Since the start of their second year, everyone suddenly felt that they were now that much closer to their final, third year. Autumn’s subsequent and gradual chill had especially led many students who had initially thought there were still many days ahead of them to now begin to feel the pressure. Su Zi had always been classified as a studious top student, but now it seemed that she had doubled the efforts of her studies. It was unclear if Peng Zige had been influenced by Su Zi or if he suffered from some other, external pressure, but he seemed to have surprisingly followed in Su Zi’s footsteps. He worked so hard that he soon created an image of having lived the strenuous and painstaking life of a devoted scholar.
Very quickly after the midterm exams were over, they began to usher in the monthly exams. The heating was turned up high in the classrooms, and the scent of hot milk tea on some of the girls’ tables filled the class. Occasionally someone would open a window to take in some fresh air, and immediately afterwards, some other students would frown and clutch their clothes even tighter around themselves.
In Biology class, the teacher was discussing crucial information and potential topics for the upcoming exams with *his spittle spraying everywhere as he spoke. The warm cosy temperatures in the classroom were lulling many of the back row students to sleep. Li Erqin seemed to follow along with the ‘General of head nods’ as if pecking for grains. She would raise her head, look at the teacher and then slowly close her eyelids again. Her head would droop down, and then her eyes would open and she’d lift her head again.
(T/N :唾沫横飞 tuomohengfei = saliva and spittle splashing and flying all about!)
Rong Si, who was sitting behind Li Erqin, was watching her while propping his chin with his hand.
He silently counted in his heart.
Every time he counted to ten, he would lower his head and draw a line on his paper.
On the side was Peng Zige who was passing notes to Su Zi. He had no idea what they were chatting about.
It would seem that no one was listening to the class.
Peng Zige had just finished writing his reply on the note back to Su Zi, and he lowered his head in glee. Folding the note into a neat square, he once again passed the note to Su Zi. Turning back, he saw that Rong Si was attentively watching Erlan with a smile on his face.
He made an exaggerated shiver and then shook his head as he tried to poke Rong Si’s waist.
Rong Si easily dodged his attack.
Peng Zige was grinning. “Are you in waiting for your wife?”
(T/N : PZG says, “are you 望妻石 Wangposhi?” where 妻, po, is wife. It’s a riff off 望夫石, wang fu shi, where 夫, fu, is husband. This is a rock in Hong Kong where legend has it that a woman who waited faithfully for her husband turned into the rock. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amah_Rock)
Rong Si spared him a glance but did not reply, lifting his hand to draw another line.
A curious Peng Zige asked, “What are you up to?”
“You just mind your own business.”
A flippant Peng Zige looked back and opened the note that Su Zi had left on his desk. After a quick look, he exclaimed, “You’ve given up on participating in the next computing competition?”
(T/N: 计算机 jisuanji = this could mean calculator or computer, so I’ve decided on computing but I could be wrong.)
Rong Si nodded.
“But why?”
Rong Si did not reply.
Peng Zige recalled what Rong Si had recently been busy with. Then in stunned realization he said, “You did it to help tutor Erqin?”
There was no denial forthcoming.
Peng Zige likewise watched Li Erqin. He watched as her head nodded downward with a heavy jerk before she looked up at the teacher with a pout on her lips. Then she tucked behind her ears a lock of hair that fallen down and patted her face.
The first class after the noon break was simply too hypnotic. Half the students in the back row were pretty much out of commision. Even the Biology teacher himself was about to fall asleep from his own monotonous tone and dull lesson.
It was a long drawn wait for the bell to ring signifying the end of the lesson. It was almost like an instantaneous command; as soon as the bell sounded, half the class immediately sprawled over their desk. The hapless biology teacher could only shake his head as he walked out of the classroom yawning.
Li Erqin dug out her drink bottle from her desk and drank a few big gulps. She was about to head to the wash basin to wash her face when Rong Si patted her on the back.
She looked back, and a piece of half-scribbled draft paper appeared right under her nose.
“What’s this?”
Rong Si’s lips curved up. “Follow those vertical lines and guess what word it is.”
An inquisitive Peng Zige stuck his neck out to sneak a peek, and at a glance he understood and snickered, “Ah Si, if you continue to be with Li Erlan, I believe your IQ will retreat to that of a ten year old.”
Li Erqin causally swept Peng Zige a look. “Rong Si’s IQ at ten years old would still be higher than yours at age 20.”
Peng Zige was disgruntled, but he didn’t have time to make a rebuttal. Rong Si had hooked him by his neck and dragged him out of class.
As the two of them stepped out of the classroom, Peng Zige was immediately buffeted by a strong gale wind and began to shiver. “What in the world is this, why is it so cold!”
Rong Si also pulled his outer jacket a little closer.
Peng Zige was so cold that he was breathing hard. “Ah Si.”
“Yup.”
“Have you thought about which University you’d like to go to?”
“Nope.”
