Hello, Old Times Chapter 95

Chapter 95: The Art of Love

The notice for the revision classes was quickly released.

Yu Zhou Zhou knew that there were some envy in Yan Yi’s gaze when he looked at her but there wasn’t any malice.

From Yan Yi’s point of view, he had worked so hard for so long but his grades didn’t improve in the slightest while Yu Zhou Zhou had only worked hard three days before the exams and was able to get first in the grade. There had never been such a thing as fairness in the world.

“Anyway, no matter how hard I work, it’s useless but I still must work hard.”

He was like a disappointed kid throwing a tantrum.

Yu Zhou Zhou put down her pen and was dazed for a while before an idea popped into her mind, she smiled, “Yan Yi, draw a picture.”

Yan Yi looked at Yu Zhou Zhou like he was looking at a strange create for a long time. Finally, he put his pen on paper and started to draw. After roughly ten minutes, he put that picture that was completed on the back of the test paper in front of Yu Zhou Zhou.

The girl in the picture had her ponytail up high but her head was bowed extremely low. She was biting on her fingernails as she stared intently at the manga on her lap. Only her face was blurred.

“You.” Yan Yi smiled.

“Me?”

Mi Qiao chimed in from behind, “He means that you’re usually like this.”

 A hasty and careless yet vivid picture. Mi Qiao had tried hard to convince Yan Yi to join their animation society a long time ago. Their website needed members who were talented at drawing. Yan Yi didn’t say anything but he had always regarded them as a derelict group.

Yu Zhou Zhou carefully sandwiched the picture in her large English textbook.

“You draw so well.”

“There’s no point in drawing well.”

Yan Yi was very sensitive and preoccupied with his grades. Ever since Xin Mei Xiang’s transformation, Yu Zhou Zhou rarely tried to comfort others on her own initiative but after thinking about it, she still spoke up.

“I have always firmly believed that every person in this world has a talent but most people live their entire life without discovering it.”

A mocking smile appeared on Yan Yi’s pale face. He stared at his textbook as he cut Yu Zhou Zhou off, “Don’t you just want to say that everyone has their own strengths? But some strengths are useless in this society. I’d rather swap this picture for an extra ten points in my maths score.”

“The Gods were perhaps dividing talents equally but they didn’t expect humankind to selectively value a certain type of talent and despise another type so some pericous laents have become worthless. For example, a person who was very gifted in computer science would perhaps have lived very miserably if they lived in the dark ages. But at least we’re more fortunate than those before us.”

“Whether some things are useful or not aren’t up to us. If you say it’s useless, perhaps it’s because you don’t have the guts to make it work.”

Yu Zhou Zhou’s words turned into self-mumbling. She lay on her desk and gradually fell asleep.

Mi Qiao also yawned from the back row. No one noticed that Yan Yi had not flipped a page in his history book for a long time.

—

Lin Yang was very upset.

The second place in humanities, Yu Zhou Zhou had abandoned him and leaped forward by herself but he still stayed in his original place.

He never felt that he was inferior to Chu Tian Kuo, he just didn’t understand how Chu Tian Kuo was able to write such cringy essays that received much higher scores than his own every time.

Just as he was frowning in annoyance, a test message came through on his phone.

“Have you heard about the Science and Technology Museum situation? I’ll help you block it, no one will be able to be team up with her, the rest is up to you! No need to thank me but how come you still haven’t handed back the English paper I asked you to write last time?”

Mi Qiao’s text message confused Lin Yang. He had already helped Mi Qiao complete three political science papers and two history papers for no reason but the other party still hadn’t provided him with any substantive help so he held onto the English paper, reluctant to start.

Just as he was in surprise, the form teacher walked into the class and knocked on the table to signal for the students to stop writing.

“I have an announcement that I just found out about when we had a meeting just now. During the Communist Youth League celebration, there will be all kinds of facilities that will be made open to middle school and high school students free of charge. They’ve set up a large number of activities and it’s mandatory for each school to select one to attend. Sigh, the one our school has selected is a free tour of the Science and Technology Museum. Groups of two to three will then need to write a reflection about it with the Communist Youth League Celebration as the theme. Thus, we’ll have normal revision classes this Thursday in the morning and in the afternoon, a bus will come to take everyone to the newly built Science and Technology Museum in Beijiang District. Everyone will be divided into groups to go around freely, afterwards, everyone can go home. Next week, hand in your reports. It can’t be less than 1500 words. Then, let’s divide into groups after class. Give the names in your groups directly to Lin Yang.”

