reason behind why he doesnt eat sweets, Shi Yan wouldnt believe him. The only thing Shi Yan wanted was for He Nuo to eat the d.a.m.n sweet, which would indicate He Nuos subordination to him. So he ignored He Nuos words and just stuffed the sweet into his mouth, and He Nuo naturally moved his head aside to avoid him. Shi Yan couldnt be bothered with the upkeep of his reputation anymore, he used both his hands C one hand grabbed He Nuos head and pushed him against the chair to prevent him from escaping while his body pressed up against He Nuo and his other hand chased He Nuos mouth. Because Shi Yan still had a smile on his face, their .s.smates thought the two of them were just ying around. Shi Yan was stronger than He Nuo, but He Nuos hands had gone through arduous training C from his long years of scrubbing clothes on the washing board C so it wasnt easy for Shi Yan to subdue him either.
He Nuo was about to escape from their scuffle, but it just made Shi Yan feel even more indignant so he whispered nastily, Youre a little f.u.c.ker who doesnt even know how to appreciate favours when its thrown into your face, Laozi will definitely teach a b.a.s.t.a.r.d like you some manners. His leg then tripped He Nuo underneath the table and he used his hand to elbow He Nuo in his abdomen. He Nuo had been avoiding him, but he never tried to hurt Shi Yan. When Shi Yans elbownded on his abdomen, the blow was so painful that He Nuo recoiled and a feeling of nausea arose within him. His movements slowed, and Shi Yan took the chance to stuff a sweet with its wrapper into He Nuos mouth. Maybe it was because Shi Yan was really angry, but his finger had even ruthlessly pushed the sweet down his throat. He Nuo raised his head and arched back so much his chair was dangling by its back legs. He felt horrid and grabbed Shi Yans hand, though he couldnt struggle out of this situation.
Waves of nausea came and went within He Nuo so in self-defence, he lifted his leg up with the intention of kicking Shi Yan away, but he had bad aim and kicked the base of Shi Yans thigh1. Shi Yan was kicked onto the table behind him by this unexpectedly powerful kick; the cans, bottles and tes slid off the table and Shi Yannded right onto them. During the Norths winter, the .s.sroom kept warm pretty well and the window cracks were sealed, so the temperature within the .s.sroom wouldnt go below 20 degrees. In the .s.sroom, the students had taken off their jackets and only wore a sweater. Also, since the students did a lot of singing and dancing today, most of them had even taken off their sweaters and only wore a shirt, and Shi Yan was one of them. Without the protection of his thick clothes, his arm that had cushioned his fall was pierced by the broken shards of .s.s that were remnants of the fallen cans and bottles. Unluckily, his handnded right onto a few .s.s shards and immediately bled.
On the other hand, He Nuo had also fallen over because his chair had lost the heavy weight that was pressing on it. But he quickly stood up and wanted to check if Shi Yan was okay, though the other students had already gone over to support Shi Yan. Some of the girls even called out, Hes bleeding, hes bleeding, hurry and bring him to the infirmary. while some students hurriedly picked up his sweater and jacket. The teacher was afraid that a few pieces of .s.s had lodged into his arm which could not be handled by the schools infirmary, so he wanted them to head over to the hospital and wash the .s.s shards out. Shi Yan smiled and said that he was fine, that it wasnt anything serious. He wore his jacket but didnt slip his injured arm through its sleeves and left for the hospital with a few of his .s.smates. But before he left, his nce that had swept over He Nuo was fierce and malicious.
The rest continued partying. The students chastised He Nuo for carrying his joke too far C how could he kick a friend? Even his teacher scolded him a little. He Nuo didnt try to deny anything C he was also in disbelief as to how he could have actually hurt someone. Also, he felt uneasy. The malicious intent that flowed from Shi Yans eyes as he left implied that he wouldnt let this go easily. Even if He Nuo was deaf or mute, he would still know that Shi Yan was not the upright person everyone saw in their eyes; he was not the kind of person He Nuo should provoke, nor someone He Nuo could provoke.
He returned home absent-mindedly, and was still thinking of how he would go to school tomorrow and apologise to Shi Yan. In the future, he would try his best to avoid Shi Yan as much as he could. Originally they didnt have many opportunities to interact, so conflicts would be unlikely to arise anyway. If he was a little more sincere, Shi Yan shouldnt be too harsh on him...probably. After all, he had never really offended Shi Yan before. After He Nuo thought it through, he felt a bit more at ease and ate his dinner in peace.
He Nuo definitely couldnt have imagined the repercussions of this incident. If he had the ability to foresee the future, even if Shi Yan had thrown the sweet onto the floor like the cigarette b.u.t.t from before, he would have picked it up; he would have allowed Shi Yan to stuff the sweet right through his nose and he still wouldnt have hesitated to eat it.
Footnotes:
1. Near his crotch?
Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Even though He Nuo was more mature than others his age, the source of this maturity was gained from reading his diverse collection of books. When it came to problems in reality, his thinking was still too immature. In considering the conflict he had with Shi Yan, he had simplistically neglected Shi Yans family background.
When Shi Yan was in the hospital, his buddies had called his parents. His parents put down whatever work they had on hand actually most of the units were also having a new year get-together in the afternoon of 31 December and rushed to the hospital with anxious hearts. Honestly, the amount of blood that gushed from the wound might have seemed scary, but it only required a single st.i.tch. And this st.i.tch was only added under Shi Yans mothers fervent requests, as she feared that his wound would not be able to recover properly during winter, plus Shi Yan would need to use his arm frequently for daily activities. The reason why there was so much blood was because there was a cut through the ball of the thumb C a muscle rich with blood vessels C but the wound was not deep enough to warrant st.i.tches. The physician cleaned Shi Yans palm thoroughly, ensured that there were no .s.s shard remnants then bandaged his wound.
As she waited for Shi Yans medicine, watched him get a teta.n.u.s shot and looked at her sons bandaged hand, Mother Shis heart ached very badly. She started to ask how he got himself into this situation, and how he ended up with so many injuries and scars. His buddies told her that it was because he was messing around and tagged on, How could He Nuo kick people while messing around.
He Nuo? she noticed this name while listening for news from the guys, Is he the one from before?
Hey, Shi Yan, that guy looked so frail and listless, but was actually waiting for you to lower your guard. Isnt this his revenge for before?
Unlucky, and you even got kicked by him. What if we break his leg in return?
Usually, normal parents wouldnt take the words of children too seriously. But Shi Yans Mamas education stopped when she was in grade two of elementary school, and was only able to fish a good husband because of the Cultural Revolution as he wanted to find someone of high social status to for protection. So she is an avid supporter of the struggle between .s.ses, and until today, her thinking was still stuck in the past and vastly different from a normal persons mentality. The moment she heard that someone had taken revenge against her son, she immediately asked for more information to get to the bottom of the matter. Shi Yan and his buddies werent going to confess their smoking habits, so they just vaguely answered, Shi Yan is his group leader, but he wasnt happy when Shi Yan tried to manage him and didnt follow Shi Yans distribution of duties.
This mother would not allow other people to harm her son like this, especially when she heard that the other party came from a single-worker family1, so after dinner she immediately stormed off to He Nuos house. Shi Yans Mama disdainfully stepped into the living room. As they looked at the visitor who suddenly walked in all high-and-mighty dressed like a variegated b.u.t.terfly, the He couple waited for her to state her intentions. Shi Mama used her sharp tongue to tell them what had happened C albeit with a little touch-up on the truth here and there. She threw the receipts for Shi Yans medicine and injections at their faces. Dont misunderstand anything, at the time all their medical expenses were covered, she didnt show them the receipts to ask for money. She waved the receipts in their faces to prove the severity of her sons injuries.
The He couple understood at a nce that she wasnt someone whom they could talk to, so they called out the He Nuo who was in the middle of some work and asked if he had gotten into a fight with someone at school today. He Nuo was surprised at how his parents had gotten wind of the news so fast and wanted to exin when he saw the middle-aged woman sitting at a side, ring at him with enraged eyes. She opened her mouth, Are you in the same group as Shi Yan.
He Nuo nodded his head.
Hes the group leader?
Un.
He tried to manage you, but you didnt listen to him. He distributed duties to you, and you didnt do them, right! Shi Mama used with unwavering confidence.
He Nuo thought about how the group leader had asked them to bring food for the party, yet he didnt bring anything. At the moment, he didnt want to try and justify himself and willingly carried all the me; he did injure Shi Yan today, so he was in the wrong. Hence, He Nuo didnt answer her usation.
As she saw that he kept silent, Shi Mamas fury escted, You even had the audacity to kick him today, then she turned towards the He couple, do you know where he kicked my son? If my son has any problems in the future, your whole familys lives wouldnt even be enough topensate for it.
The He couple and He Nuo were taken aback. He Nuo really couldnt remember where he had kicked He Nuo, and when this mother twisted her words like that, he really thought that he had kicked Shi Yans there, and he immediately worried about whether he really injured Shi Yan that badly. After He Papas recovered from his surprise, he pped He Nuo, You little b.a.s.t.a.r.d, we didnt send you to school to start fights!
He then quickly asked Shi Mama about Shi Yans current situation, and apologised profusely.
Your son is so vulgar, do you guys not know how to educate your children properly? If you cant educate them, then dont have so many kids. Your son will probably turn into a delinquent next time.
shes of ck and red colours intertwined on He Papas face. He had no words to reply Shi Mama. He Mama couldnt stand her tart words any longer and retorted, When boys fight they dont know how serious it can be, if he had hit the wrong ce it was probably by ident. He Nuo is usually a good kid and wouldnt cause any trouble, maybe...
Shi Mamas voice immediately raised an octave and she shrieked, Then what else do you want? So its ok to seriously injure someone else if it wasnt done on purpose? With parents like you two, no wonder your son turned out to be so vulgar! How can this kind of family even want to send their kids to high school? And dont even think about sending them to university. Your son whos in his third year of high school? He can forget about stepping into any university.
He Nuo couldnt bother with his parents whose faces had turned white after hearing her threat and ran after her, Auntie! Shi Yan...is he ok?
Its none of your business!
He Nuo turned around and walked back, He Papa was already calling him from the living room. Get the h.e.l.l back here.
He walked in.
Take your clothes off.
He took his clothes off and stood in the same spot stark naked. He Papa pulled out the belt that was wrapped around his waist and started whipping He Nuo. The belt fell on He Nuo like raindrops relentlessly, apanied by He Papas furious remonstrations. When the beltshed onto He Nuos head and swept by the corner of his eye, he used his hand to shield his head in fear of the belt sweeping across his eyes again. The He Papa who had beaten him till he was out of breath ordered He Nuo to kneel in a corner, then left the room to discuss this headache-inducing issue with He Mama. On the second day, He Papa whipped him again, then grounded him to stay at home and didnt allow him to go to school.
1. Authors note: If a family had only one state employee (the so-called steel rice bowl), it is called a single-worker family. This type of family usually didnt do very well financially because of the single source of ie, and tend to have low statuses in society.?
TN: Sorry for the dy! As mentioned before, these few weeks are my h.e.l.l weeks of school... itll probably get better in two weeks... probably...
Chapter 14
Chapter 14
The He couple were worried that that woman would really obstruct their fifth son, He Aiges path to university. So they asked around for Shi Yan Mamas unit, and after work they waited for her at the door. Usually, they werent the type to kiss up to this kind of high-ranking officials. This time, aside from giving her some canned food as gifts for Shi Yan and putting in a few good words, they didnt really know what else they could do. Shi Mama had always looked down on people who were oblivious to her familys authority, especially a family at the bottom of the socialdder like the He family. She didnt bother giving them any face; trying to buy her over with those few, shabby cans? Throngs of people gifted them such cans all the time.
The He couple lowered their heads dejectedly and returned home in shame. Naturally, He Papa wanted to punish the He Nuo who had caused this mess. Everyday, after He Nuo received corporal punishment from the belt, he would be ordered to kneel and reflect and wasnt allowed to attend school. This continued until the fifth day when Shi Mama finally said that she wouldnt pursue the matter, then He Nuo finally stopped receiving love and care from the belt.
However, the He couple still wanted to punish He Nuo for his vile behaviour and ensure that their fifth sons future wouldnt be implicated by He Nuos actions, so they decided to send He Nuo to the countryside for some hard work topletely reform him. To them, if you didnt suffer through some hardships, you wouldnt cherish the opportunity to study. He Mamas brother didnt live too far away C he lived in a vige that would take about 3 hours by train plus a 45 minutes drive to reach. He Nuos second brother was then tasked with the job to send him to this uncles house.
He Nuos eldest brother was already married with kids, but his second brother didnt even have a prospective partner. Yet, Second brother was still saving money with all his might; he scrimped and saved to prepare it for his future bride. He Nuos parents gave Second brother some money for He Nuos living expenses to pa.s.s to Uncle, and an extra hundred dors to buy He Nuo a pair of cotton shoes. In the vige, they slept on kang bed-stoves1, and werent as good at keeping people warm as in the city. The remaining expenses were meant to be for He Nuos school fees and for emergencies. Because the He couple didnt tell He Nuo any of these concerns and had instead told their second son directly, He Nuo didnt know that they had pa.s.sed Second brother any money. After Second brother sent him to the vige and pa.s.sed the money to Uncle, he asked He Nuo to wise up and help Uncles family with more work before he left. As for the extra hundred dors...when He Nuo knew about it several yearster, he just smiled and let it pa.s.s.
When he reached the vige, he filed in the transfer papers for his new high school. Since winter holidays wereing up (the Souths winter holidays usually began around 15th January), his uncle told him not to attend school for these few days so they didnt need to pay the fees for the current semester. He Nuo thought his Uncles words made sense, so he immediately entered into a holiday mood. Winter was the season when the Souths farmers could rx, so He Nuo didnt really have to help out around the house with much other than some small tasks like washing the vegetables and dishes. His uncle had four children C two daughters and two sons. The older two were girls, one was older than him by two years and the other was the same age as him. But both of them worked in a rural factory that was a bit far away, so they always left the house early and returned prettyte and didnt have many chances to meet He Nuo. Both of his sons were in junior high, and initially thought that someone from the county would look more decent but were surprised to see how poor He Nuo was.
In the vige during winter, it seemed like the people there would only bathe once during the New Year and usually didnt change their clothes very often either, so He Nuo took over his cousins job of washing the clothes He Nuo didnt know that his parents had entrusted some money to his Uncle as his living expenses and always thought that he was mooching off his Uncle, so he wanted to work more in order to repay them. Because of He Nuos diligence, and how he would never ask for an extra bowl of rice or touch the meat and fish dishes on the table, his uncle and aunts originally ck faces started to clear up. The condescending looks of his cousins also lessened considerably, and they would even talk a bit before falling asleep on the bed-stove. However, the time He Nuo spent in the toilet began to lengthen, and he suffered serious constipation C it became increasingly difficult for him to take a no. 2. Eventually, he forced himself to try and take a dump at least once a day even if he didnt feel the urge to.
A new school term started. As the school was situated quite far away halfway up a mountain, the students who lived nearby relied on cycling to get to school. He Nuo owned one too. He had to leave the house at 6AM in the morning because how could he cycle up a mountain? When he reached the foot of the mountain, he had to get off and manually push his bicycle up the mountain. It was only at the halfway mark where the mountain path levelled off and became t when he could cycle a bit before the next inclined portion. In the afternoon, the students here wouldnt return home so they usually brought along their own lunches. The time at which they could leave school was much earlier here because of their surroundings. This school was actually an ancient temple in one of the dynasties, and during the Cultural Revolution the offerings inside were smashed to smithereens. Afterwards, when a few viges wanted to set up a high school, they decided to just convert this temple into a school building, or else who would construct a school halfway up a mountain? The moment the sun set (the sun sets at around 4:30 in Winter), the .s.srooms would fall intoplete darkness. The vige only provided electricity from 6:00PM onwards, so the school had to let their students off before darkness fell.
He Nuos results that were usually above average became rtively outstanding in the viges school. Children in the vige who came from more affluent families were all sent to the city to study, so the children left in the vige werent any special C they were all justmon vige children. He Nuos ragged, old clothing became less conspicuous here. There were even students who would take the initiative to talk to him in .s.s, or ask him some questions regarding their schoolwork, which made him very happy. So every day after school, as he rode his beloved bicycle that made noises everywhere aside from its broken rm bell, he felt like he was flying through the metre-wide mountain path.
1. The kang (Chinese: ) is a traditional long (2 metres or more) tform for general living, working, entertaining and sleeping used in northern part of China, where there is cold climate in winter. It is made of bricks or other forms of fired y and more recently of concrete in some locations.?
Chapter 15
Chapter 15
He Nuo realised something weird. Ever since he started school, one of the viges children who was in the same year but different .s.s would always visit the house, and the moment he arrived, he would talk to his Uncle and cousins with their backs to He Nuo. His Uncle would also question him about his whereabouts after school. Everyday after school, He Nuo would lie in a small forest on the mountain for about 10 to 20 minutes before returning home. He liked to lie on the fallen leaves there that had gathered up over the years. When he opened his eyes, he could see the clear, blue sky which would bring hugefort to his tired soul as he hoped to go through every day happily.
One letter washed away He Nuos doubts. As he was washing everyones cotton-padded jackets, he was used to turning out all the pockets to ensure that there was nothing left in them by ident. He found a letter in his uncles clothes, and it was written in his fathers handwriting. He was curious and started to read it: ... this kid is ill-natured, do take note and ensure that he doesnt hang out with his .s.smates too often, and dont let him go out after school...; the first half was written by his father, while the next half was written by his mother: ... get Da Long, Xiao Long (Uncles sons) to pay more attention to him in school so that he doesnt cause any trouble, this kid is pretty good at making a mess, dont let Da Long and Xiao Long get too close to him lest he leads them astray too...
He Nuo originally squatted by the river and within a moment, he felt like he had aged considerably from a bright and happy teenager into an old man. With his icy-cold hands and feet, he slowly ced the clothes on the river bank and walked over to a tree then sat next to it. His hand still grabbed ahold of the letter as he looked up and closed his eyes to prevent the warm tears from leaking out as his heart turned deste. For the first time, He Nuo no longer tried to lie to himself and admitted that he could feel sad, that he could get hurt.
Soon after, he managed to bring his hazy feelings under control and told himself that he did hurt Shi Yan, that he did implicate his brother, and he did make his parents grieve. All of these were true C no one maligned him. When he got to the root of the problem, it was all because of his impulsiveness that day. Once Shi Yan recovers and his brother attends university, everything would get better. How can a guy get this upset over a few words? He Nuo, hurry up and clean up that pile of dog p.i.s.s and do what you need to do! He Nuo thought all this then stood up and walked over to the river bank to collect the clothes.
He Nuo didnt want to cause any trouble for his Uncle so he minimised his contact with his .s.smates and returned home straight after school. There were no abnormalities in his day to day life. But as He Nuo saw the transntation of the rice seedlings and the green wheat fields that signalled the start of summer holidays, he did not disy the same excitement as the other students but showed worry instead. Although his results were quite good, even the best student from his school only managed to enroll in a Normal College1. After all, this was the vige. The low quality of the teaching here was one thing, but they didnt have any specialised revision materials. How could a vige bear to spend money on Haidians2 revision booklets? He Nuo was starting to worry about his future.
A beautiful autumn arrived, and He Nuo saw the spectacr sight of harvesting crops. He even managed to learn how to use a sickle to cut the gra.s.s in order to feed the two youngmbs at his Uncles house. He Nuo had managed to obtain some simple resources from a third year graduate, but he needed to erase the notes and answers from the booklets before he could use them so he often had to stare really hard at the blurred out words on the books. As a result, he overstrained his eyes and his ability to see the words on the ckboard was not as good as before. He was afraid that he would develop myopia (getting spectacles would cost money) but electricity was often stopped in the vige so he couldnt avoid reading his books under candlelight.
One day, as he was delivering some homework for his teacher, he saw one of the teachers mix some red, dried fruits with water in a .s.s to drink and a lightbulb went off in his head. He remembered that he had pa.s.sed by a type of small, red droplet-like fruit in the mountains which should be the goji berry that the teacher had used to steep water with. He Nuo had heard that goji berries were good for the eyes. On the second day during lunchtime, he ran to the mountains to look for the goji berries and indeed, he managed to find little, red fruits suspended along some branches which attracted attention. He Nuo happily picked the berries until he filled up half of his lunch box, then ate them at night after washing them. It was difficult to describe its taste C it was neither delicious nor horrid, and it wasnt as sweet and sour as one would expect. The sweetness of this goji was nd to the point that it was hard to taste it, and the sourness was even less detectable. However, since they were good for the eyes, He Nuo always went to pick half a lunch box full of goji berries every afternoon.
The goji berries on the mountains were all grown in the wild, so there werent many of them and since winter wasing, the branches would likely rot away soon too. The amount of fruits He Nuo could pick began to lessen, but he had a n. Every day, he would pick the goji buds off the branches and bring them back for safekeeping. During the days when He Nuo couldnt pick goji berries, He Nuo would wash these dried buds then slowly chew on them. It was slightly bitter and tart, but He Nuo preferred this type of bitterness and tartness to the tastelessness of his usual goji berries.
The vigers loved to wee the auspicious snow that foretold a good harvest, and the children loved it too because it meant the start of the season for s...o...b..ll fights and snowmen-building. It was also the time when He Nuo encountered a challenge C the challenge of disease. At the start of the year when he had just arrived, he didnt need to go to school so he didnt really think much of it. But now that he had to attend school everyday, his feet had to undergo a grim ordeal. He had no cotton-padded shoes. His shoes fromst year with wedged in cotton had already be too small for his feet. Even though he managed to squeeze his feet into his old shoes, they werent real cotton-padded shoes that could withstand the snow and frost of the harsh winter.
During .s.s, he had to continuously wriggle his toes around in his shoes to prevent them from bing stiff; after .s.s, he always walked about and exercised his feet so that his blood could circte around his body faster. There was once when it snowed after a bout of rain and He Nuo was pushing his bicycle up a portion of the mountain path when he felt that every time his feet stepped onto the grounds frost, it felt like he was stepping into ice and the cold pierced into his flesh and bones. Towards the end, he used both his hands to support himself on his bicycle as he took his foot out from the snow time and time again. He would take a deep breath every time he took one foot out of the snow, then determinedly ce his next foot in.
1. This isnt Normal as in ordinary, but rather a college that follows the norm in ways of teaching. And this college that He Nuo was referring to was a college where students go to study to be a teacher.?
2. A district that hosts famous universities, so its basically good revision materials from a well-off ce like notes from Harvard LOL?
Chapter 16
Chapter 16
When he returned home at night, He Nuo waited for the rest to fall asleep before going to the kitchen to boil some water. He ced one of his legs on his other knee, then carefully peeled off his shoe. Every slight movement made his feet sting with the pain of ten thousands of needles, so he couldnt take his shoes off during the first few tries. In the end, he clenched his teeth and used both his hands to forcibly tug his shoe off. The tip of his nose was drenched in sweat from the pain. His foot had swelled to the point that its skin was glistening; his foot was round and fat like a little elephants foot, a slight touch would make his whole body tremble. He grimaced in pain as he took off the other shoe as well, then sunk his feet into the basin of hot water before he let out a long sigh of relief. As he soaked his feet in the water, he continuously topped it up with hot water, and he had to soak his feet for a full half an hour before his toes felt some warmth. He expended another round of effort to stand up and wear his shoes again, and it was only when he had finished wearing his shoes and was about to start walking when He Nuo felt like he had encountered the greatest challenge of his life. Every time his footnded on the ground, a sharp pain would pierce through his feet. He hobbled over to a .s.s bottle to fill it up with hot water before carrying it with him to sleep. At night, he ced this hot water bottle underneath his feet.
He did this ritual every night to help reduce the swelling in his feet, but in the daytime it would wantonly swell up again. Actually, He Nuo could learn to get used to the feeling of pins and needles underneath his feet when he walked, but it was extremely difficult for him to get used to his little brothers teasing. His little brother was starting to urinate blood, and it was so painful he felt like he wanted to die. He always had the urge to urinate, and even when he finished urinating he would feel like there was some residual urine that he couldnt get out no matter how hard he tried. If he wanted to see a doctor, he would have to travel to the town that was two viges away. Plus, He Nuo didnt have the money to see a doctor. This ce wasnt his home C his father is a worker so he could receive medical treatment using public expense C in the vige, he had to pay for the medical expenses himself. He Nuo just tried his best to get through by drinking water whenever he got the chance to; hed drink both cold and hot water so that he could urinate more. But every time he peed he felt like he was going through torture C it was so painful that his whole body would tremble, and his warm back would be soaked with cold sweat.
He Nuo thought of picking up some wild herbs himself. But the mountains were deste C aside from the brown-colourednd, dried up gra.s.s, bald branches that swayed to the winters wind, there wasnt a hint of green anywhere. He disappointingly searched about for awhile before walking back. A stray branch was blocking his way so he stretched his hand out to push it aside when he noticed something that was hanging on the branch. It was an extremely thin and translucentyer of membrane, and upon closer inspection, He Nuo immediately realised that it was ayer of molted skin from a snake. He carefully touched it, but it looked like it was about to fall apart. It looked incredibly fragile. He Nuo opened up his lunchbox and slowly collected the snakes skin in it piece by piece. When he was soaking his feet at night, he steeped some hot water with the snakes skin and drank everything. Every afternoon, He Nuo would go to the mountains to look for some snakes skin, then drink it with hot water at night. He didnt know if it was because of the snakes skin, or because he insisted on soaking his feet in hot water every night, but his blood urine symptoms began to go away.
By the time Chinese New Year was over, He Nuo would have stayed at his Uncles ce for about a year. When the new school term begins, he would start histter half of his second year in senior high. In the county, their academics would definitely be much further ahead than in the vige, and He Nuo had always been pondering over this problem. He knew that he definitely would have fallen behind his county counterparts in terms of studies. But coincidentally at this time, his Uncle actually told him that his family wanted him to return to his old school C this was truly good news! As it turns out, it was when his Fifth Brother C who was attending university C returned home to celebrate Chinese News Year and told his parents that the viges quality of education was poor and had a low frequency of promotion into the next grade that his parents wanted him to return.
He Nuos registration in his old school was never voided, so he returned to his original .s.s. Even though he kept a low profile and didnt have much of a presence, if someone in .s.s who had disappeared suddenly reappeared, everyone would definitely notice C especially Shi Yan. Shi Yan didnt know that He Nuos disappearance had anything to do with his family; he only thought that this guy was afraid of his revenge so he transferred schools to avoid him. The anger that he had pent up from He Nuos kick and his indignation from then had already cooled with time, but there was another matter that made him curse He Nuo for a long time the sharing area. Every Friday morning, as Shi Yan thought that he looked like he was stupidly swinging a broom around while he cleaned the sharing area, he would curse He Nuo and his ancestors, and the cursing only stopped when he couldnt stand it any longer and appointed someone else to take over his job.
Now that He Nuo was back, the current person-in-charge of the sharing area looked for Shi Yan to retire from his duties honourably and wanted to give the job back to He Nuo. When Shi Yan notified He Nuo about his duties, He Nuo had no opinion on the matter and quickly agreed to take over C it was his job in the first ce anyway. But when Shi Yan finished talking and skirted a few nces over him, He Nuo was a bit nervous. He wanted to ask if Shi Yans injuries were okay, but the words never came out; but judging by hisposed manner, he should be okay by now. Within the year that he was away, He Nuo did think of Shi Yan. He never knew how bad Shi Yans injuries were (Shi Mamas att.i.tude seriously misled He Nuo; he thought that for Shi Mama to stomp over to his house so angrily like that, Shi Yans injuries must have been very serious). For the first time in his life, He Nuo had injured someone else that badly, so it was a matter that had been engraved deeply into his memories.
Shi Yan left without saying much, because he realised that the guy in front of him...he wasnt sure if it was because he had grown taller or something, but he looked so skinny; his chin seemed sharper, and his emaciated face made his eyes look much bigger than before, and his face looked kind of sunken in. Plus, all the joints on his hands could be seen clearly. Shi Yans mind was filled with images of the dinosaur bones that he had seen in a museum, and he said without thinking, Why do you look like a dinosaur. But whats surprising is that Shi Yan didnt link He Nuos image to the skeletons that he had seen in hospitals.
TN: Exams will be over on 5th Dec.......... cant wait........ also, interested in picking up another novel cuz its just so hrious hahahahha its called (Evildoer, dont run!)
Chapter 17
Chapter 17
After a year, He Nuo wasnt the only one who had changed. Shi Yan had also grown taller, and his shoulders grew wider; he had the exemr inverted triangle figure people could only dream of. Shi Yan loved to keep up with the fashion trends, so he wore a pair of skinny jeans that entuated his round, perky b.u.t.t, showing off his youthfulness. He no longer focused on his studies, and started to flirt with every girl he saw while he enjoyed the infatuated looks they gave him. That kind of excitement was much more enjoyable than his daily, boring schoolwork. Recently, he had hooked a new prey: a pretty, older sister who was in her third year. Even though shes technically an older sister, she was actually younger than Shi Yan by two months because she had enrolled in the school a year earlier than the rest. The girl was rather obsessed, or rather it was widely known that people in love usually had a screw or two loose C even though they were only separated by one floor, she loved to write Shi Yan letters. As a result, Shi Yans mother discovered these letters. Shi Yan refused to acknowledge any intimate rtionship with the girl, and told his mother that they had a tonic schoolmate rtionship. Hence, Shi Mama went to the girls house and threw words like seduce, wh.o.r.e, s.l.u.t, shameless... around ruthlessly.
This matter immediately spread like wildfire within the school. This kind of news was nothing to Shi Yan, no one would dare to pick a bone with him other than his buddies who would use the gossip to tease him. On the other hand, the girl had to endure the disappointment, ridicule and anger from the teachers, students and her parents. The heartbroken girl went to look for Shi Yan to request for somefort, but regrettably, her prince had already grown tired of acting in this infatuated drama, and had embarked on the start of a new rtionship. The fragile girl reacted in the same way as the heartbroken leads you would see in dramas and movies C she turned and ran away crazily.
After she wandered about desperately for awhile, the stubborn girl wasnt willing to ept the situation and returned to find Shi Yan. She knew that Shi Yan was on duty today, so he should be thest to leave. But should and would were two separate realities; the Shi Yan who was supposed to be on duty was flirting around with his new target at who knows where. As she sat in Shi Yans empty .s.sroom, the girls heart also felt deste and lonely. She couldnt stop the angst that leaked from her heart and the tears from streaming down her cheeks. Thoughts of her lover cruelly turned his back on her and her parents anger and poisonous words flooded her mind. The helpless girl thought that she had nothing left to yearn for in life, and the more she thought of this, the more upset she got, so much so that she forced herself into a dead end of pain. The world was so vast, yet she had no ce in which she belonged. This was the only thought that ran through the young girls mind. Wherever she looked, only looks and words of ridicule from curious onlookers gued her; her eyes slowly dulled, and the girls world copsed right in front of her eyes. She stood up and opened the .s.sroom window, then climbed up a chair, a table, and finally stood on the windowsill.
When she heard the sound of the door opening, the romantic girlsst thought was originally, Please let me see him for thest time. And thought that the heavens had heard her wish, so she didnt bother covering up her surprise and happiness when she turned around to shout, Shi Yan! Disappointment poured in immediately, it wasnt him.
He Nuo looked at the girl, and recognized her as Shi Yans ex-girlfriend. He knew that she was his ex because not too long ago, Shi Yan had his arms around another girl at the sharing area as he told him to lock up the .s.sroom after cleaning up because he wasnting back. He Nuo had just finished cleaning the sharing area, and had returned to the .s.sroom to put some stuff down and pick up his bag.
When he saw that she was standing on the windowsill, He Nuo was slightly surprised, and hesitantly asked, You?
The girl didnt say anything, but her tears flowed out.
Shi Yan already left, you shoulde down. He Nuo tried his best to speak in a calm manner as he was afraid of agitating her further.
Hes on duty so hes responsible for locking up, so he shouldnt have left? Youre lying! The girl stubbornly refused to believe He Nuo.
He had something on so he had to leave first, he asked me to lock up.
I want to see him. As she said this, the girl started to wail.
He Nuo was at a loss, he had never faced such a situation before so he didnt know how what to say. In the end, he clumsily asked, Wont you be able to see him tomorrow? Ill help you tell him tomorrow, then you can talk to him, ok?
The girl spoke very softly, and He Nuo barely managed to make out the words, There is no tomorrow.
He Nuo smacked his head with his hand and thought, oh man, his prediction really dide true C shes nning to jump. He didnt know what happened between her and Shi Yan, and wasnt sure about what she was thinking about right now, but he knew that he couldnt stand by and just watch her jump down. He Nuo has little experience with social interaction, so he didnt have much social skills to begin with. He didnt know how to persuade people, and the first words that came out of his mouth were actually, Then do you have anyst words for Shi Yan?
Last words? The girl softly repeated. Obviously, she had not considered this before.
When He Nuo saw this, he felt much more rxed and knew what to do from there. He gently said, You should probably have some words you want to say to him, right? He pointed to a seat a bit further away from the window, Thats his seat, there should be some pens and papers in his table, you can write what you want there. He Nuo then casually walked over to his table at the back of the .s.sroom so that the girl wouldnt feel nervous from his presence. When he saw that she was still hesitating, He Nuo slowly asked, Why arent you writing? The third years will be finishing their night revision .s.ses soon, the gates will be locked then. (The third years upied one building by themselves and left school an hourter than the first and second years at 10PM.)
The girl saw the sincere look in his eyes, then finally walked over to the seat that He Nuo had pointed out. He Nuo silently breathed a sigh of relief, because he actually didnt know which seat belonged to Shi Yan. He had just randomly pointed to a seat away from the window. Luckily, this girl knew where Shi Yan sat.
Chapter 18
Chapter 18
The He Nuo who was sitting at the corner of the .s.sroom could clearly see the girls every move. She slowly reached her hand into the table and gently searched its contents. When she took out Shi Yans book, she looked like she was holding some sort of treasure. Her fingers caressed the cover of the book, and new tears were starting to form in her eyes.
He Nuo couldnt understand what kind of feelings could push this girl to willingly sacrifice her own life while Shi Yan couldnt be less bothered. He admitted that Shi Yan is a tall and handsome young man, whose movements oozed elegance and suavity and he would sometimes even give off an imposing air: but these were just privileges of his beauty and a by-product of his superior familial environment. When he returned, he realised that Shi Yans grades were nothing like before, but his flirtatiousness and arrogance had turned up a notch.
He Nuo waited for her mood to stabilize before walking to the front row and jumped onto a table to sit on it, a few tables away from her: Are you done? Do you want to put it in his table? Or I could help you pa.s.s it to him.
A pear-faced beauty with remnants of tear stains on her face: I dont know what to write? Her pitiful tone caused He Nuo to sigh in exasperation and he didnt know if he should pity her.
Then, what do you want to write?
The girls face instantly flushed red, and she stuttered as she couldnt get her words out. Her hand was still unconsciously turning over the contents in Shi Yans table when it touched something stic; when she took it out, she saw that it was a tape. Her eyes began to redden once again, and she choked as she said, He loves singing the most, his singing sounds really, really wonderful. In the past, he would always sing for me.
He Nuo couldnt see what she was holding clearly, so his eyebrows scrunched up as he narrowed his eyes.
The girl threw the tape over to him; on the cover there were a few people with long hair dressed from head to toe in ck carrying guitars in their hands. He Nuo didnt recognize any of them, and he saw that at the side there were two words written on it, ck Panther.
This is the tape of a new band that just debuted, I was even nning on buying one for him, but looks like he already has one. Her voice died out along with the colour on her face. The girl pondered a bit before saying, Shi Yan said he doesnt like their songs, and I dont think their songs are nice at all, it just sounds like a bunch of ghosts and wolves wailing and howling. I couldnt stand their singing, so I didnt finish listening.
I know that even if he doesnt like them, he would still learn how to sing these songs, because apparently the moment this band debuted, they became super popr and sensational. Shi Yan likes to chase trends.
You know him very well.
Un. The girl immediately nodded her head gravely, Im the one who understands him the most.
Then, why not you be him while I ask you a few questions?
The girl looked at him doubtfully, You dont think I understand him? I- she paused for a few seconds, then looked away, I like him so much, how could I not understand him.
Shi Yan, do you think the songs sound good? He Nuo didnt really bother and just treated her as Shi Yan as he threw his question at her. He purposely acted like how Shi Yans buddies would act C casual and rxed.
The girl was stunned, then allowed herself to fall into the role and recalled how Shi Yan looks like as he spoke, then casually replied, Meh, its so-so. Sounds like theyre just screaming hysterically, I had to stop halfway when I was listening to itst night. Even my cat shrieked and hid underneath my bed, I had to use snacks as a bait to lure him out. After he finished, he was still purring in protest against this torture.
So you dont like it?
Hmm, Ill still need to enjoy it slowly, right now Ive only learnt to sing half of it before I couldnt continue on. Looks like I still need to train my heart a bit more to withstand its shock.
Everyone says you sing well, so who would you say sings better C the band or you?
Of course, the professional band is better at singing.
Shi Yan, does ck Panther really sound that bad? He Nuo pretended to look interested.
Havent I already said so? Their singing is a kind of torture, the kind that tortures both your ears and your heart. The girls imitation of Shi Yans arrogance was really on point.
He Nuos eyes leaked hints of a smile, ck Panthers songs torture peoples ears, hearts, and even cats arent spared; then he looked straight into the girls eyes, But, Shi Yan, no matter what, they are still professional band singers who sing better than you. When you sing to us when you have nothing better to do, do you know how much shock that brings to our hearts? Have you ever thought of that? Our ears and hearts have always been cruelly tortured by your demonic voice that pierces through peoples brains!
The girl was stunned into silence and looked a bit silly. Because she didnt act out her role wrongly, the hypocritical Shi Yan would definitely say that the band would sing better than him; the one who acted his role wrongly was He Nuo, no one would dare speak to Shi Yan like this.
He Nuo saw the girls mouth twitch slightly, but she didnt say anything. The smile on her face grew bigger and bigger, and eventually she broke out into raucousughter. He Nuo ended up smiling too.
See, this is the kind of hypocrite you love. What do you like about him? Lets continue our duet.
The girl who stoppedughing tilted her head to a side and thought about it, then started talking to herself, I like his handsomeness, but the Little Tigers are handsome too; I like his humour, but this duet is even funnier...what do I like about him?
He Nuo had already walked over to the window to close it, then sat in front of her, Is he worth it? If you think that you dont have the face to continue staying here, then isnt it a better choice to study hard and get into a university far away from here?
These words came from He Nuos heart C He Nuo was banking on getting into a university far away from this ce, and it would be the ce where he could start over. He would never return to this ce ever again.
The girl looked at him, and the tears in her eyes that had formed retreated and didnt fall down her cheeks. She looked at He Nuo gratefully, Thank you, thank you for not looking down on me, and you even taught me how to continue walking forward. At this time, the girl suddenly realised that this boy who was dressed in simple and in clothes had a pair of clear eyes, unclouded by a single speck of dust.
Then hurry and go back to study, right now getting into university should be the most important thing for you. He Nuo was relieved at how the girl could understand his efforts immediately, if he had met a more clingy one, then He Nuo didnt think that he would have the ability to persuade her. So he quickly smiled and said, I have to lock up.. Actually, He Nuo was already quitete so he felt quite anxious.
The girls eyes suddenly fell back on He Nuos face, and He Nuo thought that she still had something to say, so he waited for her to speak. In the end, she very seriously spit out the two words, Thank you, looked into his eyes even more deeply, then left.
He Nuo packed his bag and quickly locked the door. As he was locking the door, a sudden breathing sound that came from the darkness startled him. He quickly turned around and a persons image entered his line of sight.
Shi Yan crossed his arms as he leaned against a wall, the corridor was only lit up by the lights that shone in from the outside so He Nuo couldnt see his face clearly, but he could see a pair of bright eyes ring at him. He Nuos head went nk, and he couldnt react to Shi Yans sudden appearance.
TN: Its starting... Im excited and upset already ;__;
Chapter 19
Chapter 19
He Nuo felt all the hairs on his back stand. The surrounding air suddenly felt terribly oppressive and suffocating; the only sound He Nuo could hear was that of his violent heartbeat. He was locked in ce by the pair of eyes that looked like it was spewing fire, and his heart felt like jumping out of his chest. After this whole event, He Nuo reflected upon it and realised that the only reason he heard Shi Yans breathing was because Shi Yan did it on purpose. In the darkness, the He Nuo who stood as straight as a pencil and the Shi Yan who continued leaning against the world continued their standstill; but He Nuo was actually very nervous.
The sound of apuse came from Shi Yan, hiszy tone was the same as usual, Not bad, that was a pretty good crosstalk. I didnt even know you had the skills, I love it. Also, I guarantee that my ears and heart would be able to withstand it, so why not you continue your crosstalk for me?
He Nuo remained silent.
You wont do me this favour? Shi Yan sneered, Or do you think that Im not a worthy spectator?
Im sorry. He Nuo lowered his head. His calmed heart knew that making fun of Shi Yan behind his back was his fault, plus Shi Yan wasnt someone he could afford to anger.
Shi yan walked over and looked at He Nuo. He stood very close to He Nuo, and his face was even closer, so He Nuo couldnt help but take a step back. Shi Yan intended to oppress him in this manner, so of course he would take a step forward as well.
Im sorry, I apologise. Shi Yans approach made He Nuo panic.
Shi Yan pinched He Nuos chin, Itll be too much of a waste to use this clever mouth to apologise, its much better suited for engaging in excellent crosstalks.
He Nuo couldnt help b.u.t.t try to pull Shi Yans hand away; for a man to have his chin be pinched by another man, of course he wouldnt feelfortable. But his resistance triggered Shi Yans anger, so Shi Yan grabbed both of He Nuos hands and wrenched them towards the back. After an arduous year of living in the vige, the thinness and fragility of He Nuos body was suddenly made obvious in their dispute. He Nuo could only feel the strength of Shi Yans steel-like arms lock his own behind his back. The overwhelmingly strong Shi Yan only needed one hand to pin both of He Nuos skinny wrists down, and his other hand was used squeeze He Nuos sunken cheeks, Say it, arent you very good at crosstalks? Say one for me to hear then!
He Nuos mouth was squeezed open, and Shi Yan pinched so hard that the top of He Nuos teeth was hurting C how could He Nuo talk in this kind of situation?
You wont say it? Shi Yan ruthlessly used his finger to grab He Nuos tongue and pulled it out. He Nuo struggled in pain, but he couldnt struggle out of Shi Yans iron grasp. He couldnt even convey his m.u.f.fled apologies properly. But He Nuo really didnt dare to kick Shi Yan again, He Nuo had always felt guilty about harming Shi Yan before.
The conflict here didnt seem like it was ending anytime soon, but the sound of footsteps walking up the staircase saved He Nuo. Its the guard who was responsible for locking up the school. Shi Yan released He Nuo, and He Nuo bent over panting to try and catch his breath.
Before he slept at night, He Nuo rubbed his sore cheeks and was still wondering how to resolve the problem this time. Shi Yan would definitely not ept his apologies, but when ites to other methods C sending him gifts as an apology? Dont even need to mention how poor He Nuo is, He Nuo wouldnt even be able to afford the stuff that Shi Yan likes. But if he doesnt appease Shi Yans anger, he would definitely not let him off. His days at school would definitely be far from peaceful. He Nuo tossed and turned in his bad for a long time before thinking of a stupid method; it might be a bit stupid, but it should be able to let Shi Yan vent his anger. He Nuo then fell asleep with a peace of mind.
The next morning, He Nuo woke up very early and went to school. When Shi Yan reached, he was surprised to see that He Nuo was actually looking at him, and there wasnt a shred of fear in his eyes. Shi Yan doubtfully sat at his own seat. He took out the books from his table, and a piece of paper flew out, Ill wait for you by the east campus walls after school ends this afternoon. He Nuo.
The east end of the school was adjacent to some rice fields, or rather, the school was separated from the vige and county by one wall. Because in the early years, before the huge state-owned enterprises settled in this town, this ce was a vige. Shi Yan wanted to go alone, but his lousy friends were incredibly curious and wanted to follow along. They even generously offered protection in case He Nuo hired people to deal with Shi Yan. Shi Yan almostughed out loud, how could that He Nuo dare to hire people? Even if he did, there was no one he could ask, whoever saw him hanging out with friends? Plus, once the other party heard his name, they would definitely flee in fright.
Shi Yan and his friends arrived first. He Nuo wasntte on purpose, but Shi Yan and the rest had ridden their bicycles over while He Nuo had to walk one big round from the west campus to reach the east side. When he saw a whole group of them sitting by the fields, He Nuo was so shocked he stood rooted to the spot.
Shi Yan bit a stalk of rice seedling, Wow, do I need to personally invite the ol great crosstalk master over?
He Nuo walked up to him, but Shi Yan continued sitting on the floor while he propped his head up on his elbow and looked up at He Nuo. He Nuo thought that wasnt too appropriate, so he squatted down, Shi Yan, what I did yesterday was wrong, Im really very sorry.
Shi Yan rolled his eyes, Un, this is what you want to talk about?
No. He Nuo saw that the others were looking over so he lowered his eyes. Eventually, he still looked up and said calmly, Why not you beat me up once to vent. Would that be enough?
Shi Yan seemed like he didnt really understand, so he sat up straight, What did you say?
He Nuo knew that he had heard him loud and clear, he looked straight into his eyes, Can you please beat me up to vent your anger, then forgive me?
Shi Yans friends were alreadyughing at a side, and He Nuos face instantly flushed red. But he really couldnt find any other way for Shi Yan to vent his anger. If he didnt take the initiative, when Shi Yan starts taking revenge then it would be toote.
TN: Ok thats it for today sigh... He Nuo this poor baby ;_; help my heart
Chapter 20
Chapter 20
With the likes of your dinosaur bone-like body, youll copse after just a few hits. I have tons of ways to kick you out (of school). Arent you good at transferring schools? Why not just run away again? Shi Yan scanned over He Nuos skinny body with contempt.
Shi Yans words unintentionally hit He Nuos achilles heel; what He Nuo was most afraid of was offending Shi Yan and being sent to the vige again; its not that he minded the arduous lifestyle in the vige, but He Nuo was about to enter his third year. If he had to study in the vige again, he wasnt confident that he would be able to do well enough to enroll in university. So He Nuo hurriedly promised, I wont, I wont copse.
Ok, looks like youre pretty smart after all. He looked at his friends, Brothers, time to get some exercise. This human sandbag looks good to practice on.
He Nuo immediately jumped up in shock. He looked at Shi Yan, Shi Yan, I... He thought that he would only get beat up by Shi Yan once, he didnt expect the others to join in.
What? Wanna go back on your words? Shi Yan asked gloomily, but a sly smile was stered on his face.
In this kind of situation, how could He Nuo not know that Shi Yan was waiting for him to back out? He also understood that Shi Yan originally intended to make his life difficult anyway. By this point, it was too difficult to take his words back; if he backed out today, he would definitely have a hard time in school in the future.
No, Shi Yan, but could you guys. .h.i.t in ces that cant be seen?
Why are you so troublesome? one of the guys interrupted.
Another joined in, Yeah, exactly. Wheres the fun in that?
Shi Yan authoritatively dered, Wellpromise.
He Nuo and Shi Yans friends were waiting for him to continue. Actually, Shi Yan was looking out for him and his friends. If they beat He Nuo up until his head swelled up like a pigs head, everyone would notice, then wouldnt that bring them even more trouble? Also, just hitting him this once seems like he was letting He Nuo off too easy, so he had an idea, We have to purposely hit you in ces that cant be seen and hold ourselves back while doing so, so how could that reflect the sincerity of your apology? Did I say anything wrong, Dinosaur (He Nuo)?
So, well just have to change the deal a bit. Since the quality isnt there, well have to make up for it in quant.i.ty. From now on, every Sat.u.r.day after school youll have toe here! Shi Yan proudly disimed.
It felt like thunder just pped through the clear skies, He Nuo couldnt have imagined that Shi Yan would be this vicious C his cruelty had far exceeded He Nuos expectations. Shi Yans friends, on the other hand, were all full of reverence for Shi Yan and wereplimenting him on his amazing idea.
He Nuo felt like he had just digged his own grave. As he looked at the gang jumping around eagerly, he turned to the mastermind, Shi Yan, could we finish with just this one time? Or I could help you with other things topensate.
Compensate? What can youpensate with? Shi Yan sneered.
Shi Yans words. .h.i.t the bullseye, so He Nuo couldnt reply him.
Once every two weeks, you either decide toe; or get lost, then Ill have my fun with you in the future.
He Nuo had no other choice. He once again walked over to Shi Yan.
Shi Yan extended his hand, and He Nuo pulled him up. The moment he stood up straight, Shi Yan lifted his leg and kicked He Nuo in the stomach which made He Nuo fall to the ground. Shi Yan patted the dust off the back of his pants, then said to his buddies, Arent you guys gonna start? Or have you all suddenly gone vegetarian.
He Nuo held his stomach and used one hand to support himself up. Shi Yans kick turned He Nuos insides upside down, and he felt a sudden sense of dj vu C like something simr had happened in the distant past. The other guys didnt all go up at once to start kicking and punching He Nuo; instead, they went up one by one while He Nuo stood in his original spot to be a human sandbag. After he copsed when a strong punchnded on him or when he was sent flying with a kick, they would wait for him to rest for a bit before the next person would get his turn. After the gang finished taking their turns, Shi Yan squatted in front of He Nuo, grabbed a fistful of his hair and forced He Nuo to look at him, How do you feel?
He Nuo endured the screaming pain emanating throughout his body, calmed his breathing and replied, Im ok.
Shi Yan stood up and kicked him, Then why are you pretending to be dead? Push my bike over. Their bicycles were all thrown to a side and wereying on the ground. He Nuo used his hands to support him up, took a deep breath, then stood up. He hobbled over to the pile of bicycles, picked all the bicycles up from the ground and stabilized them, then turned back to look at Shi Yan, Which one is yours?
After he pushed Shi Yans bike over for him, Shi Yan straddled his bike with one foot and smiled, This is the first time so Ill let you off easy. Ill see you around, bye byeee~ then the group turned around and left abruptly.
He Nuo waited for them to cycle a bit further before he held his chest and bent forward. His insides were already fumbling about like crashing waves, and he felt like puking. He Nuo straightened his neck and puked C but he only puked out water. After a period of heavy breathing, he slowly squatted down and sat on the floor. His back, thighs and calves were all burning with pain, but luckily they kept their promise and didnt leave any marks on visible ces. He was worried that his family would see his wounds. Of course it wasnt because he thought his family would worry about him, but he was afraid that they would think that he wasnt studying seriously in school and was going around picking fights, then they would punish him again.
He Nuo looked at the sky and didnt want to dy returning home for too long. After he recovered a bit of energy, he carried his bag and walked home. When He Nuo was staying in the vige, his family had moved once. With the improvement in everyones standard of living, most people in his town had moved into apartment buildings. But because He Nuo had a big family, they didnt stay in an apartment building, but instead they obtained two bungalows that used to house a family each. Which meant that he had one door to enter the courtyard, and two doors to enter his home.
He Nuo secretively sneaked back into his house which wasnt very difficult for him C his presence had always been rtively weak. So even at the dinner table, his family wouldnt notice anything out of the ordinary. In the middle of the night, he turned on his nightlight to look at his wounds, then dipped a cloth in hot water and ma.s.saged his bruises. The next day, he realised that a part of his calf that he had ma.s.saged the night before had turned into arge, ck patch, and looked even scarier than before he ma.s.saged it. He didnt dare to use hot water to ma.s.sage his wounds any more, and decided to try using cold water instead.
TN: THE PAIN IS ALMOST OVER............. ALMOST............
Chapter 21
Chapter 21
In the following days at school, Shi Yan acted like how he usually would and didnt bother sparing He Nuo a single nce or pick a fight with him. He Nuo thus luckily peacefully resolved his crisis. It was during the Friday on the second week when Shi Yan gave him a cold look at the sharing area, Dont forget about tomorrow.
He Nuo nodded his head. The next day after school, he went to honour his promise to be a sandbag. This time, as a precaution, he deliberately ate less at lunch because puking felt worse than the pain he endured during the beating. He thought that if he ate less, then he wouldnt puke, but he ended up vomiting gastric juice instead which tasted so bitter he shivered. But he thought that it was worth it in return for a peaceful school life.
The weather was turning warm, so it raised slight inconveniences. He Nuo never wore shorts, and he always adorned long-sleeved shirts. During physical education, the boys would run around the field, y ser and basketball but He Nuo rarely joined them. Even if he didnt wear short-sleeved shirts or shorts, there would probably be some scuffles and folding up of sleeves, so he avoided such activities as often as possible.
Students had to take a standard test for their physical education .s.s. The boys had toplete a 1000-metre run, pull-ups and some other items. The teacher asked the students to warm up then form a queue in front of the horizontal bar to do pull-ups. The others could watch or cheer for students who look like they are about to give up. He Nuos fitness was far from his old standards. Usually, the bodies of boys going through p.u.b.erty should be shooting up and greedily engulfing nutrients. But when it came to He Nuo, his body didnt get the extra nutrients it needed and even had to use its reserves to fight off the disease he had contracted in the vige.
He Nuo only did a few pull-ups before he started panting, but since this was a test, he thought to himself that he had to bite down on his lips and at least finish the minimum number of pull-ups required for pa.s.sing. His arms were trembling as he forced his pitiful, lean muscles to contract and pull his body upwards. Just as he finally got his head above the horizontal bar, the breath that he was holding suddenly let loose and his body fell, but both his hands continued to grip the horizontal bar which left him dangling for awhile before he fell to the mats. Within a short moment, several people saw He Nuos arm C because his arms were too thin, his sleeves had slipped down past his elbow. The arm that was so skinny you could see bones protruding through the skin had a long, terrible strip of purple that perched on his white jade skin; the transparency of his white skin entuated the meandering, frightening-looking bulge (that was so swollen it formed a ridge), which made the other, smaller wounds of differing colours less conspicuous.
When he saw the looks that the other students were giving him, He Nuos expression was as calm as usual. He said to Zhu Laoshi, Laoshi, I identally injured my arm the other day, can I retake the test another day? Usually, students who failed to attain a pa.s.sing mark for the items retook the test together during the weekend, so He Nuo wouldnt be the only one who would retake the test.
Shi Yan naturally saw the masterpiece that his gang had left on He Nuos arm. Plus, he clearly knew how that b.l.o.o.d.y scar came about. He Nuo obediently turned into their human sandbag once every two weeks, but he wouldnt make any noise when he was beaten up. So even after everyone had finished practicing their punches and kicks, they didnt feel any sense of achievement. The day before yesterday, his buddies took a bicycle chain lock (an iron chain) and whipped He Nuo. The He Nuo who stood in his spot cowered a bit and shrugged his shoulders. When his leg was whipped, He Nuo couldnt help but dodge, but his buddies had ordered him to stand properly then whipped him again to make up for the dodged whip. They had promised him to only beat him in ces that arent visible, so Shi Yan wouldnt even think about inspecting the aftermath of their beatings. Every time, his buddies would beat He Nuo up until they had their fill then washed their hands of him.
This was the first time Shi Yan saw a wound on He Nuos body, and thought that they had only whipped his arm once, and the rest of the whipsnded on his legs. Oh right, Shi Yan was always the one who starts the beating, but he wouldnt do anything else C he usually starts that days round of beating by kicking He Nuo to the floor then stand at a side to enjoy the show. He didnt do it out of kindness, to be honest, Shi Yan was the kind of person who didnt like to personally get into fights C it wasnt worth tiring himself out for, and it would cause him to sweat and smell bad. As long as he had the intention, naturally, someone else would do the work for him.
He saw He Nuo apply for a make-up test like nothing had happened, then naturally pulled his sleeves down and stood at a side. Shi Yans line of sight kept chasing him as he waited for He Nuo to return his look. He thought that at this time, He Nuo should be looking at him, but in reality He Nuo had no reaction and didnt even spare Shi Yan a nce. At first he felt disappointed, then it turned into anger. This dead man actually didnt even have eyes for him!
On Friday, at the sharing area, Shi Yan: Tomorrow after school, go and wait for me.
Tomorrow? He Nuo was taken aback, Shouldnt it be next week? The few whips from the iron chain was much worse than fists, and even until today, he couldnt sleep at night without taking extra care to not touch the ces that had been whipped.
I said tomorrow, so I mean tomorrow. Shi Yan threw him this sentence then walked away.
At night, He Nuo looked at the various wounds that criss-crossed on his leg in a myriad of patterns, then shook his head and sighed, If only I had the legs of Sun Wu Kong. When the Great Sage Equalling Heaven in the Journey to the West encountered whipping, he could turn both his legs into metal C an ability that He Nuo was extremely envious of right now. He didnt understand why Shi Yan suddenly changed his mind, didnt they make a deal for a fortnightly beating? Does this guy want to change it to a weekly beating? Sigh, never mind, when the soldieres the General will block him, and when the wateres the earth will drown it. Even though you dont have the metal legs of Sun Wu Kong, but its not like the iron chain is dripping with salt water (Sun Wu Kong was whipped with a whip dripping with salt water). He Nuoforted himself and thought to himself that it was more important for him to get some sleep instead.
Sun Wu Kong:
Hes the monkey demon of Journey to the West, Xi You Ji.
TN: Shi Yan had better redeem his a.s.s
Chapter 22
Chapter 22
When He Nuo arrived, he saw Shi Yan sitting at the usual ce by himself so he thought the rest hadnt arrived. He walked over to a spot that wasnt very close to Shi Yan and sat down to wait.
Why are you sitting so far away? Get over here!
He Nuo walked over and sat beside him. Shi Yan turned and looked at him, but He Nuo continued looking straight ahead into the distance, his line of sight falling upon the vast, boundless rice fields. Shi Yan looked at this thin silhouette; a gentle breeze lifted his bangs, exposing He Nuos smooth forehead. The shoulder des on his back protruded out sharply which made him look even more fragile. Shi Yan still remembered their fight in their first year; at that time, Shi Yan still had to use quite a bit of energy before he could subdue He Nuo (during the New Years party), but in their most recent scuffle, he had easily pinned He Nuo down. The previously still somewhat st.u.r.dy hand crumbled so easily, and yet I only realized during Mondays physical education .s.s that he had such skinny arms C how could they not be weak and flimsy?
What is he looking at? Before them, there were only lush green wheat and rice crops swaying in the wind like rumbling waves; what is he thinking? Why isnt he asking me why I called him over today? He Nuo is someone who likes simplicity, he understands the extent of his abilities and what he is capable of, he wasnt the type to attempt worthless ventures C this was evident in how he didnt bother debating with Shi Yan over changing the original agreement. Whether or not it was fortnightly or weekly, since he didnt have the power to resist Shi Yan, the right to decide had never been in his hands to begin with. The most he could do was to minimize the harm done to himself as much as he could.
Shi Yan pulled that arm over, and He Nuo was so surprised he immediately pulled it back. Once again, Shi Yan put his vice-grip like hands to use and grabbed onto He Nuo tightly and pulled his sleeve up, then he stopped. He Nuo tried to stammer out some words but failed, so he could only lower his head.
Why are you so stupid, its so hot (June), how can you wrap up this kind of injury? Shi Yan tore away the cloth that was wrapped around He Nuos wound in circles, Even if youre scared that others would see it, arent you scared that your wound would rot and fester?
Shi Yan thought that because the injury had been exposed during their physical education .s.s, He Nuo wanted to hide the wound. On the other hand, the He Nuo who was listening to Shi Yans reprimands had a shocked and relieved expression on his face. Shi Yan took the torn cloth off and angrily threw it to a side, then lifted He Nuos arm to take a closer look. Aside from the longest bruise on his arm, the other wounds left behind by either the stronger or weaker punches and kicks werent even close to how bad this one is. Shi Yan pressed on the edge of the terrible wound and heard a slight, sharp intake of breath.
He squatted in front of He Nuo, then he ced his hand at the bottom of his trousers to take a look, but He Nuo withdrew his leg, Dont.
Shi Yan grabbed his ankle, Just let me take a look.
He pulled the trousers up, but there was anotheryer of pants, What kind of season is it, and yet youre still wearing twoyers, dont you feel hot? Shi Yan pulled thisyer up to, but there was anotheryer underneath!!!
Why the f.u.c.k are you wearing so manyyers, arent you scared of covering... Shi Yan suddenly stopped mid sentence as a sudden realization hit him. He raised his head to look at He Nuo; He Nuos face was tinged with red and he nervously avoided Shi Yans gaze with shame. Shi Yan pulled He Nuos other hand over that hadnt been whipped and pulled the sleeves up, and as he expected, it was wrapped withyers of cloth.
Shi Yan continued to hold onto the arm that was wrapped in cloth and neither of them spoke. In Shi Yans heart, an unfamiliar feeling appeared C it was something that he had never felt before in his life, something that he never thought existed, and right now, at this moment, he still didnt know what it was C pity.
The He Nuo who had cheated and was apprehended on the spot cut a sorry figure, but surprisingly, he didnt panic. He looked embarra.s.sed, yet he wasnt afraid. ording tomon sense, if Shi Yan was cheated he would never let it go and would definitely take his revenge and punish him in a horrible manner, but he never thought of fearing such a consequence. Shi Yan remained silent for a long time and didnt move, so He Nuo stood up by himself. Shi Yan continued squatting as he looked at He Nuos back; He Nuo bent down and took off the two outeryers of pants and the cloth around his hands, then looked a bit ufortable as he stood in front of Shi Yan and extended his hand.
Extending his hand C this was the signal to start the beating. Every time He Nuo came over, Shi Yan would be sitting at one side. He would let He Nuoe over to pull him up then send him flying with a kick, or kick him to the floor C this implied that the others could start taking their turns.
Shi Yan looked at the bony hand that was extended towards him, the blueish-green blood vessels, slender fingers and protruding joints; he grabbed He Nuos hand but didnt exert any strength. He Nuo looked up in confusion, because Shi Yan didnt grab his hand with a crushing grip as usual and pull him over for a kick. Their eyes met, and he didnt see any fierceness in his eyes? No contempt? No malice? He Nuo was at a loss and thought he was dreaming, Shi Yan usually waited for him to pull him up thenzily looked from a side with eyes full of contempt and disgust. This kind of situation was really odd.
Shi Yan suddenly pulled on his hand lightly twice, Sit down.
He Nuo doubtfully sat down. Shi Yan rolled his trousers up to the base of his thigh, then rolled the other one up too. He Nuo pulled back slightly, but he was pressed down by Shi Yans pair of big hands. The He Nuo who had both his skinny legs exposed sat on the floor with his knees bent in embarra.s.sment. Each leg had three or four wounds simr to the one on his arm, but it was much more severe. There were even several types C big or small greenish-purple bruises, or discoloured dark yellow ones; they were scattered all over the ce and were densely packed together, there was only a patch of intact, white skin preserved on his inner thigh. He Nuo looked away ufortable under Shi Yans inspection so he missed seeing Shi Yan extending a hand towards him.
When his shirt was lifted, He Nuo reacted immediately and instinctively moved Shi Yans hand away and pressed down on his shirt, then carefully looked at Shi Yan.
But Shi Yan had already seen the wounds of various colours that looked like it came from an ink and wash painting, Im just taking a look. This time, there wasnt a hint of order or arrogance in his tone, and even Shi Yan himself probably didnt realize the underlying meaning behind his tone.
As he wished, he saw with his own eyes the battered body that was covered in wounds; He Nuos ribs were as clear as a washboard, and his thin body had numerous raised gooseb.u.mps because he felt nervous. The pile of cloth and trousers that had been thrown to a side made Shi Yan feel like there was a huge rock crushing his heart, making it hard for him to breathe. His throat was so tight he couldnt speak and he only wanted to leave. He threw a small stic bag down on the floor, then left without looking back.
TN: GASP, he has a heart!!!!
Chapter 23
Chapter 23
He Nuo looked at the stic bag thatid by his feet with a stunned expression. He didnt know why Shi Yan was behaving so abnormally today. He picked up the stic bag and opened it to find three small boxes. He held one in his hand to examine it, on the box were the words Die Da Jiu1! He read through the instruction manual he found in the box C it was the kind of Die Da Jiu that was applied externally by rubbing it on ones skin; there was a second bottle of the same kind, and the third box contained oral medication used to promote blood cirction and dispel blood stasis.
Actually, He Nuos family is eligible for free medical care, so there isnt ack of medicine at home. However, most of the medicine he had at home were the moremonly seen types like the ones for colds, fevers and diarrhea. He Nuo would definitely not ask his parents to help him obtain the medicine he needs, and he did rummage through the medicine he had at home in secret before to find some pain medication. In the end, he saw that paracetamol had pain relief effects, so he ate a few tablets over the weekend; he didnt dare to take too many as he was afraid that his family would notice the reduction in their medicine stash.
At night, He Nuo applied the medicinal wine to his wounds, but the pungent smell of the wine immediately attractedints from his brothers who slept in the adjacent room. He made up an excuse that he had sprained his ankle in school so some medicine was applied in his schools clinic, then hurriedly kept the medicinal wine and didnt use it anymore. But he still ate the oral medication while following the instruction manual; after all, he still wanted to reduce his pain if he could.
During Monday in school, he forced himself to find Shi Yan to thank him in .s.s. Its not that he wasnt willing, but its because had epted the other partys goodwill, so he felt a bit embarra.s.sed. In his heart, one matter was one matter C Shi Yans fortnightly agreement and the medicine he offered were two unrted matters. Shi Yan ignored his thank you; after he heard those two words his face remained expressionless as he stood up and left the .s.sroom.
For the past few days, Shi Yan had been feeling upset C even his buddies could tell. He wore a cold face and didnt seem to be interested in anything. He wouldnt even answer if you asked him a question. It was only when they saw that Shi Yans face had swollen up a bit that they thought they had found the reason: toothache. Shi Yans tooth was swollen and he was currently taking anti-inmmatory medicine, once the inmmation goes away he had to stuff his tooth. He really hated going to the dentist; whenever he heard the sound of the machine grinding his teeth, he would feel like his body was overrun by creepy crawlies which made him extremely disgusted.
Shi Yan requested a leave of absence on a Sat.u.r.day afternoon; his mother was apanying him to fill his tooth and they had an appointment with the dentist. If someone with no connections had registered, G.o.d knows how long they would have to queue for; Shi Yan was not someone with that kind of patience and leisure. After his filling, Shi Yans mouth was filled with the stench of medicine, then he was brought by his mother to the office. (Now do you know how spoiled Shi Yan is?)
Shi Yan was rummaging through some magazines in boredom while he waited for his mother to go home when he suddenly jumped up from the long bench he was sitting on. He told his mother that he had to go back to school to retrieve something then ran towards the school. He hastily rode his bicycle and flew to the school wall where his buddies greeted him, Youve filled your tooth? Why did you arrive sote? Weve already finished the job and were just about to go back.
He saw the person who was curled into a fetal position on the ground C his eyes were shut tight, and from the depression in his cheeks he could see that this person was biting down on his teeth with all his might. Large beads of sweat were trickling down his forehead and his face was spasming; he was hugging his body and looked like a ball C his body had shrank so much that it couldnt shrink any further.
Whenever He Nuo was beaten to the ground, there were times when it would hurt to the point that he would bend and curl his body, but the extent of his curling was never very much. He wasnt someone who could pretend, he would press down on the parts that hurt, and if he could stand up, then he would stand up and continue enduring the hits. And he would never look at the person who was training their fists and legs on him, nor would he close his eyes to escape C he always only looked at himself. A reaction like today was a first.
Shi Yan squatted in front of him, What did you guys do to him?
His hand had just touched He Nuo when the body under his hand started to tremble fiercely C it scared him so much that he immediately retracted his hand. He turned around and asked again, What did you guys do to him?
Shi Yans gloomy expression, fierce interrogation and underlying anger had stunned his few buddies; eventually, someone broke the deadlock and replied naturally, Just the usual C we punched and kicked him.
Shi Yans sharp eyes forced him to lower his voice, then he added, And we used the chain to hit him a bit.
Shi Yans expression soothed slightly, then he went to support He Nuo with his hands. He Nuo softly refused, and even his voice was trembling, Dont. Yet, he couldnt move by himself. Shi Yan nced over the part where his hands were supporting, then suddenly turned and looked at his friends, Where was he whipped?
There was a sudden outburst of rage in his eyes, no one would be stupid enough to reply him, but the silence also verified his conjecture. His anger started to boil, and he definitely, definitely couldnt suppress it as he shouted, Get lost! All of you, get lost!
His friends were stunned, but they didnt refute him and unhappily rode their bikes as they left.
Shi Yans hand gently supported He Nuos head, Ill help you up slowly?
Dont, dont move me. He Nuos eyes remained closed.
Shi Yan didnt dare to move him, but he couldnt help but take out his handkerchief to wipe the sweat on his face. He couldnt stop wiping. Even when there was no more sweat left, he was still lightly wiping He Nuos forehead.
He Nuo let out a long breath, his eyelids twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes. One hand entered his line of sight, and he looked up to see Shi Yan looking at him silently. The two was once again surrounded by a weird atmosphere. He Nuo tried to straighten his body to stand up, but the immense pain that came from his groin turned his face white. His mouth twitched, and he couldnt help but close his eyes and frown.
A hand pressed down on him. Shi Yan held one of his ankles, and slowly extended it. He did the same for his other leg, then moved both of He Nuos hands to the side. Then he went to He Nuos front. Shi Yan lifted He Nuos head up first, then carefully propped up his upper body at his waist; his other hand went under He Nuos knees and lightly carried them, then he turned He Nuos body upright and made him lean against his body.
With one doing the hugging and the other doing the leaning, He Nuo groaned softly and Shi Yan quickly said, Lean on me for a bit, dont move yet.
1. Dit Da Jow is a popr Chinese liniment sold to heal external damage such as bruises or sore muscles.?
T/N: Finally, some sweetness after a bitter storm
Chapter 24
Chapter 24
What a strange sight!
Under the setting sun, from afar, you could see two silhouettes C one nestled in the other C amongst the green fields; up close, one would realise that the silhouettes actually belonged to two young boys. The one who was being carried was leaning in the embrace of a tall and st.u.r.dy young man with the posture of a willow C his eyes were closed as he gasped for breath. The tall and st.u.r.dy young man was holding a handkerchief, he was always gently wiping off every trace of dirt from the face of the one he held. The warm sunset sprinkled rays of natures light upon them, and faintly traced their figures into the boundlessness of Mother Nature.
The feeling of pain on his body started to recede and subside, so He Nuo began to regain consciousness. When he opened his eyes, what greeted him was undoubtedly the expression of concern on Shi Yans face.
Thank you.
Shi Yan hase to hate these two words. If it wasnt because he had already vaguely understood He Nuos personality, he would have thought that He Nuo said those words on purpose to spite him. So he couldnt say anything in return. Just now, while he was wiping He Nuos face, he realized that he had no other thought than to tten the creases between his scrunched up eyebrows so that he wouldnt continue to be wrapped up in such agony.
He Nuo moved slightly to test out how much he could move and realized that he could withstand the throbbing pain, so he decided to get up. Shi Yan supported him up, but just as he took one step, He Nuo froze. He didnt dare to take another step C it really hurt.
Stand still and dont move. Shi Yan released him, then went to push his bicycle over. He used his leg to support He Nuo, picked up his bag and hung it in front of him. He Nuo understood his intentions but he didnt want to trouble Shi Yan, yet he didnt have a second choice. He Nuo gave in and let Shi Yan carry him onto the backseat.
Thank you. He Nuo once again thanked Shi Yan.
The road is uneven, if I cycle itll be b.u.mpy. Well cycle after we pa.s.s the fields. Shi Yan walked in front while pushing his bike and uttered with a cold tone without turning back. He wasnt used to speaking to a guy so considerately, it wasnt his style. He usually only spoke this kindly to girls .
He Nuo replied with a un, but his reply might have been lost in the sounds of the blowing wind as Shi Yan continued to push his bicycle as if he didnt hear a thing. Silence, pushing, pushing, silence, when He Nuo realized that they were already walking on an asphalt pavement and Shi Yan was pushing his bicycle in a direction that he wasnt familiar with, he said, Could I trouble you to send me home? I live at...
...... Shi Yan turned a deaf ear to He Nuos words and ignored him.
Or you could just put me down by the road, I... He Nuo thought that it might have been because his house was a bit far, and Shi Yan would have to walk for about half an hour while pushing his bicycle to reach it so maybe he wasnt willing, hence he wanted Shi Yan to let him down. However, he didnt know why it seemed like he had touched the whiskers of a tiger Shi Yan. Shi Yan stopped walking and turned around, his eyes looked like he wanted to rip him apart with his teeth, so He Nuo stopped talking. He continued to follow Shi Yan as he pushed his bicycle to who knows where.
Shi Yan pushed his bicycle to the front of one of the best buildings in the county, then carefully supported He Nuo down his bike. It was the weekend and everyone had left work, so other than the guards who were on duty in the reception office, the building was empty. Shi Yan supported He Nuo who was leaning on him and walked towards the building. When they pa.s.sed by the small window of the reception office, the person who was inside craned his neck out the window and saw them. Shi Yan simply said Hi! and the guard recognized that he was the son of one of their leaders, so he responded politely and withdrew his head.
When he saw that no one was looking at them, Shi Yan picked He Nuo up in one sweep and strode up the stairs withrge strides. He Nuo was surprised and confused, he was so shocked that he dazedly allowed himself to be carried up to one of the rooms on the third floor. Shi Yan put He Nuo down and let him lean against the wall, then took out a key to open the door. After turning on the lights, Shi Yan bent down and wanted to pick He Nuo up again, but He Nuo had antic.i.p.ated his intention so he quickly shifted to a side and dodged as he waved his hand, No... no need, I can walk by myself.
Shi Yan didnt say anything in response. He went in first and sat down, then looked at the He Nuo who was standing by the door as he waited for him to walk in. He Nuo took a small step forward, and he looked so clumsy that it actually looked funny as he edged his way inside. Shi Yan suddenlyughed, then walked over and didnt provide any exnation as he carried He Nuo, Are you staging the Tortoise and Hare Race y for me? Decided to change profession from a cross-talker to a celebrity? He ced him on thefortable, long sofa and ensured that he was leaning nicely against the couch.
Shi Yan spoke so naturally and smoothly, the shame and anger that he had felt was long gone, and the irritation that had been stifling him from before had also disappeared. He realized that he no longer minded the sphemes and offenses that he insisted He Nuo hadmitted against him.
He Nuo didnt know how many windings and folds there were in Shi Yan heart, so when he heard Shi Yan mention the cross talk again, he helplessly awaited the trouble that was toe C to be brought to this kind of ce, Shi Yan definitely had some ns in ce for him.
Why did you go again?
School wall. Shi Yan impatiently hinted.
It was the day we were supposed to meet. He Nuo thought Shi Yan was the weird one for asking such a question.
Didnt you see that I had applied for a leave of absence in the afternoon?
How would I have seen that? to He Nuo, the stupidity of Shi Yans questions was increasing with each question.
But Shi Yan also thought that he was the one who had met an idiot, a rare idiot whom one would only encounter once in a hundred years. He was so angry he couldnt say a word. Eventually, he couldnt take it and scolded with a raised voice, Do you have the brain of a f.u.c.king pig, didnt I give you medicinest week?
Shi Yan thought that he had already made his intentions very clear, and he even thought that his actions were very concise andprehensive (forgive Shi Yan, he cant straightforwardly use words to express what he wanted to say, so he decided to use his so-called concise andprehensive actions to conceal hints since he couldnt say what he wanted.) Yet, he was driven to madness with anger and green smoke was rising from his head when he heard He Nuos next few words.
I did eat those medicine, thank you.
This conversation where the donkeys lips couldnt match a horses mouth1 was driving Shi Yan crazy. He jumped to the front of the sofa and saw He Nuo immediately tense up. He was vomiting blood as he walked up and down while He Nuos guarded eyes slowly changed into eyes that seemed like he was looking at a lunatic.
Okay, you win! You f.u.c.king win! Listen up, what Laozi means is that my deal with a pig head like you is cancelled! Laozi is bored of ying around with you, and I dont have the time either. You better not f.u.c.king go to the wall again!
1. An idiom meaning that they were talking aboutpletely different things hahaha SYs so done but HNs so cute and blur?
T/N: Is SY....being a tsundere......? ughs maniacally*
Also, do you guys prefer reading the original Chinese idioms? Usually I just change the literal words to its English meanings, its rare that I would trante idioms word for word cuz sometimes it just sounds weird
Chapter 25
Chapter 25
At the start, He Nuo was stunned by Shi Yans jumping about like a madman and his crazy promations, then He Nuo looked at him quietly. Under the watch of his calm gaze, Shi Yans mania was cated, but his chest was still moving up and down rapidly. He couldnt hide the embarra.s.sment on his face as he said in a m.u.f.fled voice, Do you understand!
Un.
Shi Yan slowly supported He Nuo to lie down on the sofa, then closed the blinds. He ced his hands on He Nuos trousers, then that was when He Nuo suddenly realized what he was about to do so he held onto his trousers with a death grip. His face had reddened till it looked like the colour of a sunsets glow. But how could he be strong enough to resist Shi Yan? Yet, Shi Yan didnt resort to force, and instead pressed down on his hands gently, Ill just take a look, to see how serious it is?
No you cant, dont look. He Nuo rejected with no room for negotiation.
I want to look! Unconsciously, Shi Yansmanding tone had resurfaced.
No! He Nuo refused to give way.
Yes!
No way!
Youre not even a f.u.c.king girl, what are you so afraid of? Shi Yan was definitely someone whocks patience.
You cant.
I say I want to look, so Ill look. The Shi Yan who had ran out of patience couldnt hold back anymore, so he resorted to force. He grabbed both of He Nuos hands and pulled them up, then used his other hand to take off his trousers. He Nuo started to struggle and even ignored the pain that arose as a result; he took sharp intakes of breath and his face twisted.
Shi Yan saw how much pain he was in and the hand that was pinning his wrists down couldnt bear to hold them down anymore. He released his vice-like grip, Im not a pervert who wants to look at your thing, its not like I dont have whatever you have.
He Nuos hands that had recovered their freedom quickly pulled on his trousers, then he turned his head and didnt say a word. Shi Yan saw the He Nuo whose neck was tinged with red and gave in, Alright, at most Ill just show you mine too, thats fair right?
He Nuo shut his eyes tight. He felt Shi Yans breath on his face and nervously replied with embarra.s.sment, Who wants to look at you.
Shi Yan was immediately amused, Im the one who wants to look at you. He pressed down on He Nuos hands, If I dont take a look, I wont know what kind of medicine to apply, do you want your precious to be useless?
As he coaxed, he lifted He Nuos hands that were still gripping his trousers, but they were gently pulled off his trousers one finger at a time by Shi Yan. The breeze he felt on his lower body set He Nuos face on fire, and he wanted to dig a hole in the sofa to hide in it very badly.
The little thing between He Nuos legs was intact, the real victim appeared to be the eggy on the right. It was so swollen that it glistened, and it was squeezing the poor egg on the left. Shi Yans hand had just brushed by that ce when He Nuo instinctively grabbed his hand, Dirty, dont.
At this close of a distance there was a kind of stench that had already dispersed when He Nuos underwear was taken off just now. Shi Yans family can be considered to be part of the upper echelon of society, so he didntck cold or hot water shower tools and could take a bath whenever he wanted; but He Nuos family would either go to a public bath to bathe during the weekend, or their whole family would bathe at the same time during one of the weekdays C they had to move fast, because the water was heated on a gas stove. If the weather was hot, they would just use some water to wipe themselves down, whatever it was, during summer He Nuos family would only bathe once a week, whilst during winter they could only bathe once a week or fortnightly. Ever since his body was covered in wounds, bathing and wiping his body had be underground activities that he had to carry out in secret so that his family wouldnt notice. Also, for the He Nuo who had been educated in traditional ways, even washing that ce himself felt shameful so he would hurriedly get it over and done with.
Shi Yan left for awhile, then came back two minutester. He ced a basin of hot water next to He Nuos feet, then took out his handkerchief and dabbed it into the hot water, wrung it, then ced it on the swollen eggy. He waited for He Nuos face to stop looking like an overcooked crab before he started to open up He Nuos legs a bit. Shi Yan then used his hand to lift up the one that was injured. It was only after opening up his legs and lifting the bag that Shi Yan saw the real injury: it was He Nuos groin that was seriously injured. There was a swelling that had grown to be about an inch in height and a frightening, b.l.o.o.d.y gash that extended below the bag, He Nuos right eggy was squeezed up high by the swelling.
Why was he whipped at such an angle? At the same time Shi Yan questioned the position of the wound, he was also d that the most important part wasnt injured.
Lie down for a bit, give me 10 minutes. Shi Yan covered him with a shirt that was hanging on a rack, then locked the door and left. He Nuos head was still buried in the sofa, and even after Shi yan had left for a few minutes, he hadnt gotten over the shame he felt. He obviously knew that there was no one in the room, but he still quietly turned around and looked at his surroundings. This beautiful office should belong to Shi Yans father. He knows that the people who work here are all high-ranking leaders, so it was no wonder that Shi Yan would be as arrogant as he is.
He sat up using the sofas armrest and took his trousers. He lifted the shirt that was covering his lower body and took a look before he shifted his gaze. He hesitated for a bit, then when it looked like he had gathered a sufficient amount of courage, he once again lowered his head to look at the miserable aftermath. It was already much better now. When he was lying on the floor outside the school wall, the heart-wrenching pain he had felt was so horrible that he almost fainted. Because his feet werent lifted high enough, he held his trousers and folded its hems as he wanted to wear them in one go when the sound of keys clinking drifted over apanied by Shi Yans voice, Its me, Shi Yan.
When he opened the door, what Shi Yan saw was this: a He Nuo who was sitting on the sofa with an awkward and fearful expression, one of his hands had grabbed his pants and he was using them to cover his private area. This kind of situation was as hrious as one could think it to be, He Nuo looked like he was caught red-handed while having an affair in bed. Shi Yanughed loudly which shocked He Nuo, and his shock made Shi Yanugh even more. He pointed at He Nuo, You, didnt I ask you, to lie down and wait for me? He Nuo lowered his head and ignored him.
Shi Yan stoppedughing, then he walked over and wanted He Nuo to lie down again. He Nuo yanked away the hand that he had put on his shoulders meant to support him and Shi Yans face changed. He pulled away the pants in He Nuos hands, but when he saw the covered area, his face that had been covered in frost was immediately reced with a gentle expression.
Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Shi Yan opened up a bag that he had brought back, pulled over a small coffee table with wheels, then took out a bunch of stuff andid them out on the table. He Nuo watched as Shi Yan arranged several bottles and cans on the table before pulling over a chair and sitting in front of him. Shi Yan examined the left, then the right of his private area, Its better to sit like this anyway, if you were lying down it wouldnt be easy. Then he went to pull one of He Nuos legs over.
He Nuo used his hands to block him, No.. no need. Im fine.
No need? I brought these things over, then you say theres no need? What are you thinking? And you even said that youre alright, is it your wish to be an eunuch? Idiot. Shi Yan didnt hold back and pushed He Nuos hands aside.
He Nuo couldnt cover up his panic, Ill do it myself.
Why are you so full of nonsense? How are you going to apply it yourself? Go ahead and try, Ill see. Shi Yan leaned back on his chair and uttered impatiently.
He Nuo was being stared to death by Shi Yan who had on a face that said if you wont do it then I will, so he helplessly extended his hand and took some of the stuff on the table to examine them. There was alcohol, ointment and even Yunnan Baiyao1?! Common sense told him that he should apply the alcohol first, but the problem was that he didnt know how he should apply the alcohol. If he wanted to apply it to his injury, he would have to open up his legs and lift the swollen right ball that was covering his thigh. He Nuo would rather die than open up his legs and touch that kind of ce in front of Shi Yan, so after he took a cotton ball and dipped it in alcohol, he looked at Shi Yan with a silly expression. What he meant was that Shi Yan should at least turn around to avoid such a scene.
But Shi Yan had no intention of avoiding anything. He saw that He Nuo wasnt doing anything, so he s.n.a.t.c.hed the cotton ball and pushed him against the couch, Are you even a man! Havent you been to a bathhouse! Dont tell me youve never seen naked guys before!
Shi Yan took the cotton ball and rubbed it on the base of his thigh. The cooling sensation was apanied by the pain inducing effects of the alcohol, so He Nuos body trembled slightly. Shi Yan lifted his head and looked him in the eye, It shouldnt hurt too much, Ill just wipe it a bit.
It really didnt hurt too much, because there wasnt an open wound, so the alcohol wouldnt seep into any opening. It was only when Shi Yans hand touched He Nuos private area then he would shudder. Shi Yan saw that He Nuo had turned his face to one side and privatelyughed at his shyness. He wanted to say something to distract him. Just now he saw that the previous wounds on his legs had not recovered, while new ones were added today, so he asked, Did you use the alcohol I gave you? Or didnt you read the instruction manual?
Alcohol? He Nuos thoughts were all muddled so he couldnt keep up with Shi Yans thoughts.
Medicinal alcohol, I gave it to youst week, dont f.u.c.king tell me you didnt use it!
I, I didnt use it. He felt Shi Yans hands stop moving, then He Nuo added, The smell is too strong, I was afraid that it would attract attention.
f.u.c.k!
The medicine, I ate it. Thank you.
Shi Yan took the chance when He Nuo was speaking to lift his legs up and ced them on his chairs armrests. He Nuos face flushed immediately and he furrowed his delicate eyebrows. But he didnt turn around and allowed Shi Yan to use his hands to separate his ball and thigh. Shi Yan used the cotton ball dipped in alcohol to wipe the area, then applied the ointment cream to the area evenly before opening the Yunnan Baiyao bottle. He poured the powder inside on the wound. After he finished, he looked up and coincidentally met He Nuos eyes who was sneaking a peek, and He Nuos first instinct was to immediately turn his head away, but he turned it back again. He looked at Shi Yan whose face looked akin to that of red clouds and muttered, Un, thanks.
Shi Yan knew that he was extremely embarra.s.sed, so he didnt want to make things too difficult for him and changed the topic, This Yunnan Baiyao is very effective, youll recover quickly after applying it, its my secret weapon. Its simr to the poisonous medicine of the antiaris toxicaria2 you see in wuxia novels, they are both top grade treasures for healing wounds.
Shi Yans nonsense diluted the red glow on He Nuos face and eased the awkward atmosphere. He Nuo felt more at ease, so he wanted to sit up and wear his trousers. Shi Yan put his legs back down on the armrests, This powder needs some time to be absorbed, so lie down for a bit first. Wear your trouserster, or else the powder would stick to your pants and it would be wasted.
He Nuo nodded. Heid back down on the sofa. He still felt ufortable with his lower body stark naked, so he pulled his trousers over and ced his loosely between his legs. Suddenly, he didnt really know what to say, and there really wasnt much inmon between him and Shi Yan. But, Shi Yan had stuff to talk about with him. At the very least, Shi Yan still had questions for him.
How did you injure that area, dont tell me you were stupid enough to open your legs and asked them to whip it? Shi Yan took an ointment cream, This is effective for promoting blood cirction. Then he dug out a mound and applied it on He Nuos leg and started to help him rub it on.
He Nuo wasnt used to his hand swimming about his thigh, so he sat up halfway and wanted to do it himself.
Be a good boy and lie down, dont move around unnecessarily. He was pushed back down by Shi Yan, Speak, who did it?
He didnt hear He Nuos reply, so he looked up, Im the one asking, what dont you dare to say? Shi Yan thought that He Nuo was afraid that they would take revenge so he didnt want to report the perpetrators name. These two peoples thoughts operated inpletely different ways, their lines of thoughts were eighteen thousand miles apart. He Nuo didnt know who was the one who did it at all. After he was beaten down a few times today, there was someone who walked over before he got up (they would usually give him some rest time until he stood back up), he heard the sound of the iron chain and he couldnt help but want to dodge, so a few people immediately came over to restrain him. When he heard the sound of the chain whipping through the air, he instinctively struggled fiercely to get out of their hold. But he didnt know if it was on purpose, or because He Nuo was struggling that the chain had identally whipped that area.
No matter which scenario, He Nuo wouldnt speak of any to Shi Yan. He saw that He Nuo continued to remain silent, so after Shi Yan finished applying the ointment cream in his hand, he walked over to the table and made a call.
I dont want to listen to your rubbish, I just want to know what happened today. Who did it?
Shi Yan hung up the phone, and his eyes that he directed towards He Nuo had a fierce glint of ruthlessness.
1. Yunnan Baiyao (or Yunnan Paiyao; simplified Chinese: ϰҩ; traditional Chinese: ϰˎ; pinyin: Ynnn Biyo; literally: Yunnan White Drug) is a well-known proprietary traditional Chinese medicine marketed and used as a hemostatic with use in both human and veterinary alternative medicine.?
2. Antiaris toxicaria is a tree in the mulberry and fig family, Moraceae. The Chinese of Hainan Ind, refer to the tree as the Poison Arrow Tree (Chinese: ľ; pinyin: Jind M Arrow Poison Wood,) because itstex was smeared on arrowheads in ancient times by the Li people for use in hunting and warfare.?
T/N: Things are gonna start to get interesting (*ި)
Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Shi Yan looked like a lion whose whole body of hair had suddenly stood on its ends, his anger was so obvious that He Nuo couldnt overlook it. But He Nuo wasnt nervous, or worried. Every time Shi Yan looked this fierce or talked to him in a cold manner were times when he wouldnt really harm He Nuo; it was actually the contrary, when he had on a rxed smile on his face that looked devoid of malice that he had a stomach full of evil water. Right now, more or less He Nuo understood that Shi Yan was the type who couldnt bring across his good intentions in a nice way. He saw Shi Yan pick up a cup of warm water and some tablets, then he walked over looking like a devil, Eat this!
After he ate the medicine and gave his thanks, He Nuo looked at the clock hanging on the wall. He couldnt return home toote, so he decided to wear his trousers. Shi Yan took out a sealed stic bag from his bag and threw it over, Wear this.
? He Nuo picked it up to take a look, and saw that it was a new piece of underwear. He was embarra.s.sed, I dont want this, Ill wear back my old one.
Its new, whats there to dislike?
For the past several years, He Nuo had always reused his brothers old underwear. Recently, he would cut up pants that he had grown out of and sew the sides to use them as underwear, so of course it wasnt that he disliked what Shi Yan had bought. But if he epted others gifts, he would feel like he owed them a debt and that thought made him ufortable, especially when the favour came from someone like Shi Yan whom he couldnt afford to repay.
Thats, thats not what I meant. He Nuo stuttered a bit as he didnt know how to exin himself. In the end, he still decided to rewear his old underwear.
Shi Yan s.n.a.t.c.hed his underwear over, threw it away, and tore open the stic bag he brought, Yours is so tattered and small, is itfortable to strangle that area! No wonder your little fes so small. This piece is mine, once you wear it your little fe will definitely grow bigger. And coincidentally, its better for you to wear looser underwear for now. He took out the underwear and pa.s.sed it to He Nuo, thetter was embarra.s.sed to death by his words and refused to take it.
What? Do you want Laozi to personally clothe you? Then Ill do it. As he spoke, Shi Yan stayed true to his words and squatted down.
He Nuo quickly s.n.a.t.c.hed the underwear and he didnt dare to look at Shi Yan as he wore it himself. But it was still a bit inconvenient for him, so halfway through Shi Yan had to help him before he could finish wearing his trousers. Shi Yan stood up and put some medicine into He Nuos bag, When you go back read the instruction manual yourself, instructions for usage are written there.
Un, thank you.
Shi Yan sent He Nuo home on his bicycle. He Nuo asked Shi Yan to drop him off before a row of single-storey buildings, then he would walk the rest of the way himself. Shi Yan ensured that the lone, skinny figure went through his house door before he left.
On Monday after school, He Nuo didnt immediately pick up his bag and leave as usual. His walking posture was still a little weird, and he could only take small steps, so he wanted to wait for the crowd to disperse before leaving. But the moment he left his .s.sroom, he saw that a few of Shi Yans buddies hadnt left and his heart immediately jumped in fright while his nerves were highly strung. When he saw one of them walk towards him, he had to force himself to stand rooted and not take a step back. When that guy walked over, he put his arm around He Nuos shoulder, Hey, bro, the other day our joke was a bit over the top but it was an ident, so we hope you wont mind it.
He Nuos heart was filled with ten thousand points of shock, but he remained expressionless. Or rather, there was just too much going through his head and he didnt know what to say.
That guy continued, And also, why didnt you tell us that youve already buried the hatchet with Third Brother? Well, I guess it takes a fight for people to know one another, from now on were all brothers so dont dwell on our past grievances, okay? He patted He Nuo, then the whole group left.
He Nuo was befuddled, but at least he understood that Shi Yan should be the Third Brother he spoke of. He shook his head, who would want to be brothers with them, he could barely wait to run away and hide from them. As long as there was no from now on, naturally there wouldnt be a ce where he could gather with them anymore. From now on, he really has to leave as far away from those gue G.o.ds as possible.
He Nuo had just left the teaching building when he saw one of the gue G.o.ds standing before him C Shi Yan.
Shi Yan looked at him and raised his eyebrows, Why are you so slow, did you crawl your way out here?
? He Nuo didnt mind his usual dog mouth, Youre looking for me?
Of course you idiot, hurry and get on. He patted the backseat of his bike.
Oh, its okay, thank you. Im much better.
Do you want me to grab you again! Why are you always so f.u.c.king difficult to deal with. Shi Yan straddled his bike with one leg, Im not a very patient person, hurry and get on!
He Nuo got on the bike, then Shi Yan began to cycle. Along the way, neither of them spoke. The day before yesterday was He Nuos first time being fetched around on a bicycle. When they reached the row of single-storey buildings, He Nuo got down and thanked Shi Yan, then asked, How much was the underwear?
Shi Yan was taken aback, then scolded, Are you f.u.c.king crazy! Then turned around and left.
From then on, Shi Yan not only fetched him home after school, but also to school. The next day morning when He Nuo left his house to go to school, Shi Yan was waiting for him at the head of the row of houses where he had dropped him off. He Nuo had already learnt to not bother arguing with him, so he silently sat at the back. But there was barely any conversation between the two, because deep down, He Nuo was resistant to interacting with Shi Yan so he purposefully kept his distance.
Because of this simple fetching about, He Nuo became increasingly conspicuous in school. Shi Yan was the schools so-called idol, even someone as oblivious to gossip as He Nuo knew that he was somewhat of a celebrity, but he never really understood how popr this idol was, or how much this idol was worshipped and sought after. He Nuo had witnessed this persons most horrible side, but most students in school were still blinded by his gentlemanly, handsome appearance.
What He Nuo didnt know was: the backseat of Shi Yans bicycle was a holy ground fought over ferociously by the female soldiers in school. Now that it had be the nest of one boy, how could it not attract peoples attention? So recently, he realised that there were a few extra heads of random girls peeking around at the entrance of his .s.sroom. Its not that he was oversensitive, but that the girls were really just too obvious with their intentions C they were there to see him. Also, the students in his .s.s were starting to talk to him and take the initiative to get close to him. To He Nuo, this was definitely troubling. Putting aside how he doesnt like to be noticed by others, he was more bothered by how they were sizing him up with their eyes.
Chapter 28
Chapter 28
Two weekster, He Nuo told Shi Yan that he had fully recovered and could move about freely, so he didnt need to trouble him further with all the fetching around. He Nuos thank you had not even left his mouth when Shi Yan turned around and left. As he looked at the silhouette on the bike disappear into the night, He Nuo felt conflicted. He Nuo was not the type who didnt know how to repay others goodwill, contrarily, hes the best at remembering the good others had done for him. Even though he knew clearly what kind of person Shi Yan was, his evil tyrant image had vanished in a puff of smoke, and He Nuo had carved into his heart how much Shi Yan had helped and taken care of him.
He Nuo didnt have anything he could give to Shi Yan in return, so he took upon all the cleaning duties that were avable and rushed to finish them before Shi Yan arrived. When he saw Shi Yan, he would offer a simple Hi! as a greeting.
Just like this, they ushered in the final examination of their second year of high school. After this examination, students would have to fill in their application forms for either the liberal arts or science .s.ses, then the school would sort them into their .s.ses depending on their results. Third year would have five science .s.ses and one liberal arts .s.s. Since there was only one liberal arts .s.s, students didnt need to be sorted, but the five science .s.ses are categorised based on results. If ones results were better, they would enter the front .s.ses like .s.s one and .s.s two, and the teachers a.s.signed to these .s.ses would be the veterans who have many years of experience under their belt in supervising students preparing for the National College Entrance Examination1. Thus, this examination is rather important.
The usual, orderly seating arrangement of the .s.s was disrupted and in everyones hands was a number they needed to use to find their new seat. When He Nuo walked to the seat with his number, there was already someone sitting there. He looked at the number that he had recorded again (Laoshi informed them during .s.s and students had to record their numbers by themselves), and after he confirmed that it was his number, he told the student that he had sat at the wrong seat. This student gave He Nuo a number and told him which .s.sroom it was in, then asked him to go to another .s.sroom to take the test. He Nuo didnt think that it was too much trouble, so he agreed.
But in the end, He Nuo was called by the teacher after he handed in his paper. The student who had switched seats with him was caught colluding with the student sitting in front of him to cheat on the test, and in order to reduce the severity of their punishment, they insisted in unison that He Nuo was the one who had requested a change of seats. He Nuos parents C his father, was called over. We wont mention how this matter was resolved in school, but when He Nuo returned home he couldnt avoid the fury of the belt. The next day, Shi Yan saw that He Nuos left cheek had a suspicious-looking mark that couldnt be hidden even if one tried, and before he knew what had happened he thought that it was his buddies who had done it. After some questioning, it didnt take long for him to find out exactly what had happened.
On the third day after thest paper, the students had to return to their .s.ses to retrieve the forms for their third year .s.ses, go home and fill in the required information, get it signed, then hand it back in school. Once their results were out, the sorting of the .s.ses would then be done. This was beneficial for the students to properly n out their study schedules for the uing holidays.
He Nuo had also returned to his .s.sroom and was sitting at his seat. His form teacher was no longer responsible for his .s.s, so the .s.s monitor was handing out the forms. Suddenly, the students who were sitting by the windows all stood up, and the students sitting elsewhere started to gather by the windows.
Theyre fighting! Theyre fighting.....one of them looks like Shi Yan?
After a moment of exmations and crowded pandemonium, the students who couldnt see opened the .s.sroom door and dashed down the stairs. At the same time, the students from other .s.ses had also realised what was happening downstairs and were all rushing over like a horde of bees. The .s.sroom immediately quietened down, and only a few didnt walk over to the windows to look.
Its really Shi Yan!
He can fight?!
He Nuo eventually lost to the beckoning in his heart, and slowly walked over to the windows. From a distance, he could see that a crowd had already gathered at the field, how could he see where Shi Yan was? His heart felt conflicted. He would definitely not think that Shi Yan was the one on the losing end, he was worried for the one Shi Yan was bullying, he didnt know what kind of person would anger this evil tyrant and have the guts to expose themselves.
