Chapter 417 Scars (Script 3)
On Monday morning, there was an unusually tense atmosphere in the class.
Everyone's eyes drifted towards the corner by the window in the last row of the classroom.
Shen Xiangyang's seat remained unchanged, still in the corner by the window, but the originally empty seat next to him was now occupied by Gu Xi's messy schoolbag, basketball magazines, and sports drinks.
Gu Xi exuded a low-pressure aura of "keep away from strangers". He threw himself heavily into the chair, and the back of the chair hit the edge of Shen Xiangyang's table with a "clang" sound.
Shen Xiangyang had already sat up straight before Gu Xi sat down. The exercise book in front of him was like an invisible barrier, separating him from Gu Xi next to him.
When Gu Xi bumped into Shen Xiangyang's desk, his body tensed up imperceptibly for a moment, then he regained his composure.
The first thing Gu Xi did after sitting down was to take out a thick black marker and forcefully draw a crooked but extremely eye-catching straight line in the middle of the desk he and Shen Xiangyang shared - "38th Parallel".
The tip of the pen slid across the table, making a harsh "squeaking" sound.
"Listen..."
Gu Xi turned his head and said in a voice full of warning: "This is the boundary. We will keep our distance from each other. Your things should not cross the line, but my people..."
As he spoke, he pointed at himself and said, "And don't touch my things. If you dare to cross the line, you will bear the consequences."
After Gu Xi finished speaking, he threw the marker into the drawer, crossed his arms over his chest, and stared at Shen Xiangyang's profile provocatively.
Shen Xiangyang finally responded.
He turned his head very slowly, his gaze moving from the exercise book to the ugly black line, and then to Gu Xi's face which was filled with impatience and hostility.
After a few seconds, Shen Xiangyang said nothing, but silently placed himself in the pencil case near the edge of the aisle and moved closer to himself, making sure not to cross that line in the slightest.
Then he lowered his head again, as if the line and the people on the other side of the line were non-existent air.
Obviously Shen Xiangyang had done what he said, but Gu Xi still felt depressed.
This little iceberg...
Gu Xi cursed in his heart and forced himself to suppress the inexplicable emotions in his heart.
The two of them became the strangest scenery in the classroom.
Gu Xi either slept or twirled a pen or scribbled on his textbook out of boredom. Occasionally, when the teacher called on him to ask a question, he would act as if he didn't know and wasn't interested.
Shen Xiangyang was always the most focused student, with his back straight and his notes meticulously taken, as if the person next to him with a strong presence had no effect on him at all.
Only those who were close could occasionally see that when Gu Xi moved erratically in annoyance or accidentally bumped into the table, Shen Xiangyang's fingers holding the pen would instantly tighten, revealing a hint of forcibly suppressed tension.
Since changing seats, Gu Xi's "brotherhood" no longer gathers in the last row as unscrupulously as before.
They usually stood in the aisle or the front row, chatting with Gu Xi from a distance. Gu Xi's laughter was still loud, but his eyes would occasionally sweep across the motionless figure next to him, with a hint of inquiry and irritation that he himself was not aware of.
Shen Xiangyang made full use of every break between classes, either burying himself in homework or staring out the window with headphones on, completely isolating himself.
The thick black 38th parallel between the two people was like an icy chasm, and no one dared to cross it.
…
On the tenth day after Shen Xiangyang and Gu Xi became deskmates, things took a turn for the better.
It was after a physical education class. Gu Xi and a few boys were chasing and playing in the corridor, showing off their wonderful performance on the court.
Gu Xi was walking backwards while talking to his companions and imitating a shooting motion. He didn't notice that Shen Xiangyang was walking towards him quickly with his head down, holding a thick stack of competition materials.
"Bang!"
A muffled sound.
Gu Xi’s strong back slammed hard into Shen Xiangyang’s thin shoulder blades.
Shen Xiangyang was caught off guard and staggered. The documents in his arms scattered all over the floor like an avalanche, and the corners of several heavy books even hit his instep.
Shen Xiangyang groaned, and his face turned pale in an instant.
Gu Xi was also startled.
He turned around and saw the mess and the pale-faced Shen Xiangyang, and blurted out: "Damn! Can't you see when you walk?!"
But as soon as he said that, he saw clearly what Shen Xiangyang was holding in his arms - all brick-sized books on various math and physics competitions, and draft papers scattered on the ground.
Seeing Shen Xiangyang's appearance of being obviously hurt but forcing himself to remain silent, Gu Xi's inexplicable anger in his heart stagnated for a moment.
The laughter around them stopped and the boys looked at each other.
If it were in the past, Shen Xiangyang would either silently accuse him with a cold look, or simply ignore him and walk away...
Gu Xi was also prepared to be tortured by that familiar cold gaze, and was even ready to say "What are you looking at" again.
However, Shen Xiangyang just took a deep breath, as if he had used all his strength to suppress the surging emotions and pain.
He didn't look at Gu Xi, nor did he say a word. He squatted down silently and began to pick up the scattered books and papers one by one.
His movements were very slow, and his fingers were trembling slightly, not sure if it was because of pain or something else.
A strand of sweat-soaked bangs stuck to his pale forehead, making him look extremely fragile.
Gu Xi stood there, watching Shen Xiangyang silently cleaning up the mess. Looking at his slightly furrowed brows and tightly pursed lips, the harsh words he had prepared suddenly got stuck in his throat.
He scratched his hair irritably and cursed under his breath, then he bent down and began to help pick up the papers and books scattered at his feet with some rough movements.
"Hey, that... here!"
Gu Xi haphazardly stacked a few books he had picked up and stuffed them into Shen Xiangyang's arms unhappily. His movements were still filled with his usual impatience, but his voice was a little lower, even a little awkward.
Gu Xi's eyes deliberately avoided Shen Xiangyang's face.
Just as Gu Xi stuffed the book over and his fingers accidentally brushed Shen Xiangyang's forearm, his movements suddenly stopped.
Shen Xiangyang was wearing a short-sleeved summer school uniform, and when he was hit just now, his sleeves were rubbed up a little.
What flashed before Gu Xi's eyes was an old scar that ran across the inside of his forearm. The color had faded but it was still clearly visible.
The scar wasn't particularly long, but its location and shape didn't make it look like an ordinary bump.
Gu Xi's pupils contracted slightly.
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