Ch9 - How Childish Are You?

Translator: Callis

Xu Xing wasn enlightened by the pulling of the red string. After Wang Zicong finished using the restroom, he carefully brought Xiao Shun and Wang Zicong along as he followed the red string. The first classroom around the corner on the overpass was Jiang Jize’s classroom.

However, Xu Xing hadn’t expected Lu Che to be standing around in the corridor when he turned the corner.

Jiang Jize’s back was turned towards Xu Xing. When Lu Che saw Xu Xing turn around the corner, he discreetly waved him over.

Xu Xing: “……”

There were three or four meters separating the two. Xu Xing braced himself as he staggered under Lu Che’s gaze. While he was sticking to the classroom’s walls for fear of failing into Lu Che’s arms again, he also couldn’t help but complain that Jiang Jize really was too subpar. Xiao Shun hurried behind him, with Jiang Jize’s back still facing towards them. He was talking and laughing with a long, curly haired girl.

Aside from hating iron for not becoming steel, Xu Xing couldn’t help but pull the red string and forcibly assist in the pair’s encounter — it would be best to let Xiao Shun fall into Jiang Jize’s arms and for Jiang Jize to inadvertently understand the other’s feelings.

Xu Xing had just been holding onto the red string between Xiao Shun and Jiang Jize, reeling it in as he was walking. Now, the string between the two was a straight line. He would only need to pull slightly harder to unbalance Xiao Shun and make him fall into Jiang Jize’s arms — just as he had repeatedly fallen into Lu Che’s embrace when he stood outside the classroom that day.

Xu Xing felt that his plan was very thorough. When he got a little closer, he tugged on Jiang Jize’s end without batting an eyelash. As he expected, Jiang Jize turned involuntarily under the red string’s influence.

A broad chest turned towards the center of the corridor as his arms fell open, as if to welcome Xiao Shun.

Xu Xing saw the perfect opportunity; he swung his arms around, looking as if he had carelessly pulled his arms behind his back. At the same time, both ends of the red string were pulled closer towards the center.

Unfortunately —

Xu Xing’s actions only merited an absent-minded glance from Jiang Jize towards Xiao Shun. Additionally, Xiao Shun hadn’t dared to raise his head since they had stepped into the corridor and directly missed the chance to make eye contact with Jiang Jize.

Undefeated, Xu Xing wound the red string around his wrist and fiercely tugged again. However, there weren’t any changes in where Jiang Jize and Xiao Shun stood.

Xu Xing was stupefied. He had tested it twice; when he tugged the first time, the red string had still emitted a faint glow. Later, however, the red string didn’t feel like reacting.

Xu Xing’s plan had been thoroughly ruined. When they walked in front of Jiang Jize, he was still teasing the girl beside him, who coincidentally gave a shy laugh. At the same time, it was like a fierce, cold wind scraping at Xiao Shun’s ears. His head dropped even lower, and his steps quickened. He only wanted to escape as quickly as he could.

Xu Xing was outraged on Xiao Shun’s behalf. He glanced at Jiang Jize, who was now behind him. Suddenly, he was smacked atop his head by a rolled up exam paper.

It was very light and didn’t hurt.

However, Xu Xing furrowed his brows. When he turned, he saw Lu Che take a step forward and just so happen to completely conceal Jiang Jize behind him. Lu Che had a casual smile on his face and spoke with a magnetic voice that captured his ears with biting words: “Class Monitor, have you handed in your homework?”

Xu Xing: “What homework?”

Lu Che: “Physics.”

Once Xu Xing heard this, he didn’t want to do it: “When did you select the student number? Didn’t you just choose number 7 yesterday?”

The physics teacher had mentioned in class that a random portion of the class’s homework would be checked on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. It also included after-class exercises, the daily questions copied from the blackboard, and the pre and post exam papers.

The random checks were done by number. For instance, the students checked on Monday were those whose numbers had a 2 or 7 in the ones place. Xu Xing, who was number 37, had been selected on the very first time. At the time, he hadn’t thought much about it. Now, he had realized in hindsight — though it was the teachers who set the rules for number selection, which numbers went on which day was dependent on the class representative!

Lu Che curved his lips slightly and calmly spoke: “I just decided that today’s numbers are 3 and 7, the main reason being seeing that you’re too leisurely. I really urge you to study.”

Xu Xing: “……”

He had just come out of the computer lab after finishing English class, and had only gone to the restroom. He had just been preparing to return to the classroom when Lu Che had seen him so idle?!

Xu Xing was furious, but he also couldn’t act shamelessly in front of Lu Che. He could only angrily say: “You’re using your public position to settle private matters!”

Lu Che’s lips quirked up into a smile, and knowingly asked: “What animosity is there between us, Class Monitor?”

Xu Xing: “……”

It was his fault again for bringing up this matter; Xu Xing was speechless.

Lu Che didn’t linger on the issue of a “private matter” and said: “Class Monitor, did you think that you could slack off during these few days and not work just because you were checked on Monday? You can’t be like this. I’ll continue to do random checks on you in the future. I urge you to study hard.”

