In the three days that Rong Si was away participating in the competition, Li Erqin encountered the first rival in her life.
On the first day of his absence, they took 15 minutes longer to finish their lunch. Without Rong Si by his side, Peng Zige felt that even his appetite had disappeared*. He normally enjoyed spewing his opinion at length during meals, and this time, he gave an exceptionally long ‘speech’, the crux of which was his boredom and loneliness as a result of Rong Si’s participation in the competition.
(TN: 离家出走 (li jia chu zou) – left home)
Li Erqin continued eating with her usual composure.
Su Zi, however, could not do as Li Erqin did. With an air of disdain, she waved her chicken* in front of Peng Zige’s face and said, “Stop talking and eat meat.”
(TN: 白切鸡 (bai qie ji) Cantonese poached chicken, literally known as ‘white cut chicken’)
(Minodayz : 白切鸡 and 白斩鸡 baizhanji are pretty much the same thing. It’s steamed/boiled chicken with scallion, ginger and spring onions. For Singaporeans and Malaysians, we might affectionately call it our famous chicken rice.)
Upon being interrupted, Peng Zige did not glare at Su Zi as he usually would. Instead, he limply picked up the most succulent piece of meat and placed it in his mouth, saying, “No appetite.”
Su Zi scoffed sarcastically.
Li Erqin looked up to glance at them and remained expressionless.
“Do you think,” Peng Zige paused to take a bite of chicken and swallow it before resuming, “that Rong Si will think of us?”
Su Zi couldn’t even be bothered to roll her eyes. “Peng Zige, do tell, have you fallen for Rong Si?”
Li Erqin finally registered a reaction.
Peng Zige immediately cleared the air. “Don’t talk rubbish! My friendship with Rong Si . . .”
Su Zi stopped him, saying, “Stop talking and eat faster. If you don’t finish soon, class will start.”
Peng Zige continued to mutter to himself, “You both don’t understand. Wait until the day Li Erqin has to be absent from school to tend to something. Let’s see if you won’t be more unhappy than I am.”
Su Zi and Li Erqin exchanged looks and mutually decided to keep quiet.
It was quite a mission to wait for Peng Zige to finally finish eating. As they were walking back to the classroom, a female student dashed out from the side of the road and crashed into Li Erqin. Fortunately, Peng Zige was standing by her side, and he prevented her from falling over.
Peng Zige held on to Li Erqin while glaring at the girl at the same time. “This is . . . what do you think you’re doing?
The girl looked back in the direction from which she had emerged, and it was then that they discovered two other female students standing there, both of whom were winking at the first girl.
The girl made a mournful face at the other two and then apologised repeatedly to Li Erqin. “I’m sorry, I did not do it deliberately.”
“No problem,” Li Erqin said, with an unchanged expression. Then, she noticed the pink envelope the girl was holding in her right hand.
The girl blushed before she said, “My name is Shi Meng, and this letter is for Rong Si.”
Everyone’s eyes were drawn to the letter. Su Zi and Li Erqin were close by and could smell the faint scent from the envelope.
“Love letter?” she asked.
Shi Meng nodded.
Looking embarrassed, Peng Zige asked, “For Rong Si?”
Shi Meng kept nodding. “Schoolmates, can you help me pass this to Rong Si?”
Li Erqin said, “Nope.”
Shi Meng was taken aback and made an indecisive motion with the hand holding the letter; she didn’t know whether to take it back or to throw it away.
Peng Zige quickly smiled placatingly at the girl and said, “Rong Si doesn’t like pink things.”
“Moreover,” he continued, “Rong Si is not around these few days. He’s participating in a competition.”
Accepting the situation, Shi Meng nodded. “Got it, thank you.”
Satisfied, Peng Zige smiled. Here was a reasonable girl with whom it was easy to communicate; compared to the girl who had previously appeared, she was simply adorable.
(TN : PZG was referring to his previous encounter with Chou Jiu who also wanted him to pass a confession Note. Refer to Chapter 15.1 to refresh your memory of bomber girl and blacked eye PZG)
“Then we’re leaving.”
“Wait a minute,” Shi Meng called out to them again.
“What is it?” Peng Zige asked suspiciously.
Shi Meng bit her lower lip and said, “Can you give me Rong Si’s cell phone number? I’ll text him directly to let him know.”
Peng Zige was struck dumb.
Li Erqin pursed her lips and answered for him. “No.”
Shi Meng was already feeling embarrassed, and Li Erqin’s double rejection fanned the sparks of an anger born of humiliation. Highly dissatisfied, she asked, “Did I ask you? Is it your business to answer?”
There was some logic to that.
Li Erqin kept silent.
