CH 52

Sago palm blooms.

Song Yan’s voice was quiet so only the two of them could hear it, so the others had absolutely no idea why Xia Zhiye suddenly leaned against Song Yan’s shoulder while laughing wildly, so much so that he could hardly breathe.

Meanwhile, Song Yan simply stood frozen there, with his cap lowered, covering his face, one could only see his slightly pursed lips as well as his taut lower jaw.

After Xia Zhiye laughed for too long, he finally tossed out a sentence: “If you keep laughing, I’ll beat you up.”

“Okay, okay, okay. I won’t laugh anymore.” Xia Zhiye worked hard to control his rampant laughter, stifling his smile as he raised his head, but he still couldn’t hide the smiling expression in his eyes.

Exactly what was so funny?

The surrounding students really couldn’t restrain themselves, and asked: “Lord Xia, what exactly are you laughing about?”

“Nothing.” Xia Zhiye hooked his arm around Song Yan’s shoulder, his entire body leisurely leaning against the other, his smiling face undulating with a trace of spring wind, “Nothing much, just that I won third place, so I was happy.”

Everyone else: “???”

Are you kidding me?

How come I didn’t see you acting so happy when you got first place before?

Everyone’s face looked unbelieving.

Xia Zhiye casually replied: “What, why do you guys look like you’re not too satisfied with my score?”

“No, no, we definitely aren’t!”

Everyone’s face, who was originally quite doubtful, immediately began to shake their heads frantically.

Under these kinds of conditions, Xia Zhiye was still able to double down and make a breakthrough to take third place and win 8 points. What could rubbish like them, who basically didn’t dare to take the stage, possibly be dissatisfied about!

They immediately forgot the matter of Xia Zhiye inexplicably howling with laughter, and began frantically praising the other.

“Lord Xia, you’re a god who descended to earth!”

“You’re someone who has proved that you’ve run a marathon before!”

“Simply talented and good looking!”

“Literary and martially talented!”

“With a durable and long lasting waist!”

“……”

Everyone looked at little fatty, and little fatty spoke boldly and confidently: “What about it! Which word in ‘a durable and long lasting waist’ isn’t true?”

That’s true.

So everyone followed along with little fatty and neatly shouted out: “Lord Xia’s waist is durable and long lasting!”

“……”

Idiots.

Xia Zhiye was already used to the various silly actions of this group of idiots, and despite scolding them with a short phrase, he didn’t take it too seriously, simply turning his head to look over at Song Yan: “Will our Yan ge not praise me?”

Praise my ass.

Seeing as Xia Zhiye was still able to be so troublesome, Song Yan guessed that Xia Zhiye was probably fine, then stuffed the electrolyte drink in his hands into Xia Zhiye’s hand, then turned around and left.

Xia Zhiye behind him promptly laughed as he followed along: “Wait for me, I’m very frail right now, walk a bit slower.”

You’re frail my ass!

In his heart, Song Yan couldn’t help but scold a certain someone for being so shameless, but he still subconsciously slowed his pace down.

After winning an inch, he still wanted a mile, and Xia Zhiye wrapped his arm around the other’s shoulder. Then, he leaned in, crowding in next to Song Yan’s ear, then laughingly whispered: “Just now, did our Yan ge mean that you only saw me in your eyes?”

His breath after exercising was especially warm, and it was even mixed with the scent of sweat from the hormones of youth. All of a sudden, Song Yan felt as if a fire was lit beside his ear, with a whoosh, burning up his entire body.

He wanted to push Xia Zhiye away, but he could also tell that the other was genuinely exhausted and had no strength, so he was also afraid that if he pushed the other away, something really might happen to Xia Zhiye. So he could only bear the heat, and coldly reply: “Don’t be self-obsessed, I was just encouraging you out of courtesy.”

“Oh, so it’s like that.” Xia Zhiye had a smile that looked disillusioned, but also wasn’t disillusioned, “That’s fine, anyway, it’s fine as long as our Yan ge is willing to talk to me, or else in the next few days……”

“Ye ge! Come here! Get ready to receive your awards!”

