Published at 5th of September 2019 12:32 pm

Chapter 80 - Avoidance

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

Translator(s): Zryuu

Editor(s): Amalea, FistFullOfDollars, Juurensha

After he sneezed, Yu Hao rubbed his nose and didn’t ask any more questions. He laid on his bed, took his phone, and scrolled through it for a while.

“I’m happy for you.” Yu Hao said, “It’s pretty good.”

“What’re you happy about?” Zhou Sheng said coldly, “Happy that I went out with her?”

“Zhou Sheng.” Yu Hao took the initiative and said, “This is pretty good. We can find some way another day to deal with Medusa together……”

“Can you shut up?” Zhou Sheng’s voice still sounded cold and indifferent, “Since you’re sick, just lie down quietly, will you?”

Yu Hao, “General, I don’t want to avoid this problem anymore……”

Zhou Sheng suddenly got up, kicked open the balcony door with one foot, then pushed open the windows twice in a row. The roars of the rainstorm immediately surged in.

“Can’t we communicate properly?” Yu Hao shouted.

Zhou Sheng ignored him and sat down in front of the induction cooker. At that moment, Yu Hao really wanted to just take something to throw at his head. He thought, this is one of the reasons why you can’t beat Medusa to death. However, when he thought of this, Yu Hao felt that it was as it should be and couldn’t help but find it amusing himself.

They were reluctant to communicate because of avoiding their own feelings, but communication was necessary to solve this problem……and thus they were stuck in a never ending loop.

Yu Hao looked at Zhou Sheng and suddenly felt his heart deeply ache.

He hoped that Zhou Sheng could live well, and as long as he was happy, Yu Hao didn’t need anything else. Zhou Sheng should live the life he deserved, marry a beautiful girl, inherit his father’s business, and have an obedient daughter.

At this moment, Yu Hao truly felt how much he really loved him.

When he thought of this, Yu Hao suddenly recalled Liu Pengxuan. He was surprised to discover that his affection for Zhou Sheng had already surpassed everything else. He even liked him to the point that he was willing to give up on Zhou Sheng of his own accord, thinking only of his happiness.

“You really don’t need to be concerned about me.” Yu Hao said amidst rain that seemed to encompass the world, “By the time you think that you can come to like Jingya, I’ll be able to take good care of myself. Zhou Sheng, we’ll be friends for a lifetime, just like with Gege.”

But the rain was so deafening that he wasn't sure if Zhou Sheng had heard him or not. Maybe he had heard some fragmented words, or maybe he hadn't. Yu Hao wanted to continue, but Zhou Sheng poured the ginger soup into a cup, got up, and handed it to him.

“Don’t spill it on the bed!” Zhou Sheng said impatiently in a loud voice.

Yu Hao took the cup and looked at Zhou Sheng, startled. Murderous intent was evident on Zhou Sheng’s face. It was the first time Yu Hao had seen Zhou Sheng show this kind of expression, which seemed to carry an inkling of dislike.

“What’s wrong?” Yu Hao asked.

“Drink it!” Zhou Sheng said.

Yu Hao wanted to say something else, but Zhou Sheng closed the windows, and the dormitory instantly quieted.

“Yu Hao, I’m going to get angry.” Zhou Sheng said, “Because of you.”

Yu Hao could only drink the ginger soup. Zhou Sheng, who looked like his anger was exploding, went to the induction cooker to drink the rest of the soup, tidied up, took Yu Hao’s cup, then turned around and left the dormitory.

“Where are you going?” Yu Hao asked.

Zhou Sheng didn’t answer him. Yu Hao continued, “Take an umbrella! Zhou Sheng!”

At 6 o’clock in the morning, Zhou Sheng left the dormitory. Yu Hao sneezed again. He felt dizzy, and his head was beginning to ache. He wanted to send Zhou Sheng a message; he had already written a huge chunk of text, but he deleted it all. He eventually threw his phone aside and closed his eyes.