“Hah,” Su Zi sneered, unable to tolerate that kind of attitude towards Li Erqin. “Whoever you ask, the answer will still be the same.” She lifted her chin and looked down her nose at Shi Meng. “Who are you to come here and demand Rong Si’s cell phone number?”
Shi Meng’s fury was finally ignited by Su Zi’s words to her. “Who are you? Do I have to take a number to ask you a question?”
The two girls standing behind Shi Meng saw that something was wrong, and they ran over immediately. Frowning, they asked, “What’s going on?”
Shi Meng rolled her eyes wordlessly.
Peng Zige saw the unpleasantness of the situation and quickly adopted his most warm and amiable smile. “Hey, when we’re talking, let’s just do it amicably.” He pulled Su Zi to safety behind him and continued, “If you want Rong Si’s cell phone number, it would be better to ask him yourself. We can’t give out his number freely to anyone who wants it.”
In order to get them to help her, Shi Meng had made much effort to act pitiful and reserved. Now, she could no longer do it. Highly disgruntled, she said, “So, why are you all being so difficult? You won’t give him the letter, you won’t give me his cell phone number. We’re all school mates here. If you give me a hand, will it rot off?”
Her companions both chimed in, “That’s right! We’ve never seen anyone refuse to pass a love letter along before. What’s with your uppity attitude?”
Peng Zige looked innocently at them. “Who says we have to help if someone asks us to pass along a love letter?”
Su Zi’s unhappiness and frustration had also reached the bursting point. She rushed out from behind Peng Zige and said, “Excuse me, but even your brazen, thick skin should have its limits, ok? Why on earth should we help you?”
Peng Zige quickly shoved Su Zi behind him once again, and his smile disappeared. “Enough, everyone stop.” Usually, when tall Peng Zige conversed with female students who were shorter than he was, he took care to bend slightly out of consideration for them. Now, he drew himself up to his full height and stood ramrod straight. Towering above Shi Meng, he looked down at her and said, “We’re not going to help you with the letter or give out his number. There’s nothing else to say. Good-bye.”
Having said that, he pulled Su Zi along with him and casually grabbed Li Erqin as well.
Left behind, Shi Meng and her friends fumed angrily*. “What bulls**t!”
(TN: 吹胡子瞪眼 (chui hu zi deng yan) – literally, they ‘blow out their beards and glare’. I suppose they are huffing and puffing in anger, which would disturb any beards)
Translator: shl
Translation Checker: Minodayz
Editor: maripaz
In the three days that Rong Si was away participating in the competition, Li Erqin encountered the first rival in her life.
On the first day of his absence, they took 15 minutes longer to finish their lunch. Without Rong Si by his side, Peng Zige felt that even his appetite had disappeared*. He normally enjoyed spewing his opinion at length during meals, and this time, he gave an exceptionally long ‘speech’, the crux of which was his boredom and loneliness as a result of Rong Si’s participation in the competition.
(TN: 离家出走 (li jia chu zou) – left home)
Li Erqin continued eating with her usual composure.
Su Zi, however, could not do as Li Erqin did. With an air of disdain, she waved her chicken* in front of Peng Zige’s face and said, “Stop talking and eat meat.”
(TN: 白切鸡 (bai qie ji) Cantonese poached chicken, literally known as ‘white cut chicken’)
(Minodayz : 白切鸡 and 白斩鸡 baizhanji are pretty much the same thing. It’s steamed/boiled chicken with scallion, ginger and spring onions. For Singaporeans and Malaysians, we might affectionately call it our famous chicken rice.)
Upon being interrupted, Peng Zige did not glare at Su Zi as he usually would. Instead, he limply picked up the most succulent piece of meat and placed it in his mouth, saying, “No appetite.”
Su Zi scoffed sarcastically.
Li Erqin looked up to glance at them and remained expressionless.
“Do you think,” Peng Zige paused to take a bite of chicken and swallow it before resuming, “that Rong Si will think of us?”
Su Zi couldn’t even be bothered to roll her eyes. “Peng Zige, do tell, have you fallen for Rong Si?”
Li Erqin finally registered a reaction.
Peng Zige immediately cleared the air. “Don’t talk rubbish! My friendship with Rong Si . . .”
Su Zi stopped him, saying, “Stop talking and eat faster. If you don’t finish soon, class will start.”
Peng Zige continued to mutter to himself, “You both don’t understand. Wait until the day Li Erqin has to be absent from school to tend to something. Let’s see if you won’t be more unhappy than I am.”
Su Zi and Li Erqin exchanged looks and mutually decided to keep quiet.
It was quite a mission to wait for Peng Zige to finally finish eating. As they were walking back to the classroom, a female student dashed out from the side of the road and crashed into Li Erqin. Fortunately, Peng Zige was standing by her side, and he prevented her from falling over.
