My Deskmate Chapter 50
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 50
At dawn, the alarm clock rang on time. Wen Xiao’s hand reached out from under the blanket, eyes still closed as he turned it off.
He held his phone loosely, half of his face buried in the soft pillow, vaguely aware that he had woken up. He sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed his eyes to clear his drowsiness. But as soon as his feet touched the wooden floor, the solid sensation vanished, and he was gripped by a sudden sense of weightlessness. In the span of a single breath, he lost control and plunged straight into the sea.
The sky was filled with leaden, grey clouds, and monstrous waves surrounded him on all sides. The seawater itself had turned an inky black, with hints of crimson, as if mixed with ink and tinged with blood.
Wen Sheng had been crying, her face contorted with fear. She stretched her hand out toward him, desperately trying to reach him. But no matter how hard Wen Xiao tried, no matter how much he flailed his arms, he couldn’t move closer to her. He could only watch helplessly as the waves pushed Wen Sheng further away, until she was engulfed by the dark green sea.
Everything around became extremely quiet, as if all sounds were sucked out of the world. Wen Xiao no longer tried to struggle, and let the seawater wash over his chest.
Suddenly, a distant horn broke the stillness, slicing through the silence like a knife.
With great effort, Wen Xiao turned his head. His lashes were wet, the seawater stinging his eyes as it seeped in, bringing with it sharp pain. Through his blurred vision, he saw a ship approaching, its bow bearing a tall flagpole. A black flag snapped in the wind, its edges whipping violently in the storm.
And under that flagpole stood a tall figure. Wen Xiao blinked and strained his eyes. Finally, he saw clearly—
It was Chi Ye.
He wanted to call his name, but his throat was blocked by the salty seawater.
"Wen Xiao? Xiaoxiao? Teacher Xiao Wen? Cola-gege?" Sitting beside Wen Xiao's bed, Chi Ye called out several times, but still, there was no response. After confirming that the bedroom door was tightly shut, he cleared his throat, lowered his voice, and said, "Baby, it’s time to get up."
"Tsk." Chi Ye shook his head, feeling the endearment was a bit embarrassing, yet there was an oddly satisfying sensation that came with it.
The person lying on the bed had his eyelids trembling, as if trapped in a dream filled with fear or anxiety. His long fingers clenched the sheets tightly, his knuckles white, his body taut like a bowstring ready to snap.
When Wen Xiao showed no signs of waking up, Chi Ye considered whether he should kiss him awake. But just then, Wen Xiao’s breathing suddenly faltered, and his eyes slowly opened.
Seeing that Wen Xiao was finally awake, Chi Ye let out a breath of relief. He was just about to say good morning when a warm arm reached out from under the covers, wrapped around his neck, and pulled him down.
If it were someone else, Chi Ye would instinctively give a knee-to-the-groin and an elbow strike, but facing Wen Xiao, he suppressed all his conditioned reflexes and cooperated completely.
They were pressed so close together that Wen Xiao’s dry lips brushed against the corner of Chi Ye’s mouth. His breath was rapid, yet he didn’t make any further move. He clung to him like a drowning man gripping the only piece of driftwood, not willing to let go for even a moment.
Stunned for two seconds, Chi Ye reached his arms around Wen Xiao's thin back, lifting him gently. He spoke softly, "Did you have a nightmare?"
Wen Xiao usually wore a cold, distant expression. His aura when he was fighting with a broken plastic pipe was far fiercer than Chi Ye himself. With that contrast, seeing him show even the slightest vulnerability stirred a powerful urge to protect him.
Chi Ye thought to himself, Damn it, I've fallen for him completely and utterly.
However, even his vulnerability lasted only for two brief minutes. Once Wen Xiao released his arms and returned to his usual self, Chi Ye watched him, a hint of regret stirring in his heart.
That fragile look, with his arms wrapped tightly around him, his breath trembling, utterly dependent on him, unable to be without him — it was a vulnerability that made Chi Ye feel a guilty, secret satisfaction.
This side of Wen Xiao was something only he could see.
Wen Xiao pulled back the covers and prepared to get out of bed, asking Chi Ye, "How did you get in?"
Chi Ye stood up and moved to the side, his eyes squinting slightly against the bright sunlight streaming in from the window. "Grandma let me in."
Wen Xiao glanced at the time. It was almost eleven. His grandmother had indeed come back this morning, but — "Grandma?"
"She told me to call her Grandma." Chi Ye casually shoved his hands into his pockets, his smile bright and clear. "I told her I was coming to find you to do homework, and she was really happy. She said I was the first friend to come to the house. She even asked me to stay for lunch."
Wen Xiao tugged at the wrinkled hem of his shirt and asked, "What about Yaya?"
"I dropped her off at her math teacher’s house. On the way back, I passed by your building, so I came up to see you."
Chi Ye was beginning to understand the meaning of those lines about longing. Even though they met almost every day, when the other person wasn't around, whether he saw a tree or a flower, he couldn't help but think of him.
Wen Xiao went into the bathroom to wash up, and Chi Ye followed him in. As Wen Xiao brushed his teeth, Chi Ye stood quietly beside him, watching.
Wen Xiao was wearing an old white long-sleeve T-shirt, its sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His arms and wrists had delicate, beautiful lines. His lower half was clad in loose gray pajama pants that looked a bit too big. Standing in front of the mirror brushing his teeth, he exuded a unique, lazy charm.
Chi Ye glanced at him and couldn't resist leaning in for a kiss on the corner of Wen Xiao's lips.
Wen Xiao merely glanced at him in the mirror.
