Su Yueyao’s team still had urgent matters that she needed to deal with, so she didn’t enter the house after dropping Zuo Tao off. Through the car window, she said, “Find some time tonight, let’s have dinner after your uncle picks xiao Xi up from cram school.”
“I made a promise with my classmates to go to karaoke tonight, so I might not make it,” Zuo Tao said, supporting himself against the car door. “After checking out Wildfire tomorrow, I’ll go see you!”
Su Yueyao raised her eyebrows, but she also knew that the senior year of high school wasn’t easy. After agreeing, she warned: “No smoking or drinking, understand?” After she spoke, she thought that it probably wasn’t a realistic warning at all. “Forget it, just make sure you don’t smoke or drink too much.”
“Okay, okay,” Zuo Tao agreed, “can you wait for me a bit? I’m gonna get something for xiao Xi.”
Xiao Xi was Su Yueyao’s son who was eight years younger than Zuo Tao. He was in third grade of elementary school and though he wasn’t that young anymore, he still loved LEGO very much. It was xiao Xi’s birthday not too long ago but because Zuo Tao couldn’t take a leave from school during the final sprint to the college entrance exams, he had ordered a set for him online.
Su Yueyao watched as Zuo Tao walked out of the house holding a large box of LEGO’s latest Lamborghini collab, and she turned her head and muttered, “Damn that toy, did you even think of us before you bought this thing?!” Su Yueyao didn’t want anything to do with it. “You shouldn’t give him that.”
“Xiao Xi really likes it, though,” Zuo tao said, stuffing the box on the co-pilot seat. “I’ll play with him when I get back. Alright, that’s it; be careful on your way.”
“You two get along well.” Su Yueyao pressed a hand against her head, glancing at the offensive box on her passenger seat. Just looking at it was giving her a headache. “This set costs over three thousand, right? Where did you even get the money?”
Zuo Tao answered, “Of course I earned it myself. What, you think it got blown over by the wind or something?”
Su Yueyao didn’t respond. After a long pause, she finally asked, “Has your dad reached out since the end of the exam?”
“Dad?” Zuo Tao picked his ear with a finger in confusion. “Who? I have a dad?”
Su Yueyao: “…nevermind, I’ll call that idiot myself.”
“Don’t,” Zuo Tao said, putting a stop to the plan immediately. “He’s going to find out I’m graduating. Let’s wait until I’ve filed my preferences, otherwise he’s going to force me to enroll at his university and I’m going to go insane acting for him.”
Su Yueyao opened her mouth but decided not to say anything in the end. Instead, she said: “Alright, enjoy your evening.”
By the time he arrived home, almost all of the other students had also finished the exams and the group chat was buzzing with activity. The crazy excitement was almost palpable through the screen.
Zuo Tao was also quite excited. Anyone who had gone through the senior year of high school knew the pain of being a senior, and now it was finally over. At this moment, he was feeling indescribably elated.
He exited the class group chat but his phone vibrated again.
【Top CN Jungler has transferred 10,000 to your account.】
【Top CN Jungler: Little shit, go enjoy the end of the college entrance exams.】
【Top CN Jungler: Also, when are you going to learn to be careful about your stuff? You remembered to take the contract, but why is your exam bag still in the car? /knock.jpg】
Top CN Jungler was the contact Zuo Tao had saved Su Yueyao as in his phone. No joke, Zuo Tao admired Su Yueyao from the bottom of his heart. The industry back when she played esports wasn’t as good as it was now, and she was also a girl. Despite the pressures she was facing, she still won the country the world championship. The hardships she suffered to bring that trophy home were unimaginable.
Zuo Tao did not accept the money, choosing to return it instead.
【Forceful Peach1Peach is read the same way as Tao’s name: No need, auntie. Soon, I’m going to play well and pay back my filial piety (づ￣ 3￣)づ】
【Foreful Peach: I’ll pick up the bag tomorrow.】
In the esports industry, Zuo Tao only recognized three top players.
Su Yueyao was the top jungler in the server. Song Shihan was the top AD.
