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“reading together in the library and when tired, look up and gaze gently at the other”
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DAY EIGHT【 READING TOGETHER IN THE LIBRARY AND WHEN TIRED, LOOK UP AND GAZE GENTLY AT THE OTHER 】
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Zhang Lingyi’s dormitory door jolted like thunder early in the morning. The other people in his dorm had already left to review, leaving only him still in bed.
“Coming.” With his hair like a bird’s nest, Zhang xiao cao bleakly opened the door with bleary eyes, only to see w.a.n.g Guangning standing outside waiting for him holding his books.
“Wait for me.” Zhang Lingyi’s spirits lifted and he quickly rushed back inside to brush his teeth and throw on his clothes. He didn’t take more than ten minutes in total before he ran back out again, glistening brightly as he held a stack of books in his arms. His face was particularly vibrant as it was turned towards the sun.
“Shou shou, let’s go.”
w.a.n.g Guangning’s heart couldn’t help but sigh. No wonder he was worthy of being the main pillar of the university’s track and field team, his speed really was quite fast.
Although Zhang Lingyi had dawdled in bed, but thankfully w.a.n.g Guangning was punctual so when they arrived at the library, they could still find two seats facing each other.
That’s right, they were facing each other.
In his mind, Zhang Lingyi envisioned two extremely handsome guys sitting face to face in the seats near the windows who were earnestly studying with their heads low. Theirs bodies were immersed in the golden sunlight, and the scene was especially refres.h.i.+ng.
Afterwards, one of the guys became slightly tired and languidly stretched their body. At exactly the same moment, the other guy had lifted his head and the two people smiled at each other in mutual understanding.
But not too warm!
However, the reality was quite lacking. Their seats were in the corner and not by the window, so they couldn’t bathe in the golden sunlight.
While Zhang Lingyi was feeling regretful, w.a.n.g Guangning had already taken the lead and sat down.
Zhang Lingyi quickly sat down across from him and watched him skilfully open his textbook and start reading.
Yi, don’t tell me you’re not even going to say anything?
Zhang Lingyi stared at w.a.n.g Guangning’s unconcerned and ordinary behaviour and inwardly felt a bit disappointed. However, he also obediently opened his book and started to review.
Although their original intention of going to the library was to ‘stare at each other affectionally’, it did seem a bit foolish to do that for the entire time.
Like this, the two people quietly read their textbooks in the library. There seemed to be no difference compared to usual, yet there also seemed to be something different.
There was someone eating snacks in the library, sha sha sha¹.
[1] 沙沙沙: sounds of rustling
There was someone using their life to write, shua shua shua².
[2] 刷刷刷: sounds of the brush
There was someone playing on his computer as if no one else was present, da da da³.
[3] 哒哒哒: sounds of typing
There was someone walking around with high heels, ka ka ka.
It was obviously quite annoying, yet, Zhang Lingyi unexpectedly felt a quiet and calming feeling.
w.a.n.g Guangning’s expression as his head was lowered while reading was very peaceful, giving people a sense of relaxation. For someone like Zhang Lingyi who was accustomed to creating chaos, he actually felt light and at ease.
After a long time, Zhang Lingyi who had been immersed in baptising his soul suddenly recalled the reason why they had come here.
w.a.n.g Guangning then found that Zhang Lingyi had pa.s.sed him a slip of paper.
Shou shou, I’m tired.
Failing to understand, w.a.n.g Guangning lifted his head and just happened to be faced with what Zhang Lingyi believed to be a very tender gaze.
Zhang Lingyi’s eyes couldn’t be considered big, but they were very deep. At this moment, he was striving hard to exhibit an expression of a deep feeling of tenderness in his eyes.
Since he was without any other choices, he became too invested and instead showed a very fierce stare.
w.a.n.g Guangning thought that he had received an internal injury.
Zhang Lingyi didn’t expect w.a.n.g Guangning to not respond enthusiastically and even hold an expression as if he was enduring something. In his heart, appeared a ball of unhappiness. Once again writing on a piece of paper, he threw it over: Pay attention to the eyes! Tender!
w.a.n.g Guangning this time really did receive an internal injury. He silently lifted his book to block his face and then slowly moved it down until his eyes were uncovered, before directing his gaze at Zhang Lingyi and blinking twice.
w.a.n.g Guangning was very handsome with monolids so his expression when he fluttered his eyes was indeed really too cute.
Zhang Lingyi’s efforts to create a ‘tender’ expression instantly cracked and he closed his books then said, “The task is completed, let’s go back.”
Leisurely placing his book down, w.a.n.g Guangning said, “I came here to review, not to do the task. You can go back yourself.”
Indignantly lifting his middle finger in his heart, Zhang Lingyi’s lips curled up in a proud manner and he opened his book again.
This matter of feeling comfortable when reviewing with w.a.n.g Guangning, he would never admit it.
The two of them reviewed for an entire day. Even at both dinner and lunch, they sat and solved questions together in the cafeteria.
***
That night, when w.a.n.g Guangning returned to his dormitory, Sun Siyang who had been staring at his computer turned his head in horror, “Guangning, you’re on the front page of the forum again.”
Eyelid twitching, w.a.n.g Guangning quickly turned on his computer.
