Chapter 61: The End of Senior Year

Jiang Shi thought for a long time but couldn’t figure out how Cheng Ye had managed to win over his mom.

Actually, it wasn’t exactly ‘won over’. Jiang Xue was still stubborn with her words, but she was willing to let Cheng Ye come to their house for the New Year, and Jiang Shi wasn’t so foolish as to not understand what that meant.

There had been sun in the morning, but the afternoon turned gloomy. The weather forecast predicted snow.

When Jiang Shi arrived, Cheng Ye was cleaning furniture. The gauze on his forehead had been removed, revealing a wound several centimeters long. In such cold weather, he was standing at his doorstep wearing only a sweater, his sleeves rolled up, a chair in his hands, revealing his sturdy forearms.

The cold wind was blowing. Jiang Shi wore the hood of his jacket, his chin tucked into his collar, making the pair of eyes that were visible look very large.

Cheng Ye stopped and stood still. “Came here secretly?”

The way he said it…

Jiang Shi poked the back of his heel with the tip of his shoe. “What kind of way is that to talk?”

Cheng Ye put down the chair in his hand. “My mistake.”

At that, Jiang Shi smiled, a hint of liveliness in his eyes. “Guess what my mom said to me when I went back just now?”

Cheng Ye said, “She told you to come ask me to go back and celebrate the New Year with you.”

This time it was Jiang Shi’s turn to be stunned. “How did you know?”

“I guessed.” Cheng Ye rubbed his hands together, only adjusting Jiang Shi’s slightly crooked hood after they were warm. “I thought I’d have to wait until tomorrow or the day after. I didn’t expect Auntie Jiang to be even softer-hearted than I imagined.”

A lock of hair poked out from under the hood. Jiang Shi didn’t notice it and, with the stray hair sticking up, looked up at Cheng Ye. “You did it on purpose?”

“I wouldn’t say on purpose, just doing the right thing at the right time. It’s not deception, but I did make use of her kindness.”

Jiang Shi thought back and finally understood. “Playing hard to get, huh?”

First, a wave of attentiveness, then a period of coldness, and finally, playing the victim at the right moment. With a routine like that, let alone Jiang Xue, no one could resist.

“I’m telling you, Cheng Ye…” Jiang Shi said, “You’re so scheming. You didn’t use these tricks on me in the past, did you?”

“How could I?” Cheng Ye let out a laugh.

“When have I ever been cold to you?”

The snow melted and fell again, piling up white on the ground. This was Lincheng’s coldest winter in recent years.

On New Year’s Eve, every household was busy. Jiang Shi was habitually lazy, spending most of the winter huddled under his covers. Even on New Year’s Day, he lazed in bed until nearly eleven before getting up.

Once noon arrived, the piled-up snow began to melt again. The eaves dripped, but it was warm inside.

Pork stewed on the stove. Jiang Xue wiped furniture with a towel. The smell of smoked cured meat wafted into Jiang Shi’s nose. He stood dazed at his bedroom door for a moment before fully waking up.

Jiang Xue said, “Hungry? There’s some freshly fried crispy pork on the side.”

Jiang Shi yawned lazily and glanced outside, spotting Cheng Ye squatting at their doorstep, plucking a chicken.

“…”

Noticing his gaze, Jiang Xue said sarcastically, “Look at the time. Why don’t you just sleep until the New Year’s Eve dinner tonight?”

Jiang Shi shuffled to the table in his slippers, picked up a piece of crispy pork with his hand, and put it in his mouth. Then he sat down, watching the two of them bustle about inside and outside the house.

Jiang Xue mopped past his feet. “Go put up the couplets later.”

Having received his first task of the new year, Jiang Shi ate a few pieces of crispy pork and gnawed on an apple before finally digging out the couplets from a large pile of New Year’s goods.

He went out with the couplets. Cheng Ye had finished plucking the chicken and was gutting it with a knife.

Jiang Shi stood behind him. “When did you get here?”

