Hypocritical Adonis - Chapter 2

Translator: Uncle Peeps

Proofreader: Chan

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Chapter 2 “Hey, Throw the Cigarette Over Here”

After five trips to the toilet, Xia Li completely collapsed. Summoning up courage, he went to find Teacher Yang and requested for a leave.

Second High School is a boarding school and is particularly strict in terms of access control. Thus, asking for a leave after the school term has started is even more difficult.
Qi Cheng waited at the back door outside the classroom. He leaned against the wall and waited for his friend to return. When Xia Li came back with the written request for leave, he took along his wallet and accompanied him in walking towards the school hospital.

On the way, they passed by the students sports field. There was a batch of people playing basketball in the early morning. The players saw them and tugged the sleeve of their sweaty Forward, “Hey, Qi Zhong, look who’s passing by?’’
Qi Zhong pulled up the hem of his jacket and wiped away the sweat on his head. Along with it, heat evaporated from his muscles, “Who?’’

[TN: Forward is a position in basketball]

He wiped his sweat before looking in the direction pointed out by his teammates. Looking over, Qi Cheng and Xia Li were almost walking out of the sports field. He immediately cursed and lifted his feet to chase after them. The friends he played with kept pace with him.

Hearing the footsteps, Qi Cheng and Xia Li stopped. Turning around, they saw Qi Zhong running madly towards them.
“Stop right there, Qi Cheng!’’ Qi Zhong grabbed Qi Cheng’s collar, his handsome face remained unchanged but he was seething in fury underneath. “If you have the guts, repeat what you said to Zhou Die to my face!’’ XXX

Qi Cheng looked down at his hand, then raised his own and grabbed his wrist. Then, he pried his finger open to save his collar from misfortune for the second time.

The back of Qi Zhong’s hand was drawn taut with frightful blue veins. His fingers were powerlessly pried open, and his skin was steamed red under extreme exertion. His complexion turned ashen, he didn’t expect Qi Cheng to be so strong.

The collar again protected the clavicle. Qi Cheng took a step back to escape from the heat brought by Qi Zhong.

“I told her,’’ he slowly smoothed down his clothes with his hand, “I’m not the only person in school with the surname Qi. You can look for someone who is interested in you. And that person can also be surnamed Qi.’’
“Why? Did she find you? Your surname is Qi?’’

Qi Zhong pursed his lips into a straight line. The muscles on his arms bulged as he exerted more strength, suppressing his emotion. “Don’t you know what’s my surname?’’
His friends, who trotted behind him, finally arrived with an enthusiastic wave. There were many people. Xia Li covered his stomach and weakly cried out, “Qi Cheng.’’

Qi Cheng let go of Qi Zhong’s hand.
Qi Zhong angrily stared at him, his eyes were fixed on him unwaveringly. He was tall and big. In the early autumn morning, he only wore the inner part of his school uniform. As the gust of wind traveled past them, it took with it, his sweaty scent and his threatening feeling. “If I see you with Zhou Die again, I will stop you everytime I see you.’’

As if he didn’t hear him, Qi Cheng supported Xia Li with his hands and left the sports field under the stares of the group.
“Fuck.’’ Embarrassed, Qi Zhong took the mineral water and gulped down, using the sound of drinking to gloss it over. However, his eyes didn’t leave Qi Cheng. He ridiculed lightly, “Little white face.’’

[TN: Little white face is usually a derogatory way of saying a man is effeminate]

School Hospital.

Xia Li was quite unlucky. When they arrived, the doctor on duty had already left. There was a white piece of paper on the sliding door. Written on it was, ‘The next doctor on duty will arrive in 10 minutes. Students, please wait patiently for a while.’
“Ah~’’ Xia Li wailed, “I’m so out of luck!’’

During the 10 minutes break between classes, seeing his friend crouched on the ground, covering his stomach, Qi Cheng walked to the counter. Following the suggestions of the internet doctor, he took out a tablet of medicine and poured him a cup of warm water.
Xia Li was drenched in sweat. “Is it useful?’’

“Have a try. ” Qi Cheng smirked, “Eating it won’t kill you.’’
Xia Li was rendered speechless but he still took the offered medicine.
Before he ate the medicine, the sliding door was pulled open and a cold voice sounded, “Medication is not recommended before examining the illness.’’

