Chapter 33 P - Dull
As Chu Beiling moved, the soft light from the still life table cast flowing light and shadow on his face, the strong contrast between light and shadow amplifying the soft velvet edges around his features.
This also allowed Xing Yu to better observe Chu Beiling.
Xing Yu stared at him for a while and said, "You want to see me laugh?"
Chu Beiling nodded and said, "Yes, just like before." Forever, genuine happiness from the bottom of her heart.
The scalding heat from Chu Beiling's hands gradually transferred to him, and he remained silent for a moment—
Xing Yu said, "If you keep calling me brother, and it's not in a way that's just to make fun of me, then I'll consider it."
"No," Chu Beiling muttered. "Xing Yu, you really know how to take advantage of others."
Xing Yu glanced down at his hand: "You're better than me."
"Hmph~ Smile or not, look at you acting all high and mighty." Chu Beiling let go of his hand, sat back in his seat with a huff, and started munching on his apple and ceramic jar.
Xing Yu smiled at him for a long time.
What he didn't expect was that Chu Beiling's resentment towards him would continue until the fun competition on Friday afternoon.
Xing Yu disappeared in the blink of an eye, like a slippery eel, and was not seen until he was at the competition venue.
Xing Yu took the red rope handed to him by the referee, bent down and tied it between the two people's ankles: "Let's get used to walking a few steps first."
Chu Beiling was an impatient person, and still angry with Xing Yu, so as soon as he was tied up, he dragged him forward.
Just as he took a step forward, Young Master Chu stumbled forward and almost fell flat on his face, but fortunately Xing Yu caught him by the waist and pulled him back in time.
Chu Beiling turned around, quite dissatisfied: "Why aren't you leaving?"
Xing Yu glanced down at him and said, "Don't rush. Let's act in unison. There's no use in you rushing when the two of us are tied together."
Suddenly being so close to someone's face made Chu Beiling a little uncomfortable, and she became much more restrained in her speech: "You, can't you hurry up?"
“We’re not on the same page, and if we’re not in sync, you’ll stumble.”
Chu Beiling got even angrier. He was only a few centimeters taller than him, how could there be such a big difference? Why did they have to fall?
Young Master Chu said angrily, "It's clearly you who's incapable."
"Fine." Xing Yu glanced at him helplessly, then, without wasting any more words, dragged him forward, demonstrating to Chu Beiling whether he could handle it or not.
After walking around several times, Chu Beiling was practically hanging on Xing Yu like a pendant, being dragged along by him, stumbling and falling forward. She could never keep up with him and was constantly being pulled to the ground by inertia.
I don't know how many times he had a close encounter with the ground and was pulled back by Xing Yu.
"Are you sure you want to keep walking like this?" Xing Yu stopped, and as soon as he stopped, Chu Beiling bumped into his shoulder blade.
Young Master Chu rubbed his aching nose, his anger flaring up. "Are you deliberately trying to make things difficult for me?!"
“No,” Xing Yu apologized to him, “I’m not very good at talking.”
He knew that his words were almost like poison, and he didn't care what others thought of him or how they felt, but he didn't want Chu Beiling to be angry or unhappy right now.
Xing Yu asked, "Are you still angry?"
Chu Beiling, her anger and grievance barely concealed, replied: "No."
Xing Yu sighed. He had angered the person he had offended, so he had to comfort him himself: "How can I make him stop being angry?"
Chu Beiling wasn't too angry; he was just a little aggrieved and didn't want Xing Yuzhen to do anything.
They now have one foot tied together, and their arms and bodies are tightly pressed together, in a symbiotic relationship. They are no longer independent individuals, their steps are inconsistent, their rhythm is uncoordinated, and they are prone to falling.
He was half a head shorter than Xing Yu and couldn't walk as fast, so he was the one who would fall.
Young Master Chu reluctantly accepted his apology: "Fine, I'll forgive you this time."
Xing Yu tentatively asked, "Shall we continue?"
