power failure
As soon as the second bell of evening self-study class rang, the rustling sound of pen tips scratching across paper in the classroom, like a fine rain, overwhelmed the faint evening breeze in the corridor. Li Huaizhou stared at the complex trigonometric functions on the math test paper, with the tip of the pen hanging above the draft paper for a long time without dropping it - his ankle under the table was suddenly bumped lightly. He tilted his head and glanced quickly out of the corner of his eye. Xie Mo was lowering his head to write the questions, his blue-black fountain pen drawing smooth and neat lines on the paper, his hair hanging down in front of his forehead, covering the corners of his eyes a little. Only the almost imperceptible, slightly mischievous arc at the corner of his mouth revealed his thoughts.
Ji Jiancheng, sitting in the back row, covered his face with his textbook and secretly stuffed a lollipop into his mouth. The candy wrapper rustled as he chatted with his deskmate. On the podium, the math teacher pushed his glasses up, placed a red pen on the lesson plan, and said in his usual serious voice, "The auxiliary lines for this problem should be drawn like this. You always try to take the long way around..."
Before he could finish his words, there was a "click" and the lights in the classroom suddenly went out.
Instantly, a deathly silence enveloped the entire classroom; even the sound of Ji Jiancheng chewing candy ceased. But within a fraction of a second, someone yelled, "Power outage!" and the classroom erupted in chaos. Someone pulled out their phone and turned on a flashlight, beams of light flickering across the ceiling like scurrying fireflies. "Sit down! Be quiet!" the math teacher's voice was clearly filled with panic. He fumbled for his phone from the desk drawer, the screen's light reflecting his furrowed brow. "Class monitor, go check! No one else is allowed to leave their seats! Anyone who makes any more noise will be made to copy the textbook tomorrow!"
Li Huaizhou was a bit confused by the scene. Just as he was about to raise his hand to rub his eyes, he felt a sudden warmth on the back of his hand. It was Xie Mo's hand. His fingertips had a few calluses from years of holding a pen. He gently grasped his hand and pulled it under the table. "Don't open your eyes. The flashlight will blind you." Xie Mo's voice was very low, just beside his ear. The warm breath swept across his ear, with a hint of the sweet coolness of the afternoon mint candy. "Come closer."
My heart felt like it was being gently scratched by a feather, a little itchy and a little uncomfortable, but I still moved closer to him obediently, shoulder to shoulder, and could clearly feel the body temperature coming from under his school uniform. The noise around me seemed to be separated by a layer of cotton. The whispers of Ji Jiancheng and Shen Qitang, the noisy boys, and the scolding of the teacher all became a blurred background sound. Only the clear breathing of Xie Mo fell into my ears, and the warmth from his palm continued to flow, along his fingertips, slowly drilling into my heart.
Their hands quietly intertwined under the table. Xie Mo's slender fingers gently clasped his fingers, and his thumb rubbed his knuckles, bringing a soothing itch. Li Huaizhou could feel Xie Mo's head slowly leaning in, his forehead resting against his, their breathing mixing together, both a little chaotic.
Xie Mo's voice was as light as the wind, "Are you afraid of the dark?"
Li Huaizhou thought of the river breeze on the night of the Beginning of Winter and the cold snowflakes falling on the back of his hand. His heart warmed up and he couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth, but he said stubbornly: "I'm scared there, a little uncomfortable." As soon as he finished speaking, he felt Xie Mo's lips rubbing against him gently - first touching the corner of his mouth very lightly, with a little cautious tentativeness, as if afraid of disturbing something, and then slowly increasing the weight, the tip of the tongue swept across his lower lip, and the sweetness and coolness of the mint candy was completely rubbed into this kiss.
His heartbeat instantly became like a drum, "boom, boom, boom" sounding non-stop, and his fingertips subconsciously clenched the corner of Xie Mo's clothes. The surrounding sounds seemed to be pulled away in an instant, and only the touch of lips and teeth became clearer and clearer. Xie Mo's hand slowly moved to the back of his neck, gently pressing it, and his fingertips rubbed the skin on the back of his neck. Xie Mo's movements paused, and he slowly retreated, his forehead still against his forehead, his breathing a little rapid. Li Huaizhou could feel his heartbeat was very fast, transmitted through the material of the school uniform, and collided with his own heartbeat. In the darkness, Xie Mo's eyes were surprisingly bright, as if they were covered with stars, reflecting the dim light of the mobile phone screen in the distance, with a little panic, and a little bit of a triumphant smile.
