Chapter 8 – Unexpected Joy

On that night, Li Tang lay on his back on the bed, running his fingers over the fresh bandage wrapped around his wrist.

Recalling the events that had occurred just hours ago, Li Tang couldn’t help but wonder, did he often get hurt? Otherwise, why would he carry bandages with him and apply them so skillfully?

His fingers delved between the bandage and skin, lightly pressing at first. A faint pain emerged. Then, applying more force, he pinched with two fingers, causing a greater wave of pain to spread.

It finally felt right, Li Tang thought.

He pulled the bandage tighter, his fingers persistently probing until he found the perfect position and pressure.

Exhaling softly, Li Tang parted his slightly moist lips and closed his eyes.

Before him appeared mountains, humble houses, and that solitary figure.

“You are the first.”

A deep, hoarse voice.

His body trembled involuntarily, Li Tang thought, you are also the first.

The pain surged like a rising tide, each wave more intense than the last, yet it made Li Tang addicted due to the pleasure it brought.

In the tranquil darkness of night, nothing could prevent a person from releasing their secret thoughts.

Thus, Li Tang could indulge in his imagination, envisioning that this pain was his own doing.

On Monday morning, Li Tang was late again.

Fortunately, it was an English morning reading session, and his English teacher was always lenient with his class representative. Reminding him to be mindful next time, she allowed him to return to his seat.

When Li Tang opened his book, his deskmate, Li Zichu, noticed the bandage on his right wrist. “How did you get injured again?”

Li Tang pulled out the prepared excuse: “I accidentally twisted it.”

Li Zichu clearly didn’t believe this answer. He smiled meaningfully and leaned closer. “You weren’t using it too much behind closed doors, were you?”

Despite having grown accustomed to Li Zichu’s wild style of speaking after becoming familiar with him, Li Tang was still caught off guard.

Most boys of their age had experienced masturbation, and it was inevitable to have an object of fantasy when engaging in such activities. Thinking about what he had been hiding under the covers the previous night, Li Tang felt a sense of shame at being caught.

Even though what he had been fantasizing about wasn’t explicitly sexual.

Seeing that his face had turned red, Li Zichu assumed he had hit the mark and hurried to comfort him. “If that’s really the case? There’s nothing wrong with it. Jiang Lou looks like that, many people would take him as their fantasy—”

Li Tang didn’t let him finish, raising his hand to cover his mouth with the book.

Due to this comment, Li Tang almost reflexively avoided Jiang Lou when they met in the office that afternoon.

Both of them were there to collect test papers. The monthly exam was approaching, and the main subject teachers were working hard, flooding the students’ hands with various authentic test papers. Often, a paper written in the morning would have its results announced in the afternoon, and the evening self-study sessions were taken up by explaining the test questions, the pace as if on fast-forward mode.

There were two sets of English test papers, one corrected and one new. The teacher asked Li Tang to bring the papers for the neighboring class along as well.

The papers for two classes, amounting to over two hundred sheets, weighed quite a bit. Li Tang worried that the papers might scatter on the way, so he held them tightly to his chest.

He left the office first, quickening his steps towards the classroom while Jiang Lou was still counting the papers with the homeroom teacher.

At the corner of the corridor, he was suddenly bumped into by a student rushing down the stairs. Li Tang lost his balance, but he didn’t fall; instead, the papers scattered all over the ground due to his loosened grip.

Turning to look, the student who had collided with him had already run out of sight. Li Tang sighed and squatted down to clean up the mess.

Just as he had finished gathering a small stack, Jiang Lou, who had left the office a step later, walked up to him, stood still for a moment, then squatted down to help him tidy up.

Still feeling awkward, Li Tang didn’t raise his head as he said, “Thank you.”

Hearing Jiang Lou ask, “Are you going to treat me to dinner again?” Li Tang shook his head, then hastily nodded when he realized what he had done. “Actually, that would be good. Yesterday’s meal was too casual. There’s a mall in the city center that has Haidilao, do you like hotpot?”

Jiang Lou was momentarily stunned by his earnest attitude before chuckling. “It was just a joke, don’t take it seriously.”

