024. Aren’t You Cold?
He Jin didn’t vomit or have a killer headache. His condition in his drunken state was the same as when he got sick, no sign could be found from his complexion.
However, maybe because he wasn’t used to last night’s cold chill, he did feel a little dizzy when he woke up this morning. It was nothing big though, and instead, what He Jin felt strongly right now was the fact that he might have developed a little addiction to the intoxicated feeling he got from being drunk. He thought, maybe it’s fine to go out and drink once in a while...
***
That night, He Jin still had to do his promised lecture, so he followed Tong Xuan’s advice and went to the lecture hall in advance. Once arrived, he could see that many younger girls had come to watch, but He Jin did not feel nervous. For him, this occasion was much easier to do than when he had to call Fire as his “husband”.
Not long after, Guo You and several members of the Foreign Language Club came over and pulled at him to gossip about Qin Yu’s action of carrying him to the school’s hospital before.
“You are exaggerating...” He Jin said, unable to refute them one by one.
Guo You exclaimed excitedly, “Those people who saw it were so shocked that day! Many have guessed that the school idol might have interest in that “department”, but to think that he would actually carry you and run out of the dormitory directly! What did both of you do before that!”
Some of the girls who listened to this covered their mouth and let out a strange giggle.
He Jin was confused, “What do you think we did?”
One of the braver girls answered bluntly, “You two must have done ‘that’, and then you became dizzy afterwards ...”
He Jin: “..........” I want to keep my distance from these horrible creatures! (=_=)
He ignored them and walked to the podium, but just as he turned, He Jin suddenly saw two familiar figures appear at the doorway: Qin Yu and Zhao Xibai.
Qin Yu also saw him and waved. Following this, the sudden sound of deep intake of breaths could be heard resounding in the whole hall. Many girls began to look back and forth between He Jin and Qin Yu, before whispering and giggling among themselves.
He Jin tried his best to ignore this, and continued walking to the podium. He then opened the PPT he had prepared before, and coughed into the mic–“Please be quiet... I am very pleased to receive the invitation from the Foreign Language Club, and I am honored to see so many of my juniors coming here to listen to my lectures... For English level Six examination review and preparation, I summed up some of the materials from my own learning experience, I hope to help ....”
While holding a laser pointer, He Jin started his lecture, talking slowly and reasonably. He explained many things: from the scope of the materials involved in the examination, to the type of questions that usually would come out, and then he continued to review the cycle and arrangements in time-frame basis. Everything was told through logical and well-organized details.
He used to be a member of the Student Council in high school, and often had to speak on stage for lectures like this, or to give speeches at his school’s events. During that time, he was trained again and again to reign on his fear of crowds, and as a result, now he was able to calmly face and talk in any formal occasions, be it at an interview, exam, giving report, or when he had to give lectures like this...
“He is very good, and he speaks even more clearly than our English teacher!” Zhao Xibai said while taking notes in his book earnestly.
Qin Yu did not bring anything with him, so he put his hands in his pockets, and sat down idly. However, his eyes never strayed far from the figure on the podium. His gaze locked tightly at the other boy’s body, appreciating each and every gesture he made, and carving even the smallest movements and expressions into the depths of his mind...
He Jin’s crisp voice, the gestures of his small hands, his natural body movements...
The way he scanned the student’s faces with empty eyes, yet dangling a warm smile at the curve of his mouth...
His every move was a contradiction in itself: subdued and as peaceful as an expanse of calm water when he stayed quiet, yet giving off a feeling as passionate as a whiff of warm breeze when he did speak.
And he was alive, Ah Jin was alive; no longer a fragment of a hollow name in Qin Yu’s gaming experience.
Probably because he had waited for eight years, but Qin Yu’s feeling, which had been buried deep in the bottom of his heart, seemed to have taken a change in nature. He did not feel bewitched by it, nor did he feel any special resentment for his years spent waiting. He only knew that he liked He Jin. However, in addition to this “like”, there was also an unknown feeling brewing inside him.