"You're so brave." Li Huaizhou's voice was a little hoarse. He raised his hand and touched his lips. His fingertips felt a little warm and wet, but he was not forgiving. "In public, you...you don't even look at the place." Xie Mo laughed softly, grabbed his hand and pressed it against his chest, letting him feel the rapid heartbeat: "You're the one who hooked me." His thumb rubbed the back of Li Huaizhou's hand, "I've wanted to do this for a long time."
Just then, footsteps were heard in the corridor, and the monitor shouted: "Teacher! The property management said the circuit breaker is burned out, and it will take a while to open the store machine." The noise in the classroom rose again, and even the math teacher sighed. He probably had no choice but to lean against the desk and do the exercises on his mobile phone. Xie Mo's hand quietly slipped into Li Huaizhou's school uniform pocket, hooked his fingertips around his hand in the pocket, and shook it gently. "Wait a minute, when the power comes back on," he leaned close to Li Huaizhou's ear, his voice as soft as a whisper, "will we just pretend nothing happened?"
Li Huaizhou was actually willing in his heart, but he still refused to give in. He hummed softly, as if to acquiesce. He could feel Xie Mo's fingertips gently tickling his palm in his pocket, a slight itch, yet so warm that he didn't want to hide. The two of them leaned against each other, hands clasped under the table, listening to the noise around them, feeling each other's body heat, and even the darkness became gentle - like a thick layer of cotton, blocking out all the anxiety and noise.
About fifteen minutes later, the classroom lights suddenly flickered on. A blinding white glow instantly filled the room, and everyone subconsciously squinted, and the noise in the classroom paused. The math teacher breathed a sigh of relief and clapped his hands. "Okay, the lights are on! But seeing how you're all doing, you don't seem to be paying attention anymore. Go study and do the exercises. I'll be watching over you."
The sound of pens scraping across paper slowly returned, but without the same focus as before—some were still chatting quietly, others staring blankly at the ceiling. Ji Jiancheng, shielding himself with his textbook, gave his deskmate a look that said, "What a shame!" Perhaps bored, Li Huaizhou rubbed his eyes and turned to look at Xie Mo, who was bent over his homework. His profile was exceptionally clear in the light, as if the kiss in the darkness had just been a fleeting dream. But the hand beneath the table hadn't let go. Xie Mo's fingertips gently brushed against his, a gentle touch that reminded him that everything that had just happened was real.
Li Huaizhou moved uncomfortably and wanted to pull his hand back, but Xie Mo held it tighter and looked up at him with a look that only the two of them could understand. The doting in his eyes made Li Huaizhou blush quietly. He quickly turned back and pretended to read the questions seriously, but his heart was beating like a little rabbit.
When the bell rang, the classroom instantly became lively again. Ji Jiancheng grabbed Shen Qitang's schoolbag and walked over to their table: "Let's go to the new noodle shop at the corner of the alley. I heard their tomato and beef brisket noodles are amazing!"
"No, I'm going to work at the bar later." Li Huaizhou was packing his schoolbag. As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Mo touched his arm. Xie Mo's voice was very natural: "Let's go. I'll take you home after dinner." He turned to look at Ji Jiancheng, "Let's go together. It's my treat." Ji Jiancheng's eyes lit up, and he followed Shen Qitang out: "That's great! Young Master Xie's treat, it's a waste not to eat!"
The four of them walked out together. Ji Jiancheng was still rambling, "The last time I passed by this noodle shop with Shen Qitang, the line stretched all the way to the street. Luckily, we came early today..." The noodle shop was small, with only five or six tables. A yellowed menu was posted on the wall, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of bone broth. The owner was a simple, honest middle-aged man. When he saw them come in, he smiled and greeted them, "What would you like to eat, four little students?" "Two bowls of tomato and beef brisket noodles, one bowl of pork bone and barbecued pork noodles, and another bowl of plain noodles." Xie Mo familiarly named the dishes, then turned to look at Li Huaizhou with a look of exclusive tenderness in his eyes. "You want the tomato and beef brisket? Do you want it spicy?"