Peng Zige felt a bit sardonic. “That’s right. With your grades, there is nothing to worry about.”
“What about you?” Rong Si asked.
Peng Zige touched his nose and bounded down the stairs as he replied, “I dunno. But I heard that my dad was thinking of sending me abroad.”
Rong Si was momentarily stunned.
“However, I haven’t really thought about it yet.” Unexpectedly, Peng Zige was rather flippant about it. “Anyway, I think that being able to be with all of you is rather nice. When the time comes, whichever University the rest of you get into, then I’ll go there too. If I can’t get into the same university, then I’ll shoot for the same city. Then during the weekend I can look you guys up to have some fun.”
Rong Si found this funny, and he stuck his hands into his pockets before replying, “Do you think that testing into University is fun and games?”
Peng Zige tilted his head and laughed. “It’s not like I can escape it anyway so may as well find some joy in it.”
When they returned to the classroom from the supermarket, Peng Zige realised that Li Erqin was still working on that piece of paper and scribbling furiously on it. He couldn’t resist chuckling, “Wow Erqin, still haven’t been able to unravel the mystery?”
Li Erqin shook her head.
Peng Zige stretched his head out to see and was floored. “What are you doing?”
“Working on the maze.”
(MInodayz : OMG…LEQ, you crack me up!!!! I see you are back to your antics)
Rong Si was placing the can of coffee he had bought on Li Erqin’s table when his attention was drawn to her reply.
Originally, he had drawn block lines on the draft paper, but now it was littered with fine lines all over the page.
He was stumped too. “Erlan, what are you trying to do?”
Erqin tapped the tip of her pen on the draft paper, perplexed. “Didn’t you ask me to work out this puzzle?”
Peng Zige resigned himself. “You don’t have to join any of those lines to solve it! You can see the answer with one glance!”
Li Erqin was dumbfounded. “I thought it was some maze where you join the lines.”
(beginner’s level:)
(Advanced level:)
Rong Si lifted his hand and rubbed his brows with his thumbs. “Forget it, don’t bother with it anymore. Drink your coffee.”
“Why?”
Rong Si returned to his seat and replied, “To help keep you awake. The next period is physics.”
“Ohh.” Li Erqin obediently lifted the can tab and was about to take a drink.
Rong Si took a straw from his pocket and handed it to her. “Here, use this.”
Peng Zige rolled his eyes and said, “Do you have to go to such extremes to take care of her? Are you her family’s nanny?”
(T/N: 面面俱到 mianmianjudao – idiom to mean taking care or handling everything satisfactorily.)
Rong Si ignored him and flipped open his reference book.
“You only know how to ignore me,” harrumphed a peeved Peng Zige. “Since you’re so good at ignoring people, see if you can try ignoring Li Erqin then.”
Rong Si took up his pen and spun it around his fingers.
“Sheesh.” Peng Zige then went to harass Li Erqin. “Hey, Er….”
“Don’t disturb her,” Rong Si spoke up.
“We’re just having a chat…”
“She is drinking at the moment.”
“She won’t choke from talking.”
“Yes she will.”
Peng Zige couldn’t help shaking his head, exasperated. “Let me tell you Ah Si. You’re acting like a mother hen and Li Erqin is one of your chicks.”
Su Zi, who had been listening in from the side all this time, shook her pen as she joined in the conversation. “And you are like the weasel preying on the chick.”
“Then what are you?” Peng Zige glared at her.
“I’m the pill that is used to poison the weasel.”
Ultimately Li Erqin, who had been pretending all this while to stay out of the conversation, gave in.
“*Pfft”
(T/N: This is like the onset of a chuckle or laugh…trying to think of that sound)
Up until the end of dinner, Peng Zige was still *brooding. “Everyone is tired from classes. Why is it that you only buy coffee for Erqin?”
(T/N: 耿耿于怀 genggengyuhuai – idiom to mean taking grudges to heart)
He asked this of Rong Si.
Before Rong Si had started his meal, he had placed half of his meat from his plate onto Li Erqin’s. “You want some too?”
“Of course I do!”
“Ok.”
Peng Zige was inexplicably confused. “Ok what?”
“After the evening self-study class, I’ll go to the supermarket and buy you a coffee.”
Peng Zige was overjoyed for a moment before he sensed that something was amiss. Then he blustered, “If I have coffee after the evening self-study class, then later at night, will I be able to sleep?”
Su Zi rolled her eyes and tugged her ears saying, “Can’t you save it for the next day to drink?”
Peng Zige stared blankly in disbelief as he came to the realization of how absurd and spastic he was behaving!
Li Erqin was separating out what she didn’t like to eat and putting it to one side of her plate when Rong Si happened to quietly look at her, and without a thought, she obediently ate them up. Upon reflection, she felt rather petulant. Rong Si had never been demanding or strict with her, but why was it that she actually always reacted so obediently?
A warrior girl by all accounts, one who wouldn’t blink even with a knife to her throat, was actually scared of a little pretty boy?
