Chapter 36.1 – A Slap In The Face

translator: xiin
editor: butter

Xie Sui stuck close to his ear when he spoke. His tone was slightly nasal, his breath a little hot.

It made Song Yu’s skin feel inexplicably sensitive there. He leaned aside uneasily, but his eyes were still locked anxiously on Xie Sui’s face. He asked in a low voice, “If it really hurts, you can lean on me and I’ll help take you there.”

Xie Sui gazed at his face. His throat felt a little hot and he laughed quietly before saying hoarsely, “Okay.”

He was so easy to deceive. Where had he gotten the bravery to dare come to his side?

The clinic was quite empty on Friday night.

Xie Sui wasn’t actually hurt at all.

The doctor looked him over for a long time and could only find a small bruise on his arm. He muttered to himself as he applied medicine, “How did you bump your arm? It had better not be because you were fighting. At your age, why aren’t you learning to be good, but learning all the bad things instead.”

Song Yu sat to the side, looking left and right, taking the initiative to propose, “Doctor, do you want to look him over again? I feel that there must be more than this small injury.” Xie Sui was someone who could suppress things so well. He’d been in so much pain that he’d been leaning against him; how could the injury be so basic.

The doctor rolled his eyes and ignored him.

Xie Sui held back his smile and spoke to Song Yu, “Do you need me to take you home later?”

Song Yu was stunned, take him home? In fact, there was no need. Someone would come over to pick him up as soon as he made a call, and he’d promised the system that he wouldn’t reveal his own identity––though, that useless system had gone off and disappeared for a few months, and he didn’t know what kind of information it would bring back when it returned.

Speaking of which, it seemed that Xie Sui had never asked him about his family background.

He didn’t want to say it, so he never asked. It was really very considerate.

Song Yu: “No need. How about I take you home, since you’re injured.”

While the doctor was applying medicine, Song Yu had sat down in a chair and sent a message to his grandmother, saying that he had something he had to do at school and might return home a little late.

Grandma Meng was very worried and directly called him.

Song Yu then had to take out his cell phone and go outside to talk with her in a low voice.

The elderly woman’s murmuring complaints could be heard on the other side of the phone, “How can there be something to delay you over there? Your cousin and uncle and aunt are all here tonight. It’s rare for everyone to get together, and grandma wanted everyone to have dinner together as a family.”

Song Yu felt a little guilty, “Sorry, grandma.”

Grandma Meng cared deeply for him and couldn’t bear to blame him. She just said, “It’s alright. When Yuyu’s affairs are finished over there, I’ll call someone to go pick you up.”

Song Yu glanced at the time, “Half an hour. I might not be at school when the time comes. I’ll send you the address.”

Grandma Meng was satisfied and smiled, “Alright, alright.”

Song Yu closed the call interface and saw the messages Ma Xiaoding had sent him.

[ Sadako Won’t Forget Those Who Dug The Well: Brother Yu, I’ve been taken away by my father and I might not survive tonight [cry][cry][wave hand] ]

[ Sadako Won’t Forget Those Who Dug The Well: But, you don’t have to worry. With me there, nobody would dare to expose you! ]

The corner of Song Yu’s lips twitched, and he felt that he shouldn’t have accepted the challenge at Shushan Building. If he hadn’t, maybe he could’ve accompanied Xie Sui when he went to deal with Wang Ci so that he wouldn’t have gotten hurt.

Song Yu tilted his head from where he was standing at the door, holding his cell phone, looking towards Xie Sui, who was still in the medical room.

Under the cold white lights, the youth’s eyebrows were slightly wrinkled, his lips pursed into a straight line. His eyes were at half mast and his expression was indifferent, but Song Yu inexplicably sensed a trace of fragility.

After the medicine was applied, the doctor ordered a few precautions.

Song Yu went outside with him. He thought for a long time, but still felt a little dissatisfied and said it out loud, “Why didn’t you tell me that you were going to find Wang Ci?”

Xie Sui turned his head to look at him with his dark eyes, smiling as he said, “You were already nervous enough, I was afraid that you’d think too much.”

Song Yu was puzzled, “What am I nervous about.”

Xie Sui raised his eyebrows, “Who was it who told me last night that they couldn’t sleep because they were afraid of not being able to beat up their opponents.”

Oh, that.

Song Yu explained himself, “It’s just something I made up in order to chat with you. Who’s scared of him!”

After that, Song Yu: “……”

What had he just said?!

Xie Sui laughed out loud, his voice meaningful, “You want to talk to me?”

Song Yu tried to explain again, “I was bored and wanted to find someone to chat with. Don’t overthink it.”

Xie Sui held back his smile, “Next time, you can call me directly.”

Song Yu: “… I didn’t want to disturb your studies.”

Xie Sui was too lazy to expose him further. His gaze landed on his face, and he smiled faintly, “There’s a post on the forums, have you gone to see it?”

“You play on the forums, too?”

Song Yu was surprised when he heard him bring up the forums. In his heart, Xie Sui was a learning god who stood at the top of the pyramid of their student days and didn’t involve himself with the affairs of mortals.

Xie Sui’s voice held a trace of laughter, “I didn’t originally, but someone insisted on sending me a link last time, wanting me to go and see how many fangirls he has, so I casually went and downloaded it.”

Song Yu: “… Oh.”

Xie Sui’s voice lowered, and his tone grew understated as he continued, “The name of the thread is quite interesting, Sui x Yu are happy together¹Sui x Yu are happy together – remember this? it’s from ch25.”

