Chapter 42.2
Editor: Jodi
Xu Ling’s gaze shifted. Half of the teenager’s face was buried in the folds of his school uniform sleeve, his eyes half-closed, staring straight ahead lazily.
His heart, like a drifting leaf, had sunk to the bottom of the water when they were separated, but now it soared on the wind toward the horizon.
Xu Ling froze, then gave himself a light smack on the head.
What’s wrong with me? It’s just a change of seats.
“My name is Xu Ling, like the ‘ridge’ in ‘a ridge viewed from the front, a peak from the side’.” Xu Ling said when the teacher asked him to introduce himself. “My special skill is car washing…”
Ning Sheng: “?”
“His special skills are violin, French, and flower arranging.” Ning Sheng cut in to help.
Every single one of those was something he had painstakingly helped him develop.
Xu Ling was steadily growing into a mid-level devil king with no weaknesses.
But it wasn’t enough yet, Ning Sheng thought.
High school might be busy, but there was still some time. So should he help Xu Ling unlock another skill?
“Why are you staring at me?” Xu Ling asked. “You’re making me nervous.”
“And you call yourself ‘a ridge from the front, a peak from the side’.” Ning Sheng said. “Looking at you from the side, should I call you Xu Feng (Feng means Peak)?”
Xu Ling: “Whatever, as long as it sounds better than Xu Dashan.”
Group chat: Three Golden Suns Rising Secretly
[AAA Premium Piglet Wholesale] : Where are we eating for lunch?
[Ling] : The cafeteria?
[AAA Premium Piglet Wholesale] : Then we’re bound to have plenty of visitors gawking at our table.
[Ling] : ?
[Math is so great, I love math] : Is this it? [Photo]
[AAA Premium Piglet Wholesale] : Princess was spotted yesterday at the school gate with a violin case on his back. Someone took a picture and captioned it: “A gentle youth, a refined gentleman.” Clearly, they’ve never seen Princess’s slapping skills.
[Math is so great, I love math] : When I was collecting homework just now, I overheard someone say Princess looks better than a celebrity.
[Ling] : Then let’s just pack it up and eat in the dorm.
[AAA Premium Piglet Wholesale] : ? I’m already at the cafeteria.
[Ling] : Perfect, you can pack it up for us.
[AAA Premium Piglet Wholesale] : You’re not human.
*
The last class of the morning was math. The bell had been ringing for five minutes, but the teacher was still dragging it out. Everyone except Li Haoyue was half-asleep.
Ning Sheng sneaked a glance at his phone, scrolling for potential talents Xu Ling could learn. When he turned to look, Xu Ling’s head was down too.
“What are you doing?” He asked.
Xu Ling looked startled, then quickly stuffed his phone into his sleeve.
“Do you want to learn the guzheng?” Ning Sheng asked him.
Xu Ling: “My grades are pretty good.”
Ning Sheng: “Huh?”
“So I don’t have to graduate and become a street performer!” Xu Ling said indignantly.
“Who said anything about performing on the street?” Ning Sheng asked. “Where’s your ambition?”
“Fine, we’ll pick something else.” Ning Sheng said. “Balance work and rest—you need an extracurricular hobby.”
“How about swimming?” Xu Ling asked. “This one’s good.”
Ning Sheng: “?”
Ning Sheng: “I’m not going.”
*
On the first weekend, Ning Sheng couldn’t return to Qing’an Town. Instead, he was dragged to the swimming pool by the three who had secretly gotten him a membership card.
“City folks are so pitiful.” Lu Peng said loudly. “They don’t have ponds to swim in, so they have to build a pool.”
Ning Sheng was hit by country bumpkin energy.
“I’m going to change.” Ning Sheng said.
The other three huddled together, chattering away.
“How are we teaching Princess to swim later?” Lu Peng asked. “The same way we taught him to fight?”
Li Haoyue: “I’m already feeling the pain.”
Lu Peng: “Dog Xu?”
Xu Ling snapped back to reality. “We’ll try.”
Ning Sheng’s fighting skills had been forced out of him by these three. He didn’t know much, but he had the basics down.
Back in middle school, after classes ended, the three of them would pretend to be bullies, pulling Ning Sheng’s hair and grabbing his collar. It worked well enough, though they often got hurt in the process.
Ning Sheng came out holding a swim ring, locked eyes with the three of them, and immediately turned to run.
Xu Ling: “…”
Ning Sheng, who failed to escape clung to the pool ladder, refusing to let go.
Xu Ling tugged at him for a while but couldn’t pry him off.
Water droplets clung to Ning Sheng’s wrists and fingertips. His pale fingers turned slightly red from gripping so hard.
“I’m not going…” Ning Sheng protested.
“Princess, just drink a couple of mouthfuls, and you’ll figure it out.” Lu Peng told him.
“I can drink back in the dorm.” Ning Sheng said in reply.
Lu Peng: “…”
“Come on, swim.” Lu Peng told him. “Even the Math Nerd has learned it.”
“It’s very easy. Just imagine you’re swimming through a sea of math problems.” Li Haoyue added.
A strand of Ning Sheng’s hair was wet, his black locks clinging to his forehead, dripping with water.
“Forget it.” Xu Ling said after a moment of silence. “If you’re not learning, just hang out in the water.”
Lu Peng: “?”
“Didn’t you just say to drag Princess into the water, dunk him under, and pull him back out?” Lu Peng asked.
Ning Sheng: “?”
“…Damn.” Xu Ling got smacked. “I didn’t get that specific!”
“You want to get specific?!” Ning Sheng whacked Xu Ling with his swim ring. “Are you trying to assassinate me?!”
“Who told you to elaborate on the nonsense in my head?!” Xu Ling yelled at Lu Peng.
“How was I supposed to know you’d back out last minute?” Lu Peng protested, feeling aggrieved. “You betrayed us.”
Xu Ling hesitated for half a second.
“Don’t you think your actions scream betrayal more than mine?” Xu Ling shot back.
“Are you two just biting each other now?” Ning Sheng asked coldly. “Wasn’t I the one you were plotting against loudly?”
Ning Sheng gave up on swimming and sprawled out on the duck-shaped swim ring, floating lazily.
Xu Ling swam back and forth, occasionally giving his swim ring a push.
The teenager lounged lazily, half-reclined, his fair calves and ankles dipping into the water, kicking up tiny ripples on the pale blue surface.
“This is pretty fun.” Ning Sheng said. “Once this young master feels like it, I’ll learn a bit of swimming.”
“Take me over there.” Ning Sheng ordered.
Xu Ling gave a vigorous push.
After a while, Ning Sheng gave another command: “Take me back.”
Xu Ling pushed again, just as hard.
Ning Sheng directed: “Now spin me around.”
After a bit, Xu Ling realized something was off.
“Are you using me as an engine?!” He asked.