Chapter 59 - US
When children went abroad, their parents would always worry. Song Zicheng was like an old man about to marry off his daughter as he held his son and talked endlessly: Don’t learn bad things, don’t smoke cigarettes that strangers give you, don’t play around with foreign girls, if there’s not enough money, call dad…
A few celebrities from Xinghai Entertainment had tagged along as well, and their lips quirked as they watched.
“Song Zicheng actually has moments where he’s so long-winded.” Musha curled her lip. Why wasn’t he as attentive normally when he did things?
The others covered their mouths to laugh. It was only Musha who dared to speak up; they definitely didn’t dare speak so openly.
Si Dashu laughed hollowly. His boss was getting old, and this son was particularly hardworking. If it was anyone else, they would also hate to part.
Song Zicheng sent his son to the security checkpoint, then suddenly grabbed Song Xiao and shoved a piece of paper into his hand. Written in English, there was an address as well as a phone number on it.
“It’s not as safe in the US as it is here; if you encounter any problems you can’t solve, you can look for this person. He was dad’s former friend.” Song Zicheng had thought and thought about it, and in the end, had still decided to give this to his son. He didn’t have many connections in the US, and the only one he was familiar with was precisely that partner he had split from, Xiao Zhengqing.
Song Xiao blinked. After recovering his previous memories, he also remembered this person, who was an uncle that had often visited their house when he was younger. However, he had never heard Song Zicheng mention him even once in the past two years.
“Song Xiao, let’s go!” A few students lining up at the security checkpoint called out to him.
Song Xiao said his farewells to his father and those aunties and uncles before going over, pulling his luggage behind him.
“Your family’s battle troop is really big.” The cla.s.smate walking with Song Xiao, who opened his mouth to speak, was the top scorer in science from B Province, Gao Ao.
Altogether, there were over twenty students; less than ten were headed for Halun, while the rest were going to Mazi University of Science and Engineering.
Imperial University’s science and engineering department wasn’t really good, and top scorers in science would usually apply for Q University. But this joint education program had actually attracted quite a lot of science geniuses. Those who wanted to study business, law, or medicine would go to Halun University, and those who wished to study science and technology would go to Mazi.
This Gao Ao wanted to go to Halun University to study medicine, and thus was going the same way as Song Xiao. The other students also had their parents send them off, but none had been as magnificent a sight as Song Xiao’s crowd, who had been wearing sungla.s.ses; it was obvious at a glance that they were famous celebrities.
“They’re all my father’s colleagues,” Song Xiao nonchalantly replied.
Gao Ao looked at Song Xiao’s back and snorted.
Even though they had been cla.s.smates for a month, everyone in cla.s.s wasn’t very familiar with each other. All of them were very aloof, and wouldn’t take the initiative to strike up a conversation. Song Xiao thought that the atmosphere was a little awkward, so when they were waiting for the plane, he voluntarily chatted with everyone.
“When abroad, the nine of us will be the most familiar with each other. In the future, if there’s anything I don’t know, I’ll have to rely on your help.” Song Xiao gave a good-natured smile.
Top scholar Song achieved success at a young age, but he didn’t run into any walls during his time in office. For one thing, he was young, so no one wanted to quibble with him, and for another, he wasn’t a hothead, and was pretty good at civilities in office.
The students had found an opening, and they all opened their mouths one after another to introduce themselves.
“I’m Guo Pengju, I’m from the capital.” A boy on the side, who wore thick gla.s.ses and was reading a book, heard them talking, so he lifted his head to reply.
“I’m Yin Yuanyuan, from C Province. I’ve seen you before online.” Yin Yuanyuan was a little shy, and now that she was finally able to talk to Song Xiao, she was very excited.
“Have you? I almost forgot that I was once an Internet celebrity.” Song Xiao smiled. He would always be a little more patient with girls.
“No, not about Pudding Gongzi…” Yin Yuanyuan’s face turned even redder, but she felt embarra.s.sed to say that she had seen him on the Xiaotang Moon forum, so she turned around and spoke about something else.
In the end, they were seventeen- or eighteen-year-old youths who were traveling abroad for the first time, and they still felt a little apprehensive. Everyone gathered together so that there would be a sense of security. Because he was more mature than the others, Song Xiao unwittingly became the leader of this little group.
Everyone had become closer with Song Xiao, and only Gao Ao continued to be lukewarm. However, he was like that with everyone, so Song Xiao didn’t really care.
The flight was over ten hours long, and once they landed, a few girls got off the plane and began to noisily complain that they were more than exhausted. Song Xiao was also a little tired as he rubbed his eyes and brought everyone with him to look for the vehicle that had been sent by the school.
There was a bright yellow school bus in the distance. A Chinese teacher was holding up a small flag with a cordial smile. A sapphire blue sports car was parked next to it, and it was very beautiful.
“Wow, how cool!” When the children pa.s.sed by the sports car, they couldn’t help exclaiming in admiration.
The car door opened, and a young man dressed in a black long-sleeved shirt stepped down from the car. With his tall and slender build, he couldn’t be considered short, even among Americans, who were generally taller. The men and women around him stopped, attracted as they were by his impeccably handsome Eastern face. It was precisely His Majesty Yu Tang, whom Song Xiao hadn’t seen for more than a month.
“Hey, handsome!” A s.e.xy blond woman smiled and greeted Yu Tang.
Yu Tang ignored her and directly walked over to Song Xiao. He took the suitcase in his hand and turned to say a word to the lead teacher. The teacher nodded with a smile, then called for the other students to get on the bus.
Song Xiao blinked, unable to understand as he was pulled into the cool sports car. He watched as the school bus which his schoolmates were on disappeared into the distance, while he was left behind.
