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Twenty-Ninth Period (2)
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
The first few days were still fine. Although somewhat not used to being away from home, the busyness during the daytime was able to let her forget all of this.
But, by the fourth day, Jiang Huihui felt her nerves beginning to tense up.
That kind of pressure was intangible. She felt as if there was a mountain weighing on her chest, making her unable to catch her breath.
The other students would all use the shared landline in the hallway to call their family every night, venting a whole bunch, saying that the pressure here was too much and that they wanted to go back.
Before coming here, their phones had gotten confiscated in advance. The shared landline became the only tool that could connect with the outside.
Jiang Huihui also wanted to be like them and give her family a call, but her mom……
Forget it, her mom will definitely say that she was too coddled, unable to endure the slightest hardship.
Her dad further didn’t need to be mentioned. He was a coal miner. In a month, he would be underground for twenty-nine of those days.
Jiang Huihui lay on the bed with her eyes closed, strangely feeling very uneasy inside. Her stomach was also growling the whole time. She’d gone late in the afternoon, missing the mealtime, and even now, she still hasn’t eaten anything yet.
At night, all the negative emotions tend to get endlessly amplified. Jiang Huihui lay on her side, curling up under the blanket, cold from head to toe.
Among the few times she has traveled afar, this time was by far the most stressful and also the most nerve-wracking.
Because the pressure was intense, and because she was nervous, she seemed particularly helpless.
She quietly closed her eyes, repeatedly telling herself to quickly fall asleep. But the more she tried to force herself to sleep, the most intense her insomnia became.
She sniffled, suddenly wanting to cry.
Don’t know who was knocking on the window outside.
She blanked for a moment, her gaze fixed on the curtains.
The beige curtains got illuminated by the moonlight outside, making them faintly transparent. She could even see the two silhouettes standing outside.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
This was the remote suburbs, and it was this late……
Could it be burglars?
All her emotions got replaced by overwhelming fear, her entire heart lodged in her throat. She carefully lifted the covers, not daring to make a sound, afraid of alerting the people outside.
Just as her hand touched the door bolt, a deliberately suppressed male voice came through the poorly soundproofed window.
“Jiang Huihui?”
She froze.
This voice sounded particularly familiar.
She hesitantly walked over and pulled open the curtains, finally seeing the two standing outside.
It was Zhou Yanli and Zhou Jinwei.
She was somewhat shocked. Aside from shock, there was also an unprecedented sense of security and reassurance, “How come you’re here?”
Zhou Yanli pointed at his ear, waved his hand, and then pointed at the window.
Jiang Huihui understood, opening the window.
The cold wind outside seeped in. She tucked her neck, asking again, “How come you’re here?”
Zhou Yanli let her go put on a coat first, so as to not freeze to death.
“Missed you, so came to see you. And while we’re at it, bring you some food.” He was answering her question just now, the corner of his lips slightly hooked, vaguely smiling.
He was still as cheeky as ever.
After she’d put on a coat and returned to the window, Zhou Yanli had the fried rice in his hand passed in through the window, his mouth still grumbling, “This damn place, only mountains and fields. I even thought that I’d ended up in the wilderness.”
Jiang Huihui pursed her lips, “Zhou Yanli.”
He immediately understood her, obediently nodding, “Fine, I won’t cuss anymore.”
She then glanced at Zhou Jinwei who was next to him, “How come you’re……here too?”
He calmly said, “Just came by to take a look.”
“Just came by?” Zhou Yanli softly snickered, relentlessly exposing him, “Who was it that had just returned to Pingjiang this morning and immediately followed me here?”
Zhou Jinwei slightly frowned, “Who followed who?”
If it weren’t for him, Zhou Yanli would probably still be transferring from a train to a bus, still stuck on the road at this time.
The two of them seemed to always be at odds. They clearly had two completely different personalities, yet their arrogance was the exact same.
To the extent that every time they met, they would inevitably clash.
That helpless and uneasy feeling, because of their arrival, disappeared without a trace. That bowl of rice, Jiang Huihui only ate half. It was too much. She couldn’t finish it all.
Her heart was filled, her stomach also filled.
