Chapter 43 — Mm mm, mm-mm-mm-mm…
Yu Fan propped one hand against his cheek, a wall between his eyes and Chen Jingshen’s.
He stared at the characters on his textbook and did not turn his head. “I’m not. Who’s mad? I’m not mad.”
Chen Jingshen said, “Then why are you ignoring me?”
“Tired. Don’t feel like talking.”
Yu Fan could feel Chen Jingshen watching him in silence for a moment.
A few seconds later that gaze left him. The boy beside him lowered his voice and began reading the passage along with the Chinese class rep.
Yu Fan eased up without meaning to and kneaded his face hard with his hand.
He really was not mad. A dream was not Chen Jingshen’s fault. If anyone was to blame it was Zhu Xu, early dating and making out in the corridor of all places. Serves him right to get caught. Next time Yu Fan saw it, he was calling Fat Tiger directly.
Morning reading ended. The first two periods today were math. Zhuang Fangqin had not arrived, so each group leader used the time to collect homework.
Ke Ting stood and collected from the front rows back. When she reached Yu Fan, she asked carefully, “Yu Fan, are you turning in your math? Ms. Zhuang said if you do not, you will be standing for both periods.”
Yu Fan bent to dig for his textbook and answered without looking up, “Didn’t do it, I’m not—”
“Both of ours.” Chen Jingshen pulled two math worksheets from his desk and set them in front of Ke Ting.
Yu Fan froze, glanced into his own drawer, then lifted his head to look at the two papers in Ke Ting’s hands. “When did you take mine?”
“When you went to the bathroom.”
“… You can’t copy my writing. Planning to stand for two periods together?”
Chen Jingshen said mildly, “I think I can this time.”
Yu Fan did not believe it. He stood and snatched for the worksheets. “Let me see.”
The second he saw the handwriting, his brows knotted into a Chinese knot. His reaction was exactly the same as before. “What the hell is this? Does this look like my writing?”
Saying the last sentence, he instinctively looked up for agreement.
Pinned by his stare, Ke Ting could only drop her gaze to the paper and murmur, “It… looks pretty similar?”
“…”
Yu Fan opened his mouth to say something when his waist was brushed. Even through the thin summer uniform, he felt the warmth of that hand at once.
Chen Jingshen was looking toward the door. “Ms. Zhuang is—”
Boom.
Yu Fan jolted like a cat. He dodged sideways in a flash and slammed into his desk and chair, shoving his desk and Ke Ting’s chair in front of him.
The clatter turned every head in the room.
Chen Jingshen still had his hand raised and turned with everyone else to stare at the boy who had jumped like he had been shocked.
“Yu Fan!” Zhuang Fangqin strode into the room and barked from the doorway, “Sit properly. Trying to scam a desk for injury, are you? Want to stand in the back for class?”
To be honest, Yu Fan kind of did.
But his deskmate had already reached over and dragged his desk and chair back into place. So Yu Fan could only toss out a flat “No,” and sit down again like a block of wood.
Zhuang shot him a look, headed to the podium, and asked the group leaders who had not turned in homework.
Yu Fan sat with both hands in his pockets and stared at the cover of his math workbook.
Chen Jingshen dipped his eyes to the other boy’s uniform. “Does it hurt?”
“No. Don’t talk to me.” Yu Fan’s voice did not ripple. “I cannot talk to you right now.”
His ears were red again.
Why is this person so fun.
“When can you talk to me?” Chen Jingshen asked.
Yu Fan considered. “After second period.”
Wang Lu’an was the only one in class who had not done his math. He stood with his book in his hands. He had no interest in the lecture, so he eavesdropped on the desk next to him.
But what were those two even saying? It sounded like it was coded.
He turned his head just in time to see Chen Jingshen give a quiet “Oh,” face front again, and look up at the board.
Wang Lu’an stared at his side profile for a moment, then instinctively smacked the person next to him and whispered, “Holy sh**. Thewill fit better in later chapters than top student. Study god
The discipline monitor pushed up his glasses and ignored him. He simply opened his discipline notebook and, on the page for “talking in class,” wrote with practiced ease: Wang Lu’an.
After two periods of math, Zhuang Fangqin set down the papers and propped a hand on the podium. “Alright, before the bell, I am going to swap a few seats.”
Yu Fan’s lazy posture tightened without his say-so. He looked up at her on the platform.
… Right. He had almost forgotten. They always changed seats after midterms.
Chen Jingshen should be moving too.
His mom had said as much.
Yu Fan slumped back and watched Zhuang flip to the new seating chart. A heavy feeling pressed down on him. It was like coming home and seeing the lights on, that mix of annoyance and resistance.
A few seconds later he snapped back.
What was there to be annoyed about? Chen Jingshen moving was perfect. No one would be staring at him in class, no one would pester him every day with explanations, and Chen Jingshen would not get hauled in by Zhuang for tutoring a slacker.
Rustling came from beside him. Yu Fan turned and saw Chen Jingshen bent over, fiddling inside his desk.
Huh?
Zhuang had not even announced anything. So impatient? This is your attitude about being separated from the person you secretly like?
