A Certain Someone ( The On1y One ) Chapter 072 – Unsuccessful Attempt

This Table Is Poisonous.

Sheng Wang and Jiang Tian were completely distracted as they were reading WeChat messages, therefore they naturally did not notice what was happening at the lectern. Neither did they catch the “We’ll be checking up on you guys in your dorms tonight” said by the teacher.

When class ended, the teacher pasted a piece of paper containing a table on the classroom’s front door. The rows listed out the dates, meticulously marking out the training time for the two weeks for every day, box by box. The columns were listed according to the groups, two to a group, and so 20 groups in total.
At the start, the students were mystified by the purpose of said table, and everyone crowded around it. That was, until the public speaking teacher took out the score sheet used for the past two days, and started writing down the marks on the table.

Those who won the PK that day were given a 1, those who lost were given a 0. Both Sheng Wang and Jiang Tian won two days in a row, so they both got two 1s. Bian Chen and the unfortunate opponent of Jiang Tian’s lost two days in a row, so they both got two 0s each.

People at this age are more or less competitive, and neither do they have a thick face. This table was literally public shaming to the group of students who were too used to praises, and so their fighting spirit instantly surged up.
As such, the number of people who snuck outside and play at night saw a sudden fall. Even if they went out, they obediently went back to the dorms at around 7-8pm.

The corridor today was especially lively. In order to make it easy for everyone to pop over, the group of boys from Yizhong all left their doors wide open. Like they were welcoming guests at any time.
Sheng Wang and Jiang Tian just returned from dinner, and there were enough people in the corridor to make them feel like they stuck in a fair. Quite a few boys popped in and out of various dorms, hugging their clothes and towels. There was even someone who asked at the top of his lungs, “Er-zi, why don’t you even fucking have shower gel?”
“Just finished them and forgot to buy.” A boy in the corridor spat at the small bathroom window, “What do you mean tree bark skin still needs shower gel? Just make do with bar soap.”
“Fuck off.”
“Are you showering or not? If you aren’t, get out.”
“I am I am I am.”

Sheng Wang had confusion written all over him, and nearly thought that he came to a public bathhouse instead. “What are you all doing?”
“Couldn’t you tell? They’re sharing bathrooms for showering.” Spiritually speaking, Bian Chen was still immersed in the PK in the afternoon, every word he spoke was still laced with emotion. All of this person’s emotions showed on his face, so in a way this became a sort of frankness after interacting with him for a while.

The boy beside him pointed at the noticeboard by the staircase. “Didn’t you read the notice when you come up?”
“Notice?”
Sheng Wang really didn’t notice.
Jiang Tian went back to check, and said, “There will be a water outage.”

“Think the pipeline’s getting renovated or something, but either way there will be a water outage tonight.” Someone explained, “The notice says it starts at eight, but just now, there were already two dorms with so little water coming out that they can’t shower.”
Bian Chen corrected, “Now there’s three.”

“Oh, yeah. It started from that end,” the boy pointed at the other end of the corridor. “The girls downstairs are still okay, so I’m guessing it’s because our floor is higher, and the water pressure isn’t enough? Anyway, it’s possible that the water will be cut before 8 pm. There’s still 20 minutes, if you want to shower you better hurry up.”

As they spoke, a howl came from a dorm. “Shit, there’s no water. I still haven’t rinsed myself!”
His neighbour instantly answered, “How about you come over here? I still have water, we can squeeze.”
“I’ll squeeze your grandpa, I’m literally naked, how am I supposed to go over?!”
“Cover yourself then moron!”
“I swear—to fucking god.”

The people along the corridor paused, and instantly guffawed. They started howling and jeering, “Cover yourself! Cover yourself!”
Not even two minutes later, a topless boy—entirely drenched and in his underwear—came bursting out from his dorm, and sprinted to the other dorm.
Due to the shower gel being too slippery, he stumbled at the doorstep, and a bunch of boys cackled as they went to tug at his underwear.

“What the fuck!!! You assholes!!!!” That boy wriggled out of their grasps with much struggle as he held onto his underwear. He roared, “JUST YOU FUCKING WAIT, I’LL PULL YOURS OFF WHEN I CATCH YOU LATER!”

