A Certain Someone ( The On1y One ) Chapter 048 – Exchange

“We’re Switching Beds, You Sleep Down Here.”

“Magpie Bridge” had an endless amount of snaking pebblestone paths, when seen from above, they looked like a complicated tangle of vines and tendrils. Nobody knew what exactly went on in the head of the person who designed that, but it was indeed convenient for the young couples in school.

Sometimes, Big Mouth Xu would bring people with him to patrol the area. However, there were too many diverging paths, he could block one end but not the other. Looking aside other qualities, the brats were super alert for sure; they disappeared faster than the wind, it was hard to even catch them. Along with the fact that non-couples would take shortcuts from here too, he couldn’t come to a definite judgement even if he caught some. This caused Big Mouth Xu headaches aplenty, and so he could only get homeroom teachers from each class to collectively educate the students.

Sheng Wang and Jiang Tian picked a forked path closest to them, and left that patch of woods in a hurry.
When they were nearly out of that place, Sheng Wang briefly peered around him. Coincidentally, he spotted two figures strolling, shoulders to shoulders in the far distance, the boy wearing a T-shirt with wide strips. That piece of clothing looked familiar, but Sheng Wang couldn’t recall, and neither was he in the mood to think.

He didn’t talk much on the way back.
It wasn’t that he didn’t feel like chatting, it was just that no matter what topic, it seemed a little out of the blue, and kinda stupid too. Jiang Tian was also rather quiet; his slender fingers were stuck in his pocket, a bag slung on his left shoulder. It wasn’t even his things, but he made it appear perfectly natural.
……
He always seemed so natural; only, he would occasionally lower his eyes, his expression unreadable.

This was the first time Sheng Wang had realised how long Road #3 was. They had walked a literal century and yet there was still not an end to be seen. Fortunately, they bumped into someone when they passed by the sports ground, and they were rescued from this strange atmosphere between them at last.
“Jing-jie,” Sheng Wang greeted.
Yang Jing wore a high ponytail, and walked over from the side of the sports ground while dressed in sportswear. She waved at them while she removed the sweatband she wore on her forehead.

“It’s only been a few days, and yet you came rushing back. You want to come to school this badly?” Yang Jing asked.
Sheng Wang had yet another legitimate reason. He hurriedly replied, “Yep, I’m afraid half a month of break will set me back all the way to zero.”
“No way.” Yang Jing knew he was acting obedient, and rolled her eyes as she said, “The foundation and the brains are both there, even if you didn’t study it can’t go that badly.”

She had always been straightforward with her words, but she still added, “I don’t mean to let you two slack off, okay? Working harder when you ought to work hard is still better than not working hard at all, right?”
“For sure,” Sheng Wang replied.

“Don’t you act tough either.” Yang Jing looked down at his ankle, and doubted, “Last semester, I sprained my wrist and had to recuperate for more than a month, until now it still acts up whenever I mark too many scripts. Now with you walking around for fun without recovering, try not to leave any lingering problems. I’m telling you, if you don’t fully heal from it, you will sprain it for the second time as easy as breathing. Repeat this a few more times, and you’ll be hobbling in the future.”

Sheng Wang’s face turned slightly green from everything she said.

“Hey, don’t scare the students,” a voice cut in. Sheng Wang whipped his head around, and saw the male teacher they met in the sickbay, Zhuang Heng. He was also wearing a jogging suit, and had two bottles of water in his hands. He came over from the direction of Xi Le.

Yang Jing took a bottle of water from him, and said, “Who’s scaring him. In which way am I wrong, how about you correct me?”
The school leadership didn’t even dare to correct her, not to mention Zhuang Heng. He hurriedly said, “No need, no need. Your teacher Yang is correct—”

He gave a cough, and turned to say to Sheng Wang, “You should still be careful, otherwise your leg will be beyond salvation after you sprained it too many times. It would be such a pity if this handsome face of yours is matched with a limping pair of legs. Think about it, doesn’t it work like this?”
“……”
There’s no way Sheng Wang was thinking about it.
He looked at how teacher Zhuang, the stalk of wall grass changing sides like the wind, and only felt how Gao Tianyang’s roast was absolutely true: dating couples, or people about to be dating, more or less have something wrong with their brains.

Yang Jing knocked on Zhuang Heng’s arm with the bottle, saying, “I asked for iced, does this look iced to you?”
There was not a single bead of condensation on the bottle, it was clearly room temperature.
Zhuang Heng said, “The shop is sold out of iced ones, and has just replaced them with a new batch when I went in. I already helped you take the innermost one.”

Yang Jing looked at Zhuang Heng in doubt; Zhuang Heng was completely unruffled.
Sheng Wang internally said, bullshit! Xi Le is next to the sports ground, its bestseller is iced water, and they constantly keep the fridge filled; they would never be out of stock. Jing-jie is no fool, is she seriously going to buy this at all?

Contrary to expectations, Yang Jing domineeringly looked him in the eyes for several moments, eyed the room temperature water in disgust, and twisted the cap open in extreme reluctance. “Fine……”
Sheng Wang: “?”