In fact, Li Tang knew he shouldn’t take it seriously.

But he couldn’t help wondering what Jiang Lou looked like in others’ fantasies. Did he smile? Were his eyes still that deep black? Did he add a lot of chili and vinegar when eating? Would he lend his boxing gloves to them…would he help them bandage their wounds?

Was the Jiang Lou I saw the same as the one others saw?

However, the upcoming monthly exam didn’t leave Li Tang much time to indulge in such random thoughts.

This was the first time Li Tang was participating in such a tightly scheduled exam. All five main subjects were arranged for one day, and there was only enough time to use the restroom between exams before the bell for the next exam rang.

After finishing the last chemistry exam in the evening, Li Tang felt dizzy and somewhat disoriented.

After comparing answers with Li Zichu and the others, Li Tang picked up his schoolbag and was about to leave when he was stopped by a classmate from the back row.

“Don’t leave yet,” Zhou Dongze stepped forward, hooking his arm around Li Tang’s shoulder. “Let’s hang out during the holiday.”

After the monthly exam came the National Day holiday, and the classroom was now bustling with everyone planning where to go and have fun.

Thinking it was going to be another coffee-drinking study session at Tree House, Li Tang said with little interest, “Sure, but…can we go somewhere else?”

“Don’t worry, this time I won’t bother you to explain English problems to me.” Zhou Dongze laughed. “We’re going to sing karaoke, and we’ll invite a few classmates from the neighboring class to join us and liven things up.”

Li Tang thought to himself that it didn’t make much difference, but he still politely declined. “I can’t sing in tune…”

Zhou Dongze reassured him, “It’s fine, we all have terrible voices. If we could really sing, we’d be participating in talent shows, not doing homework here.”

Talent shows were popular these days, and he had heard that Huo Xichen had even participated in the preliminary auditions of a certain show but was eliminated in the initial round.

Unable to find a reason to refuse, Li Tang agreed.

Perhaps sensing his hesitation, after Zhou Dongze left, Li Zichu advised him, “If you can’t sing, you don’t have to. Just come along for the sake of supporting them, maybe there’s an unexpected joy waiting for you.”

Indeed, something unexpected happened on the first day of October.

And not just one thing.

Li Tang slept until midday and was woken up by a phone call. He was still dazed as he answered, “Hello… it’s Cao Yang… what’s up?… where are you?… alright, I’ll be there soon.”

With bleary eyes, he arrived at the entrance of the park near his home and was almost knocked over by Cao Yang’s enthusiastic hug. Looking beyond his shoulder, Li Tang spotted a somewhat familiar face.

A girl named Li Meiqi, a former classmate from the international school.

As far as Li Tang remembered, before he left the capital, she and Cao Yang were in the midst of an ambiguous phase. Seeing them together now suggested that they were likely dating.

No wonder Cao Yang hadn’t been replying to messages lately; he must have been prioritizing his girlfriend over his friends.

Since Li Tang had made plans with his classmates that afternoon and never broke his promises, he called Zhou Dongze and told him that two classmates from his old school had come to visit him. Zhou Dongze immediately invited them to join in the fun at the karaoke place.

The three of them took a taxi to the city center. This was Li Meiqi’s first visit to Xucheng, and she was busy taking photos with her micro single-lens camera everywhere they went. Seizing the opportunity, Li Tang questioned Cao Yang, “Why did you come without warning, not even giving me a heads-up?”

Cao Yang looked aggrieved. “I did warn you! Didn’t I send you a WeChat message yesterday afternoon?”

Li Tang had been in the monthly exam the day before, his phone off all day. When he got home that night, he threw his phone aside on the bedside table and went straight to sleep. Now, opening WeChat, he indeed saw the message Cao Yang had sent: Nothing to do, I’m coming to play with you tomorrow!

Li Tang rubbed his forehead. “So you just decided to come without notice, dragging your girlfriend along.”

As a guest, arranging for one guy wouldn’t be a problem; worst-case scenario, he could stay at Li Tang’s place. But bringing along a girl was a bit troublesome, as they would at least need to book a hotel room, possibly even two, and during the festival season, rooms at hotels would be in high demand.

