Desk-mate, Do You Like Me? - Chapter 33

Chapter 33

The principal sighed, his gaze towards Xu Qing filled with disappointment: “Xu Qing, you have always been an excellent student, but this incident has a very bad impact. If you insist on not admitting it, the school will have to deal with it according to the school rules.”

Xu Qing stood straight, his voice calm and firm: “School Rule 17 states that students have the right to refuse to admit to an accusation when there is insufficient evidence. I am willing to cooperate with the investigation, but I will never accept false accusation.”

Li Mo looked at Xu Qing and suddenly felt that this usually quiet deskmate possessed an unsaid stubbornness and boldness at this moment.

Shen Wang interjected: “That’s right, you can’t just convict someone based on speculation, can you? If you wrongfully blame a good person, won’t that disappoint the students?”

Yu Wencheng frowned: “But the manufacturer has ruled out their responsibility, and the foreign object in the mat is clearly man-made. Xu Qing, you did touch the mat at the time, how do you explain that?”

Xu Qing was silent for a moment, then raised his head: “I did touch the mat, but I wasn’t the only one. Lin Yi and Bai Sheng also touched it. Why only suspect me?”

The principal and Yu Wencheng exchanged glances, seemingly hesitant.

At this moment, the ward door was pushed open again. A girl in a school uniform rushed in, panting: “Principal! I have something to say!”

Everyone’s attention turned to her. Li Mo recognized her as Su Yu, the class monitor of Class 12, Grade 11.

Su Yu calmed her breathing and took out a USB drive from her pocket: “This is the surveillance footage from the sports meet yesterday. I just copied it from the security room. I think… you should look at this.”

The principal took the USB drive, his brows furrowed: “How do you have this?”

Su Yu looked directly at the principal: “Because I don’t believe Xu Qing would do such a thing. He wouldn’t harm a classmate. So I went to the security room and checked the surveillance.”

Shen Wang whistled: “Nice move.”

The principal was silent for a moment, eventually nodding: “Alright, let’s look at the surveillance.”

Yu Wencheng took out his laptop, which he carried with him, and plugged in the USB drive. Soon, the screen displayed the footage from the day of the sports meet.

In the footage, Xu Qing was indeed moving the mat from the equipment room, but during the transportation, the mat was left on the ground for a few minutes. At this time, a boy wearing a hat sneakily approached, quickly stuffed something into the mat, and then rushed away.

Everyone held their breath.

Li Mo’s eyes widened: “That’s… Bai Sheng?”

Xu Qing’s gaze was fixed on the screen, his voice low: “It’s him, indeed.”

The principal’s face turned ashen. He immediately took out his phone and made a call: “Bring Bai Sheng to the Academic Affairs Office immediately!”

After hanging up, the principal looked at Xu Qing, his tone much softer: “Xu Qing, the school’s investigation was inadequate, and we wronged you. I will personally apologize to you and restore your reputation.”

Xu Qing shook his head, succinct as ever: “No need.”

Yu Wencheng patted Xu Qing’s shoulder: “You should go back and rest. Leave the rest to the school.”

Xu Qing nodded, turning to leave. Before doing so, he glanced at Li Mo, his eyes complex.

Li Mo opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, he only whispered: “Thank you.”

Xu Qing gave a slight nod, then left the ward.

Shen Wang let out a sigh of relief: “Finally, the truth is out. What a mess, it was like a suspense drama.”

The principal and Yu Wencheng also quickly excused themselves to handle the follow-up matters. The ward finally returned to peace.

Ye Zhong looked at Li Mo, wanting to speak but holding back. Finally, he just sighed: “Rest well. Contact me if anything happens.”

Li Mo nodded, watching Ye Zhong leave.

Shen Wang flopped onto the bedside, dramatically wiping his sweat: “My god, this morning was too exciting. Li Mo, your hospital life is certainly colorful.”

Li Mo gave a wry smile: “I’d rather not be this ‘exciting’.”

Shen Wang suddenly leaned closer, asking mysteriously: “So, what exactly is your relationship with that Xu Qing?”

Li Mo was startled, then turned his face away: “No relationship, just deskmates.”

“Oh—” Shen Wang drew out the sound, a look of “I get it” on his face. “Deskmates, huh? Then there’s really ‘no relationship’.”

Li Mo grabbed the pillow and threw it at him: “Go away!”

Shen Wang caught the pillow with a grin, then suddenly turned serious: “But seriously, that Xu Qing is quite interesting. He looks delicate, but he’s quite strong-willed when it matters.”

Li Mo was silent for a moment, then said softly: “He’s always been like that… just few people get to see it.”

Shen Wang raised an eyebrow, giving Li Mo a meaningful look, but didn’t press further.

Outside the window, sunlight streamed through the curtains, falling onto Li Mo’s hospital bed. He looked down at his bandaged arm and suddenly felt that perhaps things weren’t as bad as he had imagined.

At least, the truth was revealed.

At least, there were still people willing to believe him.

He picked up his phone, hesitated, and then opened the chat window with Xu Qing.

[Li Mo: Thank you.]

A few seconds later, his phone vibrated.

[Xu Qing: You’re welcome.]

