My Deskmate Chapter 72
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 72
Chi Ye walked along the street with a black umbrella in hand, the sound of raindrops pattering on the fabric filling his ears. His mind was filled with a jumble of numbers and tasks — one settlement payment was due in four days, Yaya’s summer class registration fee had to be paid tomorrow, the hospital bill was overdue again and needed to be settled the day after, along with the caregiver’s wages. Tomorrow afternoon, he also had to pay the labor fees for the materials transportation.
In these past weeks, he had become completely accustomed to the constant hum of his thoughts, always running, always processing. If his mind ever found a moment of stillness, those buried emotions, carefully suppressed deep down, would break free, flooding up through the cracks and consuming him.
It was only in the dead of night that Chi Ye allowed himself to think of him. Afterward, he could muster enough strength to keep going, to endure another day.
The streets of Jiuzhang Road were quiet and desolate in the early hours of the morning. July was fast approaching. From the thick grass, the chirping of insects filled the air. The streetlights cast soft glows, their beams cutting through the rain, and moths circled the lightbulbs.
Chi Ye hadn’t slept more than a few hours in the past three nights. His temples throbbed with pain, and he raised a hand to massage his aching forehead. His footsteps splashed in the puddles below as he walked.
Turning the corner, his footsteps suddenly came to a halt.
Through the heavy rain, he saw, in the soft glow of the white light at the entrance of the building, a slender figure standing under an umbrella, waiting for someone.
It was Wen Xiao.
Even with just a glance, a single second, Chi Ye recognized him instantly.
He wasn’t sure how his legs moved in the next moments, but somehow, he found himself approaching, his umbrella brushing against Wen Xiao’s. The impact made water droplets scatter across the fabric. It was only then that Chi Ye managed to stop himself, just in time.
It had been a long time since they’d been this close.
Chi Ye often thought about it. He had known Wen Xiao for one hundred and twenty-six days, been together for forty-one, but it had already been twenty-one days since they had parted.
Soon, the length of their separation would surpass the time they had spent together, even surpass the time they had known each other.
Time surges forward like a roaring river, never looking back, leaving no foothold for even panic to take root.
Amidst the rain, Chi Ye heard himself ask, "Are you alright?"
Wen Xiao shook his head. "Not really. And you?"
Chi Ye shook his head as well. "I'm not alright either."
The two of them looked at each other.
Wen Xiao wanted to ask him if he was the one from that rainy day at the bus stop. He wanted to say that he had dreamt of him several times, but when he woke, he could never remember the details. He wanted to tell him that during that PE class, he had deliberately gone to pick up the soccer ball, hoping to see him again, but never expected that he actually would...
There was so much he wanted to say, but every word felt out of place.
Finally, he spoke, his voice steady. "I came to say goodbye." His fingers tightened around the black umbrella handle as he looked directly at Chi Ye, finishing his sentence before the other could speak. "Qingzhou... my grandmother has accepted an invitation from Qingzhou University to teach in their Physics Department. I’ll be transferring to Qingda Affliated High School."
After a long silence, Chi Ye finally spoke. "When?"
Wen Xiao’s answer blended with the sound of the rain. "After the final exams."
"That... it’s soon then." Chi Ye forced a faint smile, the mist from the rain hanging on the tip of his nose. He couldn’t immediately think of the right words to say. After a moment, he added, "When you get there, be careful. Watch the road when you're walking along the street. Don’t stay up too late studying, your body won’t handle it. Make sure to carry an umbrella, and maybe leave one at school."
Wen Xiao listened patiently, then looked at Chi Ye. "Okay."
Chi Ye’s throat tightened, and he awkwardly muttered, "Don’t look at me like that."
"Why?"
Despite knowing he was crossing a line, Chi Ye couldn’t hold it back. "Because... I’ll miss you."
The rain pattered softly. "Wen Xiao," Chi Ye called his name, the words feeling tender on his tongue. Once a boundary was crossed, it could never be uncrossed. "Don’t read any love letters you receive. Don’t accept any gifts from others. Don’t let them distract you from your studies. Xiaoxiao... am I being too much of a—"
Before he could finish, Wen Xiao interrupted, replying simply, "Okay."
Beneath the umbrella, Wen Xiao’s lips were pale, his eyes shadowed, concealing the emotions hidden within. "Okay, I promise. Everything."
"Damn," Chi Ye muttered under his breath, a sting of emotion rising in his eyes. He blinked, fighting back the tears, then forced another smile, his voice wavering. "You’re my biggest creditor. I still owe you eight yuan, and a promise that will last for ten or twenty years. Don’t ever forget any of it."
Wen Xiao answered again, "Okay."
Chi Ye gripped the umbrella handle tightly, his palm aching. "Do you always just agree to whatever I say?"
Wen Xiao didn’t reply immediately. It took almost half a minute before he answered softly, "Mm, because you’re Chi Ye."
So, I’ll agree to whatever you say.
