The next morning, the language teacher, as expected, went around to check the students’ language exercise books again.
Ye Qingyang took out the exercise book that Lu Jingcheng had given him. The teacher thought he had just bought a new one and didn’t comment.
Since Lu Jingcheng’s own exercise book hadn’t arrived yet, he pulled Chen Wei’s book to the middle of the desk so they could look at it together.
The teacher glanced at the two of them but said nothing and moved on to check the others.
Chen Wei looked puzzled. “Where’s your exercise book?”
Lu Jingcheng was calm. “I forgot it.”
Chen Wei didn’t suspect anything and accepted the explanation.
Lu Jingcheng looked back at Ye Qingyang. Seeing him obediently leaning over his desk made him feel satisfied, and he turned his head away.
At lunch, Ye Qingyang still ate with Lu Jingcheng and the others.
This time he had dumplings, and to show his sincerity, he took a small bowl and carefully picked a few dumplings to give to Lu Jingcheng before he started eating.
“Try some,” he said.
Lu Jingcheng felt a little embarrassed, seeing Ye Qingyang go out of his way to prepare a small bowl just for him. Everyone was watching, and this kind of public gesture felt overwhelmingly forward.
Sure enough, the next second, Chen Wei teased, “Hey, Ye Qingyang, why aren’t you giving me some?”
Ye Qingyang looked at him. “You’re still on my live stream blacklist.”
Chen Wei: ……
Bai Le tapped his bowl. “I’m not on the blacklist, right?”
Ye Qingyang nodded and picked up a dumpling to hand to Bai Le, but before he could, Lu Jingcheng pressed it back into the bowl.
Looking at Bai Le, Lu Jingcheng said, “You’ve had dumplings before, didn’t you eat some yesterday? You’re like a dumpling spirit now.”
Bai Le gave him a side-eye. “You eat other people’s dumplings but don’t want to give me any? You really want to control everything, huh?”
Lu Jingcheng looked disdainful. “So what if I do?”
Bai Le was shocked by his shameless words. “Even if you want to control it, Ye Qingyang has to agree too.”
Lu Jingcheng thought to himself: he’d love that! I’m already set in his mind; whatever I say, he’ll agree. He’s not like you.
He turned to Ye Qingyang. “Do you want that?”
Although it was a question, his eyes were full of certainty, radiating pride.
Ye Qingyang liked this little smug expression of his—it was like a little animal tilting its head, waiting to be petted.
He actually wanted to pat him, but there were too many people around; he didn’t want Lu Jingcheng to get upset.
So he smiled cooperatively. “Of course I do.”
Lu Jingcheng proudly looked at Bai Le.
Bai Le covered his eyes, feeling his titanium-alloy dog eyes were about to be blinded.
What the heck was happening?
The guy he’d ignored before was now enjoying it?
Wasn’t he a straight guy?
What’s going on?!
Lu Jingcheng took the dumplings Ye Qingyang gave him and added some of his own untouched dishes into the small empty bowl, returning it.
Ye Qingyang took it in stride and ate calmly.
Chen Wei watched their back-and-forth and whispered to himself, astonished at how fast Ye Qingyang was rising in status!
After the fourth period, some girls came over to Ye Qingyang. “Aren’t you selling snacks today?”
“Closed today,” Ye Qingyang replied.
They sighed. “Will you sell again later?”
Ye Qingyang, guessing they wanted him to, nodded and asked, “What do you want?”
The girls instantly got excited, shouting: “Milk tea!”
“Mini hotpot!”
“Instant rice!”
“Cold noodles!”
“Sour-spicy noodles!”
“Snail noodles!”
“Cake!”
…
Ye Qingyang: …You guys really want a lot. And someone wants snail noodles? Are you trying to get me caught?!
Finally, the last class ended. The homeroom teacher announced the next morning’s assembly for military training. “Don’t be late. Gather on the field. We’ll all take the bus together. Bring your clothes, of course, but don’t neglect your studies. When you return, monthly exams will be waiting, understood?”
“Understood,” the students replied lazily.
Looking at the state of his class, the teacher didn’t believe they would remember all that.
Not that she was surprised—they were the worst in the science class. If they managed to do military training and still keep up with studies, that would be a real shock.
She gave a few more reminders and let them leave.
Ye Qingyang didn’t rush home; he went to the supermarket for snacks and instant food, picked up some items for military training, and then leisurely headed back.
Ye Hong, probably because of her foot injury, didn’t look well today. She saw him but didn’t take out her anger, though she still scolded him verbally.
“You just got money from your uncle and already bought so much? You don’t know how to save at all.”
Ye Qingyang smiled warmly. “Aunt, I’ll be away from home for a while.”
Ye Hong paused, puzzled. “Where to?”
“We have military training at school. I’ll be at Fuxian for a week.”
Ye Hong thought it was something serious but relaxed. “High school sophomore military training?”
“Last year, it rained constantly, so the principal postponed it. Now it’s for our grade two,” he explained.
Ye Hong nodded. “Oh.”
Ye Qingyang tilted his head cutely. “I’ll miss you.”
Ye Hong snorted. “I won’t miss you.”
“Aunt, you’re tough on the outside but soft on the inside. I know you’ll miss me,” Ye Qingyang teased, “You love me so much.”
Ye Hong thought he was foolish. He seemed smart for a moment yesterday, but today… still foolish.
She didn’t respond.
Ye Qingyang, done playing, went to the bedroom he’d reclaimed yesterday, pushed the door open, and entered.
Ye Hong’s face instantly darkened. In her mind, that was her son’s room—Ye Qingyang had no right to enter.