He should just return to his seat ba, then wait for the .s.s monitor to return and continue handing out the forms. The .s.s monitor didnt leave in hopes of stopping the evil tyrant, that would be overestimating himself. To get Shi Yan to drop his princely act and go crazy within the school...it wasnt a matter that could be resolved by a mere .s.s monitor. He Nuo was in the process of pitying the .s.s monitor when his .s.sroom door was kicked open. His .s.smate w.a.n.g Feng and Shi Yans two other buddies came in, took a quick nce and their sights fell on He Nuo, I knew you wouldnt go down.
He Nuo stared at them silently.
The guys who came in grabbed He Nuo and started dragging him out of the .s.sroom, Hurry up, Shi Yans fighting!
He Nuo was dragged downstairs, their .s.sroom was on the fourth floor, and it was only when they reached the first floor that He Nuo reacted and grabbed the stairs handrails to resist. w.a.n.g Feng felt his body stop, took one look at his hand and said anxiously, Hes fighting because of you and you still dont want to go? Do you want him to cripple them?
His words were like an earthquake that shocked He Nuo so much his head felt dizzy, what does Shi Yan fighting have anything to do with him, isnt Shi Yan just a bandit! He Nuo sulked, What does him fighting have to do with me. He turned around and wanted to return to his .s.sroom. Just as he prepared to take a step, his wrist was grabbed with a strong force, If you dont go, who else can persuade him to stop?
They had three people; two of them stood on both of He Nuos sides, hauled him, and ran to the field. After they ran to the middle of the crowd, one of them cleared his throat and shouted, Get lost, all of you get lost!
This group of people were all part of the evil tyrants gang, so everyone naturally backed away and created a path for them. When He Nuo was dragged all the way to the center of the conflict, what he saw was Shi Yans other buddies holding him back, Stop, youve done enough.
Theyve already apologised too, didnt they say they didnt know?
The evil tyrant was clutching the cor of the unlucky guy whose face was full of blood and looked like he could open a sauce vat shop, f.u.c.k you! How dare you touch one of my people! There was another guy lying on a side who didnt look any better off.
Shi Yan. w.a.n.g Feng called him, then pushed He Nuo forward.
1. The National College Entrance Examination,monly known as Gaokao, is an academic examination held annually in the Peoples Republic of China. This examination is a prerequisite for entrance into almost all higher education inst.i.tutions at the undergraduate level.?
T/N: LOL..... I love how they offered HN like some sacrificial offering
*SY goes crazy*
Peasants: Lord please ept our humble offering
HN: ??? What does him going crazy have to do with me
SY: Offering epted
Chapter 29
Chapter 29
When He Nuo was pushed forward, he knocked into Shi Yans back. Shi Yan thought it was someone who was trying to stop the fight so he didnt even turn his head to look as he elbowed the person behind him. He Nuo stifled a pained moan as he stepped back.
He Nuo. w.a.n.g Feng supported him.
When Shi Yan heard him he quickly turned around, saw the w.a.n.g Feng who supported He Nuo and reproached, You brought him here? What did you bring him here for?
Shi Yan extended his hand to support He Nuo, but He Nuo avoided it. Avoided was a nice way to put it, his hand was actually flung off.
Shi Yans face looked livid, and his gaze turned gloomy. The crowd who was surrounding them, and even Shi Yans friends, had be nervous. But He Nuo, seemingly oblivious, walked over to the two unlucky guys and helped one of them up.
Sorry for framing you, we will exin everything to the teacher, please let us go. The guy whose eyes had turned into a slit was still summoning all his strength to utter apologies and beg for mercy. The guy at his side was also saying muddled sorrys.
He Nuo looked at their sorry figures and terrible faces, looked up and coldly asked Shi Yan, Are you done?
Their surroundings instantaneously turned eerily quiet, the crowd was agasp, and it was only after asphyxiation started to creep in that indistinct intakes of breaths were heard.
Shi Yan clenched his fists and his gazended upon that delicate neck, he was using all of his self-control to stop himself from running up to that neck and strangling it. He Nuo stubbornly weed his icy gaze, he was inexplicably angry. Shi Yan released the cor he was holding and left, the crowd automatically parted to make a path for his exit.
With this one fight, Shi Yan and He Nuo became famous overnight. Shi Yan originally already had a good reputation, but with this it was taken a notch higher. The usually confident, easy-going and elegant Shi Yan actually started a fight, and even spouted such unsophisticated vulgarities C he had greeted the other partys mother1. The funny thing was that this incident that had made the crowd trip over their toes also made them admire Shi Yans arrogance and domineering att.i.tude, and how he had loyally protected his own people. His att.i.tude and actions were perfectly in line with the heroes and idols found in the romantic dreams of teenage boys and girls. For a long while after this incident, students would still happily discuss the battle that had urred that day, and the lucky ones who had witnessed the scene described Shi Yan as someone who had rushed to the crown in a fit of anger2.
He Nuo wasnt one of the protagonists involved in the fight, but his limelight was brighter than any one of them. Many were curious about how two people who were as different as light and day like Shi Yan and He Nuo could form a brotherly bond under everyones noses. The He Nuo who had made Shi Yan do so much for him became the center of attention, and also the object of everyones envy.
But what about the two whose fame had shaken the earth? He Nuo, who had been reduced to being students after school gossip fodder, only thought that Shi Yans actions were a disgrace and harboured a belly full of gloom. Now, wherever he went, people would pay attention to his every gesture and their peeping gazes followed him relentlessly. Also, Shi Yans buddies actually started to say h.e.l.lo when they met him, which made him very ufortable. If it wasnt because he has had a forbearing personality ever since he was a child, he would have exploded in anger a long time ago. Luckily, he only needed to bear with all this for a few more days before the start of summer holidays. He Nuo looked forward to the holiday when his life would regain its peace.
Today was the day they had to hand in their forms for the division of .s.ses. The Shi Yan who had not spared He Nuo a single nce ever since the day of the fight walked over, What did you choose?
He Nuo unconsciously ced his hand on his form and saw that in Shi Yans hand was his filled-out form with his parents signature. He Nuo guessed that someone like Shi Yan would choose science, so he answered, Science.
Shi Yan took the pen on He Nuos table and wrote the big word Science in the Choice column, flicked his own form, took a few steps with his signature duck step 3 before turning around, You actually chose science? I thought Id have to fall to the point where Id need to memorize oracle bone inscriptions4.
He Nuo wanted to choose arts, because he had superb memory. But his brothers who attended university had all chosen science, and his parents stubbornly believed in the phrase learn your math and sciences well, and you can walk all over the world, so they asked him to choose science. If there wasnt such a chance encounter with Shi Yan, He Nuo would have probably epted it. But now, he looked at the form in his hand with a hesitant look. Eventually, he took out his eraser, carefully erased the word science and wrote down his own choice.
Three dayster, the students went to school to see which .s.s they had been allocated. At the same time, it meant that their summer holidays had officially began. He Nuo wasnt worried about his family finding out at all, because no one would know which .s.s he was in, much less that he was in the arts .s.s. The source of his secret worry was Shi Yan; from his att.i.tude it seemed like Shi Yan wanted to be in the same .s.s as him, which is coincidentally an oue that He Nuo was avoiding like the gue. Even though his heart remembers what Shi Yan had done for him, He Nuo also believed that the two of them who walked different paths could not make ns together.
If Shi Yan knew that he had lied to him, he didnt know what he should do. But when he looked at it from another perspective, even if both of them had registered for the science .s.ses, it wasnt possible for them to be in the same .s.s. The sorting of .s.ses depended on results, and Shi Yans results couldnt be considered good at all. He Nuos innocence once again made him forget that rules in this world were only absolute tomoners and the general public; when it came to people from the privileged social .s.ses, rules were always rtive, flexible. Shi Yan had already told his family long ago that he wanted to be in .s.s two after he took He Nuos grades into ount.
Shi Yan hadplete confidence in the allocation of .s.ses, so he didnt go to school to look at the results. Firstly, someone had already called his parents to inform them of the .s.s allocation results; secondly, his father was going on a business trip, so he brought Shi Yan along on a holiday at public expense. So, He Nuos worry was all for naught, he didnt know that Shi Yan didnt go to school to look at the .s.s allocation results, he just thought that he was oversensitive and had misunderstood Shi Yan.
1. In the previous chapter, when Shi Yan said f.u.c.k you to the guy he actually said f.u.c.k your mother... and insulting ones kin is considered very rude in Chinese culture. But f.u.c.k your mother sounded strange to me ;-;?
2. This phrase actually means getting extremely angry...for a beautiful woman LOL but the phrase cut out the beautiful woman part. Authors note: I wont go into detail about what had actually happened that year, but I will say this: what actually happened then was that Shi Yan arranged for people to guard the stairs at every floor, kicked open the doors of every .s.sroom (including the ones with teachers in it) and nabbed the two unlucky idiots. He then dragged them out of the teaching building and taught them a lesson. C> Author is talking about what the lucky ones had witnessed and why people are so amazed at how much Shi Yan had done for He Nuo LOL..... and why He Nuo seemed like the damsel Shi Yan was saving I a.s.sume??
3. Authors note: Wont describe it, but Shi Yans gait is different from other people, and one would be able to notice it even within a crowd filled with tens of thousands of people. Apparently his gait is quite simr to Xu Fei of Super Girl. (T/N: Super Girl is a Chinese Singing contest..........idk how she walks)?
4. Oracle bone script (Chinese: ) was the form of Chinese characters used on oracle bonesanimal bones or turtle strons used in pyromantic divinationin thete 2nd millennium BCE, and is the earliest known form of Chinese writing. T/N: Shi Yan is basically saying that he thought He Nuo would choose arts = he would choose arts = he would need to memorise a ton of...stuff like the average arts student would need to?
Chapter 30
Chapter 30
The He Nuo who had just started his holiday didnt have time to rx, he had a new job C to babysit. His eldest brothers son was already three years old. Usually, he would be sent to a nursery, but since He Nuo was having his holidays, his nephew was sent back home for He Nuo to babysit in order to save a months worth of nursery fees. They cant help it, his eldest brother and eldest sister-inw didnt have very high ies, so they had to scrimp and save whenever they could.
Luckily, He Nuo didnt think of babysitting as a ch.o.r.e, his nephew was extremely fond of him because this uncle of his would tell him many stories and was never fierce towards him. A childs innocent heart is actually the most sensitive, they had noplex emotions, so they could clearly discern peoples true and hypocritical faces. Every morning, He Nuo would go to his eldest brothers house to bring him to his house, then fetch him back home after dinner.
The Shi Yan who had gone with his father to Hai Nan to y for awhile had returned. He had bathed enough in the sea and his body was glowing like the sun. He had just gotten home when he received a call from those sworn brothers of his, they invited him out for a gathering the next day. Shi Yan opened his luggage, inside his luggageid a pile of local specialties from Hai Nan. There were all kinds of food and toys as he rummaged through them. He carefully took out a bag that was wrapped up tightly, then unwrapped theyers of protective bubble wrap around it, and what appeared before his eyes was a beautiful, wless conch sh.e.l.l.
The conch sh.e.l.l was about the size of Shi Yans hand. Underneath the light, it shone with a pearl-like l.u.s.tre. The entire conch was pure white, and its body was covered in wavy ripples that were formed from the continuous bombardment of the ocean waves. The moment Shi Yan saw this thousandyer buddhas hand conch1, he immediately thought of one person, and thought that that person was verypatible with the conch. Shi Yan opened the conch sh.e.l.l, then picked out some coconut sweets, coconut chips and coconut silk to ce in the conch.
This conch sh.e.l.l had already been ced on the table for a few days, and Shi Yan was currently looking at it with a headache as he thought of how he could send it out. Go and find him directly? Shi Yan wasnt an idiot, He Nuo isnt like the others who think of being friends with himself as an honour, that guy doesnt even want to have any form of contact with him. The way He Nuo treats him couldnt even be thought of as a calm friendship between gentlemen2. But in a spur of the moment, he bought it in Hai Nan without considering whether or not the other party would ept it. Shi Yan rarely took the initiative to give other people presents, usually he was on the receiving end. If he was the one giving the present, others would even fight over it; but he wasnt confident when it came to He Nuo, that guy could actually reject him tantly in the face with no room for discussion.
Shi Yan jumped out of bed, grabbed the conch sh.e.l.l and left. f.u.c.k it, Laozi isnt so cheap, I have better things to do. Shi Yan indignantly hopped on his bicycle and nned to go find the girl who had recently been hara.s.sing him frequently over the phone. But as he cycled and cycled, he turned into another street. When he reached that row of single-storey houses, he got off his bike and was about to knock when he lifted his head and saw that person walking over.
He Nuo had sent his nephew back and was on his way home, he was also surprised to see Shi Yan in front of his house.
You came to find me?
You dont say? Take this! Shi Yan tried to use his rough att.i.tude to cover up his difort as he handed the present in his hands over.
Whats this? He Nuo didnt take it and asked Shi Yan a question instead.
I brought it back from Hai Nan.
Thank you, I dont want it.
This was exactly what Shi Yan had expected, or rather what he had known would happen. Shi Yan didnt really feel like ring up. He shrugged as the edges of his mouth twitched, Up to you, if you dont like it then throw it away. He stuffed his present into He Nuos arms, got on his bike and left.
He Nuo didnt understand what was up with Shi Yan? Why would he give him a present?!
He didnt know where Shi Yan lived either, so he carefully set aside his nicely packaged present, and thought that he would return it to Shi Yan when the new school term starts.
During the weekend, He Nuos whole family (his brothers who were studying in university had also returned) took turns to bathe, He Nuo was at the end of the queue. The gas tank was empty, so he took half of his bath with hot water, and the other half with cold water. As a result, it hadnt even been two hours when he had to make several trips to the toilet while sneezing non-stop C his symptoms of frequent urination and blood urine had appeared again. In the hot summer, He Nuos tears and snot was wreaking havoc on him together, he had actuallye down with a cold and fever.
He Nuo ate some flu medication he found in his home, and even took out the Yunnan Baiyao and other anti-inmmatory medicine that Shi Yan had given him in the middle of the night. In any case, he had just eaten any medicine that he thought could help. He knew that medicine was also partly poisonous, but when he was faced with the kind of pain that made him wish he were dead, he couldnt care about anything else anymore. As long as he didnt have to endure the pain in his urethra or the heat of his 40 degree fever, he was even willing to align himself with the revolutionary martyrs.
A night of torment pa.s.sed, He Nuo had been drenched in cold sweat throughout. But luckily, even though he still had to go to the toilet non-stop, his urine was no longer red in colour, so the acute pain that he had felt would dull. For the He Nuo who was used to tolerance, this kind of pain was nothing to him.
In the morning, he still went to fetch his nephew, then brought his nephew back after dinner. He had just left his house when he saw Shi Yan. Originally, Shi Yan wanted to see if He Nuo liked his thousandyer buddhas hand conch gift. However, what he saw was a He Nuo whose face was slightly flushed and was sneezing relentlessly. When he saw that He Nuo still wanted to send the kid back, Shi Yan carried the kid onto his bike and apanied He Nuo to his destination.
He Nuo barely got a wink of sleep the night before, and today he had to take care of his little nephew. Right now, he really felt weak, his whole body felt like copsing and his legs were unstable. So he could only follow along at a side, he didnt have the energy to y with his nephew. On the other hand, Shi Yan actually managed a conversation with the little guy the whole way, and often teased the little one into giggling. Meanwhile, He Nuo constantly blew his nose and sneezed at the back. Shi Yan would turn around once in awhile and look at He Nuo with a frown.
1. Buddhas hand: The author had provided a picture of the conch sh.e.l.l somewhere...but I cant find it ;-;?
2. Ok so this was a Chinese phrase that described the friendship between two gentlemen whom didnt need much talk with each other to know that they were friends. Imagine two schrly-looking guys with friendship that was as calm as ake, like they didnt need to interact much to be considered friends. But to Shi Yan right now their friendship couldnt even bepared to that LOL He Nuos just like not talking to him cuz he doesnt even wanna be friends :)))?
Chapter 31
Chapter 31
On the way back, when he saw He Nuos nose that had turned red from rubbing it too much, Shi Yan handed his handkerchief over, Youre really something you know, its summer and you actually managed to get a cold and fever.
He Nuo epted the handkerchief, but when his snot dripped down his face he still wiped it away with the neatly folded tissues that he took out from his pocket.
Use the handkerchief!
(Itll be) covered in snot.
Youll just need to wash it clean for me then, didnt I use it to wipe you off before anyway? Oh right, if I hadnt mentioned it I wouldve been letting you off easy,st time I was the one who washed the handkerchief.
...... He Nuos face was originally tinged with a pink flush from his fever, but now he had turned bright red. He was speechless. That day at the office...is a day he didnt dare to recall. Even the new set of underwear that Shi Yan had given him C after he had washed it clean and folded it C was never worn again, because his heart was inexplicably ufortable with the thought.
Get on, Ill fetch you back. Youre so slow that it doesnt even look like youre moving.
Have you taken any medication? Youre down with a summer cold, its different from the winter kind1. Shi Yan continued cycling as he asked the He Nuo who was sitting at the back.
Ive eaten. Im alright now. Thank you.
Eaten what?
Paracetamol, Ganmaotong2 and the anti-inmmatory medicine you gave me.
Idiot! What kind of lousy medicine are those.
He Nuo stopped talking, there was nothing he could say in reply.
When they reached He Nuos house, Sleep earlier tonight, drink more warm water.
O3. Thank you. He Nuo said goodbye before he went in. He was feeling dizzy and really wanted to sleep.
Shi Yan needed to cycle about 15 minutes to get back home. In the hot summer, the moment you moved your whole body would sweat. When Shi Yan got home he went to bathe immediately, then he lied on his bed andfortably basked in the cool wind blowing from his fan. He suddenly wondered if He Nuo had fallen sick from sitting directly in front of a fan to cool down. That guys so skinny, no wonder his body is so delicate. Shi Yan jumped up to the front of his desk, pulled out one of its drawers and took out two sealed boxes that he threw onto his bed. Then he went out into the living room and rummaged through more drawers.
In the afternoon, the little nephew was taking his afternoon nap. He Nuo went to wash the clothes that had piled up because he was too sick to doundry. When he was hanging up the clothes to dry on the ropes in his courtyard, someone knocked on the door C it was Shi Yan carrying a stic bag. He Nuo had never been visited by a .s.smate before, so He Nuo didnt think of inviting him in and only stood at the door to ask, Whats wrong?
What the heck, dont you know you should invite me in?
Oh, He Nuo was at a loss as he opened the door, pleasee in.
Shi Yan magnanimously stepped into the courtyard, looked at the clothes that were drying, then saw that there were two doors. Shi Yan asked, Where do you stay?
There. He Nuo pointed to the right. Shi Yan immediately walked in. He Nuo was stunned, but quickly followed. Other than the living room at the front, there were two rooms at the back, one was bigger than the other. The bigger room belonged to his twin brothers, but currently they were at their maternal grandmothers ce to y. Usually they would stay there for half the holidays, so He Nuo put his little nephew into his brothers room to sleep. He Nuo brought Shi Yan into his own small room.
Shi Yan scrutinised He Nuos room. Honestly, he was very curious about He Nuo. Usually, he could tell that his family wasnt very financially sound from his dressing, but he couldnt have imagined that his room would be so simple. One bed one table one chair and one dresser, and they were all rather ancient. At this time, Shi Yans good upbringing prevented him from showing any signs of his joy, and he looked like he was just taking a nce around the room normally.
He Nuo went to pour a cup of cold water for Shi Yan. Shi Yan had pulled out the chair from underneath the table to sit on by himself, so He Nuo sat on the bed. Drafts could be felt from the front and back of the room, even though its hot in the day, it shouldnt be too bad at night. There isnt a single electric fan in sight, how did this guy even catch a cold?
Even though this was He Nuos home, he wasnt as carefree as Shi Yan. He had never hosted a .s.smate or a friend before, so he didnt know what to say. Shi Yan was the first to break their stalemate, I brought you some stuff. Who asked you to be this delicate, falling sick so easily. He opened up his stic bag and took some things out, Eat these on time! I guarantee that after eating these youll grow some meat on your bones.
It was two boxes of Royal Jelly and two boxes of Apollos oral liquid. He Nuo doesnt know what they are, but from their packaging he could tell that it wasnt medicine.
Thank you, I dont want it. He Nuo recalled that there was still that item, so he opened up his drawer, and took out the package that hadnt been open to return to Shi Yan, This belongs to you too.
Shi Yan saw that his package hadnt even been opened yet, so the fire in his heart began to rise and his voice became much lower, Didnt I tell you, if you dont want it then throw it away?
He Nuo knew that Shi Yan didnt have any malicious intentions when he gave him this gift, but it wasnt good for their friendship to be so one-sided. He Nuo had always been the one on the receiving end, and he had already received a lot of gifts, yet he didnt have anything to give Shi Yan in return. So he hoped that Shi Yan wouldnt misunderstand his rejection as hostility, Ive taken too much from you, and youve spent so much money, I cant take any more.
What money? Who did you say spent money? Shi Yan replied aggressively, but the anger he was repressing had subsided quite a bit. So the rejection was because of this.
He Nuo pointed towards the four boxes, Even if you had taken these from your house, they cost money to buy. He Nuo suddenly wondered if Shi Yan had obtained his parents permission to take these things out of his house, and whether he would be scolded for doing so.
Youre really dumb, how are you so clueless. These were all given to us by the hospital, theyre reimburs.e.m.e.nts, I still have tons of them at home. They were given to us in boxes.
?! He Nuo didnt know anything, These are medicine?
Of course not, what kind of family have you seen that opens medicine in boxes, how much do you intend to eat? Shi Yan couldnt help butugh at his silly question, Anyway, these are good for your body, and it doesnt cost anything, not even a single cent. Now can you eat them in peace?
Shi Yan casually opened one of the boxes, took out a small bottle and inserted a straw for him, Drink!
He Nuo took the bottle and looked at it. Shi Yan said, Its sweet, you think Ill give you a bitter one as a trap?
He Nuo carefully took a sip, it really was sweet, I still need to thank you.
Shi Yan smiled, then nonchntly waved his hand, Arent you sick of it, those are the two words that youve said to me most. Dont you know how to say something else?
Something else? He Nuo really couldnt think of anything, Oh, whats this? He took the package that Shi Yan had given him.
Take a look, youll definitely like it.
You didnt spend any money on this either?
Shi Yans face was full of ck lines, he said dispiritedly, I didnt spend anything, I picked it up!
Originally Shi Yan had said that in a moment of spite, but He Nuo had coincidentally opened the package at the same time and saw the conch sh.e.l.l. His two eyes immediately widened in glee, Its so pretty, where did you pick it up from?
1. Chinese people believe that there are two types of cold: a hot cold and a cold cold (directly tranted). Hot colds result when you eat/drink heaty things which causes a throat inmmation; cold colds ur when the weather turns chilly and you didnt keep warm enough. ?
2. ?
3. The O sound has two meanings: 1. Oh? as in surprise or Oh as in I see. 2. O eg. when your teacher asks you to do homework and you reply O in acknowledgement. Which is like Orz but making HN say Orz sounded weird so I left it as O?
T/N: Shi Yan has taken a rock and smashed his own foot with it
Chapter 32
Chapter 32
He Nuo wanted to take it out but he was afraid that he would break it, so he kept the protective bubble wrap on as he carefully held it in his hands and admired its every nook and cranny. Other than going to the vige for a year, He Nuo had never left the county, so of course he wouldnt have seen the sea either. When he saw such an exquisitely crafted conch sh.e.l.l, he couldnt help but marvel in his heart and wonder how spectacr and beautiful the sea is. He really wanted to see it!
Did you pick this conch sh.e.l.l up while swimming? Are there a lot of sh.e.l.ls on the beach too? Did you pick up a lot? He Nuo unwilling looked away to ask Shi Yan.
When he saw He Nuos loving expression as he held the thousandyer buddhas hand conch, Shi Yan suddenly felt dispirited. He knew why he thought of He Nuo the moment he saw this conch, it was because they were the same C both of them exhibited the same purity of being isted from the world.
When he had requested for an additional meeting outside the school walls, Shi Yan originally had two ns beforehand. ording to his first n, He Nuo should haveined that it hadnt even been two weeks and would be worried that he wanted to change their agreement, then He Nuo would beg him to maintain the status quo. If that was what had happened, Shi Yan had nned to let him off, then give him the medicine and end their agreement. Afterall, he had no interest in bullying the weak. However, if He Nuo had continued to ignore him like before, then he would educate him until He Nuo acknowledged himself. He Nuos att.i.tude after he had been exposed during their physical education .s.s angered Shi Yan a lot. It thoroughly made him feel He Nuos insubordination, so Shi Yan stubbornly wanted He Nuo to yield to him.
However, when He Nuo showed up, he had just quietly put his school bag down, then sat at a side to wait for the rest of the gang toe. If Shi Yan wasnt the mastermind, he wouldnt have thought that He Nuo was there to be a human sandbag. That person had just calmly and peacefully sat down while he looked at the fields, like he didnt know what was going to happen next.
This calmnesssted until Shi Yan realised that he was cheating their hits with his thickyers of clothing. But what shook Shi Yan was: He Nuo didnt try to exin, nor did he try to beg for forgiveness, instead he was only ashamed of his insignificant self-protection tactic. He expressed his apology by removing his pitiful, protective clothing. Shi Yan had to repeatedly confirm that the emotion expressed in He Nuos eyes was shame, and not fear. He couldnt have imagined that there would be this kind of person C what kind of situation would force this kind of person to this point? Did he only think of how he didnt properly fulfill their unreasonable agreement? How could someone so pure-hearted exist in this world?
He started to recall, from the moment they had set up their dates, He Nuo had never tried to sneak out of it. He wouldnt beg, and wouldnt act, he would just show up punctually at their meeting ce once every two weeks. Whenever his buddies started their rounds, they would usually end their turn once He Nuo falls to the ground, so if he was smart enough he could have fallen to the ground earlier than usual and no one would notice or bother him about it. Then, he would have had to suffer a lot fewer punches and kicks. However, He Nuo would always fell only when he had reached his limit. Other than his asional groans, most of the time he stayed silent. When the ces where he was. .h.i.t hurt, he would at most press down on it for a bit before standing up again.
Within a moment, Shi Yan suddenly understood that He Nuo had never tried to challenge or despise others; whatever he had done, all of his reactions hade from his sincere heart. Shi Yan no longer searched for the answer to his insubordination, and in the following days after that, whenever he thought about that body, there would be an unknown turmoil in his heart. Shi Yan realised that he could no longer bear to see any more wounds on this body; he almost severed ties with his buddies because of what they had done; and he had relentlessly pursued the culprits when he found out about what He Nuos parents had done to him.
And just like now, Shi Yan was still angry at He Nuos stupidity just a moment ago so he told them that all the tonics were bought at public expense C and yet He Nuo didnt doubt him at all; but the truth was that even though the Apollos oral liquid dide from public expense, only families of high status could obtain it from the hospitals prescriptions under different names. The Royal Jelly was given to him by others, his house had a whole stash of it that they would never be able to finish. And even his obviously sarcastic remark of picking up the thousandyer buddhas hand conch didnt raise any doubts from He Nuo. But once he saw the gleam in his eyes, and the unmasked happiness on his face, Shi Yan was d for his simplicity, his innocence.
He Nuo still didnt know that this kind of conch sh.e.l.l only appeared in the depths of the ocean, and it couldnt even be found within the seas of China, much less that you would be able to see this kind of conch or sh.e.l.ls easily on beaches. He thought that the sea was deep and vast, and a treasure trove of all the things under the sun. He really did like it, he liked it so much he didnt want to let go.
You picked up a lot of these? he looked at Shi Yan expectantly.
As he looked at He Nuos expectant eyes, Shi Yan regretted not buying more of the other types of sh.e.l.ls. The stalls scattered about Hainans beaches had sold all sorts of sh.e.l.ls, conches, starfishes, and handicrafts that used these sh.e.l.ls as materials. But because it wasnt convenient to bring them around across long distances, he just bought this one that he thought suited He Nuo. If he had known that he liked it so much, he would have stuffed a few more conches in the luggage that he didnt check in.
I only picked this one, dont be so greedy. It was so hot, who would have the time to pick these things up under the sun. Shi Yan sat down by the bed and continued to lie to him, though his heart was filled with regret, Thats why I said that youll definitely like it and asked you to open it. See, this can still be opened further. Shi Yan remembered that he had ced other things inside the conch.
Its really pretty. He Nuo didnt open the conch sh.e.l.l, but wrapped it back up instead.
Shi Yan looked at his movements with a puzzled expression. Just as he had finished wrapping up thestyer of the bubble wrap, Shi Yan had a premonition and quickly pressed down on his hand. With a dangerous look in his eyes, he stared at He Nuo, Whats the meaning of this?! Shi Yan prayed that He Nuo wouldnt force himself to act up in his own house.
Ill return it to you, thank you.
Chapter 33
Chapter 33
The Shi Yan who had gone berserk grabbed the conch sh.e.l.l and was about to throw it onto the floor when He Nuo pulled on his hand, Dont, dont throw it.
Shi Yan looked at the hand that was tugging on his arm coldly, Let go!
He Nuo loosened his fingers, but he didnt let go of his hand. His eyes had a look of reluctance as he said, Its so pretty, isnt it good if you keep it?
Pretty? Shi Yan sneered, Isnt it because you dislike it that you dont want it?
If I want it, you wont have any. He Nuo said quietly.
...... Shi Yans anger waspletely extinguished by this sentence. How could he still not understand him and had even misunderstood his question? When he had asked You picked up a lot of these?, he had thought that He Nuo wanted even more of these sh.e.l.ls. Dammit, why did he think that He Nuo would demand for things?
I do have one, its even bigger and prettier but I couldnt bear to show it to you. I was afraid that youll try to s.n.a.t.c.h the one I like.
I wont s.n.a.t.c.h other peoples things! He Nuo retorted.
So you want it now right? Shi Yan pa.s.sed the conch sh.e.l.l back to him, I carried it all the way back here from Hainan. Even if other people want it, I wouldnt give it to them.
He Nuo held it in his hands and suddenly looked nervous. A conflicted look shed through his eyes as he faced his internal struggles. He saw Shi Yans sincere and encouraging smile, then stretched his hand out to take the conch sh.e.l.l and smiled abashedly, Thank you.
When he saw that smile on He Nuo, the Shi Yan who was sitting in a narrow s.p.a.ce felt morefortable than he did on Hainans beach where he had basked in the glow of the setting sun and cooling sea breeze. He Nuo held the conch sh.e.l.l with an embarra.s.sed and helpless look on his face, so Shi Yan involuntarily softened his voice when he said, Therere still some things inside, youre not gonna take a look?
He Nuo opened half of the packaging, then sped the thousandyer buddhas hand conch in his hand again. He really likes it; when he looks at this conch sh.e.l.l, he can imagine how vast the boundless ocean actually is. This was his first time (in taking the initiative) to receive someone elses gift, he couldnt control his face from turning red. He remembered about the incident when he had exchanged shoes with his .s.smate before; his Papa had scolded him before that there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world1, so He Nuo had never coveted other peoples things.
He gently opened up the top segment and saw many gaudy-looking small packages inside. He Nuo carefully ced the conch sh.e.l.l on his bed and picked up those sweets һһ then he just looked at it. Afterwards, he raised his head and said seriously, Is it okay if I dont want these?
Shi Yan felt waves of powerlessness wash over him, this stubborn guy ah.
These are all local specialties, theyre very cheap. Yet he still answered in a light and casual manner.
Suddenly, they heard some soundsing from the neighbouring room. He Nuo anxiously stood up and went over, so Shi Yan followed along. His nephew had awoken. He Nuo helped him put on his shoes, then carried him off the bed, Take a seat, Ill bring him to go pee. The toilet was in the yard, Shi Yan nodded and took the chance to size up the room that he was in.
This room was s.p.a.cious and bright. It had a big writing desk with two chairs on each of its sides, which of course couldnt bepared to his leather swivel chair at home, but it was still way better than He Nuos worn out stool. Two single-sized beds leaned against the wall on each side of the room correspondingly and were both equipped with mosquitos. A bookshelf stood in the middle of the two beds, while a weak electric fan was ced atop the bedside table. No wonder He Nuo put his nephew in this room to take his afternoon nap. Aside from amode (its a type of furniture that has five drawers), this room even had a huge wardrobe with a mirror, and there were windows at the front and back of the room its condition far surpa.s.sed that of He Nuos small room. He Nuo wasnt clear about He Nuos family situation, but based on his intuition he could tell that their finances were probably quite tight; but even so, when he saw the difference in the quality of the two rooms, he still wasnt too happy about it.
He Nuo brought his nephew back in, turned off the electric fan then looked at the Shi Yan who was still standing, Un, lets go to my room ba. Then he looked like he had suddenly realised something before saying, O, is it too hot, Ill carry the electric fan over for you ba.
Ill take it. Shi Yan was a step ahead of He Nuo as he went to carry the electric fan himself to the other small room. He Nuo plugged out his tablemp and switched it with the electric fans plug, then adjusted the fan such that it was facing towards him and his nephew. The little guy had already seen the things on his bed and pounced on them a long time ago. Shi Yan unwrapped the sweets for him, but he ced the conch sh.e.l.l on the bed and only allowed He Nuos nephew to touch it, but not pick it up.
When he saw that his nephew was eating Shi Yans sweets, He Nuo apologised with an embarra.s.sed look and lightly reprimanded the little guy, You havent even thanked this uncle before eating his sweets?
The little guy then said in a loud voice without holding back, Thank you uncle! Shi Yan and He Nuo bothughed. Shi Yan was even grateful to this little thing for eating his sweets, or else He Nuo would really ask him to take it back with him. So he teased him, Little guy, youre so much more straightforward than this uncle of yours, Ill give you more sweets next time. The little guy was very interested in stuff he could eat; he wolfed down the sweet in his mouth while gripping two more in his hand. He Nuo rubbed his head, No one will fight for the sweets with you, slow down, if you cant finish them Six uncle will bring it to your home for you.
Shi Yan heard what he said and was immediately against that idea; he had only brought over these few bags of coconut specialties for He Nuo, he doesnt want He Nuo to not have any left to eat for himself. He opened up a packet of coconut silk, Here.
You eat it.
Ive eaten my fill, Im sick of it, I ate it everyday in Hainan.
He Nuo took the sweet. His nephew tugged on He Nuo and asked him for a story. His tiny legs nimbly jumped off from the bed, then He Nuo bent down and took out an uncovered paper box from underneath his bed. His little nephew squatted down to pick a childrens book that he liked. Shi Yan had leaned over to see what was in the box; there were only a few childrens books at the top while at the bottomid all of He Nuos textbooks. He took a second look around the room; aside from the books that were ced at the edge of the table, there was no bookshelf where He Nuo could keep his books. In the end, Shi Yan couldnt retain hisposure and asked, Who lives in the adjacent room?
My younger brothers, theyre twins. He Nuo told Shi Yan with some pride.
Where are they? From what Shi Yan sees, since there were two of them, why arent they the one apanying the kid when He Nuo is sick? Why arent they babysitting this little guy?
The little guy immediately raised his head, I dont want those small uncles. Theyre very mean to me, and will even hit me.
When did your small uncles ever hit you? Dont spout nonsense. If it wasnt because you were being disobedient, they wouldnt have disciplined you. He Nuo pinched his little nephews nose, You cant talk about your small uncles like that.
But even though theyve left, they didnt allow Six uncle to use their electric fan no?
1. Original phrase is ñ˵ֶ̣Ա˵, which means that when you take something from others/ept a meal from others, youll owe them a favour; so I loosely tranted it as theres no such thing as a free lunch in this world?
Chapter 34
Chapter 34
Shi Yan heard the kids frank and honest words and instantly felt his heart sour. He thought that He Nuo must be feeling embarra.s.sed, so he pretended to not have heard the little nephew as he finished the water in his cup, Get me another cup.
Ok. He Nuo took the cup and went to the kitchen in his yard to refill it.
Shi Yan took the opportunity to ask the kid, Are your small uncles very amazing?
The little guy opened his clear eyes that could distinguish ck from white and looked like he was pondering for a bit, Mama said, my small uncles are very tyrannical. She asked me not to provoke them and just y with Six uncle obediently.
Then is your Six uncle amazing?
No hes not, Six uncle doesnt dare to casually enter small uncles room. Six uncle said that now I can secretly sleep on small uncles bed, but once they return I cant go there anymore.
He Nuo handed a cup of water to Shi Yan, but Shi Yan found it hard to swallow. He felt upset; what he had heard and what he had seen made him feel very upset and stiflingly fl.u.s.tered.
When he left, Shi Yan nagged at He Nuo again to remember to drink the stuff he had brought over every day. There wasnt much to do during the summer holidays; Shi Yan mixed around with his buddies to y poker, and one week pa.s.sed by in a sh without seeming like he had aplished much.
Shi Yan wasnt too willing to think of He Nuo. Whenever he thought of him, he would get frustrated and his heart would feel like it was being crushed by something heavy, which is why he hung out with his friends every day.
During one of the weekends, Shi Yan was ying cards with his buddies at the park. A hand suddenly tugged at his shirt; when he turned around he saw that it was actually the little guy.
h.e.l.lo uncle!
Shi Yan picked him up, Little guy, who did youe with? He looked around, no He Nuo.
The little guy pointed, With Mama, Mama is talking with Auntie, I saw you. Why dont uncle go to Six uncles house to y anymore? Im waiting for you everyday at Six uncles house.
Shi Yanughed, When uncles free Ill go over to look for you.
Un, Six uncle also said that uncle was busy so you didnt have time.
What else did your Six uncle say?
Un, Six uncle said to remember that the nice sweet was given by uncle. Six uncle also said that the pretty conch was given by uncle. I want it but Six uncle doesnt wanna give it to me, uncle, go to the beach again to pick up lotsa pretty conch sh.e.l.ls for me bei.
Shi Yan raised his head and asked his buddies, Who brought the movie tickets?
Every weekend, the cinema would screen a movie so they would go watch it together as a group. The whole cinema was practically reserved by just a fewrge corporations, so the tickets are issued by the different enterprise units. Shi Yan and his buddies all had several tickets each, but he hadnt brought any with him. One of his buddies handed over a stack of tickets. Shi Yan tore two off, then memorised the number on it before giving it to the little guy, Uncle will treat you to a movie. Ask your Six uncle to bring you to the cinema, uncle will give you more sweets then.
At night, Shi Yan took a few more bags of coconut candy to the cinema. As for changing seats, he left it up to someone else to settleCthey had always changed the seating arrangements as they wished such that they would all sit together. Since everyones tickets had pretty good seats, it was easy to switch with someone else. Shi Yan looked towards the seat numbers that he had memorised. He took a look around those seats, no He Nuo. He sat down and chatted with the rest, but he would turn around from time to time, then he finally saw the little guy. Shi Yan walked towards him, the little guy had seen him too and was waving excitedly at him, Uncle, uncle.
He saw that there was a woman seated next to him, and before Shi Yan could ask, the little guy said, Mama, this is the uncle who gave me the tickets, the sweets from before were also given to Six uncle by this uncle.
The woman smiled and thanked him warmly. Shi Yan handed over the sweets in his pockets to the little guy, and the woman became even more polite.
Monday afternoon, Shi Yan came to look for He Nuo. When He Nuo saw him, he opened the door to wee him rather happily. Shi Yan made his way to He Nuos small room like he was familiar with the ce, then saw that the electric fan wasnt around, The little guys asleep?
Un. He Nuo nodded and pointed at the adjacent room, Thank you for your movie tickets.
Thanks my a.s.s, you didnt even go. Shi Yan replied unhappily.
He Nuo smiled, then went to get a cup of water for him and came back, My Dages on a business trip. If I had brought him to the cinema, my sister-inw would have been bored at home by herself.
Then just tell me ah, I still have a lot of tickets. Stupid. Shi Yan scolded. How would he know that on the weekends He Nuos sister-inw would bring the kid back to her familys house. After they had b.u.mped into Shi Yan in the park, He Nuos nephew and his sister-inw ate at her maiden familys house, then had immediately taken the tickets to go watch the movie. He Nuo only knew about the tickets when his nephew came over today.
If someone dares to s.n.a.t.c.h your ticket again, call me! Then he realised that He Nuo doesnt know his home phones number, so he asked He Nuo to write it down.
The weather had entered the three periods1. He Nuo saw that beads of sweat were starting to form on Shi Yans forehead so he stood up, Ill go get the fan for you.
Shi Yan stopped him, Let the little guy sleepfortably ba. He saw a handheld fan by the side of the pillow, then picked it up and started to fanned himself fiercely a few times before he thought that it was too tiring and troublesome, so he threw it back onto the bed. Shi Yan wasnt used to sitting on a stool without anything to lean back on. He walked to the bedside, I want to lean against something, its ufortable sitting on the stool.
He Nuo stood up to let him sit on the bed so that he could lean against the headboard while he went to sit on the stool. Then he said softly, Delicate.
Shi Yan wasnt angry, he replied, O, if I dont sit on the stool Im delicate, and you falling sick all the time isnt considered delicate?
Falling sick is beyond my control, so of course it cant be considered delicate.
Nonsense! Then why dont I fall sick. I probably cant even fall sick if I wanted to, not everyones as sickly as you. Do you think youre Lin Daiyu2? When he said thisst sentence, he looked He Nuo up and down cheekily, Youre so white and skinny, you can actually act as Lin Daiyu eh. After he finished talking, he evenughed wildly.
He Nuos eyes widened so much his eyebrows almost stood up. He fumed, You cant even sit on a stool, so youre Jia Baoyu3 the rich yboy!
When Shi Yan saw He Nuos angry appearance, he actually felt happy and wanted to spite him even more, Then Lin Meimei should hurry ande over to fan Bao Gege~
Go get your Bao Jiejie to fan you! He Nuo reactively responded, then suddenly realised how wrong his words sounded so his face immediately burned like it was on fire. In one of the chapters in Dream of the Red Chamber, when Jia Baoyu was taking his afternoon nap, Xue Baochai sat next to him to fan him. When Lin Daiyu saw this, she used this to make fun of Jia Baoyu with a jealous undertone. This is why He Nuos face had turnedpletely red.
But Shi Yans words dispelled any sort of awkwardness. This Dage asked with a puzzled look, Why should I look for Bao Jiejie? Arent I a couple with Lin Meimei?
He Nuo stared at Shi Yan bbergasted, then suddenly burst out inughter. Heughed so hard he held his stomach and had to cover his mouth as he was afraid of waking his little nephew.
1. Three periods forming the hottest periods of summer, from mid-July to mid-August, namely: (mid-July), з te July to early August), ĩ (mid-August)?
2. Authors note: At that time, TV stations often yed Dream of the Red Chamber, Shi Yan didnt like to watch it, but he did see a few scenes from the show. T/N: Lin Daiyu is the shows female lead. Looks like this:
3. Jia Baoyu is the princ.i.p.al character in the .s.sic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber.
?
Chapter 35
Chapter 35
Shi Yan realised that he had unintentionally cracked a joke, but he didnt find it embarra.s.sing and his att.i.tude was as c.o.c.ky as usual, What are youughing at? Are you showing off the depth of your knowledge? Your Daye1 I just hate reading this kind of chick lits.
If you say .s.sics are chick lits, then wouldnt Water Margin2 be ad lit?
Shi Yan suddenly thought that he hadnt really seen much of a variety of books around, What kind of novels do you like?
Un, He Nuo thought for abit, I like to read those that are good. Ive read quite a lot, no specific genre.
Let me see your novels.
My novels? All the ones I read belong to my brothers. They borrow books from the units library. But they dont really borrow any nowadays, when I was younger they often borrowed books.
When He Nuos nephew woke up, Shi Yan dragged them out to y. But actually, he just brought them to Xinhua bookstore. This one teenager and one kid were very excited; He Nuo carefully walked by every counter3 and looked at every book on disy through the .s.s casing, and he lingered at the autobiography section for quite some time; while his nephew stayed at the Children Books and Children Literacy Pictures section and refused to leave.
That night, Shi Yan told his parents that it was boring to stay at home during the holidays, so he wanted to read some novels and gave his parents a list of t.i.tles. It was a good chance for their son to gain knowledge through reading so they didnt object to it, though they were puzzled as to why there were two children books included in his list. So within two days, Shi Yan had gotten the books that he wanted you could consider it as books bought under public expense.
Shi Yan excitedly ran over to He Nuos ce the next day, and the moment he entered He Nuos room he dropped a stic bag on his bed. He Nuos eyes immediately fixated upon the books on his bed and picked each and every book up to look at its t.i.tles. The Three Gians of World War II: Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin; The Three Main Culprits of World War II: Hitler, Mussolini, Hideki Tojo, and there were two other solitary books on the World War II famous generals Desert Fox Rommel and Five-Star General MacArthur4.
You bought these? He Nuos voice was trembling.
You think Im crazy enough to buy them?
These are new. He Nuo stated the truth. It would be weird if it wasnt new; He Nuo had nced over it a few times, these were all new books that had never been touched before and its impossible that these books belonged to the library. Most importantly, the library doesnt stock books that are published this recently.
My Dad bought them for me. Shi Yan sat next to him, I can lend them to you, but you need to promise me something.
What is it?
My Dad stipted that I had to finish reading these books before our holiday ends. But half of summer vacation is over and I havent even started on them. So when you finish reading these books, you need to tell me what theyre about.
He Nuo couldnt help butugh, then sighed, What have you been doing during the holidays? You dont even have the time to read books? Have you been watching TV and ying all day? Well be third years when school reopens.
Dont tell me you want me to study instead of y during the holidays? How can that still be called a summer vacation? We might as well just resume .s.ses.
When his nephew woke up, He Nuo began to doubt Shi Yans words again. If these books were purchased by his Dad to as reading a.s.signments, then why are there children books included too? And these are the books that He Nuo had paid special attention to when they went to the bookstore the other day. Otherwise, why would there be two extra books that werent part of the set?
These were bought after that day right? He Nuo looked at Shi Yan as he asked hesitantly.
Shi Yan knew that he wouldnt be able to lie his way through this, so he didnt intend to continue lying, Its none of your business when these were bought, why is your head full of such s.h.i.tty thoughts? In any case, they were all bought using the units money.
This afternoon, two teenagers and one kid quietly pa.s.sed their time while reading books. Once in awhile, Shi Yan couldnt stand sitting still anymore and would read the children books with the little guy and answer the little guys never-ending silly questions.
When he sent Shi Yan off, He Nuo thanked him and anxiously added the conventional phrase e again soon which made the edges of Shi Yans lips curve up as he rode his bicycle home. He felt unparalleledfort in his heart.
Today, he gave He Nuo two movie tickets and casually asked, Its enough right.
Do you still have extras?
Of course he did. You want to bring your sister-inw along?! He liked the little guy, but he wasnt willing to get acquainted with that woman. After he found out what really happenedst time from the little guy, he didnt have a good impression of He Nuos sister-inw.
My brother and sister-inw are already asking who keeps calling Dongdong little guy, and youre still calling him that. Dongdongs going to his grandmothers house tomorrow, but my younger brothers areing back tomorrow and I thought that they would like to watch a movie.
Wait for me at the entrance of the cinema tomorrow then, I didnt bring any extra on me today.
The next day, He Nuo saw Shi Yan and gang while he was waiting, then became much more restrained. They changed seats until they sat together as usual, and Shi Yan was shocked when he found out that He Nuo didnt even know that the cinema has either single or adjoining seats he had never been to this cinema before!!! But this was very normal. There were times when his family would get tickets too, but his family had so many people that the tickets they got would never be enough for everyone.
When the movie started, Shi Yans buddies bought ice cream. He Nuo was staring at the screen intently, Shi Yan stuffed a stick in his hand before he realised what it was and he anxiously tried to return it to Shi Yan in the dark. Shi Yan forced him to hold it, so he thanked the one who bought the ice cream in embarra.s.sment. As he looked at the He Nuo who was staring at the screen without knowing how to unwrap the ice cream packaging, Shi Yan bet that he wasnt even watching the movie. The same bad feeling that he felt before arose again in Shi Yans heart. He tore off the packaging, Ill buy it next time to pay them back.
During thest three weeks of their summer vacation, Shi Yan would go look for He Nuo in the afternoon twice a week. Sometimes after dinner, he would apany He Nuo to send his nephew back, then they would ride around for a while before he sent He Nuo home. When the weather got so hot that Shi Yan would be drenched in sweat whenever he rode his bike, He Nuo asked Shi Yan to park his bicycle in front of his house, then they would send his nephew back and return to He Nuos house on foot.
The two of them had gotten much more familiar with each other, so much so that Shi Yan would drag He Nuo with him to watch a movie every weekend (and he would provide two extra tickets for his two younger brothers with seats far away from He Nuo). Even the little guy knew that he would get to watch movies during the weekends, so he would insist on eating dinner at his sixth uncles ce during the weekends. But Shi Yan no longer forced He Nuo to sit together with him and his friends. He would only walk over to tease the little guy before the movie starts and give them some snacks that he had brought or bought, then send the little guy back with He Nuo after the
1. Daye = grandfather?
2. Water Margin (Chinese: ˮG; pinyin: Shuh Zhun; literally: Water-Margin Chronicles), also tranted as Ouws of the Marsh, Tale of the Marshes, All Men Are Brothers, Men of the Marshes or The Marshes of Mount Liang, is a Chinese novel attributed to Shi Naian. Considered one of the Four Great .s.sical Novels of Chinese literature, the novel is written in vernacr Chinese rather than .s.sical Chinese.
The story, set in the Song dynasty, tells of how a group of 108 ouws gather at Mount Liang (or Liangshan Marsh) to form a sizable army before they are eventually granted amnesty by the government and sent on campaigns to resist foreign invaders and suppress rebel forces.?
3. Authors note: At that time, Xinhua bookstore ced books on rows of shelves with a .s.s counter in front of them. There would be 3 to 4yers of books on disy inside it. A salesman stood inside separated from guests, guests could only see what the books look like in the counter. If they wanted to buy it, then they had to get the salesman to take it out, its not like today where we can freely take books as we wish.?
4. Authors note: If it wasnt MacArthur then it wouldve been Eisenhower because He Nuo appreciated both these people, I cant quite remember which book Shi Yan got him the first time. In any case, Shi Yan would get the whole set for him in the future. There would also be Patton, Montgomery, Zhukov, Yamamoto 56.
T/N: These are all war generals/admirals etc.?
Chapter 36
Chapter 36
Time pa.s.ses quickly when one is having fun. When He Nuos elder brother was on his business trip, he thought of how He Nuo had helped him babysit his son throughout the holidays so he brought a piece of clothing back for He Nuo a white corduroy shirt that even had a cap attached to it. He Nuo was really excited, this was the first time for him to own a new piece of clothing all to himself. But he couldnt wear it now in this weather, he could only wear it when school reopens in autumn. He tried it on and went to his fourth and fifth brothers room to check his reflection in their mirror (at his parents side), and when he left the room, he coincidentally b.u.mped into his fifth brother. The He Nuo who was wearing his new clothes felt uneasy, like he had just been caught red-handed in the middle of a theft attempt. He folded his new clothes and ced it in his cab.
The next day, his eldest brother ate at home and wasnt in a rush to return after he was done. Little nephew wanted He Nuo to bring him out to y, and after they had yed around for awhile He Nuo saw that the sky was turning dark so he returned home with his nephew. When he entered the yard, he was about to bring his nephew to his parents side to look for his eldest brother when he heard the angry voice of his fifth brother, I dont care, in any case, I like it, so I want to bring it to school.
He Nuo was stunned. His eldest brother spoke, If you like it, Ill buy it for you on my next business trip. Give it to sixth brother this time ba.
No way, I want it this time, you can buy it for him on your next trip.
Ive already given the clothes to him, how do you want me to get it back? How could I even ask for it? Eldest brother felt like he was being put on the spot.
Just go get it back from him~ Youre the one who bought it, you can give it to whoever you want.
But I bought it for sixth brother.
Fifth brother didnt know how to reply to that. He was probably angry now.
Why did you waste your money on buying that, does he deserve it? Get it back from him and give it to your fifth brother. An unhappy voice had announced the final verdict of their dispute.
Pa. Eldest brother didnt know what else to say.
Pa already asked you to give it to me, Big bro go and get it back from him~
He Nuo held his nephews hand as he walked out of the courtyard. He walked over to the end of the single-storey houses, then squatted down and said to his nephew, Dongdong, can you do Sixth uncle a favour?
The little guy nodded his head. The kid could sense that He Nuo seemed different. He was still smiling, but the kid felt like Sixth uncle was upset right now.
Dongdong, dont tell anyone that we had gone back just now. Well go back again now, and when you enter the yard just shout, Papa, Im back, then go over to your Yeyes side to look for your Papa okay?
Un. The kid solemnly nodded his head. He wanted to help his favourite Sixth uncle.
They went back to their house. He Nuo took a deep breath, then smiled at his nephew before he pushed the yards door open.
Papa, Im back. The kid shouted as he ran towards his Dad, while He Nuo followed him.
Pa, Eldest brother. He Nuo greeted them, then looked at his fifth brother, Ai, Fifth brother, youre here? And I was nning to look for you too. The clothes that Eldest brother bought for me is too big on me, so I was wondering if it would suit you instead.
Its too big on you? Eldest brother asked out of curiosity, because these two brothers were
Un, its a bit big. He Nuo smiled in embarra.s.sment, then turned around to say to his fifth brother, Ill bring it out for you to see, it shouldnt be too big for you.
He Nuo went to his room to open up his cab, then felt around the top shelf for his clothes and took it out.
He returned to the other side, Fifth brother, look. It even has a cap.
Fifth brother had gotten what he wished for, so of course he ran away happily to try his new clothes on. After he checked his reflection in the mirror, he even came out to show his Dad how it looked on him, Pa, Eldest brother, it looks good right. I told you it would look good on me.
He Nuo said, Un, its not too big for Fifth brother, its very fitting on you. But n.o.body paid any attention to his words. He quietly left the room.
In his own room, He Nuo took out the package in the corner of his cab and unwrapped ityer byyer it was the thousandyer buddhas hand conch sh.e.l.l. He held it carefully in his hands and kept staring at it until his be stopped feeling heavy. His eldest brother had good intentions, if he didnt take the initiative to give the clothes back, it would have put his eldest brother in a spot; moreover, even if he didnt help his eldest brother resolve his dilemma, that piece of clothing would never be his anyway. He Nuo, just knowing that your eldest brother had bought clothes for you is enough.
That piece of white clothing was taken away by Fifth brother when his school reopened. By the time he returned home after he graduated from university, that piece of clothing was already worn out. After his fifth brother eliminated it from his clothing selection because it had begun to turn dark yellow, He Nuo took the chance when n.o.body was around to put that piece of clothing in his own luggage. He didnt wear it, but he kept it for many years as he was grateful to his eldest brother for giving him his first, new piece of clothing in his life.
School was about to reopen. He Nuo thought of another matter he hadnt told Shi Yan that he had changed .s.ses. They were getting along really well now, and He Nuo had already liked and epted him as a friend. Shi Yan really was an interesting person, you would understand this aspect of him the more you hung out with him. He had a fine sense of humour and was particrly witty, so its no wonder that everyone would like him and admire him. From the looks of it, it wasnt all just cause of his good looks, and also, he was actually a very considerate and kind hearted person. Whenever he spoke rudely and scolded He Nuo, it was all because he was mad that his goodwill was rejected, and it wasnt because he had really lost his temper. Now, even the little guy wasnt afraid of his fierce appearance. The moment he saw him he would cling onto him, and was even closer to Shi Yan than he was to He Nuos younger brothers.
He Nuo decided to be an ostrich and drag it out until school reopened. When they reported to their .s.s, Shi Yan would find out anyway, so theyll talk about it then. In any case, He Nuo wasnt afraid of Shi Yans fits of fury now. Hes like a paper tiger, after he curses it out he wouldnt keep it in his heart anymore this foolish He Nuo hadpletely forgotten that Shi Yans previous actions were nowhere close to being broad-minded at all.
T/N: Tbh tranting PSWOL is very difficult for me cause it breaks my heart.......but currently my angst tolerance is higher than before so Ill soldier on ?(???????)? Next update should be a ma.s.s update of about ~4 chapters? Cause dramas gonna unfold soon.......
Chapter 37
Chapter 37
After they received their books for the new school year, the students immediately felt the pressure of bing third years. It was no longer like in the past where they could go home after taking their books and only officially start .s.ses the next day. Now, their .s.ses began the moment they took their books. Shi Yan didnt see He Nuo, and his first reaction was that He Nuo waste. But when he still didnt see He Nuo even after half the .s.s was over, he knew that he had guessed wrongly He Nuo must have been a.s.signed to another .s.s. Compared to other students his age, Shi Yan and his friends who were the kids of high-ranking officials better understood how society worked he guessed that He Nuo must have been squeezed into .s.s 3 because the kids from influential families wanted to enter .s.ses 1 and 2.
After .s.ses ended, Shi Yan went to the neighbouring .s.s 3 to look for He Nuo. He couldnt find him after looking a few rounds so he grabbed a student to ask, but they said that He Nuo wasnt in their .s.s. Thanks to Shi Yans fightst time, a lot of people knew who He Nuo is now. Shi Yan walked towards .s.s 4, but he still drew a nk. Shi Yan could hardly believe it. With He Nuos grades, it wasnt possible for him to be in thest, trashiest .s.s. Perhaps he was in the best .s.s, .s.s 1? Shi Yan had nned to make a trip down to .s.s 1 when the bell rang, so he had to return to his own .s.s 2 to attend his .s.ses first.
After their second period, it should have been the time for their morning exercises1. But since school hasnt began for the first and second years, this weeks morning exercises were cancelled for the time being. Shi Yan went to the entrance of .s.s 1 and looked at every student inside, but he still couldnt find the person he wanted to find. He asked one of the students who sat at the front row, and after he got the answer that He Nuo wasnt in this .s.s, he walked towards .s.s 5. He had just took two, three steps, when he suddenly stopped moving. His expression changed as he suddenly changed his trajectory and walked towards .s.s 6 (liberal arts .s.s).
When he stood in front of the liberal arts .s.s, he found the person that he had been searching for everywhere with just one nce, and that wasnt the only familiar face. The one who sat next to He Nuo and was talking to him right now was also extremely familiar she was his ex-girlfriend, Yu Yao, the one who had apanied He Nuo in his cross talk. Shi Yan was so angry he felt like his lungs were about to explode. He stared at the two of them like he wanted to eat them up and his blood was boiling. The racket of a .s.sroom after the end of .s.s began to quieten down, and the He Nuo and Yu Yao who had discovered that something was unusual also looked around in confusion.
When He Nuo saw the Shi Yan who was standing at the door, his heart was so nervous it contracted. He still thought that it was wrong for him to have deceived Shi Yan, so he could only continue sitting in his seat in a daze. His deskmate Yu Yao tugged on He Nuos sleeve before he snapped out of his daze and stood up, then walked towards the door. When he was about to reach the door where Shi Yan was standing, Shi Yan gave him a cold sneer, then turned around and left. He Nuo couldnt help but quicken his pace and walked out of the .s.sroom, only to see Shi Yans tall receding figure in the corridor while the students around him gave way.
He Nuo quietly returned to his seat to wait for the next lesson. After he had arrived in the morning, he had always been wondering about when he should go and tell Shi Yan about him being in the liberal arts .s.s. But when their seats were being allocated, he found that a girl hade up to him to greet him. And he of course knew who she was. She didnt manage to get into college, so she repeated another school year, and since there was only one liberal arts .s.s, she would naturally be in the same .s.s as He Nuo. When she saw He Nuo, she appeared very happy and offered to sit together, and He Nuo agreed. There were more girls than guys in the liberal arts .s.s, so He Nuo was d to sit with someone he knew.
And after their .s.ses had ended, it wasnt convenient for He Nuo to walk to every single .s.sroom to ask which .s.s Shi Yan was in, so he thought that he would talk about it when they met after school. So he ended up chatting with Yu Yao between .s.ses. He asked Yu Yao about the usual third years studying strategies, and he wanted to know more about the college entrance examination. Meanwhile, the Yu Yao who had taken the examination before generously shared her experience about her failure with him.
Shi Yan was really mad. When he had a minor dispute with He Nuo in their first year, the fight they had wasnt really worth mentioning; in their second year their dispute escted and had developed into a true fist fight, but Shi Yan never really took it to heart. That dispute only urred because he was a tyrant who was used to the subordination of others, so he thought that He Nuo had offended him and he merely wanted to teach him a lesson to mend the face that he had lost. If he had really bore a deep grudge against He Nuo, why would he have stopped when he saw He Nuos injuries?
But now, he had really been thoroughly angered by He Nuo. He Nuo had practically strung him along and betrayed him. He had regarded He Nuo as a friend, and it really was the first time for him to take the initiative to treat someone so attentively he truly wanted to be friends with He Nuo. Shi Yans circle consisted of people who were all approximately the same status; the only one who was different from the rest of them was He Nuo, and he even had to deign to force him into epting his friendship. When he had a vague guess that he was in the liberal arts .s.s, even his heart refuted the idea for He Nuo. But the truth is that he really did sign up for the liberal arts, and had never mentioned it to him throughout the whole holidays!
The more he thought about it, the more the hatred in Shi Yans heart grew. Its not like he didnt have friends, and its not like he was trying to get something out of He Nuo, so why did he have to cheapen himself just to be friends with him? This had even given He Nuo the opportunity to put on airs like this. If you f.u.c.king go look for that d.a.m.n b.a.s.t.a.r.d again, then youre his f.u.c.king grandson. The Shi Yan who was ring cursed himself indignantly, but he never thought of using violence to take vengeance for the grievances he suffered.
When school ended in the afternoon, He Nuo didnt see Shi Yan, so he came to school a bit earlier in the evening. He had already seen Shi Yan enter .s.s 2 in the afternoon, so he waited for Shi Yan at the entrance to .s.s 2. Shi Yan only reached with the others when .s.ses were about to start. Shi Yans buddies saw He Nuo and they greeted one another before He Nuo called out, Shi Yan.
But Shi Yan walked right past He Nuo as if he didnt exist and entered the .s.sroom, while the rest also walked in without another word. He Nuo ashamedly looked at Shi Yan, and saw that after he sat down, Shi Yans gaze did fall upon him but it didnt linger. Instead, he began to talk to his deskmate without any expression on his face. He Nuo didnt see Shi Yan during their night revision .s.ses either, because he naturally couldnt keep up with Shi Yans bicycle on foot.
1. Schools in China generally have breaks after their first period to stretch/exercise?
Chapter 38
Chapter 38
He Nuo tried to find a chance to speak to Shi yan for the past three afternoons, but he had always failed because of Shi Yans cold indifference towards him. He eventually understood that Shi Yan wasnt going to pay attention to him anymore. He Nuo was extremely upset; Shi Yan had been a really good friend to him. Shi Yan treated him very well, albeit in a domineering manner, but instead of repaying this favour, he had actually deceived him. He Nuo knew that he was wrong, but he couldnt pluck up the courage to go and look for Shi Yan everyday in his .s.s because ignoring him was one thing, but Shi Yan didnt even bother listening to him.
The two who had no form of contact with each other both felt lost, but this sense of loss was drowned out by their busy schedules as third years. He Nuo no longer expected Shi Yan to forgive him, and wouldnt go look for him. He would only look at him from afar sometimes during their morning exercise breaks. When they met each other up close the past two to three times, the look Shi Yan gave him was akin to the look he would give a stranger his eyes swept right past He Nuo without a trace of emotion within them. And every time this happened, He Nuo would go home and take out his conch sh.e.l.l to take a look, then silently apologise to Shi Yan.
There were no night self-study sessions on Sat.u.r.days. After his school ended, He Nuo had reached home at about the same time as his parents. Both of them came to He Nuos room. His Papa got his Mama to empty the contents of He Nuos bag, then asked him if he had taken his fifth brothers keys during the summer holidays. In the beginning, He Nuo didnt understand what was going on, but afterwards it suddenly urred to him that he had picked up his fifth brothers keys. He Nuos tables only had four legs and one surface; it didnt even have any drawers while his younger brothers writing desks and his fifth brothers desks all had drawers. So his fifth brother had attached a lock to his drawer, and he had always kept his drawer locked.
During the summer holidays, He Nuo would often sweep and mop his household. There was once while he was sweeping the floor at his parents side when he had picked up a key. And because it was smaller than the key to their courtyard, you could tell at a nce that it was a key for drawers, so it could only belong to his fifth brother. He Nuo had pa.s.sed the key to his fifth brother the moment he returned. He didnt understand why his Papa was suddenly asking about this. He only saw his Mama shake her head at Papa after overturning his bag and say, Nothing.
His parents asked him to stand at one side. Both of them flipped He Nuos bed over to take a look, then searched under it and ransacked his cabs. One of them found the conch sh.e.l.l in his cab, while the other found the stack of new books in the carton underneath his bed these were all brought over by Shi Yan. He Nuo treasures books a lot when he reads them, so even though he had already finished looking through the books, they still looked brand new. They were still here because Shi Yan said that he wanted to read the books in He Nuos room during the holidays so he didnt need to trouble himself by bringing the books to and fro his house, and He Nuo would be able to read it a few more times too.
His Papa first asked him where the conch sh.e.l.l came from. He Nuo answered truthfully that it was given to him by his schoolmate. His Papa didnt believe that his schoolmate would buy a conch sh.e.l.l for him, because one look at it and he could tell it wasnt cheap. He Nuo exined that his schoolmate had picked it up by the beaches of Hainan, but when his Papa heard this he just thought that this lie of his was too ridiculous, and was too poorly concocted. Then he asked about the books. He Nuo gave him the same answer, that his schoolmate had lent them to him to read. Such reply just sounded like an answer used to deceive fools, and it made his Papa p him immediately. His Papa continued to his barrage of questions, but He Nuo didnt understand what was going on, yet he had no other choice than to say the truth. These are books that belonged to his schoolmate? His Papa jumped in anger and began to whip him with his belt as usual.
His Mama stopped his Papa, then said to He Nuo, Why are you still lying? Your fifth brother has already written us a letter. You stole his key and took the money that he had saved up recently.1
He Nuo jumped up in fright, then anxiously guaranteed that he had picked up the key, but he had never opened the drawer or stolen any money.
Then how did you buy your conch sh.e.l.l and those books? His Mama didnt believe him either. The books didnt look cheap. Borrowed them? Then why hasnt he returned them? How could the conch sh.e.l.l have been picked up without paying a single cent for them, thats such a joke. His lies were neither clever nor well-conceived.
He Nuo continued to insist that the books belonged to his schoolmate. So his parents asked him which schoolmate they belonged to, then asked him to get his schoolmate toe to their house so that he could return the books to him in front of them. He Nuo didnt know where Shi Yan lived, but he remembered that he had Shi Yans phone number. His parents asked him to go to a nearby public telephone to call his schoolmate over for verification purposes.
When he called Shi Yan, He Nuo was sweating nervously. Firstly, he had never called this number before. And secondly, Shi Yan doesnt even acknowledge his existence right now, so when the call got through, he felt his throat tighten up. The phone was picked up on the other end and Shi Yans voice travelled over, h.e.l.lo?
He Nuo was so nervous his palms were sweating, and it was only after Shi Yan repeated his words that he spoke, Shi Yan, h.e.l.lo.
The other side immediately turned silent. He Nuos heart was beating rapidly.
Who are you? The cold voice that went through the phone line transmitted its cruelty straight into He Nuos heart.
Im He Nuo.
He Nuo? He paused, then He Nuo heard a few cold sneers, Why are you looking for me?
You...can I trouble you to make a trip to my house?
Im busy!
Then can youe over just once when youre free? Ive already finished reading the books you lent me, and I want to return them to you. Un, thank you.
I dont want them, just throw them away. Donte bother me in the future! The other side hung up, and He Nuo heard the dudu sounds of a severed phone line. He didnt dare to call back, and he felt very upset for losing a friend.
He Nuo returned home in a depressed state before he remembered that his parents were still waiting for him to find his schoolmate. When he entered the house, his Papa asked him when his schoolmate would arrive. Then after he hesitated to say that his schoolmate wasnt home, they continued to ask when he would be home. He Nuo wasnt good at lying; he knew that Shi Yan wouldnt be willing toe over, and since he didnt allow himself to call Shi Yan again, He Nuo wasnt able to answer his parents queries. In his parents eyes, this seemed like He Nuo just had his lies exposed and he couldnt manage to find someone whom he could collude with to act as a fake alibi, so He Nuo still couldnt escape another round of belt punishment as well as kneeling down on the floor to reflect on his actions.
He Nuo still hadnt changed his statement on Sunday, and didnt look for someone to verify his story. His Papa gave him yet another ruthless beating, because stealing was indeed a grave matter. On Monday, they made He Nuo stay at home to kneel and reflect upon himself, and would only allow him to attend school after he knows that he was wrong, and after he admits his wrongdoing.
1. Authors footnote: This Fifth brother has a habit, because he and his twin fourth brother are pampered a bit more in their house and has a higher status, so they can look for their parents to request for an allowance. Also, since hes still in University, he likes to exchange his money for new notes and ce them in between the pages in his notebook. His entire family knew this habit of his, and he would take his notes out to count them when he had nothing better to do. This makes me think of Chibi Maruko Chan; after the New Year, Maruko chan would take her Lunar New Years money out countless times until it was confiscated by her mother.
Chapter 39
Chapter 39
After Shi Yan hung up on He Nuo, his mind was in a mess. He appeared to be furious throughout the entire weekend. When He Nuo called him, it should have been to express his apologies and his hopes to make up right? But the moment Shi Yan thought of how He Nuo had let him down and deceived him, he would think that he was being truly pathetic this time. Even when his buddies asked him about what had happened out of curiosity, he was too ashamed to tell them the reason. Then he thought again about how he had said to himself before that if he looked for him again, then he would be his f.u.c.king grandson. Shi Yan stood in front of the mirror and told the person inside: you dont f.u.c.king know who he is! It doesnt matter if he admits it or not; Shi Yan felt hurt, and this pain had been inflicted on him by his own friend.
During the g raising ceremony every Monday morning, Shi Yan couldnt help but look towards the liberal arts .s.s. He wasnt there. He wasnt on duty during Mondays though, Shi Yan remembers that He Nuo seemed to be on duty on Wednesdays. During the first period, Shi Yan pretended not to care as he walked by the liberal arts .s.s a few times. But he never saw that person. When he ensured that he hadnt even missed a mosquito that flew out of the liberal arts .s.s during the second periods break, he stopped a schoolmate to ask about about He Nuo1. The schoolmate told Shi yan that their form teacher was asking about He Nuo too who neither came to school nor applied for a leave of absence.
Shi Yan couldnt help but wonder why he didnt attend school. Someone like He Nuo probably wouldnte to school only if he was so sick that he couldnt climb out of bed. When he returned after going to the toilet, he heard a familiar voice call out to him, and when he turned around he saw that it really was him. Hng, isnt he alive and kicking? And to even think that I thought he was sick. Cant believe I was deceived by him again, he can even y truant now. Shi Yan was mad for worrying so unnecessarily.
He Nuo sneaked out of his house after his parents went to work and his younger brothers went to school. When he arrived at school, he waited at the bike shed of .s.s 2 outside the teaching building (each .s.s had their own designated bike sheds so that its easier to manage). It wasnt easy for him to finally spot Shi Yan, so He Nuo quickly called out to him. When Shi Yan looked in his direction, he frowned before he turned back to chat with his buddies as they walked away. He Nuo approached him, Shi Yan.
Shi Yan turned around and said impatiently as he disdainfully jerked his chin, Well arent you cheap? Why do you keep sucking up to me?!
Un, no, your books...... He Nuo suppressed his panic as he felt ashamed of his own shamelessness.
Do you have no f.u.c.king ears, Laozi doesnt want...... Shi Yan interrupted He Nuo and had already begun to curse at him, but when he saw his face he stopped abruptly. Just now, he couldnt bother to look at him properly, but when he stared at him up close he could tell that He Nuos face was slightly swollen. Shi Yan narrowed his eyes, then gritted his teeth, Who did it?
? He Nuo saw that he wasnt scolding him anymore, so he continued to say, I have to trouble you toe to my house once when you have the time, those books, He casted a nce at Shi Yan, those books are in good condition, theyre still new. After I return them to you, you can read them in your spare time.
But he only saw Shi Yan stare at him without saying a single word. He Nuo gulped, It doesnt have to be today, un, you can juste when you have the time.
Shi Yan fished out his bikes keys from his pocket, then bent over to unlock his bike. He turned around and said to his buddies, I wont be attending the next two .s.ses, help me apply for leave. He pushed his bike away and when he saw that person stand rooted to the spot even though he had already taken a few steps, he scolded angrily, Arent you gonna f.u.c.king get over here?!
He Nuo hurried over. Shi Yan got on his bike, and He Nuo sat at the back. After Shi Yan rode his bike out of their campus, he raced towards the field their usual ce. He stomped one foot on the ground, He Nuo dismounted, then Shi Yan threw his bike aside and sat down by the field. The clear skies from that day now looked like a nket of gold, and wheat had even stacked up in some ces. He Nuo walked over to sit down by Shi Yans side. He looked out into the distance, and would turn around to look at Shi Yan once in awhile as if he wanted to say something, but would always end up faltering and remain silent.
Shi Yan quietly watched the fruits of the golden autumn season. When he looked at He Nuo again, his expression had already turned serene, If you want to return the books to me, why didnt you bring them to school today to return them to me? Why do I have to go to your house?
Those books are new and expensive, my parents are afraid that I didnt borrow them. So...... He Nuo was thinking of how to phrase it.
So you want me to go there to prove it!
Un. He Nuo nodded.
What if I dont go?
? He Nuo seemed to implore, You dont need to go today if you dont want to, but can you go just once in the future? Ill pa.s.s the books to you and wont cause you anymore trouble.
Will you get beaten if I dont go? Shi Yans eyes were filled with disdain.
He Nuo hesitated. He knew that Shi Yan could already tell, so he nodded.
I wont go, you can slowly enjoy it.
! He Nuo opened his mouth without making a single sound.
Why should I testify for you? Whats our rtionship? Are we friends?
Were, were, He Nuo did think that Shi Yan was his friend, but he couldnt impose his own will onto Shi Yan...especially when he was the one who had ruined their friendship. He Nuos swollen face turned red, then he stammered, Im, Im sorry, for causing you to skip .s.s. .s.ses arent over yet, hurry and go back......
Shi Yan didnt say anything and just gave him a mocking look. He Nuo couldnt continue any further, so he said in dismay, Ill go off first.
Shi Yan kept smiling as he looked at his thin, receding figure. It was extremely cathartic for him to watch He Nuo flee in defeat. But the moment He Nuos figure disappeared around the corner, his smile disappeared along with it. He jumped onto his bike and rode it to chase He Nuo. When he turned the corner and saw him, he realised that no, he isnt on his way home, hes heading in another direction. Shi Yan followed him and saw him enter the Peoples Hospital (thergest hospital). After he parked his bike he went in to look for him. He Nuo wasnt at the registration counter or the pharmacy. Shi Yan walked along the corridor and past the clinic rooms, but he still couldnt find him. When he pa.s.sed by theboratory, there werent many people at the door and he didnt see He Nuo at first nce. When he decided to return, he turned around and saw He Nuo sitting on a bench opposite theboratory with his head hung low. There was no one else at that side, He Nuo was the only one there in the other half of the corridor.
Shi Yan raised his head and saw the huge, bright red letters on the .s.s door: Blood Bank. Shi Yans heart twisted, and it twisted to the point of asphyxiation. He was just about to walk over when the door opened and a female physician adorned in a white coat walked out. He saw He Nuo call out to the physician and talk to her with a blush that reached his ears. Surprise shed through the physicians eyes, then she shook her head to tell He Nuo something before she left. He Nuo hung his head low for a moment, then turned around and recoiled in astonishment when he saw the person who was facing him. He avoided Shi Yans gaze, and the blush that had faded flooded his cheeks again.
1. Authors footnote: Because of the g raising ceremony on Monday mornings, the morning exercise breaks after second period will be cancelled. So the break after second period is a little longer.?
Chapter 40
Chapter 40
Shi Yan stepped forward and silently dragged He Nuo out. They rode together towards He Nuos house. When they reached the door, the courtyards door was still locked it was not yet the time when people ended their .s.ses or work. He pulled He Nuo over, Why were you so foolish? Am I that bad? Shi Yan no longer shouted angrily, but instead spoke with a gentleness that he never knew he had to He Nuo.
He Nuos eyes that were devoid of dirt looked at Shi Yan, Of course you arent bad. Im the one who deceived you first, you got angry because I did something wrong.
Shi Yan immediately embraced He Nuo. He Nuos words made him feel sour, pained, and bitter.
Im not angry anymore, but you need to tell me why your family doubts your books.
Fifth brothers money went missing. He Nuo pushed Shi Yan away.
So they suspected that you took it to buy those books?
He Nuo nodded.
Its not like youre the only one in your family? What about those two younger brothers of yours? Did they get beaten too?
He Nuo shook his head.
These were all within Shi Yans expectations, but he still flew into a rage, Then why are they okay? If theyre gonna suspect you then everyone else should be suspected too.
They spent half their summer holidays at their grandmothers ce, and Im the one who picked up Fifth brothers key. He Nuo told Shi Yan about him picking up the key and how his parents had discovered the books and conch sh.e.l.l on Sat.u.r.day. He also told Shi Yan about how his parents had asked him to invite his schoolmate over to take the books away and tell them clearly that he was the one who picked up the conch sh.e.l.l for He Nuo.
Now Shi Yan understood why He Nuo called him on Sat.u.r.day. He pinched He Nuos lower jaw to raise it and examined his face, Did you get beaten because I didnte over on Sat.u.r.day?
He Nuo wasnt willing to answer such a question, but Shi Yan was watching him so he couldnt try to conceal the truth by saying no; yet he didnt want Shi Yan to feel guilty by saying yes.
Shi Yan sighed, If you hand the money over, wont you be admitting that you had taken it?
Of course He Nuo understood that principle. He didnt want to bear the usation of being a thief on his shoulders, which was why he had thickened his skin up to beg Shi Yan. But after he was bluntly rejected by Shi Yan, he had no other choice. He had no one else he could beg to tally his testimony with. So he could either hand the money over and admit his fault, or admit that he had taken the money to buy the books and receive his punishment, but the books would belong to his family (and he would never be able to return them to Shi Yan in the future). Which was why He Nuo thought of selling his blood to exchange it for money. Its just a pity that the sales of blood he read about in novels all happened at blood collection stations in huge cities; the hospitals here go to the nearby countryside at a fixed time every year to collect blood the farmers blood would be deted to a very low price by the hospital.
How much money did your fifth brother lose?
Shi Yans question had stunned He Nuo. He widened his eyes in confusion.
You, Shi Yan said helplessly and sighed in his heart, you dont know, do you?
I didnt ask my parents.
Shi Yan rubbed his be, or else his thick eyebrows would have already stuck to each other in an intimate manner.
People who just ended work and school were beginning to appear. He Nuo asked Shi Yan to wait outside for a little while; when his other family members returned they would open the courtyards door for him. He had to go in first to wait so that his family wouldnt realise that he had sneaked out. The courtyards door was locked he had climbed over the wall to get out, and now he had to climb over the wall again to get back in.
Shi Yan first saw the twins return. They had seen him a few times during the summer holidays, so when they saw him they were considerably polite because they knew that all the movies they had managed to watch was due to the person in front of them now. They saw that he had an imposing manner, and had heard of his fame, but they couldnt understand how He Nuo managed curry favour with him.
Youre here to look for He Nuo ba, wait for my parents toe back before you go in then. Come over here first. They wanted Shi Yan to go over to the living room at their parents side to wait. Shi Yan has always heard them say He Nuo, He Nuo as they directly called He Nuo by name, and he had never once heard them call him Ge1. And now they had brought him here to wait because they were afraid that he would collude with He Nuo, just thinking of that made him detest them.
Did you really give that conch sh.e.l.l to He Nuo? One of them couldnt help but ask, because the books didnt hold much appeal for them, but they had taken a fancy to the conch sh.e.l.l at first nce so they hoped that He Nuo had stolen the money to buy it, then after he gets punished the conch sh.e.l.l would belong to them. Shi Yan just t out ignored them.
When He Nuos Papa returned, Shi Yan stood up and politely introduced himself, Uncle He, nice to meet you. Im Shi Yan, He Nuos schoolmate. I came over to your house to y a few times during the summer holidays. I was at my grandmothers house during the weekend, and yesterday my father told me that He Nuo had called me on Sat.u.r.day and said that he had finished reading the books I loaned him so he wanted to return them to me. But today he didnt go to school, so I came to check if hes fallen sick? And take the books away in pa.s.sing.
He Papa looked at this tall boy who had a dignified bearing he spoke in a steady and forceful tone that was neither humble nor arrogant, while maintaining an upright and sharp gaze. He was doubtful, Youre schoolmates with He Nuo? The two of you have a very good rtionship?
Were good friends. He Nuos a really nice guy, we all like him. Shi Yan smiled warmly.
Come over ba. He Papa brought Shi Yan over to look for He Nuo. The two twins followed along, and their Mama had just returned home from work.
Shi Yan greeted her, the twins told their Mama that this was He Nuos schoolmate who was here to verify He Nuos story. Their Mama said that she would be right over after she put down the vegetables in her hands at the kitchen.
Shi Yan followed closely behind He Papa as he went to the small room that he had visited several times in the pst. Within these short ten minutes, the two who had met again had twopletely different frames of mind. It was different for He Nuo to have been discovered that he was. .h.i.t versus having Shi Yan personally see his actual wretched state; and it was different for Shi Yan to see He Nuos swollen face versus him personally watch He Nuo getting punished He Nuo was kneeling in the corner of the room.
He Nuo greeted his Pa, but he was too ashamed to see Shi Yan. Shi Yan also regretteding in, but now there were the two twins behind him so the narrow s.p.a.ce they upied had been filled to the brim.
Come over here! He Papa called He Nuo, then turned around and discovered that the books were still on the table but the conch sh.e.l.l had disappeared, Wheres the conch sh.e.l.l?
At my ce. Pa, why not you ask about the conch sh.e.l.l first? One of He Nuos younger brothers replied.
Shi Yan suppressed his temper, then answered patiently, Uncle He, thats the thousandyer buddha hand conch, ites from the deep sea. When my father brought me to Hainan, an uncle whom he often had meetings with gave it to me. I thought that it looked quite nice, so I gave it to He Nuo. Its a white-coloured sh.e.l.l with waves......
Right, right, thats the conch sh.e.l.l. Its really pretty, it should have been pretty expensive right? He Mama had came in as well.
Its not that expensive, its of an average price in Hainan. Shi Yan saw He Nuos shock, then continued, He Nuo doesnt like to receive gifts from other people, so I told him I had picked it up. Also, those books are about the generals in World War II. There are two sets: one set contains the books on the Three Main Culprits in the Axis Powers: Hitler, Mussolini, Hideki Tojo and the Three Giants in the Allied Powers: Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin, while the other two misceneous books are the autobiographies of my favourite generals. Both of us like to read this kind of books. My father had bought them for me during the holidays so I brought them over to read them with He Nuo.
Shi Yan knew that they wouldnt know what terms like Allied Powers or Axis Powers would mean, so he threw them all these names on purpose. He was grateful for flipping through the books with He Nuo during their summer holidays and for listening to He Nuo talk about it a little, or else he wouldnt have been able to discern the names of these two alliances at all.
He Papa checked the t.i.tles of the books and they all tallied, then he raised his head. Shi Yan looked at him and said, You can give my parents a call to confirm if my father had bought them for me.
He Papa had already believed him. He shook his head and smiled, No need, Uncle He believes you.
Shi Yan smiled back, Thank you Uncle He, then his expression immediately turned stern and sincere before he said in an aggressive manner, He Nuos an honest guy. Ever since I became friends with him, I have never heard him utter a single lie. His words are the most trustworthy.
He Papa was taken aback. He had already heard the condemnation behind this boys words. The boy looked at him boldly his gaze was both unyielding and firm.
I have never ever doubted He Nuos words before! Shi Yan smashed another hammer down on them.
1. Ge = big bro?
T/N: The aforementioned ma.s.s update.... one dramatic episode is over and done with~
Chapter 41
Chapter 41
He Papa was suddenly a bit embarra.s.sed, he actually felt a sense of oppression from the kid in front of him. But he still spoke kindly to Shi Yan, Dont give He Nuo anymore things in the future, and dont even bother lending him anything.
But towards He Nuo he was full of rebuke, Didnt I teach you ever since you were a kid to never take other peoples things no matter how nice it is?! You can never remember anything!
He Nuo nodded his head, I do remember.
After his family left, He Nuo emptied his bag before stuffing it with the books, Im sorry for dragging you into this. Can I stuff them in here first? In the afternoon just give me your bag and Ill bring it to school for you ba, then Ill take it to your .s.s. Because Shi Yan cant spare a hand to carry extra books when he cycles.
Youre still going to school in the afternoon?
Of course, we still have lessons in the afternoon.
Dont go, your face is still swollen.
He Nuo didnt say anything in reply. Shi Yan walked over to take his bag, Ill deliver your bag to you after school, youll go to school tomorrow instead. Ill go to your .s.s and help you apply for a leave of absence and get your homework for today.
Thank you.
He Nuo sent Shi Yan out. When they pa.s.sed by his younger brothers room, Shi Yan stopped and knocked on their door, then the two of them looked over.
Wheres the conch sh.e.l.l? Hand it over! Shi Yan spoke in an authoritative manner.
So one of them had to hand the conch sh.e.l.l over, then say in embarra.s.sment, Yan Ge, whats this conch sh.e.l.l called? Within Shi Yans gang of buddies, they called each other brothers and all of them called Shi Yan Third Brother, while outsiders call him Yan Ge. These twins evidently knew his alias, so they respectfully called him Yan Ge.
But Shi Yan didnt care, and didnt appreciate the respect either. He took the conch sh.e.l.l and ced it in He Nuos hand, If someone dares to s.n.a.t.c.h something I gave you, Ill cut his hands off. Then he red at the twins.
You...hurry and go back to eat ba. Its already sote. When He Nuo saw him threatening his younger brothers like this, he quickly sent him out.
When He Nuo was reading books in his room at night, he heard someone knock on his window screen. He walked over to the window with a puzzled expression, Who?
Of course its me! Open the window! It was Shi Yans voice.
He Nuo was afraid that mosquitoes woulde in, so he turned off the light before he opened up his window screen. Shi Yan propped himself up on the window frames, then leapt onto the windowsill. After he entered the room and the light was turned back on, He Nuo then asked, Why did you knock on the window? I can hear you even if you had knocked on the yards door.
If you can hear it then wont others be able to hear it too? I dont want to see them. I saw that the lights in your younger brothers room are off, theyre not around?
Theyre watching TV at my parents room. They usually watch TV as soon as they finish their homework.
He Nuo had brought He Nuos bag over. He took out one of the books that was inside, then told He Nuo the homework for each of his subject one by one. He Nuo interrupted, Why did youe over so early? Did you skip .s.s again?
Skipped what .s.s? Its our night self-study session now, its not like we have .s.ses. Cant I go home to revise by myself? As he spoke, he pulled He Nuo over to sit on the bed and took a thermos bottle from his bag and opened it. A cool air wafted out of it.
What is it?
Ice. If you dont deswell your face, others can see how swollen it is at a nce. He took out a handkerchief to wrap an ice cube before cing it on He Nuos face. Just as it made contact with He Nuos face, he dodged it because it was cold.
Get back here!
Its too cooling, cold. He Nuo shrank his neck.
Nonsense, how can it reduce your swelling if its not cold? Why arent you talking about how delicate you are right now?
You give it a try. He Nuo grabbed Shi Yans hand that was trying to rub his face with ice and moved it onto his face. Shi Yans face immediately scrunched up, then he took his hands off.
Now you understand right. Its cold right? He Nuoughed at him.
Thats why I wrapped it in a handkerchief...oh right, this handkerchief is basically for your personal use, it had even wiped you clean before. Shi Yan smirked.
He Nuo knew what he was thinking about, so he immediately scolded, Hoodlum1.
Being a hoodlum is great. Shi Yan stuffed the handkerchief in He Nuos hand, Rub it yourself, Laozis almost turning into your mother.
You think being a hoodlum is great?! What kind of logic is that!
Logic? My logic is that hoodlums are tyc.o.o.ns, be a hoodlum first then youll be a tyc.o.o.nter!
Ah?!
Dont you know that theres a TV series in Hong Kong called Hoodlum Tyc.o.o.n2? Be a hoodlum first, then youll be a tyc.o.o.n. Next time, whoever marries a hoodlum will be the wife of a tyc.o.o.n!
He Nuo was so amused by Shi Yans reply, and his face that had been frozen by the ice was twitching withughter.
Shi Yan continued to spout nonsense, If youre a girl, Id do you a favour and make do with marrying you, then you can be the wife of a tyc.o.o.n. Un, isnt that generous of me. Then he even threw He Nuo a wink.
When the 1.8m Shi Yan raised his eyebrow and threw out a wink, he was so unbelievably charming. He Nuo could have never imagined that someones gaze could be so vivid; he only felt like Shi Yans wink was really beautiful.3
His eyes were really lively, no wonder those girls all like him so much. It was really difficult to resist those eyes of his. He Nuo thought it was regrettable that he wasnt a girl, You really should be a girl. With just one wink of yours, all men would copse at your feet.
Pei! Shi Yan spat at him, Daye has no interest in seducing men. When will your younger brothers go back to sleep?
Not before 10pm ba. Why?
So I can leave before theye back duh? Idiot, Ill leave through the window.
Youre going to jump through the window again?! Are you afraid that my Pa will scold you? My Pa had no intention of ming you in the afternoon, dont mind it. Hes just a bit stern, so hes quite strict with our discipline.
Shi Yan was about to sarcastically remark hes only strict with your discipline ba, but he forced himself to swallow his words. But his face immediately darkened, I havent settled my debt with you yet.
What debt? He Nuo asked stupidly.
You fooled me into going into science, yet you muddled yourself into liberal arts. Say it, did you do it on purpose? To avoid me?
He Nuo chuckled as he lowered his head, I really was a bit unwilling to be in the same .s.s as you that time, but I really do like studying the liberal arts. Also, when I applied for the science .s.ses I never thought that we would be in the same .s.s.
Shi Yan nodded his head, then thats fine, his wounded pride felt a bit better now. Its fine as long as He Nuo didnt escape to the liberal arts just to avoid him. Frankly speaking, Shi Yan doesnt like to memorize stuff anyway. Hed rather study physics than memorize stuff for Geography and History. So it was good that he hadnt been abducted to the liberal arts .s.s by He Nuo.
1. when you call someone a hoodlum in Chinese, youre saying thats hes acting immorally lmao like taking liberties with people?
2. Its actually called Feud of the Two Brothers, but the English name isnt tranted straight from Chinese and is probably adapted because of the drama. The actual trantion of the Chinese name is Hoodlum Tyc.o.o.n?
3. Authors footnote: This is one of Shi Yans unique skills. He would try to teach He Nuo how to do it next time as a joke, how to throw a wink at others. But its a pity that He Nuo had never been able to learn it from the master, whenever he tried to throw a wink his eyes would just look like they were cramping up dont even talk about seducing people with it.?
Chapter 42
Chapter 42
The He Nuo who could go to school again was as light-footed as he could be. Although he had experienced the misfortune of being deemed a thief, he could consider it as a blessing in disguise ba, since he had finally regained Shi Yan as a friend.
But the two only spoke a few words to each other during their morning exercise break. Because their .s.ses were on the fourth floor, and their break was only 10 minutes, students who arent going to the toilet wont go downstairs. The guys liked to gather in the corridor, while most girls remained in their seats and didnt leave the .s.sroom. After .s.ses ended, if Shi Yan wasnt with his buddies (most of them were in .s.s 1 and .s.s 2) resting in the corridor, he would be surrounded by a bunch of girls at his seat. And their .s.srooms were at opposite ends as well.
But now that he no longer had to endure a cold gaze, how often they met didnt seem to matter much. In any case, if they did meet they could at least chat happily for a bit. As soon as National Day in October pa.s.sed, the temperature began to drop. One bout of autumn rain and one bout of cold, Shi Yan found out that He Nuo didnt return home after their afternoon .s.ses ended on a rainy day. He thought about how He Nuos house was much further from their school than his was, and he didnt have a bike, so if he went home for dinner before returning to school for their night self-study sessions he would be a bit tight on time. There were quite a few students who lived near He Nuos house, and even if they did have their own bicycles, they were toozy to ride their bikes to and fro in the rain. But they would have brought some snacks or biscuits in advance to fill their stomachs.
When Shi Yan saw He Nuo the next day, he told him to wait for him after his afternoon .s.ses ended. Shi Yan first fetched him to the entrance of the residential area his house was in Shi Yans house was on the way to He Nuos house from school then he asked He Nuo to ride his bicycle home and asked him to meet up here after he ate to fetch Shi Yan. He Nuo returned home and parked the bicycle outside without letting his family know about it. Then afterwards, they went home together after school every afternoon, and returned to school together every night for their night self-study sessions.
The backseat of Shi Yans bicycle was upied by He Nuo once again, so everyones attention fell upon him. But luckily, because Shi Yan acted as a deterrent, it wasnt convenient for the others to ask how they reconciled everyone could see how Shi Yan treated He Nuo after school ended. But He Nuos deskmate couldnt conceal her curiosity. As one of the girlfriends that Shi Yan had eliminated, Yu Hao no longer feels any resentment towards him. She merely wondered how He Nuo had managed to get mixed up with him.
In Yu Yaos heart, Shi Yan was a typical yboy with a stomach full of tricks; while her deskmate He Nuo was such a simple and pure person, yet these two were friends? Yu Yao couldnt believe in something so incredulous. There were a few times when Yu Yao asked He Nuo how he could be friends with that kind of person, wasnt He Nuo the one who taught her to see through Shi Yans hypocrisy? So why was He Nuo friends with him now? But He Nuo insisted that Shi Yan was a friend worth making, so Yu Yao pretended to sigh, Ive woken up, but now youre the one whos deceived by that yboy.
Not long after November began, the Siberian cold current brought heavy snow upon them. Sprinkles of snow quietly changed the colour of the sky and the earth while people were in a deep slumber. When He Nuo woke up in the morning, he saw the yard outside covered in a nket of snow. He took a deep breath and savoured the refreshing and extraordinarily clean air his lungs felt like they had been moisturised. As he stepped on the thickyer of snow, the He Nuo who was on his way to school childishly looked back at his footprints as he walked, and would squat down once in awhile to make s...o...b..a.l.l.s to y around with.
The snow was too heavy, so morning break periods were cancelled. Instead, the students ran to the field to fool around; both guys and girls would make use of this long break to y around in the snow. They chased each other around while s...o...b..a.l.l.s that had no targets were being thrown around everywhere. He Nuo was dragged along by Shi Yan to partake in the battle, but He Nuo had never engaged in a s...o...b..ll fight with other people before. All he usually did was make some s...o...b..a.l.l.s by himself then throw them up into the air, or pile a few snowmen up by himself. After he was dragged into such a big scale and chaotic battle, he held a s...o...b..ll in his hand without knowing who he should throw it at. Shi Yan looked at his dazed look, then said to him, Lets fight, I wont hold back. And as he spoke, he quickly grabbed a handful of snow and threw it at He Nuos face, Battle start! then ran away.
He Nuo squatted down to grab a handful of snow and chased Shi Yan. Shi Yan was making a s...o...b..ll too, but he was much more experienced with He Nuo. He had formed two s...o...b..a.l.l.s, one in each of his hands, and when He Nuo was approaching, he threw out the s...o...b..ll in his left hand. While He Nuo dodged the s...o...b..ll, he threw the one in his right hand at him as well Shi Yan had already guessed how He Nuo would react, so his second bomb was the one that he was truly using to aim at He Nuo. He Nuo was. .h.i.t right smack in the face, yet his own weapon was easily defused by Shi Yan as Shi Yan smiled triumphantly. He was about to create another bomb when Shi Yan was already running towards him, gearing up to attack. He Nuo grabbed his half-formed s...o...b..ll and ran, but Shi Yan chased after him relentlessly without giving him a chance to escape. Luckily, Shi Yans friends had also begun to attack him, so He Nuo managed to make use of the extra time he got to form a few more bullets.
The 25-minute break time bustled with activity. He Nuo ran until he was gasping for breath and ended up getting drenched in sweat. His pale face was also tinged with a blood-red colour. When the bell that signalled the start of .s.ses rang, he realised that he still had two more .s.ses to attend, so he returned to his .s.sroom while panting. In the first few minutes of .s.s, his thoughts were still on the field. Before their night self-study session, this bunch of students started another war, and because there were no teachers around during self-study sessions, they could go as crazy as they wanted so they entered their .s.ses 15 minuteste. He Nuo couldnt beat Shi Yan and couldnt outrun him either, so he ended up getting caught by him and they rolled a few rounds in the snow.
After he returned home, He Nuo got a fever in the middle of the night. He had broken out in sweat after the vigorous exercises he did in the afternoon and night, and after he was. .h.i.t by the cold winds, he fell sick. He couldnt knock on his parents doors to get medicine in the middle of the night, so he looked for the medicine that Shi Yan had given him before. He took a small amount of anti-inmmatory medicine first. When it was close to 4am, he urinated blood. As someone who was used to this disease, He Nuo went to the kitchen to pour lots of water for himself, because without urine, urinating blood alone would be so painful that he could faint. He endured it for awhile like this as he lied down one moment and sat up in the next. Once in awhile, he would tiptoe his way to the toilet, and just dressing and undressing himself was torturous enough for him. Even after he had endured the pain until the morning, his situation didnt get any better.
Chapter 43
Chapter 43
In the morning, he took some fever medicine from the living room at his parents side and consumed a few anti-inmmatory tablets before he went to school. During their morning break period, Shi Yan went to look for He Nuo, but left when he didnt see him. Snow like this usually .u.mtes for a few days during winter in the northern parts, so they probably wouldnt do any morning exercises this week. During their third periods break, Shi Yan saw He Nuo hurry downstairs from afar, and when he returned he had taken a cup to the water room (the ce where they kept cleaning tools like mops and rags) and filled it with water before returning to his .s.sroom. Whats that guy doing? Tap water during winter in the northern parts was so cold that if you drank it, your teeth would chatter, so its no wonder that Shi Yan wouldnt think that He Nuo was just drinking water.
During their first period in the afternoon, Shi Yan once again saw the same scene from the morning rey, so the moment his second period ended in the afternoon he went to look for He Nuo. When they met, Shi Yan called him but He Nuo replied, I need to go to the toilet first, Ill talk to you when I get back. before he walked away like he was on the verge of peeing his pants. Shi Yanughed, then stayed and waited for him. When he returned, He Nuos face was flushed red, but what was even weirder was that in this cold weather, he had gone to the toilet and not a s...o...b..ll fight, so why is he sweating again? He grabbed him and asked, Are you feverish? And he realised that even his palms were sweating.
A bit. He Nuo shed him a pure smile, Give me a moment okay.
He Nuo went to fill his cup with water, then returned and said to Shi Yan, Whats up?
You have a fever and yet youre running around outside after .s.s?!
But I went to the toilet?
Whats this water for?
For drinking bei.
You, Shi Yan still wanted to say something, but .s.ses had started, the teacher had already reached the .s.sroom door and was urging He Nuo to go in with his gaze. Shi Yan s.n.a.t.c.hed his cup, No drinking.