I’ll sleep a bit first ba, Yu Hao thought.

“Yu Hao?” Fu Liqun’s voice rang out beside his ear.

Yu Hao didn’t know how long he had slept for, and he was feeling groggy. Fu Liqun said, “How did you catch a cold??”

Yu Hao sat up. Fu Liqun was carrying a sports bag and hadn’t even put down his luggage yet. He shook Yu Hao awake and asked, “Do you want to have some porridge?”

Yu Hao got off the bed and looked a little pale. He asked, “What time is it?”

“It’s already 2 o’clock.” Fu Liqun answered, “2 o’clock in the afternoon.

The rain had stopped, and the dormitory was extremely stuffy. Fu Liqun didn’t dare to turn on the electric fan, and handed Yu Hao a sandwich.

Yu Hao felt like something was clattering in his head, and he was very hungry. Fu Liqun twisted the cap off of a bottle for him to drink and placed an assortment of snacks on the table.

“Eat this.” Fu Liqun said, “Your sis-in-law got this Shiroi Koibito for you.”

Yu Hao was extremely exhausted. Fu Liqun lowered his head to text and said, “Young Master said that there’s porridge in the rice cooker. Let’s have some porridge ba.”

“I’ll just eat this……” Yu Hao said, “My head hurts so bad, did Zhou Sheng come back?”

“He bought medicine.” Fu Liqun said, “And asked me to bring it over. I just met him at the college gate……yo there’s even salted duck eggs.”

“Don’t tell him I fell sick.” Yu Hao answered. When he saw the porridge Zhou Sheng made, he did want to eat it, and it was still piping hot too. It seemed like he had come back once in the morning to cook the porridge? Yu Hao really couldn’t resist the temptation to eat, so he went to get a bowl with Fu Liqun to eat porridge.

“Was Japan fun?”

Fu Liqun smiled, “I’ll show you the pictures tomorrow. Are you still going tomorrow?”

“I’ll go.” Yu Hao said, “I don’t have a fever. After I take a pill and sleep, I’ll be fine.”

Yu Hao has always had a very tenacious body; he could endure illnesses just by drinking some hot water. Still, since he had agreed to go to the amusement park with everyone tomorrow, he’ll have some medicine to be on the safe side ba.

“We’ll see and decide again tomorrow morning?” Fu Liqun said, “The tickets aren’t booked yet, and we’re worried that it might rain again tomorrow.” As he spoke, he tore the packaging of the cold medicine for Yu Hao to take. After Yu Hao took his medicine, he felt weak so he went back to his bed to lay down. He took his phone out and wanted to text Zhou Sheng to ask about his whereabouts, but he saw that Zhou Sheng had sent him a few voice messages to ask if he had eaten, and that he had asked Fu Liqun to take the medicine back. He had something to do outside today, so he would only be back in the evening and asked Yu Hao and Fu Liqun to wait for him to have dinner together.

Zhou Sheng was quick to anger and cool off; he had returned to normal within just a few hours. Yu Hao was about to reply to him when Ou Qihang’s message came.

【Are you free, Gege?】Ou Qihang sent a message to Yu Hao,【Our General Assembly just ended. Security isn’t that tight today, so I can still sneak out. I’ll go over later to find you?】

Yu Hao replied to him. He took out his Rubik’s cube, remembering that Zhou Sheng wanted him to return it to Ou Qihang, and thought that this guy always has such a strong desire for control. Hopefully it would improve after he got together with Huang Jingya ba; Zhou Sheng can’t always interfere with his affairs while he himself was dating?

Yu Hao arranged to meet up with Ou Qihang. Fu Liqun was watching a show and reminded him, “Wear more clothes, it’s cold outside.”

Yu Hao responded with an “un” and put on a jacket before going downstairs. Fu Liqun continued, “I’ll order a pizza for dinner tonight, I finally have money now hehehe.”

Yu Hao said, “Order a large one, Zhou Sheng’s coming back for dinner too.”

