Chapter 2 (2/2)
“I already saw it.” He smiled slyly.
“What. What’s there to see.” When He Luo said this, it made feel incredibly guilty. The pages were filled entirely of bodies, side profiles, long legs. Can he see that it was him?
“What kind of comic books do you read? Your drawing looks like the comic Cipher.” He said, “I’ve only read a few girl’s comics, the lines drawn are very clean but the plot is too slow.”
“Yeah, yeah, it’s Cipher. Don’t tell anyone else.” He Luo swiftly put away those papers. Even though this boy who paraded himself as someone with an IQ of 140 couldn’t tell, it didn’t mean others couldn’t. A person would be most unaware of his or her own unique facial characteristics.
“I have never told anyone that you’ve daydreamed in cla.s.s several times.” Zhang Yuan spread open his palms, as if she was some kind of repeat criminal offender.
“Yes, yes, you have my back. But today I didn’t bring my biscuits.”
“Lend me your Popsoft!”
“I don’t have it.”
“Why not?”
“I’ve already cleared all the levels.”
“There were a lot of story branches! You’ve already finished them?” Zhang Yuan replied bitterly. “Ay, it’s already sold out in the kiosk outside school. The sales this period is particularly good. Please lend me.”
“En, okay then. I’ll call him at night.”
“Thanks! I’ll treat you to iced black tea.” Zhang Yuan waited for her to pack up.
“No. Yoghurt.”
“Why? Black tea eases the thirst.”
“Yoghurt helps with digestion.” He Luo insisted and added, “My mom said.”
“En, true. You eat so many snacks after all.” Zhang Yuan snickered.
*
“Luo Luo, come and eat!” Mom shouted. “You’ve been flipping non-stop since you came back, why don’t you come and help me with setting the table.”
“Oh, oh!” He Luo answered. But she still didn’t stop her hands from searching the shelf.
“What are you looking for, what did you lose?” Dad walked over, newspaper in hand. “Go and wash your hands. You’re causing the dust to fly everywhere.”
“Dad, where’s my Cipher?”
“Ci… isn’t that a shoe? Are you looking for a book to read?” Dad sighed and put down the newspaper. He took out a thin book from the shelf. “Fortunately you didn’t study humanities. Here. A Tale of Two Cities, one of English novelist Charles d.i.c.kens’ representative works.” [Cipher and A Tale of Two Cities sound similar.]
“Aiya, I know the background of A Tale of Two Cities is Paris and London. It’s about a n.o.ble man who sacrificed for love.” He Luo nudged her father aside. “Come, come, don’t block the shelf. I’m looking for a set of comic books.”
“I’ve already tossed all your comic books in the balcony.” Dad frowned. “How old are you already? You’re still reading comic books.”
“Dear G.o.d, they’re my babies.” He Luo sighed and headed straight for the balcony.
“Wear a coat, it’s cold outside!” Mom peeked her head from inside the kitchen. “This girl, still reading comic books. She’s forever refusing to grow up.”
“It’s also okay if she doesn’t grow up.” Dad whispered to Mom. “Her first reaction upon hearing A Tale of Two Cities is to call it a n.o.ble love story.”
“Isn’t that true?” Mom knocked Dad’s forehead with the spatula she was holding. “Only you would see it as a reflection of the magnificent French Revolution. The two of us are only ordinary folks, we’re not top students studying history.”
Dad laughed but not without some worry. “Lately, hasn’t there been phone calls to Luo Luo from a boy? Once they talk, they would talk for a good half hour.”
“It’s not Luo Luo who is the one calling. What are you worried about? I believe in our daughter.”
“Yes, yes. The two of you are always gossiping behind my back.” Dad felt a little desolate. Whenever he watched the news channel, they would choose that time to hide in the study to happily chat with each other. They were obviously taking advantage of him not being around and strike him out of the family discussion.
“The boy is He Luo’s former cla.s.smate, he stayed in humanities stream.” Mom took a taste test of the braised beef soup. “If Luo Luo has any feelings for him, would she be so determined to study science?”
Dad thought of He Luo’s reason for changing streams and felt hurt all over again.
“Not only are there many options after graduation, of those who made it the top thirty ranking, where are those who took humanities?” He Luo showed them last year’s ranking list. “Peking University and Tsinghua University, how many of those that they accepted were humanities students?”
It looked like he would have to have another bowl of braised beef soup today.
The balcony during the spring could be pa.s.sed off as a natural refrigerator. He Luo put a few cabbages aside and found her treasure among the other junk. Her rose was red. Hugging Cipher, she returned inside.
The s.h.i.+va who was laughing happily, the s.h.i.+va who was wearing an oversized white s.h.i.+rt, the s.h.i.+va who was carrying his backpack lopsidedly, the s.h.i.+va with a face full of black lines, it really did look like Zhang Yuan. In particular, in the fourth volume where s.h.i.+va and Anise took the same elective PE cla.s.s together. The s.h.i.+va who was wearing a t-s.h.i.+rt and shorts, picking up a basketball, smiling as he stood on the side lines – his demeanour looked exactly like Zhang Yuan’s.
I really envy Anise. Still holding the book, He Luo buried her face in her bed.
“If I lend you Popsoft, you must teach me how to play basketball.” He Luo mulled over the words in her mind and held out the book in her hand. No good, this expression looked too strict, as if someone owed her money. While brus.h.i.+ng her teeth, she kept on trying a variety of smiling expressions in the mirror.
She decided it would be the best to hide the magazine behind her and smiled with her eyes squinted. That would look cute enough! With foam still on the corner of her mouth, she tried to act it out. It was too sickly sweet, to the point she felt goose b.u.mps all over.
“Girl, do you need to take ten minutes to brush your teeth!” Dad knocked on the door.
“Luo Luo, hurry up and come out! Your dad can’t stand it anymore.” Mom couldn’t help her laughter. “Tonight he drank a little too much soup.”
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