Li Erqin swallowed her mouthful of food and glared at Rong Si as she gathered what she didn’t like to eat and pushed it to a corner.
Rong Si was inexplicably amused by her actions.
Li Erqin’s eyes reflected her insubordination and stubbornness.
Rong Si shook his head and spoke with laughter in his voice. “You take half and I’ll take the other half, or would you rather eat them all yourself?”
Li Erqin agreed. “You take half and I take half.”
As witness to these proceedings, Peng Zige gestured with his chopsticks the act of stabbing his eyes. “I really can’t watch this anymore.”
It was rare for Su Zi and him to have the same opinion. “So true,” she said.
Li Erqin was munching on the food that she detested and trying hard to swallow when she looked at Peng Zige, disgruntled. “If you don’t concentrate while eating, you could get indigestion.”
Peng Zige opened his eyes wide. “It’s because you’re both just too radiant!”
Li Erqin agreed.
She actually agreed.
Peng Zige was so surprised. “Don’t you think you need to explain yourself?”
“There’s nothing to explain,” said Li Erqin.
Peng Zige turned toward Rong Si. “Ah Si, why don’t you jump in?”
Rong Si had quietly finished his meal, and his plate was absolutely clean. “I saw what happened, but I can’t meddle.”
Peng Zige gave a dry laugh. “Ha Ha?”
＊＊＊
School campus relationships were essentially not allowed at school, which was why when the debacle of Li Erqin and Shi Meng was resolved, Rong Si seemed to have retracted his ‘high profile’ presence as if he had sheathed his sword. He had also returned to his usual taciturn and uncommunicative self, the Rong Si from before that silently tagged along at Li Erqin’s side. Occasionally some boys would ask him about his relationship with Li Erqin, but he would always choose to be reticent and uncommunicative rather than answer directly.
“Did you really date Li Erqin from your class?”
Silence.
“The thing with Li Erqin was all made up wasn’t it? You made that up to help her gain justice right?”
Silence.
It was always the same. Silence.
After listening to all sorts of nonsensical gossip floating about, Peng Zige’s curiosity got the better of him. One day while Li Erqin was off at the Broadcasting studio, he gently probed Rong Si to find out his thoughts.
“Aren’t you concerned about what others are saying?”
“What are they saying?”
“About you and Li Erqin.”
Rong Si asked rhetorically, “Why do other people care what’s going on between Erlan and myself?”
Peng Zige was speechless, and why did this reaction seem so similar to someone else?
“But there are a lot of people spreading…”
Rong Si stoically shut his book. “My relationship with Li Erqin is between the two of us, and as long as we both know it, that’s all that matters.”
Peng Zige stared blankly.
“I’m going to the supermarket, do you want to come along?” Rong Si stood up.
“What for?”
“To buy water.”
Peng Zige glanced at Rong Si’s desk to see a bottle of water that was more than half filled. “Don’t you still have some?” Then his eyes caught sight of Li Erqin’s desk and sure enough, her bottle was empty. “Oh, let’s go then.”
Following behind Rong Si for a couple of steps, he came to a stop. “Ah Si.”
“What?”
“Can you also take care of me like that?”
Rong Si laughed. “Are you my girlfriend?”
Peng Zige had nothing to say.
In the end, Peng Zige had Rong Si treat him to a coke and very happily returned back to class. Upon entering the classroom, he made a beeline to Su Zi’s desk, took out something from his jacket pocket and placed it on her desk.
A suspicious Su Zi looked up.
Peng Zige was beaming. “This is my first time seeing this chocolate sold at the supermarket, and I remembered you mentioning that you liked this chocolate.”
(Minodayz : awwww PZG puppy dog, I think you’re losing your heart to someone without even knowing it.)
Su Zi was most surprised. “What ulterior motives have you got up your sleeves?”
Peng Zige was unhappy. “Why is your heart so black? You must have studied ‘til you’ve gone mad!”
Su Zi glared at him.
Peng Zige pursed his lips before proceeding to explain, “I brought along some money when we went to the supermarket to buy some drinks, but Rong Si treated me. It so happened that I saw the chocolate and thought of you, so I brought it back for you.”
Su Zi snickered, “Peng Zige, have you fallen for me?”
Peng Zige immediately took out his mobile phone and thrust it in front of Su Zi. “Here, use the reflection from the phone and take a good look at yourself.”
Su Zi was totally indifferent. “Very pretty.”
“You’re crazy.”
Peng Zige put away his phone, returned to his seat, and randomly took out a book from his desk and began to turn the pages.
Su Zi turned back and suddenly said, “Thank you.”
“Wow!” Peng Zige was pleased as punch. “That’s more like it!”
Su Zi rolled her eyes at him.
