TSIBAMS Chapter 39

“Okay, I promise this is the last time I’ll skip class, alright?” Qi Guang said impatiently, holding his phone, “I’ll ask for leave next time.”

After hanging up, he continued learning how to mix drinks with the bartender, complaining, “I don’t know how my sister got in touch with my homeroom teacher, she’s turning into a parent in minutes, questioning me on behalf of the teacher!”

Xu Ge sat next to him, watching them shake the glasses, “Your sister has it rough, she’s got her college entrance exam coming up and still has to worry about you, the kid.”

1984 was bustling at this time. Today’s resident band played folk music, and almost all the artistic young men and women of Chen Town were excitedly waiting for this day. Besides the seats in the booths and at the bar being full, many people were standing, happily singing along.

Of course, this wasn’t the most crowded day at 1984. The once-a-week rock night was even crazier. The tables and chairs in front of the stage would be removed, and everyone could only stand, the standard being holding a beer and pretending to sway in the dance floor.

Qi Guang didn’t have much time to learn at the bar, and soon he was taking menus to ask customers if they wanted more drinks.

Although Xu Ge told him not to come and help on weekdays, he said he had already skipped a day of classes, so it didn’t matter if he stayed for the evening. However, Xu Ge didn’t let him stay until closing time, urging him to leave around eleven o’clock.

Bai Shu saw him to the door. Three or two young people were standing at the entrance, drinking and chatting with beer bottles in their hands, and the night market stalls not far away were bustling with activity. He took out a string of Buddhist beads from his pocket, “Your classmate’s things were found, you can give them to him tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Qi Guang accepted the Buddhist beads.

Bai Shu didn’t say much to him, and after a hasty goodbye, he went back to the bar to get busy.

Qi Guang looked at the beads in his hand under the streetlights. Was this the important thing he was talking about?

They were simple Buddhist beads, not big, dark in color, looking like sandalwood, with no extra decorations. He had recently seen this string of beads on Ye Xing’s wrist, but their relationship was at a boiling point. Even if he was a bit surprised to see such a long string wrapped around Ye Xing’s wrist four times, he didn’t look twice.

Although it was a simple style, it was quite eye-catching to wrap it four times around the wrist. Apart from Ye Xing, he had never seen anyone else wear them, and the string of beads in his hand seemed to already have Ye Xing’s scent.

It wasn’t early when he got home and finished cleaning up, so Qi Guang slept soundly, missing morning self-study again. When he reached the classroom door, it was break time. He immediately saw two people chatting in the hallway.

Lu Yueyang was facing his direction, smoking a cigarette as usual. The person opposite her, Qi Guang could recognize from the back view alone, even in a school uniform, Shuai Xiaoyun, his sister, stood out among all the female students, with her hands behind her back, secretly holding breakfast, chatting and laughing with Lu Yueyang.

His so-called family and his homeroom teacher standing together was already a bizarre sight, and with their familiarity, it was truly unfortunate.

Qi Guang walked over, secretly taking the breakfast hidden behind Shuai Xiaoyun’s back, greeting them both, and was about to leave when Lu Yueyang stopped him, “Come see me after the first period.”

He knew he couldn’t escape it. Qi Guang nodded and entered the classroom.

Inside the classroom, everyone was quietly doing their own things—finishing homework, eating breakfast, catching up on sleep… Qi Guang glanced at his seat, both seats were empty. It seemed that his deskmate had been lured to the restroom by Zhou Tian.

Thank goodness.

However, the quiet didn’t last long. The class bell rang again. He quickly finished his breakfast, wiped his mouth, and stuffed the tissue and leftover trash into a plastic bag, tied it tightly, and threw it towards the trash can at the back of the classroom.

The plastic bag landed steadily in the trash can. Qi Guang made a satisfied “yay” mouth shape without making a sound.

At this moment, Ye Xing appeared at the back door. He was obviously surprised when he saw Qi Guang, and after noticing his momentary silly expression, he wouldn’t have hesitated to mock him before, but this time, he just returned to his seat without any reaction.

The drowsy morning plus the math class made everyone listless. However, under the tyranny of the teacher, no one dared to close their eyes, and everyone forced themselves to listen to the class with their heads propped high.

Yesterday, because Qi Guang wasn’t there, Ye Xing was absent-minded for several classes. Today, Qi Guang was sitting next to him, and he felt even more distracted.

He had never had many friends before, let alone having a falling out with a friend. He had almost zero experience in making up, plus his terminal awkwardness, Ye Xing really didn’t know how to take the first step.

Ye Xing propped his face up with one hand, scribbling randomly on the scratch paper with the other, and unconsciously, the scratch paper was filled with the word “annoyed.”

He looked down, oh shit, even more annoying.

Suddenly, Qi Guang’s hand reached over, put the Buddhist beads on his scratch paper, and then pulled his hand back. Everything happened very quickly. Before Ye Xing could say anything, when he looked over again, Qi Guang was already lowering his head to continue calculating formulas.