In the freezing weather, Cheng Ye was still wearing the same sweater as before, his hair damp with melting snow.

“In the morning.”

After speaking, he glanced at Jiang Shi. “Putting up couplets?”

Jiang Shi waved the couplets in his hand. “A task assigned by Her Majesty, my mother.”

Cheng Ye said, “Wait till I’m done with this, I’ll do it with you.”

After Jiang Xue finished mopping, she turned to see Cheng Ye bringing in a chicken. Without even needing her to say anything, he resourcefully took a knife and chopped up the chicken. By the time she had washed the mop, Cheng Ye had already put the chopped chicken in a pot to stew.

Cheng Ye had rushed over at dawn and had been busy with one thing or another. Jiang Xue didn’t say anything, but she saw it all. She was about to tell him to take a break when Cheng Ye turned around and went to the door with paste to put up the couplets.

Jiang Shi, who was supposed to be putting up the couplets, was now holding a bag of snacks, sitting in the courtyard like a lord and directing Cheng Ye. “A little to the left… too far, too far… Aiya! Cheng Ye, are you stupid? You can’t even put up a couplet properly.”

Jiang Xue: “…”

For some reason, the hand holding the mop suddenly felt itchy.

Jiang Shi finished a bag of snacks, went back inside to get a new one, and saw Jiang Xue. “Mom, I want to eat sweet and sour pork for dinner tonight.”

Jiang Xue said, “How about a slap instead?”

Jiang Shi: “???”

Seriously, on New Year’s Day.

…

Cheng Ye had an inexhaustible supply of energy and was quick and diligent with his work. It had to be said, this was the most relaxing New Year Jiang Xue had ever had.

She strangely got the feeling that her son had married a diligent wife.

Her good-for-nothing son sat beside her, cracking sunflower seeds. Next to him was a plate of fruit that Cheng Ye had washed. He was slouched over, lazy beyond words.

Jiang Shi opened his mouth and called out, “Cheng Ye, I want some candy.”

Cheng Ye said, “You’ve already had a lot today. You can’t have any more.”

“Nonsense. How is that possible? Which eye of yours saw me?”

“Both of them did. You snuck three pieces at noon, two in the afternoon, and just a moment ago, you ate two more. I’ve put the candy away. You can have more tomorrow.”

“…”

“Hey, you need to get it straight. This is my house, and you’re the guest. What kind of guest manages the host like this?”

Cheng Ye said, “Then why don’t you ask your mom and see if she’ll let you eat it.”

Jiang Xue stood up. “I’m going to feed the chickens.”

She carried a bowl of corn kernels to the door, then turned to look inside. Jiang Shi seemed angry and threw an orange at Cheng Ye. Cheng Ye caught the orange, peeled it, and stuffed it back into his hand.

Jiang Xue suddenly understood the words Jiang Shi had said back then—

No one would ever treat him as well as Cheng Ye did.

At the time, Jiang Shi had explained a lot to her, explaining what homosexuality was, the percentage of homosexuals in the world…

She didn’t understand what homosexuality was. She was just a mother who wanted her child to be happy.

After standing for a few seconds, Jiang Xue suddenly said, “Cheng Ye, there’s a basket in the corner of the main room. There’s a piece of clothing in the basket. I originally bought it for Jiang Shi, but I accidentally bought it too big. You can have it.”

Cheng Ye was stunned.

By the time he came to his senses, Jiang Xue had already walked far away with the bowl.

Jiang Shi, with an orange slice in his mouth, lifted his chin at him and gave a sly smile. “See? I told you. My mom is a classic case of all bark and no bite.”

…

Back at the Song family’s house, the New Year’s Eve dinner was always prepared by the household maids. After Song Bo and Sun Wanyun finished their exquisite but bland meal, they would spend the next day visiting people with all sorts of expensive gifts.

The maids went home for the holidays, leaving Jiang Shi with only leftovers. The vast, empty villa was so quiet he could hear the echo of his own breathing.

