My Deskmate Chapter 33
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 33
After speaking, Chi Ye waited, expecting his deskmate to object. After all, even he felt a bit guilty after saying it out loud.
Unexpectedly, after waiting for a while, he didn't get a response.
No way, his deskmate... agreed?
The realization made Chi Ye instinctively lower his gaze, hiding the emotions in his eyes.
For some reason, the two tacitly skipped over this topic.
Chi Ye stood up, took two cans of ice-cold cola from the fridge, and, standing behind Wen Xiao, gently brushed against his shoulder as he offered one of the cans. “Want one?”
Wen Xiao took the can, opened it, and handed it back to Chi Ye, then took the second one from his hand and opened it for himself. The exchange was seamless, as if it was something they had done a hundred times before.
Chi Ye couldn’t help but feel a bit like a weak chicken, unable to even open a can of soda.
“Do you have any plans for the afternoon?”
Chi Ye sat down, stretching his long legs out, and absentmindedly held the can in his slender fingers. “Yeah, I’m going to the hospital to see my mom.”
“How is your mom doing?” This was the first time Wen Xiao had directly asked this question.
Chi Ye’s smile faded slightly as he took a sip of cola, the cold sensation lingering in his throat. “Not so good. The new medication didn’t work as well as we hoped. Every time I take Yaya to the hospital to see her, she’s not conscious. Even when she opens her eyes, she doesn’t recognize us.”
“Does Yaya get scared?”
Chi Ye shrugged, a faint, weary smile tugging at his lips. “I didn’t hide it from her. She may not fully understand, but she knows her mom is sick. It’s a serious illness. I just thought... as long as Yaya can see Mom, even if it’s just once, it’s better than never being able to see her again.”
Wen Xiao wanted to ask if he was afraid, but he quickly realized the question was unnecessary.
How could he not be afraid?
With the topic now out in the open, Chi Ye held the cold can in his hands, and spoke again. “The doctor told me a long time ago to be mentally prepared. He said... it’s only a matter of time before she’s gone. I’m stubborn, though. I just keep thinking, if I can have one more day with her, I’ll take it. At least, for now, Yaya, my mom, and I are still here.”
Wen Xiao’s throat tightened, the words almost too painful to bear.
Images of Chi Ye flashed in his mind — the way he had been forced to endure when Feng Wanli had poured him alcohol, how he had struggled to hold himself together until everyone else left, then leaned against a tree to throw up. He remembered the quiet solitude of Chi Ye by the hospital’s lake, skipping stones in silence. And he remembered Chi Ye's guilt and self-blame on the day Yaya had the accident.
“What’s with that look?” Chi Ye asked, crossing his legs, the smile back on his face as if none of the heaviness could touch him. He softened his tone, “You don’t have to feel sorry for me, deskmate.”
The momentary tension dissolved. Wen Xiao, with a flick of his hand, shot back, “Get lost.”
The next day, Wen Xiao woke up to the incessant ding dong of message notifications. Grabbing his phone, he saw a new group chat had appeared in his WeChat.
The group was named "No Group Chat Name Here," and there were five people in total. Wen Xiao had been added by Chi Ye.
Even with his eyes closed, he could easily guess who the other three were.
“I’m feeling restless and uneasy. It must be the feng shui in my room that’s off. I can’t stay here any longer!”
“I too am in great distress.” (T/N: he was using the self-address of emperors)
“Shakespeare once said, ‘Fear always springs from ignorance.’ Everyone, we must stay as calm as the ocean!”
After identifying who each avatar belonged to, Wen Xiao sent a single question mark in response.
Xu Rui: "Wen Xiao, you're here! We were discussing today's entertainment activities. Do you have any suggestions? Tomorrow’s Monday, we have to go to school and then find out our grades! I just wish today could be stretched to 48 hours, no, make it 96!"