Misunderstanding Li Tang’s concern, Cao Yang explained, “Qiaobao and I just confirmed our relationship. With so many eyes watching us at school, you understand, it’s rare to have some alone time together…”

Feeling a chill from the overly affectionate nickname, Li Tang quickly interrupted. “Alright, alright, I get it. So when are you two planning to leave?”

“What, trying to kick us out already?”

“No, I just want to arrange your schedule and accommodations.”

“Oh.” Cao Yang beamed. “I knew it, Tangbao is the best, I haven’t loved you in vain.”

“…Warning you, don’t say that.”

“Aiya, after a month apart, how have you become so stingy?”

“Stingy? You haven’t been talking to me much this past month.”

“Well, well, sorry, I’ll pay attention in the future.”

Cao Yang said they would leave the next day, and they had already booked a hotel. Since there were no attractions to visit in Xucheng, Li Tang planned to treat them to dinner and then leave them alone. He would see them off to the station the next day.

Upon arrival, they followed the staff’s directions to the karaoke room. After entering, Li Tang scanned the room but didn’t see Jiang Lou.

It was expected, but there was still a tinge of regret.

At the beginning, several classmates gathered around the song selection platform, choosing songs. Not fond of the commotion, Li Tang chose the farthest seat and sat down. As soon as his buttocks touched the sofa, he heard Su Qinhan’s voice. “Where’s Jiang Lou? Didn’t you say he would come this time?”

Huo Xichen stammered, “Brother Lou told me he’d decide based on the situation, I don’t know if he’ll have time to come…”

Perhaps getting used to it, Su Qinhan didn’t throw a tantrum this time. She grabbed her bag and got up to leave. Huo Xichen followed her out, returning to the room with a dejected expression shortly after, clearly having been rejected once again by the goddess.

Yet there was someone who was eager to touch a sore spot. Li Zichu stuck his head out from the crowd near the song selection platform. “I’ve queued up the song ‘Defeated General’ for you, can you sing it?”

‘Defeated General,’ a well-known song about unrequited love, had a line that fit the current situation perfectly – laughing at myself for being immersed in a certain atmosphere, for being so humble.

Huo Xichen exploded on the spot. “No singing! I don’t know it! Sing it yourself a few times if you want!”

Li Zichu shrugged, putting on an expression of “not appreciating a good deed,” then turned around and moved the song to the top of the queue.

Starting with a melancholic song, the atmosphere in the room temporarily became depressed.

However, Cao Yang, with his outgoing personality, quickly struck up friendships with Li Tang’s new classmates. One moment he randomly selected a lucky classmate to sing a duet, the next he was holding a juice cup and “toasting” everyone, quickly making plans for dinner together that night.

When he heard that Huo Xichen had participated in a talent show, Cao Yang slapped his thigh. “I’ve participated too, in the preliminary auditions in the capital. But I was eliminated too, I think they don’t care whether you can sing well or not, they just choose based on appearance!”

Finding a kindred spirit, Huo Xichen also slapped his thigh. “Yes, I think so too!”

“At the time, if my buddy Li Tang had gone, he might have been chosen.”

Hearing Cao Yang affirm Li Tang’s looks, Huo Xichen snorted softly, his gaze shifting from Li Tang to Li Zichu sitting beside him.

“He probably wouldn’t have made the cut either. For looks, you have to look at Brother Lou.”

The already engaged in chatting with the girls, Li Meiqi, interjected. “I’ve been hearing you guys keep saying ‘Brother Long,’ who is Brother Long? Is he here?”

Zhou Dongze was amused. “What Brother Long, he’s not a martial arts star. It’s Brother Lou, Jiang Lou, our class’s math class representative.”

“Calling him Brother Long isn’t wrong either.” A square-faced boy from the neighboring class chimed in. “Isn’t he deaf? A deaf person can be called Deaf Brother.”

The boy held the microphone, so his volume was quite loud, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear clearly.

For about five seconds, the entire venue was silent.

The classmates present had varying expressions, and they began to whisper and exchange low voices.

