My Deskmate Chapter 52
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 52
Wen Xiao had an excellent memory. He always had. So when Chi Ye asked, he could easily recall those scenes one by one.
For instance, he remembered seeing Chi Ye holding the pen he had borrowed, signing his name in a messy yet decisive stroke. The last stroke was always drawn long, the curve at about a sixty-degree angle. He recalled these small details clearly.
Another memory that surfaced was of him sitting at his desk in the bedroom, occasionally glancing out the window to find Chi Ye's window. His hand, almost as if it had a mind of its own, would scribble "Chi Ye" over and over again on a scrap of paper.
At that moment, the back door of the classroom was knocked three times. Xu Guangqi stood in the doorway with a frown. "Chi Ye, come to my office."
Wen Xiao, relieved to no longer have to answer questions, relaxed. "Go ahead."
Chi Ye was no stranger to the teacher's office. He stood beside Xu Guangqi's desk and noticed a pot of cactus, looking very vibrant, next to the computer. He pointed to it. "Did you just buy this?"
Xu Guangqi nodded. "Yeah, didn't they say cacti can help block radiation? Middle-aged health maintenance is no small matter."
Noticing that the surface of the soil was covered with a few tea leaves and some white chrysanthemums, Chi Ye reminded him, "Teacher, while cacti are easy to take care of, you really shouldn’t pour leftover tea into the pot. It might rot the roots someday."
Xu Guangqi looked at the small cactus by his computer, his expression shifting to one of concern. "Didn't they say cacti are very hardy? Tea is full of nutrients. Could it really die that easily?" He suddenly realized something was off and straightened his face. "What are you talking about, Chi Ye? Stand straight!"
Chi Ye straightened his back, demonstrating that he was already standing properly.
Xu Guangqi looked Chi Ye up and down, a hint of worry creeping onto his face.
He had been grading the assignments of his troublesome students, his temples throbbing with frustration. He really didn’t want to admit that these students were the ones he had taught. When Cheng Xiaoning burst in like a gust of wind to tell him that "Chi Ye is showing signs of early romance," his temples practically exploded in anger.
This was the very issue he had been worried about ever since he took over this class in their first year of high school. It had been delayed by a year or two, but it had finally happened!
He cautiously asked, “Who is Chi Ye interested in?”
Cheng Xiaoning stomped her foot. “How should I know? That’s why I came to ask you. You’re the homeroom teacher!”
“I am the homeroom teacher, but I really don’t have any idea,” Xu Guangqi replied. “You’re the one who told me this news. I haven’t noticed any signs myself. Teacher Cheng, are you sure your information is reliable?”
Cheng Xiaoning frowned. “It’s accurate. Chi Ye said it himself that he has someone he likes. Does it not sound like a warning? That kid is too bold!”
At the time, Xu Guangqi wasn’t pleased to hear that. Although Chi Ye had his quirks, he was fundamentally a very good kid. He immediately decided to take responsibility for addressing this rumor about early romance.
Now, after carefully studying Chi Ye, Xu Guangqi sighed. If he lined up all the students from the past five and next five classes, Chi Ye would be at the top in terms of both looks and academic ability. The only one who could compare would be Wen Xiao. If there was anyone who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him, it would be Wen Xiao.
With a young man like that, how could girls not be attracted to him? If Chi Ye truly had someone in mind to pursue, there would be no doubt about his success rate!
Thinking about it, Xu Guangqi actually had the illusion that Chi Ye had saved him a lot of trouble in the past two years.
Clearing his throat, Xu Guangqi decided to ask first, “You weren’t just fooling Teacher Cheng, were you?”
Chi Ye shook his head. “No.”
“I’d rather you’d been too lazy to talk to Teacher Cheng and just scared him on purpose.” Xu Guangqi sighed, then asked, “What stage are you at now?”
Chi Ye: “The stage where I can make you lose sleep.”
Xu Guangqi pressed his hand to his chest, quickly waving it off. “Alright, alright, don’t say any more. Just leave it at that, I’ve got the idea, I’ve got the idea.”
He sighed deeply again and said with a serious tone, “You, kid. This is what they call two years no chirp, but one chirp startles everyone!”