Once Wen Xiao set his toothbrush down, Chi Ye leaned casually against the wall and teased, "What’s the flavor of your toothpaste?"
"Mint."
"What kind of mint?"
Wen Xiao studied Chi Ye for two seconds, then suddenly understood the intent behind his question. He walked over, kissed Chi Ye on the lips, and, after pulling back, added, "This kind of mint."
The cool sensation lingered on his lips, and Chi Ye hissed, drawing in a sharp breath. He chuckled and muttered, "Damn, you reap what you sow indeed."
Wen Xiao’s eyes gleamed with amusement. "A hot-blooded youth indeed."
The dishes were served. Grandma took off her light blue apron and looked at Chi Ye who was sitting next to Wen Xiao. "I wasn’t sure what you liked to eat, so I just made a little of everything. I don’t know if you’ll like it."
Chi Ye immediately picked up a piece of ribs, ate it, and smiled brightly. "It’s delicious. With food this good, how could anyone not like it?" He had a good-looking face and loved to smile, which made him very endearing to the elders.
"Really? That’s great. I was worried when I was cooking. I cooked a lot of rice today. Both of you are growing taller and stronger, so don't be polite. Just go and add more if you finish." Her voice turned tender. "Last time, Xiaoxiao said he had a good relationship with you, and I was happy for several days. Our Xiaoxiao doesn’t talk much. It’s probably genetic. He likes quiet and has a very logical, technical mindset. He’s smart, but his emotional intelligence could use some work."
Suddenly, Wen Xiao found that the food in his bowl didn’t taste as good. He paused, his chopsticks hovering mid-air.
He recalled a conversation he had overheard between Zhao Yiyang and Shangguan Yu. Zhao Yiyang had mentioned that whenever he went to Shangguan Yu’s house for a meal, Shangguan Yu’s mom would always say something like, "Shangguan’s attention span is poor. If he starts to drift off in class, you must remind him." Zhao Yiyang would quickly brush it off, saying, "Shangguan is great. He’s much more focused than I am. I’m the careless one. He’s the one who keeps reminding me."
In short — it was public shaming.
In that moment, Wen Xiao understood exactly what that felt like.
Grandma continued, "At your age, seventeen or eighteen, it’s the time to experience all kinds of fun. Once you're in college and at work, you can't go back to this time of youth. So, studying is necessary, but you can't only just study. If there's anything good to eat or fun to do, take Xiaoxiao with you."
Knowing the focus was on the last part, Chi Ye nodded in agreement. "Don’t worry, Grandma. I’ll definitely take Wen Xiao with me."
Wen Xiao swallowed a mouthful of rice as he glanced at Chi Ye. "You say 'Grandma' so naturally."
Grandma laughed happily. "Oh, is Xiaoxiao feeling jealous?"
Wen Xiao froze for a moment, then quickly denied it. "No."
Grandma’s smile grew even brighter. "Alright, alright, I was wrong. Xiaoxiao isn’t jealous."
Wen Xiao: "......"
Not managing to secure a chance to wash the dishes, Chi Ye was sent back to the bedroom to study with Wen Xiao.
Wen Xiao handed Chi Ye a black gel pen and asked, "Did you bring your homework?"
Chi Ye shrugged nonchalantly. "I just brought a test paper as a prop to make my excuse more convincing."
Following the direction Chi Ye pointed, Wen Xiao picked up the test paper and saw that it was a set of essential classical Chinese poems printed by their Chinese teacher.
Chi Ye stood behind Wen Xiao, resting his chin on his shoulder, his palm against his side. Together, they looked at the paper. "White dew spreads across the river. The water's gleam reaches the sky... So many to memorize. Deskmate, want to do it together?"
Wen Xiao rejected immediately. "I’ve already memorized it."
"Damn, so what subject are you working on?" Chi Ye asked, but didn’t stop there. Taking advantage of the situation, he kissed Wen Xiao’s fair neck. Not satisfied with just one, he kissed him again, this time twice.
"It’s itchy," Wen Xiao said, but despite the complaint, he didn’t move away. He dragged the large teddy bear pressing down on him to the desk. "Math. Deskmate, want to do it together?"
Chi Ye didn’t care what subject they worked on, as long as the person he was doing it with was Wen Xiao.
The window was halfway open, and the scent of jasmine from someone’s balcony drifted in with the breeze.
Wen Xiao solved two problems, then tilted his head to look at Chi Ye. "What are you staring at me for?"
"I like watching you," Chi Ye replied, his eyes heavy from the afternoon sun. He spun a black pen rapidly between his fingers. "Besides, sitting next to you makes it impossible to focus on studying."
Wen Xiao had to admit, there was no fault in that statement. With Chi Ye sitting next to him, his efficiency had dropped by at least fifty percent.
No, more precisely, it had dropped by eighty-two percent. The remaining eighteen percent was all held up by sheer willpower.
He set his pen down and asked, "So, how about we talk?"
Chi Ye seemed to wake up a little. "What do you want to talk about?"
Recalling a list he'd found online titled "Topics to Discuss When You're With Someone You Like," Wen Xiao picked one and asked, "What are your hobbies?"
Chi Ye thought for a moment. "In elementary school, my hobby was solving problems — math problems, especially. I felt really accomplished when I figured them out, like I was super smart. In middle school, I liked playing basketball and video games. That's when I really honed my skills."
Noticing he had stopped, Wen Xiao asked, "What about now?"
"Now?" Chi Ye grinned, his nose brushing against Wen Xiao's cheek as he lowered his voice. "Of course, it's liking the person who’s asking me about my hobbies."