Chapter 75

Chapter 75

Qiao Shao put the wooden fortune with the words “Great Luck” written on it, under his pillow. He then tried to force his tense muscles to relax.

He slept with his head against this pillow and whenever his hand bumped into this wooden fortune, it would send his heart thumping.

There won’t be any problem……

He got “great luck”…

No problem!

Qiao Shao fell asleep after putting on his earphones.

In total, the final exams would take two days. The first day would be for Chinese Language and Mathematics, and the second day was for English and General Sciences.

Even if he didn’t need to do the morning exercises, Qiao Shao still woke up early.

When Chen Su heard him moving around, he lowered his voice and asked, “Why are you up so early?”

Qiao Shao flipped through the Chinese language book and said, “Doing some last minute review. You know, even last minute preparations would help.”

Chen Su stretched to look down at him. “Qiao Shao …”

Qiao Shao looked at him. “Huh?”

They both spoke quietly because Blue Hair was still sleeping.

Chen Su paused and said, “This is just a final exam.”

Qiao Shao smiled. “I know.”

“You’re making this seem like the college entrance examination. That won’t be for two more years,” Chen Su continued. “You’re acting like once the exam’s done, it is all over.”

The smile on Qiao Shao’s face froze.

Chen Su knew him. Although they weren’t together every day, sometimes, they were too busy with their own affairs and didn’t have time to say more than a few words, but Chen Su had always observed him and cared about him.

He got out of bed and sat next to him. “You’ve already worked so hard. You’ll definitely get good results.”

Qiao Shao looked down and unhappily said nothing.

Chen Su sighed quietly. “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Under this kind of situation, originally simple problems would become difficult.”

When taking exams, one’s mental state was very important. If you’re too nervous it might cause your brain to blank out. It’s common for students to lose points because of this.

Qiao Shao had worked so hard for so long; Chen Su didn’t want to see him lose here.

After a while, Qiao Shao suddenly asked him, “Do you expect Wei Jiayu will do well today?”

Chen Su was a bit surprised.

Qiao Shao whispered, “Are you looking forward to his results?”

Chen Su looked at that completely curled up ball on the bed, and said, “It would be a lie to say that I don’t have any expectation. After all, he already paid quite a lot.”

Qiao Shao could not help but tighten the hold he had on his Chinese textbook.

Chen Su understood what he was thinking. “But I won’t abandon him just because he didn’t do well on the exam.”

Qiao Shao said unhappily, “You’ll be disappointed.”

Chen Su smiled and patted him on the shoulder: “But He Shen won’t.”

Qiao Shao was hit on his sore spot. This was precisely what was weighing on his mind. His brows knitted tightly.

Chen Su said, “I’m disappointed because Wei Jiayu never worked hard. If he worked like you, I wouldn’t be disappointed no matter what the results.”

Wouldn’t it be more disappointing? Teaching a student who simply couldn’t learn…

But Qiao Shao didn’t say any more. He smiled and said, “It’s okay. I got ‘great luck’ yesterday. I’ll definitely do well today.”

Chen Su also smiled. “Don’t think too much.”

Qiao Shao was about to say, “En, should we &#k2026;”

Qiao Shao hadn’t managed to invite Chen Su to breakfast when his phone vibrated.

“Sorry, I have to take a call.” Qiao Shao told Chen Su, who nodded. He then left the dormitory with his mobile phone.

Qiao Shao had seen the call prompt; it was He Shen.

Thinking about his stinking shameless fortune from last night, he felt a bit embarrassed. His voice was a little strained when he answered the phone. “Hey?”

He Shen heard the tone of his voice and was startled. “You didn’t sleep well last night?”

Actually, he slept really well. Qiao Shao said, “It was OK.”

He Shen did not dare bring up the exam and only said, “You haven’t had breakfast yet, have you?”

Qiao Shao: “I was just about to ask Chen Su to have breakfast at the canteen…”

“I bought breakfast.” said He Shen, “Come down and let’s eat it together?”

