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Chapter 14: Let’s go
The other three sat in a row, with only Li Erqin remaining where she was, eating her marshmallow candy and looking vaguely towards the sky.
A cool breeze continued to gently blow, ruffling their hair and brushing their cheeks. Peng Zige closed his eyes, completely relaxed and about to doze off. Upon hearing a harried rustling sound coming from Li Erqin’s direction, he opened one eye to look at her.
He saw Li Erqin get up and walk to the side of the roof, both hands draped over the railing and silently observing the people below. He sat up where he was.
Rong Si, sensing some movement, also sat upright. He followed Peng Zige’s line of sight to Li Erqin and furrowed his brow apprehensively.
Li Erqin suddenly stretched out her right hand, her palm lifted towards the sky, and in a loud voice shouted: “LOVE LIFE!”
Peng Zige and Rong Si were utterly stunned by her action. Su Zi was so surprised that she bolted upright and looked over.
Li Erqin rapidly ducked down, bent her waist and walked back to where she was. It was then that she noticed the slack-jawed reactions on Rong Si’s and Peng Zige’s faces as they looked at her.
(Minodayz: ohhhh myyyy… I could just picture their faces!)
Her face turned bright red as she apologetically smiled,  “Ummm… I did yell a tad loud. The people below all turned their heads up to look.”
Peng Zige still had his mouth open when he uttered, “What were you trying to do?”
Li Erqin curled her lips and didn’t reply. Turning her head, she noticed the baffled (puzzled) look in Rong Si’s eyes, and rather awkwardly took a sip of her soda before explaining, “The people below looked like they were just moving around aimlessly.”
Rong Si stood up and dusted himself off. “Let’s get going.”
Li Erqin looked at him questioningly.
“The rooftop area is restricted.” Rong Si replied simply, “I believe shortly, a teacher will be up here to check.”
Li Erqin didn’t have to ask anymore. Obediently, she kept quiet, began to pack up her things and followed Rong Si down the stairs.
“Peng Zige.”
Su Zi called out to Peng Zige as he was getting ready to head down the stairs.
“What’s the matter?”
She smiled as a gust of wind blew her long hair over her face. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said, “I like Rong Si. Do you think anything will come out of it?”
Since Peng Zige never raised any objections and Rong Si was indifferent, Li Erqin’s enthusiastic welcome of Su Zi meant that Su Zi was soon a part of Li Erqin’s little trio. They had even taken to helping Su Zi with her classroom duties and would stay to help her complete her chores. Rong Si and Su Zi would finish tidying up the classroom while Li Erqin and Peng Zige would go downstairs to empty the trash.  Even at the basketball court, Su Zi was soon frequently seen standing alongside Li Erqin. And every time Rong Si and Peng Zige took a break, it can be noted that Su Zi would always pass Rong Si a cold drink while Li Erqin, on the other hand, would toss Peng Zige his drink from afar.
Handsome boys naturally pair with beauties, if only Li Erqin weren’t there.
This was what everyone was saying.
That afternoon as Li Erqin was exiting the Broadcasting classroom, she happened to overhear this opinion voiced.
She was holding a bunch of keys and preparing to lock up, but upon hearing this comment, she pocketed the keys, opened the door and walked back in.
Half an hour into the afternoon study class, Li Erqin was still not back. Peng Zige was biting his nails and feeling vaguely anxious as he kept raising his head towards Li Erqin’s empty seat. The teacher in charge had come by several times to ask about Li Erqin, and Peng Zige and Su Zi gave various excuses for her absence, but they were not very convincing.  Finally, Su Zi blushingly said that Li Erqin was undergoing a ‘special period’ and had to go back to the hostel to get changed.
Even when Rong Si had completed his patrol duty rounds, Li Erqin’s desk was still empty.  He paused a moment and then turned to ask, “Where is Li Erqin?”
“Don’t know.” Peng Zige lifted his head to reply. “Today was her turn at broadcasting so she left just after lunch.”
Peng Zige continued, “Hey, you think she’s okay?”
Rong Si absentmindedly played with his pen and didn’t reply.
Seeing that Rong Si was ignoring him, he was about to ask again when a song suddenly blasted from the PA system.
A shell-shocked Peng Zige asked, “What’s going on?” After listening for a bit, he then asked, “What is this song?”
Su Zi turned back saying, “Air Raid Shelter.”
