HTC 3

When they got to school, Xie Huai hadn’t said a word to Jiang Xu all morning.

During the break, Lu Yi came to chat with Xie Huai, and they were having such a good time chatting.

There were other students who asked Xie Huai to play basketball. Xie Huai thought that the time between classes was too short, so he declined. As a result, they all started chatting instead.

Jiang Xu sneered. He had figured it out. It wasn’t that Xie Huai didn’t want to talk; he just didn’t want to talk to him.

It wasn’t that Xie Huai didn’t want to, it’s just that the dream he had last night made him a little hesitant to face Jiang Xu today. Every time he saw Jiang Xu, he would recall the dream where he forcefully kissed him.

That was his desk mate, his good brother, so how could he dream of something so improper between them?

After lunch, when Xie Huai returned from the cafeteria, he found Jiang Xu reading a book and seemingly having skipped lunch.

He sat down at his own desk, then casually asked, “Hey, didn’t you go for lunch?”

Jiang Xu put down the book, his tone steady as he replied, “I thought you weren’t planning to talk to me.”

He glanced at Xie Huai, and the light in his eyes seemed to shimmer a little due to the lighting, making Xie Huai even more embarrassed.

“No, it’s just…” Xie Huai countered but paused, his expression conflicted. “I had a dream.”

Jiang Xu’s gaze returned to his book, and he scoffed, “What kind of dream would make you react like this?”

Xie Huai scratched his nose and slowly confessed, “Is a ‘spring dream’ considered?”

Jiangsu: “…”

His typically expressionless face now showed a tiny crack.

Xie Huai decided to be direct, explaining earnestly, “I dreamed that I forcefully kissed you. Even in a dream, as brothers, I shouldn’t do something like that. I feel like it would tarnish our pure friendship.”

After finishing the last sentence, the floating feeling that had been lingering with Xie Huai finally settled. Indeed, saying it out loud felt better; otherwise, the discomfort would have been too much to bear.

If Jiang Xu scolded him or even hit him because of this incident, he could accept it. After all, he had been the one to act inappropriately in the dream.

“Just because of that?” Jiang Xu hadn’t expected that Xie Huai’s silent treatment was because of something like this.

Xie Huai nodded, “Yeah, but I really didn’t mean to. If you want to hit me or scold me, go ahead.”

After hearing him out, Jiang Xu raised a hand and extended it towards Xie Huai.

Xie Huai was stunned. Damn it, did he really want to hit?

Oh well, if he’s going to, then let him be. Xie Huai closed his eyes obediently.

Seeing Xie Huai’s reaction, Jiang Xu couldn’t help but laugh.

He put his hand on Xie Huai’s head, Xie Huai’s hair was very fluffy, and then Jiang Xu couldn’t help rubbing it gently.

Xie Huai opened his eyes suddenly, his pupils were filled with shock.

“Jiang Xu, you…”

“You think you forced me to kiss you in your dream, so you’re sorry for me?” Jiang Xu asked.

Before Xie Huai nodded, he heard Jiang Xu continue to say, “Then we’re even.”

Jiang Xu said it seriously, but Xie Huai didn’t understand what it meant, he asked in confusion, “What do you mean ‘we’re even’?”

Jiang Xu gazed at him and slowly revealed a sentence, “I dreamt last night that I forcefully kissed you too.”

Xie Huai was initially stunned, then his expression shifted to one of disbelief, “Really?”

Jiang Xu: “Yeah.”

Xie Huai still couldn’t believe it, “You’re not kidding me?”

“Not kidding you,” Jiang Xu paused, his voice carrying a hint of amusement, “I’ve dreamt it more than once.”

For some reason, Xie Huai felt his heart racing faster and faster. Later on, he even thought he might just drop dead in that moment.

Xie Huai’s neck turned red in an instant. Clenching his teeth, he lowered his voice and asked, “Why, why do you keep having dreams like this?”

He felt really sorry for just that one time, but Jiang Xu still keeps having these dreams. Why doesn’t he seem a bit guilty, and he even looks quite pleased about it?

Jiang Xu raised an eyebrow playfully, “Not often, just more than once. Xie Huai, where did you get the idea that I frequently dream this way? Or maybe…”

Seeing Xie Huai turning his head away, seemingly not wanting to hear more, Jiang Xu couldn’t let it slide.

He stared at Xie Huai’s reddened neck, his lips curling slightly as he completed the unfinished sentence, “Do you want me to dream this way often?”

“I don’t.” Xie Huai felt a bit embarrassed.

But he thought about what Jiang Xu said before. Jiang Xu indeed didn’t say ‘often’, he only mentioned more than once. So, Xie Huai couldn’t really argue against it.

“Huai Huai, why is your neck so red? Are you running a fever or having an allergic reaction?”

As the study committee passed by Jiang Xu, she suddenly noticed Xie Huai’s flushed neck and was taken aback.

Xie Huai took off his school uniform angrily and covered his head, resting his forehead on the table and completely ignoring others.

The school committee looked at Jiang Xu with puzzled eyes, and Jiang Xu coughed lightly: “He’s feeling hot.”

Upon hearing this, Xie Huai clutched his uniform even tighter.

Though the study committee didn’t fully understand, she thought that with the air conditioning on and even two windows open, how could he be feeling hot? She even felt a bit cold herself.

Looking at Jiang Xu and then at Xie Huai, something clicked in her mind, and she realized what was going on. She smiled and returned to her seat.

For the entire afternoon that followed, Xie Huai didn’t know whether he was ashamed or angry, and he didn’t say a word to Jiang Xu.

Jiang Xu was called to the office in the last class, so Xie Huai returned home alone after school in the afternoon. Xie Huai walked towards the bus stop after parting from Lu Yi and the others at the school gate.