But considering he’d be gone for a week, she felt relieved.
So she just verbally warned him not to touch Wang Fan’s things and stayed silent.
Of course, he didn’t listen.
At home, Ye Qingyang had almost nothing besides himself.
The balcony had just enough space for a small table and a small wardrobe, nothing else.
But for military training, he needed warm clothes, food, and toiletries. His backpack couldn’t fit everything, so he pulled out Wang Fan’s small suitcase.
After packing, Ye Hong served the meal. He ate, then slept soundly.
The next morning, Ye Qingyang happily pulled his suitcase out and left, leaving a note for Ye Hong: “Borrowed brother’s suitcase, will return in seven days~”
Ye Hong stomped in frustration, accidentally touching her injury, gasping in pain.
Ye Qingyang arrived at the assembly on time and boarded the bus with his classmates.
He wanted to sit with Lu Jingcheng, but the seats next to him were taken by Chen Wei, Bai Le, and Dong Yu; the front had two girls.
Seeing no seat next to Lu Jingcheng, he chose a window seat, which ended up being much closer to the front than Lu Jingcheng.
He put on his headphones, listened to music, and quietly waited for the bus to start.
The school had always held military training in Fuxian, about an hour and a half away, not too far.
Soon, the homeroom teacher checked attendance. Seeing everyone present, she told the driver, “You may start.”
“Okay.”
Lu Jingcheng looked at Ye Qingyang, who kept his head down, seemingly on his phone. He felt inexplicably annoyed.
Why sit so far ahead? Why not sit nearby?
Chen Wei noticed his gaze. “Who are you staring at? Ye Qingyang? You want to sit with him?”
“I didn’t,” Lu Jingcheng denied. “He wants to sit with me, right?”
“Really?” Chen Wei teased. “You kept looking forward; I thought you wanted to sit with him.”
Lu Jingcheng shot him a disdainful look. “Mind your own business.”
Just then, a knock and anxious male voice came from the door. “Teacher, driver, open the door! Let me on!”
The driver saw a student and opened it.
The student got on, thanking profusely.
“Zhang Ye?” the homeroom teacher asked, puzzled. “Why aren’t you on your class’s bus?”
Zhang Ye made a sheepish face. “You see, I overslept. My class bus left without me. My teacher told me to follow another bus and meet later. I looked around; this bus hadn’t left yet, so I ran here. Fate, right?”
The teacher smiled. Zhang Ye was from Class Nine—what a coincidence.
“Fine, find a seat and sit. You’re lucky you’re going to military training.”
He glanced around and saw the empty seat next to Ye Qingyang and sat down immediately.
Lu Jingcheng: ???
Who’s this random guy sitting next to Ye Qingyang?!
Get lost!
Lu Jingcheng was more irritated.
Chen Wei egged him on. “Hey, Zhang Ye is sitting next to Ye Qingyang now.”
Lu Jingcheng snorted.
Chen Wei poked his arm. “Do you think they’ll chat?”
“Ye Qingyang wouldn’t talk to him.”
“Not necessarily. He seems more lively than before.”
That’s directed at me! Lu Jingcheng thought. Not them!
He watched Zhang Ye and thought: this outsider wants to compete with me?
Ye Qingyang ignored him, which was fine.
Zhang Ye, unaware of Lu Jingcheng’s glare, placed his backpack, sat down, and smiled brightly at Ye Qingyang. “Hi, I’m from Class Nine. I’m Zhang Ye.”
“Ye Qingyang,” he replied, glancing him over. Zhang Ye looked good-natured and outgoing.
He didn’t say more and continued his game until the bus started. Feeling a little dizzy, he turned off the game, leaned against the window, and rested.
Lu Jingcheng, seeing him ignoring Zhang Ye, thought: as expected, Ye Qingyang’s enthusiasm is only for me.
He patted Chen Wei. “See? I wasn’t wrong.”
Chen Wei didn’t reply, disgusted with his smug face.
But soon, things changed.
Ye Qingyang, listening to music, started hearing laughter nearby. Curious, he opened his eyes and saw Zhang Ye watching a comedy movie, laughing freely.
Ye Qingyang leaned over to watch. Zhang Ye noticed, took off one headphone and offered it to him. “Wanna watch together?”
Ye Qingyang thought, sure, why not? It’d pass the time—perfect for the bus ride.
He put his headphones in his pocket, took Zhang Ye’s, and they watched together.
The movie was amusing; Ye Qingyang laughed at the male lead’s antics.
Zhang Ye laughed more often, with a lower threshold, and chatted animatedly about the plot.
Chen Wei, watching them almost shoulder-to-shoulder, laughed until he doubled over.
Lu Jingcheng glared.
“What happened? I thought Ye Qingyang wouldn’t talk to him, but now they’re sharing headphones and watching together!” Chen Wei said. “I told you he’s not as gloomy as before!”
“Shut up, you talk too much!” Lu Jingcheng fumed.
What’s happening?
Ye Qingyang’s gone crazy?
Why so intimate with this outsider and sharing one headphone?
He’s never done that with me!
Why is he so undisciplined?!
Unfaithful!
Fickle!
Lu Jingcheng was about to explode.
He pulled out a wet wipe, handed it to the girl in front, gritting his teeth, “For Ye Qingyang.”
The girl was confused but passed it forward.
Ye Qingyang, receiving the wet wipe, looked at Lu Jingcheng’s furious eyes.
Ye Qingyang: …Did I offend a Buddha?
He lowered his head and opened WeChat. The message read in bold with several exclamation marks: “WIPE YOUR HANDS!!!!!!”