When Li Erqin had finished her broadcast, the noon self-study lesson had already begun. As she strolled back to class, all was quiet. Turning from the stairs to the corridor and looking through the backdoor of the first classroom, one could see a chubby boy with black, round-rimmed glasses yet again secretly eating a bun. When Li Erqin had first noticed him during her first year at school, he was also eating a bun. A year later, he was still eating in class. Thankfully he did not put on any more weight.
Walking on to the next classroom, a girl on the right hand side three seats over and five rows in had just turned her head to pass on a note to the desk behind her when her eyes met Li Erqin’s. Looking to the row behind her, there was a boy who had rolled up his school pants halfway up and was casually leaning against the back of the chair. He was beaming as he looked at the girl. Half a year ago, the boy had a careful and prudent demeanour but from the looks of things, he may have gotten the girl.
Li Erqin pursed her lips before pushing the door to the back of her own classroom.
It felt as if Rong Si immediately turned his head to look over. In the past, he was definitely someone who rarely smiled and who was practically emotionless and expressionless most of the time, but ever since the two of them had starting dating, there were more and more smiles.
At the moment, he was all smiles as he looked at Li Erqin, and his eyes were bright and shiny.
Li Erqin responded to him with a smile of her own too.
Rong Si gestured with his chin toward Li Erqin’s desk.
Water, and even a box of sweets.
A zookeeper’s regular feeding time?
Li Erqin felt that she was being taken care of so well, she was almost getting fat.
(TN: the literal sentence was something like, “she felt she was being raised or bred to a fattened state.)
She wanted to throw a tantrum.
Li Erqin sat down and pouted, “I feel as if I’ve put on some weight.”
Rong Si’s expression did not change as he replied, “No, you haven’t.”
“I have.”
“Where?”
Li Erqin could not bring herself to say.
My bra is not big enough. How would you even say that?
Rong Si followed Li Erqin’s line of sight and looked down before coming to a pause.
Turning his head aside, he cleared his throat. “That’s not fat.”
Li Erqin understood instantly.
Peng Zige had just completed a set of questions and raised his head to see two sets of tomato red faces. He asked curiously, “Why are your faces so red? It’s been so long. Don’t tell me that your faces still get red just by looking at each other?”
When he had finished his questions, Li Erqin’s face turned even redder.
“Erqin, where’s that brazen, thick-skin of yours that you use when dealing with other people?” Peng Zige went on without sensing that anything was amiss. “How come whenever you’re with Rong Si, you turn red so easily?”
Rong Si gave Peng Zige a stare down for saying that Li Erqin was brazen and thick-skinned.
Peng Zige touched his nose and continued, “What.. I felt like it was a pretty appropriate description…”
Su Zi was unable to continue with her revision because of their chatter and decided to join in the conversation. “Why is that?”
“Just the other time,” Peng Zige pointed in the direction of the toilets, “I was going to the toilet when I overheard something from the female toilet…”
Su Zi said, “Female toilet?”
“The door wasn’t closed shut ok!”
“The door wasn’t closed shut?” Su Zi was even more appalled. “If it wasn’t closed, then what were you doing carelessly hanging around there?”
Peng Zige was fast running out of patience. “Can you just let me finish what I’m trying to say?”
“Carry on then.”
Peng Zige was so annoyed that he almost didn’t want to carry on.
Li Erqin was also interested to know what she was doing when Peng Zige had apparently followed behind. “So what did you hear coming from the female toilet?”
“I heard you stop someone at the door to talk.”
“Erqin stopped someone?” Su Zi asked.
Even Rong Si had a surprised look on his face.
However, Li Erqin realised what incident Peng Zige was alluding too and pursed her lips.
“Yup.” Peng Zige glanced probingly at Li Erqin. “It was after that incident. You know how all the rumors about Erqin had pretty much died down? Well, on that day, I heard Li Erqin’s name being mentioned from the toilets so I stopped to take a listen.”
“Now what were they saying?” Su Zi’s temper was flaring up.
“It wasn’t anything. They were just saying that they didn’t know what Rong Si could possibly like about Li Erqin.”
“And then?”
“Then I heard Li Erqin’s voice come out.” Peng Zige mimicked Li Erqin’s tone and even deliberately wiped all expression from his face. “ ‘The fact that I don’t talk about people behind their backs.’ ”
“Ha!” said Su Zi.
“Why is your face red now?” Peng Zige jeered at Li Erqin. “What else did you say then? Oh! ‘The chances of Rong Si hearing your confessions in the female toilets are second in impossibility only to confessing in the female dorms. If you like him, then tell him to his face. At least this would increase your exposure to him.”
Rong Si coughed.
Li Erqin did not know where to look or what to do with her hands and feet. “Did I say anything wrong?”
“Nothing,” said Rong Si.
“I can’t watch this. It’s nauseating!” Peng Zige was unhappy and pulled his chemistry workbook from his pile. “I’m going to do two extra problem sets to wash out my eyes!”
Su Zi copied him and repeated, “Can’t watch this, can’t watch this! I’m going to do two reading assignments to wash out my eyes.”