Peng Zige held on to Li Erqin while glaring at the girl at the same time. “This is . . . what do you think you’re doing?
The girl looked back in the direction from which she had emerged, and it was then that they discovered two other female students standing there, both of whom were winking at the first girl.
The girl made a mournful face at the other two and then apologised repeatedly to Li Erqin. “I’m sorry, I did not do it deliberately.”
“No problem,” Li Erqin said, with an unchanged expression. Then, she noticed the pink envelope the girl was holding in her right hand.
The girl blushed before she said, “My name is Shi Meng, and this letter is for Rong Si.”
Everyone’s eyes were drawn to the letter. Su Zi and Li Erqin were close by and could smell the faint scent from the envelope.
“Love letter?” she asked.
Shi Meng nodded.
Looking embarrassed, Peng Zige asked, “For Rong Si?”
Shi Meng kept nodding. “Schoolmates, can you help me pass this to Rong Si?”
Li Erqin said, “Nope.”
Shi Meng was taken aback and made an indecisive motion with the hand holding the letter; she didn’t know whether to take it back or to throw it away.
Peng Zige quickly smiled placatingly at the girl and said, “Rong Si doesn’t like pink things.”
“Moreover,” he continued, “Rong Si is not around these few days. He’s participating in a competition.”
Accepting the situation, Shi Meng nodded. “Got it, thank you.”
Satisfied, Peng Zige smiled. Here was a reasonable girl with whom it was easy to communicate; compared to the girl who had previously appeared, she was simply adorable.
(TN : PZG was referring to his previous encounter with Chou Jiu who also wanted him to pass a confession Note. Refer to Chapter 15.1 to refresh your memory of bomber girl and blacked eye PZG)
“Then we’re leaving.”
“Wait a minute,” Shi Meng called out to them again.
“What is it?” Peng Zige asked suspiciously.
Shi Meng bit her lower lip and said, “Can you give me Rong Si’s cell phone number? I’ll text him directly to let him know.”
Peng Zige was struck dumb.
Li Erqin pursed her lips and answered for him. “No.”
Shi Meng was already feeling embarrassed, and Li Erqin’s double rejection fanned the sparks of an anger born of humiliation. Highly dissatisfied, she asked, “Did I ask you? Is it your business to answer?”
There was some logic to that.
Li Erqin kept silent.
“Hah,” Su Zi sneered, unable to tolerate that kind of attitude towards Li Erqin. “Whoever you ask, the answer will still be the same.” She lifted her chin and looked down her nose at Shi Meng. “Who are you to come here and demand Rong Si’s cell phone number?”
Shi Meng’s fury was finally ignited by Su Zi’s words to her. “Who are you? Do I have to take a number to ask you a question?”
The two girls standing behind Shi Meng saw that something was wrong, and they ran over immediately. Frowning, they asked, “What’s going on?”
Shi Meng rolled her eyes wordlessly.
Peng Zige saw the unpleasantness of the situation and quickly adopted his most warm and amiable smile. “Hey, when we’re talking, let’s just do it amicably.” He pulled Su Zi to safety behind him and continued, “If you want Rong Si’s cell phone number, it would be better to ask him yourself. We can’t give out his number freely to anyone who wants it.”
In order to get them to help her, Shi Meng had made much effort to act pitiful and reserved. Now, she could no longer do it. Highly disgruntled, she said, “So, why are you all being so difficult? You won’t give him the letter, you won’t give me his cell phone number. We’re all school mates here. If you give me a hand, will it rot off?”
Her companions both chimed in, “That’s right! We’ve never seen anyone refuse to pass a love letter along before. What’s with your uppity attitude?”
Peng Zige looked innocently at them. “Who says we have to help if someone asks us to pass along a love letter?”
Su Zi’s unhappiness and frustration had also reached the bursting point. She rushed out from behind Peng Zige and said, “Excuse me, but even your brazen, thick skin should have its limits, ok? Why on earth should we help you?”
Peng Zige quickly shoved Su Zi behind him once again, and his smile disappeared. “Enough, everyone stop.” Usually, when tall Peng Zige conversed with female students who were shorter than he was, he took care to bend slightly out of consideration for them. Now, he drew himself up to his full height and stood ramrod straight. Towering above Shi Meng, he looked down at her and said, “We’re not going to help you with the letter or give out his number. There’s nothing else to say. Good-bye.”
Having said that, he pulled Su Zi along with him and casually grabbed Li Erqin as well.
Left behind, Shi Meng and her friends fumed angrily*. “What bulls**t!”
(TN: 吹胡子瞪眼 (chui hu zi deng yan) – literally, they ‘blow out their beards and glare’. I suppose they are huffing and puffing in anger, which would disturb any beards)
Translator: shl
Translation Checker: Minodayz
Editor: maripaz