He Nuo just looked on as Shi Yan s.n.a.t.c.hed his water away and walked off without any exnation.
After .s.ses ended, Shi Yan poured away the water in the cup and went to the teachers office to fill it up with hot water before he went to look for He Nuo, but that guy actually wasnt around again?! When he came back to a waiting Shi Yan, Shi Yan scolded, You went to the toilet again?
Un.
Why the f.u.c.k are you going every period, do you have that much pee and s.h.i.t to spare? Shi Yan saw that he was sweating and was worried that his sickness would deteriorate if he endured the cold winds.
He Nuo smiled, You care about the heavens, the earth, and now youre even caring about how others1....... He Nuo wanted to say a proverb, and it was a rude proverb too. But he had never used such crudenguage before, so he faltered in the middle.
I must care about how you s.h.i.t and fart, so what? He stuffed the cup that was warming his hands to He Nuo, Arent you afraid that it would freeze you to death? And you still dare to drink cold water, do you think you have a lot of firepower2? (Dont you know that) Youre so delicate.
Usually after school ended, Shi Yan would be able to see He Nuo the moment he took his bike out of the bike shed. But today, he had to wait for a few minutes before he saw He Nuo return from the direction of the toilet, and his forehead was still drenched in sweat. Shi Yan was perplexed, What exactly is wrong with you? Why do you keep going to the toilet?
Nothing much, just drank too much water, so I keep wanting to go.
Then drink less, its so cold yet youre still drinking cold water. Shi Yan scolded, but when he thought about it, he realised that He Nuo should drink more water since he has a fever.
From that day onwards, Shi Yan would bring a high quality thermos cup to school and run over to the teachers office to fill it up with hot water twice during the morning and afternoon. And of course, he gave it to He Nuo. But this guy didnt get any better, and even began to cough. Every time Shi Yan went to find him, He Nuo would be talking to him while he coughed. At first he could still talk through his coughs, but it got worse and worse, and now he was coughing so harshly that his whole face was flushed red as he bent over.
Whats wrong with you? Didnt you take any medication?
I, cough, coughcough, cough.....did. He Nuo only answered with these two words.
What lousy medicine did you take again? Ill bring some medicine over for you in the afternoon.
A student returned from the outside, and when he pa.s.sed by He Nuo, the cold air that he brought along with him triggered another bout of violent coughs. He didnt even have any s.p.a.ce to breathe in between, and his heart felt so stuffy that it hurt. His face was flushed red due to the asphyxiation, but he still waved his hand at Shi Yan to express his intention of not bothering him.
Arent you done. Shi Yan patted his back to make it easier for him to breathe and endure this onset of coughs. In the afternoon, Shi Yan brought along many different kinds of cough medication there were capsules, tablets, cough syrups and several expensive anti-inmmatory medication, and he gave them all to He Nuo. Three dayster, He Nuos situation saw no improvement, and if it wasnt because he understood He Nuos personality, Shi Yan would have really doubted that he had lied to him about taking his medicine on time.
On the fourth day, Shi Yans physical education .s.s in the afternoon had be a free period because their school had no indoor gymnasium where they could exercise in during the winter. Their teacher would usually throw the students a ser ball when the field was clean for them to y with, but when snow built up they were free to do whatever they wanted. Shi Yan yed downstairs for a bit before he went back upstairs. He had just turned a corner when he heard suppressed coughs that travelled over from the water room, and each cough that was being strongly suppressed would make its listener wince in pain. Shi Yan didnt even need to guess to know that it must be that sickly guy again.
By the time he reached the water room at the end of the corridor, the coughs had already stopped. He saw that guy paying respects towards the wall in the corner of the room the round of coughs just now was so bad that He Nuo had to hold onto the wall for support. He Nuo slowly stood up and turned around, then saw Shi Yan standing at the door. He smiled, Why are you here? O, your .s.s is having PE now.
Shi Yan walked over, You came out cause you dont have .s.s? Why not go to the hospital for a check-up?
The He Nuo who had already stopped coughing immediately started up another round of coughs when Shi Yan approached him. He anxiously waved his hand to motion Shi yan to move away. When Shi Yan saw how ufortable he looked, he had wanted to pat him on the back and support him up, but He Nuos rejection had infuriated him so much that he turned around to leave. Yet, he was stopped by an anxious He Nuo who quickly walked over to grab his sleeve. He Nuo had to press one of his hands on his chest as he coughed, while he used his hand that was grabbing Shi Yans sleeve to pry Shi Yans hand open. He Nuo used the hand on his chest to write on Shi Yans hand, but his constant coughs made his fingers tremble as he wrote.
Shi Yan withdrew his hand and patted his back, Its okay, well talkter. When He Nuo felt a bit better, he said, I...that wasnt what I meant...you were outside...so when you came in, your body has...cold air, which makes me cough...just now, in .s.s...ater suddenly...opened the door and came in..., I wasnt prepared...and it triggered such...a bad round of coughs....that the teacher couldnt continue with lessons...so I came out to cough...
Shi Yan asked him to go to the hospital, but He Nuo refused. He said that the hospital would just prescribe him some cough medication. Shi Yan thought that the medication prescribed by the hospital wouldnt be as good as the ones he gave He Nuo as the medicine he got were those given only to cadres, so he didnt insist on the idea. But as he looked at He Nuo like this who coughed behind him everyday until he almost coughed his heart out, it felt ufortable, and the sound grated on his ears.
1. You care about the heavens, the earth, and now youre even caring about how others s.h.i.t and fart is the full version that He Nuo couldnt say lmao?
2. A phrase used to describe youngsters who have a strong body so they dont need to fear the cold?
Chapter 44
Chapter 44
After Shi Yan knew that He Nuo was afraid of sudden gushes of cold air, he gave He Nuo two masks. He had wanted to get him a scarf, but he knew that He Nuo had no ce to hide a scarf and his family would discover it, so He Nuo definitely wouldnt want it. Thus, he changed it to masks. In any case, when Shi Yan fetched him everyday he would wrap a scarf around him tightly, and the scarf would only return to Shi Yans neck when they parted. Yet, even though He Nuo was afraid of the cold, he would often go to the toilet. It wasnt as frequent as before when he had to go after every period, but it was still much more frequent thanzy students and other students who were afraid of the cold.
There was one day when Shi Yan was eating when he unintentionally asked his parents why someone would always want to go to the toilet when the weather turned cold. It was just a casual question, but his parents immediately got nervous and asked how Shi Yan felt when he went to the toilet, and whether it hurts when he urinated, or if there was blood in his urine. Shi Yan exined that it was a .s.smate who always had to go to the toilet the moment .s.s ended, yet he would keep drinking water. Then his parents told him that catching a cold during winter could easily be bad for the kidneys, so ones urination would be frequent and urgent. But the moment you urinate blood and its very painful when you do so, then it would have turned into a big problem, and it might even kill the one whos afflicted in the future. This scared Shi Yan a lot, then he thought about how He Nuo would sweat every time he came back from the toilet, and realised that it might have been due to pain. He had such a tolerant personality, plus his family doesnt seem to like him very much, so there was a high chance for him to drag on any condition he might have without uttering a word.
Shi Yan asked a few more questions, like how you could get this kind of disease, how this disease should be treated, and what should be taken note of. His parents nagged him a whole bunch, and urged Shi Yan to cover himself up well and keep warm, and even told him that this was actually a bit of a rich disease. As long as those who were rich recuperated well and nourished their body with supplements, then once they treated it at a young age they would be fine, but if it wasnt treated, then the problem would follow them for the rest of their lives; but as for those who were pure, whether or not they would recover from this disease would depend on luck and on themselves.
When he saw He Nuo at night, Shi Yan was furious. The moment he dismounted the bike, Shi Yan asked, Are you urinating blood?
He Nuo wondered how Shi Yan knew, and he was even looking very angry right now, No. He answered carefully.
Shi Yan brought him into the office building where his father worked, He Nuo had been here before. Because the building was located quite near the school, He Nuo had thought that Shi Yan was here to take something, but he ended up getting dragged by Shi Yan to the toilet.
Pee!
? He Nuo was shocked to see Shi Yan stand beside him as he stared fixatedly on him, then understood that this was a white porcin urinal, so you could see the colour of your urine. The school only had squatting pits, once you peed you wouldnt be able to see anything.
Hurry, or do you want me to help you?
He Nuo knew that he didnt believe him and was insistent on seeing it with his own eyes. But to be seen by him like this...was awkward.
Dont say youre too embarra.s.sed to do so, Ive already touched it anyway. You wont take it out (urine) at school!
He Nuo took off his pants and began to pee he really didnt urinate blood anymore, but every time he started there would still be a slight, stinging pain, and it would end off with a few seconds of intense pain. When Shi Yan saw that there was no blood in his urine, he heaved a sigh of relief and raised his head as he intended to make fun of He Nuo. But instead, he saw that He Nuo was in so much pain that he was trembling. The colour had also drained from his face; his lips were pursed tight and sweat could be seen on the tip of his nose.
Whats wrong? Shi Yan supported him.
Nothing, Ill be fine in awhile.
Shi Yans gaze turned gloomy, Youve always been like this?
When it gets cold in the winter its easy for me to be like this, but itll be fine when the weather turns warm.
Shi Yan entered the office to give w.a.n.g Fengs family a call and asked if w.a.n.g Feng had gone to school. Because He Nuos house was quite far from the school, and he was meeting Shi Yan, it was still quite early for them to go to school now. w.a.n.g Feng was about to leave his house. Shi Yan told him to bring any medical book regarding kidneys1 to school his mother is a physician.
During thest period of their night self-study sessions, Shi Yan couldnt help but take the medical books out to start looking through them. w.a.n.g Feng had asked his mother before, and these were books rmended by his mother. Shi Yan flipped to the pages that w.a.n.g Fengs mother had folded its corners for as markings, then began to read it in detail. After school ended, Shi Yan asked if He Nuo had urinated blood before. He Nuo nodded his head.
Usually after their night self-study sessions ended, Shi Yan would only bring He Nuo to the entrance of his residential area, then He Nuo would walk the rest of his way back home. It wouldnt be a problem for him to allow He Nuo to ride the bicycle back home thene fetch him the next morning, but the problem was that He Nuo didnt dare to ride a schoolmates bike home. If his parents knew that he had taken benefits from others again, there would be trouble. He Nuo saw that Shi Yan didnt stop by the entrance of his residential estate today and instead continued to cycle, so he knew that he intended to send him back, You dont need to send me home, or else youll have to ride back by yourselfter.
Its okay, I want to cycle for a little longer.
When they reached the outside of He Nuos house, he thanked Shi Yan, but Shi Yan asked, When was the first time you urinated blood?
Last year. It was winter then too.
Did it ur again after that?
During the summer holidays, un, when you saw me down with a cold during summer.
Was your urine frequent, urgent and painful? Shi Yan recited the professional words that he had memorised.
Un.
What other symptoms do you have? Tell me everything at one go, Ill help you ask w.a.n.g Fengs mother. Shes a physician.
There arent any others, just that it always gets like this when its cold, and I always want to pee. At the start my urine would be red, but when I cant pee anymore there would be drips of blood that look like paper foam. Thats when it would hurt a lot, but if I drink more water so that I have urine, itd feel much better. There hasnt been any blood the past few days, but it would hurt at the beginning and at the end when I pee. It would feel a little ufortable right after I pee, but after a few minutes itd get better.
All these descriptions corresponded to the dangerous symptoms that Shi Yan had read about. Shi Yan felt rather heavy-hearted, then sympathetically re-tied the scarf that He Nuo had taken off around him again tightly, Just go straight into your room, no one will see you. Put it on again when you leave the house tomorrow, if youre scared of the cold then wear thicker clothes.
When he got home, Shi Yan couldnt even be bothered to eat the usual fruits for supper and straight away flipped the medical books open again to read. There were two types of nephritis: pyelonephritis and glomerulonephritis, and their symptoms coincided with He Nuos perfectly. Shi yan thought about how He Nuos first urination of blood urred a year ago, and after dragging it out for a year, it had probably turned chronic. Then he thought about what this illness would turn into in the future uremia. When he thought about how He Nuo might die, his eyes instantly turned astringent and sour. He Nuo was so kind, so great, and so unloved, yet he had never heard He Nuo criticise others orin about them.
When Shi Yan lied on his bed, he told himself that he must see to his friends recovery. He Nuo would definitely be healthy again and be his friend for the rest of his life.
1. Authors note: Shi Yan doesnt know what department it belongs to (now big hospitals have a much more detailed .s.sification, and it belongs to the urology department), so he told w.a.n.g Feng that it was a viscera disease that was rted to the kidney.?
Chapter 45
Chapter 45
Shi Yan asked He Nuo to ride his bicycle home at noon the next day, then go to school directly by himself in thete afternoon instead of picking him up. He had already arranged to meet with w.a.n.g Feng for lunch before going to his house for a consultation with his mother. Shi Yan narrated He Nuos medical history to w.a.n.g Mama once, but he knew that it was overly simplistic so there was no way for w.a.n.g Mama to correctly deduce which kind of nephritis it was, or whether or not it was even nephritis in the first ce. w.a.n.g Mama tried her best to useyman terms to exin and a.n.a.lyse He Nuos condition, then suggested that it would be best for him to go to the hospital for some check-ups and tests.
She couldnt diagnose anything, but w.a.n.g Mama reminded Shi Yan that ording to his current symptoms, He Nuo was still urinating blood. But hematuria can be .s.sified into two types: those that can be seen under a microscope and those that can be seen with the naked eye. It was more serious in the past, so you could see the blood with your naked eye, but after he had consumed arge amount of anti-inmmatories, the red blood cells thats discharged had decreased so you couldnt see an obvious red colour. But the pain at the start and end of every urination session is likely due to the discharge of red blood cells. So, He Nuo definitely needed to avoid getting cold and wet, because his immune system is currently very weak. Even a slight cold, flu or respiratory infection could trigger his hematuria.
w.a.n.g Mama then talked about some other areas that required attention: diet, exercise and lifestyle. It was very important for him to pay attention to his nutrition, keep warm and improve his immune system. Shi Yan listed several kinds of health care products in detail, and asked if they were suitable. More or less, because they were all beneficial for boosting ones immunity.
After they took their leave, Shi Yan and w.a.n.g Feng made a trip down to Shi Yans ce before they went to school, so they were almostte for their .s.ses. After his .s.ses ended, he went to look for He Nuo. He took out a small bottle and inserted a straw in it, Drink this.
He Nuo looked at it but didnt take it, This again, I dont want to drink it. I dont like sweet things, its nauseating.
And medicine isnt nauseating? Do you want to eat medicine for the rest of your life? Shi Yan spoke in a very strong tone.
He Nuo could tell at a nce that he was unhappy, so he epted the drink and quickly downed it.
You dont like to drink it? Then dont cough behind me everyday.
He Nuoughed and didnt argue with him.When he looked at He Nuo eyes that took up arge surface area on his face because how of skinny he is, Shi Yan couldnt harden his heart and instead advised, This is good for your body, you need to drink it everyday from now onwards.
Every day? He Nuos face turned sullen.
On the contrary, the dark clouds looming above Shi Yan dispersed and had turned sunny instead, Yes, and you need to continue drinking Apollo too.
When he sent He Nuo to his doorstep after school, Shi Yan then took out another small bottle, Drink this Apollo before you eat, then youll be able to absorb nutrients better.
On Sat.u.r.day morning, Shi Yan arranged to meet with He Nuo and asked him not to pee after he got up but to leave his house earlier to meet him instead. Even though He Nuo didnt understand what was going on, he still arrived earlier than their appointed time. When they reached the entrance of the hospital, He Nuo didnt want to go in again, but Shi Yan wouldnt give him the chance to back out or hesitate. He took a small cup that was in front of theboratorys window and asked He Nuo to pee into it, then brought him somewhere to p.r.i.c.k his ears for a blood test. He pa.s.sed aboratory test slip that w.a.n.g Fengs mother had prepared for him yesterday to a medical staff before they left w.a.n.g Fengs mother wrote theboratory test slip under her own patients names, so the slip will be sent to w.a.n.g Mama.
These basic tests are unable to diagnose the exact disease, but it managed to determine the existence of red blood cells in his urine. The causes for his frequent slight fevers had also been found inmmation within his body. So w.a.n.g Mama rmended theirtest drug: norfloxacin, as the first step to treating his current hematuria.
Shi Yan would bring ginseng Royal Jelly and Apollos oral liquid for He Nuo everyday. Its not that he couldnt give him a few boxes at one go for his own consumption at home, but Shi Yan could sense the status that He Nuo held in his family and had considered that if He Nuos family discovered the tonics they might cause unnecessary trouble for him again. So he would only only give him these two to He Nuo in advance on Sundays. Shi Yan wasnt overthinking things. Although He Nuo had never been discovered to be consuming such high-quality tonics in front of his family, he was still careful to not let them see as he subconsciously didnt want them to know about it.
In school, Shi Yan absolutely did not allow He Nuo to drink tap or cold water anymore, and had even limited his liquid intake. Now He Nuos no. 1 waspletely normal, and the pain at the start and end of it had been resolved. Without this physical torture, He Nuo immediately became more spirited. But Shi Yan no longer asked him to go and y in the snow with him, and had told him to not leave the teaching building aside from going to the toilet in this cold weather.
Apart from mornings, Shi Yan and He Nuo would go to school and leave school together in the afternoons and at nights. Sometimes, Shi Yan would pick the He Nuo who was walking to school in the mornings. The blood in his urine was resolved, but his cough didnt seem to get any better. No matter how many times Shi Yan changed his medication for him, they had no obvious effects in alleviating his cough. When it was slight, it meant that it was a rare bright and sunny winter day, but if the northern winds were slightly stronger, then his cough would be more serious too. In the warm .s.sroom, if the door didnt suddenly open and let a cold air flow gush in, He Nuos violent coughs wouldnt be triggered. So Shi Yan told He Nuo to wear a mask the moment .s.ses ended, then he wouldnt be too badly affected by the cold air brought in by students who would leave and enter the .s.sroom.
In the beginning, He Nuo was reluctant to do such a weird thing. But Shi Yan would visit him during their breaks and asked him not to leave his seat. Instead, Shi Yan walked straight up to the seat in front of him to sit down, because Yu Yao was toozy to leave after .s.s and she wasnt willing to give up her seat for Shi Yan either. Shi Yan came directly from his .s.sroom and never left the building, so himing over to sit down didnt have much of an impact on He Nuo. But when a student who had left the teaching building returned and pa.s.sed by He Nuo, he ended up coughing until his face went pale. Shi Yans immediately red at him and said with a voice full of anger, Cant you go the other way round? Dont you know what would trigger his coughs?
He Nuo didnt know if he should cry orugh that guys seat was situated at the back of his row, so it was perfectly reasonable for him pa.s.s by him. How could this tyrant me him with such an absurd reason? That student anxiously nodded as he apologised, and kept saying sorry; He Nuo mumbled incoherently as he shook his head and waved his hand to him to motion that it was okay, that it was his own fault; on the other hand he was pushing Shi Yan to chase this Daye away. Shi Yan used the same tone of rebuke with him, Didnt I ask you to wear a mask? Do you have no ears?! You better put it on quickly next time!
After .s.ses ended, He Nuo took his mask out and hesitated for a moment before he took the scarf out too and wrapped it around his neck. He pulled it up high to cover half his face before he went to the toilet. When he returned, he didnt take the mask off again. Yu Yao couldnt help butugh and turned sideways to look at him. He Nuo tried to cover up his embarra.s.sment, What are you looking at, cant you recognise me anymore?
I was just thinking that that yboys not so bad as a friend, he treats his friends much better than his girlfriends.
When He Nuo heard this, he felt all warm and fuzzy inside. His reaction towards Shi Yans goodwill had changed from his resistance in the beginning, to a sense of guilt and indebtedness afterwards, then finally to his joyful eptance of it now. He Nuo regards Shi Yan as his best friend, and aside from his family, Shi Yan was currently the most important person in his life. He Nuo had already opened up his heart to ept Shi Yan, so he no longer hesitated to ept Shi Yans care because He Nuo knew that if Shi Yan was sick, he would treat him the same way too.
Chapter 46
Chapter 46
He Nuo obediently turned into a masked man during his breaks. Shi Yan didnte to find him very often. Half his face was covered while they cycled on the road, so he would have to pull his scarf down if he wanted to speak; he could easily choke on the wind if he did that, so Shi Yan always made He Nuo hide behind him and asked him not to talk. If he wanted to say something, he should wait until they were in a ce where there was no wind.
New Years was approaching, which meant that their semester was drawing to a close. Even though they were being crushed by the immense workload of their third year, the students still treasured thisst group activity of their high school life (faints, when I wrote about the group activity I suddenly remembered that He Nuo had partic.i.p.ated in this years Autumn sports festival as well. Because there were only a few boys in the liberal arts .s.s, no one could escape the responsibility of taking on at least two sports, this happened in October not long after he had reconciled with Shi Yan. I forgot to write about it, so Ill just have to add this in in an extra.) So in addition to the New Years party that was held at school in the afternoon, some students had also organised somete night entertainment outside of school one of the students parents had offered theirpanys huge conference room and their houses unused one-storey courtyard to host it.
Most of Shi Yans gang had been invited to the party, so Shi Yan told He Nuo to apply for leave from his family to go out to y for awhile and return home a bitter that night. This wasnt difficult; after He Nuo told his parents where he was going and who he was going with, they agreed to let him return homete. They had their usual .s.ses in the morning, then in the afternoon a few students didnt go home as they began to decorate their .s.srooms. Shi Yan wasnt in charge of anything this year because he didnt have the time. He had to leave almost immediately after school ended everyday to send He Nuo back home.
When he reached the schools bike shed in the morning, Shi Yan took out a paper bag from his backpack, Take this to your .s.s.
He Nuo waved his hand and pointed at his backpack as a signal to tell Shi Yan that he had already brought some.
I know youd bring some. Shi Yan smiled, If you didnt its not like youd eat the food others bring. I brought this for you, eat moreter and dont just give it all to other people.
He Nuo only untied his huge scarf after he had reached the second floor. He waved the lunchbox and asked, What tasty food is in this?
Squid with crispy rice crust1, I specially got thepany to make it. Keep it warm near the heater, or else itd taste a little fishy when you eat it.
He Nuo interacted more often with the students in his current .s.s than in his previous one, and were more familiar with his .s.smates here. So he happily observed his .s.s gathering this time and would listen in to the conversations of others. Once in awhile, hed chat with Yu Yao and a few of his other .s.smates. Shi Yan once represented his .s.s to pay the liberal arts .s.s a New Years call, and had sat by He Nuos side for awhile. He quietly asked He Nuo if he liked the dish he brought. To tell the truth, it really did taste quite good, but when He Nuo saw that the others liked to eat it too and were even fighting over it, he only took some with his chopsticks once and never tried to take anymore after that.
After their .s.ss gathering ended, Shi Yan brought He Nuo to a restaurant. When they went in, they didnt see anyone else so He Nuo asked out of curiosity, Arent we eating with them?
Well go look for themter, we wont get to eat if we have dinner with them. Theyre preparing a barbeque, and there might not even be enough meat for all those wolves. Well eat here first before going over. As he spoke, he had already pa.s.sed an Apollo over to He Nuo.
This was their first time eating together. Shi Yan didnt know what He Nuo liked to eat, so he gave him the menu first. He Nuos eyes were only filled with the menus prices, and he didnt know how to order in the first ce. Shi Yan casually asked, What do you like to eat? Ill rmend a few dishes to you ba.
Im not picky, Ill eat anything.
Shi Yan turned around to order a few dishes. He Nuo anxiously called out, Are we ordering takeout for them?
Were not.
Then one dish is enough, why are you ordering so many?
Shi Yan smiled and said, Do you think I eat as little as you? before he continued listing his orders to the waiter.
After the waiter left, He Nuo asked, It should be quite expensive to eat here ba?
All you think about is money! Money! Money! Its not like Ill detain you here to make you wash the dishes.
But we dont need to eat at a restaurant right? You can go home to have dinner, Ill wait for you at their ce first.
This is thepanys restaurant, its specifically responsible for entertaining guests. I had already informed them that we would being here for dinner, so you dont need to worry so much.
The dishes came one after the other. There were five dishes and one soup: stewed cod, braised pork ribs, barbequed prawns, sauteed kidneys, stir-fried broli and duck soup. Shi Yan specially ordered these dishes for He Nuo; he didnt like to eat fish and prawns himself, but these two dishes were apparently the signature dishes here so he had hoped that He Nuo could get to try them. He had heard that it wasnt good for people with bad kidneys to eat chicken, and as the old saying goes eat whatever youck so Shi Yan had specially ordered kidneys as well. Duck soup was usually consumed to improve ones Qi and blood during winter, and Shi Yan has always felt that He Nuo had a fundamentally deficient const.i.tution.
He Nuo faced this table of dishes and didnt know where to start. His family had cooked up some of these dishes during New Years (of course the quality couldnt bepared, the prawns alone were divided into different types and sizes), but he rarely ate them. It was the first time for him to see stewed cod, sauteed kidneys and broli as well. The waiter delivered their rice over, then Shi Yan held his bowl up and said, Eat up, its not like Im going to feed you.
He Nuo took some broli he liked its light taste, so he kept eating this green vegetable dish. The first dish Shi Yan took were the ribs, Im a carnivore who doesnt like fish and prawns, so youre in charge of clearing those. You better eat up.
After He Nuo uttered an oh, he took some ribs for himself. He took one bite, then ced it at the side of his bowl. After Shi Yan cleaned off half his bowl of rice, he saw that the rib He Nuo had taken one bite out of was still in his bowl, and that he was only eating broli. The ribs here are quite delicious and Shi Yan likes them, so he asked, You dont like these ribs? What about prawns? Dont tell me you dont eat seafood ba. He took one barbequed shrimp for He Nuo, Its their signature dish, everyone loves it. Give it a try.
He Nuo clumsily bit on the prawn sh.e.l.l. Shi Yan s.n.a.t.c.hed it from his mouth, Why are you being so refined? Just peel it with your hands. Shi Yan had finished peeling the shrimp easily before he ced it in He Nuos bowl.
Thank you. He Nuo felt a bit uneasy.
How is it?
Its quite nice.
Then eat more of it.
He scooped some kidneys for He Nuo, but He Nuo spit one out after he took a bite. When he saw Shi Yan stare at him, he said in embarra.s.sment, Sorry, whats this? Im not used to the taste.
Shi Yan stood up and carried the te over to sit next to He Nuo, then scooped another spoonful and ced it near his mouth, Who was the one who said he wasnt picky?
He Nuo turned his head to avoid it, It has a weird taste, I dont like it.
Then what do you like? You dont like eating anything thats good for your body.
How can such an awful dish be good for me? He Nuo understood very clearly that Shi Yan treated him very well. But aside from medicine, Shi Yan had never forced him to eat something so difficult to swallow before.
Shi Yan didnt want to tell He Nuo that his kidneys were in a bad state. He ate a mouthful of kidneys himself, Eating this is good for all men, I eat them quite often. When have you ever seen me cough all day or get fevers for fun?
He Nuo was so amused by Shi Yan he chuckled, But its not like I have a fever now anyway.
Shi Yan ced the kidneys in his bowl, Give it another try. This is the restaurant owned by ourpany, they clean these quite thoroughly so it doesnt have much of a taste. Youre just not used to it.
He Nuo took another bite as he found it difficult to refuse Shi Yans kindness, but he just couldnt seem to like its taste. Shi Yan saw that he didnt like the fish and prawn dishes much either, so he wasnt in a very good mood, What exactly do you like to eat? Lets order some other dishes ba.
No, its not that I dont like to eat them, theyre all delicious. Its just that theyre too greasy, so I cant stomach them very well.
Shi Yan took a prawn over and peeled off its oily sh.e.l.l, then asked the waiter to get them a small saucer filled with vinegar, This barbequed one is only oily on the outside. If you dip it in vinegar it can alleviate the greasiness, eat a few more. The stewed cod also has a light taste, just eat these two ba.
Shi Yan wasnt very happy throughout this meal. He Nuo said that he was full after just one bowl of rice, and after he forced himself to drink a bowl of duck soup, he couldnt even stomach any duck meat afterwards at all. He could tell that He Nuo barely touched the dishes, which made Shi Yan lose his appet.i.te too. Shi Yan settled the bill with one signature, then they left the restaurant.
1.
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Chapter 47
Chapter 47
When they went to meet everyone else, He Nuo could tell that Shi Yan wasnt in a good mood. He Nuo felt guilty for making him unhappy when Shi Yan was just trying to treat him to a good meal. For as long as he could remember, his Mama would give the rare meat and fish dishes they had to his fourth and fifth brothers, then afterwards she would give them to his younger brothers. He Nuo was used to choosing vegetable dishes, so he gradually moved away from eating fish and meat. He had only taken one bite of the ribs they had for dinner before he felt that it was so greasy he could barely swallow it, while the green vegetable and ming fish were lighter-tasting so He Nuo liked them. His usual portion was just a bowl of rice and a few mouthfuls of vegetables, and there was once when he only ate a bowl of rice because he returned homete after school. He ate so much today, yet Shi Yan was still dissatisfied, and he didnt know how to exin that he really had eaten until he was very full.
Their schoolmates were about done with singing and dancing in the conference room borrowed by their parents, so not long after they arrived, they all moved to the spare courtyard to prepare their so-called barbeque supper. Everyone was busy trying to pa.s.s the meat and fruits they got to the girls; most of the meat they got were beef and mutton. They wanted the girls to be in charge of chopping them up, while the guys would be in charge of skewering the meat and setting up the charcoal fire. Shi Yan took out two cans and some fruits from his bag like a magician, These are what we brought. I didnt bring any meat, the mutton smell would stink up my bag.
He Nuo once again thought that he was really foolish and careless. When everyone said that they would y together at night, they would of course prepare some snacks to bring over. Yet he had came empty-handed again like he did in his first year. He thanked Shi Yan in embarra.s.sment.
I didnt tell you on purpose. If you brought something Id have to carry it anyway, itll just be extra weight that I cant be bothered with. One bag is enough. After you put your stuff down go into the room to y, dont stay out in the courtyard for too long. Its all smoke here. As Shi Yan spoke, he was dragged away by someone else.
He Nuo handed the stuff over to the rest and felt very moved by Shi Yans arrangement. If Shi Yan had delivered the fruits, everyone would think that he was the one who brought them; but if he was the one who delivered it, then everyone would think that both of them had brought the fruits here. In the afternoon too, Shi Yan must have remembered the New Years party incident that urred during their first year, which was why he prepared an extra portion to serve as He Nuos. He thought of the dispute they had at the party in their first year; at that point in time, Shi Yan was just a hypocritical and arrogant person in his eyes. He wouldve never even dream that the two of them would be friends, much less that he would take off his tinted .s.ses to look at Shi Yan aside from the arrogance he possessed that was brought about by his sense of superiority, Shi Yan was actually a really kind and chivalrous person, or else how could he have so many followers?
Those who liked to barbeque were walking around the courtyard in a disorderly mess, while those who wanted toze about went into the room to y poker or chess. When He Nuo entered the room, he didnt see Shi Yan in the main room. Before he could check the other rooms, he was dragged away by someone to y poker with them. But he didnt know how to y poker which caused his partner to lose all the time, but fortunately they were all just ying for fun so his schoolmate didnt really care much. However, he still gave up his position to someone else who knew how to y before he went to watch a guy and girl ying chess. The guy actually couldnt win the girl which surprised He Nuo, he had always thought that girls were more proficient in checkers.
He was quite engrossed in watching them when he heard someone shout in the courtyard, The mutton skewers are ready, the first pot of mutton skewers are up for sale~~~
Xinjiangs mutton skewers, fragrant mutton skewers are fresh out of the oven~~~. Someone was even joking around by pretending to cry out in a Xinjiang ent. The people in this room all jumped up and rushed outside like a swarm of bees. The two who were ying chess didnt move, so He Nuo didnt move either. After awhile, the bees came back in again. They had at most managed to s.n.a.t.c.h just one skewer, and they even had to pa.s.s their skewers around after one bite. Most of them didnt even manage to get one so they returned dispiritedly. Shi Yan was right after all, there wasnt enough meat to feed these many wolves, plus the stove itself wasnt very big so only a limited amount of skewers could be cooked at any one time.
After the people outside had lured the wolves in the room outside thrice, the situation became simr to the story of the boy who cried wolf. The wolves in the room no longer scrambled out of the room to fight the others for mutton. Theyd rather eat melon seeds, peanuts and fruits as they gathered together in groups to chat. He Nuo was curious, so he put on a mask and went to watch how people barbequed mutton skewers. It was extremely interesting. So how did the students know whether or not the meat was cooked through? They would taste the meat as they barbequed them to confirm how well done it was and how it tasted, so its no wonder that there would be so few skewers per batch, the barbequers would have cleaned off a third of it through tasting alone.
When He Nuo got up and was about to leave, one of his schoolmates called him and told him that a new batch was ready, so he gave He Nuo three skewers. He Nuo looked one round around the courtyard and didnt see Shi Yan, so he entered the house to look for him. What greeted him was the sight of Shi Yans .s.smates. When one of them saw how He Nuo looked like he was looking for someone, he pointed to the room behind him.
O, thank you.
He Nuo didnt even think about how that guy had known who he was looking for before he went straight to the room that was pointed out to him. When he opened the door, He Nuo was so stunned that he didnt budge from the entrance. The entrance was facing a huge bed; Shi Yan lied on the bed and was leaning against the beds headboard, one girl was leaning on his left side while she ma.s.saged his shoulder and arm while another girl sat at his right as she ma.s.saged his leg. When Shi Yan heard the door open, he opened his eyes and smiled when he saw He Nuo. He Nuo immediately felt his face heat up under his mask. He wanted to say something, but he didnt know where to start his exnation from.
It was Shi Yan who spoke first, Come on in. Close the door, or else itd be cold.
He Nuo anxiously waved his hands, No, I, Ill go out. He was speaking in a fl.u.s.tered manner under his mask when Shi Yan had already jumped off the bed and pulled him into the room. Then he kicked the door close. Come and sit on the bed, its nearer to the heater.
That was when he saw that He Nuo was holding mutton skewers. He chuckled and s.n.a.t.c.hed them to eat, but he realised that the oil had already congealed on the mutton. He pa.s.sed it to the girls, Go and barbeque them again, it cant be eaten when its cold.
The two girls left the room, but He Nuo still stood rooted to the spot as he was at a loss. Shi Yan pulled him over to the bed to sit down, Take off the mask ba, theres not much air cirction in here. He Nuo uttered an oh before he took off his mask.
Shi Yan grabbed his overcoat over, Move inside, itll be morefortable for you to lean on. Then he wrapped his overcoat around He Nuo. At such a close distance, Shi Yan realised that He Nuos face was flushed red, You have a fever? He raised his hand to He Nuos forehead to check his temperature.
He Nuo immediately dodged his hand, No, Im alright.
Ever since the start of winter, Shi Yan had grabbed He Nuos hand and touched his face and forehead countless times to check his temperature because of He Nuos colds and fevers, but he had never seen He Nuo avoid his touch before. Shi Yansrge hand once again fell upon his forehead and neck, but he didnt seem feverish, Whats wrong with you?
Nothing.
Then why is your face red again?
....... The moment he asked that, even He Nuos ears were tinged with a pink blush.
Shi Yan had his own doubts, but he suddenly thought of an answer like a lightbulb had appeared over his head.
He b.u.mped He Nuos shoulder as he mocked, Youre embarra.s.sed?
He Nuo got angry, Im not.
Shi Yanughed happily, You shouldnt be. I have nothing to be ashamed of, so why are you getting all shy for me?
You, He Nuos skin wasnt as thick as Shi Yans. He couldnt out-talk Shi Yan, so he turned around.
Shi Yan wanted to continue teasing him, so he leaned in even closer, Are you tired? Ill ask them to ma.s.sage youter.
I dont want that. He Nuo stood up and wanted to leave. He knew that he couldnt out-talk Shi Yan, and if he stayed Shi Yan would continue bullying him.
Shi Yan hurriedly pulled him back, Ok, ok, I wont get them to do it. Ill wait on you instead, okay?
I dont want you either.
You dont want me, but cant I take the initiative? Shi Yan half joked as he seriously pulled He Nuo down, Im offering my personal services, arent you going to appreciate it?
He Nuoughed as he pushed his hand away, Im not a young master like you, let me get up.
Youre not a young master, youre almost my ancestor now, grand master.
T/N: Urk why is Shi Yan so attentive and caring towards He Nuo........it makes it hard to hate him sometimes.............
Chapter 48
Chapter 48
The courtyard they came to y in was simr to He Nuos single-storey house. Its just that the students family who owns this ce had already moved to another building, so this house was currently vacant. Thus, its windows gaps werent sealed during winter1. There were only the two of them in this room, so it wasnt as warm as in the main room where there were a lot of people. He Nuo immediately felt the gust of cold air that poured in through the window gaps and couldnt help but shrink his neck back. Shi Yan saw this, so he pulled his overcoat up and wrapped it around He Nuo even more tightly, Cold?
Its still okay, I think wind is leaking in through the windows.
Sit over here. Shi Yan exchanged positions with him so that he was the one who sat nearer to the windows, If its cold why did you go out just now? Shi Yan saw him hold the mutton skewers, so he knew that He Nuo had went to the courtyard.
I wanted to see how they barbeque things. They kept stealing bites here and there, w.a.n.g Feng and the rest didnt get any when they rushed out and now they dont even bother trying to fight for it anymore. He Nuo smiled as he told Shi Yan, If you go now, youll be able to eat some.
Im not eating that, how nice can their barbequed meat be? Shi Yan said with disdain, but since He Nuo mentioned it, he actually felt hungry now, Are you hungry too? I even asked you to eat more during dinner but you didnt, and now youre actually eating their food.
I ate so much, how could I be hungry now? Are you hungry? Ill get an apple for you. When He Nuo heard Shi Yan ask are you hungry too he guessed that Shi Yan was the one who was hungry.
Sit down, who asked you to move? Ill go get it myself. Shi Yan walked to the door, but returned to the bed again and threw a mask at He Nuo, Wear it. Take it off when Ie back in, or else our grand master will get sick again with the opening and closing of doors.
Shi Yan came back with two other girls. The three of them all sat on the bed, so it suddenly seemed a bit cramped. He Nuo felt especially uneasy. Actually, Shi Yan had been even closer to him before this; like when they sat together on his bed during the summer holidays, or during the one and only time they yed together in the snow he had all kinds of physical contact with Shi Yan before but none of those times felt as awkward as it did now.
The three of them had brought a few apples along with them. Canned fruits and other popr food items had long since entered the stomach of the others, but luckily Shi Yan showed up so there were some people who contributed the apples they had. Shi Yan picked up some apples to select which one to eat, Which one do you like to eat? Red delicious apples or golden delicious apples?
Any. Im not hungry, let them eat it. He Nuo couldnt tell which one was nice, the concept was alien to him.
Shi Yan took one red and one golden apple, then pushed the rest towards the girls. He used his handkerchief to wipe the red delicious apple before he pa.s.sed it to He Nuo, yet he only used his hands to clean his own golden delicious apple before he took a huge bite. He Nuo saw how he ate the apple and realised that hed finish his apple in just a few bites, so he pa.s.sed his own to Shi Yan, Ill give this to you too.
I asked you to eat it so just eat it, you think I like eating this? If I wasnt hungry, I wouldnt even have touched it. At most Ill eat a few apples per year, so one is enough for me.
The girl next to him leaned over and said, If you want more, you can have mine. Before she fed Shi Yan the apple in her hands. Shi Yan lowered his head and took a bite, then the girl continued to eat the same apple. He Nuo found it awkward so he didnt look up at them, but he still felt a bit strange. He didnt want to sit here anymore, so he got up, Ill go out to watch them y.
Theyre all ying poker, whats so nice to watch about that? If you want to y, we have two pairs here who can y too. Zhou Yue, go and get a set of poker cards, and open the door quickly. Then he said to He Nuo, Pull your clothes up.
After Zhou Yue left, the other girl immediately leaned on Shi Yan and gave him her apple too. Shi Yan chuckled as he took a bite, and when he looked up he coincidentally met He Nuos eyes. He Nuo immediately avoided his gaze. His face felt like it was burning a little, and Shi Yan felt like He Nuo was unhappy for some reason so he didnt think much before he grabbed He Nuos hand that was holding an apple. He brought it up to his mouth and took a huge bite. He Nuo was stunned, then looked at the apple in his hand that had a big hole now, You,
But Shi Yan was unbelievably pleased with himself. He looked like he felt really good for stealing a bite, Yours tastes better than mine.
He Nuo handed the apple in his hand over, Here.
But its not like Shi Yan wanted his apple, and He Nuo didnt misunderstand his meaning either. Its just that he didnt feel like eating the apple anymore, so even if Shi Yan didnt want it, hed just continue holding onto it without taking another bite anyway.
Zhou Yue brought a set of poker cards in but they didnt split into pairs to y. Long before He Nuo appeared, these two girls werent the only ones who were secretly plotting against each other in this room. But now that they had chased all the other girls away, they could openly fight over Shi Yan. And at this timing they wont express any sort of reservation or modesty; both of them fought to be Shi Yans partner. However, not only did He Nuo not want to y, but he also didnt want to y with these girls at all. So in the end, they somehow ended up using the poker cards to do some fortune telling instead. Zhou Yue was telling Shi Yans fortune for him.
He Nuo leaned at one side without much interest as he watched them shriek andugh excitedly from time to time. They were just asking Shi Yan some questions or about what he was thinking before they opened up a card. When Zhou Yue asked him to think of a few people, she had specifically instructed him to only think of girls so Shi Yan randomly thought of a few girls names and of course it included the names of the two who were in front of him. Whenever a name was linked to a card, Zhou Yue would exin the role that girl would y in his life. For thest two cards, Shi Yan first said the name of one of the girls who was next to him: Li Mengjiao, so the rest of them took it for granted that he would report the name Zhou Yue for thest card. After Zhou Yue exined the meaning behind Li Mengjiaos card, she didnt even ask for a name before she shyly and happily exined that thest card represented the person Shi Yan likes.
Li Mengjiao didnt ept that exnation of course. She kept asking who Shi Yan was thinking of during the overturning of thest card, and Shi Yan was indeed thinking about Zhou Yue but he wasnt willing to say it out loud. So in the beginning he justughed and said that he wouldnt tell her. After Li Mengjiao pulled on his arm as she acted all coquettish and threatened him, he simply overturned all the cards, Its not like youll know who she is if I told you, the two of you wont even know who all these girls are. Ive only been thinking about the actresses in A Maid from Heaven from the moment we started, and thest card is none other than Zhu Bajies second aunt.
He Nuosugh escaped his mouth involuntarily. The two girls werepletely stunned, but when they saw Shi Yans smiling face, they angrily pounced on him to start whacking him at the same time. Shi Yan moved quickly and hid behind He Nuo, Okay okay, you guys didnt make it clear just now. Now you can tell He Nuos fortune, He Nuo, you need to seriously consider it okay, dont poke another hos nest.
He Nuo wasnt going to let them tell his fortune, and he had no one to think about anyway. When he heard Shi Yans fortune exnations, they all just sounded senseless to him. Their focus was on Shi Yan, so it would be right up their alley if they didnt need to tell He Nuos fortune for him, and it would be even better if he went out. Then the two of them could stick to Shi Yan to chat with him.
1. Authors note: During the winter season in the north, all the gaps around the windows needed to be covered with either vinyl or paper, severalyers of paper would usually be used to cover the gaps while vinyl was used to cover the windows themselves?
Chapter 49
Chapter 49
Shi Yan saw the bite on He Nuos apple that had already oxidized, yet He Nuo still wasnt eating it, You dont like red delicious apples?
I dont want to eat it.
Li Mengjiao continued, Cant you tell that he doesnt want to eat it cause your salivas on it?
Shi Yan wouldnt believe that kind of exnation at all, it sounded too ridiculous to him. But when he saw He Nuo blush and avoid his gaze, He Nuo looked as if his secret had been exposed. Shi Yan immediately got angry and suppressed his voice as he asked, Is that true? You wont eat it just cause I took a bite?!
No, I dont like eating red delicious apples. He Nuo could hear the anger in his voice so he tried to find a reason to exin.
Shi Yan took a golden delicious apple that was sitting at a side, then after he wiped it with his handkerchief he took a bite, Here, this is a golden delicious one!
He Nuo helplessly epted the apple and took a small bite at the other side of it. But Shi Yan s.n.a.t.c.hed it back and turned it to the side that he had taken a bite out from before he ced it near He Nuos mouth. He Nuo reluctantly took a bite, then Shi Yan took another before he fed He Nuo the side that had his teeth imprints. He Nuo didnt want to anger Shi Yan, the guilt he felt over dinner was still bothering him, so he endured his embarra.s.sment as he and Shi Yan finished the apple while taking bites out of it one after the other.
The girls by their side didnt care about how willing He Nuo was, they only cared about who was sharing such intimacy with Shi Yan. Even if he was a guy, they still felt jealous of him. So after that, the two of them were temporarily lesspet.i.tive with one another as they talked about He Nuo and Shi Yans friendship. This was something that a lot of students in school were curious about too no one knew how the friendship between these two had blossomed, how they fell out, and how they miraculously reconciled.
He Nuo wasnt good at answering this kind of questions. He wasnt willing to share about the things that had happened between him and Shi Yan. But Shi Yan was really generous as he simply said, We befriended each other through fights.
They immediately deduced from his words that it must have been Shi Yan who had hit He Nuo, then suspected that He Nuo got scared after his beating so he became Shi Yansckey. These guesses were deemed to be right after a round of questioning. He Nuo didnt agree with their way of thinking, so he didnt pay much attention to them and he had a cold look on his face that he didnt know how to conceal.
Yet Shi Yanughed and tugged on He Nuos sleeve, then pretended to act as he said to the girls, We fought with words, not fists. I didnt take advantage of him at all, and in any case this guy is now my grand master. Right, master?
Within all the nonsense he was spouting, there was some truth and some lies to it so He Nuo didnt answer him. But he knew very clearly that Shi Yans intention was to give him face, protect his dignity and shelter him. He couldnt express his thanks in front of others, so he could only remember this kindness in his heart as he looked at Shi Yan with eyes full of grat.i.tude. Meanwhile, Shi Yan made eyes at him and threw him another wink. He Nuos heart rate suddenly elerated.
Zhou Yue called out, Yan Ge, were still here and yet the two of you are making eyes at each other. I dont care, throw me a wink too.
Shi Yan said with a smile, He Nuo, now you see how amazing my winks are? Hurry and call me master, then Ill teach you how to throw one to Zhou Yue.
I only know how to throw mothb.a.l.l.s and camphor b.a.l.l.s. He Nuo rolled his eyes he really can throw mothb.a.l.l.s (TN: if this was too confusing, He Nuo was joking that he can only throw mothb.a.l.l.s = roll his mothball eyes), coupled with his expressionless face and emotionless voice, this was the true highlight of his cold joke1. As they looked at how serious he was, Shi Yan and Li Mengjiao burst outughing. Only the Zhou Yue who had been hit by a mothball looked all gloomy and constipated.
It was almost 12 midnight, so it was time for everyone to leave. Students who were going the same way started to form groups and left together. Zhou Yue was still angry about He Nuos mothball, so when Shi Yan pushed his bike over, she immediately jumped onto its back seat and hugged his waist, Yan Ge, I want to ride your bike, send me back. She raised her chin at the He Nuo who was waiting for Shi Yan like she was trying to disy her authority.
Without waiting for He Nuos reply, Yu Yaos voice travelled over from the back, He Nuo, you cane and ride my bike.
So He Nuo walked over to the Yu Yao who was standing next to her bike. Because it was already thiste, and his house was quite a distance away, it was impossible for him to choose to walk back on foot. He had intended to ride Yu Yaos bike and cycle together with Shi Yan, so he didnt say much as he epted her bike and mounted it first. Yu Yao sat behind him, and she might have eaten something wrong today as she suddenly wrapped her arms around He Nuos waist. He Nuo reacted as if he had just been p.r.i.c.ked like a needle, and almost couldnt control his urge to shake her hands off.
The Shi Yan who had looked up and was about to mount his bike looked deathly pale under the streetlight. He lips were tightly pursed and his gaze was burning brightly like it was spewing out fire, and He Nuo actually lowered his head as if he was feeling guilty.
Get down! Shi Yan said to the person behind him.
Yan Geee~ The voice that drew out the second syble of her words was both pettish and full of me, because she and Shi Yan were childhood friends who had known each other since kindergarten.
Get down! Only He Nuo can sit on my bike from now onwards. Shi Yan called another guy over and asked him to send Zhou Yue back.
Zhou Yue indignantly went to the other persons bicycle with great reluctance.
He Nuos brain was on a strike after he had heard Shi Yan say only He Nuo can sit on my bike from now onwards, and in the midst of his confusion, he heard Shi Yans voice, Arent youing over. He Nuo was quite familiar with Shi Yan by now, and he understood Shi Yans personality and temper. These four words that sounded t to others was actually filled with a lot of Shi Yans suppressed anger it meant that a storm was brewing, and He Nuo understood this very well.
After he got off Yu Yaos bike, he sat on Shi Yans backseat. Then Shi Yan mounted his bike and left without caring if the other students who were going in the same direction wanted to leave together. On this cold winter night, Shi Yan rode down the street under the light of the streetmps so quickly that he seemed like he waspeting with someone. After they were halfway through their journey, Shi Yan finally began to slow down. He Nuo couldnt understand why he was angry, but he himself felt heavy-hearted and uneasy so he remained silent as he sat at the back.
Ill lend you my back!
? He Nuos brain that was on strike had received the verbal signals, but he couldntpose a whole message out of it. While he was in his moronic state, Shi Yan held his bikes handlebar with one hand, then used his other hand to pull He Nuos hand and wrapped it around his waist. Then he did the same for his other hand, and now both of He Nuos hands were wrapped around Shi Yans waist. He Nuo stiffened up.
Didnt I say that Ill lend you my back? Lean over!
He Nuo gently leaned on Shi Yans broad back and felt his facial muscles twitch, then Shi Yan ced his hand over He Nuos gloved hands.
1. A joke thats funny by virtue of not being funny at all.?
Chapter 50
Chapter 50
With this person leaning on his back, Shi Yans frantic heart finally settled down. He didnt talk to He Nuo as he was afraid that hed breath in cold air, yet he himself breathed in deeply a few times as if he wanted to spit out the pressure that had .u.mted in his body.
After he felt light on his feet, Shi Yan began to think of the reason for his gloominess. When he saw He Nuo mount Yu Yaos bike and was about to send her back, the rage in his heart stirred up in an instant. He asked himself why he got angry, because of Yu Yao? Because she was his ex-girlfriend, so he got jealous? How could that be? He had never had any so-called possessive tendencies over the ex that he had eliminated. Since he didnt want her, anyone else who wanted her can have her, it had nothing to do with him anymore. Besides, he doesnt have any lingering feelings for Yu Yao at all. That woman was now He Nuos deskmate, so he was even more unwilling to have any sort of rtionship with her.
He thought about it again and again, and the only answer he coulde up with was rted to He Nuo. There was only one exnation: this guy has such a weak body, Ive been taking such good care of him all along and couldnt even bear to let him cycle in case he tires himself out too much, yet he ran away to be someone elses chauffeur, so how could I not get angry?
Shi Yan suddenly felt enlightened as he understood why his emotions were thrown out of whack. He was extremely satisfied with the exnation he had given himself. The anger he felt towards He Nuo dissipated as well; he had never told He Nuo that he couldnt work too hard and tire himself out, and had to avoid even the mostmon of cold, so its no wonder that He Nuo didnt know that he had to pay attention to such things and had even nned to act as Yu Yaos chauffeur.
Youre not happy? He Nuo asked after they reached his house.
Why wouldnt I get angry? Youre a grand master when youre with me, yet you would run to someone else to be their chauffeur, how could I keep my f.u.c.king cool?
Didnt someone else take the seat? After He Nuo spoke, he lowered his head uneasily and really wished that he hadnt said that.
Then dont you know how toe over yourself? Do you think just anyone can sit on my bike? Shi Yan questioned, then added, There wont be anyone else in the future, this bike will be for your personal use.
He Nuo looked up with his bright ck eyes, and a hint of a smile could be found in them.
If someone else asks you to ride their bike and send them back, you cant do it! If you sweat while cycling and endure the cold winds, youll get a fever again; and also, wont you cough if the winds blow against you while youre cycling? Idiot, youre this delicate so what are you trying to show off for? He paused, then said solemnly, Im telling you this now, you better behave yourself during winter. You cant get cold, cant get tired, and cant get a cold or a fever. Ill try to look for other ways to fix your cough.
Thank you. You, youre so good to me, I cant give you anything in return.
Shi Yans eyes widened, You think I want something for treating you like this? Are you a pig to actually think that way? Youre my iron pellet1, if I dont treat you well then who else should I be treating well? Hurry and go in ba.
He Nuo nodded, then walked to the door and fished his keys out.
Ai! Shi Yan called out again, then walked over and took out two bottles from his bag, Remember to drink these tomorrow. Because tomorrow was New Years, they didnt have school so hes pa.s.sing the Royal Jelly and Apollo Oral Liquid to He Nuo now.
Thank you.
Shi Yan looked at his watch. It was already past 12 midnight, Its New Years, Id like to wish this young master a happy new year. May you stay safe and healthy, and live a long life just like a tortoise.
He Nuo was seriously listening to his words at first and had felt moved, but when he heard thetter part of the sentence, he immediatelyughed and punched him as he scolded, Youre the tortoise. Hurry and go ba, its sote.
You havent given me your best wishes yet. Shi Yan pulled the He Nuo who had already opened the door, Hurry and say it, what do you wish for me?
He Nuo thought about it for a bit, Cuffs and kicks, didnt someone else already give you those? He was making fun of the banter Shi Yan had with those two girls.
Tch, then what are you giving me? Shi Yan continued to ask.
I send you my best wishes to marry Zhu Bajies second aunt as soon as possible. Then He Nuo entered his house in a sh and quickly closed the doors, thenughed softly as he stood inside. Shi Yans voice that was filled with hatred travelled in from the outside, My Zhu Bajies second aunt will definitely be the unsurpa.s.sed beauty of a generation!
He Nuo listened as Shi Yan left, then opened the door and walked out to shout softly, Be careful on your way home.
Shi Yan turned around on his bike and waved his hand to motion him to go back in.
He might be overly excited from ying too much or something, so the moment He Nuo got onto his bed his mind was in a chaotic state and he didnt feel like sleeping at all. All he could think about was what had happened this night: how Shi Yan had peeled prawns for him during dinner, how they ate apples together, how he had leaned on that warm and gentle back on their way home; but he refused to think about the part of the night when he had seen Shi Yan and those girls on the bed together. He vaguely remembered how Zhou Yue was leaning on him when he opened the door, or rather how she was squeezing herself into Shi Yans embrace, and Shi Yan had one hand on Zhou Yues waist. He was fl.u.s.tered at first, but afterwards it seemed like he hated that scene. But Shi Yan treated him differently from them, so he thought it was lucky that he and Shi Yan were fellow iron pellets. Its no wonder that Yu Yao said Shi Yan treats his friends better than his girlfriends. He Nuo felt quiteforted, Shi Yan still treats him the best.
Meanwhile, the Shi Yan who had just reached home was in a very good mood too. There was no reason for it, he just felt really happy. Heid his head on his arm and thought of how that guy must have been so tired out by todays events that he was probably sleeping like a dead pig right now, and when he thought of how He Nuo looked like while he was deep in slumber, the edges of Shi Yans lips couldnt help but curve up. There was a sudden sigh in the darkness. Shi Yan thought about the cough that he had no way to deal with yet. Because of this cough, Shi Yan had changed He Nuos medication G.o.d knows how many times, and had consulted many people, yet he could never find its root cause; due to this cough, He Nuo had to spend most of his time indoors.
Shi Yan stood up and walked over to the window. The heating for his building was excellent, and his house had aluminium alloy windows, so not only did he not have to seal the gaps in the windows, Shi Yan could even frequently open his windows up for some fresh air. He drew his windows curtains and pushed it open; a fresh gust of air caressed his face, and breathing it in was extremelyfortable as it felt like his lungs were being cleansed. Shi Yans gaze travelled across the night sky as he faced in the direction of He Nuos house: when can He Nuo experience all these too?
But what the both of them didnt know was that even though He Nuo couldnt experience the same cleansing of his body by breathing in the outside air, he was looking at the same night sky as Shi Yan. The He Nuo who couldnt fall asleep stood in front of his window as he held the thousandyer buddhas hand conch in his hands. Without the illumination of the moonlight, he traced the indents of the conch sh.e.l.l amidst the darkness while he faced in the direction of Shi Yans house.
1. A really good friend?
T/N: Im gonna try to pump out these chapters for as long as I can continue this crazy stream of updates for.....RIP sanity
Chapter 51
Chapter 51
After New Years was over, the third years didnt start their final exams or winter vacation like other grades they still had exams, but their winter vacation was cancelled. They would only get two weeks of break during the Spring Festival.
But students are students after all; no matter much pressure they were under, after their final exams were over and with the Spring Festival approaching, the atmosphere wasnt as grave as when they were attending formal lessons. Aside from giving the students lessons, teachers usually wouldnt take up their night self-study sessions to do anything else, so students would make their own arrangements to finish the endless revision papers that they had.
In any case, He Nuos academic workload was not as heavy as Shi Yan because of the advantage he possessed an extraordinary memory. Shi Yan couldnt understand it, and He Nuo didnt know why his memory was so outstanding either. When he answered a political discussion question during their exams, his two-page long answer did not differ from the content in their books by even one punctuation point. It was impossible for this to not shock their entire cohort, because both arts and science .s.ses had politics as amon subject. Its not that He Nuos politics teacher didnt believe him, but its because he wanted to satisfy a craving of his that he asked He Nuo to rewrite his answer on the ckboard. He Nuos writing filled up the entire ckboard, and his .s.smates gazes were filled with admiration as they were struck dumb with astonishment.
Shi Yan didnt know that He Nuo had already written his answer down once in .s.s, and had asked He Nuo to recite it to him his smooth recital had utterly convinced even Shi Yan. In the end, He Nuo said that he read many books when he was a child, and because he had no other form of entertainment, he would often read the books over and over again until he could remember them by heart naturally. He didnt have to expend any special effort in memorising those books. Especially because of his young age at that time, he would encounter a lot of words, phrases and pa.s.sages he couldnt understand, so he would pay more attention to them. When he had the chance to read or see them again next time, they would thus leave a particrly deep impression in his mind.
He Nuo very seriously concluded why he could memorise a lot of content within a short span of time, because he knew that Shi Yan detested memorizing things and had no skill in doing so; he would only force himself to memorize politics and biology content by rote. He wanted to teach Shi Yan his methods or skills as he hoped that these two subjects would drag Shi Yan down during his college entrance examination. But he wasnt sessful, Shi Yans final shameless conclusion was: He Nuo is narrow-minded so he can remember everything in his heart, while he himself was a big-hearted man and wouldnt bother remembering all these trivial matters.
Just as their holidays were about to begin, the heavens finally decided to help the guy who was trying his best. One of Shi Yans friends distant friends family apparently had a secret prescription used to treat dry coughs that had been pa.s.sed down from their ancestors, so Shi Yan happily dragged this buddy of his away to skip their night self-study session and immediately went to his distant friends house. But when they reached, they found out that their family did have the prescription before, but thest generation who knew how to prepare this medicine had pa.s.sed awayst year. The current members who were alive didnt know how to prepare it so their inheritance was supposedly lost. Shi Yan couldnt hide his disappointment, and was even p.i.s.sed at how a secret family recipe had not been inherited.
The people in this family also felt guilty when they saw the disappointed gaze of this excited big guy that they had poured cold water on, so they turned their house inside out and actually managed to discover remnants of the medicine that had been prepared beforehand. Shi Yan epted it as if he had just obtained a treasure, then thanked them profusely and asked what remuneration they wanted in return. They stopped him from thanking them, because you had to supposedly consume the medicine for one month before you could see any beneficial effects; one pack a week meant that he would need four packs in total, but the amount of medicine they gave him was only enough to fill one pack. So whether or not it would be effective, or whether or not it could cure his friend were questions that no one could answer right now. Shi Yan thanked them again, then listened carefully to the method of consuming the medicine before he took his leave. And he didnt forget to leave a message: to please inform him if they ever discover more medicine of the same kind in their house.
The next day during their night self-study session, Shi Yan told He Nuo to bring his bag down and the homework he was supposed to do during the revision session. He told He Nuo to wait for him downstairs after he finished packing; they wont be revising in school tonight. He Nuo was confused and asked him why, but Shi Yan didnt give him an answer.
When they reached Shi Yans fathers office, He Nuo was confused as to why he would want toe here to do his homework. Shi Yan poured some water for him, then asked him to do his homework by himself first. He said that he would be in the adjacent conference room, and would onlye back in awhile. When He Nuo studies, he gets so engrossed that he bes oblivious to his surroundings, so he didnt ask any more questions before he took his homework out.
In the conference room next door, Shi Yan cautiously took out an electrothermal cup, and after he took some water, he ced a paper bag on a bnce (dont be weirded out, Shi Yans fathers office does have this). Then he ced a piece of white paper on it and poured out an appropriate amount of the Chinese medicine to weigh it before pouring it into the cup of water. Shi Yan studied as he sat next to the electrothermal cup, and would open it from time to time to add water when necessary.
After He Nuo finished one of his papers, he looked at the clock on the wall. An hour and a half had already pa.s.sed, but Shi Yan still hasnt returned. So he stood up and was about to go see what Shi Yan was doing when the door opened, and the scent of medicine wafted in.
Un, He Nuo scrunched up his nose, Whats that? It stinks.
It stinks? Shi Yan held the electrothermal cup in his hand, thenughed evilly, Its good that it stinks, since Im not the one drinking it anyway.
He Nuo understood what he meant as soon as he heard that and immediately pointed at the cup, You!
Yeah, you are the one wholl be drinking it. Shi Yan poured the medicine into the cup, It has already cooled down quite a bit, hurry and drink it.
He Nuo held the cup. He saw a ckish green liquid that had ayer of foam on top of it. He felt a bit vexed as he looked at Shi Yan, Is this drinkable?
This is a secret recipe handed down through generations specially used to treat your kind of cough. Traditional Chinese medicine isnt toxic, just give it a try ba. Yu Yang said that after his rtive drank this medicine, the dry cough that he had been suffering from for several years waspletely cured. Of course Shi Yan wouldnt grab just any possibility he found in treating He Nuos cough and give him medicine indiscriminately; he had always described He Nuos symptoms in detail and checked for its effects on other peoples body first. That day, the family he took this medicine from had also said that this medicine had cured many such dry coughs that seemed to pop up for no reason, and the coughs wouldnt rpse in the future too.
He Nuo held his breath and closed his eyes. Yet, he only took a small sip before he opened his eyes again and stuck his tongue out, then took the cup of water next to him and downed a few mouthfuls of water, Its bitter, its so bitter Ill die. He even spat a few times and sucked in a few breaths; he really did have a very miserable look on his face. He shook the cup in his hand. The inside was filled with something that looked like either gra.s.s roots or wood dregs.
Can I dont drink this? He Nuo asked piteously.
No. Shi Yan answered decisively and concisely.
My cough isnt that bad now, itll recover on its own soon. He refused to give up as he continued to refute.
Its not that bad because youre locked up in your room, hows that a good thing? Youll still be coughing yourself to death when you go outside. Theres no room for negotiation, drink!
But this isnt something fit for humans to drink ma... look at this thing thats floating on it, it looks so gross and scary. Cant I just eat medicine?
Shi Yan took the cup and looked at the topyer of foam thats akin to what youd see if you boil seafood. He didnt have anything to use on hand that could fish this foam out. He lowered his head, took one big gulp and swallowed it. He Nuo was stunned. Shi Yan said in a gentle voice, Ive already drunk it, so what kind of gross and scary thing is there for you to be afraid of? Its not like Im feeding you poison.
He Nuo epted the cup in a daze, and before he could recover from his shock, he drank a mouthful cause Shi Yan asked him to. He swallowed it and looked at the ckish green liquid again, but he still spit it out straight away.
Shi Yan took his mouthwash cup and handed him the cup filled with medicine. He Nuo looked at him as he begged for mercy, I really cant drink this.
Shi Yan had a stern look on his face at first, but after their gazes met for a few seconds, he smiled, I can feed you!
Chapter 52
Chapter 52
He Nuo thought that Shi Yan was going to force the drink down his throat like how he did so with sweets in their first year, but instead he saw Shi Yan ce the cup near his lips and smile cunningly as he prepared to drink it. He Nuo felt like he was struck by lightning as he suddenly understood what he meant, so he jumped over and s.n.a.t.c.hed the cup, Ill drink it, Ill drink it myself.
Shi Yan said triumphantly, Dont leave a single drop behind.
He Nuo pinched his nose, then downed the medicine without daring to breathe. After he finished drinking it, he kept his mouth open and didnt dare to touch any part of his mouth with his tongue. It tasted bitter everywhere, Is there any Coptis in this?
When he saw He Nuo like this, Shi Yan began to coax him unconsciously, Good medicine is bitter and beneficial for your illness, itll definitely be effective since its so bitter. Wash your mouth a few more times, once you get used to it you wont think its that bitter tomorrow.
He Nuo let out a cry of anguish, I still need to drink it tomorrow?!
Shi Yan nodded, Youll have to drink it for two weeks.
Id rather die. He Nuoined in a casual manner.
But he heard Shi Yan smack the table with his palm and the loud sound frightened He Nuo. Shi Yan red at him, Youd rather die? Do you know how much Laozi has f.u.c.king done for the sake of your health? And how many strings I had to pull for this d.a.m.n sickness of yours?!
He Nuo appeared like he was frightened silly, so he stood rooted to the spot without saying another word. Shi Yan mmed the door and went out. He Nuo looked at the medicinal residue that lined the walls of the cup, and his eyes immediately became wet. He wasnt someone who liked to cry, and you could even say that He Nuo doesnt even remember a time when he had actually cried. He never had the habit of crying when he encountered any problem, and when he did suffer several times in the past, all he did was endure it silently; but now he wasnt suffering, he was guilty and ashamed.
He was ming himself. It was as if he had gotten ustomed to how well Shi Yan treats him, and in recent times you could say that Shi Yan had been taking care of him meticulously in every possible way. But while he was epting Shi Yans goodwill, he didnt think about how much Shi Yan had sacrificed for him. If it wasnt because Shi Yan talked about pulling strings in a fit of anger, he wouldnt have known how much trouble he had caused Shi Yan. In He Nuos simplistic world, Shi Yan seemed omnipotent. He Nuo felt guilty for neglecting the effort and money Shi Yan had spent on him and he only realised now that since the medicine wasnt prescribed in the hospital, it couldnt have been bought at public expense.
Shi Yan didnt go too far, he was in the adjacent meeting room. He was so angry he wanted to swear like crazy at first, but after he calmed down, he realised that his impulsive reaction was a bit over the top. Did he frighten that idiot? Shi Yan knew that He Nuos kidney must be suffering from either of the two kinds of nephritis, and its root cause couldnt be cured anymore. He could only nurse him carefully to try and keep his condition under control so that it wouldnt worsen. So even a small cough was a thorn in Shi Yans heart, because w.a.n.g Fengs mother had mentioned before that any kind of minor illness could be due to a weak immune system and may trigger the rpse of his nephritis, then his condition would worsen.
For the past two months, He Nuos coughs had weighed upon Shi Yans heart. No one knew how much he hoped for a medicine that could cure the root cause of this stubborn cough. He was afraid that He Nuo would urinate blood again, because when he asked w.a.n.g Fengs mother to bring him to go see other nephropathic patients, uremic patients all suffered from such serious edema that they looked like an elephants foot. Their skin had tiny cracks because they were bursting from the edema, and it was covered in furfures that would fall off their skin as they walked. The physician told him in a usual tone that these patients could only live for another three or two months, and actually didnt need to be hospitalised.
Death from uremia was a sensitive issue for Shi Yan, which was why he was so agitated by the joke that He Nuo had uttered without much thought. Now that he thought about it, He Nuo wasnt someone who would make light of of his life, he was justining a little to someone whom he was very close to. In fact, that guy can only be that wilful and carefree in front of him. Just look at how cautious and restrained he is at home!
When he thought of this, Shi Yan felt gratified that He Nuo can be himself in front of him. When he opened the door, He Nuo was standing outside. He Nuo had already been standing there for a few minutes. He knew that Shi Yan was inside, but he felt too ashamed to knock on the door.
Im sorry. I,
What are you saying? Shi Yan ced one arm around his shoulder, I went crazy, but why are you going crazy with me? Lets go back to do our homework.
The He Nuo who was facing his books couldnt stop the tears from welling up in his eyes. He stood up and walked to the window. Shi Yan approached him and turned him around to face himself; He Nuos tear-filled eyes made Shi Yan feel like his heart had just been stabbed.
Im sorry.
I cant believe youre shedding golden drops just because you took some medicine. Illl apany you to drink it tomorrow, okay? Shi Yan ced his hand over He Nuos eyes and touched its corners.
What are you doing? He Nuo didnt understand Shi Yans strange actions.
Tasting your golden drops, Shi Yan wiped his finger on his lips, If youre a girl, I would have just eaten it directly. But since youre a guy, well have to make do with this.
He Nuoughed through his tears. His tears hadnt fallen at first, but the result of suppressing it was that they had all ran into his nose, so with just oneugh of his, a bubble suddenly emerged from his nostril. Shi Yan burst outughing when he saw his snot bubble, while He Nuo blushed with shame and embarra.s.sment.
Shi Yan finally stoppedughing out of kindness, Ok ok, we can go back and study now ba.
How much was the medicine?
I knew youd think that way. Its free. Shi Yan also knew that He Nuo wouldnt believe him, I dont care if you believe it or not, they didnt ept a single dime from me. Then he told He Nuo about what had happened, or else this stubborn fellow would worry over this favour he owed him.
Thank you, and sorry. He Nuo spoke solemnly after a period of silence. Even if he believed that Shi Yan didnt spend any money on it, Shi Yan had still expended a lot of effort in finding that family.
What nonsense are you spouting? Do you think Ill let you off if you tter me? You cant skip even one day of drinking that medicine, and youll have toe here everyday to do your homework.
From then onwards, He Nuo spent every night with Shi Yan in the office. He had never hesitated over drinking the medicine again, while Shi Yan started bringing fruits from the second day onwards. He would stuff He Nuo with some fruit after he takes his medicine: mandarins, oranges, and every time Shi Yan would peel it with a fruit knife before he pa.s.sed it to He Nuo. How could He Nuo get the chance to eat this kind of high-quality fruits at home? He always ate these fruits under Shi Yans coercion.
The medicine was barely enough for seven days, but Shi Yan would keep the medicinal roots and residue after he finished boiling the medicine every time, so after seven days, he used the remnants from the past seven days of the medicine he had boiled to cook new medicine again. It was the weekend on the tenth day, which was four days before the Spring Festival. By then, they would be enjoying their holidays, so for the past few days Shi Yan had prepared the medicine at home and ced it in a thermos cup before he delivered it to He Nuo. There wasnt anyone at home during the day, and the medicine was being reused a second time so it didnt have a very strong scent. The scent would disperse as long as he opened the windows, thus Shi Yan managed to cook the medicine for four days without anyone finding out.
Chapter 53
Chapter 53
On New Years Eve, there were quite a few people at home. Aside from Third brother who was on a night shift, Eldest brothers family and Second brothers family would all go home to celebrate the Spring Festival. Fourth brother, Fifth brother and He Nuos younger brothers were setting off firecrackers in the yard. His nephew Dongdong wanted to join them too, but his parents were busy making lunch and dinner so he went to pester the nicest Sixth uncle whom he was closest to instead.
He was just a kid so He Nuo didnt dare to give him any dangerous firecrackers; Dongdong could only handle fireworks and sparklers, so they slowly set them off one by one. His nephew yed with them for a half an hour before he returned to the room, temporarily satisfied. After He Nuo walked into the warm room, he shivered because of the contrast in temperatures and suddenly realised that he had not worn a mask just now. Because Shi Yan was the one who would give him a mask, he was used to wearing them only after he left the house, but he actually didnt cough though he had stood outside for such a long time!!! He Nuo was iparably thrilled not because he didnt need to suffer from his cough anymore, but because he had thought about how happy Shi Yan would be. If Shi Yan knew about this, he would definitely die of excitement.
On the second day of the New Year, his parents and younger brothers went to their grandmothers house to celebrate the New Year. His older brothers who had families of their own had to go to their wives family homes, while those who were on night shift went for their shifts, and his fifth brother who was currently in university went out with his old high school .s.smates. He Nuo was used to enjoying this kind of quiet holidays. After he finished his lunch, heid on his bed to rest when he heard someone knocking on his windows. It couldnt be anyone else but Shi Yan. He Nuo jumped to the window and gestured to him to walk over to the front, then ran out to open the door. When Shi Yan saw that he wasnt wearing any cotton-padded clothing and was only adorned in a woollen sweater as he stood at the door, he began to scold him, Do you want to die? How could youe out without wearing anything proper?!
After he entered the house, he realised that it was very quiet, Your family isnt around?
Un, they all went out.
No wonder this guy asked him toe in through the door, and it seemed like this was the first time He Nuo invited him into his house. He Nuo brought him water and some apples and oranges too. Shi Yan took two huge pomegranates out of his bag and opened them up. The insides were chock full of plump, crystal-like seeds, and they looked so lusciously red that it would make any onlooker drool. He Nuo epted it and asked, puzzled, Why are there pomegranates during winter?
Somebody gave them to us, idiot. Its not cold in the South, so what kind of fruits would they not have? They eat all kinds of fresh fruits all year round.
Is it warm in the South now?
Of course. You wouldnt need to wear sweaters in Hainan all year round, and you can even swim during winter there since even their sea waters are warm. Eat up.
He Nuo pulled one seed out and put it in his mouth, as if he couldnt bear to bite down on it too hard. Shi Yan took it back, You really are a young master arent you? Who eats it like that?
He Nuo looked at him with a confused expression. Shi Yan pulled off a handful of pomegranate seeds, Open your mouth!
He Nuo opened his mouth upon orders. Shi Yan plunked his hand on He Nuos mouth and sent a handful of pomegranate seeds into it.
Its more enjoyable to eat them like this. You always look so shy when you eat, as if youre a girl.
Meanwhile, He Nuo was stunned by Shi Yans sudden action and the seeds went straight down into his throat which choked He Nuo until he had to cough the whole mouthful of pomegranate seeds out. Shi Yan busied himself with patting his back, Okay, okay fine, you should just eat them slowly one by one ba.
He Nuo pulled on Shi Yans arm that was patting his back, then said after he could breathe properly, I just remembered that I havent told you yet, my cough has recovered.
Shi Yan immediately stopped moving like someone had casted a spell on him. His raised his sword eyebrows1, What did you say?
My cough has recovered. He Nuo repeated slowly word by word, and saw a rare stupefied look on Shi Yans face, Didnt you realise that I hadnt coughed even once when I went out just now?
Shi Yan thought about how He Nuo stood at the door in his woollen sweater, and how he hadnt heard any coughing sounds ever since he came in. No wonder he kept feeling like something was amiss. The Shi Yan who was sitting by the bed stood up and looked around.
What are you looking for? Do you want something?
He Nuo had just asked when Shi Yan suddenly picked him up and twirled him around, Trying to find something that we can celebrate this with......
He Nuo ced his hands on Shi Yans shoulders, Let me down, let me down quickly. I, I feel dizzy.
Only then did Shi Yan let He Nuo down. He Nuo couldnt withstand the twirling, so he immediately fell onto his bed with his hands on his head.
When did you stop coughing? Shi Yan said with much joy and pride, Didnt I say before that as long as Daye, I, spring into action, there isnt any illness that cant be treated.
I dont know either, but I suddenly discovered it on the night of the 30th.
You recovered on the 30th, and yet you didnt tell me so that I could have a happy New Years? And to think that I was even wondering if the little guy was pestering you and causing you to catch a cold.
He Nuo felt so touched that he was in aplete mess, You didnt go out to y yesterday?
Hows it possible to not go out? That bunch of guys called me right after they ate dumplings on the 30th. I was hanging out with them the whole day yesterday, and this morning I went to my Grandmas ce to celebrate the New Years. Im so d.a.m.n exhausted, I havent managed to get a good sleep yet so far. Shi Yan leaned backwards and closed his eyes.
Thank you, Shi Yan.
Un. Shi Yan paid no heed to it when he answered, but after he understood what that guy He Nuo was saying, he opened his eyes and found a face filled with grat.i.tude as expected. He Nuo looked like he was on the verge of putting him on an altar to worship him everyday.
Shi Yan, I want to do a little something for you, but I dont know what I can do.
When he saw the prim and proper He Nuo, Shi Yan knew that He Nuo must feel like he owed him too much, so he smiled and said in a flirtatious voice, Well, there are a lot of things you can do. Right now, young master me is suffering from an intense backache from ying cards all night,e and give me a ma.s.sage Xiao Nuo~~~
You, He Nuos guilt vanished after his teasing, Im serious.
Your Lord, me, is being serious too. Im so sore and exhausted right now, and Im so sleepy Im gonna die. Right after he finished talking, Shi Yan really did close his eyes to rest.
Uniform breathing sounds travelled over from Shi Yan just a few momentster, and that was when He Nuo knew that he really had fallen asleep. He Nuo grabbed a coat and wanted to cover Shi Yan with it when he saw how Shi Yan was lying against the quilt in a half-lying half-sitting posture with his legs hanging off the bed. He was justining about how sore his back was, yet he was in this kind of position now. Wouldnt it hurt even more when he woke up? He Nuo took off his shoes for him and lifted his legs onto the bed. Then he pulled the quilt down as he nned to get Shi Yan to lie down properly, only to realise that this guy was awfully heavy. He had to exert effortparable to the strength of nine cattle and two tigers before he managed toy Shi Yan down t on the bed. He was about to heave a sigh of relief before his body was suddenly pulled down onto the bed no, onto a person.
An unbridledughter resounded in his chest, and when the tremour travelled onto He Nuos face, it even had a certain warmth to it. He Nuo propped himself up and looked at his mischievous eyes, I was conscious the moment you took my shoes off.
Then why didnt you get up? He Nuo scolded.
I was toozy to move ma~ I wanted to continue sleeping anyway, but you ended up dragging me downwards like you were dragging a dead dog, how could I not wake up?
He Nuo immediatelyughed, Shi Yans description was really on point. He couldnt move him by himself, so he could only pull on his legs to drag him until he wasying down t on the bed. Now that he thought about it, Shi Yans metaphor was really quite appropriate.
Theny down properly before you sleep ba, or else your neck and back would hurt when you wake up. What time do you want me to wake you up? He Nuo supported himself up and was about to get off the bed.
You should sleep too, lets sleep together for awhile. Shi Yan pulled him back.
Im not sleepy, dont wanna sleep. He Nuo didnt have the habit of sleeping during the day, and his bed was really narrow while Shi Yan had a pretty big build.
Stop it, stop fussing about. Im sleepy, hurry and sleep. Shi Yanid him down inside as he mumbled sleepily.
If He Nuo wanted to get off the bed, he would have to climb over Shi Yan. He thought about it for awhile before he turned around, then closed his eyes with his back facing Shi Yan.
1.
T/N: I am SO thankful for these pockets of sweetness after almost 50 chapters of pure torture.
Chapter 54
Chapter 54
He Nuo really didnt expect that he could fall asleep. He has never slept during the day for no reason before, yet not only did he fall asleep, but he had also slept quite soundly because he actually woke upter than Shi Yan.
As long as the energetic Shi Yan took a short nap, he would immediately feel refreshed. He looked at the person next to him, and his side view made him look even skinnier as his narrow waist looked like a mere thinyer. Shi Yan wondered where all the supplements he fed him had gone to. He thought about the dinner they had on New Years if he eats that little all the time, then it would exin his current bony, stick-like figure.
As he pondered over it, his hand was already on He Nuos waist. He opened his hand up and measured it, then moved it over to his own waist for aparison. It really was pitiful. He gentlyid He Nuo t down on the bed, and for some reason he got engrossed in looking at him. Aside from the time they first reported to school in their first year when Shi Yan discovered the beauty underneath all those worn out and tattered clothes, this was the second time Shi Yan was looking at him this carefully up close. He had ck and glossy eyebrows, yet they didnt make him look fierce and instead had a gentleness to them simr to that of He Nuos. His long eyshes looked even more curly in contrast to his sunken eyes as he slept, and the colour of his lips was slightly dull. Because of his bodys condition, his lips were even covered with ayer of frost, yet it still didnt affect the perfect shape of his lips. This face had changed a lot ever since they first met it was much thinner than before, and his face that had no fat to it in the first ce looked so sharp now that it would make your heart ache.
Shi Yan thought about how he wanted He Nuo to put on some weight before he covered him properly with a coat and stood up. He had wanted to take out a book to read and sit next to He Nuo to wait for him to wake up, but his interest was suddenly aroused so he opened He Nuos cab. There wasnt anything exotic inside that could attract Shi Yans interest, it was mostly filled with He Nuos worn out clothes, but he saw his conch sh.e.l.l and it was still wrapped up in its package. Shi Yan had carefully selected that wrapping paper, so he remembered what it looked like very clearly. He took it out and opened it up as he sat in front of the table to appreciate it, and the more he looked at it, the more he thought it suited He Nuo. Shi Yan was very pleased with his own taste. He casually picked it up, but there was a sound? He ced something inside? He Nuo opened up the top half of the conch sh.e.l.l, and was greeted by the sight of a golden heap. He picked up a piece and looked it over in doubt. After he recognised what it was, Shi Yan suddenly lowered his head.
Shi Yan pinched his face a few times, then when he looked at the golden pieces again, adoration could clearly be seen in his eyes. He walked over to the bed; the unconscious sleeper had the purest soul, he would forever remember the good points of others and what they had given him, but he had never thought about how little he had received, or how much hecked. Shi Yans hand automatically caressed his face tenderly; kind He Nuo, we will be friends for all eternity. Brother, Ill definitely treat you well, and Ill definitely treat you best!
He Nuo was awoken by the touch on his lips. When he woke up, he saw Shi Yan sitting beside him with one hand on his lips. The groggy He Nuo took his hand off and sat up. Shi Yan knocked on his head, Have you had enough sleep? Get up already, go and set off some firecrackers with me at night.
He Nuo got off the bed and put on his shoes, Theres no one at home, do you want to eat dinner at my house today? Then he suddenly saw the conch sh.e.l.l on the table, so he immediately stammered, You, you took it out.
Why did you keep those? Crazy. Shi Yan picked up the bottle caps of the Apollo and Royal Jelly supplements; they were cut around the edges, so they were all round in shape.
He Nuo was embarra.s.sed, Youre the one who treats me the best, I wanted to leave them as a souvenir.
You idiot, its not like Ill be unkind to you in the future. When Shi Yan heard He Nuos words, his heart overflowed with a tender and bitter feeling that twisted even his intestines; the He Nuo who had experienced his vicious bullying would actually say that hes the one who treats him the best.
They werent alone when they ate at He Nuos house. His parents and younger brothers werenting home today, but his Fifth brother returned when they were halfway through their meal. Shi Yan didnt need even need a keen eye for detail to notice He Nuos sudden restraint and tension. He Nuo scooped a bowl of rice for his brother, then introduced Shi Yan as his schoolmate who had came over to y with him, so he had asked him to stay for dinner. The underlying implication that He Nuo was trying to exin his presence here made Shi Yan a little unhappy.
His fifth brother politely greeted Shi Yan, then ate dinner without bothering with the both of them. But He Nuo wouldnt take food for Shi Yan anymore, and Shi Yan noticed that He Nuo really ate vegetables only. When He Nuo carefully asked when they would be releasing crackers at night, Shi Yan answered that the firecrackers that were sent to his house had caused disasters from the night of the 30th till the time they had dumplings for supper, everyone wasted all the firecrackers they wanted and yet they still had some boxes leftover. His mother wanted him to wipe them out as soon as possible, because more might being over on the 15th.
This topic attracted Fifth brothers attention. After he scrutinised Shi Yan a few times, he enthusiastically asked where his parents worked, and what they worked as. After he knew of Shi Yans family background, he patted his younger brother affectionately, He Nuo, the two of you truly built your friendship through your fists! To be able to make such a good friend through fighting is really quite amazing of you.
He Nuo looked uneasy, but Shi Yan was the one who who was truly shocked. How did he know about the human sandbag dates he had with He Nuo? Did He Nuo tell him? Then if he knew how he had bullied He Nuo, were his words sincere, or sarcastic? Shi Yan didnt know how to reply him, because he didnt understand the true meaning behind Fifth brothers words.
Fifth brother, Shi Yan felt this awkward for the first time, then he mumbled, That, that time
But Shi Yan is really magnanimous and tolerant. He Nuo, have you apologised to Shi Yans parents yet? Since Shi Yan has forgiven you, then you shouldnt act like such a delinquent anymore. Hes such a good friend and yet you still bear to hit him? Fifth brother had continued on with the conversation by himself, and after he scolded He Nuo, he turned around and put on a smiling face in front of Shi Yan, I really didnt expect that the two of you would be friends after he came back, for you to not care......
Wait, Fifth brother, why does he need to apologise to my parents? Theres nothing I need to forgive him for?
And now it was Fifth brothers turn to be speechless. Shi Yan looked at He Nuos nervous appearance, My, my brother is talking about our fight in our first year.
The fight in our first year? Ai, how could that be called a fight? Why does even Fifth brother know about that? Shi Yan felt relieved. If it wasnt the human sandbag incident that had been exposed, then he didnt need to feel guilty right now.
I told my brother. He Nuo quickly answered.
Your mother came to our house. Fifth brother answered synchronised with his.
Shi Yan shot He Nuo a suspicious look, then he grabbed He Nuos hand under the table tightly. What had he missed? What had happened without his knowledge?
Fifth brother, why did my mothere over? Dont tell me she came here toin? Shi Yan shed him a harmless smile.
You were hurt so badly, how could your mother not be worried? Of course she came here to get even with He Nuo.
He Nuo tried to pull his hand away as he opened his mouth to speak, but Shi Yans grip on his hand tightened and he gave him a stern warning with his gaze.
How did she get even with him?
After your mother left, my dad beat He Nuo up for several days. After he admitted his mistake, my family sent him to the vige, but afterwards I thought that the quality of teaching in viges arent up to par so I suggested to my dad to get him back here, which was why He Nuo didnt need to stay in the vige anymore. Or else ah, this guy would still be in the vige right now, and might have just stayed there forever. Fifth brother ended the conversation in what he thought was a humorous way.
Neither He Nuo nor Shi Yan spoke. They didnt listen to whatever Fifth brother said after that, and only knew when he had left.
Shi Yans mind was abuzz, he stared at He Nuo, Im the one who treats you the best?
T/N: The next chap is a lil longer than the rest..... Ill try to get it upter........ Brb hibernating
Also......IM SO EXCITED THAT THE TRUTH BEHIND THAT FREAKING INCIDENT WAS FINALLY REVEALED
Chapter 55
Chapter 55
WARNING: NSFW CONTENT
Shi Yan left by himself. He needed to find a ce where he could slowly digest the words of He Nuos fifth brother the impact of those words was really too great. All along, he had always thought that He Nuo was the one who had more to gain that year because he had escaped his revenge, so when he managed to get a handle on He Nuo afterwards, he wanted to take the opportunity to settle the debt that He Nuo owed him for the dispute they had in their first year. Until today, the guilt he felt towards He Nuo was because of the incident with the bicycle chain,not because of his fists and kicks.
Even though He Nuo was skinny in their first year, he still had a healthy body, and could still match up to Shi Yan; but after he returned from the vige a yearter, He Nuos body had turned frail and his empty sh.e.l.l of a body had a sickly quality to it. Shi Yan didnt know how he had spent that year in the vige, but he was certain that He Nuo must have suffered quite a bit there. Because the first time He Nuo began to urinate blood could be estimated to have happened when he was in the vige.
Shi Yan had always worried himself over He Nuos kidneys, and had spent a lot of effort in ensuring his recovery but he did so while regarding He Nuo as a friend on equal grounds. Yet, he couldnt deny that he felt like he was doing He Nuo a favour. After all, He Nuos family didnt seem to be too concerned with his condition, and He Nuo himself didnt seem to have the ability to maintain his own health. But now the situation has reversed and had undergone an earth-shattering change; he wasnt doing He Nuo a favour, He Nuo is only in this plight today because of him. No matter how much more he does, it wouldnt be enough to make up for the healthy body that He Nuo had lost.
He parked his bike at the bottom of his building. Shi Yan walked amongst the cold night winds. He took off the scarf around his neck and unb.u.t.toned his cor, or else the burning sensation in his chest would suffocate him. He walked until he was so tired he couldnt move anymore; he walked until his whole body was freezing; then that beautiful boy walked past Shi Yan before his eyes.
When we met for the first time in our first year of high school, he saw my contempt, but silently continued to clean;
In our second year, he kneeled in front of me while enduring the ridicule of others, Can you please beat me up to vent your anger, then forgive me?
From then on he would calmly fulfill our appointments: that horrible wound in physical education .s.s, his guilt when he wore threeyers of pants, the bruised and battered body that presented itself before my eyes, then I carried the trembling him.......
In our third year, we fell out because of the anger from being betrayed C but now that I think about it, how could that have been betrayal, why did he dare to be friends with me? Even though it was because of my rejection that he once again had to endure violence, what hung on his lips were still I was the one who lied to you, its my fault for making you angry.
Shi Yan couldnt help but lift his head up and control the heat in his eyes, while his ears were still ringing from He Nuos words that were filled with grat.i.tude, You are the one who treats me the best!
That night, the protagonist of Shi Yans erotic dreams changed. Shi Yans development waspletely normal, and he had already showed signs of seminal emissions when he was about 14 or 15 years old. In the past, he would purely fall asleep exhausted from the days excitement and only discover that his pants were wet after he awoke; but as he grew holder, he began to have dreams. The naked body of an obscure woman would appear in his dream, and Shi Yan felt like he would hold that body before feeling an extremely pleasurable sensation that resulted from an e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n.
In the past, Shi Yan had never been able to see the womans face or the specific structure of her body clearly. In short, it all just seemed very cloudy and misty to him though it felt good to the touch, so he could climax; then afterwards, Shi Yan would close his eyes to imagine how that woman looked like while he m.a.s.t.u.r.b.a.t.ed, but all he could imagine were the outer curves of her body. Yet tonight, Shi Yan was entwined with this body in his dreams. He was eager to hold her tight in his arms, to embrace her, while his lower region kept rubbing against that body as it randomly prated in between the two legs. At the moment he shot it all out, Shi Yan saw the person in his arms who had ayer of frost on his lips, and his gentle and glossy eyebrows it was He Nuo.
Shi Yan wasnt frightened by his erotic dream. His father has always rmended Shi Yan to read therge number of physical health books they had at home, as well as the books written by popr doctors on topics rted to the questions on teenagers development that he had ordered. So Shi Yan knew a long time ago that seminal emission and erotic dreams were a normal part of his development. As for the appearance of He Nuo...it was probably because he kept He Nuo in his mind all day. Shi Yan looked at it from a scientific perspective to understand this problem and didnt have the least bit of doubt or sense of indecency.
Shi Yan only understood this erotic dream of his when he recalled it after he had confirmed his feelings for He Nuo. If any of his other buddies faces had appeared in his dream, then his erotic dream would have probably turned into aplete nightmare. But he didnt a.s.sociate the dream with any wicked thoughts at all because the one who had appeared in it was He Nuo someone who was as pure as a crystal.
After he had endured the cold winds for an entire night, Shi Yan caught a cold that would usually only ur once in a hundred years, and he was slightly feverish as well. Yet, this was a major incident in his parents eyes. His mother med his friends for calling him out right after New Years Eve which was why he fell sick from fatigue; while his Dad said that he had caught the cold at his grandmas house. In short, Shi Yan had to lie in his own room as he ate fruits and watch boring TV shows. When the number of people who came to their house to give their New Year greetings in the afternoon reduced and his parents came in to measure his temperature, Shi Yan got up from his bed and leaned back in a slovenly manner, Mum, have you ever been to He Nuos house?
He Nuo? Whos that? I dont know who he is?
In my first year, New Years. Shi Yan reminded.
Oh, ohoh, his mother smacked her head, Are you talking about the house of the student who fought with you? I did go there to look for his parents. Hes such an ill-bred child, if I didnt look for his parents, what use would there be if I only looked for his teacher?
What did you say when you were there? Shi Yan peeled an orange and didnt even raise his head.
What else could I have said? Of course I had to teach their parents a lesson. Theyre his parents and yet they brought their child up to be that kind of character, arent they ashamed? Theyre just cra.s.s blue-cor workers who cant discipline their children well yet they still gave birth to a bunch of them. That family is really the definition of has a father to give birth but no mother to guide the children, yet he still gave birth to another two after his wife died.
He Nuos a stepson? Shi Yan asked in surprise.
I dont know if your schoolmate is a stepson, but I heard that his current wife gave birth to two kids, so if your schoolmate isnt the youngest or second youngest then hes not her son bei. But its not like itll make a difference either way, just look at that father of his, what good woman would marry him? He just looked for a random one from the countryside who doesnt have much culture.
Did you see He Nuo that day?
I saw him. He was called out by his parents, and he felt guilty the moment he saw me so he didnt dare to shirk any responsibility.
Shirk what responsibility? Shi Yan doesnt believe that He Nuo was someone who would shirk his responsibilities.
Well I scared them a little, I said that he kicked you so hard that you could suffer greatly in the future. He was frightened to death by what I had said, yet that uncultured mother of his actually tried to speak up for him. After I lost my temper, his father pped him immediately, then I left. Shi Yans mother proudly showed off her capabilities, After I threw them some threats, those parents of him were so scared that they even came to beg me afterwards.
Shi Yan jumped up in an instant. He threw the orange in his hand onto the fruit tray which caused all the fruits on the tray to bounce and tumble in a disorderly mess, How could you do that? Did you know that we didnt get into a fight at all? I was the one who bullied him at first and beat him up!
His parents were stunned by his sudden fury; they had never seen their son like this before, and their short-circuited brain couldnt understand the meaning behind their sons words. His father was the first one to recover from his shock. He patted Shi Yan and asked him to sit down, Whats wrong? Did your mother make a mistake? But didnt it happen a long time ago? Why are you bringing it up again? Did that student cause trouble for you?
He Nuo will never cause trouble for me, he wouldnt even tell me about what had happened. Its just that what Mum did was really too much, it was really, really....... Shi Yan couldnt continue. The words he wanted to say were despicable and shameless.
But I only went cause you were bullied ma, dont forget that you had to get st.i.tches for it. His mother defended herself.
St.i.tches! One st.i.tch of his actually demanded He Nuo topensate with his hematuria! Shi Yan got even more angry, but he couldnt vent his anger anywhere. Its not like he didnt understand what kind of person his own mother was; she was used to ordering other people about arrogantly and had always disliked the poor but loved the rich you could tell just from the buddies he hung out with. So, this was definitely something she was capable of. But the root cause of it all was still him; if he hadnt provoked He Nuo and put He Nuo in a spot, how could the incident where he had abused his power to bully He Nuo have urred?
Go out ba, I want to sleep. Shi Yan chased them away.
The thermometer, let me see if you still have a fever.
Its not like Ill die!
Shi Yans father hurriedly dragged his mother out.
During dinner, Shi Yan remained silent with a sullen face. So his father said to his mother, Why did you do that? Its just a fight between children, why did you have to meddle in their business? How hostile can they be towards each other...did you need to go all the way to their house to look for them and do something so disgraceful? Now Xiao Yan has lost all his face.
But the moment I looked for them, his parents believed me straight away, so you can tell that hes usually not a good kid anyway......
Pa, Shi Yan mmed his chopsticks on the table, then stood up and returned to his room.
T/N: Ok so I just realised that the next 5 chaps are gonna be super intense emotionally, so Im crossing my fingers that I can get it out by tomorrow. Not looking forward to it janslfjanfljasf
Chapter 56
Chapter 56
Shi Yan stayed at home for a few days. He didnt do so because he was seriously ill his fever had subsided in just one day but because he still had a slight cold and he didnt want to infect He Nuo, so he didnt go look for him.
His mother would fawn on him from time to time. She told him that Shi Mei would be back soon, and asked if he wanted her to bring any spring clothing back. Two dayster, Shi Yan no longer pulled a long face when he saw her. No matter what, she was still his mother, it wasnt like she was an outsider whom he could vent his anger on so he couldnt do anything about his frustrations this time. Besides, his sister and sister-inw areing back soon. Shi Mei was five years older than Shi Yan. She failed her college entrance examination twice, but she still managed to get into university after their family pulled some strings. She found her partner in university, and after she graduatedst year, she naturally returned to Taiyuan with him and they got married not long after.
After his sister returned, he had to apany her at home for two days before the pitiful third year had to go back to school again. He was pestered by others the whole morning, and he didnt see He Nuo after school ended in the afternoon and evening. Before their night self-study sessions started, he stood in front of the liberal arts .s.s. When He Nuo saw him, he felt surprised, happy, doubtful, but also a little timid.
Youre looking for me? He Nuos probing tone made Shi Yan unhappy. What is he feigning ignorance for? If he wasnt here to look for him, then what would he be standing here for?
Pack up your bag and leave, Ill wait downstairs.
Shi Yan brought He Nuo to the office again. The moment they entered, Shi Yan pa.s.sed the Royal Jelly and Apollo for the day to He Nuo, Drink them both, you didnt drink any in the afternoon.
Youre still giving me these? He Nuo looked at Shi Yans hand in disbelief.
Get over here! Shi Yan pressed He Nuo down onto the sofa, then he dragged a swivel chair over to sit in front of him. The chair was higher than the sofa which gave He Nuo a sense of being oppressed; he sunk down deeper into the sofa while Shi Yan leaned over, Why did you leave by yourself after school?
...... He Nuo looked down for awhile before he answered Shi Yans question, I thought you were ignoring me, so I was too embarra.s.sed to go pester you.
Who told you that? Who pa.s.sed that kind of message to you for me? Shi yan was so angered by the fact that He Nuo had such a strange idea that he wanted to knock on his brain to see what was inside of it. If it wasnt because He Nuos eyes were filled with joy when they met, he would have already lost his temper at him. Though his tone wasnt that good now anyway.
On the contrary, He Nuo rxed, My family has been asking about you the past few days. When they saw that you didnte over anymore, Fourth brother and Fifth brother said that it must have been because you went to talk to your parents and they didnt allow you to mingle with me.
What a joke, other people cant control who I want to mingle with.
Those dark eyes were gleaming with expectation.
Idiot, are you a pig? How can you believe whatever other people say so easily?
But you didnt look for me for so many days, He Nuo broke out into a wide smile as he scolded, I only believed them because you didnte.
Shi Yan told He Nuo that his sister had returned, so he couldnt leave. Then Shi Yan sat next to He Nuo and asked cautiously, He Nuo, your mother is your fathers second wife?
Un. He Nuo answered very normally.
Then who gave birth to you?