Li Mo looked at the screen, the corner of his mouth curving slightly in an unconscious smile.

Just as Li Mo was staring blankly at the phone screen, the ward door was suddenly pushed open violently.

Bai Sheng rushed in, his face flushed, followed by two panting security guards.

“Li Mo! You have to explain clearly to me!” Bai Sheng ripped off his mask, his expression ferocious. “Why are you saying I did it?”

Shen Wang immediately stood up and shielded the bed: “What do you want? A fight?”

Li Mo propped himself up on the edge of the bed, a jolt of pain shooting through his injury.

He stared at Bai Sheng’s red eyes: “The surveillance is clear. Are you still trying to deny it?”

“That wasn’t me at all!” Bai Sheng screamed hysterically. “I was clearly at…”

His words suddenly caught in his throat.

The two security guards held his arms, one on each side. The principal walked in, his face grim: “Bai Sheng, the Academic Affairs Office has been waiting for you. Why are you causing trouble here?”

Bai Sheng struggled violently, his school uniform collar pulled askew: “I want to confront Li Mo! That surveillance is fake! I wasn’t even on the field that afternoon!”

Xu Qing appeared at the doorway at some point, holding a notebook. His voice was very soft, but it instantly silenced the noisy ward: “2:15 PM on March 28th, you were smoking behind the equipment room in the small grove. 2:30 PM, you put tacks into the mat.”

Bai Sheng’s face instantly went white: “How… how do you know…”

Xu Qing opened the notebook. Inside was a photo: “There’s surveillance. You’re too stupid.”

The photo clearly showed Bai Sheng crouching by the mat, and even the glinting tack in his hand was visible.

“Holy cow…” Shen Wang murmured in amazement. “This guy’s practically a detective.”

The principal took the photo, his expression even worse: “Bai Sheng, what do you have to say now?”

Bai Sheng suddenly collapsed to the floor, holding his head and sobbing hysterically: “I didn’t mean to… I just wanted to scare him… Why does he always act so superior…”

Li Mo was shocked, watching this usually arrogant boy cry like a child. He suddenly remembered the look Bai Sheng had given him at the sports meet—it wasn’t provocation after all, but a guilty conscience.

“Take him to the Academic Affairs Office.” The principal waved his hand tiredly, then turned to Li Mo. “Rest well and recover. The school will deal with this seriously.”

After everyone left, the ward finally became truly quiet. Xu Qing still stood at the doorway. Sunlight streamed in from behind him, casting a long shadow on the floor.

“Um…” Li Mo’s throat was dry. “Thank you.”

Xu Qing shook his head, turning to leave.

“Wait!” Li Mo called him back on a sudden impulse. “Why… why did you help me?”

Xu Qing stopped but didn’t turn around: “Do you want me to repeat what I said that day?”

Shen Wang suddenly burst out laughing: “Are you two starring in an idol drama here?”

He wrapped an arm around Xu Qing’s shoulder and brought him towards the bed. “Come on, since you’re here, sit down and chat. Li Mo is bored to death in the hospital. It’s good to have someone to talk to.”

Xu Qing staggered, and his mask became crooked. As he fumbled to adjust it, Li Mo suddenly noticed a distinct bruise at the corner of his mouth.

“What happened to your face?” Li Mo instinctively reached out but stopped his hand halfway.

Xu Qing quickly fixed his mask and lowered his eyes: “It’s nothing.”

Shen Wang looked at one and then the other, then suddenly clapped his thigh: “I’ll go buy drinks! You two chat first!”

With that, he dashed out, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.

The only sound left in the room was the dripping of medicine in the IV bottle. Li Mo stared at the exposed bit of Xu Qing’s wrist peeking out from his school jacket sleeve—there was a fresh scratch mark there.

“Your father, that old beast, hit you?” Li Mo asked softly.

Xu Qing was silent for a long time, so long that Li Mo thought he wouldn’t answer. Finally, he gave a slight nod, his voice so quiet it was barely audible: “…I’m used to it.”

The sycamore trees outside rustled. A leaf drifted in and landed on the hospital bed.

Li Mo suddenly felt a tightness in his chest. He remembered the resolute look on Xu Qing’s face when he smashed the voice recorder and his figure standing before everyone, saying “It wasn’t me.”

“Xu Qing.” Li Mo heard himself say, “From now on… you have me.”

Xu Qing abruptly looked up, a flicker of light Li Mo had never seen before shining in his eyes. But it vanished instantly, and he returned to his usual aloof demeanor: “…What kind of sweet talk is that?”

“It’s not sweet talk. I’m serious.” Li Mo found a sudden surge of courage and grabbed Xu Qing’s wrist: “I like you.”

Xu Qing’s hand was cold, trembling slightly in Li Mo’s palm. He didn’t pull his hand back, only whispering: “…Whatever you say.”

The sunlight quietly shifted, casting the shadows of the two teenagers on the wall, overlapping.

From outside, Shen Wang’s deliberately heavy footsteps and exaggerated coughs could be heard. Xu Qing quickly pulled his hand back, reverting to the expressionless, top student.

But Li Mo noticed that his ear tips were faintly red.