Worlds Apart | Chapter 17 | The Extra Ticket | Novela.app

"His own sister?" The world seemed to hit a pause button at that moment. Xiao Fengtai stared at the shape of Jiang Tong’s mouth, suddenly feeling as though he had lost his grasp of the Chinese language. "What’s wrong? Do we not look alike?" "My mistake, I should have introduced you two just now." Jiang Tong felt a bit unnerved by his stare, his smile turning awkward. "My sister is the same age as you, in her junior year of high school. Her school is collaborating with one here in Singapore for a summer camp. She signed up to come play and decided to drop by to see me." "Once our Chinese lesson is over, should I ask her to come say hi?" Jiang Tong asked tentatively. Since Easter, Xiao Fengtai’s moods had been swinging between hot and cold, making him exceptionally unpredictable. Jiang Tong chalked it up to adolescent hormones. After all, he had been through it himself—there is a period in life where, from the moment you crawl out of bed, you find the entire world disagreeable. Besides, Bei Bei was such a sweet and lovely girl; there was no harm in the two of them getting to know each other. Jiang Tong was very confident in his sister; he didn't believe there was a boy in the world who couldn't get along with Bei Bei. "No, there’s no need." Xiao Fengtai seemed to snap out of a dream, shaking his head vigorously. Before Jiang Tong could say anything else, the youth had already turned and begun striding toward the school gate, as if a ferocious beast were snapping at his heels. Jiang Tong followed him cheerfully, certain he had guessed the boy’s secret. This young master had likely fallen for his precious sister at first sight—why else would his ears be as red as boiled shrimp? Throughout the entire lesson, Xiao Fengtai was distracted. Jiang Tong caught him stealing glances several times. Whenever their eyes met, the boy would guiltily look away, picking up his coffee to hide the flush on his face. After Xiao Fengtai finished his third cappuccino, Jiang Tong felt it was necessary to rescue the poor child. He closed his book and looked Xiao Fengtai straight in the eye. "Is there something you want to tell me?" The youth straightened his back, his gaze shifting restlessly. "Why is Tao Yuanming considered a great poet of the Landscape and Pastoral school?" Jiang Tong smiled. "I like this shop’s cappuccino too. But a word of advice—drinking too much coffee will cause insomnia tonight." The flush spread from Xiao Fengtai’s cheeks across his entire face. Not just his ears, but even the base of his neck turned a deep crimson. Jiang Tong had to bite the inside of his cheeks to keep from laughing out loud. It was a pity he couldn't place a mirror in front of Xiao Fengtai so the boy could see his own beet-red face. "I... I have something to tell you." Xiao Fengtai was completely unaware that he had been seen through, maintaining a stiff, solemn expression. Jiang Tong had to secretly clench his hands together to suppress his amusement. "I’m listening. Go ahead." Xiao Fengtai was a good kid. Although it was a bit early for Bei Bei to be dating, if he insisted, Jiang Tong wouldn't mind giving him his sister’s phone number. The two youngsters might even be able to help each other out. Bei Bei could speak Chinese with Xiao Fengtai, and Xiao Fengtai could speak English with Bei Bei. Though Jiang Tong hadn't experienced it personally, he had witnessed many successful cases: the best way to learn a foreign language was to find a boyfriend or girlfriend who spoke it. "At the International Youth Music Festival early next month, I’m competing in the violin solo category. I have some guest tickets," Xiao Fengtai said softly, his clear, youthful voice trembling slightly with tension. ...And then? Xiao Fengtai fell silent, staring mutely at the bottom of his empty coffee cup as if another universe were hidden within it. Jiang Tong cautiously remained quiet, truly unsure of how to respond. Bei Bei was returning to the mainland next week; he couldn't exactly ask her to fly back to Singapore just for Xiao Fengtai’s competition. The two of them endured the wordless awkwardness, the silence turning into a strange test of wills. Xiao Fengtai was the first to break. When he spoke again, his face was so red it looked as if it might bleed. His voice was as faint as a mosquito's hum: "I have one extra ticket." "Are you interested in the violin?" "What?" Jiang Tong’s eyes widened. His first thought was that he had misheard; his second was that the pressure of the competition had caused Xiao Fengtai to act irrationally. Were he and Xiao Fengtai that close? Jiang Tong asked himself, the answer wavering between yes and no. Given the frequency of their weekly meetings and online chats, he certainly couldn't say he knew nothing of Xiao Fengtai’s life. But being close enough to attend Xiao Fengtai’s violin competition was an entirely different level of intimacy. His instinctive bewilderment stung the youth. Xiao Fengtai pursed his lips, the feverish flush fading from his face, leaving him looking paler than usual. "I was just asking casually," he added quickly, his tone stiff. "If you don't have time, then forget it." "Of course I have time." Jiang Tong swallowed a string of explanations. "I just... I just didn't expect you to invite me." He had a vague inkling that if he refused Xiao Fengtai, the other would be very, very, *very* unhappy. "I’m actually quite flattered," Jiang Tong said decisively, trying his best to look overjoyed, wanting only to end this topic quickly. *Maybe Xiao Fengtai has even fewer friends than I thought,* he mused while maintaining a fake smile. Xiao Fengtai was oblivious to Jiang Tong's complex internal monologue. Hearing that he had accepted the ticket, a look of relief washed over him. He pulled an envelope from his bag and pushed it toward Jiang Tong. "This is the ticket. Don't lose it," he instructed in a low voice, a faint pink tide gradually spreading again from his jade-like neck. Jiang Tong had an illusion that Xiao Fengtai’s eyes were darker and brighter than usual—and not just his eyes; his lips seemed redder and fuller, his skin whiter and more delicate, as if some unknown excitement and hope had set his soul ablaze, making him radiate a captivating brilliance from the inside out. Jiang Tong suddenly felt this scene was familiar. In high school, in university, he had sat at this end of the table more than once. He had even developed a formulaic reflex, knowing exactly what angle to smile at and what words to use so the situation wouldn't end in awkwardness. But at this moment, he could neither find his voice nor deploy his practiced smile. The most important structural element of this standard paradigm was wrong, and so everything was out of order—the person across the table shouldn't be Xiao Fengtai. It shouldn't be any male creature. His phone vibrated; the lesson time was over. Xiao Fengtai stood up to bid Jiang Tong farewell. As he walked out of the cafe, the back of his hand brushed, intentionally or not, against Jiang Tong’s bare arm. The moment their skin touched, Jiang Tong felt a jolt, and a terrifying thought rose within him. *“Messing with a minor is a crime,”* his classmate’s voice echoed in his head. A chill ran up his spine. Jiang Tong gave a bitter smile and took a sip of his coffee. The cappuccino had gone cold; its sour, bitter aroma filled his mouth and seeped all the way into his heart. He might have stumbled into a disaster.