Chapter 3 (1/2)

Chapter 3

After the mid-term exams, the weather quickly cooled down. Xie Meng woke up at 6am to prepare some milk for his grandmother. While waiting for the water to boil, he practised a set of Sanshou. As he was going through the last motions, a palm suddenly entered his vision. Xie Meng retreated a few steps, then responded to his opponent, and within one or two minutes, they had exchanged over ten blows.

“Watch your legs!” Zhang Luojuan was short, and her feet were nimble and accurate. Xie Meng bent his knees, avoiding the attack before he steadied himself.

“Grandma.” Xie Meng was resigned. “How many times have I told you not to use your feet? You’re too old for this.”

Zhang Luojuan was dressed in a martial arts outfit. She clearly had just returned from her practice, with her white hair and youthful face, she looked fresh and bright.

“Why?” Zhang Luojuan shot a look at her grandson and smiled, “Are you looking down on an old lady’s feet? You think they’re not deft enough?”

Xie Meng facepalmed, “… You know I don’t mean it that way.”

Zhang Luojuan snorted. “Your master was taught by me.”

“Yes yes yes.” Xie Meng returned to the kitchen to prepare the milk, and even from a distance he did not forget to coax the old lady. “Not only are you my good grandmother, you’re also my grandmaster, alright?”

Zhang Luojuan was amused by the teasing, and laughingly scolded Xie Meng.

The scores of the mid-term exams were posted on the blackboard, and only the top twenty students could be seen on the list, and all subjects were listed as well. Xie Meng ranked first in the list, and unexpectedly, Ji Qinyang was within the top five too.

Although his scores in the four science subjects were horrendous, but they could not distract from how his scores in the other five subjects were close to perfect.

The name Ji Qinyang was no different from the other names on the list, but it seemed to be gold-plated, and glittered in the midst of words.

Zhang Ganggang looked at it with some jealousy. “His biasness for subjects can even be so high-profile…”

Xie Meng did not say a word. As he patted at Zhang Ganggang’s head, he turned to see Ji Qinyang leaning against the classroom door looking at him.

The boy seemed to have grown taller, his dazzling features looked delicate, and he had a lazy faint smile on his face.

After their eyes met, Xie Meng lowered his head, and looked away without a trace.

Qi Fei was late, and when he saw Ji Qinyang he casually asked him, “How come you’ve been so early recently?”

“I came with someone.” Ji Qinyang yawned, his tone indifferent. Unconsciously, he looked towards the row in front. Xie Meng was dressed in a khaki woollen coat, and his black hair was a little long, covering half of his pale neck. The boy seemed to be very scared of the cold, he pulled down his sleeves to cover his hands, only exposing his fingers that were holding a pen.

Qi Fei looked towards the direction at where he was staring. “What are you looking at, what’s wrong with Xie Meng?”

Ji Qinyang lifted his chin. “He’s pretty tall.”

“Is he?” Qi Fei was very doubtful. He suddenly cupped his hand around his mouth and whispered, “Xie Meng—”

Xie Meng took awhile before he finally turned his head back. He first looked at Ji Qinyang, then turned his eyes towards Qi Fei with a questioning look.

The teacher had already arrived, so Qi Fei did not dare to speak loudly. He continued whispering audibly, “What’s — your — height?”

Xie Meng frowned slightly, and seemed to be processing Qi Fei’s question.

Afraid that he did not understand, Qi Fei gestured at his head, signalling their heights.

“…” Xie Meng showed three numbers using his hand.

As his actions were too fast, Qi Fei did not see it clearly. Just as he wanted to ask him to repeat them, he saw Ji Qinyang suddenly pointing at himself.

Xie Meng raised his brow. His eyes brightened, and he made a basketball shot gesture.

Xie Meng raised his eyebrows. His eyes were bright and he made a shooting position: “…”

Ji Qinyang nodded, and crooked his index finger showing a hooking action.

Xie Meng hesitated, but still waved his hand. The teacher just happened to look over in their direction, and Xie Meng could only turn back.

Ji Qinyang clicked his tongue, a little unhappy.

Qi Fei, “…”

“What on earth were you talking about?!” He was frantic. “Why didn’t I understand a single bit of it?”

After that short episode accidental charades, the relationship between Xie Meng and Ji Qinyang also did not suddenly warm up. After all, the differences between their looks to their social circles were completely different. One played basketball after school, and the other did his homework after class. Each went his own way, the log bridge was still the log bridge, and the broad path still remained bustling every day.1

After one of their basketball games, Qi Fei saw the belle of Class Five waiting by the court.

“Huh.” Qi Fei passed the ball to Ji Qinyang. “When did you hook up with her?”

Ji Qinyang dribbled the ball past another player, shooting the ball, he comfortably got a three-point shot. Turning around to look by the side of the court, he laughed. “I’ve forgotten when.”

Qi Fei huffed, then he took a look around the court, but did not see Yin Luoxue.

Ji Qinyang knew who he was looking for, and gave him a shove, mocking him, “You just want to see some drama that badly?”

Qi Fei obediently gestured to zip his mouth shut. He had been buddies with Ji Qinyang for so many years, he knew that although he usually looked as though he had a good temper, but if his bottom line was touched, he could torture the person to death.

The belle of Class Five was called Sun Tian. Unlike Yin Luoxue’s mature and adult manner, she was as sweet and lovely as her name.2

As soon as Ji Qinyang was done playing, she dutifully handed him a bottle of water.

“Thanks.” Ji Qinyang unscrewed the bottle with a smile. Picking up his school bag, he reached out with his arm, and placed it familiarly around the girl’s shoulders.

Sun Tian’s face was a little red. There were many girls on the sidelines watching Ji Qinyang, and many of their eyes fell onto Sun Tian.

“Today,” Sun Tian pretended to speak casually. “I happened across Yin Luoxue.”

“Mn.” Ji Qinyang’s expression was calm, and even his tone did not waver.

Sun Tian knew that he meant “I got it”, but she was still somewhat not resigned to that answer. “Are the both of you… still friends?”

Ji Qinyang looked down at her, replying coldly. “Probably not.”

Sun Tian finally smiled. She tilted her head cutely, “What do you dislike about her?”

“Hmm…” Ji Qinyang thought for a moment. “I like obedient people.”

He caught Sun Tian’s hand. “Just like you.”

When they were about to reach the school gate, Sun Tian suddenly discovered that she had left something behind in the classroom. Ji Qinyang told her that if it was not anything important, then just forget about it.

“It’s homework.” Sun Tian was vexed. She shooked Ji Qinyang’s arm coyly. “Can you come along with me to go get it?”

Ji Qinyang smiled. “It’s not very feasible for me to go to your class.”