Sitting down at the table, Zuo Tao spread out the contract he’d finagled from Su Yueyao, taking out a pen from his pen holder, and went straight for the signature line: “Soon, this humble one, the top support of the Chinese server, will become a member of Team Wildfire!”
Zuo Tao didn’t stay at home too long. After taking a shower and changing out of his school uniform, he went out again, taking a taxi to meet his classmates at the venue they’d agreed upon earlier.
His first engagement was with about a dozen people who he usually got along well with. After eating hotpot, they went to the arcade at the mall and played for a while. There were so many people out and about; looking around, there was no need to talk further. Wherever they looked they recognized the demeanor of high school seniors who had just finished the college entrance exams. The smiles they couldn’t hide revealed the same silliness among all of them.
At 8 o’clock, they left the mall to go to a recreational center a few kilometers away.
The person riding with Zuo Tao was the deskmate he’s had for the past three years of high school. They’ve been classmates since middle school and had the closest relationship.
“You said you were reporting to Team Wildfire’s base tomorrow?” Ding Lei punched Zuo Tao on the shoulder, trying to convince him: “No, we just finished the entrance exams. How about staying around to hang out for a few more days?
“There’s a new amusement park in the suburbs and I heard there’s a high-altitude bungee jump. Why don’t we go?”
Zuo Tao punched him back with no reservations, blowing at the hair that had fallen on his forehead. “I refuse. A good boy like me does not play high adrenaline activities.”
Ding Lei: ?
He glanced at Zuo Tao’s pink hair, finding it difficult to respond. The corners of his mouth twitched. “Are you supposed to be a good boy?”
“Mm-hmm.” Zu Tao asked, “Aren’t I?”
Ding Lei answered honestly: “No. You look like a pink tyrant.”
Ding Lei knew his deskmate a little too well. They’ve been friends for years, after all. At most, this person can look delicate and well-behaved, but unfortunately, if one looked up “good boy” in the dictionary, his picture would appear in the antonyms section.
Certainly, he didn’t study taekwondo for nothing.
Feeling Zuo Tao’s death glare, Ding Lei quickly recovered: “But the pink goes along well, and you don’t look as aggressive as you did when you had black hair.”
Although it was a recovery, it was still Ding Lei’s honest opinion: Zuo Tao had delicate features that made him look more outstanding than others. When he had black hair, it gave him the air of the sharpness of youth, but after sporting this light, silver-pink hair, the contours of his face softened a lot. Coupled with his pale skin that barely ever tanned, it made him look even better.
Suddenly, he felt that this violent little maniac was a little beautiful.
“Hide your pervert eyes,” Zuo Tao said, leaning back lazily against the seat. He took out his phone to check and reply to messages before he continued: “Be careful of what you say. I am now a quiet, reserved, good boy. Don’t force me to change.” After all, he was going to Team Wildfire’s base tomorrow, and he had to quickly get used to his new character settings.
Ding Lei almost immediately began to play around, reaching out to lift Zuo Tao’s chin and saying, “Come here, quiet, reserved and well-behaved little beauty, let this grandfather see you smile.”
Zuo Tao instinctively reached up to grab his finger. Three seconds later, a scream was heard from the back of the car, shocking the driver enough to jerk his foot on the accelerator, bumping their speed for a few yards.
The traffic was a little heavy. When Zuo Tao and Ding Lei arrived at the room they had reserved, most of the other students had already arrived. This center was owned by their class monitor’s family; with a wave of his hand, his father reserved a suite that was big enough to accommodate their entire class. Colorful disco balls rotated on the ceiling along with the blasting music. The lights, fruits, drinks, and snacks served on the marble counters made the event look quite spectacular.
They were a group of young, newly-liberated students who were curious about the world and had competitive spirits. After only an hour, most of the alcohol in the room had been consumed.
At first, the singing was still at least bearable, but gradually, everyone started to just cry and howl into the mic.
Zuo Tao had drank a bit. Because he got along well with everyone, he couldn’t refuse anyone who offered him a toast; although he didn’t show it, he was actually already feeling dizzy.
