My Deskmate Chapter 11 (Part 1)
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 11.1
The next day, Wen Xiao and his fellow adventurers were all gathered in Xu Guangqi's office and were not allowed to do their morning exercises on the playground.
Xu Guangqi unscrewed his black thermos as if to take a sip, but lost his appetite. He slammed the cup back onto the desk and demanded, “What am I supposed to say to you guys?”
Zhao Yiyang mumbled softly, “Then, maybe you don’t have to say anything?”
Xu Guangqi was relieved that he didn't have a weapon in his hand, otherwise he would have thrown it. “Oh, I will say something whether you like it or not! I'm seriously doubting if the teachers are assigning enough homework! It's the only explanation for why you have time to wander around the school in the middle of the night instead of going home to do your papers!”
Silence followed. No one dared to agree with the outrageous suggestion that their homework was not “enough.”
After venting his frustration, Xu Guangqi shifted gears. “So? What did your grand exploration accomplish? Did you see any ghosts?”
Xu Rui and Li Wencheng exchanged an awkward, furtive glance but kept their mouths shut.
“You actually believe in ghosts? You’re science students! Even if you haven’t studied advanced theories yet, you’ve at least taken politics in your first year. Where’s your reasoning? Your intelligence? Did the north wind blow it all away?” He took a deep breath, silently chanting “Stay calm” several times in his head before finally concluding, “Each of you, write an eight-thousand-word self-reflection!”
As the organizer of the adventure, Xu Rui felt compelled to speak up. “Old Xu, the monthly exam is just around the corner. Can you... make it a little less? Show some mercy?”
Xu Guangqi pondered for a few seconds before finally saying, “Fine. In light of the monthly exam, I’ll give you a discount — four thousand words each. I want them on my desk by tomorrow!”
As they left the office, Xu Rui beamed with delight. “Four thousand plus four thousand makes eight thousand total — two for the price of one! What a deal!”
Chi Ye, walking alongside Wen Xiao, glanced over. “So... two thousand each?”
Wen Xiao: “Last night, you said you’d take four thousand on your own. Please keep your word, Chi-ge.”
Chi Ye: “......”
When they returned to the classroom, the morning exercises had already ended. Xu Rui wasted no time launching into the next installment of his dramatic saga, The Thrilling Midnight Tomb Exploration: Part Three. A small crowd quickly gathered around his desk, captivated by his exaggerated storytelling.
Meanwhile, Wen Xiao spread open his chemistry textbook and flipped through the pages, preparing for the next lesson.
The chemistry teacher entered with his usual exuberance. Known for his powerful voice and a side passion for singing opera, he was a guaranteed performer at every school event. As soon as he stepped into the room, he bellowed with vigor, “Good morning, class!”
The sheer volume made the walls seem to echo his greeting.
Without setting his textbook down on the podium, he announced, “Change of plans. We’re doing a lab this period. Let’s go! You’ve got five minutes to get to Chemistry Lab Three in the Science Building. Find your seats and settle in.”
The science building was conveniently located just behind the second academic building, so the trip took no more than five minutes.
The chemistry lab always had a peculiar smell. It was impossible to describe, but undeniably distinct. Once everyone was seated according to their regular classroom arrangement, the teacher clapped his hands for attention.
“Now, listen up! Keep your hands to yourselves — no touching the equipment or anything on the workbenches unless I say so. From this moment on, you’re robots — one command, one action. Got it?”
The students mumbled a half-hearted response, their voices scattered and unenthusiastic.
The chemistry teacher turned to the board and began outlining the key points of the aluminum-thermite reaction. He sketched a diagram, jotted down the procedural steps, and finished by emphasizing the safety precautions. Only then did he allow the students to start the experiment.
While Wen Xiao was checking the experimental equipment, he saw Chi Ye tearing a piece of notebook paper and searching his pockets for another one, but he couldn't find it. "Can I borrow a pen?"
Without looking up, Wen Xiao tossed a pen in his direction.
Chi Ye caught it with both hands, popped the cap, and flattened the jagged-edged notebook paper on the workbench. He scrawled the title across the top: Self-Reflection.
When Wen Xiao had finished polishing a magnesium strip with sandpaper, he glanced back at Chi Ye. To his surprise, Chi Ye was writing so furiously. Wen Xiao leaned slightly closer and read the opening line: “The sun shone brightly in a cloudless sky.”
Wen Xiao frowned. If his memory served him correctly, their escapade had taken place in the dead of night near the sports field.
He said nothing, merely shaking his head.
Meanwhile, the chemistry teacher was pacing the aisle, arms crossed, his tone both serious and amused. “This experiment is beautiful. I just had to let you all experience it again before you graduate! But watching you perform experiments always feels like watching a horror film. My heart is in my throat, and I have no idea what’s going to happen next. Now, don’t let your hands shake. At your skill level, you shouldn't accidentally blow up the lab.”
