My Deskmate Chapter 16 (Part 1)
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 16.1
Chi Ye had a deep-seated fear of Sadako. It probably started when he was a kid and dug out a CD to watch while his parents were out. Young and naive, he was totally unprepared for how terrifying Sadako would be. He was so scared that he couldn't bring himself to watch TV for two whole months.
However, Chi Ye soon realized he had overestimated the escape room. The boss was clearly struggling financially and was trying to cut corners. The first NPC who jumped out to scare them had a wig that looked extremely cheap.
One could get two of those for ten yuan on the side of the road. The price couldn’t have been lower.
Chi Ye was certain he could handle this. But, oddly enough, he found himself gripping Wen Xiao’s wrist and not letting go.
Zhao Yiyang and the others were deeply focused on solving the puzzles, their entire attention on cracking the combination lock. Chi Ye, bored, edged closer to Wen Xiao and whispered, “Have you figured it out?”
Wen Xiao felt Chi Ye was standing a bit too close, but he didn't say nothing. He simply responded with a brief “Mm.”
Chi Ye smiled. Although Wen Xiao always appeared indifferent and emotionless, he found him quite interesting. Like right now, as Chi Ye held his wrist, Wen Xiao didn’t make a sound or struggle. He even adjusted his angle to make sure Zhao Yiyang and the others didn’t notice. Moreover, he had already figured out the answer but didn’t speak up. Otherwise, what would be the point of Zhao Yiyang and the others playing?
Five more minutes passed before Xu Rui finally solved the puzzle. Zhao Yiyang bounced over like a rabbit and unlocked the combination.
The second room was still dimly lit, with large patches of “blood” smeared on the walls. In one corner, a red dress was carelessly tossed aside.
Zhao Yiyang and the others led the way, while Wen Xiao and Chi Ye lagged behind, leaving some distance between them. Wen Xiao stared ahead and murmured softly, “If it gets too much, just close your eyes.”
Chi Ye understood what Wen Xiao meant: if he was really too scared, he could just close his eyes, and Wen Xiao would guide him forward.
After a moment’s thought, Chi Ye decided to stay true to his “persona” and actually closed his eyes.
To set the ambiance, the escape room had a strange, hard-to-describe smell, and the cold air conditioning was blowing “whoosh” after “whoosh” of cold air. With his eyes shut, Chi Ye could hear the sound of the air conditioning vent, and he realized that his deskmate’s hand was really cold.
Shangguan Yu found a switch. “There’s a switch here, the kind you twist. Should we try turning it? Maybe it's an important mechanism!”
Zhao Yiyang voted in favor. Xu Rui's voice was trembling, but he was also curious, “You go ahead. I’m mentally prepared!”
Wen Xiao agreed. Chi Ye, with his eyes still closed, said, “I’m in favor too.”
Shangguan Yu blew a puff of air on his fingers, ready to twist the switch, then pulled his hand back and offered it to Zhao Yiyang. “Master, come on, blow a breath of your magical carbon dioxide.”
Zhao Yiyang: “Your Majesty, your dragon breath is more than enough.”
Shangguan Yu thought about it for a moment and nodded in agreement. He reached out and twisted the switch. They all heard a series of clicks, and Xu Rui gasped. “A door really did open! It looks like there’s something in there. Ah, f*ck, there’s a ghost! A woman in a white dress!”
Chi Ye opened his eyes and peered over Wen Xiao’s shoulder. This NPC was surprisingly dedicated. Her long hair covered her face, her arms hung limply by her sides, and her long white dress flowed as she walked like her bones were about to fall apart.
After his gaze moved from her head down to her feet, Chi Ye muttered, “This ghost has big feet. She's wearing size 40-something sneakers.”
Xu Rui's chicken-like shriek hit a snag, and his first reaction was, “Big-footed Empress Dowager?”
Shangguan Yu adjusted his glasses. “That build, it kind of resembles the boss who greeted us at the door earlier.”
Xu Rui: “So, this place... can’t even pay its employees?”
Seeing the other three focused on the “ghost,” Wen Xiao turned to Chi Ye and quietly asked, “Why are your eyes open?”
Chi Ye: “It’s Xu Rui’s fault. That scream was so shrill and loud.”
Xu Rui heard his name and called out, “Chi-ge, did you call me?”
“No, I was just saying you’d be great at singing opera.”
Xu Rui actually thought Chi Ye was complimenting him. He scratched the back of his head and laughed. “Haha, it's just natural talent, natural talent.”
Even though Xu Rui was practically scared out of his wits, he dared to peek out of the closet where the ghost had come from. Excitedly, he said, "I see it! There's a tunnel here. We can go through it! Let's go, let's go!"
