Shi Zhang silently stared at the lost Qiao Xuyang’s departing back, only taking back his gaze when he could no longer be seen.
Displayed on his laptop was a botanical article in english, he has sat in the coffee shop for quite a while and yet only managed to read a small section of it.
Shi Zhang also didn’t expect that in such a peaceful and ordinary morning, he would run into Song Fuzhi.
Such a distant figure.
He hadn’t seen him for ten years, Shi Zhang had thought he had long forgotten him, not expecting himself to easily recognize his once school junior practically the moment he laid eyes on him.
Even bringing back those strange and unfamiliar emotions that had waned a lot after so many years, like damp moss growing wildly after gloomy rain, effortlessly growing forth and resurfacing.
Song Fuzhi has grown a lot taller since then, looking completely like a mature man, and yet his temperament didn’t change even a little.
Fresh and clean, but cold and not easy to be approached.
Shi Zhang quietly sat across Song Fuzhi, not looking at him, not uttering a word, yet his senses were extremely keen on his existence.
Feeling him flipping the book pages, sensing him holding his cup and drinking slowly.
His heart beat faster and harder for no reason at all, almost like in the movies.
When a young handsome man gave Song Fuzhi a bouquet of flowers, Shi Zhang even felt some of his long lost impulsive nature resurfacing, his blood immediately pooled at his limbs, his head felt hot as if suffocated.
He swept his notebook to the ground to hold up the handsome young man on purpose. It was Shi Zhang’s subconscious reaction.
He didn’t want to see that young man who was hugging roses chase after Song Fuzhi.
It was really a pure unadulterated physical reaction. Even after so many years, such emotions were actually still deeply rooted in him——
He just couldn’t bear to see others approaching Song Fuzhi.
Shi Zhang’s brows creased very faintly, forcing himself to cease such state of mind.
After finishing his coffee, Shi Zhang sat alone and watched the scenery for quite a long time, then he got up and drove his car to the school.
The not-so-big lecture room has already been filled up, no empty seats. When Shi Zhang walked in, the students’ chatter died down to low volumes, the whole audiences’ eyes cast their focused gazes at him.
Shi Zhang smiled lightly and said, “Welcome to this lecture, everyone. I thought today’s attendance rate wouldn’t be high
The students laughed quietly, a gutsy student in the first row replied, “Celebrating Valentine’s can still be done tonight, Professor Shi’s lecture shouldn’t be missed.”
Shi Zhang was a lecturer of Botany in this university, and his public elective courses’ classes would definitely be snatched up full by the students very quickly.
His public elective courses were relaxing, interesting, and also did not require attendance. One just had to learn seriously to get good grades, the students’ evaluation for Professor Shi were really good.
This semester’s course was “Botany in everyday life.” Shi Zhang took a chalk and wrote a few strokes on the blackboard, writing his own name in block capitals.
His handwriting was just as his character, not pretentious nor unbridled, gentle and modest.
Shi Zhang briefly went over the outline of the course and then asked whether the students had questions or not.
A student held up his hand and then sincerely threw a question in, “Professor, the flowers I kept always die, can you please teach me how to care for them?”
This is a very common misconception among the masses, Shi Zhang replied, “Botanists may not necessarily be able to take care of plants, just as programmers may not necessarily be able to build a computer and pedagogists may not necessarily be able to raise children.”
The student smilingly apologized and said, “The longest plant I had ever kept was a pot of ball cactus, it had lived for a year and half then froze to death when it was outside in the winter.”
The students were all laughing, amidst that laughter a question suddenly came forth, “Then, can Professor raise children?”
“I have kept Schick hybrid cacti1Hybrids of cactus (including ball cactus) hybridized by Bob Schick, there are many in the Schick family, just search up Schick cactus, and here a link if you wanna see some of them blooming, their blooming flowers are gorgeous and the petal distribution resembles the lotus seat. The ball cacti you usually see might look the same to you, but they actually might be of different varieties and each of them have different habits and properties, their blooming flowers are also different.”
Shi Zhang introduced them to the topic of species diversity and then paused, and replied to the student’s earlier joking question, “I have no children.”
The students left the class one by one after the lecture. Shi Zhang was just packing up his stuff when he saw a young lady standing beside the podium, holding something in her hands.
“Is there anything you didn’t understand during the lecture?” Shi Zhang asked.
The girl’s hair was styled in a braid, her delicate face was blushing very faintly. She calmly handed him the thing in her hand and said, “Professor Shi, I actually also attended your course last semester and have learnt how to make herbarium. This book contains the herbarium I made myself, I want to….. give it to you.”
Shi Zhang flipped through the pages seriously and praised, “These are made really well.”
