Chapter 13

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Chapter 12 | 🍬 Contents 🍬 | Chapter 14

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Food of the Day: White Rabbit Candy

Disclaimer: NOT made from rabbit’s milk.

*Ahem* What your twisted translator likes to do is to wrap them up in wonton skin then deep fry them, just so you get some candy, fried dumplings that are milky, warm, and molten in the centre, but crunchy outside.

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Translator: Silvery

PR: Decadence

On the first day of the Provincial Interhigh Summer Camp, the two second places get blown up amongst those in attendance.

One was because he made an overly incensing speech after taking the mic. The other was because he met the wishes of everyone offstage and immediately socked the first.

Wan Yongming is a senior teacher with many years of rich teaching experience. He pulls them apart, unperturbed, as he seizes the opportunity to continue his interview:

“Do not raise your hand against him. Our lives are filled with plenty of problems which we mustn’t resolve with violence… And so, Student Yu, what is your secret method for studying?”

Yu Sheng still has Jin Linkun’s arm twisted backwards in his grip. Gazing at the mic which has been held up to him, he stares back at the teacher with mild incredulity.

Teacher Wan is willing to wait as long as it takes. Angling his hand forward, he navigates it through this entangled chain of boys and, very considerately, thrusts it in Yu Sheng’s face.

Yu Sheng: “……”

He thinks he gets why this Sweeping Monk could assume command over the frontlines of H High for so long now.

Jin Linkun is still seized by him, but he doesn’t bear the slightest consciousness over plagiarizing his answer right to his face. As though exchanging Christmas presents, he even angles his head back to hint:

“Study hard, study smart, have a good attitude…”

“Sleep at 4, Wake at 7.”

Yu Sheng doesn’t even look at him. The expressionless teen presses a firm hand on his shoulder and shoves him down violently:

“Sock those you hate once per day.”

Right until the moment the dorm arrangements are released, Yu Sheng would have never suspected that after jinxing himself into a Pyramid Scheme Org, he would have succeeded in digging himself an even deeper grave.

The chance to sock those he hates on a daily basis quickly arrives on his doorstep.

Looking on as his new roomie places his brown paper bag on the desk, Yu Sheng remains steadfast in the corridor and expressionlessly shuts the door on that face. He spins around to leave.

There must be something seriously wrong with his head.

Skipping was all fine and dandy. It’s not like the Summer Camp is a POW Camp. Though he could have clearly hightailed home back there and slept the night away, then gamed the day away tomorrow, he actually stayed an absurdly long amount of time in this hellhole.

Yu Sheng came without much baggage, and all he had on him was a simple school bag. Roaming around the less crowded roads in N University for a while, he finally comes to a fencing that looks relatively kinder on him.

The weather in July and August remains utterly unpredictable. Though the afternoon sun was clearly vicious enough to make fleeing seem like he was defying fate, at this moment, the skies have already darkened and there are clouds gathering in the distance.

A couple of frogs glide over the leaves. The air dampens with the signature chilly humidity of before a rain.

Yu Sheng backs up two steps in preparation to fence-vault–

–When his name is called from behind.

Save for Jin Linkun, there isn’t anyone else Yu Sheng knows in here. Knitting his brows instinctively, he angles himself to look at him.

The one who had called out to him is a tall and lanky guy.

Bearing glasses, donning the uniform from a reputable private high school of City B, the next city over, he has one hand shoved deep in his pocket and is strutting towards him.

The Summer Camp this time comprises the whole province. Each city was allocated a number of seats based on their quality and quantity of high schools, so those who came are generally the top of their high schools and naturally carry some air of arrogance.

The air of condescension the guy before him carries is especially prominent though. While giving Yu Sheng a onceover, his eyes clearly convey contempt.

“So it really is you. I didn’t dare to believe it when I heard your name. I even thought I might have misheard.”

The guy comes to a stop right before him. Derision flashes across his eyes as he leans in and murmurs:

“You may have played the others for a fool, but did you think you can fool me? Second in the whole province… How the hell did you get in here? Did you buy the answers?”

Yu Sheng: “……”

Being an Academic Tyrant is a tough duty. He can naturally understand if there is a bit of haughtiness at play.

But when he sees these people running their mouths off, talking crap and provoking others, the face he wears must resemble how these people look at his Auxiliary Lines; No matter how both sides try, they cannot comprehend how a simple matter is made complicated to such an extent.

The guy seems intent to rattle on. Despite that, Yu Sheng already can’t help but rub his ears, interrupting him earnestly:

“Hold on—”

Normally, before Yu Sheng makes the first swing, he would habitually tag on a “Friend” as a greeting.

But after hearing it come out of Jin Linkun’s mouth for so many times, he thinks it’s rather strange himself, but this word seems to have gotten just as riling as the Black Blouse himself. He simply drops the word from his opening segment.

There are seriously too many who are searching him out for a fight. Yu Sheng truly can’t recognize this guy. Thinking he’s been cordial enough thus far, he gives him a closer look:

“Do we know each other?”

The guy inhales sharply, fixing his eyes on him with much intent. His face darkens in a heartbeat.

