Enemies meet on a narrow road
Tuesday morning.
Fang Chi practically stepped into the classroom as the preparatory bell rang. After yesterday's disastrous conflict, he barely managed to return to this place. The air still seemed to linger with the awkwardness of yesterday. He deliberately avoided any possible gazes and went straight to his seat by the window, wanting only to bury himself in his books and shut himself out from the outside world.
However, just as he put down his schoolbag, his homeroom teacher, Xu Dai, walked in carrying a stack of folders. The classroom fell silent instantly.
"Class, please take a few minutes before morning reading." Xu Dai adjusted her signature gold-rimmed glasses, her sharp gaze sweeping across the class from behind the lenses. "To create a better learning atmosphere and encourage mutual help among everyone, we are making some adjustments to the seating arrangement based on recent overall performance."
A low murmur and whispers rose from below. Changing seats always brings joy to some and sorrow to others.
Fang Chi's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition crept over him. He instinctively straightened his back, but dared not look around, especially not at that particular spot diagonally behind him.
Xu Dai remained unmoved and picked up the seating chart to begin reading out names. As each name and its corresponding new seat was announced, the students began to rustle and move their desks and chairs.
Fang Chi held his breath, listening for when his name would be called. He prayed to be as far away from that person as possible.
"Fang Chi," Xu Dai's voice came clearly, "First group, fourth row."
"First group, fourth row?" Fang Chi quickly located it in his mind. It was a centrally located seat near the front, with a good view. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief and was about to get up.
Then, he heard three words that followed, words that sounded like a pronouncement of fate.
"Xing Jiayan, first group, fourth row."
"boom--"
Fang Chi felt as if his brain had been struck by a heavy object, and it went completely blank for a moment. At the same time, a series of suppressed gasps and whispers filled the classroom, and countless eyes were focused on him like searchlights, as well as on Xing Jiayan, who was slowly standing up from behind.
The first and second in the grade? Two people who had a heated argument in front of the whole class yesterday? And today they're deskmates?
This is more dramatic than even the most clichéd campus novel!
A wave of overwhelming absurdity and embarrassment washed over Fang Chi. He could feel his cheeks burning uncontrollably, his ears burning. He didn't even have the courage to look at Xing Jiayan's expression at that moment.
Xu Dai seemed completely oblivious to the strange atmosphere, or rather, she was aware of it but didn't care. She simply tapped the podium and said, "Hurry up, don't disrupt the morning reading."
Almost instinctively, Fang Chi stiffly picked up his books and pencil case and walked towards the designated spot. His steps were heavy, each one feeling like walking on cotton or needles.
Xing Jiayan arrived at almost the same time as him. The two met by a narrow path next to their seats, their bodies momentarily close. Fang Chi could even smell the familiar lavender scent on the other person, a scent that instantly reminded him of the suffocating closeness and guidance he had received yesterday.
He jerked as if he'd been burned, veering sharply to the side of the window, his movement so forceful he nearly crashed into the table.
Xing Jiayan seemed to pause almost imperceptibly, but he said nothing and silently sat down on the outer side near the aisle.
Fang Chi pursed his lips and sat down on the inside side by the window. He shrank his body as close to the window as possible, arranged his books on the table meticulously, and deliberately left a clear gap between the two tables to delineate the boundary.
Throughout the entire process, he didn't look at Xing Jiayan once, as if the person sitting next to him was just a wisp of air.
However, the presence of that "air" was surprisingly strong. Xing Jiayan seemed completely unaffected by yesterday's events and today's awkward arrangement, calmly taking out his textbooks with an almost relaxed demeanor. This contrast made Fang Chi feel like a tense, easily triggered joke.
The English words in the morning reading class seemed to have turned into meaningless symbols, and Fang Chi couldn't concentrate on reading a single one. He could clearly feel the subtle scrutiny from all around him, those gazes filled with curiosity, inquiry, and perhaps even schadenfreude.