Chi Ye, who had originally had his hands in his pockets, noticed Xu Guangqi’s stare and promptly tucked them behind his back. He nodded in agreement. “Right, what you said makes sense.”
“Makes sense? Don't think I'm complimenting you!" Xu Guangqi glared. Twenty-plus years of experience had taught him that early romance among students was very common. It was a normal human emotion to admire someone of the opposite sex. A high-pressure policy would only cause these teenagers to rebel. It was best to reason with them and appeal to their emotions.
“Chi Ye, you’re the most talented, the smartest, and the most mature student I’ve ever taught. I’ve always believed that whatever decision you make, it’s been carefully thought through. I understand, at this age, emotions are intense and sincere. But, right now, at seventeen or eighteen, do you and the person you like have a future together? Of course, if it’s just about fleeting infatuation, if it’s all about the moment, then forget I said anything, as long as...”
By the time he left the office, the bell for class had already rung. The hallway stretched ahead, empty and silent, with not a single figure in sight.
Chi Ye didn’t head straight back to the classroom. Instead, he turned the corner and leaned against the ceramic-tiled wall in the hallway, the restless anxiety and frustration pressing up from deep inside him.
Xu Guangqi had said one thing that was right — fleeting infatuation. He and Wen Xiao both knew exactly what they were after, and it was exactly that.
From that night until now, they had met, kissed, and shared moments of intimacy. But their understanding was simple and unspoken. Neither of them had ever said "I love you," never discussed the future. Even the word "like" had only been softly mentioned once, in passing.
It was all about the present, because all they could see was the present.
And because of this, neither of them dared waste a single second.
When Chi Ye returned to the classroom, his deskmate was already slumped over his desk, asleep. This was a familiar sight. Wen Xiao had a habit of staying up late to study, often leaving him sleep-deprived in the mornings. He’d pick one or two classes each day to nap for ten to fifteen minutes. The teachers usually pretended not to notice, letting him sleep.
Chi Ye had barely sat down and made the smallest noise adjusting his chair when Wen Xiao stirred, waking up from what seemed like a light sleep. He didn’t sit up straight but instead propped himself up on his arm, still half-dazed, and asked, “What did Old Xu say?”
“He told me to think it through, to be cautious.” Chi Ye reached under the desk and took Wen Xiao’s hand, giving his fingers a gentle squeeze. His eyes dropped, and it sounded almost like he was talking to himself when he added, “I’ve always thought it through.”
Wen Xiao let Chi Ye knead his fingers and looked at the other's expressionless side profile for a while before closing his eyes again.
The season felt like it had suddenly shifted with the arrival of the physics teacher. While Xu Guangqi was a stickler for seasonal health, always bundling up in long-sleeve shirts to avoid catching a cold, the physics teacher walked in wearing nothing but a black tank top. His well-toned arms made it clear he didn’t belong in the classroom. He should’ve been in the gym, lifting weights.
Crossing his arms, the physics teacher scanned the room, waiting for everyone to settle down before speaking. "Who can tell me my name?"
No one answered.
After a strange pause, someone cautiously spoke up, "Wu Li."
"Correct," the teacher replied, "My name is Wu Li. I’ve been teaching you all for nearly two years now. You’ve given me four or five stars on the teacher evaluations, and that makes me happy and satisfied. But!" He suddenly stopped, grabbed a piece of chalk from the tray, and turned to the blackboard. "Let’s do a little multiple-choice question."
With a few swift strokes, he wrote "Wu Li (武力)," "Wu Li (武厉)," "Wu Li (武丽)," and "Wu Li (武理)" on the board, marking them as options A, B, C, and D. "Alright, friends, which one is my name?"
Someone quickly called out, "I pick A!" with unshakable certainty.
Wu Li turned around and threw a piece of chalk at them with uncanny precision. "A? You big idiot!"
The classroom burst into laughter.
Chi Ye leaned over to Wen Xiao. "Do you know which one to pick?"
Wen Xiao spun his pen around his fingers before answering, "I’ll pick E."
Chi Ye chuckled. "Then how should my name be written?"
Wen Xiao, sensing a trap, didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he countered, "How should it be written?"
Chi Ye took the pen from Wen Xiao’s hand and grabbed his scratch paper, quickly scribbling Knight on it.
