Are You Addicted?

For two whole days, Bai Luo Yin didn’t come to school at all.

He asked Bai Han Qi to tell Luo Xiao Yu through a phone call. Apart from this, he didn’t tell anyone else.

Lately, You Qi hates to converse with Gu Hai as Gu Hai has always bullied him, intentionally or otherwise. However, he really cannot hold it back this time. During the past two days of Bai Luo Yin’s absence, everything that You Qi did was inconvenient, he didn’t know whose school a.s.signment should he copy from, he didn’t know to whom should he gave give his leftover food, he wanted to complain, yet he couldn’t find anyone to grumble his thoughts…

“Gu Hai, where’s Bai Luo Yin?”

Gu Hai plugged his earphones, listening to the Great Compa.s.sion Mantra [1], his face was expressionless.

You Qi had no choice but to approach Yang Meng after cla.s.s.

“Wow! Wow!…”

Just as You Qi arrived at this floor, he stirred up a burst of squealing. The students who enjoyed watching a bustling scene, rushed out from the cla.s.srooms. However, nothing could be seen except a group of people. In a split second, the entire corridor was seething with excitement. The sound of the female students gasping in admiration and male students flinging curses despicably were rising one after another.

You Qi inserted both hands into his pockets, as if he’s already used to everyone watching him. With his model-like att.i.tude, he walked into Yang Meng’s cla.s.sroom door.

“Is Yang Meng here?” You Qi asked one of the female student.

The female student’s mouth parted open, showing an eager smile. Complying with You Qi’s inquiry, she broke into the cla.s.sroom, grabbed Yang Meng and hauled him outside.

“Here he is.” The girl smiled sweetly.

You Qi thanked her briefly, then dragged Yang Meng to the entry of a staircase.

“I’m wondering why it is so noisy outside, so it turns out that you’re here.” Yang Meng yawned.

You Qi took off his cold and detached façade, looking at Yang Meng with an impatient expression.

“Where did Bai Luo Yin go?”

“Yin Zi?” Yang Meng stayed dumbfounded for a long time, “He didn’t go to cla.s.s?”

“He’s been absent for two days, you don’t know?”

Yang Meng nodded, “It’s been a long time since I went to their house.”

“Then, let’s go there together after school.”

Yang Meng hesitated for a moment.

“If I’m not mistaken, you live in the school dorm, right? Doesn’t your dormitory have a curfew? Why don’t we wait until tomorrow? He may come tomorrow, if he really doesn’t come, then both of us will visit him on Sunday.”

“Don’t wait until Sunday, let’s go there today.” You Qi tugged at Yang Meng’s clothes and bunched it in his hands like a flower.

Yang Meng scrutinized You Qi from top to bottom, wearing a perplexed look, “Why are you so anxious? He only requested for two days leave, right? If he’s really in trouble, then someone would’ve tidied his things already.”

“It’s you who’s way too calm!” You Qi pointed at Yang Meng’s head, “I’d always believed that you definitely have human sympathy. I really, really didn’t expect that you are actually like this!”

After You Qi finished speaking, he walked away with a long face.

Yang Meng watched the view of You Qi’s retreating back, then muttered to himself, “Is he crazy?”

Turning around to walk back, Yang Meng b.u.mped into a “wall” made of female students……..

Ten minutes before cla.s.ses were over, You Qi hid at the parking lot of Yang Meng’s cla.s.s, he waited until Yang Meng rode his bike outside the school gates then he called for a cab.

“Mister, would you please follow that bike in the front?”

After this one sentence, You Qi waited for the driver to let loose a torrent of abuse towards him, yet this driver had a fairly good temper. Not only that he didn’t yell at You Qi to go down, but he also didn’t utter any complaints, following that particular bike until they reached a small alley. Turning left and right, not even a hint of impatience could be seen from the driver, to the extent that he hummed along with the Chinese folk music playing inside the taxi.

You Qi couldn’t help to ask: “Mister, when I ask you to follow that bicycle, don’t you feel the slightest unpleasant at all?”

The driver laughed loudly, “Why should I feel unpleasant? Last time, there’s even a young lad who asked me to follow a walking person.” [2]

A touching feeling welled up inside You Qi’s heart, supposed if everyone is like this driver, very sympathetic and warmhearted, this society would be very warm.

Yang Meng stopped in front of Bai Luo Yin’s house.

You Qi also told the driver to stop, then looked at the taxi fare, took out twenty-five Yuan and hand it over to the driver.

“Twenty-five Yuan?” The face of the driver turned green, “You think I’ll accept this?”

You Qi was stupefied, pointing at the fare, “The display shows twenty-five Yuan!”

The driver sneered, “Young man, you are too stingy! The person I’ve been talking about just now, the one that told me to trail a walking person, his taxi fare was also twenty-five Yuan in total, but then he directly paid one hundred Yuan without saying anything.”

“Of course that person is rich, but I don’t have much money.” You Qi disagreed with the driver.

The driver promptly locked the car and started to argue with You Qi.

“Young man, I’m not driving an unlicensed taxi. I depend on my conscience when charging pa.s.sengers.

How long have I drove through this path? If I drove in my regular speed, how many miles have I drove?

“If it’s according to what you’ve said, you have to refund my money! It’s rush hour right now, if not because I want you to drive me to this small alley, you’d still be stuck in front of the school gates right now.”

“Don’t speak bulls.h.i.t with me. If you don’t give me the money now, don’t even think that you can come down.”

“Are you a taxi driver or a robber?”

“Who did you say is a robber? Who did you say is a robber? Say it one more time, I’ll slap you in your face and throw you to the city moat.”

