Just in Time Chapter 112
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Extra 2 - Qi Huo and Chang Ziqi
Qi Huo had looked like his bastard father since he was little.
By the time he entered high school, he looked even more like his dad. He was also at his most rebellious stage of adolescence, so he went and got a buzz cut. With his fierce eyes, he was handsome, but looked a bit like a convict who had just been released from labor reform.
Before his parents divorced, his surname was Zhao and his given name was Huo. He fought and caused trouble inside and outside school, doing all kinds of evil. He was a proper delinquent. Plus, his dad gave him too much pocket money, so he never attended classes properly. He would call up a group of followers, pick up his newly changed pretty girlfriend, and head straight to arcades, internet cafes, clubs, and other places where they could eat, drink, and have fun.
This life of debauchery came to an abrupt end when he skipped class one day and came home to catch his father in the act of cheating.
His mother stood in the living room on the first floor, her face pale. The woman on the sofa was half-naked, exposing her shoulders and crying softly. His father sat on the sofa smoking, one cigarette after another.
"Since you've caught us, I have nothing more to say," his father flicked his ash. "I was under too much pressure."
Qi Huo didn't know what kind of pressure this bastard had. He just couldn't stand his father's matter-of-fact, nonchalant attitude.
"At this age, getting divorced isn't good for either of us," his father tried to persuade Qi Shuang. "You've been with me all these years, and Xiao Huo is already in high school. There's no need for it."
"Go to hell!" Qi Huo's anger flared up. He grabbed a kitchen knife and swung it at his father's head. "You're under pressure? I'll send you off! I'll give you a funeral right now!"
Qi Shuang hugged him tightly from behind, telling him to calm down.
Qi Huo couldn't calm down. He had been rough by nature, daring to use knives on people since middle school. He'd been in and out of hospitals like it was home. Now, burning with rage, he decided to send his father to the afterlife first, then send the mistress on her way, letting this pair of scoundrels be a couple in death.
His father cursed furiously, but Qi Huo saw fear in his eyes.
Qi Shuang divorced his father swiftly and decisively, taking him back to Wu City.
Wu City was a very small city. Qi Shuang had grown up there but rarely returned after getting married. As a result, Qi Huo was also very unfamiliar with this city. His mother tried her best to persuade him and managed to get him into Wu City No.1 High School. However, due to his poor grades, he had to repeat a year and start high school again.
He didn't know anyone at No.1 High School. Although he supported his parents' divorce, he was still unhappy deep down. He didn't have the energy to play around, and became much more restrained. He cut off contact with his bad friends and, by the way, informed his new girlfriend that she had been dumped.
He had a few meals with his mother, and at the dinner table, he met Yun Fang. Although Yun Fang looked fair-skinned and clean, appearing obedient and well-behaved, Qi Huo could tell at a glance that this guy was slyly wicked, with a prickly temper. He was a tough one, very much to Qi Huo's liking. He wanted to be friends with him, but Yun Fang was very aloof, not even bothering to talk to him throughout the meal, and even tricked him once.
The next day, he was late for school and went to climb over the wall as usual. However, Yun Fang and Yi Chenliang left him behind, saving themselves.
He crouched on top of the wall, looking down at the student council idiot whose school uniform zipper was pulled up almost to his neck.
The idiot was wearing the red and white uniform of the second year, but his exceptional good looks elevated the uniform by several levels.
He looked up at Qi Huo, his voice cold as ice, carrying a full measure of discourtesy and pressure, "This classmate, how long are you planning to crouch up there?"
Qi Huo was extremely annoyed at being caught. He jumped down from the wall with a scowl, picked up his bag from the ground and dusted it off. He smirked at this student council idiot, "I was just stunned by how handsome you are."
The person opposite him darkened his expression, "Which class are you in, first year? What's your name?"
Qi Huo slung his bag over his shoulder. There were no teachers or other students around, no witnesses at all. He grinned arrogantly, "Why not your father."
The person opposite frowned.
