The pace of the story is kinda getting me, so I’ll be uploading everyday until the next plot point is getting interesting (for me, at least~)
Shao Ming stayed still for a while, waiting until Zhu Tong was completely asleep. Then, he boldly turned over, put his hand through the neck of the person beside him, and moved his head until it rested against his shoulder, so Zhu Tong could relax while almost lying on top of himself.
Zhu Tong slept soundly, only giving out a soft snort when he was flipped over. He soon relaxed again.
Shao Ming finally put the smaller youth in place and felt his touch, as his head finally burrowed into the crook of his neck.
The smell of fresh, light shampoo lingered into his nostrils, alongside a hint of… some kind of disinfecting agent. That smell always presents in Zhu Tong’s body, despite him not using it.
It’s a little weird, but inexplicably addicting all the same.
Shao Ming subconsciously reached out and twirled a strand of soft hair in his fingertip. But there was no focus in his eyes.
Because of Zhu Tong’s “one year” reply, he was determined to keep a distance from Zhu Tong.
Because it’s not the way.
The place Zhu Tong was destined to go to was the place he never wanted to go. Rather than establish a connection and then disconnect it in the future, it would be better not to have a connection in the first place.
But things always get out of control again and again. He kept approaching him, being attracted to him, falling in love with him… despite logic dictates otherwise.
If Zhu Tong is destined to stay in this place for only one year, then he…
Shao Ming didn’t think about it any more. He lowered his head and lightly nuzzled the top of the youth’s hair, his voice was scratchy yet soft. “Good night,” he mumbled.
–
Two days later, Zhu Tong returned to school after recovering from his injury. As soon as he entered the classroom, he received warm, caring and grand greetings from the whole class – an exciting choir rendition of “Tunnel Warfare”.
He hadn’t seen them for two days. Before he asked for leave, their voices were akin to a chorus of demons. But now, it was quite neat and pleasantly rhythmic.
“This is all the credit of Lao Er. You didn’t see Lao Er standing on the stage to be the conductor, and listened to them sing once. Tsk, can you imagine his face when he showed his distaste?”
“You still have the nerve to say that when you’re the one Lu Lao’er dislikes the most, okay? I’ve told you that you didn’t sing properly during the first line of the song, yet you keep singing the wrong thing again and again. If you can heave, then you can sing the ‘hey’ properly, right?!”
Luo Suo was scolded by the class monitor as soon as he showed off.
Judging from Tang Nuan’s exasperated appearance, her ears should have been damaged a lot these past two days.
Luo Suo was not embarrassed despite getting scolded like this. Instead, he confidently said, “Hum! We are still young, why don’t we make a mistake? I promise you, Class Monitor, I will sing well during the choir competition. I will never let our class lose face!”
Tang Nuan was convinced enough and said with a proud face, “That’s more like it.”
After saying that, she turned her head again. “By the way, Zhu Tong…”
But as she trailed off, she suddenly felt that something was wrong.
There’s no Zhu Tong behind her.
She glanced at the familiar desk covers, and then at the person in that seat. She tilted her head to look at the seat next to that, and said in surprise, “Since when did you two change seats?”
Zhu Tong was now sitting by the window.
And in his seat was Shao Ming.
In view of the fact that after Zhu Tong returned to the classroom, there were many people who came to greet him, trying to coax him into letting them copy his homeworks. Seeing Zhu Tong coming back was like seeing their own father, and they almost cried while hugging his legs.
Shao Ming was worried that these freshly-baked “sons” would be disobedient and unfilial – in order to copy Zhu Tong’s homework, they might accidentally touch Zhu Tong’s newly-scabbed wounds. So he switched their seats as he also acted as his deskmate’s personal Door God.
After changing seats, it became much more peaceful.
Suddenly asked by the class monitor, just as Zhu Tong was about to speak, Shao Ming had already spoken, “Eh, just a whim of mine. I want to breathe the air near the aisle.”
Tang Nuan: “…”
‘I think it’s more accurate that you want to breathe the air on Zhu Tong’s seat.’
Tang Nuan glanced at Zhu Tong, and seeing that he didn’t retort his claim, she didn’t ask any more questions. She directly said, “How is your recitation? How about practice with us for once?”
“No need, we…”
Shao Ming thought that Zhu Tong was not suitable for reciting aloud right now, and was about to refuse. But then, his hand hanging by Zhu Tong’s side was suddenly pulled, then the smaller youth interrupted him. “No problem, Class Monitor.”
His absence from class has already delayed his practice. Even if the recitation and the choir are separate, he still had to practice together.
“…”
Shao Ming looked down at the hand that he was being held. He stared at it.
Zhu Tong: “!”
He also looked down, and subconsciously shrugged it off.
Shao Ming tightened his grip to prevent him from moving it away.
Tang Nuan had already begun to “compare and contrast” because of their different answers. She looked at Shao Ming and said, “Can you learn from your fellow classmates and have a little sense of class honor?”
Shao Ming squeezed Zhu Tong’s hand and nodded happily. “Alright, I’ll correct my conduct next time.”
Tang Nuan directly gave him an eyeroll.
Doesn’t she know this person’s temperament? Courageous enough to admit mistakes and determined not to change!
In contrast, Zhu Tong was really heaven-sent.
But still, Zhu Tong at the very least was able to mobilize Shao Ming’s enthusiasm so quickly. You must know that Shao Ming never participated in any activities in the school before.
Then, considering this fact, should she be relieved instead?