“You don’t recognize me? Isn’t it my spot you snatched back then?”

He sneers and could finally not bear it. His hand shoots out to seize Yu Sheng’s clothes:

“Don’t you have tonnes of money back home?! There’s nothing you can’t buy! No matter how hard we try, all you need to do is ask for it and it’s delivered to you on a silver platter!”

Yu Sheng frowns, pushing his hand aside and taking a step back.

Now that he’s given him a reminder, a faint memory of which Tom, Dick, and Harry this is finally stirs in Yu Sheng’s mind. He struggles to recall his name:

“Song—Shenming?”

Back in Middle School, when he was still a student of the best Private School in City B, there was a National Arts and Literary Festival that was held. Every school was allocated a segment to prepare for, and their school just so happened to receive Piano (Solo).

In the best Private Middle School, there are easily more than a handful of Grade 10 Piano players. This Song Shenming seemed to have been the best amongst them, and he had started prepping since much early on. When the school unanimously cast him as their representative, he closed himself off in the music room and drowned himself in practice, toiling for a very long time.

In the end, when the verdict was released, Yu Sheng was still forcibly dragged out of the basketball court by the teacher and made to sit before the piano for half an hour.

“Stop pretending. I’ve already heard all about it. You’re at the worst dumpster school in your area now, aren’t you?”

Song Shenming’s face is shadowed, leaning in as he whispers:

“That’s just the level you’re at – Are you worried that you can’t make it to a good uni? ‘S that’s why you joined this Camp to embellish your portfolio? Well, let me give you a piece of good advice. Save yourself the effort. This is hardly a place for you…”

Yu Sheng sighs.

He wants to save himself said effort far too much.

If not for this person before him calling out to him all of a sudden, he would have already fence-vaulted and be out of this abominable place.

He had actually listened to Song Shenming’s recitals a couple times. His techniques all pass with flying colours. From his tempo and right down to the most minute of details, they were all a-OK. However, precisely because he prioritizes his fast-paced skills, there is not an ounce of suspense in his recitals. Lacking in emotion, his entire play rings hollow in the end.

This event left deep marks on Song Shengming. Deciding not to stimulate him, Yu Sheng rubs his wrists in preparation to remind him – So long as he makes way, he will successfully be on his way and out of here.

But Song Shenming just staunchly insists on not having a shred of self-awareness. The boiling rage from back then – when he saw the opportunity he had to get no matter what stolen in an unexpected turn of events – it has all but gotten to his head. He ridicules lowly:

“Born, but without a person to educate you. What good is money? Before long, you’ll become a damned—”

Before his last word can come out, his collar suddenly tightens around his neck. Pulled back several steps, his back slams against the wall.

Due to the barbaric force, the air’s knocked out of him and the world before his eyes darken. He parts his mouth uselessly, but not a sound makes it out.

Yu Sheng is blank-faced, having picked him up by the collar and slammed against the wall:

“What did you just say?”

The skies have already darkened to the apex. Winds turning increasingly cold, rain droplets make their descent one after another.

The shoulders of the youth are drawn without any expression. Despite that, a profound, biting chill still seems to permeate from him. Not even his overly demure and beautiful appearance can even out that harshness.

Raising him up with a single hand, the frigid fury lurking in his eyes aims at him, ready to be unleashed with one wrong move.

Song Shenming’s last memory of him had been that of a teen who yawned and carelessly played Bach on the piano. His throat bobs and terror sinks in belatedly:

“W-What are you intending to do? This isn’t a place where you can do as you like!”

“Then, tell me. What exactly can I do here?”

Yu Sheng squeezes his eyes closed briefly and applies even more force with his hand. The edges of his lips turn up:

“I don’t have anyone to educate me, but I do have the money. Aren’t you well aware of that?”

Song Shenming is clutched so tightly, he can’t say a single word. Whimpering lowly twice, horror finally fills the depths of his eyes.

With a rumble of the thunders, fat drops of rain pelt down, instantly drawing the curtains on a heavy shower accompanied by the consistent drumming and beating against tree leaves.

Yu Sheng stands within the rain for what seems like a while before his hand on the other finally loosens bit by bit. He carelessly flings Song Shenming onto the ground.

Yu Sheng peers down at him, evenly declaring:

“Scram.”

Song Shenming had his guts scared out of him. Scrambling to his feet, he is all but gone in a split second.

The rain is only growing heavier, ice cold, and pelting so hard, the impact strikes to the depths of anyone’s core. Yu Sheng’s no longer in the mood for fence-vaulting. Picking a tree at random, he shrugs off his already sopping wet jacket and covers his eyes, leaning against the base of the tree.

The Piano.

He has stayed in Central Third for far too long. If not for Song Shenming bumping into him and reminding him about it, he would have already forgotten he knew how to play the piano.

Back when he first started, he was only 3. He was carried up and plopped down on a piano bench which he was barely taller than.

Both his parents were there. One ruffling his hair with a smile, the other took the opportunity when his wife turned her back to sneakily stuff a White Rabbit candy which he normally wasn’t allowed to eat into his hand.

