My Underachieving Seatmate Doesn’t Need Any Comforting

Chapter 73

Hearing his voice, listening clearly to what he said, the knot tangled tightly around Qiao Shao’s mind finally showed signs of loosening.

After he came back home after that one year, he hardly ever cried while he was conscious.

Right now, he clearly knew where he was. He knew this was the basketball court. There were lots of students in front of him. He clearly knew that this was no place to be crying.

But……

He clutched He Shen’s clothes tightly, and wept silently.

He Shen didn’t say anything. He just patted his back gently, and protected him in his arms.

The place Qiao Shao waited at was at the edge of the court. No one was behind him and He Shen blocked the sight of everyone from the court. So, no one knew Qiao Shao was crying.

Song Yixu came over and asked, “What’s wrong …”

“It’s okay,” He Shen didn’t even turn his head. “Qiao Shao just over-exerted himself and got a little dizzy.”

Song Yixu said, “Ok, we should take him to the infirmary!”

He Shen said, “Let him recover here for a bit. I’ll take him back to the dorm to rest in a while.”

Song Yixu quickly said, “Ok, then I’ll go and tell Old Tang.”

He Shen: “En.”

Song Yixu returned to the court and spoke with everyone. Although everyone was worried, they didn’t go over there. He Shen’s posture made it very obvious that he didn’t want anyone to come over.

Moreover, it was almost time for the evening self-study. When the group saw that Qiao Shao had his seatmate to take care of him, they didn’t dilly-dally any longer and went back to class after packing things away.

After the melodious bell signaling the start of class rang, the noisy gymnasium quieted down immediately.

Summer days were very long, and the evening sky was still bright. The gradually setting sun shone upon the school building, casting ever longer shadows.

The two teenagers embracing each other were half-bathed in light while already half-bathed in shadow.

The darkness grew near, but fortunately the summer nights were short.

Qiao Shao wept for a long while. The unhappiness and bitterness in his heart flowed out along with his tears. They were no longer lodged in his chest, sealing it tightly.

It was only when he calmed down that he realized his loss of self-control.

It was really…

Qiao Shao was so embarrassed, he couldn’t lift his head.

He Shen felt relieved by his returning vigor, and asked, “Are you feeling better?”

Qiao Shao looked at the huge wet stains on his shirt.

He Shen released him. He then placed his hand on the other’s shoulder to look at him.

Qiao Shao blushed and pushed him away. “I …”

He has lost all face! What’s more, he did it in front of the object of his unrequited love! Was there anymore more miserable than him!

He Shen didn’t laugh at him. His voice was serious and gentle. “You’ll feel much better if you cry it out. Anyone would be sad if something like that happened to them.”

It was like Qiao Shao’s heart froze and his eyes turned red again.

He Shen gently brushed under his eyes. “Me too. When my mother died, it was like I was half-dead.”

Qiao Shao was surprised and looked at him.

He Shen sat down on the steps next to him, his arms set back to prop himself up. He said calmly, “I was twelve years old at the time, preparing for the college entrance examination.”

If it were someone else who’d said it, it would have sounded like an odd joke.

But since it was He Shen who said it, it seemed to be expected as a matter of course.

It was normal for He Shen to be taking the college entrance examination at the age of twelve.

Unlike now, when he’s one year older than his peers and still attending first year high school.

Qiao Shao’s heart tightened. He didn’t know how to comfort him.

He Shen seemed to be talking to himself. “Everyone expected me to take first place in the college entrance examination. Only she told me not to go to college, not to force myself. She said I should do the things that should be done at my age, and not force myself like that.

Qiao Shao’s vision blurred again, he tried to keep his voice steady. “She wanted what was good for you.”

“En.” He Shen answered softly.

But even she didn’t want him anymore.

Xie Shen has always had talent so great that it provoked fear in others.

The absurdity of his father, Xie Chengyu, made his grandfather put all his expectations on him.

And he did display an ability far beyond ordinary people’s. Primary school only lasted one year, junior high school and high school courses took only three years. He then spent two years abroad and after his return, his grandpa insisted he take the domestic college entrance examination.

