The next period was Political Science. This class was also known as the "secretly finish other homework" period, or the "pretend to have your book open while actually sleeping" period. Tan Junzi did neither; her favorite thing to do was practice her calligraphy in the margins of the textbook.
The empty soy milk carton sat on the desk. Tan Junzi and Chang Ying’s desks were pushed right against each other, and the carton lay in the center, right on the boundary line.
Back when Tan Junzi sat with Jiang Chenchen, her former deskmate had been extremely vigilant and sensitive about this "demarcation line." They had maintained a strict policy of non-interference; if Tan Junzi’s elbow so much as brushed the line, Jiang Chenchen would glare at her. This had always amused Tan Junzi, mostly because she felt the other side of the line was probably covered in boogers, so she had no desire to cross it anyway.
Now that she sat with Chang Ying, his desk was perpetually empty. No pencil case, no stacks of books—at most, there would be a single worksheet or a book with a dying ballpoint pen tucked inside. His pens never worked because they were constantly dropped; he loved to spin his pen while thinking, and every pen’s life ended the same way—hitting the floor until the ball tip was knocked out of place.
Relying on their long-standing friendship, Tan Junzi often let her overflow of belongings spill across the line onto his desk. Girls tended to have more things: various notebooks, stationery, and the like. Her pencil case was stuffed to the brim, containing five different highlighters, several red, black, and blue pens, and a collection of decorative erasers that were more pretty than practical. Once, Chang Ying had fished out a hamburger-shaped eraser, only to find it made the paper dirtier the more he used it. He also discovered that the lead in Tan Junzi’s mechanical pencil was scented, a smell that gave him a growing headache the longer he caught whiffs of it.
At that moment, Chang Ying’s gaze fell on the trespassing soy milk carton. Without a word, he used his pen to flick it back toward Tan Junzi’s side.
Tan Junzi was mid-stroke in her calligraphy when the carton suddenly tumbled in front of her. She stopped her pen and turned to look at Chang Ying in confusion. He said nothing, his expression indifferent as he spun his pen—only for it to fly out of his hand a second later.
When the bell rang, Chang Ying immediately picked up the carton and gave it a shake. "Empty? I'll toss it for you." With a flick of his wrist, he performed a perfect jump shot, and the empty carton "swished" into the trash can at the front of the room.
"Perfect," Zhang Da’s voice drifted from behind, appraising the precision of the shot.
"Thanks." Chang Ying glanced at Zhang Da. The two boys locked eyes for less than half a second, but they both read the mutual appreciation behind their expressionless faces.
***
The apartment complex where Qin Ke and Yuan Guo lived was quite old; it was a property left behind by Qin Ke’s maternal grandfather. It wasn't shabby—it was a spacious three-bedroom—but it was aged. Everything was old: the furniture, the decor, the very air of the place.
Although they had lived together for a long time, Yuan Guo didn't know much about Qin Ke’s personal affairs. He seemed to keep the history of his parents' generation under a shroud of secrecy.
After Yuan Guo’s father died six or seven years ago, she had lived with her uncle for a while. Her uncle had "washed his hands" of the underworld and opened a noodle shop in Tongcheng. However, because he had once been a high-ranking figure on the streets, his old ties and acquaintances couldn't be severed completely overnight.
Fearing that his lifestyle might negatively impact a school-aged child, her uncle had entrusted Yuan Guo to his protégé, Qin Ke.
Thus, most of what Yuan Guo knew about Qin Ke came from her uncle. But even "Old Yuan" hadn't said much.
Yuan Guo only knew that Qin Ke’s father had once run a massive business in Tongcheng. Shortly after Qin Ke was born, his father had rekindled an old flame with his first love. The pair were quite the eccentric couple; they reportedly abandoned their respective families and moved to another city just to be together. After the divorce, Qin Ke’s mother passed away a few years later. During the years she was ill, Old Yuan had been the one helping to look after her. Because of this, Qin Ke held Old Yuan in the highest regard.
Yuan Guo also knew that Qin Ke’s father sent him money every year—no small sum, either. Qin Ke never spent a cent of it. Since he couldn't send it back, he let it sit in a savings account, never looking at it, never touching it. Aside from the apartment left by his grandfather, every penny Qin Ke spent on his life and education over the years was earned by his own hand. Qin Ke knew Old Yuan provided for Yuan Guo’s living expenses, but even so, as her "older brother," he gave her money every month.
"A girl should have some money on her. Just keep it. I can't be your brother for nothing," Qin Ke would say every time he gave her money, acting like an elder. In his heart, he truly viewed her as family, as a sister. But Yuan Guo didn't want him to view her as family.
Yuan Guo often wondered: was Qin Ke so good to her solely because of Old Yuan? Or was it because he knew what she had been through and felt a measure of pity? She couldn't dwell on these questions; they were too painful. All signs pointed to the fact that Qin Ke truly only saw her as a sister.