(Check out the song in the link~ It’s sung by Penny 戴佩妮)
“You don’t think Li Erqin put this on, right?” he asked rather dumbly.
“Probably,” Su Zi shrugged, “Only she would do something like that.”
Peng Zige, for no rhyme or reason, felt somewhat proud of this fact. He gave a smile and then returned to his assignment. “This song is rather nice.”
Then, the music abruptly stopped.
“Ha ha!” Peng Zige stuck his tongue out. “I bet she’s just been caught!”
Without a word, Rong Si stood up and walked out of the classroom.
Rong Si was walking along the long corridors leading toward the broadcasting club when he spotted Li Erqin at the end of the hallway. She was dressed in an oversized sweater and her head was down as she suffered the reprimands of the dean of the year Mr. Qian.
Without any expression, Rong Si walked up and respectfully said, “Mr. Qian, our form teacher Mr. Jiang asked me to look for Li Erqin.”
Fortunately, Mr. Qian was just about done with his scolding. When he saw that Rong Si was there, he arched his brows and said, “Rong Si, take her back to class. How in the world could you make this kind of mistake! Don’t even think about trying this again!”
“OK,” Li Erqin obediently replied.
It was only after Mr. Qian had walked away that Li Erqin lifted her head to look at Rong Si. Her eyes were clear and open as she asked, “Why was Mr. Jiang looking for me?”
Rong Si silently looked at Li Erqin and then reached out a hand and pulled her into the broadcasting room.
“What’s the matter?” Li Erqin continued to ask.
“What’s the matter with you?” Rong Si countered.
Li Erqin closed her mouth and did not say anything.
Rong Si waited awhile for her reply, and when none was forthcoming, he stood up and walked to the door. “Let’s go then.”
Li Erqin stood up to follow him out, but a tad concerned, she asked again, “What did Mr. Jiang want with me?”
“He wasn’t looking for you.”
“Oh.” She trailed behind him out of the studio and then remembered to turn back and lock the door.  After some thought, she spoke to his back, “It was you who came looking for me.”
Rong Si turned around to look at her.
She stood where she was and just as coolly looked back at Rong Si.
(Minodayz: ooooo…. RS my knight)
The two walked back to class, one in front and one behind, just as they did before. Peng Zige was already so used to seeing them like this that he didn’t even bother to comment anymore.  Rather, he had a more pressing question to ask, “Oi! Erqin, why didn’t you come to the afternoon study class?”
Li Erqin took her history worksheet out from her drawer. Without looking back, she replied, “I overslept.”
Hearing her answer, Peng Zige broke out in laughter.
“What’s so funny about that? You’re so loud!” harrumphed Su Zi.
Peng Zige held back his laughter as he glared at her, “You know nothing, like a fluff ball of wool.”
“Yah, only you know everything!”
Peng Zige guffawed, not wanting to get into it with a mere girl. Turning back to Rong Si, he quietly enquired, “What’s up with Li Erqin?”
Rong Si totally ignored him.
“Ah Si?”
Rong Si put his earphones on, shutting him out.
“AH SI!” Demanding an answer, Peng Zige elbowed Rong Si.
Finally Rong Si took out his earphones and gave Peng Zige a cold look, “Just shut it.”
Peng Zige was so taken aback by the dark expression on Rong Si’s face that he literally froze for three seconds. He then looked suspiciously at Li Erqin who was still steadfastly looking forward and turned back again to Rong Si and his headphones, listening to who knows what. He was hit with a sudden realization.
Something was definitely up with these two.
This growing sense of unease only increased after the last class bell rang. The second the bell sounded, Li Erqin turned to Su Zi, said, “I have something to do this evening so I’ll be off first,” and then scurried out of the classroom. It all happened so quickly that by the time Peng Zige could react to her departure, her shadow had already disappeared around the corner. Peng Zige turned to Rong Si and innocently asked, “Ah Si…”
Rong Si silently tidied his desk as if nothing had happened and then stood up: “Let’s go.”
“But Erqin….”
Rong Si ignored him and continued to head out the classroom.  Peng Zige and Su Zi were left with no choice but to follow.
The three walked along silently towards the cafeteria when Peng Zige finally plucked up the courage to ask, “Ah Si, did you and Erqin get into a fight?”
“Nope.”
“Then why are you both acting so strange?”
Rong Si calmly looked forward and, in his usual manner, replied, “You’re too sensitive.”
“But….”
Rong Si interrupted him saying, “Maybe she really had something to do.”