In that moment, he saw “The tenderness of manly men” in that lady.

Perhaps Sheng Wang’s expression of popcorn munching at the side was too obvious; Yang Jing took two mouths of water and felt a trace of uneasiness all too late. She lifted her chin at Road #3, and said to the two male students, “That’s it, if there’s nothing else then hurry up and scram! The electricity’s already back, go study if you have to. I’m telling you, don’t toil away at physics and chemistry all the time. Especially Jiang Tian, giving a bit of your time to English wouldn’t kill you.”

Jiang Tian did not expect to be personally named and shamed of all things despite doing nothing at all. He had zero intention to reflect, and counted saying an “oh” as him having heard it.

“The hell with ‘oh’, you’re gonna change after you said the ‘oh’? Not at all.” Yang Jing snarked at him with zero mercy, “In any case, the training camp is next month, and the exam comes straight after that. Now that you’re in the semifinals, bring me back an even better prize. If not, watch out.”

“Understood. We’re going back to the dorms then, teacher.” Sheng Wang touched Jiang Tian’s arm, indicating him to hurry and leave.
A few steps later, Sheng Wang analysed like a scientist, “I suspect that Jing-jie got bashful, and was trying to cover it up.”

“Sheng Wang, what did you just say!” Yang Jing asked acutely.
Shit, she heard him.
Sheng Wang was prepared to flee, but the moment he lifted his foot he remembered that “I am Unwell”. Therefore, his attempt at running away became a single-legged hop, Jiang Tian even played along and helped to support him.

His desire to survive was overwhelming, but unfortunately reality dragged his footsteps. This scene was overly comical, and thinking too much about it would simply be unwise. After he hopped past the corner of Duxing Block, Jiang Tian couldn’t hold it in anymore and laughed, blooper style. Sheng Wang completely gave up and sat down by the edges of the shrub, and laughed until he nearly tumbled into the bush.

His entire body shook with laughter with his head lowered and his hand propped against his knees, and only managed to stop his laughter with a swear at the end. He pointed at Jiang Tian, “Close your mouth, don’t you dare laugh. It’s all your fault, why couldn’t you hold it ub?”
Jiang Tian got his face back under control, but mirth was still in his eyes. He tugged at the bag strap, and his eyes were lowered. “Who’s fault is it, say that again?”

“You, duh.” The young master didn’t turn red at all when he started acting shameless. “Aren’t you supposed to be aloof? What kind of aloof person would laugh this easily. I don’t see how your funny bone is so easily tickled usually, and yet it all went wrong when it came to me. What’s up with you?”
Jiang Tian was a little resigned. He looked aside and gave a short, brief chuckle, and turned around to ask, “Are you going to be reasonable?”
Sheng Wang shrugged, indicating that he wouldn’t.
Jiang Tian laughed derisively.

Sheng Wang’s mood instantly changed for the better; the boredom and listlessness he felt from being cooped up at home for the past few days were all gone at once.
He followed along with laughter of his own too, and then his smile slowly faded away. Because, he abruptly realised that he would be happy as long as Jiang Tian took on the expression of having no idea what to do with him.
It’s probably because Jiang Tian was too cold and unfeeling towards other people, that these reactions seemed incomparably special; as for him, he enjoyed this special treatment particularly much.

Why?
Is it because there had always been too few people he could get close to? Or for what other reason?

There were only two lamps lit up in the top floor of Duxing block, the darkness was thick in the garden in front of the block. So thick, that he could see tiny dots of firefly lights twinkle in the bushes. Maybe he was seeing things.

Perhaps they were worn out by laughter, but the both of them did not speak. Yet another while later, Jiang Tian tore his eyes away from thin air, glanced at Sheng Wang’s lowered eyes, and asked after he was quiet for a moment, “Done resting?”
Sheng Wang was slightly lost in thoughts, he stilled for a while before he looked up. “Hm?”
“We’re going back to the dorm after you’re done resting,” JT said.
“Okay.”

Sheng Wang replied, and saw Jiang Tian reaching out to him, his head turned away as he said, “Let’s go already.”
His palms were big, but it wasn’t substantial; his digits happened to be both long and straight, bringing about the sensation of both dryness and slight coolness. The fingers on Sheng Wang’s hand, propped against his knee, curled a bit. He got up by pulling himself up using Jiang Tian.

Jiang Tian did not immediately let go of him, and steadily helped him for a part of the road. Only when he heard the clamorous noise of the people inside the dormitories, and huge swaths of light crashed into his view, did Sheng Wang abruptly come back to himself…
He took his hand back and changed his position, clutching onto Jiang Tian’s arm instead. He said, in the gaze that the other person aimed at him, “Support me for a bit later. Thank god we’re going up six levels, and not down. I’ve discovered that this foot is okay with going upstairs, and hurts a little if it’s down.”

“Did you bring your swell reduction medication?” Jiang Tian asked.
“I nearly forgot on my way out, Auntie Jiang had to grab my bag and stuff it in,” Sheng Wang said sheepishly.
Jiang Tian had a face that said ‘I knew it’.