"Of course, I also want to get first place."
"OK."
After discussing it, the two put their arms around each other's waists to keep their steps more in sync. They also used chants to adjust their pace and rhythm while walking. After cooperating and getting used to each other several times, they had become quite in sync.
When they actually took to the field, the two walked like one person and could run right away.
As soon as the whistle blew, the two practically jogged to the finish line.
The moment the red rope was untied, Chu Beiling jumped onto Xing Yu, grabbed his head, and shouted excitedly, "Xing Yu, we're number one! We're number one!"
Xing Yu, supporting his buttocks, lifted his eyelids slightly, but before he could speak—
Chu Beiling belatedly realized what was happening and jumped onto Xing Yu, hugging him and... pulling his head.
Young Master Chu's face instantly turned red. He smiled awkwardly, got off Xing Yu, and scratched his high nose bridge embarrassedly: "Um... I was too excited. Don't hit me. If you do hit me, do it gently. I'm a little afraid of pain."
Xing Yu's breathing gradually returned to normal: "I'm too lazy to argue with you."
Chu Beiling chuckled: "Our Brother Ayu is the best."
Xing Yu glanced at him and said coolly, "Didn't you say you didn't want to call me that?"
"Now I know what I want." Chu Beiling raised her hand to his mouth and made a zipping motion: "When I make this gesture, you will be muted. If you promise me this, I won't be angry anymore."
Before Xing Yu could even open his mouth, Chu Beiling pinched his lips shut: "Don't speak, the world will be a better place."
Xing Yu: "..."
After all the fun games were over, the most anticipated part for the students began: the snack-grabbing battle (Teacher's Charge Forward).
The school piled up a small mountain of snacks on the basketball court. Each class teacher had one minute after the whistle blew to rush to the mountain and take back as many snacks as they wanted.
As soon as the whistle blew, the other homeroom teachers went crazy, disregarding their image, rushing to the mountain of snacks to grab as many as possible for their students.
Wang Caiyan, who was particularly concerned about her image, walked slowly to the snack mountain, symbolically took a few bags of snacks, and then slowly walked to the front of the classroom and put them in the basket.
The students in Class 13 were extremely anxious!
They all cheered and encouraged their homeroom teacher to grab even more.
Wang Caiyan ignored them and continued to do as she pleased.
Afterwards, the baskets of other classes were overflowing, while their class's baskets weren't even filled to the bottom.
A student standing nearby looked at the basket with disappointment and complained, "Teacher Wang, you didn't get enough."
"Yeah~ There's so little, how are we going to divide it up!"
"Teacher Wang, other classes have a lot, but our class has the fewest."
Wang Caiyan glanced sharply at the group of students sitting around the basketball hoop, slightly raised her chin, and said with piercing eyes, "Quiet."
Everyone immediately shut up.
Wang Caiyan announced directly: "These snacks will be given to the students who win first place in the sports meet."
These words were like a deep-sea torpedo exploding on the surface of the sea, creating huge waves. Most of the students in the class were stunned and exclaimed in dissatisfaction and disappointment, "Teacher, why did you say that?"
"That's settled then. The class monitor will give it to the student who came in first place." With that, Wang Caiyan turned and left.
Chu Beiling hallucinated Ms. Li again, and he couldn't help but sigh, "I really want to change homeroom teachers."
Many students nodded in agreement when they heard him say that.
Xue Ziang brought him snacks, glanced at him wistfully, and then distributed the snacks to the others.
Disappointed after the snack-grabbing frenzy, the students of Class 13 ended their two-day sports meet.
It wasn't until dusk that the two stepped into the entrance of the alley. Ms. Li had already returned to Singapore. Chu Beiling breathed a sigh of relief and felt much more at ease. She happily put down her luggage and went to Grandma Chen's house for a meal with Xing Yu.
After dinner, Chu Beiling asked Xing Yu, "Are you going to practice the cello or paint tonight?"
Xing Yu: "Practice the piano."
