My Deskmate Chapter 49 (Part 2)
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 49.2
Wen Xiao had never imagined that one day, in the quiet pre-dawn hours of a late spring night, he’d find himself kissing someone on a desolate street.
But with Chi Ye, it seemed that everything impossible could suddenly become possible.
This person carried an uncontrollable, almost magical energy, altering even the very air around him.
In that moment, Wen Xiao wasn’t thinking about tomorrow or the distant future. He only wished greedily for time to stretch infinitely.
After lingering for far too long, they never did make it to the barbecue stand. Instead, they turned back halfway and headed home.
After finishing his nightly routine and climbing into bed, Wen Xiao received a WeChat message from Chi Ye: “I came prepared tonight.”
Wen Xiao read the line twice, puzzled. “?”
Chi Ye: “On my way to meet you, I chewed three pieces of gum.”
Wen Xiao recalled the faint fruity sweetness during their kiss. So it hadn’t been his imagination after all.
He slipped his phone under the blanket, unable to suppress the grin that spread across his face as he leaned back against the headboard, quietly laughing to himself.
Friday morning during early study period, the classroom was filled with groans and complaints.
“How come Labor Day is more tiring than being at school? Yesterday, I got up at seven in the morning and didn’t go to bed until midnight. My hand’s about to fall off, and I still didn’t finish all the homework. What kind of hell mode is this?”
“Same here, brother. Let me see your fourth math set. Half of my answers are blank.”
“I didn’t finish either. Pass it back when you’re done copying. Damn, my pen’s out of ink. Help me out!”
Xu Rui, sporting dark circles under his eyes, dashed around the classroom like a frantic rabbit. By scrounging bits of help from almost everyone, he finally managed to piece together a complete set of answers.
Slamming the stack of worksheets onto Zhao Yiyang’s desk, Xu Rui declared, “Here, take your pick. Copy whichever sheet you want!”
Zhao Yiyang flipped through the papers and asked doubtfully, “How accurate are these answers?”
“It should be okay? I copied most of it from the subject representatives.” Xu Rui adjusted his glasses. “Math and science are fine, and English is manageable. But what the hell is up with the Chinese homework? The whole page is fill-in-the-blank for poetry and ancient proses, all in freaking Han characters. It’s like they’re forcing us to drop out and check into a mental hospital!”
Finding the worksheet he needed, Zhao Yiyang started copying ABCD answers while replying, “The Chinese teacher for the class next door is even worse — three sheets. Feeling any better yet?”
Misery truly loves company. Clutching his chest dramatically, Xu Rui sighed, “Damn, I actually feel a bit comforted now.”
When Wen Xiao entered the classroom, he saw a scene that resembled a vegetable market. Although he barely spoke to most of his classmates, it didn’t stop someone from approaching his desk and asking to borrow his answers.
Without a word of refusal, Wen Xiao placed his completed worksheets on the desk for anyone to take.
Watching this unfold, Xu Rui couldn’t help but comment, “Leaving Wen Xiao’s homework on the desk is like handing out flyers. It’s gone in seconds!”
Shangguan Yu retorted, “Flyers? Not even close. This is like handing out cash!”
Given that Shangguan Yu’s family ran a law firm, he had develped this unique habit of demanding precise descriptions, accurate word choices, and speaking concisely with emphasis. Xu Rui had long since grown used to it. With a resigned “Fair enough,” he went back to lamenting. “You know what this shows? It shows we’re being crushed. This homework is insanity! I demand a reduction in our workload!”
While the classroom buzzed with chaos, the class monitor suddenly hopped onto the podium. “The teacher evaluation forms are here! Pass them back row by row. Once you’re done filling them out, I’ll collect them later—”
Someone shouted from the back, “Class monitor, did you finish your homework? If you haven’t, how do you have time for these pointless forms?”
Realizing the truth in the protest, the class monitor quickly changed course. “Alright, I’ll collect them during lunch break. For now, keep working hard, everyone!”