The moment the dormitory door opened, Qiu Wenbin hurried over. “Why are you back?”
Sheng Wang joked, “What, I’m not welcomed? I’ve interrupted your three man stay?”
“Nonono.” Qiu Wenbin said, “I want you back more than anything.”

After he said that, he pondered for a bit, and realised that this line could be taken the wrong way, as if he couldn’t stand staying with Jiang Tian and Shi Yu.
Therefore, this wooden club with a dumb mouth added, “Everyone wished more than anything that you would come back.”

It sounded even weirder now.
Qiu Wenbin thought a bit, and added yet another line. “Just now, when deity knew you’re coming back, he whooshed downstairs.”
Jiang Tian: “……”

He finally couldn’t hold it back anymore; he turned to stiffly say to this idiot, “Have you showered? The electricity’s back.”
Implying that he should scram.
Qiu Wenbin took his clothes, and ducked into the bathroom with his tail between his legs.

*
By the time Shi Yu came back, it was already quite a bit past 11, near to when the room checks would be conducted.
Sheng Wang received a call from Sheng Mingyang, and listened to him nag on about his trotter. He ended with half joy and half wistfulness, “Seeing how you and Jiang Tian are on better and closer terms, dad and Auntie Jiang are both quite happy.”

“Yeah, we’re especially glad.” As Sheng Mingyang went on, he added, “But, don’t get him to do your bidding just because of your broken leg. He’s your ge, not your nanny.”
“Okayyyyyy” Sheng Wang replied without putting any heart in it. He walked back from the balcony, when he saw Shi Yu he let out an “Ah”, and said, “So it’s you that I saw just now? I was saying, why was that T-shirt so familiar.”

Shi Yu seemed to be in a pretty good mood, upon hearing that he froze up, asking, “What is me?”
“Were you walking in the Garden of Conduct just now?” Sheng Wang asked.
Shi Yu was confused for a moment, and then his face instantly flushed, just like cooked prawns. “Huh? Um that……ah. I had something and needed to look for He Shi.”

Sheng Wang saw his reaction, and it hit him like a truck that he was accidentally prying.
He hurriedly waved his hands. “No, don’t get nervous, I was just saying.”

Shi Yu’s face turned even redder, he defended, “I’m not nervous, who’s nervous.”
In order to prove this, he instantly replied with a question. “To think you’re asking me, how about you? Why were you there?”

When he said that, it was as though he found the main point in gossiping. He instantly smirked, “Who lured you there?”
Sheng Wang gulped subconsciously; for some reason, he didn’t instantly answer, but glanced at Jiang Tian instead.

It was Qiu Wenbin, the guileless man who said, “He came back to school, and deity went to fetch him.”
The moment Shi Yu heard that, he pursed his lips, and said with much disappointment, “Che……I thought you are in a situation too.”

The word “too” was pretty allusive, he immediately realised what he just said when he finished saying that. He turned around, dug through his closet for a towel and a T-shirt, saying that he’s going to shower.
Qiu Wenbin, the idiot slowly realised. “Oh yeah, Yu-ge, you went to chat with a girl at Magpie Bridge??? You’re dating someone?”
“The heck with dating!” Shi Yu finally became angry from all the embarrassment, and ducked into the toilet with everything above his neck turning crimson, slamming the door.

Qiu Wenbin scratched his head, and dully said to Sheng Wang, “Sheng-ge, do you think I should remind him?”
“Remind what?” Sheng Wang asked.
“Early dating affects grades,” Qiu Wenbin said in all seriousness.
“……”

Sheng Wang didn’t know what to reply for the time being. He laughed dryly, “True, but you’ll probably get hit.”
Qiu Wenbin sighed.

Sheng Wang sort of wanted to laugh upon seeing him act like that. Yet he felt uneasy for some strange reason. He wanted to turn around to talk to Jiang Tian, only to see that gege of his, who was good at freezing people up, move the pile of items on his bed like his PSP, earpiece, notebook, foldable lamp as well as other miscellaneous items down.

“What are you doing?” he asked, totally lost.
Jiang Tian grabbed his notebook from his table and tossed it up the bunk along the way, answering, “We’re switching beds, you sleep down here.”

Sheng Wang glanced at Jiang Tian’s bed, saying without thinking, “There’s no need, I think? I’ve already made it up six flights, a few metal rods aren’t going to scare me?”
Rationally speaking, he really shouldn’t be sleeping in the upper bunk. He just climbed six flights of stairs, and his ankles threatened to swell up and inflame once more. But, he couldn’t help to be stubborn with his words, indicating that he was very tough.

In the end, his ge didn’t give him a chance at all—
He saw Jiang Tian asking, completely calm, “You think I’m asking?”
Sheng Wang: “……”
Ummm, it doesn’t seem so.

That night, maybe it was because it’s a new bed or for some other reason, Sheng Wang couldn’t fall asleep for once.

TO BE CONTINUED.