QTEBS Chapter 4

Hey, guys! I’m sorry for not updating this for a long time ^^’ I forgot about this. Thank you to Beryl_Is_My_God for reminding me~

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At four in the morning, Fu Xin got out of bed. He quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face. After rummaging through his drawer for a long time, he finally found an old five-yuan bill.

It would take him an hour to walk this route. The distance wasn’t far, but his money from part-time jobs was almost gone, so he needed to spend some time collecting plastic bottles to earn some daily spending money.

His backpack was still with Zong Yuan, but he wasn’t in a hurry. No one, neither his classmates nor his teachers, cared whether he finished his homework or not.

Zong Yuan yawned while carrying two backpacks as he followed behind Fu Xin. The sky had not yet brightened, and the air had a slight chill. He watched Fu Xin use a stick to poke around in trash cans and bushes, skillfully flattening bottles and putting them into a plastic bag. “Fu Xin earns his money like this?”

0046 shook his head. “During the summer and winter breaks, he works. On regular days, he’s in class all day, and he has morning and evening self-study sessions. His part-time earnings probably aren’t enough right now.”

“As long as he spends it on himself, it’s fine. What I’m worried about is his irresponsible father taking his hard-earned money.”

Zong Yuan hid behind an electrical pole, unsure of what to say. How does a high school student even manage to support himself?

No money meant going hungry.

He stuffed his hands into his pockets, his lips forming a tight line. Suddenly, he didn’t feel like following anymore. He turned back to the breakfast stall they had passed earlier to buy some food. Then, a thought struck him: “He didn’t have breakfast, did he?”

When Zong Yuan arrived at the classroom with a bag of buns and soy milk, only a few people had trickled in.

Fu Xin hadn’t come yet, probably still out selling plastic bottles. Zong Yuan placed the food on his desk and then laid his head down to nap.

Just as Fu Xin walked through the school gates, he bumped into He Xiu’xiu, who was getting out of a car. She straightened her school uniform, looking at him as if she were bestowing favor, and said, “You’d better stay away from Zong Yuan, or, once the new transfer student finds out how creepy you are, your situation will only get worse.”

Fu Xin thought about what Zong Yuan had said yesterday. He clenched his fist and responded calmly, “No.”

Being talked back to by Fu Xin was an unbearable insult for He Xiuxiu. She watched his back, her expression twisted with rage.

When Fu Xin entered the classroom, the first thing he saw was Zong Yuan slumped over his desk. Fu Xin moved quietly and then he noticed the buns, soy milk, and his backpack on his desk.

Instinctively, he glanced at Zong Yuan, who groggily woke up and looked at him. “You just got here?”

Fu Xin nodded and pointed to the food on the desk. “Is this yours?”

Zong Yuan followed his gaze, frowning. “It’s yours. Eat it before it gets cold.”

Fu Xin touched it one by one, smiling. “It’s still warm. These buns are impressive.”

It felt as if something hit Fu Xin in the heart. He opened and closed his mouth, but no words came out. He didn’t refuse. Instead, he carefully held the buns in his hands, feeling the warmth seep through the plastic bag and into his heart. “Thank you.”

Zong Yuan watched him eat, the aroma of the buns drifting to his nose. Even though he had just eaten, he suddenly felt hungry again. With a thick-skinned smile, he said, “Fu Xin, let me have a bite.”

Fu Xin held the bun up to his mouth. Zong Yuan boldly grabbed his wrist and took a big bite from the same bun Fu Xin had already bitten into, the juicy meat filling spilling out. “Tasty.”

Fu Xin stared blankly as Zong Yuan bit into it. His face flushed slightly and he quickly lowered his head, hiding his embarrassment by finishing the rest of the bun. “You smoked.”

With the bun still in his mouth, Fu Xin had already detected the lingering smell of smoke on it.

Zong Yuan sniffed himself, puzzled. “You can smell that?”

Fu Xin pointed to his mouth and mumbled, “I could smell the smoke from the bite you took.”

