Even when playing basketball, it was the same.
The basketball courts were always the easiest place to gather a crowd. Whenever Class 3 played, half of the adjacent court would be occupied by spectators, forcing him to eventually move to the court near the edge, closer to the stands.
Yu Sui didn’t join the game, instead grabbed up two bottles of ice water and headed to face Yan Xiu and Yang Feiwen. From his direction, he could easily pass them to Yan Xiu and Yang Feiwen.
Halfway there, the young master noticed the gazes from the audience burning on the back of his hand, then he turned around and walked towards Liang Wen and Tang Bohu.
These two, receiving water delivered personally by Young Master Yu for the first time, were both flattered and suspicious: “What’s the matter? Need a favor or something?”
“No.” Yu Sui said fiercely, “Drink it or not? If not, give it back!”
Liang Wen: “…”
Tang Bohu: “…”
Yang Feiwen waited for a long time but Yu Sui didn’t come to bring him water. Girls kept offering water to Yan Xiu who was sitting next to him, and while fewer approached Yang Feiwen, some did. But Yang Feiwen refused them all in order to wait for Yu Sui.
After waiting for a long time, young master Yu actually gave it to someone else.
Yang Feiwen was unhappy and rushed over to question him: “Sui’er, where is my water?”
Yu Sui touched his nose and said, “I’ll buy it for you later.”
Yang Feiwen: “?”
Drinking water should be timely, and so should settling scores. Yang Feiwen, brimming with grievances, burst out, “You have changed! You were not like this before!”
Yu Sui just happened to see Yan Xiu through Yang Feiwen.
Yan Xiu looked at them quietly, then looked away after a while, surprisingly he also had nothing in his hands.
Yu Sui blinked lightly, and an unbelievable suspicion popped up in his mind.
But soon, that suspicion was interrupted by Yang Feiwen’s loud voice. Yu Sui turned around and went back to the canteen, returning with the shop owner carrying two crates of water, treating the whole class to a drink.
In the next game, Yu Sui also took to the court, and according to rules, was placed on the opposing team to Yan Xiu.
For anyone, it is easy to be on the same team with Yan Xiu, but it is very stressful to be on the opposite side of him.
Yu Sui, lazy by nature, didn’t even bother to put up a fight, leading to a crushing defeat for his team.
His teammates could no longer tolerate this, so they carried Yu Sui and respectfully sent him back to the audience seats.
Yi Tian sat next to him, covering her mouth with her hands and smiling with her eyes curved: “Why didn’t you try to steal the ball?”
Because he didn’t want to move. Besides, Yu Sui sometimes felt that a group of people running around on the court chasing a ball was a bit like some kind of sport that humans’ good friends were passionate about.
Young Master Yu complained in his heart, but pretended to be weak on the surface: “I can’t win.”
Yi Tian asked: “Couldn’t get it from Yan Xiu?”
Yu Sui shot her a wary glance.
He hadn’t forgotten that the bound book had flown out of the class monitor’s loose-leaf notebook—she was one of the frontline shippers of their CP.
Yu Sui thought for a while and answered carefully: “No one can grab it.”
“Oh, I see.” Yi Tian still smiled and didn’t seem to notice anything wrong.
Yu Sui sat properly through the rest of the game, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
His sensitive nerves were on high alert, multitasking as he analyzed the current situation.
This young master was thin-skinned. Although he could still tease his deskmate occasionally, he couldn’t bear to go to the school forum to check it out. So he didn’t know that the CP post hadn’t been updated for several days. Now, others were more nervous than him, fearing that the Minister would raid their nest if they were not careful.
Yu Sui felt awkward because both parties knew about this.
It’s like a premeditated trap placed in front of you, telling you that you might fall into it one day in the future.
Yu Sui, prone to unnecessary worry, was terrified that he might accidentally lead Yan Xiu to misunderstand his intentions in one way or another.
Before they knew it, Friday arrived. Yu Jingyuan had sent a message early in the morning, saying he would come to pick Yu Sui up.
The students in the front row put the last two papers on Yan Xiu’s desk before leaving. Yan Xiu took one out and handed it to Yu Sui: “Math paper.”
“Wait a minute. Let me call my dad first.” Yu Sui said, blinking at him.
Yan Xiu: “…”
Yu Sui called back at the closing time of his father’s company.
The phone beeped twice and was connected.
Without waiting for the other side to make any movement, Yu Sui spoke out his lines in one breath: “I’m going to my brother’s house for dinner today, so you don’t have to pick me up.”
“You’re going again—”
Beep—
It took less than five seconds.
Yan Xiu neatly stacked the two test papers, placing one squarely on Yu Sui’s desk, and looked at him calmly.
During the previous break, Yan Xiu had received a message from Ms. Tang Ying:
[Since you are with Xiao Sui, why not bring him along?]