It was a feeling of wanting to crush this person under him, to rub himself all over this guy, and stuff him deep into his own heart, so that he would integrate completely with Qin Yu’s own self, and no longer able to run away from him.
***
One hour later, He Jin’s lecture finally came to an end. He pointed to the stack of papers in Guo You’s hands and said, “These are copies of my notes. They have a detailed excerpt of the materials spoken today, some of which I’ve put in the PPT before. If any of you want it, you can go directly to the woman in the yellow dress to buy them. We will only charge you with the photocopy cost.”
Hearing this, many of the students rushed past to ask the price of the notes, however, there were also some girls who stayed and tried to block He Jin from leaving- yes, although he wasn’t as popular as the school’s idol Qin Yu, He Jin still had some fans who liked to pursue him. These girls’ view of He Jin was the same as Tong Xuan’s before they started dating. They claimed to be captured by his noble-scholar temperament, and would often use study-counseling as an excuse to contact him.
This was the kind of situation He Jin felt most uncomfortable in. Fortunately, this time he was saved by the arrival of Qin Yu.
Qin Yu’s presence was like the sun; wherever he went, people would automatically make way for him. Even though many people were attracted to him, none of them actually dared to get too close, as if they were afraid of being burned.
And so, those girls who were originally pestering He Jin suddenly became quiet.
“Why did you come?” He Jin was the first to speak, he really did not expect that Qin Yu would come to his lecture.
Qin Yu smiled, “I saw your name on the guest list, so I came here to see.”
The people around them stared in surprise. They had never seen Qin Yu act so gentle before; eyes slightly crinkling, mouth curved up- his whole being exuded a gentle aura as warm as a spring breeze.
He Jin looked down in embarrassment, “How did I do?”
“You did very well~” Qin Yu put his hands inside his pockets, and said in a familiar tone, “You are done, right? Let’s go, I’ll buy you a drink. ”
He Jin froze for a moment, then hurriedly packed his belongings. In his heart, he was a little confused about Qin Yu’s tone, it was so naturally intimate, as if they had been friends for a very long time.
Not long after, He Jin finished and left the hall with Qin Yu.
Meanwhile, Zhao Xibai looked at their departing figures, and muttered, “When did they develop such a good relationship?”
Guo You said: “Finished, it’s over. Because of your cursed mouth, the school idol’s CP has changed now!”
Zhao Xibai: “Why are you blaming me?”
Guo You: “The last time you said that you couldn’t imagine senior Shang as the shou, so now Qin Yu changed ship!”
Zhao Xibai was dumbfounded, “Your brain makes up way too many fantasies ah!”
***
10 minutes later, He Jin and Qin Yu walked under the Gingko trees adorning their univerisity’s yard, feeling the blowing cold wind while drinking a bottle of 7Up... When Qin Yu said he’d buy him a drink, He Jin never thought that what he meant was buying him a cold 7Up ah! (=_=)
[T/N: 7Up is a popular cold drink brand.]
“Actually, I really want to ask you to help me with something.” Qin Yu said suddenly.
“What is it?” He Jin asked, his body shivering with cold.
“My English grammar is not very good ...” Qin Yu started, but stopped once he saw He Jin’s shivering form, “Are you cold?”
He Jin shuddered, “Cold...” he lifted up the 7Up in his hands, “it’s cold and you actually bought cold drinks as well...”.
“Hold it for me.” Qin Yu handed his own 7Up to him, making He Jin startled. However, he soon understood Qin Yu’s intention as the taller guy took off his own coat and draped it over He Jin’s shoulders.
He Jin: “...” (= __ =| | |)
...... Yes, don’t you think something isn’t right here?
Qin Yu then took the two bottles of cold drinks from He Jin’s hand.
He Jin’s face turned red: “Don’t give me your clothes ah, I am not a girl.”
Qin Yu smiled at him, “But, aren’t you cold?”