It was a completely normal situation. After all, even if Jiang Lou was known for his good popularity, among a thousand people, there would inevitably be one or two who disliked him.

Not to mention that some people might have been pretending to be like everyone else due to peer pressure, secretly being annoyed with him for a long time, especially in science classes where competition between males was severe—the pretty girls in school were limited, and more than half were chasing after Jiang Lou. Were there no other men in the world?

Someone had already chuckled, agreeing with the square-faced boy. “Deaf Brother… the name suits him, quite fitting.”

The words carried malice.

Li Tang glanced at the person. He was from the neighboring Class 2, someone he had encountered on the basketball court before. The square-faced one seemed to be their class’s physical education representative.

Even Li Tang, who never liked to be the first to speak up, felt their words were excessive. After a moment of contemplation, he was about to open his mouth, but Huo Xichen had already impatiently grabbed the microphone. “What kind of skill is it to mock someone behind their back?”

The square-faced boy retorted, “I dare to call him Deaf Brother even in front of him, since he can’t hear clearly anyway.”

“Bullshit!”

“Not as bad as you, a lackey and a follower!”

“What did you say, dare to repeat it again!”

“I said you’re Jiang Lou’s lackey!”

…

The two of them exchanged words without backing down, and it seemed they were about to fight. Students from both sides spontaneously went up to mediate, turning the room into chaos.

Annoyed by their bickering, the shrill screech of the microphone nearly split Li Tang’s head.

He nudged Cao Yang, who was watching the spectacle from the sidelines. “I’m going to the restroom.”

Plugging his ears, he passed through the crowd and pushed open the spring door of the room.

Stepping out, he shifted to the left, and Li Tang paused, his eyes widening abruptly.

Outside the room, Jiang Lou stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall, unsure how long he had been standing there.

“How come…you didn’t go in?” Li Tang heard himself say.

Jiang Lou tilted his head slightly, looking at him. “Didn’t have time.”

“…”

It seemed he had heard everything.

Li Tang swallowed. He didn’t know why he was nervous, nor did he know what to say at this moment.

Should he explain? About why he hadn’t stood up and loudly reprimanded those two like Huo Xichen had?

How could he explain? Jumping on the bandwagon would seem insincere, would Jiang Lou believe him?

Just as he was thinking, Jiang Lou straightened his body and walked towards the restroom on the left.

Li Tang hurriedly followed. “Those people haven’t grown up yet, they’re very immature, they don’t consider others’ feelings when they speak. You…don’t take it to heart.”

After saying this, Li Tang was the first to be stunned.

His instinctive reaction didn’t lie. Before his brain could sort out his thoughts, his language system had already made a choice.

—To comfort Jiang Lou, not wanting him to feel sad.

However, Jiang Lou’s focus strangely strayed, and he smiled. “It seems you’ve grown up then?”

Initially surprised that he could still laugh, Li Tang pondered it further and realized that this was likely a forced smile.

“You…aren’t angry?”

“Why should I be angry.” Jiang Lou said, “You told me not to take it to heart.”

Entering the restroom, Jiang Lou turned on the faucet of the middle washbasin, letting the clear water flow over his fingertips and the back of his hand.

Li Tang stood behind and to the right of him, seeing through the mirror that he bowed his head, his eyelashes covering his pupils. The light above the basin illuminated his face, which was almost bloodless white, contrasting with the slight upward curve of his lips—a friendly, never distant smile.

Suddenly feeling closer to him, both physically and psychologically, Li Tang thought, after all, I am the only classmate who has been to his house.

“I know you’re not the type to hold grudges, but this kind of thing, placed on anyone, would be impossible not to be angry about.”

The hand under the water imperceptibly paused, Jiang Lou understood—he was attempting to empathize with me.

Empathize.

With me.

The corners of his mouth gradually widened, and Jiang Lou asked, “How do you know?”

A nearby room suddenly roared, and Li Tang didn’t hear clearly. He stepped forward. “What?”

“Nothing.” Jiang Lou said.

After washing his hands and turning off the faucet, Jiang Lou raised his eyes and saw the person in the mirror.

That gaze, calm yet icy.

How do you know I’m not that kind of person?