Chapter 10: Shine the Light for Me
Chi Wu was very busy. Even when eating or drinking, people constantly interrupted to ask this and that. Yet, his peripheral vision kept sweeping over his phone.
At first, everyone thought he was afraid of missing a call from his mentor, until today, when they saw his relaxed brow, someone finally had an epiphany.
“Does student Chi Wu have a partner?”
Chi Wu’s understanding of the word “partner” was a bit thin. Thinking about how Zhang Chulan had always been by his side, he nodded.
“I do.”
“No wonder.” The high-ponytailed leading teacher, Xia Yumian, continued to tease.
“Your mood has been so low these past few days, I thought you were worried about the competition results. So, you had a fight?”
Actually, the trip was supposed to be seven days, but the results were basically out. Thanks to Chi Wu, they had secured first place.
“I guess you could call it a fight,” Chi Wu said, remembering Zhang Chulan’s questioning before he left.
“Oh my, I think I know why your partner is angry.” Xia Yumian felt that having such a partner would be quite suffocating.
Although Chi Wu’s face could make one overlook a lot, wasn’t romance in student days all about emotional value?
The phone screen on the table lit up again. Xia Yumian inadvertently saw the message and laughed.
“It’s your classmate’s birthday? Eh… why don’t you go back now? It’s only a three-hour flight anyway. You know how kids make a fuss on their birthdays. You have time.”
As if remembering something, Xia Yumian offered sincere advice from the perspective of someone experienced.
“Use this as an excuse to communicate properly and resolve the issue. Say what needs to be said, argue if you must, make a scene if you have to. Don’t let emotions stay bottled up, or they’ll snowball into something bigger.”
Chi Wu swallowed the “not a partner” explanation he wanted to give when he saw the lonely expression on Xia Yumian’s face.
It was only then that he realized what the other party meant by “partner.”
He hummed an “Mn” and said, “Thank you, Teacher. I’m leaving then.”
“Ei, small matter.” Xia Yumian waved her hand, watching Chi Wu’s rapidly retreating back and sighing.
“Young people.”
Chi Wu bought a plane ticket. Luckily, it was a weekday, not a weekend, so there were seats left.
Only while rushing to the airport did he remember he hadn’t had time to pick a gift for Zhang Chulan.
Thinking about the nagging he’d get if he returned empty-handed, Chi Wu wandered around the airport in a dilemma.
When he returned to the waiting area, he held a lop-eared rabbit plushie in his hand. It looked droopy-eyed and unhappy, but it felt comfortable to the touch.
…
Zhang Chulan looked at the picture Chi Wu sent. He thought to himself, This rabbit really doesn’t look festive. Not only is it not smiling, it looks bitter.
However, it had a kind of stupidly cute, pitiful look that could be forced into the category of “adorable.”
He replied: “Cute. Like it.”
At this moment, Zhang Chulan had shed the depression of the last few days and regained his usual liveliness, becoming the atmosphere king of the birthday party.
He was handsome, with a bright and vibrant personality. Several pairs of eyes in the room were fixed on him.
However, most girls in their student days were reserved, so no one approached him.
Liu Yanyan had been squatting outside the private room waiting for Zhang Chulan for a long time. Ever since they chatted last time, she hadn’t received a reply to her messages. Her patience was running thin, and knowing Zhang Chulan was out of school, she followed him directly.
Zhang Chulan was in high spirits. After howling a few songs, he downed two cans of beer with the birthday boy and couldn’t hold it in anymore, heading to the restroom.
Just coming out of the restroom, Zhang Chulan looked doubtfully at the twin-tails blocking his way.
“Hey, handsome…” Liu Yanyan approached Zhang Chulan. “Want to eat barbecue together?”
“Barbecue?” Zhang Chulan let out a “Uh” sound, a burp escaping. Seeing the other party dodge subtly, he scoffed.
“Fishing for me?”
Liu Yanyan realized she had underestimated this guy.
Wasn’t it said that Zhang Chulan loved women and always wanted to “pop his cherry”?
