Chapter 42: Afraid of the dark?

Getting takeaway is obviously not allowed by the school but for the sake of changing their food up, students would always test their limits. Because of this, the process of ordering and getting takeaway food become a scene like those involving illegal trading. Their actions were sneaky and cautious and occasionally it was quite thrilling.

When the bell signalling the end of school rang, several of the students were chosen as representatives to go and pick it up. Because they couldn’t let the school find out, they would have to go through the back and do the secret exchange across the back wall. Unfortunately, this time they were unlucky and ran into the security guard. The moment he saw them, he shouted: “What are you doing? Stop right there!”

The students heard this but who would be silly enough to listen to his words? They immediately turned around and ran. It immediately became a scene like those from the cops and robbers’ game. During this time, they even managed to split into two groups to confuse the guard and one even successfully retrieved the takeaway food.

When they returned, the boys were gasping for air and couldn’t help but complain: “It’s not easy to eat a meal.”

The other students heard this and laughed. At the same time, the expressed deep understanding by nodding. Fortunately, they were not caught. Otherwise they not only will need to starve, they will also need to write a reflection essay.

They divided up their orders and went to their usual secret base to eat; the corner of the steps. Their classroom is located on the fifth floor and is the highest floor. The space around the corner of the stairs was a perfect place for them to hide and do things that they weren’t allowed to do.

Several boys ate the food together while discussing what was good and what wasn’t. When they were done, they tied up the bag and started playing games on their phone. The player who loses is to be responsible for disposing the garbage.

After Jiang Yang and Qin Xu’s memory loss punishment, the system stopped bothering them for two days but, despite not wanting to see that damned system anymore, they were soon reminded of its existence.

During self-study class, the classmates concentrated on completing their homework while from time to time small whispers could be heard.

Recently the weather had turned cold and the students started pulling out their jackets. Even if they were not cold, the jackets were useful when they wanted to hide something. For example, they could hide their phone in their sleeves and secretly play on it. When a teacher comes close, they could just wave their hands and the phone would naturally slide down their arms and fall in front of their stomach. Of course, there were also cases where it would fail. Once, Huang Shao tried to play on his phone like this but was caught by the class teacher. He panicked, and the phone fell out from his jacket onto the ground, shattering its screen. He was extremely upset but the class teacher wasn’t. He said that he deserved that and to concentrate on studying instead of playing on his phone.

As for the girls, their long hair worked even better. If they wanted to listen to music, the earphones would be perfectly hidden in the hair. The remaining parts of the earphones could be hidden inside her clothes after just zipping their jackets up. If you looked at them, you wouldn’t notice it unless you deliberately move her hair aside.

During self-study class, Jiang Yang used his sleeves to hide the cable and he held the earphones in his hand while he rested his head on his hand. He listened to music like this and just has he was lazily enjoying it, the familiar mechanical sound appeared in his mind.

“Random task: Please take care of your friend. Help tutor each other and raise the scores of each other’s weak subjects so that they can get a good score in their next exam.”

Jiang Yang and Qin Xu heard this and subconsciously looked at each other. Both were a little stunned, and they both swore internally.

Huang Shao who deliberately moved behind them to join them in playing the game saw them look at each other as if they had just lost their soul. He couldn’t help but laugh and wave his hands between them, “What, did you guys fall in love at first sight?”

Jiang Yang and Qin Xu returned to their senses and both turned their head to Huang Shao at the same time and said: “Shut up. Go study.”

Huang Shao: “………..” Are you two crazy? You actually want to study?!

However, Jiang Yang and Qin Xu didn’t have the effort to pay him any more attention. Instead, they both started worrying about each other’s weak subjects. How low must it have been for the system to assign them a task? At the same time, they didn’t forget to ask the system what score they need to get for it to be considered a good score.

The system responded: “The minimum score is 80 points.”

Jiang Yang grabbed Qin Xu’s chemistry paper, 62 points.

Qin Xu found Jiang Yang’s physics paper, 64 points.

Suddenly, the two men’s faces turned into a look of despair. They cursed at each other: Why are you so bad at this? Laozi can do better even with my eyes closed!

