Chapter 34 — I Like You
Early the next morning, the last exam room in the science building was lively.
A dozen boys crowded around the last desk of the second row, chattering nonstop.
“I’ve got a friend in the same exam room as Ding Xiao. He said that b****** still hasn’t shown up.”
“What are you in a rush for? He can dodge today but not Monday. We will block him at his classroom door.”
“Let him chill for now. We will pick a time to go wreck those guys from the other school. Ten plus on one? Only a bunch of cowards does that…”
The more they talked, the more hyped they got.
Only the person involved sat in the middle with a steady face, saying nothing as he reviewed physics formulas.
Zuo Kuan summed it up. “Either way, both tabs are getting settled.”
“Exactly,” Wang Lu’an boomed. “Look what they did to my bro’s handsome face.”
Yu Fan finally lifted his head. “Go check the other school right now.”
Wang Lu’an blinked. “Check what?”
“See whether I look worse than those pieces of trash.”
Wang Lu’an fell silent.
A lifetime of pride for a No. 7 boy.
“Enough. Can we handle what is right in front of us first?” Zhang Xianjing sat on the table next to them, leaning on the wall, one leg crossed. “You ten-odd geniuses all ditched the exam yesterday. Hu Pang is probably sharpening his knife as we speak.”
Aside from her and Wang Lu’an, who had Zhuang Fangqin proctoring and did not run, the rest had slipped out of their exam rooms yesterday.
A dozen kids bailing from the science building at once. Spectacular.
“I do not care. Exam or no exam, it is all the same to me…” Zuo Kuan paused, then veered. “What I did not expect is your class’s top student being that loyal.”
When bad students skip an exam, nobody cares except the teachers.
But the seat of the year’s number one had been empty yesterday. By morning, half the school knew.
Only when Yu Fan could not take the questions anymore and tossed out a simple “Chen Jingshen dragged me off” did everyone realize the top student had skipped for Yu Fan.
“Of course,” Wang Lu’an said at once. “He is a good guy.”
“Still…” someone said, picturing the scene. “Chen Jingshen does not even fight. Ten plus guys on the other side. How did he dare to charge in?”
Does not fight, my a**. One kick and he sent someone flying—
Wait.
Yu Fan suddenly froze in his formulas. Right. Why does Chen Jingshen know how to fight?
No matter how strong you are, without a little technique it is hard to kick someone off their feet, especially with how weak Chen Jingshen looks…
“Do not ask. Call it a bond between deskmates that moves heaven and earth,” Wang Lu’an said. “I heard he even left right in front of the proctor. That is badass. And let me tell you, Zhuang Fangqin was proctoring me. The look on her face up on that podium—”
“Hold up.” Yu Fan frowned. “Chen Jingshen left after the exam started?”
“More or less… Fangqin even came down to ask me if I knew where you two went. I said no. I peeked at her phone and she was on a call with the top student’s mom.”
Ten minutes before an exam, the school gates are shut.
So Chen Jingshen climbed the wall?
“No big deal,” Zuo Kuan waved it off. “So he loses the top spot once. He has been first so many times. Let someone else have it.”
“Which is exactly why suddenly losing it hits harder,” someone said. “Plus he is definitely getting chewed out at home.”
They kept muttering, but Yu Fan was not listening anymore.
He stared at the physics formulas and read them several times without taking in a word. His phone buzzed in his pocket.
【s: At the exam room yet?】
【-: Here】
【s: Good. The exam is about to start. Do not run off.】
Yu Fan: …
What tone is that? Are you my parent?
He tucked the phone away and abruptly stood up.
Everyone stopped talking to look at him. “Where are you going?”
Yu Fan did not even glance back. “The teachers’ office.”
That afternoon, when the last exam ended, Chen Jingshen picked up his pen and headed for the hallway.
He put his stationery into his bag, took out his phone, and scrolled. In the hour-plus of test time, he had received eleven texts.
【Mom: Your father and his family know you cut the exam. Including that woman.】
【Mom: Is your aim to make me lose face with them?】
【Mom: I will finish things as soon as possible and return. You will explain yourself properly then. I am very disappointed in you.】
About the same as yesterday’s call.
Chen Jingshen read them with a cool eye, backed out, opened WeChat, and asked his pinned chat whether he had filled at least half the paper.
No reply. He slung on his backpack and had just turned to go when someone called out.
“Chen Jingshen,” the proctor tapped his shoulder, “Director Hu wants you in his office.”
Chen reached the door of the office and raised his hand to knock.
“Director, I want to make up the exam.”
The familiar voice made him pause. He slowly lowered his hand.
He looked in through the window.
