My Deskmate Chapter 82
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 82
The barbecue hadn’t even been served yet, but everyone had already finished two cans of beer. Although the alcohol content was low, the simple fact of "drinking" had already started to hit, with the effects sneaking up on them.
Xu Rui revealed all the gossip he had been hoarding for years. "You guys have no idea. Our class monitor secretly dated the vice class monitor! But then, the class monitor cheated and hooked up with the music rep. The vice class monitor found out and angrily broke up! I promised them I wouldn't tell anyone before graduation. I've been holding this in for so long!"
Zhao Yiyang, holding his can, stared in disbelief. "No way!"
Xu Rui didn’t stop there. "And you know Li Wencheng, right? The guy who’s scared of Chi-ge, the one who's so scared of ghost he can’t even walk without shaking? He’s into that girl who has the bulging muscles from shot put practice!"
Zhao Yiyang squeezed his can so hard that it dented. "What the hell!"
Xu Rui went on, clearly enjoying the gossip. "Then there’s our physics teacher, Wu Li. He’s still single because he’s been obsessed with a high school art teacher for years. She turned him down because she didn’t want a relationship with someone younger. So, he’s been single ever since! And you know why he’s been working out? Because that art teacher’s laptop wallpaper is a muscular statue of David!"
Zhao Yiyang was so stunned he practically crushed his can. "Damn! You really know everything! That nickname you gave yourself, Number One Gossip King of Mingnan High, is perfect for you!"
Xu Rui cracked open another beer and gulped down a third of it, his eyes nearly teary with frustration. "What good is being the Number One Gossip King of Mingnan High? I still don’t know when Chi-ge even started dating, or who he’s dating! How did I not see it coming? Why didn’t I notice anything? How did I miss all the signs?"
At that moment, Chi Ye shot Wen Xiao a brief glance. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment before they quickly looked away.
Chi Ye reached for a can of beer, his fingers slipping into the silver tab and opening it with a sharp "pop." He handed it to Wen Xiao before cracking open another one for himself, a smile curling on his lips. "Ever heard the saying, ‘You can’t see the true face of Mount Lu, only because you’re standing right in the mountain’? The person’s right in front of you, but you didn’t notice. Don’t blame me for that."
Wen Xiao took the beer from Chi Ye, tipping his head back to take a sip. His pale fingers rested lightly on the can, melting the mist on its surface.
Xu Rui was momentarily stunned. "Damn, Chi-ge, no way. You’re dating someone in our class? That's impossible. If it really was someone from our class, how could I not have seen you two flirting?"
Zhao Yiyang nodded vigorously, while the usually quiet Shangguan Yu cast a glance at the can of beer Chi Ye had handed to Wen Xiao.
"But wait," Zhao Yiyang propped his chin on the beer can, "If we're talking about looks and brains, there’s no one in our class who can compare to Chi-ge. The problem with the science program is there aren’t enough girls, and even fewer who are pretty and smart. You’re definitely messing with us. There’s no way it’s someone from our class. The only person who could match you in our class is Wen Xiao, right? Haha — ha?"
The three of them turned to look at Chi Ye, who held the beer can loosely in his right hand, gently swirling the liquid inside. In the dim light from the streetlamp, the shadows across his nose made his features look sharp and defined, though the smile that lingered on his lips softened the edge, turning it into a lazy, carefree grin.
Chi Ye then turned his gaze toward Wen Xiao, still smiling. "Let me introduce him — Wen Xiao, my boyfriend."
Wen Xiao glanced at him, giving a quiet "Mm" in acknowledgment of the term "boyfriend."
Zhao Yiyang opened his mouth, but no words came out. Xu Rui blinked at Chi Ye, then at Wen Xiao, his face a picture of dawning realization, only to switch back to confusion.
Just then, the owner of the barbecue stand, carrying a large plate of food, broke the silence at their corner of the table. "Your barbecue’s ready!"
Shangguan Yu was the calmest of the group. He thanked the owner and added, "Bring us twenty more cans of beer, chilled."
The cans were neatly arranged on the table, lined up in a row.
Zhao Yiyang, ever the one to focus on odd details, turned to Shangguan Yu. "Your Majesty, the adjectives I asked you about before—"
Shangguan Yu replied without missing a beat, "Flirtatious bantering, war of lips and tongues, keeping the resources within the family."
