Desk-mate, Do You Like Me? - Chapter 24

Chapter 24

On the large bed, the two big men lay one on the left and one on the right, straighter than zombies.

Neither was sleepy, and they had nothing to talk about.

After a long stiffness, Li Mo couldn’t hold back anymore, turned over, and looked at his phone.

A certain app notification: “Qingping_X” whom you follow has published new content. Click to view~

Xu Qing posted something new? Li Mo clicked in.

[Qingping_X: National Day Giveaway—How to Participate: Comment below.]

The general meaning was a small giveaway for National Day. Five fans would be randomly selected from the comment section to receive an OC headshot, half-body illustration, or something similar. Li Mo, who wasn’t in that circle, didn’t understand these terms, but since it was a giveaway, it wouldn’t hurt to participate.

The draw time was midnight tomorrow.

Li Mo secretly glanced in Xu Qing’s direction. Illuminated by the bedside lamp, Xu Qing was lying with his back to him, looking like he was asleep.

He posted this note just five minutes ago and was already asleep so quickly.

On a whim, Li Mo opened the WeChat chat interface with Xu Qing, and on a whim, he sent a message: [Are you really angry?]

Recall.

[I have nothing to do with Bai Sheng.]

Recall.

[I like you.]

Recall.

[I’m so hungry, I want to eat McD’s.]

Recall.

After sending and recalling a bunch of messy, inexplicable messages, Li Mo felt like he was crazy too. He turned off his phone, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.

The phone vibrated less than two seconds after he closed his eyes.

Li Mo thought Xu Qing had seen him sending and recalling a bunch of messages in the middle of the night and was coming to call him a lunatic.

It turned out to be from Jian Anxun.

…

Oh, he forgot. Xu Qing was lying right next to him. How could he suddenly get up and call him a lunatic on WeChat?

[Jian Anxun: Junior, your upperclassman has completed the strategy.]

[Li Mo: Such as?]

[Jian Anxun: Tomorrow, we’ll head straight for the God of Love Temple halfway up the mountain to ask for a fortune!]

He must be out of his mind…

Li Mo typed his reply: [Are you sick? We came all this way just to ask for a damn fortune?]

[Jian Anxun: What else are we here for?]

…

He has a point. Weren’t they here for that God of Love Temple?

[Li Mo: Are there no other arrangements?? Just taking people straight to the God of Love Temple? Do you think everyone is like the Seven Little Goats, opening the door for anyone who knocks?]

[Jian Anxun: Of course we’re not going straight there. We have to climb up first.]

[Li Mo: Get lost. I feel like saying one more word to you is an insult to my intelligence.]

This Jian Anxun was too baffling. It made one wonder how he managed to get into Huaying No. 1 High School with his IQ.

He had a dreamless night.

The next day, in a daze, Li Mo felt a kick on his butt. His body fell to the floor. Fortunately, the floor was covered with a soft carpet; otherwise, that fall would have hurt like hell.

Li Mo rubbed his head, his eyes blurry with sleep: “Mom, I don’t want chili…”

Xu Qing sat on the bed and snorted: “Do you need me to help you wake up? See clearly whether the person in front of you is your mother or your father.”

Li Mo was dazed for two seconds, then fully woke up. He climbed up while holding onto the bed, saying: “Xu Qing, you’re too harsh on your deskmate. You’re really hurting my feelings.”

“Who cares about you?”

“You care about me.”

“…”

Xu Qing pouted, his voice full of impatience: “Hurry up and wash up and get dressed. I told you yesterday we were going hiking at 6:30…”

Li Mo yawned as he walked into the bathroom, picked up his toothbrush, and started brushing his teeth.

He’s crazy. Is a small mountain worth waking up at 6:30 AM to climb?

When the two came out, Jian Anxun and Shen Shuyi were already waiting outside, and their atmosphere seemed pretty good.

“Yo, good morning~”

“Morning~”

Jian Anxun pulled Li Mo to walk behind, whispering: “How did it go? Did you make up last night?”

“No, we didn’t even say a word.” Li Mo paused, then smiled. “But he woke me up this morning and even spoke to me willingly.”