The two of them stood under the umbrella for a long time, the distance between them just enough to feel the rain creeping in. The rain intensified, splashing against the ground and soaking their shoes. Finally, Chi Ye’s voice, hoarse and soft, broke the silence. "Go back."
Wen Xiao nodded gently, then called out, "Chi Ye."
Chi Ye’s gaze was gentle, his voice warm. "Mm?"
Wen Xiao looked at him carefully one last time. "Nothing."
The two of them, each holding an umbrella, passed by each other in the rain, walking in opposite directions.
After finishing the last exam, the whole class gathered back in the classroom. Xu Guangqi briefly reminded everyone about the summer classes. When it was over, he called Wen Xiao into his office.
"Is everything taken care of?"
Wen Xiao stood beside the desk, his blue-and-white school uniform still neat, the collar perfectly folded. "It’s all done."
"Qingzhou High is an excellent school. Once you’re there—" Xu Guangqi started, then faltered. "I just can’t help feeling reluctant. But it’s a good school, and you might soar even higher there. It's nothing. It's just like separating a year earlier. I'll just get used to it, get used to it."
Although he had only taught Wen Xiao for one semester, the attachment had already formed. Xu Guangqi held back, forcing himself to maintain composure.
Suddenly remembering something, he opened a drawer and took out a rectangular kraft paper envelope. Printed on it were the words "Maple Leaf Photo Studio."
"You’re close with that brat Chi Ye, right? I have a photo here. I took it on my phone some time ago and got it printed yesterday. Take it. It’ll make a nice keepsake."
As he spoke, he handed the kraft paper envelope to Wen Xiao.
Wen Xiao accepted it and carefully pulled out the photo inside.
The next moment, his gaze froze.
The photo showed the two of them sitting in the empty classroom, in the last row. He was bent over his desk working on a problem, while Chi Ye lounged beside him, head resting on his arm. Chi Ye’s blue-and-white school uniform was slightly disheveled, his collar loose. His face was turned toward Wen Xiao, eyes closed, likely asleep. Between them was a single white earphone cord connecting their desks.
The light outside the window was warm and bright.
Xu Guangqi explained, "This was on the day of the study exchange. I came back to the office to grab something and passed by the classroom. I happened to see this scene and snapped it with my phone. I thought it might be a meaningful keepsake for you."
Wen Xiao’s eyes lingered on the photo, tracing every detail again and again, before he carefully slid it back into the kraft envelope. "Thank you."
Xu Guangqi smiled warmly. "You have a steadfast heart, sharp reasoning, and great intelligence. I don't have much else to say, except that I hope you will continue on your path towards the future fearlessly, even if you have to climb mountains and cross seas!"
A few days later, Wen Xiao left Mingnan and arrived in Qingzhou.
After completing the paperwork at the academic office, he was escorted to the teachers’ office for the second year group.
The academic director, a gentle-looking middle-aged woman with wavy, permed hair and a black dress, introduced him carefully. "Our school organizes classes by academic performance. We’ve reviewed your transcript, which is very outstanding. You qualify for both Class 1 and Class 2 in the science program. It’s up to you which class you’d like to join."
The homeroom teachers of both Class 1 and Class 2 had been waiting in the office, eager to recruit this promising student.
They had reviewed his transcript in advance, not just studying it closely but even going so far as to request copies of past exam papers from Mingnan Affiliated High School. After their research, they could only marvel at his accomplishments. Despite missing an entire year of classes, Wen Xiao had not only caught up to the curriculum but had also ranked first in his year. Even at Qingda Affliated High School, a place filled with top students, his results were nothing short of exceptional.
When the academic director finished speaking, the two homeroom teachers turned their attention to Wen Xiao. One of them was the first to break the silence, speaking with a kind tone. "Wen Xiao, if there’s anything you’d like to know or ask, feel free to ask us."
With a black backpack slung over one shoulder, Wen Xiao appeared slightly distracted. Under the gaze of the three teachers, he finally spoke. "May I ask, which class allows me to sit alone in the last row?"
The homeroom teacher of Class 1, Yu Qian, was the first to react. He’d seen his share of brilliant students, each with their own peculiar preferences or quirks, and he understood this kind of request well.
"My class has forty-eight students," Yu Qian explained. "Two per desk, six to a row, eight rows in total. If you join my class, we could move a desk to the last row so you’d be your own deskmate."
Wen Xiao nodded. "Then I’ll join your class."
Yu Qian’s face lit up with a broad smile. "Perfect, perfect! Come, I’ll take you to the classroom now! My surname is Yu, but you can call me Yu-ge if you’d like. The logistics staff has already prepared your desk and chair, and I’ll make sure they provide you with all the supplementary materials and textbooks you’ll need."
Walking down the corridor outside the office, Yu Qian couldn’t help but ask, "You seem particular about sitting alone. Is it because you’re worried a deskmate might distract you?"
The unfamiliar scenery outside the corridor windows caught Wen Xiao’s attention for a moment. He withdrew his gaze and shook his head. "No."
It was simply because he stubbornly refused to let anyone else take the place of the person that title once belonged to.