DPPM Chapter 58.1 – Response (1)

|| “Are you still willing to be with me?”

However, there are only 6 classes in the 2nd year of high school.

So Song Yan and Xia Zhiye did not escape the legal net in the end, and were arrested and brought to justice together with the hot pot.

When Ruan Tian received the news and had to claim them, she saw two stinky brats huddled in the warm security room, with their long legs obediently sitting face to face in front of the little table.

And in the middle of that little table, there stood a steaming hotpot, red soup sizzling with oil, its fragrant aroma filling the room. 

Light snow fell outside the window, while the two youths were enjoying a hot meal, each holding a small bowl. Between all the mist they were chowing down in full enjoyment. 

‘You two are quite good at enjoying yourself.’ Ruan Tian inwardly commented. She can guess that it must be Xia Zhiye, that sweet-tongued criminal, who was arrested and tricked this group of simple and honest security guards with his cloying sophistry. 

Sure enough, before she pushed the door of the security room open, she saw the security uncle give a cup of warm water to Song Yan with an amicable smile. “Come on, drink some water. You northern folks probably aren’t used to Nanwu’s preferred spice level right? Don’t burn your tongue.” 

Song Yan really couldn’t stand the heat. This spicy soup base Xia Zhiye got for him was the mildest, but his lips were already swollen red. But the buttery hotpot was too delicious – once he took a bite, he couldn’t stop even if it meant he had to sweat and gasp. He thanked the security uncle who gave him the water cup, then quickly took it and gulped it down. “Thank you, Uncle.” 

The security uncle also heard about the afternoon’s commotion, so he had a gist of what happened. Plus, he listened to Xia Zhiye, who embellished the tale about how Song Yan was framed and was forced to leave his hometown in Beijing to Nanwu alone. About how his father didn’t care about his mother, and how heartbroken he was. He even spun the sob story about Song Yan wanting to eat hotpot during this cold night. 

That’s why when the uncle saw Song Yan, he saw the youth through a filter of sympathy, like he was a little cabbage yellowing in a field – facing hardships until it changed him. 

He saw that the youth was handsome and polite, looking well-behaved with a tinge of melancholy. He remembered the vicious words uttered by another student he heard on the broadcast, and it incited his paternal love towards this student. “It’s okay now. Drink and eat slowly, and don’t choke. I’ll help you explain the situation to your teacher.” 

Ruan Tian was worried that the two would be scolded by the security guard, but instead, it was  the security guard who wanted to intercede for them. She felt both irked yet amused. 

Pushing open the door, she smiled somewhat embarrassedly at the security uncles and said, “I’m sorry for troubling you.”

The security uncle waved his hand generously. “No trouble, this student is just famished, no big deal. Plus, these two are very sensible, they even helped me fix my mobile phone. Very considerate of them. Let’s not scold them any further, yeah? Also, you two should go with your teacher after eating, don’t repeat this again in the future, do you hear me?!” 

The two nodded and said in unison: “I hear you.”

Ruan Tian couldn’t see their usual cool and cold demeanor at all. 

Forget Xia Zhiye, Song Yan was such a cool and distant boy, why is he being led astray?

She was rather puzzled. 

So she simply gave up in the end. She moved over another small stool and sat down next to them, joining to eat the hotpot. After they finished, she helped them with the cleaning up process. 

On Sunday night, there was no one on the campus as the light snow gently fluttered down. This small group of three – one teacher and two students – walked slowly under the dim street lights, hands tucked inside their pockets. 

Ruan Tian didn’t even bother to look back and sarcastically huffed: “Hm? Didn’t someone say that they wanted to go back and practice their spoken English?”

Song Yan: “…”

“Also, didn’t someone tell their accompanying teacher that there was something at his home, so he has to go back earlier and can’t attend the celebration banquet. I wonder why he came here to deliver food?” 

Xia Zhiye: “…”

“Ah?” Ruan Tian stopped in place and turned around. She looked at them with a rather fierce expression. “What? You think you can fool this teacher of yours?” 

Ruan Tian, ​​who has always been gentle and well-spoken, has rarely been this serious and stern.

Song Yan’s breath hitched, his heart tightened instantly, and he unknowingly tightened his clench. He feared that Ruan Tian would pierce his secret in the next second. 

And what if Ruan Tian really knew his secret? 

He must deny everything. 

But, he didn’t want to lie about his feelings and intentions towards Xia Zhiye or towards his own self. 

–If he admitted it, his relationship with Xia Zhiye is not the same as ordinary puppy love. And if things get out of hand…

Not true. 

He and Xia Zhiye have not officially started their “puppy love” yet.

So, doesn’t this mean that his budding relationship with Xia Zhiye will be strangled before it could bloom? 

If this is the case, what will Xia Zhiye do, will he still like himself? Will he feel the pressure is too much and give up? Probably not, and neither will he…

So are they going to admit it outright? Is this okay? Will it have any adverse effects on Xia Zhiye?