Jiang Yang had used the excuse of helping each other with their studies before to get the teacher to allow them to sit together. Naturally, what he said then wasn’t a lie. Regarding their studies, they just happened to be polar opposites. Jiang Yang’s chemistry score is 99 points and Qin Xu’s physics score is 100 points.

“Did the dog eat your brain? What is with this score?”

“You are only more than me by two points. Do you think you are qualified to say that? Something as easy as this, Laozi got full marks.”

The two glared at each other and both didn’t want to admit their weakness while also wanting to show off how good they are at the subject that they are good at. They bickered non-stop. If it they just ridiculed the other party, they could do so tirelessly and after a constant rain of insults, they finally calmed down and realised that quarrelling was pointless; it would not be able to save the other persons stupidity.

However, the midsemester exams were not far off. It starts next week so they only had five days until then.

Within five days, they would need to help raise the other persons score by 20 points for the subject they are poor at. Just from this, it sounded like an advertisement for a crash tutoring course. The two had just finished experiencing a dog-blood punishment and reacted to this newly assigned task like mad dogs. Even if they weren’t certain that they would be able to complete the task, they should still give it a try. It’s too shameful to give up without even trying. It’s just a broken system, why should they be afraid of it? With Laozi’s IQ, this is a piece of cake!

And so, the two men began a chaotic life that followed a strict and supervised study schedule. They pointed out the key points for each question. Occasionally they would explode with frustration and grab the other person’s collar while yelling at them that they are stupid to the point of no return. This kind of screaming teaching method persisted for many days.

Huang Shao sat to the side and ate snacks while watching the show. Seeing the two struggle and veer on the verge of mental breakdown, he found it very amusing. He couldn’t help but think back to this short film that he saw online; late at night a woman yelled out from upstairs —— What relationship! Ah! What relationship? You’re asking what relationship?! Thinking that something interesting was going on, he perked up his ears. That woman continued and yelled: “It’s an inverse relationship?!”

Right now, their situation is very similar.

Huang Shao chuckled and said: “You two look like old fathers who get along well~”

Jiang Yang and Qin Xu, despite being very busy, took the time to look back at him and retort at the same time:  “Shut up!”

Huang Shao could only shrug. He snickered as he continued to eat his snacks.

Because of the time constraints, Jiang Yang and Qin Xu had to make the most of their time to study. Despite being reluctant at the beginning, after seeing that they could command their enemy to do this and that and even call him stupid and having the other party unable to talk back, they felt a sense of fulfilment within. How could they let such a good opportunity go?

When there’s a sign of slight improvement, they would awkwardly praise the other party. For example, Qin Xu would pick up the question sheet in a huff and say: “Looks like you still have something left in your brain, you got half of it correct.”

The other person would sneer back, “That’s right. Even I have something left in my brain. It’s much better compared to you who can’t even solve such a simple physics equation.”

“I’m just too lazy to remember it. You can’t even calculate the basic number of electrons.”

“Are you joking around? Do you even need to remember the equation? Please use your brain or it’ll start degenerating.”

They triggered each other enthusiastically to the point that it made Xiao Yuxin, the ‘person in the know’, worry that they must’ve gotten into a big argument. He creased his brows and asked worriedly: “With them like this……Should we try to placate them?” It was good that they’re working so hard and enjoying studying. If necessary, he is happy to help.

Huang Shao didn’t care, “Placate what? This is called beating is a sign of affection, cursing is a sign of love. A love-hate relationship.”

Xiao Yuxin pondered over this for a while and then nodded his head hesitantly in agreement.

The two had been like this since the first year of high school and the relationship between the two is known by almost everyone. There were traces of their quarrels scattered throughout the school. Even the owner of the school store remembered them. Every time he saw them, his expression would change and try to persuade them not to fight before they even started. He would even ask them to go somewhere else to fight if they really wanted to and couldn’t hold back.

They are famous for being enemies. Even if Xiao Yuxin knew about their “secret”, and knows that their relationship is good, if others saw them acting lovey-dovey, always smiling while looking at each other with a love-sick gaze, look at the stars together, recite poetry and sing songs to each other……like this, even Xiao Yuxin would be shocked. It would be as shocking as seeing dinosaurs come back to life.