Shaking her head with emotion, Class Monitor Tang turned her head back.
As soon as she “left”, Zhu Tong immediately drew the attention back to their intertwined hand. “What are you holding me for?”
Shao Ming backtracked without changing his expression, “Weren’t you the one who grabbed me first?”
Zhu Tong: “…”
He did that to interrupt Shao Ming’s words!
But it’s Shao Ming who didn’t let go, ah.
As he became confused, there was a “crunch” sound next to him, and a potato chip was shattered in Luo Suo’s mouth.
It was unknown where Luo Suo pulled that bag of chips from. He casually put another chip into his mouth as he watched their clasped hands.
Zhu Tong lowered his head along his line of sight, but couldn’t shake Shao Ming’s grip. He explained nervously, “We are…”
Luo Suo calmly said, “Ah, it’s okay, you continue. I know the relationship between the two of you. No need to mind me.”
He has good teeth and was not afraid of dog food.
Zhu Tong didn’t expect such a reply. “What is the relationship between us?”
They just have an ordinary roommate relationship.
Luo Suo was stunned. He looked at Shao Ming – still with a calm expression – lowered his voice and said euphemistically, “The kind of relationship that has the two of you sleeping in the same bed? It’s okay, Ming-ge has told me.”
He was the first and only one who knew that Ming-ge was in love. Truly, he was indeed Ming-ge’s best friend!
Luo Suo was vaguely complacent.
Zhu Tong was confused. He didn’t expect that Shao Ming had even told other people about them sleeping together. He said, “It’s because of me we slept in the same bed… I wasn’t feeling well, and he wants to take care of me…”
“I know,” Luo Suo said perfunctorily, “I understand.”
Injured and inconvenient to move, Zhu Tong needs someone to take care of his daily life. Also, Luo Suo knew things that a young couple should do occasionally.
Zhu Tong: “…”
Well, Luo Suo did know about his injury.
But he always felt that what Luo Suo understood was different from what he wanted others to understand.
Before he could explain, Luo Suo was kicked by Shao Ming, “Since you already know the details, just get out of here.”
Luo Suo clicked his tongue again. “Forgetting friends because you now have a bo—”
Before he finished speaking, before Shao Ming lifted his foot again, he quickly ran away.
Zhu Tong was still confused. After Luo Suo returned to his seat, he looked at Shao Ming again.
Shao Ming coughed and said, “It’s just the wind that makes him that way. Ignore him… How is your back?”
Zhu Tong was immediately distracted. He shook his head and replied, “It’s okay, it’s almost healed.”
Shao Ming asked, “Is it okay to speak loudly?”
Zhu Tong’s injury was on his back near his lungs. Every time he took a deep breath, his injured back muscles would hurt.
Knowing that he was worried, Zhu Tong smiled. “It’s really getting better. Didn’t the doctor say it’s okay too?”
The wound healed so well that no further medicine was needed.
Shao Ming was still wary. But he compromised, “Alright then, I allow you to practice with them twice in the afternoon.”
Zhu Tong couldn’t help but smile, and was about to ask about what kind of relationship they had, and why he still needed Shao Ming’s permission to practice; when he abruptly thought of what Luo Suo had just said. All of sudden, his face became slightly hot, and he couldn’t say anything.
He sat up stiffly, “Hands… let go, I have to practice the mock exam questions.”
“…”
Shao Ming lowered his head and glanced at their still-clasped hands. His lips raised, and he gave it one last squeeze before releasing his grip.
As soon as he broke free, Zhu Tong quickly retracted his hand, only to feel that the place where Shao Ming grabbed was burning hot.
In the chorus practice in the afternoon, the recitation and the chorus went smoothly.
A few days later, the choir competition took place in the school auditorium.
The students in Class 3 still put on their new class uniforms and stood neatly on the stage as they wished.
The recitation before the chorus was exactly as Tang Nuan had expected. As soon as the two “Class 3 Platoons1Shao Ming and Zhu Tong” came on stage, they caused quite a stir in the audience.
However, the judging teachers were ruthless and unmoved by the handsome platoons. In the end, thanks to their singing they managed to get third place.
The time for Zhu Tong to go back was set for the weekend, and Shao Ming took him to the E City airport.
Before boarding the plane, Shao Ming said to him, “I’ll tell you a secret when you come back.”
Zhu Tong asked curiously, “What secret? Can’t you tell me now?”
Shao Ming raised his eyebrows and said, “That won’t work. I can’t tell you now. If you want to know, come back sooner.”
Zhu Tong: “…”
He went back for a medical examination, it really won’t take long.
He wanted to say something. However, Uncle Liu has already urged him at the ticket gate.
Zhu Tong was helpless, so he could only suppress his curiosity and say goodbye to him.
Shao Ming watched him disappear into the gate before turning and leaving with a smile.
Before the young master comes back, there is something he has to prepare.
A City, Zhu family’s Villa.
Zhu Shoushan, who had not returned home for a long time, went back to the villa today. Before Qin Manwen had time to be pleasantly surprised, she saw a young and beautiful woman walking through the door with Zhu Shoushan.
The woman was wearing a one-shoulder knee-length dress, carrying a simple handbag, and gracefully stepped into the door of Zhu family’s villa.
Qin Manwen knew her.
The youngest head of the Jiang Conglomerate, Jiang Wan.
How could she come here?
The author has something to say:
Start dealing with scumbags.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, Tongtong will be enlightened soon~