He had a feeling that Qi Guang didn’t hate him, but was just as embarrassed as he was. He also secretly glanced over. Qi Guang was calculating seriously, the whole person enveloped in an atmosphere that didn’t allow being disturbed, and it didn’t look like he was strategically burying his head in study.

It seemed like he was too narcissistic.

This guy probably touched his pocket absentmindedly while thinking and pulled out the Buddhist beads and then just conveniently passed them over, his quick action wasn’t to avoid embarrassment but was afraid of being interrupted!

The surprise of finding the Buddhist beads again instantly faded.

He wrapped the Buddhist beads around his hand a few times with no enthusiasm, looking at the teacher’s mouth moving, not sleepy, nor could he concentrate. He lowered his head, took out his phone from his drawer, clicked on Qi Guang’s profile picture, and tapped a few times on the keyboard.

-Thanks.

Qi Guang’s phone vibrated twice in the drawer, Ye Xing’s nerves tightened, like a lamb waiting for slaughter… but the wait wasn’t long, and Qi Guang didn’t touch his phone at all.

He felt a little discouraged.

What was wrong with him?

Ye Xing felt uneasy about his own state. He had never been so careful with anyone, nor had he ever attached his own joys, angers, sorrows, and pleasures to someone else.

He looked at the pile of “annoyed” words on the scratch paper, lost in thought.

If it were Zhou Tian, how would he handle it?

A picture flashed in Ye Xing’s mind of him grabbing Zhou Tian’s collar, ordering him not to give him a cold shoulder.

But he couldn’t bring Qi Guang into this scene no matter what, for some reason, as soon as he thought of grabbing Qi Guang’s collar and saying these words, it seemed like… flirting.

I’m fucking crazy!

Ye Xing frowned and closed his eyes.

As soon as the class bell rang, Qi Guang left the classroom with his phone. Ye Xing looked towards the door. Lu Yueyang was standing at the door waiting for him.

“Old Lu,” Qi Guang was used to adding the word “old” after his teachers’ surnames, probably out of laziness.

Lu Yueyang didn’t mind being called old, twisting her head towards the stairs, “Go to the rooftop.”

Qi Guang followed her upstairs, taking out his phone. He saw the “thank you” from Ye Xing, didn’t react for a moment, and was stunned for a while before confirming from the two things “helping him block the alcohol” and “returning his Buddhist beads” that the other party was thanking him for the latter.

Damn brat, he’s not as important as a string of beads.

Qi Guang tapped his phone as he walked, typed three words and hit send.

-You’re welcome.

Then, he put his phone back in his pocket.

“Do you know why I didn’t call you to the office?” Lu Yueyang asked.

“Are you afraid that Teacher Lin would see me and make things difficult?”

“Is it more difficult for you or me?” Lu Yueyang glared at him, “It’s embarrassing.”

Qi Guang smiled, but there was no trace of apology on his face. “I swear, I won’t skip class for no reason in the future.”

Lu Yueyang took out a pack of cigarettes, shook one out, and felt around in her pocket for a long time. Finally, she looked at Qi Guang, “Borrow a light.”

Pretending to be afraid of being embarrassed is a lie, not delaying smoking is the truth!

Qi Guang took out a lighter and lit it for her, “Give me one too.”

“You smoke a lady’s cigarette too?” Lu Yueyang looked contemptuous, “You’re really not picky.”

“Is there a difference?”

“It’s a thin one, try it.” She took out a cigarette case and let him pick one himself.

Qi Guang was not at all surprised that Lu Yueyang was handing out cigarettes to her students. On the one hand, she had never treated herself as a serious teacher, and on the other hand, she probably didn’t treat him as a serious student either. Qi Guang took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a puff.

“Fruity?” He opened his eyes wide.

Lu Yueyang once again showed a contemptuous expression, “You’re from a big city, acting like you’ve never seen the world.”

“Really, it’s not me trying to hit you,” Qi Guang said, “from now on your cool girl image in my heart has been greatly reduced, it has to be something like a cute little sweetie.”

Before he could finish showing off, Lu Yueyang slapped the back of his head, and Qi Guang almost had a close encounter with the railing in front of him.

“No respect for your elders! I originally just wanted to give you a verbal warning, but now I suddenly don’t feel like warning you anymore, just write a two-thousand-word self-criticism! Give it to me before the weekend!”

“Oh.” Qi Guang sighed, next time he should write “be cautious in words and actions” on his school uniform and reflect on himself three times a day.

“Oh, by the way, you weren’t here yesterday, so I’ll notify you again,” Lu Yueyang looked at him with a smile that meant that sighing was still too early, “Starting today, you commuters have to attend evening self-study.”

“Wha-at?” Qi Guang was dejected, “Then what’s the difference with boarding students? It’s not reasonable to go home so late, is it?”

Lu Yueyang patted his shoulder to express her condolences, “I didn’t make the rules.”

“Yeah, your father did.” He nodded.

“But you have one less evening self-study session than boarding students, it’s not as late as theirs.” Lu Yueyang put out her cigarette butt on the railing, walked towards the door, “Young man, keep it up.”