Qi Huo was in a very bad mood after being caught. Although this person looked about the same height as him, just by looking at his face, Qi Huo knew he couldn't fight. He walked forward with his bag on his back, but was grabbed by the wrist.
"What's your name?" the person asked again.
Qi Huo hated it most when people touched him casually. He flipped his wrist, grabbed the other's uniform collar, and pressed him against a tree trunk, glaring at him in displeasure, "Are you asking for a beating?"
When Chang Ziqi was pressed against the tree, he instinctively wanted to fight back, but he forcefully held himself back. The other person was too close to him, making him feel uncomfortable, so he turned his head slightly.
To Qi Huo, it looked like this bastard was scared of him. He whistled smugly and patted Chang Ziqi's face, "Kid, next time I see you, I'll beat you up every time."
As he said this, his expression was arrogant and casual. He mischievously wiped the dirt from his fingertips, which he'd gotten from climbing the wall, onto the other's face. A few smudges appeared on that strikingly handsome face, and Qi Huo couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
Damn, why did he seem even more handsome with the smudges?
Qi Huo, who couldn't allow anyone to be more handsome than himself, narrowed his eyes in displeasure. Seeing that the other seemed too scared to speak or move, he laughed maliciously and wiped all the dirt on his hands onto that handsome face. However, it didn't diminish the other's good looks at all.
"Damn it!?" Qi Huo exclaimed in disbelief.
Chang Ziqi's back was against the tree trunk. They were too close, and for some reason, the other kept leaning in. His heart was racing, and his Adam's apple bobbed.
Then he was grabbed by the chin and fiercely threatened. "Damn it, if I see your face again, I'll beat you so badly even your mother won't recognize you!"
With that, he picked up his bag and left with long strides.
Chang Ziqi stood there, staring at his arrogant retreating figure. He reached up to rub his warm ear, then slowly straightened his disheveled collar. When he looked up again, the other had disappeared.
He bent down to pick up a notebook that had fallen into the grass at some point, with half a footprint stamped on it.
They met again on New Year's Day at Jinshui River Park.
It was very cold that day. A few days earlier, Chang Nian and Chu Dong had called him to go to the airport, saying they would take a family trip for a few days during the holiday.
He didn't show it, but he was actually very happy.
However, when the car reached Jinshui River Park, he received a phone call.
It wasn't much fun to go out alone. He got out of the car and wandered around the bustling night market, idly watching people playing ring toss at a nearby stall.
A commotion erupted behind him. As he turned his head, his hand instinctively grabbed someone.
The person nearly fell into the stall, but he caught him. The other's eyes were filled with shock and irritation, "Damn, who are you!?"
He seemed not to remember him. Chang Ziqi felt a bit disappointed and frowned as he asked, "Why are you running?"
It seemed someone was chasing him. He angrily tried to break free, "Let go of me! You'll regret it if you don't let go!"
Chang Ziqi, having finally met him again, naturally refused to let go. "What's your name?" he asked.
He was actually very happy to see the other person. He thought, I just want to know his name, why won't he tell me?
What happened next was truly chaotic.
Chang Ziqi had learned some fighting techniques, including kickboxing and karate, but he had never actually fought someone for real. This was the first fight of his life, and it started because the person he liked was about to get his head cracked open.
He finally learned his name from the other two people.
Qi Huo.
Not the futures he often played with when he was bored, but the Qi Huo he liked.
(TL: pinyin for futures is “Qihuo”; futures-A forward contract transaction between a buyer and a seller at a specified trading venue.)
Chang Ziqi and the others were hiding in a dirty underpass, crouching with their knees bent, knee to knee with Qi Huo opposite him, close enough to hear his breathing.
"Man, the lamb smell is so strong," Qi Huo whispered, his warm breath fanning across Chang Ziqi's face.
Chang Ziqi caught a faint scent of cigarettes.
"Then you go out," Yi Chenliang retorted.