Just then, a hand crossed that invisible "boundary" and gently pushed something towards them.
It's a light blue thermos that looks high-quality.
Fang Chi's gaze was fixed on the cup.
“Yesterday,” Xing Jiayan’s voice rang out, not loud, but deep and calm, just enough to reach his ears, “My tone was not good, I apologize.”
Fang Chi froze, his fingers gripping the pen tightening instantly until his knuckles turned white.
An apology? What does this mean? A slap followed by a sweet treat? After embarrassing him in front of everyone, is this how you apologize in such a nonchalant tone?
He turned his head sharply, looking directly at his new deskmate for the first time. Xing Jiayan was also looking at him, his eyes not filled with the mockery or triumph he had expected, but rather with a calm demeanor, even carrying a complex emotion that he couldn't understand.
But to Fang Chi at this moment, that calm gaze seemed more like another form of condescension.
"No need." Fang Chi's voice was as cold as ice. He didn't even look at the thermos, but reached out and pushed it back onto Xing Jiayan's table with a loud "bang." His refusal was undisguised.
The thermos flask sat at the junction of two tables, like an abandoned island.
Xing Jiayan looked at the cup that had been pushed back, her lips moved slightly as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she just pursed her lips and said nothing more, turning back to look at her book.
The rest of the morning reading session was spent in a suffocating silence. The less than half-meter distance between the two seemed to separate them by an unfathomable chasm.
Fang Chi stared at his English textbook, his mind a jumble of thoughts. Yesterday's conflict, Yan's affirmation on the forum, this morning's absurd arrangement of his deskmate, and Xing Jiayan's sudden apology... all these images intertwined, leaving him feeling unsettled.
Enemies meet on a narrow road.
Fang Chi pondered these four words in his heart, finding them incredibly apt. This long high school life seemed to have become even more unbearable from this moment on. The bright sunlight streaming in through the window did nothing to dispel the gloom in his heart.
The bell rang, breaking the tense silence between the two. Fang Chi almost immediately wanted to stand up and leave the suffocating seat, even if it was just to get some fresh air in the corridor.
However, someone was faster than him.
A figure rushed over, still warm from exercise, and slapped Xing Jiayan on the shoulder without hesitation, his voice loud and mocking:
"Wow, Jiayan! You just 'guided' someone through a problem yesterday, and today you're already deskmates? Teacher Xu, you must have been pulling strings behind the scenes to arrange this, right?"
It's He Chen. Xing Jiayan's childhood friend, a key player on the school basketball team, with an outgoing and cheerful personality, able to get along with anyone, and one of the few people in the class who dares to joke with Xing Jiayan like this.
As soon as He Chen said this, several classmates who hadn't left yet perked up their ears, their faces showing amusement.
Fang Chi's body froze instantly. His movement to get up stopped halfway. He didn't know whether to sit or walk. He felt the heat that had just subsided on his face suddenly rise again. He lowered his head, pretending to tidy up books that didn't need tidying at all, but his fingertips trembled slightly.
Xing Jiayan frowned almost imperceptibly, raised his hand to swat away He Chen's hand, and said in a calm tone, "Stop talking nonsense."
"I'm talking nonsense?" He Chen widened his eyes dramatically, leaned to the side, and braced his arm on Fang Chi's desk, but his face was close to Xing Jiayan's. He lowered his voice, but it was still loud enough for everyone around, including Fang Chi, to hear clearly. "Then explain yourself. Fang Chi's copy of 'Science Fiction World' fell on the ground, and you were so eager to help pick it up? And you even 'accurately' pointed out the problems on his draft paper? Hmm?"
He emphasized the word "precise," his eyes darting back and forth between Xing Jiayan and the stiff Fang Chi, filled with mischievous intent.
Fang Chi's heart sank. After he rushed out yesterday, could it be that... Xing Jiayan had helped him pick up his things? This realization made him even more embarrassed.