Jian Anxun gave a thumbs up: “That’s my good junior! This is just the first step to success. From now on, you’ll reach the peak of your life!”

Heh heh… No wonder you two get along.

Suddenly remembering something, Li Mo pulled out his phone. The screen was still on the pile of “messages recalled.”

Xu Qing replied: [If you’re sick, go get treated.]

“What is it?” Jian Anxun asked.

Li Mo silently closed his phone: “He’s concerned about me.”

The morning light began to break, and the air was filled with a chilling coolness.

Li Mo, wearing a black sports jacket, pulled a hand warmer from his pocket and offered it to Xu Qing’s hand.

Xu Qing glanced at it, ignored it, and even moved away.

The more he dodged, the more the hand warmer followed him.

Finally losing his patience, Xu Qing glared at him: “What are you doing?”

Li Mo pursed his lips: “Afraid you’re cold…” He looked as wronged as a little resentful wife, though he was the only one who felt wronged, yet he still had to show care for his “husband.”

Xu Qing flatly refused: “I don’t need it.”

“Your hands are freezing cold, and you say you don’t need it? Stop pretending to be tough.”

Li Mo reached out to pull Xu Qing’s hand, but he dodged: “Thanks for the concern, I don’t need it. Go away.”

“Hey, you kid, what if you get sick from the cold?”

“Even if I get sick, it’s my own business. What does it have to do with you?”

“Xu Qing, I know you’re still sulking with me.”

“Sulking my ass, scram.”

Li Mo, being called “ass” for the first time, withdrew his hand, looking at Xu Qing with a wronged expression, and deliberately refrained from going forward or speaking.

Xu Qing: “…”

“Juniors! We can start climbing now!” Jian Anxun had already tidied Shen Shuyi’s clothes. In some ways, Shen Shuyi still listened to him.

Li Mo couldn’t help but feel a little sad: Even that non-mainstream upperclassman gets along so well with Shen Shuyi, yet Xu Qing and I are still in a cold war…

There were quite a few people climbing the mountain in the early morning, mostly couples paired up. A group like theirs, full of big men, was rare and stood out in the crowd.

“Why are there so many couples here?” Li Mo had just been bumped into by a young couple and really wanted to kick away these hand-holding, lovey-dovey people. “They don’t leave any room for single dogs.”

“There’s a saying: there was originally no road in this world, but when more people walk it, it becomes a road,” Jian Anxun said. “Singles used to come here, and then they found partners, so the number of couples naturally increased, didn’t it?”

“Is this place really that mystical…”

Xu Qing snorted coldly: “You should go ask for one for yourself.”

“…”

Jian Anxun gave Li Mo a look, signaling him to quickly explain, while he pulled Shen Shuyi and sped up, creating space for the two.

Li Mo pursed his lips and called out: “Xu Qing, Xu Qing, Xu Qing?”

He called several times, but Xu Qing completely ignored him, not even bothering to give him an eye roll.

“Xu Qing.” Li Mo quickly walked to Xu Qing’s side, walking parallel to him. “I don’t like Bai Sheng. The incident in the equipment room that day was truly just an accident.”

Xu Qing turned his head, only showing him a stern profile: “Why are you explaining to me? What’s the point?”

“Because I don’t want to… lose you as a friend.”

Xu Qing suddenly stopped. Li Mo also stopped, looking at him quietly.

Did I… say the wrong thing?

“In your eyes…” Xu Qing’s expression was somewhat stunned. “Am I the same as Tang Dawei and the others?”

Li Mo nodded without knowing why: “Yes, but your level is much higher than theirs.”

Xu Qing bit his lower lip. After a moment of silence, he suddenly quickened his pace.

“Hey, Xu Qing! Wait for me!”

Li Mo chased after him, grabbing Xu Qing’s icy hand.

Xu Qing was still a bit stunned to be enveloped by a warmth.

He hadn’t expected Li Mo to suddenly hug him in front of so many people.

The passersby were shocked, letting out gasps of surprise.

After coming to his senses, Xu Qing patted Li Mo’s shoulder and frowned: “What are you doing? Did the sight of the mountain make you go wild?”

