Desk-mate, Do You Like Me? - Chapter 63

Chapter 63

Over the next few days, Li Mo and Xu Qing gradually adapted to the rhythm of being inseparable during the day and being in their respective corners at night.

Li Mo still struggled to get up every morning with Yu Wencheng’s “violent” wake-up call, then slowly made his way to school.

After school, Li Mo would always find various excuses to linger at the teaching building entrance, either asking a question or sharing some trivial matter, until Xu Qing was either urged by Shen Shuyi or voluntarily walked toward the dormitories.

That empty feeling hadn’t completely disappeared, but Li Mo filled it up with more fuss and small gestures.

For example, he would drag Xu Qing to the convenience store during lunch break, calling it “energy replenishment”; he would sneakily shove half of the snacks he thought were tasty into Xu Qing’s desk during class breaks; and he would ask questions during Xu Qing’s time more self-righteously, as if trying to make up for the lack of interaction at night.

Xu Qing mostly responded with silent indulgence, occasionally being momentarily speechless by Li Mo’s overly silly or adorable behavior, giving him a “are you an idiot?” look, but he never truly pushed him away.

The last period that afternoon was a self-study session. Li Mo was wracking his brain over a difficult math problem when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He secretly took it out, lit up the screen, and saw a message from his uncle, Yu Wencheng.

【Mo Mo, I have something on tonight, so I won’t be home for dinner. I’ve transferred money to you. Get your own dinner. And I’m telling you now, DON’T go to the dorm to find Xu Qing. Day students are not allowed to stay overnight, not even for one night.】

Li Mo pouted and replied with an [Oh]. Putting down the phone, his eyes darted around, and his mind became active.

Eating alone was boring. Going to Xu Qing’s dorm… sounded like a good idea? Although boarding students were generally not allowed to bring outsiders into the dorm, especially during dinner and evening self-study hours, it shouldn’t be too hard to sneak in, right?

Besides, it was just for dinner. He’d leave right after eating. Yes, that’s the plan.

Once the thought arose, it grew rapidly like a vine.

He immediately lost the mood to work on the problem and secretly glanced at Xu Qing next to him. Xu Qing was focused on solving a physics competition problem, his profile smooth and serious.

Li Mo suppressed his excitement and began to strategize his “infiltration plan.”

As soon as the dismissal bell rang, Li Mo, uncharacteristically, didn’t immediately cling to Xu Qing. Instead, he quickly packed his bag, blurted out, “I have to leave first today!” and dashed out of the classroom.

Xu Qing watched his hasty departure, frowned slightly, but didn’t think much of it and continued to organize his books at a leisurely pace.

Li Mo rushed out of the school gate but didn’t go home. Instead, he wandered around the school neighborhood for a while, finally ducking into a popular roasted meat shop. He bought half of a salt-baked chicken, which Xu Qing liked, and then went to a convenience store for drinks and snacks. Only then did he carry the bulging bag and circle around to the side wall of the school.

This spot was a blind spot for surveillance, and the wall wasn’t too high—a classic route for certain “repeat offenders” to sneak in and out. Li Mo looked left and right, confirmed no one was watching, and swiftly took a running start, kicked the wall, and scaled it. His movements were fluid and seamless, and he landed lightly on the grass inside the campus.

He brushed the dust off his clothes, grinned triumphantly, crouched low, and skillfully crept toward the dormitory building.

On the other side, Xu Qing had just returned to the dorm and was about to head to the cafeteria for dinner when his phone rang. It was his mother, Liu Lan.

Xu Qing’s eyes darkened as he looked at the name flashing on the screen. He hesitated for a few seconds, then walked to the balcony and answered the call.

“Xiao Qing, have you eaten?” Liu Lan’s voice sounded a little more relaxed than in previous days, even carrying a hint of imperceptible… anticipation?

“Not yet.” Xu Qing’s voice was flat.

“Mom has something to tell you,” Liu Lan paused, seemingly organizing her thoughts. “Your Uncle Chen… the one Mom mentioned to you last time, he helped Mom contact a very good lawyer who specializes in divorce cases. The lawyer said we have quite sufficient evidence, and if we can prove that Xu Zhi has been… you know, and is suspected of transferring assets, we have a great chance of winning.”

Xu Qing listened in silence, his fingers unconsciously picking at the peeling paint on the balcony railing. Uncle Chen was the one who was “willing to help her.”

He knew his mother had been getting close to this Uncle Chen recently. The man seemed to be a modestly successful businessman, divorced, who had a good impression of his mother and was actively helping her escape her current predicament.

“Regarding the legal fees, Uncle Chen said he can cover it first…” Liu Lan’s voice was tentative.

“No need.” Xu Qing interrupted her, his voice cold. “I have ways to handle the money myself.”

He had saved up some scholarship and competition prize money over the years, a not insignificant amount. He would rather use his own money than owe too much to that “Uncle Chen.” This entanglement made him feel uneasy, even a bit humiliated.

“Xiao Qing, don’t be stubborn…” Liu Lan sighed. “Mom knows how you feel, but this is the fastest and most effective way. Xu Zhi… the longer we drag it out, the more trouble it will be. Mom just wants to end all this quickly so we can all start a new life.”

A new life? Xu Qing looked at the streetlights below gradually turning on, his eyes somewhat blank.