A doctor wearing a doctor’s coat entered the infirmary. He glanced at them and walked to the desk, pulling out a pair of new gloves from the drawer. “Come here.’’
His slender fingers put on the gloves. The meticulous doctor looked serious and cold. Xia Li walked to him and sat down. Qi Cheng stood next to him with both hands in his pockets while watching them.

The doctor pressed a few places on Xia Li’s stomach with his hand and stopped when Xia Li’s expression changed and cried out in pain. He took off his gloves and tossed them into the trash can before asking, “What did you eat this morning?’’

“Baozi and soy milk.’’Qi Cheng changed his posture and answered for Xia Li.

[TN: Baozi is a steamed stuffed bun, most of the time filled with meat]

The doctor turned to look at him, “Is he often in pain?’’
Qi Cheng smiled, “Only this once.’’

The doctor nodded, and took some medicine from the medicine cabinet after changing a new pair of gloves.
Probably feeling consoled after seeing the doctor, Xia Li felt that the pain now wasn’t as bad as before. While the doctor’s back was facing them, he whispered to Qi Cheng, “Mysophobia.’’
Hearing that, Qi Cheng looked at the doctor.

[TN: Mysophobia is the unhealthy obsession with cleanliness]

He’s as clean as a new pin. Not a spot of dust could be found on his leather shoes. His black hair was gelled, with not a single strand out of place.
He looked old-fashioned, inflexible and detached.

“You, come here.’’ The doctor pointed to him, his face was as calm as a millpond. “Help me cut open the medicine bag.’’
Qi Cheng stood straight, and took his hands out from his trouser pockets before walking to the medicine cabinet. He was about to take the medicine but the doctor grabbed his hand. Glancing indifferently at him, the doctor took out an alcohol pad to clean his hands. Then, he took out a pair of gloves and helped Qi Cheng to put them on.

The medical gloves are thin and stick to the skin. They weren’t very easy to wear. From the fingers to the back of the hand, from fingertip to the joints of the fingers, the doctor did not let go any inch of his skin and slowly smoothed out every single wrinkle.
However Qi Cheng has long fingers. As a result, a small half of his hand was still exposed.

After putting the gloves on for him, the doctor immediately took a step back and raised his chin satisfically, signaling him to continue.
Qi Cheng took the medicine bag and tore out a small opening. He poured it into hot water and stirred it while it was still steaming. The medical granules turned the water into a deep brown color, exuding a bitter and sweet smell.

Before he even realized it, Xia Li had walked up to them and asked with a bitter face. “Doctor, how many times should I drink a day?’’
The doctor looked away from the liquid and said, “3 times.’’

The answer was so terse that Xia Li was too embarrassed to ask him why he had a stomachache.

Ten minutes after drinking the medicine, Qi Cheng asked him, “How is it?’’
“I feel better.’’ Xia Li touched his stomach, “Though, I don’t know if it is a medical issue or a psychological one.’’
Qi Cheng laughed and took out his wallet from his pocket. His index finger and middle finger reached into his wallet and fished out a banknote.

The doctor took a glance at his wallet and said, “We don’t accept cash.’’
Qi Cheng paused and took his phone out of his school uniform jacket. The doctor took out his own phone and showed him the QR code. However after scanning it, the page shown wasn’t the payment page. Instead it was his WeChat ID.

The WeChat profile picture was the outline of a man’s face on a dark background. The lines were thin and smooth, his nose was upright. His name was only one ‘.’.
Qi Cheng raised his head and looked at him with a faint smile.

“Scan it.’’ The doctor’s face remained unchanged.
Qi Cheng scanned it and sent him a friend request. He then took out a red banknote from his wallet and placed it on the glass counter.

Xia Li followed him out of the school hospital, “It’s a pity. That is a hundred yuan, Qi Cheng you are such a squander. The medicine I drank was at most 30 yuan.’’
“Are you distressed?’’
“Yeah.’’ Xia Li nodded.

“If you are distressed, then pay me back a hundred yuan,’’ Qi Cheng slowly put on his overcoat. Right now it wasn’t time for recess, so there were only a few people in the whole school grounds. “Don’t eat my soft rice.’’

[TN: 吃软饭, chī ruǎn fàn, eating soft rice is used to describe a man living off a woman]

The school hospital is behind the dining hall and it’s a 10-minute walk to the teaching area. Xia Li muttered, “I want to eat soft rice. But no rich lady wants me…’’
He looked at Qi Cheng with envy and jealousy, “Why is there a rich lady willing to support you? You are only a little more handsome compared to me’’

Qi Cheng replied, “I call her mom.’’
“Well stepmothers,’’ Xia Li said, “all are rich ladies.’’

