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Qin Zhongyue, “….That’s it?”
Zhong Yiming nodded, “That’s it.”Qin Zhongyue, “Then why did you cry?”Zhong Yiming insisted, “I didn’t cry. The wind was too strong and it made my eyes turn red.”“Oh.” Qin Zhongyue paused for a moment and then suddenly reacted. He looked at Xie Zhongxing, “You’re going travelling with Zhong Yiming? Just the two of you???”Xie Zhongxing’s eyes moved back from Mona Lisa’s painting, stopping on Qin Zhongyue, “Not just the two of us, it’s a group tour with a few other people.”Qin Zhongyue, “I’m going too! I want to go too!”Xie Zhongxing, “You need to go home. It might not be possible.”Qin Zhongyue’s expression was solemn, “My dad hasn’t called me so it’s not time for me to go home.”He added, “Since he’s so busy, he probably doesn’t even know that my exams are over. Similarly, even if I spend my summer break here and start attending university, he might still think I haven’t taken the college entrance examination yet.”Xie Zhongxing, “…….”Was Qin Zhongyue’s father really this unreliable??Xie Zhongxing blinked a few times, “And you haven’t been reporting to him the situation with your exams?”Qin Zhongyue said, “Don’t want to. He’ll tell me to go home.”Xie Zhongxing pursed his lips and stopped talking.If possible, he actually also didn’t want Qin Zhongyue to go back.Qin Zhongyue said, “So I’m going too!”Xie Zhongxing looked at the Mona Lisa painting again and said quietly, “Okay.”Qin Zhongyue was in a good mood again. He said, “Let’s go. While you two were chatting, everyone has arrived.”Xie Zhongxing looked at the sunny smile on his face and couldn’t help but blink a few times.Zhong Yiming looked at Xie Zhongxing and then at Qin Zhongyue. He could clearly see Xie Zhongxing's special attitude towards Qin Zhongyue.
As long as they were together, this kind of atmosphere they had was one that no one could interrupt.What straight? He probably just hadn’t met the right person yet.Zhong Yiming lowered his eyes in disappointment. Hearing Qin Zhongyue’s hearty voice echo in his ears, he laughed helplessly.Back in his seat, Xie Zhongxing took a few sips from his glass. His eyes stopped on Qin Zhongyue.Qin Zhongyue noticed his gaze and looked back at him innocently, “Do you want some pig ear?”Xie Zhongxing nodded. Qin Zhongyue passed him a pair of chopsticks, “It’s quite spicy. If your stomach condition hasn't improved, you will definitely have an upset stomach after this.”As soon as he finished saying that, a male classmate came over to grab Qin Zhongyue, “Hey study tyrant, hurry and give a toast to the teacher!”Someone dared to call out to Xie Zhongxing, “Xie Zhongxing, you come too. Teacher Wang just asked if you were here. The teacher won’t be able to see you with you sitting all the way back here!”In fact, Xie Zhongxing had good grades and good looks so many of his classmates wanted to get close to him. He however didn’t speak much and always seemed out of reach. Even if someone was brave enough to go up to talk to him, Xie Zhongxing would respond indifferently, with very little expression, eventually resulting in others no longer daring to talk to him.But over the past two months, Xie Zhongxing had changed a lot. When they saw him smile gently and softly, they were in shock. This helped break his originally cold and unreachable image, allowing more people to have the courage to talk to him.Xie Zhongxing and Qin Zhongyue both stood up and picked up their glasses that contained milk.A male classmate exclaimed, “How could you use milk for that? Xie Zhongxing, you’re over eighteen right? You should have alcohol!”As he said that, he picked up a clean glass and filled it with alcohol, “Here, have this.”Qin Zhongyue, “He cannot drink.”Xie Zhongxing however tugged his arm and received the glass of wine, “I’m in a good mood today. Drinking a little is fine.”The male classmate immediately applauded, “That’s right, it’s a day for celebration! What’s wrong with drinking a little? You have to enjoy yourself! Qin Zhongyue, you should know this too.”Qin Zhongyue who heard this looked at Xie Zhongxing, “Then don’t drink too much. Don’t get drunk.”Xie Zhongxing looked up at him. Perhaps it was because the lights in the room were very bright, his dark eyes seemed to be filled with brilliance. He looked at Qin Zhongyue and his full and rosy lips formed a gorgeous arc, “Even if I’m drunk, don’t I have you? You can take me home when the time comes.”