???

Song Yu’s footsteps stalled.

He stood stiffly where he’d stopped.

Damnit!

––Was it that CP thread that he wanted to block every time he scrolled past?

Xie Sui had clicked in to look at it?! Did he know that the Sui in Sui x Yu referred to him?!

Xie Sui stood under the street lamps. His peach blossom eyes naturally gave people a sense of fickleness, but his gaze gave him a feeling of deep affection and gentleness. He curved his lips, “In fact, their analysis is correct. That sentence ‘many are the years to come’ was something I added on the spot because I wanted to say it to you.”

Song Yu couldn’t say a single word.

Xie Sui smiled slightly.

“The thread says that we’re a match made in heaven. Combined with your earlier words about how inexplicable approaches and showing good intentions are malicious, and now, we’ve saved each other a few times, and you’re deliberately looking for topics to chat about.”

He asked softly, “Song Yu, I’m almost starting to think that you like me?”

Song Yu: “……”

His ears quickly grew red, not from shyness, but from anger!

Like hell he liked him!

“That’s not it! Don’t always go and look at those strange and weird things, okay––can’t there be a brotherly friendship where someone is willing to help out others without asking for rewards in this world?”

“How many times have I already told you the reason, why don’t you believe it?! If you ask, it’s that I’m kind-hearted!”

Xie Sui wasn’t surprised.

His seemingly casual words just now had been somewhat purposeful.

In the past, he hadn’t thought seriously about the intentions behind Song Yu’s approach because he hadn’t thought it was necessary. Now, he’d started to realize that his interest in this child had become a little more serious.

From Song Yu’s reaction, he had basically gotten the answer he wanted.

––There was a purpose to his approach.

––It was just that his purpose may be surprisingly pure.

Song Yu clutched at his hair impatiently and suddenly felt aggrieved in his heart.

So, Xie Sui actually hadn’t believed him completely?

He felt that he’d approached him with a purpose?

Did he even think that he was like those scum gongs and coveted his appearance?

Inexplicably, he felt a sense of betrayal, like his genuine feelings had been put on the wrong person.

The more Song Yu thought about it, the angrier he felt. Damnit!

“Fine, fine, fine, everything I do is malicious! In the future, I won’t concern myself with your affairs, okay?!”

After saying so, Song Yu turned to leave and walked away with long strides, obviously suppressing his anger.

Xie Sui: “……”

He’d played too far.

Looking at Song Yu’s angry back figure, Xie Sui felt a rare sense of helplessness. He strode forward to hold Song Yu’s hands, pulling him back with some strength. His voice was low, with traces of gentleness and attachment beneath the chill, “I’m sorry.”

Song Yu chuckled sarcastically.

In fact, Song Yu had misunderstood Xie Sui regarding this matter.

If Xie Sui had started to doubt the purpose of his approach.

It wasn’t because he didn’t trust him. On the contrary, it was because he was starting to care.

Having lived to that point in his previous life and then being reborn back to the age of fifteen, Xie Sui didn’t feel that anyone could come near him and manipulate him. He was used to observing people’s body language and words, hiding his own capabilities and biding his time. He could clearly see through many people at a glance, so being suspicious and on guard seemed unnecessary and redundant.

It was just that he obviously couldn’t say these things to Song Yu.

Xie Sui remembered his own character design in Song Yu’s eyes. He paused for a moment.

His eyelashes trembled slightly, his skin appearing even paler in the moonlight. His expression was a little helpless and overwhelmed, and he smiled rather awkwardly.

“I’m sorry. It’s the first time that someone’s been so nice to me, and I’m not quite used to it.”

Originally, Song Yu had still been immersed in his anger. He’d only held back because he remembered that Xie Sui was injured.

When he heard these words, he was stupefied for a moment.

He recalled the embarrassing situation Xie Sui had been in when they first met, the fear and disbelief in his eyes when he accepted the medicine he’d given him.

… Afraid of goodwill.

These days, getting along with each other had grown more and more natural.

He’d almost forgotten Xie Sui’s low self-esteem and the vulnerability he hid in his bones at this age.

Song Yu bowed his head and looked at the hand that was holding his wrist.

He’d used a large amount of strength, and it hurt a little.

The school uniform was pulled up, exposing his forearms and pale, light cyan blood vessels.

Xie Sui continued softly, “I’m sorry, don’t be angry. I won’t ask this question again in the future.”

After lowering his voice, he seemed to be acting coquettish, the voice vibrating against the side of his ears and making it numb.

Song Yu: “……”

All right.

He wasn’t angry anymore.

But Song Yu still felt like he needed to make a statement, “I’ll explain one last time.”

“You’re the first person of my age that I met in Jing City. I feel that we’re particularly fated, and I feel particularly distressed for you, so I want to treat you well. It’s that simple. Just think of me as a good person who wants to spread love and justice. Didn’t we talk about Peter Pan yesterday?”

“… Oh, the books you think of as children’s enlightenment books. You can think of me as Peter Pan, righteous, kind-hearted, and whose purpose is just to make you happy, got it?”

… What kind of messy explanation was this.

But Xie Sui started to laugh.

His voice mixed in with the night wind, deep and gentle.

“Okay, I’ll remember.”

My Peter Pan.

—

Butter’s Thoughts:
XS’s White Lotus vibes are stronk

xiin: sorry it’s late… i genuinely thought today was monday somehow (???)

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  Sui x Yu are happy together – remember this? it’s from ch25