The five of them crouched down, waddling forward like Donald Duck. Once they were out of the tunnel, even Xu Rui, with his chicken-heart, was brave enough to poke around and explore. So, by the time they unlocked the last puzzle and opened the final door of the escape room, Chi Ye never once had the courage to grab his deskmate's wrist again.
After changing their location, everyone felt the trip was worth it. Standing at the school gate, Zhao Yiyang asked, “I’m heading in the same direction as Shangguan Yu. What about you guys?”
Xu Rui, still excited from the escape room, said, “I’m heading toward the direction of the 2nd Ring. Chi Ye, Wen Xiao, are you guys on the way?”
Chi Ye, feeling like he had no bones, could lean against anything. He pointed toward the bus stop. “I live close to Wen Xiao. We're heading toward the 1st Ring.”
Zhao Yiyang raised an eyebrow. “You two live close? How close?”
Chi Ye had a rough idea of which building Wen Xiao lived in. “Less than five minutes on foot, and that includes going up and down the stairs.”
“So, you’re neighbors,” Zhao Yiyang said, as if something clicked. “No wonder you guys get along so well.”
On Monday morning, during the morning study session, the entire class was taken by Old Xu to the area near the statue of Confucius. It was close to the school gate, so they could even hear Cheng Xiaoning's roar. “Let me see who this is? You again! How old are you? Can you wear a mask next time? Every time I see your face, my heart just burns with rage!”
“Hurry up! Move faster! The teacher has finished a whole book, and you still haven’t stepped through the school gate! If there was a turtle in the Chinese zodiac, you’d be its representative!”
“Run, student! Run! Why aren’t you running?”
Someone couldn’t help but comment, “The Director of Discipline should’ve been a Chinese teacher. The way he puts words together is so unique. I've been at this school for almost two years, and I've never heard him repeat himself.”
“Exactly! It’s flawless! If Cheng Xiaoning became a comedian, he’d definitely become the next internet sensation.”
“And then all the directors of discipline around the country would follow him on Weibo? Hahaha...”
Old Xu cleared his throat, signaling them to quiet down. “Alright, students, place the plants you’ve brought in on the open ground in front of the statue. Be sure to arrange them neatly — tall in the back, low in the front...”
Wen Xiao placed his freshly bought rose bush in the center, with Zhao Yiyang and Shangguan Yu moving in closer. The three flower pots were arranged side by side.
Zhao Yiyang suddenly thought of Chi Ye. “Chi Ye hasn’t shown up yet. When he does, I bet he won’t bring a plant either, right?”
Shangguan Yu surveyed the scene. “My classmates really have some creative ideas. Bringing cabbages in flowerpots? Are they trying to supplement extra food for the cafeteria?”
Old Xu happened to be standing nearby and reluctantly explained, “Cauliflower is also a flower. If you appreciate it from a different angle, it can be beautiful too.” He glanced around at the students standing near him before settling on Wen Xiao. “Wen Xiao, do you think what I said is right?”
Wen Xiao nodded. “Mm, right.”
Old Xu, pleased with the response, grew even friendlier. “Have you appreciated its beauty from another angle?”
Wen Xiao glanced at the cauliflower pot. After a brief pause, he decided to remain silent.
Zhao Yiyang and Shangguan Yu stood nearby, trying so hard not to laugh that their heads were about to drop.
The bell signaling the end of the third-period physics class had been ringing for a while before Chi Ye finally entered through the back door of the classroom.
Wen Xiao, with his sharp senses, sized up Chi Ye. “Did you go to the hospital?”
Chi Ye raised his arm and sniffed it, not detecting anything unusual. He smiled. “You can tell from that?”
Zhao Yiyang turned around. “Chi-ge, what did you hurt? Why’d you need to go to the hospital?”
“Shut up, can’t you say something nice? I’m fine, I'm not hurt,” Chi Ye quickly explained, “I just went to buy some medicine.” He clearly wasn’t in the mood to talk more about it.
Wen Xiao realized that Chi Ye didn’t want anyone to know that his mother was hospitalized, so he didn’t press the issue further.
Zhao Yiyang, sensing the change in atmosphere, shifted the topic. “Today, we put the flower pots under Confucius’ statue. I was guessing, when you came to school, you wouldn’t have brought flowers.”
Chi Ye, with his long legs draped over his knee, smiled. “Confucius probably wouldn't appreciate my flowers. If they were placed in front of him every day, wouldn't it annoy him?”
Zhao Yiyang burst out laughing.
Chi Ye elbowed his deskmate again. “Wen Xiao, what do you think if I buy a pot of flowers for Cheng Xiaoning and ask him to put it on his desk?”
Wen Xiao paused for a moment before responding, “In six months, you’ll be sending him a wreath instead.”
Chi Ye laughed at his deskmate’s response. “Then how much fun will we lose at the school gate in the morning?”
Wen Xiao shot him a look. How many times have you actually seen the school gate in the morning?