Zhao Yiyang: "How about an archery range? Whoosh whoosh whoosh, it's both cool and aesthetically violent, and we can pose for pictures to post on Moments!"
Xu Rui: "Better not, it's too violent. Not really suitable for me and Wen Xiao."
Zhao Yiyang: "How about airsoft? My cousin and I went once, and getting headshots was so satisfying. It felt like an explosion!"
Xu Rui: "Too bloody! Definitely not suitable for me and Wen Xiao!"
Zhao Yiyang: "What about video games? Escape rooms again? Or basketball?"
Wen Xiao sat at the table, eating breakfast in a T-shirt, when his grandmother, still uneasy, returned with a light jacket and draped it over his shoulders. "Grandma thinks you're cold."
Once Wen Xiao put the jacket on, she smiled and said, "Not cold anymore, not cold anymore!" She sat down across from him, watching him for a moment before speaking softly, "You're just like your mother. She never liked drinking milk."
Wen Xiao froze for a second.
This was probably the first time in over a year that he and his grandmother had spoken so calmly and normally about his mother.
There were no tears, no sadness, just a simple mention on an ordinary morning.
"Your mom was a picky eater when she was little. She refused to drink milk. When she was pregnant with you, the doctor told her to drink a little to get calcium. Every time she finished drinking, she would make a sour face, like someone had forced her to drink Chinese medicine. Later, your dad said, if she didn’t like it, she didn't have to drink it." His grandmother's gaze fell on the glass of milk beside Wen Xiao. "And you, you frown as soon as you drink two sips, exactly like your mom."
The bread in Wen Xiao's mouth suddenly lost its taste. He swallowed it down. "Must be hereditary."
"Right, maybe it’s also from prenatal education." His grandmother sighed again. "When your mom was in my belly, I used to listen to classical music all the time. I thought, when this daughter was born, she’d be all proper and ladylike. Turns out, it didn’t work at all."
At this point, her eyes began to redden.
Wen Xiao, pretending not to notice, lowered his gaze. "Probably, genetics are stronger than prenatal education."
"Even my own grandson dares to say that?" His grandmother feigned anger, her expression tight for a moment before breaking into a teary smile. "Your WeChat’s been buzzing non-stop. Is it a friend looking for you?"
"Mm, I'm heading out soon."
"Good, good, go out and get some fresh air. Studying isn’t everything. The most important thing is your health and safety. It's most important to be safe and sound."
Wen Xiao finished the last bite of his bread. "I know, don’t worry."
They had finally agreed to go see a movie.
It was a Hollywood action film with special effects, in its original language. Xu Rui’s reasoning was that, while watching the movie, they could also practice their listening skills.
In the end, the whole group agreed.
Qunxing Square was located within the 2nd Ring Road, a shopping area that had only been built a couple of years ago. The brand-new facilities, easily accessible, had attracted many popular brands, making it a bustling weekend hotspot.
Chi Ye and Wen Xiao stood by the railing, watching the AR racing game on the big screen below.
One was wearing a white long-sleeved T-shirt, the other a black hoodie. Their heights were nearly the same. Both were focused on the large screen downstairs, occasionally discussing the game.
Zhao Yiyang and a few others appeared, carrying sodas and popcorn, looking mysteriously at them. "Do you know how we found you?"
Chi Ye turned around. "How did you find us?"
"Haha, we kept running into groups of girls who excitedly said there were two guys who looked really handsome. They wondered if they were celebrities filming a show, so we stopped and asked. Sure enough, from their description, it was you guys!" Zhao Yiyang couldn’t stop talking, finally relishing the rare chance to go see a movie. "Come on, come on, let’s head upstairs. The movie starts in ten minutes!"
The five of them had seats together. Once settled in the theater, they split the sodas and popcorn. Xu Rui suddenly noticed something. "Wen Xiao, why did you take the 3D glasses without the clip-on lenses? Since it hasn't started yet, why don't you go exchange it?"