My mother has already pa.s.sed away, my Ma only gave birth to my two younger brothers.
Shi Yan didnt see a trace of unhappiness on He Nuos face, so he continued to ask, How old were you when your mother pa.s.sed away?
He Nuos expression stiffened immediately, then it recovered just as quickly. He hesitated for a few seconds, My mother died giving birth to me.
Im sorry. Shi Yan felt like this question had hurt He Nuo.
You dont need to apologise. He Nuo tried his best to jerk the edges of his lips up, but all Shi Yan saw was sadness. He Nuo shifted the topic, My elder brothers all hope that I can continue to be friends with you, theyplimented you for your character.
Shi Yan wasnt He Nuo. Only this pure idiot wouldnt know what kind of benefits he could obtain through befriending himself. But he thought about how He Nuos family would pay more attention to him if he mingled more with him which could be considered a good thing, so he made do with praising He Nuos fifth brother a bit.
He Nuo looked very happy, but he was actually a little scared. His brothers remarks had made him very upset, yet he didnt dare to verify the truth behind their words. It could be said that he had really hoped that Shi Yan would look for him during those few days. Shi Yan was like his sun it felt warm to be near him; he had never experienced such warmth before, and he never knew that such warmth had existed throughout his entire life. There was a certain energy of life that flowed through Shi Yans body; this unrestrained energy spurs the people around him, and it had injected vitality into He Nuos life which was originally a barren Gobi desert. He Nuo could vividly feet the blood that was flowing through his veins now he finally felt like he was truly living.
Shi Yan took advantage an unprepared He Nuo to skillfully trick him into talking about his life in the vige during their first and second year of high school. He Nuo had never minded his life in the vige at all, so he excitedly told He Nuo about some aspects of his rural life the beauty of the fields, the pleasure of mowing gra.s.s and how he had picked wild Goji berries. When Shi Yan mentioned his hematuria, he told Shi Yan that he had discovered ayer of snakes skin, and he didnt know if it was because he had eaten it everyday that his hematuria showed signs of improvement. Shi Yan listened attentively while inserting some questions here and there, but under this mask, the tempestuous storms that were brewing made his heart spasm with pain.
In the end, it was He Nuo who realised that Shi Yan was clenching his fists tightly on both sides so he appeared to understand something as he stopped talking about himself. He lightly punched Shi Yans shoulder, Dont tell me you think that had to do with you ba? It was my family who wanted me to go out and experience what its like to live there so that Ill treasure my opportunity to study. It has nothing to do with you. The life there was actually pretty interesting, nothing bad happened. And didnt Fifth brother help in getting me back here in the end?
Shi Yan wasnt someone who could apologise, and he wouldnt ask He Nuo to ease his anxiety either. This incident thus pa.s.sed just like that, and he only thought of a question the next day: even if He Nuo had walked home, he should have been able to caught up to him on his bike.
He raised this doubt when they reached He Nuos doorstep. He Nuo onlyughed and didnt want to tell him at first, but when he was forced to the point that he couldnt avoid his question, he could only tell Shi Yan the truth. He had travelled half the journey on Yu Yaos bike. This made Shi Yan scold him harshly for awhile before he was willing to let He Nuo go. Shi Yan wasnt jealous or envious, he was just afraid that He Nuos cough that had recently recovered would rpse, so he urged He Nuo to continue wearing his mask when he was outside.
T/N: Just uploading this first as a notice that I will be uploading another three chapters in a few hours.........once Im done editing them. Then Ill need to take some time off to repair my broken soul
Chapter 57
Chapter 57
Spring finally melted the frost that covered the earth with its warm breeze, and He Nuo was finally released from wearing his masks and scarves. He was now free to interact intimately with the gentle winds. Shi Yan had also been stimted by warm spring air to start a new romance; he wasnt the one to take the initiative of course, he no longer had the time nor energy to pursue people. It was the infatuated Li Mengting who arduously pursued him. Also, he only agreed to her proposition under the premise that his new girlfriend wouldnt affect his rtionship with He Nuo. Because Li Mengtian was his .s.smate, and she had changed seats to be his deskmate, their rtionship was confined within their .s.sroom; the calls he made at home after .s.ses and the trips he made back home everyday were still done with He Nuo without fail.
He Nuo appeared a few more times in Shi Yans erotic dreams. Shi Yan was very curious about the secret in between those legs. Even if he had seen it in physiological hygiene books or on magazines, or even in books on medical anatomy, no ill.u.s.tration couldpare to seeing the real thing with his own eyes no matter how clear the it was. After Shi Yan had kissed and fondled Li Mengting, he had removed her clothes once and forced her legs open to study that ce without caring about her bashful reaction.
Shi Yan had already tasted womens b.r.e.a.s.t.s of all sizes on his previous girlfriends bodies. He still liked them plump and round; when he held them in his hands, he would want to eat them and nibble on them. But Shi Yan had nevermitted a taboo before; he knew it clearly in his bones that these were all just games and dreams to him. Since he wouldnt be with them for a long time or be serious about them, he naturally wouldnt want to take them. Shi Yan actually had a very pure heart he would only take the virginity of the one he loves to possess her everything.
He Nuo knew that Shi Yan had a girlfriend, but before he could ask himself how he felt about it, the other party had already dered war. How could a girl tolerate having someone else stand beside the boyfriend that she had worked so hard to obtain? So when Shi Yan went to the bike shed to get his bike after school while He Nuo waited for him outside, other girls would sprawl all over the windows and shout Shi Yans name to pressure He Nuo; and once Shi Yan walks back, these girls would retreat. Shi Yan asked He Nuo in confusion, Did someone call me?
I didnt hear anything?
Shi Yan turned around to search for the source but didnt see anything, Why did I hear someone call me?
I didnt hear anything.
Afterwards, the number of girls who gathered outside He Nuos .s.s obviously increased. They casually chatted, He was the one who always sat there in the past, and now he even wants to b.u.t.t in......
......they dont even have a chance to view flowers under the moon1. Li Mengting is quite pitiful actually, she cant even sit on her own boyfriends bike.
Now He Nuo wasnt even willing to leave his .s.sroom after .s.s. As a girl, Yu Yao knew a long time ago that the girls in their grade had been instigated by Shi Yans girlfriend to do all these. She had tried to dissuade He Nuo with good intentions from being friends with that b.a.s.t.a.r.d, so now she grabbed ahold of this opportunity tough at He Nuo, Not bad, youre the best iron pellet he has ever had. Peach blossoms are in full bloom, youre going to drown in the spit of those b.i.t.c.hes soon.
He Nuo didnt know whether to cry orugh. With Shi Yans kind of personality, its not like he can just tell Shi Yan that he wont ride his bike anymore.
The school attached a lot of importance to the intervarsity serpet.i.tion, so during thest few knockout matches, students in their third year who were good at ser were all called out topete. Shi Yan was one of them. The finals were in the afternoon, and because it started at 4pm at their schools field when all formal .s.ses had ended for the day, the teachers asked the students to go to the field and cheer for their schools team for the sake of their collective honour.
For the first time ever, He Nuo was actually sitting by the field, because yesterday night Shi Yan had told him that he wanted to look up sliding tackle techniques after he got home because he hadnt done one of those in a long while. When He Nuo saw how Shi Yan defused their opponents dangerous offence with a beautiful sliding tackle, he envied his naturally smooth actions, and admired how he had just said that he would take a look yesterday, then execute it so perfectly today. The guys all around him were cheering excitedly because of that beautiful sliding tackle; the girls didnt really understand what had happened, but when they saw the guys cheering, they certainly wouldnt miss this opportunity and began to shout out Shi Yans name as well it was actually quite a grand sight.
The halftime whistle sounded, and the yers left the field in session. Some students who carried cups of water had already rushed up to them a while ago, because the .s.s leaders of .s.ses with students who werepeting had formed groups to prepare thermos sks and cups. A lot of girls not just the third years had already taken some cups to wee Shi Yan back as if they were weing a warrior on his triumphant return. One of Shi Yans buddies called out to He Nuo, Get Shi Yan a cup of water.
When he saw that there were no cups in front of He Nuo, he even pa.s.sed the cup in his hand to He Nuo. But for some reason, He Nuo felt a little angry and spat out three words in a breezy manner, Cant carry it.
Shi Yans buddy thought that he had heard him wrongly at first, so he was still waiting for He Nuo to ept the cup in his hands. Yu Yao had already ruined her own image by bursting out in raucousughter, this girl didnt care about her image at all as sheughed so hard she had to bend down and hold her stomach with her hands. As she pointed at He Nuo, she repeated, Haha, hahaha, cant carry it, haha, Im gonnaugh myself to death. He Nuo, youre going to make me die ofughter.
The students around them who heard it were also stunned as they thought that there was something wrong with their ears, but a burst ofughter soon erupted from the crowd. He Nuo saw Shi Yans buddys expression turn livid, while he himself didnt have much of an expression at all.
Shi Yan pushed away all the people who had sent him water. All the yers had people who would send them water, but he had even pushed aside the water his girlfriend sent over before he walked straight towards He Nuo. He heard theughter that travelled over from that side, and when he approached them, his buddy handed him a cup of water while he jerked his chin at He Nuo, Un, I asked him to get you some water but he said he couldnt carry it! Shi Yans buddy was a bit angry; how well Shi Yan usually treated He Nuo was something his whole gang could see even if Shi Yan had never told them about it. Sometimes, when their gang skipped a night self-study session to go out and y, Shi Yan would rush back to pick He Nuo up after school. When everyone brought their girlfriends out on the weekends, he would also leave once in the middle of their gathering. Now it was just sending Shi Yan a small cup of water, and yet He Nuo wasnt even willing to do that for him?
When He Nuo saw Shi Yan walk towards him, he actually felt a bit uneasy. But now that he had heard Shi Yans buddy lodge aint against him, he got angry instead and obstinately looked straight at Shi Yans furrowed eyebrows and sharp gaze. Shi Yan kept silent, then held the cup and walked back to his .s.s.
After school ended, the two didnt talk on their way home. During their night self-study session, Shi Yan brought He Nuo directly to the office, and once they entered, Shi Yan sat on the boss chair, Get me a cup of water.
He Nuo took a cup and poured hot water into it, then pushed it towards Shi Yan. Shi Yan picked it up and poured the water inside it onto the floor, Water.
He Nuo refilled it with water again, then Shi Yan poured it away again. After this happened thrice, He Nuo put the cup at one side and went to sit on the sofa by himself. Dont me He Nuo for his bad temper, this was really because Shi Yan and him were friends on equal grounds, and Shi Yan takes extraordinarily good care of him, so when would he have ever let He Nuo get bullied or feel wronged? It was the first time young He Nuo could do whatever he wanted without restraint in front of someone. Of course, you could also say that He Nuo had been spoiled by Shi Yan.
But Shi Yan was raging, Water! He Nuo looked out of the window, and his indifferencepletely infuriated Shi Yan, Did you forget how Laozi f.u.c.king fed you when you were as good as dead?! Now I cant even get you to pour me a cup of water?!
When Shi Yan said this, his anger got to his head and he raised the cup up before smashing it in front of He Nuo. He Nuo was actually being temperamental at first, and he was angry at himself for not sending water to Shi Yan, but what right does his buddy have to lodge aint against him? And why did Shi Yan have to shoot him such an unkind gaze? Is he obligated to send Shi Yan water? So He Nuo kept silent on their way back and on their way to school when he was on Shi Yans bike. But, when Shi Yan mentioned the words fed you, He Nuo had to admit that he was wrong. He owes Shi Yan too much. When he had the opportunity to do something as trivial as getting him a cup of water today, he actually refused? Whats up with that?
When he saw how angry Shi Yan got, He Nuo felt a strong sense of self-reproach. He poured a cup of water and handed it to Shi Yan, Im sorry, I was at fault. Shi Yan nced at him and didnt ept the cup. He Nuo put the cup on the table before he went to pick up the .s.s shards on the floor.
Who are you trying to please? Dont you disdain to wait on Laozi?
He Nuo brought a basin of water over and ced it next to Shi Yans feet, then held the cup in his hands, Here, Id like to offer my apology. Ill pour another cup for you at school tomorrow.
When he saw this situation, Shi Yan felt much moreforted, Would it kill you to send me some water this afternoon? Or do you think its too humiliating to wait on Laozi? There were so many people revolving around Laozi, yet only you were so delicate that you couldnt carry it! After hearing this tone and these words, He Nuo knew that he had softened.
Its precisely because there were others revolving around you that I didnt go over.
Un?
Werent there a lot of people who had already sent you water? Even your girlfriend got you water, so I thought you wouldnt need mine.
Shi Yan thought about how thin his skin was, and how he wasnt someone who would join the crowd just to please others. If he wanted him to send him some water under the gazes of everyone, it really wouldnt suit his personality. But he wasnt willing to take He Nuos provocative nce in the afternoon lying down, so he used his fingers to knock on the table, Now theres no one around to fight with you, Daye wants to drink the water you send me.
He Nuo smiled as he sent his cup over, Here, Im waiting on you now.
The next day, Shi Yan eliminated Li Mengting from the fray. As he faced the inquiries of his buddies, he gave them a fully credible reason: the college entrance examination is approaching, he had to get into the frame of mind for studying and wouldnt stir up any peach blossoms anymore.
1. Ideal setting/date for a couple in love?
T/N: Btw I think I shouldve mentioned this but the Chinese use peach blossoms to refer to affairs regarding love/rtionships etc
Chapter 58
Chapter 58
Spring left and summer arrived. A few months had pa.s.sed, and perhaps it was because of Shi Yans meticulous care that He Nuo grew taller and his face was no longer a ghastly white. However, the intense college entrance examination was approaching. He Nuo faced a problem: he had boldly decided to study the liberal arts by himself in his third year, and until today his family still didnt know about his decision. Now he had to fill in an application form; his father had always filled in the form for their majors together with his older brothers, and at that time his older brothers werent very knowledgeable either. But now that Fourth brother was working, his father would definitely consult Fourth brother on his opinion, and they would be able to tell at a nce that the form he brought them was an enrollment form for the liberal arts.
After he told Shi Yan, this person had a surprised look on his face at first, which changed to a cunning one before he actually ended upughing. He Nuo resentfully said, Laugh, keepughing. Cant believe youreughing at my misfortune.
I just didnt think that youd do something like that, arent you a courageous one? I really admire you, I really do. Shi Yan sped his fists together as if he had just seen a swordsman1.
Youre throwing rocks at me while Im down! He Nuo couldnt think of any other way but to bite the bullet and tell his family the truth. He knew that he wouldnt be able to avoid another round of belt whipping.
After the past six months of asional contact with He Nuos family, Shi Yan had learnt a lot about He Nuos situation at home and how strict his father was with him while spectating from the side. So he wouldnt let He Nuo go home and obediently wait for his punishment. He took his own enrollment form for the sciences and gave it to He Nuo, then He Nuo would be able to fill in a choice rted to the sciences before he changes it at school to a liberal arts one. Even though this was a bit too bold, Shi Yan doesnt care. He thought that once He Nuo receives his matriction notice, his familys happiness would overshadow everything, then his parents wouldnt pursue the matter anymore. He used this reason to persuade He Nuo too, and of course he monitored He Nuo to ensure that they applied for colleges that were in the same city.
After they filled in their college aspiration forms, they could count the number of days to the start of their college entrance examination with their fingers. For thest week of school, all .s.ses were stopped and students could go home to revise on their own. The school closed its doors three days in advance so that they could clean up the examination venue and paste the examination numbers on desks; students coulde over to look at how the examination venue is arranged during these three days so that they would know in advance which teaching building and which .s.sroom their examination would be held at. Shi Yan wanted to look for He Nuo to go look at the examination venue together one day before the actual examination, but his Dad had jam-packed his schedule for thest two days so he went to look for He Nuo on the very first day after their .s.ses stopped.
When he reached He Nuos house, his yards door wasnt locked so he knew that his family were either at work or in school. Thinking that he should be alone at home, Shi Yan pushed the door open and entered straight away. When he opened the door to He Nuos room, the people who were inside got a scare, while the one who was outside got a shock. Yu Yao immediately released her hands that were wrapped around He Nuos waist as she blushed. If it wasnt because Shi Yans anger had blinded him, he wouldve seen how He Nuo was raising his hands helplessly and had a surprised expression on his face as well. When Yu Yao said her goodbyes in a fl.u.s.ter, He Nuo didnt even think about sending his deskmate out of his house.
When Yu Yao pa.s.sed by Shi Yan, her face burned up even more as she hung her head. Shi Yans initial shock had already turned into rage; he sat in front of the table and was so angry he couldnt even say anything. When He Nuo saw this expression of his, he wanted to exin himself but he didnt know where to start. He was also stunned by Yu Yaos confession just now, but what stunned him even more was what Yu Yao had said.
What did the two of you do? Shi Yans eyes were spewing raging mes.
Her family had transferred her household register, she wont be taking the exam here. She came here to say goodbye to me.
The two of you are dating? Because Shi Yans girlfriend was his deskmate, and he had utilised his time in school to date her, so even though he knew that He Nuo went home the moment .s.ses ended, he still guessed that they were dating.
Of course not.
You like her?
No.
Then who were the adulterous couple I f.u.c.king saw just now?! Shi Yan roared.
He Nuo was so infuriated that he started trembling. This was just, just Shi Yan was actually saying such words to him that He Nuo considered to be incredibly vicious.
What did she say?
He Nuo didnt answer him. Firstly, he was still angry over Shi Yans nderous words; secondly, he wasnt someone who would tattle on others, so he wouldnt reveal Yu Yaos sudden confession to other people especially since he feels nothing towards Yu Yao, he had an even bigger obligation to protect this secret. How could he trample on other peoples feelings?
What did the two of you talk about just now? Shi Yan grabbed He Nuos wrist, his fingernails had already dug into his flesh.
Nothing much. He Nuo thought that Shi Yan was hara.s.sing him unreasonably. There were still three days left to their exam; he didnt want to fight with Shi Yan at this kind of juncture so while he tried to break away from Shi Yans vice grip. He said, You should go home first ba.
But he didnt know that his words were only adding fuel to Shi Yans fire. Hes actually trying to chase me away, hes trying to chase me away! Hes trying to chase me away after I chanced upon his scandalous affair?! Shi Yans grip tightened. Not only did He Nuo fail to break away, but he was also grabbed by Shi Yan as Shi Yan pushed He Nuo onto the table.
Trying to get rid of me? Do you have a guilty conscience?! Shi Yan sneered.
What nonsense are you spouting? Are you crazy? Let go of me, Shi Yan, let go of me! He Nuo got angry too, he began to struggle after he heard Shi Yans nderous words. As the table shook, his shoulder knocked onto the thousandyer buddhas hand conch that was on the table. This conch sh.e.l.l had always been carefully wrapped up and kept in the cab after He Nuo takes it out for a look, but when Shi Yan saw itst time, he had asked He Nuo to disy it outside. He was afraid of damaging it, so he had even ced the protective bubble wrap it came in underneath it.
With this one b.u.mp, the conch sh.e.l.l moved and Shi Yan saw the red thing that was inside. He used one hand to lock He Nuo down, then opened up the conch sh.e.l.l. He Nuo was being pressed down but the side of his face was facing Shi Yan, so all he saw were Shi Yans forehead veins that popped out within an instant and his face that suddenly looked like Asuras2. His eyes that had turned bloodshot looked like they could swallow someone whole. Before He Nuo could get scared, Shi Yan held up a string of red beans in his hand, What the f.u.c.k is this?
He Nuo doesnt know what that is, and didnt know why Shi Yan was asking him about it as he held it in his hands. His back was facing the conch sh.e.l.l so he didnt know where it hade from. Shi Yan clearly saw this string on Yu Yaos wrist before; he had often seen these kind of things when he went to Mount Emei in Sichuan these red beans were also known as love beans3. Just hearing its name would make you think that this was something that only lovers possessed, and he dare say that they werent in a rtionship?!
He Nuo was pushed to his limits so he shouted loudly, How would I know? and lifted his leg. Originally, only his upper body was struggling, but now he lifted his leg because he wanted Shi Yan to let him go. But since Shi Yan was locking both his arms behind his back and had to use one arm to press him down, he stood very close to He Nuo and thus suffered a kick by the leg that He Nuo had suddenly lifted.
How could He Nuo exert much strength in this kind of confrontation? But because of the string of love beans in his hand, coupled with He Nuos shouting retorts and resistance, Shi Yans fury and resentment hadpletely exploded. He pulled He Nuo up and pped him in the face, Adulterous couple!!
1. Original: (Daxia) a warrior/swordsman who would help those in need with all their might, and possesses extraordinary strength, courage and virtue. Lmao so Shi Yan is pretending to salute an honourable daxia?
2. Boi does Shi Yan look angry?
3. Why red beans = love beans?
It is said that long ago there was a man who went off to war. His wife was leaning against a big tree in a high mountain while hoping for her man to return home day and night. Because of her continual longing, she was sobbing under the big tree all the time. After her tears dried, she dropped blood from her eyes without noticing. To everyones surprise, when the dropped blood fell to the ground, they became red beans. The red beans rooted and then grew into big trees. Soon after, red beans filled the branches and people named them love beans. Day after day, spring to autumn, the fruits slowly changed into the most beautiful seedsLove beans.
Red beans have a very profound cultural foundation. A red, love bean is very big, with a diameter of about 9 millimeters. This kind of bean has distinct characteristics. They are very hard and hearts shaped, and have a simr color to blood. They can be stored for a very long time without rotting, or fading in color. More so, its shape and all the other lines are heart shaped.
In folklore, red beans are considered intelligent and lucky. If a boyfriend gives red beans to their girlfriends as presents, it means that they want to make amitment. When a bride wears red beans on her wrist or neck, it means that she will lead a happy life. If married couples put six red beans that have been sworn upon under each pillow, it is said that the couple will maintain their eternal love.
Currently, red bean jewelry is sweeping southward. Fashionable women are proud of wearing red bean jewelry. Male and female lovers rush to choose jewelry for each other to show their love.
Red Beans have always stood for hope from as far back as the ancient periods.?
Chapter 59
Chapter 59
WARNING: NSFW CONTENT, TRIGGER WARNING
He Nuo was pped so hard his vision went ck and his ears buzzed, as if everything in his head had been shattered from the hit and were flowing out right now. Since his room was quite small, he was knocked down onto the floor beside his bed. Before he could get up, a huge figure closed in, What were the two of you doing?
You could say that He Nuo had never fought before in his whole life excluding the time in his first year when he managed to hurt Shi Yan through sheer blind luck. When he was disciplined by his father or acted as a sandbag for Shi Yan in his second year, he didnt dodge their hits at all, so he has never learnt or realised that he had to protect himself.
And Shi Yans usations and violence that came out of nowhere made He Nuo roar back at him, Why should I tell you?!
Shi Yan jumped up and looked around. He was probably looking for something he could use, but there was nothing. He grabbed He Nuos cor, and He Nuo tried to break free from his grip because it was difficult to breathe but he failed. Instead, the b.u.t.tons on his low-quality clothes were all torn right off. Shi Yan pulled and dragged him while He Nuo twisted his body left and right as the two of them fell onto the bed like this. Shi Yan used both his hands and legs to subdue He Nuo; He Nuo stubbornly resisted him. Under the entanglement of their limbs and the intimate friction between their bodies, Shi Yan could only feel the area under his crotch heat up.
The Shi Yan who had lost all rationality still roared instinctively, What did the two of you do?!
Why should I tell you? The person who wasnt any more normal shouted back.
Why should you? Why should you? Shi Yan repeated, and his brain that had already turned into mush were filled with the words what did the two of you do?, adulterous couple!, adulterer adulterer adulterer!!! And now Shi Yan knew why he should, You f.u.c.king adulterer who f.u.c.ked my woman, how dare you f.u.c.k my woman?!
You b.a.s.t.a.r.d! You f.u.c.king b.a.s.t.a.r.d! He Nuo was angered to the point of insanity by this usation, so he put up another round of resistance which was met with even more suppression. Shi Yan wasnt sure why he took off He Nuos pants. With this kind of summer shorts and how violent his strength was, he didnt even need to take it off before it tore into pieces while it was still on He Nuos body. Half his d.i.c.k hung out, and He Nuo only wore a short piece of underwear as he tried his best to push away the Shi Yan who was pinning him down out of anger and embarra.s.sment. As a result of their intense workout or pa.s.sion, He Nuos body was suffused with a pinkish blush that could arouse ones s.e.xual desire.
Shi Yans pupils contracted, then they focused on the two bright red beads in front of them. He lowered his head and bit one of it. He Nuo felt an electric current surge through his body which frightened him, and after his mind went nk for a few seconds he began to struggle desperately. Shi Yan was still sucking on it greedily the deliciousness in his mouth was extremely unusual when his scalp began to throb. He Nuo couldnt push him away, so he had hastily tugged on Shi Yans hair as he wanted to pull him up. Shi Yan raised his head maliciously while he was still biting down tightly on his tiny nipple. He Nuo was so pained that he uttered a hnng; he couldnt help writhing his body to escape from the pressure above and rescue his bright red bead from the tigers mouth.
This kind of movement triggered the rapid erection between Shi Yans legs, and he could even feel his crystal clear liquid leaking from it. Meanwhile, He Nuo still didnt know that he had provoked this lions male hormones, and didnt understand that the thing that was poking him was actually sending him a dangerous signal so he was still trying to escape. He Nuos thin and weak body had r.e.t.a.r.ded his development, so his understanding of such mattersgged far behind that of Shi Yans.
His resistance was like a temptation which intensified the lions thirst for blood, and had increased the lions desire for conquest. Shi Yans iron hand yanked it down and He Nuos tiny underwear announced the end of its life.
He Nuos nakedness made him frantic which spurred an even more intense resistance from him; while on the other side, Shi Yans mes his mes of fury had unconsciously changed into mes of desire were raging and burning even brighter than his mes of fury; its plunderous desire grew at an elerated rate.
He Nuo was frightened; he no longer knew what Shi Yan wanted to do. Histent, living brain cells were telling him to escape the person in front of him at all costs, to escape the demon in front of him at all costs; so He Nuo waspletely dominated by these thoughts as he a.s.sumed a spirit of desperation to stage an uprising. Shi Yan was being overwhelmed by his mes of desire; he would kill the devil if he encountered one, and would annihte anyone who tried to stop him. Thus, his ruthless fistnded on He Nuos body, and after a few blows, He Nuo vomitted some gastric juice out. He didnt even have the strength to curl up he had been hit till he felt all groggy as the room around him looked like it was spinning.
Shi Yan took out his pride that was leaking with dew and was thoroughly wet at the tip, then drove it in between He Nuos legs. He didnt know what he should do next, and in the midst of his blurry confusion he only knew that it should be somewhere in between his legs. He was poking about randomly in between the legs that he had parted when He Nuo suddenly uttered a heartrending cry; even though he was being pinned down, his body had still jerked quite a bit. Shi Yans sensitive, round and moist tip suddenly broke into a warm ce; it was so pleasurable that he uttered an oh and he felt an encircling tightness mp down on his member he couldnt go in deeper or take it out, and it was awfully painful.
Shi Yan straightened up his body, then put the legs that he had pried open onto his shoulders. He clearly saw the ce that he had visited it was this beautiful, and it was this bewitching......all the adjectives in the world werent enough to describe the kind of pleasure it had brought him. That tender pink colour only swallowed the tip of his head, and tiny drops of blood leaked out of its small gap. Unable to withstand the stimtion of this sight, he embraced the legs that were trembling on both his shoulders, then with one vigorous push, Shi Yan forced his whole member into his territory. He Nuo moaned piteously as his body trembled. Yet Shi Yan had broken through the pain and entered deep into the secret ce of this magnificent beauty, and was enjoying the happiness of entering his dream for the first time. He moved like a cheetah on the gra.s.nds swift, and wild.
He Nuo had never been able to remember clearly or recall what had happened that afternoon; and Shi Yan had once asked himself how he managed to find his own territory to upy the answer was instinct, a mans instinct. Shi Yan found his garden of Eden through violence; he savoured it to his hearts content, plundered it, and dered his ownership over the whole ce. There was one truth that Shi Yan had refused to admit to himself for a long, long time: when he saw the stream of blood that flowed out from He Nuo, the him who was used to taking care of He Nuo didnt feel any distress, and instead felt a kind offort, pride, satisfaction and a mans pleasure. Frankly speaking from the bottom of his heart, this was the mark he made on He Nuo as his first man.
Shi Yan didnt know when he began to embrace this body in his arms. He felt that the person in his arms couldnt stop trembling, so he slowed his rhythm down out of a tenderpa.s.sion. Unfortunately, He Nuo couldnt sense his tenderness. He continued to tremble with the asional moans of pain that escaped his mouth while heid in Shi Yans embrace. Shi Yan uttered a low groan as he shot into He Nuo, who had also let out broken cries that didnt sound shrill in his groggy state. The Shi Yan who had just climaxed fell onto He Nuos body; he buried his head in He Nuos shoulders as he gasped heavily for breath. After his climax receded, the softened hardness began to slip outwards, then Shi Yan propped himself up in shock: He Nuo was shutting his eyes tightly, the pillow underneath the corner of his eye had two damp spots, and the side of his face was swollen.
He Nuo, He Nuo. When Shi Yan regained his sanity, he was struck dumb with shock: Rape! Shi Yan was utterly stupefied. He Nuo opened his eyes that were awash with tears they were filled with anger, and hatred.
Get lost! A weak voice demanded.
The moment Shi Yan saw the hatred in He Nuos eyes, the extinguished mes of fury in him were rekindled once again. Upon hearing this kind of words again, the only remaining heartache he felt vanished. He wore a mask of arrogance again to conceal his own panic, and when he finally got up and separated from He Nuo, He Nuo shouted with all his might, Get lost!
The chrysanthemum that couldnt restrain itself immediately was turned inside out; a viscous white serum flowed out along with drops of crimson red blood. After Shi Yan saw so much blood flow out, he had just leaned over when He Nuo shrieked, Get lost! He Nuos lower region no longer felt anything but pain; he didnt know what was going on, but he still remembered that he must drive this person away this devil who looked a lot like his friend.
Shi Yan had also forgotten that the He Nuo who would never curse at others didnt know what else to say other than those two most vicious words. The insolent and arrogant young master couldnt endure such an insult, so his expression turned cold as he said in a frosty tone, Call the police! Ill wait for you to sue me!
T/N: Welp Im done for awhile, gonna go mend my broken soul somewhere somehow. Hopefully Ill be back with the stream of updates next week, if not Ill be back the week after.
ajdsfnkajsdfn I dont think Im suited to be an angst trantor
Chapter 60
Chapter 60
The perpetrator actually mmed the door and left as if he was the victim, and he had only left one sentence behind: Call the police! Ill wait for you to sue me! He Nuoughed for a long time. Heughed until the tears glimmered in his eyes, heughed until he choked, heughed until something trickled down from the corners of his eyes, and heughed until his cheeks hurt.
His stiff limbs began to feel like blood was flowing through them again, while his lower region stung with a sharp pain. He Nuo supported himself up with the beds headboard; he still felt an overwhelming dizziness that made everything around him look like it was spinning. When he stood up, a stream of heat flowed down his legs from his behind, and a few drops dripped straight onto the cement floor. He Nuo hugged his naked self and sat back onto the edge of his bed, but he had just sat down when he sprang back up again it hurt. He Nuo lied on his side as heid on the quilt that had already been kicked into a ball.
His brain gradually began to regain its function and he could think again. The first thing he thought was that his family couldnt know about this. He Nuo hurriedly forced himself to bathe, and when the water flowed to his behind, aside from the pain that was as clear as day, he also noticed something strange. He touched the ravaged ce in shame. It was swollen and slightly turned out, so He Nuo gritted his teeth as he pushed his chrysanthemum back in. Then he went back to clean up his room that had been messed up by their fierce battle. He rolled up all the torn clothes and wrapped it with an extra stic bag as a precaution before he threw them into the garbage bin outside. When he saw the marks on his face, he hurriedly took a cloth dipped in cold water to try and relieve it.
After he had finished doing all these and he could sort of sit down again, he still didnt dare to recall what had happened. He only knew subconsciously that if others were to know about it, he woulde to no good end. His Dad might beat him to death; he had really thrown the dignity of his family away this time. He was now the disgrace of his family if others were to know about this, he would implicate his family as they would be too ashamed to face other people as well. He Nuo was so afraid that he looked all around him as he feared that he had overlooked some trace that he hadnt cleaned up yet.
Shi Yan was afraid too. No matter how many bad things he had done before, he was still just a big child, a big child that had been pampered all his life. He had never truly hurt anyone before, and had never truly done anything that was really evil. And of course, he was much less likely to break thew. But he also knows that what he had done const.i.tutes as rape; escaping after he threw down that sentence was hisst bravado.
Just as Shi Yan was about to be tormented to his limits, his parents returned home after work. Shi Yans nervous expression was understood to be the result of his stress over the college entrance examinations, while his parents return had rxed his nervous heart. His parents warmly told Shi Yan at the dinner table not to worry about the examination. His family had already done enough preparations for him, so all he needed to do was to enter the examination venue in a rxed state.
What kind of preparatory work? The college entrance examination was invigted by the teachers in several nearby elementary and junior high schools who would take turns that is, the teachers of Children schools1 would go to local schools to act as invigtors, while the teachers of local schools would exchange ces with them. Shi Yans father had already met the teacher-in-charge below, so Shi Yan will be well taken care of. But the other preparation was the most important one. Test numbers in school are arranged randomly for all the science students but even this randomness has its own methodology. Normally, the order sent to the State Education Commission will be drawn every five and ten times; thus, if 50 students in session are all good students, then no matter who leaves, this examination hall would still be a world that belongs to good students.
The exam numbers were given out today. Shi Yan was surrounded in all four directions by the smart students in .s.s 1 and .s.s 2. The director of the high school these students were in had also talked to them individually, and asked them to be friendly schoolmates and extend a helping hand when necessary. This wasnt something unheard of it was the unspoken rule understood by those in cadre families. When June rolled around, parents had already begun to look for students whom they wanted to ce near their children it was best to find those students who were about to graduate but still had to return, since they would be the ones who would be willing to help in exchange for a good job after their graduation.
Shi Yan knows that his father had arranged a room for him in his enterprises external hotel. He will be reading and resting there for tomorrow and the day after in the morning with a few other people his examination neighbours. Actually, no one would still be studying in thesest two days. It was just an opportunity for them to establish a bond and practice their mutual tacit understanding. He didnt think much of this kind of arrangement; he would feel more rxed if he could be with others.
During dinner, He Nuo exined that his swollen face was due to a toothache. His parents thought that it was an inmmation that urred because his examinations were approaching, so they asked him not to be too nervous. To them, He Nuos results had never been particrly outstanding, but he never seemed to fear examinations either he could pa.s.s whatever examination he had to face. He Nuo couldnt fall asleep for the entire night, but he didnt dare to recall what had happened in the afternoon. Even remembering that shadow or the name of that person made him terrified. He had a fever, and the tolerant him hadnt even realised it. He only thought that his body felt unwell because of the nightmare that afternoon.
After he woke up, his mouth felt dry and he was so dizzy that he practically had to crawl to the kitchen to get a cup of water. He wasnt the type to study for an examination at thest minute, so he had already finished his revision and memorized what he needed to a long time ago. For the few days before an examination, He Nuo has never done any crash revision before. So he endured his difort and lied back down on his bed, then fell asleep drowsily. When his family was having lunch in the afternoon, they thought that He Nuo was exhausted from his studies so they made an exception and didnt wake him up. Instead, they had left him some dishes for him to eatter.
After one full day of enduring a fever without taking any necessary measures for it, it had finally triggered his old disease that had been dormant for a long time. He Nuo urinated blood that night, and it was worse than any other time before. It hurt so much that he had to bite down hard on his nket to keep himself from groaning. At this time, He Nuo had the intention to see a doctor, but he didnt dare to go. He was afraid that the doctor would be able to tell what had happened to the lower half of his body. His behind was still suffering from a burning pain he didnt dare to do the no. 2 because of the pain from theceration and the blood that would trickle down.
While he was drenched in the sweat caused by the intense pain he felt, He Nuo looked for the medicine that Shi Yan gave him before. His examinations were starting tomorrow, so he had to endure it for at least the next few days. However, because of his recovery in the recent months and the disappearance of his blood urination symptoms after spring arrived, He Nuo didnt have much medication used to control his hematuria left. He could only consumerge doses of the high-quality medication that he had and wait for the pain to subside.
Sicknesses like andslide, but leaves slowly like spinning silk2. Within a day, the most the medication could do was to lighten the colour of his blood after arge volume of water was consumed. However, after He Nuo stepped into the examination venue that would determine his future path, how could he consume a lot of water? Themoner He Nuo had never even considered applying for a trip to the toilet halfway because of the strict examination system. Before the start of their examination, their stern-faced teacher had announced loudly: no one is allowed to leave their seat in the middle of the examination. He Nuo had once said before that he could force himself to be an unyielding martyr as long as he wasnt subjected to the torture in his urethra. But he just had to finish his college entrance examination under the torture of this pain in his urethra that made him want to die.
During hisst English examination, He Nuos face had turned ghastly pale and his sweat dripped onto his paper. He had lied on his table for a little while during his previous paper because he couldnt endure it anymore, and it took him a whole half an hour to wake up. The invigting teacher just thought that he was a bad student who was bored because he didnt know how to answer the questions. Right now, He Nuo definitely wouldnt do that anymore; he tried his best to force his brain to work, but his mind was already thoroughly exhausted after the constant pain his body had to endure for the past three days. His mind wandered, and his vision blurred.
He Nuo bit his lips until it bled and used the pain to stimte his brain to work for another 10 minutes. When his vision was going blur again, he sucked in his lips between his teeth and ruthlessly bit down on it, then the taste of blood filled his mouth. He didnt know when the torrential rain that could be seen through the windows had begun, and He Nuo didnt know when the teacher had taken his papers away. He waspletely drenched in sweat and didnt even have any energy left to raise his head in his seat.
The curtains were drawn on his college entrance examination.
1. Largepanies/organizations that are situated far away from the city set up these schools so that it would be more convenient for their workers to send their children to school?
2. Easy to get sick but not easy to get it cured?
T/N: Im back! And after the past two weeks of testing, Ive decided on a schedule of 1-2 chapters per day for PSWOL until its finished, and Ill post more when Im being more productive/real life isnt being a b.!.t.c.h. ALSOO GOOD NEWS!!!! SWEETNESS IS COMING AND I was so moved when I was tranting it adsjlfknasjkdnf
Chapter 61
Chapter 61
He Nuo only left the examination venue when the schools staff were clearing it. The other students had already left just now in a throng. A torrential rain had suddenly started to pour in the middle of the examination, and especially since today was thest subject for the exam, a lot of parents hade to pick their kids up. Shi Yan was in the science stream, so he wasnt in the same building as He Nuo. He had been fetched to and fro in a car for the past three days during the examination, so it was impossible for him to have b.u.mped into He Nuo. Also...he had actually been trying to avoid thinking of He Nuo for the past three days.
He Nuo returned home drenched from the rain, and his condition worsened in the middle of the night. When he woke up the next day, he asked his parents for his medical book and told them that he wanted to go to the hospital. His parents realised that his face was unusually red and that he was sweating a lot, but they just thought that he had a fever because he got drenched in the rain yesterday. He Nuo brought his medical book and some money to the hospital, but he wasnt actually going there to see a doctor. Due to hisck of s.e.xual knowledge, he was afraid that a doctor would be able to tell what had happened to him. He just wanted a prescription for norfloxacin that Shi Yan had given him before. It was quite effective in treating his hematuria.
Luckily, they were in an era when public healthcare was still avable. He Nuo managed to get his medication without much difficulty, and even got some fever medication as well the doctor could tell that he had a fever in one nce, so he was prescribed some medicine to treat it in pa.s.sing. He Nuo went home and quickly took his medicine. He even took two doses of the norfloxacin because the pain he had to endure was killing him. After he consumed such a strong dose, the fever symptoms that have been guing him since that morning finally let up. But after dinner, his temperature went up again. His hematuria was resolved two dayster though, so a high fever was nothing to him anymore. He Nuos fever only subsided after one whole week pa.s.sed, but after he had undergone such an ordeal, the 4 or 5 kilograms of meat that Shi Yan had asked him to put on werepletely depleted, and his face was as white as a sheet again.
Shi Yan disappeared after that afternoon, and had never appeared again after that. He Nuo was sitting on the boundary between life and death as he endured the torture of his symptoms, so he didnt have any time to think about Shi Yan. But now that his condition had shown some improvement, he was immediately worried about another problem: the college entrance examination! Right now, He Nuo couldnt even remember the questions for the examination or how he had even answered them. This made the He Nuo who has a great memory extremely worried if he screwed it up, and his lie about being in the science stream was exposed at the same time, He Nuo didnt dare to think about the kind of consequences he would have to face. He couldnt sleep well at night ever since as he anxiously awaited and feared the day when he would get his results.
Before the college entrance examination, Shi Yans father had already made ns for him. After Shi Yan finished his examination, his father would bring him along on a business trip so that he could have a good time. They left one day after his examination ended, and their destination this time was Guilin. The heavy rain yesterday didnt dy the celebration banquet set up by the leaders for their children it served as a celebration for both the end of their childrens college entrance examination, as well as their graduation.
In the morning, Shi Yans father had to go to hispany first before driving back to pick up Shi Yan. Shi Yan thus made use of this gap in between to rush over to He Nuos house on his bike, though he hadnt even thought about the purpose of his visit. He just wanted to tell He Nuo one thing: that he would be leaving. When he got off his bike, he hesitated. But when he inadvertently looked up, he saw a lock on the yards door. Shi Yan approached it and confirmed that the door was indeed locked, then appeared to heave a sigh of relief. He Nuo was getting a prescription at the hospital at this moment.
Shi Yans holidaysted for more than a month. After his father brought him to Guilin to y for two weeks, his mother grabbed the opportunity to utilise public expense and brought him to Yunnan. When he was in Yunnan, he went to Xishuangbanna, Dali, Lijiang, saw the b.u.t.terfly Spring, and even went to Mt. Yulong during his travels. The divine workmanship of nature had shocked Shi Yan, but at the same time, it had also hacked the depression in his heart away. As he faced Mt. Yulong, he thought of the ancient poem that He Nuo had recited before To binge in the daytime while singing and suddenly felt a heroic voice shake the world.
When he thought of He Nuo, he thought of what he had done, and it was as if he had straightened out his thoughts all at once: Yu Yao was no longer his girlfriend, and he was the one who dumped her too, if she hangs out with him then so be it ba. Its not like he likes her, so why did he have to get so angry that day? Or maybe it was because of He Nuos concealment and deception that made him so angry? But He Nuo was an introverted person to begin with, so its not like hell take the initiative to tell him that hes in a rtionship right? Will He Nuo hate him after he goes back this time? Shi Yan was in a good mood as he thought, at most Ill just apologise to him, He Nuo isnt the kind of person to bear grudges. Shi Yan had already ruled out the possibilities of He Nuo reporting him to the police and suing him, He Nuo wouldnt treat him like that.
His vacation with his mother was cut short by the news of his sisters idental miscarriage. They got the news through the phone while they were in the hotel. His older sister, Shi Mei, had already been pregnant for four months when she suddenly had a miscarriage. His mother felt worried so she and Shi Yan hurriedly ended their Yunnan trip and went to his brother-inws house. His father had wanted to visit her too, but the college entrance examination results were out and Shi Yans grades had barely met the cut-off point, so his father still had to take charge and watch over the submission of his files1.
After he apanied his older sister for half a month, Shi Yan returned and received his college admission notice. His buddies had also received their admission notices; they all got simr grades, so several of them were in the same college and department. Aside from gathering with his buddies, he also had to deal with the schoolmates in his high school. After these students were admitted to college, they would have to part with him soon, so all the people who had overt and covert crushes on him had a legitimate reason to invite him out. He had been invited out for several meals each day, so he was so busy that his feet couldnt even touch the ground.
Shi Yan had asked which school He Nuo would be attending a few times when he met the students of the Arts .s.s, but the other parties would always say that they didnt know. Then when school was about to start, Shi Yan was dragged to his grandmothers house to stay for two days. He was about to leave soon, so it would be good for him to apany her for awhile. College started earlier than usual because new students had to attend military training, so Shi Yan entered college just like this without seeing He Nuo even once.
Military training was a novel thing to begin with, and Shi Yans new .s.smates had liked him immediately. But within just one weekend, Shi Yan changed after he had gone to his other buddies college. They were in the same province but different cities; his buddies were all in the provincial capital city. And because they had pulled some strings when they entered the college, everyone who was in the same college were all living together in the same dormitory. After Shi Yan stayed there for a night, he liked the feeling of living together with his buddies. Moreover, the provincial capital city was more prosperous and lively than the ce where his college was at. Shi Yan called his parents andined about his dissatisfaction with his college Shi Yan talked about how everything from his colleges food to its hygiene had something wrong with it. He was expressing his grievances at being admitted to this college, while alsoplimenting w.a.n.g Feng and Qin Mingxus college.
What really surprised Shi Yan was that just one weekter, his parents had actuallye over to help him handle his withdrawal from the college. On their way home, his mother told him that they had already handled the necessary procedures for him to transfer to w.a.n.g Feng and Qin Mingxus college he would be entering their college as part of their colleges supplementary recruitment exercise. Shi Yan was extremely excited of course, and his mother had proudly told him that he could even transfer colleges whenever he wanted. They asked Shi Yan to rest at home for the next two days before reporting to his new college. In any case, it was the military training period right now so his parents werent willing to let him suffer through that anyway.
1. This is the first step to getting selected by a college. In this stage, electronic files of candidates who meet the criteria for admission scores of the college are submitted to the college.?
Chapter 62
Chapter 62
After Shi Yan entered his second college, you could say that he was absolutely satisfied. His buddies were also pleasantly surprised. They immediately liaised their other buddy nearby and asked him to pull some strings to transfer over too. After military training ended, their other buddy managed to sessfully join them as well.
When National Day was approaching, it signified that their military training would be ending soon as well. Their college gave them a three-day holiday, but no one nned to return home and instead arranged to meet up somewhere nearby to have fun. They only contacted their other high school schoolmates in the same city; all of them began preparing a week in advance so by the time the weekend rolled around, quite a few of their schoolmates hade over to discuss the specific itinerary for their trip. Shi Yan actually saw Yu Yao, and after they chatted for a bit he realised that she had enrolled in a college just a few stops away from his. Shi Yan quickly asked her what college He Nuo was in, but Yu Yao was surprised when she heard his question.
Shi Yan pressed her for the reason, but Yu Yaos eyes instantly reddened. Shi Yan got even more anxious and Yu Yao asked him a question in return, You actually dont know? What kind of a friend are you? And here I thought you actually treated him as a friend, but looks like... She shook her head and left without continuing.
How am I not treating him like my friend? Hes my iron pellet, Ive always been asking around to find out which college he enrolled in, but everyone always said that they didnt know. You think only you, his girlfriend, would worry about him? Shi Yan grabbed Yu Yao in a hurry.
Yu Yao turned around with an even more surprised look on her face, Girlfriend? then immediately smiled, Did he tell you that...Im his girlfriend?
Hes too shy to say something like that. When Shi Yan thought of his embarra.s.sed face, he felt likeughing.
Then why would you say that Im his girlfriend? Yu Yao asked, puzzled.
Why are you ying the fool? Didnt I see it the other day?
Ah! Yu Yao turned her head away out of embarra.s.sment, then only looked back at Shi Yan after awhile, I was saying goodbye to him. That day I only...told him that I liked him. Also, I had applied for the college that he filled in on his aspirations form, but I wasnt sure that I could enroll in the same college as him. I was afraid that I wouldnt be able to see him again, which was why...I... Yu Yao sighed, But who knew things would turn out this way now.
Turn out this way now? Whats happening now?
You really dont know? He didnt pa.s.s. I heard some of our .s.smates who were in the same examination venue as him say that he would lie on his table without writing his answers down, it seemed like he was sick during those few days.
Shi Yan was dumbfounded, he was so stunned by this news that he had turned into a fool. He asked, bewildered, He resumed .s.ses?
If it were so then that would be great, Yu Yao choked, but he didnt resume .s.ses. Ive already asked my .s.smates who resumed .s.ses, hes not around.
Then what is he doing?
How would I know? I didnte here to discuss the trip. I wanted to ask around to see who would be returning home on National Day, so that I can ask them to help me find out what hes doing right now.
Shi Yan was no longer in the mood to y. After he endured it for two days more, he applied for leave to go home. His parents sent a car to pick him up and he only got back at night. Their dinner was naturally sumptuous, and after dinner they surrounded him to ask him all kinds of questions. When Shi Yan lied down on his back, he thought about all the possibilities that could have happened. The most likely one was that He Nuo didnt manage to get into a college and his lie about being in the science stream was exposed at the same time, so his parents were so angry with him that they locked him up at home. Shi Yan thought about how he could persuade He Nuos parents to allow him to resume .s.ses, and actually, as long as they werent angry it would be fine. With He Nuos grades, the examination wouldnt be a problem for him next year. Shi Yan only guessed half of it right, but he didnt manage to guess the mystery behind it.
When the college entrance examination results were released, it had brought upon a shock so huge to He Nuos family that they could feel the earth tremble and the mountains sway. Putting aside how He Nuos results were two marks below the cut-off point, the fact that he was in the arts stream had shocked his entire family. He had actually deceived his parents for an entire year. His father was so angry that his whole body trembled, so he couldnt pull his belt out. Thus, he dragged He Nuo to the yard and used a broom to beat him up without rhyme or reason.
His mother and brothers all thought that He Nuo was really way too bold and had crossed the line, so he should be taught a good lesson to carve it into his memory. Hence, no one tried to stop their father. After the broom broke from hitting He Nuo too hard and He Nuo was kicked onto the floor by his father, his father threw away the broom that had been split into pieces in his hand and saw a rod on the side it was a rod they used to tie their mop up which hadnt been used yet. He Nuo was about to stand up when the rodnded on him. He Nuo didnt dare to avoid it, so he only hugged his head.
Towards the end, his mother and brothers did persuade his father to stop and dragged him into the house. He Nuo didnt dare to enter the house, so he waited in the yard, and after that he was punished to kneel inside. The next morning, when he had been kneeling until his vision turned blur, his father came in and frightened him awake. After he had been dragged into the yard and forced to kneel for an entire night, his legs couldnt support him at all anymore, so he could only endure a few hits before he was knocked down to the ground by the rod. Before he went to work, his father instructed his twin younger brothers (their school hadnt reopened yet) to watch over him as he knelt in their yard.
In the afternoon, his mother had returned home first after work. She was afraid that his father would get angry again if he saw him after he got back, so she asked He Nuo to go back into the house to kneel there first. When his father came home from work, he could then kneel in the yard again. The cooling start of autumn had ended, and the spell of hot weather afterwards was in full swing. In the afternoon, He Nuo had to endure the heat in the sun as he knelt in the yard until he was both hungry and thirsty. Since he was kneeling, he couldnt look into his younger brothers room so he guessed that they were taking their afternoon nap. He stood up and went to the kitchen to get some water, and he was only halfway through his cup when he heard a knock on the kitchens screen door, What are you doing?
He Nuo was startled and swallowed the water in his mouth, Im, Im drinking water.
His younger brother pouted, Pa didnt allow you to get up, just look at how much you angered Pa. Also, how could your score in the exam even be considered a score? Im too embarra.s.sed to even mention it when others ask me about how you fared.
Im sorry. He Nuo quickly went back to continue kneeling.
When his family had fallen into a deep sleep at night, He Nuo secretly sneaked some bites of their leftovers in the kitchen. He poured a cup of water for himself and went back, and because the ground was cold, he could feel the chilly air in thetter half of the night pour into his body. He was afraid that his hematuria would rpse, so he went to consume some norfloxacin first. When he felt like he couldnt kneel any longer, he went to grab a stool so that he could lie on it and sneak in a short nap. But he was very alert while he slept, and at dawn he had returned the stool to its original position and didnt dare to sleep anymore. Thissted for a few days until he didnt need to kneel anymore, but to avoid provoking the fury of his father, his family asked him not to appear at the dining table when they ate and to eat only after his father finished his meal.
His parents were discussing about what they should do with him. His father had beaten him, but its not like their anger would dissipate just like that, and its not like everything that had happened could be reversed. The problem they had to resolve now was what He Nuo was going to do next. Actually there were only two options they had to consider: to let him resume .s.ses and retake the college entrance examination, or take the recruitment examination. As a mother, Zhou Xiaoyu would like to think that she had never maltreated the previous wifes children, and she did like their fourth and fifth sons very much. Now, their fourth son had graduated and their fifth was still in college. After Zhou Xiaoyu said all this, she asked her husband if she had been a fair stepmother all these years, and naturally received his full appreciation and grat.i.tude.
Thus Zhou Xiaoyu said that her twins would be entering high school this year, and since they were both entering at the same time, it would mean double the expenses. If they didnt save up enough money now to prepare for the future, then wouldnt these two sons of hers lose the opportunity to attend college instead? Every child should be treated fairly. He Nuo had been given a chance to attend college but he was the one who didnt cherish it, so he had lost his chance. Also, aside from the expenses that they would have to bear for him to resume .s.ses, when he enrolls in college two yearster their family would have to provide for three students at the same time.
He Papa had also thought about the difficulty of supporting three college students and couldnt make up his mind. Zhou Xiaoyu said, If it wasnt because He Nuo had decided for himself to study the liberal arts, he wouldve been able to get into college. This was something that angered He Papa to the extremes, so he thought that this could be considered as He Nuos fault and proper punishment for his own bad behaviour ba. His family decided to ask him to take the recruitment examination.
T/N: I just finished tranting chap 68 and I almost cried.......in a good way. My heart is aching so badly right now as I remember why this novel struck such a strong chord with me..............
Chapter 63
Chapter 63
Shi Yan went to He Nuos house in the morning. The door was still locked, and there was no answer when he went to knock on the window at the back. He thought about it for awhile, did He Nuos family allow him to resume .s.ses? So Shi Yan went to their school, but he wasnt in the liberal arts .s.s. Without any other clues, he walked out of the third years building and saw the building that the first and second years were in. It suddenly urred to him that those twin younger brothers of his should have just entered high school this year. He a.s.sumed a just give it a try mentality and went to the teachers office to ask, and actually did manage to obtain information on the .s.ses that He Nuos younger brothers were in right now.
He waited until lessons were over. When he found them during their break, he asked them where He Nuo was right now. His younger brothers gave Shi Yan the name of a factory and its approximate location, then Shi Yan hurriedly left. When he was approaching the ce where the factory supposedly was, it was easy for him to ask for its exact location. Shi Yan couldnt ride his bike in because the narrow road was littered with debris, and even on foot he would have to walk on a dirt path that was a foot wide under some low eaves.
When he walked across it, he entered a courtyard that was also in a mess. He felt as if he had just entered a garbage dump, and there were even reeds that had grown up to his thighs underneath its walls. Opposite a row of houses were a fewrge ponds in the middle of the yard; a lot of rubber hoses led out of the houses and into these ponds. Several middle-aged women squatted next to the pond andughed as they chatted while washing something. Shi Yans entrance had attracted the attention of their group his dressing and temperament did not fit in with this ce.
He stered on his signature smile and asked them if this was the ce he was looking for. Shi Yan didnt believe that He Nuo would be here, so he wanted to ascertain that he was at the right ce. After he got an affirmation, he said that he was looking for He Nuo and they enthusiastically told him that He Nuo was currently at the back. Without this revtion, Shi Yan wouldnt even have known that there was still a s.p.a.ce behind the house.
He went around the house and without searching any further, the person he was looking for appeared in front of his eyes because there was only one person at the back. Even though he was dressed in oversized clothing, even though he was squatting, even though his back was facing him, Shi Yan still knew that it was He Nuo; because those pair of sharp shoulder des almost pierced through his shirt. A ring light shed.
He Nuo.
The light suddenly died out. He Nuo turned around as if in disbelief, Shi Yan?
He Nuo. Shi Yan felt like something got stuck in his throat.
That was when He Nuo confirmed that it was Shi Yan. He stood up, Why are you here?
Shi Yan walked over. The He Nuo in front of him was once again so skinny that his jaw was protruding out sharply. He was wearing ill-fitting work clothes that had quite a bit of dirt on it, and because of the thicker material on his uniform, sweat was trickling down He Nuos face. His line of sight fell upon the hand that was holding a mask. When He Nuo realised it, he quickly retracted his hand to hold onto the edges of his sleeve, and wanted to pull his sleeves down.
When he saw Shi Yan, a tingling pain shot through He Nuos numb heart. After several days of work, He Nuo refused to think, or to feel. He only knew that he had to work hard without being conscious of it, otherwise even breathing would hurt for him. He never thought of bing a living corpse, he just wanted to seal off his senses in order to keep moving forward. But his kind nature still made him ignore the pain and inferiority he felt, while a slight sense of embarra.s.sment had risen instead along with the edges of his lips, Why are you here?
This smile of his made Shi Yans heart ache like h.e.l.l. He rushed up and pulled He Nuo into his arms, He Nuo, He Nuo........
He Nuo instinctively resisted his touch but Shi Yan was hugging him very tightly, and his voice was filled with an infinite amount of pain. This pain had infected the wound at the bottom of He Nuos heart. He had always been licking and caressing this huge wound by himself, but at this moment, he let himself go and snuggled into the embrace of this terrifying and detestable person, who was also the one who treated him best in the entire world.
Shi Yan buried his head into He Nuos shoulders as he repeated over and over again, He Nuo, He Nuo, my He Nuo....... He Nuos body was extremely stiff at first, but he slowly began to rx before leaning into Shi Yans embrace. It was only when he felt a few drops of tearsnd on his shoulder that He Nuo stretched out his hand that was covered in scars to pat him lightly.
After Shi Yan calmed down, He Nuo immediately withdrew from his embrace. With one pull, Shi Yan yanked him back and picked his hand up.He Nuo didnt try to pull his hand back and awkwardly allowed Shi Yan to hold it up with both his hands. There were various cuts of all sizes on it, and they were all ck. The longest cut was more than 2 centimetres long, and it hadnt closed up yet. He Nuo retracted his hand, Dirty, my hands dirty.
Shi Yan sped his hand tightly, then held it as he dragged He Nuo away. He Nuo anxiously called out, Shi Yan, wait a moment, Im at work.
Shi Yan stopped. He Nuo exined, Its not the time for my lunch break yet, our break only starts at noon, I cant leave now.
Youre not going to work, go back.
Back where? If I dont want to work I need to tell my supervisor and apply for leave. He Nuo thought that Shi Yan was dragging him outside to talk.
Go back to school. You dont need to apply for leave, you wont being back here.
I, He Nuo didnt know how to tell Shi Yan that he cant resume .s.ses. His father wouldnt even look at He Nuo right now, and if he merely thought of He Nuo another round of scolding and pping would start.
Is it because you didnt get good results, and they found out that you were an Arts student so your family got particrly angry and wouldnt let you resume .s.ses?
He Nuo nodded.
Leave it to me. Ill talk to them, you must resume .s.ses.
Dont go, my Pa is still angry, what if you get implicated?
Dont worry about that, let me do the worrying. You have to go to .s.s.
He Nuo applied for leave and left, and he had already changed into his own clothes. Since he was a temporary worker, all his equipment had actually belonged to someone else. After he was brought to the paddy field outside their school by Shi Yan, Shi Yan began to raise his questions and asked He Nuo to tell him what had happened. He Nuo narrated it very simply he only talked about not getting into college and how his secret about being in the arts stream was exposed. Shi Yan asked how he got a job at a ce like that, He Nuo told him that he needed to wait until National Day was over before there would be a formal recruitment examination. But his mother saw how infuriated his father would get whenever he saw He Nuo, so she asked him to work part-time at their family station first.
Family stations are the affiliated departments set up forpany employees like He Nuos father in order to resettle them after they marry an unemployed woman. This was a ce for those who were at the bottom of the socialdder to gather; since they had no educational qualification or skills, they had irregr work hours and worked with no clear purpose. They were given whatever dirty or menialbour that thepany had, and their wages were extremely meagre. Their retirement funds in the future wouldnt even be enough to help make ends meet. By the way, when the Cultural Revolution had just ended, Shi Yans mother was part of a family station as well.
Chapter 64
Chapter 64
Shi Yan brought He Nuo to his fatherspany hostel to eat. He gave his family a call to inform them that he wouldnt be going back and asked them to settle the bill for themter. The ckened wounds on He Nuos hand that he was using chopsticks with made it difficult for Shi Yan to swallow this meal. When he was washing his hands before they ate, he had seen He Nuos eyebrows twitch from the pain. After the meal, he discovered that there was a serious injury on his left palm when he grasped He Nuos hand, These were all caused while you were welding?
He Nuo nodded, I dont really know how to use it, thats why it got like this. Since He Nuo was a temporary worker, he was not given any equipment. He Nuo didnt have any gloves that could protect his hands, which was why his hands were in the state they are now. After the adults went to work in the afternoon, Shi Yan and He Nuo went back to He Nuos house. Shi Yan asked him to sort out all of his books and prepare to go back to school tomorrow. He Nuo actually didnt believe him, but he didnt want to brush his good intentions off so he pulled out the carton under his bed. Shi Yan went over and squatted down to help him.
Some medication entered his line of sight. Shi Yan picked them up to look at them and his voice went hoarse, Youre urinating blood again?!
Ive recovered.
When?
He Nuo jumped up. His hematuria made him think of the college entrance examination, and the examination made him think of what had happened before it. He was really frightened the cover that he had ced on the past that he didnt want to recall was being taken off, and the memories that he had sealed off when he faced this person was now being dragged out by Shi Yan. He Nuo felt humiliated, inferior and a sense of dread.
The moment he saw this reaction, Shi Yans heart sank. He said the answer for him bitterly, During the examination. He walked towards He Nuo and only thought of embracing him. How much...did He Nuo suffer? He Nuo had backed up to his table and there was nowhere else he could retreat to. When Shi Yan hugged him, He Nuo refused him, Dont, dont... Yet he didnt dare to exert too much strength as he was afraid of triggering Shi Yans madness.
Im sorry, He Nuo; Im sorry, He Nuo...... The Shi Yan who has always swelled up with inordinate arrogance was apologising piously. He hated himself, he hated his carefree travels during the holidays, and he hated himself for noting to look for He Nuo. Even if he was busy entertaining others, he could have still gotten away for a short while toe look for He Nuo. When he was with his buddiesst time, didnt he still take some time out toe take a look at He Nuo anyway? When it boiled down to it, Shi Yan was just avoiding He Nuo in his heart. What Shi Yan didnt realise was that he didnt hate that afternoon, and in the years toe, he had never said that he hated what had happened that afternoon. It was not that afternoon that he felt sorry for, but the rpse of He Nuos illness that he had caused, and how he hadnt been by He Nuos side when he was all alone and had no one else to rely on.
Shi Yans pain transformed into a strength that he used to imprison He Nuo, a strength to knead He Nuo into his own blood and bones. He Nuo was strangled by him to the point that he began coughing like his waist was broken before Shi Yan came to his senses and released his grip a little. He looked into his clear pair of eyes, He Nuo, Im sorry.
No, it has nothing to do with you. If I didnt lie to them, I might already be in college by now. He Nuo went to pick his books up, Shi Yan squatted down by his side. He Nuo looked up again and said with a bit of difficulty, Shi Yan, if my Pa scolds you, dont get angry, you can just leave. And if they dont agree to let me resume sses, could you not contradict them please?
He Nuo was worried that with Shi Yans arrogant personality and how he was used to being the one issuing orders, he might end up getting into a dispute with his parents if they rejected him. He was worried for Shi Yan too. He thought that it was almost impossible for Shi Yan to convince his family, but he couldnt stop Shi Yan from walking into this wall by himself, so he wanted to inject him with a preventive shot first.
He Nuo had abandoned all hope in his heart. He was used to suppressing his pain in the bottom of his heart and never touching it again. When something like that had happened, he had felt incredibly ashamed; then he fell sick, lost a friend, failed his college entrance examination, and his dreams were dashed. His wish had always been to enroll in a college and possess a piece of his own sky; after he graduated and went somece else, he would send some money back to his family and everyone would have a good life, even though he himself didnt exactly know what his definition of a good life was.
After he sorted his books out, He Nuo stood up and immediately felt dizzy. He staggered a little before Shi Yan hurriedly supported him, Whats wrong?
He Nuo spoke with his eyes closed, I forgot, and stood up like this again. The master at work said that I might have low blood pressure so I need to stand up slowly. A few secondster, he felt okay, so He Nuo carried his books onto his table.
Shi Yan still felt worried, so he pushed him to his bedside and made him next to his nket, Do you usually feel difort anywhere else?
He Nuo shook his head. He asked Shi Yan how he knew that he was at the family station, and curiously asked how his college was like. How do colleges teach their lessons, and how do the students study there?
Shi Yan began talking about everything: from his travels after graduation, to entering his college, dropping out, then how he entered another college. He lowered his voice when he realised that He Nuo had closed his eyes, though he continued his vivid storytelling. This restrained rity sent He Nuo into his first restful sleep after theirst separation. He Nuo fell asleep he slept soundly, and he was very rxed too. The bowstring of this badly frightened person that had been tensed up for the past several months actually rxed in front of the person who had used violence against him. Shi Yans voice continued to ring out as he looked at the face of the person who was deep asleep in front of him; his mellow descriptions sounded just like the constant gurgling of a mountain spring.
After he finished talking, Shi Yan recounted everything that had happened after they parted to the He Nuo who was in dreand. He quietly got up as he nned to get a book to read it to He Nuo, but a form on his table caught his attention: it was a recruitment form. He picked up the recruitment newspaper that had a copy of a college entrance examination sign up form attached to it information on the type of work, number of students they were recruiting and the basic wage of the factory were included in it.
Shi Yan cast a nce at what He Nuo had filled in, which corresponded to a column in the recruitment newspaper. Everything he applied for was some kind of field work that other people wouldnt be willing to do but would grant its workers a subsidy (for example, road repair, which is simr to the work of migrant workers), subsidies were specially listed out because there werent many applicants for this kind of work. He Nuo didnt dare to deceive his family and make decisions for himself anymore, so these were all jobs that He Nuo had applied for after he listened to his mothers opinions. He was upset over not being able to build a sky for himself, but he still had to face reality afterwards. Applying for this kind of work had two purposes: the first was that it paid a higher wage, and the second was that its workers would be able to stay in a dormitory so he wouldnt need to annoy his family anymore. After he filled in the recruitment form, he showed it to his parents. His mother was very satisfied with his obedience this time, while his father merely sneered and ignored him.
After he put the form back on the table, he walked back and sat next to He Nuo. His hand lightly caressed his pale and sunken cheeks. After a long while passed, Shi Yan slowly moved He Nuo into his arms, and the He Nuo who had been shifted also moved a little. Shi Yan held his icy cold hands and passed his warmth over, then the person in his arms calmed down. Shi Yan raised his arms up to his mouth before slowly caressing each and every one of his wounds even his pitch-ck fingernails. Then, he couldnt hold his feelings back as he bent over and lowered his head, and his lipsnded on the others lips that were covered in ayer of frost.
He woke up in Shi Yans embrace. He Nuo was filled with a myriad ofplex andplicated feelings, like embarrassment, guilt, shame, joy and fear. He had just moved a little when Shi Yan moved as well and his arms around him tightened. Shi Yan took a key ring out of his pocket there was a nail clipper on it then began to carefully help him clip off the darkness at the edges of his nails. Because of He Nuos part-time work, his fingernails would always be stained and these stains could never be washed off no matter what. He Nuo had used a scissors at home to clean it up, but it had always been inconvenient for him when he tried to use his left hand to clip off the fingernails on his right hand. Shi Yan was afraid of waking him up just now, so he waited until now to help him clean his nails.
Chapter 65
Chapter 65
Shi Yan left before He Nuos family returned and told He Nuo that he woulde back after he had dinner at home. He Nuo ate by himself in the kitchen after his family finished their meal. Ever since his college entrance examination results were released, his fathers disgust and anger towards him had never dissipated. The moment he saw He Nuo, he would start scolding him and when his emotions got riled up from scolding him, he would give him a few ps too. For the sake of a peaceful environment that their family can eat in, He Nuos mother thus asked him to eat a littleter, and such an arrangement has continued up till this day.
He Nuo ate uneasily by himself. He was worried about Shi Yans visitter, and he was afraid that his father might hurt Shi Yan with his words. In the afternoon he had tried to persuade Shi Yan not to talk to his parents, but he kept insisting on having He Nuo resume his sses. How could He Nuo not want the opportunity to attend college again? But he understood it clearly in his heart: his younger brothers have already entered high school and their parents would definitely support them to go to college. If he enrolled in college too, the burden on his family would be too great. Also, if he had managed to get into college, the guilt he felt from deceiving his family might have lessened; but now he was a disgrace to his family, so the He Nuo who felt a sense of guilt didnt want Shi Yan to provoke the difort of his father.
In just a few months, He Nuo had experienced several severe psychological traumas. He had never touched on the idea of friendship before, and never had any friends he could speak of either. His life was truly as nd as in boiled water, but it was also peaceful and tranquil. After he met Shi Yan, He Nuos life became much more vibrant and colourful; Shi Yans overbearing manner had taught He Nuo a lot, and had forced him to learn how to interact with people and how to get along with them (although it was only within the small scope of a school). However, everything changed within just one day. He Nuo didnt even have the chance to think about whether or not he should forgive Shi Yan before Shi Yan had severed all ties with him. Of course, this was only the answer that He Nuo hade up with because Shi Yan never appeared again after that day.
When something like that had happened, He Nuo had hated Shi Yan to the core. But it wasnt the kind of hatred that arises because someone had killed your father or the hatred you would have for a sworn enemy, but a hatred that arose because of Shi Yans nderous usations. That kind of usation seemed dirty and degrading to He Nuo Shi Yan had insulted his character. He didnt want to think of him or see him again; he was afraid that he wouldnt be able to control his impulse to duke it out with him even though he knew that he wouldnt be able to overpower Shi Yan and shout at him loudly, I didnt fuck your woman! But because of Shi Yans disappearance, during the time when He Nuo suffered from loneliness as he endured his punishment at home, he came to understand that he was such an obscene person in Shi Yans eyes, so Shi Yan kicked him out of his list of friends.
He Nuos heart was bleeding; whenever he thought of how Shi Yan saw him as a despicable and shameless person, his heart would stir with pangs. However, his grim realitypounded his suffering by stabbing his wound over and over again taking the recruitment exam implied that the aspirations he held since he was a kid would be shattered. Whenever his father saw him, he would fly into a rage and wreck the peace of their family. Due to his self-reproach for bringing upon such a cmity to his household, he didnt even have time to soothe his wounds before he only thought of earning more money to make up for his past mistakes. So when his mother asked him to be a temporary worker, he quickly applied to work everyday, including weekends.
The He Nuo who had already been working for awhile did his job diligently and didnt think too much about anything else. Actually, this was the first time in He Nuos life that he chose to escape. He was so badly hurt that he couldnt save himself and couldnt heal himself, so he had to use a cloth to cover up his wound. But really, by doing so, even though you may not be able to see anything on the surface, the wound underneath the cloth would actually still be deteriorating at a rapid rate. Darkness besieged him from all sides and was gradually swallowing him up this was also the reason why He Nuo had never been able to sleep peacefully from then on.
Shi Yans reappearance waspletely unexpected, because his experience at work had made him clearly see the gap between him and Shi Yan that he never knew existed before. Walking into the lower echelon of society taught him one thing: he and Shi Yan were from two different worlds. Even if he hadnt severed their rtionship, the difference in their statuses would have eventually driven a wedge between their friendship. But when he was pressed into Shi Yans arms and heard that pained voice calling his name, He Nuo still yearned for that temporary burst of sunshine to resist the gloom that permeated his body.
When He Nuo was clearing the dishes, Shi Yan came. He Nuo became nervous at once, and he couldnt help but feel afraid. It was as if he had looked for a helper to stick up for him and reason with his father, so he was afraid that it would provoke his father even more because He Nuo knew that his father was a very proud person. Shi Yan ignored his cold feet and dragged him in to find his parents, then Shi Yan affably greeted Uncle He and Aunt He.
The He couple knew who he was, because ever since that incident with the conch shell, Shi Yan had seen them a couple of times when he came over to look for He Nuo. When He Pa saw that it was him, he kindly asked him to sit down but ignored the He Nuo who had greeted him as well. He Pa felt doubtful about Shi Yans appearance at this kind of timing, did he not get into college? Shi Yan exined to him that it was the military training period now and lessons hadnt officially started yet. Also, since National Day was approaching, he applied for leave to return in advance. When he knew that Shi Yan had enrolled in college, He Pa did look quite happy about it and asked him a few questions out of concern like which college?, where is it?, are you used to living away from home?
Shi Yan was a sociable person, with just a few words he had coaxed the He couple into grinning from ear to ear and they were praising him incessantly. This was when Shi Yan pulled over the He Nuo who was standing at the side, Uncle He, I want to talk to you about He Nuo too.
The smile on He Pas face instantly vanished, Hes different from you, why are you still looking for him? Since youre already in college, dont look for him anymore.
When Shi Yan heard this, fury rose up in his heart, though he still put on a sincere look on his face, Uncle He, Im the one who held He Nuo up. Hes my best friend, how could I note over to apologise to you?
The He couple didnt understand why Shi Yan said that, and even He Nuo was confused as to what Shi Yan wanted to do. When he heard him talk about apologising, He Nuos face turned pale immediately. Dont tell him Shi Yan wanted to talk about.......
Shi Yan soothed him with a smile before he said to the He couple, Uncle He, Aunt He, its all my fault. I was the one who thought He Nuo did very well in the arts. He has outstanding literary talent and was famous for it throughout our entire cohort. So when we were splitting streams, I saw that he chose science and thought it was a pity so I suggested him to change it. But He Nuo said that he couldnt do that, because the two of you had chosen the science stream for him. Thus I kept persuading him, and convinced him not to tell the two of you. I thought that once he got into college, the two of you wouldnt be unhappy about it anymore. I came up with all these ideas for He Nuo, so Uncle He, Aunt He, its all my fault.
He Pa remained silent for a while, but he still faced Shi Yan calmly, You cant be med for that. How old is he now? Does he have to do whatever other people tell him to? Would he lie if others told him to? Does he not know how to discern right from wrong for himself? Good at arts? Hng, if he was good at it then why would he get that kind of score?!
Uncle He, do you guys know? He Nuo took the examination when he was sick. I wasnt in the same examination venue as him, but other people had seen it. He Nuo was suffering from a high fever in the examination venue and couldnt write his answers down the whole time. He had forced himself to endure it until the end of the examination. Had it not been for his illness, He Nuo would have definitely passed. The fact that he failed had even shocked our teachers into disbelief.
When He Pa heard this he looked at He Nuo, Really?
He Ma also asked, Didnt you say you had a toothache? Why did it change into a fever?
I didnt know I had a fever and thought that it wasnt anything serious, so I didnt mention it. I ate some medicine and thought I would be alright.
He Ma med He Nuo for not taking good care of himself even though he was already this old and actually fell sick before the examination. In the end, she concluded, Forget it, it all happened such a long time ago. Shi Yan, your uncle He and I dont me you, the root cause of it all is still because of He Nuos own problems.
T/N: WHAT PROBLEMS??? WHAT PROBLEMS DOES HE NUO HAVE YOU BETTER STATE IT ALL OUT CLEARLY flips a table
Chapter 66
Chapter 66
Shi Yan wasnt going to allow He Ma to end their conversation like that. He turned towards He Pa, I went to look for our teachers in school today. They all said that it was a pity for He Nuo and kept asking me why he hadnt resumed sses. As long as he maintained his previous standards, it wouldnt be difficult for him to enter a key college.
The He couple knew why Shi Yan hade. They looked at He Nuo and He Nuos heart rose all the way up to his throat. They were rather unhappy and thought that He Nuo had invited Shi Yan over to be a lobbyist, so it only added onto their sense of aversion. Nevertheless, they still needed to show their grace as elders. He Pa gently said, Shi Yan, thank you for your kind intentions. Youre a pretty good kid whos very considerate of his friend.
Uncle He, dont say that, He Nuos the kind one. Its really a great pity for him to not resume sses. Shi Yan didnt ept the praise and avoided the change of topic; he has always kept a tight hold on the matter of resuming sses for He Nuo.
College isnt the only pathway in life. Once he gets a stable job after he takes the recruitment examination, its an iron rice bowl1 all the same, which isnt too bad either. He Ma refuted.
Getting recruited isnt too bad, but after He Nuo graduates from college hell be a state cadre. If he gets recruited, hell only be a worker.
Isnt his dad a worker as well? His two elder brothers became workers too after they graduated from junior high school. His third brother became an apprentice after he graduated from junior high, and since he got into a goodpany, they had even sent him to a vocational school. He Nuo is a a high school graduate now, even if he bes a worker his conditions would be much better than his three older brothers. If he wants to study, then he can just focus on doing his job well and hispany would train him in the future.
Shi Yan thought of the type of work that He Nuo had applied for and he suddenly really wanted to strangle her to death. Those types of work could be said to have good conditions? Now Shi Yan has reallymitted to memory what a stepmother meant. But you couldnt really me this on her status as a stepmother. She didnt want He Nuo to resume sses because of her selfishness to prepare for her sons futures instead, but as a mother, who wouldnt first consider and love their own children? Since hes not attending college, then of course he should choose whatever pays him the most. As far as hard work was concerned, isnt it just a little more exhausting than usual? This kind of tiring work was nothing to the He couple.
If He Nuo doesnt resume sses, then itll be as if Ive harmed him for a lifetime. I feel really guilty. Uncle He, He Nuos life can lookpletely different. He has always been very diligent in his studies, and it was all for the sake of the difficult and dangerous path known as our college entrance examination. But in the end, it wasnt because he didnt work hard that he couldnt get into college, but because of an ident. If it ends like this, then all those years of hard work that He Nuo had put in would be for naught. That would be too cruel towards him.
He Pa didnt say anything, but He Ma was a little anxious. She was afraid that He Pa would be persuaded by Shi Yan. At this moment, they heard the courtyard door open He Nuos fourth brother had returned. He was a college graduate and had already been working for two years, but because hispany was situated far away from their house, he has always lived in a dormitory and would only return home on the weekends. But it wasnt a weekend today. Though He Ma felt a bit puzzled, she was happy that someone who could help her had returned. Their fourth son was more well-liked by this couple just like their fifth son, and He Ma prefers their fourth son more, while He Pa prefers their fifth son more.
When fourth bro entered, he was stunned when he saw Shi Yan. Shi Yan stood up to greet him. They had met before; fourth bro first knew about Shi Yan from fifth bro. He didnt know why he was at their house, and he even looked like he was discussing something with his parents, but the upset fourth bro wasnt in the mood to ask and wanted to go back to his own room. He Ma could tell that fourth bro was in a bad mood, but she still stopped him and asked him to support her.
Aiwen, dont leave first. Were discussing He Nuos recruitment exam now.
O. Fourth bro sat down and respondedzily.
Dont you think its good to be a worker with an iron rice bowl and a down-to-earth job? He Nuo wants to resume sses and insists on going to college.
College? Once you graduate youll still be with the workers, and youll still be doing the same kind of job anyway. What do you think is so great about going to college? Fourth bros voice was full of anger and sarcasm as he vented.
Aiwen, whats wrong? Are you suffering any grievances? He Ma quickly asked when she saw how angry fourth bro looked.
Work isnt going well? He Pa was concerned as well.
Fourth bro came home after he had been angered at work. Even though hes a college graduate, his family had no authority or power so he had no strings to pull for his allocation and everything was done for him strictly by the book. He was allocated to a factory below , and it was still okay at first. He could start off by being a technician, then gradually move up the ranks by bing an assistant engineer, then an engineer and he would be satisfied. But when their manager assigned tasks to them today, he was actually put together with a bunch of workers and he worked on the same kind of tasks as them. He went to reason with the manager, and his manager opened his big mouth, Youngsters need to undergo some training.
Fourth bro asked his manager how long the training wouldst.
You need to obey the organizations allocation. The manager said half-heartedly without mentioning a time limit.
Then what about the others? Why arent they allocated this position? To be trained in this way? Fourth bro angrily assumed a bureaucratic air.
The managers expression changed immediately, Do our leaders need to report to you on how they want to assign tasks? If you dont want to obey orders from the top, then just go to any other ce that would tolerate you.
When the He couple heard this, they got worried too but they were unable to help their son. Mereforting words would have no effect on the situation at all. Fourth bro said agitatedly, To be ced amongst that pile of workers for no reason...wont other people think that I was put there because I made some sort of mistake?
Why not let Ma give you some money, then you can use it to buy something tomorrow and bring it to your managers house?
I wont go. If you want me to put myself down and beg him, keep dreaming!
Then what should we do?
The three of them fell silent. They were worried that their son would have to wear small shoes in the future2, but they didnt want their son to be humiliated either. Fourth bro was still thinking about what he should do tomorrow, should he go back to work?
Fourth bro, transfer to another ce ba. Shi Yan said.
Transfer? Where do I transfer to? I dont know anyone so how am I going to transfer somece else? Your ideas too simplistic. Fourth bro scoffed.
Transfer to XXX factory ba. This was Shi Yans fatherspany. It was apany where tons of people were fighting over to get into, yet they wouldnt even have the opportunity to no matter how many gifts they send. I might not be able to get you straight into the head office, but I can get you into a subsidiary department, or a branch office. But we can take it step by step in the future, okay?
Can you really get me that transfer? Not only was fourth bro pleasantly surprised, but the He couple were in disbelief too. They knew that Shi Yans family had a lot of influence, but Shi Yans willingness to do such a huge favour for them was still quite unbelievable. After all, Shi Yan was still just a high school graduate.
Fourth bro, take a day off first, I can get you the news tomorrow.
The three of them thanked Shi Yan profusely, and their gratitude had almostpletely overwhelmed Shi Yan. Fourth bro even put his arms around Shi Yans shoulders in a familiar manner, You really are a good buddy, its He Nuos honour to have a friend like you. Shi Yan, no matter whether or not this can be done, fourth bro will always remember what youve done for me.
Shi Yan wasnt a hundred per cent certain if he could get it done, but judging from the current situation, he thought that he would need to get his Dad to agree to this request no matter what.
1. Iron rice bowl = a stable job and sry?
2. Giving someone small/tight shoes to wear = deliberately causing trouble for that person/punishing that person through underhanded means/making things difficult for that person by abusing ones power?
Chapter 67
Chapter 67
The moment they returned to He Nuos room, He Nuo grabbed both of Shi Yans hands. The lights werent turned on, so Shi Yan could only see He Nuo bright eyes under the illumination of the light shining in through the windows; He Nuo was grasping his hands really hard, yet he didnt even notice it. In the end, the both of them said at the same time:
Dont thank me too, Ive already been thanked to death by their besiege.
Thank you!
He Nuo wasnt as adept as Shi Yan at talking, and didnt know how to please other people with fancy words. All he had was his utmost sincerity in giving thanks. Although their conversation after that mostly revolved around fourth bro, such as which college he graduated from and his major and all these questions had nothing to do with He Nuo resuming sses, but He Nuo already knew what kind of price Shi Yan was paying to help him fight for this opportunity. The He Nuo who had some work experience already knew what benefits a goodpany would bring: huge bonuses, tons of welfare, an excellent work environment and the image of being a good marriage partner.
In the past, He Nuo barely knew how tough, or how to cry. Because no matter how happy or how delighted he was, there was no one around him who would share this joy with him. Thus, he didnt even put in his 100% for his studies because he didnt have an intense drive to excel; simrly, when he was upset or rueful no one would care either, so he became introverted and kept to himself quietly. When he was a kid, he probably couldnt control himself, so he would still yearn for warmth and hope for the same chance of being patted on the head or shoulders by his parents too, just like how they would pat his older and younger brothers; he had even hoped for a chance to y with the neighbouring children then. But as he grew up, he realised that all these hopes were too much to hope for and would only bring him disappointment, so he never had such unrealistic ideas ever again.
Actually, because they had no television orputers in their era, the children of that period all yed outside. Kids who were pampered at home would have parents who would enthusiastically wee their friends, and might even bring some sweets out to entertain them as well. Otherwise, they would probably chase their friends away with a cold glint in their eyes. So who would be willing to y at a house that doesnt wee them? Kids who werent well-liked at home would thus be discriminated against and isted by the neighbouring children. On the other hand, people like He Nuos fourth bro and fifth bro would have a lot of friends their age.
Perhaps, for as long as He Nuo could remember, he had already known how other people detested him and shunned him. Its just that he had always ignored that idea, and that feeling. He had always been well-behaved and obedient as he hoped that it would change other peoples attitude towards him. When He Nuo admitted to himself that the dislike others had towards him wouldnt change, he began to hide and tried his best to not be noticed by others, and always tried to reduce his sense of presence. He also formed a habit of taking responsibility for everything, to shoulder all his burdens by himself, which was why he could endure the torture of his illness by himself. As long as he could get through it somehow, he was cautious about not causing trouble for others, otherwise their hatred for him might grow.
However, after epting other peoples indifference and contempt, he would feel upset too and asionally feel a sense of inferiority. But he had always encouraged himself in secret. When he was a kid, He Nuo was enlightened by the books he read to imagine himself going to college, then working diligently to send his family more money. In his heart, as long as he could get into college, then he would have a new beginning and a new life. Not everyone would hate him there, and he could finally possess unlimited hopes and dreams. Throughout all these years, all the grievances and the hardships he had to endure...He Nuo thought that as long as he could get into college, then he would no longer think of these experiences as grievances and hardships. So when he met Shi Yan outside the school walls fortnightly in his second year, and as he faced Shi Yans scornful expression that made him look like he was looking at garbage, He Nuo treated it withplete indifference and apathy.
The He Nuo who was used to living alone in a frigid environment would feel indebted if he ever encountered just a small idental act of goodwill, let alone the Shi Yan who had practically given him the entire sun. At this moment, He Nuo was unsure whether Shi Yan could help his fourth bro and whether he would be able to return to school because of that, but what he was very sure of was his gratitude towards Shi Yan. His heart waspletely filled with his thanks for Shi Yans kindness1. Just like what his fourth bro had said, even if this matter couldnt be aplished, Shi Yans kindness would always be engraved in his heart.
He was extremely unwilling to let Shi Yan pay such a heavy price for him. But now, it didnt just concern the problem of him going back to school. After he heard about how his fourth bro was being bullied, how could he reject Shi Yan and ask him to stand on the sidelines when he had the ability to resolve fourth bros problem? For his fourth bros sake, He Nuo couldnt say anything.
Shi Yan said his goodbyes, he needed to go back to do what he had to do. He Nuos parents and his fourth bro sent him to the door, then Shi Yan didnt forget to remind He Nuo, Sort your books out at home tomorrow, dont go to work. These words were for the other three, of course.
When he returned home, Shi Yan very formally discussed this matter with his father. He exaggerated the friendship he shared with his friends older brother. He also said that because of their good rtionship, he didnt want his friends older brother who could also be considered his friend to get bullied, so he was taking the initiative to talk about it now. The next day, Shi Yan woke up especially early to emphasise to his father that he would be waiting for his call at home, and told him not to dy the matter for too long.
By the time it hit 10am, Shi Yan still hadnt received a call. He was so anxious that he eventually called his fathers office. After his fathers secretary picked up his call, the secretary told him that his father was currently talking on the phone. Shi Yan didnt allow the secretary to hang up on him and told the secretary to hold the line and wait. Through the phone, Shi Yan could hear his father talking about the matter regarding He Nuos fourth bro, so his mood improved.
When his father picked up his call, he said in a rxed voice, You couldnt even wait one afternoon? Do you really think your old dad here only works for you? And this was when Shi Yan knew that his request had been fulfilled, so he happily ttered his father for awhile. Then his father told him that even if his side was willing to ept him, if He Nuos fourth brospany wasnt willing to let him go, the transfer wouldnt be sessful. Just now he was on the phone with the head of He Nuos fourth brospany to greet him and talk about how he wanted fourth bro to join hispany.
Shi Yans father was someone who would go all the way if he wanted to do good. Otherwise, with such a good enterprise like his and Hei Aiwensck of a background, his originalpany might very well make things difficult for him out of jealousy and disagree to his transfer. By then, his son would stille to look for him anyway. Why did Shi Yans father agree to Shi Yans request so readily? Shi Yan was his only son, and his only older sister had married off to a far away province. Shi Yan definitely could not stay too far away from his parents next time, so he would still have to return to this ce in the future.
In addition to what he would leave to Shi Yan, Shi Yans futurework needed to be established by himself. So when Shi Yan guaranteed and emphasised how close he was to this iron pellet friend of his, Shi Yans father was willing to grant his future connection some conveniences. After all, four yearster he would be entering this environment as well. So Shi Yans father would not only transfer Hei Aiwen into his factory, but he would also put him in a position with plenty of opportunities for development to hone him
1. In the raws, the term used by He Nuo was to thank a emperor/high official for his favour/kindness?
Chapter 68
Chapter 68
He Nuo didnt go to work. Yesterday night, his parents told him to apply for leave and stay at home. After his family went to school and work, only he and his fourth bro were left at home. Fourth bro dragged him away to ask him a lot of questions regarding Shi Yan. Actually, aside from knowing that Shi Yans father was an official, he didnt really keep in mind which post his father was holding or how much authority he possessed. Because when they were together, He Nuo had never asked about these things.
His fourth bro saw that he couldnt get any answers from He Nuo and started to worry about whether Shi Yan had the capability to help him transfer jobs. Since his doubts were left unanswered, fourth bro thought that he had been a bit too optimistic. He was overly excited yesterday night, but now that he had calmed down, this matter seemed a little suspicious no matter how he thought about it.
Shi Yan wanted to inform He Nuos family of the transfer, but he couldnt contact them because they didnt have a phone. Thus, he thought about asking for more details from his father during lunch first, such as which department fourth bro would go to; he only came to He Nuos house after he had finished his meal. He Nuo was eating lunch with his family. Fourth bro talked about his worries, and his parents also thought that entrusting such a matter to a child seemed quite unreliable. The twins just said what everyone was thinking about in an up front manner, Yan Ge is only willing to help fourth bro because he wants He Nuo to resume sses ba; if fourth bros transfer fails, will He Nuo resume sses or not?
No one answered that question, and He Nuo didnt say what he wanted to either. If it were possible, he didnt want Shi Yan to do anything, and if he could only help with one thing, he hoped that it would be with his fourth brothers job. His fourth brother graduated from a regr college after all, he shouldnt be doing the same kind of work that he was doing. It was because he had experienced it himself that he didnt want his fourth bro to experience it as well. However, what could he say? These two matters were naturally tied together from the start.
Shi Yan came. He Nuos family put their bowls down and hurriedly went to greet him. The good news he delivered made his family burst with excitement especially when they knew that fourth bro wouldnt need to start at the grassroots level and could go straight to the subsidiary department of the main factory; this department serves as a bridge that connects the main factory and a lot of the subsidiary and branch factories at the grassroots level. Thus, not only would he have the opportunity toe into contact with the upper levels, but he would also be able to connect with the production departments of the branch factories because of his need to convey and distribute the tasks allocated to him by the main factory. This kind of post would grant unlimited prospects for his future, and it was a position that the He family had never dared to even dream of. Shi Yan told fourth bro that his father had already greeted hispanys head, and asked fourth bro to get his transfer order as soon as possible.
Fourth bro was ecstatic about being able to hold his head high in front of his manager. But he was afraid that an undue dy may bring trouble, so they needed to take advantage of the holidays before National Day toplete his transfer as Shi Yan would still be around. Thus, he immediately set out to go back to his factory to obtain his transfer order. After everyone had gone to work or school, Shi Yan and He Nuo finally had the time to sit down and talk. But rather than talk, they just faced each other silently. He Nuo only knew how to say thank you, but at this moment, even a thousand words would not be enough for them.
Shi Yan opened up the bag that he had brought over and took out a tube of snake oil cream. This cream was originally used for moisturising hands in the winter, but when he saw He Nuos pair of hands that were more chapped than chapped hands in winter and all the burn wounds on it, he slowly rubbed the cream on his hands, and carefully rubbed it into his wounds. When he rubbed it over a big cut, it hurt so badly that He Nuo retracted his arm, so Shi Yan immediately lightened his pressure. He Nuo was embarrassed, Im okay now, you dont need to bother so much. Itll recover by itself in a few days.
He Nuo, I like you. Shi Yan couldnt help but let these words escape his mouth.
Un, I like you too.
Shi Yan was surprised by He Nuos response. He Nuo saw his widened eyes andughed, If you dont like me, then why would you be my friend? And if I dont like you, I wouldnt be your friend, right? Actually I didnt really want to be friends with you, because Im always causing you so much trouble. Youre too kind to me, I have nothing to give you in return, but I cant bear to lose you.
The innocent He Nuo had missed Shi Yans confession, and the Shi Yan who had never seriously thought about why he treated He Nuo differently from the rest had his nose led around by He Nuo.
Sorry, He Nuo.
He Nuo knew what this sorry was for. When they met again, no one had raised any questions, and now they were finally facing their past. After that afternoon, the sense of inferiority that He Nuo had hidden for a long time in his heart was exposed. In the past, his emotions would have never been riled up by anyones usations or unjust treatment. But Shi Yan was different. After Shi Yan vited his body, he realised that his physical body was alright, but the usation that Shi Yan had tagged onto him was what really hurt him. He wasnt the kind of shameless person who would repay other peoples kindness with ingratitude.
Shi Yan, Im not angry, and I dont hate you anymore. But theres really nothing between me and Yu Yao. Youre my best...and only friend, I wont do anything to let you down, and I wont let you down in the future either.
Shi Yan couldnt control himself from hugging him, I understand. I know, I know it all.
Then if we were to have any misunderstandings in the future, is it okay if we talk it out properly? I dont want to cut off all ties with you, itll make me really upset.
We wont. It was all my fault, Ill never wrong you again.
He pushed him away, then He Nuo looked into his eyes, Shi Yan, Im not afraid of being wronged. Even if other people were to wrong me, it doesnt matter, I dont care about that at all. But if you ever get angry with me in the future, can you at least give me a chance to exin myself?
Shi Yan forcefully nodded. The knot in their hearts had been untied. It felt so good after the overcast sky cleared up, for the both of them.
Fourth bro went to hispany and sessfully obtained his transfer order, and had even managed to show off a little in front of his manager. He finally saw this damn snobbish assholes fawning face as he tried to find out how he managed to transfer to his newpany. One must know that it was not easy to enter Shi Yans fathers factory, let alone get into such a good department. It was easy to imagine that the leader had the intention to carefully assess him. Fourth bro casually handled his questions and listened to his disgustingments, about how they really shouldnt be letting such a talent go, or how he hadnt even been put in an important position here yet, but for the sake ofrade Xiaoheis future, he would still wish him a good transfer.
Thepanys manager and his colleagues enthusiastically urged fourth bro to stay, and asked him to have dinner together with them so that they could see him off. But fourth bro resolutely rejected them. Right now, fourth bro didnt even want to spare another look at his manager, and in the near future, he believed that they would have the opportunity to meet when fourth broes down to check on them and examine their work; a lot of the business deals in this factory were sent over by Shi Yans fatherspany.
Chapter 69
Chapter 69
Because National Day was just around the corner, his family asked He Nuo to quit his job and go back to school after the festival. Shi Yan thought of He Nuos grades, and didnt think that these few days would make much of a difference, so he agreed to letting him have this short rest as well. But Shi Yan has his own thoughts about this. He might not have the intention to hurt others, but his guard against them made him guess that they wanted to ensure thepletion of fourth bros transfer before they could feel rest assured. Thus, Shi Yan made an appointment with fourth bro for the following day. He wanted to apany him in handling the matters regarding the eptance of his transfer order.
With thepany of the crown prince Shi Yan, every department let them pass after giving them the green light. All of the seals that should appear on his transfer order were all stamped onto it without a single one missing, and those who had to sign the order form wrote their names down with much fervour as well. It was the first time for the He familys fourth bro toe into contact with so many high-level personages. As he watched Shi Yan gracefully mingle and exchange pleasantries with them more easily than someone like him who already had two years of working experience, he couldnt help but look at children of officials in a different light.
Fourth bro couldnt understand why this kind of Shi Yan would hang out with He Nuo. He was of apletely different level from He Nuo, and they had such different personalities too. If he wasnt willing, no matter how much He Nuo tries to suck up to him, they wouldnt be able to be friends. Besides, fourth bro understood clearly that He Nuo wasnt the type of person who knew how to make friends, let alone curry favour with someone. That meant that it was Shi Yan who took the initiative to look for He Nuo which didnt make sense either. However, he was still d and envious that He Nuo had such a good rtionship with Shi Yan.
On their way home, the two of them split up. All of the formalities had beenpleted, so all fourt bro needed to do was to report to work after National Day. Because thest person to sign his order form today was the head of He Aiwens new department, Shi Yan told the head that he still had to retrieve his luggage from his previouspany and check out of his dormitory, so there would be a one to two days dy before he could formally start work. The head told them straight away that he coulde over after the festival since the holidays begin on the third day anyway. Fourth bro said that he would retrieve his luggage tomorrow morning and return at night, then urged Shi Yan to have dinner at their ce. Shi Yan readily agreed.
After lunch the next day, Shi Yan told his family that he wouldnt be going home for dinner. He waited for his parents to go to work before setting out with a huge backpack. He Nuo was reading books by himself at home when Shi Yan came in, who immediatelyined about his aching shoulders. He Nuo quickly took his bag from him and realised that it was pretty heavy.
You brought books for me? I study arts. (You studied science)
What lousy books? You dont need to add any more substance to your brain, these are for you to add some meat onto your body. You look like an electrical pole now.
He Nuo chuckled and opened the bag there was a pile of healthcare products inside. There were also two huge bottles of juice as well as one big bag of beef jerky. Shi Yan asked He Nuo to get a cup. He wanted to drink some water, yet he made He Nuo drink juice, This kind of pure fruit juice is best for replenishing vitamins, I dont like to drink sweet things so you can slowly drink all of that yourself.
He Nuo was about to say that he didnt like to drink sweet things either, but Shi Yan was a step ahead of him, Dont try topete with me, I wont get sick even if I dont eat or drink any of these. Hng hng, someone with a body likes yours has no right to be picky. These juices and beef jerkies were all prepared by Shi Yans parents for him to bring to his college when it reopened, and they had asked him to bring some along with him today. If it werent so heavy, Shi Yan would have brought the entire pile here for He Nuo; just for that slight hope that if he ate it, it would turn into more meat on his body. When he saw the stick-legged He Nuo who was left alone and uncared for standing amongst the autumn wind, Shi Yan couldnt restrain his heart from being squeezed tight. To make himself feel better, he needed to raise He Nuo like a pig to fatten him up.
Shi Yan used one hand to hammer his shoulders. He couldnt ce such a heavy bag on his bike, so he could only walk here on foot as he carried it. If he had just held it in his hands it probably wouldnt have been so bad, but his bag strap had constricted his shoulders and now it was still aching. He Nuo stood beside him and helped him massage his shoulders, then scolded him as his heart ached, Its not tough or tiring for me to go to school, yet you always treat me like some refugee. Your shoulders must be red now because of your straps ba.