Li Mo slowly released his hand and took a step back: “Nothing… I just felt you were very cold and wanted to warm you up.”

“Does this mean we’ve made up?”

Xu Qing was silent for a moment, then turned his face away: “Yes… I guess. I’m too lazy to bother with you.”

“Heh heh, I knew you still loved me in your heart.”

“Scram. If you say that again, do you believe I’ll tear your mouth off?”

“Do you hate me then?”

“What do you think?”

Li Mo grinned: “I think you like me more.”

Xu Qing rolled his eyes: “You sure are good at flattering yourself.”

Not far away, Jian Anxun, who witnessed the entire flirting process between the two, sat on the steps and sighed: “Junior really has a few tricks up his sleeve…”

“Since when did those two…” Shen Shuyi felt like he had discovered something incredible.

“Yes, as you can see. Sigh, when will I be able to…”

Shen Shuyi interrupted him: “Don’t even think about it with me. I treat you like a brother. You should put those thoughts aside.”

Jian Anxun lowered his gaze: “Not even a little bit?”

“I can respect it, but I won’t accept it.”

After a while, Jian Anxun slowly stood up, brushing the dust off his clothes: “Okay, I’ll listen to you.”

The mountain was not very high in elevation. They soon reached the halfway point.

The mountainside was overcrowded, and the small temple was packed with people both inside and out. Next to the God of Love Temple was a square called “The Light of Love.” There was a towering tree in the square called the “Tree of Love,” with its branches tied full of red ribbons.

“Here,” Jian Anxun handed everyone a red ribbon and a gel pen. “Just write down what you want on it. But this is the Tree of Love, so it’s best to write something about relationships. It’s more effective.”

Li Mo pondered for a moment and wrote on the red ribbon: I wish for someone who loves me as much as I love myself, and who comes with their own background music when we meet.

Signed, Li Mo.

How awesome! The God of Love will surely be moved!

Li Mo circled the tree a few times, picked a good spot, and carefully tied the red ribbon.

Jian Anxun and Xu Qing hadn’t finished writing. To be precise, they hadn’t even touched the pen.

Li Mo leaned close to Xu Qing and narrowed his eyes: “Do you need me to offer some ideas?”

“I’m not writing a novel. Who needs your ideas? Go away, no peeking.” Xu Qing kicked Li Mo away and guarded the red ribbon in his hand tightly.

Li Mo shrugged and walked to the entrance of the square, hooking his arm around Shen Shuyi’s neck: “Shuyi, let’s go over there and ask for a fortune. We’re just standing here anyway.”

Shen Shuyi raised an eyebrow: “Sure. Brother Mo personally asked, how dare I refuse?”

“Stop with that act.”

After queuing for a while, Li Mo and Shen Shuyi each drew a fortune stick from a large bamboo tube.

Li Mo’s fortune stick read: You give me a wooden peach, I repay with a beautiful jewel.

What does that mean? It’s too cryptic. I don’t understand.

“Shuyi, what’s yours?”

“From lotus comes root, with apricot, no need for plum.” (A subtle Chinese idiom meaning cause and effect, or gaining something naturally from a certain condition).

“Do you know what it means?”

“No.”

“Shuyi, what good fortunes did you draw?” Jian Anxun and Xu Qing walked over.

Li Mo immediately showed his fortune stick: “It’s too literary. I don’t understand.”

“Idiot.” Xu Qing glanced at it and scolded Li Mo: “It means the giving in a relationship is reciprocal. Whoever you are good to will also be good to you.”

“Oh~ that’s what it means.”

“What about mine?” Shen Shuyi handed his over.

Xu Qing said: “It means you are a lucky person, basically lucky in every aspect.”

“That awesome?” Li Mo exclaimed. “Can you draw a card for me in a game? I always get the wrong guarantee…”

Shen Shuyi chuckled: “Luck and hand luck are two different things, aren’t they?”

“Are they the same thing? I don’t know, it’s too complicated.”

Jian Anxun clapped his hands: “Alright, alright, let’s keep moving.”