Lu Che was full of earnestly serious nonsense, but his words were quite reasonable. There was nothing he could do but ignore Lu Che. He swallowed his pent-up grievances. He was no longer in the mood to worry about the matters between Xiao Shun and Jiang Jize again. He could only resign himself and return to the classroom and complete his work with a sigh.

Xu Xing wasn’t a lazy person who didn’t do his work; the important thing was the each class was arduous. He could only divide his time reasonably to ensure that he would complete it before the class’s teacher evaluated it.

He doodled on scrap paper with the tip of his pen.

Troubled, Xu Xing scratched his chin. As soon as he raised his head, he saw Lu Che stride toward the platform with long legs. He picked up a piece of chalk and wrote in a few powerful, unrestrained strokes — Random Physics Homework Check: 3 and 7, please turn it in before school is dismissed.

Xu Xing glared unhappily at Lu Che as he was coming down from the platform. The hated party didn’t look at him at all. He could only hatefully go back to writing.

Fortunately, it was the beginning of the semester, and there hadn’t been many exercises and papers piled up. Additionally, he could run back to the classroom to finish his work during fourth-period PE. He could definitely finish it before school was over.

When Lu Che passed by Xu Xing’s seat, there was finally a crack in the rigid expression on Lu Che’s handsome face. He couldn’t help but look down at Xu Xing — the curtain on the west end of the classroom hadn’t been pulled tight. The setting sun peeked through the gaps in the curtain, spilling over into the classroom. A golden ray of light had fallen on the side of Xu Xing’s face.

Lu Che stole another glance, and then suddenly, inexplicably reached out and placed his chalk-stained finger against Xu Xing’s smooth, pale face —

And swiped lightly.

“……”

Having suddenly been the subject of Lu Che’s joke, Xu Xing’s anger flared immediately and goosebumps erupted all over his body. He twisted his body to avoid the other, and raised his head, startled: “What are you doing?!”

Xu Xing’s eyes were opened very, very wide —

Why had he suddenly touched his face?!

Such a ‘gay’ action must be reported!

Even Lu Che stared blankly.

The cool, soft feel of Xu Xing’s cheek under his fingertip was like a little feather tickling his heart.

Lu Che’s fingers clenched into a fist and hung down beside him, trying to prolong the sensation in the depths of his heart. On the surface, he had his usual unconcerned smile, saying: “Class Monitor, your thoughts aren’t very pure. I’m not you, what do you think I’m doing?”

Xu Xing: “……”

Xu Xing had been blocked and there was nothing he could say. He had been woken up by Lu Che’s words — it couldn’t be that Lu Che’s actions had also been influenced by the red string?

Xu Xing that this guess was very possible. He glanced at Lu Che suspiciously. After all, he hadn’t fallen in Lu Che’s embrace in the past two days. It could be that the effects of the red string had fallen to Lu Che.

Xu Xing wiped his face with the back of his hand, rubbing a bit of pink chalk off. He stared at the back of his hand; his mood had become a little complicated. He thought that it was probably because of Lu Che’s joke.

He had no choice but to reflect on himself: Had he been too sensitive recently?

Xu Xing sighed imperceptibly. He pretended to have nothing to say and glanced at Lu Che. He was unhappy: “How childish are you?”

Compared to the shock in his tone when he interrogated Lu Che with a “what are you doing?!”, it became a bit more soft and tender after he calmed down.

Lu Che smiled slightly. He wasn’t ashamed, but proud. He placed his hands in his pockets and said unpleasantly: “Class Monitor, you have to do your assignments yourself. If you see something you’re not sure about, you can come ask me, only I won’t give you a lecture.”

“……”

Xu Xing fumbled and pulled out a pair of earphones from underneath the table. Before he stuffed them into his ears, he compulsively checked the left and right side. After he put them in, he opened a music player on his cell phone, the whole world instantly calming. His intentions for Lu Che to “quickly scram” was evident.

Lu Che didn’t nag either. He returned to his seat, picked up a ballpoint pen, and held it between his index and middle fingers. The pen instantly spun around his long, slender finger without slipping or falling.

Lu Che leaned against the wall; the battle on the basketball court was fierce and the sound of cheers resounded through the air, yet he didn’t feel like watching.

In his position, only a quarter of Xu Xing’s face could be seen. Xu Xing was holding his forehead in one hand, his cheek fair and clear, and his well-shaped ear was set aglow by the mottled sunlight. His ears were pale and rosy, rimmed with gold……

Lu Che stared distractedly for a moment, his eyebrows slowly furrowing together. He thought that this train of thought was very dangerous……

Lu Che was entranced when he saw Xu Xing turn around with narrowed eyes. He glanced at the un-drawn curtains with his brows slightly furrowed. Then he used the back of his hand to block the bright sunlight and bowed his head to work on his scrap paper.

The pen in Lu Che’s hand stopped, and he extended his leg to kick the seat of the male student in front of him. When the other turned around, Lu Che spoke with a lowered voice: “Draw the curtains in front of you shut.”

Late update! But tbh the chalk scene is one of my favorite (●♡∀♡)