LWDC Chapter 90

Chapter 90: Amidst a Hectic Schedule

Chapter 90: Amidst a Hectic Schedule

Chapter 90: Amidst a Hectic Schedule

The winter break for senior high school students was a race against time with heavy tasks. The amount of homework made students lament that it would have been better not to have a holiday at all.

The Lin family couple even decided not to return to their hometown for the New Year this year, all to save Lin Shengjia the energy of traveling and socializing, allowing him to concentrate on his revision. However, the relatives in the city still gathered together. Of course, Ning Fei and Duan Yunhong also went to the Lin family for a few meals during the New Year.

During the first meal of this round, Ning Fei noticed that something was off with Luo Chenghong.

He hadn’t seen Luo Chenghong for quite a while, but he could still tell that something was wrong with him at first glance. Ning Fei didn’t ask Luo Chenghong. Instead, he approached Duan Yunhong when everyone wasn’t paying attention and whispered, “Xie Baolin… is gone?”

Duan Yunhong’s expression remained calm as usual, “Yes.”

“Looks like you knew about this for a long time?” Ning Fei asked suspiciously, “Did you get rid of him?”

“You’re thinking too much. I said, I won’t waste my luck on nothing.” Duan Yunhong said, “His chances were already slim. Staying would only allow him to watch you, the debt collector, succeed step by step. Why wouldn’t he leave?”

“Wasn’t he trying to watch you make a fool of yourself? Could it be that he’s seen enough and decided to go out and spread your scandals?” Ning Fei continued to ask, “And how did you know he was leaving so early? Do you bandits have some kind of telepathic connection?”

“Who would have a connection with him? How disgusting.” Duan Yunhong replied, “Why do you care about this? Anyway, he won’t be back once he’s gone.”

Ning Fei asked again, “Then why didn’t you tell me as soon as he left?”

Duan Yunhong: “It’s meaningless. You didn’t ask either.”

Ning Fei still felt that something was strange about this, but Duan Yunhong didn’t seem willing to talk about it, and Ning Fei didn’t need to keep bothering him about it. Xie Baolin leaving was a great thing for Ning Fei, saving him from having to worry all day about whether that troublemaker was planning to sabotage anything. Besides, two luck bandits together were actually a bit scary—even if Duan Yunhong swore that he wouldn’t cooperate with Xie Baolin.

Ning Fei wasn’t the kind of debt collector who would bet everything on others.

He went to ask Lin Shengjia again. Lin Shengjia said that Xie Baolin didn’t have any unusual behavior before he left. He only realized it later that the other person seemed a bit different. However, after thinking for a while, Lin Shengjia remembered a sentence that Xie Baolin said before leaving after his last meal at his house.

He said, “It’s boring, I’m leaving.”

Lin Shengjia thought he was just casually complaining and didn’t expect that it would be the last thing he said. Ning Fei didn’t know if there was any deeper meaning to this sentence. When he relayed it to Duan Yunhong, Duan Yunhong’s attitude was still: “I’m not interested in knowing what he meant. Why are you studying this? Are you bored?”

Ning Fei couldn’t talk to him about this topic. Now he completely put Xie Baolin out of his mind, only waiting for the task to end before reporting that guy.

The short winter break ended in the blink of an eye, and the last semester of senior high school came like an unstoppable dark cloud.

Rest days were basically completely canceled. The only free time was Sunday afternoon. Lin Shengjia’s computer time was reduced to a maximum of half an hour per week. He was lucky if he got it twice a month. The “Business Storm” in Shenzhen was no longer updated for him. If he asked, Ning Fei would mock him, “What? Will your business take off if you ask a few more questions? Do you know more than Duan Yunhong?”

Lin Shengjia didn’t dare to say anything.

He had just seen Duan Yunhong and Ji Yuechi on the news, looking like they were having a meeting with foreign guests. Lin Shengjia felt intimidated just thinking about this kind of high-profile event. It was easier to be a student. Although he was using his brain too much every day, he only needed to focus on studying, and he didn’t have to worry about anything else.