As Song Yan’s mind wandered aimlessly, Ruan Tian angrily said the next sentence: “You just want to secretly eat hotpot behind Laoshi’s back!” 

Song Yan: “.”

Ruan Tian was very angry. “If you want to eat hotpot, just tell me! Laoshi can take you to eat! Do you know how bad the teacher’s cafeteria is! Nothing there is delicious! I can’t eat until I’m satisfied!” 

Looking at the angry Ruan Tian in front of him, Xia Zhiye and Song Yan realized that their class teacher, who was under 25 years old, was indeed very innocent.

Xia Zhiye: “…”

Song Yan: “…”

“We’re sorry, Laoshi.” 

“Forget it.” Ruan Tian said angrily, “I’ll forgive you this time. But for tomorrow, Xia Zhiye, you go back to the class for me. Song Yan, you prepare well for the next competition. After the competition is finished two days from now, Laoshi will invite you to eat hotpot again, you hear me?” 

After she finished speaking, she glared at Xia Zhiye. “Especially you, you are not allowed to skip classes tomorrow or the day after tomorrow! Don’t think that you can be exempted because you won a gold medal, but…” 

Ruan Tian hesitated for a moment before finishing what she wanted to say, “But I can give you a fake notice of absence for tonight’s self-study. You can come as a student representative and give Song Yan a congratulatory flower or something.”

Song Yan imagined that scene and immediately had a headache. “No need to give me flowers.” 

“Why not? Your placement is at least the top 3, don’t you deserve to be given a flower?” Ruan Tian righteously said.

Next to him, Xia Zhiye seemed to be thinking of something. His eyes flashed and his smile was rather telling that he came up with a bad idea. “I agree with Tian-mei, I also think that flowers must be given. Don’t worry, leave this matter to me.” 

Ruan Tian nodded with satisfaction. “Alright then. Song Yan, you can send Xia Zhiye to the school gate, I have to go back to prepare for tomorrow’s PPT.”

“Okay, goodbye Tian-mei.”

Xia Zhiye stuck one hand in his coat pocket, waved his arm with the other hand, his cheeky eye-smile could no longer be hidden at all.

Song Yan gave him a vigilant glare. “Don’t make trouble.”

Xia Zhiye slung his arms around Song Yan’s shoulders, then said with a smile, “Don’t worry, your Ye-gege is the most reliable man in the world. I will never cause trouble.” 

‘Heh, as if I believe in you.’

Song Yan didn’t bother to pay any attention to him. He put his hands in his pockets, and continued to walk towards the school gate expressionlessly. He might not say anything, but he let Xia Zhiye blab out his heart’s content near his ears, laughing as his arms’ grip on him got tighter. 

It wasn’t until Xia Zhiye tilted his head and coughed twice that Song Yan looked back. He wanted to ask Xia Zhiye if he had a cold, but his gaze met Xia Zhiye’s naked neck. 

A snowflake kissed the other youth’s Adam’s apple. As it touched the warm skin, it melted away. 

It’s no wonder Xia Zhiye coughed. 

Song Yan’s tone suddenly became cold. “Can’t pull up your zipper?”

Xia Zhiye relied on his youth and good health, so he was used to being reckless like this. “If I pull my zipper up to the top, it won’t look good.” 

‘Who do you want to see your good looks!’ 

Song Yan originally wanted to say this, but he felt that sentence made him sound jealous, so he replaced it with a cold question instead, “Then you can’t wear a scarf?”

Xia Zhiye has been able to detect Song Yan’s gentle care from his cold words. He smiled and hugged Song Yan, then casually said, “I don’t have a scarf. Why, do you want to buy me one?” 

Xia Zhiye turned his head to look at Song Yan with slightly arched eyebrows and a teasing tone. 

In his thoughts, since it would be Christmas’ Eve in two days – also his own birthday – he immediately had an idea of trying to squirrel out a present from Song Yan. If he succeeded in that, he would be satisfied. 

However, when these words fell into Song Yan’s ears, his heart suddenly softened.

‘Xia Zhiye went here on his own, so he must have bought his ticket by himself. That airfare ticket must’ve cost a lot of money.’ 

‘And this person also didn’t have enough money to buy his own scarf, but he still wanted to deliver a hotpot for me… Really a loser.’ 

Thinking of this, Song Yan retracted his gaze. He hummed as he lowered his sight, long eyelash fluttering. 

Xia Zhiye was stunned at first – how could Song Yan be so agreeable? But then, he realized. In Song Yan’s eyes, he might just be helping the poor. 

Well, if he wanted to do targeted poverty alleviation, then so be it. 

Anyway, it’s Song Yan’s own money, and if he rounds it up, it’s still a present bought by Song Yan. 

“But…”

Xia Zhiye stopped when he reached the school gate.

Song Yan also stopped and looked back at him. “What’s wrong?”

“I think I remember someone promising me an answer when I came back. Now, may I collect your answer, Classmate Song Yan?” 

Xia Zhiye looked down at him, the smile in his eyes was softer than that of the streetlights behind him. As the dim lights hit the tail of his eyes, his alluring gaze could equal that of a seductive Hulijing¹Fox spirit/demon. Famous for its seduction powers..