Qin Ke had things on his mind, but he never spoke of them to her. She didn't know what he was thinking. Every day, aside from school, he worked himself to the bone at part-time jobs. His life seemed full, but in reality, he was just drifting, never truly happy. At such a young age, he was already addicted to cigarettes, and to save money, he smoked the low-quality kind. He treated his body and his future with total disregard. He was clearly brilliant, capable, and hardworking, yet one couldn't see a single spark of vitality or hope in him.
Yuan Guo watched TV dramas, and in her world, she felt Qin Ke had been cast as the male lead. But in dramas, even when the lead was stuck in the mud, some twist of fate would eventually turn things around for the better.
Where was Qin Ke’s turning point? Yuan Guo didn't know. But she knew for certain that she wasn't it.
Realizing this made her quite sad.
Today was just another ordinary day for Qin Ke. However, the fact that Yuan Guo had not only woken up early but was currently "bombing" the kitchen reminded him that it was his birthday.
He leaned against the kitchen doorframe. "Morning."
Yuan Guo was peeling what looked like a lump of charcoal in a bowl.
"What is that?" Qin Ke suppressed the urge to criticize.
"A boiled egg." Yuan Guo smiled at him. "Happy birthday, Qin Ke~"
"..." Qin Ke was trying to figure out how to politely decline eating that egg.
Qin Ke’s birthday fell on the penultimate day of Scorpio. Yuan Guo had once checked every zodiac compatibility website, but every single one gave them a very low rating. She had nearly smashed her computer.
"What are your plans for today?" Yuan Guo asked at the dining table, watching Qin Ke intently until he ate the charcoal-egg.
"What do you mean, plans?" After swallowing the egg, Qin Ke had to take several large gulps of water to wash the thing down.
"Like going out for dinner tonight, or maybe inviting those kids from the martial arts hall to celebrate."
"I'll pass," Qin Ke reflexively declined. But then he registered her phrasing: *those kids from the martial arts hall.*
After breakfast, while Yuan Guo was packing her schoolbag, Qin Ke headed out first. He had intended to go straight to school, but halfway there, he detoured to a breakfast stall. He bought over a dozen steamed buns and tea eggs and cycled over to Zhongxin Road. The martial arts hall wasn't open yet, but Master Gao and the "Fat Master" lived on the second floor. He had a key. He opened the door and shoved the food into the two masters' hands. "For the kids."
"What's all this for?" the Master asked.
"Someone’s having a birthday today," Qin Ke replied.
"Who?"
Qin Ke didn't say anything. He just waved and cycled away. As he rode, he thought to himself: *Those kids at the hall... there's still one I haven't delivered to.*
***
At lunch, Tan Junzi was poking at the bowl of shredded chicken cold noodles in front of her.
"If you're going to eat, eat. If not, stop stabbing it." Qin Ruanshu snatched a slice of cucumber from Tan Junzi’s bowl with her chopsticks.
The two sat across from each other amidst the deafening roar of the cafeteria. Tan Junzi leaned across the table and whispered to Qin Ruanshu: "I need you to analyze something for me."
Qin Ruanshu mimicked her hushed tone. "Sure, let's hear it."
"From your perspective as a bystander, do you think... Qin Ke has feelings for me?" Tan Junzi looked dead serious.
"Pfft—" The cucumber slice Qin Ruanshu had just eaten nearly shot out of her nose. "???"
"I'm serious. He's being weird," Tan Junzi said, putting down her chopsticks.
"Then I'm being serious, too. I don't think he likes you. Unless something else is happening between you two when I'm not looking." Qin Ruanshu stifled her laughter. She was sharp and immediately guessed what Tan Junzi was referring to. "Just because he gave you a carton of soy milk means he likes you? Then Chang—" She stopped herself.
"No, I'm not just talking about the soy milk today." Tan Junzi held up a hand and began counting the suspicious points on her fingers.
Over the past half-semester, Tan Junzi had slowly accumulated many doubts. They seemed like small things, but they felt very strange coming from Qin Ke. She couldn't think of any "smoking gun" evidence at the moment, so she rambled on about details that made Qin Ruanshu want to laugh.
For instance, Qin Ke was always teasing her. Not the kind of teasing that makes you laugh, but the kind of immature behavior meant to provoke a reaction—like tossing a lizard's tail at her. He acted like a primary school boy, even though he usually seemed like a very composed person.
Furthermore, he was always hot and cold. Sometimes she felt they were getting along quite well, and other times he would be cold and dismissive as if they had some deep-seated grudge.
...
In short: the two of them barely had any history, yet Tan Junzi felt that Qin Ke hated her one minute and didn't hate her the next. It was extremely bizarre.
After listening to the analysis, Qin Ruanshu was somewhat speechless. She knew Tan Junzi too well. Tan Junzi wasn't exactly "thick-headed"—in fact, she could be quite perceptive—but she suffered from a massive blind spot. If Tan Junzi spent even a fraction of the energy she used on analyzing Qin Ke’s oddities to think about Chang Ying’s anomalies, she would immediately realize that Chang Ying was the one who undeniably liked her.
But Qin Ruanshu couldn't exactly grab Tan Junzi by the shoulders and scream, "Wake up! Look at Chang Ying! You two stopped being just childhood friends a long time ago!"