Since the start of their second year, everyone suddenly felt that they were now that much closer to their final, third year. Autumn’s subsequent and gradual chill had especially led many students who had initially thought there were still many days ahead of them to now begin to feel the pressure. Su Zi had always been classified as a studious top student, but now it seemed that she had doubled the efforts of her studies. It was unclear if Peng Zige had been influenced by Su Zi or if he suffered from some other, external pressure, but he seemed to have surprisingly followed in Su Zi’s footsteps. He worked so hard that he soon created an image of having lived the strenuous and painstaking life of a devoted scholar.
Very quickly after the midterm exams were over, they began to usher in the monthly exams. The heating was turned up high in the classrooms, and the scent of hot milk tea on some of the girls’ tables filled the class. Occasionally someone would open a window to take in some fresh air, and immediately afterwards, some other students would frown and clutch their clothes even tighter around themselves.
In Biology class, the teacher was discussing crucial information and potential topics for the upcoming exams with *his spittle spraying everywhere as he spoke. The warm cosy temperatures in the classroom were lulling many of the back row students to sleep. Li Erqin seemed to follow along with the ‘General of head nods’ as if pecking for grains. She would raise her head, look at the teacher and then slowly close her eyelids again. Her head would droop down, and then her eyes would open and she’d lift her head again.
(T/N :唾沫横飞 tuomohengfei = saliva and spittle splashing and flying all about!)
Rong Si, who was sitting behind Li Erqin, was watching her while propping his chin with his hand.
He silently counted in his heart.
Every time he counted to ten, he would lower his head and draw a line on his paper.
On the side was Peng Zige who was passing notes to Su Zi. He had no idea what they were chatting about.
It would seem that no one was listening to the class.
Peng Zige had just finished writing his reply on the note back to Su Zi, and he lowered his head in glee. Folding the note into a neat square, he once again passed the note to Su Zi. Turning back, he saw that Rong Si was attentively watching Erlan with a smile on his face.
He made an exaggerated shiver and then shook his head as he tried to poke Rong Si’s waist.
Rong Si easily dodged his attack.
Peng Zige was grinning. “Are you in waiting for your wife?”
(T/N : PZG says, “are you 望妻石 Wangposhi?” where 妻, po, is wife. It’s a riff off 望夫石, wang fu shi, where 夫, fu, is husband. This is a rock in Hong Kong where legend has it that a woman who waited faithfully for her husband turned into the rock. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amah_Rock)
Rong Si spared him a glance but did not reply, lifting his hand to draw another line.
A curious Peng Zige asked, “What are you up to?”
“You just mind your own business.”
A flippant Peng Zige looked back and opened the note that Su Zi had left on his desk. After a quick look, he exclaimed, “You’ve given up on participating in the next computing competition?”
(T/N: 计算机 jisuanji = this could mean calculator or computer, so I’ve decided on computing but I could be wrong.)
Rong Si nodded.
“But why?”
Rong Si did not reply.
Peng Zige recalled what Rong Si had recently been busy with. Then in stunned realization he said, “You did it to help tutor Erqin?”
There was no denial forthcoming.
Peng Zige likewise watched Li Erqin. He watched as her head nodded downward with a heavy jerk before she looked up at the teacher with a pout on her lips. Then she tucked behind her ears a lock of hair that fallen down and patted her face.
The first class after the noon break was simply too hypnotic. Half the students in the back row were pretty much out of commision. Even the Biology teacher himself was about to fall asleep from his own monotonous tone and dull lesson.
It was a long drawn wait for the bell to ring signifying the end of the lesson. It was almost like an instantaneous command; as soon as the bell sounded, half the class immediately sprawled over their desk. The hapless biology teacher could only shake his head as he walked out of the classroom yawning.
Li Erqin dug out her drink bottle from her desk and drank a few big gulps. She was about to head to the wash basin to wash her face when Rong Si patted her on the back.
She looked back, and a piece of half-scribbled draft paper appeared right under her nose.
“What’s this?”
Rong Si’s lips curved up. “Follow those vertical lines and guess what word it is.”
An inquisitive Peng Zige stuck his neck out to sneak a peek, and at a glance he understood and snickered, “Ah Si, if you continue to be with Li Erlan, I believe your IQ will retreat to that of a ten year old.”
Li Erqin causally swept Peng Zige a look. “Rong Si’s IQ at ten years old would still be higher than yours at age 20.”
Peng Zige was disgruntled, but he didn’t have time to make a rebuttal. Rong Si had hooked him by his neck and dragged him out of class.
As the two of them stepped out of the classroom, Peng Zige was immediately buffeted by a strong gale wind and began to shiver. “What in the world is this, why is it so cold!”
Rong Si also pulled his outer jacket a little closer.
Peng Zige was so cold that he was breathing hard. “Ah Si.”
“Yup.”
“Have you thought about which University you’d like to go to?”
“Nope.”