The girl’s eyes seemed to twinkle at that, the sunlight reflected on her eyes making them clear as a crystal.
“But I can’t accept it, I also won’t accept it.” Shi Zhang lightly declined and returned the herbarium back to the girl. His voice was gentle, and yet it was very firm and resolute, and was actually also a bit heartless.
“These herbariums are all made so finely with your own hands, it’s better to keep it yourself rather than giving them to me.”
Shi Zhang actually couldn’t be considered as a handsome man by the current standard. His facial features in itself were nothing special and somewhat ordinary, but his temperament and speech were just too outstanding, he was also tall and had long legs, every movement and gestures he made as he carried himself were full of charm and charisma.
And perhaps, due to his identity as a botanist, Shi Zhang himself exuded a gentle and soft kind of aura like those of plants. Scholarly, modest and amiable, elegant and graceful.
An old friend of his, Ouyang Xi, had once joked as they were eating, saying that Professor Shi is a calamity bearer.
A gentle and knowledgeable senior was someone that can very easily attract admiration from the youngsters. The students might not dare say it outright, but there was definitely someone who secretly wanted to be in a Teacher-Student romantic relationship with Professor Shi.
Shi Zhang at the time put down his wine cup, calmly looked and faced Ouyang Xi and then solemnly said that such a thing shouldn’t be made into jokes.
Ouyang Xi still broke into laughter as he spread out his arms and said: Here it is, see that? You are a calamity bearer indeed, right here! Our botanist is so charismatic, and yet he won’t accept any admirers! So he can only become the unattainable white moonlight in his students’ hearts, and thus became a collective scar in the hearts of countless gentlemens and ladies in their youth.
Ouyang Xi asked again: If those youngsters were to see you cosplaying with those wild ruffian look, won’t they go even crazier ah? Tsk tsk.
Shi Zhang displeasedly knit his brows, and Ouyang Xi also reluctantly shut himself up.
Actually Ouyang Xi couldn’t be more clearer, their Professor Shi didn’t just decline the students’ pursuit, he actually declined all pursuits indiscriminately. There has been no exception for 34 years.
People would think it was unlikely for someone to be single in all 30+ years in their life; People would even be more unable to comprehend it if that single adult person happened to be a very handsome man; but if that handsome man turned out to be an anime/manga enthusiast aka Otaku, people might think: ‘Hmm…. Being single for 30+ years actually isn’t that strange.’
Of course the reason wasn’t just limited to being an Otaku.
Shi Zhang had an appointment with Zhong Jie in the evening. It has been a long time since their three person old-time friend group had assembled together, so they made an appointment to meet at a family restaurant’s private room.
Zhong Ziyan was sitting cross-legged on the sofa. Her calves were slender and fine yet powerful, jewelries adorning her pure black velvet gown, her posture full of grace and fine bearing, she did look very stylish.
The moment she laid eyes on Shi Zhang, Zhong Jie opened her mouth and said, “Professor Octopus, give my anime expo in the upcoming summer vacation a support with your presence ah.”
Shi Zhang laughed, “We haven’t even ordered anything but you want to ask for help ah?”
Ouyang Xi skillfully poured the red wine to the glass and sneered with a pfftt, “Zhong Zi, your play pretend was too lazy.”
“Just say whether you will be coming or not,” Zhong Ziyan said.
Shi Zhang said on purpose, “I’m going to the mountains for plant sampling during summer vacation, busy.”
“My my, busy huh. Our professor is still showing off,” Ouyang Xi scolded with a smile.
The three of them have been busy with their own life in the past years so they rarely hung out together. They chat idly about this and that really carefreely.
Zhong Ziyan had a whole corporation group under her command and her aura of a chairman was pretty strong, while Ouyang Xi has been an expert analyst in the financial industry for about ten years, he has quite the fame in the industry.
These two shiny money-and-gold people would always discuss a lot about things Shi Zhang couldn’t understand when they met. Shi Zhang was wearing a plain and simple forest green attire as he sat between them, not unlike a peaceful and serene tree as he also fascinatedly listened to their talk.
The three of them were indeed like this. When they were young they were Chuuni youths who would hang out in the arcades, then they separated and walked their own paths in different fields, but they would still tell eachother everything each time they met.
Zhong Ziyan lightly tapped her cigarette box and took out a slender cigarette with her fingers, her red lips wrapping around and stuck it there. She shot Shi Zhang a glance and said, “You mind?”
“Whatever,” Shi Zhang said.
“You want one?” Ouyang Xi took the Davidoff and gestured towards Shi Zhang, his brows slightly raised.
Shi Zhang looked at him, “You are doing it on purpose.”
