Chapter 34 – Red Roses

On the first day of school, Li Tang got up early to check the class assignments at the school gate. Originally brimming with excitement, he was struck by a bolt from the blue—Jiang Lou and he weren’t assigned to the same class.

Due to his less than stellar grades in the previous semester, he ended up in Science Class 5, while Jiang Lou remained in the elite Science Class 1.

Li Tang knew that there was no way he could have entered the elite class based on his grades alone. His enrollment in Class 1 during the first semester of senior high was solely due to his father, Li Yuanshan, pulling strings. But if they had already taken the back door once, couldn’t they do it again?

During lunch break, Li Tang called his father.

After the New Year, Li Yuanshan stayed in the capital to manage his business, while Li Tang returned to Xucheng with his mother, Zhang Zhaoyue.

It was rare for Li Yuanshan to receive a call from his son, so he was somewhat surprised. “What’s wrong? Did something happen at home?”

“Nothing,” Li Tang didn’t know how to broach the subject. “Are you busy?”

“Knowing that I’m busy, you should be hurrying up and getting ready to go abroad, then come back and help me.” Li Yuanshan took the opportunity to lecture him. “In a place like Xucheng, what can you possibly achieve?”

Li Tang knew that Li Yuanshan harbored a prejudice against Xucheng, where everything was beneath his notice. However, since he needed something from him, Li Tang refrained from arguing.

“I ranked in the middle of the pack after my first monthly exam when I started school, and by the end of the semester, I was almost in the top hundred.” Li Tang began to list his achievements. “My homeroom teacher praised me for making great progress. If I work harder next semester, I can still push forward. Getting into the top fifty isn’t impossible.”

Li Yuanshan seemed not to be listening attentively and simply responded with a perfunctory “Mm-hmm.”

Li Tang took a deep breath and decided to get straight to the point. “I want to stay in the elite class. You should know that the teachers in the elite class are different from those in the regular classes, and the students in the elite class…”

Before Li Tang could finish, Li Yuanshan cut him off decisively. “No.”

Li Tang was taken aback. “…Why?”

There was a pause on the other end of the line before he spoke. “Your current grades would put too much strain on you in the elite class. It’s better for you to be in a regular class where the pressure is lighter. Besides, it’s better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix.”

While there was some truth to it, Li Tang found it strained. Why hadn’t Li Yuanshan worried about the pressure on him in the elite class before, and why was he suddenly considering his well-being now?

He tried to allay his concerns. “I’m not afraid of pressure… Pressure can be transformed into motivation.”

Li Yuanshan snorted. “Then prove it with your grades. Let me see whether the environment shapes people or people shape the environment.”

Seeing that this approach wouldn’t work, Li Tang hung up the phone dejectedly. Then, Li Yuanshan added, “Besides, not everyone in the elite class is a good student. At school, avoid being buddy-buddy with them. Instead, maintain contact with your former classmates from the international school. They are the ones who share your social class.”

Li Tang understood what Li Yuanshan meant by “class.” It was nothing more than dividing people into the poor and the rich based on their economic conditions.

However, Li Tang was very averse to this self-righteous sense of superiority, taking Li Yuanshan as a negative example to learn from, and instead, he drew closer to his classmates at No. 1 High School in Xucheng.

Although Jiang Lou and Li Zichu were both in Class 1, Zhou Dongze, Huo Xichen, and Sun Yuxiang, whom he had just become acquainted with during winter camp, were all in Class 5.

The first day of school was Tuesday, and there was a physical education class in the afternoon. The teacher let them do as they pleased, so Zhou Dongze led everyone in playing basketball. After they grew tired, they sat on the sidelines to chat.

Aside from Li Tang and Huo Xichen, who had gotten in through the back door, the other two had been demoted to the regular class due to declining grades. Looking at each other, they felt a sense of melancholy, akin to tigers fallen from grace.

Sun Yuxiang was the most saddened. He and Li Yuanyuan had barely been classmates before they were forced into a long-distance relationship.

Li Tang didn’t understand. “Since you participated in the winter camp, doesn’t that mean you ranked in the top thirty of the grade?”

Sun Yuxiang had a gloomy expression. “That was just a fluke. I didn’t perform well on the monthly exams before that. Class assignments are calculated based on the average scores from last semester.”

He attempted to find common ground with Zhou Dongze. “Physical Education Committee, what happened to you? I was distracted by my secret crush last semester and couldn’t focus on my studies. Did you fall in love too?”

Li Tang’s heart inexplicably tightened.

Fortunately, Zhou Dongze didn’t say anything suggestive. “I was able to enter the elite class because of my sports talent. Now that it’s the second semester of senior year, grades are king. Special talents naturally take a back seat.”

Sun Yuxiang sighed deeply to the heavens. “Ah, it seems only Yuan and I are torn apart like this. It’s tragic, too tragic!”

Li Tang thought to himself, you’re not the only one suffering.

Huo Xichen was listless throughout the class. Without Li Zichu around, he seemed to lack enthusiasm for anything.