"So, do you want Qin Ke to like you? Or do you hope he doesn't?" Qin Ruanshu asked.
"Duh! Of course I hope he doesn't. I don't like him," Tan Junzi said.
"It's a blessing when the person you like likes you back; it's a nuisance when someone you don't like does," Tan Junzi concluded slowly. "Actually, I think it's impossible, too. We aren't even close. But he often gives me this illusion that he's trying to flirt. Take the soy milk thing—why didn't he buy a few more cartons for Chang Ying or Zhang Da? Giving it only to me is so awkward."
Qin Ruanshu couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. "Then I have an idea. This afternoon, you go buy drinks for everyone in our circle."
"..." Tan Junzi reached into her pocket to check her wallet and counted her change. She had enough.
"I'm joking! Don't actually do it. That would be even more awkward," Qin Ruanshu quickly stopped her.
***
During PE class in the afternoon, the boys ran the 1000-meter while the girls ran the 800-meter.
After the boys finished, they cleared the track for the girls.
This was Tan Junzi’s favorite part. Even before the start, she was warming up by the track, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves, worried her performance might have slipped. Qin Ruanshu placed a hand on Tan Junzi’s neck, making her jump. "Whoa! Your hands are freezing!"
"I'm scared..." Qin Ruanshu complained.
At the teacher’s whistle, Tan Junzi shot out like a firecracker.
The boys, having finished their run, were playing basketball on the inner court. One of the other boys in the class remarked, "Tan Junzi’s stamina is insane... if she ran the 1000-meter, she'd probably beat me."
Hearing this, Chang Ying’s feelings were complicated. He remembered what Liu Kan had once lamented to him: "Chang Ying, I'm not worried about anything else. I'm just worried that if you and Tan Junzi ever get together, she's going to look down on you."
Chang Ying remembered kicking Liu Kan at the time, but he had gone home and had a nightmare that night. It was a complex dream. Actually, it wasn't entirely a nightmare, because it started with a very atmospheric, "indescribable" scene, only to evolve into Tan Junzi mocking him... He had woken up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat and taken a shower. From then on, he had resolved to exercise properly and take care of himself.
When Tan Junzi finished, the PE teacher said approvingly, "Two minutes and fifty-eight seconds." Tan Junzi then went back to the inner lane to find Qin Ruanshu and ran the final two hundred meters with her.
As they reached the finish line again, Chang Ying was on the edge of the basketball court, holding the ball and preparing to shoot. He turned his head and said, "Impressive. As expected of someone who drank soy milk. Great stamina." A second later, the ball was stolen by Qin Ke.
***
At the end of the school day, Tan Junzi saw something unprecedented: Yuan Guo standing alone at the gate. Usually, Yuan Guo left with her boyfriend the moment school was out.
"Why are you alone today?" Tan Junzi asked. "...Did you break up?"
Yuan Guo hefted Tan Junzi’s schoolbag. "Good lord, your bag is so heavy! Do you have rocks in here? No, no break up. It's Qin Ke’s birthday today, so I'm waiting for him."
Tan Junzi gave Yuan Guo a strange look. "Today is his birthday?"
"Yeah." Yuan Guo looked around distractedly. "Why isn't he out yet? You're out, but he isn't. How is he slower than you?"
"..." Tan Junzi waited with her. Then, she spotted Qin Ke across the street and was completely stunned. She tugged on Yuan Guo’s sleeve. "He's over there."
From a distance, Qin Ke pointed to his phone. Yuan Guo pulled hers out and saw a text from him.
The screen read: *I went home first. See you there.*
Yuan Guo stomped her foot in frustration.
Speaking of birthdays, Tan Junzi thought of Liu Kan and asked tentatively, "By the way, this weekend—"
"I'm not going," Yuan Guo cut her off decisively. "Who in their right mind goes to their ex-boyfriend's birthday party? He's crazy. If I'd known, I never would have dated him. I've had so many boyfriends, but this is the first time I've seen one this persistent. He's such a drama queen."
"How did you know what I was going to say?" Tan Junzi asked, puzzled.
"Because he already came to find me." Yuan Guo curled her lip and shook her phone.
After a long silence, Tan Junzi whispered, "Well, technically... you haven't blocked him yet, have you?"
This statement left Yuan Guo momentarily stunned.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 政治课 | Political Science class | A standard ideological/political education course in Chinese schools. |
| 三八线 | Demarcation line | Literally "38th Parallel," used by students to describe the line dividing a shared desk. |
| 义子 | Protégé / Godson | In this context, a younger male mentored by an older figure, often with a familial bond. |
| 金盆洗手 | Washed his hands | Idiom meaning to retire from a life of crime or a particular trade. |
| 二踢脚 | Double-kick firecracker | A type of powerful Chinese firecracker that explodes twice. |
| 灯下黑 | Blind spot | Idiom: "Darkness under the lamp." Being unaware of things right in front of you. |
| 鸡丝凉面 | Shredded chicken cold noodles | A popular Chinese dish. |
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A Gentleman is Open-minded, While a Petty Person Sighs | Chapter 18 | Soy Milk and Suspicions | Novela.app | Novela.app