But the Jiang family’s house was small, and the low, square table held dishes that were far from the lavish meals of his past. Jiang Xue’s cooking was average; most of it was authentic, hearty farmhouse cuisine, with no thought given to presentation. The only dish that looked somewhat decent was probably the sweet and sour pork Cheng Ye had made.

But Jiang Shi still took out his phone and took pictures with great care.

His eyes were misty from the rising steam as he raised his glass. “Happy New Year!”

The winter snow melted on the roof, and the first firework of the new year blossomed in the night sky.

“Happy New Year!”

…

With the Gaokao approaching, Jiang Shi hardly had time to feel the New Year’s atmosphere. School started right after the fifth day of the new year.

The first thing back was the first mock exam. Jiang Shi’s score was finally stable above the line for a second-tier university.

He asked Cheng Ye, “Where are you planning to apply?”

He thought Cheng Ye would go to Beijing, but he paused for two seconds before answering, “Jiangcheng.”

Jiang Shi looked at him, somewhat surprised.

Cheng Ye said, “I plan to develop my career in Jiangcheng in the future. Although Beijing has more opportunities, the competition is too fierce. I don’t have any background, so I won’t be able to make it in a place like that. Jiangcheng is a coastal city, full of newly rising businesses with shallow roots. It’s the most suitable place for me.”

Jiang Shi hadn’t expected Cheng Ye to have thought so far ahead. “So you’re applying to A University in Jiangcheng?”

“Mhm.”

Cheng Ye lowered his eyes to look at him. “And you, young master?”

Jiang Shi rested his face on the desk and let out a soft sigh. “I don’t know…”

His hobbies and ambitions had been taken from him before. Now that he had to choose for himself, he had no idea what to do.

If he couldn’t choose, Cheng Ye would choose for him.

The next day, Cheng Ye wrote down the name of a university and put it in front of Jiang Shi. “Apply to this one.”

Jiang Shi shot up as if jolted from his deathbed. “Me? Apply to B University? Are you kidding me?”

“No.” Cheng Ye pressed down a cowlick sticking up at the back of his head. “I believe you can do it.”

Jiang Shi’s face fell. “I don’t believe in myself.”

Although B University wasn’t as good as A University, it was still a first-tier university. His score was barely passing the line for a second-tier one. How could he possibly be worthy?

During the break, most people were sleeping. Cheng Ye leaned back in his chair, his voice low when he spoke.

“Doesn’t my young master want to be with me? B University is right next to A University.”

Jiang Shi said, “Who exactly is it that wants to be with whom?”

Cheng Ye was very frank. “It’s me who can’t be without my young master. The thought of being separated from you in the future keeps me up all night.”

“Young master, just take pity on me. For my sake, how about you try for B University?”

Jiang Shi’s face grew a little hot. “Then why don’t you just tell me to apply to A University?”

“If you could get in…”

Jiang Shi couldn’t.

After slacking off for several years, even though his foundation was decent, getting into A University in just one year was something he wouldn’t even dare to dream of.

But B University… he could just about fight for it.

In those few short months, Jiang Shi finally experienced the feeling that being a third-year high school student was worse than death.

Winter turned to summer. The three days of the exam were so hot that sweat glued his eyelids shut. As soon as it was over, Jiang Shi felt completely empty.

When he got home, he did nothing but lie in bed and sleep in a daze for several days.

Cheng Ye disappeared right after the exam. He had leaned over Jiang Shi’s bed and mumbled a bunch of things, but Jiang Shi hadn’t heard a single word. He only vaguely understood that he was going to earn money.

There was no joy of being free from high school in his words, only a craving for money.

After sleeping for five days, Gao Xinhe came over with a newly acquired phone to play games with Jiang Shi.

When Cheng Ye returned half a month later, he caught two game addicts in the house.

The game addict Jiang Shi was still a bit dazed when he saw him. “Cheng Ye? You’re back so soon?”

Soon?

Cheng Ye’s brows lowered as he let out a heavy laugh.