Before he finished speaking, a loud shout came from behind them.

Xia Zhiye could only turn back and agree, then he rubbed Song Yan’s head: “I’ll go get my award, we’ll continue this later.”

Thanks to Xia Zhiye winning in two events, one in first place and the other in third place, there was absolutely no surprise when Year 2 Class 1 won first place with their combined overall score.

A group of people hugged the trophy cup and ran amuck around campus, their tails raised up to the sky. They even had to run from one end of the corridor to the other end of the corner, then up the stairs, and then ran from this end of the corridor down to the other side. They ran majestically up the building in a zig-zag shape, as if they were afraid a single class would miss their display.

To put it simply, they looked as if they particularly needed a beatdown.

Finally, even Ruan Tian couldn’t keep watching, and just like a mother hen herding her children, she herded the boys with not so good brains into the classroom, then said with a happy expression: “Can you guys be a bit more sensible, be a bit more reserved? Do you see Xia Zhiye acting so arrogant? Look, classmate Xia Zhiye, come and announce the good news yourself.”

The crowd disapproved: “We already took home the trophy cup, there’s no need to announce it.”

“Not that, it’s a different piece of good news.”

“A different piece of good news?”

“Oh.” Ruan Tian looked at Xia Zhiye’s absentminded look and knew that the other didn’t plan on saying it himself, so while laughing, she announced, “In the preliminary mathematics competition in August this year, your classmate Xia Zhiye won first place in the province, and next month he will represent our school in the finals and the national training team to select the best student. Let’s applaud and congratulate him!”

She just finished speaking, when the originally rowdy group completely exploded.

“What the fuck! Ye ge is amazing! In recent years, he’s the only first place winner from our school, right?”

“You only revealed it right now! Ye ge, you’re too low key!”

“If I won first place in the province, I would stick my certificate on my face and walk around with it all day, everyday.”

“Same, Ye ge, shouldn’t you treat us to a meal?”

Amidst the clamor, only Song Yan appeared slightly absentminded.

Although he planned to take the pure gaokao route1, to win the scholarship associated with the top scorer of the gaokao, he still had a certain understanding of the competition system.

The winter camp of the finals competition lasts about a week, and before the competition, several different areas would arrange and organize a closed training camp for students, for at least two or so weeks. That is to say, Xia Zhiye would have to leave for at least twenty days.

For a moment, Song Yan couldn’t describe what he was feeling.

He was a bit angry at Xia Zhiye, and wondered why the other didn’t tell him about this sooner.

But he was also a bit angry at himself, clearly, he was stuck to Xia Zhiye nearly every day, but how could he not know anything at all?

Finally, it was like he was also a bit unhappy that Xia Zhiye had to leave for such a long period of time.

Either way, he wasn’t in a good mood, and he sullenly sat back down in his original seat.

Xia Zhiye hinted at little fatty to sit in his seat, then sat down next to Song Yan. He quietly said: “What’s wrong, you’re unhappy?”

“No. Congratulations.”

His ‘congratulations’ was still genuine and sincere.

After all, Xia Zhiye was able to get first place in the province with that kind of family condition, which illustrated that at the very least, Xia Zhiye wasn’t as sloppy as he looked and didn’t ignore his duties2.

But how did this person surreptitiously win first place?

It seems Xia Zhiye could see that he wanted to say something, then explained: “The preliminary competition this year was early, and you hadn’t come to NanWu yet. I also only received notice about the specific time for the finals just this morning. As for not telling you about this earlier, it was because I didn’t think it was a big deal, so I didn’t tell you.”

Slap——

The tip of his pencil broke.

After the other finished his last sentence, Song Yan hadn’t had any reaction when Zhao Ruiwen in the row behind them, forcefully snapped the lead of his 2B pencil.

It wasn’t a big deal?!

Winning first place in the province wasn’t a big deal?!

