Shanhai High School 20

Little Teacher Lin is an emotionless brag machine.

Perhaps because the lingering afterglow of the National Day holiday had not disappeared, even the early morning school bus had been more lively than usual on these past two days. When Lin Jing came up, a group of people was getting together to discuss the change of classrooms, saying that the seating chart had already been posted in the Dongshan Building. There was also someone in the WeChat group of class 2-1 who had put a picture, which was taken secretly through, across the front door’s glass. Although the pixels were super blurry as well as reflective, still, it did not affect the enthusiasm of the masses for download. In a minute, hundreds of messages were posted quickly on the screen.

Lin Jing saved the picture into the photo album, zoomed in, and looked at it carefully for a long time. Before he could find his name, someone put his butt to sit next to him with a yawn and said, “What are you doing? What’s with that thievish-look¹.”

“…”

How come someone like you get 109 on the Chinese language test?

Ji XingLing was a typical scar that forgets the pain as soon as it heals. Yesterday, he was at home coughing and wheezing to recover from a cold. Today, he came to school in a loose school uniform with his neckline crooked open. He was so handsome that even Little Teacher Lin disdained it that he had to casually pull the zipper to drag it up, with the actual intent was to remind the other party to keep warm. However, Ji XingLing just happened to look down at the smartphone again, and just like that, the zipper arrived precisely, and there was a bloodstain on the eldest young master’s chin, which made the young master’s chin get a bloodstain because got caught by the zipper.

“Hiss…” Ji XingLing, who was unguarded, was stunned by the pain on the spot.

Lin Jing’s hands shook, “I’m sorry.”

“Do you know that your three words are very soulless?”

“…but you can forgive me with a great soul.”

Young Master Ji made a “tsk” snorted sound, went to the driver himself to ask for a Band-Aid, sat back, and threw it to Lin Jing, “Help me.”

The wound wasn’t deep, and it was a bit ignorant to say that it was completely fine either. So Lin Jing helped him stick a Band-Aid on nicely, and then pressed it carefully with his fingertips, “Okay, you’re very handsome, really, I found that you are really handsome in any style, wow.”

Ji XingLing was silent for three seconds and applauded silently. Your “wow” word was so hypocritical to the extreme.

Little Teacher Lin, an emotionless brag machine.

After being disturbed by him, Lin Jing also forgot about the seating chart matter, “Why did you think of taking the school bus today?”

“I woke up at four o’clock.” Ji XingLing exercised his muscles and bones a bit, “Sleepy. I’ll sleep again.”

Ji XingLing was tall and thin, and naturally, he took up a lot of space. He was usually used to sitting in a crooked and twisted position. The narrow seat of the school bus was obviously not enough to give free rein to his movements, so not long after, he squeezed his head over and forcibly propped it onto Lin Jing’s shoulder. It was also in line with the consistency of the image of the young master who ignoramus had always been indolent.

Lin Jing clicked on the English audio, and before he could listen to a word, one of his earphones was snatched away.

Ji XingLing stuffed the earphones well, and with a husky voice, said, “hypnotizing”.

“…”

The female voice in the earphones spoke,

Do you see the fruit buried in the fallen leaves?

It is the flavor of autumn.

Have you seen the red fruits buried in the fallen leaves? That is the flavor of autumn.

There always have lots and lots of sours, also lots and lots of sweets.

…

When the two entered the classroom, they just happened to run into Hou YueTao, the deputy class monitor, who was coming back with the craze hot seating chart, which was not a high-pasted version, but a high-definition version. A group of enthusiasts immediately rushed forward to join in the fun. Ji XingLing called out to Ge Hao, “Who am I sitting with?”

“Wei Xue ba, looks like.”

Ji XingLing, “…”

What the hell is this arrangement?

Although Brother Xing wasn’t very interested in with whom he was sitting at the same desk, however, the matter of sitting next to the class leader was also not okay. Just in time that Mr.Wang was walking by, so he tidied up his collar and took the initiative to go find the class teacher, “Teacher Wang, can I change my deskmate?”

“Why?” Wang HongYu was perplexed.

Ji XingLing’s tone was sincere, “I think my studies are too poor, and I also make many small movements when in the lessons, which will disturb others.”