Qiao Shao said, “Then I’ll talk to Chen Su.”

He Shen responded, “OK.”

Qiao Shao returned to their room and asked Chen Su, “He Shen bought breakfast. Do you want to go downstairs and eat together?”

Chen Su immediately said, “No need, I haven’t eaten the bread I bought a few days ago. It might go bad if I still don’t eat it.”

Qiao Shao said, “I’ll be going down then.”

He washed up a little and left the dorm building.

Because it was mid-summer, it wasn’t very cool even in the early morning. As soon as he walked out of the dormitory building, the heat wave hit him head-on, so stifling, people could hardly breathe. Several small leafy banyan trees were planted in front of the dormitory building, and the emerald green leaves covered the stone pavement in shade. People hurried to rush under it.

But not Qiao Shao. He walked slowly, because he had spotted He Shen at a glance.

The tall boy carried a plastic bag in his left hand and had his right hand in his pocket. The hem of the shirt was haphazardly set. His whole manner showed that he was bored to death. As though he had noticed that he was being observed, he turned his gaze, and the listless look in his eyes disappeared in a flash, replaced by an enchanting smile.

Qiao Shao’s heart was jumping about, and he felt a bit like running away.

Who could bear this?

“Isn’t it hot?” He Shen came over.

Qiao Shao said, “It’s still OK.”

He Shen casually tried to hold his hand but Qiao Shao felt guilty and shy, and calmly avoided him.

He Shen was startled and said nothing. He only said, “Let’s go to the cafeteria.”

Qiao Shao agreed, “En.”

The classrooms had been turned into exam rooms and it wasn’t very appropriate for them to go there now. Some people were still sleeping in the dormitory, and so it was even less appropriate. So, the cafeteria was the best choice.

Along the way Qiao Shao was pre-occupied. He Shen, who was usually very talkative, said nothing.

Fortunately, the dormitory was not far from the cafeteria, and the two arrived shortly after.

Though crowded during weekdays, because of the early hour, it was pretty deserted. He Shen had already bought breakfast and the two went directly to the second floor and sat at their usual table.

After Qiao Shao sat down, he pretended to be relaxed and asked breezily, “What did you buy?”

He Shen didn’t open the bag, but instead asked him, “Meat pie or youtiao, which one do you want to eat?”

Qiao Shao asked curiously, “Can’t we have a taste of both?”

He Shen said, “No, you must choose one.”

Qiao Shao didn’t know what he was being all mysterious for. After some thought, he said, “Meat pie.”

He Shen smiled. “Are you sure?”

Qiao Shao looked at him. “Why are you being all secretive? What kind of dark cuisine did you buy?”

He Shen opened the plastic bag and took out two lunch boxes and said, “It’s not quite dark cuisine, but it might not taste that good.”

Qiao Shao was stunned when he saw the lunch box. “It can’t be! You made these?”

The corner of He Shen’s mouth ticked down. “I can’t?”

Qiao Shao gasped and stared unblinkingly at them. “You can even make meat pies and youtiao?”

He Shen looked up at him. “There are tutorials online.”

Qiao Shao felt like a little bug was walking around his heart. It felt tingly and ticklish.

“Since you chose the meat pie, it’s this one.” He Shen opened the white lunch box.

Qiao Shao was astonished and his eyes widened.

From left to right, using ham, carrots, fried egg and meat pies, a ‘150’ figure was spelled out inside the rectangular box.

The whole fried brown ham was the ‘1’, the cut carrot strips spelled the upper part of ‘5’, a small fried egg was the lower part of ‘5’, and finally the big meat pie made the ‘0’.

150 points.

For high school students, this was a dream score.

Qiao Shao stared unblinkingly at it. He felt a wave of heat rising up, making his eyes feel burning hot. “You …”

His voice trembled. “You made it for me?”

He Shen looked at him. “Is there anyone else here?”

Qiao Shao forced himself to keep his eyes open. His mouth moved, but no words came out.

“Eat it and you’ll surely do well in today’s exam.” He Shen told him.