Ou Qihang had one foot on his bicycle as he looked around below the female dormitory buildings. Ou Qihang quickly looked back when Yu Hao called out to him. He wasn’t wearing his school uniform today and was instead wearing a printed white T-shirt and black shorts like Yu Hao.

“Why are you looking around below the female dorms?” Yu Hao found it amusing and threw the Rubik’s cube to him.

Ou Qihang caught the Rubik’s cube and was a little embarrassed, “I was looking for your dorm. What’s up? Why return this to me?”

“I just wanted to.” Yu Hao said, “There’s no ‘why’.”

Ou Qihang observed Yu Hao for awhile, and eventually nodded, “Oh.”

There seemed to be slight disappointment in his eyes, and Yu Hao felt a little guilty for some reason.

Ou Qihang put away the Rubik’s cube into his bag and asked, “Did you catch a cold? Your nose is stuffy.”

“A little.” Yu Hao said, “I still have something on tonight, so go back ba. Study hard, you’re in your third year, don’t always think about unimportant things.”

Ou Qihang said, “You’re overthinking it, you even think that I like you.” Then he suddenly laughed.

Yu Hao said, “It would be for the best if you don’t, I’m afraid I’d harm you.”

“Harm me in what way?” Ou Qihang shrugged and walked to one side. He surveyed the surroundings and chose a place outside the bamboo forest where there were less people around to sit at. He smirked, “Afraid that if I like you, I wouldn’t be able to focus on studying?”

Yu Hao didn’t know if he should cry or laugh, “It’s fine if you just had those hidden notions, why expose them? It’s so awkward.”

“I don’t feel awkward.” Ou Qihang smiled, “The one who has hidden notions is the one who’ll feel embarrassed.”

Yu Hao had taken cold medicine. He felt discomfort throughout his entire body, and he was in a bad mood, so even his words sounded a little impolite. He sat down beside Ou Qihang.

Ou Qihang said, “Do you have a boyfriend? Your boyfriend’s jealous? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t have a boyfriend.” Yu Hao said.

Ou Qihang said, “You don’t? There must be a lot of people who like you ba?”

The cold medicine made Yu Hao feel a bit muddle-headed. In a daze, he stared at the puddles that reflected the clouds in the sky.

“No.” Yu Hao shook his head, “Actually, I’m pretty lonely.” As he spoke, he looked sideways at Ou Qihang and said, “But everyone is destined to be alone from birth to death.”

“That’s what my Dad said too.” Ou Qihang answered.

Yu Hao wanted to return to the dormitory. He didn’t want to talk to Ou Qihang for too long. After all, he had just started his third year; his life still has many possibilities, so Yu Hao couldn’t hold him back. Even if Zhou Sheng hadn’t eaten this unfathomable vinegar, Yu Hao would still have made his attitude clear, just in case this kid really does like him. It would affect his third year studies if he kept sneaking out to find Yu Hao.

Yu Hao said once again, “What do you want to talk about with me? Go back after you say it ba.”

Ou Qihang said, “Just wanted to talk to you, we can talk about anything.”

Yu Hao said, “Do your parents know?”

“My Dad’s dead.” Ou Qihang said, “My Mum doesn’t know I’m gay. I don’t dare tell her, I’m afraid she’ll collapse.

When Yu Hao saw Ou Qihang bravely step forward to stop that old man on the subway yesterday, he had already thought that this kid must have been brought up well, and that his parents must both be honest people. He didn’t expect Ou Qihang to say something like this unbidden.

Yu Hao didn’t know how to comfort him for a moment, and could only say, “My Dad passed away too, when I was very young.”

“Was your Dad a cop?” A bright idea suddenly struck Yu Hao. He vaguely guessed based on his impressions, but his conjecture was quickly proven to be wrong.

“No, my Dad jumped off a building last winter and killed himself.” Ou Qihang smiled, “He was being investigated by the CCDI.”

Yu Hao fell silent for a while, then nodded at Ou Qihang.

