Chapter 31 - I Accidentally Knocked into Something Myself
On Monday, the class was in full swing as they discussed the upcoming three on three basketball match.
Last year, the team that class twelve had sent included, the P.E. representative Li You Xin, the noisy Chen Li Wen, the tall Yu Jin, and the useless substitute Ji Liao.
But this year, since Yu Jin wanted to study art and didn’t have time to train, he voluntarily gave up his place. After careful consideration, Ji Liao was chosen to replace his position while another substitute would be selected later.
When Ji Liao was informed of the news, he was caught by surprise. Then, after acknowledging it, he went to look for Yu Jin.
“Have you decided to go?” He asked urgently with a hint of reluctance.
After all, Yu Jin was his only good friend in the class.
“Let’s go and buy some bread first. I’m starving.” Yu Jin slung his arm around Ji Liao’s neck and pulled him sloppily over to the kiosk.
“Didn’t I tell you about it before? Plus, my mother wants me to go. Do I have a choice?” He was smiling, and it didn’t look like he had been forced.
With that, he gave Ji Liao a crafty look. “Why? Are you having a hard time parting with me?”
His expression was exaggerated as if he had discovered a huge startling secret!
Ji Liao gave him a vicious kick on the shin. “What bullshit!”
Yu Jin laughed. It was rare to hear him swear, and he felt that it was worth it to be kicked.
“I know what you’re worried about,” he said. “But I think you have changed a lot recently. Aren’t you getting along well with He Cheng Ming and Lin Jiang? You should make more friends.”
He slapped his own thigh and asked nervously, “How about Xu Xiao Jing? Are the two of you really dating in secrecy?”
On the day Xu Xiao Jing had quarrelled with Lin Jia Sui, he had requested for a leave of absence to register for the art class. But once he heard about it, he was shocked.
Ji Liao looked at him, speechless. “How is that possible?”
He had already been bent by He Cheng Ming!
“That’s good!”
Yu Jin was relieved. Why? He couldn’t think of an absolute reason — but if he had to consider one, it was probably because he couldn’t allow Ji Liao to shed his single status earlier than him. Agreeing to be single together, but secretly holding hands with another, this type of feeling was too sour and it felt like being cheated on.
“Actually, I...” Ji Liao was about to confess his current situation between himself and He Cheng Ming, but Yu Jin interrupted him. “Hey, what do you want to eat?”
The two of them had arrived at the kiosk.
Ji Liao pointed to one at random. Yu Jin said to the boss, “I want two of that kind.”
They ate on the way back to class.
After losing the opportunity, Ji Liao could no longer find the right words, thus the confession passed them by in silence.
That evening, Ji Liao and his teammates went to the basketball court to practise.
In fact, his technique was all right. Although he looked weak, he had good explosive power. After several games, his two teammates became more relieved.
At this time, four students from class six came to practise. But there was only one court. Following the first-come-first-serve rule, Ji Liao had no reason to give it up.
The students from class six were not happy. A basketball was flung towards him, but Ji Liao sidestepped it.
Everyone stopped and faced each other.
Gao Sheng was the class six gang leader. In their level, besides He Cheng Ming, no one wanted to provoke him.
It wasn’t because he was strong, but because he was mean. Despite there being many others who fought better than him, they still didn’t want to confront him. He claimed to have a bad life with barely anyone left in his family. When he fought, he let himself go as if he was playing with his own life. No one could help but be somewhat intimidated.
“You’ve practised long enough, haven’t you? Is it even necessary though? I remember your class ranked second or third from last place last year? But you were eliminated too early so I can’t really remember.” Gao Sheng’s face was full of disdain and he flicked away some earwax with his pinkie. In his eyes, class twelve was a sissy class. None of them could fight — they were a bunch of weak chickens.
“What fucking business is it of yours on how we ranked?!” Chen Li Wen was short-tempered and also had a nasty mouth. He couldn’t bear it and hollered.
Gao Sheng glanced at him and mocked, “Oh, isn’t this Chen Li Wen who was beaten up by He Cheng Ming last year and ended up in the hospital for three days? Do you want to be admitted to the hospital again this year? Want to let Ge help you accomplish that?”
“My Ge bought a watch last year. Don’t know if you’ve bought it or not.” What Chen Li Wen hated the most was when this matter was brought up. He had already explained it a million times — he had fallen off a bicycle last year — but no one fucking believed him!
Gao Sheng was furious. He cursed and pulled up his sleeves but was held back by his teammate, who reminded him softly, “Sheng Ge, your name has already been recorded twice. If you get into another fight, you’ll be expelled!”
Gao Sheng spat and gave them a vicious look, then left with a chuckle.
Chen Li Wen was relieved. Knowing that he had provoked the boy, he didn’t dare to use the main entrance after practice, instead, he slipped away through the side gate.
Li You Xin had a narrow escape since he left with two friends.
Therefore, Ji Liao was the only one who was intercepted in a small alleyway.
Ji Liao knew that he was innocent, but he had no choice. They had surrounded him, so he couldn’t run away nor participate in the fight. f reeweb novel.com
Fortunately, Ji Qing Wen had let him learn some free fighting moves when he was younger. Plus, he looked weak, thus his opponents underestimated him and accidentally let him escape. But in the end, he still suffered a punch at the corner of his mouth.
Back home, he refused to have dinner to avoid Xu Ai Wen and prevent her from worrying. He hid in his room and ate some biscuits, just enough to fill his stomach.
The next day, he left for school extra early.
He had managed to avoid Xu Ai Wen, but he couldn’t avoid He Cheng Ming.
He Cheng Ming noticed the deep red scab that had formed on the corner of Ji Liao’s mouth, and it felt like his heart was bleeding. His eyes were gloomy and his jaw tightened as if he was making a great effort to endure it.
“Who did it?” He held Ji Liao’s chin and asked him angrily.
Ji Liao slapped his hand away and replied guiltily, “It was my fault. I accidentally knocked into something myself.”
He Cheng Ming’s laugh sounded hollow. He had been in more fights than the amount of rice he had eaten. Whether it was from a fight or not, could he not tell the difference?
Seeing that Ji Liao would not say anymore, he didn’t continue to investigate further. But he recorded this debt in his heart, determined to let that person repay it a hundred times. The person in his heart was so cherished by him, and yet someone dared to hurt him.
“Does it still hurt?” He brushed his thumb around the scab, fearing that it would hurt him.
Ji Liao shook his head. “It stopped hurting a long time ago. It’s just a small injury.”
He said it nonchalantly, but it still pricked He Cheng Ming’s heart as he listened, and his anger simmered.
Ji Liao noticed the tense atmosphere and pulled him away quickly. Seeing the cold expression on the boy’s face, he took the initiative to hold his hand, and with a smile, he shared the news of his participation in the three on three basketball match.
When He Cheng Ming thought of the last time he saw Ji Liao playing basketball, which had revealed his slim waist, he advised him, “Wear more clothes.”
Huh? Ji Liao didn’t understand his concern — he thought it might be because of the recent cold weather.
So he answered sweetly, “Okay.”
He gave a vivid smile, but it pulled at the wound on his mouth, forcing him to inhale sharply.
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