Want to Have a Relationship with You | Chapter 2 | Fading Light | Novela.app

In Su Jingming’s world, Ultraman was a matter of faith. As long as one believed there was light in the world, miracles would exist. Just thinking about what Wen Yan had said made Su Jingming bristle with anger; he didn't even want to spare the guy a passing glance. Wen Yan, for his part, had no idea how he had managed to provoke Su Jingming so thoroughly. Ever since the day Su Jingming saved Wen Miao, Wen Yan would constantly seek out opportunities to ask, "Su Jingming, can I treat you to a meal?" Every time Su Jingming saw Wen Yan, he would reflexively shudder. He had never realized Wen Yan could be so persistent. They weren't even that close to begin with. By the time they returned to the classroom, the chemistry lesson was already halfway through. After receiving the teacher's permission, they slipped quietly back to their seats. Ren Wei had already prepared a note and slid it onto Su Jingming’s desk. *What did Old Zhou want you for?* *To participate in a math competition.* Ren Wei had a moment of realization; it was indeed about that time of year. Last year, when Su Jingming and Wen Yan were still tenth graders, they hadn't been allowed to enter. His restless heart began to stir, his mind flooded with questions he wanted to pelt Su Jingming with. Ren Wei was a real piece of work; having known Su Jingming since they were kids, he knew exactly what kind of person he was. To the other students, Su Jingming looked like a quintessential nerd, hiding more than half his face behind a pair of massive black-rimmed glasses, with his dark fringe hanging low enough to nearly cover his eyes. More than once, Ren Wei had wanted to snatch those glasses off Su Jingming’s face and slick his hair back. He would bet anything that most of the class had never actually caught a proper glimpse of what Su Jingming really looked like. Ren Wei gnawed on the end of his pen, doodling aimlessly on the note before finally crumpling it into a ball and stuffing it into his desk drawer. Su Jingming focused intently on the chemistry lecture, completely oblivious to Ren Wei’s internal restlessness. When the final bell finally rang, Ren Wei grabbed Su Jingming. "So, are you actually going to that competition thing?" Su Jingming gave a noncommittal hum. "I’ve already signed up." "When does it start?" Su Jingming thought for a moment. "I’ll probably head out next week. It’s a half-month intensive training camp." Upon hearing this, Ren Wei’s face instantly crumpled into a mournful expression. "That means I won't see you for half a month? Whose homework am I supposed to copy then?!" Su Jingming replied, "I have a suggestion: do it yourself." Ren Wei let go of Su Jingming’s arm and watched him pack his bag. Su Jingming zipped it up and said, "I'm off." Su Jingming walked out of the school gates with his head down, staring at his phone. The screen stayed on the text message interface for a long time, but he couldn't find the words to type out what he wanted to say. Finally, he sighed, locked the screen, and shoved the phone into his uniform pocket. Looking up, he saw Wen Yan standing not far away. Su Jingming clicked his tongue. This Wen Yan was like a ghost that refused to be exorcised. Wen Yan had arrived at the school gate early specifically to wait for Su Jingming. Seeing him stroll out of the campus at a leisurely pace, Wen Yan strode over. "Su Jingming, why don't you reconsider my offer?" Wen Yan was referring to the dinner invitation. "No need, no need, no need. Didn't I say it was no big deal?" Su Jingming wrinkled his nose. He had never noticed before that Wen Yan was the persistent, difficult-to-shake type. Coincidentally, that was exactly the kind of person Su Jingming was worst at handling. Wen Yan looked troubled. "But my sister really wants to thank you again. If I don't bring you, I won't be able to face her when I get home." Su Jingming countered, "How about this? If your sister really feels that bad about it, tell her for me that the greatest thanks she can give is to have her brother stop asking me out to dinner." Wen Yan choked on his words, not expecting Su Jingming to be so blunt. He was a few centimeters taller than Su Jingming, and as he looked down at the glasses perched on the boy's nose, his eyes held a hint of restrained emotion. Suddenly remembering something, Wen Yan asked, "Are you still angry about what I said that day? About there being no light in the world?" "..." Su Jingming looked up at him. For a *chuunibyou* youth, that was the ultimate unforgivable offense. Why did Wen Yan keep dancing on his last nerve over and over again? They said Wen Yan, the top student, was the best at reading the room. Why was it that when it came to Su Jingming, he only knew how to stomp on high-voltage lines? Su Jingming suppressed the urge to engage Wen Yan in a physical brawl right there at the school gate. He let out a slow breath, but before he could speak, Wen Yan spoke again. "In that case, how about I buy you an Ultraman as an apology? Would that work?" It was the peak of the after-school rush, and more and more students were gathering at the gate. Quite a few eyes were turning toward Wen Yan and Su Jingming. To them, it was a very strange sight. Wen Yan’s height was prominent even among the eleventh graders, and combined with his top-tier grades and a face that was genuinely pleasing to look at, he carried a unique aura wherever he stood. Su Jingming was the opposite. His appearance seemed utterly unremarkable; aside from his impressive grades, most people had no real impression of him at all. As more students lingered nearby, Su Jingming lowered his head, refusing to look at Wen Yan. He muttered sullenly, "Whatever. If doing that makes you feel better, then fine." *Just so you'll stop bothering me in the future.