KMYB | Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Xi Shui was very curious why Zhou Zeqi had covered his eyes.

After thinking about it, he reached out to touch Zhou Zeqi’s ear, and sure enough, it was burning hot.

"You’re shy," Xi Shui said with certainty.

Zhou Zeqi slowly lowered his hand. Meeting Xi Shui’s unblinking stare, he saw Xi Shui wearing an expression that said, "I knew it."

Before that smug look could fully bloom, Zhou Zeqi suddenly lunged forward and bit his lips.

The kiss was fierce and urgent, and Xi Shui had neither the heart nor the strength to respond.

After it was over, Xi Shui drew in small breaths. "With that lung capacity of yours, could you blow tens of thousands?"

Zhou Zeqi: "…"

"Not tens of thousands." Zhou Zeqi steadied his breathing and went back to the pool to wash the shrimp.

Xi Shui watched his back with complete seriousness.

Zhou Zeqi did things very carefully and earnestly, unlike the wild and uninhibited image people on the forum had painted of him.

He liked people who did things seriously.

–

The next day was Monday.

Jing University issued the notice for the summer campus sports meet, and every college received one. Each college also had a quota for how many students needed to take part in events.

Jingti, as a professional academy, was not allowed to participate in this sports meet. They were mainly responsible for working as staff, like referees, or moving tables, benches, and injured students around as labor.

Jingti also had to visit each college to help publicize the notice.

Zhou Zeqi never took part in that sort of thing.

But Jingwu also had to participate in the sports meet, and they also had a quota to meet.

In the student union group chat, Zhou Zeqi rarely spoke up.

"Jingwu Ballet Department, second year, I’ll go."

How could the others in the group not know what was going on?

[How could that be? It’s such a small thing, how could we trouble Zhou-ge with it? We can go ourselves.]

[Exactly, exactly. Such a tiny matter, I can handle it.]

[Yeah, I’ll go, I’ll go.]

But Jingti’s student union president still handed the task to Zhou Zeqi.

The others made a fuss in the group chat, joking that the president was biased.

The president said, "You’re stealing someone else’s wife, and you still have the nerve to complain?"

[Why wouldn’t we have the nerve? We’re absolutely fine with it.]

At that moment, Zhou Zeqi was standing outside Xi Shui’s apartment waiting for him to change clothes. He clicked on the profile of the person who had shouted, We’re absolutely fine with it, and saw it was a girl.

"…"

Xi Shui came out from inside after changing, "Let’s go, let’s go. We’re going to be late."

Zhou Zeqi rode his bike to take him to Jingwu’s main building.

"The sports meet notice has come out. What event did you do last year?"

Xi Shui sat on the back and thought about it. "I didn’t participate. I was out performing last year."

"What about you?" Xi Shui asked Zhou Zeqi.

"I didn’t participate either. Professionals are forbidden from competing."

"No performance this year?"

Xi Shui nodded. "There’s a performance at the Grand Theater during summer vacation. Will you come watch?"

"If you want me to go, I’ll go."

Xi Shui wrapped his arms around Zhou Zeqi’s waist and tilted his head up. "You said before that you’d be at every one of my performances."

Zhou Zeqi pedaled casually. "You remember what I said?"

"Of course. I remember every word you say," Xi Shui said with complete matter-of-factness. "I like you, so remembering what you say is part of my job."

The bicycle rode into campus. The students on their way to class filled the pagoda-lined avenue, and bicycles and electric scooters moved nimbly through the crowd.

The osmanthus blossoms that were already fading drifted down on the wind and landed on the back of Zhou Zeqi’s hand.

He was thinking about something.

Thinking about what Xi Shui had just said to him.

If he didn’t know Xi Shui really was a blank sheet of paper, completely inexperienced, then just from that open and unabashed way of speaking, he’d really be easy to mistake for a seasoned player in love.

And yet the person himself had no idea.

"Why are you, again, shy?" Xi Shui reached out and plucked a tiny osmanthus petal from Zhou Zeqi’s hair.

The bike stopped on the road in front of Jingwu’s main building. Xi Shui got off the back seat and looked at Zhou Zeqi. "I’m going in."

Zhou Zeqi pulled him close. In broad daylight, in full view of everyone, he kissed Xi Shui’s neck once.

Kissing the face, kissing the mouth, none of that was indecent.

But who would kiss someone’s neck in broad daylight like this?