Chu Beiling suggested, "Would you like to come to my house?"
Xing Yu hesitated for half a second, then changed his tune under Chu Beiling's expectant gaze: "I need to practice the piano, it won't bother you?"
Chu Beiling shook his head: "The soundproofing here isn't very good. I can hear you practicing upstairs too. There's no difference."
Xing Yu nodded: "Okay, I'll go get the instrument."
Chu Beiling waited at the door for a while, and Xing Yu quickly put the cello into its case. The two then went downstairs together.
Upon entering.
Chu Beiling took a pair of men's slippers from the shoe cabinet and placed them beside his feet: "Wear these."
Seeing that Xing Yu didn't move, Chu Beiling assumed he was having a bout of mysophobia and explained, "It's new. I just bought it at the supermarket with Ms. Li last week."
"..." Xing Yu put on his slippers.
Chu Beiling couldn't help but laugh: "The Princess and the Pea."
Xing Yu shot him a sharp glare: "What did you say?"
Chu Beiling quickly changed the subject, "You can sit wherever is convenient, either the study or the living room is fine. I'll go back to my bedroom to draw; the lighting is better there."
Young Master Chu was terrified that Xing Yu would kill him, so he quickly slipped away and headed inside.
Seeing that Xing Yu hadn't followed or responded for a while, Chu Beiling turned back and asked, "What's wrong?"
Xing Yu gestured with his chin toward the bookshelf: "Where's your row of Doraemon dolls?"
Chu Beiling shrugged and said with a wry smile, "I ranked 51st in the midterm exam. Ms. Li wasn't satisfied, so he sold me off."
These decorative items and dolls were all covered with dust covers. Many of the pots, pans, and cushions in the house were Doraemon-themed, which shows how much Chu Beiling loved them.
She was sold off by Aunt Li just because of a 5-point difference?!
Xing Yu now understands why Chu Beiling is so obsessed with scores to such an extreme degree.
He glanced at Chu Beiling's sad eyes and after a long while, he said, "Did you take any photos?"
Chu Beiling took out her phone, opened the photo album, and showed it to Xing Yu: "Now I can only look at the photos to remember my Doraemon. I hope they are doing well in other people's homes, so that I can feel a little better."
Xing Yu noted them down one by one, then glanced at him sideways: "Wait a minute."
Chu Beiling looked up and met his eyes: "What?"
"It's nothing," Xing Yu replied to his question. "I can sit anywhere, as long as there's a chair."
Chu Beiling nodded: "There should be one in the study. Go take a look. If not, you can move a dining chair."
The two separated in the living room. Just as Chu Beiling sat down in front of the easel, the sound of a cello began to play.
Hearing it up close feels different, Young Master Chu thought.
After a moment of distraction, Chu Beiling immersed himself in painting.
They had a day and a half on the weekend. After skipping the time they had to go to the art studio, they returned to Zhalongkou. After having dinner at Grandma Chen's house, they went back to Chu Beiling's home on the fifth floor.
After having lunch on Sunday, the two went back to school together.
The afternoon sun was intense and dazzling, pouring down unreservedly onto the asphalt road, reflecting beams of light.
Aside from their school, all that remained were some old, dilapidated residential buildings.
If it weren't for the peak time for returning to school, all the hustle and bustle of Hangzhou would seem irrelevant here. The lively voices, like the sun above West Lake, would scatter like golden fragments on the emerald green lake surface.
There was hardly anyone around, so Chu Beiling simply walked backwards, chatting with Xing Yu at a leisurely pace.
Xing Yu observed the various obstacles behind Chu Beiling: "Aren't you afraid of falling?"
Chu Beiling raised an eyebrow: "Don't worry, I'm here for you!"
Xing Yu remained noncommittal, lifting his eyelids slightly: "Are you so sure I won't trick you or lead you astray?"
Chu Beiling slowed his pace, and when Xing Yu walked in, he reached out and grabbed the strap of Xing Yu's backpack, twirling it in his hand: "Then I'll drag you down with me."