Xie Shen never refused the things his family arranged for him. That’s because his grandfather told him, ‘Only if you’re good enough can you protect your mother.’

He wanted to protect her, to make her smile happily, like he had seen when he was young.

But……

She committed suicide.

She lay in a pool of blood and told him, “I’m sorry, mom couldn’t take you away.”

But, she actually did. She took him away.

Because the moment she died, Xie Shen also died.

He Shen returned to his senses and saw how the child looked like he was crying but not.

His heart went soft and rubbed his hair. “It’s okay.”

Qiao Shao held his hand and said, “She loved you.”

“En.” He Shen gave a strained smile. He said, “How about you? Your mother …”

Qiao Shao’s lips trembled, but he didn’t lose consciousness as before.

He lowered his lashes and whispered, “She loved me too.”

He Shen thought that he still couldn’t completely face the death of his mother, and he decided not to ask. He said comfortingly, “It’s okay, parents aren’t the only people in our lives.”

Qiao Shao was dazed.

He Shen whispered, “As long as we continue to go on, we will meet many good people.”

Like you.

That sharp pain of intertwined vexation and bitter remorse in Qiao Shao’s heart eased a little. He said, “Like you.”

It was now He Shen’s turn to be dazed.

Qiao Shao laughed and repeated. “Like how I met He Shen Shen.”

“En,” He Shen also joined in his laughter, saying, “Like how I met Qiao Guai Guai.”

Qiao Shao’s smile was gone in a second. He said indignantly, “Don’t call me that again!”

He Shen also resumed his usual teasing. “Well, aren’t you well-behaved?”

Qiao Shao was very angry. “But I’m also not a kid!”

He Shen: “But you are really are younger.”

Qiao Shao: “I’m only a month younger than you!” He was so angry. Why did this guy’s birthday have to be on January 1? Now, it made his February 2 birthday not soon enough to make him older than this guy!

He Shen compared his height to Qiao Shao’s, and said, “However, I am like an adult, and you are like a middle school student.”

Qiao Shao: “………………”

He takes it back! This guy definitely doesn’t count among the good people he met!

By the time they went back to evening self-study, they were back to their usual selves.

But each felt closer to the other.

They have both lost loved ones. They have both tasted the same pain, and knew each other’s pain better than anyone else.

That night, it took Qiao Shao a long time to fall asleep.

He thought of He Shen and his heart felt bitter-sweet.

The bitterness was because of He Shen’s foul mouth. He has no self-awareness. These straight men don’t know how to take responsibility for their teasing!

Oh, there was also one more point of bitterness today — he was still regarded as a child.

He Shen has always regarded him as a child!

Not only was the object of his unrequited love a man, but a man who regarded him as a child!

Oh, his situation was truly miserable.

Qiao Shao the Miserable once again had his heart broken in secret.

The bitterness was truly bitter but the sweetness was also truly sweet.

Thinking about this afternoon, Qiao Shao felt like his heart had been drenched in a jar of honey, so unbearably sweet.

He heard Song Yixu say that He Shen took a heavy blow to the head from a flying ball and it had left a red mark on his forehead. All because He Shen had seen him feeling unwell from a distance.

Song Yixu also said, “None of us saw it. Only Shen Ge saw it!”

Song Yixu also said, “Fortunately, Shen Ge has such good eyesight. Otherwise, you might have fainted from heat stroke. If you wind up at the hospital, what will you do about the final exam!”

Qiao Shao couldn’t help the corners of his mouth from ticking up, just like the thumping heart in his chest.

He wanted to talk to He Shen after the final exam.

As long as he gets a good score, he’ll tell He Shen that—

He likes him.

It doesn’t matter if He Shen refuses.

He’s already made himself heartbroken several times already.

He was not afraid of getting his heart broken once again, this time for real!

The author has something to say: cough …

Qiao tongxue, in this lifetime, failure in love is the one thing you don’t have to be afraid of. [dog head]

By the way, the detailed spoiler I talked about yesterday, do you want to hear it?

Those who don’t want to be spoiled can stop reading here.

I’ll give you three seconds.

Two seconds

One second

Ok …

Their identities will be exposed on—Shen Ge’s birthday.