Yan Xiu didn’t have Yu Jingyuan’s contact information, nor did he know that Yu Jingyuan was coming. Even the news about the dinner appointment at Yu family’s house today was told to him by Tang Ying this morning.
“That was my dad just now.” Yu Sui paused, “He’s very strict. I can’t let him finish his words, otherwise he will definitely scold me.”
Yan Xiu: “…”
The classroom emptied quickly. Yang Feiwen was waiting for Yu Sui with his legs crossed and his schoolbag in his arms.
Yu Sui noticed that the two boys from the Discipline Inspection Department, who often hung out with Yan Xiu, hadn’t come today.
Lately, he had been restrained by the fan-made book, but now that the classroom was nearly empty, his courage suddenly swelled.
Yu Sui tugged at his schoolbag, lifting it high.
He hesitated, not leaving.
His deskmate stood beside his seat, one hand packing his things and the other holding his mobile phone, occasionally tapping the screen as if busy with something important.
“You don’t need to bring the reference textbooks. They are too heavy.” Yu Sui couldn’t help but walk over to remind him.
Yan Xiu tapped his screen a few times, slipping it in his pocket before Yu Sui came over. Following the young master’s advice, he set aside the reference books.
The young master seemed hesitant, and Yan Xiu couldn’t stand it anymore: “What’s wrong?”
Yu Sui stared at him for a moment, then asked uncomfortably, “Are you in a hurry to go home?”
In a hurry to get home…
No, not really. My family is on their way to your house.
Yan Xiu fell silent for a moment, thinking that it was not appropriate to say this at this time. He was a little curious about what Yu Sui wanted to do, so he shook his head.
Yu Sui raised his eyebrows: “Then, come with me. Sui-ge will treat you to a meal.”
“Pfft—” Yang Feiwen couldn’t hold it back any longer. He grabbed a chair and laughed under the table, making a deafening laugh.
Yu Sui hopped off the bus and turned back to wait for Yan Xiu and Yang Feiwen.
The roads in Fu Village were rarely repaired. He kicked the uneven road surface and quickly moved to the side of the road.
He was carrying a bag across his shoulder and holding a box tied with a ribbon.
Yang Feiwen followed closely behind, stepping right into a muddy puddle. Squealing in dismay, he jumped to the roadside: “It’s been so many years, why hasn’t anyone fixed this road?”
Yan Xiu walked at the back, unhurried and composed.
Tang Ying kept sending messages, and the latest one was: [Your dad and I are here. Are you guys out of school?]
[Aunt Yuan said Uncle Yu is going straight from the company to pick you up from school.]
Then Yan Xiu replied: [Not going anymore]
He had sent only those three words, sending Tang Ying’s imagination running wild.
Mom: Why aren’t you coming? Did you have a fight with Xiao Sui?
Yan Xiu didn’t know how to explain this peculiar situation he was in, so he replied briefly with a “no” and said he’d explain later.
Perhaps Yu Jingyuan and the others had returned to Yu residence, and Tang Ying found out that Yu Sui had not gone either, so she did not continue to urge Yan Xiu to go over.
Today was Susu’s birthday. Before coming, Yu Sui went to the school’s express delivery station at the school gate to pick up the gift. He packed it carefully and put it in his hand, looking quite pleased.
“His cousin’s name is Susu.” Yang Feiwen explained to Yan Xiu. “He also has an older cousin who is in Taoli No. 1 High School. I only found out this semester. Disciplinary head, when we go in later, don’t worry about anything—just call him ‘ge’.”
“Why?” Yan Xiu glanced at him.
Because his ge is your ge, too. Yang Feiwen originally wanted to say this, but when he looked at Yan Xiu, he swallowed the words back.
“Forget it then.” Yang Feiwen said, “I’ll call him ge later, you can decide based on the situation.”
“What situation? Do you want to call him ‘uncle’ instead?” Yu Sui turned around and glanced at them. “Call him ‘ge’.”
Yan Xiu raised his eyebrows.
The main reason Yang Feiwen came here was to see the haunted house, but the door of the old house was locked. And Yu Sui and Yan Xiu had no intention of accompanying him, so he didn’t dare to go there alone.
The buildings in Fu Village were all low-rise, and the rooftops were not very high.
Dinner was set on the rooftop. The older cousin arranged tables there and decorated it elegantly. Susu had brought a lot of small light bulbs and placed them in a circle around the edge of the rooftop.
Yu Sui also bought a cake and put it in the refrigerator without letting Susu know.
Yang Feiwen was tasked with keeping the children occupied, while Yan Xiu followed Yu Sui in to hide the cake.
From a distance, Yan Xiu heard the sound of someone approaching and whispered, “Your ge is here.”
“Minister, I’m counting on you.” Yu Sui handed the cake to him and acted like he was in Mission Impossible1an American series of action spy films.. Probably because he couldn’t see, the young master didn’t notice how funny he was.