After a moment's hesitation, Young Master Chu smiled radiantly: "Protecting me is protecting yourself. Xing Yu, why don't you think about it again, hmm?"
Upon hearing this, Xing Yu stretched out his hand towards Chu Beiling and said in a low voice, "Alright, please settle the protection fee of 999."
Chu Beiling loosened Xing Yu's backpack strap and gently slapped his palm: "You swindler, asking me for 999 right off the bat, how dare you?"
A tingling sensation quickly spread from his palm to his fingers. Xing Yu withdrew his hand. "999 is a friendly price. I would charge 9888 for most people."
He raised his chin at Chu Beiling and said, "So, cash or bank transfer?"
Just as Chu Beiling was about to speak, she quickly turned around when she met Xing Yuyan's smiling expression.
The greedy young master Chu was genuinely afraid that if they continued talking, Xing Yu would somehow manage to trick him into putting 999 into his pocket.
Chu Beiling walked ahead, not forgetting to turn back and tell Xing Yu, "Xing Yu, our friendship is over—"
They were in a blind spot, unseen by drivers of turning vehicles. Xing Yu darted forward, precisely grabbing Chu Beiling's wrist and pulling him back from the brink of danger.
Due to inertia, Chu Beiling fell straight into Xing Yu's arms, her head resting squarely against his firm chest, the rapid beating of his heart clearly audible in her ears.
Fire trucks roared through the middle of the street with their sirens blaring, and oncoming vehicles consciously pulled over to make way. The sharp and continuous sirens, growing louder as they approached, made people even more uneasy.
Chu Beiling stopped breathing.
After a dozen seconds, Chu Beiling's frozen thoughts gradually warmed up, and he slowly raised his eyes.
Under the scorching sun, Xing Yu remained expressionless, his long, deep-set eyes slightly upturned at the corners, filled with displeasure, and seemingly with a tiny, faint hint of worry.
Xing Yu released his hand from around his waist: "You don't watch where you're going, you deserve a beating."
“It’s not my fault for not paying attention to where I was going,” Chu Beiling said, a blush spreading across her face. A sense of panic and shame she had never felt before welled up inside her. “My eyes aren’t on the back of my head.”
Xing Yu glanced at Chu Beiling's slightly flushed cheeks and said bluntly, "Then what are you ashamed of?"
Perhaps because Xing Yu had hit the nail on the head regarding his sense of shame, Chu Beiling felt as if an electric current had run through him, and his entire body felt burning hot.
Young Master Chu was both ashamed and proud, and he angrily defended his pride: "The sun is too strong, and I'll feel uneasy hearing the sound of fire trucks!"
"Fine, fine, fine." Xing Yu glanced at him and bluntly exposed him: "I apologize on behalf of the sun and the fire truck. I'm really sorry for bothering you."
The sun must be too strong. Young Master Chu felt even hotter than before. He forced himself to maintain his pride, which he didn't know he needed to maintain for some reason. "You're too kind. It's nothing really. There's no need for an apology, but since you apologized sincerely, I'll reluctantly accept it."
When the green light came on, Xing Yu ignored him and strode towards the other side of the zebra crossing.
Chu Beiling pulled out the iced cola he had just bought at the subway station from his bag, stuck it to his face, and looked resentfully at Xing Yu, who had already crossed the street and was waiting for him.
It's all his fault. He's always undermining me, never giving me any face, and constantly reminding me, which has shattered my pride and broken my heart. I can't even piece it back together.
You jerk, you annoying brat, I'll sew your mouth shut.
Chu Beiling rolled the iced cola on his face, but the cola quickly became ineffective. Instead of decreasing, his face temperature rose, and the cola even warmed up a bit from his squeezing.
Young Master Chu sullenly tossed the iced cola back into his bag, complaining about the innocent cola: "As expected, the iced cola from the vending machine isn't cold at all. It's only been a short time, and I'm already losing money and wasting my time."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