She couldn’t be bothered to talk nonsense anymore. As Zhang Chulan walked around her, she threw a Gu bug on him.
“Come with me.”
Zhang Chulan followed Liu Yanyan with abnormal obedience.
This was the scene Chi Wu saw after getting out of the car: Zhang Chulan following a bright-looking girl step-by-step into a car.
He paused, grabbing the neck of the lop-eared rabbit. The furry sensation spread from his palm to his heart.
Chi Wu’s heart also became soft and cottony, as if it would shatter with a single blow.
“Not a partner.” Chi Wu muttered to himself, responding to Xia Yumian’s misunderstanding three hours and twenty-nine minutes later.
He turned to walk toward the school, paused again the next second, but finally left.
Zhang Chulan escaped disaster with the help of Feng Baobao and a man named Xu San who suddenly appeared. He also learned what the “All-Hands” (Quanxing) monsters wanted.
“Heritage?”
He stared blankly at his grandfather’s corpse, but his words were directed at Xu San.
“I don’t know anything about the Origin of Qi (Qi Ti Yuan Liu).”
“It’s not a question of whether you know or not.” Xu San rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“Right now, everyone believes you have it. You know the saying, ‘An innocent man gets into trouble because of the treasure he carries.’ The people of All-Hands act only on their whims without scruples. I suggest you join our Company.”
Zhang Chulan let out a sneer, staring at the utterly ignorant and innocent Feng Baobao and Xu San who was trying to recruit him.
“Now isn’t the time to talk about this, is it?” Zhang Chulan said coldly. “I’ll contact you after I put my grandfather in the ground.”
“I’ll help…”
“No need. You guys go.”
Feng Baobao wanted to say something else but was dragged away by Xu San.
Zhang Xilin’s dark, bluish corpse looked incredibly eerie under the moonlight, but Zhang Chulan wasn’t afraid at all.
“Wubao…” Zhang Chulan’s voice carried a suppressed emotion. A moment later, like a dam breaking, he couldn’t control the tears.
“Grandpa’s body has been found.”
“Where are you?” Chi Wu, who was just about to get out of the car, paused. After hearing the address, he told the driver to change the destination.
“Eh…” The driver complained vaguely. “I’ve already accepted the next order.”
Chi Wu had to get out. His aura, heavy as solid ice, made the next driver stammer halfway through his standard greeting before deciding silence was golden.
Chi Wu crunched over fallen leaves and dead branches, handing the lop-eared rabbit to Zhang Chulan.
“Wipe your tears.”
Zhang Chulan had long since finished crying. Deep down, he felt incredibly embarrassed. Right now, he planned to find some dignity in Chi Wu’s unconventional behavior.
“You want me to wipe with this?”
“Didn’t bring tissues.”
“…” So logical, I actually can’t refute it.
But actually, he didn’t have tissues on him either. He had just used his hand to blow his nose, and the snot on his hand had been casually wiped on some leaves. Of course, this absolutely could not be known by a third party.
Especially not Chi Wu!
“You hold it.” Zhang Chulan didn’t take the rabbit. But Chi Wu seemed to see something and fished a small bottle of mineral water from his pocket.
“Wash your hands.”
Zhang Chulan guessed that Chi Wu might have guessed something, but he didn’t want to ask. Let the snot dissipate with the wind.
“This water is convenient,” Zhang Chulan remarked. “Where’d you buy it?”
“Took it from the car.”
Zhang Chulan had taken so many rides and never noticed cars providing water, but something occurred to him.
“You took a luxury car (Zhuanche)?”
“Luxury car.”
Zhang Chulan instantly felt the phantom pain in his wallet. Before he could open his mouth to complain, Chi Wu threw the lop-eared rabbit into his arms and moved to carry Zhang Xilin’s body on his back.
“Wubao, don’t move. Let me carry him.”
“Why?” Chi Wu turned his head in confusion.
“If I, the biological grandson, don’t carry him while I’m here, I’m afraid he’ll come to scare me in my dreams tonight.” Zhang Chulan stepped forward quickly.
“Wubao, help me shine the light.”
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