It’s not like Sheng Wang never witnessed residence life before, but he had truly never seen anything this uninhibited. His jaws were agape and his eyes burned. He pushed Jiang Tian as they hurried back into their dorm, and as they entered, he even grumbled, “I’m being so cautious, and yet there they are, no qualms at all.”
Jiang Tian was typing on WeChat with his head lowered, thanking Zhao Xi for his help. He did not realise what Sheng Wang just said, and replied, without thinking, “What do you mean by cautious?”
“……”
Sheng Wang closed the door with his hand behind his back, and watched him, wordless.
Jiang Tian turned around, and his eyes were lidded as the gears in his brain momentarily turned before he understood. His eyes shifted up, and his gaze swept across Sheng Wang’s eyes, before they slid downwards a little ever so lightly.

Sheng Wang could feel the door getting warm from his back. He was about to say something, but the phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated. He dug it out, and saw that Sheng Mingyang had just sent him a message on WeChat.
Encyclopedia for Healthy Living: Are your lessons over yet? Are you free to take a call now?

Sheng Wang’s heart skipped.
He did know that this was merely a coincidence, of course. However, as he read a message from his dad at this time like this, the irrepressible feeling of guilt always welled up in him.

Jiang Tian did not get a clear view of who the sender was. He merely tore his eyes away from Sheng Wang’s lips like he just came back to himself. A second later, he then turned back to say, “There’s still 20 minutes, you take a shower first.”
“I’m returning a call, you go first,” Sheng Wang said.
“A call?” Jiang Tian asked.
Sheng Wang hurriedly turned off his screen, and the hand holding the phone drooped. On the surface, that action appeared to be inadvertent, but it actually implied traces of having something to hide. “My classmate from before, asking me if I’m done with lessons. Probably here to wish me a happy birthday.”

Jiang Tian nodded. He tossed his phone next to his pillow, took fresh clothes from the closet and entered the bathroom. He tested the water temperature first, and came out to remind Sheng Wang, “Don’t talk for too long, there isn’t enough hot water.”
“Got it.”

Sheng Wang walked around the dorm, and decided to go to the balcony in the end. He propped his elbows on the railing, and stared at Sheng Mingyang’s message for a while. Only when his previously startled heart rate returned to normal, he then typed: especially inconvenient.
Not even two seconds later, his phone started vibrating.

Sheng Wang waited for a few rings, biting the tip of his tongue, before he accepted the call. “Didn’t I say that it’s not convenient now?”
Amusement was in Sheng Mingyang’s voice. “You think I wouldn’t understand that opposite language you speak? Lessons’ over?”
“Just.”
“It’s really just over?” Sheng Mingyang said, “It’s already seven plus.”
“Then why do you even ask me if the lesson’s over,” Sheng Wang said.
Sheng Mingyang grumbled “stinkin’ brat” at the other side of the phone. “Fine, Dad’s too used to making customary remarks and hasn’t adjusted. I plead guilty with all my sincerity, is that okay now?”
“Okay,” Sheng Wang said.
“Have you eaten dinner?” Sheng Mingyang said, “Now, this isn’t customary, right?”
“Just eaten,” Sheng Wang also said, “It’s true this time round.”
Sheng Mingyang laughed. “What did you eat? Is the food there okay?”
“The canteen is so-so, but there are a lot of shops outside, the taste is not bad.”
“So, you went out with Xiao-Tian to eat today?”

Hearing the two words “Xiao-Tian”, Sheng Wang’s guilt reared its ugly head again. His shoulders hunched as he squeezed his joints. He replied using a casual tone, “Nah, we ate in the canteen.”
“You didn’t go out on your birthday?” Sheng Mingyang was a little caught by surprise. “Oh yeah, does Xiao-Tian not know your birthday?”

Jiang Ou’s voice came next to his, “He knows, I’ve told him at the start. He said he knew, and that he saw Xiao-Wang’s student info at some teacher’s office or the administration office. He’s an older brother, and he seriously did nothing at all? Let me ask Xiao-Wang—”

Upon hearing that Jiang Ou was going to take over the call, Sheng Wang hurriedly added, “We did, we celebrated yesterday. Last night, we ate a grand meal outside.”
For some reason the guilt was intensified with Jiang Ou’s voice, as compared to Sheng Mingyang. Fortunately, after adding that line, Jiang Ou’s concern eased, and no longer said anything.

“Then you have to thank Xiao-Tian,” Sheng Mingyang said. “Not every older brother will remember to celebrate his younger brother’s birthday.”
He unwittingly took on the business tone again. Sheng Wang carelessly nodded, “Already thanked.”