I dont know, you take a look. Shi Yan pulled his cor open a little and He Nuo did see some red marks.
When He Nuo bent over, his pale neck was right in front of Shi Yans eyes. Shi Yan suddenly yanked He Nuo down as if he was possessed by a devil and He Nuo fell onto his body, who then shoved him away in fright. No matter how much he tried to ignore or conceal it, there was that bit of shadow in He Nuos heart that made him fear and resist bodily contact with Shi Yan.
Shi Yan had felt his resistance of course, but he wasnt willing to let go. The slick Shi Yan even managed to find a reason for himself, Strange, why dont you ever grow a beard? Look at mine, its so manly. Shi Yan jerked his chin up.
He Nuo really did look at his chin, and it did have signs of being shaven. He had never paid attention to whether or not he had a beard, so of course he had never shaved before. Out of curiosity, he stared at Shi Yans cleanly shaven face. Shi Yan has a thicker beard, so he started shaving as soon as he entered his third year but he didnt need to do so frequently. Now that he was in college, he had to shave almost every morning, and it even had the tendency to turn into the chinstrap kind. When he touched his chin in the morning, it would feel scruffy because of his stubble.
On the contrary, He Nuos clean chin was bright and spotless; the fine fluff on it really couldnt be considered a beard. Shi Yan grabbed He Nuos hand and led it to his face, Ill let you touch it, its absolutely manly.
It felt prickly on his hands. Although He Nuo was curious, he felt embarrassed as well so he drew his hand back.
Isnt it more amazing than sandpaper? Shi Yan proudly teased He Nuo. He liked to see him speechless from his teasing, and his wide-eyed angry look, A bean sprout like you wont have a beard.
Of course I have one. Why are you proud of being a caveman?
Then Ill take a look. Shi Yan looked carefully as if he was really searching for a beard. He Nuos face flushed red from his teasing, and he didnt dare to look into his eyes because he felt quite flustered. So for some reason he closed his eyes, and his heart began to beat even faster.
Shi Yan looked at his quivering lips, and his trembling eyshes. He suddenly felt parched and his blood boiled as it gushed straight up. He slowly leaned in; he was afraid of startling the person in his hands, and his breathing had turned ragged as well. He Nuo was forced to suddenly open his eyes because of the breath that was about to spray onto his face, then he saw the tip of Shi Yans nose right in front of him.
After his initial dumbfoundedness, he immediately understood what Shi Yan was doing. His face began to burn as he tried to get up. Shi Yan had also been startled by the sudden opening of He Nuos eyes, then he realised that he was about to taste those lips covered in ayer of frost out of impulse. He had already sneaked a kiss with He Nuo yesterday, but he had merely tasted those slightly cold lips before he stopped. He didnt understand why he wanted to hug He Nuo whenever he saw him. Shi Yan couldntprehend his abnormal behaviour, but he wasnt willing to let He Nuo go either, so he said mischievously, I havent taken a proper look at it yet, I want to see it.
T/N: Do you guys ever feel like the trantion is a bit ambiguous sometimes? Cause the raws are seriously that vague and I get confused sometimes as well
Chapter 70
Chapter 70
Their dinner could be considered quite sumptuous. He Nuos family had whipped up dishes as if they were celebrating a festival they had chicken, duck and fish, plus they had even bought a few bottles of beers back. Shi Yan was very good at enlivening the atmosphere, and he didnt turn this meal into a thank-you dinner. He treated it like he hade to his friends house for a meal, and was rather cordial and casual about it. He didnt act like he had just done them a huge favour, and didnt exhibit any sort of false modesty. Even though He Nuo didnt really talk much, he was always watching Shi Yan with a faint smile on his face. He Nuo admired and respected how he had so many topics to talk about with other people, and they were the kind of topics that anyone could rte to and be interested in. When he saw how Shi Yan was being epted and loved by his family, He Nuo felt proud of him.
This was a skill that Shi Yan had been training ever since he was little, so he was good at working a room. If he really wanted to pander to others, then he would naturally pay all the lip service he could offer. But to be honest, he didnt really like them. He Nuo told him before that his parents were very strict with their discipline, but Shi Yan had always thought that this strictness was not enforced equally to all their sons. From all the incidents that he had heard of, he had always seen an obvious discrepancy in their treatment. As for the brothers that he rarely came into contact with, he didnt have much toment about, but because fifth bro caused He Nuo to get punished after he lost his money, he had always been cautious of him. And those twins that He Nuo always mentioned with a proud tone? Shi Yan felt like they tend to bully and look down on He Nuo, so they disgusted him.
As they chatted, Shi Yans te had already been piled up high with the food that He Nuos parents and fourth brother had ced on it. Shi Yan didnt ignore He Nuo; when he saw that he was only eating vegetables, he ced a duck leg in He Nuos bowl. He Nuo quickly refused and wanted to give it back to him, but Shi Yan said that there was too much food for him and he really wouldnt be able to finish everything. He Nuo looked up at his family, then ced the dug leg in his younger brothers bowl that was close to his. Shi Yan was still chatting fervently with everyone, but deep regret was surging through his heart. After their meal, He Nuo was going to clean the dishes when he was stopped by his parents. His mother said that she would clean the kitchen, so he should apany Shi Yan back to his room.
After Shi Yan finished washing up at night, he realised that his mind was full of thoughts about He Nuo, so he couldnt fall asleep. When he thought of how He Nuo had said that he liked him today, the edges of his lips began to curve up. He likes He Nuo. If he didnt like him, he wouldnt give way to him in their quarrels. He thought about how they had known each other for three years, and his memories were filled with how Shi Yan had taken good care of him (he automatically deleted the portion where he had bullied He Nuo), their conflicts and contradictions. Now that he looked back on their past, it all just seemed like intimate bickering to him now. Shi Yan thought of their fights and how he had to coax him, then he couldnt stop a smile from spreading across his face. When he came back this time, he knew that he must really, really like He Nuo, or else why would he always want to hold him in his arms and kiss him?
Shi Yan has always lived in a small county. He might be more knowledgeable and has broader horizons than his peers because of his travels from the north to the south of the Yangtze river, but he has never heard the word homosexual before. He has nevere across anything rted to this term in reality either, so he had never been enlightened to associate himself with that word. From his point of view, He Nuo was different from his other iron pellet buddies, so of course he would have a different kind of like towards him too. He had always carefully held He Nuo in his hands, so of course he would treasure him. It was very normal to embrace and kiss the person who was dearest to you, so Shi Yan just thought that he had put He Nuo onto his list of dearest people.
The next day, Shi Yan received a call from his buddies. Since Shi Yan had returned, they lost the mood to go out and y too, so they had all been picked up by their respective families to return home today. Once they came back, Shi Yan naturally got busy. On the 2nd, his mother brought him to his grandmothers ce where he frittered away an entire day. By the time he got home, it was already 9pm. His parents helped him pack up the things that he had to bring back to his college tomorrow afternoon; they packed a whole bunch of food and clothes, and they made it seem as if he was going to a poor countryside area to stay.
It was already 11pm by the time he lied down on his bed. Shi Yan thought of how he had to leave after lunch tomorrow, but he still had words he wanted to say to He Nuo; it seemed like he still had some things he wanted to ount for. So he got up, took some of the snacks that his family had prepared for him and stuffed them into a bag. Then he went to the balcony to put some fruits in his bag as well. He looked at his packed bag and changed into a new set of clothes. After he ensured that his parents room was silent, he opened the door and locked it before closing it. After he left his house, Shi Yan jubntly flew towards He Nuos house on his bike.
All of the lights in He Nuos house were out. Shi Yan lightly knocked on the window in He Nuos room, and after awhile he heard a confused voice. He quickly knocked on the ss again before the curtains were immediately drawn He Nuos surprised eyes reflected how bold Shi Yan was being. Shi Yan pointed at the window, then He Nuo nodded and opened it. Shi Yan passed his bag to him first before jumping in.
What the hell are you doing?
Im leaving tomorrow.
He Nuo stopped talking. When he sat on his bedside, he repeated, Youre leaving tomorrow.
When Shi Yan heard that tone, his heart ached terribly as he wished that he could take He Nuo away with him. He sat next to He Nuo and wrapped his arm around his shoulder, Ille back often. I cane back again on New Years Day.
He Nuo tried his best to smile, Dont, itll dy your studies. Well be able to meet during the winter vacation anyway.
When he heard that Shi Yan was going to leave tomorrow, he felt reluctant and sad. Shi Yan hadnte in three days, and He Nuo did miss him, but he also knew that Shi Yan must have been busy.
Are you going to school the day after tomorrow? Shi Yan remembered that he hadnt spoken to He Nuos parents about the resumption of his sses.
My parents asked me to apply to resume sses the day after tomorrow. When he talked about how he could go back to school again, He Nuo was in a much better mood, Thank you.
If I see a fatter you next time, it can be considered your thanks then. Shi Yans hand then reached over to He Nuos waist, and one touch made his heart ache he couldnt squeeze out even a bit of fat.
He Nuo dodged his hand, but Shi Yan moved closer to tickle him. He Nuo pushed him away, but he didntugh. Shi Yan was surprised, Youre not ticklish?
I dont know. No one had ever yed around with He Nuo in such an intimate manner before, so of course he wouldnt know if he was ticklish or not.
That wont do, let me try. Shi Yan pulled him down and used his hand to tickle He Nuos armpits. But He Nuo really wasnt afraid of the itch, all he did was seriously stare at the Shi Yan who was trying to find a ticklish spot on him. After experimenting several times, Shi Yan gave up, Why are you so insensitive? Everyone else has it but you.
Everyone has it? So you have it too?
Of course, Im not as dull as you. He had just finished saying this when he felt something was amiss, but He Nuos hand was already assaulting his ticklish spot, I know how to deal with you now.
Shi Yanughed as he dodged, but it wasnt easy for He Nuo to discover his weakness so he didnt let him off and kept trying to tickle him. Shi Yan suppressed his voice as heughed for a long while before he pleaded for mercy, Okay, okay, you win, please let me off.
I wont. He Nuo refused tyrannically, but he had already stopped tickling him as he was afraid that the others would hear them.
You wont? Hng, well see if youll let me off or not. Shi Yan exerted just a bit of strength and pressed He Nuo down next to him, then locked him down in a vice-grip. It was only then that he realised He Nuo was already sweating from all their fooling around. He touched his forehead, then his neck, Look, youre sweating now. Dont catch a cold. Shi Yan pulled a nket over and ced it around He Nuo who was still wearing his shirt and pants, then hugged him along with the nket. He Nuo wanted to squirm out of the nket, but Shi Yan wiped the sweat off his forehead, Stop it. If you fall sick before I go back, how do you expect me to leave?
He Nuo fell silent. Shi Yan knew that he couldnt bear to part with him, so heforted, Ill write you letters, Ill write one the moment I get back to college. If you have time, you can reply me too.
He Nuo nodded.
Im telling you now, you had better eat proper meals, and you have to regrly consume the stuff I gave you.
He Nuo continued to nod.
Shi Yan suddenly felt aggrieved. He got off the bed and went to take the stuff that he had packed in his bag, then opened He Nuos cab in the darkness, Tidy these up tomorrow, you can take your time to eat them okay? Have an early night, Ille look for you when I have time tomorrow before I leave.
When he turned back, he saw He Nuos eyes that were as bright as the stars in the night sky glimmer in the darkness. Shi Yan couldnt take a single step forward. Those eyes made his heart sink, and made Shi Yan submit himself to them. Shi Yan was willing to do anything as long as he could get rid of the mncholy in those eyes. He walked back to the bed with big strides and took off his clothes with just a few movements, then got onto the bed and pulled He Nuo down. He said in a gloomy voice, Sleep. Wake me up tomorrow morning before your family gets up.
T/N: My head hurts so I might have missed some stuff while editing these two chaps. Feel free to let me know if Ive missed anything~
Ive decided to add snippets of my discord woes to the end of my chaps.......cause some of them are quite amusing. Trantor me VS Editor me:
Chapter 71
Chapter 71
WARNING: NSFW
So the two of them crowded onto a narrow bed like this side by side; Shi Yan was such a big guy that his body barely fit onto the bed. Within the deathly quiet silence, the sounds of their breathing were absolutely clear and audible. He Nuo did have a shadow in his heart regarding bodily contact between the two, but in rtion to the pain of separation, this shadow had already been reced by reluctance. Shi Yan heard his subtle breathing sounds; the breaths He Nuo exhaled seemed to enter his own lungs, so his body began to heat up.
Right at this moment, He Nuo leaned closer to the wall and whispered, Youre about to fall off right? Move in a bit.
Shi Yan lied on his side and moved in closer. He stretched his hand out to grope around He Nuos side, then pulled him into his arms, Dont stick to the wall, its cold.
When He Nuo entered his embrace, he panicked and wanted to get out of it.
Shi Yansrge hands wrapped around his waist, Dont move.
A sense of fear arose in He Nuos heart; its not like he would listen to Shi Yans words obediently just because he told him not to move. He Nuo pushed against Shi Yans chest, and even his breathing turned tense as it sped up. Shi Yan could sense his fear and a trace of bitterness shot through his heart. He turned around toy down t on the bed with He Nuo practically sprawled on his body, He Nuo, I wont harm you, and I wont bully you ever again. Can you trust me?
He Nuo stopped moving. The sorrow in Shi Yans voice made him distressed he didnt want to hear this kind of Shi Yan. Shi Yan should always be in high spirits and be filled with sunshine, yet he had been stained with gloom because of someone like him. He slowlyid his head on Shi Yans chest, I know, and I trust you. You treat me really really well.
Shi Yan patted He Nuo and didnt say anything. But after awhile, He Nuo said, Its tiring for me to lie on you like this ba? Should I get down to sleep?
Shi Yan turned sideways slightly which made He Nuo slip into his outstretched arms, then he wrapped his arms around him again and He Nuo was drawn into his sideway embrace. As he used Shi Yans arm as a pillow, He Nuo was still so tense that his muscles were stiff. Shi Yan had noticed this of course. He ced his chin on He Nuos head and exhaled lightly, while he used his hand to gently rub his back in hopes that he would be able to rx. Gradually, He Nuos body turned softer, and his breathing became shallower because of how sleepy he was.
Shi Yan hugged him a bit tighter before he closed his eyes as well. He Nuo had fallen asleep, but Shi Yan was wide awake as he opened and closed his eyes. However, he didnt dare to move as he was afraid of waking He Nuo. His hand that was gently caressing He Nuos back unconsciously expanded its scope of activity; it slid down to his caved in waistline, then continued moving along his ridge with a dune-like curve. Shi Yan felt something swell in between his legs. He held He Nuo close to him again, and his bulging area began to grind against his body. Shi Yan was rubbing against his body instinctively as he searched forfort, but the more he rubbed the more swollen it got, and his whole body was burning as if he had been set on fire.
Shi Yan quietly took out his burning hot desire; he was holding He Nuo in his arms, so he only had one hand that was free. There wasnt enough space between these two people in close proximity that he could use for any exercises that would ignite sparks, but Shi Yan had swelled up so much that it was now as hard as an iron pestle. The him who was being burned by the mes of desire jerked his hip forward out of difort and his iron pestle immediately slipped in between He Nuos legs. He Nuo was still wearing his pants, and when his pants slightly scraped against the sensitive head of Shi Yans desire, it stimted him so much that his arms around He Nuo immediately tightened their grip. Shi Yan carefully and slowly began to move in and out between He Nuos legs, while his hands had somehow slid underneath He Nuos shirt to feel up his smooth and delicate skin.
However, this kind of ineffective solution could no longer satisfy Shi Yans sudden arousal of desire. He boldly and deftly removed He Nuos pants with both his hands and legs, and He Nuos pants and underwear fell to his knees. Shi Yans hands felt around He Nuos back in all kinds of loving ways until they slid to his tailbone, and the swelling in between his legs throbbed with an intense vitality. Shi Yan plunged his baby in between He Nuos legs that were locked tight, then stuck it in and out as he moved his hips and grinded against He Nuo. His mouth was kissing his forehead in a soothing manner at first, but the tide of passion swept it downwards and led it to cover the lips that had appeared several times in his dreams. As he climbed towards his peak, Shi Yan couldnt suppress his happiness as he emitted a resonant growl from his chest.
He couldnt see how full of vigour and vitality the person in his arms was in the darkness, but from the warmth that was travelling through his hands, he could tell that he must look absolutely lovable and charming right now out of embarrassment. Shi Yans whole body feltfortable. He lightly pecked the lips that were moist from his kiss, He Nuo? He Nuo.
He Nuo refused to open his eyes. He didnt know how to face Shi Yan. The moment that hard, burning desire had burrowed in between his legs, he was already vaguely conscious. When Shi Yan took his pants off and he felt a scorching hot object touch him, how could he not wake up? And Shi Yan understood it as soon as the body in his arms suddenly stiffened, but his warm hands had defused its tension. The helpless He Nuo could only hide his nervousness by pretending to be asleep.
Shi Yan knew why he was still pretending to be asleep, so he chuckled as he embraced him. The him who had been tightly pressed into Shi Yans arms trembled uneasily. Shi Yan stuck close to him, then quietlyughed as if he hadprehended something. He lifted He Nuos chin and kissed him, Ill help you.
As he licked He Nuos lips, the tip of his tongue reached in flirtatiously; but his two rows of teeth were like sentries who were standing guard as they blocked Shi Yans offence. Shi Yan clung obstinately onto his lips as he sucked on it, yet he couldnt pry his teeth open. So he used his own teeth to knock against He Nuos sentries, Changing guards, its time to change guards now.
He Nuos body trembled slightly, yet he gritted his teeth even harder. Shi Yan used his teeth to bump into his again as he coaxed, Open the door, its me.
The body in his arms trembled even more as it maintained its posture of refusal.
Shi Yan opened his mouth wide and swallowed both of He Nuos lips; the arm that served as He Nuos pillow went down to his lower back while his other handnded on the immature purity that was already standing upright in between He Nuos legs. Shi Yan felt around the outline of his shape and only thought that it seemed cute and delicate it wasnt like his erection that was filled with bursting veins. He recalled its quiet and obedient limp look that he saw a long time ago. In his memories, He Nuos didnt have a thick mass of hair down there, and now it did feel quite soft to the touch.
Shi Yans fingers that were probing around for his source of happiness reached his glossy tip, then he gently squeezed it. He Nuo blurted out an oh as he moaned, and this was what Shi Yan had been waiting for. His tongue didnt let this opportunity slip as it quickly invaded through He Nuos lips. The Shi Yan who was besieging the city didnt hold back as he attacked; his tongue swept through He Nuos mouth as if he wanted to taste every bit of its sweetness, then it caught his elusive tongue and entangled itself around it. The He Nuo who was offered as tribute couldnt withstand this type of passionate, deep french kiss, and he failed every time he tried to resist it. His whole body had been ignited with the mes of passion, and he didnt even know that his body was wriggling with desire.
Shi Yans fire was rekindled a second time by He Nuos passion, and his hardened part was searching for He Nuos happiness in his hand. As he rubbed that delicate object up and down, his own perfectly round head was grinding against this delicateness affectionately. He Nuo couldnt help himself from uttering a low cry from time to time, and it sounded like a cooling breeze that managed to spark a furious ze within Shi Yan; these cries fanned the mes of desire within him until he was burning with a raging intensity.
His hand went around to his back. Shi Yan pressed down on He Nuos ass as he moved his hips forward and grinded against him intimately with his hard object, but the extremely embarrassed He Nuo remained rigidly stiff the moment Shi Yan stopped pressing down on him. Shi Yan led He Nuos hands onto his own hard tip, and as soon as he touched his scorching member, He Nuos hands quickly shrank back as if he had just been burned. Shi Yan forced him to wrap his hand around his own, Hold it properly! His deep, maic voice possessed amanding tone that made He Nuo listen to his order in a trance.
He held He Nuos jade-like pir again. Shi Yan kissed his lips and said gently, Ill teach you, follow me.
He deepened their kiss. His hand movements would quicken, then slow down, and it would squeeze tightly, then loosen its grip. When a silver light shed through He Nuos mind and all he could see was the brilliant light of stars, all of his moans were swallowed up by Shi Yan. He could feel the heavy breaths of Shi Yan on his face; the moistness on his chest was a mixture of both their semen.
Shi Yan didnt care about this stickiness at all. He hugged He Nuo tightly and patted him to soothe his gasps, and his gentle kisses swept across He Nuos forehead without any interruption. When he sensed that He Nuo had recovered, he asked with a smile, Did it feel good?
He immediately felt He Nuo retreat into his nket. Shi Yan pinched his chin and bumped his head against his as he said in a soft voice, Tell me, did it feel good? I felt really good.
He Nuo turned his head sideways and gave him an almost imperceptible nod. Since Shi Yan was pinching his chin, he knew that He Nuo had nodded, but he wanted to hear him say it so he continued to ask, Tell me~ I want to know.
It felt good. His soft voice sounded both sexy and sentimental after theirscivicious act.
A sudden sweetness enveloped Shi Yans heart. He held He Nuo tightly in his arms, I like you, I like you. He Nuo, I like you.
Chapter 72
Chapter 72
At 5.00am in the morning, Shi Yan returned home. He took a shower and put on his pajamas before he took his vest out of his bag to wash it he didnt wear it when he came back because it was covered in his and He Nuos semen. As he washed away that stickiness, he recalled the embarrassment on He Nuos face that he couldnt suppress when he was being wiped down. He had to turn on the small tablemp before he could appreciate the beauty of He Nuos blissful appearance while he was squeezing his eyes shut. The first time he obtained release, he had shot in between his legs; the second time he shot it out, it had spurted all over his chest. So when Shi Yan parted his legs to clean up, the umted jade liquid in his furtive folds showed itself and caused a light pink colour to diffuse throughout He Nuos body.
After he finished cleaning up, the small room was still filled with the scent of their sexual fluids. Shi Yan asked He Nuo to lie down and wrapped him up tightly in his nket, then he went to open the window a little to let out the odour of their male musk. He wore his shirt on properly before lying back down on the bed and he still pulled He Nuo into his arms before they slept. Shi Yan could only lie on his side and not turn over, so he didnt have a very restful sleep. He waited for He Nuo to fall asleep before he quietly got up. After he kissed He Nuos cheek, Shi Yan jumped out through the window, then he closed the windows silently.
Shi Yan washed off the marks and scent on his vest and soaked it in a tub of water before he slept. At 8.30am, Shi Yan woke up. Qin Mingxu called him to ask if they were going to return to their college after lunch, or have lunch on their way back to college. Two days ago, when Qin Mingxus fatherspany drove them out to have fun, they had already reached an agreement to not let all the families dispatch a car for each of them. Instead, they would just ride back with one another, and Qin Mingxu was the one who would ride on Shi Yan familys car. In actuality, it was because their parents insisted on following them since their cars were not at maximum capacity; these guys who were already in college didnt like their parents thoughtful behaviour.
Their n was to leave after lunch. They still had some time to spend with their family in the afternoon, so they wouldnt need to apany their parents in the morning. Moreover, their parents always had a lot of guests who would pay them visits once in awhile. Thus, this gang gathered in the park to y poker again (their families would always have people visiting them to give them gifts during the festival, they wouldnt be disturbed if they were at the park), Wang Feng took out his camera that still had films leftover they had brought it along with them on their hiking trip two days ago. There were still ten or more film rolls in it, and they had already used up two of them. These film rolls and the cost of developing their photos could all be imed at public expense, so Wang Feng wanted everyone to finish using up the remaining films so that he can pass all the film rolls together to his father before developing the photos at the same time.
But who would want to take photos at a park that was right at their doorstep? They were all snatching cards from one another to y poker instead. Wang Feng had no choice but to randomly take photos of them while they were ying. Shi Yan suddenly stood up, Dont take any more photos, leave some for me. y for me first.
The moment Shi Yan left, Qin Mingxu asked everyone, Wheres he going? Dont tell me hes going to look for He Nuo again ba?
Wang Feng answered, You still need to ask that?
Everyone agreed with Wang Fengs statement. This kind of situation wasnt novel to them, it had often happened before. Whenever Shi Yan was with them, he would always leave for a short while beforeing back again, and he has always only had one reason for it: He Nuo.
Shi Yan had never tried to hide the reason for his departures. He very clearly stated: I need to pick up He Nuo after school, I need to deliver something to He Nuo......., and they had once joked that he was more caring towards him than his girlfriend. Shi Yans answer was: of course I need to treat him better than my girlfriend, how can my girlfriend be more important than He Nuo? Since Shi Yan thought so highly of He Nuo, they were naturally polite towards him as well. Although He Nuo was different from them, they could still be acquaintances who would nod at one another as a greeting. Nobody could shake up Shi Yans concern for He Nuo, and their rtionship had no conflict with their interests either, so no one asked or said anything about it. To them, Shi Yan simply had a poor and humble acquaintance.
And the most important thing was that they could see clearly that it was Shi Yan who wanted to be friends with him, and it wasnt He Nuo who had climbed onto him because of the value he saw in Shi Yan. Besides, to tell the truth, He Nuo didnt seem like the kind of person to have impure motives. From the time they first knew him with the picking up cigarettes incident in first year to the time they forcefully bullied him in their second year, He Nuo had never been the type to fawn over those in power and be meek and subservient to them. After Shi Yan put He Nuo under his wing, He Nuos attitude towards them didnt change much, and he didnt submit to Shi Yan either (the fights, getting him water during the ser match); also, He Nuo had never unted a sense of superiority in school when he had obtained arge backer like Shi Yan, and he had even began taking detours because he didnt want to bump into them. They guessed that it was probably because of all these that Shi Yan regards him as such an important person.
He went to look for He Nuo again, what is he doing now anyway? After Qin Mingxu saw Yu Yao, he knew that He Nuo didnt get into college, And I thought his studies were pretty good too, didnt everyone say that he was the genius of the arts ss?
Qiu Linsong spoke up for He Nuo, Didnt someone say that he was really sick during the examination and couldnt even write his answers down? He had always been the genius of the arts ss, hes not like us who just copied our way through everything.
I heard those from the arts ss say that his results were usually quite good. If it wasnt because of that unfortunate coincidence, he wouldve been able to get into a key college. Shi Yan is usually so careful about not letting him fall sick, yet he still fell sick at that kind of critical juncture. Wang Fengmented Shi Yans futile efforts.
Just when does he not fall sick? He looks so dry and malnourished. Do you guys remember how Shi Yan called him a dinosaur in our first year? Shi Yan said that he was just a bag of bones then. Qin Mingxu really couldnt understand why the person Shi Yan had despised would suddenly turn into his treasure within a twinkling of an eye.
While these guys were in the middle of their heated discussion, Shi Yan had brought He Nuo over. Or rather, he had taken He Nuo into custody. When He Nuo woke up, his face burned up as he recalled what had happened the night before, then he hurriedly washed his shirt and pants. Actually, there wasnt anything on his pants, but his shirt had a few stains. When he thought of how Shi Yan needed to go back to his college today, his mood turned gloomy; but when he began to pack the books that he would be using for school tomorrow, he perked up again. So He Nuo was sorting outst years exercise books and teaching materials.
Shi Yans arrival was a pleasant surprise for He Nuo. He had thought that Shi Yan came over for an afternoon nap, yet he was immediately dragged out. When he was hauled out by Shi Yan, he was really happy at first, but when he heard that they were going to the park where his buddies had gathered, He Nuo didnt want to follow him anymore. In the past, he had dealt with Shi Yans buddies before though it was rare and He Nuo never avoided them, yet he insisted on not meeting them today. How could Shi Yan leave him be? So he forcibly dragged He Nuo over.
When they arrived, everyone greeted one another and asked how he was doing. Shi Yan realised that He Nuo wasnt asfortable as he wasst time in front of his buddies. When Qin Mingxu saw He Nuos hands, he immediately asked what kind of work he was doing now for his hands to be in that state. He Nuo looked a bit ashamed, and that was when Shi Yan realised why He Nuo wasnt willing to meet them.
Hes not working, he went back to school. Shi Yan answered unhappily. He asked Wang Feng for his camera before he pulled He Nuo away.
He looked at the silent He Nuo before stopping in front of him, We all wormed our way into college, youre the only one whos really capable.
Do you want me to feel ashamed? All of you are college students, yet I still need to resume sses.
The matter of resuming sses isnt your fault, its mine.
How could it be your fault? I was the one who didnt do well in the exam. If I had studied harder, how could I have done so badly? He Nuo wasnt paying him any lip service. After he got his college entrance examination results, he had secretly regretted taking his studies so lightly countless times. Throughout all those years of schooling, He Nuo had never put in his utmost effort into his studies; he had never wanted to be an outstanding student from the bottom of his hard. So after he failed, he felt like he had let his parents down who had supported him through high school, and he was in abject misery from destroying his dreams with his own hands.
He Nuo, if you feel inferior because youre repeating a year, then Ill feel guilty. Do you want me to always feel like Ive let you down for the rest of my life? Shi Yan faced He Nuo, Do you want that? For me to always feel guilty?
No, I dont. Shi Yan, youve already helped me a lot, I cant even thank you enough. You, you have never let me down.
Under Shi Yans scorching gaze, He Nuo added, Really.
A smile appeared on his handsome face, Then promise me, dont feel inferior, and dont me yourself. Hold your head up high when you walk into your ssroom tomorrow.
Un. He Nuo nodded.
Lets take some pictures. Shi Yan pulled He Nuo. He could still feel the mottled scars on He Nuos hands, and Shi Yans heart felt like it got stabbed by a needle, Did you see the hand cream I gave you? Put it in your bag ba, apply it a few more times tomorrow. Dont let it get wet too often for the next few days.
Aside from his graduation photo and the mugshot he had to take for his entrance examinations admission card, He Nuo didnt seem to have taken any other photos before. He was so nervous in front of the camera that he couldnt even smile. After Shi Yan teased him a few times, he didnt try to force him anymore, and instead asked him to just walk around randomly and Shi Yan would take photos of him whenever he felt like it. When they only had two pictures left, Shi Yan asked some tourists in the park to help them take a picture of them on a rockery. After they took the picture, Shi Yan jumped down to thank them before he realised that the camera didnt roll back automatically, so he should still be able to take one or two more photos.
Shi Yan asked the tourists to help them take some more photos until they hear the sound of the rollback. When he turned around, he saw He Nuo climbing down the rockery. Shi Yan walked over while he waved. He Nuo was squatting down; he thought that Shi Yan wanted to tell him something when Shi Yan suddenly wrapped his arm around his waist and picked him up. Out of shock, He Nuo hugged him around his neck, then Shi Yan ced his arm below his legs to carry him bridal style as he shouted, Take a picture, hurry!
T/N: UUUGGGHHHHH THE LAST PART WAS SO SWEET IM MELTINGGGJGJDJSB
Chapter 73
Chapter 73
After he sent He Nuo back home and watched him go in, Shi Yan turned around and left on his bike. He had just rode a few metres away before he turned back and went up to He Nuos window. He saw that He Nuo had opened up his cab and was currently tidying up its contents. Shi Yan whistled loudly, and when He Nuo saw him, he quickly rushed to his window and opened it.
You havent been to school in a few months, dont worry about the content youve forgotten. Your foundation is so strong so youll be able to catch up in no time. Dont tire yourself out.
Un. I understand.
Eat more, and eat more meat. Put the snacks (that Shi Yan had brought) in your bag, eat them when you get hungry at school.
Un.
Youre not allowed to give them to other people (hes referring to the twins), eat them by yourself. Youre not allowed to give out even the small ones.
Un. He Nuo couldnt help butugh.
Remember to drink those supplements, and you definitely cant catch a cold.
He Nuo nodded.
After the two of them fell silent for awhile, Shi Yan revealed a sunny smile, Ill write you a letter the moment I get back, dont miss me too much.
The edges of He Nuos lips curved up as well, Take care of yourself when youre outside too.
He Nuo resumed his lessons smoothly. There was only one liberal arts ss as usual, and he was with the new students. With his strong foundations, his grades didnt take long to get back to his old standards, and because being together with Shi Yan was too conspicuous, almost all of the new students this year knew who he was. As a prominent figure, Shi Yan didnt vanish without a trace just because he left the school; there were still people who would ask He Nuo about him. Especially because of his letters Shi Yan really did write He Nuo a letter the moment he got back to his college. Students letters are all ced in front of the window of the reception office on the first floor, and they could take their letters whenever they saw one addressed to them. If He Nuo gets a letter, it would be from Shi Yan without a doubt because He Nuo had no other friends whom he was close with. So some of his ssmates would bring him his letter if they saw it at the office.
What He Nuo didnt know was that: he shouldnt only be receiving Shi Yans letters. Yu Yao had always wanted to contact him, but Shi Yan didnt tell her that He Nuo had gone back to school, so Yu Yao naturally wouldnt know where to address her letter to. When his ssmates took He Nuos letters for him, they did so with the intention of getting the address on the envelope, so Shi Yan had received quite a few love letters from his high school junior sisters.
Shi Yans letters werent long, and there would be innumerable repetitions of certain words such as eat, clothes and rest. Then he would add a few simple sentences about his college life: how he cks off in ss, where he would go to y with his buddies, in any case you wouldnt be able to tell that this young master was there to study. He Nuo knew that his heart wasnt set on studying, plus he was hanging out with that group of people, and even their new friends are of the same kind it truly fit the phrase birds of a feather flock together. But from his words, he could tell that Shi Yan was having a good time in college.
He Nuo didnt reply him often. Shi Yan usually wrote him one letter per week, and he would always conclude with how he was writing the letter in some ss. Just look at him cking off like that, yet he always urged He Nuo to not take his studies lightly. He talked about how he believed in He Nuos grades, but still emphasised that he didnt need to reply him too often as it would waste his time. He Nuo would reply him once after he received two to three letters.
Thanks to the educational reform that advocated a reduction in the burdens ced on students, their school has now changed their night self-study system. Afternoon sses in high schools now end at 4.30pm, then students would have some free time for an hour before their night self-study sessions began. Hence, they would be able to leave school by 7.30pm. Because of this, a lot of hawker carts began to show up outside the school around 4pm to sell a variety of snacks. Students generally dont bring food to school anymore, so they would usually buy some snacks to fill their stomachs. He Nuo thus had a few more yuan of allowance to spare in buying more envelopes and stamps.
The temperature dropped on the first afternoon of December. He Nuo felt cold during their free time, and after he thought about it he went back home to change into thicker clothing. After he endured the cold winds from the northwest for half an hour, his hands and feet were already frozen by the time he got home. He wore an extra pair of woolen underwear inside (he was already wearing cotton-padded trousers), and he hadnt taken that many steps after he locked the door before he felt like going to the toilet. He Nuo knew that this was a sign of a rpse. He had only felt cold when he urinated at school, but now only half an hour had passed before he felt like urinating again. He quickly went home to boil some water and looked for his medication.
Because of this dy in addition to filling a bottle with water before hugging it to school he heard the bell that signalled the start of sses as soon as he arrived at the schools gate. He quickly ran to ss, but he was stillte because the liberal arts ss for this year was on the fifth floor, which was the top floor of the building. He Nuo heard his Geography teacher answering some questions. Ever since their time in school waspressed, their teachers often made use of their night self-study sessions. After He Nuo knocked on the door, he heard no answer, so after he hesitated for a bit, he gently opened the door to enter his ssroom. He thought that he wouldnt be disturbing his teacher and ssmates, so he quietly walked to his seat. Since he was a student who resumed sseste, his seat was among the first row.
Unexpectedly, his teacher shouted at him immediately, Who let you in?!
He Nuo stood up, Laoshi, Im sorry, Imte. You might not have heard me when I knocked, and I was afraid of disturbing your ss so I came in quietly.
This teacher wasnt deaf, so of course he had heard He Nuos knock. Also, there was only one seat that was empty in the first row, so he didnt even need to think to know that theter must be the owner of that seat. However, he was coincidentally in a bad mood today, so he had ignored him. For He Nuo to juste in and sit down on his own was an act that provoked him like someone had just touched his tiger butt a student actually dared to disregard him like this? So he vented all his anger and frustrations on He Nuo.
Late, hng, since youre going to bete anyways why did youe? Arent you a student whos resuming sses? You shouldve learnt all of this before, so do you really need toe in and listen to ss?
He Nuo looked at his teacher in surprise. It wasnt rare for students to bete especially for third years, since they usually based it off instinct. Their form teacher might nag them if they were alwayste and tend to leave their sses early, but their subject teachers had never cared about them.
.........if youre not willing to learn then get lost, resuming sses......... He Nuos silence inted his teachers arrogance and his words became even more offensive, Your parents still want you to resume sses? They still want you to get into college? Someone like you who only has a father but no mother to guide you still dares to.........
Shut up! He Nuo exploded. That sentence had really ignited He Nuos fury.
Chapter 74
Chapter 74
He Nuo red at his teacher, Is that something a teacher should say? You dont deserve to stand there just because of what you had just said. I resumed sses because I didnt study well, it wasnt my parents fault. You can scold me, but you have no right to scold my parents. Dont tell me your parents were the ones who taught you how to say the words you did today? Then, I can say that you have your parents to give birth to you, but no parents to guide you.
His teacher had been angered to the point of madness by He Nuos crystal clear voice. When he saw how upright he stood and his cold eyes that were filled with disdain and contempt, his teacher lost his marbles and shouted, Get out of here right now, get out!
Im sorry, Ive already paid my fees to attend school, so I have the right to remain here and listen to my sses. Meanwhile, your wagese from the fees that us students have to pay, so you have no right to ask me to get out. He Nuo sat down peacefully and opened up his book.
His teacher rushed over, picked his book up and flung it onto the floor. He Nuo looked up at him, Pick it up.
His teacher acted like he didnt hear him, Get out.
Please pick my book up for me.
Get out of here right now.
Im telling you this for thest time, pick it up. He Nuos voice contained a boundless amount of pressure that brought with it the advent of a huge storm.
His teacher cowered in fear for a moment and the words get lost that he had almost blurted out didnt dare to escape his mouth. Instead, he shouted, Monitor, monitor! Commissary of studies, ss cadre, are you all dead?!
When he heard the desks behind him move, He Nuo turned around. A few of his ss cadres had already stood up. He Nuos clear and frosty gaze swept over them, while a hint of a smile hung on his lips, What if your parents were the ones who were humiliated?
All of them froze up. Themissary of studies was the first one to sit back down, then the others followed along as they sat down too and buried their heads in their books. Their ssroom was really so silent that you could hear a pin drop. He Nuo said to his deskmate, Stand up, please.
His male deskmate stood up in a hurry. He Nuo kicked his chair away and walked out. He walked over to his teacher, and his teacher immediately ran to the monitor who was sitting in the row beside him, Monitor, youre not going to care about this?!
He Nuo stopped. He lifted his chin slightly, You, pick up my book!
His teacher felt suppressed by his unyielding posture and shouted for assistance, Monitor, Are you going to care or not?!
The ss monitor walked over helplessly, He Nuo, lets go out and talk.
He Nuo looked at the monitor who was holding his hand, Let go. Then he looked up at his teacher, I said, pick. Up. My. Book!
When the monitor had seen how his teacher was acting just now, he had scorned him for uttering such vicious words in his heart, but its not like he could me him for it. The most important thing was that he felt like He Nuo wouldnt have an easy time after offending him, so he dragged He Nuo out, Dont be angry, lets go out and talk.
He Nuo refused to leave with him of course. The ss monitor called a few people they were all his friends from just now, and these few guys forcibly dragged He Nuo out. When they reached the field, they all condemned the insulting words that were uttered just now, then urged He Nuo to let it go. What they said was the truth, if the teacher took this matter up to the school, most of the time it would still be the students who would suffer. He Nuo sat by himself at a side in silence. He already knew that there were some teachers who looked down on students who had to resume sses, and He Nuo was already very happy to be able to return to school so he didnt care about other peoples discrimination. But the words only has a father but no mother to guide you had really hurt him.
The cold wind chilled them to their bones. He Nuo asked them to return to ss first, there was no need for his ssmates to endure the cold with him because everyone hadnt put on their outerwear in their haste to get away. But he wasnt willing to go back. He didnt want to see that disgusting man, or hear his disgusting voice. Tomorrow, that guy would definitely look for his parents a teachers ace in the hole. The ss monitor asked the rest to go back, but he apanied He Nuo as they stood among the night winds. A short whileter, a girl shouted, He Nuo, He Nuo.
When He Nuo heard the voice of his ssmissary of studies, he didnt move. But the ss monitor suddenly tugged his arm, Look whos here. He looked up, then He Nuos lips parted but he couldnt make a sound. His heart felt like a wave had just crashed upon his shore; Shi Yan stood smiling as he held He Nuos coat.
Shi Yan walked over to wrap He Nuo in his coat and hugged him tight, then said to the rest, You guys can go back first, thank you. He said to the monitor, Please take He Nuos bag down for me.
All his ssmates left. Shi Yan held He Nuos hands, Its so cold, how much of a fool must you be to stand here and endure the cold winds? Even if youre angry, you shouldnt freeze yourself.
You know about everything?
Un. If it were me, I would have already beaten that grandson up. Shi Yan nodded and unfolded his coat, Wear it. But you cant, youve never fought before, so youll definitely lose out if you do.
Shi Yan held He Nuos hand and walked towards the teaching building. He Nuo stopped, What are you going to do? He Nuo was afraid that Shi Yan was going to look for his teacher.
Take your bag. Dont attend self-study today.
As he spoke, the ss monitor had delivered He Nuos bag to them. Shi Yan patted his shoulder, Thanks, and thank you for bringing him down.
Shi Yan was extremely famous. The monitor was so ttered that he kept waving his hands and told Shi Yan not to thank him. When Shi Yan saw the little girl who was themissary of studies watch from a side, he nodded and smiled at her too.
When Shi Yan was about to ride his bike, He Nuo asked him why he came over. Shi Yan told him not to talk and to just sit down, then brought him to his dads office he was afraid that the winter cold would trigger his coughs again. Once they entered the building, Shi Yan told him that Wang Fengs father had gone to the US on a business trip. Before he went to the airport, he went to their college to see Wang Feng and brought their whole gang out for a meal. Afterwards, they decided that they might as well all go to the airport to send Uncle Wang off, and might as well return home as well.
As soon as they had arrived at Wang Fengs house, Shi Yan rode his bike out to look for He Nuo. He didnt have the patience to wait for He Nuo to finish ss, so he went straight to his ssroom and knocked on the door. In the end, that teacher actually ran away, and after they heard the knock, all the students in the ssroom looked at one another. Eventually, Shi Yan was the one who opened the door by himself because he didnt get an answer. His gaze swept over the ssroom but he couldnt find He Nuo, and he didnt even need to ask before everyone knew that he was there to look for He Nuo. Themissary of studies stood up and told him that He Nuo wasnt around. Shi Yan was baffled, if he wasnt in his ssroom during self-study period, then where was he?
Themissary of studies had a favourable impression of this senior, which was why she was so proactive. As they walked along the corridor, she narrated the conflict between He Nuo and their teacher to Shi Yan. She even repeated every single hurtful and discriminatory word that was uttered as long as she could bear to say it. She said that the words she couldnt say were too unpleasant, so she couldnt repeat it for him. Shi Yans face grew darker and darker as he listened, and towards the end, a ferocious glint could be seen in his eyes. At this moment, the others had returned, and when they saw Shi Yan they quickly told him that He Nuo was at the field. When he saw that they werent wearing their coats, Shi Yan asked if He Nuo wasnt wearing his coat either, so he took He Nuos coat before he rushed over.
When Shi Yan wrapped the coat around He Nuo in a hug, the other guys did feel something, but the one who had been shocked the most should be themissary who had been following Shi Yan. She had personally seen Shi Yans fury, and had personally experienced the murderous intent that seeped out of Shi Yans bones. On the way to their field, this person emitted a frosty air which made all the other students cautious of their own breathing. But the moment this person saw He Nuo, he actually wore such a warm smile on his face as he hugged him gently, as if he was providing a safe harbour for his injured friend. As she left, she often looked back. Some words suddenly emerged from the bottom of her heart, To have just one friend like him would be enough for a lifetime.
Chapter 75
Chapter 75
Shi Yan poured a cup of hot water for He Nuo. He faced He Nuo whose gaze was patrolling every inch of his body, then said, Upset?
He Nuo stood up and walked to the window, he looked outside with his back facing Shi Yan. He wasnt the type who liked to shed tears in front of other people, and he was especially unwilling to let Shi Yan see him like this. But just one word from Shi Yan had shaken the ce that He Nuo hid in his heart for many years: he actually knew that from the moment he was born, he would face many types of helplessness that he wouldnt have the power to change.
Shi Yan quietly looked at He Nuos back, but he didnt move. He waited until He Nuo adjusted his mood and walked back before he said, Talk to me. Its rare for our young master to have a temper, that grandson was pretty lucky to have seen it.
Its nothing much. I waste, then he said a lot of unpleasant words. But when he talked about my parents, I couldnt endure it anymore.
Why do you need to endure it? He Nuo, if we arent wrong, we dont need to endure it.
He Nuo looked at Shi Yan, then smiled bitterly.
Why did you get so angry? Shi Yan has never seen He Nuo get angry before. He had always been a rather gentle and subdued person. He wouldnt be this stubborn if he hadnt been pushed to the extremes.
I dont want my mother who had already passed away to still have to endure other peoples scolding, He Nuo stopped, then turned around, Although its true that I have a father but no mother to guide me, thats only cause my mother had died because of me.
Shi Yans hands had already been clenched into fists a long time ago. He did wonder if He Nuo had been provoked into reacting so strongly because of his mother, but he hoped that his guess was wrong. Because if that really was the reason, then He Nuo must have always shouldered the guilt of his mothers death in his heart. That was thest thing that Shi Yan wanted to see, and he had paid attention to it before, but He Nuo had always been able to conceal it deftly. But now, he didnt need to guess anymore. He Nuo probably understood very clearly why he was so detested at home, he just never talked about it.
Shi Yan decided to get rid of that damn burden of his once and for all. He grabbed He Nuos arms and forced him to look at him, He Nuo, let me ask you. If your current mother passed away when she gave birth to your younger brothers, would you call your brothers murderers? Murderers who killed your mother?
I wont, they would be too pitiful if I did.
He Nuo, listen carefully, and you need to remember this in the future. You are not a murderer who caused the death of your mother, and you did not kill your mother. Youre not allowed to say that your mother died because of you ever again in the fucking future.
He Nuos eyes reddened instantly. For so many years, ever since he vaguely knew that his mother had died giving birth to him, he understood what kind of gaze other people were looking at him with, so he understood that no matter how he tries to not cause trouble for other people, he would still be hated. Shi Yan knows that with his personality, he wouldnt like it if others saw him cry, so he said in a cheerful voice, If youre a fucking man then dont smother yourself because of this. Did you read too many Chiung Yao novels1? Didnt I say that youve been reading too many lousy books?
Then it must be because you watched Dream of the Red Chamber. And here I was wondering why youre so narrow-minded.
I, He Nuo wasnt as eloquent as him, so he couldnt refute that.
Look, your mother already passed away so many years ago, yet youre still ming yourself like a fool here. Just think, would your mother really want you to think that youre the one who caused her death? I think your mother would rather you think this: that she loves you, and that she hopes you can lead a happy and healthy life.
Really?
Of course. Our parents would definitely wish for our happiness, and to have a good life.
He Nuo wore a bewildered and helpless expression on his face. He asked Shi Yan, My mum thinks that way too?
Definitely. Your mother would definitely want to see you happy, and to see youugh all the time.
But she has already passed away.
Which is why youll have to take her ce and see all the things that she couldnt see, have all the fun she couldnt have, eat all the things that she couldnt eat especially the meat, prawns and crabs that she hasnt tried......... And now Shi Yan was beginning to tease He Nuo as he saw his expression clearing up, ...marry the wife for her that she couldnt marry...
He Nuo punched him, What kind of nonsense are you spouting, youre making fun of my mother. But a faint smile had already began to spread across his face.
Shi Yan caught his fist, then borrowed the momentum to pull on it and said sternly, Tell me that you didnt kill your mother.
He Nuo understood Shi Yans intention and felt very moved, I didnt kill my mother.
Youre never allowed to even think that way in the future!
Un.
With that answer, Shi Yan was relieved. He had just stood up to go get some water when He Nuo said, Can you promise me one thing?
He turned around to look at He Nuo, and with just that one look he knew. Shi Yan smiled, Dont worry about it.
I dont want you to settle my affairs for me, dont bully people again. I was at fault too. He Nuo walked over.
You werent wrong. That bastard needs someone to teach him how to talk like a human sooner orter.
Dont go ma. Do you want him to not be able to face other people in the future? He Nuo was worried that if Shi Yan went to teach that teacher a lesson, then his group of buddies who were eager to see the world plunge into chaos would go as well. Then the consequences of that would be unthinkable.
1. Chen Che, best known by her pen name Chiung Yao, is a Taiwanese writer and producer and often regarded as the most popr romance novelist in the Chinese-speaking world. ?
Chapter 76
Chapter 76
When he went to school, He Nuo was still thinking about how he had forgotten to get Shi Yan to promise him not to cause trouble at school yesterday, so he was a bit worried. During second period, he was called out by his form teacher so that he could understand the situation better. He Nuo recounted the entire incident to him word for word. His teacher asked him what he nned to do this stunned He Nuo, because he had never thought that his form teacher would ask him about what he wanted to do.
His form teacher had actually asked the ss monitor and a few other students about the details in advance, and had heard the disgust in their voices when they talked about the vicious words that their geography teacher uttered yesterday. But he was a teacher after all, and he was his colleague, so not only would it be impossible to get him to apologise to He Nuo, but He Nuo would also have to admit that it was his fault in order for his teacher to regain the face that he had lost. The geography teacher already told him that if the student didnt apologise to him in front of the whole ss, then he would refuse to teach that ss.
I was at fault for beingte yesterday, so I can apologise to Laoshi for that. But he would also need to apologise to me for his inappropriate insults that are unsuitable for someone of his status. I wont have any other ideas in the future either, and I wont cause trouble during Laoshis lessons, so I hope that Laoshi can teach us without bearing a grudge. Thats what I think.
His form teacher didnt know if he should call him naive or simple-minded. This beautiful student hasnt talked much ever since the first time he stepped into ss, and rarelyes into contact with his ssmates. At first he thought that he felt inferior because he was a student who resumed sses, but after some time passed, he realised that this student simply possessed a kind of innate calmness and purity. He was totally unaffected by the outside world. So when he heard that the student was him, he had to ensure that he didnt hear the name wrongly before he was surprised at his colleagues capabilities.
He Nuo, have you ever thought of the fact that hes a teacher? His form teacher said with great earnesty.
With keen insight, He Nuo had understood the insinuation behind those words. He looked straight at his form teacher with eyes as clear as spring until his form teacher had to avoid his gaze.
Its okay if I had to lose face, but I have parents. I dont want my parents to lose their dignity. And I dont think that apologising would cause him to lose face either. In fact, everyone will despise him if he doesnt apologise.
Teacher Zhao (the geography teacher) has that kind of temper, plus he had to endure some grievances before ss yesterday........ The form teacher wasbining both hard and soft tactics to get He Nuo to yield. He didnt want to bully the one who owned those clear eyes, but he was helpless too. You have to sacrifice a pawn to save the castle, if anyone else were in his position they would handle this the same way the form teacher exined in his own defence.
Unfortunately, He Nuo refused to yield. He never gave up on protecting his parents who had been implicated for no reason. They negotiated until the morning break exercises ended. The form teacher didnt try to persuade He Nuo anymore; he never knew that this student could have such a stubborn side, so he lost his patience too and no longer felt like taking care of him. He only thought that this student doesnt know whats good for him, so he had to resort to his ultimate move requesting assistance from his parents. The form teacher asked He Nuo toe to school with his parents in the afternoon.
He Nuo knew that if his parents came, then not only would he get beaten, but he would also be forced to apologise to Zhao Laoshi. His parents have always respected teachers as if they were gods anything a teacher says must be right, so of course they would force him to admit that it was his fault. After his teacher said those words yesterday, He Nuo had begun to despise his character. When he thought about apologising to someone he despised, He Nuo wondered if he should just remain stubborn till the end.
During their third period, Shi Yan and gang had arrived at school. He had wanted toe right after he woke up, but after he talked to Wang Feng about that son of a bitch over the phonest night, Wang Feng insisted on following along, so he had to wait for him to pack up in the morning. But who knew this guy actually gave everyone else a call too and woke up all of those who were sleeping in, which was why they were so dyed.
Yesterday night, Shi Yan had already thought about how to resolve this issue. If he did as he wished, he would prefer to just drag that bastard out to beat him up. Then after he beats him up until his head was as swollen as a pigs head, he would get him to apologise to He Nuo. But there were several problems with that method: firstly, it would be impossible for everyone to not know about it, so He Nuos younger twin brothers would definitely catch wind of it too, which meant that He Nuos family would know about it. Shi Yan understood that this would cause trouble for He Nuo. Secondly, both teachers and students would fear He Nuo after that. Although He Nuo rarely interacts with other people, Shi Yan was worried that he would be isted. He couldnt use force, but he couldnt ignore it either, otherwise He Nuo would definitely suffer.
They asked around for the location of that teachers office, and found out that he had no sses right now. His office was the first room by the staircase on the fourth floor, so Shi Yan and gang found a target to practice their knife-throwing skills on. The teachers inside were either correcting homework, papers or writing up lesson ns. When they heard something scratch across the door, they didnt think too much of it. But after a few !! sounds, someone thought it was a knock so he answered, Come in. But they didnt see anyone appear. When they heard the same sounds again, the female teacher who was next to the door went to open it, then she was so frightened she shrieked in horror. The teachers all looked over one after the other. There was a circle drawn on the door with chalk, and there were a few knives stuck in the middle of the circle that were still trembling. Several tall guys stood a few metres away from the door as theyughed they were still fiddling with the flying knives in their hands.
The guy who sat on the windowsill was both tall and handsome, yet he had a dark and evil smile on his face, Zhao Laoshi has such a hot temper, would he like to do some exercise and y with us for a round or two?
The Zhao Laoshi who sat far away from the door stiffened up. A teacher shut the door in a hurry. Most of them knew those students they were all students who had great power and influence. The teachers didnt dare to provoke them when they were still in this school, so now they were even less willing to engage in a dispute with them. The teachers all looked at Zhao Laoshi. His expression had already changed his forehead was drenched in sweat and utter panic could be seen in his eyes. How was he supposed to know that the student he picked on would have them as backers? In his eyes, the He Nuo who was usually dressed so shabbily should be from a family at the bottom of the socialdder. Now he was both shocked and frightened, and didnt have any opinion he wanted to exert at all.
Shi Yan and gang ignored the fact that they had closed the door. They wouldnt go inside to drag that guy out; they simply continued to throw knives at their target with great uracy, and one after the other, these knives stabbed straight into Zhao Laoshis heart. All the other teachers helped to make some suggestions they could get the parents of those young masters toe over, or call the police. But these suggestions were all rejected one by one. Qiu Linsong, the only son of the public securitymissioner was right outside their door, and the rest were either the only son or the only child in their family so they were all very treasured by their parents. Those parents would probably not stand on their side.
They ended up asking He Nuos form teacher and the teaching director of the high school department for help. The form teacher rushed over from his office on the fifth floor. He didnt know that Shi Yan and He Nuo hadnt met yet, and thought that Shi Yan and the rest were angry because they wanted to look for He Nuos parents. Thus, when he quickly promised not to look for He Nuos parents, he didnt know that he had just added fuel to the mes. If he hadnt returned by chance and He Nuos family managed to catch wind of this, then wouldnt He Nuo have been bullied to death by the school and the people in his family? But since he was He Nuos form teacher, Shi Yan was still considerably polite with his words, though he still refused to give in.
T/N: Yes, in the Chinese culture teachers (and anyone whos your senior) can not be wrong. Absolutely not. Its irritating as heck. Also there was that part about how the form teacher was surprised at the teachers capabilities? I inferred it as how he was shocked that the Geography teacher could stir up the indifferent He Nuo
Throwing knives gif credits to Eve from Chrysanthemum Gardens:
We keptughing over the gif and how apt it was for their knife throwing antics
Chapter 77
Chapter 77
The teaching director of the high school department knew that these students were difficult to handle, so he looked for Han Laoshi, Shi Yans ex-form teacher, and called him out from ss while he was teaching. Han Laoshi had taught Shi Yan for three years. You could say that he didnt take Shi Yans background into consideration when he treated him well, and he did like Shi Yan quite a bit. After Shi Yan graduated, he had even given Shi Yan a call. Thus, Shi Yan was quite respectful towards him. When he saw Han Laoshi walk over, Shi Yan jumped off the windowsill to greet him. Han Laoshi patted Shi Yan affectionately, You rascal, why didnt you look for me after you came back? Lets go to my office.
How could they be willing to leave? That grandson would escape if they did. So Shi Yan smiled as he told his teacher that he would definitely go see him, but he didnt want to disturb him during his working hours. Han Laoshi also knew his reasons, If you have anything you want to talk about, lets do so in my office. Or is it that after you graduated, Laoshi cant even invite you to my office anymore? Laoshi will have to start arresting people in that case.
In the end, only Shi Yan and Wang Feng who were his direct disciples went to his office. He was still a form teacher for the third years. Han Laoshi asked about their life in college before diving straight into the point about the dispute they were here for. He first talked about how Zhao Laoshi had crossed the line with his words, but he also exined in Zhao Laoshis defence that he was usually a crass person in his daily life who never pays much attention to what he says.
Shi Yan didnt argue with his teacher either, because there was no need to. Han Laoshi looked at Wang Feng helplessly, who just shrugged, Laoshi, dont involve yourself in this mess. Did that teaching director fox look for you? Hes in hiding himself, and yet he pushed you out here for this.
Han Laoshiughed, So you guys know that Im in a difficult spot too? This is a task assigned to me by my superior. You guys...Zhao Laoshi was wrong, but can you forgive him this once? I believe that he wont do that ever again. Although teachers might scold and shout at students sometimes, they all have good intentions. Arent they just doing it for the sake of their students?
Which word did that bastard say for He Nuos sake? Shi Yan asked.
He has probably never spoken like a human should before. Wang Feng answered, If it had been me, I wouldve beaten him up in ss until he had to look for his teeth on the floor. Laoshi, youve taught He Nuo for two years too, is he the kind of ignorant guy who would cause trouble for his teacher during ss? That damn snob just looks down on him and probably thought that He Nuo was someone he could bully. If Shi Yan was the one who waste, I dont believe that grandson would even dare let out a single fart.
Han Laoshi had also been questioned until he couldnte up with anymore excuses. Zhou Xiaodong suddenly opened the door without knocking, Shi Yan, He Nuos form teacher brought He Nuo to that grandsons office.
Shi Yan jumped straight up and ran towards the fourth floor. Han Laoshi shouted at him as he tried to follow along. Shi Yan had long legs and huge strides, and when he reached the staircase he slid down on its handrails before jumping right over thest flew flights of steps. His other buddies were still standing in front of the window as they pointed at the closed office door. Shi Yan walked over and kicked it open while everyone else dodged there were only three people inside: He Nuo, his form teacher and that damn grandson.
The three of them were all seated. He Nuo immediately stood up, and his form teacher reacted swiftly, Everythings alright, were just talking. Itll be fine once we talk it out. That guy whose name had already been reced with the word grandson was so frightened that he avoided Shi Yans murderous gaze.
Come here! Shi Yan said to He Nuo.
When He Nuo got close enough to Shi Yan that they could almost touch, he was harshly yanked over by Shi Yan and was red at for a second, then Shi Yan faced the other two as he sneered, You want to talk about it? Hng, its toote for that. Even if he allows it, I wont!
Shi Yan! He Nuo had just called out when Shi Yans gaze that was as sharp as a knifended on him. He Nuo stopped talking, though he was reluctant to do so.
Han Laoshi was already at the door. He pulled Shi Yan and He Nuo over, Okay, okay. Lets all go back to Laoshis office.
After they entered Han Laoshis office, Shi Yan asked, Who asked you to talk to that grandson? Whats there to talk about?
Shi Yan, if you force him to apologise in front of the whole school, then how would he be able toe to school in the future? Would he still be able to teach? As long as we both admit our fault then we can just let this matter go ba.
When he saw that Shi Yan wasnt talking, He Nuo continued, When I was at the office, my form teacher told me that Zhao Laoshi didnt pass his Professional Title examination again, so it seems like hell have to face a lot of trouble in the future. That was why he was in such a bad mood.
Shi Yan and He Nuo didnt really understand what a Profession Title examination was, but Han Laoshi seemed to awake from a dream, O, I understand now. No wonder he vented his frustrations on his students again. You guys arent working yet so you dont know, Han Laoshi is a worker-peasant-soldier student1, and hes on rmendation, so he has a weaker literary foundation than the rest. This wasnt much of a problem in the past, but after batches of professional model teachers came, we began to feel the pressure. Now were also particr about improving the quality of high school teachers, so we cant teach if we dont have a certain professional title, but Zhao Laoshi could never pass that exam. I dont know if hell still be able to teach next year.
After He Nuo heard his detailed exnation, he didnt want to pursue the matter any further. At first he only thought that it was wrong for his teacher to insult his parents, and didnt care about anything else anyway. Moreover, he had already talked to Zhao Laoshi just now. As soon as he heard that Shi Yans condition was for him to apologise in front of the entire school, he objected to it. He knew that Shi Yan wanted to stand up for him, but all he needed was fairness. He didnt want to subdue another person with force. How could he not leave some leeway for the other party?
I dont need Laoshis apology anymore, weve already talked it out just now. Han Laoshi, you dont need to worry about it any longer.
Actually those worker-peasant-worker students are quite pitiful. If they had undergone professional training2, then they wouldnt even need to take the examination before they can change their professional title. This is equivalent to not recognising their academic qualifications. Hes already this old before his qualifications werent recognised, and its toote for him to re-educate himself. He is quite pitiful, so dont argue with him too much.
Laoshi, everythings over, theres nothing to argue about.
Han Laoshi looked at Shi Yan. He was waiting for his promise before he could be at ease, Shi Yan, give Laoshi some face and let this incident go, okay?
Shi Yan leaned on the window to look out at the students on the field who had gym.
Shi Yan, youre not allowed to do anything else! He Nuo walked up to him.
Laozi will do whatever I want. He maintained a stern face.
You cant do it even if you want to. You even threw knives at their door! All the teachers have been frightened away by you guys, are you trying to be a local hoodlum? I wont allow you to be a bully.
He Nuo angrily thought of the knives on the door. When he saw those knives, he was so surprised that his eyes had widened considerably. He really didnt know how Shi Yan came up with that idea, hes practically on par with a loan shark who was trying to collect a debt that was owed.
He heard a snigger. Shi Yanughed with a teasing gaze, But I like being a bully, and I really like being a Hoodlum Tycoon.
The meaning behind hisst two words was only understood by He Nuo, so a rosy flush immediately appeared on his face.
His goal had been achieved. Shi Yan never wanted to blow this matter up, so of course he didnt actually want that grandson to apologise to He Nuo in front of the entire school. If he did so, then wouldnt He Nuo be a mini malefic in his teachers eyes?
Okay, since you wont let me take care of this, then Ill go home now okay? Young Master! He whispered to He Nuo before looking up and said in a loud voice to his teacher, Since Laoshi has already spoken, how could I not give you face?
Han Laoshi was very surprised, he didnt expect Shi Yan to give in so easily, so he repeated, Good, good, good. Thats right, youre all grown up now and can even empathise with people. Laoshis really happy that youre doing me this honour.
1. Worker-Peasant-Soldier students (simplified Chinese: traditional ChinesepinyinCultural RevolutionFive Red Categories
2. The raws used a term that can be roughly tranted as professional training ss/school/institution, but this term isnt referring to where someone had graduated from. Rather, it refers to those who had undergone formal training and got to where they are through self-study?
T/N: Guyssss do yall still remember the Hoodlum Tycoon joke they shared around chap 30+? Jaklsndfjkns I was dying when I read this chap, the way they bicker is so cute
Chapter 78
Chapter 78
WARNING: NSFW
The matter thus ended just like that. Shi Yan didnt ask for the details of the follow-up. In any case, he was sure that He Nuo didnt get bullied, and had ensured that he wouldnt have to suffer anymore grievances in the future.
That night, He Nuo had just left school when he saw Shi Yan and his younger brothers. Shi Yan hade over to pick him up when He Nuos younger brothers saw him, so they walked up to greet him. A lot of students knew who Shi Yan was, and he was still pursued by countless eyes filled with worship and adoration. The fact that they could intimately call Shi Yan Yan Ge and talk with him a bit made them feel very proud; also, Shi Yan had begun toe into contact more often with He Nuos family, so he wasnt as arrogant and unreasonable towards them anymore.
Shi Yan asked his younger brothers to go home and tell their parents that He Nuo would only return a littleter. They went to their usual nest: Shi Yans fathers office. When they met yesterday, He Nuo was drowning in pain, though he had been suppressing it. Right now, he felt at ease and cheerful, and he was in high spirits as he talked. It was only when the grumbling sound of someones stomach could be heard that Shi Yan remembered that He Nuo hadnt eaten dinner.
Why didnt you say anything when youre hungry? We couldve bought something to eat on our way here. Shi Yan med He Nuo.
He Nuo was hungry the moment his sses ended, but after he saw Shi Yan, how could he still concern himself with whether or not he was hungry? Besides, he still wanted to save those few yuan of his allowance there wasnt any purpose for this, he just didnt bear to spend his money on snacks. When he had first gone back to school, he had eaten the snacks that Shi Yan brought him to fill his stomach during afternoon activities. After he finished Shi Yans snacks, he would just endure his hunger until he went back home for dinner.
Shi Yan picked up the keys on the table, Lets go home ba.
He Nuo looked at the clock on the wall it wasnt even 8:30 pm yet. He didnt want to part with Shi Yan this early. Although it would be a Sunday tomorrow, Shi Yan should be spending time with his family before he went back to his college in the afternoon. When He Nuo thought about how he wouldnt be able to see Shi Yan tomorrow, he said with much reluctance when they reached the office door, Im not that hungry.
The hand that Shi Yan used to open the door paused, Are you afraid that Ill leave tomorrow?
He Nuo nodded.
Then tell me that you missed me and I wont leave tomorrow. Shi Yan and the rest didnt n to return to college on Sunday anyway, skipping sses meant nothing to them, so they had nned to return on Monday.
He Nuos mouth opened and closed a few times in silence, then he suddenly had an epiphany, Youre not going back?! Youve already yed truant for two days, the teacher in charge of truancy wont care?
Shi Yan lifted his chin up in disdain, Who doesnt skip sses in uni? Youll understand next time.
Is that the case in university? He Nuo really doesnt understand why they seemed so idle in college. What he imagined was that college should be busier than high school, because the content they have to learn is much moreplicated than what they learn in high school.
Dont care so much about that, just tell me first whether you missed me or not. Shi Yan was being his overbearing self again.
He Nuo has always lived in a simple environment, and Shi Yan was the only foreign invader in his space, so how could he not yearn for him when he slept alone at night? Its just that he didnt understand that this was love sickness that had arisen due to the pain of separation; he was just instinctively unwilling to answer him. He was pulled into Shi Yans embrace, You didnt say it yesterday, and you still dont want to tell me today?
He didnt hear He Nuos voice in reply. Shi Yan was slightly disappointed, after he released him he said in a miserable voice, If you didnt miss me then so be it ba, Ill go back to college tomorrow.
Missed you.
Shi Yans heart stopped. He tightened his arms around him, What did you say?
He Nuo looked up, and his watery eyes were glistening, I missed you. After he said it aloud, he didnt seem to be as hesitant anymore. He Nuo emphasised one more time, I said I missed you, are you happy now?
Shi Yan instantly felt like his heart was in full bloom during summer. He held He Nuos face up in delight, If you didnt miss me, then wouldnt I have missed you in vain?
When he had said the words I missed you, it wasnt as embarrassing as he had imagined, but now he felt awkward and embarrassed by Shi Yans teasing instead. The sight of himughing with his deep and gentle voice created ripples in He Nuos heart, and there was no other way for He Nuo to avoid it aside from drooping his eyelids. He seldom watches TV, so he didnt know that he had just acted out a scene from a romantic drama where the character is eagerly anticipating a kiss. The veteran Shi Yan kissed him. When He Nuo wasprehending the feeling of lust in his arms two months ago, he had only been baptised by his tongue in the darkness while he was pretending to be asleep. Now that they were in a bright ce where all the lights were on, He Nuo trembled so much his body went limp, while Shi Yan had him locked in a tight embrace as he became He Nuos sturdy support.
After two months of separation, this person was in his arms right now it was no longer a spring dream that would vanish without a trace. Shi Yan was also intoxicated in the beautiful entanglement of their lips and tongue; he released the He Nuo who didnt even know how to breathe anymore and moved this person who was immersed in a drunken delight onto the sofa to lie down. Maybe this was how feelings of tenderness emerge from the desire to tuck the other person into himself. Using his viper-like hands, he passed through all thoseyers of clothing until he touched the smooth skin that was underneath it. The warmth he felt on his palm flowed into all the rivers in his body, and merrily surged through them as they gathered at the sea in his heart. This warmth had melted the frost on He Nuos lips through their kiss.
The changes in his body made Shi Yan undo He Nuos pants, and this is all thanks to the fact that He Nuo had never worn a belt before. He Nuo wasying down with his body turned slightly sideways, and when his innermostyer of pants had been pushed below his knees, a slightly fishy scent permeated the air. Shi Yan looked at the beautiful and lively pink object leaking dew and couldnt help but be more gentle, like he was holding a treasure in his hands. He Nuo felt ashamed, so he struggled a bit, but Shi Yans body immediately pressed down on him he didnt give He Nuo the chance to be clear-headed at all. It wasnt the first time for Shi Yan to see He Nuos male member, but it was the first time he saw it erect. Thest time he touched it, it didnt feel as thick and sturdy as his, and had felt more delicate instead. Seeing it today, the rod really had a tender pink lustre to it; it gave off the same air as He Nuo elegant and delicate.
Shi Yans boundless interest was piqued. He manipted it in an unhurried manner: from time to time, he would pinch it or rub it as he searched for the most sensitive area that would elicit a response. Every time He Nuo couldnt control his moan from escaping his lips, the heat in Shi Yans body would rise. But Shi Yan was infinitely fond of He Nuos body, he wanted to see every single change in expression on his face, and he wanted to see him dyed with the drunken colour of a maple forest under his maniption. The scent of lust in the air had turned into a smell that intoxicated their hearts. As he uttered a cry that he was trying to suppress, He Nuos member in Shi Yans hand quivered and his essence erupted. He Nuo went limp, as if he had no bones, and leaned into Shi Yans embrace.
Then Shi Yan pulled down his own zipper and took out his baby that was already squeezing out of the edges of his underwear. He ced it in his hand andpared it with He Nuos object that hadntpletely recovered yet, then chuckled, Mines still bigger.
He Nuo opened his damp eyes and wanted to see what was bigger before he knew what Shi Yan was referring to. He squeezed his eyes shut out of embarrassment. Shi Yan said mischievously, But you managed to shoot it out pretty far, not bad.
When he looked at He Nuos eyes that were squeezed tight, Shi Yanughed, Look, you even shot some onto my face.
He Nuo quickly looked at him. When he saw how clean his face was and the grin that had spread across it, he knew that he had been tricked.
Shi Yan shoved his baby into He Nuos hand, Do you want to see me shoot?
In the past two months, He Nuo had masturbated asionally, but it had never felt as good as when he did it with Shi Yan that night. Even though he felt ashamed, he couldnt stop himself from doing it in secret, and every time after he did it, he would feel like he had justmitted theft. But he has to say that Shi Yan had led him to open up the door of lust. The him who stood at its entrance was filled with curiosity about the temptation inside, and his resistance against it was weak.
Hey, I saw yours clearly, dont you want to see mine too? Shi Yan once again extended an invitation.
He Nuo wanted to see it. He has always been very hasty during his own masturbation because he didnt dare to look at it. Shi Yan wrapped his hand around He Nuos, Move like how I did just now.
He Nuos slightly cool fingers finally began to move. Shi Yan lied down on his back; his breathing gradually became more ragged as he squinted his eyes, and he would say from time to time, Un, great, faster....hold it tighter...
He Nuo was infected by the pleasure Shi Yan felt under his hands. He stared at the penis in his hand without blinking, and saw how clear the veins on it looked and how it exuded the strength of its pure masculinity. This was the first time for He Nuo to carefully stare at a mans member with an inquiring gaze. He tried to touch the tip that he assumed to be the most sensitive part. The immature He Nuo didnt know that he had already sent Shi Yan up to cloud nine he only saw his dick suddenly swell up even more and the pir in his hand quivered as it jumped. Shi Yan let out a low groan that sounded like it came from the king of the forest, and a rapid stream shot out as it flew. He Nuo dodged sideways and it flew past his eyes, his hand was grabbed hard by Shi Yansrge ones and he hurriedly used it to rub up and down a few more times. Shi Yan had personally seen his own semen fly out.
Shi Yan took a few deep breaths, then said triumphantly, See, it shot pretty far right?
Chapter 79
Chapter 79
WARNING: NSFW
As he lied down on his bed at night, He Nuo felt a bit insomniac. When Shi Yan sent him back, he had said that he woulde look for him tomorrow, so after he ate dinner at home he quickly finished the revision papers that he was supposed to work the next day. After he finished most of them, it was already 1am. He thought that he would dream of Zhou gong1, yet he felt unexpectedly energetic and didnt feel the least bit sleepy. Within the lonesome silence, He Nuos mind was as clear as a mirror. With the recurrence of todays (actually yesterdays) office event, he could no longer escape the problem that he had always been reluctant to delve into.
No matter how simple-minded he may be, he had still taken physiological sses before and understood ethics and morality, so he knew that what he did with Shi Yan was shameful and wrong. When Shi Yan had done something like that to him (he cant think or even say the word rape, not even in his heart), it made him feel deeply humiliated and had even pushed his sense of inferiority up to the surface. But what Shi Yan was doing to him now no longer brought him shame or pain, and instead gave him pleasure. Being near Shi Yan felt like bathing in the warm sunshine during winter, and feeling the warm breeze that blew on the grass in autumn. His resistance to Shi Yans embrace seemed so vague now.
It was the first time for the ignorant He Nuo to step into the pce of desire. Even though he knew that they did was considered self-consoling, it was better known as masturbation. Their school had issued a popr science booklet in his first year which described the growth and development of adolescents. The book had emphasised over and over again that self-constion was a normal thing to do for adolescent boys, so they need not feel pressure nor shame for doing it. But He Nuo was deeply influenced by his inheritance of the thousand-year education that dictated lust as the mastermind behind ten thousand evils, so how could hefortably masturbate? And the more serious problem is: right now he and Shi Yan wereforting each other. He felt like he was doing something wrong, something obscene.
But who was obscene? He wasnt, and neither was Shi Yan. His thoughts were all muddled and chaotic, where did the fault lie? It wasnt appropriate to say that Shi Yan was acting like a hoodlum, because he didnt feel like he was being bullied by Shi Yan. It actually felt more pleasurable when Shi Yan does it for him than when he does it himself. He recalled how Shi Yan brought some warm water afterwards that night and that huge handkerchief again, and how he didnt want Shi Yan to wipe him down. But he couldnt even raise his hand to start cleaning himself up in front of Shi Yan. After Shi Yan generously helped him wash away the foul liquid, he wiped off the liquid on his own body too. By the time He Nuo fell asleep, he was still unable to dispel the clouds above him that were concealing the answers to his doubts.
After he had lunch on a Sunday, Shi Yan came to He Nuos house and lied down on his bed the moment he entered the room. He Nuo specially sat on the stool in front of his table, but it didnt take long before Shi Yan patted the space next to him and asked him to go over. He Nuo didnt want to stick so close to Shi Yan, so he didnt go over. Shi Yan went over and forcibly dragged him to the bed, so He Nuo leaned close to the beds headboard. Shi Yan asked, puzzled, Whats wrong with you? Why are you being so awkward?
He Nuo hesitated, I dont want to.
What dont you want? Shi Yan didnt understand him.
I dont want........... He Nuo searched for the words to say.
When Shi Yan saw the blush of shame on his face, he knew what he was talking about so he deliberately questioned, What? What dont you want?
Lets not do that anymore, its so obscene.
Shi Yan was stunned, then heughed aloud. He Nuo was dumbfounded by hisugh, he didnt understand why Shi Yan reacted that way. Shi Yan yanked He Nuo over and pressed him down beneath him. He couldnt help smiling as he said, Who did you call obscene? You? Me?
He Nuo shook his head. Shi Yans eyes had a mischievously evil glint, Its not you, its me! As he spoke, he grabbed He Nuos legs, If you hadnt mentioned it I wouldve forgotten it, didnt our grand master scold Laozi for being a local hoodlum in front of Laoshi the other day? Looks like youre getting really bold.
He Nuo managed to dodge the attack of his demonic ws, but he couldnt escape being pressured down by his huge figure that was as heavy as Mount Tai, so he was thoroughly subdued by Shi Yan and couldnt budge an inch. This was when Shi Yan rubbed his hand in a clockwise direction across his pants, and after he had provoked the bulge between his legs erect, he gently whispered into He Nuos ear, Does it feel good?
Un.
You dont like this?
He Nuo didnt answer him. Shi Yan blew into his ear and He Nuo shuddered, I like it.
Do you hate this? Shi Yan gently bit his ear, then began to lick and suck on it.
I dont hate it. He Nuos voice was trembling. The heat between his legs rose.
After He Nuo shot into Shi Yans hand again, he covered his face in shame. Shi Yan took his hand away, Whats obscene about masturbating? Which guy hasnt done it before? Even girls do it.
These words made He Nuo turn his head away. Shi Yan pulled his face back, Dont tell me youve never masturbated before? I wont believe it.
He Nuo went all out, Self-constion is normal, but to y with someone elses is...very obscene.
Youre calling me obscene because I yed with your dick? Shi Yan was upset, so he deliberately picked crude words to say.
When he heard that kind of crudenguage, He Nuos face flushed red.
Shi Yan bumped against He Nuo with his crotch, I like it when you touch my dick, it feels better with your hand than jerking off by myself. But I dont think youre obscene. He took He Nuos hand and ced it on his, but He Nuo retracted his hand.
Would it feel this good if it was obscene? Shi Yan grabbed his hand again and ced it on his, Then when you go to college and listen to all the bullshit they say at night in the dorms, wont you think that theyre all hoodlums? The way Shi Yan dealt with He Nuo just now finding his sensitive spot on his ear was something he learnt from the midnight chats he had at college.
There were two students in their dorm who were from the city, so they could walk to school and didnt need to stay in the dormitory. But they wanted to break away from the shackles of their family and enjoy a dormitorys social life. The two of them were also children of officials. They grew up in the big city, so they were more mature and sophisticated than Shi Yan and gang; and they were wilder too. This bunch of guys who were of the same feather hit it off immediately. Shi Yan and his buddies wanted to change dormitories because their dormitory only has 8 beds, but their gang has 11 people. There were 6 people in this college at first, so when Shi Yan and Zhou Xiaodong joined in, they stayed in the opposite dormitory and always thought about how to change their amodation such that all 8 of them can live together.
After they got close to those other two students, they decided to just move the wardrobes in their dormitory to the opposite dorm and ced two more beds inside, then 10 people could live in one dorm. Actually, if it were possible, the dormitory opposite them really wanted to move in as well because their dormitory was so lively and enticing. So usually, as long as there was one person in either dorm, the dorms would not be locked and the people from both dorms would go on rampages.
They were most lively when the bunch of them gathered to y poker, and it was even more exhrating when theybined their cards with their new buddies. But what they liked the most were the colourful topics they talked about excitedly before they slept. The two brothers from the city broadened the horizons of the other guys with their thorough understanding of the matters between men and women. They didnt hide the fact that they were veterans, and had quite a bit of experience under their belt. In actuality, Shi Yan and his buddies have tasted the forbidden fruit before, but they have never so publicly reported their experiences like they were giving a presentation. After a few months of nightly training, everyones theoretical knowledge had risen up a notch, and the initial situation no longer urred: when all of them listened until their blood would rise and their bullets would get loaded.
He Nuo asked about themunal life in his colleges dormitory, because to him, the word munal was actually very foreign. Shi Yan told him the essence of their meaty conversations at night, while He Nuo listened to his stories with his mouth agape this was how a collegesmunal life was like?!
You talked to them about those kinds of obscene things?
Hehe, theres nothing much for me to say, I just listen to them for fun. Isnt it quite interesting? Isnt it good if I can tell you about it when Ie back?
Thats so low-ss.
Other people wont say that. Men all like these things, except for you who doesnt know anything about it.
Then since you know so much, you must be very knowledgeable about it now. He Nuo was a bit disappointed with Shi Yans college.
He Nuos sarcastic remarks sounded very unpleasant to Shi Yan. Whenever he heard anything interesting or funny at his college, he always thought about telling He Nuo about it because he thought that it would certainly make himugh. But now, his excitement had been extinguished, Arent I just telling you about it? Besides, I dont do these things with anyone else. Shi Yan felt like He Nuo despised him, so he got off the bed, Since you think Im obscene, Ill leave.
Hey, He Nuo had just said this one word when Shi Yan opened the door and walked out. By the time He Nuo went out, Shi Yan had already left on his bike. He Nuo felt lonely as he went back in, and he felt quite bad. During dinnertime, his parents asked him why Shi Yan left. Apparently, when Shi Yan came, his parents had asked him to stay for dinner. He Nuo could only say that he left because he had something else to do.
1. Duke of Zhou is also known as the God of Dreams. The Analects record Confucius saying, How I have gone downhill! It has been such a long time since I dreamt of the Duke of Zhou.[13] This was meant as amentation of how the governmental ideals of the Duke of Zhou had faded, but waster taken literally. In Chinese legends, if an important thing is going to happen to someone, the Duke of Zhou will let the person know through dreams: hence the Chinese expression Dreaming of Zhou Gong.?
Chapter 80
Chapter 80
WARNING: NSFW
After he cleaned up the kitchen, He Nuo went back to his room to study. But when he saw the conch shell on his table, he thought about how Shi Yan had left in anger. He Nuo wasnt worried that Shi Yan would sever ties with him over this, he just didnt want Shi Yan to return to his college while he was angry. He thought about it for awhile, then took out a writing paper as he nned to write a letter to Shi Yan. Hell mail it out tomorrow morning, then Shi Yan will be able to receive it in 3 days. He believes that once Shi Yan receives this letter, he wouldnt sulk anymore. He had never thought of Shi Yan as an obscene person at all.
He was in the middle of writing when the door to his room was pushed open. He Nuo turned around, it was Shi Yan! He came in with a long face. He Nuo carried the books he had ced on his bed away so that Shi Yan could sit down.
Shi Yan grabbed his arm, Laozi thought about it, so what if Im obscene to you? What right do you have to act innocent after you took advantage of me?
Who said you were obscene? When He Nuo saw how Shi Yan was all puffed up with rage looking like he had just suffered a huge injustice, he thought it seemed very amusing.
You mocked me and you dare say you didnt? And youreughing? Shi Yan could tell that He Nuo was trying to suppress hisughter. Right after he pushed him down onto the bed, his hands got a bit dishonest. He Nuo pushed him away, Dont mess around. In the afternoon his younger brothers werent around, but now they were both next door.
Say it, will you still mock me? Will you still speak that sarcastically?
Ive never mocked you, and I wasnt specifically targeting you either. Its just that I feel like you guys arent cherishing college after squeezing through the crowd on a single-nk bridge1. Everyone calls college students the children of heaven, but look, what have you been learning there?
Shi Yan stopped messing around and put his hands down, then said sternly, I dont do any obscene things at school, I only do them with you. Other people are too dirty for me.
He Nuo couldnt tell how it felt like to hear the words said by such a serious Shi Yan; but knowing that Shi Yan only did those things with him made him feel more happy than anything else. He couldnt imagine Shi Yan being this intimate with anyone else.
But wouldnt it be so disgraceful if other people found out?
I like you, and I like it when you do it for me. What about you?
When he didnt get an answer, Shi Yan continued, Tell me the truth. If you hate it then you hate it, but if you like it then just admit you like it.
I like it, but He Nuo spoke frankly about his feelings, yet he knew that this wasnt a good thing.
If we both like it, then why do you care so much about what other people think? Why do you have so many buts, Shi Yan leaned closer to his ear and licked it with the tip of his tongue, Besides, no one knows.
He Nuo abruptly pushed him away and jumped up, then pretended to tidy up his books to conceal his irregr breathing. Shi Yan chuckled as he walked over and saw the writing paper on the table at a nce. When he picked it up to read, his face was gleaming with joy all because He Nuo actually wrote a few coaxing words in his letter. You must know, whenever He Nuo wrote letters to him, he always sounded like he was writing a work report as he described his life and studies. Shi Yan has never seen any gentle and affectionate words in his letters before.
Youre not done writing?
Yeah, and I wont need to finish it this time. He Nuo wanted to fold the letter up and scrap it.
No, finish writing it for me, then mail it to me. Shi Yan yanked the letter back.
Crazy, havent you read it already?
I havent finished reading it. Im telling you now, finish writing this and mail it to me within three days, got it?
Since tomorrow was a Monday, He Nuo wanted Shi Yan to go back early. Although he couldnt bear to part with him, He Nuo didnt want Shi Yans studies to be affected because of him. He had no strength to resist his intimacy with Shi Yan. He was actually strongly drawn to it, so he epted this secret and privacy that the both of them shared.
He Nuo didnt participate in the g-raising ceremony in the morning because Shi Yan had ran over to his school. They didnt just say goodbye in this short duration of 20 minutes; Shi Yan had forgotten to prepare more healthcare products these past few days, so when his parents prepared another huge pile of clothes and food for himst night, he remembered that the healthcare products he had given He Nuo should be more or less finished by now. Thus, when he was picked up this morning in a car this was Zhou Xiaodongs family car that he and Wang Feng hitched a ride in he made a detour to the school to give He Nuo a huge bag of products.
Two days before New Years Day, He Nuo received Shi Yans New Year greeting card. That was when he noticed that the students around him were sending greeting cards to one another, so he wanted to give Shi Yan one too. But there was a letter in the greeting card Shi Yan said that he would return on the 31st of December which was tomorrow so he wouldnt need to mail the greeting card out. During the party on the afternoon of the 31st, He Nuo looked around frequently. Whenever his ssroom door opened and closed as people entered and left, he would definitely be the first person to nce over. But he hadnt even caught a glimpse of Shi Yans shadow by the time his sses ended. At first he thought that Shi Yan waste, so Shi Yan would definitely go to his house to look for him on the first day of the New Year. But in the end, he was disappointed once again.
After the New Years atmosphere dissipated, He Nuo received Shi Yans letter. It turned out that they didnt return on New Years Day and had gone to their ssmates house to y instead. On the 15th of January, Shi Yan appeared after He Nuo ended his sses without any prior warning, which was when He Nuo found out that his winter vacation had started. He Nuos winter vacation would probably be dyed until the Spring Festival where he would only get a few days of rest, so Shi Yan began to fetch him to and fro in the afternoons and evenings. Once in awhile they would run over to the office to get intimate for a bit before going homete. He Nuo couldnt ovee his shyness, but through these delightful experiences, he gradually learned how to bring pleasure to Shi Yan.
The turning point was a video tape the so-called pornography that has a great impact on teenagers. This was something that Shi Yans buddy had watched first before he rmended it to everyone else excitedly, so they passed it around to watch. As a matter of fact, all of them did praise it fervently after they watched it and talked about how great it was. After Shi Yan picked up He Nuo on a Saturday, they went to the office; he wanted to share good things with He Nuo too. Of course, he knew that it was a porno, but Shi Yan and gang mostly watched R-rated films in the past where the camera wouldnt emphasise, zoom in on and erge any sort of nakedness, so everything was left up to inference.
Shi Yan was hugging He Nuo as they watched it with the volume turned down. As soon as the scene appeared, He Nuo was so surprised he almost cried out, and even Shi Yan was quite surprised too. Then afterwards, they couldnt shift their gaze away. He Nuo never had such an experience, and Shi Yan had never watched something this stimting before. The two of them only watched it for a few minutes before their blood began to boil and the object between their legs swelled up. Shi Yan unzipped his pants first. He took out his member that was protesting against the stuffiness in his pants, then went to liberate He Nuos. They didnt need to say anything before both of them knew what to do for each other, and it didnt take long before they delivered the goods.
He Nuo squeezed his eyes shut as he gasped for breath, while Shi Yan continued to fixate his eyes on the screen. Suddenly, Shi Yans hand that was still on He Nuo exerted some force; He Nuo looked up, and his blood gushed straight up to his head like a flood had suddenly been unleashed from the mountains. The woman on the screen was sandwiched between two men. The camera zoomed in closer and kept showing how this moaning woman was swallowing the mens Yang object from both her front and back. He Nuo could no longer endure such an intense stimtion, so he turned his head away. Shi Yans eyes shone brilliantly with a peculiar glint, as if something had awakened in his memory. His Yang object that had just enjoyed a release was unsatisfied and didnt cease fire like it did in the past. Instead, it got even hungrier and thirstier than before as it roused up once again.
1. Crowd on a single-nk bridge = difficult path?
Chapter 81
Chapter 81
WARNING: NSFW
The memory that Shi Yan had sealed off was unlocked. When he saw the womans physiological organ that defiesmon sense receive the slow, repetitive moments of the mens penises, the memory that Shi Yan had escaped from out of guilt reappeared. Since he wasnt used to the feeling of guilt, he had automatically deleted some of his past memories of inflicting harm, as well as the memory of his climax that had made his soul tremble with joy. This scene opened up Pandoras magic box; the indescribably beautiful experiences he had obtained from that secret ce invaded him like a roaring tide as he watched the camera on rewind. Shi Yans trembling hands went to take He Nuos pants off.
As He Nuoid in Shi Yans embrace, he couldnt help himself from bobbing up and down on the wave of pleasure that Shi Yan had summoned. He felt like a lost boat as he was manipted by Shi Yans kisses, and his pants and clothesnded on the floor one after the other. It was only when he felt the cool leather surface of the sofa on his back when he was alerted to being held and the state of his nakedness. Shi Yan wasnt a veteran who had a lot of experiences under his belt, and he didnt have a plethora of excellent techniques that he could use interchangeably either. Moreover, he was fully applying all the knowledge he had gleaned from his nighttime seminars in college onto He Nuos body. However, even though He Nuo was as nk as a sheet of paper, he wouldnt allow Shi Yan to just write whatever he wanted on him.
Without allowing He Nuos rationality to return, Shi Yan had already removed his clothes before pressing down on him with his warm body. He wasnt just french kissing He Nuo any longer, his hands were also ying with the tiny nipples on his chest. Shi Yans fingers seemed to carry an electrical current all the charges in He Nuos body would concentrate at the ces they touched. His nipples that were originally a light pink had been pinched into a crimson scarlet, and his hard bulge protruded out like a small and delicate gemstone. Shi Yan kissed him along his neck until he reached this ce. He gave love to both sides in turn by biting, rubbing and sucking on them gently. He Nuos slightly cool body that was suffused with a rosy glow broke through its ignition point Shi Yans lower abdomen seemed to be poked by something.
He propped himself up with both his hands, then Shi Yan ced his member that was full of vigour between He Nuos legs and moved it towards his tight space. He Nuos body immediately retreated, and his muscles stiffened up too. His eyes widened in rm, No, dont.
When he knew what Shi Yan was intending to do, He Nuos resistance increased and he anxiously tried to get up. Shi Yan pressed him back down with his body and sucked on his earlobe, then he half pleaded and half cajoled, I want to do it, let me do it ma.
Shi Yan brought all his skills into y as he teased He Nuo: he lovingly caressed He Nuos ears, neck, nipples and his source of happiness. He Nuo finally removed his armour and surrendered when Shi Yan sucked on his earlobe again, Im scared, itll hurt.
The high-spirited Shi Yan said in a gentle voice, Well just be trying it out. Ill do it slowly, and Ill stop if it hurts.
Shi Yan wouldnt be so stupid as to wait for He Nuos nod, of course. He parted his legs and emted what was done in the video by smearing the moist fluid on the tip of his and He Nuos objects, then he rubbed it into that ce before raising his gun to attack. If might have been the fear from his memories or instinct, but the moment Shi Yans gun approached that ce, He Nuos body will move upwards to dodge it. There were a few times when Shi Yan couldnt even get a good grasp on the target that he wanted to insert his member into. The mes of his desire burned fiercely; He Nuos escape had turned into a piranha flower that emitted a seductive saliva anyone who took a whiff of this scent would no longer be able to escape.
He bent over slightly and hugged him so tight that he couldnt retreat anymore, then Shi Yan spared no effort in jerking forward . He Nuo uttered a short ah, but because Shi Yan kissed him, his movements stopped. The tip had gone inpletely, and it was so tight that it was practically suffocating Shi Yan while He Nuos body twitched at the same time. Shi Yan kissed him from his eyes, to his nose, then to his lips. He soothed He Nuo with hisrge hands as he whispered, Its okay, it doesnt hurt anymore, it doesnt hurt.
After He Nuo recovered from the pain and exhaled the breath that had been stuck in his throat, he couldnt help but wrap his arms around Shi Yans back. His lower region had been stretched out by a scorching rod, and even though Shi Yan wasnt moving right now, He Nuo still felt an inexplicable difort.
Its e out, will you? He Nuo was choking back a sob.
It still hurts?
Ufortable, the expansion is ufortable. He Nuos ce shrank a few times as he tried to squeeze the hard object out.
O. Shi Yan had actually been enduring it all this while; his heart really ached for He Nuo, so he had forced himself not to move. But now, he couldnt control himself anymore because of what He Nuo had just done. He hugged his body tight, then charged into battle. After this hit that went all the way in, Shi Yan couldnt stop himself from moving any longer. No matter how much He Nuo was moaning about the pain, Shi Yan couldnt hear him as he was dominated by the fatal pleasure he felt. It was not until he reached the summit before Shi Yan sounded his retreat.
I like you, I like you......... Shi Yan didnt know when he began to repeat these words. The pale-faced He Nuo who revealed a painful look on his face along with Shi Yans gallops gradually heard his words, then he wrapped his arms around Shi Yan. His insides no longer felt a pain that he couldnt endure; being expanded and getting pounded into vigorously which triggered a discement of his internal organs was what really made him ufortable. This ordeal finally ended in a truce after a warm current shot into He Nuos body.
Hended on He Nuos body and gasped for breath. By then, Shi Yans head had cleared up and he anxiously looked at He Nuo.
He Nuo.
He Nuo almost shed tears just a moment ago, but now the corners of his mouth merely twitched.
It hurts? Shi Yan saw his mouth twitch.
Un.
Ille out now?
He Nuo nodded. Shi Yan retreated cautiously. At the moment his entire object slid out, He Nuo uttered a moan, which was apanied by his exhtion. Right afterwards, a cloudy liquid entangled with red threads of silk leaked out. Shi Yan grabbed his clothes and took his handkerchief to ce it underneath, then he walked over to a cab to open one of its drawers and took a roll of toilet paper out. After he scrubbed off all the traces on He Nuos body, Shi Yan covered him with some clothes first before he started cleaning himself up.
He Nuos eyes had always been following him. He was really puzzled as to how this naked Shi Yan could move around in front of him in such a calm manner without any clothes on.
After he put on his shirt and pants, Shi Yan went back to the sofa and held He Nuo up. Once he moved, He Nuo quivered a few times. Shi Yan asked, Does it hurt a lot?
Its okay.
Shi Yan let him lie in his embrace and kissed him, That felt great. He Nuo, I really like you.
He Nuo leaned his head close to Shi Yan. Shi Yan was in a drunken mood after his release, so he didnt see the conflicted tears that trickled down He Nuos cheeks.
He Nuo took a longer time to rest this time, and afterwards it was Shi Yan who helped He Nuo put his clothes on since he couldnt really move about. After he dressed He Nuo, Shi Yan removed all their traces in the office. By the time he sent He Nuo back home, it was already 11pm.
He Nuo couldnt sleep well that night. Part of the reason was because of his bodys difort that forbidden area always seemed to contain Shi Yans thick object as it throbbed with a dull pain from being expanded. But the main reason was because his mind was in a mess. He Nuo couldnt figure out why things were like this. There was no sharp pain, but Shi Yans pounding movements had made him feel deeply humiliated. Yet when he wanted to push him away, he heard the words I like you next to his ear and his hands changed from a push to a wrap around his body, solely because of the warmth that surged through his heart from hearing those words.
You can do something like this as long as you like someone? Then what will happen in the future? Isnt this something you do with girls? Is Shi Yan using me as a recement for a girl? To use me until he gets a girlfriend? While he was thinking of all these, the person lying on another bed was ruminating over the same problems. Of course Shi Yan knew what the normal situation should be, about how he should be embracing a girl to practice those theories, but why did he like to hold He Nuo in his arms? And to enter that kind of ce? Shi Yan imagined how it would be like if the other party was one of his other buddies instead, and he immediately felt an urge to vomit and didnt dare to imagine it any further it was too disgusting. When he changed it to one of the college girls who was trying to ingratiate herself with him, he could somewhat ept the front part, but the moment he tried to
imagine thetter part, he immediately stopped. He thought it would be too dirty.
But the moment he imagined the other party to be He Nuo, Shi Yan could feel the blood in his body start to boil again restlessly; he really wanted to hold him in his arms forever, and especially liked the feeling when he was inside him tight, warm, and it would even wriggle by itself. He was reluctant toe out ah. If it wasnt because He Nuos face looked so pale that it seemed like all colour had been drained from it, Shi Yan wouldnt have withdrawn from him so early. If he could always hold him in his arms like he did tonight, he would want to sleep inside him every night. His affection for He Nuo really dide from the bottom of his heart, and Shi Yan was holding his feelings for He Nuo carefully in both his hands.
When he thought of this, Shi Yan felt particrly excited: thats right, he likes him, so he definitely needs to get into a college in the same city as him. Then they can be together every day. (Never mind his own college, Shi Yan knows that its a lousy school too so itll just be a waste of He Nuos excellent results)
Chapter 82
Chapter 82
In the morning, He Nuo was awoken by the griping pain in his stomach. After his diarrhea, he lied back down on his bed drenched in cold sweat and his pain was mostly relieved. He never even thought that this had anything to do with Shi Yan, and thought that it was due to the cold leftovers he ate after he returned in the middle of the night yesterday.
Shi Yan made an exception and came over in the morning because he had an urgent need to tell He Nuo what he wanted to say. Since it was a Sunday, his younger brothers were at his parents side, so the dispirited He Nuo was reading his books underneath his nket.
When he saw He Nuo on the bed and the look on his face, Shi Yan quickly approached him, Whats wrong? Youre sick again?
The exhaustion on He Nuos face was apparent and his lips were covered in a paleyer of frost how could one say that this was the look of a person who had just woken up? More like a look of someone who barely slept.
Im not. Why would I suddenly fall sick? He Nuo smiled indifferently, but it made him look even more haggard.
Shi Yan sat next to him and nervously touched his head, Youre really okay? But with this one touch, Shi Yan realised that there was something wrong with its heat, You have a fever and you still say youre okay?
It cant be ba, I dont feel it at all though? Is your hand cold cause you just came in? He Nuo did feel slightly ufortable, but this difort was at a whole nother ce, so how could he notice if he was hot or not? He pulled Shi Yans hand over, Your hands quite cold.