Zhong Ziyan laughed lightly, saying: Remember back a long long time ago, our 18-year-old countryside boy Xiao Zhang was the most rebellious Chuuni youngster, moreover it was him who brought the cigs they smoked.
“And yet, he actually stopped smoking after high school graduation!” Ouyang Xi glared at Shi Zhang, “What a traitor ah, traitor.”
Little Shi Zhang was a really naughty bear child ah, how come he grew up into such a calm and gentle professor? Now he was someone who made others dare not smoke in front of him for fear of defiling him.
The more people age the more they recall the things that happened in the past. Zhong Ziyan puffed out a breathful of smoke and half-closed her eyes as she looked at Shi Zhang, “Shi Zhang changed so much, can’t even see the traces of those youthful days.”
“Nonsense.”
Ouyang Xi rebutted and pointed at Zhong Ziyan, slowly saying, “Among the three of us, the one who has changed the least is Lao Shi.
Zhong Ziyan smiled with her eyes squinted, “True that.”
“All right, that’s it.” Shi Zhang waved his hand and brushed away the smoke in front of him.
The dishes were quickly finished. Zhong Ziyan bumped her wine cup with Shi Zhang’s glass, a dingling sound rang, as she urged him, “Anime expo, what’s your answer? Don’t dawdle.”
Shi Zhang unhurriedly wiped his hands clean with a towel and then replied with a sentence that seemingly had nothing to do with the topic, “There is a gaming center nearby.”
Ouyang Xi let out a ‘Oh my!’ while Zhong Ziyan raised her brow, her red lips curved slightly.
“What are we competing in?”
“Whatever game there is.”
The game center was overly crowded. The children were children encircling the claw machines, while the youngsters preferred to play VR gun battles and dancing battle games.
“Gaming centers also have changed so much, it’s now more luxurious,” Ouyang Xi heaved a sigh.
Shi Zhang lowered his head and smiled, “It was our place back then that was too dilapidated.”
“Look what I found!”
Zhong Ziyan stamped on her high heels and pulled the two of them straight to a machine, rapping the gavel by herself, “Let’s compete on this one.”
It was a pretty bulky arcade game with two pixelated muscular men on the screen, standing in confrontation with each other.
It could be said to be their moments of youth. Such an old and retro machine were rarely seen nowadays, the current younger generations also didn’t really like playing them.
The professor and the chairman each sat on a small stool, the two’s attire and temperament were incompatible with such a place.
But the moment the game started, their movement as they operated the arcade joystick and buttons were so familiar as if ingrained in their bones. These two adults seemed like they went back to the times of their teenage years, controlling the low-resolution character in an intense fight, the buttons were even pressed until they made snapping and clicking sounds, so much so that the whole machine even got swayed and rocked.
It went without saying that they would go for two out of three rounds to win, and Zhong Ziyan directly won all three rounds. The coins in Shi Zhang’s hands have all been used up.
“Hahahahaha Professor, you really have no knack for it ah!” Zhong Ziyan was very pleased with herself, “Xiao Zhang, you have never won against this Sister even before.”
Shi Zhang lifted his hands in surrender, “I’ll go to the Expo.”
Actually it didn’t matter whether Shi Zhang won or lost, he would definitely go to the Anime Expo. Zhong Ziyan also knew that he would definitely go the moment he didn’t refuse her invitation. They just wanted to look for a chance to play a game, it’s just that it has been ages since they met.
They are, after all, friends for a very long time.
Back then Shi Zhang and Ouyang Xi would skip classes when they were in senior high school, while Zhong Ziyan also skipped her junior college’s classes. She had dyed her hair a cheap pink color, chewed bubble gum, and then sat her ass beside Shi Zhang, wanting to fight against him in the ‘The King of Fighters’ game. They had known each other ever since.
Almost 20 years ago, the three of them were cosplaying in such simple and crude costumes together, learning and researching how to do makeup, there was even a time when they had made the clothes themselves. They similarly liked and went to the full-of-smoke-and-foul internet cafe to watch anime together. They also fought hard in The King of Fighters ‘97 in the dilapidated arcade center back then.
The arcade machines at the time were still using CRT Tube screens, the buttons were filthy while the body and frame of the machines were filled with advertisements and graffiti. There was a blonde haired thug with one of his hands in his pocket, smoking beside them and had wanted to rob them of their game coins, the Shi Zhang at the time had fought and punched at him until he had nosebleed, but even then their Boss2Shi Zhang was called 时爷 (Shi ye) here, the 爷 (lit grandpa) here means kind of some master or boss (in here refers to fighting) basically Shi had never lost once.