It was still on the front page, and the forum moderator had even granted an award.
《 Xiao cao VS xiao cao, I have given up all hope towards this gay world 》- the thread had been posted yesterday, but the fact was that it had become hot today.
The contents of the thread was very simple:
f.u.c.k! I went to the library café to study, so how come there was such a scene? ? ? ?
Ah, G.o.d. Is there anyone who can tell me exactly what happened?
Aren’t these the two legendary xiao cao who don’t recognise each other⁴?
[4] 王不见王: means that two kings cannot exist in one kingdom.
How come they appeared in the café together?
Ah, what’s even more shocking is — why are they sharing a drink?
o(>_<)o ~~="" are="" they="">)o>
Even w.a.n.g Guangning and Zhang Lingyi are together, how could there still be any good gay men in the world?
Impressively, there was even a photo below of w.a.n.g Guangning and Zhang Lingyi sharing the drink in the café.
There were many people discussing it, and the debate was basically circled around these two main points —
First, w.a.n.g Guangning and Zhang Lingyi were pretending to not get along. In truth, they were actually gay.
There were two main types of people who held this view. One were guys who did not like w.a.n.g Guangning and Zhang Lingyi, commonly known as haters. They had long been dissatisfied with w.a.n.g Guangning and Zhang Lingyi’s monopolising of the school beauties, so they were grabbing the chance to throw hate at them. The other kind was rotten women⁵ who were loving what they were hearing and seeing. They launched many theories from childhood sweethearts, to lovers who mutually fought each other, committing all manners of crimes.
[5] 腐女: fujos.h.i.+s > . <>
Second, this was w.a.n.g Guangning and Zhang Lingyi’s alternative way of competing. The people who held this view about the drinks were in a completely deadlocked discussion.
One example was, w.a.n.g Guangning and Zhang Lingyi were both very fond of this type of drink, however, the café business was too good and there was only one gla.s.s left. This was then what resulted in w.a.n.g Guangning and Zhang Lingyi’s fight over the drink.
Another example was, that the both of them were actually masters of internal strength and they were in fact using internal force to duel.
Another example was, this drink had added ingredients and they were actually just playing Truth or Dare, with the one who lost receiving the penalty.
And there were more examples further on.
There were many young women crying below, saying they no longer believed in love.
Scanning their ID, w.a.n.g Guangning found that many of those girls were his fans.
That’s right, as a narcissistic xiao cao, w.a.n.g Guangning was very clear on the sock-puppets⁶ of his own fans.
[6] 马甲: A sock-puppet is an online ident.i.ty used for purposes of deception. Already said this in a previous chapter, but copied it here in case anyone forgot.
Seeing the 囧囧, w.a.n.g Guangning expression became very lively.
Going on a thread with such a topic, he was unable to say he was happy, and yet, this was indeed his objective at the start when he had been angry.
Behind him, Sun Siyang asked cautiously, “Guangning, what really happened between you and Zhang Lingyi?”
What happened?
w.a.n.g Guangning also didn’t know how to reply to this.
Could he say they were just playing around?
But the entirety of F University knew that he and Zhang Lingyi didn’t have a relations.h.i.+p where they could just ‘play around’ with each other.
He could just say it directly, that they were pretending to be gay?
But to say such a frank and dishonest thing, regardless of the fact that Sun Siyang probably couldn’t accept, even w.a.n.g Guangning himself was somewhat on the verge of collapse.
Finally, he gazed up at the ceiling and gave a long sigh, “This matter, it’s a long story.”
Then he closed his computer and left to shower then climbed into bed, ready to sleep.
“Hey, Guangning, you still haven’t told me what exactly the matter even is.” Sun Siyang was very dissatisfied with w.a.n.g Guangning’s evasive behaviour.
w.a.n.g Guangning threw a pillow down, “Don’t be noisy.”
Then he proceeded to open his phone and message Zhang Lingyi.
w.a.n.g Guangning: Have you seen the discussion?
Zhang Lingyi: I’ve seen it. Ha ha ha, I’m dying from laughter.
w.a.n.g Guangning: 囧, how is it funny?
Zhang Lingyi: I saw that someone wrote there was medicine for abortion in that drink.
w.a.n.g Guangning: ……
Zhang Lingyi: There were many girls who said they were too heartbroken to continue reviewing, I’m very pleased!
w.a.n.g Guangning: ……
Zhang Lingyi: Oh, right. Shou shou, I’m going out to buy some things tomorrow and go home in pa.s.sing. You should come with me.
w.a.n.g Guangning: Not going, I want to go to the library.
Zhang Lingyi: (╰_╯)# If you go to the library, how can we hold hands together and place them in a pocket?
w.a.n.g Guangning: 囧, but I need to review.
Zhang Lingyi: Ah, I know. You just have to take your book along and study at my house. I guarantee the conditions are n times better than the library.
w.a.n.g Guangning knew Zhang Lingyi was a person who lived in G city. However, pretending to be gay was one thing, and he thought that going to his home was not a good idea.
Hence, w.a.n.g Guangning decided that if he couldn’t afford to offend, then he could at least hide. Early tomorrow morning, he would slip away stealthily.
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He’s not going to just let you sneak away like that