He Jin: “...”
Although they had eaten together before, he and Qin Yu... had their relationship really grown close enough for this?
“Even while listening to your lecture before, I’ve been sweating so much.” Qin Yu said, and leaned his half-a-head taller body closer to He Jin, “If you don’t believe me, you can touch my neck, it’s hot.”
He Jin: “........”–who will touch it? (=_=|||)
Qin Yu retracted his body back, acting as if his action was a normal thing to do, and it was He Jin alone who felt that it was strange.
Qin Yu continued to go forward, while He Jin trotted two steps behind him. The smaller guy quickly changed the topic to save himself from further embarrassment, “You say your grammar is bad, then what do you want my help for?”
Qin Yu looked at him, smiling a bit shyly, “I think, if you are free, maybe you can help me to study. I will pay you hourly rate for tutoring me. ”
He Jin was relieved, and chuckled: “We are schoolmates, what do you mean by paying ah. Learning grammar is very simple, I’m sure you’ll understand quickly.”
Qin Yu: “Would it be too much trouble for you?”
“It’s not.” If it was a request from someone else, He Jin would immediately recommend a reference book for them and be done with it, but for Qin Yu... Probably because some things had happened before, He Jin actually had good feelings towards this nice junior of his, so he also did not mind helping him. He continued, “In exchange, you have to teach me to play tennis.”
This is simply a win for Qin Yu! “When will you be free?” Qin Yu asked with a smile.
He Jin: “Well, usually on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday I’m free. Oh, and Sunday is also fine...”
Hearing He Jin say that he was free every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday night, Qin Yu felt a burst of excitement, because he found more evidence! However, once he remembered that he had to do live broadcast on those three nights, his mood immediately turned sour.
Qin Yu: “Sunday.”
He Jin nodded, “Sunday it is then.”
Afterwards, the two of them continued walking until they arrived at the dormitory building. He Jin hurriedly took down the coat from his shoulders and returned it to Qin Yu, “Then just SMS later.”
Qin Yu raised the 7Up in his hands and said, “Okay.”
***
On Friday, He Jin found out that Fire had helped him with leveling until he rose to level 7 Spirit Pet. The last three levels were more difficult to achieve, so it might take a little time.
He Jin also found hundreds of friend requests addressed to him. He sighed, and asked Fire while cleaning them up, “Can we rename our account once the holographic version comes out?”
Fire Ruthless: “Why are you asking? You want to change? ”
Xiao Xian-Jin: “Recently so many people I don’t know have been adding me.”
Fire Ruthless: “Just close your friend feature, don’t change your name, it’s useless anyway.”
Xiao Xian-Jin: “Why?”
Fire Ruthless: “You are my wife, sooner or later you will become famous too, you have to get used to it quickly.”
Xiao Xian-Jin: “...”
Later, because Qin Yu was afraid that He Jin would feel bored for always being a rice weevil when they played, he made a dungeon team and pulled some of his friends into it.
〖Team 〗: Player Nine Hall His Highness enters the troop.
〖Team 〗- Nine Hall His Highness: “Eh, what is this?”
〖Team 〗- Nine Hall His Highness: “No Way! Xiao Bai sister-in-law is here ah! Hey sister in law hey hey...”
〖Team 〗- Xiao Xian-Jin: “...”
〖Team 〗: Player Dead Water enters the troop.
〖Team 〗- Dead Water: “Yo ah, finally meet the legendary being!”
〖Team 〗: Player Leisure Cloud丶enters the troop.
〖Team 〗: Player Wild Crane丶enters the troop.
〖Team 〗- Wild Crane丶: “What is this?”
〖Team 〗- Leisure Cloud丶: “Behold onlookers, this is the legendary wife of the number one master.”
〖Team 〗- Wild Crane丶: “... A white ferret?”
He Jin: “.....” Wth! The top five players in the rankings are all here!
Proof-read by: EileenKH123