"Yes, yes, those!" Zhao Yiyang’s eyes widened. "Wait, does this mean we actually succeeded in blind matchmaking?" He cracked open a can of beer in frustration. "I thought you guys were just brothers, but turns out you’ve been dating behind our backs!"
Chi Ye smirked. "We didn’t hide it. It was all in the open. You guys just didn’t notice."
After finishing a skewer of grilled chicken skin, Xu Rui let out a sigh, stumbling over his words as he expressed his feelings. "As Gorky Tchikovski said, the truth is often right in front of us, hidden in plain sight. The key for those seeking the truth is imagination!"
Chi Ye: "Realizing that isn’t too late."
Maybe, as Chi Ye had said, everything had always been out in the open. But once the puzzle pieces in their minds were taken apart and put back together, looking back at the past now felt entirely different.
Zhao Yiyang pressed a hand to his chest, his face contorted as if he were about to vomit blood. "Soy milk with three parts sugar! F*ck, I’ve been unknowingly eating dog food for so long! Suffering through so many lovey-dovey moments! I hate you guys!"
Xu Rui sighed dramatically. "I’m not fit to be the Number One Gossip King at the affiliated high school!"
Shangguan Yu held his beer can and gently clinked it against the cans of Chi Ye and Wen Xiao.
The three of them tacitly avoided mentioning the year they had missed.
Looking back now, they finally understood why Wen Xiao had been so distraught for days when Chi Ye took a leave of absence, why Wen Xiao, usually so calm, had reacted so strongly when Zhang Siyao had spoken badly of Chi Ye, and why Wen Xiao had insisted on telling Chi Ye about the transfer in person.
It turned out that, right after the college entrance exams, the person Chi Ye had rushed hundreds of miles to see was Wen Xiao. The person he had been chatting with on WeChat while playing games was Wen Xiao. The person who had traveled with him from Qingzhou to Mingnan had been Wen Xiao.
A year apart, with a gap created by leave of absence and transfer — now, seeing the two of them sitting together, Zhao Yiyang felt his eyes suddenly grow moist.
He turned quietly to glance at Shangguan Yu and Xu Rui, and realized that he wasn’t the only one whose eyes had turned a little red.
Clearing his throat, Zhao Yiyang muttered, "Thank you, Confucius, for keeping the red string strong for these two."
Xu Rui raised an eyebrow. "But... doesn’t Confucius not really endorse early romance?"
Zhao Yiyang paused, then nodded. "Hmm, that makes sense?" He quickly changed his tune. "Then I’ll just say, whatever god or deity it was, bless them." He placed a piece of overcooked, meatless rib on the table. "This is an offering, in gratitude for whatever god or deity's blessing."
Xu Rui burst out laughing. "Hahaha, what kind of weird ritual is this, Master? That god is probably rolling its eyes and throwing the rib right back into your bowl!"
Laughter filled the air as Chi Ye’s hand, which had been resting beneath the table, stretched out lazily and lightly brushed against Wen Xiao’s fingers.
There had once been a time when even a simple "I like you" or "I love you" felt impossible to say. But now, he could finally and firmly associate the title of "boyfriend" with him, without hesitation.
Halfway through the barbecue, a fire truck sped past on the nearby street. Zhao Yiyang and the others looked up in curiosity. "At this hour, where's the fire?"
At the same time, Chi Ye instinctively reached out and covered Wen Xiao’s ears.
The hand pressed against his ears was cold with the moisture from the beer can. As the fire truck's sirens faded into the distance, Wen Xiao slowly realized that he wasn’t as afraid anymore.
It was like how Chi Ye could now share with him the bitter memories of the past. Wen Xiao, too, was slowly stepping away from those past shadows, bit by bit.
In the endless, recurring nightmare, when he was drowning in the violent waves of a storm, there had always been someone standing by the mast under the fluttering flag, steering a ship toward him.
Maybe it was the first time experiencing what it was like to drink like an adult, but after two or three hours of barbecue, Chi Ye and Shangguan Yu looked at the three drunkards before them.
Shangguan Yu pointed to Xu Rui and Zhao Yiyang. "I’ll handle these two." Then, he looked at Wen Xiao, a bit puzzled. In his memory, Wen Xiao was a quiet, reserved person who rarely socialized. He was indifferent to everyone, always maintaining a cool distance.