Shi Yan ced his forehead against his, then stood up, You definitely have a fever. Do you have a thermometer here?
At my parents side, Ill go get it. He Nuo was about to get off the bed, and before Shi Yan could stop him, Mama He came over. She had brought them some apples that she just washed. Whenever Shi Yan came over, his family would wee him happily. Mama He told Shi Yan not to leave in the afternoon and stay for lunch, and that she would go out to buy some more groceries soon.
Shi Yan told Mama He that He Nuo had a fever and asked for a thermometer, so she quickly went back to bring one over. After he measured He Nuos temperature, he saw that it was 38.3 degrees. It wasnt too high a fever, so Mama He only brought some fever medication and a warm water bottle over as she urged He Nuo to drink more hot water.
After he fed He Nuo his medication, Shi Yan took the books that were in his hands away and asked him to sleep. It was bright out and early in the morning, so He Nuo could barely lie still, let alone sleep. He Nuo wore his coat and went to the toilet in his yard, but not long after, he went again a second time. After he returned, Shi Yan asked if he urinated any blood. He Nuo only felt a slight pain at the start, and knew that it was one of the early signs of hematuria. He didnt want to worry Shi Yan at first and thought of consuming the medication underneath his bed after Shi Yan left. But Shi Yan knew this shoring of his better than He Nuo himself, so he had already guessed every single one of his thoughts. He Nuo told him that there was no blood, just some slight pain.
After Shi Yan fed He Nuo the norfloxacin, he wasnt in a very good mood. When he looked at He Nuo, his heart was filled with both sorrow and worry, as well as tenderness and pity. He Nuo wanted to hide it from Shi Yan in the first ce because he didnt want Shi Yan worry about his health. He knew that just one cough of his would make Shi Yan look like he was facing a formidable enemy; he felt like Shi Yan was protecting him like he would an infant. He Nuos barren heart had already been reimed into an oasis by Shi Yan his new life was irrigated by Shi Yans heart blood, so naturally, their hearts were now connected as they shared weal and woe together.
As he leaned against the bedside, Shi Yanid his head on his own arm, Did you fall sick because ofst night?
For He Nuo, what happened yesterday was both physically and psychologically unpleasant. But he wasnt willing to let Shi Yan bear the burden of his illness, No, that has nothing to do with this at all.
Shi Yan turned around and faced him with a warm gaze, Which college do you n on applying for this year?
I want to go to C College or D College (key colleges).
Anywhere else?
The standard ones? I havent considered the standard ones yet.
You never considered other key colleges? Shi Yan was naturally unhappy.
No, those two colleges are the ones I want to get into the most.
Nice, then I guess we wont see each other for the next few years. Shi Yan vented his discontent in a sarcastic tone. He was upset over how He Nuo never considered him in his future ns at all.
His words had gently reminded He Nuo of that problem. He Nuo has always yearned to get into a college that was as far away from his home as possible, so far away from home had unconsciously be his criteria in selecting his future college. Shi Yans cold words made him remember something: 4 years of separation. And at the same time, He Nuo felt rmed and panicky as he began to consider this issue..
First choice: A College (the key college in the same city as Shi Yan).
I, He Nuo hesitated, he thought it wasnt far enough.
What I? How many times a month do you expect me to take the train? Do you want me to support the Ministry of Railways?
He Nuo hesitated to make ament. Actually, he was thinking about howborious it would be for Shi Yan to look for him if he did go to a faraway ce. However, Shi Yan thought he was unwilling, so he threatened in a malicious voice, If you go to any other college, Laozi wont visit you even once. After he said that, he thought that didnt sound very nice so he immediately changed his tone to a ttering one and coaxed, If you go to A College, Ill go look for you everyday, and Ill apany you all the time just like I did in our third year.
He Nuo didnt know whether tough or cry when he saw Shi Yans amazing face-changing skills, then scolded, You didnt apany me all the time in our third year though? Wasnt it just when we went to school and after school?
Young master, thats cause you were the one who ran to the arts. I chose science after I asked you for your choice.
That was He Nuos fault, so he quickly interrupted, Whos talking about that.
Then are you talking about after school? Didnt I eat with you after school? And slept with you? Shi Yan moved in and hugged He Nuo, Hehe, arent I still sleeping with you now? And Im even apanying you for lunchter.
He Nuo pulled his hands away, You wont be with those buddies of yours anymore? Actually, He Nuo had forcibly changed the word that had reached his lips from girlfriend to buddies.
I promise you that Ill go see you everyday. Shi Yan looked like a puppy who had just seen a bone as he pounced onto He Nuo and acted shamelessly, Go to A College, go there please~ At most Ill just eat with you and sleep with you everyday. Shi Yanughed mischievously.
I wont go. When he saw Shi Yanugh that way, He Nuos first reaction was to reject him, though his heart was filled with tender affection.
Shi Yan immediately withdrew his smile and pulled a long face, Dont even think about going anywhere else aside from A college.
Why? Because you want to do that? He Nuos smile vanished as well.
Shi Yan immediately raised his hand, but he had only waved it for one second before it stopped in mid air. His face flushed red with anger and he clenched his hand into a fist, and he had clenched it so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh. In the end, he smashed his fist onto the bed, Fuck!
He stood up with his back facing the bed. When he closed in on He Nuo again, Shi Yans eyes were zing with two clusters of mes, his breath was in such close proximity that He Nuo could feel it on his face. Shi Yan said in an ominous and heavy tone, In your eyes, do you really see Laozi as a hoodlum? Fuck! Ill tell you this today, A College is your only choice. Laozi doesnt want it to be like these few months where I cant see you no matter how often I thought about you. Then he uttered a few hngs and sneered, Dont worry, I wont touch even one of your fingers!
Chapter 83
Chapter 83
This is how Shi Yan viewed the intimacy between him and He Nuo: he thought that he should be the closest person to He Nuo, and He Nuo was a very important person to him too, so it would be unreasonable for him to have the same kind of intimacy between him and his other buddies, but with He Nuo? It was both logical and reasonable. Although he felt like only he was the one who enjoyed it when he entered he Nuo, He Nuo would usually climax under his hands too, and he did admit that he liked it.
Moreover, when the woman in the videotape epted a man from behind, she had also epted another in front, yet she was climaxing like mad and moaning with so much pleasure she looked like she felt so good she almost died from her sexual pleasure. So Shi Yan thought that He Nuos pain came from his inexperience, which was equivalent to the phenomenon of deflowering a virgin woman that they discussed about in their dormitory. After they did it a few more times, he should be able to taste how good it truly is and desire for more. In any case, the half-assed Sex Bible he learned in college only had this level ofprehension when it came to matters regarding sex.
So in Shi Yans heart, intimacy with He Nuo benefits both sides. At the same time, He Nuos because you want to do that? was like a p in Shi Yans face with just this one sentence, he basically ignored Shi Yans concern for him and how much he missed He Nuo, since he thinks that Shi Yan wants him to get into a college in the same city just so they could do those obscene things. Out of spite, Shi Yan wanted to show him and to prove to him what it was that he really wanted.
Shi Yan propped himself by the edge of the bed with both hands. He Nuo faced him squarely and epted all of the anger, disappointment and ridicule in his eyes.
The moment Shi Yan talked about how he couldnt seen him no matter how often he thought of him, He Nuo knew straight away that Shi Yan didnt want him to stay by his side just because of that reason. After Shi Yan uttered hisst sentence I wont touch even one of your fingers that was filled with ridicule, He Nuo felt both ashamed and upset. When they were filling in their aspirations form for collegest year, stuff like that hadnt happened between them yet, and even then Shi Yan still wanted them to choose colleges that were in the same city. Yet this time, he actually misunderstood him in such a way with his vile heart.
His younger brothers called them to go eat from the outside; most of the dishes were already on the table. Papa He and fifth bro greeted them and asked them to sit. Ever since fourth bro got his transfer, many people started introducing him to prospective marriage partners so he already has a girlfriend now, which was why he wasnt home. After He Nuo sat on the stool, its cool surface made him spring back up, then he furrowed his eyebrows and sat back down again. The swelling down there wasnt too serious, but pressing down on it like this was still more painful than lying down.
Shi Yan cast a nce at him then asked his younger brother, Do you have a cushion?
His younger brother thought that Shi Yan didnt like how cold the stool was, so he got him a cushion. Shi Yan passed it to He Nuo, You have a fever, so its cold when youre sitting ba.
He Nuo thanked him when he epted the cushion and smiled at him, but Shi Yan didnt respond. Instead, he turned around to talk to Papa He and fifth bro. The table was still filled with home-cooked dishes, but there was a little more today, and there were even extra dishes of braised meat and fish as well. Shi Yan very naturally chatted with everyone else and talked about college life with fifth bro. Frankly speaking, Shi Yan seemed more like he was a part of this family, while He Nuo seemed more like the visitor. While Shi Yan was engaging in an animated conversation with the others, he was also paying attention to He Nuo. He realised that he would only pick dishes that were near him to eat and had never even touched the meat dishes.
Shi Yan felt his heart sour and ache. He picked up a lean piece of braised meat and ced it in He Nuos bowl. He remembered that He Nuo mentioned before that he didnt like greasy food, or else he would have picked the fatty part of the meat for him. After their meal, He Nuo was going to clean up the kitchen as usual when his mother told him to go back to his room because he has a fever, and asked them not to care about this ce.
After they returned to the room, Shi Yan flicked the thermometer a few times and asked He Nuo to check his temperature. He Nuo looked at the thermometer he handed over but didnt ept it. Shi Yan waited for awhile, then smiled as he bent over, You want me to do it?
He Nuo didnt say anything, and Shi Yans grin grew wider. He sat next to He Nuo, Ill do it now?
He Nuo craned his neck and looked into his eyes, Didnt you say you wouldnt touch even one of my fingers?
You wish! I wont touch one of your fingers, Ill touch all ten of them. He pulled He Nuo, Come over here! Raise your hand.
He Nuo raised one of his hands, and the thermometer was ced under his armpit. When he looked up again, both of them couldnt keep a straight face any longer. Their eyes met and the two began tough heartily. After they had their fill ofughing, Shi Yan said, Isnt it good to be in the same city as me? Itll be convenient for us to meet, and you can stay in our dorm on the weekends. Ill hug you as we listen to their jokes, theyre really interesting.
Then you wont need to apany your girlfriend in the future? He Nuo still had to ask this question eventually.
Girlfriend? With a young master like you around, how would I have the time to find a girlfriend? I barely have enough time to wait on you.
That was when He Nuo knew that he could only fill in the name of one college on his application form this year.
In the afternoon, He Nuo worked on some problems as he studied. Shi Yan took an afternoon nap before he left and told He Nuo to sleep early that night.
On Monday, although He Nuo still had a slight fever, he didnt think too much of it and went to school. When he returned to his ssroom after the g-raising ceremony, he saw an extra cotton cushion on his seat. He had just thought that it was strange when his ssmate on duty told him that Shi Yan hade over beforehand. He Nuo sat on the soft and warm cushion with a blissful face. When he picked up his textbook for first period, he knocked into a barrel-like thing it was a thermos cup. He opened it and the fragrance of hot milk wafted out of the cup.
Spring Festival was approaching, so his younger brothers had gone back to their grandmothers ce again. He Nuo unintentionally mentioned this to Shi Yan during one afternoon when he came to pick him up after school, so when Shi Yan sent him back at night, he asked He Nuo what time he would be sleeping. He Nuo usually slept around 11pm. Shi Yan told He Nuo to wait at his door around 11pm cause he had something he wanted to give him. He Nuo wasnt going to fall for his mysterious act, so he intended to rest after he washed up at 11pm. However, he couldnt endure his curiosity in the end and put on some clothes to go open his yards door, yet there was nothing at the door. He was about to close the door when he heard someoneughing at the corner of the wall, I thought I would be denied entrance. Shi Yan walked out.
After they entered the room, Shi Yan quickly took his clothes off and slid under the nket. He Nuos eyes almost turned straight from rolling it too hard.
Arent you going to get in? What are you waiting for?
Youre sleeping?
Duh, hurry ande in. Shi Yan lifted a corner of the nket.
After He Nuo uttered an o, he turned the lights off and took his clothes off before getting on his bed. He had just got on when he was hugged against a warm chest. Shi Yan buried his head into He Nuos shoulders and rubbed his nose against it forcefully and sniffed him everywhere.
Are you born in the year of the dog? What are you sniffing?
Trying to tell if you stink or not.
Youre the one who stinks, I just took a bath.
Not stinky, fragrant, hehe. I smell good too, I bathed before I came over. If you dont believe it you can sniff me too.
I wont.
But I want to sniff you. What did you wash just now? Let me check to see if youve washed it thoroughly. His hands seemed to have their own consciousness as they caught it in one go.
Dont mess around, I have to go to school tomorrow.
I know, Im just touching it. Shi Yans hand slipped into He Nuos pants, Sleep. When you wake up call me, I need to sneak back home before my parents wake up.
Shi Yan held He Nuos lifeblood and became restless again. It couldnt help but grow bigger the more he rubbed it, How am I supposed to sleep like this?
Shi Yan used his own that was already upright to bump into He Nuo, Touch mine to sleep.
He Nuo closed his eyes and ignored him. Shi Yan took off his underwear and ced He Nuos hand on it, Touch it ma, it misses you already.
He couldnt help but sumb to Shi Yans sweet nothings. He Nuo agreed to his suggestion of course, but in the end he was naked as well as they rubbed their guns together. He Nuo fired first because Shi Yans technique was a notch better. Shi Yan smeared the serum that He Nuo had shot into his hand onto his own gun and He Nuos secret ce. The best part of the night then began, and after this part was over, it was already 1am. He Nuo was both sleepy and exhausted when he fell asleep, so Shi Yan handled all the clean up by himself. There were still some light bloodstains, and he could see that it was slightly turned out and swollen; his heart ached dearly as he knew that it would be ufortable for him to sit down tomorrow.
Its not that Shi Yan didnt want to be considerate of He Nuo or that his heart didnt ache for him, but all he wanted to do in the middle of the night was to hug him to sleep. Before he went over, he often told himself that all he could do was hug him to sleep, and that he wasnt allowed to do anything else. But the moment his beloved was in his arms, all these reminders vanished without a trace. Whenever he saw He Nuo sleep in his arms thoroughly exhausted, all he felt was regret and self-reproach. However, the situation has improved: during the two times when they did it recently, blood no longer appeared in the semen that flowed out, so Shi Yan finally felt slightlyforted. Fortunately, since his younger brothers werent home during the holidays and his fifth bro liked to sleep in, He Nuos family tend to wake up quitete, so Shi Yan had never been caught by his family. But he did scare his own parents who had seen him return in the morning. However, Shi Yan had already prepared his excuse: he got up early to go out and exercise.
Chapter 84
Chapter 84
Spring Festival arrived just like this, and He Nuo obtained a 10-day vacation. After New Years Eve, He Nuos parents could only go to Zhou Xiaoyus maiden family because their twin sons were still there. So from the second day of the lunar new year onwards, only fourth bro, fifth bro and He Nuo were left at home. His other older brothers all had their own activities and usually returnedte at night.
On Shi Yans side, it was a lively and bustling scene. His family always receives an endless stream of gifts and New Year greetings during this time of the year, and the Spring Festivalsts until the 15th of the first lunar month. Shi Yan had gained quite a lot of benefits. His parents had already began work, so usually, after they made a phone call, Shi Yan would wait for guests at home. These people kindly sprinkled the tall and handsome teenager withpliments, as well as a New Years red packet that showed off their elderly benevolence lucky money1. Thus, Shi Yan managed to make a small windfall.
Shi Yan didnt like to wait for people at home, but the moment they left, that was when he would get really happy. He always picked out things from his gift pile that he thought He Nuo could use, then like a hamster, he would never get tired of carrying all these gifts over the He Nuos house. He Nuo now got a headache whenever he saw hime over with a backpack, and had begun calling him a porter. He begged Shi Yan to quit such aborious job, because He Nuos cab had been filled to the brim with all the healthcare products and snacks that he had brought over. He Nuos sweetints made Shi Yans heart bloom with happiness; he gave He Nuo a carton to ce underneath his bed and continued his job as a porter.
The Lantern Festival is a major event in this city, and a very lively one at that. All the fancynterns in the festival are customized by eachpany, so they all represent the unique characteristics of thepany that crafted them. No enterprise can go without one. Thus, every enterprise participates in the festival with apetitive mindset as they all wanted to win the Chief Lantern award. As for the private participants, they have their separate awards, so there are manyntern enthusiasts who would join as well. Their hand-madenterns are on the smaller side, but they are all incredibly exquisite; they were all covered in either fine and dainty paintings, or cute and charming cartoons. Every year, thentern festival would begin in the afternoon, and because of itsrge scale, most of thenterns could only be hung up with cranes.
Companies were practically emptied out in the afternoon, and the He Nuo who went to school didnt have a night self-study session today. Shi Yan asked him to go to thentern festival together in advance. For this kind of bustling event, it was impossible for Shi Yan to separate from his group of friends, but they were all going to bring their girlfriends along anyway, so He Nuo wouldnt be the only outsider there. Several cars were already parked outside When they arrived at the ce they arranged to meet. Since the streets were crowded with a lot of people, Shi Yan held He Nuos hand tightly the whole time; fortunately, everyone was afraid of being separated in the crowd, so no one thought it was strange.
He Nuo had watched thentern festival from afar before. But he had never wanted to go to the festival alone, and he wasnt used to its crowdedness either, so this was the first time for him to watch thenterns up close. Thus, it was inevitable for him to be a little more interested than the others in the festival. Whenever he bent down to study thenterns mechanisms some could even spew mes out Shi Yan would use his body and arms to block other sightseers from bumping into He Nuo. When the girls who were walking with them saw this, some of them acted coquettish with their boyfriends while others joked about how Shi Yan treated He Nuo like he was his darling. When Shi Yan heard their jest, he didnt think much of it and just smiled, Hes so skinny. If I dont look after him, he might get blown away by the crowd.
He Nuo didnt want to pay attention to what they were saying, and instead looked at all thenterns on the street. Every time he saw one that he thought was so special it made him gasp with admiration, he would point it out to Shi Yan. Shi Yan escorted him like this all the way to the end of thentern exhibition. Since all thenterns were hung along both sides of the road, for the sake of convenience, sightseers would look at all thenterns on one side first, then make a u-turn at the end to see thenterns on the other side. Thus, by the time they reached thestntern, it wasnt as crowded anymore so their group slowed down.
Suddenly, a pleasantly surprised voice could be heard in the crowd, He Nuo! He Nuo!
He Nuo looked up to see where the voice wasing from. Yu Yao was shouting his name as she waved while running over. After He Nuo recognised who she was, he revealed a faint smile as well. A appeared in the middle of Shi Yans eyebrows who was standing next to him. He had never told Yu Yao that He Nuo resumed sses, and didnt tell He Nuo that Yu Yao had inquired about him either. At first, Shi Yan thought that since He Nuo didnt like Yu Yao, there was no need to tell him about it. Afterwards, he just didnt want them to contact each other.
Yu Yao ran over and grabbed both of He Nuos arms, I actually got to see you right after I got home, this is great! I thought it was you from afar, but I wasnt very sure. It was only when I saw Shi Yan that I thought it should be you. She turned around and asked Shi Yan, How did you contact him? You should have found him when you returned during the winter holidays ba?
He Nuo didnt know what the premise for her question was, and didnt put too much thought into it either. He thought she was talking about how Shi Yan went to his school to find him during his holidays, so he answered, He came to school to find me as soon as his holidays began. I only knew that winter vacation started when I saw him after school.
Shi Yans buddies approached them. Yu Yao was quite familiar with them, so they all asked one another about their life during the winter holidays. After Yu Yaos vacation started, she went to her grandmothers ce immediately and waited for her parents there to celebrate the festival together.
They chatted as they walked and blended into the crowd once again. Yu Yao openly held He Nuos arms, and saw that He Nuo seemed embarrassed so she spoke as if nothing was wrong, There are so many people. If I dont hold onto you, we might end up losing our way in this crowd.
He Nuo sneaked a peek at Shi Yan and didnt see any abnormal signs from him, so he allowed Yu Yao to hold onto him. Shi Yan continued to hold onto one of He Nuos hands as tightly as usual. They finished looking through thenterns on this side incredibly quick, Shi Yan didnt really allow them to stop very often this time. Yu Yao and He Nuo chatted along the way; when she knew that He Nuo had gone back to school, she was sincerely happy for him and even offered him some encouragement for the college entrance examination this year. Yu Yao even talked about how she had asked Shi Yan to find out about his whereabouts sincest years National Day, but she had never known that He Nuo actually went back to school. He Nuo looked at Shi Yan in surprise for a moment, while the other party merely raised his eyebrow.
When He Nuo and Shi Yan looked at each other like that, doubts emerged in Yu Yaos heart. She pretended not to care much as she asked He Nuo when Shi Yan contacted him. The He Nuo who wasnt good at lying had the night as his cover, his face wasnt flushed red but he was humming and hawing. Yu Yao thus returned to the more casual topics of thenterns and his school life.
During New Years, I bought a really beautiful greeting card for you. I wanted to get Shi Yan to bring it back for you at first, but I couldnt find him when I went to his college. Did he return before New Years Day?
He went to his friends house and didnte back. When He Nuo answered, his hand that was being held by Shi Yan hurt a bit from the sudden pressure in his grip.
Shi Yan enunciated, Idiot!
When he saw Shi Yan and Yu Yaos unyielding gazes, He Nuo knew that he had been tricked by Yu Yao.
1. Red packet money~?
Chapter 85
Chapter 85
WARNING: NSFW
Usually, after people finished watching thentern exhibition, they would go to the square to wait for the fireworks. But Shi Yan said that He Nuo still had lessons the next day, so he wanted to send him home in advance.
Yu Yao saw that it wasnt even 9pm yet, so she asked He Nuo to go back a littleter. Shi Yan insisted that He Nuo hadnt finished his homework yet and he needed to go home toplete it. Yu Yao was originally angry about how Shi Yan deliberately withheld information from both sides, so this time she took advantage of her status as a girl and held onto He Nuo without letting go, Stay a little longer ba, we havent seen in each other for long. Do you have something against me, so you want to run away after we only spoke to each other for such a short while? The moment I got home today, I was even thinking of going to your house tomorrow to ask your family about you.
I really do need to go back to do my homework. There are still revision papers left iplete, and itll be Sunday the day after tomorrow. Lets talk again then.
Shi Yan had already brought his bike over, Get on, what are you dilly dallying for?!
He Nuo smiled apologetically to Yu Yao, then walked towards Shi Yan.
Done sticking to her? Shi Yan thought that He Nuos silence on their way back meant that he was throwing a tantrum, so he was unhappy too.
He Nuo didnt answer him.
Dont you have any questions for me? Why arent you asking me any?
Theres no need to ask.
O?
You dont like her because she was the cause of our fight. If someone else made us quarrel, I wouldnt like that person either.
Shi Yan was quite satisfied with He Nuos answer, but He Nuo immediately continued, But, Yu Yaos a very good person. Shes the only deskmate of mine who was willing to be my friend.
I thought you didnt like her and had nothing to do with her?
Of course its not that kind of like, but shes a really good person.
What kind of good? Why dont I know about it?
She has a very candid personality just like a guy and shes very loyal too. There was once when our ssmates........ He Nuo and Yu Yao were deskmates for a year and got along very well. After he knew that Yu Yao had tried to find him, of course he would hope that this friendship of theirs could continue. He had never been the type to initiate a friendship, so he didnt really have any friends, so it was rare for someone to take the initiative to befriend him and for them to actually develop a bond. Thus, he naturally only saw the good in Yu Yao.
The purpose behind him describing Yu Yaos personality was to get Shi Yan to ept her as his friend.
Shi Yan listened to him properly, but didnt say anything. When they reached He Nuos house, he told He Nuo that he would go over that night. He Nuo thought that it would be better for him toe back tomorrow on a Saturday night since he had no sses on Sunday.
Go in, cut the crap, Ill definitelye over tonight.
Shi Yan went back to join his buddies with a bellyful of anger. When he had seen that eyesore Yu Yao disturb thentern festival they they were enjoying, he had already been quite upset, but after he heard He Nuos evaluation of her, she became even more unpleasant to his eyes. So when these two people were watching fireworks, they kept engaging in heated verbal debates and sneered at each other coldly.
Yu Yao had already found out that Shi Yan contacted He Nuo a long time ago from one of his buddies girlfriends. Yu Yao thought that Shi Yan was extremely despicable. Although she had dated him for a short period of time before, that couldnt be considered a rtionship at all. Shi Yan must be feeling ufortable about that, so he was trying to stop her from developing a rtionship with his good friend. When Yu Yao looked back at her past with Shi Yan, the only good thing about it was that it had allowed her to befriend He Nuo. Within the year that they were together as deskmates, she had also seen how bright this unrefined jade could shine, so she began to admire and adore him. Even though there was no love between her and He Nuo, it didnt mean that they couldnt be good friends and confidants with each other.
Yu Yao med Shi Yan for his underhandedness, while Shi Yan retorted with a clear voice, He just resumed sses, he has no time for anything aside from his studies. Dont distract him with all those filthy thoughts. Isnt it enough for you to have harmed him once? Do you still want him to repeat another year?
Shut your crow mouth1, he wont repeat another year. And dont malign me, when did I ever harm him?
Shi Yan had just mentioned it in passing, but now that Yu Yao asked about it, he began to think that if he hadnt seen this slut at He Nuos housest year, he wouldnt have treated He Nuo so forcefully, then he wouldnt have fallen sick, and wouldnt have failed, or be a temporary worker...when he thought of all the suffering that He Nuo had to endure, the phrase new grievances rose before old grievances could end came true here the root cause of all these problems was this scourge. The consequences of that incident were too severe; Shi Yan couldnt bear them so he chose to escape, but now he could transfer it somece else. Shi Yan had finally found the perpetrator Yu Yao! She not only harmed He Nuo, even what he had done to He Nuo...was all because of her.
The fact that he had personally hurt He Nuo and caused a grave aftermath was a responsibility that he couldnt face. Today, this guilt and self-reproach had found a high-sounding but grant reason, so he immediately felt like stopping them from contacting each other was definitely the right choice. When he spoke, he no longer felt guilty either, Hes in his third year, he doesnt have the time for an early rtionship2. Dont harass him.
Yu Yao felt both embarrassed and resentful. She red at Shi Yan, Who said that looking for him constitutes as an early rtionship?! Hes my deskmate, and my good friend! Do you think everyone is like you who only has such dirty thoughts on your mind?
You didnt pursue him? Then where did the love beanse from?
You, Yu Yao was angered to the extremes, even the colour of her face had changed, You cant care about that!
Hes under my care!
Shi Yan you bastard, if it wasnt because I had trusted you, I would have asked someone else about his whereabouts a long time ago, hen I would have been able to find him much sooner. Ill go to He Nuos school tomorrow and tell him how despicable you really are!
Yu Yao stomped off in anger. Shi Yans buddies were thoroughly amused after they heard their conversation. Someone walked up to him and asked, You still like her? And youre still teasing her like this?
Shi Yan pretended to puke, Dont disgust me, will you? Even if you gave that bitch to me for free I still wouldnt want her.
Then why are you so angry at her? I thought you wanted to get back with her again.
I dont want her to seduce He Nuo. That guys in his third year, itll influence his studies.
After Shi Yan took He Nuo once at night, He Nuo waited for him to clean up as usual. Shi Yan refused toe out for a long while, so He Nuo drowsily fell asleep. At this moment, Shi Yan asked him, Do you like Yu Yao?
Like her. He said wearily. Of course he liked her, or else they wouldnt be friends.
But when Shi Yan heard those two words, that wasnt what he was thinking. He abruptly flipped over the He Nuo whose back was resting against him and pressed him underneath his body, then he pulled out.
He Nuo thought that he wanted toe out, but right when hisrge and round moist tip was about to leave, he pounded right back in like he was a charging vanguard; He Nuo cried out uncontrobly.
He hadnt even spoke when Shi Yans offense had swayed the boat on the huge waves in He Nuos body; the winds blew harshly and the waves were massive, like a tsunami that could sweep away everything in its way and He Nuo was thus swallowed up just like this. He didnt know how much time had passed all He Nuo could see was a silhouette in the darkness in front of him. He lost control of his body as he was taken by Shi Yan in this downpour while they drifted amongst the fierce gales and stormy seas.
No, no more.......
Do you like Yu Yao?
Un? Actually his short-circuited brain didnt know what he had heard, or what his answer was.
Do you like Yu Yao? Even though this was such an intimate moment for them, that voice sounded like it had just crawled out of hell and brought with it a frosty chill on this cold night.
His mind was in a chaotic mess, but because of this chill, he instinctively replied, Dont like her.
Hng. Shi Yan exhaled angrily. His hands went underneath He Nuos waist and pulled him up, which made He Nuo bend his knees and raise his hips this way, he could enter even deeper into He Nuo which made He Nuo cry out, No, no more, no more.....
Do you like Yu Yao?
Dont like, dont like her... He Nuo kept shaking his head.
1. Crow mouth = someone whos talking about unlucky things?
2. In China(?) they often use the term early rtionship to refer to rtionships that ur before they get into uni, and its generally frowned upon for students to date so....early....... lmao?
Chapter 86
Chapter 86
When Shi Yan shot in, He Nuos body that was leaning on Shi Yan had to rely on Shi Yans tight grip around him to not copse. Shi Yan didnt press him down, and instead leaned on one side while they were still connected and allowed He Nuo to lean into his embrace. After He Nuo finished gasping for breath, he instantly fell silent as if he had drifted off into a deep sleep. One of Shi Yans arms acted as He Nuos pillow while his other hand was still caressing his body tenderly. Shi Yan kissed the back of his neck with ardent love, and the half-asleep He Nuo wriggled in difort as he wanted to leave the ce where they were linked up.
Shi Yan pressed down on his belly so that he would move backwards, while he jerked slightly forward at the same time. He said next to He Nuos ear, We fought because of Yu Yao; you had to resume sses because of Yu Yao too. Youre not allowed to see her anymore, got that?
He Nuo was so exhausted he almost copsed, yet Shi Yan was like a starving beast tonight and seemed to have stayed inside him for an indefinite period of time. He still wasnt willing to let go of his body right now, and his behind hurt with a scorching pain, so he couldnt hear what Shi Yan was saying and ended up just uttering uns to cate him.
After Shi Yan finished saying what he wanted to say, he asked He Nuo, Who made us fight?
He Nuo waspletely silent and had long gone to meet Zhou gong.
How could Shi Yan be willing to be neglected? He med all of the resentment that had piled up within him this evening and Yu Yaos challenge before she left on He Nuo. It was obviously Yu Yao who had harmed He Nuo, yet He Nuo still treated her like the good person, and said she was his friend. He even said that he liked her! Shi Yan had already sentenced Yu Yao to death, so how could he allow He Nuo to remember her good points?
The mes of anger that began zing again in Shi Yan raged as strongly as his mes of desire. Heid He Nuo t and raised both his legs, then slid into the small hole where semen was still leaking from. The He Nuo who had barely entered dreand for an hour was flung up into the air while he was still in a deep slumber; he was pushed to the tip of the waves before instantly plunging into the bottom of a ravine. His heart was in a trance as he couldnt find a good footing. The huge and thick iron rod in the opening below was scorching hot as it pounded him time and time again, and each time it drove in a pain would pierce through his heart.
Dont, it hurts, dont. He Nuo waved his hands around as he tried to grab the figure on top of him that was moving up and down.
Shi Yan held his hand and pulled him close this way, the position they were in would make the impacts faster, stronger and deeper. Underneath the series of impacts that felt like thousands of waves were crashing down on him, He Nuo sobbed, Dont, Shi Yan, dont, ah! Ahh!
Who made us fight?
Ah, dont.
Who made us fight?
Wuwu, its ufortable, ah!
Tell me. It wont be ufortable once you tell me. Shi Yan stubbornly refused to let go of him.
Say, say what? Tears were trickling out of He Nuos eyes.
Who made us fight?
Who? Who made us fight? I, I dont know. We, were not fighting.
Yu Yao made us fight, got it?
Yu Yao made us fight, got it.
Do you remember that?
Remember, I remember, ah! He Nuo suddenly cried out, Please, Im begging you, Shi Yan, it hurts, ahh! Shi Yan, Shi Yan.......
After Shi Yan got what he wanted, of course he was satisfied. He embraced He Nuo up and patted his back with both his hands, He Nuo, He Nuo.
He Nuo ced both his arms around Shi Yans neck. He couldnt even support his head as he leaned on his corbones and sobbed, Shi Yan, Shi Yan........
The dampness he felt on his corbone made Shi Yans heart ache. He kissed He Nuo and put his arms around his waist, thenid him back down when he was about to climax. He shot into the depths of He Nuos body for the third time; He Nuos whole body trembled as if he had just been drenched in hot water and he looked like he was about to fall apart.
Shi Yan gently turned him over toy on his chest; his thin body was trembling nonstop in his embrace. That was when Shi Yan felt like he had gone a bit too far. He had a weak body, so it probably couldnt withstand doing it this many times.
When he was cleaning up, Shi Yan admitted that he didnt just go a bit too far, but he had gone way too far. He Nuo didnt even have enough strength to close his legs back, his two jade white legs would convulse from time to time so he could see the gap that had swallowed his member at one nce. The delicate flesh that was turned out glistened and swelled up so much it was protruding out; the secret hole was like a babys mouth tender and pursed with a bulge. Because of the blockage of the swelling, not a lot of semen flowed out, but it did have a lot of bright red bloodstains.
When Shi Yan was wiping him down, He Nuo frowned and tried to stifle his groans or rather, he was squeezing his eyes shut while he bit down on his lips. Under the illumination of the tablemp, endless tears could be seen hanging from his eyshes. His face was ghastly pale and his forehead, face and body was drenched in sweat. Luckily, the twins werent at home so He Nuo was the only one on this side, thus Shi Yan could go to the yards kitchen to get a bottle of hot water for He Nuo and wipe him down twice with it.
He Nuo was drenched in cold sweat at first. After Shi Yan cleaned him up with hot water, goosebumps immediately raised up on his exposed skin and He Nuo shivered a few times. Soon after, he raised his head slightly and sneezed, then fell back onto his pillow. Shi Yans eyes were already bloodshot, his baby doll had been maltreated until it broke into pieces. A stream of cloudy liquid mixed with blood flowed out again from the ce between He Nuos spread out legs because of his sneeze. Shi Yan felt both shame and guilt as he covered him with his nket, then he continued to clean him up underneath this nket.
When Shi Yan went back to the bed to hug this person to his chest, the body in his embrace was still icy cold. He Nuo had to rely on Shi Yans hands to close his legs, then he shrunk into Shi Yans embrace to seek its warmth. Shi Yan rubbed He Nuos hands as well, and he got a start when his feet touched the two blocks of ice below. Shi Yan got up and ced He Nuos legs on his own calves they could only be described with the term icy!
Shi Yan was both heartbroken and remorseful this time, but the person before his eyes was in urgent need of some rest. When he looked at his watch just now, he saw that it was already about 4am, so this wasnt the right time to say anything. The most important thing at hand was to let He Nuo sleep first. After Shi Yan felt like his breathing turned regr again, he gradually became sleepy. Shi Yan didnt know how long he slept before he was startled awake; he felt like he was hugging a heating stove which baked Shi Yan into sweating all over. The breaths that He Nuo exhaled was burning Shi Yans chest.
Shi Yan jumped off the bed and found He Nuos medications with ease. He took out all the fever and inmmation medication, then boiled some water and filled two cups with it while he anxiously looked at the crimson-faced He Nuo on the bed. After he tested the temperature of the water and deemed it okay, Shi Yan went to prop He Nuo up and cradled him gently, He Nuo, He Nuo.
He Nuo opened his eyes in a daze, but before he could see his surroundings clearly, he closed them shut again. Shi Yan could only let him lean on his body while he took the water and medication over, You have a fever. Sleep after you take your medicine, un, take these.
He Nuo himself felt suffocated by the heat, but Shi Yans body was cool and pleasant so he grabbed Shi Yan and stuck close to him as he nudged into his embrace. Shi Yan struggled to bnce the cup in his hand and looked at him with an amused expression his face looked both gentle and distressed. In the end, he put the cup back down first to restrain him, Take your medicine first, un, after you take your medicine Ill hug you to sleep. Once you have a good rest it wont be ufortable anymore.
Chapter 87
Chapter 87
After he finally fed He Nuo his medication, Shi Yan hugged him and didnt dare to fall asleep. He thought that he would probably need to help He Nuo apply for leave today. The handkerchief used to wipe his sweat off was thoroughly drenched, and Shi Yan still needed to stop him from struggling to lift the quilt because he felt hot. After half an hour, He Nuo moved around again so Shi Yans arm that was around his waist hugged him tighter. But He Nuo spoke in an iparably hoarse voice, I want to pee.
The toilet was located in the yard, so He Nuo would have to wear his clothes to go out. Fearing that He Nuos fever would worsen if he had to endure the cold winds while sweating so much, Shi Yan didnt want him to leave. He turned on the lights and looked around. Only two cups could serve as containers. He took one of them and passed it to He Nuo. When He Nuo understood his intention, he felt so angry that he red at him with eyes that had turned bloodshot from his fever, refusing to settle his business in the cup. He struggled to put his pants on, so Shi Yan could only help him wear them. After he stood up, He Nuo couldnt support his own weight and fell back onto his bed, then immediately sprang back up with a pained expression. Shi Yan propped him up, making him lean in his embrace before they left the room.
After they entered the toilet, He Nuo didnt have time to chase Shi Yan out before he hurriedly untied his trousers and released a golden yellow stream. Within a few seconds, He Nuo uttered a nasal hng and Shi Yan quickly supported him. He felt the body in his hands tremble, and, when he saw the urinal, a bloody scene entered his line of sight. He Nuo leaned against Shi Yan, his blood had stained the entire urinal. Shi Yans scalp tingled. After he saw He Nuo urinate blood with his own eyes, the visual stimtion had thoroughly shocked him. Even when He Nuo pulled down on the rope to flush the toilet, Shi Yans gaze still couldnt leave the blood-red eddy of water.
Looking at the dazed Shi Yan, He Nuo knew that this must have frightened him. Actually, He Nuos sudden urge to pee had woken him up, and this kind of urge that came out of nowhere was usually the first sign of his hematuria. He lifted his hand as he wanted tofort Shi Yan, but he didnt even have the strength to raise it all the way so it ended up plopping onto Shi Yans hand, Its okay, itll go away after I take some medicine.
Shi Yan was still bewildered. He was walking like a robot as he carried He Nuo back to his room. Shi Yan ced He Nuo on the bed, then took his clothes off, found his medication, poured him a cup of water, and fed him his medication hepleted this set of procedures very carefully with smooth movements. After He Nuo lied down on his side, Shi Yan sat at the edge of the bed and his hand slid underneath the nket to hold He Nuos hand. The intense pain from his urethra had already dispelled He Nuos sleepiness. Shi Yan remained silent as he watched He Nuo with an extremely gloomy expression on his face; his gaze was filled with self-reproach, anxiety and pain.
It hurts a lot. The hand that Shi Yan held was damp, while his other hand was still wiping the cold sweat off He Nuos forehead.
Dont worry, itll get much better after I take some medicine. He Nuo said at the same time, and these words made Shi Yans heart twist like the fried dough twists1 sold on the streets. He buried his head in the nket to force back the tears that were welling up in his eyes.
He Nuo ced his hand on Shi Yans to try and soothe him, Look at what time it is, go back ba. Or else theyll see you.
Shi Yan looked up, Ill apany you. Im not going back. My parents will just think that Im still sleeping anyway, so they wont go to my room to wake me up. And even if they dont see me at home, theyll just think that I went out for a run. I always flip my nket over beforeing over.
He Nuo didnt know much about Shi Yans family, but he never heard of any trouble that was caused by him sneaking out at night so he was relieved. As for his family though, how should they exin it to them? His family will be up in awhile, and when they see that Shi Yan is here this early, they wouldnt have a single reason they could use to exin it. So He Nuo didnt want his family to bump into him.
I may have to apply for leave today.
Of course. You need to rest, you cant go anywhere.
Then can you help me apply for leave?
Ill goter.
He Nuo struggled to get up again, Shi Yan pressed down on the edges of the nket, What do you want? Ill get it!
I still want to pee.
The both of them understood this symptom. He Nuo would definitely have to make trips once in awhile from now on. Shi Yan took a cup over and pleaded, Dont torture yourself outside anymore. If you keep taking off and putting on your clothes as you walk in and out, your fever will get worse.
He Nuo hesitated. This wasnt the first or second him he suffered from hematuria, so he was familiar with its every symptom a long time ago. With this kind of urge that hit him with full force this time, it was already considered quite an achievement for him to be able to endure it for five minutes before making a trip to the toilet. His whole body felt limp, and it really took him a lot of effort just to stand up. He Nuo took the cup and his back faced Shi Yan. Only a few minutes had passed, so it was impossible for there to be much urine it only filled up the cup until a height of about one centimetre. But after he squeezed the intermittent patter out, his pain made his whole body sweat again. He Nuo squeezed his mouth tight so that he wouldnt let out any groans, but when he took the cup out all the veins on his hand could be seen to have popped out.
Shi Yan took the cup filled with bright red liquid, then supported He Nuo to lie down on the bed. He Nuos eyebrows were furrowed. After this wave of sharp pain subsided, he persuaded Shi Yan to go back first with his hoarse voice, then asked him toe back after his family members went to work. He Nuo passed the gate keys to Shi Yan and told him that everyone would have gone to work by 7.30am and his fifth bro would be sleeping in, so he can open the yard door ande in by himselfter. Shi Yan thought about it, then instructed him to not go to the toilet outside. He ced the cup at the bottom of the bed where He Nuos hand could reach before he left.
Shi Yan left because there were a lot of matters he had to arrange. When he got home, he called Wang Feng and asked him to get up quickly. He wanted to take He Nuo to the hospitalter, and Wang Feng was familiar with the hospital so he wanted him to arrange this trip for them. After Wang Feng heard that He Nuos hematuria had rpsed, he was quite concerned too so he told Shi Yan that he would be waiting for them at the hospitals entrance at 7.30am. Afterwards, Shi Yan went to look for his thick coat, hat, scarf and gloves, then took out all his lucky money as well. Shi Yan went to the school to help He Nuo apply for leave before he went straight to Wang Fengs house. Wang Feng had nned to follow his mother (doctor) along to work, but since Shi Yan came over, he decided that he might as well apany Shi Yan to go pick He Nuo up.
It was Wang Fengs first time at He Nuos house, so he was casually ncing around when he was stunned by the cup of urine and blood mixture that Shi Yan had taken out from underneath the bed. On the one hand, Shi Yan wanted to see how much urine there was, and on the other hand, he nned to bring it along with them to the hospital. He Nuo had already told his family in the morning that he had a fever and wanted to rest for a day. His parents asked him about his condition and he told them that he had already taken some medication, but he was currently sweating from the fever so he wanted to apply for leave. His parents didnt say much else other than their usual exhortations to drink more warm water and to cover himself with a thicker nket.
Now that Shi Yan brought Wang Feng over and said that he wanted to bring him to the hospital, He Nuo was dead on insisting that he wouldnt go. He Nuo thought that his high fever and hematuria had to do with Shi Yans abnormality yesterday; he was afraid that the doctor would be able to tell, and his secret ce was still swollen and in pain. He couldnt even lie down on his bed or sit down properly, so how could he go see a doctor now?
Shi Yan tried every possible way to persuade He Nuo. While he looked at how He Nuo absolutely refused to get up and put on his clothes after all the coaxing and pleading that Shi Yan was doing, Wang Feng couldnt understand why He Nuo was so afraid of going to the hospital like a little kid. He said that he was already this old, so wouldnt it be rather amusing if he was still afraid of injections and taking some medication. But, Wang Feng couldnt help but persuade him along with Shi Yan, and told himfortingly that he may not necessarily need an injection. If he wasnt willing, he could try his best to guarantee that all he needed to do was take some medication. He Nuo wanted to say something, but faltered, then looked at Shi Yan with a sad look in his eyes. Shi Yan asked Wang Feng to stay outside the room for awhile, then he held He Nuo in his arms, Youre so sick now, so you have to go. Dont be scared, Ill apany you by your side at all times while were at the hospital.
Im not afraid of injections, or medicine.
Then why dont you want to go?
If the doctor takes a look at me, then wont they know what we did? That ce will be discovered.
Shi Yan was stunned. He really didnt consider that problem. He went out and talked to Wang Feng for a moment before he returned, They wont do any check-ups for you. Well just do some blood and urine tests first to see how we can cure your hematuria, we wont check anything else.
So just like that, He Nuo was wrapped up in Shi Yans thick coat and wore Shi Yans hat, scarf and gloves as well. Shi Yan carried He Nuo as heid him on the crossbeam of his bicycle this position wouldnt touch his wound at the back, and He Nuo could lean on his body like this during the ride as well. Then the three of them made their way to the hospital.
Chapter 88
Chapter 88
With Wang Feng around, it was much more convenient for them at the hospital. His mother was the director of the Department of Internal Medicine, so almost all of the doctors in the Internal Medicine Department knew who he was. He Nuo took a blood test and a urine test, but he wasnt even willing to use a thermometer. When his front and back was being checked with a stethoscope, the doctor had to reach underneath his clothes to do it because he wasnt willing to take his clothes off. The doctor even joked about how shy a big boy like him was.
After all the tests came back, the doctor turned stern and reviewed He Nuos medical history. He asked He Nuo many questions, and especially inquired about the events that urred right before and after his first hematuria in detail. He Nuo wasnt willing to talk about it in front of Shi Yan, so he asked Shi Yan and the rest to wait for him outside. After that, He Nuo told the doctor that the earliest cause was probably the cold weather; he recounted the piercingly cold snow in his memories, his legs that were so badly frozen it went numb and how two of his toe nails had even been frozen off.
Internal 2 and Internal 3 were linked. Shi Yan and Wang Feng stood behind the screen of Internal 2 as they listened to He Nuos calm narration of his condition. Wang Feng himself couldnt stay calm, but when he looked at Shi Yan, a chill suddenly surged through his heart. He quickly pushed him, Go to my mums office and give Ah Song (Qiu Linsong) a call. Prescribe all the medicine for He Nuoter under his familys name ba, his mum is in charge of the reimbursement of medical fees in the finance department.
Shi Yan left, because he understood his friends intentions, and because he would definitely get He Nuo to tell him the truth about his life in the vige. Thus, he plodded towards the office. When he returned, He Nuo had gone to the toilet again while Wang Feng was waiting for the doctor to prescribe He Nuos medication. He was filling in the patients name and unit now. Shi Yan told the doctor about Qiu Linsongs mothers name andpany, then he wrote the amount to be paid on the prescription and took the medicine.
Wang Feng brought He Nuo to the ward in the inpatient department that his mother was in charge of. Mama Wang had arranged an empty ward for He Nuo. The original outpatient doctor asked him to stay in the hospital for further treatment, but He Nuo refused. If he stayed in the hospital, his parents would be rmed and his studies would be dyed too. So after Wang Feng discussed it with the doctor, they prescribed him all the medicine for his infusions first, then he would undergo the infusion in his mothers ward every day from now on. Shi Yan brought the medicine over, then Mama Wang brought it to the nurses station to ount for it. But He Nuo wasnt in the ward he had gone to the toilet again. Shi Yan met the He Nuo who was walking back slowly in the corridor.
When He Nuo saw how everyone was revolving around him as they served him like this, he felt extremely uneasy and perturbed. Shi Yan took off his thick coat and helped him lie down on his side, then took off He Nuos shoes for him. When he realised that Shi Yan was taking care of him like this in front of Wang Feng, he wanted to get up in a rush to do all of it by himself. Shi Yan pressed him back down before turning around to say to Wang Feng, Get a bottle over ba. If he goes out again after hes taken his clothes off, hell catch a cold again.
Wang Feng had already thought of that just now, but he was afraid that He Nuo would be embarrassed so he didnt mention it. And now, he went out to get a bottle.
The nurse came over rather quickly and was holding a skin test needle apparently there would penicillin in the solution1. Shi Yan didnt bother to look at it just now, but now he was looking at He Nuos medical report. There were a bunch of illegible words written on it in a handwriting unique to that of doctors, but he could vaguely discern it: acute urinary tract infection. Shi Yan walked over to Wang Feng and suppressed his voice to ask, You did the diagnosis?
Im not a doctor. Wang Feng said awkwardly, but Shi Yan kept staring at him so he had to continue, The doctor said that the treatment is all the same, we need to stop the bleeding first.
After the nurse went out, Qiu Linsong actually came in. He looked at He Nuo who had half his sleeve rolled up as he waited for the reaction of the skin test, then looked at He Nuo, Wasnt he finest night? He needs to be on a drip for a fever? How high is his fever?
Why are you here? Wang Feng interrupted.
San Ges phone call woke me up, so I decided that I might as well get up. I came over after I had a quick meal.
You managed to grab a bite? We havent even eaten yet.
After he mentioned that, Shi Yan remembered that he and Wang Feng havent had breakfast, and He Nuo wouldnt have eaten anything yet either. So they had to go out to buy some food. Qiu Linsong and Wang Feng left, so Shi Yan was the only one left to apany He Nuo. This was mainly because Wang Feng wanted to remind Ah Song not to ask about He Nuos illness.
By the time they returned, He Nuos drip had been set up and he was on a small drip bottle of infusion. There was still one big bottle and one small bottle ced at the side. They bought some buns and porridge back, while Qiu Linsong had also bought two cans of pears and peaches for He Nuo he only heard about He Nuos hematuria from Wang Fengs recount not too long ago, and he felt truly upset for He Nuo. As he was lying on his side with a needle in his hand, He Nuo could only let Shi Yan feed him the buns. But the delicious meat buns that made the Qiu Linsong who had already eaten pack two more back, was found hard to swallow by He Nuo. He wasnt used to its kind of greasiness still, so after he ate half of it, he couldnt finish the rest. Shi Yan thought of separating the buns skin from its meat filling, then feed him some porridge with just the skin.
In the afternoon, these people didnt go home. Shi Yan went to He Nuos house to tell his parents that in order to get rid of his fever as soon as possible, he was on a drip in his friends mothers ward. He Pa and He Pa said they wanted to pack some food and deliver it to him but Shi Yan used the excuse of how his friends mother had already bought food for him in the hospitals canteen to reject them. The He family was very grateful to him of course. Shi Yan asked them not to worry, and that he would send He Nuo back after his injection. Their lunch came from the hostel in Shi Yans fatherspany, and it was quite good.
The three bottles of infusion drips were only done around 2pm, but it did show an immediate effect. He Nuos urination frequency was greatly reduced, and the colour of his blood was much lighter now. He didnt appear as wilted as he was before he came to the hospital either. Shi Yan went home with He Nuo, but they hadnt stayed at his house for too long before Shi Yans sworn enemy, Yu Yao, came.
Yu Yao originally thought that her conflict with Shi Yan would escte, but she discovered that Shi Yan was much quieter today. He would often get some hot water for He Nuo to drink, and didnt shoot her fierce looks anymore. He Nuoid on his pillow as he half-leaned against his beds headboard, while Shi Yan whispered to him gently to ask if he wanted to turn over. Yu Yao had praised Shi Yan for how well he treated He Nuo in their third year, but she never thought that he could be this meticulous in his care. When He Nuo was turning over, Shi Yan asked her to help him turn his pillow in the other direction, Yu Yaos eyes widened as she stared at him: Shi Yan held He Nuo in his arms as he turned him over, who did so while half his body relied on Shi Yan. He Nuo and Shi Yan had never had an ordinary rtionship, and he was this sick now too. Yu Yao tried to convince herself with these exnations, but she still thought that there was something strange about them.
After the He couple came back after work, Mama He asked He Nuo what he wanted to eat and said that she would specially make noodles for him at night with two extra eggs in it. Before dinner, Shi Yan left with Yu Yao. On their way back, Shi Yan didnt talk much as usual, so Yu Yao found a topic naturally it was about how He Nuo had a weak constitution and must have caught a coldst night. Shi Yan rode his bike side by side with her, and after he heard her talk for awhile, he simply answered, Im the one who made him fall sick again.
Yu Yao didnt know if she was being too sensitive or not, but those few words seemed to contain a boundless amount of pain. If the party involved wasnt He Nuo, Yu Yao would have thought that he was just making a mountain out of a molehill, who wouldnt get a headache or a fever once in awhile? Compared to He Nuos illness throughout an entire winter before, how bad can a fever be? Why does Shi Yan look like the sky was about to copse? This deste look of his really didnt fit his style. To be fair, Shi Yan has always possessed a haughty demeanour and never cared about how high the mountains or how deep the waters were when he insisted on travelling through them. This was the first time for her to see Shi Yans whole body covered in ayer of dust he looked so weary and pitiful, and she really wasnt used to seeing him appear like this.
1. Before you get a penicillin injection, you need to do a skin test to ensure that your skin isnt overly sensitive to it.?
Chapter 89
Chapter 89
At night, Wang Feng and Shi Yan had a long talk on the phone. When they were at the hospital during the day and Shi Yan heard about how He Nuos toenails had been frozen off in the cold, his tall and big body had trembled involuntarily and his hands that couldnt be clenched into fists quivered this was why Wang Feng was so anxious to find an opportunity to chase him away then. Afterwards, while He Nuo was in the toilet, Wang Feng heard the doctor diagnose his condition as nephritis. He couldnt care about which kind of nephritis it was his mother was the director of the Internal Medicine Department, and through all the experiences he had garnered while following her all these years, he knew just how severe this disease was. He was afraid of agitating Shi Yan again, so he told the doctor not to write that kind of diagnosis down, and instead wait for his mother to to consult about He Nuos condition in detail first.
Aftermunicating with his mother, Wang Feng knew that Shi Yan had known a long time ago that He Nuo was suffering from nephritis. When Shi Yan took so many books from him for research a year ago, he just never had the confirmation of a professional diagnosis. Mama Wang talked to Shi Yan for a bit, mainly to exin He Nuos illness to him, but she alsoforted these kids: hes really young so as long as he undergoes treatment, doesnt suffer from a rpse and pays attention to his recuperation, no big problem should crop up.
After Wang Feng answered the phone, he told Shi Yan his mother said that even though the hematuria symptoms had disappeared, He Nuo needed to continue his infusions. He would probably need to get an injection every day for at least a month, so he had to discuss it with Shi Yan. Today, they prescribed enough medicine tost for 10 days, but their college would be reopening in two weeks. Wang Feng wanted Shi Yan to get all the medicine required for the next month and ce it in his mothers ward, then after they went back to college, He Nuo can take some time out every day to get his infusion at the ward. Shi Yan was thankful for such an arrangement.
It was nephritis this result was no big surprise to Shi Yan. The burden on his heart now was how He Nuo had vividly described to him about his vige life before.
Behind all that colourful simplicity, He Nuo had never mentioned the blood and tears he had to shed, and never even touched on any of the sufferings he had to endure. He always silently bore all of those burdens in a ce where no one would notice. Shi Yan couldnt bleed, and couldnt shed tears; he could only allow his tears that no one else could see umte into a huge, bitter fountain that hung on the tip of his heart everyday.
He Nuo went back to school the next day, then went to the hospital for his infusion after his afternoon sses ended. Shi Yan thought that the journey to He Nuos house to get his dinner took too long, and it wasnt nutritious enough either, so he ordered some food at his fatherspany. He Nuo may say that he wasnt picky, but due to his years of monotonous eating habits, he wasnt used to eating a lot of things. Shi Yan was also dissatisfied with how little he ate, yet he couldnt force it down his throat either, so he would give He Nuo some canned fruits to eat half an hour after his meal.
After Yu Yao knew that He Nuo had to stay at the hospital for a few hours everyday, she often went over to apany him. There were times when Shi Yan would bring food over for He Nuo and Yu Yao to eat, then he would go home to apany his parents for a meal before returning. Shi Yans buddies had visited He Nuo too, but they would alwayse in a huge group and y poker at a side. Shi Yan found them too noisy and didnt want them to disturb He Nuos studies, so he would always chase them out after a short while.
Shi Yan ate at home today, but he didnt return to the hospital immediately. Instead, he went back to his room in a depressed mood; Shi Yan was reluctant to go back and see Yu Yao in the ward. Qiu Linsong ordered their meals from his fatherspany today. Shi Yan went to take the meals with him, and when they returned to the ward, they coincidentally saw He Nuo lower his head to eat the orange in Yu Yaos hand. He Nuo and Yu Yao were somewhat embarrassed when they saw the two of theme in. Yu Yao exined, He cant peel it with one hand, its too inconvenient. Shi Yan emanated a cold air as he shifted a small table over and spread out all the meals they had brought on it, then left with Ah Song. On their way home, Ah Song mischievously asked if Yu Yao and He Nuo were together.
Qiu Linsongs question made Shi Yan choke up and extremely unhappy. But he kept asking Shi Yan if he was still interested in Yu Yao. Qiu Linsong likes He Nuos character, and had never looked down on him because he was different from them. Thus, he had good intentions too as he was afraid that Shi Yan and He Nuos rtionship might suffer just because of a woman. When he heard Ah Song speak up for the two of them, Shi Yan coldly threw out a sentence, If hes willing to pick up my trash, who can stop him!
With those words, how could Qiu Linsong not think that Shi Yan was angry? As he looked at Shi Yans gloomy expression, he sincerely said, San Ge, brothers are for life. You wont break it off with He Nuo just because of a woman ba.
Of course not.
Then what do you really think about Yu Yao? Be more straightforward about it.
What I think about Yu Yao? Not interested, at all.
Qiu Linsong heaved a sigh of relief before heughed, Then why are you always at odds with her? And here I thought you were interested in her, but youre not the kind who would graze on old grass. I think she likes He Nuo a lot.
She cant like him!
Un? Qiu Linsong was confused, You dont want her, but youre not going to let someone else have her either? Do you want her to be a spinster? San Ge, dont tell me youre sick ba?
I meant that she cant like He Nuo. She can look for someone else, but shes not allowed to look for He Nuo.
Why cant she look for He Nuo? Just because He Nuos your friend? San Ge, when did you be so narrow-minded?
Its a mantou that Ive bitten, but after I chewed it for a bit I spat it out because it was tasteless. Isnt it disgusting to give that to He Nuo? He Nuo shouldnt be disgraced like that.
At first, Qiu Linsong didnt understand what he was saying, but when he realised that this metaphor was referring to Yu Yao, he burst out inughter and pointed at Shi Yan as he scolded, Your mouth is really terrible...no matter what, Yu Yao is still quite a pretty girl, yet you demoted her to being a mantou. If she knows about it shes going to hate you to death, haha, haha........
Shi Yan couldnt stop himself fromughing too, though he was still trying his best to control his facial muscles from losing controlpletely. He pretended to be stern as he said, If youre eating someones leftovers, itll be tasteless no matter how pretty it is.
Fuck, when He Nuo gets a girlfriend next time, does San Ge want to go check if she was a mantou that had been bitten? Qiu Linsong couldnt continue any further as he burst out into raucousughter again. Shi Yanughed as well and kicked him. The two of them thus rode their bikes as they made a scene with all theirughing and mutual cursing.
........He Nuo shouldnt look for a woman, he should be a woman, then it would cause the least trouble if he became our sis-inw........
At the junction where he split up with Shi Yan, Qiu Linsong joked before he rode towards the other side andughed as he waved his hand.
After he ate, Shi Yan quietly thought of the words, if He Nuo was a woman. Shi Yan had never thought of something so impossible before. But, if, if He Nuo really was a woman? It was as if the moment this thought surfaced in his mind, Shi Yan thought of marrying him he wanted to marry him. He wanted to hold his hands and hug him as they bathed in the warm spring breeze, tread the waves of summer, listen to the patter of the autumn rain and admire the snowfall in winter together. He wanted him to draw warmth from his embrace every night, and wake him from his dreams with a kiss every morning, then tell him: I love you, Ill love you forever.
Shi Yan held his head that had drooped down. His hair fell in front of his forehead, and his eyes were filled with boundless tenderness and affection. He had merely imagined it, but Shi Yans heart couldnt contain all the warmth he felt so his feelings were overflowing. During those nights when he stayed over at He Nuos house and had to quietly leave before dawn, he would always sneak a look at He Nuo before he went back. He Nuo would usually be in a deep slumber as he used Shi Yans arm as a pillow, then Shi Yan would give him a gentle kiss on his lips. However, he had always felt like something was missing. And in this moment everything was made clear to him what was missing were those three words that have always been left unsaid!
Chapter 90
Chapter 90
Le Conte Chocte only for your most beloved. A rectangr metal box was ced in front of Shi Yan, and on its exquisite wrapping paper, these golden words that looked like they were popping out were printed on it obliquely. A guest who had just returned from his overseas expedition bought this in the duty-free shop at the Hong Kong Airport. Apparently, on the 14th of February that had just passed not too long ago, it was Valentines Day. His guest said that there were couples overseas who attach great importance to this day: men would send flowers to the women they like, while women would give choctes to the person they adore.
If he hadnt realised what he hasnt given He Nuo yet, and if there wasnt such a passionate deration of love here, then Shi Yan would merely treat this item in front of him as a nutritional snack for He Nuo and would have brought it to the hospital the moment his guest left. But now, Shi Yan actually got nervous. He didnt go to the hospital to send He Nuo back home, but instead went to Wang Fengs ce. The hour hand passed 8, then 9. Shi Yan gazed at the box and allowed time to pass right by. He took the box and tried to take it out of its paper cover before realising that it was enclosed in a transparent stic film, so he couldnt open it. He put it back and touched that line of words.
Only for your most beloved He Nuo. Turns out that even if there hadnt been such a fated coincidence, this box wouldve still been yours. After Shi Yan rested for two hours on his short journey back, his thoughts were clear and animated. So this was love. There were no storms or tempestuous waves, no eternal poetic masterpieces, yet in its own quiet way, it had soundlessly nourished his heart. A lot of his doubts appeared to have its skylights opened, and there was no longer a need to answer them. Why didnt he like Yu Yao? Because subconsciously, he had viewed her as a threat; why did he feel pained when he saw He Nuo in his sickly condition? Why did he always have the desire to knead him into his body? Why do his casual smiles have the ability to suddenly brighten up his heart? La Conte Chocte had given him a resounding answer.
He had a beloved with this discovery, Shi Yans heart felt like it had grown wings and he was wandering about the ocean of happiness in a leisurely manner. His beloved was right next to him, and often slept soundly in his arms. The moment Shi Yan thought of all these, he felt incredibly satisfied, and couldnt suppress his urge to utter augh that could shake the heavens and earth just to express his joy that was permeating his every living cell.
Shi Yan considered for a long time whether he should confess to He Nuo or not. It wasnt cowardice; his sudden flurry of thoughts from before had settled down, what made him hesitate was timing. Shi Yan had already confirmed clearly that He Nuo was his lover at this moment, so naturally he would have to weigh the pros and cons from the perspective of his lover. He Nuo was in the middle of his resumption of sses, and this was the critical juncture right before his college entrance examination. If he told him about his feelings right now, Shi Yan was afraid that his studies would be affected. My lover is an idiot, he would plunge wholeheartedly into our rtionship. So the moment my college reopens, he would have to bear the pain of our separation. Shi Yan was reluctant, he was reluctant to let his lover suffer even a bit of pain, especially the He Nuo who had already suffered so much because of him.
So, wait? Wait until his college entrance examination was over? This would definitely be the most ideal timing. But there was still a covetous Yu Yao during this period, what if she confesses again? Shi Yan was willing to bet with his life that Yu Yao hadnt given up on He Nuo, but rather, she was waiting for an opportunity. Its not that Shi Yan had excessive self-confidence; he was just convinced that He Nuo loves him too, so he jumped straight over the normal line of thinking and didnt even consider what kind of response He Nuo would give him if he confesses. He thought that the immature He Nuo wouldnt know that this was love, so he needed to tell him what it was himself. After ruminating over this for awhile, Shi Yans two options ended up engaged in a heated debate with their own insistence, and their own pros and cons.
In the end, Shi Yan had to ask himself this: if he were to put aside all external factors, what would he choose? He would choose to tell him. Shi Yan didnt want to wait for even a minute longer he wanted to share this love he felt with his beloved. After making this decision, Shi Yan felt a bit agitated. As he looked at the small calendar on the table, Shi Yan suddenly took a red pen from a penholder, then looked at his watch. It had just passed 12 on this special date, Shi Yan drew two stars.
He Nuo ended his afternoon sses and saw Shi Yane over to pick him up for his injection. He weed him happily, Why is it just you today? Usually there would always be one or two of Shi Yans buddies who would follow along.
Theyre busy. Shi Yan didnt want them toe, of course.
Then will you be leaving in awhile too? Even if Shi Yan didnt watch He Nuos transfusion because he had something else to do, he would still pick him up afterwards to send him home without exception. However, he didnt pick him up yesterday. And now that he said his buddies were busy, He Nuo thought that he was going to look for them after he sent him to the ward for his injection, so disappointment had flooded his eyes.
Ill apany you, lets eat togetherter.
His gloomy eyes instantly dazzled beautifully like a gorgeouske. He lightly jumped onto the backseat of his bicycle, and cheered softly like a kid.
When Shi Yan saw him, it was as if he was looking at happiness, not to mention the rare intense emotions that his beloved was exhibiting right now. He Nuo was an introverted person by nature, so it was impossible to see himugh and cry aloud enthusiastically. For him to jump on and take the initiative to put his hand in his pocket as if he was putting his arms around his waist to hug him was already an unusual act for He Nuo. Shi Yan thought of how He Nuo would get even more intenseter on.
The nurse left after she was done with the injection. Shi Yan sat next to He Nuo and took out the chocte from his bag, This is for you.
He Nuo craned his neck to see, I dont eat sweets.
Chocte. Shi Yan ced the box in front of He Nuo, Ill give you half.
What are you giving me half for? If you like it then keep it for yourself, I dont eat sweets. Arent choctes considered sweets?
Im giving you half, while youre giving me the other half. Shi Yan smiled eagerly.
He Nuo was deep in the clouds of nowhere.
Shi Yan held the chocte up, He Nuo, this is what I want to say to you.
He Nuos mind was enshrouded in a thickyer of fog because of Shi Yans strange string of words, so he looked down to see what the mystery was. As he browsed through the beautiful packaging, his eyes were suddenly fixated on a line of words at both sides of the golden print were two handwritten characters there was a Nuo at one side, and a Yan at the other. The burning characters were boiling as it billowed through He Nuos heart. He Nuo felt his blood rush to his brain immediately, and even his ears felt like they were burning.
Shi Yan looked at his sweetheart in front of him get tainted with the colour of the morning glow, and continued to hold the box quietly. After the crimson glow on his face faded slightly, he asked softly, This should be what you want to say to me too, right?
He Nuo felt as if someone had just smashed his head with a hammer. But after this bout of dizziness was over, his mind received a feedback from the bottom of his heart: joy. This wasnt the first time someone confessed to him. When he faced this sort of situation before, he was surprised at first, then his immediate reaction was that early rtionships werent right. But right now, all he felt was joy and happiness.
His eyshes fluttered as he blinked, then he slowly looked up and his eyes met Shi Yans affectionate gaze. He Nuo tried to restrain the embarrassment in his limpid eyes as he smiled; the deserted valleys in Shi Yans world bloomed with beautiful orchids.
I love you, He Nuo. Even though he already knew that he would be telling him this today, in this moment, it was still difficult for him to constrain his excitement. His trembling voice was the truest expression of Shi Yans love.
He Nuosrge eyes continued to stare he stared at Shi Yan with a profound look in his eyes. It was as if he hadnt seen him for a lifetime, like this was his only chance to look at Shi Yan after a century had passed.
He Nuos gaze visibly moved Shi Yan. He held He Nuos hand that didnt have a needle on it, Tell me, tell me what you should be saying.
I love you, Shi Yan. He Nuos voice was very soft, but he didnt hesitate.
He Nuo, do you know? Its Valentines on the 14th of February. All the foreigners overseas celebrate this festival. Its the 22nd of February today, 222, love love love1. Our festival from today onwards will be on the 22nd of February, itll be our Valentines Day every year on this day. 222, this is mymitment to you for life. Someday, I will turn the 22nd of February into a festival for lovers because of our love.
1.2 is apparently a homophone for love in Chinese......tbh I cant hear it, but....well......?
Chapter 91
Chapter 91
For the rest of the time in the ward, Shi Yan had his arms around He Nuo who sat in front of him. The two of them didnt say anything as they quietly savoured this joy, and this happiness. When their hearts were connected, they didnt need any superfluous words, because the other party was the same they were both recalling every footprint that led them to where they were now. When they turned around, they realised that they had spent the past three years together in a trance; the scene of their first meeting could still appear vividly before them at that time, He Nuo would have never expected that the one who would stand beside him as they withstood the winds together would be this haughty young master.
He Nuo admitted that the Creator was ying tricks on them. For both parties, the other was someone of a different dimension regardless of background, temperament, and even their ideas seemed to belong to species as different as that between fishes and birds. Their conflicts turned into peace, their peace turned into harmony, their harmony changed into acquaintanceship, and their acquaintanceship changed into the maxim of love that they promised each other today. He Nuo has no regrets.
He didnt know when it started, but Shi Yan was no longer just a friend to him. His rtionship with Shi Yan had transcended friendship and went beyond being bosom friends as they became closely integrated with each other. He had never been willing to pursue what was concealed underneath the veil of taboo as he wanted to leave it be, but he knew very clearly that he justcked the courage to face the truth. If he didnt like him, then why would his body choose to ept him before his heart did? If he didnt love him, then why would he be willing to endure the shame and intimacy that he wasnt used to? It was all because he did like him.
The violent reaction that was triggered by Yu Yaos appearance didnt make him feel like he had been punished or humiliated, because Shi Yans nervousness that had emerged from his unclear uncertainty was caused by the ripples in the ocean of vinegar hidden within the haze of their friendship. It was impossible for He Nuo to take the initiative to lift the protective veil, but he wasnt so dull as to be without emotions or love. Throughout his entire lifetime, only Shi Yan could cause ripples in the stagnant water in his heart, and only Shi Yan could make his heart palpitate time and time again.
Shi Yan couldnt restrain his excitement; his memories with He Nuo have always been apanied by his countless bullying and the injuries he had brought upon He Nuo. Today, almost all of the sufferings the lover in his arms had to endure was caused by him. At the moment he heard about the cause of his illness, Shi Yan felt so much pain that it could turn the world upside down, and the only wish he had left in this life was for He Nuo to be healthy again.
When their eyes met, He Nuo no longer avoided it. There was no more concealment within his pitch-dark pupils his profound gaze that was as deep as the sea contained feelings as deep as the ocean. Shi Yan carefully tightened his grip on his arm, Youre mine.
He Nuo nodded. Shi Yan ced his forehead against his, Tell me.
Im yours.
Shi Yan held him in a powerful embrace and dove straight onto his pale lips that had just uttered the promise that came from his soul. Their lips joined together as they tossed about and sucked on each other; it was the first time for He Nuo to turn his passivity into pandering as he danced and entangled with Shi Yan, and it was the first time for him to taste the vour of Shi Yan in his mouth. After they parted, He Nuo had to gasp for breath, and the darkness that had umted in Shi Yans chest because of He Nuos illness began to dissipate as if the snow was clearing up.
What are you thinking about? Shi Yan asked the He Nuo who still kept his gaze fixated on himself.
From now on, I wont be alone? He Nuos words was filled with vague uncertainty, and it also revealed a kind of vulnerability that was rarely seen.
Of course, Shi Yan seemed topletelyprehend what his lover was thinking. He could really understand why his lover would reveal this side of him. This lover of his was like a traveller who travels alone at night, and he had always been in thepany of loneliness. Shi Yan understood, which was why his heart ached. He held both his shoulders and gazed into his eyes, Remember, I belong to you too!
Shi Yan thought of He Nuos blissful smile as his response.
Shi Yan stood up. He grabbed He Nuos ankle and took off his socks; He Nuo retracted his feet, and Shi Yan didnt exert any force. He only lowered his head, I want to know.
He didnt need to look for it. There were two deformed nails on his right foot it must be them. Shi Yan caressed these two nails, and didnt look up for a long time.
I feel very fortunate, everything that had happened to me in the past was a part of my fortune. If I didnt have those bits of fortune, there wouldnt be today. He Nuo tried to withdraw his foot as he soothed his lover who was pricked with guilt.
Does it hurt?
It stopped hurting a long time ago.
Shi Yan kissed those two nails, then let go of them. This was his silent apology.
Wang Feng brought dinner for them, then left after he chatted with them for a bit. After Shi Yan cleared up their leftovers, he realised that the chocte disappeared He Nuo had hidden it the moment he saw Wang Feng walk in.
Stingy, you want to eat it alone? Shi Yan knew the reason behind it, but he deliberately misinterpreted He Nuo.
I just want the box. You can take the rest and go eat it with the rest, I wont care about that.
But I care. Only the two of us can eat them, no one else can have it. These choctes are a token of our love, theyre happy sweets.
He Nuos face flushed red with embarrassment. Shi Yan leaned over, then took the chocte and began to open it up, I havent seen what it looks like on the inside. I wanted to sneak a bite yesterday, but it was covered in a transparent film.
He opened it up and found round chocte balls in them. It looked incredibly cute under the bright and translucent lights as they emitted a sweet fragrance. Shi Yan took a piece and ced it next to He Nuos mouth, but He Nuo moved to one side and avoided it, You eat it.
You eat one first.
I dont like it. He Nuo said slowly as he hesitated.
Why?
I dont like eating sweets.
Eat it! Why are you so picky? Youre even picky when ites to snacks. Shi Yan tried to stuff the chocte into He Nuos mouth, but He Nuo turned around to dodge it and suddenly pushed him away, Ive never eaten sweets!
It was as if the current scene turned into a freeze frame. One of their memories was unlocked, and a familiar scene reyed at the same time in their hearts; the atmosphere turned cool and suffocating in an instant.
You have no cavities, and youll eat sweet and sour dishes as well, so why (dont you eat sweets)? Shi Yanpletely refuted the excuse He Nuo gave in their first year.
He Nuo turned his head to one side. Shi Yan didnt question him any further and pulled his hand, Sour, sweet, bitter, spicy: weve tasted bitter and spicy vours together, and weve also tasted sourness together, so why dont we taste this sweetness together too? Shi Yan gnawed on the back of He Nuos hand, If youre so generous, then Ill eat it all by myself. Dont say that Im bullying you for this.
He Nuo looked back, and after a moment of silence he talked about the incident with his sweet. Shi Yan restrained himself from hugging him, fromforting him, all because Shi Yan could clearly see the scene on that winter day a child burying his one piece of sweet, who also buried a lifetime of sweetness along with it. From then on, his life has alwayscked that one vour. Shi Yan could deeply experience the loneliness in He Nuos solitary character in order to avoid disappointment, he had closed all his windows of hope.
Shi Yan smiled lightly, I thought it was some major thing too, how could you stop eating sweets because of such a trivial incident? Youre really dumb, and stupid.
He Nuo didnt want Shi Yans sympathy, but he didnt expect Shi Yan to respond in this way?
Youre really something, its not that big a deal. Shi Yan took a piece of chocte and threw it into his mouth, then pounced onto He Nuos mouth and kissed him. His tongue rolled over He Nuos tongue and wrapped it with this sweetness. When He Nuo stopped resisting, Shi Yan parted from his lips slightly, We get half each.
Shi Yan use the tip of his tongue to hold the piece of chocte and bit it down in between their teeth; it had a nut in the middle, and Shi Yan sent the half that contained the nut into He Nuos mouth. The pain he suffered during his childhood had left behind a deep-rooted influence thatsted for a long time; He Nuos refusal to eat sweets was merely what could be seen on the surface what he had really abandoned was hope, and his hopes of being loved. Shi Yan would get hurt for him, and he would endure any sort of pain for him, but he couldnt let He Nuo continue to keep himself in the prison that he had drawn around himself.
The first step was for Shi Yan to let him know how sweetness tasted like again; the second step was for Shi Yan to use todays memory to get rid of the pain in his old one. So he waited until the chocte in He Nuos mouth had melted before Shi Yan was willing to let He Nuo go.
Sour, sweet, bitter and spicy not one will be overlooked; Ill apany you through them all.
Chapter 92
Chapter 92
Their daily life didnt change much because of loves first blossom, because their affections had already pervaded their lives a long time ago; the only change was in how their faint smiles and gazes now had clear definitions amorous messages that they delivered to each other silently. The reopening of college was at hand, which meant that they would need to part once again. Shi Yan urged and exhorted He Nuo over and over again to take care of his body, even Wang Feng asked his mother to continue providing care for his buddy.
When they werent home, He Nuo could eat at home first if he was hungry before going to the hospital; if he wasnt too hungry he would get his infusion first before he ate. His parents asked if he wanted them to deliver some food to him, but of course, the He Nuo who wasnt used to causing trouble for others rejected them. But He Nuo didnt have to suffer from hunger either, his bags would always have snacks. And after his fourth bro knew that he had to get his injections, he gave him an extra five yuan too and told him to buy some biscuits if he got hungry. He Nuo hadnt even gotten rid of the pile of food that Shi Yan had left behind for him, so he naturally saved the money up.
On the second saturday after Shi Yans college reopened, He Nuo went straight to the hospital after his sses ended. The nurse who did his injection for him went out, and the door opened again after a while. He Nuo thought the nurse had returned. When he looked up, Shi Yan was already walking over in huge strides. Had it not been for the needle on his hand, He Nuo would have thrown himself at Shi Yan; it had only been two weeks, but this period wasnt the same as their previous partings. Every night before he went to bed, He Nuo had to experience the ordeal of his happiness yearning. He has always had a cool personality, yet he would turn into a boiling stream of moltenva whenever he thought of Shi Yan.
Shi Yan looked like he had just endured the hardships of travel, he opened up his arms and brought the He Nuo who had leaned over into his embrace, then lowered his head to search for that piece of softness. Their lips and teeth intertwined; their hearts connected in between their gasping breaths as this kiss changed from an eager longing to a sentimentally sweet one. After Shi Yans yearning had been slightlyforted, he returned He Nuo one breath, yet he still couldnt bear to part from him as he pecked his slightly moist lips that he had wiped the frost off from.
You missed me ba.
He Nuo smiled, but didnt answer him. He only looked at Shi Yan with a face full of pleasant surprise. He Nuo thought that Shi Yan came back on a car that his parents had dispatched for him, or he had hitched a ride on one of his buddies family cars. But what made He Nuo shocked was that Shi Yan had returned by himself on a coach he actually sat on a coach? When He Nuo was sent to the countryside a few years ago, he had sat on a coach so he knew what it was like. While he was happy, his heart also ached for Shi Yan who had to suffer such harsh conditions on his ride back.
On the other hand, Shi Yan merelyughed and didnt mind the fatigue on his journey, Youll have to take me in today, or else Ill have to wander the streets homeless. Shi Yan didnt tell his family that he had returned.
Shi Yan held He Nuos drip bottle for him as he went to the nurses station to borrow a phone. He told his family that his infusion would take a longer time today, so hell return a bitter and asked them not to worry. After he left the hospital, the two of them found a snack bar to have a meal but the main reason was to kill some time. They wanted to wait for He Nuos family to rest, then it would be more convenient for Shi Yan to sneak in.
They carefully slipped into He Nuos room. All their washing up was done with the water that He Nuo brought inside Shi Yan even used He Nuos toothbrush to brush his teeth in the room. The thought ofing back had struck him suddenly while he was in college, so he just upped and left how could he have thought of bringing along all these misceneous items? After they were done washing their faces and feet, Shi Yan asked He Nuo to get some more hot water. He Nuo was about to ask why before he suddenly understood something, so he hurriedly left under Shi Yans teasing gaze. While Shi Yan was cleaning himself up, He Nuo pretended to tidy up. Just listening the sound of water sshing about made his heart beat faster and a red tide stain his cheeks.
After Shi Yan told him that he was done with a snicker, He Nuo lowered his head to fetch the water. With the pair of strong and muscr legs right in front of him, He Nuo didnt even dare to look around too much before he turned around and ran away to pour the water out. He cleaned himself up in the toilet, because he couldnt do so in front of Shi Yan. After he went back, Shi Yan had already slid underneath the nkets and was grinning happily as he waited for him.
He Nuo, who sat on his bedside to turn off themp, was thrown down by Shi Yan and turned over such that he was lying on the inner part of the bed there wasnt even a little bit of space between these two young bodies.
The fragrance of warm jadey in my embrace1. Shi Yan buried his head in He Nuos neck as he muttered, then inhaled deeply, Missed you to death. I really missed you to death.
Turn off the lights ba. He Nuo was already feeling shy about what would happen next, but he found out that the body that was sticking close to him was already stark naked and clean. A hard object didnt hold itself back from poking him below.
You, He Nuo had never gotten used to the member that entered deep into his body, and frankly speaking it didnt feel very good. If it wasnt because Shi Yan liked it so much, He Nuo really wanted to reject him.
Do I have a powerful gun?
He Nuo fixed his eyes on him: this person was really thick-skinned, he had always ignored all humility as he boasted and showed off that object of his.
As the saying goes, a short separation was better than being newly wedded. He didnt know if they were considered newlyweds, but they did have a short separation of two weeks. On the one hand, it was their first time tasting the vour of love sickness as hot-blooded youngsters who were bursting with vigour and vitality; while on the other hand, their yearning for each other has been umting day by day. Shi Yan still remembers that He Nuo had not yetpletely healed, so even though he was zing brightly, he didnt dare to burn up his little Nuo who was like dry wood. The sparks produced by rubbing their dry heavenly stems together had to rely on slight drizzles and wind to water it too. Their hands provided the stimtion required time and again, pulling and insertion maintained a uniform speed as well as a constant frequency (but it took longer this time, it couldnt be helped, youll need to suffer a loss if you wanted a gain) and after the exercise had altered their cardiopulmonary functions, Shi Yan sheathed his sword.
He Nuo knows what Shi Yan was capable of, and also knew that his person has a really greedy appetite. Ever since he started his infusions, Shi Yan had never enjoyed intimacy between the two again, and he didnt even get any assistance from He Nuos hand. If one counts the number of days since his college reopened, then a month would have already passed. He really couldnt believe that Shi Yan would be satisfied with just this one liberation tonight. After he finished the follow-up work, he hugged He Nuo again, Sleep, Ill get up early tomorrow morning to go and eat.
Youve, had enough?
Shi Yan didnt understand what He Nuo meant, What have I had enough of?
He Nuo stuck to his chest and rested his head on Shi Yans shoulder out of habit. He couldnt form aplete sentence to answer him.
Un? Shi Yan used his chin to nudge his head, What is it?
That. He Nuo stuttered, he felt like he was going to die of embarrassment.
In this situation, Shi Yan pondered for a bit before he realised what he meant. He smirked, You still want more? That wasnt enough?
Of course not. He Nuo was annoyed and his volume suddenly increased as well.
Shi Yan quickly kissed him and patted his back. He Nuo realised that he had almost alerted his younger brothers who were next door, so he was frightened into silence as well.
I was just teasing you ma, I just need to take a look at you and Ill know what youre thinking. Shi Yan said softly, Im afraid your hematuria will rpse, and I cant bear that. But once youve recovered, hnghng. He turned into an obscene devil from the Jurassic Period as heughed flirtatiously.
He Nuo turned around so that his back was facing Shi Yan and ignored his crap. Shi Yan wrapped his arms around him like he was an octopus, Babe?
He Nuo got a huge start, Disgusting! Thats so corny!
Shi Yan couldnt help himself fromughing aloud, Then what should I call you? Sweetheart, turn around ma.
He Nuo was covered in goosebumps. He patted away Shi Yans octopus ws, I dont want a name that has to do with our internal organs.
A muffledughter came from his back, then Shi Yan stuck back onto him, Nuonuo.
He Nuo was about to oppose it. Everyone has always called him He Nuo since he was a kid, so calling him Nuonuo made him feel extremely awkward.
Thats it then, or else youll have to choose one from your five internal organs. Shi Yan immediately made his final decision.
Overbearing.
Nuonuo, Nuonuo. Shi Yan was very pleased with himself as he repeated, then kissed He Nuo. Shi Yan had already thought of this name during their separation. When he thought of He Nuo all day and night, he recalled all the bits and pieces of their memories together after their first meeting and his heart would throb time and again. Within this world that could be either frigid or warm, most of his lovers experiences were filled with a piercing cold, and he barely had any experiences filled with warmth.
Everyone has a nickname this name expresses the love parents have for their children, and the intimacy that siblings share. A nickname even if it may be something like son of a bitch or Zhaodi2 it still symbolises the transmission of love in some aspects. Even if one doesnt have a nickname, one would usually still be automatically derived from their name with a xiao added as a prefix: Xiaoming, Xiaoqiang..., this was a kind of cordiality, and eptance. But Shi Yan had never heard anyone address He Nuo aside from his original name, so it was easy to imagine what He Nuo wascking in his already scarce life.
Nuonuo, this was the name that Shi Yan gave him from the bottom of his heart. It was a name that embodied his immense love for him. Shi Yan wanted to make up for all the things that He Nuo had missed out on from now onwards. He believes that one day, He Nuo would understand how deep the feeling of love was behind the name Nuonuo.
1. Its some poetic quote from a novel, which talks about how it feels like to hug someone/something(?) that has a warm fragrance and feels like a gentle/mild jade (usually referring to the feeling of holding a woman in your arms)?
2. This is a name given to a girl whose family had given birth to a lot of sons because they want a son. Zhao = call/summon, di = younger brother, so its kinda like GIMME A SON NEXT PLS ugh which is kind of disturbing. But it happens?
Chapter 93
Chapter 93
What are you going to call me? Yan? Shi Yan pouted before He Nuo could reply, No, that doesnt sound nice. Yan, yan, it sounds like youre cooking1. I dont want that.
He Nuo found it amusing, why is he making such a big fuss over a form of address? Havent they always called each other by their names anyway? Ill just call you the same way others do bei. He knew that his gang all called him San Ge.
No way.
Shi Yan refused resolutely. His rejection made He Nuo feel upset; people who called him San Ge were those who have been friends with him since childhood, so the bonds of friendship they had formed were unordinary. When He Nuo thought of the difference between them, he fell silent.
His sweethearts body stiffened up slightly, so Shi Yan knew that he was overthinking. This lover of his has always been very broad-minded, gentle and indifferent; yet he was now much more delicate and sensitive. But Shi Yan felt d that he was like this if he didnt care, then why would he be sensitive? Shi Yan didnt like how he could never touch his heart no matter what he did in the past. Shi Yan had never been able to see He Nuos bright and indulgentughter; no matter what happens or when it happens, He Nuosughter has always been reserved, so Shi Yan couldnt find the passageway to that could lead He Nuosughter to his heart. Thus, He Nuo had never been able to reveal a smile on his face that truly came from the bottom of his heart.
San Ge, Yan Ge, those are the names they call me. Youre different from them, so the name you call me will belong only to you.
He Nuo turned around to lean back into his arms. Even though he was still silent, he felt satisfied because of that remark.
You can just call me Gege. He Nuo has a lot of older brothers, but he always formally called them Big brother, Second brother. Shi Yan only has one older sister, and they had quite a wide age gap, so he had always called her Jiejie2 when he was a kid. Now that he was no longer a teenager and had entered his period of youth, of course he would disdain such coquettish behaviour. But calling his sister Jiejie always sounded more intimate than calling her Jie especially when he has a request, just one Jiejie and it would be granted.
Try it, call me Gege. Shi Yan urged.
He Nuos voice disappeared in his throat it was stuck there and couldnte out no matter what. It was only after Shi Yan took out his trump card and kissed him until he lost his soul while leading him with the Gege, Geges he uttered at his ear before He Nuo shouted it out. A crisp electric current shot up his spine and into his Baihui acupoint; Shi Yans whole body feltfortable after He Nuo called him that.
Nuonuo, Nuonuo, youre really killing me.
In order not to be discovered by his family, Shi Yan and He Nuo got up early in the morning. Shi Yan wanted to go out for breakfast by himself so that He Nuo could sleep in a little more, then he would waste some time until 8 or 9am beforeing back openly to find He Nuo and return to his college in the afternoon. He Nuo insisted that he couldnt fall asleep after he woke up and wanted to go out with Shi Yan. After they had breakfast, they saw that it was still early so Shi Yan said that he wanted to go to the station to check what time the coach would arrive in the afternoon.
Once they arrived at the station, these two inexperienced people realised that there were only two coaches a day that went to the city where Shi Yans college was situated in. The tickets for the afternoon session were already sold out, now only tickets for the coach at 7.30am in the morning were left and only a few of them were left too (standing tickets). Suddenly, they had to separate a few hours earlier, so both of them lost the smiles on their face. As he watched Shi Yan get on the early coach, He Nuo thought about how Shi Yan had to stand for several hours just because he came to see him and his heart ached. Shi Yan wanted to disguise himself with a rxed smile, but he could feel that his facial muscles werent obeying hismands. How could he be willing to have just the one night with He Nuo that they had spent in a hurry? He still had so much he wanted to say to him.
After he got home, He Nuo sat in front of his bed in a trance for awhile as he took in Shi Yans scent. A momentter, he opened up his books. The sadness of separation could only fade when he was immersed in his books; He Nuo had a strong impetus for his studies now under no circumstances could he fail to get into A College (in the same city as Shi Yans college).
Shi Yan wrote him a letter the moment he went back to his college. He reassured He Nuo that he had a smooth journey, and that it wasnt difficult for him at all. He also told He Nuo that he had consulted other people; apparently, tickets would be on sale one day in advance and tickets for the Sunday afternoon coach was especially popr. So two weekster, when Shi Yan sneaked back again, He Nuo went to the station at 5am on Saturday to help Shi Yan buy a coach ticket for 1pm on a Sunday afternoon.
Shi Yan used his savings for his trip back this time his ie from his lucky money. Because Shi Yan came back prepared and had selected the coach number in advance, he managed to arrive at his home in the afternoon. He took advantage of the time when his parents were at work to take all his money out. When his parents visited him at his collegest week, he had thought of asking them to bring it over for him, but he realised that it would cause them to pay attention to his expenditures so he decided to sneak home and take it himself instead.
When Shi Yan passed his 1000 yuan to He Nuo, thetter said he would rather die than take it. Shi Yan told him that this money would be spent on both of them for example, whenever He Nuo had to buy a ticket for him before he came back. The money was left behind, but He Nuo didnt use it. Shi Yan was enduring so much hardship while he sat idly to reap the fruits of Shi Yans hard work, so He Nuo wanted to make a little contribution as well. Thus, He Nuo would always use his meagre savings to pay for the tickets. His fourth bro would also give He Nuo five yuan every month when he was paid his sry.
Within a twinkling of an eye, it was May 1st Labour Day. Shi Yans and Qin Mingxus parents who had a day off went to their college to find them together, then brought him and his buddies around the suburbs for a stroll. Shi Yan had already known that his parents wereing in mid-April, so he had notified He Nuo that he could only return in the middle of this month. On Saturday, He Nuo purchased a ticket excitedly. He hadnt seen Shi Yan in almost a month, so he couldnt restrain his lively thoughts after his afternoon sses ended. He couldnt care less as he often looked towards the entrance and waited for that familiar figure to appear. But up till school was over, He Nuo didnt even see a trace of that figures shadow.
When he was at home in the evening, He Nuo had his ears pricked up as he did his homework because he hoped to hear some movement outside his window. It was only when he couldnt endure his sleepiness any longer that he lied on his bed to sleep. But he was still worried, so he left his window bolt slightly open. When it was 8am on a Sunday morning, He Nuo believed that Shi Yan must have been dyed by something, but he secretly med him for not calling today even if he couldnt call him yesterday night. Or did he forget that he had said that he would be back this weekend? He Nuo went to refund his ticket with a little resentment.
He hadnt even refunded his ticket before it was bought by someone who was waiting in line for one, so he didnt make a loss because of the refund fee. He Nuo thought about going back to write a letter to scold Shi Yan for breaking his promise. He thought that the next time Shi Yan came back, he would surely apologise and try to make up for it shamelessly again as he thought of this, the edges of He Nuos lips curved up.
He Nuo turned around and was about to walk out when he suddenly stopped, he widened his eyes after he blinked as if he was in disbelief. Shi Yan! Its Shi Yan! But He Nuo didnt call out to him happily, and didnt rush over to him either, but instead stood behind a door in fright. That guy who had a beautiful girl hooked around his arm was Shi Yan? He Nuo felt like his feet were rooted to the ground as he gazed foolishly at the man and woman whose ears and temples would graze against one another from time to time.
He Nuo went home; his mind was enshrouded in a mountain mist and he felt confused as he couldnt figure out if his eyes were ying tricks on him. He walked over to his parents side, picked up the phone and dialled the number that he could recite fluently in his heart even though he had only called it once. Before he pressed down on the key forst number, He Nuo hung up the phone. He walked to an area far away from his house and found a public phone, then called Shi Yans house. After Shi Yans father picked up the phone and shouted for Shi Yan to take the call, He Nuo hung up.
Under the splendour of spring, He Nuo walked home with an icy cold body.
1. Yan2 sounds like salt.?
2. Jiejie = what you would call your older sister, and its more intimate than Jie?
Chapter 94
Chapter 94
Shi Yan answered the phone, but all he heard was a disconnect tone so he thought the line got cut. He put the phone back down to wait. Ten minutester, it still didnt ring. If it was his buddies like Wang Feng and the rest who often contacted him through the phone, Shi Yans parents would have been able to tell who it was. So Shi Yan asked his father who had called, but his father said he didnt recognise the voice; the other party had only said, Hello, is Shi Yan at home?
Shi Yan thought that his buddy wanted him to bring something back for them because the others didnt return, while Shi Yan had been sent back in a car this afternoon. Now that he heard his father say that, Shi Yan was certain that it wasnt them. Those buddies of his would call his parents Uncle Shi and Auntie, and they definitely wouldnt say nin, but ni1. While he was searching his brain for someone who would talk in that kind of manner, he suddenly felt like he was struck by lightning a hunch made Shi Yans heart hurt as if it was being burnt by hot oil.
He suspected that he hade back this phone call wasnt for him, but for his own confirmation. Shi Yan went back to his room, sat down, stood up, walked about here and there before he made up his mind and grabbed his keys to go out. When he met He Nuo, Shi Yan observed all his nuances and found nothing unusual about He Nuo. All of his reactions were extremely normal and natural; his pleasantly surprised expression was exactly the same as when he had suddenly appeared several times before. And he still happily poured a cup of water for him, then he had the appropriate ming tone in his voice, If you had something on yesterday, then you shouldve told me ah. I almost fell asleep while waiting for you.
When he passed the water to Shi Yan, he suddenly cried out in surprise, Ah! Ah!!! I forgot, I thought you werenting back so I refunded the ticket, what do we do? A appeared between Shi Yans eyebrows.
He Nuo sat down and smiled as he massaged the wrinkle between his brows, his fingers stretched it out as if they were ironing them, Who knew you.......
He didnt continue, because Shi Yan had grabbed He Nuos icy hands. If you only looked at He Nuos perfect expression, you wouldnt have noticed that his hand was trembling.
Their eyes met. He Nuo smiled modestly, A t stretch ofnd is better2.
Shi Yan jumped up, He Nuo was still looking at him with his perfect expression. Shi Yan turned around and walked outside, Go, lets head out.
He Nuo wasnt bothered either. He sat behind Shi Yans bike as they rode all the way to the park, then walked to the ce where they had taken an intimate picture together. On that autumn, fallen leaves the colour of bananas were strewn everywhere, and their feelings were reconciled within all that destion; this autumn, there were peaches and plums everywhere, and there was a thick scent of spring in the air. But in He Nuos eyes, everything was falling with a whistle and a patter, and who knew if Shi Yans world was also full of wreckage and debris. It was as if they were in apetition as these two people at a standstill became more motionless, and more silent than the other.
A silent world needed someone to break its ice, He Nuo decided to shoulder this heavy responsibility. He puffed his chest out, raised his head and looked at Shi Yan; while Shi Yan went through the same process in synchrony their eyes met. Too familiar, their familiarity with each other had seeped into their bones, so their best disguises seemed like it was being ced under an X-ray under each of their perspectives everything could be seen through at a nce.
You knew I came back?
Arent you standing in front of me now. He Nuo was amused at Shi Yans superfluous question.
In that, in that period of time when we were together, did you see it as us being in a rtionship?
Should be ba.
Did you, ever think that we had a lot of misunderstandings? Every word Shi Yan forced through his mouth seemed like he was trying to squeeze out toothpaste, and he even wore a pained expression on his face.
And? He Nuo had always worn his perfect expression, and didnt look impatient at all.
When we first met, you were badly bullied by me, so afterwards I always felt like Ive let you down and I wanted to make it up to you. Then I found out that you didnt have any friends, that you were in poor health, and how you werent being treated very well at home too. On the other hand, because of how well I treated you or because there were too few people who treated you well you thought that I was the best person for you. But sympathy isnt love, and gratitude isnt love either. We just mixed these feelings up, which was why so many misunderstandings urred.
He Nuo listened carefully to Shi Yans speech; Shi Yan said it both anxiously and hurriedly as if he was reciting a script, like beans that were falling out of a bamboo tube as it jumped out everywhere with a splutter.
Shi Yan paused and waited for He Nuos feedback. The upward curve of thetters lips still existed.
Un, so?
I was thinking that we could still be friends, but we need to calm down for awhile. Before we resolve all our misunderstandings, we shouldnt meet up.
Un.
When Shi Yan heard this simple, one-worded reply, he didnt know why he was dissatisfied. He raised his eyebrow and asked He Nuo, Do you understand what I mean?
Un, I understand.
What are your thoughts?
Thats fine, whatever you say goes.
He Nuos calm expression that didnt exhibit a single crack made Shi Yan feel like he was being very cold and detached about it. He said a little angrily, Im saying that we should break up! We wont be lovers anymore!
Un, okay. Still no waves.
Shi Yans anger roared and it wanted to burst out with the force of a thunderbolt, but within the blink of an eye, when he saw He Nuos porcin white face, he med himself in his heart: what am I doing? Since I already said that we should break up, then do I still want him to look like hes reluctant to part with me? And to cry as we discuss this?
Then Ill go back first, I have a lot of homework today. He Nuo took his leave.
Shi Yan looked at the pond in front of him and nodded. He only saw He Nuo turn around from the corner of his eye. After he walked about ten metres away, Shi Yan suddenly chased after him, He Nuo.
The figure stopped. A few secondster, he turned around to look at the Shi Yan who ran over with an inquiring gaze.
Ill send you back.
No need, its not that far. You should head back soon ba. He Nuo was still as gentle as ever.
Do you me me? Or hate me?
He Nuo shook his head with a warm, sunny smile.
Shi Yan felt like thousands of words were stuck in his throat, yet he couldnt even say a single one of them. He only knew that something was being torn apart, and a pain that he couldnt resist was spreading throughout his body.
I was sincere when I said that I wanted to be friends with you, and I do treat you as my best friend. I, I,
I know. He Nuo said sincerely, Im not very good at saying thanks, but how could there be hatred between us? Are you scolding me for being an ingrate? He waves his hands, Ill be leaving first. Thank you. Shi Yan.
