CH 33

Because it was just a small test, the school wouldn’t use great fanfare and post it up onto the board. Instead, the head teachers of each of the classes would print it out onto a thin piece of paper and pin it up in their classroom.

When Qin Zhongyue and Xie Zhongxing returned to the classroom, the Chinese representative had already pinned it up onto the classroom bulletin board.There were many people crowding around to look. Xie Zhongxing also wasn’t in a hurry. After most of the students left, he slowly dragged Qin Zhongyue over.He almost didn’t even need to check his own ranking. He had always been firmly in first place and had never dropped. He quickly found Qin Zhongyue’s student number and then checked his score and ranking; 477, eighth place from the bottom.Xie Zhongxing was a little surprised, “You did very well in the test this time.”Qin Zhongyue asked in a small voice, “It’s good? I’m eighth from the bottom.”Xie Zhongxing said, “That’s already very good. It has only been a week, yet you have improved so much. You will continue to get better and better in the future.”Qin Zhongyue this time didn’t reveal a weary expression.He however still wanted to stay in bed a little longer in the morning but he found that he couldn’t whinge anymore. Without needing Xie Zhongxing to say a second line, he found himself already out of bed.Thinking about it now, Xie Zhongxing woke up earlier than him every time to wake him, yet he didn’t complain about being sleepy. How could he stay in bed and act like a spoiled child if Xie Zhongxing’s not complaining?Xie Zhongxing was suffering together with him.Qin Zhongyue realised that there was a problem with him. It was that he had a one-track mind and could only see one thing with his eyes. If he hadn’t learned to reflect, he would not have noticed Xie Zhongxing’s efforts all this time.Xie Zhongxing was losing sleep together with him, starving together with him and he even timed himself when he went to the bathroom……..!All this took him this long, an entire week, to realise!!He couldn’t help but think of the Xie Zhongxing in his previous life. Living together with a person like himself must’ve been very exhausting.Maybe not just a belly filled with complaints, perhaps Xie Zhongxing no longer wanted to spend the rest of his life with him!When Qin Zhongyue thought of this possibility, his entire body grew spiritless.He was such a failure. He had never looked at his wife properly in his previous life!But he quickly cheered himself up again. It’s okay! It would be fine if he looked at him properly now!!

Qin Zhongyue who realised this became extremely cooperative.Xie Zhongxing also quickly noticed Qin Zhongyue’s change, and he couldn’t help but be a little puzzled. He however didn’t think much of it and just thought he had grown used to it.Humans are highly adaptable creatures. Even in a terrible environment, if you persist with a certain task, for example self-discipline and studying, a habit would be formed within twenty-one days.Xie Zhongxing felt that, not just to get into Tsinghua or Peking University, if Qin Zhongyue maintained such a high degree of self-discipline and motivation, he wouldn’t fall very far behind even after getting in.But whether or not Qin Zhongyue wanted to achieve this level of excellence, Xie Zhongxing had in fact also thought about it. Qin Zhongyue only wanted to be with him. This kind of superficial reason shouldn’t be the driving force for him, but he was well and truly able to persist through the tough regime because of this very reason. This was something Xie Zhongxing couldn’t understand.He clearly had a good family background and could be unconcerned about his studies like the other wealthy children. After all, no matter how poorly he performed, his family background would allow him to live comfortably. But just because he wanted to be with him, he was willing to go through this.At first, he would whine and stay in bed but now he would get up immediately with just a call of his name.Xie Zhongxing couldn’t help but think more of it.In fact, if he wanted to think more of it, he could, and with his clever mind, he would be able to easily figure out why.But with just a thin layer left to poke through, Xie Zhongxing stopped in his endeavour to figure it out.He didn’t think about it anymore and just quietly added a few more problems to complete, even personally making papers for Qin Zhongyue to do.Time silently passed by, and it was now May.The weather had grown a lot hotter in May. Xie Zhongxing was very pale and, perhaps it was inherited from his mother’s side, he wasn’t the type to tan. Even if he stayed under the sun for a long time, his skin would only turn red and once he returned to the classroom, it would return to its original pale and almost transparent appearance.Perhaps it was because he had been eating well at Qin Zhongyue’s place this past month --- Qin Zhongyue had even specially asked the aunty to make nourishment soup for him every day--- After an entire month, Xie Zhongxing’s complexion had become a lot healthier.This also allowed Qin Zhongyue to be certain that Xie Zhongxing’s original paleness was sickly pale!!The afternoon class today was missing two people because it was time for physical examinations for the sports students and the two sports students in their class had left to be examined.Qin Zhongyue was quite envious of this. He said to Xie Zhongxing, “If I enrolled as a sports student then I probably wouldn’t be this tired.”Xie Zhongxing said, “Yeah, you also seem to be quite good at sports.”