Laughter erupted in the lab.
Just then, a sudden bang shattered the atmosphere. Sparks erupted, and flames shot across the table. Within moments, notebooks and textbooks caught fire, the flames spreading rapidly.
Someone shouted, “What the hell? What just blew up?”
A moment later, another panicked voice screamed, “I think my clothes are on fire!”
Chaos erupted in the lab. Students scrambled in every direction, some shouting, others frozen in shock. The chemistry teacher, accustomed to emergencies, wasted no time. He sprinted to the door and slammed the main power switch down.
A shrill alarm blared through the room, and the fire suppression system in the ceiling activated.
Chi Ye, seated in the back row near the edge of the classroom, was far from the explosion. Spinning a pen between his fingers, he turned his head and said, “It was probably something soaked in kerosene or—”
He stopped mid-sentence.
His deskmate wasn’t in his chair. Instead, he was crouched in the corner, hands clamped tightly over his ears, head bowed low.
At first, Chi Ye thought he’d been startled by the explosion, but as he looked closer, something seemed off.
Wen Xiao’s fingers were curled so tightly over his ears that his knuckles were pale and bloodless. His face was hidden, but his whole body was clearly trembling.
It was as though something terrifying was looming within a foot of him.
This wasn’t the reaction of someone merely startled by a loud noise.
Chi Ye’s gaze shifted to the alarm, which was still blaring incessantly.
Making sure everyone else was either crowded near the door or loudly discussing what had just happened, Chi Ye crouched down next to Wen Xiao.
Keeping his tone deliberately casual, he said, “Looks like someone didn’t lock the teacher’s cabinet properly. Some idiot must’ve pulled out something soaked in a special liquid and thrown it straight into water. The teacher pulled the alarm, so that's why the alarm keeps beeping. Once the fire is out, it'll definitely stop.”
He hesitated for a moment, then reached out and lightly patted Wen Xiao on the back.
Chi Ye’s thoughts wandered to their brief meeting at the hospital. Wen Xiao had been coming from the psych ward.
Could he have a phobia of alarms?
Chi Ye didn’t linger on the thought. Whatever the reason, crouching like this wasn’t a long-term solution. Unfortunately, he had next to no experience comforting others. The only thing he could compare it to was putting his little sister to sleep. But that was easy. If Yaya refused to stay still, he’d drag her downstairs for a run. By the time they got back, she’d be too tired to do anything but fall asleep.
Not exactly applicable here.
In the end, Chi Ye fished around in his uniform pocket and pulled out a small item.
“Here,” he said lightly. “Your Chi-ge’s got a little gift for you. Cheer up.”
The fire was extinguished, and the alarm abruptly fell silent. Wen Xiao slowly lifted his head, revealing a pair of eyes that seemed washed clean by icy water.
He glanced at Chi Ye’s face, then lowered his gaze to Chi Ye’s outstretched palm.
It took him a moment to fully register what he was seeing: a pink plastic bow hair clip.
Wen Xiao blinked slowly, as if unsure what to make of it.
Chi Ye couldn’t deny that pulling out a girly hair clip in this situation felt out of place. But after rummaging through his bag until it was practically inside out, it was the only thing he had to offer. No choice there.
“Hey, Chi-ge, Wen Xiao? What are you guys doing squatting on the floor?” Zhao Yiyang and Shangguan Yu returned after enjoying the commotion.
Without missing a beat, Chi Ye slipped the hair clip back into his pocket. “There’s gold on the ground. Want to help us pick it up?”
By then, Wen Xiao had already lowered his hands from his ears.
Despite the earlier chaos, the chemistry teacher remained completely unfazed. “A minor accident. No one’s hurt, no need to make a fuss. Some of you will become chemistry teachers in the future, and just like me, you'll experience big fires and explosions. You just have to stay calm.” Picking up a piece of chalk, he continued, “You should’ve done this experiment back in middle school. Oxidation-reduction. The reaction works like this—” He began writing the chemical equation on the board.
When the dismissal bell rang, the teacher put down the chalk and added, “Class dismissed. And for the particularly bold soul who thought it was a good idea to sneak experimental materials out of the cabinet, I expect a detailed report. Include an analysis of the key chemical reactions involved in today’s incident.”
After the teacher left, Chi Ye pocketed his self-reflection, which consisted of a grand total of four lines. As he did, Zhao Yiyang sidled up to him. “Chi-ge, did you really find gold? Or are you keeping it all to yourself? Wen Xiao looks... a little out of sorts.”
“Did you finish your report?” Chi Ye shot back.
Zhao Yiyang groaned. “Not yet.”