Li Tang was also absent-minded, frequently checking his phone. Unfortunately, the messages he sent went unanswered. Jiang Lou wouldn’t easily change his habit of not looking at his phone during the day.

Finally, he endured until the end of physical education class. Li Tang stuffed his hands into the pockets of his school uniform and slowly walked toward the classroom building with his head down.

Class 1 of Grade 2 was on the third floor, while Class 5 was on the second. As Li Tang climbed the stairs out of habit, heading towards the third floor, he realized halfway up and turned around to descend.

He couldn’t help but sigh, thinking that it was one thing to not bump into each other during physical education, but now they wouldn’t even meet in the restroom.

Stepping onto the last step, the men’s restroom was right next to Class 5. Li Tang turned the corner, about to head to the classroom, when suddenly an arm reached out from nowhere, grabbing his arm. Taking a few steps, he was pulled straight into the stall closest to the door of the restroom.

Realizing who the “ambusher” was, Li Tang breathed a sigh of relief. However, his head was pressed forward by a palm, and as his lips were sealed, Li Tang’s heart rate skyrocketed to its peak in an instant.

The bell had just rung, and every teacher had a habit of running over time. At that moment, only the students of Class 5 were outside the classroom, and Li Tang was at the back of the line, so there weren’t many people in the men’s restroom on the second floor.

But it wasn’t completely empty. There were boys who had gone back to the classroom and then came to wash their hands, chatting by the sink. They complained about the new homeroom teacher being too strict, the math teacher assigning so much homework at the beginning of the semester, and whether or not they would be able to have physical education class the following week.

These were topics irrelevant to Li Tang, but they gave him a sense of imminent danger, fearing they might be caught at any moment.

Fortunately, the kiss didn’t last too long.

Lightly tracing their lips, pausing after a brief taste, Jiang Lou released his hand supporting the back of Li Tang’s head, his eyes filled with amusement. “Your heartbeat is so fast.”

Li Tang calmed his disordered breathing, glaring angrily with his eyes wide open, yet his voice dared not rise too much. “We’re at school…”

Jiang Lou was unfazed. “It’s not the first time.”

Recalling the last time Jiang Lou had carried him like a princess and kissed him while cradling his cheeks, Li Tang blushed and his heart raced again.

“It was you who said that when we met, you would ‘kiss until the sky turns dark.'” Jiang Lou said.

During those days of the Spring Festival when they couldn’t see each other, Li Tang really missed him and had made bold declarations on WeChat.

Texting and saying it in person were two different things. Li Tang wondered how Jiang Lou could speak such words so candidly, making him wish he could cover his mouth in embarrassment.

“No more kissing me while wearing our school uniforms,” Li Tang said.

“Why?”

“…Don’t ask.”

Jiang Lou smiled. “So, no more kisses until we’re undressed?”

Words that sounded quite lewd coming out of Jiang Lou’s mouth, not only lacked any sense of frivolity, but also had a serious air as if considering its feasibility.

Li Tang felt that if he stayed here any longer, he might suffocate and die from lack of oxygen. He pushed Jiang Lou to leave quickly.

As soon as the stall door opened a crack, Jiang Lou stepped back.

“What’s wrong?” Li Tang asked nervously. “Did someone discover us?”

Jiang Lou didn’t say anything, and his serious expression seemed to acknowledge it.

Li Tang immediately panicked. “What should we do? How about you go out first, and I’ll wait a bit…”

Before he could finish, Jiang Lou suddenly pushed the door open, scaring Li Tang into closing his eyes tightly, unable to face it.

After waiting for a few seconds and hearing no movement, Li Tang cautiously opened his eyes. Looking around, there wasn’t a single person in sight?

Realizing that Jiang Lou had been teasing him, Li Tang pretended to hit him.

Of course, he couldn’t bear to do it. Gently pounding Jiang Lou with punches that couldn’t be lighter, he issued a powerless “warning”: “No more of this next time.”

Jiang Lou wore a meaningful expression, as if implying that he wanted another chance.

Li Tang was indignant. “…That’s not what I meant!”

Just two days into the start of school, Valentine’s Day arrived.

That day was Thursday, and evening self-study didn’t end until half past ten. There wasn’t even time for a meal, let alone think about going on a date.

During the last class of the evening, Li Tang saw Sun Yuxiang fiddling with his phone under the table behind him, occasionally grinning foolishly. He must have been chatting with his girlfriend.

Although the atmosphere in the new class was nice, it was only the beginning of the semester, and the ones playing together were still the classmates from the previous class. Li Tang had seen Sun Yuxiang preparing a Valentine’s Day gift for Li Yuanyuan early in the morning—a piece of chocolate he had made himself, which he had stuffed into his mouth full of dog food.

But Li Tang thought to himself, I’m not that old-fashioned. My gift would definitely be unexpected, capable of catching Jiang Lou’s attention.

Finally enduring until the end of evening self-study, Li Tang deliberately lingered until he was the last one to leave the classroom. Jiang Lou was even slower than him, and by the time the two left the school grounds, all the lights in the teaching building were extinguished, leaving the entire campus in darkness.