Go, go, go. Hurry up and move away. Save me from hearing you say “like” in my ear every day. So f***ing annoying—
“Cai Yun swap with Xie En’en, the class rep with Zhou Xiaoye, and…” Zhuang’s gaze drifted to the back row. “Wu Si, switch with the discipline monitor.”
She shut her notebook. “That is all. Do it during break so you do not waste next period.”
No sooner had she stepped out than desks started scraping across the floor. A small-scale shuffle was noisier than a full switch.
Sensing the look next to him, Chen Jingshen turned his head. “Can you talk now?”
Yu Fan stared at him. “… Why didn’t you move?”
“Why would I move?”
“Your mom…” Yu Fan stopped himself at the cliff edge. “Said. Then why are you packing your bag?”
Chen Jingshen lifted a brow. “It is the break. I am putting my book away.”
“…”
As the biggest winner of this seating reshuffle, Wang Lu’an was genuinely delighted all day.
After the second period in the afternoon, he went into the corridor and leaned against the windowsill, basking in the late sun.
Zhang Xianjing propped her chin in one palm, long hair falling down in waves. “Are you really that happy? I think the discipline monitor being up front still means he will turn back to glare at you two or three times every period.”
“Whatever. As long as he is not glaring right next to me.” Wang Lu’an remembered something and put both elbows on the sill. “Study god, I saw your car at the parent-teacher conference yesterday. That was sick.”
Boys were not very sensitive about this stuff. He meant it as a sincere compliment about the car. He thought for a second and added, “I saw your mom too. She is gorgeous.”
Chen Jingshen tossed his pen into his case. “Thanks,” he said, neither warm nor cold.
“I could tell you take after her. Especially the nose and…”
Yu Fan grabbed his water bottle and threw it toward the window. “Too loud.”
Wang Lu’an sidestepped and caught it cleanly. Out of the corner of his eye he glanced at the next class’s corridor.
He put the bottle back on Yu Fan’s desk and bumped Zuo Kuan with his elbow. “Zuo Kuan, what is up with that girl from your class? She started over here, saw me, and turned back. Is she secretly in love with me?”
Zuo Kuan followed his line of sight. “As if. The one I told you about at dinner. She is looking at Yu Fan.”
The named person did not move, head still down on his phone.
Yu Fan opened Snake and was about to start a new game when he caught the friends leaderboard in his peripheral vision.
He paused, elbowed the boy next to him, and grumbled, “When did you beat my score?”
Chen Jingshen glanced over. “After you hung up last night.”
“…”
They were speaking quietly, so no one else heard. Wang Lu’an made a bored sound. “Why do so many people like Yu Fan. Just because he is handsome?”
Zuo Kuan: “What else.”
“Not only that,” Zhang Xianjing said lazily. “He has the bad-boy thing going for him.”
Yu Fan was struck by lightning and finally looked up. “Talk about someone else.”
Zuo Kuan bristled. “What, I am not a bad boy? I’m bad as hell.”
Yu Fan: “…”
“It is different.” Zhang Xianjing went analytical. “Yu Fan is better looking than you, and he talks less, and he’s taller, and he has that hair that is almost long enough to cover his eyes…”
Zuo Kuan grabbed his own hair. “Mine is not long enough?”
“Depends on the face. With Yu Fan, half-covered gives this melancholy vibe. You… you should not grow it. You look like a wannabe scene kid from ten years ago.”
Zuo Kuan: “…”
Wang Lu’an crouched to get a look. “No wonder he does not like haircuts. He is scheming. Trying to seduce the girls.”
Next period was self-study. Chen Jingshen had pulled out a contest paper and was working. At that, his calculations slowed for a beat.
That tiny lag did not escape Yu Fan. “Shut up,” he said, pulse tripping for no reason. He raked his hair back at the front. “I am cutting it after school. Shaving it.”
“Seriously?” Wang Lu’an said.
“Would I lie—”
“We are screwed, we are screwed!” Zhu Xu came sprinting over from the next room and slapped the window frame. “Fat Tiger is here! Run!”
Wang Lu’an flinched and made the motion of stubbing out a cigarette. Then he realized. “F***, if he’s here, he’s here. We were not even smoking. Why run?”
“He brought two barbers with him!” Zhu Xu yelped. “He just mowed down all the freshmen whose hair did not pass inspection! He is heading for our building now!”
F***?
Before the two at the window could react, there was a boom beside them as a chair screeched back.
Yu Fan grabbed his copy of Ben Fei, rolled it up in his hand, shoved his phone into his pocket, and stood.
Thinking of today’s math worksheet, he bent again to dig in his drawer.
“What are you doing?” Wang Lu’an said blankly.
“What do you think?” Yu Fan said. “Sit here and wait for Fat Tiger to buzz you?”
“Oh. Oh!” Wang Lu’an came to and rushed inside to grab his things and run.
Halfway through he stopped, uneasy. “Wait. Why are you running? You are going to shave it anyway.”
“…”
Yu Fan froze mid-search.
“Who knows what kind of barbers he brought?” he managed after a beat.
Wang Lu’an: “You are shaving it anyway. What does it matter?”