But now, Wen Xiao sat with his eyes closed on a pale blue plastic stool, clutching the hem of Chi Ye’s shirt tightly, his face buried in Chi Ye’s waist.
It was a look of complete trust.
Following Shangguan Yu’s gaze, Chi Ye looked down, his fingers slipping into Wen Xiao’s hair, protecting him. He smiled a little helplessly. "I’ll take care of this one."
Zhao Yiyang was still able to walk, though he was swaying on his feet, muttering, "Four thousand eight hundred years had passed before people could cross the border to Qin! Above are lofty peaks where six dragons drag the sun around, and below are surging torrents twisting and breaking back in spirals — I recited it perfectly!"
Xu Rui didn’t seem too drunk either. He still had enough energy to comment, "I’m telling you, Master, at the New Year’s literary exhibition, if you go up on stage and recite that, you’ll absolutely shock the crowd! From now on, forget about carving words or gazing at dogs — your goddess will fall for you at first sight!"
Mentioning a sore subject, Zhao Yiyang’s mood darkened. "I once gave my heart to the bright moon, but alas, the moon... shines only on the gutter!"
Xu Rui clapped his hands. "Perfect! This one’s festive too!"
Shangguan Yu: "......"
After ordering a ride through his phone, Shangguan Yu tuned out the chatter between Zhao Yiyang and Xu Rui.
Among the three of them, he was the least talkative. His parents, both lawyers, had taught him from a young age to be cautious with words, always thinking carefully before speaking. This time, he took a moment to think before turning to Chi Ye. "You’ll always be a good brother."
After speaking, he felt a bit overly sentimental. Just then, the car arrived, and Shangguan Yu hurriedly ushered Zhao Yiyang and Xu Rui into the vehicle before turning to Chi Ye. "Next time."
Once the car drove away, Chi Ye’s fingers slid down Wen Xiao’s neck, gently squeezing the back of his neck. "Are you uncomfortable? Want to leave now, or stay a bit longer?"
Wen Xiao nuzzled closer to Chi Ye’s waist, shaking his head.
Chi Ye laughed. "Alright, Xiaoxiao, your Chi-ge is ticklish. Stop teasing."
Hearing this, Wen Xiao slowly looked up at Chi Ye, his eyes, like cold stars, slightly hazy. A faint flush covered his cheeks, clearly the result of alcohol. He hoarsely murmured, "I’m ticklish too."
His gaze, sharp like a hook, seemed to pierce through Chi Ye. Chi Ye pinched his chin, lowering his voice to ask, "Tell me, Xiaoxiao, where are you ticklish, hmm?"
But Wen Xiao lowered his head, not answering.
Two minutes later, Wen Xiao stood up, took a few steps, then stopped again. "Dizzy. Carry me."
It was clearly an order, yet Chi Ye found himself strangely pleased by it. He crouched in front of Wen Xiao, waiting until he was comfortably settled on his back before standing and walking forward.
Under the roadside trees, the streetlights cast warm, fragmented shadows. Chi Ye suddenly wished he could walk down this road forever.
Lost in the thought, he suddenly felt a soft kiss on his neck. Before he could speak, he heard Wen Xiao’s voice, low and gentle in his ear: "I miss you so much."
"Chi Ye, I couldn’t find you at school..."
"Chi-ge, I know where you are, but I’m too scared to come find you..."
"Chi Ye, I carved your name, but I still couldn’t see you."
"Chi-ge, will you fall for someone else?"
"Gege, can you help me again? Like you did this afternoon..."
"Chi Ye, I’m sorry I wasn’t by your side when you were crying, Chi Ye..."
"My deskmate is only you. You’re my deskmate. I don’t want anyone else to be my deskmate."
"I remember everything you said. The love letters from others, I didn’t read a single word..."
"Want to date? Okay..."
"Yes, I came here to kiss you..."
Wen Xiao’s words came in fragmented, slurred bursts, filled with drunkenness. It seemed as though he was lost in disconnected memories, his mind a jumbled mess. Each sentence lacked context or sequence, but Chi Ye understood them all.
His heart softened painfully. He gently adjusted Wen Xiao, lifting him slightly.
After a long pause, Chi Ye asked hoarsely, "Who is Chi Ye?"
A few seconds later, he heard Wen Xiao’s faint response, "The person I love."