Therefore, with them currently in this love-hate kind of relationship, Xiao Yuxin found it very normal. After all, everyone approaches love differently.

Jiang Yang and Qin Xu were still immersed in the joy of learning and didn’t notice that the others around them where discussing their situation.

Because they were so passionately studying and were also very competitive, when the bell signalling the end of class rand, Jiang Yang and Qin Xu didn’t immediately head off. Instead, they continued to madly solve problems, as if they would only leave once they’ve finished solving the remaining questions.

They persisted with this until they were eventually kicked out of the classroom by the patrolling security guard.

When the security guard saw the lights still on, he even took a step back to double check the class number. He said with surprise: “They’re not even in their final year and they’re already studying so hard?”

The security guard moved the flashlight and then knocked on the door, “Go back to your dormitory and sleep. We’re going to lock up.”

Only now, the two got up reluctantly. They had completely fallen into a state of study madness. They walked out of the classroom and turned off the lights and the security guard continued with his patrol. They walked in the opposite direction and headed for the stairs.

It has been half an hour since the end of class and the teaching building was already empty. Dark and quiet, there weren’t even lights illuminating the corridor.

Jiang Yang walked down the stairs and couldn’t see very well in the darkness. His imagination had also already gone wild imagining someone hiding within the darkness before him. He could feel his scalp go numb and he subconsciously wanted to take out his phone to light up the path. He only remembered now that both he and Qin Xu had left their phones back in their rooms to show the other person their determination.

He couldn’t help but swear: “Fuck!”

“Who are you cursing?”

“I’m cursing at whoever responds to my curses.”

Qin Xu smiled darkly: “What are you angry for? Isn’t it just a few questions unfinished?”

Jiang Yang scoffed coldly: “I just had one more left.”

In the darkness, Qin Xu’s face looked very unclear. You could make out the faint outline and would not be able to tell whether or not he is handsome. Like this, it was easy for him to imagine all kinds of things. When he smiles, his white teeth shone eerily in the darkness.

Jiang Yang saw this and could only say in irritation: “Turn your face over. Don’t face me.”

“Why?”

“Ugly.”

“……….”

Qin Xu was speechless. He didn’t want to deal with his unreasonable demands and just proceeded to walk down the stairs at a faster pace. At this moment he realised that the distance between himself and Jiang Yang had grown further and further. He looked back and saw Jiang Yang stepping down cautiously, as if he was testing out the steps hence his slower pace.

Qin Xu was amazed. He went up a few steps and moved next to Jiang Yang. A smile formed on his lips, “Xiao Yang Yang, are you afraid of the dark?”

Jiang Yang immediately denied: “How is that possible!”

Qin Xu rubbed his chin, “Then do you have night blindness? You can’t see the steps clearly?”

This time Jiang Yang didn’t immediately deny it. He only scoffed coldly, “You’re overthinking it.”

Qin Xu however could hear a hint of arrogance in his words. His lips curled up, and he subconsciously said: “If you can’t see, just say it. It’s not like I won’t help you out. What’s wrong with me being your eyes?”

I’ll be your eyes.

As soon as he heard those words, goose-bumps formed on Jiang Yang’s arms and his body shivered in response. He rolled his eyes, “Are you crazy?”

Qin Xu rubbed his nose. Now that he mentioned it, those words may have sounded a little strange, but he didn’t find anything wrong with it when he said it.

Jiang Yang chatted with him and didn’t pay attention to where he was walking. In addition to originally having difficulty with seeing in the dark, his momentary state of distraction caused him to miss the step and fall forward.

Qin Xu’s reaction was fast and without a thought he reached out to pull the other person into his embrace. Jiang Yang was surprised but luckily, he didn’t fall. Otherwise he would’ve falling more than a few steps down.

Jiang Yang returned to his senses and, to cover up the awkwardness, he quickly threw out a word of thanks and stepped back from his hold.

Qin Xu however did not take back his hands. He couldn’t help but leave his arms looped around Jiang Yang’s waist and mock: “What are you acting so proud for?”

He then moved Jiang Yang’s hand onto his arm, “I don’t mind being your support.”

Jiang Yang: “…………”

Is this called being proud? This is issue of dignity!