“This topic is too heavy.” Ou Qihang was a little embarrassed, “Let’s not talk about that. I’m not trying to pretend to be pitiful so that you’ll like me more.”

“No, no.” Yu Hao quickly said, “I never thought that way at all.”

Ou Qihang said, “I feel like I need some psychological counselling.”

Yu Hao said, “I don’t have a license, so I can’t be your counsellor. Qihang, do you feel like you’re under a lot of pressure?”

Yu Hao vaguely felt that what Ou Qihang needed wasn’t a relationship with him, but someone he could pour his heart out to. Someone who had nothing to do with his social circle, was neither a teacher nor a classmate, and not a relative or friend. He needed a stranger who knew nothing about him and wouldn’t be too concerned about him, but would be willing to lend him a listening ear.

It was just like when he was in his third year of senior high. He really wanted to make a friend outside of school, a person whom he could bombard with all the troubles he faced in his life. There must be a reason why his father was investigated by the CCDI, and there must have been a reason for his suicide……not too long ago, Yu Hao saw a report on how officials jumped off buildings to commit suicide because they were “suffering from depression” while he was translating articles.

The reality was that most of the officials investigated didn't suffer from depression, or at least not to the extent that they would want to commit suicide. Their suicides were really because there were too many implications behind the investigation; officials protected one another, and their network of power was extremely extensive. As soon as they couldn’t endure the investigation, they would have to sell out even more people. Many offending officials thought that compared to having all these links get ferreted out one by one, it was better to commit suicide and just end everything once and for all. In this way, their wives and children would at least be properly cared for.

Yu Hao turned around and sat with one foot on the side of the bench, facing Ou Qihang.

“But if you have anything you want to say, you can say it to me.” Yu Hao said, “I promise I won’t tell anyone else.”

“What’s there to say?” Ou Qihang smiled, his eyes glimmering. He lowered his head and took out a pack of cigarettes, then asked, “Do you smoke?”

Yu Hao waved his hand. Ou Qihang lit one. He wanted to say something, but held himself back, and in the end, he changed his mind.

“I’d better go back ba.” Ou Qihang said.

Yu Hao frowned slightly, but he didn’t urge him to stay and said, “Okay then. Qihang, I have a friend — who’s also a teacher — who said this to me.”

Ou Qihang’s eyebrows raised slightly.

“The world is much bigger than you think. Once you leave college and enter society, I believe that you’ll meet someone who likes you, who you will also like in return. This path is very difficult, but it’s not as difficult as you imagine it to be. The important thing is, you definitely shouldn’t torture yourself.” Yu Hao said, “Finish your third year, and your world will see the light.”

Ou Qihang fell silent. Just as he was about to speak, a voice rang out beside him.

“Handsome boy over there, lend me a light?”

Yu Hao, “……”

Zhou Sheng had a cigarette in his mouth. No one knew when he had returned. There were band aids on his right index and middle fingers.

Ou Qihang took out a lighter, lit it, and raised his hand in front of Zhou Sheng. Zhou Sheng casually patted him, “Thanks.” He then turned around and sat on the other bench beside them.

Yu Hao was about to introduce Zhou Sheng to Ou Qihang when Ou Qihang glanced warily at the nearby Zhou Sheng and said, “I’m leaving.”

Yu Hao got up, “I’ll send you out.”

Yet Ou Qihang waved his hand at Yu Hao. He mounted his bike that was parked on the roadside and cycled away.

“I’ll remember you! Yu Hao!” Ou Qihang looked back and shouted at Yu Hao.

“Watch out!" Zhou Sheng leaned back on the bench, draped his arms on the back of the bench and put one foot over his other knee as he said, “Don’t run into someone!”

Yu Hao, “……”

Zhou Sheng turned his head to the side and smiled at Yu Hao.

“What do you want to eat tonight?” Zhou Sheng asked.

“In a good mood now?” Yu Hao said.