After a long while, Qiao Shao was able to come out with two words. “Thank you.”

There was a scene in his mind. When he was in elementary school, his mother made him a ‘100-point’ breakfast with ham, and two small pies. She said to him, “Baobei, do your best. Eat these and you’ll definitely do fine on today’s exam. ”

With a patter, tears fell on the stainless steel table.

He Shen was anxious. “Why are you crying?”

Qiao Shao quickly wiped his eyes and said, “Sorry, I just thought of my mother.”

He Shen understood. Qiao Shao’s mother must have made a similar breakfast for him. He felt distressed for him and said, “I’m sorry.”

He hadn’t wanted to bring up painful memories.

“Why are you apologizing?” Although Qiao Shao’s eyes were red, his voice was lively, and he joked, “Back then it was just a hundred points. Now, it’s risen to 150.”

He Shen saw that his mood was okay, and relaxed a little. “There’s still three hundred points for general sciences but 600 points overall is fine. After all, you have to leave the other students a way to live.”

Qiao Shao laughed and said, “How could I possibly score that much?”

He Shen handed him the chopsticks and said, “It doesn’t matter even if you don’t.”

Qiao Shao was a bit reluctant to eat this breakfast, he said, “I will try my best.”

He Shen was afraid that he would be nervous and didn’t dare to say more. “Hurry up, it doesn’t taste that good to begin with. It’ll be even worse when it’s cold.”

As he said this, he opened the black lunch box. Qiao Shao laughed again. “Why does the youtiao package only have a hundred points?”

Inside the black lunch box was a youtiao and two steamed buns made to spell out ‘100’.

He Shen said in all seriousness. “It just means that you’re lucky and that you’re destined to get a high score.”

Qiao Shao exposed his trick. “You knew I love meat pies.”

He Shen pretended to be surprised. “It turns out you like meat pies better?”

Qiao Shao felt bowled over and he couldn’t bring himself to move his chopsticks.

He Shen urged him. “What are you waiting for? It’ll really taste worse once it gets cold.”

“He Shen.” Qiao Shao called him softly.

He Shen: “Huh?”

Qiao Shao bowed his head and said, “Why are you so good to me?”

When he asked, He Shen’s heart rose instantly.

Qiao Shao said, “If you were a girl, I would think you …”

He Shen interrupted him. “I’m not a girl.”

Qiao Shao felt his throat dry up, “En.”

He Shen looked at him, and those words were already at the edge of his lips. If he opened his lips a little more, they would all come pouring out.

But……

Qiao Shao joked. “You can’t do that. Are you saying that if I were gay, I can’t fall in love with you?”

He Shen’s rising heart suddenly fell to a deep valley, and was frozen by the ice at the bottom, turning even his throat cold.

“What are you thinking, primary schooler?” It took He Shen a long while before he managed to say this.

Qiao Shao was dazed. Now, he wasn’t even a middle-schooler? He’s been relegated to a primary school student?

Qiao Shao said angrily. “I’m only one month younger than you!”

He Shen had already stabilized his mood, and he used his usual tone of voice, “En, you kinda look like my kid.”

Qiao Shao: “……………………”

Is there anyone more miserable than him?

He wanted to have a romantic relationship with him, but he regarded him his son!

Qiao Shao ignored him. He took the meat pie and took a big bite, thinking–

Just wait until I get a good grade. I’ll give you a good scare then!

After that, He Shen was no longer in such high spirits, and Qiao Shao didn’t dare beat the grass to scare the snake.

The two had breakfast and by the time they finished, it was almost time to head to the exam room.

This time they were no longer in the same exam room. He Shen was in the first examination room while Qiao Shao was in the last. Because of their separation, the calm Qiao Shao got from breakfast disappeared a bit.

Could he really do well in this exam?

Could he really live up to He Shen’s efforts?

Was he really qualified to tell him?

Qiao Shao was not afraid of being rejected.

He was afraid that he didn’t have the qualification to like He Shen at all.

Could a person who cannot even face himself really have the ability to like others?