The last bus was due to arrive in five minutes, and Li Tang quickened his pace toward the stop. He planned to give Jiang Lou the gift on the bus, his anticipation making him anxious.

But Jiang Lou was unhurried. Seeing that the bus stop was just ahead, he asked Li Tang to wait there for a moment, saying he needed to pick up something from the fast-food restaurant.

“I left a book there after lunch,” Jiang Lou said.

Li Tang asked, “What book? Do you have to get it right now?”

“Mm. Wait for me here.”

With no choice, Li Tang waited at the alley entrance, feeling like time was passing by in slow motion.

Fortunately, Jiang Lou returned quickly from his trip, arriving just as the bus pulled up at the stop.

They habitually sat in the back row by the window upon boarding. As soon as Li Tang sat down, he fished out a long, narrow box from his backpack and handed it to the person beside him. “Valentine’s Day gift.”

Jiang Lou raised an eyebrow, seemingly a little surprised.

Li Tang raised his chin and cleared his throat. “Aren’t you going to open it and take a look?”

Jiang Lou took it and opened the box. Inside lay a pen, its body glossy and shiny, apparently lacquered black.

Feeling its weight in his hand, it was unexpectedly heavy.

Seeing that Jiang Lou couldn’t figure out its function despite playing with it for a long time, Li Tang reached over and pressed the hidden button on the side of the pen, urging Jiang Lou to listen closely.

Holding the pen up to his right ear, Jiang Lou heard Li Tang’s voice coming from inside. “First unit vocabulary, Unit 1…”

It turned out to be a voice recorder, and Li Tang had already pre-recorded all the high school vocabulary, including translations.

Jiang Lou listened silently, not showing any particular delight. Li Tang couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

“How is it?” Li Tang asked. “Did I read it well enough?”

He knew that Jiang Lou’s weakness lay in listening and speaking in English, and he had racked his brains to prepare such a tailor-made gift. Of course, he also had ulterior motives. With the second semester of senior year approaching, the closer they were to the college entrance examination, the less time they would have for their own world. Li Tang wanted this voice recorder to accompany Jiang Lou, reminding him of himself whenever he used it to memorize vocabulary.

“Of course,” Jiang Lou turned his face to look at Li Tang. “I will make good use of it.”

“Do you like it?”

“Mm.”

This was the first time Jiang Lou admitted to liking something, even if it wasn’t Li Tang himself. Still, Li Tang was very happy.

He took the voice recorder and showed Jiang Lou how to use it—press once to play, twice to record, and the charging port was located at the pen’s tip, visible by unscrewing the cap.

Jiang Lou remembered each instruction, then placed the voice recorder to his ear to listen for a moment. “How long did it take to record all these words?”

Li Tang said, “Not long, just five nights.”

Preparing gifts for others was a fulfilling and satisfying process for Li Tang, so he didn’t find the time difficult to endure.

However…

Li Tang pouted. “But giving gifts unilaterally sounds so pitiful.”

He knew that Jiang Lou wasn’t the type to prepare Valentine’s Day gifts, so he only complained casually, not intending to blame him.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Lou laughed. “How do you know it’s one-sided?”

When Li Tang finally understood what Jiang Lou meant, he could hardly believe his ears.

His gaze swept over Jiang Lou’s body, and Li Tang reached for his school uniform pocket, but found nothing. His hand then slid along the opening of his jacket.

Jiang Lou caught his wrist. “Afraid of being seen?”

At this moment, finding the gift was paramount, and Li Tang activated his fearless mode. After searching his body to no avail, he set his sights on Jiang Lou’s backpack.

Wasn’t it deflated after class?

He reached out boldly to grab it. Jiang Lou deliberately blocked him slightly. “Let’s talk about it when we get home.”

“Just let me see it first.”

Li Tang was genuinely curious and eagerly tugged at the backpack’s zipper. It wasn’t until the red glow shone through under the neon lights outside the window that he noticed something.

It was the thick petals of a flower, velvet-like in texture, with curled edges, exuding a decadent sensuality. A sudden burst of brilliance, as if still adorned with fresh dewdrops.

Li Tang loved roses, especially red roses. But red roses were symbols of love, mostly received by girls. As a boy, he was embarrassed to buy them for himself, so he could only search for pictures online, storing them in his photo album for repeated appreciation.

And his boyfriend, who claimed not to know what color he liked, on their first Valentine’s Day together, gifted him a backpack full of red roses.

Beside the dimly lit corner outside the low houses near the stone path leading to the hill, Li Tang wrapped his arms around Jiang Lou’s neck, kissing passionately.

As if his heart was ignited by the flame-like red roses.

Until their lips ached from the friction, they parted. Li Tang caught his breath and asked, “How did you know I like red?”

Jiang Lou leaned close to his ear, his breath moist and sticky. “Guess.”

Li Tang had long grown accustomed to his lack of honesty and didn’t expose him, laughing as he rested on his shoulder, his brows and eyes curved in a smile.

The open backpack lay at their feet, the crimson roses huddled together, blooming luxuriantly in the warm spring breeze.