Minister Yan probably had never done such an illicit thing in his life. Only after Yu Sui dashed out did he sigh helplessly and set the cake down.
Yu Sui did everything with the air of a young master—the cake he bought was large, far too big for an ordinary refrigerator.
Yan Xiu didn’t want to do anything meaningless, but after staring at the refrigerator door for a while, he still opened it and decided to go through the motions.
But as soon as he opened it, he froze.
It was a double-door refrigerator with only one shelf in the middle. Fruits, vegetables and meat were placed on either sides, while two small cakes were placed on the upper and lower parts of the partition.
Earlier, Yan Xiu had learned that the cousin’s family consisted of only three people: the older cousin, the younger cousin, and an aunt. The family downstairs might be relatives, but they weren’t participating in Susu’s birthday party.
Besides the older cousin, a few friends of the older cousin and Susu had also come over.
If Yu Sui’s cakes were enough for everyone to eat for two days, then these two cakes should be just enough for a small piece after dinner.
Because except for Susu, most of them were not keen on this kind of dessert.
The noise outside returned. Yu Sui came back after coaxing Susu out, but didn’t come in.
Yan Xiu walked to the kitchen door carrying the cake and suddenly stopped.
“You bought cake again?” Yan Wuyan stopped Yu Sui, somewhat helplessly, “Didn’t we agree not to buy one this time?”
“Susu likes it.” Yu Sui replied, raising his eyebrows as he looked in the direction of the kitchen. Yan Xiu just came out from there.
Yan Wuyan didn’t press any further.
The evening was very lively, with many children around. Afraid the kids might stumble near the edges of the rooftop in the dark, adults were seated along all four sides.
After dinner, Yu Sui and Yang Feiwen squeezed to the table with the children, staring at them intently, much more nervous than Yan Wuyan and his friends.
“Your brother just left the child here like this?” Yang Feiwen muttered softly.
Yu Sui hummed slowly, “The kids here mature early.”
After a while, Yan Xiu came over, smelling of alcohol from the table.
Yan Wuyan’s friends opened plenty of bottles, but perhaps they had been warned—they didn’t dare pressure Yu Sui or the two classmates he’d brought to drink.
Still, at that age, a bit of vanity was inevitable. The more they were forbidden to drink, the more they wanted to drink. Yang Feiwen , who hadn’t planned on drinking, ended up taking a couple of sips. Yu Sui was in a low mood, and Yan Xiu didn’t touch any.
The young master was cunning—he used a soda can as a cup and drank secretly for a long time without being discovered.
Tonight’s birthday star was Susu. A few children watched her unwrap gifts with envious eyes.
“She’s about to open your gift.” Yan Xiu said.
Perhaps because the surroundings were too noisy, his voice, though cool, carried a smoothness as if it was mixed with wind.
But Yu Sui wasn’t in high spirits. He tugged at Yan Xiu: “We should go.”
Yan Xiu didn’t ask any more questions. The two of them called Yang Feiwen and left Fu Village as the music ended.
Yang Feiwen headed in a different direction, leaving Yan Xiu and Yu Sui alone.
The latter crouched by the roadside, his eyebrows—which were often praised by the elders as auspicious—were knitted together. And his pale, clean fingers pressed against his forehead.
Yan Xiu was the first to notice his slow reaction. He didn’t know how long he had been drunk, so he took him out without asking any questions.
A taxi stopped on the side of the road, and Yan Xiu pulled Yu Sui’s arm: “Can you still walk?”
Yu Sui withdrew his arms and patted it, then stood up steadily, shooting a glance that seemed to say, How dare you look down on me?
A drunkard, and he still had the nerve to look down on others.
Yan Xiu stood up and clapped perfunctorily.
Encouraged, the drunk obediently climbed into the taxi.
With this easy-to-fool look and obviously drunk appearance, Yan Xiu now had a headache about how to explain to Tang Ying later that he’d managed to turn the young master into a drunk while supposedly looking after him.
Yu Sui was very cooperative at first, but when Yan Xiu wanted to come in, he refused, amusing the driver.
The driver chuckled, “How come you are so drunk? How can your friend take you home if you don’t let him?”
“No need to send me.” Yu Sui’s face was full of reluctance, as if thinking “I don’t want to trouble others. Reciprocity is too troublesome.”
Yan Xiu didn’t know how he understood that. Impatiently, he pulled away Yu Sui’s hand off the door.
He sat next to Yu Sui and closed the car door tightly.
Defeated, Yu Sui let out a soft “tsk” and muttered, “You volunteered to take me home.”
“Mm.” Yan Xiu didn’t bother with the drunkard.
Leaning over, he buckled Yu Sui’s seatbelt. “I suppose I did volunteer.”
The author has something to say: Ah ah
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152