Desk-mate, Do You Like Me? - Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Xu Qing was woken up by weight pressing down on him.

When he opened his eyes, Li Mo’s hand and leg were draped over him, in a position like a sloth hugging a tree.

Xu Qing pushed Li Mo: “What’s with the bad habit? Let go.”

“I don’t eat foie gras…”

Xu Qing: “…Eat your father’s foie gras.”

Li Mo seemed to be jarred awake by the insult, turning over while making strange noises.

“What day is it…”

Xu Qing answered flatly: “The sixth. School starts the day after tomorrow.”

Li Mo sat up, rubbed his messy hair, and cursed: “F***.”

“Can you use fewer swear words?” Xu Qing griped as he got out of bed.

“When the swear words are out, my heart isn’t dirty anymore.”

“…”

Xu Qing was too lazy to argue with him and walked to the bathroom to wash up.

Less than half a minute later, he poked his head out: “How do I brush my teeth and wash my face?”

“I’ll get you a new set.” Li Mo yawned, rummaged through the cabinet under the sink, and pulled out an unopened toothbrush and toothpaste set, along with a towel that had never been used.

Xu Qing was wearing a short-sleeved shirt. The exposed skin on his arms was covered in greenish-purple bruises. The black and white jade bracelet stood out prominently.

“Had enough looking?”

Li Mo snapped back, meeting Xu Qing’s unruffled eyes.

“Yesterday…”

Li Mo suddenly fell silent.

Xu Qing also didn’t say anything more.

Do the words spoken yesterday count? Li Mo wanted to ask.

He had never liked anyone before. When people confessed to him, they would say things like “I like you,” and then he would reject them.

So what was last night? Was it a confession? But Xu Qing wasn’t saying anything. Was he just delirious from the rain when he said it?

“I’m going home for a bit later,” Xu Qing said.

Li Mo frowned slightly: “Why are you going back? School starts the day after tomorrow anyway. You can just stay here for two days.”

“My things are still there.” Xu Qing paused. “Very important things.”

“Alright. I’ll go with you.”

Xu Qing didn’t reply, tacitly agreeing.

The two got dressed and left. Li Mo bought a hand-grabbed pancake by the road for breakfast. Xu Qing ate nothing.

Riding the old elevator again, Li Mo followed behind Xu Qing to the green iron door, which Xu Qing then unlocked.

Xu Qing didn’t have a key and used a small bobby pin to pick the lock.

The house was a mess. The few pieces of furniture were overturned, and glass shards covered the floor.

Seeing this, Li Mo was stunned: Was the fight that fierce?

Xu Qing, however, was calm. He kicked aside the obstacles on the floor and walked into the innermost room.

Li Mo found a spot where he could barely stand to wait.

After a while, Xu Qing came out with a large backpack and tossed it to Li Mo.

“What’s this?”

“Homework.”

“The very important thing you mentioned is homework?”

“No.”

Xu Qing stepped over the wreckage and walked into another room. When he came out, he held a delicate small wooden box.

“The very important thing I mentioned is this.” Xu Qing shook the box in his hand.

Li Mo squinted: “What? A family heirloom?”

“Guess.”

“Can’t guess.”

“Then don’t ask.”

“…”

After leaving the old neighborhood, Li Mo took a bite of his hand-grabbed pancake, contemplating whether he should ask about last night.

It’s itching my heart so badly!

“Xu Qing.” Li Mo finally took the plunge courageously. “Last night… did the words from last night count?”

Xu Qing stopped walking, turned around, and looked at the person behind him with an air of composure: “What words?”

Li Mo clicked his tongue: “Just… just…”

“The words about liking you?”

“Mhm… Mhm.”

“How strange. You boast about yourself so much normally, but you’re shy now.”

Xu Qing walked closer, cupping Li Mo’s face to look him in the eye: “Do you want it to be real or fake?”

Li Mo took a deep breath, grabbing Xu Qing’s hand: “I hope, I think it is real.”

“Then it is real.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Li Mo unconsciously tightened his grip on Xu Qing’s hand.

Xu Qing found his reaction amusing, a kind of helpless yet affectionate amusement.

“My hand is still injured. It hurts.”

Li Mo quickly let go: “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to…”

Xu Qing didn’t say anything.

The atmosphere fell silent.

Suddenly, Xu Qing stepped forward and gently hugged Li Mo: “Thank you.”

Li Mo flinched all over. The hand-grabbed pancake in his hand slipped and fell to the ground.

He couldn’t worry about the pancake right now. His hands were a little uncertain, but eventually, he gently placed them on Xu Qing’s back.

At that moment, some passerby’s phone blared: “I only want to see you, only want to see you~ In the future and the past~ I only want to see you~”

When the two arrived home, Yu Wencheng was already back.

Seeing Xu Qing, he was a little confused: “This is…”

Li Mo explained: “Xu Qing is staying at our place for two days. Uncle, you don’t mind, right?”

Xu Qing nodded slightly: “Hello, Teacher Yu.”

“No mind, no mind at all, of course, I don’t mind.” Yu Wencheng certainly wouldn’t mind. He was eager for Xu Qing to influence Li Mo, that little rascal.