Shi Yan stared as he watched He Nuo disappear around the corner; that figure was still as slender and thin as ever, yet he didnt waver in every step he took there was no hesitation, no hobble, and he never turned back to look at him even once.
Shi Yan suddenly felt like he had been abolished of all his powers by a martial expert. He staggered backwards and leaned on the trunk behind him, then slid down onto the grass. He would rather spit out a few mouthfuls of the blood like he had just suffered a defeat if this were so, would the pain be transferred, would it be alleviated? Wasnt he worried about a situation where he would cling onto him and refuse to let go? Why did he manage to get away so easily? Yet his organ that was beating in his chest had been smashed into smithereens with just one palm. He Nuo was so indifferent, and so cold as he waved his sleeves before he walked away; he didnt leave anything behind, and didnt take anything away either.
Unwillingness and indignation emerged in Shi Yans heart;pared to He Nuo, he was actually the one who was filled with hatred right now. He hated He Nuo for his inhumanity, he hated him for his heartlessness. He hated He Nuo for not asking him for his reasons, for not trying to persuade him to stay; even if he didnt beg, if he really did care about him, then wouldnt he have shown at least a little bit of sadness and sorrow? But, was there ever a trace of surprise, panic or pain on He Nuos face? He only assumed an indifferent attitude, as if he was saying Shi Yan, you can do whatever you want.
Shi Yan couldnt vent the hatred in his heart. So all of this had been his own wishful thinking all along. He Nuo merely epted his goodwill; he had always pandered to him, so of course he would be happy to ept it, which was why he was now so indifferent to his behaviour. Shi Yan brutally smashed out several pits, then left with the wound inflicted on him by the one who had been abandoned.
1. Hello in Chinese is ni hao, which is the more informal version. When He Nuo called, he said nin hao, which is the more formal version of addressing someone else aspared to ni?
2. Hes talking about how the is better if its ttened i.e. its better if Shi Yan stopped frowning?
Chapter 95
Chapter 95
Edited by: JaJeSa
He Nuo strolled idly and leisurely all the way back home. After hepleted a set of review papers, he felt like he had gotten too many questions wrong and was being quite inefficient. So he simply pulled out a bundle of scrapped books (He Nuo had saved up all the papers he had finished to sell them off, and it was unnecessary to exin where the money had gone), then began to write down its contents from memory. Every time he silently finished reciting ?Remembering Your Charm Remembrance of the Tale of the Crimson Cliff?, he would pick the text up to admire it for awhile, then flip to a new page to begin reciting the next one. He didnt stop his fanaticism for ssical poetry until lunch time.
When it was time for dinner, He Nuo was surprised that time would fly by so fast, it seemed as if he hadnt finished digesting his lunch before it was time to eat again. While He Nuo sat down after scooping his second bowl of rice, his younger brother asked, out of curiosity, He Nuo, how are you able to eat so much today?
He Nuoughed in embarrassment, I still have some homework left to finish at night, so I wanted some extra nutrition.
His parents said that if he couldnt stomach it all down now then he shouldnt force himself to. If he became hungry at night, he could soak some of the cooked rice in soup or cook some noodles.
After dinner, He Nuo tidied up the kitchen before returning to his room. Just as he sat down, he sprang back up like a rocket. He held his mouth and ended up vomiting before he could even run out the door, catching his vomit with both hands. Because He Nuo had suppressed himself from outright vomiting all contents, some of the vomit choked his trachea, triggering an earth-shattering bout of coughs that drew his younger brothers, and then his parents, attention.
He Nuo was bending over, but he waved his hand to motion that he was okay. He epted the water that his mother handed over and, after downing a few mouthfuls, he stood straight back up, apologetically telling them that he had eaten too much.
Youre this old already, yet you still cant tell how full or hungry you are? Dont bite off more than you can chew. His father shook his head, Wait a little ba. When you feel better and if you get hungry, then you can go eat a bit more.
He Nuo nodded in embarrassment, then grabbed a broom to clean up the mess on the ground. After he was done tidying it up, he leaned on one side, muttering to himself, If you eat more youll have the strength to study more too. Its time to sprint, He Nuo. Grasp this chance well. In front of you is a vast sea that you can leap into, and a boundless sky that you can freely fly through. You dont need tears for this battle.
He walked to his table and picked up the small calendar on it. Shi Yan had brought this over after the 22nd of February. He Nuo flipped to the page where the first star in it was drawn; this calendar had it the moment Shi Yan brought the calendar over, and it was the only star that Shi Yan had drawn in it. He Nuo added all the subsequent stars under Shi Yans coercion. In the mornings following their passionate collisions, Shi Yan would ask He Nuo to record down one or two stars (ording to the number of times they got it on). He Nuo drew a star for todays date... a shooting star.
After he was done with all these, He Nuo kept the calendar and the conch shell on his table in his cab, then began to study.
On Monday, He Nuo approached learning in a state of valour. He acted as if someone had injected him with a stimnt as he threw himself into his work without the slightest intention of sleeping.
On Tuesday, He Nuo discovered that there were times when even adages could be wrong: there is no end to learning but it feels bitter to build a boat for it was totally inconsistent with the actual situation. He Nuo roamed about freely in the ocean of learning and gotpletely engrossed in it. This behavior made his younger brother, who woke up at 3am, tell his parents that He Nuo probably owed quite a bit of homework, so he was doing a crash job.
On Wednesday, under the supervision of his parents, he stopped when the clock struck 12. He slept well for the entire night, yet his eyes were bloodshot.
On Thursday, He Nuo was thest person to walk out of his ssroom. When he was walking down the stairs, he suddenly fell down for no reason. With no one in the corridor, he shamelessly lied on the ground and didnt get up. He realised that some liquid had been flung out of his eyes because of his tumble it was salty. Youre so fucking delicate! He Nuo dissed himself, then patted the dust off his body.
On Friday, as He Nuo pulled out some clothes to change into, he identally tugged onto a small bag that he appeared to have tucked away a few days ago. This iron forged robot had short-circuited; but unfortunately, the body underneath this iron forged shell was still a mortal one which human could be without consciousness or feelings, which human could live without happiness or sadness? He Nuo admitted that his cultivation wascking, because right now, this small bag had shaken his internal organs into bits and pieces as it turned his insides into a hideous mess.
On Saturday morning, He Nuo was startled awake. He opened his windows to wee the sunrise. The dark blue clouds in the sky were gradually iid with a goldence. When the first ray of sunlight illuminated the world, the scorching red wheel rose into the sky, and rays of light burst forth, washing away all darkness in the clear, blue sky. Shi Yan, Im sorry.
On Sunday, He Nuo told his parents that he would be studying with his ssmates today, so they shouldnt expect him to return for lunch and dinner. At 7:30am, He Nuo sat on the coach that he once bought tickets for in the past, and once again bought the ticket for yesterday morning, then rode it to that city. He Nuo alighted the coach at 12pm and took out a letter that Shi Yan wrote to him before. He asked around at the station for the route to Shi Yans college, and the number of the bus he needed to ride. The college turned out to be quite close, it was only a 15-minutes bus ride before He Nuo arrived at his destination.
Upon walking through the colleges gate, He Nuo thought he stumbled into the wrong ce. He only ever viewed several famous colleges campuses in China through pictures and on television, so he felt like there was a great discrepancy between reality and his expectations. You could see the entire college at a nce, and the first evaluation of it would be its dirtiness and messiness. Also, its atmosphere of learning was severelycking, because even though He Nuo had walked by what he believed to be a teaching building, he didnt see anyone inside. He Nuo guessed that the two buildings not too far away should be the dormitories. He didnt need to ask around about it before he walked straight up to the dormitories.
The left building was the one he was looking for. He Nuo walked to the room number written on the letter. The door was locked. Someone walked over in the corridor, he was from another dorm room. Seeing He Nuo standing at the door, he took the initiative to tell him that the people in that dorm were eating in a restaurant behind the school. The other group had just settled the bill when they left, so they should be back soon. That gang had all slept in, so they only began eating at 11am as they merged their breakfast and lunch.
He Nuo hurriedly went downstairs. In the first ce, he had gone up to ask someone to help him call out the person he was looking for in that dormitory because he didnt want to see the whole gang of them. But He Nuo had just left the dormitory building he hadnt even finished walking thest few steps before he bumped into that gang. They were such a huge group, both men and women were included in the bunch; Shi Yans arm belonged to someone too, and it belonged to the girl that He Nuo had seen before.
Everyone was taken aback. Wang Feng and Qiu Linsong were the first to walk up happily, When did youe? Why didnt you tell us beforehand, we could have gone to fetch you.
Have you eaten yet?
......
Five or six mouths spoke all at once, He Nuo had no room in between to answer them.
This is my friend Shi Yans precious, He Nuo. He even pulled He Nuo to introduce him to their new buddies at college, before some people who had quicker reactions realised that the two parties had not yet said hello to each other.
He Nuo greeted the two strangers, Hello.
I know you, they often talk about you. Bro, you wanna go out and eat? Or do you want us to get some takeout so you can eat in the dorm? The other party answered cheerfully.
Thank you, you dont need to buy anything, thats too troublesome. Qiu Linsong, can you apany me to go eat? Will you be okay with eating again?
Everyone was astonished. They looked at the woman who was holding onto Shi Yan tightly and could understand why He Nuo wanted to look for Qiu Linsong, but they still thought that He Nuo didnt need to do that. Isnt he regarding Shi Yan as too much of an outsider?
Qiu Linsong draped his arms around He Nuos shoulder, Then Ill have toy my life down to apany this gentleman. Lets go, ba. Then, he said to the rest, Well return in awhile, before pulling He Nuo away. He Nuo said goodbye to everyone, but Qiu Lingsong anxiously yanked him away, If you have anything you want to say, do itter. Eat first. These words were for the both of them.
After they left the college, He Nuo told Qiu Linsong that he didnt want to eat anymore, but he had something that he wanted to trouble him with. Of course Qiu Linsong knew that something was up. The only reason that could make He Nuo travel all the way to their college would definitely have something to do with Shi Yan. And the reason appeared to be quite serious too. Otherwise, how could Shi Yan not say a single word after hearing that He Nuo hadnt eaten yet? Shi Yan worries about He Nuos body even more than He Nuo does. He wanted to talk about it after eating lunch, but he didnt expect He Nuo to mention it first.
He Nuo pulled an envelope out from his bag and asked Qiu Linsong to pass it to Shi Yan. After receiving this letter, Qiu Linsong felt much more relieved. Even if they did have any disputes or conflicts with each other, He Nuo already traveled all this way to deliver a letter to exin himself; with how much San Ge cared about He Nuo, all the clouds in the sky would probably drift right by and he would run up to He Nuo to pander to him again.
Chapter 96
Chapter 96
Qiu Linsong happily pulled He Nuo towards the restaurant, Why arent you and San Ge happy? Dont worry, after seeing you here, San Ge wont be unhappy anymore. In fact, he might just run over to apany you for lunchter. He didnt eat much just now cause he kept saying that he had no appetite.
He Nuo still rejected his lunch invitation because he needed to take the coach back. This reason was too reasonable; Qiu Linsong just remembered that He Nuo had to go back today, and there was only one return coach at 2pm. If they went to eat lunch, their time might be a little tight. But if they didnt eat, then even if He Nuo had eaten breakfast, he would still have to endure his hunger for an entire day because he would only reach back around 7pm. A bright idea urred to Qiu Linsong; he insisted on sending He Nuo off in a cabter, so they would have a little more time before he had to get to the station.
He Nuo waited for the cab while Qiu Linsong left for a bit. He came back with bread, sausages, peanuts and fish fillets in hand. He Nuo went to pick up his bag in embarrassment, Qiu Linsong pressed his hand down, Do you only treat San Ge as your friend, but not the rest of us? If you keep being like this, Ill get restless. When they fought over the few dors of taxi fare just now, the driver also got to watch their brotherly quarrel. He doesnt believe that He Nuo would draw the line this clearly with his San Ge too.
Youre leaving before you even got to talk to San Ge, hell definitely scold meter.
Im sorry.
Qiu Linsong was just joking and never had the intention of ming him, he didnt want He Nuos apology.
Ai, why are you and San Ge at odds with each other? We all thought that he was fighting with his girlfriend, but we all saw his girlfriend treat him quite well just now. Turns out hes fighting with you. Say it, why are you guys fighting? I can help you.
Hes angry?
He didnt say it, but its not like were blind. He looked like a corpse the entire week, if you met him in the toilet at night, I guarantee youll think that you just saw a ghost. His whole face is all bluish, though it might have been due to constipation. I forgot that he only became like that after he returned home, and only remembered about it when I saw you. Even a fool would know that the two of you are fighting.
He Nuoughed softly, How scary can Shi Yan be? When he gets angry, hell at most bare his fangs and brandish his ws; his thunder might be loud, but its always just a drizzle.
Whats wrong? Say it, Ill speak up for you in front of San Ge. Qiu Linsong patted his pocket, My words are more useful than this. (the letter was inside)
He Nuo chuckled but didnt say anything. Qiu Linsong knew that he was a reserved person by nature and probably wouldnt be willing to tell others about it, but San Ge had been angry for an entire week, so he guessed that He Nuo could be in the wrong this time. He didnt force him but insteadforted, Its fine. Youve also said that San Ge has a loud thunder when its just a drizzle, hell be okay in two days. Youve alreadye all the way here, how could he still stay angry at you?
He Nuo thanked him gratefully and seemed to be in a bit of dilemma. Qiu Linsong asked him, Is there anything else?
Oh, not really? Forget it.
Dont say forget it, if you need something just say it.
Theres one more thing Id like to trouble you with, but I dont know if you,
What is it?
He Nuo hesitated. Qiu Linsong ced his arm around his shoulders, Were friends, just say it.
It was only when He Nuo got on the coach that Qiu Linsong knew that he had only bought his return ticket after he reached in the morning, so there were only standing tickets left then. As he looked at the coach that looked like a can of packed sardines and He Nuos skinny figure that was sandwiched in between the crowd and especially when He Nuo shed him a grateful smile that was filled with the most heartfelt of thanks Qiu Linsong made up his mind: no matter what, he had to help them reconcile. He still remembered what had happened when school reopened during their third year, he didnt know why but San Ge treated He Nuo like a stranger for a month, but didnt they still suddenly reconcile in the end? And after that, he became even more concerned for He Nuo than ever.
He Nuo was a clean and pure guy, even if he really did something to offend San Ge, he definitely wouldnt have done it on purpose. Also, Qiu Linsong could somewhat understand He Nuos environment. How difficult must it have been for him toe here just this once? Just from this, he could see how much He Nuo cherishes San Ge. While his San Ge...even if you beat Qiu Linsong to death, he wouldnt believe that his San Ge really ns on breaking off with He Nuo with a 11. In fact, throughout all the years that he had known San Ge, He Nuo was the person that San Ge had done the most for. In any case, they would reconcile sooner orter, so why fight at this kind of juncture? He Nuos gonna take his college entrance examination soon, so no matter what his San Ge should be the more magnanimous one.
When Qiu Linsong returned, everyone was around. He only said that He Nuo had to rush for the return coach so he had already sent him back, but he didnt take the letter out immediately. He wasnt willing to let the rest know that San Ge and He Nuo were fighting. Even if everyone had suspected it, he didnt want to take out the letter on the spot lest a few assholes snatch it away to look at it that would make He Nuo feel embarrassed in the future.
After this bunch was almost done with their food, they began to y poker. That was when Qiu Linsong walked over to the Shi Yan who was just spectating and dragged him to sit down on a bed. He took out the letter and passed it to Shi Yan, and without saying anything, thetter knew who the letter was from. Shi Yan took the letter and flipped through the empty letter without any expression on his face, then casually stuffed it underneath his pillow.
Youre not going to read it?
Shi Yan cast a nce at him, then he wanted to go back to watch the rest y.
Whats the matter? Qiu Linsong grabbed him, He Nuo went back without eating anything, he didnt even get a seat when he squeezed onto the coach.
Shi Yans expression immediately turned ugly, He didnt eat anything?
Qiu Linsong snickered to himself, and deliberately said, What could we do? Time was so tight, we barely caught the coach after we hailed a cab, and he even fought over the fare with me. He unconsciously stuffed his hand into his pocket, and touched.......the hand he took out was holding onto two extra five yuan notes. As he looked at this ten yuan, Qiu Linsongughed, Never mind, he was the one who paid for it. Actually the cab fare was only six yuan, He Nuo had settled the bill for their meal too.
Shi Yan stared nkly at the money in Qiu Linsongs hand, then suddenly grabbed the letter and ran out. He was so quick that Qiu Linsong didnt have the time to react before he disappeared.
Did He Nuoe over to apologise to Shi Yan? Qin Mingxu chuckled.
What apology? Whats there to apologise for? Qiu Linsong retorted.
Youre still pretending. Shi Yan didnt even say a single word to him just now, and after he came back he even chased Bei Gege (the woman who was holding onto him just now) away, if he isnt angry then whats wrong with him?
What are you being all happy about? Its not like theyve never fought before, and they always got tighter afterwards. Wang Feng felt like Qin Mingxu was taking pleasure in Shi Yans misfortune and wasnt being a loyal friend.
The Shi Yan who was standing at the end of the corridor held an empty envelope in one hand, while he held a stack of money in the other. So fucking cruel, he didnt even leave behind a single word. Shi Yan had passed this week in a dizzy state: he had always felt empty as his soul wandered around in the day, but fortunately he could seek somefort at night. When he saw He Nuo just now, if it wasnt because Gege was holding onto him tightly, he might have just ran up to him and hugged him in front of everyone even if he had to break some bones or tore someones skin off, he would have still wanted that person in his arms. Yet Qiu Linsong embraced him as they left; Qiu Linsong had ignored his scorching line of sight, and had embraced him.
He Nuo had cut off all their ties. Although he said that they could be friends, Shi Yan himself knew that since they couldnt do it, saying that they could stay friends was merely empty talk. He thought that he had gotten used to it, but his numb heart began to feel again, and it started to ache like someone was gouging his heart out. Shi Yanughed; heughed in a low sobbing voice: if we were going to talk about cruelty and mercilessness, if He Nuo wanted to be no.2, who would dare be no. 1?
When Shi Yan went back, Qiu Linsong cast a cursory nce at him and saw that he still seemed normal, so he went up to him, Youve finished reading it?
Un.
You dont me him anymore?
Theres no need.
Thats right, whats there to fight over between bros? Hes going to take his exam soon and he looks quite stressed, so San Ge should be a little more magnanimnous ba. When I saw how He Nuo looked like just now, I felt so ufortable.
?
Qiu Linsong couldnt find the right word to say. He clumsily blurted out three words, My heart ached. Yet he felt like these words werent right, so he justughed, In any case, although he was smiling, my heart just felt particrly ufortable. His time is so tight with his studies now, yet he came all the way here to see you. So San Ge, dont be angry with him anymore, if He Nuo falls sick again, wouldnt we be the ones worrying anyway?
Shi Yan almost sneered. He dide all the way here to see him just topletely sever all their ties.
1. Authors note: breaking off all ties. T/N: lmao the raws actually did say break off times with a 1, and I wouldnt have known what the heck it meant if the author didnt footnote it?
Chapter 97
Chapter 97
He Nuo wandered all the way home before he ate what Qiu Linsong had bought for him. Its not that he wasnt hungry; but under the kind of situation where it was difficult to even turn around, if he had taken out his bread in the coach and began to chew on it, there was a high chance of it flying into other peoples mouth. Thus, he could only endure it until he got home, and he didnt forget to consume the Apollo and Royal Jelly either. He had delivered Shi Yans savings to him, but He Nuo continued to consume the nutritional products that he had brought over as usual. Shi Yan had never cut off this supply.
During the past week, He Nuos heart had actually been consumed by exhaustion; he tried to stabilise himself mentally, but his body wouldnt listen. He was really afraid that his hematuria would rpse, but unexpectedly, his body was holding up pretty well and didnt hinder him. Looks like Shi Yans nutritional products were quite effective.
After sses ended on a Monday afternoon, Shi Yan and the rest returned to their dorm, then those getting food split up as they went their separate ways. They werent like the other students who would eat in the canteen before going back to their dorms. Instead, 3 or 4 people would go out to get everyones meals, then they would sit in their dorms and chat as they ate. Almost everyone had extra vacuum-packed food that their parents had sent over to serve as their side dishes.
When they passed by the reception office on the first floor of their dormitory, they were used to collecting letters. The guy in the reception office would divide the letters ording to the dormitory room that they were addressed to, then students who came back in the afternoon would take it back with them to their dorms. Wang Feng took the letters for their dorm there were only two so when he identally saw the address inscribed on one of it, he immediately shouted, San Ge. Yours.
Shi Yan walked over to take it. Wang Feng handed it to him, but when he stretched his hand out he quickly retracted it when he saw the name in the middle of the envelope, Its Ah Songs (Qiu Linsong)! He Nuo wrote a letter to Ah Song?!!
Wang Feng felt puzzled. Although the people in their circle had an okay rtionship with He Nuo especially Qiu Linsong who had been in contact with He Nuo more often because of the infusions, but to be close to the point of exchanging letters? It still seemed a bit off, mainly because He Nuo wasnt the type to take such an initiative. If you wanted to be friends with He Nuo, it wasnt enough if you treated him well one-sidedly. He Nuo might look gentle and innocent on the outside, but he had set up a barrier around him; if he doesnt open up thatyer of protective film to ept an outsider, no one would be able to walk into it.
When Shi Yan saw the familiar handwriting on that envelope, he was absolutely certain that He Nuo had written it. He wasnt the only one who could recognise He Nuos handwriting, all of his friends could too, and almost everyone in their high school cohort could recognise it as well someone who was as gentle and kind as jade possessed a handwriting that looked like it could dominate the world. Many graduates in their year had asked He Nuo to help them copy the preface of their Graduation Message Book, all because his words were too suitable for a student who was about to enter college: Run unbridledly through the four seas, the eagles are taking to the skies.
Shi Yan had been curious before, how did he manage to write in such a way without any practice? And why were the words so ipatible with its writer it was so unlike He Nuos personality. He still remembered He Nuos answer, Words donte from ones form, but the heart. And his exnation to Shi Yan was: your characters have nothing to do with your appearance or personality; if this reason holds, then wouldnt beautiful people have brushwork as gorgeous as Suzhous embroidery, and ugly people have words that look like the marks made by a struggling fly after it fell into a fountain pens ink bottle?
He Nuo thought that writing words was like writing your heart down, which was why his characters came from his heart. He had never formally practiced running scripts, regr scripts and the like1, but whenever he saw a word, he would have already thought about how to write it so that it would look its best. Afterwards, he would be able to use his hands to turn his imagination into reality. When your heart and hands are connected, writing your heart down would turn into a pleasurable activity. Because words are first outlined in the heart, so if the heart has a ravine, then your words would have a ravine; if your heart has a sea in it, then your words would also contain the sea.
And it was exactly because of He Nuos unique handwriting that Shi Yan and Wang Feng firmly believed that it was his letter without a doubt. Moreover, the address written below was that of their high school alma mater. Wang Feng wondered as he walked upstairs. A guess surfaced in his mind, and he felt that his guess was absolutely correct, so he chased up to Shi Yan withrge strides, San Ge, youre fighting with He Nuo?
What do you mean?
He Nuo is asking Ah Song for help ba. Wang Feng flicked the letter.
When Qiu Linsong took the letter after he returned, he wasnt in a hurry to open it. He merely smiled as he praised, He Nuos words look really confident and strong, how did he get a hand like that? The moment I saw his words, I thought of the Hukou Waterfall. (another beneficiary of travels done at public expense)
Wang Feng scolded, Just hurry up and eat, do you think youre the only one whos seen his words?
Shi Yan has always been mindful of Qiu Linsong. He wondered in his heart: why doesnt Ah Song think its strange to receive He Nuos letter, and he isnt even surprised either? ording to the date on the letter, it shouldve been mailed on Saturday morning. Did He Nuo tell him about the letter yesterday? And ording to what Wang Feng said, if He Nuo intended to look for Ah Song to assist him in our reconciliation, then he wouldnt have returned all the money back to me yesterday? Shi Yan had counted the money; there wasnt a single cent missing from the 1000 yuan that he had passed to He Nuo before.
While he carried all these doubts in his heart, Shi Yan always consciously or unconsciously noticed Ah Songs actions. When it was time for their afternoon lessons, Qiu Linsong then brought his unopened letter from He Nuo to ss. He was in the same department as Shi Yan, but they had different majors, so they didnt take lessons together in the afternoon. Before dinner, Qiu Linsong took an envelope out and ced a stamp on it. Shi Yan walked by the table to take a cup and saw that the envelope had He Nuos name on it. After Qiu Linsong finished pasting the stamp, he went out to mail it.
At night, Shi Yan refused Bei Geges invitation and didnt go out, but he didnt stay in the dorm to y poker with the rest. He was waiting waiting for Qiu Linsong. If He Nuo had asked Qiu Linsong for help, then Ah Song would definitely try to persuade him. But what made Shi Yan dizzy was how Ah Song actually happily yed poker with the rest . When he intentionally stood next to him to look at his cards, Qiu Linsong actually pulled him down to ask him to act as his consultant.
After the lights went out, Shi Yan couldnt figure out the contents of He Nuos letter to Ah Song. Apart from him, what other link could they share? Was there anything else they needed tomunicate? All sorts of ridiculous ideas appeared after that, but the most normal one still had to do with him. But he had personallye over to sever ties before, so it was impossible for him to ask Ah Song for help? Or did Ah Song get overly excited from ying that he had forgotten He Nuos request? That bastard actually only remembered how to y!
On Tuesday, Shi Yan nned to sit next to Ah Song for lunch. But it was mere wishful thinking on his part he had just sat down when Wang Feng walked in with a letter as he shouted, Ah Song, your Hukou Waterfall!
Youre the fucking Huangguoshu2......
Hehe, werent you the one who said this guy reminds you of Hukou Waterfall?
Shi Yan stared as Ah Song took the letter and didnt open it up again, and instead ced it within his files. After their sses ended, Ah Song stuck a stamp on yet another envelope. Shi Yan stood by the window as he watched him drop the letter into a mailbox outside their college.
On Wednesday, the same plot repeated. Shi Yan counted this letter should have been mailed out a week ago. Since He Nuo had already severed all ties with him, why would he still write letters to his friend? And one letter per day? Even when he was his lover, He Nuo would only write him one letter every two weeks, what right did Songzi (he had demoted Ah Song to Songzi) have to receive his letter everyday? What kind of rtionship could they have for him to write to him everyday? Its not like theyre together!
No, a loud boom exploded in Shi Yans head. Not like theyre together?! Then what if they are? Shi Yan broke out in cold sweat. A voice told him that such a ridiculous matter was impossible, while another voice questioned him, if they werent dating, then who would have the motivation to write letters every single day? When he saw Songzis mail again, Shi Yan angrily went out with the Bei Gege who hade to look for him. He didnt have a very restful sleep tonight. When he woke up in the morning, he left without telling the Bei Gege who was sleeping on the sofa.
On Thursday noon, Shi Yan strode back after his ss and collected the letters for his dorm, and he did find that damn handwriting on the letter that was addressed to that damn Songzi. Shi Yan tore the letter open, yanked the letter paper out and unfolded it. If Shi Yan had horns, then right now they must be as sharp as sharp can be; his teeth shattered, his eyes cracked, and the fire in Shi Yans eyes raged as it burned furiously!
1. A type of calligraphy?
2. Hukou/Huangguoshu are all waterfalls?
Chapter 98
Chapter 98
On Friday, Shi Yan waited for the letter before he went home. On his journey back, he had already ruminated over hundreds of ideas in his head, and every one of them revolved around He Nuo. He managed to arrive at his school the moment sses ended. When He Nuo walked out of the school, he merely nodded when he saw Shi Yan and gave him an almost imperceptible smile before he continued walking forward. Shi Yan was so angry that he strode over and pulled He Nuo away, while thetter said earnestly, Whats the matter? Lets talk as we walk ba, I have several papers I need to finish tonight. Laoshi will be going through the answers tomorrow, so they cant be dyed.
I have something to ask you.
Un, what is it?
Did you hook up with someone else?
When He Nuo heard that, he paused, then answered Shi Yan, I dont quite understand why youre standing here? And what I dont understand even more is why youre asking such a question? But I do want to tell you, Shi Yan, Im very thankful that you gave me the opportunity to resume sses. If its not too much to ask, is it okay if you dont take this chance back? The college entrance examination is in 40 days, my time is really tight with my studies. If you dont agree to giving me this opportunity, I can return it to you1; but if you agree to my request, I would like to focus on the examination. I dont want it to be likest year when I had to hear and see some baffling affairs.
Shi Yans heart had been lingchi-ed2 by He Nuos words. This busy and clear person was making a humble request since when has He Nuo ever pleaded with someone like this before? Or rather, since when has He Nuo ever made a request before?
All of the hatred in his sea of rage and the malicious rebukes he wanted to utter became groundless as it vanished. What reced them were feelings of guilt: he didnt give He Nuo the chance to resume sses, he was the one who caused him to resume sses.
Do you agree (to give me this opportunity)? He Nuos voice softened, I wont have another chance after this.
Shi Yan stared at He Nuo and didnt say anything as his heart ached for him. After the first time Shi Yan applied medicinal cream for him, he couldnt bear to let He Nuo suffer any grievances or harm anymore, so He Nuos words were undoubtedly like a barbed whip that was flogging Shi Yan.
He didnt get Shi Yans reply, so He Nuo seemed to be a little nervous. He tried to do his best for the sake of his future, I really cherish this chance to resume sses. Studying can be quite arduous, Ive been working very hard. I, for our first mock examination, I was ranked 2nd; in May I was ranked 1st, This kind of bragging made He Nuos face flush red with unease, So, Im a bit reluctant to give it up. I, Id like to ask you, to please, please agree, He Nuos voice was trembling as he wasnt used to making requests.
Nuonuo, Nuonuo. Shi Yan hugged him tight. If his previous words had carved out bloody wounds in Shi Yans heart; then histter words kneaded and crushed his bleeding heart into mush. Shi Yan felt like being turned into dust wouldnt hurt as much as the pain he was feeling right now, Nuonuo, youll definitely pass! Definitely!
He Nuo pushed Shi Yan away and took two steps back, Thank you, Ill repay you after Im done being busy for the next forty days. He Nuo gave Shi Yan a bow before he turned around and left.
With an empty embrace and outstretched hands, Shi Yan turned utterly silly.
This was the longest and darkest night that Shi Yan had ever spent. He Nuo would he ever be able to pull out this thorn in his heart? On Saturday, Shi Yan rested at home listlessly as he looked at the ceiling in a daze. When the phone rang at 4pm, he was so startled that he jumped up from the sofa. Wang Feng had returned. Shi Yanined as he asked him why he didnt apany him back yesterday. Wang Feng actually didnt n oning back, but Qiu Linsongs family car had gone over so they hitched a ride back. Wang Feng wanted to go pick up He Nuo from school; he thought that Shi Yan was willing toe back because he had reconciled with He Nuo, so since it was the weekend, they could celebrate their reconciliation by having a meal together.
As soon as Shi Yan heard that, he wanted to fabricate a reason to reject him, because he really didnt dare to experience He Nuos pleas again. His words of courtesy could kill even though they had no concrete form, Shi Yan was afraid that he might go crazy if he heard them again. But Wang Feng said that it was Ah Song who suggested to have dinner together, so Shi Yan immediately changed his clothes and left. He met up with the Wang Feng who was waiting at the intersection before they went to their high school. During the weekend, students rushed out the moment their sses ended. When He Nuo and Qiu Linsong came out to get their bike, Wang Feng and Shi Yan saw two people who were chatting happily as they walked. Qiu Linsong had one foot on the ground as he waited for He Nuo to sit down at the back properly before he rode off. Wang Feng greeted them. The He Nuo who was sitting at the back responded, then smiled politely at Shi Yan.
Wang Feng didnt see He Nuo jump off to sit on Shi Yans bike, so he hesitated for a moment. He thought that since they had just reconciled, they might still feel awkward with one another, so he tried to adjust the atmosphere as heined about his hunger, Lets eat a bit earlier today, hurry hurry.
Qiu Linsong picked a ce, and Qin Mingxu went home to pack his things before he would meet them at the restaurant. The funniest thing happened when they were choosing their seats after everyone entered the room they had reserved. Wang Feng was used to sitting next to Shi Yan, and Qiu Linsong casually sat next to Wang Feng, but He Nuo actually sat beside Qiu Linsong. Wang Feng was about to call He Nuo over, but Qin Mingxu chuckled as he sat on the other side of Shi Yan. This round table had eight seats. Wang Feng med this guy for ying gooseberry, You have a big ass,e over here.
I wont. Qin Mingxu squinted his eyes. He knew what his intention was, but he didnt want to move.
Why is your fucking ass so heavy...
Forget it, it doesnt matter where we sit. Start ordering, arent you hungry? Shi Yan interrupted.
This meal had suffocated Wang Feng to death. He learnt a lesson today: it wasnt easy being the good guy. The atmosphere around the table was strange; Shi Yan kept staring at He Nuo, and he stared at him with the kind of gaze that made him look like he wanted to gobble He Nuo up. Yet when He Nuo looked up, his line of sight would drift away. He Nuo appeared to be sitting on pins and needles it was as if he had forgotten that he needed to pick up some side dishes as he ate, and it was Qiu Linsong who often got the side dishes for him. All you could hear were his thanks in return. And there was a Qin Mingxu who seemed to fear that the world wasnt chaotic enough as he kept adding fuel to the fire he would either ask about the resumption of He Nuos sses, or discuss with Shi Yan about whether or not his girlfriend was hot enough. No matter how hard Wang Feng tried to create an opportunity for Shi Yan to say something to He Nuo, his efforts would always be reduced to naught by this brute.
They were about to go their separate ways after the meal. Wang Feng didnt want to put in any more futile efforts. He wasnt going to be so stupid as to suggest that Shi Yan should send He Nuo back he knew that they hadnt reconciled yet, so he wasnt going to eat this meal that was difficult to swallow. Yet the person at the dinner table who hadnt spoken a single word to He Nuo actually spoke up and said that he would send He Nuo home. And He Nuo sat on his bicycles backseat without any objection. That was when Wang Feng felt like he hadnt eaten this meal in vain.
When he sent He Nuo to his doorstep, Shi Yan asked, Can I go in?
Sure.
After they entered, he greeted He Nuos family and exchanged pleasantries with them, then they went to He Nuos room. He Nuo poured a cup of water for him before quietly sitting at one side as if he was awaiting trial.
1. He Nuo is saying nin here again, which is the formal version of saying you. Makes him sound really distant?
2. Lingchi = an old form of capital punishment that can be called Death by a Thousand Cuts, where someone is killed by slowly slicing off bits and pieces of their flesh?
Chapter 99
Chapter 99
Shi Yan took out two letters and showed it to the He Nuo who was looking down at his feet. He Nuos face immediately turned pale, and his shoulders began to tremble to show his panic. Shi Yan threw out the words Ill see you tomorrow, then left.
When he heard Shi Yan walk out of his yard, He Nuo stood up to draw the curtains for his window. Then he threw the letters into the carton underneath his bed before he sat at his table to do his homework.
On Sunday, Shi Yan came over after lunch.
Come back to me!
He Nuo nodded. Shi Yan drew the curtains andtched the door. But actually, He Nuos parents were taking an afternoon nap and his younger brothers werent even home. He Nuo said softly, Every subject gave out a ton of revision papers, theyre impossible to finish. Can we not do that before the exam?
Okay. Shi Yan promised readily, yet he pushed He Nuo onto the bed and began to take He Nuos pants off.
Then you...
After he took off his pants, Shi Yans movements were a bit fierce as he yanked away He Nuos hand that was holding onto his underwear, Did he fuck your ass?
He Nuo remained silent, and Shi Yan wasnt in a hurry to talk either. He overturned him and made him get on his knees, then parted his legs. He knelt down before he went to pull apart his butt cheeks; that ce on He Nuo had never been able to adapt to any function aside from excretion, so every time after they did it, even if there were no tears, it would still take three to five days before its swelling wouldpletely recede. Shi Yan saw that it was in good condition right now, then he stuck a finger in. He didnt care about how He Nuo had raised his head in difort and stuck his finger in until it couldnt go any deeper, then began to wriggle it around his insides.
After he withdrew his finger, Shi Yan pinched He Nuos chin and the two lines of dried up traces on his handsome face left behind by silent tears didnt get any warmth in exchange, If this happens a second time, Ill kill you.
His bloody words made He Nuo cower, and he looked like a trembling rat that had just seen a cat. Shi Yan wiped away the marks on his face, Focus on your exams first, I wont pursue it this time. But thetter part of his words was already spoken in a softer tone as he soothed the person in his embrace.
Shi Yan needed to rush back to his college in the afternoon. The car was waiting for him, so he couldnt stay behind for long. He only warned He Nuo to keep check of his own actions. Within a week after he returned to college, Shi Yan had sent four letters over, which meant that he began to write one letter per day to He Nuo as soon as he got back to his college, and thissted until He Nuo didnt need to attend sses anymore. The content of these letters had his restored care, pampering, inquiries about He Nuos well-being and affectionate sentiments. He Nuo would read the letter that was delivered to him the day before every morning before he started his day of studying, then read todays letter every evening as an end to his day filled with fatigue before falling into a deep slumber peacefully in a good mood. Within this same week, Shi Yan and Qiu Linsong had a big fight over something others deemed to be trivial, and became strangers from then on.
The ghostly seventh month approached. From the 1st to the 6th, students would have to prepare by themselves and wouldnt need to attend school anymore. Shi Yan returned, but aside from arranging a hotel for He Nuo to study in and have his three meals (he went home to sleep at night), he would just quietly stay by He Nuos side without doing anything. He Nuo began his examinations on the 7th, and Shi Yan had gone back to his college because they had to take their final examinations too before their summer vacation.
On the evening of the 9th, Shi Yan called He Nuo. He Nuo sounded quite excited as he told Shi Yan that he felt pretty good. He could still remember what he wrote for his Englishposition right now, and could even write it down word for word from memory. After a few days, the example answers came out and he still remembered how he had answered the questions. Shi Yan told He Nuo that their holidays formally began on the 17th, but he would finish his exams on the 16th. His family would send a car over to pick him up and he would be able to return then.
When they met on the 17th, He Nuo chose to meet up at the paddy fields outside the East walls of their high school for them, this was their usual ce. Although Shi Yan had sentimental feelings for this ce, this was obviously not a good venue for their bodies that had long been separated to connect again. Dont tell him that they really had to go into the sorghum fields to experience natures bed? So when he saw the He Nuo who had already arrived before him, he threw his bike aside and rushed over, Letse here another day. Once I get an air gun, we cane here to hunt the sparrows. Lets go to the hotel first.
Shi Yan thought that He Nuos younger brothers were at home and it was inconvenient, which was why He Nuo wanted to have fun outside. Shi Yan usually ate at his fatherspanys hostel nowadays, so he didnt even need to tell his father if he wanted a room there. He just needed to tell his fathers secretary, or the manager in charge of reception in his fathers office and they would arrange everything for him.
Youre used to going to hotels?
? Shi Yan didnt manage to pull He Nuo away, and his eyes narrowed because of the overtones in his words, What do you mean?
Do you sign the bill at MO citys (the name of the city that Shi Yans college was situated in) hotels too?
Who told you that I went to hotels in MO?
Then where did you sleep with her?
He1? Who? Shi Yan could tell that something was unusual.
The good thing about English is that it has a clear distinction between HE (ta) and SHE(ta), no matter in speech or in writing. He Nuos ck eyes were gleaming needles were hidden in this bed of cotton.
What do you want to say? Shi Yan didnt like this kind of He Nuo.
Would you like it better if Iid my cards on the table? Then, Illy them down: Ive said this before, that I would repay you after I wasnt busy with my exams anymore. Your sympathy and pity for me led you to shower me with so much grace, so the best way I can repay you is to set you free.
Shi Yan hardly knew what he was listening to. The dizzying pain that made it feel like his lungs were being gouged out invaded his body again, He Nuo!
Shi Yan, I didnt want to see you again, and I wanted to offer you my repayment in a letter at first. But aside from grace, we also had a little friendship; so before I put an end to all this, I thought that it would be better to talk to you face to face this onest time. No, give me a chance to speak, listen to me first.
I know that we might not be mature enough because of our young age, and we might have confused our feelings withpassion and gratitude everything that had happened between us was not normal. When you wanted to move us back on track, I should have taken the opportunity to return to the right path as well. I tried. But my exams were imminent, so I didnt have the extra energy to deal with it. No matter what kind of feelings we had between us, I only knew that when I had let go of your hand at that time, I tried my best and still didnt manage to keep going on. But this is myst chance, I cant fail at the stage of the college entrance examination any more.
I only hoped that you could apany me until the end of my exams, but aside from lies, you would no longer spare a nce at me. We might not be able to discern the feelings we have, but after weve known each other for the past few years, we could still more or less understand each others personality. I knew that if someone took my hand right after you let it go, you definitely wouldnt be able to stand it. In that way, you would view me as someone that you didnt want by your side, but whom you wouldnt allow anyone else to have either. Especially since that other person was one of your buddies. I owe him an apology too; from the start till the end, all he did was promise to help me ept and send out a few letters, he didnt know anything else apart from that. Also, he really does treat you as his buddy, which was why he was so enthusiastic. He deserves to be your friend. Please apologise to him on my behalf.
The exams have ended, and even though the results arent released yet, Id like to say that Ive already thought this through before I went through with it. This chance is the biggest favour you did for me, so I will remember it. In the future, when I am a bit more capable after I graduate, I would be thankful for an opportunity to repay your kindness if there is ever a time when you need me to serve as your dog or horse. As for the next few years, I believe that you wont think that Im being so indecent as to shirk or dy my repayment; as a student, my capabilities are limited, so I might not have the chance to repay you for the time being.
The most I can do now is to not interfere with your life, and not be a burden to you because of yourpassion to stop you from living a normal life. Ill give you freedom in the future, Ill be going somewhere far, far away from this ce, so I believe that itll be quite unlikely for us to meet in the future.
Lastly, thank you for your agreement and support for my college entrance examination this time. I would like to be a bit selfish this time, and say that we shall never meet again someday.
1. He and she in Chinese are both pronounced ta, so Shi Yan doesnt understand that He Nuo had said her instead of him?
Chapter 100
Chapter 100
He Nuo left, and he left with his head held high and his back ramrod straight. He Nuo got on his bike (he specially borrowed a bicycle from his younger brother). Abject pain was pooling in his eyes, yet the proud smile that hung on his lips came from the bottom of his heart.
He didnt say see you again to Shi Yan, because he wasnt willing to ever see him again in this lifetime. No matter how ruthless that persons behaviour was, or how badly his words had hurt him, He Nuo had to confess to himself: even if it was just out ofpassion and pity, that person really did pull him out of his sealed off castle to stand underneath the radiant sun and had taught him what warmth meant. So, He Nuo definitely wouldnt allow one word to appear between them, even if it was the first time for He Nuo to feel the existence of that word hate!
After his college entrance examination ended, He Nuo carefully examined his life within these 40 days. Ever since he was a kid, he had never made a request towards someone else, and the only thing he asked of himself was to simply not be a detestable person, and to try his best to be self-reliant. This time, in order to realise his lifelong dreams, he despicably made use of Qiu Linsongs friendship with Shi Yan, and had made use of his understanding of Shi Yans character. Its not like He Nuo never condemned himself for involving the innocent Qiu Linsong in this, but if time wound back, he believes that he would make the same decision. Because he had to hold onto his college entrance examination to survive. Shi Yans words had thrown him into a desperate situation, so in order toe back from deaths door, he had to grit his teeth and endure it.
No matter how hard he tried before his exams, the walls around his heart would still copse eventually, but an illusion could help him surpass the him who had to fight alone. Would this still not answer the question of whether or not it was grace? Or love? He had been locked in a fierce battle, but the He Nuo who held victory in the palm of his hands can now face his heartbreak. As of this moment, he had enough time to wait for his wounds to heal, and for new hope to emerge to add to the strength he needed to resist the cold from losing his sunshine. So He Nuo admitted defeat: he had lost his love, and he lost this battle with his head held high.
He Nuo wasnt without resentment. He had always been indifferent for so many years, because there was no one who could cause ripples in He Nuos life. His istion in childhood and the contempt he faced when he grew up, and the gazes of those who despised him were all like small, stubborn stones that fell into a pool of stagnant water they couldnt arouse any waves in this water. This was also the reason why his teacher could easily obtain his forgiveness after his derogatory remarks had triggered He Nuos eruption; He Nuo does not think highly of these irrelevant outsiders. But Shi Yan...in He Nuos heart, Shi Yan was someone who was interlinked with his flesh and blood, and he was someone who his pulse was linked to it was a kind of connection that couldnt be cut off cleanly even if He Nuo were to chop off his own veins. So how could He Nuo not bear any hatred?
He Nuo hated his ruthlessness. Wrong feelings? Confused them with love? If these reasons were all real, then there should still be some semnce of friendship between them ba? He Nuo didnt believe that after all those days they had spent walking through storms together, they wouldnt have the slightest bit ofradeship. Take another step back, if their friendship was because of Shi Yans status, how could one be that immoral? Why couldnt he have left him some room for him to breath? Why couldnt he have waited until his examinations were over? Did Shi Yan really not know how important the college entrance examination was to him?
If it were anyone else who had so lightly left before his exams, He Nuo wouldnt have the heart to me them. In ordance with his long-standing habits, how could the predicament he caused be used as a reason to force others to postpone their departure? He Nuo would be causing the other party to suffer in that case. So it was only right and proper for him to bear that burden, even if he wasnt capable enough, or even if he had to face many difficulties and hardship, he couldnt transfer this burden to someone else. But that person was Shi Yan: it was Shi Yan who had abandoned him and let go of his hand the same person who had stubbornly held onto his hand had also flung him away so wilfully too. He Nuo forced himself not to resent Shi Yan, and instead chose a path where they would both withdraw from each others lives.
Shi Yan didnt stop He Nuo, and once again watched him leave. Its not that he didnt want to, but he couldnt stretch his hand out, or open his mouth to spit out a single word. He Nuo appeared like he had poured his heart out. Yet he did so with a distant and polite attitude, and tone. Even when he uttered hisst goodbye, Shi Yan saw no emotion in He Nuos dark eyes all he saw was an expanse of cold. Shi Yan had never seen He Nuo look at anyone in that way before, it was a gaze devoid of warmth. It was so cold that Shi Yan suddenly felt terrified, he was terrified of the fact that He Nuo wanted to kick him out of his world.
He slowly squatted down, then slowly sat down on the field. Shi Yan could no longer pretend to be deaf or dumb, and he could no longer remain muddle-headed and drag things out. How could he bear to set up fence at such an important junction of He Nuos life? At that time, if it wasnt because He Nuo had suspected his return and confirmed that he did return, Shi Yans original n was to wait until his examinations were over. But reality had forced him to slice through their tangled knot quickly and ruthlessly with a sharp knife, yet it hadpletely backfired on him. It was a foolish decision to hack away at a stream of water just so that the water could flow out even more. But it was also because of all this slicing and hacking that Shi Yan finally understood that he couldnt afford to lose He Nuo. He didnt have the time to consider whether or not this was because of his feelings or because of his desire to possess him, Shi Yan just wanted him back. Unexpectedly, he had easily pulled that person back into his embrace, and since he was facing a He Nuo who didnt make a fuss or ask any questions, Shi Yan wouldnt take the initiative to mention anything either.
As he faced that indifferent He Nuo, Shi Yan heard the grudges that He Nuo refused to speak of, and felt the hatred that he was trying to suppress. Shi Yan didnt feel any resentment from being deceived, and didnt feel indignant because he had been fooled with on the contrary, it had made him understand just how deeply he had hurt He Nuo. The wound he caused was so deep that even the pure He Nuo who had fallen into a dry well had toe up with such a conspiracy to save himself from his desperation; it was so severe that the resilient He Nuo couldnt bear it and had to resort to deluding himself.
Shi Yan had actually assumed a tortoise mentality. He Nuosck of time to inquire about the past and his tranquility made him shrink his neck back to ignore the underlying contradictions, and to ignore the anxiety brought about by the blustering gales and downpour that heralded the tempestuous storm brewing underneath. He Nuo didnt relieve him from the pain of lingering on with hisst breath, but he didnt remove the lid of peace that would uncover the monstrous waves billowing underneath either. He Nuo merely flipped over hisst card in front of him, thenpletely stepped out of the world that they had shared.
Or Shi Yan could have just been deceiving himself all along. He always thought that with He Nuos personality, he would never ask for causes, and wouldnt seek any justification as long as he could return to his embrace then everything would be fine. Shi Yan deliberately neglected a side of He Nuo that he knew much better than anyone else: his unyielding nature that would rather break than bend. Now he had experienced it personally for himself; He Nuo would still rather bear this hurt by himself, than keep this rtionship that resulted from the conspiracies and begging that he disdains. As of this moment right now, Shi Yan was still convinced that He Nuos feelings for him were the only one of its kind, but he had also experienced He Nuos determination to break off all their emotional attachments this was what had truly triggered Shi Yans fear.
Shi Yan knew that he could no longer let go of He Nuos hand. When he tried to let go just a little thest time, his heart became as empty as a dead city that had been massacred in a war. Shi Yan wasnt so foolish as to want to experience that kind of boundless emptiness where even his life had vanished again. But, his lovers wings were fluttering, and he was preparing to soar up into the skies. Since he had dared to show him his final card, it meant that He Nuo no longer worried about taboos, and it meant that He Nuo no longer wanted to duck down in avoidance. Shi Yan was really worried that he wouldnt be able to maintain a firm grip on his beloveds hand this time.
Shi Yan went to He Nuos house at night. He Nuo seemed to be waiting for him, a cup of water had been prepared on his table.
You knew that I woulde?
This afternoon was the chance for me to speak, so of course you would have your chance too.
Nuonuo, Im sorry.
Its all in the past, theres no need to think about it so much anymore.
I didnt want to do it at that kind of timing, but you had seen me, right? That call was from you, so I had chosen the worst possible time.
Un.
What we have is real. Its not sympathy, and its notpassion either.
He Nuo scrutinised Shi Yan, as if he was trying to discern the truth behind his words. Shi Yan firmly weed his scorching gaze. He wanted every single strand of his hair to exhibit his utmost sincerity. Their eyes met, and it caused sparks in the air as if two power lines had collided; both sides were being extremely overbearing in this contest. One wanted to prove his sincerity, while the other wanted to tear his disguise apart.
He Nuo could no longer manipte himself to defend Shi Yan; aside from the word shameless, He Nuo couldnt describe Shi Yans actions at this moment as anything else right now. He Nuo can ept the fact that Shi Yan has a girlfriend, he can ept Shi Yans immoral betrayal, but to him, Shi Yan can not be despicable and shameless person.
You should have been born before the liberation.
?
The man from Qi1 has already been obliterated by the liberation army, youre toote. He Nuo faced Shi Yan. His deep eyes that were slightly upturned at its corners emanated a fierce and solemn air. Shi Yan felt like he had just taken a blow to his head; his stifled chest began to throb painfully from the suffocation.
1. The man from Qi had one wife and many concubines, its an idiom that refers to the joy of having several partners?
Chapter 101
Chapter 101
I didnt pursue any girls.
You dont need to tell me all that. Apologies shouldnt sound like this, we dont need to y any word games. You should just say what your purpose ining here for is ba. He Nuos words were rather rude, but Shi Yan actually didnt throw a fit. He spoke arduously, I want us to be together.
He Nuo seemed like he had just heard an adult speak in a childs voice, so he shook his head andughed, You must be joking, I dont intend to repay your favour with my own feelings.
Youre not repaying a favour, what we have is love, not sympathy. Its not. Shi Yan felt extremely bitter.
Im sorry you think that way, because all I feel for you is gratitude. Since youve enlightened me on the errors of my ways and showed me the way back to the correct path, why do you still refuse to realise the error of your own ways?
He Nuo attacked his shield with Shi Yans own spear and grasped onto the word gratitude tightly topletely overturn everything that had happened between the two of them he overturned them until everything was turned upside down. This was because He Nuo could clearly see what his own feelings were, and he wanted to personally give up on these feelings of his. He wanted a clean te. He wanted to drive that person away until he couldnt even see a trace of his shadow.
Give me one more chance, forgive me. Shi Yan made thisst request in utter anguish.
Youre too polite. You dont need to use those two words that are overly serious for our situation.
The upromising He Nuo made Shi Yans expression grow darker and darker. In the end, he finally suppressed the gloominess in his voice as he threatened, Dont force me.
Yet He Nuo wore an expression that said I knew it, then said indifferently, Isnt your hand already on your bow, and your arrow is already on your string? Why do you still talk about force? You came over after you had thought it through ba.
I dont want to go that far, can we not go there?
Sure, as long as you turn around and get out right now.
Nuonuo, please, forgive me. The light that had been emitted from Shi Yans eyes because of the word sure was immediately extinguished after he heard the rest of his sentence.
Release the arrow ba.
Shi Yan gazed at He Nuos eyes that were filled with helplessness, sorrow and determination. No more begging, fierceness and unruliness, If your fourth brothers job isnt enough, then theres the matter of how Ive fucked you too would these carry enough weight?
He Nuo smiled without even blinking. His smile was as warm as the rising sun that shone upon the world, Enough, thats more than enough.
Shi Yans heart rxed a little, but in fact he wasnt as confident anymore. He held He Nuo in his arms, I, I, He wanted to exin, but he didnt know where to start from. He had pulled this person back through the most underhanded mean he could think of; the cracks were still waiting to be repaired.
I.......
You dont need to say anything. He Nuo interrupted Shi Yans promise? Guarantee? He very solemnly and carefully said, I reject lies.
I understand.
Have you slept with her?
No. Shi Yans heart jumped with a ! once.
Youve never slept with her?
No. Shi Yan affirmed.
Then whats your rtionship with her?
Were friends. Shi Yan insisted.
He Nuo examined him carefully. They looked into each others eyes in silence. Cold sweat trickled down Shi Yans forehead as he prayed that He Nuo would believe him, and prayed that he would rather die than bend. He smiled, Thats good then.
Shi Yan unconsciously exhaled, he felt like a lucky survivor from the cave of scums. He Nuo said that they should go out tomorrow, and rest earlier tonight. Shi Yan was afraid of any further investigation, so he felt like he had just escaped from the mouth of a tiger as he took his leave.
When he got home, Shi Yan realised that because he was in such a flurry of confusion, his nose had been led around by He Nuo and he forgot to ask which college He Nuo applied for. He can be certain that He Nuo definitely wouldnt have applied for MO citys A College, so Shi Yan was thinking about how to salvage the situation. Pull some strings and send him to A College during the submission stage? That wasnt impossible, but Shi Yan wanted to let He Nuo know in advance and seek his approval first.
The He Nuo now wasnt a doll with no desire who others could manipte at will. His humility had faded away, and the strength that he had umted over the years took its ce. Since were talking about this, Shi Yan didnt think that He Nuos strength now was unexpected. He was already well aware of He Nuos stubborn and indomitable nature in the early stages of their acquaintanceship, so he had already expected that sooner orter, He Nuo would emit a resplendent radiance that cant be taken lightly. (T/N: um if this was confusing, the author is talking in a narration style lmao)
Shi Yan didnt feel like sleeping in. He nned to show up at He Nuos house once his family had all gone to work. Yesterday night, he thought up of a bunch of methods to coax He Nuo into going to A College. When he had just worn his shoes, his phone rang, and He Nuos voice travelled through the phone.
Shi Yan, when I insisted on getting you to release the arrow to hurt me yesterday, I did so in order to see if you would pursue our rtionship without a second thought. Sure enough, you did try to salvage it by hook or by crook. I believe that you sincerely wish to remedy our past.
Shi Yan was so agitated that he grabbed the phone and wished that he could kiss it, Im nning to look for you now. Wait for me, well talk when we meet.
He heard a gentleugh on the other side. He Nuo said with deep affection, Do you remember? I said that I rejected lies. Shi Yan, that was thest chance I orded you, but you gave it up! Im calling you now to tell you that your threats have no weight. If fourth brothers job is implicated because of me, my heart will ache for him but I wont lower my head for him, because I believe that I will redouble mypensation to him in the future; as for the matter of you fucking me, my sleaziness would make my family spurn me, but it would give me the chance to leave as well. Dont you think that theyll hope a disgrace like me can disappear? Under the circumstance where they dare not provoke you, banishing the me who had brought dishonour upon my family should be the best solution ba?
Shi Yan copsed onto his sofa and said incoherently, No, thats not what I meant, I wouldnt really use that to threaten you. I was just saying that, I want us to start over.......
Dont lie, Shi Yan. Actually, I didnt believe that you would treat me like that too, you shouldnt be such a despicable person. But, when you answered me resolutely that you were just friends, you didnt hesitate even for a moment before you uttered that lie. I cannot find a reason to forgive you. Sorry, Shi Yan, the spilled water between us cant be gathered anymore. No matter if youre willing to let me go, or if you intend to forcefully coerce me into it, I wont sit here to wait for death to knock on my door. Lets end this.
Listen to me, I was afraid that if you knew you would be even more....... Shi Yan cried out eagerly, but he could only hear the dudu sounding from his phone. Shi Yan flung his phone down, stricken with grief. He rushed out of his house. He wanted to look for He Nuo, he wanted to be frank with He Nuo. No more threats, no more hurting him, and no more lies!!
When he arrived at He Nuos house, Shi Yan almost smashed the door down instead of knocking on it, while He Nuos younger brothers who had opened the door looked even more surprised, Yan Ge, youre not here to send He Nuo off ba, hasnt he already left?
Left? Where did he go? Shi Yans heart suddenly stopped.
He went to our uncles house to y. He left this morning and should be on the train by now. Didnt he tell you?
When will hee back? Where is it?
Shi Yan got the address of He Nuos uncle it was the ce where He Nuo had been sent to that year. Shi Yan does want to go look for him, but he needed to go home to make some arrangements and find some excuses first.
The torrential downpour that persisted for the next two days made it impossible for Shi Yan to set out on a long journey. In the meantime, Shi Yan had called He Nuos house once. He chatted with He Nuos fourth bro and managed to obtain information on the colleges He Nuo applied for in the midst of their casual conversation. Then Shi Yan fell sick. And he had fallen terribly sick he got a high fever without rhyme or reason. After he consumed some medication, his temperature didnt drop and instead rose to a high fever of 40 degrees, which terrified his parents.
Shi Yan was sent to the hospital, and after he had undergone a series of examinations, he was hospitalised as he waited for the results. Three days went by. In the day, Shi Yans temperature could drop to about 39 degrees, but it would rise back up again after 5pm. He had always been infused with fever medication, yet they could never find out the cause of this fever. Even the possibilities of it being a scary disease such as scarlet fever had all been ruled out one by one by the tests he took. Shi Yan was so tormented by his high fever that he couldnt even stand up by himself to go to the toilet. When his buddies came to visit him, all they saw was someone who had bloodshot eyes and burning cheeks. Qiu Linsong hade over as well, and even dissed him, San Ge, its so rare to see such a pitiful you. Haha, you can keep acting for a few more days. Hurry and get discharged, were all waiting for you to y ser with us.
When they met, one smile could wash away all the hatred and gratitude of the past. Also, they were bros, so how could there really be hatred between them? Shi Yan tried his best to talk to them for a bit, but his breaths couldnt even keep up. When his buddies saw his condition, they asked him to rest and told him that they would go back first. Over the next few days, his buddies often visited him, and even if they didnt talk they would apany him through his infusions. Especially Wang Feng and Liu Qinsong they reported to his ward almost every day. But the doctors still couldnt find a cause for Shi Yans illness. Wang Feng saw that he not only had to be infused with a few bottles every day, but he also had to rely on external cooling to reduce his temperature: through rubbing alcohol all over his body and enema.
10 days passed, and the lowest temperature Shi Yan managed to reach was 38.5 degrees. He looked unprecedentedly weak. Shi Yans parents had already invited an expert from the big city to take a look at him, but they gave the same unclear diagnosis of high fever of unknown origin. Today, Qiu Linsong took the chance of Shi Yans mothers absence to ask why he hadnt seen He Nuo visit Shi Yan after so many days had passed. Actually Wang Feng felt like something was amiss too, hadnt they already reconciled?
Shi Yan was all groggy from his fever as he pointed at his small bag. Wang Feng was puzzled as he opened it, and there was only one slip of paper inside!!!
He went to his uncles house, and had severed all ties with me.
Chapter 102
Chapter 102
When Qiu Linsong found He Nuos uncles house ording to the address on the paper, He Nuo wasnt at home. Since Qiu Linsong came in a car, He Nuos cousin led him to find He Nuo. It wasnt too far away if you drove, but if he had to walk or ride a bike then his cousin would have probably been unwilling because there was a hilly road in the middle that was quite bumpy. Qiu Linsong asked his cousin what he was doing so far away, the other party said that he would know once he got there.
After they drove past two viges, they arrived at a small town. The market here was very small, his cousin asked Qiu Linsong to park the car by the roadside cause they needed to walk in. When he saw He Nuo, Qiu Linsong didnt know what he was doing for crying out loud. He was sitting on two bricks as he read a book, and in front of him was a bunch of nts that Qiu Linsong couldnt recognise. The roots of each nt were all wrapped up in newspapers there was probably mud on them.
He Nuo.
He Nuo looked up from his book and saw Qiu Linsong. He was surprised at first, then he looked behind him.
San Ges not here. Have you had enough? Hes so sick that hes at deaths door but he still asked me toe find you. Qiu Linsong was really impulsive as he talked, because he really couldnt understand how big a deal it could have been; friends should bear with one another more and be more tolerant, how could friends fuss over every little thing? Whats more, with how well San Ge treats He Nuo, whats there to be critical about? From Qiu Linsongs point of view, San Ge must have been so tormented and angered by this that he fell sick for no reason.
He Nuo smiled bitterly. Qiu Linsong really deserved to be called a brother and buddy. He Nuo does feel a little ashamed when he has to face Qiu Linsong, Were no longer friends........
What the fuck are you saying? He Nuo you bitch, how could you be so inhumane? Qiu Linsong flew into a fit of fury the moment he heard those words and jumped in to interrupt He Nuo. He condemned him like a machine gun, Do you still have a heart? San Ge is so sick now that he has to be supported by someone if he wants to pee, yet he still wanted me to pass you this message: he asked you to please forgive him, and that he was sorry. Even if San Ge did something wrong, isnt it fine since he has already apologised to you? When have you ever seen San Ge apologise before? Whats more, how San Ge treated you in the past is something we all saw with our own eyes. Dont make me think that youre someone without a slightest shred of conscience.
He Nuo didnt know why, but when he faced the ignorant Qiu Linsong, he had no way of justifying himself.
Im not here to beg you, we must go back today, its just a matter of how youre going to go back. He Nuo, if worstes to worst, you can just break it off with me too. When Qiu Linsong saw how He Nuo never spoke a single word, he got anxious.
Then lets go back ba. He Nuo sent his cousin back home first. He packed his bags and brought two of the nts from before onto the car.
On their way back, Qiu Linsong told him everything about Shi Yans hospitalisation without exaggerating anything he merely stated the truth. He told He Nuo that they still couldnt find the reason for his fever now, and the doctors are worried that if things were to go on like this, Shi Yans vitality might be adversely affected. He Nuo was listening to him quietly, but when Qiu Linsong saw the anxiety in He Nuos eyes that he couldnt conceal, he felt quiteforted. After he finished listening to Qiu Linsong, He Nuo looked out in a daze at the trees that were few and far in between as they zoomed past them. Qiu Linsong thought that he didnt really want He Nuo to worry too much, so he changed the topic and asked about those unknown nts.
He Nuo introduced them as Goji nts. He had digged them up at the mountains in front of the vige, and told Qiu Linsong that he knew about them when he came here to attend school before. The people in the vige dont really know what it was, but those in the city all know that if you use its fruits to make wine and tea, it would be very beneficial for the eyes.
When Qiu Linsong asked why he wanted to dig these up to bring back to their town, He Nuo looked a little embarrassed. To sell them, of course. There was a small number of migrants in their town. They would buy these back to nt them in a flower pot and grow them like they were growing flowers. The goji fruits will sprout in autumn, and although there wont be a lot of them, you could treat them as an ornament it would be a very beautiful sight to see those bright red fruits along its branches. When Qiu Linsong knew that each nt could only be sold for a few cents, he really admired He Nuo.
They only got back around 7pm. ording to Qiu Linsongs n, they should be going straight to the hospital now to see San Ge. But He Nuo wanted to go home first so he told Qiu Linsong that he would go to the hospital tomorrow. Qiu Linsong thought that since he had pressured him intoing back, it wouldnt be good to pressure him too much so he sent He Nuo home first before going to the hospital himself. Shi Yans mother was rubbing alcohol on his palms and feet while Wang Feng ate at one side. When he saw that Qiu Linsong was alone, Shi Yans eyes instantly dimmed, but Qiu Linsong was already smiling as he nodded, Hes back.
Shi Yan urged his mother to go home. Since his buddies have been apanying him here for the past few nights and his ward was a single room, there was now an extra bed here. Mama Shi repeated all the precautions that she has been nagging him about every day before she left. Once the door closed, Shi Yan immediately asked if he was still unwilling toe.
Qiu Linsong said that He Nuo was too tired, so he would being over tomorrow. Shi Yan could thus only lie down, relieved, though he quickly got up again anxiously and wanted to make a call no matter what. The other two had to support him as they walked over to Wang Fengs mothers ward. Wang Feng pulled the doctor on duty out to chat with them at the nurses station so that Shi Yan could make a call in the office.
Shi Yan didnt get to talk to He Nuo. He Nuos family told him that He Nuo went out as soon as he got back. He boldly guessed that He Nuo might have left toe visit him, and the moment he thought of this possibility, he rushed out to ask his buddies to help him back to his ward. It was only when he suffered the disappointment from waiting that he remembered how He Nuo still didnt know which ward he was in, so he couldnte and visit him of course, unless he would search for him ward by ward? So Shi Yan told Qiu Linsong that he must meet up with He Nuo beforeing over tomorrow, with the reason being that he wouldnt be able to find his ward by himself.
When Shi Yan and He Nuo met, it was when the ward was extremely crowded Shi Yans mother who was nursing him, Wang Fengs mother who came to visit after her morning meeting ended1, and the nurse who had pushed a cart in with the prepared infusions. But even though there were so many people in the ward, as soon as Qiu Linsong and He Nuo walked in, tears immediately welled up in Shi Yans eyes. His eyes widened as he stared fixatedly at He Nuo and didnt let his tears slip out.
The two of them greeted their elders, then walked over to the bed. Shi Yan stretched his hand out. He Nuo hesitated for a bit before he put his hand out too, then it was immediately grasped Shi Yans grip was weak but he was unwilling to let go, Sit.
Shi Yan wanted him to sit next to his bed. Qiu Linsong had seen the glistening tears in Shi Yans eyes, so he specially pointed at the cans that they had put down, San Ge, He Nuo bought these with his own money.
Shi Yan smiled, but his smile that spread across his burning red face was so fragile that it shattered immediately. Shi Yan mouthed silently, Im sorry.
The two mothers were still talking about how helpless they were over Shi Yans fever that refused to abate; Wang Fengs mother talked about the prescription for a tonic soup that she had prepared for Shi Yan, so Mama Shi went out with her to get it. Qiu Linsong said that he was going to fetch some hot water over, but he actually just wanted to give them a chance to reconcile. With him around, how could San Ge have the face to apologise?
There were no more outsiders in the room. Shi Yan grabbed He Nuos hand, and when he spoke again his voice was choking back sobs, God is punishing me for all the suffering Ive caused you.
Youve turned muddle-headed from your fever, no ones punishing you. Get better soon ba, everyones worried about you.
Give me one more chance, I wont lie to you anymore. She was introduced to me by Qin Mingxu, I was supposed to help Qin Mingxu........
He Nuo refused to let Shi Yan continue, because he didnt want to know, and Shi Yans mother had returned too. She was chatting with Wang Fengs mother just now, so she had just cast a cursory nce at He Nuo initially, but now she paid a bit more attention to him. She could tell from He Nuos dressing that he looked like someone from amoners household. But she didnt recognise him as the one whose house she had gone to make a ruckus in she just looked at him with disdain as she thought that he was someckey who hade over for a chance to butter up to her son. So she lovingly told Shi Yan over and over again to sleep and rest more, and not waste his energy on talking.
He Nuo could understand the overtones of her words, so he sensibly decided to end his visit. When Shi Yan heard that He Nuo wanted to leave, he tried to stop him. But Mama Shi said, Ill apany you. Dont ask your ssmates to stay here all the time. The hospital isnt a good ce, you can hang out with them again once youve recovered. Also, you might want him to stay with you, but just the stench of the medicine here would be tough on your ssmate.
Shi Yan thought of He Nuos poor constitution, and also felt that there were too many germs in the hospital which could infect him. So even though he really couldnt bear to part with him, he agreed to let He Nuo go. He Nuo had just left the room when Mama Shi immediately followed him out. Once they were quite a distance from Shi Yans ward, Mama Shi said, You dont need toe and visit Shi Yan anymore. He needs to rest more, so he wont have the time to talk.
1. A/N: Enema is something thats really uneptable to Shi Yan, so only Wang Fengs mother would do it for him.?
Chapter 103
Chapter 103
For the next few days, Shi Yan didnt see He Nuo again. Wang Feng and Qiu Linsong both have a huge bone to pick with He Nuo. They thought that He Nuo was being way too arrogant, how could he be a friend like that? Its not as if Shi Yan had killed his father so it was impossible for the two of them to live under the same sky.
But what about He Nuo? Was he really indifferent? If he could really be stone-hearted and stand as strong as an impregnable fortress, then an invisible fire wouldnt have been ignited in him. He Nuo didnt me Shi Yans mother for what she did, and wouldnt bother with her impolite words. He Nuo didnt n to visit Shi Yan again anyway even without her obstruction and rejection. Because in Shi Yans words: their misunderstandings have just been resolved, so they shouldnt meet up right now.
He Nuo may look gentle and weak, but he definitely wouldnt drag his affairs through mud and water. How could he not be concerned about Shi Yans illness? And how could he not hope that he would recover as soon as possible? But if he went to see him, then they would inevitably continue to be entangled with one another. He Nuo can forgive a betrayer, but he would not forget the betrayal. Because that suffering was worse than poison that could prate ones intestines poison can kill and relieve its sufferer with death, but this emotional wound wouldnt kill you. Instead, it would instead seize your soul, and a life without ones soul was even worse than death.
He wouldnt look for him, but he wasnt able to stop himself from thinking about him. A persons will can force them to divert their attention, but their will doesnt have a constant source like the water that flows through the Yellow River and the Yangtze River. As long as the stream was cut off for a short moment of time, his thoughts would drift off to that person. There were so many times during the periods He Nuo fought off his illness under Shi Yans care and was coerced by him to take supplements when he had secretly vowed to himself that when Shi Yan was ill, he would devote himself to taking care of him in the same way. But, now that he really was sick and he was even sick to this kind of extent he actually couldnt even spare Shi Yan a single nce. He Nuo clenched his fist tight, and he clenched it so tightly his fingernails dug deep into his palms until it hurt.
Because Wang Feng and Qiu Linsong both have bones to pick with He Nuo, they wouldnt go and look for him. When they discussed it among themselves privately, they both thought that they had been proven wrong He Nuo was also an asshole who would secure his personal gains through trickery. Isnt he treating Shi Yan so coldly like this just because he was guaranteed a pass in his exams this year?They believed that He Nuo would be able to get into a pretty good college, so Shi Yan should be of no value to him anymore. Under this sort of circumstance, looking for He Nuo meant that they were begging him on behalf of Shi Yan they refused to do something so low-ss. Even if He Nuo wasnt around, Shi Yan still had their gang to stay with him anyway.
Because of this misunderstanding, He Nuo had zero news regarding Shi Yan. At first, he thought that Wang and Qiu would contact him through the phone, so he would at least be able to know how Shi Yan was doing recently, but he didnt get a single call. So He Nuo kept suppressing and suppressing the anxiety in his heart, but in the end, he still couldnt endure it. When he woke up this morning, several ulcers had appeared around He Nuos mouth and his throat was swollen. He took some anti-inmmatory medication and ate porridge for a day, but his condition got worse the next day. His ulcers spread all the way to his tongue, and his throat was so swollen that he couldnt even swallow any food and he felt like his eardrums were about to be squeezed out.
He Nuo couldnt eat his lunch at noon even porridge had be hard to swallow. His tongue would sting with a sharp pain whenever it came into contact with any sort of food, so He Nuo lost his appetite and decided not to eat. His family thought that he was worried about his college entrance examination results, so they offered him some words of constion. His family wasnt worried at all. He Nuos results during his mock examinations have always been at the top of his cohort, so even if he couldnt get into a key college, getting into a standard college shouldnt be a problem. Also, after the example answers were out, the score that He Nuo calcted made them feel very satisfied. But He Nuos personality required him to have some reservations, so the score he told his family was 40 points lower than what he had calcted.
He Nuo was lying on his bed when he heard his family ask him to take a call. He immediately jumped up and went over. At this time, He Nuos throat waspletely swollen, and his vocal chords sounded like it would tear apart if he talked, so it was very difficult for him to make a sound. So when he thought that it was either Qiu or Wang on the phone, he immediately said un with a nasal voice when he picked up the call.
He Nuo?
...... It was Shi Yan. The He Nuo who was separated from him by a phone stiffened up a little.
He Nuo? He Nuo?
Un.
The sound of him exhaling deeply travelled through the phone, I miss you.
.......
Come and see me, will you?
.......
I should go and look for you, but I cant walk too far. Is it ok if youe instead?
.......
Please. I miss you.
.......
Ill wait for you in the garden1. Nuonuo, I miss you. Shi Yan put down the phone.
The hand that He Nuo held the phone with was trembling. A hazy fog could be seen in his eyes.
When He Nuo arrived at the hospital, he rushed straight to the garden at the back. He didnt see Shi Yan. He looked for Shi Yans ward based on his memories the ward was empty. Thus, he returned to the garden again. When He Nuo was turning round and round as he searched for Shi Yan, he bumped into a pair of middle-aged men and women who were walking over anxiously. The womans eyes met with He Nuos. He Nuo tugged the corner of his lips up slightly and said with a broken voice, Hello, Auntie.
The woman frowned in disgust, Didnt I tell you not toe look for Shi Yan anymore? Dont you know hes sick? You can disy your hospitality some other time, cant you just let him rest for now?
The man looked at this scene doubtfully.
The woman exined, I dont know who he is either, thest time he came he hung onto Xiao Yan and kept gabbling on and on to him. How could Xiao Yan have the energy to talk that much now? I told him not toe harass him anymore, but look at him trying to stick onto him again.
What do you want from him? The man asked rudely.
He Nuo wanted to tell them that it was Shi Yan who called him, but his voice was extremely hard to understand because of his throat as he slowly said, I didnt want.......(to look for him), He had just said those three words when the other two didnt have the patience to listen to him any further. The man shouted angrily at him, If you dont want anything from him, then what the fuck are you doing here? Do you understand what being considerate means? What kind of a fucker are you?
You couldnt say that He Nuo was shocked he should be shocked at the fact that this person who was probably Shi Yans father could say such words; but you couldnt say He Nuo was calm either, because he saw Shi Yan standing behind the couple who didnt budge an inch.
Shi Yans mother didnt know that Shi Yan was standing behind her of course. She stole the chance to rebuke He Nuo from her husband, Shi Yan isnt someone who would associate with just any sort of trash all sorts of fragrant and stinky trash always want to bask in his.......
Whos fragrant? Whos stinky? Why dont you tell me?! As soon as Shi Yan spoke, his parents were so startled that their expressions changed, but a smile immediately spread across their faces, We came to deliver your favourite food......
Shi Yan pushed aside his mothers hand and interrupted her gentle voice, What did you guys say just now? Repeat it for me one more time!
Just look, its such a sweltering afternoon. Your ssmate who came to see you must be sweating all over because of the sun. We just didnt want him to suffer too much. This mother was extremely capable of lying without blinking an eye, but this angered the Shi Yan who had witnessed thetter half of their confrontation.
Say that one more time! Shi Yan was so angry the veins on his neck were popping out.
It was at this time that He Nuo went to hold onto Shi Yan. He didnt appreciate the words and actions of Shi Yans parents, but his habit of respecting his elders prevented him from epting how Shi Yan was treating his parents. When Shi Yans father saw this situation, he realised that his son was really infuriated so he quickly mediated the dispute.
When there were only the two of them left, Shi Yan took He Nuos hand and tried to pull him out of the hospital, but He Nuo dragged him back to his ward instead. Shi Yans vitality had really been affected because of his high fever that persisted for half a month. He was extremely weak, and was wheezing by the time he got back to his ward. He Nuo saw the food on the table as he supported Shi Yan to sit down. Shi Yan naturally wanted to eat together with him, but He Nuo shook his head. This was when Shi Yan realised that He Nuo hadnt spoken a single word yet, so he asked through his irregr breaths, Youre not willing to talk to me?
He Nuo looked at Shi Yans miserable expression and answered, Throat.
As soon as Shi Yan heard that broken voice, he understood. He sat next to He Nuo and touched his forehead, Are you sick again? Do you have a fever?
He Nuos forehead was cooler than Shi Yans hand. Shi Yan felt its coolness before he awkwardly withdrew his hand, I forgot. I cant tell your temperature now.
He Nuo felt both sourness and bitterness from the bottom of his heart. He forced himself to pull himself together before he slowly said word by word, Do you feel better?
Un, my temperature began to drop yesterday, it doesnt go over 39 degrees now. I feel much better today. I took my temperature after my infusion in the afternoon and it was only 38 degrees. Dont worry, I can be discharged in a few days.
He Nuo nodded, then pushed the bowl of rice towards Shi Yan to motion for him to eat. Shi Yan used his spoon to scoop up one mouthful and ced it near He Nuos mouth.
Swallow, hurts, wont eat.
What happened? Was it caused by a flu?
He shook his head.
Shi Yan looked steadily at He Nuo for awhile. His eyelids drooped, You were worried about me. This wasnt a question, but a statement.
He Nuo didnt express anything. He neither nodded nor shook his head, he merely persuaded Shi Yan, Eat first, youll feel better.
Shi Yan picked up an apple at the edge, then cut it open. He scraped it with a steel spoon and its pulp turned into puree as it was scraped offyer byyer. He scraped out half a spoonful of pulp and sent it next to He Nuos mouth, Eat it in small bites. It might hurt a bit, but you have to eat. Un, youre already sick in the first ce.
Throughout this meal, Shi Yan ate his own meal with chopsticks while he fed He Nuo the apple puree with his spoon. Neither of them brought up their unpleasant past.
1. Authors note: Theres a garden below the inpatient department.?
Chapter 104
Chapter 104
Shi Yan finally conquered his disease and fended off his high fever. In the end, the doctors could only ssify it as a bacterial infection that was caused by some natural cmity; because this year, the entire nation was fighting off floods, rescuing people and providing disaster relief, so they traced his inexplicable symptoms to the recent change in their natural climate. Fortunately, Shi Yan was physically very fit and he had a good constitution, so he managed to resist the life of being a human boiler for the past 20 days. Since he was just discharged, it was inevitable for his body to have a deficiency of Qi, so he was still being nourished with soups at home all day long.
But Shi Yan couldnt stay still any longer. His thoughts were all revolving around He Nuo. Was his throat better now? On the second day after his discharge, he looked for Wang Feng to send him to He Nuos house on his bike, because he would copse if he rode his bike for about 10 to 15 minutes. Wang Feng wasnt willing to go over at first because he had just been discharged, plus he didnt want to happily wag his tail over to look for He Nuo. But he couldnt stand Shi Yans insistence, so he just went along with his wish.
When they reached the row where He Nuos house was situated at, Shi Yan got off the bike and walked over by himself. Wang Feng left after he saw Shi Yan enter He Nuos house (Wang Feng thought that He Nuo wasnt being a good friend, so he didnt want to enter his house). It had only been a short 10 metres, but Shi Yans cotton shirt waspletely drenched with sweat. He Nuos voice sounded mostly normal right now, but the ulcers on his mouth havent recovered.
The two of them were silent for awhile, but He Nuo first broke the stalemate, Youre so weak, you should be resting at home.
I want you to listen to me for a bit, I wont lie this time.
You dont need to say anything, you really dont. Just go back and have a good rest ba.
Qin Mingxu was chasing his girlfriend. Shi Yan said this sentence out of the blue.
He Nuo uttered a response, but didnt probe any further. He wasnt curious about other peoples private affairs.
When we were ying around in a social club1, Mingxu liked one of the singers there called Gong Fang, so he started to pursue her. Gong Fang studies music, shes a second year. She wasnt too enthusiastic about Mingxu, but Mingxu always dragged us all over to support her.
He Nuo knew that their bunch was just muddling their way through college, so he wasnt surprised that they would go to those kinds of ces.
Gong Fang has a very good rtionship with another girl in the social club, she said that she was her junior. When Mingxu invited Gong Fang out for a meal, we apanied him too and that girl Bei Gege was there, so thats how we got to know each other. After that, whenever we went there, we often chatted and ate together.
Shi Yan was sneaking peeks at He Nuos expression as he spoke, but he got nothing.
Later on, Mingxu told me Gong Fang said that Bei Gege likes me, so she wanted him to set us up. Mingxu was pursuing her relentlessly at the time, so of course he would agree to anything she said. I told Mingxu that I wasnt interested in Bei Gege at all, but he told me to treat it as I was doing him a favour and to just deal with her first. Then once he got Gong Fang, I wouldnt need to apany him to the club anymore and I wouldnt have anything to do with Bei Gege after that. Or else, he still wouldnt have been able to ask Gong Fang out until now.
You should be tired ba, go back.
You still dont believe me? Shi Yan was extremely anxious, Everything I said was the truth. Im not trying to shirk any responsibility or excuse myself.
I believe you, but whats the point?
Even if you dont think theres a point, can you let me finish? Shi Yan could barely sit still, Dont death penalty criminals get ast chance to speak too? Youve already sentenced me to death, but now you dont even want to bother listening to the reason behind my death sentence?
Then say it ba.
He Nuos helpless appearance actually hurt Shi Yan a lot, his lovers cold-heartedness was almost at the level of ruthlessness. Shi Yan suddenly felt like going all out and didnt deliberate over his words as he observed He Nuo.
After that, I often apanied Mingxu, so it was often the four of us who would y together. There was one night when a whole bunch of us gathered at the club for a meal to celebrate Gong Fangs birthday. We ate and yed until it was prettyte, and drank a lot of alcohol too, Shi Yans voice turned feeble, then we didnt go back to school.
Shi Yan lowered his head. He Nuo had guessed that this would be the oue. He didnt want Shi Yan to continue because he wasnt willing to listen to the after that that he already knew of. But, if he had just guessed the oue, He Nuo could freeze himself to the spot before piercing through the paper windows; but when it was Shi Yan who had personally verified the oue, his heart couldnt remain numb anymore. He Nuo felt pain, and he felt so pained that he couldnt say a single word.
When he saw He Nuos pale face, Shi Yan felt like it was toote for his regrets. But there was still something that was even more difficult to say, That night, I might have been too drunk. I kept thinking that I was doing it with you, so I kept calling out Nuonuo. After that, I even hugged her as I said Nuonuo, you havent shot it out yet, Ill help you. I only knew all thister on, I couldnt remember much of that night. It was only when I woke up next morning that I found out it was her.
All colour had drained from He Nuos face, and his body was trembling involuntarily too. Shi Yan held him in his arms, Nuonuo, dont be like this, dont. I know that I was wrong, I was wrong.
She knows its me now? He Nuo backed out of his embrace.
Shi Yans gaze drifted away, then he nodded awkwardly.
He Nuo felt like he was falling into an abyss. He suddenly felt so ufortable that he wanted to puke, and his eyes were filled with grief. He remembered how he had gone to Shi Yans college and bumped into the two of them who were standing together intimately in front of him and now that he looked back on all this, he just thought that it was really amusing and ridiculous. In the end, he was the one who yed the role of the clown.
After that? He Nuo waited. He waited for Shi Yan to stab him a few more times. He was making things difficult for himself; he wanted to see if he could counteract poison with poison, to see if he could still feel pain when he was hurting so badly that he didnt even know what pain was anymore.
I was in a mess all day, but she asked me out at night through Mingxu. I thought that she had something to say about what had happened the day before, so I had to go. But there were a few other people there too. It was my first time going to the ce where we took a cab to. It was very dark the moment we went in, and it was dark all the way until we went into a reserved room. Shi Yan couldnt continue anymore, Dont listen to this anymore, okay?
Make something up then, and do it well, dont let me find any ws in it.
It was a stripbar. At first, the others were watching and I didnt care much; then afterwards a guy came in to dance. In the room, four candle balls that were soaking in wine cups were ced at the corners of the table. So Gong Fangs colleague everyone called him Meng Ge hug- hugged the guy onto his thighs and started touching him. He sat right next to me, everyone else wasughing. Then they left, and our topics after that all revolved around them. I, I- everyone was being very obscene, and they were talking dirty about how Meng Ge likes to pound guys asses. They told many stories about him. I didnt know what I was thinking either, I just knew that I was sweating and nervous the whole time. After that, what I think Mingxu said was that it was cause he had been fucking women too often, so he went to buy a guy to fuck. And that guys who sold their asses were usually perverts.
He Nuo bit down on his lips harshly. He didnt say anything, and he didnt look at Shi Yan either.
I didnt know when we left, I just knew that I was sweating a lot. When I snapped out of my daze, I was already with her. I asked her if she did it on purpose that night. She didnt admit it, but she told me that it was respectable to look for prostitutes, but if it were pimps instead (Shi Yan only knew then what a pimp was), then those people werent considered normal. People would find them disgusting no matter how rich they were. She said that I was a really good catch, so I shouldnt walk down such a perverted path.
I was both angry and panicky. I asked her what she knew, and what she said to Mingxu. She told me that she didnt say anything, she just knew that we were good friends. After that, we talked for an entire night. I told her that I liked you, and it wasnt because of that, then she retorted and said that our rtionship wasnt normal. I told her everything about us. We debated through the night Ille up with an argument rted to my feelings and shell retort with another argument. Whatever she retorted with was what I said to you afterwards. She said that because of mypassion and your fragility, I wanted to protect you to satisfy my pride as a man, and my protection became a habit, so.......
What surprised me the most was when she said that when men and women turned to prostitution, pimps were the ones who were despised the most in their club. She said that she really liked me, and said that even if I didnt like her, she wanted me to lead a good life and not be discriminated against by others. She didnt want other people to curse me for being a hoodlum and a pervert behind my back. Also, she said that if you were a good person, I shouldnt continue to be with you for your sake. At that time I felt particrly upset and wanted to leave. She said that she hoped she could help me, and apany me through the difficult days I would have to endure after leaving you.
I never thought of breaking up with you at that time. I told her that I wanted to wait until you were done with your exams. But you had already found out. When I asked you toe out, I felt both conflicted and distressed. But I hated your indifference, so I said it. And I regretted it as soon as the words came out of my mouth, because I had never wanted to say that to you. All the words that I blurted out were her usual analyses that had filled up my mind at the time.
Chapter 105
Chapter 105
He Nuo stood in front of the window. Shi Yan watched his body tremble as he was trying to suppress it with all his might. Shi Yan walked up behind He Nuo and stretched his arms out as he wanted to put his arms around his beloved.
Dont touch me. It was as if He Nuo had grown eyes on his back, but his voice was very light.
Shi Yan retracted both his arms in shame. He stood upright with his head drooped down. When Shi Yan realised that there water stains on the ground in front of He Nuo, he anxiously yanked He Nuo around. The He Nuo who would rather bleed than shed tears, and who never cries in front of others, was currently allowing his tears to run rampant.
Nuonuo. Shi Yan cried out in anguish and tightly pressed him into his embrace. Right at this moment when he saw He Nuos face that was awash with tears, he thought that if he could turn time back, if he could buy a regret pill, then Shi Yan would be willing to exchange his life for all these ifs. As long as he could make it such that He Nuo wouldnt cry anymore, Shi Yan was willing to do anything. His heart wrenched as if a knife had stabbed it and was twisting around inside as he grabbed He Nuos hand and ced it on the left side of his chest, It hurts like hell! This ce hurts, it really hurts!
His scorching tears permeated straight through into his heart that was filled with regret, bitterness and suffering. Tears pooled in Shi Yans tiger eyes; he had no face to beg, and could offer no words offort. So the two of them continued to snuggle like this as they shed their silent tears.
He Nuo returned to normal a bit earlier. He walked over to the table and asked Shi Yan to sit on his bed.
Ever since I was a child, Ive never known how to please others, how to be likable, or how tomunicate with other people. Without an introduction, He Nuo sounded like he was talking to himself, but Shi Yan was listening to him very carefully.
So Ive always been in my own world. I watched others as they experienced joy, anger, sorrow and happiness, but I never had those feelings. Then I met you. You were very sunny, and you were a very warm person. I know that Im a bit corpse-like, and I have a zero-degree existence. Were different people, so I didnt want toe into contact with you. But you didnt care about my attitude at all, so we became friends. Although it was partly through force, I did like the new warmth in my life. Actually, who wouldnt yearn for sunshine? You lived your life so ebulliently, and I secretly admired your insolence and arrogance as well. I admired your unbridled way of life.
I think what you said just now made sense, and it was a part of the reason. Youre a very zealous person, when you saw that my life was different from yours, your zeal set off your impulse to help me, because the hot-blooded you didnt want to see your friend live in such a murky world. You pulled me out of my castle, and gave me a taste of basking in the sunshine, and you made me realise that life could be sweet. You dusted off all the dirt that had umted on my body over the years, and drove away the decay within me that seemed like it belonged to a dead person. Im very grateful for that. Today, I still owe you a thank you.
Shi Yan opened his mouth, but no words came out they had all turned into chokes that remained stuck in his throat.
But, when I was standing in the world outside my castle, experiencing life to my hearts content and living in bliss every day, you let go of my hand. It was my first time being in this universe; but before I could familiarise myself with it and put myself on a more stable footing, you left. I was like a toddler who was learning how to walk as I got lost in that ostentatiousness. Shi Yan, honestly, I would rather have not known what sunshine is, Im not willing to pay that kind of price. But because of your passion and pity, I paid it. So, can I say that Ive already repaid you too, and that we dont owe each other anything anymore?
He stood in front of Shi Yan. Shi Yan looked up, his face was full of anguish. He Nuo smiled. Big, fat teardrops slid down his cheeks. Shi Yans face already looked blur in his vision but his voice was still as clear as ever, Shi Yan, I cherish myself a lot, and I cant bear to dirty myself. So, I will choose to get rid of all the dirty things in my life that have stained me. Even if I had to gouge them out and carve them out of my bones I would still not hesitate to do so!
Shi Yan was stunned silly. Unlike his previous refusal, He Nuos cold and ruthless words were part of the sacrificial script uttered at the burial of their feelings.
He Nuo walked next to the door and pulled it open, Please!
Shi Yan felt his whole body go numb as he shifted towards He Nuo. He forced himself to look straight into his eyes that looked like ck grapes, Nuonuo, please give me another chance, give us another chance.
He Nuo turned his head sideways and looked out the window, then stubbornly withdrew his tears.
Shi Yan left. He did not look as carefree or as unrestrained as He Nuo did whenever he left. Shi Yans steps were evidently a lot heavier.......then he couldnt take another step forward. Shi Yan called Wang Fengs house with a public telephone he wasnt home. Then he called Qiu Linsongs house. But the two of them came to pick him up together. After Wang Feng sent Shi Yan to He Nuos house, he went straight to Qiu Linsongs ce toin. When they saw the Shi Yan who was sitting on the curb and his forehead full of sweat, the two of them were so angry that their lungs almost exploded. It was such a swelteringly hot day, yet Shi Yan didnt care about how he had just been discharged as he came to look for He Nuo, but He Nuo didnt care even though he was returning in this kind of state? Even if he doesnt want to send him back, couldnt he have let Shi Yan call them at his house and wait for them toe pick him up?
After he got home, Shi Yan became a little more energetic. They couldnt help themselves from ming He Nuo, but Shi Yan smiled, Dont me him, you dont need to me him anymore in the future.
Wang and Qiu looked at each other, then looked at Shi Yan. They guessed that they had really broken off their ties this time, and even though they expressed their regret for Shi Yan, they did think that He Nuo had crossed the line. Since He Nuo didnt want to be friends with them, they didnt need to go beg him either. If worstes to worst, theyll just be strangers in the future.
Throughout that week, even though Shi Yan had just recovered from his fever and his parents werent willing to let him leave the house, his buddies could all go to his house to y. They could watch videos and y poker together, but going out to y ser or swim wasnt allowed. Everyone knew that Shi Yan and He Nuo had broken it off; Shi Yan didnt say anything, so the rest naturally didnt know why they broke it off, but they eventually thought that it couldnt be because of Shi Yan.
College cut-off points and the examination results were released at the same time. The annual hot topic discussed amongst families began to revolve around the admission of a certain familys child to a certain school. Shi Yan and gang didnt really need to ask around before they knew of He Nuos results, because it was difficult for them to not know who the the top scorer of their alma maters arts ss was. Shi Yan usually hung out with his friends who wouldugh and make fun of one another in the day, but he only knew how difficult it was to smile when he faced the dark sky outside his window at night. He Nuos outstanding results exacerbated his misfortunes, his wings had fluttered open! He was afraid that he would never see the He Nuo who was soaring into the sky again. Every time he thought of this, Shi Yan would curl up underneath his towel nket and grit his teeth as hard as he could just so he could suppress his desire to roar out into the skies above; Shi Yan wanted to scream his pain out, he wanted to yell out: give me one more chance!
On this day, his buddies had gathered at Wang Fengs house. As soon as Qin Mingxu entered the house, he happily said that he brought some good news. Shi Yan wasnt interested at all, so he only dedicated one ear to it as he was bored stiff, He Nuo didnt get epted!
This news was quite earth-shattering to a certain extent, because no matter what, everyone had been acquaintances with He Nuo before. And as the top scorer of their alma mater, how could something like this happen to He Nuo? When everyone questioned Qin Mingxu about the inside story, he said that he wasnt very sure about it either. He just heard that the admission exercises for all the key colleges have already ended, and all the college admission notices would be mailed to their alma mater, but He Nuo still hadnt received his admission notice until today (thest day). Qin Mingxu snickered, Look at how wretched he is now, so what if hes the top scorer? Shouldnt he take a good look at himself before he considers getting into a key college? Now Id really like to see if he can still be as arrogant as before. Shi Yan, your anger should all be vented now ba? Do you want to give him a call to say hello?
Shi Yan was originally leaning on the sofa as his words went through one ear and out the other, but he didnt know when he was already sitting up straight stiffly. When Qin Mingxu asked him that, he suddenly jumped up and ran outside. Wang Fengs house was on the fourth floor. When he came, Shi Yan climbed up the stairs a bit breathlessly because he hadntpletely recovered, but now he was rushing all the way down with a whoosh like a lotive.
Everyone was shocked. Qiu Linsong was the first to react, he grabbed his keys, Ill go chase him.
Qiu Linsong ran downstairs as quick as he could. Shi Yan had already ran from unit 3 to unit 1. Qiu Linsong shouted at him to stop and said that he would send him over, and that was when Shi Yan knew he had to turn back. They didnt say anything on their way over; Qiu Linsong was anxious too. Even though he was no longer friends with He Nuo, he knew that he had studied very hard and getting into college was his best way out. He Nuo wasnt like them, he had nothing to rely on.
When they reached He Nuos house, his yards door wasnt locked so Shi Yan ran straight to He Nuos room. When he heard this flurry of footsteps, He Nuo turned around. Shi Yan saw He Nuo prop himself up with the edge of the table with a vacant and helpless gaze.
Chapter 106
Chapter 106
He Nuo shifted slightly. He had just taken a step forward when he retracted his foot in midair. Not long ago, he had just returned from school. Today was thest day of waiting, and hisst chance, which meant that his first choice had gone up in smoke. What next? ept the allocation? He didnt seem to have filled in that column, and because he was sure of his sess, his second choice was an institution of learning of the same level as his first choice. He Nuo tried to sort out all the thoughts in his head so that he could think clearly and n his next step, yet he realised that his abilities were limited his next and only step was to resign to fate. When Shi Yan appeared at this moment, He Nuo almost rushed towards him, but he had to force himself to stop.
Shi Yan didnt think too much about it. On his way here, all he wanted was to stay by He Nuos side at this moment so that he would have someone he could lean on. Without saying anything, he walked over and held He Nuo in his arms. He Nuo was standing straight up at first, but after awhile, his hands went around Shi Yans waist. There was no dampness on his chest, but Shi Yan could feel a pain that hurt even deeper than tears. Qiu Linsong was actually right behind them. He was silent now too as he watched Shi Yan gently pat He Nuo.
When he saw Qiu Linsong standing behind Shi Yan, He Nuo felt embarrassed so he pushed Shi Yan away and awkwardly asked them to sit. After that, the atmosphere felt a bit depressing. He Nuo forced himself to say, Thank you for your concern, I think therell definitely be a college that will ept me. His voice couldnt conceal the unwillingness and bitterness that even he couldnt convince himself of. Wang Feng then gave them a call and asked if he needed to make a trip down. Shi Yan saw how He Nuo was forcing himself to talk, so he asked Wang Feng not toe over for now.
Shi Yan and Qiu Linsong stayed until the He couple got off work. His parents knew that he hadnt been epted and sighed. But because of He Nuos excellent results, they knew that he still had a chance to get into a standard college, so they werent too disappointed. For them, just being able to attend a college was already considered really good. They inadvertently med him by saying the heart may be loftier than the sky, but ones life can be thinner than paper1. They thought that He Nuo shouldnt have applied for such a good college, it was somewhat ipatible with his status. Shi Yan noticed that He Nuos hand was trembling under the table.
After they left the He residence, Qiu Linsong suddenly asked on their way back, San Ge, do you want to help He Nuo?
Shi Yan asked back in surprise, How?
If you want to help him, therell definitely be a way. But I dont know if itll be worth it to help him. What do you think?
Shi Yan didnt say anything. When he heard that He Nuo didnt get epted, he hated the trickery that was involved, and he hated how unfair the heavens were being. When He Nuo leaned against his chest, his heart was aching really badly for him too. But after apanying him for the past few hours, Shi Yan couldnt lie to himself in hindsight, he did feel a little happy. Shi Yan didnt want to have this sort of unscrupulous thought at this kind of timing, or else wouldnt he be a savage whos even worse than beasts? But he really did feel a bit more relieved.
Shi Yan couldnt answer Qiu Linsongs question, and he didnt want to answer it. In the end, he threw out the words, How should I know if it would be worth it or not? As a result, even after he had dinner, watched some television and was lying down on his bed now, Shi Yan still felt ill at ease. He probably forgot what he ate for dinner, or what had been yed on the TV all he had seen were the swaying male and female figures on TV. When he lied down on his bed, the reason for his unrest bothered him again to help? Or not?