“Recently, your grades have improved significantly, so you must have confidence in yourself.” Wang HongYu was earnest and persuasive, “Also, you’ll be sitting together with Lin Jing. Ordinarily, if you have any questions you don’t know, you can also ask him more; I notice that your relationship with him seems to be rather good.”

“Okay teacher, then I’ll go back.”

The attitude of the young master changed too swiftly, and Wang HongYu, who was brim with earnest and well-meaning advice to admonish, only had enough time to give an opening speech. He was very speechless when he didn’t have the opportunity to elaborate fully.

The people around the podium had dispersed. Ji XingLing glanced at the seating chart when he returned to his seat. He was in the seventh row of the third group, and so was Lin Jing. At the front table were Li MoYuan and Wei Xue. And Ge Hao probably had been blossoming so ecstatically to the point of oblivion of himself recently, that his eyesight became pretty poor; that’s why he was confused by seeing one line with another.
“Brother Xing,” Yu YiZhou was kicking his chair, “I found that your seat is also absolutely superb, surrounded by Xueba. Did Mr.Wang discover your potential in the last exam, and think you can still be salvaged?”

“Who’s behind me? I just didn’t notice.”

“……Me.”

“Then maybe Mr.Wang has no intention of saving me and has already given up the treatment.”

“Damn, get lost!”

The class was buzzing, and they were all discussing the deskmate‘s matter. Wang HongYu has been in charge of the class for many years and had known that these little brats would definitely not be able to calm down for a while, so he had simply requested the school for the classroom moving to move in this afternoon after the class, and there was no need to wait till Friday, also it would save trouble with moving earlier.

The Xueyuan Building was quite a distance away from the new classroom. Lin Jing belongs to the type of problem-solving maniac. He dragged his suitcase on the first day of school, and now he only needed to take a few more trips to carry it all. Ji XingLing had just packed up his light, fluffy backpack, and before he had time to stand up, several girls stood at the table and asked, “Ji XingLing, can you help us move the book ma?”

“Yes, wait a moment ah.” Ji XingLing glanced at the classroom and said languidly, “Hou YueTao!”

“…”

The Old Hou was modestly willing to help the young and weak selflessly. He personally went to the convenience store to ask for a blue trailer, and asked the girls to pile up the books and exercise books, and get it all settled in one trip. Ji XingLing, who put his backpack on one shoulder, walked to the sixth row and then stretched out his hand, “Give it to me.”

“Hou YueTao has left?” Lin Jing sorted out the last stack of papers, “I plan to cadge a lift in his trailer.”

“Well, he’s gone.” Ji XingLing picked up his book, “Hurry it up, I need to go to the sports field later.”

“Going to play ball again?”

“Mr. Song asked the people who signed up for the sports meeting to stay and practice for an hour every day after school.”

When Lin Jing heard this, he was very alert, “formal events or for all events?”

“Formal events, and fun activities are so silly. There’s nothing to practice for playing fool?”

“…” You better shut up ba.

The two people had to go back and forth three times before they had finished moving all of Xueba’s belongings. Lin Jing looked at the time and asked him if he wanted to have dinner together in the evening.
Ji XingLing was surprised, “Aren’t you going home?”

“I’m on duty today.” Lin Jing said, “Besides that, I still have to move things, it must be quite late, so I told my aunt that I’ll eat outside.”

“Okay, you can find me on the running track when you’re done.” Ji XingLing threw his backpack over and went alone to the sports field to assemble.

The other two students on duty were both girls. Faced with the floor full of garbage just after moving the classroom, they had a meltdown. The only thing that would prevent them from falling apart was the probability of “sweeping the floor with a handsome young man as a partner”. Lin Jing gave full play to his fine tradition by taking the initiative to undertake most of the dirty and strenuous work, and then asked, “Is Taoli Building still open?”

“It’s open. The lights are still on.” Wei Yue assumed he would ask a math problem, “but I don’t know if Mr. Li is still there or not.”

“Yeah.” Lin Jing carried up two schoolbags, “Then you both go home early and be careful on the road.”

Taoli Building is the teacher’s building, and several teachers were correcting homework in the main office.

“Teacher.” Lin Jing was knocking on the door, “Can I pour a cup of hot water? There is no water dispenser in Dongshan Building, and the convenience store is also closed.”

“The water dispenser is in the corner.” A second-year high school teacher who knew Lin Jing asked with a smile, “Looking at your miserable face. It must be hard to do today’s duty ba.”