Lin Yang was stunned. The idea in that text message started glowing in his heart.

“Teacher, can we form teams across classes?” Lin Yang asked without a second thought.

The head teacher felt it was quite random but the classmates around Lin Yang all looked ambiguously at him.

Lu Yu Ning gave a crafty smile, “Why not, it doesn’t matter if it’s across classes since sooner or later, we’ll be one family.”

Lin Yang was still in a daydream that he even smiled approvingly at Lu Yu Ning, “You’re right.”

Then, he picked up Mi Qiao’s English paper from his desk and started working on it happily.

“Yu Zhou Zhou, who are you grouping with?”

As soon as Yan Yi asked, Mi Qiao intercepted from the back, “You’re not in a group? No worries, I see that Wu Gang hasn’t found anyone to team up with either, go team up with him.” Before Yan Yi could reject, she immediately turned around and shouted, “Wu Gang, Yan Yi wants to be in a group with you!”

Yan Yi’s face immediately turned the colour of an eggplant.

After class, Mi Qiao received a text message and ran out happily. After two minutes, she walked back into the class with some papers in hand and knocked on Yu Zhou Zhou’s desk, “Hey, someone’s looking for you!”

Yu Zhou Zhou put down her pen and went out. The person at the door staring at their classroom sign plate with a dumb smile was clearly Lin Yang.

“Lin Yang?”

Yu Zhou Zhou raised her head. She suddenly realised that the reason why Guan Shi Yin didn’t strangle Tang Seng to death was perhaps because Tang Seng was too tall that Guan Shi Yin couldn’t exert her strength.

“I…Is your cold better? You don’t have a fever right? By the way, the Communist Youth League celebrations!” Lin Yang said with a smile.

Yu Zhou Zhou raised his eyebrows and looked at the boy in front of her who kept gulping a little unbelievably.

“You came to find me to celebrate the Communist Youth League together?”

“Yeah,” Lin Yang nodded vigorously, “Let’s celebrate the league’s birthday together!”

Then, he noticed Mi Qiao who was rolling her eyes from the distance.

Lin Yang didn’t know why himself. Although he had also been a little awkward and excited when he was with Yu Zhou Zhou in the past, ever since he understood his true feelings, he became exceptionally nervous when he was in front of her. His heart was also always hanging in the air, swaying in his empty chest with every step.

Yu Zhou Zhou waved her hand, “I’m not going. You have to give presents on birthdays. Go celebrate yourself.”

Lin Yang was speechless for a moment but Mi Qiao finally could no longer stand it. She came over holding her paper, “Yu Zhou Zhou, you’re the only one who hasn’t formed a team. Everyone else have already found partners.”

Yu Zhou Zhou frowned and asked, “How can the teams be formed so quickly?”

Mi Qiao responded without a change in tone, “Yeah, the husband and the concubine fell in love, hit it off immediately and committed adultery.”

Mi Qiao never had anything serious to say. Yu Zhou Zhou sighed, not noticing Mi Qiao winking crazily at Lin Yang.

“…I’m the only left in our class, how about we pair up,” Lin Yang finally said.

Yu Zhou Zhou was stunned. As if she had just woken up, he looked at Mi Qiao then at Lin Yang and a meaningful smile appeared on her face.

There were some words that once said, were much easier to repeat then over time, they came smooth as if they were a habit of many years, for instance, the three words I love you.”

Of course, all Lin Yang could think of now was the same sentence. He took a deep breath then repeated, “I want to go to the Science and Technology Museum with you.”

“Okay.”

Such a calm voice.

Lin Yang’s eyes widened. Yu Zhou Zhou who was smiling calmly in front in him seemed to have seen through his tricks with Mi Qiao and her calm and composed attitude seemed to imply that no matter what they did and what tricks they threw, it wouldn’t be of the slightest use towards her.

He had been thinking hard while doing the English paper through the entire lesson just then. If she hesitated when he asked, if he should quietly wait for her to decide or use the opportunity to persuade her? If he was to persuade her then what excuse would he use? If she asked why he wanted to go with her, what would he do?