Afterward, he looked up and asked, “Do you know how to write your name?”
Wen Xiao played along, "How?"
Chi Ye wrote "King" on the paper, his tone low and smooth as he added, "I will brave against the strong, I will be faithful in love. I belong to you, my king."
With his back to the sunlight, the young man's eyes seemed to hold the endless expanse of time between late spring and early summer. Curling his lips, he changed the subject to alleviate the awkwardness of the moment. "Did I pronounce it correctly?"
Wen Xiao’s eyes twinkled with amusement as he nodded. "Perfectly."
In that very moment, the physics teacher was at the front of the class, discussing the optical and mechanical properties of crystals, explaining how they were all anisotropic. Outside, the sun shone brightly, yet Chi Ye couldn’t shake the feeling of anxiety that crept up inside him—
He wanted to tell Wen Xiao every sweet thing he could think of, but he feared that, in the days to come, he wouldn’t fully understand just how much he liked him.
The second half of the last class before lunch was full of restlessness. Shangguan Yu was flipping through his notes, reviewing the imperial meal menu. "We’re having scallion-scented pork ribs for lunch today."
Zhao Yiyang nearly drooled, but he also felt dejected. "The Monday menu’s been messed up lately. The only thing good is the scallion ribs, and the problem is... they disappear too quickly. What’s that called?"
Shangguan Yu: "As soon as the scallion-flavored pork ribs appear, a thousand troops come to meet them."
Chi Ye laughed. "You even wrote a poem about it?"
Zhao Yiyang grinned proudly. "Of course, Chi-ge! How about we skip the cafeteria for lunch and go eat outside? I remember the fried rice shop owner said they’re developing new dishes. Afterward, we can play basketball. It’ll be early enough to still have time."
Seeing Wen Xiao nod, Chi Ye didn’t mind. "Sounds good."
The May sun wasn’t too harsh, but after a game, they were all drenched in sweat. Especially Shangguan Yu, whose light beige T-shirt had an obvious color difference from the sweat-soaked fabric.
Zhao Yiyang and Shangguan Yu weren’t ready to stop playing, so they slumped down on the court, taking a break. Meanwhile, Chi Ye pulled Wen Xiao toward the science building nearby. Both of them were dripping with sweat, uncomfortable from the sticky feeling, so they headed to wash their faces.
After the intense exercise, Wen Xiao’s lips had a light flush, his whole body glistening with sweat. His school uniform hung loosely over his shoulders, and he had taken off his glasses. As they walked away from the court, they attracted the attention of many passersby.
Wen Xiao didn’t notice it, but Chi Ye could barely suppress his agitation.
Except for the lab classes, the science building was usually empty. The temperature inside was much lower than outside, and the wind felt like it had been chilled. After just a few moments inside, their sweat-drenched skin suddenly felt a sharp drop in temperature.
As they passed an empty classroom, Wen Xiao, who had just put his uniform back on, was suddenly pulled into the room by Chi Ye.
The door clicked shut. The classroom was dim, with the curtains half-drawn. The lights were off, leaving the space slightly gloomy, and a string of physics formulas was written on the blackboard at the front.
Wen Xiao leaned against the wall, confused by the situation. He asked, "What’s going on?"
Chi Ye enveloped the other in his shadow, his gaze fixed on Wen Xiao's white neck and collarbone. "A lot of people were looking at you just now."
Wen Xiao, with his usual straightforward thinking, responded, "So?"
Chi Ye's fingers tugged at Wen Xiao’s collar, pulling it open, before he lowered his head and bit down lightly on the spot just above his collarbone.
Wen Xiao hissed as the coolness of Chi Ye’s teeth pierced his skin. Wen Xiao closed his eyes and then curled up the corners of his light-colored lips. "So possessive?"
He leaned against the wall, his blue-and-white school uniform collar askew. A prominent teeth mark was visible on his collarbone, reddened against his pale skin, creating a stark contrast.
Thoroughly captivated by the sight, Chi Ye leaned down again and grazed his teeth against Wen Xiao's prominent Adam's apple.
"Here," Chi Ye’s eyes traced the line from his throat down to his collarbone, "and here. These are territories that only I can patrol."