Wen Xiao held the glasses between his fingers. "No need. I’ll just take off my regular glasses and wear these. I can see fine."
Guessing that Wen Xiao's prescription might be low, Xu Rui didn’t press the issue. Instead, he turned to Zhao Yiyang to talk about last night’s esports match.
Chi Ye demonstrated what it truly meant by "everything can be a fidget spinner." He spun the 3D glasses in his hand, rotating them like a pen — clearly a level-10 pen-spinner.
Seeing Xu Rui and the others deep in conversation about games, Chi Ye leaned in close to Wen Xiao's ear. "Pretending?"
Wen Xiao, aware that Chi Ye was referring to his habit of wearing non-prescription glasses, glanced at him. "Right back at you."
Chi Ye thought to himself, Right back at me? What does that mean?
The movie was a generic Hollywood film, with stunning visual effects but little in terms of plot. After the credits and post-credits scene, they all joined the crowd streaming out of the theater.
Zhao Yiyang took off his glasses. "Damn, the female lead was so beautiful. I want to watch it again, maybe two or three more times!"
Xu Rui agreed. "Exactly! She was amazing. I’m thinking of buying a poster of her and putting it up on my bedroom wall!"
Zhao Yiyang grinned as he leaned in. "Hey, academic officer, if you put up a poster of her on your wall, what’s your intention?"
The implication was clear, and everyone understood what he meant. Xu Rui shot back, "What’s wrong with appreciating a beauty? Can’t it just be pure admiration?" Without giving Zhao Yiyang a chance to respond, he turned to Chi Ye. "Chi-ge, do you think the female lead is pretty?"
Chi Ye hadn’t really paid attention to the female lead’s looks throughout the movie. "She’s not bad."
The unspoken second half of his sentence was probably... a little less pretty than Wen Xiao.
"See, see, even Chi-ge thinks she’s good-looking, which means her looks can stand the test of time..." Zhao Yiyang said slowly as they made their way down the hallway.
Suddenly, a sharp scream rang out not far away. Moments later, a man wearing a white mask and a black hat ran out of the women’s bathroom, holding a phone and barreling through the crowd, bumping into several people as he went.
Before any of them could react, the man happened to run right past Wen Xiao. It was unclear exactly how it happened, but the man suddenly staggered and fell to the ground.
At that moment, things took a sudden turn. The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife!
The flash of the blade caught Xu Rui’s eye. His first instinct was to shout to Chi Ye, "Shit! Chi-ge, help!"
In his mind, Wen Xiao looked thin and weak, not in the best of health. What would happen if things got bloody? How would they handle a knife-wielding man?
To their surprise, Chi Ye stood lazily against the wall, completely indifferent, as though the situation had nothing to do with him. He showed no intention of stepping in.
Xu Rui grew frantic. "Chi-ge—"
Before he could finish, Zhao Yiyang tugged on his sleeve. "Look, look over there."
Xu Rui turned just in time to see the man in the mask and hat get kicked in the abdomen by Wen Xiao. As the man curled up in pain, Wen Xiao swiftly snatched the knife from his hand.
His movements were sharp and calm, his expression unchanged, even as he held the knife.
No one knew how hard that kick had been, but by the time Wen Xiao bent down and took the man’s phone from his hand, the man was completely incapacitated, unable to fight back.
Zhao Yiyang rubbed his eyes, and Xu Rui did the same. "Am I hallucinating, or did I mistake Chi-ge for Wen Xiao?"
Zhao Yiyang pinched Xu Rui's arm. "Does that hurt?"
"Of course it hurts, try it yourself!" Xu Rui shot back, pinching Zhao Yiyang in return.
Zhao Yiyang sucked in a sharp breath. "Shit, it’s real!" He turned to Wen Xiao, stumbling a little. "Uh, Wen Xiao, could you tell me where you got this... superhuman strength cheat? Did it arrive in one second, or what?"