Peng Zige felt a bit sardonic. “That’s right. With your grades, there is nothing to worry about.”
“What about you?” Rong Si asked.
Peng Zige touched his nose and bounded down the stairs as he replied, “I dunno. But I heard that my dad was thinking of sending me abroad.”
Rong Si was momentarily stunned.
“However, I haven’t really thought about it yet.” Unexpectedly, Peng Zige was rather flippant about it. “Anyway, I think that being able to be with all of you is rather nice. When the time comes, whichever University the rest of you get into, then I’ll go there too. If I can’t get into the same university, then I’ll shoot for the same city. Then during the weekend I can look you guys up to have some fun.”
Rong Si found this funny, and he stuck his hands into his pockets before replying, “Do you think that testing into University is fun and games?”
Peng Zige tilted his head and laughed. “It’s not like I can escape it anyway so may as well find some joy in it.”
When they returned to the classroom from the supermarket, Peng Zige realised that Li Erqin was still working on that piece of paper and scribbling furiously on it. He couldn’t resist chuckling, “Wow Erqin, still haven’t been able to unravel the mystery?”
Li Erqin shook her head.
Peng Zige stretched his head out to see and was floored. “What are you doing?”
“Working on the maze.”
(MInodayz : OMG…LEQ, you crack me up!!!! I see you are back to your antics)
Rong Si was placing the can of coffee he had bought on Li Erqin’s table when his attention was drawn to her reply.
Originally, he had drawn block lines on the draft paper, but now it was littered with fine lines all over the page.
He was stumped too. “Erlan, what are you trying to do?”
Erqin tapped the tip of her pen on the draft paper, perplexed. “Didn’t you ask me to work out this puzzle?”
Peng Zige resigned himself. “You don’t have to join any of those lines to solve it! You can see the answer with one glance!”
Li Erqin was dumbfounded. “I thought it was some maze where you join the lines.”
(beginner’s level:)
(Advanced level:)
Rong Si lifted his hand and rubbed his brows with his thumbs. “Forget it, don’t bother with it anymore. Drink your coffee.”
“Why?”
Rong Si returned to his seat and replied, “To help keep you awake. The next period is physics.”
“Ohh.” Li Erqin obediently lifted the can tab and was about to take a drink.
Rong Si took a straw from his pocket and handed it to her. “Here, use this.”
Peng Zige rolled his eyes and said, “Do you have to go to such extremes to take care of her? Are you her family’s nanny?”
(T/N: 面面俱到 mianmianjudao – idiom to mean taking care or handling everything satisfactorily.)
Rong Si ignored him and flipped open his reference book.
“You only know how to ignore me,” harrumphed a peeved Peng Zige. “Since you’re so good at ignoring people, see if you can try ignoring Li Erqin then.”
Rong Si took up his pen and spun it around his fingers.
“Sheesh.” Peng Zige then went to harass Li Erqin. “Hey, Er….”
“Don’t disturb her,” Rong Si spoke up.
“We’re just having a chat…”
“She is drinking at the moment.”
“She won’t choke from talking.”
“Yes she will.”
Peng Zige couldn’t help shaking his head, exasperated. “Let me tell you Ah Si. You’re acting like a mother hen and Li Erqin is one of your chicks.”
Su Zi, who had been listening in from the side all this time, shook her pen as she joined in the conversation. “And you are like the weasel preying on the chick.”
“Then what are you?” Peng Zige glared at her.
“I’m the pill that is used to poison the weasel.”
Ultimately Li Erqin, who had been pretending all this while to stay out of the conversation, gave in.
“*Pfft”
(T/N: This is like the onset of a chuckle or laugh…trying to think of that sound)
Up until the end of dinner, Peng Zige was still *brooding. “Everyone is tired from classes. Why is it that you only buy coffee for Erqin?”
(T/N: 耿耿于怀 genggengyuhuai – idiom to mean taking grudges to heart)
He asked this of Rong Si.
Before Rong Si had started his meal, he had placed half of his meat from his plate onto Li Erqin’s. “You want some too?”
“Of course I do!”
“Ok.”
Peng Zige was inexplicably confused. “Ok what?”
“After the evening self-study class, I’ll go to the supermarket and buy you a coffee.”
Peng Zige was overjoyed for a moment before he sensed that something was amiss. Then he blustered, “If I have coffee after the evening self-study class, then later at night, will I be able to sleep?”
Su Zi rolled her eyes and tugged her ears saying, “Can’t you save it for the next day to drink?”
Peng Zige stared blankly in disbelief as he came to the realization of how absurd and spastic he was behaving!
Li Erqin was separating out what she didn’t like to eat and putting it to one side of her plate when Rong Si happened to quietly look at her, and without a thought, she obediently ate them up. Upon reflection, she felt rather petulant. Rong Si had never been demanding or strict with her, but why was it that she actually always reacted so obediently?
A warrior girl by all accounts, one who wouldn’t blink even with a knife to her throat, was actually scared of a little pretty boy?