Song Yan was stunned by Xia Zhiye’s smile, causing his mind to go blank. He opened his mouth and was about to say something when a loud voice came from the door, “Who are those two! If you’re going to leave the school, then hurry up! We’re going to switch shifts soon!” 

That shout instantly made Song Yan snap out of his dazed look. He remembered that he didn’t bring his Little Prince watch he bought for Xia Zhiye, so he couldn’t give his answer like this – the occasion is not right. 

So he looked away into the distance in a hurry, pretending not to care. “Anyway, you will know in two days.”

His tone was very haughty. 

But his darting eyes said that he’s very bothered. 

Xia Zhiye knew that it would be his birthday in two days’ time, so this means that Song Yan must’ve prepared a surprise for him. 

It seems that his family’s little Sago palm is really about to bloom.

Well, all he needs to do now is wait for the Sago palm to produce its flower. He’ll see it by himself. 

Xia Zhiye replied with a smile. “Okay, then I’ll wait for two more days, but I’ll give you this first.”

Song Yan looked at Xia Zhiye and pulled out a long, red satin ribbon out of nowhere, stunning him for a moment. Then, he remembered that this was the decoration on the package of the hotpot takeaway. “You’re giving me this first? For what?” 

“Well, for example, you can use it if you want to give yourself to me as my birthday present. You can tie this into a big bow on your body.” 

As he said that, Xia Zhiye really wrapped the red satin ribbon around Song Yan’s neck, as if he was just trying to wrap his gift on the spot. 

Song Yan looked at the flexible white fingers skillfully tie the butter-scented red ribbon. He took a deep breath, then directly kicked Xia Zhiye out in the open, outside the school’s gate. 

“Xia! Zhi! Ye! Get the fuck out of here!!” 

Just now, he was emotionally moved by Xia Zhiye’s generosity and sacrifice. His emotions were brought up into high joys but also hit by incredulity. But thanks to that, his anger during the day has completely dissipated.

It’s as if some people, no matter how much they jump up and down, are nothing more than clowns who don’t even deserve to be named in his life. 

And on the other hand, there are people whose simple smile, or his meal, or even just a distant glance over a tall fence can bring joy into his world. 

Therefore in his life, he needed to sort them out – ignore the former, and cherish the latter. 

When he returned to the dormitory, he took out the watch box from his school bag. His fingertips slowly traced the pattern of the Little Prince. In his heart, he hoped that December 24th in Nanwu would have good weather. 

---

Unfortunately, it snowed heavily on the night of the 23rd.

But fortunately, the next two days of the competition went well.

Song Yan performed very well without any surprise, even if the results have not been announced, everyone had already known that he would place first. 

At the end of the game, Ruan Tian rushed into the backstage first, hugged him, and screamed in awe, “Song Yan! You are so amazing! Laoshi knew that I was not mistaken about you! Your first place is well deserved!” 

Although he was moved, Song Yan was still a little embarrassed by the people coming and going around them. After he stiffly pushed Ruan Tian away, he began to look around as if to search for someone in the crowd.

Ruan Tian saw Song Yan’s odd behavior at a glance. “Okay, no need to look for him. Your good brother Xia Zhiye was ordered by me not to leave the school if he didn’t finish his homework. At his speed, he should finish it at about 8 o’clock. He’ll be just in time for the awards ceremony at 8:30 later.”

Song Yan, whose mind was seen clearly, looked away. Then he awkwardly replied, “I wasn’t looking for him.” 

At this time, however, someone called out, “Song Yan! Someone is looking for you at the school gate! Come over quickly!”

Song Yan immediately raised his head. “Well, I’ll go over right away.”

After he finished speaking, he picked up the coat on the chair and ran out of the door, as if he couldn’t bear to see the other party just a second late. 

Winter nights always come very early. It’s almost 8 PM, but the sky was completely dark.

Unbeknownst to him, the snowfall was getting heavier. The sky was covered by a large expanse of ink-like cloud. The snowflakes were swept by the cold wind, blowing a couple of fractals onto Song Yan’s collar, giving him a jolt of cold from time to time. As he inhale during his run, the sharp coldness scraped his nasal cavity and made it ache. 

But Song Yan never slowed down his pace.

In fact, Song Yan himself didn’t know what he was running for. He clearly knew that Xia Zhiye would definitely come, and it would be within an hour and a half, but he vaguely seemed to be expecting Xia Zhiye to secretly prepare something that deserved a beating – which was quite touching. He must’ve prepared a little surprise, so he didn’t want to delay for a second.

However, it was not Xia Zhiye who was waiting for him at the end.

When he finally ran to the school gate out of breath, what he saw was the familiar Maybach with Beijing’s license plate, parked outside the school gate. Song Yan instantly curbed out his teenage excitement and stopped in place. 

This is Song Minghai’s commonly used car in Nanwu.

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  Fox spirit/demon. Famous for its seduction powers.