“Is there anything you two want for lunch? I’ll cook for you.” Saying this, Yu Wencheng picked up an apron to tie around himself.

Li Mo quickly stopped him: “Don’t bother, Uncle. You just got back from outside. You should rest. I’ll order takeout.”

Xu Qing: “I can also cook…”

Before he could finish, Li Mo and Yu Wencheng interrupted in unison: “No need! You rest!”

“…”

After ordering takeout, Li Mo pulled Xu Qing into his room.

“Why do I feel like my uncle wants you to be his nephew more than me?” Li Mo said with a laugh.

“It’s not much different.”

Saying that, Xu Qing took out a notebook and a pen from his backpack. The edges of the notebook cover were slightly curled, giving it an antique feel.

Li Mo glanced at it: “Drawing again? Oh right, what about that OC I mentioned earlier? How’s the drawing coming along?”

“It’s finished, Mr. Handsome.” Xu Qing flipped open a page of the notebook and handed it over. “Here.”

There were several heads drawn on the slightly yellowed paper, all of the same person. The person had neat short hair with two fox ears, sharp eyebrows and eyes, looking both refined and handsome.

“Wow, awesome,” Li Mo exclaimed. “But why fox ears?”

Xu Qing laughed: “You guess.”

“Because I’m as beautiful as Daji, capable of ruining a country?”

“Could you be less shameless?”

Li Mo asked: “Does he have a name?”

“No.” Xu Qing paused. “You name him.”

“Hmm, I can’t think of one right away. Let’s leave it for now.” Saying that, Li Mo leaned back and fell onto the bed.

He still couldn’t quite believe it. Does this mean we’re together? It felt so unreal…

Li Mo pinched himself hard: “Ouch, so painful.”

Xu Qing glanced at him: “If you’re sick, go get treated.”

“Xu Qing, don’t mind me for being annoying, but I still want to ask…”

“You want to know what we are exactly?” Xu Qing directly interrupted Li Mo. “Are you a Gemini? So sensitive.”

Li Mo: “I’m a Cancer.”

“…”

“Xu Qing, I like you.”

Li Mo’s expression was serious.

Xu Qing was caught off guard by the sudden confession and was still processing it: “What?”

“I said.” Li Mo took a deep breath, word for word. “Xu Qing, I like you.”

For a moment, Xu Qing didn’t know what to say.

Thump… thump…

The silence was broken only by the sound of their heartbeats.

This was the first time Xu Qing had ever been confessed to so seriously. The surging emotions overwhelmed him, making him unable to control the urge, the urge to hug that person.

The moment the thought sprouted, Li Mo had already leaned in close to Xu Qing, their noses lightly touching, warm breath fanning across the other’s face.

Li Mo continued: “Xu Qing, do you like me?”

A faint smile hung on his lips, as if he was certain of victory.

Xu Qing also smiled: “I do.”

Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, Li Mo leaned in further, gently pressing his lips against Xu Qing’s before pulling back as if he’d received an electric shock.

Li Mo and Xu Qing simultaneously turned their heads away, their faces flushed red like two glowing light bulbs.

Thump thump

Yu Wencheng knocked on the room door and said: “Li Mo, Xu Qing, the takeout is here. Come out and eat quickly, or it’ll get cold.”

“Ah… ah, coming… coming!” Li Mo stammered, awkwardly grabbing Xu Qing’s hand and pulling him out of the room.

Yu Wencheng looked confusedly at the two glowing red bulbs walking past him.

At the dinner table, Li Mo and Xu Qing didn’t speak, burying their heads in the food in their bowls.

Yu Wencheng started a conversation: “Li Mo, I heard you signed up for the sports meet, and two events at that.”

Li Mo hadn’t fully recovered from the quick kiss earlier and said blankly: “Ah… yes. What about it?”

“The temperature is going to rise that day, but you must wear long johns, got it?”

“Oh…”

“Oh” meant he wouldn’t wear them.

Yu Wencheng continued: “Did you get any exercise during the holiday? You didn’t just lie around at home, did you?”

Li Mo waved his hand: “Not really. I ran dozens of laps in the King’s Canyon.” (Referring to a game map)

“…”

Yu Wencheng looked speechless, then turned to Xu Qing: “Xu Qing, I heard you signed up too.”

Xu Qing took a bite of rice and nodded: “Mhm, first leg of the relay race.”

“Just do your best. The ranking isn’t important.”

“I remember parents can attend the sports meet.” Li Mo paused. “Is my mom… coming?”

“Yes. I told her about it. Your mom said she’s bringing the whole family to support you.”

Hearing that last sentence, Li Mo almost choked on his own saliva: “Cough, cough, cough… The whole family isn’t necessary…”

Yu Wencheng narrowed his eyes: “Aren’t you on good terms with them? Why don’t you want them to come and see you?”

Li Mo clicked his tongue: “Oh…”

Xu Qing took another bite of rice and said: “Are you afraid of being embarrassed?”

“How is that possible? I’m so handsome, extraordinary, graceful, and charming…”

Xu Qing chuckled: “I see all your Chinese language skills are being used to praise yourself.”

Li Mo laughed: “I call it speaking the truth.”