Li Erqin swallowed her mouthful of food and glared at Rong Si as she gathered what she didn’t like to eat and pushed it to a corner.
Rong Si was inexplicably amused by her actions.
Li Erqin’s eyes reflected her insubordination and stubbornness.
Rong Si shook his head and spoke with laughter in his voice. “You take half and I’ll take the other half, or would you rather eat them all yourself?”
Li Erqin agreed. “You take half and I take half.”
As witness to these proceedings, Peng Zige gestured with his chopsticks the act of stabbing his eyes. “I really can’t watch this anymore.”
It was rare for Su Zi and him to have the same opinion. “So true,” she said.
Li Erqin was munching on the food that she detested and trying hard to swallow when she looked at Peng Zige, disgruntled. “If you don’t concentrate while eating, you could get indigestion.”
Peng Zige opened his eyes wide. “It’s because you’re both just too radiant!”
Li Erqin agreed.
She actually agreed.
Peng Zige was so surprised. “Don’t you think you need to explain yourself?”
“There’s nothing to explain,” said Li Erqin.
Peng Zige turned toward Rong Si. “Ah Si, why don’t you jump in?”
Rong Si had quietly finished his meal, and his plate was absolutely clean. “I saw what happened, but I can’t meddle.”
Peng Zige gave a dry laugh. “Ha Ha?”
＊＊＊
School campus relationships were essentially not allowed at school, which was why when the debacle of Li Erqin and Shi Meng was resolved, Rong Si seemed to have retracted his ‘high profile’ presence as if he had sheathed his sword. He had also returned to his usual taciturn and uncommunicative self, the Rong Si from before that silently tagged along at Li Erqin’s side. Occasionally some boys would ask him about his relationship with Li Erqin, but he would always choose to be reticent and uncommunicative rather than answer directly.
“Did you really date Li Erqin from your class?”
Silence.
“The thing with Li Erqin was all made up wasn’t it? You made that up to help her gain justice right?”
Silence.
It was always the same. Silence.
After listening to all sorts of nonsensical gossip floating about, Peng Zige’s curiosity got the better of him. One day while Li Erqin was off at the Broadcasting studio, he gently probed Rong Si to find out his thoughts.
“Aren’t you concerned about what others are saying?”
“What are they saying?”
“About you and Li Erqin.”
Rong Si asked rhetorically, “Why do other people care what’s going on between Erlan and myself?”
Peng Zige was speechless, and why did this reaction seem so similar to someone else?
“But there are a lot of people spreading…”
Rong Si stoically shut his book. “My relationship with Li Erqin is between the two of us, and as long as we both know it, that’s all that matters.”
Peng Zige stared blankly.
“I’m going to the supermarket, do you want to come along?” Rong Si stood up.
“What for?”
“To buy water.”
Peng Zige glanced at Rong Si’s desk to see a bottle of water that was more than half filled. “Don’t you still have some?” Then his eyes caught sight of Li Erqin’s desk and sure enough, her bottle was empty. “Oh, let’s go then.”
Following behind Rong Si for a couple of steps, he came to a stop. “Ah Si.”
“What?”
“Can you also take care of me like that?”
Rong Si laughed. “Are you my girlfriend?”
Peng Zige had nothing to say.
In the end, Peng Zige had Rong Si treat him to a coke and very happily returned back to class. Upon entering the classroom, he made a beeline to Su Zi’s desk, took out something from his jacket pocket and placed it on her desk.
A suspicious Su Zi looked up.
Peng Zige was beaming. “This is my first time seeing this chocolate sold at the supermarket, and I remembered you mentioning that you liked this chocolate.”
(Minodayz : awwww PZG puppy dog, I think you’re losing your heart to someone without even knowing it.)
Su Zi was most surprised. “What ulterior motives have you got up your sleeves?”
Peng Zige was unhappy. “Why is your heart so black? You must have studied ‘til you’ve gone mad!”
Su Zi glared at him.
Peng Zige pursed his lips before proceeding to explain, “I brought along some money when we went to the supermarket to buy some drinks, but Rong Si treated me. It so happened that I saw the chocolate and thought of you, so I brought it back for you.”
Su Zi snickered, “Peng Zige, have you fallen for me?”
Peng Zige immediately took out his mobile phone and thrust it in front of Su Zi. “Here, use the reflection from the phone and take a good look at yourself.”
Su Zi was totally indifferent. “Very pretty.”
“You’re crazy.”
Peng Zige put away his phone, returned to his seat, and randomly took out a book from his desk and began to turn the pages.
Su Zi turned back and suddenly said, “Thank you.”
“Wow!” Peng Zige was pleased as punch. “That’s more like it!”
Su Zi rolled her eyes at him.