Zhou Sheng pinched the cigarette between his fingers and carefully studied Yu Hao, “Why do I feel like I’ve seen that kid somewhere before?”

Yu Hao observed Zhou Sheng and didn’t say anything.

“I think I hurt him.” Yu Hao said, “I’m a little upset, Zhou Sheng.”

Zhou Sheng didn’t say anything. The look in his eyes was familiar to Yu Hao; his gaze seemed slightly hesitant, but Yu Hao had never really been able to understand Zhou Sheng’s expressions. The two of them looked at each other in silence for a moment, before a shout suddenly travelled over from the dormitory above.

“Zhou Sheng! Your girlfriend’s here to look for you!’

Yu Hao, “……”

Zhou Sheng, “………………”

The voice came from the sixth floor, from Zhou Sheng’s class. That shout had triggered a small-scale disturbance. Zhou Sheng looked bewildered, then comprehension suddenly dawned upon him. He got up in annoyance and walked quickly to the courtyard in front of the dormitory building.

Yu Hao frowned slightly as he followed Zhou Sheng. When they reached the roadside in front of the dormitory building, they saw two girls who were chatting and laughing as they waited for someone. Zhou Sheng shouted, “Huang Jingya!”

“I was searching for your dorm.” That girl turned around, and her eyes lit up as she smiled.

Yu Hao stood waiting for Zhou Sheng to introduce them, but Zhou Sheng didn’t motion for to say hello and just went straight up to ask, “Why did you come all the way to my college? How do you know I live here?”

Huang Jingya smiled, “I was just passing by. Your Dad said that you stayed in this building, and I ended up looking for you for half a day.”

The girl standing beside Huang Jingya was tall, slim with shoulder-length hair and was extremely beautiful. She was smiling, but her gaze seemed extremely sharp as she cast a glance at Yu Hao. She was different from Jingya. The tall girl was very beautiful and aggressive, and she was carrying a paper bag of desserts.

“Go back first.” Zhou Sheng said to Yu Hao.

Yu Hao turned around and went upstairs. There were a lot of guys upstairs who had so much free time that mushrooms were beginning to grow on them. About 70% of students had returned to school today and were all restless in the first place; coupled with how Zhou Sheng was an influential figure here and had managed to find such a beautiful girlfriend, how could they resist cheering and causing a ruckus? Half of the dormitory immediately rushed out and leaned over the railings to look downstairs while whistling and knocking Coke bottles.

Yu Hao went up to the fifth floor. The boys in front of the building were lined up in a row as they looked down, with Xia Lei at the front. The rest were mostly classmates with Zhou Sheng and Fu Liqun, but this group was unusually quiet. They only whispered a few comments to one another as they curiously looked on.

“This is the real Young Madam?” A classmate was a bit confused.

Xia Lei saw Yu Hao and whistled to him.

Yu Hao joined them and leaned over the railing. He saw Zhou Sheng say a few words to those two girls before turning around and leading them out of the dormitory area, walking along the outside lane.

Yu Hao smiled, “That’s the Young Madam.”

At that moment, everyone laughed. Fu Liqun had just gone down to pick up the pizza and stood behind Yu Hao to watch for awhile.

Another said, “The other is Bei Xiaozhou ba? It’s her!”

“She’s so much better looking than in her stream!”

“Woah fuck, we actually saw her in person!”

“Who?” Yu Hao wondered, “Who’s Bei Xiaozhou?”

“A popular star online who has more than 2 million fans.” Fu Liqun answered.

“A female goddess!”

“Ask Young Master to introduce us……”

“Yu Hao.” Fu Liqun said, “Pizza’s here, let’s go back ba.”

Zhou Sheng and the two girls disappeared from the public’s sight. Yu Hao followed Fu Liqun back to the dormitory, and strangely enough, he was neither upset nor angry right now. What replaced it was instead an unusual calmness. It was as if a surging undercurrent had silently receded, leaving behind a lonely reef that stood upright between the heavens and the earth, right where it should be.