Memories like that only continue till age 7 before they stop. For many years after that, he never got his hands on it again. The taste of the White Rabbit candy also fades into the nothingness in his mind.

There was just once when Yu Sheng was caught by a sudden impulse and went out to get a packet for himself. The milky taste was heavy, sweet to the point of being a little sickening. It’s not his cup of tea at all.

Who knows why he used to cry and made a fuss till he got one popped in his mouth.

The tree blocks off a good portion of the rain. The winds bats at him and blows into his drenched clothes, chilling him to the depths of his bones.

Yu Sheng takes a long breath. Kicking that already somewhat bleary memory out of his mind, he is just about ready to go find a place to dodge the rain when the rain over his head abruptly comes to a stop.

Yu Sheng stills and raises his head.

An umbrella has stopped over the top of his head.

It’s printed with a logo from god-knows-which Summer Camp. One look can easily tell anyone it’s a souvenir good, with quite the quality at that. If there’s anything, it’d be that it’s a tad too small and is fundamentally usable for only one person.

With that umbrella in hand, Jin Linkun stands before him with slightly wet sleeves still folded up to his elbow, as per usual.

Due to the size of the umbrella, a droplet drips into the back of his collar the moment he leans back. A shudder runs through him, and he’s got no choice but to lean forward:

“Friend, I brought just this one umbrella. Let’s cooperate—”

Yu Sheng doesn’t intend to do that, raising a hand to push the umbrella back to him:

“No need.”

He turns to leave. But not even a couple of steps later, that umbrella patiently comes back over his head.

Yu Sheng truly doesn’t get where that kindness of his comes from at times. After dodging a couple of times to no avail, the rage he had been staunchly bottling up finally breaks like a dam. He grabs onto the arm that comes at him expertly, leaning forward swiftly.

All this time, he had actually been keeping his rage in.

Perhaps it started when he got into Central Third. Perhaps it started even way before that. The empty seats in the Parent-Teacher Meeting every time. The calls picked up with decreasing frequency until only the Caller Busy message is left behind. The deafening silence and deathly stillness when he gets home. Bit by bit, all of them had been building up the anxiety and irritation clawing at his insides.

He doesn’t get it either. His parents are just starting their new lives with new families. Isn’t it just that? It’s not as if they’re neglecting him financially. What’s there to be so over the top about?

What’s there to be so fucking over the top about?

Yu Sheng squeezes his eyes shut and inhales deeply. With all his might, he jerks the other to himself and slants his shoulder downwards, violently throwing the other over.

Jin Linkun isn’t any weaker than him. There’s no need to hold back the way he does every time. Yu Sheng just wants to duel it out to his heart’s content. Even if he ends up with a bloody face and broken nose, if he can get rid of this nagging irritation deep within, no matter what’s asked of him, he will do it.

He doesn’t spare the slightest bit of mercy. Despite thinking there would be a show of resistance right there, the person clutched by him does not even budge an inch, letting him throw him down like a ragdoll. He splashes into the grass overfilling with buckets of rainwater without making a sound.

The umbrella falls alongside him, rolling twice when it does.

Yu Sheng freezes.

Jin Linkun lays on the ground, his blouse completely soaked through. Drenched hair matted to his face, he looks like he’s put in a spot for once.

And yet. He deliberately maintains an unhurried, indolent countenance. Laying flat on the sopping wet grass just like that, he gropes around for the rain-wetted and blurry glasses which had fallen. One hand stretches out towards Yu Sheng, waiting to be pulled back up.

Just like back then, when he firmly believed Yu Sheng would definitely help him take his glasses.

Yu Sheng can’t help the scowl that takes over his face. Belatedly remembering the other’s promise of “I’ll let you flip me for real next time”, his breath hitches. He gets over to tow the other up:

“Is your head for show? Such a heavy rain—”

Pulled to his feet by him, Jin Linkun’s dark eyes curve. He settles a hand over the top of Yu Sheng’s head, rubbing a few times.

Yu Sheng is held by his metaphorical scruff again. His voice stops without his notice.

“I’ve checked. It doesn’t hurt to be thrown here.”

Jin Linkun stays true to his initial intent and picks up the umbrella. Raising it over both their soaked heads in a steadfast manner, he pats his hair and the fist he had been keeping enclosed tightly this whole time stretches out to him:

“Play along. The dorm’s still far away.”

A single White Rabbit candy is held out and dropped into Yu Sheng’s palm.

The candy wrapper is still paper dry, with the lingering warmth from the other’s hand. It twirls two light circles before settling.

Yu Sheng: “……”

Why is he still helpless to this after so many years?

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The Author has something to say:

God Kun is diligently trying his best to play his role as a good daughter-in-law. But for some reason, he keeps leaning more towards the role of Sheng Ge’s old man.

*IMPORTANT NOTICE*

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Next time on DTTM!

Chapter 14: <You are the only one in the whole province who got them all correct.>

2020-08-01T21:00:34

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Chapter 12 | 🍬 Contents 🍬 | Chapter 14

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