When Li Erqin had finished her broadcast, the noon self-study lesson had already begun. As she strolled back to class, all was quiet. Turning from the stairs to the corridor and looking through the backdoor of the first classroom, one could see a chubby boy with black, round-rimmed glasses yet again secretly eating a bun. When Li Erqin had first noticed him during her first year at school, he was also eating a bun. A year later, he was still eating in class. Thankfully he did not put on any more weight.
Walking on to the next classroom, a girl on the right hand side three seats over and five rows in had just turned her head to pass on a note to the desk behind her when her eyes met Li Erqin’s. Looking to the row behind her, there was a boy who had rolled up his school pants halfway up and was casually leaning against the back of the chair. He was beaming as he looked at the girl. Half a year ago, the boy had a careful and prudent demeanour but from the looks of things, he may have gotten the girl.
Li Erqin pursed her lips before pushing the door to the back of her own classroom.
It felt as if Rong Si immediately turned his head to look over. In the past, he was definitely someone who rarely smiled and who was practically emotionless and expressionless most of the time, but ever since the two of them had starting dating, there were more and more smiles.
At the moment, he was all smiles as he looked at Li Erqin, and his eyes were bright and shiny.
Li Erqin responded to him with a smile of her own too.
Rong Si gestured with his chin toward Li Erqin’s desk.
Water, and even a box of sweets.
A zookeeper’s regular feeding time?
Li Erqin felt that she was being taken care of so well, she was almost getting fat.
(TN: the literal sentence was something like, “she felt she was being raised or bred to a fattened state.)
She wanted to throw a tantrum.
Li Erqin sat down and pouted, “I feel as if I’ve put on some weight.”
Rong Si’s expression did not change as he replied, “No, you haven’t.”
“I have.”
“Where?”
Li Erqin could not bring herself to say.
My bra is not big enough. How would you even say that?
Rong Si followed Li Erqin’s line of sight and looked down before coming to a pause.
Turning his head aside, he cleared his throat. “That’s not fat.”
Li Erqin understood instantly.
Peng Zige had just completed a set of questions and raised his head to see two sets of tomato red faces. He asked curiously, “Why are your faces so red? It’s been so long. Don’t tell me that your faces still get red just by looking at each other?”
When he had finished his questions, Li Erqin’s face turned even redder.
“Erqin, where’s that brazen, thick-skin of yours that you use when dealing with other people?” Peng Zige went on without sensing that anything was amiss. “How come whenever you’re with Rong Si, you turn red so easily?”
Rong Si gave Peng Zige a stare down for saying that Li Erqin was brazen and thick-skinned.
Peng Zige touched his nose and continued, “What.. I felt like it was a pretty appropriate description…”
Su Zi was unable to continue with her revision because of their chatter and decided to join in the conversation. “Why is that?”
“Just the other time,” Peng Zige pointed in the direction of the toilets, “I was going to the toilet when I overheard something from the female toilet…”
Su Zi said, “Female toilet?”
“The door wasn’t closed shut ok!”
“The door wasn’t closed shut?” Su Zi was even more appalled. “If it wasn’t closed, then what were you doing carelessly hanging around there?”
Peng Zige was fast running out of patience. “Can you just let me finish what I’m trying to say?”
“Carry on then.”
Peng Zige was so annoyed that he almost didn’t want to carry on.
Li Erqin was also interested to know what she was doing when Peng Zige had apparently followed behind. “So what did you hear coming from the female toilet?”
“I heard you stop someone at the door to talk.”
“Erqin stopped someone?” Su Zi asked.
Even Rong Si had a surprised look on his face.
However, Li Erqin realised what incident Peng Zige was alluding too and pursed her lips.
“Yup.” Peng Zige glanced probingly at Li Erqin. “It was after that incident. You know how all the rumors about Erqin had pretty much died down? Well, on that day, I heard Li Erqin’s name being mentioned from the toilets so I stopped to take a listen.”
“Now what were they saying?” Su Zi’s temper was flaring up.
“It wasn’t anything. They were just saying that they didn’t know what Rong Si could possibly like about Li Erqin.”
“And then?”
“Then I heard Li Erqin’s voice come out.” Peng Zige mimicked Li Erqin’s tone and even deliberately wiped all expression from his face. “ ‘The fact that I don’t talk about people behind their backs.’ ”
“Ha!” said Su Zi.
“Why is your face red now?” Peng Zige jeered at Li Erqin. “What else did you say then? Oh! ‘The chances of Rong Si hearing your confessions in the female toilets are second in impossibility only to confessing in the female dorms. If you like him, then tell him to his face. At least this would increase your exposure to him.”
Rong Si coughed.
Li Erqin did not know where to look or what to do with her hands and feet. “Did I say anything wrong?”
“Nothing,” said Rong Si.
“I can’t watch this. It’s nauseating!” Peng Zige was unhappy and pulled his chemistry workbook from his pile. “I’m going to do two extra problem sets to wash out my eyes!”
Su Zi copied him and repeated, “Can’t watch this, can’t watch this! I’m going to do two reading assignments to wash out my eyes.”