“Yeah.” Lin Jing took a thermos of water, and after thanking him, he brought it directly to the sports field. Just as was expected, the young master, who had just finished running 1,500 meters, was picking up clothes and preparing to buy drinks outside the school.

“Here.”

“What?”

“You caught a cold.”

“I’m already recovered.”

“Hurry up!”

“…”

There were also a few strands of honeysuckle soaked in the thermos cup, and Brother Xing conceded.

“What’s in the hell with this secret of maintaining good health for middle-aged and elderly people?”

“Drink your water well.” Lin Jing was checking the nearby restaurants, “You can’t eat spicy food for these two days, so pork tripe chicken porridge stewed in an earthenware pot or pork ribs stewed in medicinal herbs cuisine, which ones?”

“…I choose to go on a hunger strike.”

“Okay.” Lin Jing put the phone back in his trouser pocket, “Then I’m going to dinner, and you’ll go back alone.”

“Hey, you still owe me a bullfrog, aren’t you?” Ji XingLing followed behind him, “You need to be a little sincere when inviting guests, don’t you know it?”

“Do I really have to visit your house three times²?”

“It’s not necessary.” Ji XingLing emphasized, “But what to eat is up to me.”

The two jostled all the way, strolled around the school for a long time, but couldn’t find any standard formal restaurant – in the words of Little Teacher Lin. They were all oily, spicy, and worrisome hygienic; eventually, Young Master Ji was really at his wit’s end, “Then what about a Japanese restaurant?”

“I glanced at it when I passed by, and it was already closed.”

“…Okay, then I’ll take you to eat elsewhere.” Ji XingLing chose to give in, so he took a taxi and walked a little further, leading him into a small alley, “Go down.”

Lin Jing, “?”

In front of it was a pitch-black staircase, which was long and steep, with flashing lights hanging on the walls on both sides. He felt sorry for this haunted scene if there was no murder at all.

“Ji XingLing, are you going to take me to prostitution?”

“Cough!” The great young master’s throat was a little dry, so he was drinking water from a thermos cup, and now he sprayed it all back into the thermos cup after hearing those words.

“…The thermos cup is for you.” You’re welcome.

“Why do you, a good student, have such an impure mind?” Ji XingLing rubbed his head, “This is the restaurant opened by Uncle Tao. It’s very popular, don’t you know, be careful not to fall.”

Uncle Tao was a Taotie³. He was pretty oppressive when he was young. He was always thinking of uniting the ferocious beasts in the city to cause some trouble. Later, he was beaten to the brink of collapse by Mr.Ji, the adult Qilin. So he had to honestly go on the road to becoming rich through hard work, and opened this private restaurant that looked like a fraudulent store.

“Are you sure there’s really something to eat down there?” Lin Jing walked unusually tangled, “Otherwise, It’s better for me to treat you to a barbecue, or a hot pot, grilled fish, dry pot, anything will do.”

“No, I have a cold, so I can’t eat spicy food.”

“You already well.”

“I’m not well.”

Ji XingLing grabbed the shoulder strap of his backpack with one hand, while pushing open the heavy store door with the other hand.

A huge sound wave surged out, and Lin Jing was almost deafened on the spot.

More than a dozen ball lamps swirled on the ceiling simultaneously, illuminating the faces of each restaurant’s customer in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

Little Tao’s eyes popped behind the counter, “You said that he was human?”

“What’s wrong with humans? It’s not like your dad doesn’t host humans.” Ji XingLing forcefully asked for a VIP room, then turned around and saw Little Teacher Lin, who was standing at the door just now, was gone.

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1. 贼眉鼠眼 (zéiméi-shǔyǎn) – Literally “eyebrow of a theft and eyes of a rat”. It’s a facial feature that reminds you of a pick-pocket. In many orally passed down stories, rats are used to describe a thief because they’re known for coming out at night to eat hidden food. 贼眉鼠眼的人 gives people an impression that they look around in a cautious, sly, or sneaky way, avoiding being observed like a rat.
2. 三顾 (sān ɡù) – lit. Three humble visits. Generally refers to repeated visits or sincere invitations, which from a famous episode in the fictional Romance of Three Kingdoms, when Liu Bei recruits Zhuge Liang to his cause by visiting him three times.
3. Taotie (饕餮 tāotiè) – represents Gluttony. It has no body, only the head of a ferocious beast. It seeks to devour everything.