In the end, You Qi compromised, he tossed the only one hundred Yuan inside his wallet to the driver. When he got off the cab, he continuously swore at the taxi driver in his heart: that grandson [3] actually gave him one hundred Yuan? f.u.c.k! If I run into him, I’ll definitely beat him to death!

After hesitating for a long time, Yang Meng finally entered Bai Luo Yin’s house.

You Qi followed him closely from behind.

When Bai Han Qi saw Yang Meng, he shouted enthusiastically, “Big Maiden, why haven’t you come and hang out here recently?”

When You Qi heard these two words “Big Maiden”, he couldn’t help but to let out a snort. Now he figured out why Yang Meng didn’t allow him to tag along, it turns out that he still has such an endearing nickname!

Yang Meng heard the laughter behind his back and couldn’t help but to shiver. Turning his head back, Yang Meng’s face paled.

“You… how did you follow me?”

“I’m not following you, how do I know your dad openly called you Big Maiden?”

“That’s not my dad.” Yang Meng replied awkwardly, “This is Bai Luo Yin’s dad.”

“Huh?” You Qi was pleasantly surprised, “h.e.l.lo Uncle.”

Bai Han Qi smiled towards You Qi, “Are you also Yin Zi’s cla.s.smate? This youngster grows up so lively.”

You Qi smiled embarra.s.sedly, while Yang Meng stood by and rolled his eyes.

“Uncle, where is Bai Luo Yin?”

“He’s sleeping!” Bai Han Qi said.

You Qi looked at his watch, it’s only 7 PM, “He went to bed this early?”

“He just slept this morning, I guess he’ll be up anytime soon.”

Why is it the other way around… You Qi asked tentatively: “Is he sick?”

“He isn’t sick, just tired, he didn’t want to get out of bed.”

This father… he’s way too open-minded! Just because his son is tired, he doesn’t need to go to school. You Qi sincerely admired and envied him at the same time.

When Yang Meng heard that Bai Luo Yin is fine, he directly refrained himself from entering and disturbing his sleep. He chatted with Grandpa Bai for a while, picking up several crisp dates. When he reckoned that enough time had pa.s.sed, he decided to go home and eat.

You Qi stealthily entered Bai Luo Yin’s room and couldn’t help but to be frightened by the chaotic scene before his eyes. Things were scattered around all places, there were almost no s.p.a.ce for walking. The seat by the window was replaced with a bed, a very monstrous double bed. On one side was a board mattress, while the other side was a spring mattress, Bai Luo Yin was sleeping on the board mattress, only a few threads of his disheveled hair was exposed.

You Qi walked over beside the writing desk, casually rummaging through the stuffs as he pleased. However, he discovered a lot of Gu Hai’s things. Wrist watch, wrist protector, lighter… You Qi often pay close attention to Gu Hai, so his things left a deep impression on him. He opened the wardrobe, all of the clothes inside belonged to both Gu Hai and Bai Luo Yin, every single one of them were piled up together. All these showed that both of them certainly have a very intimate relationship.

Bai Luo Yin woke up, staring at You Qi with a tired and gloomy gaze.

“Why are you here?”

You Qi hastily let go of the things in his hand, a smile appeared upon his handsome face.

“You’ve been absent for the past two days, I’m here to visit you.”

Bai Luo Yin hummed at him hazily, slipping on his clothes and preparing to get out of bed.

You Qi noticed that Bai Luo Yin complexion was terribly sour, excluding sickness, most likely it’s an issue related with his state of mind. However, seeing his father’s behavior, there seemed to be no problem in the house. Thus, it’s probably Bai Luo Yin’s personal problem.

That evening, Bai Luo Yin let You Qi to stay overnight at his home.

Everyone was asleep during the quiet night, You Qi himself was curled up inside the quilt, unable to take his eyes away from Bai Luo Yin.

“Are you at odds with Gu Hai?”

Bai Luo Yin’s heart thumped for a moment, feigning a very calm and reserved expression.

“Why him?”

“Don’t you think that your relationship with him is not an ordinary one?”

It’s not only You Qi that had uttered this particular sentence to him. Previously, Bai Han Qi had also said the same thing, yet the impression from the two people is different. Bai Han Qi considered both of them as good brothers for life. Meanwhile, what You Qi implied is a much deeper and intimate relationship.

Bai Luo Yin was not accustomed to discuss the matters of one man with other men, so he conveniently didn’t say anything.

It was already late at night, You Qi couldn’t hold back his drowsiness, so he slept first.

Bai Luo Yin watched him quietly.

He’s also a cla.s.smate, he’s also a friend, but why does the feeling he get when’s he’s with You Qi is completely different from when he’s with Gu Hai?

“Yin Zi…”

Bai Luo Yin shut his eyes, yet his mind kept on spinning around this form of address that Gu Hai called him. He has no idea how many times Gu Hai called out his name every night, slowly dragging out the last syllable of his name, teasing him in amus.e.m.e.nt, yet it carried deep affection and shamelessness.

Supposed if this sound emerged from You Qi’s lips, Bai Luo Yin will definitely feel nauseous, but with Gu Hai, that feeling never come.

Translator Note:

[1] ‘the Great Compa.s.sion Mantra’: a type of ritual speech originating from Mayahana Buddhism. This mantra is often used for protection or purification.

[2] ‘Last time, there’s even a young lad who asked me to follow a walking person.’ : Remember the time when Gu Hai took a cab and asked the driver to follow Bai Luo Yin? This is exactly the same driver that drove You Qi in this chapter.

[3] ‘Grandson’ in this case is not in terms of familial ties, but it’s for cursing people. In English, it’s similar to ‘b.a.s.t.a.r.d’. Bonus: the person that You Qi would like to beat to death is actually Gu Hai (most likely not going to happen, though).

Are you Addicted?