“…”
“I still want letters on the back,” Yu Fan tapped the right side of his head. “You think Fat Tiger will do that for me?”
Wang Lu’an wanted to say that was tacky as hell, but his buddy’s coffin face shut him up. “Probably not. Let’s run.”
Yu Fan clenched the workbook and was about to kick the chair to get his deskmate to move.
He did not have to. Before his leg lifted, Chen Jingshen stood and swung his bag over his shoulder.
Yu Fan blinked. “Where are you going?”
“With you,” Chen Jingshen said. “I do not want a cut either.”
Yu Fan glanced at his hair. It was a little long, not by much.
Wang Lu’an was already packed. “You are fine, study god. Just push it up, and Fat Tiger will not nab you.”
“Just in case.” Chen Jingshen asked, “Where are we going?”
Wang Lu’an hesitated. “Back gate’s tight this week. We probably have to hit the courts.”
“Can you use one more?”
“Sure, why not…”
A dangling backpack strap was tugged. Chen Jingshen turned.
“What are you tagging along for?” Yu Fan’s face was cool. “Go to class.”
“Really do not want a cut.” Chen Jingshen dropped his eyes to him. “It is self-study. Take me.”
On Fridays in the second year, last two periods were self-study, which meant the court was packed with sophomores. Since they had skipped on impulse and could not round up enough, Zhu Xu dragged a few freshmen who were not in training to fill a five-on-five.
The game swung back and forth. Tall silhouettes cut and jumped across the court. It did not take long to draw a crowd.
The two best-looking ones drew the most eyes.
It had been a long time since Chen Jingshen had played this hard. Back in middle school he had joined the basketball team and Ji Lianyi had almost shut the whole thing down. After that, no one invited him, and he stopped joining.
At the tightest moment, he hit a clean three to take the lead. Wang Lu’an and Zuo Kuan crashed the defensive board and ran over, slapping him and whooping.
Yu Fan was last back on D. As he passed, he gave Chen Jingshen’s shoulder a pat. “Nice.”
A little later Yu Fan turned, shook off two defenders, and slammed one in.
The other team let out a shocked “F***.” Yu Fan could not help smiling, dropped his head and jogged back. His hair was suddenly pressed.
Yu Fan blinked and looked up.
Chen Jingshen, for once, had both collar buttons undone. Sweat dampened his fringe and showed the sharp lines of his face. He lowered his eyes and smiled. “Nice.”
“…”
After one game, everyone was wrecked.
Summer ball was heaven and torture. The air was hot and heavy. A few boys lay flat right there to catch their breath, chests heaving.
Yu Fan wiped his jaw and grabbed a cold bottle from the stone bench, tilting it back until half was gone.
He turned and saw Chen Jingshen behind him.
He was sweating too, uniform as messy as the rest. Maybe it was his face, but he did not have the grimy boy look the other guys did.
Everyone else was chugging water. Only Chen Jingshen’s hands were empty.
The chill slid down Yu Fan’s throat. He felt cool all over. Satisfied, he asked, “Not drinking?”
“I want to.” Chen Jingshen said, “Waiting.”
“Waiting for what?” Yu Fan’s throat was still dry. He tipped back another swallow as he spoke.
“Water.”
“?”
Chen Jingshen glanced at his hand. “The one you are holding is mine.”
“…”
How? He had taken two swigs from this one. The others on the bench were empty—
Something in his peripheral vision. Yu Fan looked down and saw a bottle on the ground, half full, knocked over.
“…”
The bottle in Yu Fan’s hand crinkled with a brittle snap.
He still had a mouthful in. Water that Chen Jingshen had already… drunk.
…
The heat he had washed away with ice water came roaring back like a waterfall. Yu Fan stood there like an idiot, cheeks puffed with water.
“Done?” Chen Jingshen asked.
Yu Fan did not move and hummed very quietly.
“And then?”
Like a robot, Yu Fan held the bottle out.
His hand went empty. He finally snapped out of it, eyes wide, water still in his mouth. “Mm mm, mm-mm-mm-mm…”
Wait, I already drank this. Let me go buy you—
Chen Jingshen lifted the bottle, tipped his head back a little, and set his mouth to the rim. He finished what was left.
His Adam’s apple rose and fell. Yu Fan’s heart thumped in time.
Glug.
He swallowed his ice water.
Chen Jingshen lowered the bottle. “What were you saying?”
“…”
Yu Fan’s mouth tingled. He wanted to lick his lips and at the last second pressed them together instead. “Nothing.”
Boys mixed up water bottles all the time on the court. No big deal.
We are both guys. What is the big deal?
After resting a while, they packed up to leave.
The boys in the back were still going on about the game. Chen Jingshen turned his head. “Dinner?”
Yu Fan shook his head without a word.
“Did you bring your homework?”
Yu Fan nodded, expression blank, and sped up a little.
Chen Jingshen glanced over and said nothing more.
Yu Fan wanted to speed away, but they hit dismissal rush hour. The gate was a sea of bodies. He had to slow down.
They walked shoulder to shoulder. The person beside him called, “Yu Fan.”
“Right now,” Chen Jingshen fought a smile, “are you… unable to talk to me again?”
0 Comments