Chapter 12 (1/2)

Chapter 12

Every year, the first of September was a big day for all students. The ones in their second year would move on to their third year, the first years would become second years, and there would be a new batch of fresh young faces in the first year.

Early in the morning from the corridor of the second floor, Qi Fei looked down. Zhang Ganggang had made a few journeys back and forth to move several books, and when he returned, Qi Fei was still standing there.

“What are you looking at?” Zhang Ganggang went up to him.

Qi Fei hooked his arm around Zhang Ganggang’s neck, speaking with a mysterious expression, “I heard that there’s a beauty amongst the first years. Come, look out for her with gege.”

Zhang Ganggang was scornful. “So what about a beauty? She’s definitely not as good looking as Rourou.”

“Forget it, who knows if your Rourou is a cow or a pig? Only you think she’s a fairy.”

All that filled his mind now was his Rourou, and Zhang Ganggang was not concerned about Qi Fei’s insult. “So did you manage to find that beauty?”

Qi Fei sighed, “In the past, Boss Ji could just stand anywhere and the beauties would come by their own initiative…”

Zhang Ganggang was indifferent. With the corner of his eye, he saw Xie Meng about to come upstairs with his books. He immediately yelled, “Xie Meng!”

The boy raised his head, and Ji Qinyang who was walking beside him stopped as well.

“Boss!” Qi Fei shouted deliberately, “Let’s play basketball in the afternoon!”

Ji Qinyang did not answer. He turned to Xie Meng and asked, “Are you going?”

Xie Meng nodded and smiled, “We haven’t played together in a while.”

The academic pressure on the second year students gradually picked up. Many students started to attend extra classes in order to lay a good foundation for next semester when they would split into the science or arts stream.

Ji Qinyang and Xie Meng never discussed about such topics, and it was not sure if they were indifferent or subconsciously avoiding it.

Instead, it was Qi Fei who privately mentioned it during language class. “I heard from Maitreya today that Xie Meng is going to participate in the Olympiad competition. He’ll be going to another school for extra classes in a few days.”

Ji Qinyang’s brows creased, and did not say a word. With a ear bud in his left ear, he continued writing. The language teacher was analyzing ancient poems, and Ji Qinyang’s paper was still the model.

Qi Fei sneaked a glance at him. “You’re definitely going into the arts stream, right?”

Ji Qinyang did not acknowledge the question, and his eyes fell on Xie Meng in the front row. The boy’s hair was a little long again. With his head lowered, the beautiful curve to his neck was revealed.

“Zhang Ganggang wants to study mass communications, and so decided on arts,” Qi Fei whispered. “I’ve asked Zhuo Xiaoyuan already. Since he wants to go into medicine, he’ll definitely choose science.”

Ji Qinyang’s pen ran out of ink. He pressed firmly on his paper a few times, then tossed it into his desk impatiently.

Qi Fei sighed, “Don’t be like this. Even if we’re separated into different classes, we can still see each other and play together.”

Ji Qinyang was silent, and plugged his ears with his ear buds. He saw Xie Meng look back in his direction, and their eyes met.

Ji Qinyang averted his eyes first.

“?” Xie Meng looked at Qi Fei, and the latter shrugged innocently.

Xie Meng did not reject the matter about the Olympiad. He found a time to tell Zhang Ganggang about it.

“I wonder if Rourou will be going too,” Zhang Ganggang spoke dreamily.

“If she’s in the international class, it’s likely she’ll go.” Xie Meng then saw Ji Qinyang entering from the front door.

“Ji Qinyang.” Xie Meng waved.

Ji Qinyang glanced at him lazily, deliberately taking off his earphones and asked, “You called me?”

Xie Meng could neither laugh nor cry, “Yes, I called you.”

Ji Qinyang’s lips twisted, and he slowly walked over.

“Would you like to come to my house today?” Xie Meng gave a good-tempered smile. “I have something for you.”

Zhang Ganggang heard him and immediately said, “I want to go too, I want to go too! It’s been so long, but I’ve never been to your place before!”

Xie Meng was just about to tell him next time, then he heard Ji Qinyang suddenly speak up.

“Sure.” He glanced at Xie Meng. “Let’s go together.”

As compared to Zhang Ganggang’s excitement, Xie Meng and Ji Qinyang looked a lot more silent on their way back. Ji Qinyang attentively listened to his music, occasionally hitting a rhythm along with the melody. Xie Meng looked over at him a few times, but was ignored.

No matter how slow Zhang Ganggang was, he too realized something was wrong. He leaned into Xie Meng’s ear, whispering, “You had a fight with Beauty Ji?”

Xie Meng hesitated for a moment and shook his head.

Zhang Ganggang patted his shoulder with a look of understanding. “Hurry and make up, I’ll create an opportunity for you guys to be alone later.”

Xie Meng, “…”

Zhang Ganggang had obviously forgot that the so-called opportunity to be alone had long been destroyed by him…

In the afternoon, Zhang Xiujuan would go to the geriatric university to learn Chinese painting. In the fridge was a fruit tea and green bean soup. Xie Meng welcomed Zhang Ganggang and Ji Qinyang into the house, going alone into the kitchen to get some cups.

The walls outside the old-fashioned house were covered with ivy. The living room was very dark, and the wind brought with it the damp scent of earth from the yard. Xie Meng’s house was clean and tidy. Two black and white portraits hung upon the wall, and on the table below, there were fruits and an urn.

“Those are my parents.” Probably afraid of awkwardness, Xie Meng took the initiative to explain. He came out with tea and snacks, only to have Ji Qinyang take them from him.

“I’ll take them,” Ji Qinyang said indifferently.

Xie Meng stopped, then smiled, “Thank you.”

The three people sat down at the square table in the living room. Zhang Ganggang look at the portraits and could not help asking, “Uncle and Auntie… What happened to them?”

Xie Meng lit a joss stick and inserted it into the urn. “My parents were the first group of freelance journalists. When I was 6 years old, they went to Israel and Palestine… and passed away in the conflict there.” He looked at Zhang Ganggang, “You like taking photos right? I have many photos taken by my parents in my room, would you like to see them?”

Of course Zhang Ganggang wanted to see, but he felt embarrassed about bothering Xie Meng, and hurriedly said, “Just remain seated, I’ll take them myself.”

Xie Meng told him where the photos were and let him look by himself. Only Ji Qinyang and him were left in the living room.

The smell of the joss stick gradually filled the room. Ji Qinyang drank his tea, looking intently at Xie Meng’s face.

“… There’s something on my face?” Xie Meng rubbed his cheeks with the back of his hand, uncertain, but did not feel anything on them.

“Right,” Xie Meng suddenly remembered. “I have a gift for you.”

Ji Qinyang watched Xie Meng stand up and retrieve a box from the cupboard behind.

Xie Meng looked a little nervous. “I’ll be attending the Olympiad training in a few days. I might not make it in time for your birthday, so I prepared it in advance.”

Ji Qinyang undid the wrapping of the box, and found that it was actually a pair of Sony headphones inside.