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Chapter 33.3
Editor: Jodi
“Does your hand hurt?” Xu Ling asked Ning Sheng, holding his hand. “Volleyball can make your hand hurt. Watch me, just toss the ball up like this, and then hit it. I’ll toss one for you.”
Ning Sheng: “No, I can’t do it.”
Lu Peng, who was standing beside them laughed, “You might as well just tell Princess to slap the ball over.”
Ning Sheng: “I’ve got the hang of it!”
Xu Ling: “…Maybe we should skip practicing volleyball. I’m getting a bit scared.”
Ning Sheng: “Alright.”
“Princess, hurry over here.” Lu Peng called out as he placed two books on the steps, one for each of them to sit on while they watched Xu Ling play volleyball.
“Ning Sheng, do you want some water?” Fang Hua asked the two of them.
Ning Sheng shook his head.
“I just came up with a super interesting competition problem.” The math nerd walked over, holding a stack of papers. “Knowledge is the ladder of human progress.”
Li Haoyue: “And where’s the knowledge I just asked you guys to take care of?”
Lu Peng pointed to the ladder under his butt.
“Dog Xu.” Ning Sheng spoke up, “I want some melon-flavored milk. Go buy it.”
Xu Ling had just smacked a ball off to the side when he heard Ning Sheng. He turned, “Alright, I won’t play anymore. I’m off to buy the drinks.”
Ning Sheng stood under a tree, watching as Xu Ling squeezed his way into the small shop.
The little devil king was tall, so even when he squeezed inside, he didn’t get lost in the crowd. Instead, he stood out, easily recognizable from a distance.
“Make way, make way.” Xu Ling nudged his way through, but made sure to create a small space to let Teacher Wang’s grandson out. “Eat fewer snacks and go and do your homework!”
Ning Sheng smiled.
The dog he was raising really wasn’t bad.
Xu Ling poked the straw into the milk carton and handed it to Ning Sheng, then tossed a bag of spicy sticks to both Lu Peng and Li Haoyue.
“Princess, do you want some spicy sticks?” Lu Peng asked.
“He can’t eat that. He’s been coughing again ever since he fell into the water.” Xu Ling said in response.
“What’s that on your hand?” Ning Sheng asked curiously. “It looks sticky.”
“Has Princess never seen this before? It’s maltose.” Lu Peng explained. “I can’t believe Dog Xu never bought you any.”
“They say it helps with coughing. Want to try a bite?” Xu Ling held it out.
“Ugh… It’s too sweet. I don’t want it!” Ning Sheng pushed the candy stick away.
“Is it sweet?” Xu Ling asked as he quickly gobbled it down, “En, it’s a bit sweet.”
“Let’s go home. It’s getting dark.” Xu Ling urged, “Ning Ning!”
Ning Sheng hopped onto the back seat of Xu Ling’s bike.
Then Xu Ling took the lead, pedaling ahead, with Lu Peng and Li Haoyue following behind.
The small silhouettes of the young boys moved through the autumn and winter—
Four months later.
The school had just finished their final exams, and the seventh graders, like birds set free from their cages, scattered all over town.
It had been a busy time. They were now in winter, and Ning Sheng kept getting sick with fevers. Every few days, he would have to go to the hospital for IV drips, so it had been nearly a month since he last visited Xu Ling’s place.
“I want to sleep over at your place today.” Ning Sheng said. “I haven’t been there in a while.”
He wanted to see Pei Pei, Qi Qi, and the little chick as well.
Xu Ling hesitated for a moment, then said, “Come then.”
**
At the entrance of the Car Wash City, Xu Ling’s stepdad was busy working, while Auntie Xu had taken on a new job, writing Spring Festival couplets for people.
“Ning Ning’s here.” Auntie Xu called out. “You’ve grown taller again.”
“Really?” Ning Sheng was happy. “Auntie, I’m going to check on the pigs.”
“Go ahead, go ahead.” Auntie Xu told him.
Xu Ling: “?”
The courtyard was just as it had always been, with some familiar vegetables growing in the garden. Xu Ling’s clothes were hanging on the drying line, the collar of his school uniform washed a crisp white.
The pigpen had a new rain shelter over it, looking clean and new.
“I bought a skateboard. Want to check it out?” Xu Ling suddenly asked.
Ning Sheng: “Sure, but I want to see the pigs first.”
“A new internet café opened in town. Do you want to go?” Xu Ling asked again.
Ning Sheng: “Do you want to lose your eyesight? Still thinking about going to an internet café? Absolutely not.”
Xu Ling: “Sweet cakes….”
Ning Sheng: “Shut up.”
Then he walked closer to the pigpen and froze in place.
Ning Sheng: “?”
Ning Sheng: “……”
Ning Sheng: “Can someone explain to me what on earth these two lumps are?!”
Xu Ling: “They—they’re your adorable Pei Pei and Qi Qi.”
Ning Sheng: “Say that again?”
Group Chat: [Four Golden Suns]
[AAA Premium Piglet Wholesale]: There’s a market fair in the neighboring town. Want to go? My dad can drive us there in his tractor, we’ll be there in no time.
[Math is So Great, I Love Math]: I’m coming right away.
[AAA Premium Piglet Wholesale]: What about Princess and Dog Xu? @Ning @Ling
Group Chat: [Three Golden Suns Rising Secretly]
[Ling]: We’ve got a bit of a situation here. My head hurts.
[Ling]: The pigs grew too fast, and now Princess is mad.
Lol they are really so cute