Was this something a person would say?!

Zhao Ruiwen tossed aside his lead pencil, raised his head while gnawing at his philtrum, trying hard not to have himself be angered to death.

Song Yan glanced at the back row from the corner of his eye, then lightly replied: “So our Ye ge is still amazing. He doesn’t study from morning to night but still manages to win first place.”

The phrase ‘our Ye ge’ and the phrase ‘our Yan ge’ that Xia Zhiye usually said was said in exactly the same manner.

Since when did he learn such eccentricities?

Xia Zhiye propped up his head then looked at Song Yan: “Who said I don’t study?”

Song Yan: “I saw with my own eyes.”

Xia Zhiye: “?”

“Aren’t you just playing every time I look at you?”

“Then what do you think I’m doing when you’re studying?”

“……”

Song Yan felt that Xia Zhiye’s words also seemed very reasonable.

Also, when said like that, he suddenly realized that he actually didn’t know Xia Zhiye well at all. Although they hung around each other every day, the majority of the time spent together was Xia Zhiye learning about him, accommodating him. Unless matters about Xia Zhiye were laid out right in front of him, he wouldn’t take the initiative to ask the other at all.

So regarding much about Xia Zhiye, after Song Yan considered it carefully, he was on the verge of knowing nothing at all.

Compared to Xia Zhiye, who attended to and handled everything for him, he clearly appeared like a selfish ghost who only knew how to be demanding.

Once Song Yan thought this, he moodily pursed his lips.

Xia Zhiye didn’t know what strange thing his little brain was thinking about, only believing that the other couldn’t lower his face to reconcile with him.

So with slightly bent eyes, he lowered his voice to coax the other: “I have to leave for the training camp on Friday. We won’t meet again for the next twenty days, do you really have the heart to maintain a cold war with me?”

Song Yan lost his train of thought, and when he heard those words, pulled out a set of worksheets, and with an extremely arrogant tone of voice: “Who’s free enough to have a cold war with you. How old are we to be playing games like that. How childish.”

As if the person who acted in a huff in the first place wasn’t him.

Xia Zhiye: “……”

After a moment, he lowered his head to laugh.

Fine, I’m the childish one. His Song Daxi is the most mature, steady, tolerant, gentle and sensible person.

Knowing that Song Yan meant to resolve the cold war, only then did Xia Zhiye switch seats with little fatty with satisfaction. He then pulled out his phone, then saw at a glance that Zhou Ziqiu sent over a message.

[Autumn]: Did that sago palm of yours bloom for you today?

Xia Zhiye lazily leaned back against his chair, then while listening to Ruan Tian talk about all kinds of things to pay attention to after the sports day as well as arrangements for next semester’s competition, he quickly typed out a reply.

[Wild]: He didn’t bloom, just showed single straight men like you what it means to have a blessed high school life in the present age.

[Wild]: Do you have someone buying you milk tea? You don’t.

[Wild]: Do you have someone buying you a 1,000 yuan lunch box filled with Japanese cuisine? You don’t.

[Wild]: Do you have someone standing at the finish line saying he’s waiting for you? You don’t.

[Wild]: So don’t be envious, don’t be jealous.

Zhou Ziqiu sneered. He was just about to mention that this showy friend who was beside himself with joy was still in an unrequited love at the moment, when he saw the number 1 appear in the upper left corner.

When he exited and checked to see who sent the message, Zhou Ziqiu couldn’t help but raise his eyebrow —— there was still a time in his lifetime where Song Yan would take the initiative to send him a message?

It was truly incredible.

One must know that after adding each other’s WeChat out of courtesy, aside from the system’s message of ‘I’ve accepted your friend request, we can now begin chatting’, they’ve never said another word to each other. They’ve never even sent each other group messages for the new year or other festivals.

So why did Song Yan suddenly send over a ‘You there?’ message?

Out of curiosity, Zhou Ziqiu first ignored Xia Zhiye, then replied to Song Yan with a [Here, what’s up?]