With his mother and that strange “Uncle Chen”? What about him? What was his place?

“Suit yourself,” was all he finally said, with deep weariness and distance.

He hung up the phone and stood on the balcony for a long time. The evening breeze made him feel cold. The restlessness and gloom in his heart spread out like ink, heavier than the early spring night.

He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the surging emotions, and turned to go back inside. As soon as he pushed open the balcony door, he heard a light knock on the dorm door.

Who could it be at this time? Lin Yi and the others usually just walked right in.

Xu Qing walked over and opened the door.

Outside, Li Mo was hunched over like a sneaking cat, holding a large plastic bag emanating a delicious food aroma. His face bore a triumphant yet slightly nervous smile, and his eyes were surprisingly bright.

“Surprise!” He whispered, squeezing in, quickly closing the door behind him, and then held up the bag as if presenting a treasure. “Look! I brought you good food! Salt-baked chicken! And drinks! Isn’t it a surprise?”

The moment the words left his mouth, he keenly sensed that something was wrong with Xu Qing’s mood.

Although Xu Qing’s face was still largely expressionless, his eyes, which were usually calm and unruffled, now seemed to be covered with a thin layer of ice, beneath which a repressed, turbulent undercurrent surged. The air pressure around him was so low it was suffocating.

The smile on Li Mo’s face froze. Worry instantly replaced his excitement.

He carefully placed the bag on the desk, stepped closer, and tilted his head, studying Xu Qing: “…What’s wrong? You look awful. Did someone upset you?”

Xu Qing didn’t answer. He simply averted his gaze, walked to his desk and sat down, picking up the problem he hadn’t finished earlier, seemingly trying to use studying to isolate himself from everything.

But Li Mo could tell he couldn’t concentrate at all. The pen scribbled a few lines on the scratch paper, but he hadn’t written a single word.

Li Mo’s heart tightened. He rarely saw Xu Qing in such an outwardly… almost vulnerable state.

Even when facing his family’s troubles before, he mostly responded with silence and cold sarcasm, not like this, where he seemed to be entirely crushed by an invisible weight.

Was it because of… that phone call just now? Li Mo guessed.

He didn’t press further, nor did he crack jokes as he usually would. He simply silently opened the plastic bag, took out the still-warm salt-baked chicken, unwrapped the disposable gloves, and pushed a drink with a straw toward Xu Qing.

Then, he pulled his own chair over, sat down next to Xu Qing, and remained quiet, just peacefully keeping him company.

Only the faint aroma of food and their slight breathing sounds remained in the dorm.

After an unknown amount of time, Xu Qing finally put down his pen, leaned back slightly in his chair, closed his eyes, and his Adam’s apple gently bobbed.

Li Mo felt a strong pang of discomfort watching his pale face and tightly pursed lips. He hesitated for a moment, then reached out, gently and tentatively, covering Xu Qing’s slightly clenched hand resting on the desk.

Xu Qing’s hand was cold.

Li Mo’s palm, however, was warm.

Xu Qing’s body trembled almost imperceptibly, but he didn’t pull away.

Li Mo then became bolder, using a little force to grip the cold fingers, clumsily stroking them, trying to transmit his warmth.

“Xu Qing,” Li Mo’s voice was very soft, carrying a sincerity he had never shown before, “Don’t be unhappy.”

“…I’m not,” Xu Qing’s voice was low and hoarse.

“You are,” Li Mo insisted. “I can tell.”

Xu Qing was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked in a low voice, with a hint of confusion and self-mockery: “Li Mo, do you think… a new life will be good?”

Li Mo was taken aback, then understood. He thought of the likely contents of Xu Qing’s mother’s phone call, of that “Uncle Chen,” and of the broken home Xu Qing carried.

He squeezed Xu Qing’s hand and said with absolute certainty: “It will!”

His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried an undeniable conviction: “Um… the life I have now must count as a new life, right? I’ve met a lot of people, made a lot of new friends, and a lot of things have happened, but they are all moving in a good direction. And, I met you.”

Xu Qing slowly opened his eyes and looked at Li Mo.

The clear eyes of the teenager reflected his own image, filled with unreserved trust and fervent sincerity, like a ball of fire, attempting to dispel the chill around him.

That fire, hot, even slightly scalding, oddly gave him a faint flicker of strength at this moment.

Xu Qing looked at their clasped hands, then at the steaming salt-baked chicken on the table, and at the incredibly bright-eyed idiot next to him.

The icy wasteland in his heart seemed to finally crack open, allowing a weak ray of light to shine through.

He turned his hand and lightly squeezed Li Mo’s in return. Although it was only for an instant, he let go.

“Let’s eat,” he said. His voice was still a bit hoarse, but the oppressive low pressure seemed to have dissipated somewhat.

“Great!” Li Mo instantly beamed, as if the heavy atmosphere just moments ago had never existed. He eagerly tore off a chicken leg and offered it to Xu Qing, “Hurry and try it; it’s still warm!”

Outside the window, the night deepened. In the dorm room, the light was warm. Two teenagers sat around the desk, sharing simple food. A silent companionship and support gently flowed in the quiet air.

There might still be anxiety and confusion about the future. But at least at this moment, they had each other’s firm reliance.