* Hearing this, the corners of Wen Yan’s mouth curled into a slight smile. "Deal," he said brightly. Su Jingming kept his head down and gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "Bye." Wen Yan’s gaze followed Su Jingming’s retreating figure. He rubbed his fingers against his palm, a look of curiosity in his eyes. An inner voice was clamoring within him. He wanted to understand Su Jingming. Wen Yan eventually withdrew his gaze, hooked his thumb under his backpack strap, and casually scanned the crowd of onlookers who were intentionally slowing their pace. Then, he stepped into the flow of people. Su Jingming navigated through several alleys, where the loud cries of street vendors formed an inseparable part of the scenery. He twisted and turned through the paths until he entered an old residential building. The walls bore the mottled traces of passing years. Everywhere one looked, the most prominent sights were large characters scrawled in black ink on yellowing walls: *For locksmith services, call 180XXXXXXXX.* Su Jingming had just climbed two flights of stairs when his footsteps faltered. A cacophony of shouting drifted through a tightly closed door. "All you fucking know how to do is gamble! Why don't you just die at the gambling table?" "Fuck you! What's wrong with me going out to have some fun? You're the one flirting with the girl at the hair salon downstairs all day—you think you have any dignity left?" "Do you know how the neighbors look at me? They stay as far away as possible, like they're afraid I've got some filthy disease!!" Su Jingming wasn't the type to eavesdrop. He stepped to the side just as the door was thrown open with force. A man wearing a sleeveless undershirt walked out. He froze for a moment when he saw Su Jingming. "Oh, Jingming, you're back." Su Jingming nodded, making room for him in the narrow corridor. "Uncle Li." Uncle Li rubbed his stubbled chin, gave a grunt of acknowledgment, and headed downstairs with a dark expression. The woman inside rushed out to chase him, her mouth open to hurl another insult, but the moment she saw Su Jingming, the words died in her throat. She gave an awkward greeting. "Jingming, school's out? I just saw your dad heading up a moment ago." "Ah, okay." In an old residential building like this, the same dramas played out every single day. Su Jingming stood before his own door for a long time, clutching his backpack. He hesitated for a while before finally pulling out his keys to open the door. The moment he stepped inside, he smelled the aroma of food. The living room window was wide open, and an old television was playing the news. The shouting from downstairs was loud enough to drown out the TV. Su Jingming paused at the entrance for a few seconds to change his shoes. Su Qicheng poked his head out from the kitchen. Seeing Su Jingming’s unhappy expression, he spoke with a cigarette dangling from his lips. "I figured you're still growing, so I came back to cook you a meal, and this is the face you give me?" Su Jingming didn't answer. He went straight to his room, tossed his backpack aside, and collapsed onto the bed. A second later, Su Qicheng’s voice rose several decibels. "Su Jingming! Your father is talking to you! Are you deaf?!" Su Jingming still didn't respond. He turned his head slightly and saw scattered exercises and test papers on his desk. In the corner of the desk, atop a high stack of books, sat an Ultraman figure about the size of a palm. It was Tiga. The old window, the freshly washed curtains... the fading glow of the setting sun fell upon a corner of the desk. That was light. The light in Su Jingming’s heart. Once the food was ready, Su Qicheng pushed open the door to Su Jingming’s room and saw him lying half-dead on the bed. His temper flared instantly. He pulled the leather belt from his waist and, without a word, swung it toward Su Jingming’s back. *Snap—* *Snap—* *Snap—* Su Qicheng didn't know how many times he struck. Su Jingming remained on the bed, showing no reaction at all. Su Qicheng breathed heavily; the stress of his high-intensity work over the past few days had finally found an outlet. "Get up. Eat." Su Qicheng tossed the belt aside and walked straight out of the room. Su Jingming took a deep breath and slowly pushed himself up from the bed. The side of his face that had been pressed against the quilt was damp—he didn't know if it was from sweat or tears. He pulled off his jacket and knelt on the bed, his back to the mirror on the wall. With a turn of his head, he could see the wreckage beneath his short-sleeved shirt. Su Qicheng was a combat coach. To be precise, he was an excellent one. His skills and teaching abilities were second to none. Only in the matter of domestic abuse against his son did he always know how to measure his strength and limits. He never injured Su Jingming so severely that he couldn't take care of himself. Su Jingming sat on the bed in silence until he heard the soft sound of the front door closing. Only then did he walk out of his room. On the dining table sat two dishes and a soup, still steaming, alongside a stack of red banknotes. *** | Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 迪迦 | Tiga | Refers to Ultraman Tiga, a popular entry in the Ultraman franchise. | | 任伟 | Ren Wei | Su Jingming's childhood friend and classmate. | | 老周 | Old Zhou | Likely the teacher or form tutor (Zhou is the surname). | | 苏启成 | Su Qicheng | Su Jingming's father, a combat coach. | | 李叔 | Uncle Li | A neighbor in the old apartment building. | | 中二 | Chuunibyou | "Middle school second-year syndrome"; refers to delusional or "edgy" behavior. | | 精神小伙 | Spirit young men | Slang for flashy, often delinquent-looking youths. |