He Nuos ruthlessness, cruelty and mercilessness were qualities that Shi Yan had personally experienced for himself. Because of the pride of his beloved, even if he did help him with this, there would still be no room left for negotiation between him and He Nuo. Shi Yan was very clear about that He Nuo would definitely repay his grace, but he would never repay it with his own affection.
Shi Yan didnt want to let go of his hand, but he couldnt stop him from flying away either, so he could only watch on helplessly as He Nuo flew away from him. This was a heaven-sent opportunity: help He Nuo? Or help himself? Shi Yan engaged in an intense battle with himself. Or there could be apromise: he could help He Nuo, but he would only do so in exchange for what he wanted.
After he thought it through, Shi Yan went to look for He Nuo. Its not like it was their first time meeting at midnight; but actually, he just needed the motivation from getting it done in one go right now, or else Shi Yan was afraid that he would lose heart. Because in the bottom of his heart, he rejected this kind ofpromise, and disdained this kind of method. However, this was his only chance to hold onto He Nuo. Shi Yan persuaded himself to ignore everything else and to only focus on the end result. Shi Yan even came up with countless reasons for himself: He Nuo can only see his repentance if he came back to him; he can only make up for the harm he had dealt to He Nuo if he had this chance for repentance. Also, Shi Yan believed that after he had lost He Nuo once, he would cherish him even more in the future.
When he arrived at that familiar window, the room inside was pitch-dark. Shi Yan was about to knock on the windowttice when he heard a soft whisper.
.......the heart may be loftier than the sky, but ones life can be thinner than paper. (sigh) He Nuo, you tried so hard, yet you didnt achieve what you wanted, I know that youre sad, and I know that youre upset, but now isnt the time to be sad. Get yourself together ba. In a world where youre alone, you can only rely on yourself. If you cant get into a good college then so be it. If worstes to worst, you could always just learn more things in the future.
Actually, youre a little relieved ba, (soft, bitterugh) at least it wasnt due to his obstruction. Shi Yan, I know that you arent that insidious, but I couldnt help myself from suspecting if you were taking revenge on me. But, as soon as I saw you, all my doubts were proven to be ill-founded. Actually, how could I really doubt you? I was just trying to deceive myself. I can only say that I wasnt thinking about you if I twisted you in that way. You gave me the chance to go to college, so how could you bear to ruin my dreams?
..........
Gege.(sigh)
That night, Shi Yan never knocked on that window. He sat outside the window by himself and stayed with his beloved with a wall in between them. He never appeared even when he heard footsteps nearing the window, and stayed until his beloved fell asleep.
Early in the morning, Qiu Linsong saw Shi Yan standing in front of his bed. He rubbed his sleepy eyes, Are you crazy?
Help He Nuo! What do I have to do?
Qiu Linsongs father was the Public Security Commissioner2, so this made things convenient for them. File submission and filing personnel3 are isted in an area that was sealed off, while armed police guards would be guarding them outside. Outsiders couldnt get in at all, and wouldnt know what was happening inside. But the Public Security Commissioner would be able to ess it, of course.
It was easy to get things done with the right connections. Qius father first looked for the chief of the city who was responsible for the enrollment this year, then he went in to discuss things with the file submission personnel and consulted about the best way to remedy the situation. These people have been file submission personnel for a long time now, so they had a lot of experience and have all seen a great deal. And because of their dealings with the staff who came from each university to recruit students every year, they were actually quite familiar with them. Their final conclusion was: when the admission exercise of a key college ends and the admission exercise of standard colleges begin, a phenomenon would ur where a few key colleges would also conduct a supplementary recruitment exercise to fill in the remaining empty spots that they may still have4. He Nuos results are outstanding, so he would possess a great advantage for the supplementary recruitment stage.
Shi Yan pulled Qiu Linsong over to stand outside the admissions office as they waited for news. Qiu Linsong was still okay, he chatted with the armed policeman who was on duty. But Shi Yan wore a stern expression on his face at all times as he stared intently at the window behind the railings. This made a few of the armed policemen misunderstand him as the examinee this year. When Qiu Linsongs father walked out, he exined the situation to them and asked them to go home to wait for a few more days, because there wont be additional ces for the supplementary recruitment so early. They needed to wait for all the recruiters that the colleges had sent out to return and check the enrollment situation before knowing if the colleges have to supplement their recruitment.
How could Shi Yan have the patience to wait? He bombarded him with questions, Will there definitely be additional ces for the supplementary recruitment? And if there is a ce, would He Nuo get it? What if He Nuo didnt apply for the college thats conducting the supplementary recruitment? Would he get a really bad major? Can he choose his own major? Will He Nuo be unable to submit his file if he gets epted into a standard college now? Then what if he cant wait for the supplementary recruitment and misses this opportunity again?
Qiu Linsong practically yanked Shi Yan onto the car to leave. With his kind of questioning that made it seem like he was interrogating a criminal, no one would be able to stand it, so he had to rescue his Dad quickly. But afterwards, it was Qiu Linsongs turn to have nightmares. His nightmare started as soon as he opened his eyes every morning. Every day, he would be sent to that recruitment building on a car that Shi Yan had asked his Dad to dispatch to his house. He felt like the two of them were even more loyal than the armed police in guarding the VIP file submission personnel who was inside. Fortunately, Wang Feng didnt manage to escape as he was caught by Shi Yan toe apany them too.
As they waited with bated breath for the notice that never came, He Nuos admission notice to a key college arrived. At the same time that Shi Yan thanked the heavens for its kindness, he also thanked all the immortals in the world for not forgetting him A College. A major in the same department of He Nuos first choice.
1. It means someone who is in low status(house maid /ve) wants to gain power or fame or keep pure, but fails and dies young. It usually refers to women.?
2. A/N: In the early years, the local armed police were also under the supervision of the Public Security Commissioner?
3. A/N: In the past, students submitted their aspirations form in June, take their exam in July and admissions start in August after their results are released. Admission is divided into two sides, on one sidde, the lal personnel are responsible for submitting files, which meant that they would sort out the examinees applications and give it to the corresponding schools. One the other side, recruiters from the colleges would choose which students to be admitted to the college from the applications that were sent to them they are the filing personnel.
For example: If student A wants to go to a college, and 20 students had applied for this college while that major could only ept 2 people, then in reality, a lot of parents would have built a good rtionship with the file submission personnel in advance. Because rtively speaking, file submission personnel are people in the same city, so itll be easier to curry favour with thempared to those who came from the colleges. So, filing personnel from colleges probably only sees 10 or just 8 applicants, and within this applicant pool, there will definitely be student A and 20 other students who are less qualified than A. He Nuos mistake was in choosing such a good college and popr major even though hecked a background, which resulting in his application being left on the shelf and never seeing the light of day. He Nuo was just the top scorer of his school, not of his province, so it wasnt influential enough.?
4. A/N: Ill give an example to exin the reasons for supplementary recruitment ba. A college epts 40 people into a certain major, and this quota is distributed throughout the nation. Some provinces could have 1 spot, while others could have 3. If a certain province has 3 spots, but only two applications are qualified for the spot, then they would only ept 2 people first. Which is why there will be a supplementary recruitment afterwards.
Another reason: the better the college, the more special spots it will have for special people. So when these special people go for their other choices, then their spots would be emptied out, then supplementary recruitment would ur afterwards.?
Chapter 107
Chapter 107
Qiu Linsong thought that he would have to trouble his father again: to obtain the admission notice so that Shi Yan could personally deliver this surprise into He Nuos hands. But Shi Yan actually said that he could just follow the normal procedure. Which meant that the admission notice would be sent to the school first, then the teacher would call He Nuo, and He Nuo would go over to collect it after he got the news.
Shi Yan was unable to stand next to He Nuo to share his sess and joy with him, but he was already satisfied. He Nuos admission into A college was a very unexpected and generous gift. When Shi Yan thought of how happy He Nuo would be after receiving his notice, he became immersed in an ocean of joy as well.
He Nuo was so delighted he felt like he was on cloud nine. For the past few days, he often reminded himself to turn his depression into motivation, and kept encouraging himself to not stay downcast any further; but there was always a stubborn and heavy rock tied to his heart that kept dragging him downwards. When he got his teachers call, he could hardly believe his ears. He still felt like he was in a dream even after he had obtained his admission notice; he looked at his notice countless times and flipped it back and forth to ensure that it was real..
His family was happy for him of course, and afterwards, He Nuo immediately engaged in social activities for the first time in his life. His ssmates were all inviting him out to treat him to a meal. At first, because he didnt get his admission notice, they didnt invite him to avoid any embarrassment, but now almost all of them had invited him out especially his ssmates who were going to the same city as him. His family had also suggested for him to invite his ssmates out for a meal, and even mentioned his good friend Shi Yan. He Nuo said it was too troublesome, and that it would be enough if some of his friends just dropped by as usual.
After he had dinner that day, he was walking back with a few of his ssmates whose houses were in the same direction when he bumped into Wang Feng. He Nuo didnt want to have any connection with Shi Yan and gang anymore, but he has always wanted to let Shi Yan know of his admission because he didnt want Shi Yan to feel upset for him. Originally, he had intended to look for Qiu Linsong or Wang Feng to pass the message on for him, but he realised that he didnt even know their phone numbers. They have always been the ones who took the initiative to call him. So He Nuo could only procrastinate on it, and now that he met Wang Feng, he quickly told him that he got the admission notice for a key college. He didnt do it to brag or to show off, but because he didnt want Shi Yan to feel regretful for him.
When Wang Feng saw He Nuo who was happily getting along with his ssmates, he felt terrible for Shi Yan. So he deliberately put He Nuo on the spot by asking, Why dont you tell him yourself? Did you throw his phone number away?
He Nuo didnt respond to him in kind, and instead politely said his goodbyes.
Wang Feng was incredibly angry as he shouted behind him, You dont need to show off in front of him, he knew which college you were attending even earlier than you did!
He Nuo turned around and walked back, What do you mean?
What do I mean? Hng, did you think that the pie that fell from the sky would smash down on your head so coincidentally? You only got it because Ah Song and San Ge ran to the recruitment office to stand guard there every day.
! He Nuo couldnt tell what he was feeling it was a variegated mixture of vours. At the same time, he was pacing back and forth between believing his words and doubting him did Shi Yan really help him in secret? Then why didnt he look for him? Shi Yan was the type to get what he wanted through any means, so he should have appeared before him. Shi Yan did treat him well, but he wasnt some samaritan to the outside world, he wouldnt be a living Lei Feng1 for no reason. So after he had refused all his pleas and cruelly rejected him, he didnt count on Shi Yan for help at all.
Was it really them?
Fuck, this is really so fucking unfair. Go and ask Ah Song yourself.
He Nuo took the number that Wang Feng gave him. After he talked to Qiu Linsong, he became aware of the truth, the inside story.
Shi Yan could guess what He Nuo was busy with these days, and he felt regretful for not being able to see him and congratte him personally. But he felt much better than he did previously. A College had given him and He Nuo the chance to be in the same city, so Shi Yan was renewed with hope and longing for the future. When he decided to allow He Nuo to fly freely in the sky, he wasnt willing to face the possibility that he would never be able to see him again. But that nights whispers made Shi Yan abandon all of his concerns, and made him ce He Nuos wishes at the forefront.
When he heard He Nuos exhortations to himself, and how he was trying his best to ept his fate that was being unfair to him, Shi Yan couldnt bear it. Purely because he understood He Nuo, and he knew that not being epted would turn the phrase life is thinner than paper into a dead knot that would be difficult to undo in the bottom of He Nuos heart. He Nuo has a solid wall around his heartparable to the Great Wall that he uses to resist all attacks and hurt he receives from the outside world, so it wouldnt be easy to destroy his will that was as strong as steel. But once you break through this natural barrier, He Nuo would be very sensitive and delicate. If he got hurt at this time, then that injury would be permanent. Shi Yan couldnt bear to see He Nuos wings get broken off, even if he hadnt done it himself.
Right now, he had already obtained the news from his two buddies of course; He Nuo knew about the assistance provided by his buddies. Shi Yan was waiting. He was waiting for He Nuos response to this matter. He finally received a call from He Nuo a call to ask him for a meet up. Shi Yan arranged for their meet up to be outside the east wall of their high school alma mater.
When Shi Yan saw He Nuo standing next to the field, he was showing him a sincere and warm smile, We havent been here in awhile.
For that smile, for that greeting that no longer sounded distant, it was worth it. Shi Yan didnt regret his decision, Youre the one who wasnt willing to see me, Im not the one who didnt want toe here in such a long while.
He Nuo red at him with a gaze filled with rebuke, then shook his head, Since you knew that I wasnt willing to see you, then why did you still help me with Qiu Linsong?
Ah Song was the one who helped you. I didnt do anything, only his father was capable of doing it.
Qiu Linsong told me. He sighed again, He said, if it wasnt for your request, he wouldnt have gone to look for his dad. And you even forced him to stand guard with you everyday. When He Nuo said this, he smiled unconsciously.
He asked for my opinion, so I just replied him casually. Why? Do you intend to repay me? I only want your hand in marriage, if its something else then dont bother. Shi Yans words did contain some truth in them, he wanted to sound out He Nuo first.
Lousy mouth. He Nuo scolded softly. When he looked up at Shi Yan again, he looked solemn, I actually wanted to tell you something. There was one night when I couldnt fall asleep that I saw a figure outside my window, so I knew that my opportunity hade. I deliberately said some things, things that could move other peoples hearts. He Nuo stopped here, then looked straight at the person in front of him.
Shi Yan looked at He Nuo. The smile on his face gradually froze and his voice turned cold, So?
I managed to make use of him, as I had wished.
During their silence and confrontation thatsted for several minutes, and under a gaze that hadnt killed He Nuo, Shi Yan shouted angrily in rebuke, Are you fucking asking to be beaten? Laozi is a first-ss hoodlum, you can scold me for being dirty and obscene all you want, but why the fuck did you need to make yourself sound that despicable and sinister too?
He Nuo knew that Shi Yan would get angry, that he would lose his temper, but the fuse he caught ahold of seemed to be wrong?
Did you think that I wouldnt know what a fucking reserved person you are? If you arent forced to the brink of death or desperation, you wont even bother using those types of fucked up methods to get your way. You just fucking missed out on a key college, an outstanding talent like you would definitely be able to fish out another undergraduate course. Its not like you had met a dead end. You havent reached the point where you would need to use your pig brain to trick me. I know you dont want to fucking owe me any favours, but its not like Im forcing you to take off your pants with a knife. You dont need to fuckinge up with such a script to disgust me.
He Nuo had carefully inquired about the whole story from Qiu Linsong. He knew of Shi Yans inconsistent attitude, and when he heard Qiu Linsong talk about how Shi Yan suddenly appeared in the morning, He Nuo began to doubt that he had gone to look for him. He had actually felt quite conflicted too, whats the point of proving that Shi Yan did do all that after he had heard his whispers at night? In the end, the truth was that Shi Yan did help him a lot behind his back.
Since you knew that we wouldnt be friends or meet up anymore, why did you still do that?
He Nuos words had tainted Shi Yans mood with sorrow. He stared into his eyes as clear as jade and answered helplessly, We wont be friends anymore? Those are all words you said, and the decisions you made. Im the one in the wrong, so I have no right to decide, and the only thing I can do is ept. But, He withdrew his gaze and faced He Nuo seriously, I didnt want the expectations that you held onto for so many yearse to naught, and I wont allow you to helplessly admit that the heart may be loftier than the sky, but ones life can be thinner than paper. Sigh, the moment you ept something, it will imprison you for life. I just wanted you to know that, since youve been putting in so much hard work unremittingly all this while, you would be rewarded sooner orter.
Shi Yans words have already proven that he had heard those private whispers that night, yet He Nuo felt moved because of how well Shi Yan knew him. Shi Yan truly was the one who understood him best: no matter if it was the him who had deliberately fabricated his lie, or his grievous mentality to obediently ept his fate Shi Yan managed to see through both these sides of himpletely. While Shi Yan was pouring his heart out, He Nuo actually realised that he was being touched and inspired by him.
Shi Yan plucked up an indefinite amount of courage, Lets make up? I lied because I wanted to alleviate my guilt, I was afraid that if you knew the truth you wouldnt forgive me. But now I know how serious lies can be, I wont try to deceive you again.
He waited for He Nuo, the one he was deeply attached to.
Im sorry, Shi Yan.
During He Nuos silence, Shi Yan had already guessed that this would be his answer, but he refused to give up and wanted to hear it with his own ears. Now that he did hear it, he couldnt suppress the disappointment that washed over him. He looked at the grass under his feet feebly, Then go ba. You go first, please, and dont say goodbye to me with those four words2.
He Nuo mounted his bike, Ive said to myself before that once I got my admission notice from the college, I would say goodbye to all the years that have passed, and nail a seal onto the door of all those bygone days then let it gather dust as Ill never open it again. From today onwards, I want a new life, and a new starting point. But now. He didnt continue, and rode far away on his bike.
Shi Yan raised his head and closed his eyes to reminisce. The warm gusts of spring in this midsummer couldnt dissipate the intense pain he felt. This time, Shi Yan refused to watch him leave.
Well still be friends when we meet. He Nuos voice that sounded like it came down from the heavens diffused over the verdant fields, the billowing wave of wheat served as the messengers that delivered his words.
Shi Yans eyes abruptly burst open. Without anyones notice, the setting sun had quietly weaved rosy clouds in the sky. Crimson red clouds that painted a resplendent sunset rose in the horizon it was so red it wept enchanting tears of blood, and it was so red that it shone with a magnificent beauty. A me had also begun to boil in Shi Yans heart: well still be friends when we meet!
End of PSWOL Volume One
1. Lei Feng was a soldier in the Peoples Liberation Army and is amunist legend in China. After his death, Lei was characterized as a selfless and modest person devoted to the Communist Party, Mao Zedong, and the people of China.
2. He meant the words He Nuo had said to him before never see you again, the Chinese version is , which is a word y on , and the original is something you usually say while parting with someone to express how the two of you could meet again someday. Its.. kinda heartbreaking. I.e. = Ill see you again someday; = I never want to see you again
T/N: Holy shit Im done with volume 1. The past few weeks have been such a ride omg and I have so many thoughts about the novel that Ill pen downter cause umIm toozy now after editing through all those chapters. Id just like to say a few things first:
I dont consider this ending to be a BE. Just because Shi Yan and He Nuo didnt get together doesnt constitute as a BE to me, it would probably be more of a BE if they did get back together so easily lmao. In vol 2, Shi Yan pursues He Nuo again fervently, and they do get back together after going through a few ordeals (that I dont remember anymore honestly) I havent finished reading vol 2, in fact I was only about ? or ? way through so idk about its specific events/ending. But I know Chineseizens said that it was a HEIn my opinion, this is a good novel, and a very well-written one at that (although sometimes it was an absolute pain in the ass to trante because of the authorsnguage and ambiguity). There are many points of contention in the rtionship between Shi Yan and He Nuo, but its this contention that drew me to PSWOL in the first ce. I dont hate Shi Yan. Do remember that all the bad that Shi Yan has done was magnified in the novel becauseconflicts get a story going, but Shi Yan had actually treated He Nuo really well too. Also, when it came to the break up, he was honestly just a confused and hurt child (confused because of, well, society, and hurt because of He Nuos indifference). I dont mean to excuse him of all the wrong he did, but it was a realistic portrayal of how a pampered, rich brat would act. Shi Yans feelings for He Nuo really did touch me. But in a society where the word gay is never even mentioned subtly, its not like he would know how to deal with his feelings.
Volume 2 Chapter 1
Volume 2 Chapter 1
At the end of the hot Summer season, He Nuo boarded the train to leave home. He deliberately did not choose to leave on a weekend because he did not want any farewells. On the previous night, his parents already had a brief conversation with him, telling him to take note of certain things such as: to study hard, be united with his ssmates, to live a simple life and not topare with others unrealistically... They also said with concern that when the weather changes, to wear thicker clothes, and to call if there were any problems.
After riding the train for a few hours, He Nuo arrived at mo city which he once visited a few months ago. But this time, he came with immeasurable joy, and had boundless hope and longing for the future. So, even though there were two heavy bags weighing down on his slender shoulders, He Nuo still took big strides out of the tform. His fifth brother had already told him before that the student councils in universities would usually organize to pick up new students at the railway and bus stations. His goal was to scan through every pick-up person who held a sign and he found his university in no time.
He Nuo had left in the morning, and it just so happened to be noon now. The student who was in-charge of the station told him that his group was responsible for those who arrived before 1pm, and that there will be another group to take over after 1pm. So that all the students who reached the station could get to the school in just a while. Meeting the other freshmen, everyone introduced themselves and asked about each others faculties and majors. A University was an old-fashionedprehensive university, so it had arts, science and engineering. However, He Nuo was the only liberal arts major among all the freshmen.
The Secretary of the Student Council called out to the students to carry their bags to leave for school. As no parking was allowed at the railway station square, they had to go to the side. There was a van waiting for them. Everyone had boxes andrge luggage, so it took a lot of time to cram everything into the van, and as for the small packages, it could only be held in their hands. There were of course not enough seats, one after another they tried to jam and squeeze in. On the left of He Nuo is Ke Rulei, a freshman in the Department of Metallurgical Engineering of the Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and on the right is Guo Xiao of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Automation.
Ke Rulei was not particrly tall, but he was very robust. Using his words, in the future he may end up with a miserable end of turning into sand so of course his body should be robust. Guo Xiao sarcastically said to him, You are already robust enough, cant you see that Hei (still doesnt know is He) Nuo is already being squeezed by you. He Nuo who was sandwiched in between the two of them, only got to sit on the sides of the seats. Ke Ruleiughed, then he tried to reduce the space he upied.
Forget it, that lump of yours is like a bears. You should hope for smaller bones. He Nuo, sit closer to my side. Guo Xiao said, as he leaned towards the back more.
Fuck, I just have a bigger butt okay? Brother, sit on myp. Ke Rulei patted his own thighs.
He Nuo refused continuously, his face uncontrobly turned red. Fortunately, they did not notice as the two of them continued bickering. Throughout the journey, all that was heard was their non-stop rambling. The van that was full of Science and Engineering students were envious of He Nuo, who was a liberal arts major. The Student Councils Secretary C a senior already said that the Mining and Metallurgical Institute is the number one Monk Temple1. In this years admission, only three precious female students enrolled into the Department of Metallurgical Engineering, while his Institute of Science and Engineering also faces the same seriously imbnced ratio of male to female. The one with the best situation was the Institute of Humanities where male to female ratio was 6:4, and can reluctantly be considered bnced. Who told A Universitys history to be traced back to Science and Engineering.
The senior told the freshmen in advance that every time theres a student activity, they cannot do without the experience of borrowing girls from the Institute of Humanities. Although they were all student leaders in the Student Council, the student leaders from the Institute of Humanities get better treatment from others wherever they went. These guys who heard about He Nuos situation being the best, decided to get on good terms with him in case of possible future needs. He Nuo was amused by the way they sucked up to him.
Turning down ane after half an hours drive, the senior pointed to the front, Thats the main entrance of our A University. Today, Ill be taking you through the main road, to let you guys know the way and you can use these two days to familiarise yourself with other things. Our A University has entrances on all sides, but only vehicles can enter through the East entrance, which is the entrance we are currently going through.
All the freshmen were so excited that they stretched their necks to look ahead, He Nuo couldnt help but feel a little excited as well. The school gate, which was 100 metres ahead though simple, showed off the meaningful traces of the schools history. The instant the van entered the school gates, the two dear friends on the left and right side of He Nuo cheered, influencing the other freshmen as well. The senior dutifully introduced every building they passed by. Green trees by the side of the asphalt road made a pleasant shade and there were asionally two, three students seen. The senior exined that because school has not officially started, and with the Military freshmen reporting to school early, the school looks cold and empty. Wait till school reopens and the old students return, the schools campus noise level would beparable to a busy city.
Everyone was puzzled when they noticed the traffic light at the intersection. Someone asked, There wont be a traffic policeman over here ba?
Our University covers an area of more than 200 million square meters, and in the past the school campus used to have busses passing through, as well as bus stops. Although the bus stops have been moved out, these are then left behind...
The van stopped in front of a three-storey building that looked like a dormitory building. Ke Rulei shouted, Were here, were here... He was ready to move when the seniorughed and said, Its not your turn yet. The two Architecture students, alight.
There were already people walking towards the van when the senior spoke to them, Theyre yours. We brought them over already, take over. Behind them were people helping to unload the luggage, and they led the freshmen away with everyone lending a hand.
The van then turned at a corner and passed by a small statue garden, along the way it drove past a magnificent and grand building. The senior told them that it was one of A Universitys several school halls (The old academic buildings has always been known as A Universitys school halls). As it was built in the earlier years, it did not have many floors. However, these few school halls upied an enormous part of thend and had grandeur. The solemnity and simplicity of just this building alone, and the several entrances at the end of a dozen steps allowed He Nuo to feel the essential difference between this university and the ones he had seen before. Thinking about the other universities in this same city, He Nuo felt suffocated. He shook his head and stopped his thoughts.
The van finally stopped in front of a small garden, on both sides was a four-storey building. The style of it corresponds to the school hall they just passed by; the six-storey building right across already has the style of new buildings. The senior called the freshmen to alight the van. The moment they alighted, they saw that the surrounding area resembled a recruitment site. Two tables put together was one recruitment station. At this moment, behind every table was a person waving a g. Mining and Metallurgy! Mining and Metallurgy!
Electromechanical, this way... This way... Raise your hands...
Institute of Humanities, is there anyone in the Institute of Humanities?
All the freshmen who alighted were unable to restrain theirughter, after being stunned silly from the sight. This was because there were only a few of them but they were greeted by a wee wagon that was truly enthusiastic. Ke Rulei waved his fists and shouted as if he was leading an army2, Lets go, Mining and Metallurgy brothers! Two people from his institute immediately came over and escorted him off to start signing.
He Nuo also saw the g bearer for the Institute of Humanities. The moment he looked over in their direction and paused, several lines of vision focused on him. Ours?
He Nuo nodded his head and two people quickly walked over to him to help with his luggage. He Nuo quickly tightened his grasp on his bag, wanting to carry it by himself. The other party patted him on the shoulder in a friendly manner, Dont stand on ceremony, its just these few steps. You still have to sign a few forms as well.
He Nuo sincerely thanked him and smiled at him. So easy-going, such sincere words, is this university life? All of a sudden, He Nuo felt especially close to the university and was looking forward to life here.
There were many formsid out in front of the senior on the two tables. He told He Nuo to fill them in one by one, and reminded him that the home address he filled in has to be the one he will go back to every holiday[1] as it was closely rted to buying student tickets. Apart from his own home, He Nuo had no second choice and thanked the senior for his good intention. After finishing filling in the first form, He Nuo ced it aside. The senior casually picked it up to check through it when his eyes instantly went wide, You have beautiful handwriting, buddy.
The others heard the praise and came closer to look. He Nuo only smiled faintly and continued to be engrossed in filling in the forms. Everyone who saw it made a lot of exmation and praised him endlessly.
How did you practice? Who did you practise from?
I didnt practice. I just wrote it the way I wanted to.
This shocked everyone. He Nuo looked honest, with a pair of clear and innocent eyes. It gave people the feeling that he was not out to deceive and cheat people.
Talented, he has goddamn natural talent. Hands are just hands. Someone shook their head and sighed.
Is your hand not a hand, is it a w? Another gave him a punch, No matter how you put it, youre just stupid. How can one just write based on how they want to. Come, brother, let me see how you write it. He stood beside He Nuo and looked.
He Nuo felt a little embarrassed but he encouraged himself, Didnt I already decided that aftering to university, I would lead a new life. Be a new me, be someone who is more open. He Nuo rxed himself and started to put pen on paper. After finishing with the form, it got picked up by the senior was studied thoroughly. He Nuo knew his surname was rare so he took the initiative to introduce himself. Im He Nuo, written as ck but is pronounced He3.
In the discussion of surnames, Hey, brother, you have a high score! They saw He Nuo write down his college entrance4 score and found it to be a pity. A university was of course a long-established university, but the problem was that with He Nuos score, he could have entered a top university.
I retook the exams, I didnt get in the first year. He Nuo was reluctant to talk about hisplicated and unfortunate admission process, so he just used a sentence to sum up why he had gotten a good score.
Oh. Candidates who repeated sses used to be verymon, and there were no difference when in university so no one would despise students who repeated a year. After seeing his date of birth, Why are you younger than me despite repeating a year?
Huh? He Nuo didnt know either. He was in the same ss as Shi Yan but he was almost a whole year older than him. Shi Yan and He Nuos birthdays were on the same month, but Shi Yan was born a year earlier. Boys didnt care about such details. In fact, students who attended school in the past were all of different ages, there were ages 6, as well as 7 and 8 who enrolled. For the yearly admissions, it starts from the second half of the previous year (July 1st) till the early half of the next year (June 30th). These children would then be of the same school year. As for He Nuo, he was a few days older than the age scope, so Zhou Xiaoyu thought that the earlier you start school, the earlier you can earn money. He Nuo entered the school gates of elementary school a year ahead of schedule.
After processing all the forms, the next thing to do was to buy student meal vouchers. A senior brought He Nuo to the ce. Entering the building on the left, he bought a 30 dor meal voucher on the first floor. The senior introduced the ce while they were at it, the southern part of the first floor is the student cafeteria and the floors above are the dorm rooms. He Nuo couldnt help but smile since he initially thought that this building was an academic building. At the reception office, he found his name on the register and collected his keys for the dorm room 5-333. The senior told him that this building is the fifth student dormitory, and that the room number 333 should be on the east side. He Nuo was a little confused, so the senior exined, The third and fifth student building was built in the same era as the school, you only stood at the front and did not see the overall structure of the building. These two buildings are divided into north, west, south and north, west, east. So there are many dorm rooms, making it A Universitys main dormitory building.
They returned to the Humanities station to pick up his luggage, but the moment he was seen walking over, someone shouted, Hes here, hes here. Ive found a gem for you.
A firm hand pulled him in front of someone, that person was very tall, as tall as Shi Yan. He Nuo couldnt help but want to p himself in the face, so what if hes tall, whats the point in making such uselessparisons? A pair of smiling eyes looked at He Nuo up and down, He Nuo also politely smiled back, Hello, Im He Nuo.
This is the head of our Institute of Humanities, President of the Student Council, Li Mingqi.
Li Mingqi held onto the form written by He Nuo, his face overflowing with admiration. In the future, the bulletin board of the Institute of Humanities will be your responsibility, alright?
He Nuo felt as though he was electrocuted, the current situation as if simr to his past. 4 years ago that teenager that just entered high school, he also once had an air of confidence, as the proud boy intimately ced his shoulder over his, Hey buddy, the sharing area is our responsibility, alright?
p.s. [1] Because He Nuo is not considered a long-distance student, many students who live close by put down their address for their hometown which is far away. This way, when they return to their hometown, they can buy student-priced tickets C at half price. This is a trick students use to save money.
t/n:
the above would be everything written by the author herself, like the [1] and those in brackets. also, if anyone has questions, ask ahead and ill try my best to reply.
1 number one Monk Temple: It means that this temple is a monk-only temple, so its all males and no females.
2 as if he was leading an army: The author wrote ʦ½һ(Ru Bai Wan Xiong Shi Chang Jiang Deng Ji Yi Yang), and it can be understand as bringing arge army along and when he shouted, it felt as though there was a million people behind him supporting his shouts. Like in Infinity War when ck Panther shouted Wakanda Forever!, something like that.
3 written as ck but is pronounced He: He Nuos surname is normally read as (Hei) and is the word for ck, but in actual fact his surname is pronounced He.
4 college entrance: ߿(Gao Kao)
Volume 2 Chapter 2
Volume 2 Chapter 2
The 3 days reporting period for the freshmen starts today till the day after, He Nuo could be considered the first batch of students, so with the seniors guidance he found his dormitory. He Nuo looked around, there were eight beds divided onto both sides of the room with four upper and lower bunk beds. In the middle was eight desks and chairs, on top of the desks stood eight thermos sks in a straight line. There were four cabs mped between each side of the four beds, eight new bright blue basins were ced on the basin rack beside the door, and next to it was a broom and a mopplete with everything else. He Nuos name was affixed to the lower bunk facing away from the door. After the senior simply pointed out the pantry1 and the location of the campus snack shop, he left to go prepare the weing of freshmen again. He Nuo went to the dorms office and brought back bedsheets, nkets and other rted items.
After putting away everything, He Nuo felt hungry. He missed the chance to eat while waiting at the railway station at noon, and only heard his stomach protest in hunger now. He Nuo exited the dorm building and walked towards the snack bar where there were almost no students. He Nuo bought an insted lunch box2 and other necessities he needed. The shop was small, so the prices were not disyed. After asking for the prices of simr items, He Nuo chose the cheapest to buy and was a bit embarrassed for the trouble he caused. On the contrary, the shopkeeper did not mind and chatted with him enthusiastically. During the conversation, he was very proud of A University and painted a bright future for He Nuo.
When the shopkeeper inquired that He Nuos family had eight sons, he raised his thumb in admiration for He Nuos father saying that he had good fortune repeatedly. He then immediately understood why He Nuo was dressed in extremely simple clothes on the day for reporting to school. Seeing that He Nuo was not too well-off, the shopkeeper kindly told He Nuo that there is a nationwide well-knownrge wholesale market in this city. From food to clothes, there is a wide variety and a lot of them are factory outlets, so the prices are very cheap. A lot of things from the shopping malls and his own store came from there. If He Nuo went to buy them, though it is retail price, it is still cheaper than the price outside by half. He Nuo felt that this news was more practical and had value so he gratefully took down the bus number.
Before dinner time, He Nuos first roommate, Shi Hao appeared. As the first person to arrive, He Nuo told Shi Hao what he knew and understood from during the day. He brought him to get hot water and to buy food from the canteen. At night, the both of them who had nothing to do toured the Haoyue campus. In the quiet night, the verdant and lush greenery from the day turned into mottled dark shadows. The two new freshmen took a leisure stroll in high spirits, with the help of the soft streetlights. Below He Nuos dorm window were two volleyball courts and a basketball court, and alongside the left and right of the courts are the main road of the campus, surrounding a garden with flowing ponds.
Towards water flowing beneath a bridge, being before flowers and under the moon3, guys still have ack of interest in such stuff. They gave up going through the garden, choosing to cross the periphery without taking up extra trouble. Along the way, they found a football field that was big enough and was in good condition, two old school halls, an indoor gymnasium and an outdoor gymnasium. On the way back to the garden, behind was a library andboratory buildings... On the steps of the library were Guo Xiao and Ke Rulei, who had already finished their tour. These twos dorm was opposite of He Nuos, in the third dormitory building and was on the fourth floor so they got together first. They pulled onto He Nuo and his dormmates, telling them that they have already finished walking around half of the school campus already and that they can continue tomorrow. The main thing is to y perfect4 together. The four of them sat under the moonlight, talking about their achievements5. As He Nuo listened, he kept smiling despite not talking much. For him, this was already the first big step in his transformation.
The second day was a Saturday, and there were a lot of students who arrived at school on this day. Probably with exceptions for people who live in this city and the surrounding areas, all the freshmen chose this day to report because this way they can recover from the fatigue gained from the long journey on Sunday. As stated in the admission notice, the Military training starts on Monday. The other people in He Nuos dorm all appeared, even though one of them was a local, he also came in early toplete the admission procedures. After putting everything in ce, he went back home in the evening. These eight differentds were sorted out ording to customs, seeing who was the oldest and who was the youngest6. He Nuo not only did not get an advantage in age for repeating a year, but he was quite far away from the oldest position C being Lao Wu7. The oldest and second oldest before him also repeated a year.
In the evening, the deputy dean apanied by the freshmen counsellors and Student Council leaders visited every freshmen dorm room. For these newborn calves who have yet to experience his wrath, hearing that he was also a well-known professor who also teaches undergraduates concurrently, all listened to his preaching with admiration and worship. Of course, they found out afterwards that the widely known professor gave lectures even though he shuttles back and forth. This kind of fawning gradually turned into calm eptance.
In that short moment during the conversation between teachers and students, the Student Council President Li Mingqi pulled He Nuo over to introduce him to the counsellor. And the counsellor who already knows of He Nuos reputation talked to him as if he was a senior. After the Military training, everyone then knew that the counsellor stayed back in school that year he graduated, and hes essentially still a student.
Even lights out could not stop everybody from talking at once. Every person who was excited and expectant all had a bunch of thoughts that they wanted to share with everyone. There were many painful memories of senior year, reminiscing about their high school buddies, with the addition of a history where they worried over new ngs which incited the others to sigh. In He Nuos eyes, everyone seemed to be at the height of their youth and vigour. He only wished to be the same like them, walking under the light with light steps and having a bright smile.
You can do the same, youre already under the light. He Nuo slept peacefully as he encouraged himself.
Because everyone slepttest night, they woke upte. However the freshmen all looked the same, and the other dorms werent any better as most of them missed the time for breakfast. So they made do with the snacks that everyone brought, and the seven of them ate a bunch of snacks for breakfast. It wasnt until lunchtime that he charged into the canteen, being so hungry that he could feel his bones. He Nuo being used to it, looked through the windows of food and then lining up after finding the cheapest. He walked back to the dorms with Shi Hao, and the moment he walked in, Er Ge8 said, Lao Wu, your older cousin is here to find you.
Older cousin? He Nuo curiously turned his head to look at the direction Er Ge pointed at. With his back facing his bed was Shi Yan with a bright smile.
The lunch box in He Nuos hands almost fell to the ground, his heart pounding. He didnt know why his face turned red to white, then white to red like a colour changing board. Shi Yan walked over with a series of natural actions and said, Auntie and Uncle told me that you already started school. How could you not tell me, I even nned to send you off. The tone of his voice was warm and sincere, an older brother who takes care and dotes on a younger brother let people feel at ease. Every roommates favourable impression of this older brother who was extremely concerned with his younger brother increased, because Shi Yan still maintained his deceitful handsome appearance. No wait, its because after a year of polishing in University he mastered this skill even more.
A long stature, very tall, has a warm smile, handsome and fashionable older cousin, it would be honourable for anyone. Although there was a differentiation between the rich and the poor from the two peoples clothes, it was neglected because Shi Yan was easily approachable and exchanged greetings amiably. He conveniently ced the lunch box he took from He Nuos hands and a seemingly unintentional nce caused his heart to ache but he did not show it. He pulled He Nuo over to his beside and said, Auntie told me you forgot to bring these, I happened to bring it to you.
He Nuo looked at the backpack, and because his back was facing the roommates sitting around the table, he ced the bag into Shi Yans arms and whispered, Thank you. Please take it back, you dont need to spend any more money.
As if he didnt hear it, Shi Yan opened the backpack without being asked and passed the top few boxes of royal jelly to him, Store it properly, I still need to bring this bag back.
He Nuo red at him, not taking it. Shi Yan stood up, walked towards the cabs and asked, Whichpartment is yours?
Shi Hao who was sitting beside the cabs pointed, Its this one. He was surprised to find that He Nuo was staring at him fiercely, Shi Hao looked at He Nuo in a puzzled way and then looked at Shi Yan opening the cab. Shi Yan turned around and smiled, exining kindly, and was in fact for all the roommates to hear, He was tired during his senior year, seeing how skinny he was, his family gave him supplements. However, he found it troublesome and dont like to eat it. May I trouble you all in the future, please help me supervise our He Nuo ah.
Our He Nuo, at the same time when He Nuo was vomiting blood in his heart, Shi Yans kind brother image improved by another step. Everybody almost saw him bear tworge halos on his back. Not talking about the chorus of consent to Shi Yans request, but they even pledged to take care of He Nuo. As for Shi Yan, he took advantage of the situation and brought up how he was worried about the heavy load Military training, being unsure of whether He Nuo was able to withstand it. When he heard that fetching hot water required a water ticket, and that a person was limited to a bottle of hot water every day, he hurriedly stressed that He Nuo must not catch a cold, and he cannot use cold water.
He Nuo knew perfectly well that Shi Yan was a good talker, he had the ability to be in harmony with everybody in just three minutes. Seeing his own roommates and him being so engaged in their conversation, looking agreeable, He Nuo was in a daze and abnormally angry. Because this person was not included at all, in the University life which He Nuo nned. But here he was, arrogantly sitting in front of him, enjoying the conversation with his future friends. Shi Yan must be doing this on purpose, he was clear with what he wanted, and also clear with what obstacles was in front of him. So Shi Yans first step was to break the illusion of He Nuo kicking him out. He Nuo can start a new life but he needs to be able have his own ce in this new life!
When everyone had almost finished eating, Shi Yan then turned around to face the He Nuo who was angry at the side and asked, Quickly take out the things from the bag, let us go eat. Everybody cane along. He Nuo internally vomited blood again. Why didnt you say so before everyone ate? Cunning, despicable, hypocritical. My roommates would of course reject, but Shi Yan said there would definitely be an opportunity in the future as there would be many chances to meet with them. Shi Yan urged the He Nuo who did not move, however if ones expression could shoot arrows, Shi Yans body would already be pierced by arrows and the dorm room would be the miserable aftermath of a bloodbath. Ignoring He Nuos piercing expression, Shi Yan pulled his bag over, putting everything from the bag into He Nuos cab one by one, as he did so he said, Your body is your own, in the years toe, you would need a healthy body to do things.
Sneaking a nce at He Nuo, He Nuo controlled himself not to get angry, his hand clenching into a fist on his side. Closing the cab door, carrying his backpack, Shi Yan said goodbye to everybody. Its only normal he pulled He Nuo up, asking him, Are you hungry, what do you want to eat?
As they reached the top of the stairs, He Nuo stood still. Shi Yan turned around and asked, Whats wrong? Come on.
Im not going. Also, when you start school, Ill mail the things back to you. Please dont waste it in the future, and donte to my school. In the dorm, he was naturally unable to decline Shi Yan because the crafty him would have a better reason to retort back. So He Nuo made sure to clear things up at this moment.
The smile on Shi Yans face was slowly lost, Is this what you wanted to say?
Yes.
Then who the fuck was the one talking that day in the paddy field?
He Nuo lowered his head. He knew that Shi Yan was referring to that phrase Well still be friends when we meet. As he faced Shi Yans anger, He Nuo firmly said, In my heart, youll always be a friend. But we wont be seeing each other again.
Shi Yans eyes were filled with a kind of negativity, and had a gloomyplexion. The two of them looked at each other, He Nuo stubbornly refused to back off. In an instant, Shi Yans face rxed and He Nuo nearly thought that his eyes yed tricks on him. Shi Yan softened his voice to sound less provoking, Ah Song came as well, are you not going down to say thank you? Wang Feng and him specially came to see you.
He Nuo owes Qiu Linsong, be it when he used him before the college entrance exam or silently helping with his college admissions. He Nuo owed it to him. They did not ask for anything in return, much less mention the favours they did for him. And today... He Nuo awkwardly frowned. Shi Yan stretched out his hand and kneaded his forehead, Dont frown. I dont like it.
He Nuo looked at his intimate behaviour in a daze. How can this person face him so calmly?
Shi Yans heart was equally in pain, as if suffocating in hell but he had to swallow down this bitter feeling. I wont force you, well just be downstairs waiting. If youre willing toe thene, if youre unwilling then Ill help exin to them on your behalf.
He turned around to go down, then he paused. With his back facing He Nuo, If you donte down, remember to ask your roommates toe down for you. Ah Song and the others presents to congratte you for entering University is still in the car, they wanted to give it to you personally. After he turned, he disappeared, the sound of his footsteps far away.
Shi Yan went to the first floor but didnt go out straight away, instead he leaned at the corner of the hall. He was waiting for He Nuo, he was confident that he could wait for him. Or to put it another way, Qiu Linsong and Wang Feng can wait for him. For Shi Yan, this was absolutely sad but he had to thank the heavens for giving him the chance to be sad. If it was not A University, the him today might only be able to watch from a distance, being unable to cross rivers and seas. There was the sound of footstepsing down, Shi Yans spirits rose, and he smiled.
He Nuo did not spend a lot of time in fighting his inner self. His struggles and contradictions were all instantaneous. Although Qiu Linsong and Wang Fang were his buddies, but the both of them has helped him when he was in distress. He could not just forget about the help he got from them because of his own personal grudge, it would make him an ungrateful bastard and it would be as stupid as not eating again because you choked once. So, even though He Nuo knew Shi Yans scheme, he could only willingly fall into his trap.
Shi Yan was indeed in a hurry after he knew that He Nuo reported to University by himself. Shi Yan was very clear on what He Nuos thoughts were; saying goodbye to his past and putting it away to collect dust. He was driven out and locked out of his heart because of his betrayal. And this dusty pearl would radiate dazzling brilliance, new friends would fill into He Nuos life and this new environment would be the determination He Nuo needs to break away from his past. It is by no means easy to enter that wall around his heart again if it was built up again. After staying up all night and with deliberate nning, the answer he came up with is to attack through other means.
He Nuo could ruthlessly refuse himself, but when confronted with Wang Feng, He Nuo who has received special care from Wang Fengs mother, definitely cant go against being grateful for all the help, even if small, and Qiu Linsong who He Nuo would feel the need to repay9, is the trump card! So Shi Yan who brought these two great assistants was full of confidence. He Nuos determination and stubbornness, Shi Yan knew all of it. Which was why he chose another identity, an older cousin. This helped with the future long-term visits to He Nuos dorm, even foreshadowing the open intimacy.
It was because all of He Nuos reactions were within his expectations, thats why he had his two great assistants sit in the car in advance, if not he would not have been able to convince He Nuo toe out. Shi Yan entered a treasure cave, why would he return empty-handed. Moreover, this was the first time in his life where he experience such pain that prated down to his core. To save himself from such misery, he would not let go.
Facing Shi Yans eyes full of undisguisedly affection, He Nuos heart was bitter and suffocated. The words that left his mouth says not forcing, but werent those actions of his forcing him?
Lets go, they should be hungry from waiting. Shi Yan gently told the He Nuo who was walking close to him.
Qiu Linsong and Wang Feng werent even in the car, they were sitting on the curb, in the shadows. When they saw the two walk over, they stood up and smiled. They waited for them to walk over before they raised their fist and bumped He Nuo on the shoulder. Fuck, walking over without even saying hello. How could you make such a clean break between us, and not interact with us anymore?
He Nuo was a little embarrassed, defending himself by saying things like theres no need to trouble with such. It was Shi Yan who came to his rescue, kicking up a racket by saying, Hungry, Im hungry. Talk less nonsense, lets quickly find a ce to eat.
Although the three of them have already attended University in mo city for a year, but for the two universities, one was at the far east of the city and the other in the far west, needing to pass through the whole city. The three of them were not as familiar with the west like they were with their school area. So the moment they exited the school, they randomly chose a main road and as the driver drove they browsed through the restaurants by the roadside, not too far away they saw a medium-sized restaurant and alighted.
During their meal, He Nuo was almost always talking to Qiu Linsong and Wang Feng. Shi Yan of course also joined in the conversation, but when he came into He Nuos line of sight, he actually only looked at that box of wallpaper behind him. When Shi Yan went upstairs just now, Qiu Linsong and Wang Feng asked the driver to drive along the main road and circled around A University, getting a rough idea of the school. It was indeed iparable to their university, and they sincerely praised He Nuos school. He Nuo has only been here for three days, but he already liked the ce. He cheerily talked about the knowledge and experience from these few days. As well as about the Military uniform which he received the previous day, which also came with a shirt and a tie. Which was said that it is to prepare them for the inspection after the final military exercise.
He Nuo who talked about all these, his eyes shone and his expressions lively. Shi Yan sat beside him, listening to the rise and fall of his voice, made his heart ached. This gentleness pulled at his heartstring strongly. The moment he moved his hand, he wanted to touch He Nuos legs. Regardless of rain or shine, he just wanted to have a share in his joy. It should have been him in his embrace, with bright eyes, as he stared at those frosty lips clearly revealing his happiness. The hands he lifted was put down dejectedly, picking up the porcin spoon, Shi Yan scooped up some cashew nuts from the celery and ced it on He Nuos te.
After sending He Nuo back to school, Qiu Linsong and Wang Feng took out a paper bag from the trunk of the car. He Nuos face turned red in a while, waving his hands, No, no. I cant ept it. Im already very grateful for you guysing to see me.
The paper bags were stuffed into his hands, Its all given out from the departments activities, we just got an extra set, thats all.
Youve entered university, and we didnt celebrate it back home, just treat this as making up for it.
He Nuo was at a loss on what to do. At this time, he unconsciously turned to Shi Yan for help.
Its in your size, even if you dont want it, we cant wear it too. Keep it ba, its everyones good will.
He Nuo shyly expressed his thanks. The three of them boarded the car, Shi Yan pressed down the window, greedily gazing at He Nuo, expressing his unspoken reluctance. He Nuo avoided the scorching line of sight, waving goodbye to them. After returning back to the dorm, the local Lao Liualready came back. Everyone saw that he came back holding two bags of things, would of course think that his older cousin was dedicated. One after another, they praised his older cousin that with one look they knew his family background was good, well-educated and a nice guy. Because in that moment of their conversation, Shi Yan already told them that he also goes to a university in this city, thats why auntie entrusted him to take care of his younger cousin.
As the excessive praises filled his ears, someone loudly shouting He Nuos name from downstairs could be heard. Lao Da, Cui Yining who was nearest to the window, peered down and said, Lao Wu, its your Ge. Lao Liu was faster than He Nuo in running towards the window, curious to see what kind of older cousin has already bought over everyone. As He Nuo appeared before the window, Shi Yan shouted, Theres two boxes of Chunghwas turtle essence10. Ive already asked the physician, you can eat it with the royal jelly. Dont forget to drink it.
He Nuo couldnt shout out the phrase, Got it, only people in the dorm could hear. Shi Yan didnt say much, he just smiled and waved, taking big steps to the car. Just like this, Shi Yan didnt spend more than 30 minutes to build an evesting lofty image in his ssmates minds and opened the door of convenience in building a loving and respectful rtionship between brothers.
t/n:
hi disimer! I know I have a lot of these footnotes since Im not entirely sure of certain things and feel that some things should be exined. Do feel free to let me know if youd rather I have lesser footnotes and Ill see how it goes. Also thank you all for your support on chapter 1! Ill try my best to trante as long as I have time. Theres also an extra before v2c1, I think Ill be uploading that next.
1 pantry: the author usedˮ(Shui Fang), a ce where they collect(?) water so I just assumed it to be a pantry.
2 insted lunch box: (Fan Gang), and I think university students usually use this to have their takeaway food ced into it. It has threeyers to it, a bowl for rice, a te of sorts for a side dish and a container for soup.
3 before flowers and under the moon: it is an ideal setting for couples in love.
4 y perfect: һp, apparently is to get perfects in a rhythm game? But there was another meaning which is ɻ, meaning to masturbate. Im not that sure about what this means, so if anyone knows feel free to correct me.
5 sat under the moonlight, talking about their achievements: ٩ɽ(Wang Yue Kan Qi Da Shan Lai), its supposed to be poetic. If they are talking about games then, it would be their achievements in the game if not it would be their masturbation achievements? Which I doubt because He Nuo wouldnt be so calm if talking about such topics.
6 sorted out ording to customs, seeing who was the oldest and who was the youngest: where people see who the oldest is and who the youngest is. The oldest is looked up by the others with respect. This is to apparently help with the bonding between roommates in university dorms.
7 Lao Wu: the fifth oldest. er, san, si, wu, liu, qi, ba would be in order of age from second to eight. They useo da for the oldest, and the other age would haveo + their age, like the third oldest iso san. People who are older address those younger than them witho + their age.
8 Er Ge: second brother, the age + ge is used to address people older than them.
9 being grateful for all the help, even if small and feel the need to repay: ˮ֮, ӿȪ౨ is a saying where one would have to repay ones help, no matter how small.
10 turtle essence: soft-shelled turtle essence.
Volume 2 Chapter 2.1 - extra
Volume 2 Chapter 2.1 - extraThis extra was published after v1 but before v2.
With the arrival of another years sports meet, He Nuo who has been a spectator for many years, had gloriously participated as a yer. He did not take the initiative to join, it was more like he was pushed to join if not there would be a ridiculous lottery. Theres no helping it, if the liberal arts ss needed to perform something, there would be more than enough talented people ready, or just grab a handful of people. However, when the sports meet is mentioned, even if the girls were as skilled, it was impossible to produce a few Mns to stand in for the guys to fight this half of the war. The time hase for all the guys, not one less to step forward for this ss that severelycks males. There was originally a rule that one person can only take part in two events. Taking into consideration that the liberal arts ss have ack of males, the school specially agreed for the males in the liberal arts ss to take on one more event.
Under such care and favour from the school principal, the teacher was almost moved to tears. The teacher specially held a motivational meeting for the teachers and athletes, sending out a generous and humane message of We can walk it through, climb it through, do not give up or give in, the true meaning of a sports meet is in participating. In the heat of the moment, the students were also encouraged and were eager to get into action, getting ready to fight this war. It was like they were getting ready to take on Huashan Mountain1,rgely excited to fight for the throne. The teacher took this opportunity and immediately had the ss president to on the spot assign people for the events. He Nuo was exposed by dont know which noble person that n years ago, Xiao He ssmate was as fast as lightning so he was excluded from the lottery. He was directly ced into the 200 metre race, 1500 metre race and also the ry race.
When the teacher received the form which was fully filled, with a goat-like kind smile he went to the office and turned hostile C having a sinister smile. Then like a soldier who bravely shouldered thousands of metres, he gave out a shrill cry. It aroused half of the schools attention, despairing every corner of the ssroom.
The sports meet began with the sounds of gongs and drums, gs fluttering. During the entrance ceremony for all the athletes, Shi Yan really wanted to have a few more nces of He Nuo. For the first time, towards He Nuo, it felt like he was standing out from the crowd, and it is believed that others also felt the same. Because He Nuo was burned out of bnce by the otherpetitors line of sight. There was only one reason: Preparing under the same environment, no difference in status, no difference in clothes materials, and with everyone being in their sports attire, he still shined in the crowd. He Nuo didnt have any sportswear, it was Shi Yan who helped prepare it for him. He was afraid that his family would know about it, so he changed in the toilet aftering to school.
Although He Nuo has not worked hard on his limbs for many years and has not been specially trained, his innate motor cells were still alive. On the 200 metre race sand field, it could be considered surprising people with his sess, unexpectedly passing the preliminaries. In the finals, he unequivocally got third ce and it was a small surprise. The boys from the liberal arts ss whose goal was to break the record of zero, finally umted points. Of course, what followed was peoples ardent expectations, and to double their efforts for the 1500 metre race the next day.
Both Shi Yans event were sprints, 100 metre and 400 metre. This persons sprinting is ever triumphant, always being the first one to dash to the finish line. His only regret was notpeting with He Nuo in the 200 metre race which was on the same field. However, there was still a chance, andpeting in the ry race was it.
For He Nuos 200 metre race, it can be said to be Heavens great kindness, giving him the present of explosive power for the short distance. However it was naturally not perfect in every aspect, it was not long-term. For the 1500 metre race, it was a challenge and He Nuo had no idea on how toplete it. Originally, their n was to follow their teachers slogan, if you cannot continue to run just walk. However, because of the results from yesterday the other schoolmates already ced them on a pedestal. Today that n would go down the drain, they had no choice but to go all out. Shi Yan was asked in advance about the main points for long distance runs, and knew that at the beginning one should not exhaust all their energy, this needed longevity2 and still needed physical strength for the final sprint.
But entering the field, the theory of it and putting it to practice was not the same thing as if it was empty talk because new participants did not understand the actual process enough. He Nuo asked himself why he didnt dash forward at the sound of the gunshot, being caught in the middle of people, not being in the front or the back. However, at the secondp he felt that the way ahead was long and had no ending. By the thirdp, he realised that from the beginning to now he did not make much effort but why did the steps under his feet got smaller and smaller, why did both of his legs slowly felt as heavy as lead. After threeps, He Nuo already could not find the dawn of victory, he only knew that he was dragging two wooden stakes along.
Just when he was unable to gasp for breath anymore, a hand reached out from his side, pulling him forward, Do you want to give up? Get off?
No. Using the strength he had left to squeeze out that one-word answer.
Then run, youre almost there.
He Nuo wanted to give him a smile but it would use up his fighting power, and didnt.
At this time, the sports meets host standing in front of stage shouting words of righteousness through a loudspeaker, Please dont pace others, the students on the side of the track please return to your own ss, do not apany the runners. Students receiving the athletes please wait at the finishing line, do not enter the track.
He Nuo was oblivious to what was happening outside of thepetition, not going in his ears, he didnt know what was said at all. Shi Yan did hear what was said clearly and understood, but what does it have to do with him? So as the loudspeaker continued to repeatedly deliver reprimands, Shi Yan continued to be indifferent to it. The moment he passed by the host on the stage, he even gave the Angel of Justice who shouted himself hoarse in front of the microphone a military salute C a Nazi salute.
Thest 150 metres was really deduced to be the modern version of the Long March, the section that went through grasnds and swamps. He Nuo was practically dragged forward by Shi Yan, even his eyes were shut. After realising, Shi Yan really could not bear it anymore andughed, Lao Zi3 really is famous now, apanying this tortoise in his race.
I, I really like, tortoises now, wish to be, wish to be a hibernating tortoise, not needing to run.
Reaching soon, you can hibernate soon.
After Shi Yan dragged He Nuo to the finishing line and said the sentence, Weve reached, He Nuo immediately softened into a pool of mud, his whole being copsed and fell into a heap on the ground. Shi Yan hurriedly caught his waist with one hand and caught the body that was slipping down, He Nuos ssmates were at the side helping to carry him. He Nuos body was unable to even exert a little strength, along with the arrival at the finish line, his bones no longer listened to him.
The voice beside his ear professionally said, He needs to walk, do not sit. Support him and walk, this was the physical education teacher. He Nuo opened his eyes to express that he couldnt even stand, but the moment he opened his eyes, the earth was spinning, and he saw ripples of dark circles spread out. He Nuo groaned and retched due to the nausea. The ssmates listened to the teachers instructions and tried to forcefully make him walk. He Nuo felt so terrible that he wanted to die in his heart, there was a wave of fishy smell rising in his throat.
Shi Yan diligently took part in all kinds of sports activities, of course he knew that it was wrong to sit down immediately after strenuous exercise. However, He Nuo had symptoms of copsing. Large hands held onto his waist, wanting the ssmates to let go. He Nuo had his eyes closed, finding support then leaning on it, hanging onto Shi Yan unable to stand and his head weakly drooped into Shi Yans chest. As if disying the Qian Jin Zhui4, like a dead weight pulling down Shi Yan. Half dragging half hugging, Shi Yan got tired and started sweating as he brought him back to his ss position, mainly because of the contribution of He Nuos resistance.
Back at his seat, Shi Yan sat down with He Nuo still leaning into his embrace. Looking at the blood vessels around He Nuos neck jump and his chest bulging, he felt as though his heart would jump out. Not only that,yers of sweat oozed out onto his forehead. Shi Yan asked Wang Feng to take the glucose drink over. In sports meets, there were always parents of students who provided glucose drinks from hospitals to give to the athletes. Their ss did not have any glucose drinks anymore, Wang Feng went to the ss next door to grab a bottle. Shi Yan took the bottle and fed him, Shi Yan had no uracy and choked the weak He Nuo under him, making him cough and vomit. Hisplexion became paler. Shi Yan quickly poured the drink into a cup, taking a spoon and feeding him spoonful by spoonful.
After feeding around half of the 500ml glucose drink, did He Nuo stop having troubles breathing and stopped cold sweating, finally opening his eyes. Shi Yan still held the spoon near his lips, Feeling better?
He Nuo looked at the face in front of him with fixed eyes. In his dizziness just now, when the pit of his stomach felt suffocated and painful, this chest was sturdy and allowed him to depend on it. The world in front of him was dark and his ears filled with noise, but his heart did not feel any panic only because he was beside him.
Confused? Shi Yan looked at He Nuos expression straighten, he smiled brightly, Drink more, the colour of your face wasnt human just now. If I knew it would be like this, I wouldnt have let you run, doing something stupid.
He Nuo shook his head, the spoon Shi Yan held was still ced beside his lips, Drink more, provide more atp5. Youre still not going to drink? You were sweating a lot just now, your shirt is already drenched.
He Nuo was thirsty, not only was he thirsty, he was also hungry. However, he wasnt thirsty in the sense of wanting to drink, not hungry in the sense of wanting to eat. It was a kind of skin hunger. When He Nuo was growing up, be it being embraced, kissed, getting touched on the head or being pat, there was none in his memories. Let alone mention an embrace which he can lean on. He Nuo at this time, suddenly had the urge to weep. The feeling of his own skin intimately against the others, taking in his body temperature felt good.
He Nuo stared intently, his eyes contained too many emotions: feeling touched, longing for something, feeling contented...... The young Shi Yan couldnt see the emotions that contained everything, but was aware of his abnormality, Whats wrong? Where do you still feel unwell?
San Ge, I think you need to change his shirt, its drenched with sweat. Wang Feng said.
He Nuo only woke up from his dream after hearing an outsiders voice. Wang Feng was sitting opposite of him on the chair which has been turned around, looking at him as he still held onto the bottle of the glucose drink. Plus, there were even more eyes gathered around here and looking at him. He Nuo then felt panicked, taking in a deep breath, unwillingly forced himself to sit up.
Shi Yan helped him up, Can you walk? Go back to the ssroom to change your clothes ba? The running singlet which He Nuo wore looked like it was fished out of the water and the front of Shi Yans chest was soaked into a patch with his sweat. Going to He Nuos ss to get his jacket and trousers, Shi Yan helped support and walked him to the ssroom while Wang Feng helped take the clothes. Entering the teaching building, He Nuo then used the stair railings for support, looking up at the stairs that at the moment looked like adder. After climbing half a floor, he rested. Cant walk anymore?
My leg feels very sore, lets stop for a while before continue.
Shi Yan squat down to knead his calf, I already massaged for you just now, I was busy feeding the glucose that I forgot the calf. Wang Feng, go to the ssroom and open the door first.
After sending Wang Feng away, Shi Yan kneaded a few more times. While crouching down, his hand reached behind He Nuos knee, and the other wrapped around his waist, picking him up.
You-
Ill carry you up, your legs will be sore the whole of today.
Ill walk by myself, Im heavy.
Shi Yanughed, This time Im carrying a live person, not heavy; just now when I was hauling a dead pig was it really heavy. You were shamelessly dragging me down, it took a lot of effort to pull you up. My neck felt as if there was a 200jin6 of pork hanging from it. Ive never had such an encounter where one throw themselves into my arms like this.
You- He Nuo red at him, unable to refute him.
Shi Yans footsteps were agile, as if he was not carrying someone which was tiring. ce your hand around my neck, itll be easier this way.
He Nuo submissively wrapped his hand around his neck, his face couldnt help but snuggle into him. Shi Yan who saw this sceneughed, holding his hands tightly, and continued to climb the stairs.
When changing his clothes, He Nuo realised he had an outerwear, but he didnt prepare clothes in advance. So Shi Yan had him wear his running singlet and shorts because Shi Yans events were sprints, and was all done for today. However, He Nuo was not used to wearing others clothes. For the opening ceremony, the school had specified uniform sportswear so he had not choice but to wear it during the ceremony and was going to take it off and return it the moment he left the track. Now he needed to wear Shi Yans clothes back home, although it was only on the inside and wont be seen by his family to get scolded, he was still unwilling.
After repeating several times, He Nuo still insisted on wearing his own clothes. He decided to just cover up that shirt drenched with sweat, only changing when home. Shi Yans patience was exhausted, chasing Wang Feng back to the field, he grabbed onto He Nuo and took off his singlet. With all his strength, as soon as he pulled, He Nuos singlet came down from his head. He Nuo wrapped his hands around his chest, his slim body half naked. Yet, Shi Yan felt that the person in front of him was bright. The white and shiny smooth skin made him feel hot and ufortable to move his eyes away from the sight.
Wear it yourself, otherwise Ill take off my pants for you. Not like I didnt take it off before. Shi Yans voice suddenly turned raspy, taking off his running singlet and tossing it to him.
He Nuo was also in a state of confusion, especially when he mentioned that he had taken off his pants for himst time, all the blood rushed to his face. While changing, his hands and legs were aching and limp. Shi Yan turned around to see his slow movements, and in the end went to support him. Because of the sports meet, the chairs in the ssroom were moved downstairs and He Nuo had nowhere to sit and change.
Putting on the dry singlet and shorts, then the jacket and trousers, He Nuo felt much morefortable. Shi Yan wanted He Nuo to sit on a table which was ced against the wall, then made a request, Dont run in tomorrows ry.
He Nuo of course did not agree to it, how could one easily go back on their promises, itll be toote for others to find recements. Shi Yan didnt argue with him, He Nuo came down today only to copse. In the beginning when he was feeding him the glucose solution, he didnt even open his mouth. People who ran finish were usually red-faced, but he was as pale as a ghost. Shi Yan absolutely did not allow him to exercise so vigorously like this again.
Final result: He Nuos legs were aching the whole night, dragging his aching and limp legs, he could not help but think that there was no general in Shuzhong7 and that the teacher would catch him as a vanguard. In the end, he found out that he has been retired from the race. Having been saved from being tortured, in his heart he secretly felt delighted.
t/n:
hi, Im so sorry I think reading the raws there were more touching and cute parts and I tried my best to bring across the message but the feeling still feels different. This extra is before v2, sorry for not posting this earlier. Also when I was asking my friend for help, some phrases made her question whether I was tranting a sex scene haha.
1 Huashan Mountain: I think a huge and tedious fight happened on this mountain, so the idea is that the students are ready to challenge this crazy task, I think.
2 longevity: I used this because long-distance running in Chinese is and needed which meant something like needing perseverance, but I used longevity because of the long in it and matches long-distance.
3 Lao Zi: Used to refer to oneself.
4 Qian Jin Zhui: ǧis a kind of martial art.
5 atp: adenosine triphosphate which is to help provide energy to drive many processes in living cells, e.g. muscle contraction.
6 jin: a kind of chinese measurement, 200jin=100kg.
7 no general in Shuzhong:cking someone who is talented at something, in this case it refers to running for the ry.
Volume 2 Chapter 3
Volume 2 Chapter 3
He Nuo took out the items from the bag, a shoebox and a set of clothes that looked like sportswear. He Nuo could not distinguish who gave him the shoes and who gave him the clothes. He suddenly remembered that his 174cm height was simr to Wang Fengs and that they wore the same size. He took out the shoes to look at it, Lao Liu with his sharp eyes rushed over and said, Its Nike!
He Nuo didnt know about what Nike and whatnot, it was just a pair of sport shoes. It should be quite practical, as He Nuo never had a pair of sport shoes. Several roommates also rushed over and took the shoes to look at it. Lao Liu looked at the corners of the shoe, distinguishing it, Its real, it costs a few hundred dors. Your cousin really treats you well. He Nuo felt a little ufortable the moment he heard that it was so expensive, he hesitatingly asked Lao Liu, What about that?
Lao Liu took a glimpse at the clothes he was holding, Also branded, its Adidas. Your cousin doesnt buy stuff thats not branded?
He Nuo packed the items to the way it was before, cing it into the bag when he noticed a slender box in one of them. He opened it to see a fountain pen. Er Ge took it over and looked, Its Parker fountain pen! He Nuo was made nervous by the western brand names, each one of it sounded expensive and he was not used to such valuable gifts.
On the road back home, Shi Yan told the other two, Ill return the money to youter on.
San Ge, dont need ba. You already know that our dads overstated an extra person for the volleyballpetition, we didnt specially buy it for He Nuo.
Exactly, I just took my 41 to the shopping mall and changed it to a 40. Because of the three majorpetitions (Volleyball, Basketball, Football) between the localrge enterprises, even the public security bureau was included in it. So everyones fathers units purchased sports equipment this summer. And of course, the three of them added an extra set. On New Years Day, some people gifted them Nike, Adidas, so it wasnt rare to like it. Whats more, the units bought it in bulk, naturally it wont be thetest and most expensive. When Shi Yan said he wanted to visit He Nuo, the both of them talked and discussed on what to gift He Nuo.
Qiu Linsong put in an extra pen, and there was not much meaning to it. That pen has been in his drawer for almost a year already, it was given to him by someone when he passed the entrance examination for universityst year. Firstly, he wasnt fond of using a fountain pen. Secondly, he felt that he needed to be careful when using that fountain pen, and he didnt have that in him. For him, a pen is just a writing tool, its fine as long as it was suitable for him. Therefore, although Parker was good, it just didnt suit him. That day when he saw it, he remembered He Nuos words that were like floating clouds and flowing water1. He felt that he was the only one suitable to use, letting the fountain pen serve its proper purpose, he sent it to him here.
San Ge, Ill take you up on your offer when theres a chance next time, why mind about such trifling matters. Besides, although you and He Nuo are the closest, but his rtionship with the others isnt that bad either.
Shi Yan thanked his buddies for their kindness and didnt bother with this matter anymore, the simple two words thank you which everyone knew the weight of. For He Nuo, Shi Yan was the one who owed them, waiting for the chance to return the favour in the future. In addition, its his lover so he should bear the burden himself. Needing his buddies to help, he felt depressed and felt ufortable as if he was choking. To put it bluntly, he disliked that He Nuo had other peoples marks on him.
While everyone was chatting, He Nuo took the chance when the others werent paying attention to him and organized the things in the cab which Shi Yan brought for him. His hands trembled more and more, his back became stiffer. He didnt dare to turn around and face his roommates, he gritted his teeth as he dared not make any noise. Two boxes of Chunghwas soft-shelled turtle essence, four boxes of royal jelly, two sets of pure cotton underwear, six singlets, six pants, six pairs of socks, a small box filled with band-aids, cold, fever, anti-inmmatory medicine and a thermometer. The items in front of He Nuo were blurred, the deep and painful thorn in his heart was stirred. Shi Yan, just let me miss you okay? I beg you, please dont show up again!
After dinner, the first freshmen meeting was organised by the Student Council President, meeting several instructors. This time, the Military training willst for two months, a battalionmander will be in-charge and all of the instructors are ranked officers. Seeing real soldiers manners, standing straight like a pine, sitting like a bell,manding with dignity, the freshmen below admired them endlessly. Of course, they didnt know that they will cry starting from tomorrow.
Everyone was originally continuing the spirit after the end of the meeting, discussing about the Military training, but not knowing which topic He Nuos cousin was brought back again. Shi Hao suddenly remembered, Lao Wu, did you forget to eat the supplements that your cousin talked about?
After this reminder, everyone remembered and for a while, they asked He Nuo whether he and his cousin had such a good rtionship since young. They also advised He Nuo to not find it troublesome, that he should drink the supplements. Because during He Nuos college entrance examination period, mental torture was far greater than the suffering from revising. After the results came out, everything that was overlooked really made the originally not strong He Nuo squeeze away thest drop of essence and blood. He was really thin.
Youre a grown man, arms like reed sticks, in the future you wouldnt even be able to carry your girlfriend... Thats what were talking about.
He Nuo yielded to drink. He was familiar with royal jelly, taking one out and picked up the Chunghwa turtle essence to read the instructions and find the way to take it. A white envelope entered his sight, He Nuo thought it was money at first and was a little angry. After picking it up, it didnt feel like it because of the thinness. Taking it out with suspicion, to only get a shock and shoved it back in. His heart thumping, afraid that his roommates would see what shouldnt be seen, throwing the enveloped back inside the cab as if scalded, even taking out a box of turtle essence out to look.
Only until when it was lights out, He Nuo then took the envelope and went to the pantry. He was shocked and confused in Shi Yans arms. He had one hand around his neck and the other only had time to grasp his front. Shi Yan bowed down to himself, his smile had the pride of being sessful in a sneak attack. He Nuo still remembered being lifted up in the air and eximing out of dizziness; and also remembered that Shi Yanughing and said, Take a picture, hurry!
This was a year ago, after He Nuo decided to repeat a year. It was taken in the park on a rockery after being sneakily lifted up. This was the first time He Nuo saw this, although of course the pictures already came out long before. Because of Shi Yans selfishness, He Nuo didnt get to look at it. The reason was because of his hands. When Shi Yan saw this picture at that time, he didnt feel anything beyond friendship, yet he felt guilty. The ck cuts on the back of He Nuos hands clearly condemned the wrongdoings Shi Yanmitted. He Nuos tragic indenturedbourer experience, Shi Yan would rather it to be deleted from He Nuos memory, so this picture did not see the light of the day.
Shi Yan made another copy of this image now to give to He Nuo, there was two purposes. Yearning between two lovers, it was given to He Nuo as afort. Shi Yan firmly believed that even if He Nuo was unwilling, he would appear in his mind from time to time, Shi Yan considers this He Nuos love for him. Shi Yan wanted him to see himself as a thorn, it also had to be a thorn that was at the bottom of his heart all the time. What more? After that incident, the two of them were so happy and sweet to reconcile as before, Shi Yan hoped for blooming flowers and full moon2 days toe.
t/n:
I was thinking about my trantion speed and internally cried, its so slow rip ;; the chapters are longggg but thankfully this chapter was shorter. if there are mistakes do point it out, I might have missed it out while I was editing it haha
1 floating clouds and flowing water: natural and smooth words.
2 blooming flowers and full moon: perfect conjugal bliss.
Volume 2 Chapter 4
Volume 2 Chapter 4
Military training was ssified into male and female sses for the freshman. Starting with the basic skills of standing at attention, standing at ease and marching forward, although the requirements for the university students would be more lenient, but at least the pace of life for military routine is the same. At the end of the day after mechanically repeating the dull attention, at ease, march, in the evening is unexpectedly learning how to tidy up the barracks, mainly reflecting on how the bed is made. The unified bedding which the university distributed out is entirely differentpared to the ones in the army. Asking these grown men to fold it into a tofu cube is as good as gently tormenting them.
In reality, for the freshmen, the military training emphasizes on organizational discipline, unity and assisting. Giving the numerous students who just entered the university gates a chance to understand the university. Because the biggest difference between high school and university is either taking initiative or being passive. In high school, there are teachers and parents that supervise and control whenever and wherever. While in university after the military training,es the time to enter the stage of self-discipline in life, counsellors help assist, not keeping an eye on the students at all times. Regardless in life or in studies, one has to act independently and take initiative. Fortunately, with the enthusiasm of just entering University, the students could still find enjoyment in the new military training.
One week passed by in the blink of an eye, because of possible sudden military operations on Sunday, so everybody cant leave the campus casually without getting permission. So these people just passed the time chatting in the dormitory. After a week ofmunal life, they have be familiar with their ssmates. In this years Maritime Law ss, they are the only one. There are two dormitories for the males and females, there are 14 males and 12 females. The ssmittee hasnt been elected yet, the oldest in the dorm room merely in-charge of keeping in contact so Lao Da suggested to visit the girls dormitory. Some immediately jumped to their feet, there were also some that felt like it would be too sudden and be misunderstood as some kind of pervert.
In the end, Lao Da brought most of the group to take part in some friendly exchanges, but the other party changed to another male ssmates dorm room diagonally across theirs. Lao Si went to wash clothes, Lao Liu theny in bed to catch up on his sleep, He Nuo under Lao Das lead was brought to the opposite room, he dared not y poker but he took out GO1. In the eyes of countrymen, GO generally represents wisdom, strategy and elegance. Therefore if met with a temporary inspection, there would most likely be no punishment.
Towards noon, Lao Liu knocked on the door, Lao Wu, your cousin is here.
At the call, He Nuo came out and Shi Yan was sitting on his own bed. Behind him were two big bags, He Nuo smiled, Youre treating my ce as yours again?
Hearing He Nuo ask in such a peaceful and familiar manner, Shi Yan was momentarily stunned. The bottom of his eyes showed that he was pleasantly surprised, then he smiled, Hows the military training? Must be hard ba?
There was a guest in the dorm so all the students came back. While Shi Yan exchanged greetings with everyone, he helped put away the items in the two bags together with He Nuo. One of the bags was a nket, He Nuo asked in surprise, Our schools quilts are all the same, whats the use of this?
Stupid, youve only had military training for a few days, its not yet time for emergency musters. Youll know its benefits after waking up in the middle of the night for the muster. Shi Yans military training at that time was only for show and was not hard due to school rtions. Shi Yan already inquired about, schools like A University cannot do without emergency muster and camp and field training.
An experienced person told Shi Yan that the 3, 5-minutemand to gather, they simply cant finish dressing and tidy up their stance, not to mention folding the quilt nicely. Theres always ways to get around the policies. At this stage of military training, almost all the freshmen slept in their clothes, the quilt folded neatly and ced on the table. When themand sounded, the quilts were carried to the bed, only needing to wear shoes, grabbing the hat and belt then rushing out. Shi Yan was afraid that He Nuo would catch a cold, so he helped prepare extra nkets for him. He Nuoughed at Shi Yans ways, who knew how long it took, how many people envied him for his good life, envy him for being able to foretell things urately, an older cousin who ns ahead.
At lunchtime, He Nuo went to find the instructor to apply for leave, leaving the school campus with Shi Yan. Since he was given two hours of leave, they went to the restaurant beside the main entrance to settle lunch. While eating, Shi Yan always looked at He Nuo with a smile.
Quick, eat. Dont always stare at me with a grin, I still have things to talk to you about after eating.
Shi Yan tactfully realised the change in He Nuo, of course subtle but He Nuos words presented rity and self-confidence. Shi Yan spected about what He Nuo wanted to say, trying toprehend his attitude.
Alright, Ive had enough. Im all ears. Shi Yan picked up the tea and took a sip.
He Nuo also put down his chopsticks, Qiu Linsong and Wang Fengs things, could you help take it back for me, please? I dont think its good for me to keep those things. Even if you guys told me it doesnt cost money, I still think its not suitable, I wont be able to repay back even in the future. Saying it again, spending money or not, those should have been your things. Could I trouble you to exin it to them for me? I really am grateful for everyones thoughtfulness, especially them since they originally already helped me too much, I cant even thank them enough.
No. A crisp answer.
He Nuo towards this concise answer, was stunned. He looked at Shi Yan foolishly, not knowing what to say.
If they dont ept you as a friend, they wont do such a thing to give me face. Dont draw such a clear line with us, okay? If they really wanted to make you feel indebted, they wont choose things given out by the unit as a gift. Actually, this gift took a lot of thought, ites on an equal footing and you still want to reject it? Shi Yan added a sentence in his heart, Besides, I will help repay it for you. You can only owe me.
He Nuo was silent for a moment, then said to Shi Yan, I dont deserve your gifts as well, but I know I cant return it back more.
Correct, youve got it right, you know how to draw inferences now. Shi Yan ah-ahughed out, So have you decided on how to deal with me?
The two peoples problems which could not be avoided and borated was necessary to face. Shi Yan made a joke to broach the topic.
I said friend, you said older cousin, then let it be older cousins friend. He Nuo leaned onto the back of his chair, Just, Shi Yan, dont spend any more money. Be it friend, be it older cousin, I am not willing to gain too much kindness from you regarding finance. If money is involved between friends, I think this friend is not simple. And although I am not wealthy, but my parents and rtives will not treat me harshly, not wasting on luxuries and the living expenses is enough for me to spend. Whether it is older cousin or friend, your frequent visits and the generosity youve given, has already happened.
Shi Yan tilted his head, as if he was listening earnestly. In actual fact, his eyes were fixed on He Nuos lips which were moving2, remembering the tender touch of his lips and teeth. He really did spend time on thinking of a way, Shi Yan secretlyughed in his heart, satisfied that He Nuo must have thought of him this week, even though it was on how to deal with himself.
How could He Nuo not have thought of Shi Yan this week? The Shi Yan in front of him represented a problem which needs to be solved. If Shi Yan knew He Nuo very well, the same can be said for He Nuo towards Shi Yan, knowing both himself and the enemy. If not he wouldnt have undoubtedly know about his betrayal in the absence of any evidence. Today, the page on betrayal has already been flipped. In this new page, He Nuo believes that Shi Yan loves him but He Nuo doesnt want this love anymore. Because he has a lingering fear of the pain from being stricken with grief from that time, he was unwilling for himself to have another chance to be utterly defeated anymore.
In addition, growing up painfully, He Nuo of course realized that his and Shi Yans rtionship was very different and diverged from being mainstream. So after choosing to get together with Shi Yan, foreseeing that it will certainly be a windy and rainy road, He Nuo walked out of the dried well of life after much difficulty. How could he still cover himself with thorns? He would rather give up than have a crack that exists all the time; he would rather change his mind than knowing that the road ahead would be difficult. (t/n: Ok so what HN is trying to say is that he finally got out of this rtionship which he found to be draining hence the dried well of life and after much troubles why would he still go back to harm himself.)
But Shi Yan with this indifferent attitude, I did whatever I could to squash down the attention and care but because of the existence of Qiu LinSong and Wang Feng, its impossible to have a determined attitude. Will we just prolong this war until we fall? No! He Nuo will absolutely not let this end this way. The current situation is to chase Shi Yan out, its not something that can be done in just a step. First cut of his love for himself. He cannot owe him anything nor can he ept those that cannot be repaid, then he will be able to firmly reject him, beyond a certain distance.
Thinking that Shi Yan will appear this weekend, He Nuo already thought about his excuses. To prevent Shi Yans frequent visits, cing him as a friend at a courteous and distanced position. Stopping Shi Yan from spending time and energy on himself, not viting the well still be friends when we meet.
Shi Yan nodded his head, Are you done? En. Its the first time you leave home, was worried about you, so I was a little naggy. In the future, after youve adapted, I wont care anymore. Besides, Im about to start school as well, I cante frequently even if I want to.
In the future, dont bring anything over for me. Whatever that Ick, I will buy myself. He Nuo added on.
Sure, but apart from turtle essence and royal jelly. Seeing He Nuo wanting to refuse, Shi Yan kept his gaze fixed on his ck pupils, There is no room for discussion. I already cant see you often, if I cant even be sure that your body is okay, do you really want me to be filled with anxiety everyday?
Shi Yans fierce eyes, a little sadness in his voice, it also made He Nuos heart tremble. No matter how ruthless, He Nuo cant continue forcing. Shi Yans sadness was real, till he was unable to continue talking. He Nuo doing this, was very in line with his personality. Shi Yan was clear about his thoughts, now was not the time to carry out arge scale attack. Putting it aside properly, He Nuo that is actively guarding his heart will on the contrary rx a little.
Sending He Nuo back, only then did He Nuo see a car waiting for Shi Yan. Turns out he came with the car and already made an appointment with the driver for when toe back. In the next two weeks, Shi Yan did not appear but He Nuo knew that he already started school. Whenever he happen to think of him, think of how he and himself are in the same city, He Nuo always stop the train of thought in time, banning himself from entering the forbidden area in his brain. That picture was pushed to the innermost corner of the cab, but the supplements apanied him day after day. Consuming it every time, how could he be calm about it? Besides, there was the asional mention of his cousin from his roommates.
A University also officially started school. On that day, the peaceful and quiet school campus was buzzing. There were noisy crowds everywhere; the campus was bustling with life, the canteen was full of greetings with happyughter and cheerful voices, shouting one after another, the school was flourishing. And from that day onwards, He Nuo that group of freshmen started to have an audience. Often after afternoon sses, the seniors would sit around the drill ground and inspected them like a governor.
It was another Saturday, getting nit-picked at their stances again and long hours of burden, He Nuos body was unable to withstand it anymore. Standing upright under the afternoon sun, He Nuo saw a burst of darkness and it came in waves. In the first lesson, the instructor once told the students that if they really cant hold on and had dizzy tendencies, they could report to leave and rest in the shade at the side. On the females side, there would be more than a dozen who withdrew, the males would have lesser, normally one or two who would run to the side.
He Nuos character has gotten used to enduring and seeing the Institute of Humanities Student Council standing at the side of the field, even if ufortable he still persevered. In the end, with a ! he copsed. The instructor ran over in a hurry, taking him over from the student who helped him up. When He Nuo came to, he was severely scolded by the instructor, Who asked you to be a hero, standing until you fainted...
The Student Council of course recognised its their institutes freshmen and also came over. Because He Nuo fainted, not like the others who felt dizzy, the instructor wanted He Nuos roommate to send him back to the dorm, tasking him to drink more water or go to the canteen to drink some sweet drinks to get sugar. Shi Hao who was standing beside He Nuo sent him back, the President of the Student Council, Li Mingqi and the Head of Publicity, Zhang Bo followed as well. Shi Hao is an honest and serious-minded person, after putting He Nuo down, he was going to the canteen when He Nuo called him back. The canteen isnt open yet, who was he looking for. He Nuo said he will better after leaning for a while, it wasnt that serious. With the seniors around, even if he was allowed to lie down he would not be willing.
Li Mingqi said he would go to the kiosk to buy some brown sugar, He Nuo was obviously unwilling to trouble him, politely turning him down. Shi Hao then remembered about his supplements, helping He Nuo to take some royal jelly and asked, Theres only bees, what about Chunghwas tortoise?3 This was the new name that everyone gave to He Nuos small bottles.
He Nuoughed and said, Ive finished it.
No wonder you fainted today, I see.
Li Mingqi and Zhang Bo were both a little surprised, You take tonics while in military training? Looking at He Nuos lips which were turning white, Youve been eating yet you still fainted? My god, whats with your body constitution?
He Nuo felt particrly embarrassed, Shi Hao helped him exin, His cousin said he overexerted himself during senior year, hell get better in the future.
Zhang Bo is the Head of Publicity, Li Mingqi already rmended He Nuo to him early on. The few times the different departments came to see the freshmen during military training, was actually to pick out fresh blood, and also to let Zhang Bo observe He Nuo.
t/n:
I was reading through and realisedo+(no.) kept appearing and wondered if it might be confusing for you guys especially if youre not very familiar with Chinese?
1 GO: also known as Χ(Wei Qi), a game yed with ck and white pieces on a board of 361 crosses.
2 moving: here, what the author meant is that SY is looking at HNs lips opening and closing but idk it feels weird to put that so I used moving.
3 Theres only bees, what about Chunghwas tortoise?: simr names like royal jelly is (Feng Wang Jiang) and bees is ۷ (Mi Feng), both have feng.
Volume 2 Chapter 5
Volume 2 Chapter 5
Shi Yan reappeared a weekter, but he did not meet He Nuo. When he arrived, He Nuo was called to help n and prepare for the weing Freshmen Association and Military Training Reporting Exercise conference by the Publicity Department. Shi Yan sat down with He Nuos ssmates for a while, talking about their daily exercise time and the intensity of it. The roommates of course reported about He Nuo fainting, Shi Yan was not surprised. He only smiled and shook his head, sighing, Thats normal. That stubborn personality of his, itll be weird if he didnt faint.
Shi Haoforted Shi Yan by saying that He Nuos luck wasnt that bad. The instructor always take care of him now, and the Student Council oftene to borrow He Nuo to help, this way he could avoid the high-intensity training. Lao Er had thick eyebrows and big eyes, a majestic bandit king temperament he said so himself, everyones urate appraisal is the appearance of a stalwart bandit king. So he spoke to Shi Yan with indignance, One look at our Lao Wus pitiful appearance makes people want to protect him, those instructors of course cant bear to be too harsh on him (Fuck!)1, the Student Council is also purposely helping him to escape. Theres such a huge gap because someone looks good, its so unfair!
Er Ge if you refuse to ept it, just pretend to be delicate. As long as you go ahead and do a few hundred stiff push-ups like a corpse.... Everybodyughed loudly. At this time Lao Er, Meng Tuo caught sight of a girl from ss reaching her limit, leaving to take a rest. Lao Er also immediately reported to the shade, in the end this buddy was chatting up the girl, talking animatedly, excitedly forgetting that he was pretending to be weak. His coarseughter startled the instructors and students who were practising hard on this side. As a result, he was taught a lesson by the instructor, to do push-ups until he copses on the ground like a corpse.
Shi Yans topics revolved around the Student Council, hes keeping an eye on He Nuo, to judge these roommates of his. Shi Yans school majority were hoodlums, going with the flow for their studies, it naturally didnt matter if they entered the Student Council or not. However, for those who have both knowledge and talent, excellent in both conduct and learning, and wishes to fulfil their ambitions in university, the Student Council is the needed first step. Its far-reaching influence is directly rted to the good and bad job assignments after graduation. For Shi Yan they all, students with backgrounds, they did not have to consider the future job assignment; after all, majority of students still had to depend on their own strength.
He Nuo being discovered by the Student Council, it would only be right and proper. Only Shi Yan did not think that he would be discovered in advance at the stage of military training, it certainly couldnt have been a good appearance. Sticking his neck out, He Nuo is not familiar with the ways of the world, his understanding of worldly wisdom is wrong, and bound to attract other peoples envy without knowing it. He Nuo was defenceless, Shi Yan was afraid he might get back stabbed. Shi Yans father once taught him that, the more intellectuals gather at a ce, where plenty of talented people are all at a ce, the more an individual is prone to paranoia and have a gloomy mentality about their talent remaining unrecognized. The thing that happened shortly afterwards, proved that Shi Yan was not worrying unnecessarily. He Nuo also learnt his first lesson from University, realising that University was not as cheerful as it seems.
Fortunately, Lao Er seemed to just have that straightforward nature, he said it bitterly but there wasnt true jealousy seen. Towards Lao Si, Shi Hao, his impression of him was the best, it felt like he was very sincere. Shi Yan left six boxes of supplements behind, asking Shi Hao to pass it for him. He then asked Shi Hao to tell He Nuo to wait for a month first, then start on these two boxes, if not therell be too much internal heat and He Nuo wouldnt be able to stand it. Only then did Shi Hao understood why when the previous ones were finished, Shi Yan didnte to send more over.
The posters made by He Nuo and the others stood out among the posters from other institutes, because regardless of theme or the beautiful writing it was all handled by He Nuo, the seniors all praised him. He Nuo came back after eating dinner together with the Student Council members. They were starting to be familiar with one another, because of the department heads and counsellors actions which did not differentiate between seniors and juniors. He Nuo also knows that the counsellors were their seniors before the holidays, due to being dissatisfied with their major, they gave up the schools guarantee to be a postgraduate. Choosing the second best option and bing a counsellor, nning to prepare themselves for the major which they fancy in first-rate universities International Economic Law.
Knowing that Shi Yan came, it was a little surprising that he didnt wait for himself, not knowing what to say about his current state of mind. He stood silently in front of the open door, putting the things on the left side properly, a stack of five cartons on the right side. It was the second time Shi Yan brought things over, no wonder he agreed so happily that time. Inside there were two boxes of snacks, two boxes of pickled vegetables and minced meat, and in thest box was unexpectedly a bunch of colourful ball-point pens, a number of toothpaste, toothbrush and scented soap. All these were enough tost He Nuo for a long time. None of it has been used by He Nuo, he didnt dare to ept Shi Yans feelings.
On National Day, because there was still two weeks left for the military training, homes nearby or far had the same treatment, all the freshmen did not have holidays. Shi Yan and his buddies all went back home, and he even went to He Nuos home, informing the He family that he woulde back six dayster (School only gave three days of holiday, it was extended by Shi Yan they all themselves), if they had anything to give to He Nuo, he was willing to help. At He Nuos home, he chatted well with the He familys couple and the several brothers, speaking highly of both A University and He Nuo. Due to He Nuo only calling once ever since he reported, afterwards he only wrote letters back, and he only wrote greetings, when it came to himself he only said a simple fine. This kind of general statement, Schoolmates are fine, teachers are fine, military training is fine. After reading finish the letter, it was almost like nothing was said. So it wasnt as specific as what Shi Yan said, knowing that Shi Yan even visited He Nuo, the family members expressed their thanks to this kid at the same time, also politely asking Shi Yan to give advice to the naughty2 He Nuo.
Shi Yan they all returned to school together, wanting the driver to first send three people to A University. When Shi Yan, Qiu Linsong and Wang Feng reached He Nuos dormitory, there was a lot of noise going on inside. Originally next weekend was the military trainings showcase, parade and actualbat drill. He Nuo was appointed as a g guard and was issued a dress uniform separately. Shi Yan was happy for He Nuo, and He Nuo blushed. He was nervous for himself, ying such a prominent role for the first time, I dont know why me, Im not very tall.
Indeed,st years military training g-bearer chosen was 180cm in height, the two g guards were 178cm. And on the physical examination form when He Nuo they all entered the school, He Nuos height was 174cm. He Nuo didnt know that the counsellor appointed him as a g guard, and in order to amodate him, the other two people this year were also 175cm.
Qiu Linsong they all did not have such a formal military training experience, hearing that there was a drill, they all expressed interest in it. He Nuo not having said anything yet, his roommates already enthusiastically telling them that the parades and drills are in the stadium and they can act as old students to go in. Shi Yan gave him a heavy bag that was entrusted by the He family, the weight making He Nuo suspicious, but he didnt open it on the spot.
t/n:
I had a lot of troubles with this chapter rip so many words which I didnt get the meaning of, also I am slightly scared of whats going to happen next, from that two sentences. What do yall think? Also I think some of the roommates have names but are rarely mentioned apart from SH I think, unless its not a name
1 (Fuck!): originally it was (C ! O һ) which I think is censoring (Cao), a swear word equivalent to fuck and he was sort of like eximing it after he said ݲ (Hen Cao), so its like a double meaning I suppose.
2 naughty: (Bu Dong Shi), not exactly naughty but more of not knowing better.
Volume 2 Chapter 6
Volume 2 Chapter 6
Inside the bag, the topyer was all food. Apart from salted duck eggs and home-made salted vegetables, He Nuo believed the whole milk powder and canned anchovies all came from Shi Yan. The loweryer was an unopened English dictionary, a few writing paper pads, a 16k1 exquisite notebook, envelopes with the name of the unit printed on it and 50 stamps. He Nuo held onto the dictionary, feeling bitter-sweet. Shi Yan, the most important friend in my life, but we can no longer love each other anymore. Its a road where both sides suffer. Do you know how much willpower I had to exert to prevent myself from wavering, trapping the both of us in what a hopeless situation?
Taking skipping sses to be the norm, Shi Yan they all didnt even n to attend a single ss on Saturday. In fact, they only had sses in the afternoon. Sleeping in in the morning, only getting up in the afternoon, eating before leaving. As a result, not only did Qiu Linsong and Wang Feng follow him to A University, even the other buddies wanted to join in on the fun and followed them. Their party split into two cars, a total of seven people.
Reaching A University, the school campus seemed to have a festive atmosphere. Normally in University, year 1s and year 2s will have sses on Saturdays, year 3s and year 4s curriculum will be rtively lesser, having no schedule on Saturdays. So among those seniors students who do not have any self-activities, a lot of them came to watch the parade.
When Shi Yan they all walked towards the stadium, they saw the overwhelming green in the crowd from afar, one of the buddies said, Fuck, there are quite a lot of people. How are there so many freshmen in their school?
Do you take it to be like our school? How many people can we fit in that space?
Theyre all wearing the same thing, where do we go to see Shi Yans buddy?
I see him, Shi Yan spoke slowly, I knew which was him with just a nce across.
Of course the others didnt believe it, wanting Shi Yan to point him out and after Shi Yan identified him, they found him and on the spot exim handsome. But the rest thought that it was because He Nuos dress uniform was different from others, a total of only three people wore that kind of uniform, of course it was easy to seek him out. Shi Yan didnt argue with the others, the closer he walked towards He Nuo, the more focused his eyes was.
When they were a few steps away, He Nuo saw them. He went over to greet them all.
Brother, youre too handsome. Too damn handsome. From Shi Yan they alls dormitory, whose home was in mo city, Mou (pronounced the same as Mu) Weiyu pat He Nuo, shouting loudly.
He Nuo was particrly embarrassed being called handsome by him, Its because of the uniform, everyone wearing the uniform seem to have more vigourpared to in clothes.
Shi Yan was appreciating He Nuo in the dress uniform, its so showy! Shi Yan didnt know if it was because of this uniform that he was able to find him in a nce in this crowd. But Shi Yan knows that the him in uniform was so brave, tall and handsome that he couldnt look away.
He Nuo wanted them to go into the stadium first. The freshmen had to gather in a while, lining up properly before they could enter the stadium. Shi Yan was unwilling to miss any moments of He Nuo, so he wanted to stay outside and wait. He Nuo red at him, If you wait till we go in, how would there be any front seats left? If you all want to watch the drill, itll only be clear from the front.
After entering the stadium, only then did he know that what He Nuo said was true. The senior students were already seated at the most advantageous ground, the first floor of the stepped seats at the side of the tform. They sat down at a slightly distant area, then one after another the number of students increased. They waited for the dont know which rank school leader and the highest rankedmanding officer Liang Mao Yi (two bars and one star)2 in-charge of this times military training and the other instructors to take their seat. Then the impassioned military music sounded, Shi Yan saw the g guards that wereing over. He wasposed, he was majestic, he was electrifying, he was the only sight in Shi Yans eyes.
Shi Yans eyes were wide opened, unwilling to blink in case he missed something. His heart was beating as he came over, with arge number of troops, with his overwhelming masters as they stepped forward in a neat and orderly way. These same strides and same footsteps only made these two months new recruits seem strong and majestic, like qualified and professional soldiers. When He Nuo they all walked past the tform, when He Nuo they all kicked off the parade steps, walking past while saluting, Shi Yan could not sit down. He stood up, clutching onto the railings tightly. It was as if he saw their passionate youth as they walked over, as if he also saw the path to their sessful future beneath them.
Shi Yan felt a surge of emotions. He chased, catching He Nuos eyes. He thirst for, anticipating their hearts to collide once. In theter memories, Shi Yan always believed that at this time, they had looked across the Milky Way and connected with each other. Shi Yan was stuck in some kind of mood, so when Wang Feng pulled him down to sit, did he realise He Nuo they all had already left the stadium the parade ended?!
Of course not, the showcase is the best part. The girls behind Shi Yan they all were still excitedly discussing the military troop from before. During their discussion, the topic of that pretty g guard kept appearing. Well-informed sources had already been paying attention to him during the rehearsal, so they could proudly provide his family history: That talented man is from the Law department of the Institute of Humanities, majoring in Maritime Law. From a while back when school started, the first edition (poster) shocked the different institutes, letting the Institute of Humanities take the lead. The female seniors were generous, sending out excessive praises. Some even jokingly went to the Student Council to ask for an additional picture of He Nuo to be developed (Today, we must take photos for archives and publishing). Everyone who heard thisughed. Wang Feng elbowed Shi Yan, He Nuo is a really amazing fellow. I even had the desire to treat him differently even though its only been a while3. That dress uniform of his is too dazzling.
Shi Yan corrected Wang Feng in his mind, youre wrong, it wasnt the dress uniform that was dazzling but the person wearing the dress uniform. Otherwise, why isnt the g bearer the one who got the most attention? Furthermore, there wasnt only one g guard right? The one that was dazzling is He Nuo, who had the confidence and power, showcasing independence and dignity.
t/n:
wow sorry, Im not sure about the ranks and roles rted to military, I could be hecka wrong and sometimes I dont get what is being said orz. one thing though, I might not be able to get chapter 7 up by next week since I would be busy, and chapter 7 is really long. unless you guys dont mind half of chapter 7?
1 16k: chinas paper measurement, so its equivalent to an a4 notebook.
2 Liang Mao Yi (two bars and one star): a major and Liang Mao Yi is ëһ, is used to describe the rank in Chinese
3 treat him differently even though its only been a while: originally ʿչĿ which means that one has made great progress in a short period of time and should be treated differently.
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