When the evaluation forms reached the last row, Wen Xiao, who wasn’t copying homework like the others, took one and examined it carefully. His previous school had never done anything like this. Perhaps they had, but by that time, he’d already taken a leave of absence.
The top of the form was filled with lofty terms like democracy and accountability. Below that was a section for the class name, followed by several empty boxes. The names of positions like principal, vice principal, and disciplinary director were pre-printed, but for subject teachers, students had to write in the names themselves.
Generous as ever, Wen Xiao gave every teacher a full five stars.
The first day back from the break was pure chaos. Homework collection dragged on well past morning exercises. Throughout the day, students nodded off in shifts. Sunlight streamed into the classroom, glinting off the faces of those punished to stand at the back. Even then, they stood half-asleep, eyes barely open.
After solving a physics problem, Wen Xiao glanced at the empty desk beside him. Suddenly, he was overcome by a sharp, uncontrollable longing.
When he stepped off Bus 117 and onto the street, the first thing he saw was Chi Ye sitting casually on the horizontal bar in front of the bus shelter. Taking advantage of the empty platform, he made full use of the space, stretching his long legs arrogantly as he flashed a grin at Wen Xiao.
Chi Ye’s striking features and magnetic presence were hard to miss. Even amidst the entire high school packed together during morning exercises, he was the one person who stood out.
Wen Xiao stood still, letting Chi Ye take him in, and somehow, his mood lifted in a subtle but undeniable way.
Just as he was about to walk over, Chi Ye called out, “Don’t move.”
Wen Xiao stopped, puzzled. “Why not?”
Chi Ye walked toward him and, when he was just half a step away, crouched down on one knee. Reaching for Wen Xiao’s shoe, he deftly tied the laces that had come undone at some point, securing them with a perfect bow.
While tying the shoelace, Chi Ye grumbled fondly, “How are you like a little kid? Your shoelaces come undone, and you don’t even notice. What if you tripped and fell? Scraped yourself on the ground? Wouldn’t it hurt?”
From Wen Xiao’s vantage point, he could see the elegant curve of Chi Ye’s lean back, the breadth of his solid shoulders, and the sharp texture of his closely cropped hair.
For a moment, Wen Xiao felt as if he had turned to stone, unable to move even a fingertip.
The night breeze drifted by.
Chi Ye straightened up, inspecting the bow he had tied with a satisfied look. In his mind, it deserved a solid ninety-nine out of a hundred. He deducted one point out of modesty.
When he stood, he noticed Wen Xiao staring at him. In Wen Xiao’s clear eyes, illuminated by neon lights, Chi Ye saw the reflection of himself, framed by vibrant colors. With a low chuckle, he teased, “Why are you suddenly spaced out?”
Realizing what had just happened, Chi Ye’s smile deepened. “I'm just tying a shoelace. If you like it, I can do it for you every day.”
The thought struck him as amusing. Ever since Yaya learned to tie her own shoes in kindergarten, she had never asked for his help again. He hadn’t expected his long-unused shoelace-tying skills to find such purpose now.
Caught up in the warmth of youthful infatuation, Chi Ye thought further: if Wen Xiao wanted it, he’d gladly do anything for him, every single day.
Wen Xiao clutched the strap of his black backpack tightly. His mind flashed to the kiss on the empty street in the early hours of the morning, to the text message just before he fell asleep. A sudden wave of uncertainty about the future swept over him. In a soft voice, he asked, “Would you tie someone else’s shoelaces?”
The bright LED lights of the bus shelter illuminated their faces clearly, leaving no room for any expression to hide.
Chi Ye caught the faint trace of insecurity in Wen Xiao’s voice and eyes. Chi Ye reached out and pulled him close, their bodies pressed together.
Leaning down until his lips brushed against Wen Xiao’s ear, Chi Ye’s voice dropped into a husky, affectionate murmur. “Xiaoxiao, your Chi-ge only bends his back for you.”