He was like a silly child who didn’t understand the world in front of Yu Zhou Zhou. All his inner thoughts were seen through by her but the other party only smiled in understanding and said as if coaxing a child, “Okay.”

He suddenly felt a little aggrieved.

“Yu Zhou Zhou, if you don’t want to go…just say so, I won’t force you.”

The light red blush on Lin Yang’s ear hadn’t faded yet but he had calmed down. Mi Qiao folderd her arms and watched in interest as Lin Yang took a deep breath and looked firmly at Yu Zhou Zhou. In an instant, he had transformed – into another Lin Yang.

Yu Zhou Zhou widened her eyes a little and tilted her head to the left like a surprised elementary student.

Lin Yang straightened his body and said in a serious manner, “I don’t like that I work so hard yet you’re…always like this. You’re always like this.”

Were all those moments of happiness and nostalgia from childhood till now were all his own illusions? In the eyes of the person opposite him, he didn’t matter, he just always thought too well of himself.

Lin Yang didn’t notice himself but there was a feeling that was quietly changing inside him. On one snowy day, he had laid peacefully on the ground listening to the steady breathing of the girl next to him and had said firmly, “Yes.”

At that time, Lin Yang easily admitted his love and didn’t even need Yu Zhou Zhou to return his feelings to feel happy. Attraction was a feeling that didn’t have any other meaning.

However at this moment, the words, “I like you” had become so difficult. You needed to figure out the other person’s feelings and if it balanced to your own. He started wanting more.

Lin Yang felt that his complaints were not manly at all and he felt quite embarrassed. The bell prior to class starting saved him and he hurriedly turned and ran towards the stairs.

What will she do? Hate him, laugh at him for being childish or not take it to heart at all, lean against the door and be in a daze like usual?

It was always this result. No matter how nervous and expectant he was in advance, the result was always the same. Those carefully prepared surprises and deliberate battles were all boring one-sided acts and the only audience in his venue had already curled up in a ball in the VIP seat and fallen asleep.

Before Yu Zhou Zhou could react to everything that had just happened, Lin Yang had already ran away. He was wearing the dark grey cashmere vest that she had praised before outside his blue shirt. He didn’t have his school jacket on hence it wasn’t like last time where it was blown up by the wind making him look like a broken-winged bird with it’s head drooping.

Didn’t she say “okay”?

“If you don’t want to go, just say so, I won’t force you.”

Yu Zhou Zhou indeed didn’t have any particular preference so it was the same to her no matter who she was in a group with. If possible, the best option would be if she could not go to the Science and Technology Museum and go home for a nap. However, the boy had stood nervously in front of her blushing and said, “I want to go to the Science and Technology Museum with you.” – Why would she hesitate? She pretty mush agreed without thinking about it, in fear that she would dampen his enthusiasm.

She rarely wronged herself. Ever since she had realised a long time ago that trying her best to please others and the heavens actually ended with more loss than gain and the actual person that she should treat favourably and spoil was herself, she never forced herself to do things that she didn’t want to. When she said “no”, she did it cleanly and sharply, directly blocking the other person’s reaction.

There was no longer any Maths Olympiad in her world.

She didn’t owe anyone nor did she try to please anyone.

However, Lin Yang always acted vastly differently in front of her in comparison to how he was with everyone else. Such an outstanding person was always sulking like a bullied child in front of her. Plus, he would often become very unlucky. In his eyes, her coldness and indifference were evidence of her hurting and faced with his overwhelming guilt and desire to compensate, she couldn’t bear to refuse him – it was unclear who exactly was compensating who. In short, would it make him feel better if she accepted his ‘atonement’ and pretended that her life was gradually filling with sunshine? Once she was ‘healed’ in his eyes, they can return back to normal and quietly move further and further away on their own pathways.

Did she do something wrong?

Mi Qiao stooped away like a patient with tuberculosis, shaking her head as she went.

The lump of mud couldn’t support the wall*, moreover there were two lumps of mud.
*[Idiom that someone is useless.]

Lin Yang spent the entire physics class staring out the window in a daze. He wasn’t thinking about anything in particular, his mind was in a mess but his spirit was very relaxed. The only part of him that was tense was his left hand – he was holding his phone tightly, constantly thinking that it had just vibrated but when he took a look to check, there was nothing.