Xing Jiayan's expression remained unchanged. He merely glanced at He Chen and said indifferently, "Are you very free?"
"I'm just concerned about my classmate!" He Chen grinned, then turned to Fang Chi, "Fang, you'll be sitting next to Jia Yan from now on, so you'll have to be a little more understanding. He's just a bit cheeky, but he's not a bad person! If he bullies you, tell me, and I'll teach him a lesson!"
His words, seemingly speaking well of Xing Jiayan, actually laid bare the subtle relationship between the two, leaving Fang Chi even more bewildered.
"He Chen." Xing Jiayan's voice deepened, carrying a clear warning.
"Okay, okay, I won't say anymore." He Chen raised his hands in surrender, but still had a bright and annoying smile on his face. "Oh right, don't be late for basketball practice this afternoon!" Before leaving, he patted Xing Jiayan's back hard and winked at Fang Chi.
He Chen came like a gust of wind and left like a gust of wind, leaving behind an ambiguous atmosphere and an even more awkward Fang Chi.
After He Chen's witty banter, what might have been the focus of attention for only a few people was now completely concentrated on their table. Fang Chi could feel those gazes like tiny needles pricking his back.
He stared intently at the wood grain on the table, wishing he could disappear into thin air.
Just then, he heard a very soft sigh from beside him.
“Don’t take He Chen’s words to heart,” Xing Jiayan’s voice rang out again, much gentler than when he spoke to He Chen earlier, but still only the two of them could hear it clearly.
Fang Chi pursed his lips, offering no response. He didn't know what to say or how to react. He had apologized, he had endured the teasing; now he only felt utterly exhausted and wanted nothing more than to escape.
He suddenly stood up, the chair legs scraping against the ground with a screeching sound. Without glancing at Xing Jiayan, he practically fled out the back door of the classroom.
Xing Jiayan watched his retreating figure, which seemed to be fleeing in a panic. His gaze fell on the solitary light blue thermos cup standing between the two of them on the table. His eyes were deep, and after a long while, he murmured almost inaudibly:
"It really is... unchanged."
The bell for the last class in the afternoon seemed to lift a ban, and the once quiet campus instantly erupted in activity. Xing Jiayan deftly swept the books on the table into her schoolbag, her movements fluid and tinged with a barely perceptible urgency.
"See you at the court, Jiayan!" He Chen was already standing impatiently at the back door of the classroom, twirling a basketball in his hand.
"Hmm." Xing Jiayan responded, slung his backpack over one shoulder, and glanced casually at the still empty seat next to him. Fang Chi had disappeared since lunch break; perhaps to the library, or some quiet corner. The light blue thermos still stood forlornly on the line between the two tables, like an unclaimed boundary marker.
His eyes darkened slightly, then he turned around and followed He Chen out of the classroom.
On a September afternoon, the sun was still scorching hot, but the basketball court was already bustling with noise. Xing Jiayan, dressed in a red and black jersey, seemed to have shed the calm and collected exterior he wore in the classroom, becoming sharp and aggressive.
Dribble, drive, pull up and shoot.
The basketball traced a perfect arc in the air, swishing cleanly into the net with a crisp "swish".
"Great!" He Chen ran over and gave him a high five, his sweat glistening in the sunlight. "You had a good game today!"
Xing Jiayan twitched the corner of his mouth, said nothing, but gestured with his eyes to continue. It was as if he was pouring some kind of pent-up emotion onto the field, running more aggressively, defending more fiercely, and every jump and collision carrying undeniable power.
Sweat quickly soaked his jersey, clinging to his muscular back and outlining smooth, explosive muscle lines. His black hair was damp with sweat, a few strands sticking messily to his temples, but he didn't care. He casually wiped away the sweat that was about to drip into his eyes with his wristband, his gaze remaining focused on the basket and his opponent.