Qin Zhongyue was a little proud, “That is natural. I am very fit.” You’ve even praised it before!Qin Zhongyue suddenly fell silent.Perhaps it was because his body was too young, this kind of situation where he couldn’t control his thoughts, resulting in his lower half poking the desk, was probably something that would only happen to high school students. It was also because his body was too young, as soon as his mind thought of those messy things, the feedback to that thing down there would amplify exponentially.During those times, he even found that dealing with it was too troublesome and he didn’t like it. He may as well go swimming to relieve some of the stress.But now, he felt that he really didn’t know how good he had it back then. He couldn’t do it even if he wanted to do it now.So miserable. He was so miserable.Xie Zhongxing glanced at Qin Zhongyue, “Let’s work on the problems.”Qin Zhongyue however was still thinking about the scene of the Xie Zhongxing in his past life loosening his tie and unbuttoning his shirt while saying, ‘Let’s do it’.The Xie Zhongxing at that time would definitely mess up his neat and orderly hair, take off his thin-rimmed glasses and narrow his eyes slightly as he looked at him.When Qin Zhongyue saw Xie Zhongxing like that, he only felt his mind turn into paste. By the time he returned to his senses, they were already doing it.Thinking about it now, was Xie Zhongxing seducing him back then?He didn’t know the answer to that even now.Qin Zhongyue felt a little melancholic.Xie Zhongxing who saw that Qin Zhongyue was a little distracted frowned slightly and waved his hand before his eyes, “Return to your senses.”Qin Zhongyue suddenly grabbed the hand that was waving before him. Xie Zhongxing whose hand was suddenly grabbed by a warm palm felt his heart race a little, but he quickly calmed back down and asked, “What are you doing?”Qin Zhongyue squeezed his hand and pondered for a moment before speaking, “Your palm doesn’t seem so rough anymore.”Xie Zhongxing’s eyes flickered slightly, “Really?”Qin Zhongyue nodded affirmatively, “It’s a lot softer and nicer to touch.”After saying that, he touched it a few more times.Xie Zhongxing also didn’t retract his hand, allowing him to touch him.

After a while, he spoke up, “You couldn’t possibly be trying to use this to push things off?”Qin Zhongyue: “Huh?”Xie Zhongxing, “You’ve touched for five minutes so you have five minutes less time to work on the problems.”Qin Zhongyue, “……”Xie Zhongxing, “Go work on the problems.”Qin Zhongyue reluctantly put down Xie Zhongxing’s hand and obediently picked up his pen.Xie Zhongxing also picked up his own pen, acting as if nothing had happened, but after writing a few words, he put the pen back down and pinched his fingers.Using this gesture, he touched the palm of his hand --- His palm was indeed much softer now and not as hard as before.Looks like that hand cream was effective. He should thank Jin Kui later.Xie Zhongxing thought this.*Zhong Yiming returned home. His family was actually pretty well off. They lived in a villa that was more than five hundred square metres in size and his monthly allowance was two thousand yuan, which was a lot for a high school student.Zhong Yiming however was still very frugal. He stayed with his mother after his parents divorced due to his father’s affairs and his current living expenses were paid for by his wealthy father. As for his mother, she didn’t have the ability to work. She had been living as a wealthy madam for far too long after all.They still had a nanny and a maid at home and, because they had a car, they also had a chauffeur. His father however wouldn’t pay for these extra expenses, so his mother had to pay the wages of the nanny, maid and chauffeur.Zhong Yiming’s mother was a woman who looked weak but had a strong desire for control. Zhong Yiming’s ability to live at school was his last form of freedom.He put down his bag and was called to come out and eat. When he looked at the dining table, it was another extravagant feast. There were so many dishes there, the two of them couldn’t possibly finish it. Most of it would eventually be thrown away.This extravagance and wastefulness were, in Zhao Yi’s eyes, her dignity.Zhong Yiming didn’t say anything and just quietly sat down.

Zhao Yi helped him pick out a few dishes. They were all things he didn’t like to eat. Zhong Yiming knew that she was doing it deliberately. She was using this method to affirm her authority and status.Zhao Yi looked at him tenderly, “My son, have some of this. Hurry and eat.”Zhong Yiming was silent for a moment before he spoke up, “Mum, I don’t like to eat this.”The smile on Zhao Yi’s face faded a little, “This is good for you, why won’t you listen to me? If you’re always eating junk food and end up ruining your body, your father will scold me. Hurry and eat it. You’ve already had it before so why can’t you have it now?”Zhong Yiming didn’t want to argue with her and he didn’t want to say anything so he just ate the food Zhao Yi gave him.A gentle smile resurfaced onto Zhao Yi’s face.After a while, she casually asked, “Why is your room locked? Do you have a secret that your mother can’t know about?”Zhong Yiming, “….”He answered calmly, “No, just accidentally locked it.”Zhao Yi said, “You should give me the key to your room. If you accidentally lock it in the future, I will still have the key with me.”Zhong Yiming didn’t say anything. He pitied her so he condoned all her actions, allowing her to maintain her dignity as a mother.Zhong Yiming said, “I won’t lock it in the future.”Zhao Yi smiled again, “That’s good. I was worried when I saw that you locked your door.”Zhong Yiming wasn’t able to eat his fill at home. He didn’t have the appetite. He unlocked the door to his room and just as he was about to enter, he turned his head and looked behind him. His mother was standing at the base of the stairs with half her body hidden in the shadows, her eyes staring darkly at him.Much like a haunting shadow.Zhong Yiming retracted his gaze, calmly entered his room and gently closed the door behind him to block those eyes outside.At a time like this, he especially missed school and he especially missed that person at school he had been crushing on for the past two years.The author has something to say:Baby Yue asked sweetly: Xing Xing, what do you see in my eyes?Xing Xing: College entrance examination problems.Baby Yue: …..Baby Yue exploded: It’s you!!! It’s you!!! It’s not the damned problems!!!