Sheng Mingyang nagged at him to remember Jiang Tian’s birthday too, and then exchanged a few casual lines before he finally hung up with Sheng Wang’s urging.
He zoned out for a while as he rested against the railing. A wave of guilt would hit him, and a wave of rebelliousness the next. Only when the balcony door behind him was pushed open then did those conflicting thoughts finally come to a temporary end.

Jiang Tian was drying his hair. Due to the cleansing the water had given him, his features were so clean that they glowed beneath the light. When Sheng Wang saw him, all those nonsensical, conflicting thoughts went to the back of his mind, the joy that continued since early morning began to slowly poke its head out once more.

“You’re done?” Jiang Tian asked.
“Yeah.” Sheng Wang went through the balcony door, grabbed his phone with an eye squinted at the upper bunk, aiming, and then tossed it out like he was shooting for the basket. It landed exactly on the thick quilt on the bed, not a single inch off. Any sound from crashing was completely cushioned, like how all external worries were separated from himself.

“I’m going to shower.” Sheng Wang went inside the bathroom with his clothes.
The water vapour wasn’t as substantial as the previous showers—maybe it was because of the cold weather, but it wasn’t really quite humid either. Sheng Wang originally thought that since he’s showering later, he would be the only unlucky one if the water runs out. Unexpectedly, there was more hot water than he thought; if he showered quickly enough, there was totally enough to go around. He managed to finish showering as the flow of the water gradually turned slower and cooler.

Sheng Wang opened the small window to disperse the vapours, and walked out as he dried his hair. Jiang Tian was already seated before the table, penning down the script to be used for public speaking tomorrow.
With the lesson they learnt from the previous day, they did not dare to forget their homework anymore. When class ended, they obediently copied the theme for the speech and the post-lesson Q&A. Sheng Wang casually hung his towel around his neck, and went to take his bag.

He dug out a notebook and a pen from his bag, pulled open the other chair at the table and sat down. However, when his arm just rested on the edge of the table, what happened last night started to come flooding back……

His fingers gripped the edge of the table, his head was slightly tilted. At some unknown point, his fingers loosened, crooked and grasping at thin air. And later, he grabbed onto Jiang Tian’s arm instead.
……

This table is poisonous.

Sheng Wang hurriedly stood up again the moment he just sat down. He paced around with his pen and notebook, and climbed up the stairs to the upper bunk under Jiang Tian’s watch.

“Why are you going there?” Jiang Tian asked.
Sheng Wang sat down on the middle of the stairs, and said, in a restful buddhist meditation voice, “Cos I wanna.”

Jiang Tian raised an eyebrow, and didn’t say anything else. He nodded and went back to studying, the white wireless earpiece still stuffed in his ears. When he lowered his head, the curvature of the muscles on his shoulders became rather obvious, like a gorgeous and refined bow. His shoulders were broad, his waist was narrow. He had the energy that came uniquely from being his age—thin, but not frail.

Sheng Wang had never written the entire script every time he prepared, he only wrote down the key words. With that, not only is it speedy, he could make adjustments in time. There weren’t any of the dryness and awkwardness that came from hardcore memorisation.
He jotted down bits of words and phrases here and there in his notebook, and as he wrote, he couldn’t help but to look up and stare at his Ge’s back.

After a while, he pursed his lips, and he stood up again with his notebook and pen in hand for some inexplicable reason. He walked back to the table, pulled open that chair without saying a single word, and sat down next to Jiang Tian.

He had just put his things down when the person next to him suddenly spoke, “Why are you back again?”
Sheng Wang happened to be writing down nouns with a pen in his grip. When he heard that, he shot a glance at him before looking back, continuing to write a few letters. “Cos I wanna.”

The dorm was very quiet, there was only the scritch-scratching noise his pen made as he wrote. His arm touched Jiang Tian’s, his skin met the other person’s skin. Their body heat was transmitted to each other, with zero barriers in the way.
He finished writing down the phrase, and finally put down his pen amidst the tension clouding in the air.

He saw Jiang Tian remove an earpiece, his head tilted as he leaned in, his gaze casted from his half-lowered eyes.

Their breaths mingled between their lips. Just as they were about to touch, a “knock knock knock” suddenly came from their door.
Sheng Wang: “……”

Motherfuck which idiot is here at this time?!

TO BE CONTINUED.