[Online Gaming] Love You 59 Seconds Chapter 37

Proofreader: Jesse

The next day Wu Han Ying directly went back to the dorm after he finished his cla.s.ses, his family called him last week and told him to come home this weekend. Even though he really did not want to go, he really hadn't been home for over a month already; in the end, he still packed up everything and went home.

Before he left the dorm, he logged into the game to let everyone know that he would not be online over the weekend. Sat.u.r.day is the perfect day to relax by playing the game, but as he thought about his 8-year-old cousin at home...forget it, it was better not to let her smash his laptop.

Wu Han Ying's home was not very close from school, but it also wasn't considered far either; he just needed to take three different buses to get home; the total trip took about 2 hours and 30 minutes. 5 o'clock is rush hour, so it is inevitable that the buses he was riding would be stuck in a traffic jam.

When Wu Han Ying got onto the second bus his phone started to ring. After looking at the caller ID, he really didn't want to pick up. He had no choice but to take the call because he knew the ringing wouldn't stop until he did.

After briefly saying a few greetings, his aunt asked, "What time will you be back? Do you want your uncle to pick you up? He happens to be around that area?"

Wu Han Ying said no need to bother him; the bus has just reached the station that is close to home.

The other line also said if you don't need a pickup it will be around 7 or 8 o'clock before you get home. That is pretty late to have to wait for you so everyone can have dinner together; what with your grandma being so old and your cousin being so young, it isn't good for them to be eating so late. She was essentially saying they weren't going to wait for him.

Wu Han Ying replied with "uh-huh" as he was exiting the bus and added that he will eat out before coming home tonight.

It was some time pa.s.sed 7 o'clock when he got off the bus, it started to get dark early in the winter season; even though the street lights were turned on, they weren't giving off a lot of light.

Wu Han Ying was getting slightly tired from squeezing his way through the people on the buses and he had also started to develop a minor case of motion sickness. After walking around he was starting to feel lazy so he decided to go home directly. He wasn't that hungry and skipping one meal wouldn't be bad. Even if someone was to give him a feast, he doubted that he would be able to eat any.

Right when he made a turn at the alley of his home, a black shadow fiercely rushed over to him. The quick motion scared him since it was dark and he couldn't see clearly. At first he thought it was a stray cat, but then he felt something very warm hugging his leg.

"Big brother!"

Wu Han Ying was surprised to hear a child's voice coming from the thing that was clinging onto his leg; when he looked he saw a little child wearing a lavender jacket, his height was just about his leg.

"Why are you here?" His eyes lit up in recognition, he remembered last week he had encountered this little bun {baozi//toddler} in front of the school cafeteria; he vaguely remembered that it was Professor Xia's nephew.

Thinking about the last time this little bun kept on calling Professor Xia as "Xiao Chen Chen" he couldn't help remembering how the professor's face turned gloomy at the nickname, he could not hold onto his laughter throughout the encounter.

"I came here with Little Uncle to visit Xiao Chen Chen, but then Little Uncle disappeared and it's so dark ah, I'm scared." Little bun held tightly to his leg and kept rubbing his face on his leg as he spoke in a pitiful tone. He even tugged onto his leg, honestly he looked so indescribably heartbreaking.

Wu Han Ying was stunned for a moment, but then he saw the little bun stretching out his hands gesturing he wanted to be picked up. He obliged by bending down to pick him up, "Are you lost? I think I still have Teacher Xia's phone number; let me give him a call so he can come pick you up."

"Teacher Xia is Xiao Chen Chen, right?" Little bun hooked its arms around his neck, "Don't call Xiao Chen Chen! Call Little Uncle! Xiao Chen Chen will say that I ran around causing trouble, he'll spank me."

"Uh..." Wu Han Ying listened to the name "Xiao Chen Chen" coming from such a sweet innocent child in such a cute tone, his brain immediately thought of Professor Xia's paralyzed cool face...his brain really could not handle that shock =口=

"How about I take you to eat something, we can eat while we wait." Wu Han Ying felt that his tone right now sounds so much like a perverted uncle trying to abduct a little kid.

"Hungry~" At the mention of food the little bun immediately brightened up, with one arm gripping on Wu Han Ying's neck his body deflated completely on his shoulder.

Wu Han Ying looked around, there weren't any small business restaurants nearby, the only place he could find was the Qing Feng bun shop in front of them; he would have to make do with it.

"Let's go eat some buns." Wu Han Ying wanted to laugh at his irony; taking a lovely little bun to go eat buns.

They ordered two bowls of porridge, a few buns and a stack of side dishes; Wu Han Ying took the first piece with his chopsticks so that the little bun could start to serve himself food*, then he sat back and looked for his phone.

{Translator Input: A little custom thingy here: the reason Wu Han Ying took a piece of food first is because in Chinese custom, the elders get to have the first taste/bite; since Wu Han Ying is older than little bun, so on the table, Wu Han Ying has the right to take his first bite and then little bun can grab his food after Wu Han Ying is done. This custom is being taught to every little kid as a way to respect their elders by always let the elder be the first to try the food. Just like in America, we teach kids to say "thank you" when someone compliments them or their possession or when someone helps them with anything; to say "please" when they ask for a favor or ask for something; and to say "sorry" when they make a mistake.}

He remembered that at the beginning of the school year, he had saved Xia Chen's email and phone number; even though he had never given the other a call, he did save it in his phone. Scrolling down the phone book he finally found the other's phone number, he tried to call but no one picked up.

After his third try, Wu Han Ying was about to hang up when the call connected, he did not have time to react before a voice answered on the other line, "h.e.l.lo."

He wondered whether it was the phone's distortion or what, but Xia Chen's voice sounded very different from its usual coldness, instead it sounded very gentle.