Xi Shui’s face turned red all the way to the base of his neck.

One foot on the ground, Zhou Zeqi leaned lazily against the bike. "Why are you, again, shy?" He returned Xi Shui’s own words right back to him.

Xi Shui tightened his grip on the strap of his crossbody bag. "See you after school."

Zhou Zeqi only had one class in the morning. He rode home, slept again, and in the afternoon he had to go to the Ballet Department to publicize the sports meet notice.

Xi Shui’s face stayed hot until he reached the classroom, where Lin Xiaojin had saved him a seat and waved him over.

"Here, Zhao Mengzi and the others gave me these fruit candies. They’ve got filling, and they’re super tasty." Lin Xiaojin pulled a handful of candies out of his backpack. "But I can’t give them all to you. Half for you, half for me."

Xi Shui peeled one open and popped it into his mouth. "Ah, so sweet."

"Right?"

There were still ten minutes before class. The teacher was adjusting the slides, so Lin Xiaojin used the time to gossip and check on his friend.

"You really did it with Zhou Zeqi, huh?"

The heat on Xi Shui’s face surged up again. He nodded. "Yeah."

"How long have you two been together?"

Xi Shui took out his water bottle and textbook together and set them on the desk. After thinking for a moment, he said, "If I’d already really liked Zhou Zeqi from the start, then on the very first day I could’ve slept with him."

If he didn’t like him, then even if they were together for ten years, or a hundred years, it still wouldn’t happen.

"Where do you get all these twisted arguments?" Lin Xiaojin lay on the desk. "Aren’t you afraid he’ll lie to you?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I want to."

"Damn, that’s awesome."

Xi Shui opened his book. In a low voice, he said, "I think liking someone means you can’t be afraid. You have to be a little braver."

Taking advantage of the last five minutes, Xi Shui checked his phone.

Teacher Xu Wei sent him a message on Penguin, saying that the Ballet Department had two spots for further study at Nuoluo Ballet Academy, and asking whether he wanted to go. Worried that Xi Shui might refuse, Xu Wei especially emphasized that it was only for one year of further study. The credits there would count too, and after the year was up, he could choose to return to China and continue his studies, or choose to stay in Nuoluo.

[There are only two spots in total. I also posted the notice in the group chat, and the academy sent out a notice too, but the only people who meet the requirements are you and one third-year girl, so there’s no need to worry about others overthinking it. You know how strict Nuoluo’s requirements are.]

[Teacher hopes you’ll agree. With your talent, and guidance from even better senior teachers, you’ll definitely come to appreciate the deeper artistic expression of ballet.]

Xu Wei forwarded Xi Shui the documents sent over by Nuoluo.

Personal works, personal artistic experience, personal awards won, a self-introduction no longer than two minutes, an impromptu performance no longer than five minutes…

Lin Xiaojin had already started secretly eating spicy strips. "You’re looking at the one Xu Wei sent?"

"How did you know?" Xi Shui asked in surprise.

"With that serious expression on your face, it’s easy to guess," Lin Xiaojin said. "Go for it. Anyway, you won’t leave until September, and it’s only a year. The school’s paying. If you don’t go, it’d be a waste."

"Do you want to go?" Lin Xiaojin asked again.

Xi Shui nodded.

"If you want to go, then go."

Xi Shui slowly furrowed his brows. "What about Zhou Zeqi?"

Lin Xiaojin choked. "What do you mean, what about him? Are you planning to take him with you or something? It’s only a year of long-distance. Besides, he’s so rich, he can totally fly over to see you."

"I need to tell him first." Xi Shui didn’t reply to Xu Wei for the moment.

"He’ll definitely support you."

Xi Shui put his phone away. "Class starts."

The morning sunlight poured unblocked through the window. Lin Xiaojin was drowsy, but Xi Shui always paid close attention in class, and he was excellent in academic subjects too.

At times like this, Xi Shui not only had to take notes for himself, he also had to take them for Lin Xiaojin.

Lin Xiaojin even started talking in his sleep.

"…"

–

Zhou Zeqi held the sports meet poster in his hand, with two students from the publicity office following behind him. Both of them were freshmen, one responsible for mobilization and the other for recording which classes they’d visited. Zhou Zeqi was there to do the bare minimum.

But everyone knew he was there to see Xi Shui.