“I need to take some medication.” Yu Hao said, “My head’s starting to hurt again.”

Yu Hao ate two slices of pizza, took his medication, and went to sleep. Fu Liqun said, “Maybe it's better you don't go tomorrow ba?”

Yu Hao didn’t respond. He turned around and lay quietly facing the wall. He could sense that the girl definitely likes Zhou Sheng; he could tell from her eyes and suddenly without reason, he once again recalled what the shop assistant had said to him at the beginning of the year when he was working as a barista. Eyes really are the window to one’s soul. When he saw Zhou Sheng, his gaze, expression, and smile would all light up at once, as if he was watching sunlight illuminate the whole world.

Ai……

Yu Hao felt dizzy and didn’t know how long he lay there before he heard someone walk past outside. That person turned on the tap and sang loudly. Fu Liqun was on the phone with Cen Shan, while their neighbours opposite were playing games and shouting unbridledly……just like what someone had said before, happiness in this world isn’t interlinked, and Yu Hao could only feel that they were being overly noisy.

After some time passed, Yu Hao began to sweat. Through his muddled consciousness, he thought it would be alright tomorrow after he took a nap, but he shouldn’t sit on the roller coaster too often because he might puke……

“You’re back?” Fu Liqun’s voice rang out.

Zhou Sheng replied, “Sent them away, annoying. Why’s he asleep again? Does he feel better?”

Yu Hao didn’t want to move and didn’t want to talk either. He felt Zhou Sheng climb up the ladder and test his forehead temperature with the back of his slightly cool hand to make sure that he didn’t have a fever.

“Wanna eat the cake? They brought it.”

“Food handed out in contemptuous pity, give it to the dorm opposite ba.”

“You’re really something aren’t you? You can stomach all of Kaikai’s cakes, but you won’t eat the ones from girls?”

“I was about to starve to death those few months, did I have any other choice?”

“……”

“Have you eaten yet? Here, pizza.”

Yu Hao heard Zhou Sheng open the pizza box and a bottle of coke. There was still a lot of shouting outside, as well as someone’s off-tune singing. Zhou Sheng opened the door and went out, then knocked on all the doors of the surrounding dormitories before it turned quiet.

Thank goodness. Yu Hao finally felt a little better.

“Did you buy the tickets for tomorrow?”

“Yep.”

“Huang Jingya said that she wants to go too.”

“Oh, why? Yu Hao’s not going.”

“I didn’t say that.” Yu Hao turned over.

Zhou Sheng suddenly became motionless. He looked up at Yu Hao and asked after a moment, “Does your head still hurt? Are you cold?’

Yu Hao remained silent. Zhou Sheng said, “I got you this.” He tore open a Hello Kitty heating pad as he spoke and handed it to Yu Hao. Yu Hao looked at it; it was something that girls used, he didn’t need to think deeply to know where it came from. He didn’t take it and threw it down, where it smashed onto Fu Liqun’s head with a “pa”. Fu Liqun was caught off guard and immediately shouted.

“Assassin! Assassin! Guards! Someone’s trying to murder Zhen!”

Zhou Sheng was wearing long-sleeved sportswear and had his hands in his pockets. He stood quietly on the ground and looked up at Yu Hao.

“Then sleep a little longer ba.” Zhou Sheng said, “Being sick feels uncomfortable, right?”

Yu Hao ignored him. Zhou Sheng continued, “Call me whenever if you feel uncomfortable later. I won’t go anywhere tonight.”

Yu Hao turned to the side, curled up under his blanket and closed his eyes. Zhou Sheng walked below his bunk and pulled the desk drawer open. The Golden Crow Wheel was inside. After he pondered for a moment, he didn’t take it out in the end and instead locked the drawer.

Translator's Note:

Juurensha: YOU’RE THE TRUE YOUNG MISTRESS HAOHAO

Ame: /Throws the heating pad at Zhou Sheng’s face

Share