However, it wasn’t just the students who were being tossed around in the second semester of senior high school. The teachers were also busy day and night—Ning Fei was no exception. He was already considered one of the more indifferent senior high school teachers, but the senior high school English group “dragged” him so he had to follow along. As a result, even if Duan Yunhong came back to see him on weekends, he basically didn’t have any free time. And even if Duan Yunhong was willing to wait until late at night, Ning Fei was too busy and had to get up early the next day, so he didn’t feel like having any “late-night activities” with him.

After a while, Duan Yunhong became too lazy to fly back and forth on weekends. Ning Fei said he didn’t have time to pay attention to him, and he really didn’t pay attention to him. He wasn’t someone who would go out of his way. He could live without nightlife. And when Duan Yunhong sent this decision to Ning Fei via text message in Shenzhen, Ning Fei didn’t raise any objections or questions. He simply replied with one word: [OK].

This text message made Duan Yunhong “ha” in amusement, and it was unknown whether it was a laugh or something else. His gaze lingered on the “Reply” button for a second, but in the end, his finger pressed the exit button, and then he put his phone away.

Two weeks passed like this, and Ji Yuechi also noticed that Duan Yunhong’s schedule was off.

He had actually noticed long ago that Duan Yunhong would “disappear” on weekends. Later, when Duan Yunhong made his “relationship” with Ning Fei public, Ji Yuechi assumed that this “absurd” uncle was going back to see Ning Fei every weekend. This trip was expensive, but it was unwavering. Even the arrangement of business activities couldn’t affect Duan Yunhong’s decision. Therefore, when Duan Yunhong stayed in Shenzhen for two consecutive weekends, Ji Yuechi was very surprised.

“Uncle, do you have any important arrangements these past two weeks? Why haven’t you returned to Nancheng?”

Ji Yuechi believed that his relationship with Duan Yunhong was close, so his attitude of asking was very casual and direct: “Could it be that you had a fight with that teacher Ning?”

Duan Yunhong didn’t even look up from the report, only responding coldly, “Is it any of your business?”

“Just kidding, I didn’t curse you to break up.” Ji Yuechi smiled, “However, he’s just an ordinary teacher. Is he really worth being manipulated by him? Why don’t I find some entertainment for my uncle when I invite President Ma to play tonight?”

“I’m not going.”

“Is it really necessary, Uncle? Don’t tell me you’re going to abstain for a man.” Ji Yuechi didn’t take the relationship between Duan Yunhong and Ning Fei seriously at all. His smile became even more ambiguous, “There are also many men at ‘La Vie’, uh, how do you say ‘male princesses’… anyway, there are men ‘working’, and there are also male students, and they are studying art. Even if you’re not tired of that teacher, occasionally try something different, release some fire, anyway, he won’t be able to find out.”

“You’re just focusing all your attention on these eating, drinking, and playing nonsense?” Duan Yunhong sneered, glancing at him askance, “How do you know there are male students studying art? Have you started playing with them too?”

Ji Yuechi didn’t answer, just smiled. It was the kind of smile that men understood without saying a word.

Duan Yunhong understood. But this nominal “uncle” wouldn’t criticize Ji Yuechi, only making a meaningful comment: “Take care of your body.”

Ji Yuechi misunderstood at first, laughing heartily, “Uncle, I’m still young.”

“I mean, remember to get a check-up more often.” Duan Yunhong said quietly, “Messing around with men, be careful of gonorrhea or AIDS finding you.”

“‘Lin Aimei’? Who?”

Duan Yunhong’s sarcastic tone was even stronger: “You don’t even know this? And you dare to play with those ‘chickens and ducks’?”

“…Oh, you’re talking about those.” Ji Yuechi replied confidently, “It won’t happen. I’m just trying out some new people. I only play with them after confirming they’re clean. I don’t play with used ones.”

Hearing his childish remarks, Duan Yunhong felt that Ji Yuechi simply had the word “idiot” printed on his forehead. He originally wanted to casually reply, “You think the boss is telling the truth when they say they’re new,” but the words were already on the tip of his tongue, and he swallowed them back down.