Did he want to send a message to apologise to her?

No. He definitely won’t.

Then should he send a message to accuse her of being absentminded to get her attention?

No, that would be way too unmanly.

F***! Lin Yang cursed fiercely inside. The two girls who were playing around in the courts outside the window let out sweet laughter, suddenly, the sky seemed to frown.

In the best age of their life, they were studying maths, English, physics and chemistry but there was no class called ‘The Art of Love’.

Yu Zhou Zhou slept through the entire politics class. Her sleep was interrupted once during the middle. Yan Yi’s elbow was really strong. Zhou Zhou followed Yan Yi’s finger and found question 32 on the exercise book. As soon as the person in the row in front sat down, she stood up and answered that multiple choice for 32 was D, that the example given reflected a subjective view so she chose the principle that followed that logic.

Then, she sat down, supported her head with her left hand, lowered her head to seem like she was reading and continued to doze off.

At the end of class, Yan Yi’s elbow attacked again. Zhou Zhou raised her head abruptly, the politics teacher was in the middle of talking to Mi Qiao in the row behind with an extremely cold expression.

The teacher then turned around and asked, “You’re awake?”

Zhou Zhou smiled, it appeared that she was noticed long ago, “Mhm, I was frightened awake.”

“Ho, Yu Zhou Zhou knows how to be scared,” The politics teacher said in a weird tone, “Your next class is PE right? Come to my office, I want to talk to the both of you.”

Mi Qiao turned her head and winked at Yu Zhou Zhou, “What an honor, I’ve been asked to chat with the teacher along with the number one student in the grade.”

They were called inside the office separately but the door was open so what was being said inside could be heard clearly by the person waiting outside.

The politics teacher’s lecture to Mi Qiao was predominantly focused on the how she had been pushed into Zhen Hua with much effort by her father so she shouldn’t let him and his hard effort down.

On the other hand, her conversation with Yu Zhou Zhou was much longer – they didn’t speak much, the politics teacher slowly opened a carton of black tea, took out a tea bag and went over to the hot water dispenser to get hot water. The politics teacher then dipped the tea bag up and down in the water… As Yu Zhou Zhou waited, she unknowingly yawned again in front of the politics teacher.

She suddenly realized that she had started to become presumptuous. She knew that this yawn would bring her trouble but she no longer tried to avoid trouble.

“I know about your family situation.”

Her situation. Zhou Zhou was already used to this type of conversation opener and listened with a relaxed expression.

“Children like you are often promising and full of ideas.”

“And also difficult to manage.”

“I don’t know what you have against my lessons, are they really not worth you listening to? Of all your subjects, your grades in political science are the lowest. I know that students like you always use this type of method to show your dissatisfaction but I hope that we can be honest with each other.”

Yu Zhou Zhou smiled, “Teacher, you’re overthinking. I just haven’t found the right way to study for it yet. I will work hard.”

The politics teacher however, was still immersed in their own thoughts, “Perhaps you think that if you get first in Zhen Hua then getting into Peking University and Tsinghua University won’t be a problem. Of course, this is only just one exam, I can’t guarantee if you can maintain this level in the future after all, I’ve seen too many one hit wonder students like you.”

The teabag floated up and down in the water as the politics teacher’s fingers twisted around the thin thread, moving it up and down.

“But don’t you want to know what the difference is between you and Class 3’s Lin Xiang Qian and Xin Rui?”

Zhou Zhou looked out the window at the vast grey sky and suddenly felt something stirring inside.

She smiled and looked at the teacher, “Teacher, I’m not interested in knowing.”

The politics teacher’s expression changed slightly. She stopped playing with the tea bag and looked back at Zhou Zhou.

“Teacher, you speak very definitely. My first place was just a moment of luck ass well as the result of my hard work over this period of time. There is definitely differences between me, Ling Xiang Qian and Xin Rui, perhaps they are smarter than me, perhaps they are more motivated but I really have no interest in knowing – besides, teacher are you certain that you know the difference between us?”

 The politics teacher froze on the spot. Yu Zhou Zhou heard Mi Qiao’s arrogant laughter from outside.

“Go back, I understand, my actions are unnecessary.”