Wang Lu’an and Zuo Kuan stood near the door as if they had come along for backup.
The one who had ignored his messages was at the desk.
Hu Pang rubbed his temples. “What number time is this? Huh? How many times have you come to me today? I already told you this morning. No.”
“Why not?” Yu Fan did not move.
“What school holds make-ups for midterms?” Hu Pang could not believe he was explaining this to Yu Fan. “And you cut the exam on purpose. Where do you get the right to make it up?”
“I already said I did not cut. I was tricked out, then blocked, and could not make it back,” Yu Fan repeated for the nth time. “Why would I lie to you?”
“…”
“It is true, Director. I can vouch for him,” Wang Lu’an said. “Kids from the neighboring school brought more than ten guys to the pool hall behind our back gate and jumped our classmates. If you do not want to deal with that, fine, but to take away a make-up from the kid who got beaten? That does not sit right.”
“I said I will handle it after the exams.” Hu Pang was irritable. “And you, what does this have to do with you? Why are you here?”
“Standing up for a classmate,” Wang Lu’an declared.
The whole day felt surreal to Hu Pang.
A problem student who usually does not attend class and hands in blank tests was now glued to him, demanding a make-up.
Can you even break double digits, and you want a make-up?
He rubbed his brow. “Out.”
“I want a make-up,” Yu Fan said.
“We are about to start monthly exams…” Hu began.
“I want a make-up.”
“If you want to prove yourself, wait for the monthly exam. Out. I have other students to see… What are you doing over there?”
Yu Fan shifted aside and opened up the space in front of the desk.
“Making room so you can talk,” he said, leaning back against the wall. “If you do not agree to the make-up, I am moving in.”
After a long moment, Hu Pang took a massive drink from his thermos.
He let out a short laugh and nodded. “Fine. Fine…”
“Chen Jingshen should take it too,” Yu Fan blurted. “He also missed because he got blocked.”
“… All right,” Hu Pang said, face red with anger. “You want it that badly, then tomorrow. Saturday morning. Every single one who missed, not one less, gets notified. I will proctor you myself.”
Innocent bystander Zuo Kuan stared. “Uh, Director, actually I do not—”
“No problem.” Worried the director would change his mind, Yu Fan sprang up, quick to bend. “Thank you, Director Hu. You are great, Director. See you, Director.”
Zuo Kuan: …
Chen Jingshen had already walked to the far end of the hall. Only when the three were gone did he knock and go in.
Hu Pang asked about yesterday. Chen Jingshen told him straight. Hearing the story matched Yu Fan’s, Hu’s expression turned much more serious.
Half an hour later, after lecturing him not to let this happen again and informing him about the next morning’s make-up, Hu finally let him go.
The sky outside was flushed with sunset.
Once he was out of sight of the office, Jingshen pulled his phone from his pocket.
【-: I cannot finish. A pile of questions make no sense. Can you even teach.】
【-: Make-up at 8 a.m. tomorrow. Math. Science Building 109. Remember to come.】
【-: Did you get that?】
He stood quietly in the stairwell, eyes on those three messages for a long time.
A video call popped up.
He tapped accept.
Yu Fan sat in his wooden chair at home, staring at the screen in a daze. “I… hit the wrong button. Meant to call.”
He recovered fast, face back to cold. “Did you see my messages?”
“Just saw. I was about to reply,” Chen said.
“Oh…” Yu Fan leaned back and pulled the phone closer to double-check. “Why are you still at school?”
“Finished the exam. Helped move some desks.”
Chen Jingshen hitched his strap up and asked, “Since when do midterms have make-ups?”
“… Who knows.” Yu Fan’s gaze drifted off-screen, then darted back. “Ask Hu Pang. He insisted we do make-ups. Said he would personally proctor.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. Pain in the a**. I did not agree and he got all up in my face—” Yu Fan stopped, frowning. “Chen Jingshen, why are you smiling again?”
“I am not.”
“Like hell you are not,” Yu Fan said. “Do not smile. Your smile begs for a beating.”
Chen pressed his lips together and held it in. His Adam’s apple moved.
Yu Fan, possessed by a demon, took a screenshot.
He stared at it the next second. F***. Am I crazy?
Do screenshots make a sound? He probably did not hear it, right?
“Yu Fan,” Chen said suddenly.
“What,” Yu Fan decided to strike first. “I hit the wrong—”
“I like you.”
Chen Jingshen stood in the sunset and waited quietly for the stream of curses.
Yu Fan stared back, stupefied, for a few seconds. Then clang! his phone hit the floor.
Chen watched him fumble it up. The moment Yu Fan’s face swung back into frame—
Beep.
The call cut.
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