–Forget it, even if he gets all the diseases, what does it have to do with me?

It would be good if he got them, it would be even more fun. Life has been too boring and dull lately. Only if the Ji family has some more scandals will that guy who’s addicted to being a teacher shift his attention, right?

*

This situation continued until a national statutory holiday.

There was only one day off, but the school gave it to the teachers and students who had the college entrance examination in two months to catch their breath. When Ning Fei heard the news, he informed Duan Yunhong a few days in advance. President Duan’s reply was very cold: [I have plans that day.]

Ning Fei: [You guys don’t have it off?]

Duan Yunhong: [Reception arrangements don’t care about holidays.]

Ning Fei thought to himself, you’re talking nonsense, you’re definitely sulking with me. You’ve been holding it in until now, this temper is really amazing.

However, Teacher Ning had been working hard for months and really missed President Duan (his body and skills). If they didn’t meet this time, then the next opportunity might have to wait another month or two.

So Ning Fei used some coaxing skills and continued to send messages: [Really not coming? I wanted to fly over and give you a surprise, but after checking the plane tickets, the time for a day trip is still too tight, I have to leave not long after landing. It’s impossible to meet you at the airport hotel and then leave, right?]

Duan Yunhong: [If you’re going to lie, find a decent excuse. A round-trip plane ticket is worth three months of your salary, would you be willing to spend it?]

Ning Fei: [I won’t be staying in this world until the end of the year, what’s the point of saving these few months of salary? If I had two days off, I would have bought it immediately.]

Duan Yunhong: [Even if you come, I won’t have time.]

Ning Fei: [Okay then. I’m going to enjoy the waterbed in your apartment, I’ll probably have to get drunk too. It’s not bad to turn the money I can’t use to buy a plane ticket into buying wine.]

Duan Yunhong: [You don’t need to report to me.]

Ning Fei: [Hahaha, I’m just afraid that the security guard will see the lights on in your house and call you to ask if there’s a thief in your house.]

The text message exchange ended in this very superficial atmosphere. The two of them seemed to have said a lot back and forth, but in reality, they didn’t say anything. It was actually the result of both sides verbally pulling each other, but not giving in or accommodating in action.

Ning Fei failed to seduce him, muttering a few words about Duan Yunhong’s bad temper behind his back, and at one point thought about going to a local bar to pick someone up to relieve his lust. However, after entering this mission world, he really didn’t familiarize himself with the nightlife environment. He didn’t know where the bars in Nancheng were concentrated—especially the bars where men went to find same-sex partners. After all, in this era, it wasn’t a social atmosphere where everyone could openly express their orientation. And for Ning Fei to spend the energy to study it just for one night of fun, he felt it was a bit not worth it.

After being annoyed for a few days, Ning Fei finally decided to take wine and cigarettes and shamelessly trash Duan Yunhong’s apartment.

–It would be best to burn a hole in Duan Yunhong’s waterbed with a cigarette butt and give that guy a flood.

So on the night before the senior high school teachers and students had a rare day off, Ning Fei almost spent all his salary savings, packed famous wines and cigarettes, dishes from famous restaurants, and rode his motorcycle to Duan Yunhong’s apartment after a long absence, preparing to spend a decadent holiday where “private smoking and drinking were allowed.”

He even turned off his phone, planning to deal with it after waking up tomorrow.

Late at night, everything was silent.

Uncleaned packaging boxes and bags were scattered on the dining table. Relaxing music and a rich aroma of wine filled the apartment. Indirect lighting barely illuminated a path leading to the bathroom. The bathroom door wasn’t closed, and among the steam rising from the large bathtub, there were a few faint wisps of imported cigarette smoke.

Ning Fei leaned against the edge of the bathtub, holding a cigarette between two fingers, and a tall wine glass in the other hand.

The red wine in the glass shook a few times, and suddenly the glass tilted, and half a glass of red wine fell into the bathtub.

Ning Fei smiled silently.

The music from the radio blocked his ears. He didn’t hear a “click” coming from the direction of the apartment door.