The school’s backdoor is near the school hospital. While passing by, they witnessed someone escaping by climbing over the wall of the backdoor.
That person was wearing the school uniform. He must be a student too. His action of climbing over the wall was neat. With one jump of his long legs, in just an instant he was already sitting on top of the wall. At such a long distance, his features could not be seen clearly, but the ruthless and tyrannical momentum he owned shows that he wasn’t someone who’s easy to deal with.

However, when the person turned over the wall, something fell to the grass within the walls. Qi Cheng raised his eyebrow and walked towards there. Xia Li had no choice but to follow him, carefully hiding behind his friend.

There was a pack of cigarettes in the grass with only a single cigarette left inside. The brand was YuXi. Qi Cheng picked up the pack of cigarettes and glanced at the high wall.
He is 1.87m tall and the wall’s height is 2.6 meters.
There was someone swearing lowly on the other side of the wall. The voice was hoarse. “Fuck.’’

Qi Cheng took out the last cigarette in the cigarette case and took out a lighter from his pocket. He turned his head to block the wind and lightened the cigarette butt.
A handsome man lighting a cigarette itself had a sex appeal. He was charming, young, tall and clean. Qi Cheng held the cigarette between his fingers and let out a puff of smoke, the corners of his mouth rising into a smile.

YuXi has always been well received by old smokers. It’s soft and smooth with a sweet aroma. Qi Cheng stretched his hand towards Xia Li, “Money.’’
Xia Li was alert, “I don’t have that much money on me.’’
“One yuan.’’ Qi Cheng jerked off the cigarette ash.

Xia Li pursed his lips and gave him one yuan.

The student on the other side of the wall, who skipped classes, heard their voices. “Hey, people on the other side.’’
He sounded impatient, his voice was hoarse from smoking, still it sounded pleasant, “Throw the cigarette over here.’’

Qi Cheng rolled the dollar bill into a long strip and put it in the cigarette case. He then raised his arm and threw it over the wall.
Xia Li watched him carry it out with a wooden face. Qi Cheng smirked and walked back to the teaching area with his arm on Xia Li’s shoulders.

Waiting on the other side of the wall, Wu Yuan stood straight with his hands in his pockets, and looked at the cigarette case in front of him gloomily.
The cigarette case had already opened when it fell to the ground. The empty little square case contained a neatly rolled green banknote.
It was the one yuan disguising as his last cigarette.

Damn it.
His lips pressed together.

You’re courting death.

*

When they went back to the classroom, it was halfway through Teacher Yang’s class. Teacher Yang teaches Chinese really well. This time he’s taking his students to read through classical Chinese. When he saw them coming in, he motioned them to sit down.
He only had time to ask after class. “Xia Li, how are you feeling now?”

Qi Cheng leaned on his chin and looked at the small activity square outside the classroom, listening to the conversation between Xia Li and Teacher Yang. Xu Ning and her deskmate, who were sitting in front, also turned to listen. They also asked several questions after Xia Li finished speaking, which made Teacher Yang unable to leave. In the meantime, more and more students came to listen.

The majority of them just came for fun, but Teacher Yang was very happy as the more he spoke, the more excited he became. “It seems to be difficult to learn the classics at first but if you read more of them, you will notice that they are quite interesting. The feelings of the ancients are hidden in those words. Whether it’s homesickness and patriotism or the love and affection you were talking about just now, the ancients don’t really say it out loud. Instead, they spoke about them more implicitly and beautifully, which on the contrary only reflected the strong feelings they wanted to express.’’

The students laughed heartily, “Old Yang, can you give an example?’’

Qi Cheng joked with a smile, “Teacher Yang, if you were to express your affection for me, which ancient Chinese prose would you use?’’
“Nonsense!’’ Teacher Yang pretended to be angry, “Boy, do you wish for a spanking again?’’

People around them broke into laughter and gave Qi Cheng a thumbs up.
In the whole class, the one who liked to tease Old Yang the most, was none other than Qi Cheng.
Although Old Yang was the one who was joked about, he was never really angry with him. Nor anyone thought that Qi Cheng was detestable.

He had some modeling experience, looked handsome and was a helpful person. By all appearance, it wasn’t exaggerating to praise him as an Adonis.
And so, the girls in Class 3 also viewed him as their Adonis.

No one would ever see such a person as detestable as he has such a good temper.