Zong Yuan leaned in closer, his prominent nose nearly touching Fu Xin’s cheek. He sniffed and was puzzled. “All I can smell is the meat bun.”

Fu Xin, exasperated, pushed his face away.

Zong Yuan hadn’t woken up this early in a long time. After napping through two classes, he was brimming with energy just in time for gym class.

Zong Yuan was tall and immediately stood out when he took a spot at the back. The gym teacher smiled, “With your height, you must be good at basketball.”

The class had free time to play basketball. There were ten players in total, enough for two teams with no need for substitutes. A large crowd gathered around to watch.

Zong Yuan took off his jacket and, without hesitation, spotted Fu Xin in the crowd. He walked straight over to him, wearing a white T-shirt that barely hid his well-toned physique. “Hold this for me.”

Fu Xin clutched his jacket tightly, his eyes following Zong Yuan’s figure as he jogged off to warm up.

In high school, anyone who wasn’t overweight would get compliments on their figure. But Zong Yuan had muscles honed from actual training, making him even more eye-catching.

He was the brightest star on the court as a forward. Every jump, every shot, every sprint was met with a wave of cheers. Many students blushed, dazzled by the sight of his abs peeking out and the sweat dripping from his forehead.

A classmate from another class sidled up to Fu Xin. “Hey, do you know that handsome guy? Can you give me his contact info?”

Fu Xin furrowed his brow. He glanced at Zong Yuan who was high-fiving his teammates in celebration. He didn’t know why he said this, but the words just came out: “He doesn’t use a phone.”

The girl looked disappointed but wasn’t ready to give up. “Well, does he have a girlfriend?”

Again, as if under some strange impulse, Fu Xin replied, “He’s not planning to date in his senior year.”

The girl walked away, disappointed. Fu Xin’s heart pounded, guilt gnawing at him. Just then, Zong Yuan executed a flawless layup and wiped the sweat from his hair, raising his brows provocatively in Fu Xin’s direction.

A wave of deafening screams erupted around Fu Xin.

Zhang Zhi’liang watched with an expressionless face, his tone cold and laced with disdain. “What’s the point of being good at basketball if you’re bad at studying? Does showing off get you into a good university?”

He muttered to himself, scanning the crowd. The girls who usually blushed when asking him for academic help were now jumping up and down, cheering for Zong Yuan. His face darkened. Then he spotted Fu Xin standing there.

Fu Xin’s eyes followed Zong Yuan’s every move on the court. He could play basketball, but only on a basic level. It had always seemed like just another sport to him, but when Zong Yuan played, his heart raced. Every time Zong Yuan drove toward the basket, Fu Xin couldn’t help but feel worried, and every time he ran, excitement bubbled up inside him.

He hadn’t even noticed Zhang Zhi’liang approaching.

Zhang Zhi’liang glanced at the jacket Fu Xin was holding, his smile fading. “Is that Zong Yuan’s?”

Only then did Fu Xin realize Zhang Zhi’liang was next to him. He felt a bit nervous, gripping the jacket tightly before suddenly relaxing. “Yeah, it’s Zong Yuan’s.”

Zhang Zhi’liang’s expression shifted to one of concern. “Is Zong Yuan hard to get along with?”

Fu Xin shook his head. “No, he’s easy to get along with.”

“Really?” Zhang Zhi’liang’s voice grew softer as if trying to lead him on. “He hasn’t bullied you or just pretended to be nice, has he?”

Fu Xin snapped his head around to stare at him, his dark eyes stopping Zhang Zhi’liang mid-sentence. Zhang Zhi’liang felt strangely uncomfortable, unable to continue. “No, that’s not right?”

“No,” Fu Xin said, his confusion evident, “I’ve already told you twice. He’s really easy to get along with.”

Zong Yuan turned around and saw Fu Xin talking to Zhang Zhi’liang about something. His face darkened and he frowned in displeasure. With a murderous air, he strode over, grabbed Fu Xin’s wrist, and pulled him behind him. “Zhang Zhi’liang, what are you saying to my deskmate?”