“Your Majesty… wu…” Before he could finish speaking, Song Xiao was stopped by Yu Tang’s lips and tongue as the latter pounced on him.
It would’ve been fine if they had maintained a vegetarian diet, but now that they had tasted meat, and knew the flavor of the marrow, it was torture for them to be apart for even a day. If his family’s empress hadn’t come, Yu Tang would’ve killed to return to China and kidnap him.
Song Xiao’s eyes widened. This sports car had an open top! For two men to hug and kiss in a populated public area was scandalous! He tried to push Yu Tang away, but was held even tighter.
When the people pa.s.sing by saw this, some curled their lips, while some whistled.
After this long kiss ended, Yu Tang took a deep breath. At long last, what he had missed every day had landed, and he smiled as he licked his lips.
Song Xiao glared at him, wanting to admonish him, but there was something indescribably s.e.xy about that pink tongue flicking at the corner of Yu Tang’s lips. He promptly swallowed the reproach on the tip of his tongue as he stared at Yu Tang stupidly, forgetting his words.
Yu Tang rubbed his empress’s head, then turned his car in the direction that the school bus had gone, and instantly dashed out.
“You know how to drive?” Song Xiao looked at Yu Tang inquisitively.
“I’ve known since the start; I just didn’t have my driver’s license.” One of Yu Tang’s hands was on the steering wheel, while the other was extended to hold Song Xiao’s hand.
Song Xiao looked around. There weren’t as many people on American highways,and it was completely empty, so he slowly curled his fingers and returned the grasp.
“It’s not safe here in the US. Don’t go out at night, and if your cla.s.smates ask you to go out and play, remember to tell me.” It was a very long distance from the airport to the school. During the journey, Yu Tang slowly explained matters to take note of in the US to Song Xiao, and gave him a handphone with an American number.
Usually, new students would board at school in the first term, and then move out after Christmas when they found other accommodation. The Yu family had a villa here which Yu Tang was now staying at, but it still took some time to complete the procedure to leave school accommodation.
Song Xiao held the phone and nodded obediently.
When the sports car arrived, the school bus hadn’t reached the school, but the devoted secret guard was waiting at the school entrance. Handing the car over to Dugu An, Yu Tang brought Song Xiao to a restaurant nearby to eat. When Song Xiao was done eating, the yellow school bus finally arrived.
“Alright everyone, we’re here. Now, follow me to complete the school entrance procedure. The school has already a.s.signed you dorms, and there’ll be a senior schoolmate to guide you to your dorms later, so don’t run about.” The lead teacher took a look at Song Xiao, who had come over to rejoin his group; there was even Dugu An carrying his luggage behind this.
What followed was a busy afternoon of school registration and tidying up the dormitory. This dormitory also had two people to a room, and Song Xiao was a.s.signed to a room with Gao Ao. By the time the guide student arrived, Gao Ao still hadn’t eaten, and he was so hungry he was about to faint.
“h.e.l.lo.” A blonde, blue-eyed Caucasian walked into their dorm.
This was the tradition at Halun University. New students in each dorm would be a.s.signed a guide. This senior would guide them in selecting courses as well as explain general knowledge about the school.
“I’m James Thompson, you can call me James. I’m now in my third year.” James was an easy-going youth. When he spoke, it was with the animated expressions characteristic of Americans. “Tomorrow night, there’ll be a welcome party. Your seniors from your Imperial University as well as leaders of the school clubs will be attending, so all of you can treat this as an opportunity to get to know these a.s.sociations.”
There was a more diverse range of clubs in US universities than in China, and James started to prattle nonstop on the subject.
Song Xiao looked at the pale-faced Gao Ao, then at James whose saliva was flying everywhere, before he took out some pastries from his luggage. “James, come try some Chinese sweet pastries.”
“Oh, thanks.” James picked up a piece in pleasant surprise. “Chinese pastries are super expensive in America.”
Song Xiao then pa.s.sed it over to Gao Ao, offering him one. Gao Ao looked at him, then silently took a pineapple cakeand bit into it.
After James had his pastry, he explained about the clubs with even more gusto. Common clubs like the debate club and tennis club didn’t need further explanation, and he mainly focused on introducing a few unusual clubs: the Sunspot Elite Club, the Azure Dragon Club, the Angels Club…
The Sunspot Elite Club was the most significant as well as the most mysterious club; it was completely a gathering of upper-cla.s.s children, and regular people couldn’t squeeze into it. James repeatedly emphasized that they definitely couldn’t offend the members.
“There’re very few members in the Sunspot Elite Club, but each one of them is very powerful. They gather in the small auditorium on the east side of the school, so don’t go there if you have no reason to,” James said mysteriously.
At the same time, in the dim auditorium, a few well-dressed youths were sitting together. There was red wine on the table, and beautiful men and women were sitting around it.
“Tang, it’s still you Asian boys who are the most handsome.” A blond, blue-eyed Caucasian, who was embracing a j.a.panese youth, smiled as he spoke to Yu Tang, who was sitting opposite him.
Yu Tang swirled the wine in his cup and glanced at him.
“I saw that Chinese boy you brought today.” The Caucasian smiled and took a sip of the wine. “He looks delicious at first glance; can you introduce him to me?”
Little Theater
Xiaoxiao: I understand the reasons, but why is there an Azure Dragon group?
Senior: It’s a secret society that cuts people down ah!
Xiaoxiao: …Who would join a secret society like that ah!
Xiao An: (Weakly) Me
Xiaoxiao: …
Baobao Notes
First chapter of the US arc and it’s showing some possible hints of um. racism. I’ll repeat that I’m gonna try and tone it down where I can, without taking too much from the story.
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