Xi Shui was lying on the desk asleep. At noon, he had to sleep for half an hour before he’d have the energy for the afternoon classes.

Zhou Zeqi’s figure appeared in the corridor. He lagged behind a little, the poster rolled into a tube in his hand, tapping it lightly as he walked.

At this hour, a small portion of the students were sleeping, while the majority were busy doing their own thing.

As soon as a stranger entered the classroom, it immediately drew the attention of the students who weren’t asleep.

Lin Xiaojin had already slept enough that morning. When he looked up and saw Zhou Zeqi strolling in, he thought he was seeing things. Why would someone from Jingti come to Jingwu? Then he thought about it and figured it must be about the sports meet.

Every year, the sports meet publicity and logistics were basically handled by the sports institute.

Lin Xiaojin leaned down by Xi Shui’s ear. "Xiaoxi, your boyfriend’s here."

Xi Shui’s ear tickled from his breath, and he turned to the other side and kept sleeping.

Zhou Zeqi was handsome, so handsome it was impossible to ignore, his facial structure flawless, his features deep and sharp, and with his height of 192 centimeters, his presence was extremely oppressive.

He was wearing a black short-sleeved shirt on top, and the hems of his track pants were very long. He had rolled them up once, and his sneakers were a limited edition model not sold on the market.

He found an empty seat in the front row and sat down. The boy with him was speaking on the podium.

"It’s like this," the dance academy was the college with the highest average attractiveness in Jing University, so he was a little nervous. "From this Wednesday to next Tuesday, Jing University has decided to hold the summer sports meet. There are many events, and the prizes are very generous. We hope everyone can participate actively and sign up enthusiastically."

Li Weiwei raised her hand. "What prizes are there?!"

"What events?"

"You can get bonus points. First place adds six points, and they can be stacked with no upper limit. The prizes include insulated cups, laptops, snack gift boxes, and many more."

"The events are the same as in previous years, except that men’s and women’s individual 5,000-meter races have been added on top of the old lineup."

Hai Tinghua was sitting in the front row. She raised her hand. "Each class still has a quota, right?"

"Yes. If the quota isn’t filled, class points will be deducted, which will affect the annual excellent class evaluation."

"Fuck."

After the publicity team finished, they left. Zhou Zeqi stuffed the poster into the other boy’s hands. "The rest is up to you guys." After saying that, he walked toward Xi Shui’s seat.

There happened to be an empty seat beside Xi Shui.

Someone sat down next to him.

Xi Shui lifted his eyelids and glanced over. The moment he saw who it was, he froze.

"You, you…" Xi Shui widened his eyes. He hadn’t been sleeping very deeply, and he had heard everything the Jingti students said just now, but he hadn’t expected Zhou Zeqi to have come together with them. "You came too?"

"Mm." Zhou Zeqi saw that half of Xi Shui’s face had been pressed red and reached out to rub it. "My afternoon class starts at four."

"Are you here to keep me company in class?"

"Mm."

Zhou Zeqi took a large handful of crisp plums out of his pants pocket and stuffed them into Xi Shui’s bag. "Wu Fengyi bought them at the school gate. They’re very sweet. You should like them."

"Were they washed?"

"They were washed."

Xi Shui grabbed a few and gave them to Lin Xiaojin, who was staring at them hungrily.

Xi Shui held one plum in his hand and bit into it. It was so sweet his teeth ached. "Will you sign up?"

Zhou Zeqi rested his chin on his hand. "Jingti isn’t allowed to take part in the campus sports meet. It wouldn’t be fair. But at the end of the year, our institute has its own winter sports meet. You can come watch."

Xi Shui nodded.

"Will you sign up?" Zhou Zeqi asked Xi Shui.

After thinking, Xi Shui replied, "I don’t think there’s any event I’m good at."

"High jump?"

"That one works. I can jump really high." Xi Shui said happily, "What about the prize?"

Zhou Zeqi looked at Xi Shui for a while, then said slowly, "Didn’t the school already say it? First place gets six points. But as long as you place, whatever you want, I’ll give it to you."

"You can think carefully about what you want."

Xi Shui lowered his head in thought. The corners of his peach-blossom eyes lifted slightly upward, and when he looked down, he seemed both inviting and reluctant to give in.

A few seconds later, Xi Shui glanced around, swallowed the plum in his mouth, and his face turned faintly hot as he said in a very small voice, "I want to be on top."