0046 was frantically taking screenshots. “So cool! Shut him down! Zhang Zhi’liang must be lying to Fu Xin.”

In the original course of events, Zhang Zhi’liang had subtly manipulated Fu Xin, pushing him into a deep pit. Without a care, Zhang would wipe his hands clean, leaving the person who trusted him completely to suffer.

Zong Yuan’s face was grim as he turned to Fu Xin, his hot breath spilling over Fu Xin. “You weren’t watching me play.”

Fu Xin: “I was watching.”

Zong Yuan frowned, sweat sliding down his cheek. “You were clearly chatting with him.”

Zhang Zhi’liang was secretly pleased. His expression remained upright, even slightly indignant as he urged, “Zong Yuan, you’re overstepping. Fu Xin doesn’t have any obligation to listen to you. You’re disregarding others.”

Without hesitation, Fu Xin nodded and pulled out a tissue to hand to Zong Yuan, a faint hint of flattery in his gesture. “I was wrong.”

Zong Yuan glanced at Zhang Zhi’liang before taking the tissue and, with a restrained nod, said, “I forgive you.” Then, he turned to Zhang Zhi’liang with a dazzling smile. “The class rep is right. Since you’ve said so much, why not join in for a round with us? You wouldn’t want to let me down, would you?”

Zong Yuan had always been a captivating presence. Whether stepping onto the court or casually speaking to Zhang Zhi’liang, his every move drew attention. He was long accustomed to such eyes on him. Zhang Zhi’liang, too, was used to being the center of attention, especially since he had been the most popular student in Class 1 before Zong Yuan arrived. But now, he felt like the gazes around him were filled with mockery and disdain.

Zhang Zhi’liang forced a smile. “You’ve already got enough players. I’ll sit this one out.”

“Come on, it’s easy,” Zong Yuan, never one to back down, waved to his team. Yang Fan hurried over enthusiastically. “Zong Yuan, what’s up?”

Zong Yuan clapped Yang Fan on the shoulder and nodded toward Zhang Zhi’liang. “Our class rep wants to play. Isn’t there someone on the other team who’s low on stamina? Let him rest for a bit.”

Yang Fan thumped his chest confidently. “No problem. Rep, let’s go.”

Zhang Zhi’liang’s smile froze as he reluctantly followed.

Zong Yuan caught a glimpse of Fu Xin opening his mouth, so he raised a long finger and gently pressed it to Fu Xin’s lips. “Shh, don’t speak for him. It’s just basketball—what could happen?”

Zong Yuan’s finger was warm and Fu Xin’s lips intimately brushed against it. Fu Xin gently moved Zong Yuan’s hand away, murmuring, “I wasn’t going to say that.”

Zong Yuan glanced at Zhang Zhi’liang’s timid expression and chuckled coldly. He playfully slapped the back of Fu Xin’s head. “Watch closely. I’m going to destroy him.”

With that, he eagerly headed toward the court, cracking his knuckles as he went.

Once on the court, Zong Yuan twisted his wrist and turned to his four teammates, saying, “If we win this game, I’ll treat you all. Eat and drink whatever you want but I’ve got one condition.”

He grinned like a wolf eyeing its prey, exuding confidence. “Make them cry and call us ‘dad’ when we’re done.”

His teammates were fired up, their adrenaline surging.

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Moonlit: I’ll try and finish this in 4 days, starting this Saturday. That means 10 chapters per day. I can’t work on this tomorrow because I have 3 school works that have deadlines tomorrow, so I’ll be working on that. Although I still have 1 schoolwork to be passed this Monday, I think I can work it out, the 10 chapters per day this weekend ^^’ If that is possible, this will be the schedule for updates: [Saturday: chapters 5-14; Sunday: chapters 15-24; Monday: chapters 25-34; Tuesday: chapters 35-43]