A group of students had gathered at the sidelines, some whispering and others casting admiring glances. Xing Jiayan seemed oblivious to them; his world seemed to consist only of the sound of the basketball hitting the ground, his teammates' shouts, and his opponents' rapid breathing.
After a fierce battle under the basket, he was knocked to the ground by the opposing center, his elbow scraping against the rough cement floor, burning with pain.
"Are you alright, Jiayan?" He Chen and several teammates immediately surrounded him.
Xing Jiayan frowned, glanced at the abrasion with blood seeping out, shook his head, and stood up nimbly by pushing himself up from the ground: "It's okay, let's continue."
His tone was calm, but his eyes burned with an even greater flame.
During a training break, the team members sat around the sidelines, resting, drinking water, and chatting. He Chen nudged Xing Jiayan with his elbow, winking and lowering his voice:
"Hey, how's it going with your new deskmate? I noticed that Fang, the top student, didn't come back to the classroom this afternoon. Did you scare him away?"
Several teammates nearby also pricked up their ears in curiosity.
Xing Jiayan tilted his head back and gulped down a large mouthful of water, his Adam's apple bobbing as the water slid down his jawline and into the sweat-soaked collar of his jersey. He put down the water bottle and glanced indifferently at He Chen: "You talk too much."
"I'm just concerned about you!" He Chen said with a grin. "Seriously, what are you thinking? After all that commotion yesterday, you're deskmates again today. What a coincidence!"
Xing Jiayan gazed at the long shadows cast by the distant teaching building in the setting sun, not answering immediately. What was he thinking? He himself wasn't entirely sure. It was an almost instinctive urge to approach, triggered by seeing the other person frown over that physics problem, by the fallen copy of *Science Fiction World* and the messy yet brilliant handwriting on the draft paper, by his intense reaction to a thoughtless "taking a detour"...
He recalled the person with the ID "Chaos" on the forum last night, who defended the value of "different paths" with a self-deprecating yet stubborn tone. That pure passion for knowledge and unique perspective hidden beneath the chaotic surface strangely overlapped with a stubborn figure in his memory.
“He…” Xing Jiayan paused, his voice sounding somewhat muffled in the noisy stadium, “He’s not so easily scared away.”
He Chen wanted to ask more, but the coach's whistle had already sounded.
"Gather! Continue training!"
Xing Jiayan was the first to stand up, accurately tossing the empty water bottle into the trash can on the sidelines, and then ran back to the field soaked with sweat and passion. All distractions were cast aside, leaving only the purest running, jumping, and competition.
The training session ended only when the setting sun painted the sky a brilliant orange-red. The team members were all exhausted, and after saying goodbye, they left in twos and threes.
Xing Jiayan sat alone on the sidelines of the empty court, leaning against the basketball hoop, breathing slightly heavily. Sweat soaked his entire body, his muscles were slightly hot and sore from the high-intensity exercise, and the abrasions on his elbows were also throbbing.
But this physical exhaustion actually relaxed his tense nerves. He looked up at the twilight sky, and incongruously, the image of Fang Chi coldly pushing his thermos back that morning, and his stiff and somewhat flustered back as he rushed out of the classroom, appeared before his eyes.
Stubborn and sensitive, like a hedgehog with its entire body covered in sharp quills.
Yet, on the other end of the internet, they display a completely different side, full of curiosity and a desire to explore knowledge.
Chaos……and Yan.
Xing Jiayan raised his hand, looking at the congealed bloodstain on his elbow, and a very faint, complex smile appeared on his lips.
This seemingly unlikely relationship between classmates might not be as fraught with conflict as it appears.
He picked up his backpack, took out his phone, and the screen lit up, displaying the private message interface of the "Observatory" forum. The last message was from "Chaos".
"Thank you. I've learned a lot. Also... you're right, the process of exploration itself is indeed more fascinating than the result alone."
Night gradually fell, and the streetlights along the sports field lit up one by one. Xing Jiayan stood up, dusted himself off, and walked towards the teaching building.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com