"Professor Xia...uh," said Wu Han Ying as he looked at the little toddler sitting next to him, he watched as he stuffed himself with buns and awkwardly continued, "That is, your nephew is here with me..."

When he said that he felt so 囧, his words sounded so much like those kidnappers on television saying I have your son, if you want him back then bring five million to x.x.xX...

"It seems like he was a little lost..." he gloomily added...

"Where are you two at?" asked Xia Chen impatiently, but his voice seemed to be relieved.

Wu Han Ying quickly said the address and because he was afraid that the other might not be able to find them, he added a few notable landmarks of the location for good measure.

After hanging up the call, he inexplicably heaved out a sigh of relief. Wu Han Ying looked at the little bun eating happily next to him and he suddenly felt a bit hungry. He walked to the register and ordered a few more buns; after he returned to the table the two of them ate together.

"Xiao Shang."

Wu Han Ying had just taken a bite of his bun when he heard Xia Chen's voice; he thought it would take the other at least thirty minutes to arrive. How come it had only been 5 minutes and the other was already here.

"Xiao Chen Chen, the buns are delicious." The little bun next to him lifted up its head after hearing his name. The little bun was holding a bun in his left and right hand and waving them at the man; he was eating very happily and had completely forgotten what he said earlier about not wanting to see Xia Chen.

Wu Han Ying smiled uncertainly at Xia Chen since his face gave off the impression that he was in a very bad mood; he could only guess that the other man was angry. He swallowed down his bite of bun and then quickly said, "Professor Xia."

"Delicious." Xiao Shang put the bun onto his plate and proceeded to reach out his hand and grab Xia Chen. The little bun's five fingers were immediately printed onto Xia Chen's white long coat. Without even realizing what he had done, the little bun innocently held up another bun and said, "Xiao Chen Chen, eat too."

"Professor Xia, please have a seat." Wu Han Ying saw that the little bun still hadn't finished yet so he immediately removed his backpack from the opposite seat.

"Uh, thanks." said Xia Chen with a gloomy face as he sat down on the opposite seat, then he turned to Xiao Shang to say: "Hurry and finish eating and then go home with me, your Little Uncle is waiting for you."

"Ok." said Xiao Shang with a mouthful of the buns and nodded his head, "I'm taking 8 buns back for Little Uncle."

The little bun lowered his head and continued to eat, Wu Han Ying on the other hand had difficulty swallowing. It was reasonable since he was sitting at the same table with a teacher. It was also reasonable for that one person in particular to have indigestion.

"Professor Xia, do you want something to eat?" Wu Han Ying asked; it felt like he had to force himself to say every single word.

"No need." Xia Chen's face eased a little bit.

Wu Han Ying did not get to say anything in response before his phone rang loudly, it was from home, so he excused himself to go outside and picked up the call.

When he returned it seemed the little bun was about to finish eating because there was nothing left on the plate in front of it.

"Professor Xia, I have to go home." said Wu Han Ying as he put his phone into his pocket and reached for his backpack. Since it was already 8 o'clock at night his family urged him to come home.

"Big brother, you have to go now." Xiao Shang was repeatedly wiping his hands with the napkin, after he was done he looked up and stared at him innocently.

"Uh, it's getting late, I need to go home. You too Xiao Shang, be good and go home, don't run around." Wu Han Ying put his backpack on and then poked the little bun's face. He had wanted to do that for a long time now and finally he was able to touch it, his face was so smooth and soft feeling.

"Where do you live? I'll take you home." Xia Chen also stood up.

"It's ok." Wu Han Ying waved his hand, "I live on the street behind the building it will only take me 2 minutes to walk home."

"Then we should go as well." said Xia Chen impatiently as he held up the little bun.

"Ok." The little bun puckered out its lip and muttered an answer, he reached out his hands to grab Wu Han Ying's shoulders, "Bye bye big brother, the buns are really delicious."

Wu Han Ying was about to smile, and a "smooch" sound suddenly filled the air...

The little bun probed over and "smooched" him on his lips and his mouth filled with the taste of the buns they just ate...

"Xiao Shang."

Apparently, Xia Chen was also stunned for a short moment, he switched from carrying him on his hand to grabbing him by the collar, "be careful or I'll spank you."

"Being mean to me again." The little bun showed a grieved look, "I didn't kiss you so Xiao Chen Chen became so vicious, I won't kiss you."

Wu Han Ying's face was still frozen in shock from what just happened. He wasn't able to say anything and once again he froze on the spot...

A "smooch" sound was heard again when the little bun held Xia Chen's face and kissed his lips, "I also kiss you; Xiao Chen Chen, don't be angry."

"Ahem" Wu Han Ying really could not hold back his cough, he almost choked on his saliva; blue veins started to pop out on Xia Chen's hands and he did not say anything for a long time, his face was as stoney as ever.

"I'm going now." Wu Han Ying quickly made his escape and got two steps away when he heard the little bun cry out and say something like, Xiao Chen Chen spank me again and I'll tell mom, I'll also tell Little Uncle.

After Wu Han Ying exited the restaurant he was greeted with darkness since there weren't any streetlights in the alley; Wu Han Ying used his phone as his source of light, as he was walking he couldn't help thinking that it really look like a spooklight*. After a few seconds, the background light turned off and he was about to click it back on when suddenly a bright light came from behind him.

{Translator Input: spooklight - atmospheric ghost light - a light seen by travelers at night, especially over bogs, swamps, or marshes. It resembles a flickering lamp and is said to recede if approached, drawing travelers from the safe paths.}

Wu Han Ying squinted his eyes trying to adapt to the new light as the road in front of him became visible. He turned around and saw a black Mercedes-Benz parked at the intersection with its headlight on. The car stayed at the intersection until he had disappeared from the alley, then the lights switched back and it drove away.

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End of Chapter 37