Chapter 38.1
Chapter 38.1
Translated by Minodayz, Maripaz
Edited by Miss Bookie
Proofread by Librismuse
Peng Zige seemed not to have heard him and questioned, “What?”
Clearly, he was the one who had stirred up the subject, but now he was like a skittish rabbit looking at Rong Si.
Rong Si once again put his earphones on, despite the fact that Peng Zige wanted to speak with him.
He didn’t even deign to raise his head as he pointed to the history textbook by Peng Zige’s side.
Peng Zige was momentarily petrified.
Oh, OH. The last mock exams had seen his results drop significantly, and he’d scored in the 70th percentile only. Over the New Year’s break, his mum had whipped him with a clothes hanger until he was almost as tender as a good piece of pork chop. He had groused about this to Rong Si for half the holiday break.
Seriously, just thinking of it was making him hurt all over again.
After making her third broadcasting mistake, Li Erqin finally managed to regain her composure. She closed the door to the broadcasting studio and started to head back to her cla.s.sroom. As she was pa.s.sing by the laboratory floor, there was a boy and girl pair walking towards her. They looked to be deep in conversation and didn’t seem to notice her as they brushed past.
Li Erqin curled her lips and continued forward.
After awhile, she felt someone tap her shoulder from behind.
She looked back and saw Ruan Mingxian turning around towards her.
“Hey! It really is you!”
Li Erqin smiled.
When Ruan Mingxian saw her smile, his mouth unconsciously curved into a smile of his own. “I’m sorry. I was so engrossed in my conversation before that I didn’t see you.”
Li Erqin curled her lips again and didn’t understand why he was apologizing. “Aren’t you seeing me now?”
The girl who was walking with Ruan Mingxian before was standing at their original spot and staring at him. He looked back with some vexation. “I should get going.”
“Hmm.”
Ruan Mingxian was reluctant to leave. He had so many questions he wanted to ask, he didn’t even know where to begin. In the end, he c.o.c.ked his head to a side and gave a self-deprecating smile. “Did you have a happy New Year?”
“Yes.”
Suddenly, there were no more questions he wanted to ask.
He gave a wry, lopsided grin. “Well, I’m off.”
“Goodbye.”
Li Erqin waved goodbye to Ruan Mingxian and then turned back, only to see Rong Si looking at her from around the bend, by the staircase.
The afternoon sun shone so brightly in the background that she could only make out his slim silhouette; his expression could not be seen clearly.
Li Erqin raised her hand in h.e.l.lo and then walked quickly towards the stairs. She stopped right in front of Rong Si, who was staring at her. “Shouldn’t you be at self-study?” she asked.
Rong Si looked down towards her. She did seem to be a bit shorter than before, but this just made her chin look even daintier. “I came to wait for you.”
Li Erqin was surprised. “Wait for me?”
Rong Si nodded.
“Is something the matter?”
Rong Si had started to walk up the stairs towards the cla.s.sroom, and Li Erqin followed behind.
“Peng Zige was worried about you.”
“Why?”
“You made a few mistakes this afternoon.”
Li Erqin did not deny this and walked a few steps behind him in silence. Then she asked, “If Peng Zige was so worried about me, then why are you the one who came to wait for me?”
As Rong Si lifted his head to look up at the
winding staircase, his lower jawline looked exceptionally good and s.e.xy. “I was more worried than he was.”
(Minodayz: ohhhhhhhhh RS – be still my heart!!!)
“Oh.”
Li Erqin looked down and bit her lower lip.
Rong Si glanced over at her.
The two of them silently made their way back to the cla.s.sroom.
(Minodayz: WHAT DUH … LEQ what’s with that reaction!!! I’m all but a puddle and you’re like OH ok! – where’s my 2 by 4!!!)
Peng Zige and Su Zi had had a few days of peaceful harmony and mutual accord, but now they were starting their battle rounds anew. Last semester they had debated over Physics and Chemistry. Today, they were having a tug of war over their Politics textbook, and it looked like it could go on *until the end of time.
(T/N 地老天荒 dilaotianhuang – I’m not sure if the author typed wrong or intentional as it’s usually 天荒地老 tianhuangdilao – literal meaning the heaven’s panic and the earth aged.)
Li Erqin and Rong Si sat down in their respective seats.
Suddenly, Peng Zige stopped and used his pencil to lightly tap Li Erqin’s shoulder. “Erqin.”
Li Erqin turned around.
“Do you have a fever?”
Li Erqin shook her head.
“Then why is your face so red?”
Su Zi agreed. “Erqin, why is your face always so red lately?”
Peng Zige thought it over. “Are you coming down with some weird disease?”
Li Erqin’s face showed no expression. “Go take a walk around outside.”
Peng Zige did not understand. “Why?”
Li Erqin replied earnestly, “Then you will understand how cold it is outside.”
(Minodayz: LEQ, I have to hand it to you – your deadpan, earnest comeback are cla.s.sic!)
Peng Zige looked at Su Zi uncomprehendingly.
Li Erqin added, “You’ll see how strong the winds are.”
Peng Zige thought he was maybe starting to understand a little.
Li Erqin continued, “Go walk around and come back. Your face will be redder than mine.”
“Why would my face be redder than yours?”
“*You’re a pale-faced pretty boy.”
(T/N: she says 小白脸 xiaobailian, which translates literally to a small white face, but it also means an attractive young man, or pretty boy.)
Peng Zige: “………”
(Minodayz: oh myyyy LEQ, that comment would just raise his hackles!!! LMAO – i so like to hear your reasoning indeed!)
It was quiet for some time, but then Peng Zige could not let it go, and he came back with, “Ah Si is paler than I am! Why don’t you call him a pretty boy?”
No sooner had he finished speaking, then he suddenly felt himself on the receiving end of a *frigid glare that pierced him with a thousand, small cuts.
(T/N: the stare gave him the slow death of a thousand cuts, an old form of capital punishment.)
Li Erqin restrained herself with great effort and said nothing.
Peng Zige continued in a small voice and explained, “Besides … Ah Si also just came in from outside. His face isn’t red at all.”
“Oh.” Li Erqin looked at Rong Si and suddenly burst out laughing. “Must be because he’s *brazen and thick-skinned.”
(T/N: she says 脸皮厚 lianpihou, which translates literally to “face skin thick” and also means someone who’s brazen.)
It was Rong Si’s turn to be speechless.
(MissBookie: Cla.s.sic Erqin. Oh, how I love you!)