There was no bookstore near the school, so he had to take a bus to the nearest bookstore, which was at Wanda.

Last night, at the end of the summaries that Jiang Xu sent him, there were also a few sets of recommended textbooks – things like “Fundamental Knowledge Practice” and “Basic Modules”. Xie Huai guessed that these were all basic exercises.

He planned to buy a few of those books to work on. He suddenly didn’t want to end up in the last seat of the last row every time they had an exam.

In his mind, Jiang Xu’s face suddenly appeared. They were desk mates, but their academic performance was like night and day – one ranked first, the other at the very bottom.

Xie Huai’s middle school grades weren’t bad; he used to make it into the top ten of his grade in every test. But since he entered high school, he lost all motivation to study, resulting in a drastic drop in his grades.

Xie Huai had anticipated a scolding from his usually strict parents, but it never came. Instead, they allowed him to do whatever he wanted, as long as he wasn’t engaging in illegal activities. They wanted him to be happy and content.

He still didn’t understand why they changed their approach.

Xie Huai turned his head to look out of the bus window. In no time, he reached his stop, got off, and headed towards the bookstore.

This bookstore was well-stocked with a wide variety of books, each type neatly categorized. It took Xie Huai less than ten minutes to locate the exercise books Jiang Xu had recommended.

He didn’t want to waste too much time, so after paying, he headed straight back home.

His parents were home today. After dinner, carrying the package of exercise books, Xie Huai retreated to his room.

Sitting at his desk, he flipped through the exercises Jiang Xu had recommended. To his surprise, they weren’t all just basic exercises; many of them required some foundational knowledge.

If Xie Huai was an utter academic failure, he wouldn’t be able to tackle these exercises Jiang Xu suggested. It seemed Jiang Xu knew he had some basic understanding. However, believing that Xie Huai, a self-admitted academic underachiever, would complete these sets of exercises was quite a leap.

Suddenly, Xie Huai recalled that in their middle school class, Jiang Xu had been the top student. But back then, he hadn’t paid much attention to rankings, and Jiang Xu’s name was only mentioned occasionally by their teachers. So, he wasn’t familiar with Jiang Xu at all.

Had Jiang Xu known him since that time?

As night fell, a light drizzle began outside. Xie Huai walked over to the window and closed it against the rain’s soft patter. As he pulled the window shut, a slight pain shot through his arm and shoulder.

Xie Huai couldn’t help but hiss in pain. He shook his hand, but the pain didn’t lessen. Instead, it intensified. Once the wave of pain subsided, his right arm felt completely weak.

His left arm also started to ache slightly.

Xie Huai inwardly cursed, “Do I suddenly have arthritis?”

He slipped into his slippers and took a shower. When he came out, he looked at the books for a while before lying down on his bed to sleep.

The next day, while heading out, he ran into Jiang Xu at the entrance of their residential complex. Xie Huai didn’t want to see Jiang Xu, especially after what happened yesterday.

However, his body seemed to have a mind of its own, and he found himself chasing after Jiang Xu’s figure.

By the time he regained his senses, he was already walking shoulder to shoulder with Jiang Xu.

“Jiang Xu, did you know me before?” Xie Huai placed his hand on Jiang Xu’s shoulder. His hand was slightly sore, but he paid it little mind..

Jiang Xu glanced at Xie Huai’s hand on his shoulder and gave a faint “Hmm.”

Xie Huai thought that he had guessed correctly. “I knew it. Those exercise books you recommended don’t seem suitable for someone with zero foundation. Were we in the same middle school?”

“Yes,” Jiang Xu replied. “You were in Class 2, I was in Class 1.”

In the end, Jiang Xu added, “I have known you since the start of our first year of middle school.”

Xie Huai was taken aback. “Was it because I had good grades when school started?”

Jiang Xu said, “No, it has nothing to do with your grades.”

Then what was it about?

Xie Huai opened his mouth, but the question remained unspoken.

What if it turned out that Jiang Xu knew him from that embarrassing incident during the first day of school in middle school when he enthusiastically bowed to the school gate out of excitement? Would he lose all his dignity if Jiang Xu brought that up?

During the whole walk, they didn’t mention what happened yesterday. Instead, they arrived at school chatting.

The next two days were for diagnostic exams. The teachers didn’t introduce new topics; students were expected to review on their own. During the last self-study period in the afternoon, Yao Wenjing entered the classroom and discussed a few matters.

The loudest topic of discussion was the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival celebration next week. It was scheduled to take place in the music room on Friday. Each group was required to present at least one performance. Failure to present would result in punishment.

There were four big groups in their class, so they needed at least four performances.

“Damn, I’m tone-deaf and uncoordinated. What can I do?”

“There’s a trendy dance routine going around. Why don’t we do that?”

……

Xie Huai was not interested in any of these, and just listened to their discussions.

Their group was all boys, and none of them were good at singing or dancing.

It seemed like their group was destined for punishment.

At this moment, Jiang Xu suddenly spoke. He asked Xie Huai, “Do you want to get punished?”

Obviously, nobody wanted to be punished.

Shaking his head, Xie Huai said, “Of course not.”

Jiang Xu smiled. “Good.”

Xie Huai: “?”

As the class was ending, the arts committee member came over with a list and asked their group what kind of performance they were planning. However, no one in their group answered her. She thought that perhaps this group wasn’t planning anything and was about to cross their names off the list. Then, Jiang Xu suddenly stopped her.

Jiang Xu spoke calmly, “Piano solo.”

Xie Huai was dumbfounded. “Oh my…”

The whole class also had the same expression as Xie Huai: “Damn.”