He patted Ding Lei — drunk and sobbing into the microphone — and pointed to the door of the private room, gesturing that he was going to take a step outside.
Ding Lei raised his hand to gesture ‘OK’ before he turned back around to sing Lovely Sister Band’s “Don’t Say Goodbye”2http://baike.baidu.com/l/FigU4lqb: ‘Goodbye to the classmates who despise each other, goodbye to the ‘thank-you’ you didn’t say in time; goodbye to the homework that won’t be given again—’
Zuo Tao avoided the clingy Ding Lei with disdain, using the sofa as a support to get up and finally left the private room.
The air outside was clearer than inside. Zuo Tao first stopped by the restroom to wash his face with cold water, but he still felt dizzy. He didn’t immediately make his way back to his classmates; instead, he walked to the outdoor area of the center. Without caring for others’ judgment, he squatted on the ground.
Tomorrow would surely be a bright and sunny day; the night sky was clear and dotted with stars. Even the evening breeze was particularly gentle.
He thought of the heartfelt words shared by his classmates under the influence of alcohol, and a sour sensation filled his nose. He rubbed his eyes, smiled and muttered a ‘fuck’ under his breath, and took out a box of cigarettes from his pocket.
In all, it was quite sad.
With a pop, the lighter ignited and lit the cigarette, emitting a faint red-orange light which looked like another star in the vast sky.
Zuo Tao had planned to smoke a stick to ease the sadness, but who would have expected that after taking a puff, the dizziness would get worse? He even felt a little nauseous. He fell from his squat and sat on the ground.
“Is something wrong?”
A low, magnetic voice came from behind him.
Zuo Tao felt his back rest against a pair of slender but powerful legs, fortunately keeping him from falling on his back with his arms and legs in the air.
“No… everything’s okay.” Zuo Tao waved his hand, his speech a little awkward. He felt embarrassed, dizzy, and nauseous, while at the same time feeling that the other party’s voice seemed a little familiar.
“Are you a high school student?” The legs bent until the knees touched his back. The voice was cold, and he carried with him the pleasant scent of citrus. “Why would you think to smoke while you’re drunk?”
A gentleman can be killed, but not humiliated. This phrase crossed Zuo Tao’s mind and it immediately sparked his temper. He used the ground as support to turn around and look up with a glare. “I have graduated high school. You are the first I’ve ever encountered who dares speak to the pink tyrant…”
Before he could finish his sentence, he finally got a clear view of the man’s face through his dizziness. The words got stuck in his throat.
That face has been engraved so deeply in his mind he had no hopes of ever forgetting it.
Zuo Tao felt like he was going to explode. Every cell in his body was screaming. How in the world could such coincidence come about? God, can anyone answer why Song Shihan was here!!!
Song Shihan, cigarette in his mouth, crossed his arms. He obviously had no intentions of reaching out to help Zuo Tao up from the ground. He looked down and asked, condescendingly, “En, I’m the first you’ve encountered. What next?”
The good boy setting, which had already flown to the sky, suddenly fell back to the ground, and the tyrannical aura Zuo Tao embodied dissipated. Unexpectedly, he met the male god he’d been admiring for years, and now he was extremely nervous. He opened his mouth to say something when his stomach decided nope and he ended up gagging.
Zuo Tao: …
I deserve to die.
Perhaps because he found it interesting, Song Shihan’s eyes flashed with a surprised amusement. Because it was so dark, he couldn’t quite see the kid’s face, but the pink hair was indeed eye-catching.
“You…”
Zuo Tao piped up preemptively: “You’re not training at the base, you’re running about and fooling around?” As he spoke, he flipped his hoodie over his head, covering his face with his hand as he continued to scold: “Dad is very disappointed in you!”
He took advantage of Song Shihan’s dazed reaction and quickly ran away.
It’s okay. It’s so dark. Song Shihan didn’t see his face.
Besides, what did the pink tyrant have to do with a sweet, well-behaved high school boy!
By the time he arrives at the base tomorrow, he will have engraved the words “good boy” into his very DNA, and Song Shihan will not be able to notice!
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