"Hey, why are you so irritable, little classmate?" Qi Huo turned his head to look at Yun Fang, his lips brushing past Chang Ziqi's cheek. They both froze, and as if to cover the awkwardness, Qi Huo quickly added, "Little brother, care to introduce us?"
Yun Fang ignored him.
Chang Ziqi frowned and started to speak, "Qi Huo, Yun Fang, Yi Chenliang, you three—"
Before he could finish, someone abruptly covered his mouth.
Qi Huo leaned in extremely close to him in the darkness. In the moonlight filtering in from outside, Chang Ziqi could clearly see the mischief in the other's eyes and the smirk on his face. Qi Huo deliberately lowered his voice, "Senior, keep it down. You're one of us now. If those guys outside hear us, we're dead meat."
Qi Huo had always felt that this handsome but idiotic student council member was easy to bully, always making him want to tease him. While Yi Chenliang and Yun Fang were talking beside them, he covered Chang Ziqi's mouth and deliberately pinched his cheek hard, whispering, "Senior, why is your face so soft? It's like tofu, tsk."
Chang Ziqi glared at him in the darkness, wanting to reach up and remove his hand. They had gotten who knows how much dirt on them from crawling and rolling earlier. As he raised his hand, Qi Huo grabbed his wrist and pinned it to the ground.
Another firework suddenly exploded outside, illuminating the dark, cramped underpass for a moment.
Qi Huo's fierce, slightly upturned eyes were staring directly at him, his lips curved in a mischievous smile. Unable to resist, he pinched Chang Ziqi's cheek again.
Just as Chang Ziqi was about to act, Qi Huo suddenly let go and poked his head out to talk to Yi Chenliang. "Little brother, you like watching too?"
The little junior with the not-so-good temper retorted a few times, but he didn't mind, continuing to chat happily with him.
Chang Ziqi leaned against the damp, cold wall of the underpass and reached up to touch his lips.
Later, they sat together on a high platform watching fireworks. Qi Huo was drinking alcohol boldly, having consumed an unknown amount. He was clearly quite drunk, stumbling a couple of steps before plopping down next to Chang Ziqi.
Chang Ziqi turned to look at him, only to see Qi Huo squinting at him with an unfriendly gaze, then reaching out his hand towards him.
Chang Ziqi instinctively tried to dodge, but Qi Huo grabbed his chin.
Qi Huo slowly leaned closer, giving him a drunken smile, and called out in a low voice. "Senior."
Chang Ziqi felt his ears tingle, then Qi Huo gently wiped the corner of his mouth with his thumb.
Qi Huo chuckled, "You've got cumin on your face."
Chang Ziqi let out a sigh of relief and swatted Qi Huo's hand away.
Qi Huo wasn't angry at being pushed away. He put an arm around Chang Ziqi's neck in a friendly manner and clinked his beer can against Chang Ziqi's. His voice was full of drunkenness, "That day when you caught me, I was in a bad mood. I didn't mean to scare you."
"I just wonder how you could look like this..." Qi Huo hiccupped, half his body weight leaning on Chang Ziqi. "Come on, drink! Be a man!"
Chang Ziqi glanced at him, clinked cans with him, and drank half a can in one go.
He didn't particularly like drinking, but drinking with Qi Huo somehow tasted different.
"What do I look like?" He turned his head to ask Qi Huo.
Qi Huo, who had been looking up at the exploding fireworks in the sky, turned his head and flashed him a bright smile, "Damn, you're so freaking handsome! A total hottie! It's the first time I've seen a guy more handsome than me! You're awesome, brother!"
Chang Ziqi tugged at the corner of his mouth, deliberately leaning in a bit closer, his deep eyes carrying a hint of teasing challenge, "So, do you like it?"
His breath, laced with a faint smell of alcohol, fanned across Qi Huo's face. Qi Huo's muddled brain short-circuited. He stared blankly at the handsome face so close to him, and in a moment of impulse, he kissed Chang Ziqi.
Fireworks suddenly exploded in the black sky above them.