"Less spicy," Li Huaizhou nodded, watching Xie Mo hand the menu back to the owner, his fingers still unconsciously rubbing the edge of the table. Ji Jiancheng and Shen Qitang sat across from him, watching a video game on their phones and occasionally joking. The noodles arrived quickly. The tomato and beef brisket noodles had a bright red broth, with large chunks of beef brisket piled on top, steaming hot. The pork bone and barbecued pork noodles had a milky white broth, with thick, greasy barbecued pork cuts. Without waiting for Li Huaizhou to make a move, Xie Mo took two pieces of beef brisket from his own bowl and gave it to him: "Eat more, you'll be tired later."
Li Huaizhou didn't refuse, lowering his head to sip his noodles—the noodles were chewy, the broth was sweet and sour, and the beef brisket was stewed until tender and melted in his mouth. He looked up at Xie Mo, who was leisurely eating his plain noodles. The noodle shop was bustling with activity, with customers at the next table chatting. The owner shouted "More noodles" in the kitchen, the broth bubbling, and the smoky aroma of the kitchen enveloped the four of them in a warm atmosphere.
Li Huaizhou ate his noodles slowly, listening to Xie Mo and Ji Jiancheng occasionally chatting about school matters, and felt that such moments were very precious. He secretly glanced at Xie Mo, who was concentrating on eating noodles, but as long as there was a little movement from his side, Xie Mo's eyes would always be cast over at the first time, with a tenderness that others could not see.
After finishing the noodles, Xie Mo paid the bill. Ji Jiancheng and Shen Qitang walked towards home. Before leaving, Ji Jiancheng did not forget to remind them: "Brother Huai, go to bed early tonight. Mr. Xie, you have to take good care of our Huaizhou!" Xie Mo's face did not show any special expression, just a faint nod. But when Ji Jiancheng and the others walked away, he turned to look at Li Huaizhou, and the tenderness in his eyes almost overflowed: "Let's go." The two walked slowly along the street. The street lights stretched their shadows very long. Occasionally, a pedestrian returning home late passed by, and the sound of footsteps echoed in the quiet street. Xie Mo took off his coat and put it on Li Huaizhou - the wind was a little cool at night, with a hint of winter.
Xie Mo held his hand and shook it gently, "Do you want me to wait for you?"
"No, you should go back early, don't let your dad find out." Li Huaizhou shook his head, thinking of the last time Xie Mo secretly ran out to celebrate his birthday. If he did it too many times, he would definitely be suspected. Xie Mo stopped and turned to look at him. The light from the street lamp fell on his face. His eyes, which were usually indifferent and distant to others, were gentle at this moment, reflecting only the shadow of Li Huaizhou. "I am worried about you. I told my dad that I have been taking extra classes with my classmates during this period." He reached out and gently pinched Li Huaizhou's chin, with a hint of non-rejection, "Be obedient, I'll wait for you outside."
Li Huaizhou was a little itchy because of him. He wanted to avoid it, but he was greedy for that little bit of warmth. He could only hum uncomfortably and rubbed his fingers subconsciously, which was considered as consent. The two continued to walk forward, hand in hand, just like walking in the alley of the school after evening self-study, quiet and warm. When they reached the door of the bar, Li Huaizhou stopped and turned to Xie Mo and said, "You can wait for me at the convenience store across the street. There is heating there, which is better than freezing outside." Xie Mo nodded, took out a bag of snow pear-flavored lollipops from his pocket, unwrapped the candy wrapper, and stuffed it into Li Huaizhou's mouth without saying anything: "Is it sweet?"
The sweet taste of pear mixed with milk spread in his mouth, bringing with it a familiar warmth. Li Huaizhou chewed it and said vaguely, "It's just so-so." But the corners of his mouth couldn't help but secretly rise. He watched Xie Mo turn around and walk towards the convenience store across the street. His back gradually became smaller under the streetlight until he walked into the warm light of the convenience store.
The music in the bar was still blaring, and the noise from the customers hadn't stopped, but Li Huaizhou's heart was peaceful, as if wrapped in a warm glow, without even a hint of chill. He knew that after work, someone in the convenience store across the street would be waiting for him with hot milk and oden, waiting to walk home with him, waiting to save up this winter's warmth, bit by bit.
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