[YAN]: Nothing, just wanted to ask you about some things regarding Xia Zhiye, for example, his hobbies, his personal experience, things like that.

[Autumn]: ?

[YAN]: Don’t misunderstand, I don’t mean anything by it. Just that my friend wants me to ask, he’s curious

There is always such a fantastic friend like this in the world.

Zhou Ziqiu bit the corner of his lip and laughed, screenshotted his screen then sent it over to Xia Zhiye: [Congratulations]

After he sent this, he Baidu’ed a photo of a sago palm blooming and sent that over as well.

Xia Zhiye opened up the two photos and scanned them, then raised his head to look over at a certain someone sitting in front of him with his head lowered while playing with his cell phone. Then, while smiling, he replied to Zhou Ziqiu: [Just answer whatever questions he asks, but don’t tease him. He’s thin-skinned, and he can’t stand your teasing]

[Autumn]: Don’t worry, I don’t dare tease him. After all, I don’t want to die an untimely death

Xia Zhiye pondered for a moment, then replied again with: [But he does have a bit of a misunderstanding about my economic situation, so don’t tell him about my family matters for the time being]

[Autumn]: ?

[Wild]: It’s a bit complicated to explain. Anyway, just don’t mention, and you also don’t need to purposefully lie to him

[Autumn]: OK

After sending this, Zhou Ziqiu didn’t respond again. Meanwhile, Xia Zhiye once again opened up the photo of the sago palm blooming, then after staring at it for a few seconds, as if he thought of something, he lowered his head to laugh.

Then, he pressed his finger against it to save the photo, changed his profile picture, then opened up the chat window titled [Flower Shop].

[Wild]: Jiejie, does your shop have a very small sago palm bonsai

[Flower Shop]: Yes, we have a lot of sago palm bonsais. I also just bought several pretty flower pots. If you want it, just come over and choose one

It just so happened that Ruan Tian had also finished discussing the important matters. She ended off with announcing that there was no need to attend evening study today, and gave them an early dismissal.

So Xia Zhiye sent Song Yan a message [I have to deal with something. You can go back to the dorms first. Wait for me to come back tonight to eat dinner], then quickly left the classroom after slinging his backpack over his shoulder.

Song Yan was just about to ask Xia Zhiye what the hell was up with him, sending over a WeChat while sitting behind him, but saw the other’s unsophisticated and green profile picture, and ended up being disgusted by the image.

How could Xia Zhiye bear to use a profile picture that even the middle-aged and elderly would hate to use?

But upon review of Xia Zhiye’s aesthetic over the past few months, Song Yan also felt at ease. After all, if the other couldn’t appreciate his own aesthetic, what kind of aesthetic would that be.

Thinking this, Song Yan also unhurriedly packed up his schoolbag, and just as he was about to leave, Ruan Tian at the podium hurriedly called out to him: “Song Yan, wait a moment.”

Song Yan paused, and Ruan Tian ran over on her high heeled shoes, then raised her head to look at him: “Just wanted to talk about the English lecture competition that I mentioned before……”

“I’m not very interested.”

Song Yan rejected her very decisively.

“But Xia Zhiye has to participate in a training camp. We really can’t find someone else who is suitable for it. You also know, the standard dialect of the students in our grade isn’t that good. If you don’t go, then our school will definitely have no hope. How about you first check out the handbook from this year’s oral competition?”

With the last bit of hope, Ruan Tian stuffed the oral competition’s handbook into Song Yan’s hand.

Song Yan originally planned to politely glance over the oral competition handbook, then politely reject her again.

But he flipped to the first page, and with a quick look, saw the familiar face of the student representative, and his finger froze for a moment.

Then he shut the handbook, raised his head, handed it back to Ruan Tian, and calmly replied: “I’ll go.”

1. As in, enter university just by taking the gaokao. As mentioned previously, a high school student can be recommended into university or be recruited into a university if one wins a national/provincial award.

2. His ‘duties’ = to study well as a high school student