That time, anime/manga was flourishing and still rapidly expanding. Zhong Ziyan’s vision was sharp and far-sighted indeed, she had felt that this piece of cake would continue to expand and thus no longer satisfied in being a complete hobbyist.
She dropped out of college and started her own Anime company, and then directly met with the Government’s assistive policy for original manga creativity. Later on the internet rapidly developed and advanced, from streaming website, media platform, to even live broadcast platform, all of the hot spots had all been acquired by her. The fields of industries under her hands were rapidly expanding and the current Ms. Zhong today has a very high social status.
Holding an Anime Expo was actually an extremely common practice for her, there’s actually no need for Zhong Ziyan to worry about anything from the start. There’s also no need to invite a cosplayer personally with her own mouth.
The reason was mainly because Shi Zhang himself loved these kinds of activities. There’s less and less old-time cosplayers like him who had been actively participating and liven up the cosplay circle for 10 or 20 years. He actually didn’t need invitations from the start, Shi Zhang would definitely go to each of Boss Zhong’s Expos.
Ouyang Xi seemed unconvinced by the result and drove Shi Zhang down the honor seat, replacing him with himself to go against Zhong Ziyan.
The three of them played for a very long time, to the point their throats were hoarse with laughter and 100 game coins had been spent. At long last, they finally enjoyed themselves to their hearts’ content.
“Woah it’s so nice. It has been a long time since I had so much fun.”
Zhong Ziyan tightly hugged Shi Zhang in her arms, hugging him very crudely as she let out a long deep breath.
Shi Zhang wordlessly patted her shoulder, he couldn’t imagine how much she had sacrificed in exchange to achieve her current achievement. She was indeed a very capable and incredible person.
Ouyang Xi dissatisfiedly seized the two of them into his arms, the strength within his arms quite great, “What’s this with you guys not including me and made a tiny group of your own ah.”
Shi Zhang’s strength was even greater, with a spread of his arms he freed both of them from the confine, making them sit down and said, “It’s late, time to go back and sleep.”
Boss Zhong had a luxury car and chauffeur picking her up.
She was reluctant to part with them when the time had come, but after getting in the car she changed back to the courageous and resolute strong independent woman she represented. Even when she supported her forehead on her hand to rest, she didn’t show any sign of exhaustion.
Ouyang Xi was picked up by his wife, before getting in the car Ouyang Xi slapped his own forehead and pulled Shi Zhang closer, “I almost forgot something.”
“What is it?”
“Our high school class monitor contacted me a few days ago——It sure had been years since we got in touch. Class monitor said that our homeroom teacher, Teacher Wang, will be retiring this year ah. He asked whether we would like to go and see her, we can have a reunion along the way.”
Shi Zhang paused for a moment, and then repeated somewhat mechanically, “Our high school homeroom teacher, Teacher Wang?”
“Yes ah, Teacher Wang, Wang Huiling.” Ouyang Xi sighed and softly spoke, “I remember back then Teacher Wang was very strict with you, but she was a really good teacher.”
“Will you be going?”
“I will.” Shi Zhang replied very quickly, and then added, “She was really kind to me.”
Ouyang Xi hummed in agreement, “I also will, after growing up now I realized Teacher Wang was really a good person.”
“Class monitor has made a group chat and was just waiting to invite you in. It sure isn’t easy for him to contact and invite us one by one.” Ouyang Xi then retreated two steps back, “Then I’m going now ah.”
“Wait,” Shi Zhang called out, making Ouyang Xi stand in place.
“What?”
Shi Zhang articulated his question slowly, “Do you remember that… Teacher Wang has a son… surnamed Song?”
“Hah?” Ouyang Xi didn’t understand why a teacher’s son was suddenly brought up, he tried hard to remember and said, “It seems like there is, but I don’t remember clearly. Why are you asking?”
“Nothing,” Shi Zhang waved his hand, urging him to go home, “Your wife must be impatient waiting for you in the car.”
Ouyang Xi cheaply mocked him, “It’s good to have a wife who worries about me, there’s someone who would drive and pick me up. Unlike an old single bachelor like you, so late at night and yet can only wait for a substitute driver3Designated drivers or substitute drivers are sober people who would be responsible driving you back when you are drunk, it has became a service in parts of asia like china and korea. to come.”
Shi Zhang ignored him, walking away in large strides.
The author has something to say:
A review of past works: Lady Zhong Ziyan is a good friend of Madam Qin (previous work) and had appeared once in conversations for a sec.
Translator’s note:
You don’t have to read the prequel to understand this novel, there’s just some small intersection between them so worry not! I also translated the prequel though, you can read them here!
sarcastisaurus On CFRFGC Chapter 102