Her tone was still gentle but it contained coldness – Yu Zhou Zhou knew that the politics teacher was probably going to be prejudiced against her character and personality going forward. If Mi Qiao argued with the politics teacher, she would be forgiven as long as she apologized because Mi Qiao had a careless nature and her grades weren’t good. On the other hand, if it was Yu Zhou Zhou, the slightest mistake was a heavy blow to the teacher’s dignity. All her shortcomings would be attributed to Yu Zhou Zhou’s character – she was talented but had bad character and it wouldn’t ever be forgiven nor forgotten.

Yu Zhou Zhou shouldn’t have been like this. She could’ve stood there smiling and nod or sigh as appropriate and casually say something along the lines of, “Teacher, I’ll pay more attention” then continue as she did the moment she left the office.

She promised Chen Yu that she would live well so naturally she wouldn’t go and cause trouble.

She didn’t know what had gotten into her.

Yu Zhou Zhou leaved over, “Teacher I’m leaving.” The politics teacher said coldly, “Call Mi Qiao back inside.”

 ­Yu Zhou Zhou stood at the door, not knowing if she should wait for Mi Qiao or go directly back to class. After standing there dumbly for a while, she suddenly saw Lin Yang appear from the corner, holding a stack of papers.

Lin Yang’s left hand was still holding onto his phone. He originally had purposely left his phone in the classroom but after thinking about it, he still brought it out with him.

He didn’t expect to encounter Yu Zhou Zhou directly. As he stood there at a loss, Yu Zhou Zhou suddenly smiled.

She seemed to be able to tell he was embarrassed so she used her smile to tell him that she didn’t mind.

At least that was how Lin Yang understood the smile.

“Sory, I didn’t do it on purpose just now. I also don’t know what got into me to be so petty, ignore me.” As Lin Yang was holding papers in his right hand and his phone in his left, he wasn’t able to scratch his head.

“Are you delivering papers?” Yu Zhou Zhou didn’t seem to have heard his apology just then.

“Mhm.”

There was nothing left to say. He had apologised and there was also clearly no need to go to the Science and Technology museum either. Lin Yang smiled bitterly.

It ended here.

He nodded and walked towards the other end of the corridor.

“Lin Yang.”

“What?” He raised his head.

Nervous. He was very nervous.

“Let’s go to the Science and Technology museum together.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t pretend to be stupid. If you don’t want to go then just say so, I won’t force you.” Yu Zhou Zhou returned his words.

Lin Yang opened his mouth wide in surprise. Yu Zhou Zhou was looking at him with a cunning smile.

A very energetic smile.

Lin Yang imitated her serious tone, “Okay.”

When Lin Yang recalled this memory many years later, he still remembered how a ray of sunlight shone between the clouds and hit them through the window. It was like one of those dog-blooded tv shows that spared no effort to be dramatic. However, the warm light and perfect timing felt like it would never happen again in this life.

Everyone will have that moment where it feels like the world was playing a supporting role for them.

Yu Zhou Zhou thought for a long time about what had gotten into her. First, she was studying crazily before the exam, then she started speaking arrogantly and now, she was even giving Lin Yang a dumb smile.

Mi Qiao noticed her silence and put her left arm around her neck, “You have to now, there is a price to pay for acting cool to the teacher.”

“I wasn’t acting cool, I’ve always been very cool.” Yu Zhou Zhou responded extremely seriously.

Mi Qiao laughed without restraint just like she had outside the door just then.

“To be honest, I don’t understand why I started asking for trouble. I thought… I thought that I’d be like how I was in the first year of high school and wouldn’t have any…anyway…” Yu Zhou Zhou stopped joking around but she didn’t know how to explain it to an uninformed friend like Mi Qiao.

Her words were very vague but Mi Qiao didn’t seem to care at all what Zhou Zhou said.

“Trouble is great.” Mi Qiao smiled.

“Causing trouble is a privilege of youth. Yu Zhou Zhou, you are a beautiful young woman.”

Mi Qiao laughed wildly again as Zhou Zhou looked up at the ceiling in confusing, sighing softly.

“While you’re young, don’t think about the consequences. Find someone to love and live happily.”

Yu Zhou Zhou didn’t know why Mi Qiao was saying these and why there was a hint of despair in her tone. She only saw the sun shine on Mi Qiao, giving her the most youthful brilliance.