Qin Zhongyue didn’t know why but when he saw Xie Zhongxing like this, his heart started racing, his mouth turned dry and his finger joints felt itchy, “…..Y-yeah. With me here, I can take you back when the time comes.”Xie Zhongxing moved his eyes away. “Then that’s fine.”Qin Zhongyue’s head was still roaring. He couldn’t help but slump back into his chair and cover his chest.Fuck.“Qin Zhongyue, why are you sitting back down? Go and toast!” The male classmate shouted again.Qin Zhongyue raised his head, his eyes meeting Xie Zhongxing’s.He rubbed his face, shot up, and followed Xie Zhongxing with a glass.Seeing them come over, Wang Yuxue also got up. She smiled and said to Xie Zhongxing, “Xie Zhongxing, if you can’t drink, just use water. You don’t have to worry about it.”“Teacher Wang, you can’t do this. Why can Xie Zhongxing have water while the rest of us are drinking?”“How could it be the same? Xie Zhongxing is someone who will definitely come first in the province. He’s our teacher’s prized treasure. Unfortunately for us, we’re just little cabbages in comparison to him.”Wang Yuxue scolded, “Nonsense, you are all my treasures no matter how you performed in the exam. Xie Zhongxing however is different from you all. Teacher Hao said his health is poor and cannot drink.”Teacher Hao was their physical education teacher. Xie Zhongxing had fainted several times during class and he was the one who sent him to the infirmary.Xie Zhongxing spoke up, “It’s okay. Today is a day for celebration. I can drink a little.”After saying that, he clinked his glass against Wang Yuxue’s and said earnestly, “Thank you for your care over the past three years. I will repay your kindness with the best grades I can achieve.”He didn’t say much and he also didn’t say anything moving but the gratitude he felt towards Wang Yuxue wasn’t lessened a single bit because of this.Wang Yuxue also knew that he had reached his limits in expressing himself. She smiled, patted his shoulder and tiptoed slightly to whisper in his ear, “To be honest, your teacher is already 37 this year. With no plans to marry and have children, your teacher thought of you as her own child. As long as you are willing, you can come to me.”This wish of hers had been conveyed to Xie Zhongxing more than once. Last winter, she had even knitted a pair of woollen slippers and a scarf for Xie Zhongxing.Xie Zhongxing had definitely considered it at one point in time but, worried about it affecting his teacher’s reputation, he didn’t accept her offer.
Even now, he still had the same attitude, so he once again declined her offer.Wang Yuxue wasn’t disappointed. She patted his back and said with a smile, “I wish you great success.”Xie Zhongxing nodded. The classmates around them also gave him their congratulations in advance, giving toast after toast. Xie Zhongxing was soon sprawled across the table with a flushed face.Wang Yuxue, “Alright, enough. Stop making him drink. You’re all still students.”No one dared to get Qin Zhongyue to drink so he didn’t have a single drop of alcohol. This was even despite the fact that he had a chauffeur here to take him home.He looked at Xie Zhongxing who was sprawled across the table and said loudly to Wang Yuxue, “Teacher, Xie Zhongxing is drunk. I’ll take him home!”Wang Yuxue asked, “Do you have a ride? If not, take a taxi.”A classmate laughed, “Teacher, weren’t you aware that he has a car? It’s even a luxury car with a chauffeur. Don’t worry about him.”Wang Yuxue was still worried. She called out, “Then get them to drive slower or he might vomit in the car.”Qin Zhongyue picked Xie Zhongxing up and said to Wang Yuxue, “I know.”After leaving the hotel, Qin Zhongyue helped Xie Zhongxing into the car and then sat down too.He looked at Xie Zhongxin’s flushed face and whispered, “I told you not to drink too much but look at you. Can you feel it now?”He leaned over to help him fasten his seat belt and continued, “And you drank all those strong ones. You’ll have a headache tomorrow.”Xie Zhongxing opened his eyes, “I’m not drunk.”Qin Zhongyue was surprised. He leaned closer to take a better look, “Your alcohol tolerance is that good?”Xie Zhongxing quietly looked back at him and didn’t speak.Qin Zhongyue continued, “How do you feel? Do you feel like vomiting?”He called out to Uncle Liao and asked him to pass him a plastic bag from the front. He opened the bag and held it in front of Xie Zhongxing, “I’ll hold it for you. If you need to vomit, you can vomit here.”He immediately added, “Vomiting in the car is okay too. You can vomit wherever you want.”Xie Zhongxing closed his eyes and said, “I don’t feel sick.”
Qin Zhongyue said, “Then I’ll get Uncle Liao to drive more steadily. Don’t you get motion sickness?”Xie Zhongxing let out a small ‘en’. Qin Zhongyue said to the chauffeur, “Uncle Liao, please drive stably. Our Xing Xing drank a little too much.”Uncle Liao made a sound of understanding.Qin Zhongyue continued to ensure that the bag was ready but even until they got home, Xie Zhongxing didn’t vomit.Seeing that he was struggling with the seat belt, Qin Zhongyue hurriedly helped him.He was very busy. He had to help Xie Zhongxing into the house, go to the kitchen to pour him a glass of water and also get the aunty to make him some sobering soup. He was hurrying about like a wife taking care of her husband.Qin Zhongyue himself wasn’t aware of it yet. He brought over a cold towel and used it to wipe away the sweat on Xie Zhongxing’s forehead. After doing so, he felt that Xie Zhongxing’s face didn’t seem as red as before.Qin Zhongyue placed down the towel and stared intently at Xie Zhongxing’s face.When Xie Zhongxing’s fair skin was flushed red, it made that beautiful face of his immediately become more vivid.The red lips under his tall nose looked more rosy and full than usual, like a ripe cherry waiting for him to taste it.The more Qin Zhongyue looked at him, the redder his eyes became. He couldn’t help but slowly lower his head.Xie Zhongxing’s feather-like eyelashes trembled slightly and he gently opened his eyes. He saw Qin Zhongyue slowly moving closer and his eyes appeared to be fixed on….his lips?Xie Zhongxing’s fingers couldn’t help but sink into the sofa. He didn’t know what kind of emotions were surging inside him but his heart raced and the alcohol made his head dizzy.He closed his eyes and pretended to have never opened his eyes but even after a long time passed, nothing happened.Xie Zhongxing slowly opened his eyes and saw Qin Zhongyue sitting on the side with a serious expression.Qin Zhongyue noticed Xie Zhongxing’s gaze. He turned and saw Xie Zhongxing looking at him and appeared to realise something.He then held up the bin next to him and asked expectantly, “You finally feel like throwing up?”Xie Zhongxing, “……..”