Peng Zige shut his trap, exchanged a look with Su Zi, and then decided to be pensive and silent.
After dinner,  Peng Zige dragged Rong Si to go get some drinks.  After much hemming and hawing, he finally pulled Rong Si to a stop. “Ah Si,  there is definitely something going on between you and Li Erqin .  Can’t you just tell me? You know how I worry.”
Rong Si silently observed him for awhile and then very matter of factly stated, “There is nothing going on between Li Erqin and me.”
“Then why are you both acting so strangely? This evening, Li Erqin was obviously avoiding us.”
“That’s her problem”
Peng Zige could not believe Rong Si would say such a thing and immediately took offense. “We are her friends! It’s natural for us to be concerned about her!”
“What if she doesn’t want us to be concerned about her, then what?” Rong Si countered.
This response was beyond Peng Zige’s wildest imagination. He was too astonished to react and stood rooted in his spot, completely flabbergasted.
Rong Si just kept walking on.
“But,” Peng Zige grabbed hold of him once more, “Why wouldn’t Erqin want us to be concerned about her? In this school, there’s no one else who’s as close to her as we are.”
“She just doesn’t.”
Rong Si spoke in a calm, still voice. This wasn’t a counter question this time but rather a simple statement.
That evening, Li Erqin was not at the night remedial class.  She had probably taken leave from the teacher as the teacher did not seem to find her absence remiss and did not ask about it.
Rong Si as per usual departed for his patrol duty.
A lone Peng Zige sat at the last row by the window. He felt a gust of the cool evening breeze and shivered a little as goosebumps popped up over his body.
Just then, Su Zi turned back to ask him a homework question. They both bent their heads together over the assignment as they worked out the problem.
Their soft spoken discussion attracted the attention of the teacher at the front podium. However seeing that it was Peng Zige and Su Zi, he didn’t show much concern and carried on marking his books.  When studious, “good” students talked amongst themselves, teachers always adopted a more lenient and understanding attitude.  Good students don’t make silly mistakes during remedial class like engaging in frivolous chitchat.
Finally, saying her thanks, Su Zi turned back to her desk.
With that, the classroom seemed to be devoid of any susurrations. There was just the sound of pens scribbling on paper or the occasional turning of textbook pages.
Since the start of class, Peng Zige had been holding onto a piece of paper in his left hand under his desk.  He had held it so tightly that it felt as if the paper was piercing into his palm and causing him physical pain.  Taking the piece of paper out and putting it on his desk, he opened it slowly. The paper was a bit damp.  There, written on the page, was [Erqin, what’s up with you?]
Just those five simple words and Peng Zige had gripped the note so tightly that his palm was all sweaty.
As Peng Zige was staring blankly at the note, the chair beside him was drawn back, and the refreshing scent of body wash wafted over as a freshly showered Rong Si took his seat.
Upon sitting down, he spied the opened note on the desk top. He momentarily paused for a split second before opening his workbook and starting to write.
“Ah Si.” Peng Zige called out in a small voice.
Rong Si turned to him.
“Do you even care? Aren’t you even bothered by it?”
Rong Si looked back not comprehending.
“Something’s going on with Li Erqin, and from the beginning, you don’t even seem to care,” said a belligerent Peng Zige. “What are friends to you?  You don’t reject people when they want to be friends, but neither do you make an effort to keep them when they leave. It’s like you don’t care one way or the other if they come or go.”
Rong Si continued to work on his assignment. “Yup.”
Faced with this cold, remote answer, Peng Zige’s whole demeanor stiffened.  From this afternoon when Li Erqin studiously avoided them to Rong Si’s constant insufferable indifference, it had become glaringly obvious that he was the only one who was worried and concerned.  All his worry soon turned into anger as he yelled out, “Is this what you call being a friend!”
His sudden outburst took the whole class by surprise and even scared a ‘mousy’ female student so much that she dropped her pen mid-writing. Everyone turned to look at the perpetrator.
An angry Peng Zige stood up and tipped over his own chair as he stomped out the back door of the class.
(Minodayz: awwww dear PZG a what a friend )
The completely baffled teacher had no idea how to respond, and Peng Zige had already left a long time before he daftly enquired of Rong Si, “What was that about?”
However, Rong Si continued to write furiously in his assignment book and chose not to reply.
As such, the teacher did not pursue the issue either.
Translated : Minodayz
TLCed by Tranzgeek
Edited: Yun, maripaz