Zhou Jinwei passed her a bottle of water, “What time is class tomorrow?”
Before passing it to her, he even considerately twisted it open.
Jiang Huihui took a sip, “Nine o’clock.”
He nodded, his tone calm, “Is there any problems you don’t understand?”
Jiang Huihui revealed a troubled look, “There is one problem. The teacher didn’t explain it very well, so I….I didn’t quite understand.”
He said, “Let me see.”
Jiang Huihui returned to the bedside and took out a practice test from her backpack.
The suburbs at night were particularly quiet. Even the dogs by the roadside were asleep. Through the window, Zhou Jinwei’s voice was very calm. When explaining the problem, he was just like how he would speak, very brief and concise.
But it was simple and straightforward, not leaving out any important points.
Jiang Huihui listened particularly attentively, feeling that he was very suited to become a teacher.
But then, recalling his personality, it was better to forget it.
Afraid he would look at those students like looking at trash.
Zhou Yanli also knew not to disturb them, standing to the side, playing a game by himself.
During this time, Zhou Jinwei’s phone rang a few times, but he didn’t pay much attention to it. All the way until it became increasingly frequent and very hard to keep ignoring.
He let Jiang Huihui wait a moment.
He took out his phone from his pocket. After seeing the several notification messages, he expressionlessly looked at Zhou Yanli, “Can’t you be a bit more quiet?”
The latter was currently irritated from failing his gacha pulls, “I haven’t even made a f#$%ing peep, is that still not quiet enough for you?”
Zhou Jinwei showed him his phone screen. On there were the dozens of successful in-game purchase notifications.
Zhou Yanli had an innocent look, “Not my fault, who let it not come out.”
Zhou Jinwei rubbed his brows. Giving him his card was a mistake.
He turned off his phone with a deadpan look, finally putting an end to all the annoying notifications.
Ten minutes later, Jiang Huihui put away the practice test and asked them with a bit of worry, “Where are you two staying?”
Zhou Yanli said, “There’s a small inn nearby. We’ll make do for a few days there.”
“A few days?” Jiang Huihui pursed her lips, somewhat unhappy, “You’re skipping class again?”
“Not skipping.” He said, “Isn’t it currently the sports festival? So I asked the homeroom teacher for time off, said that I’m going to the countryside to see my mom.”
This excuse was actually…..not a lie.
Jiang Huihui was hesitant to speak, feeling conflicted for quite a while, but in the end, as if making up her mind, she beckoned Zhou Yanli over, saying that she had something to say to him.
At the same time, she somewhat awkwardly glanced at Zhou Jinwei.
The latter could tell that she didn’t want to let him hear, so very cooperatively distanced himself.
This kind of special treatment, Zhou Yanli clearly enjoyed very much. He pressed his tongue against his cheek, softly chuckling, “What is it that you even need to tell me secretly?”
Jiang Huihui leaned in by his ear and cupped her hands by her mouth, lightly covering.
Her voice was very soft, having the bashfulness and self-consciousness of a young girl.
Like as if sharing something, while also like asking to be praised, “Recently…..I made two new friends.”
Zhou Yanli lifted his brow, his tone very exaggerated, “Wow, impressive, you even managed to make new friends on your own.”
Although exaggerated, she was still very happy getting praised. The corner of her lips curved into a happy smile.
But because there was that previous incident, Zhou Yanli had to be cautious, asking her, “Guy or girl?”
“Girls, from our school. They’re very nice, even helping me get food.”
He relaxed a breath, “Bring them out sometime so I can meet them too.”
Jiang Huihui was a bit uncertain, “But I…..don’t know what they think. What if it’s just one-sided on my part?”
“This kind of thing is just slowly becoming familiar with one another. After chatting a few times, you’ll just become friends.” Zhou Yanli took out a few boxes chocolate and a pack of Yakult from his pocket. He’d bought these on his way here.
“Later, share these with your two new friends. This is the way of making friends, understand?”
She reached out to take them as she nodded her head, taking in his advice.
She then glanced at the gloomy sky outside, anxiously urging them, “You should head back soon. There might be rain later.”
“Fine, you go rest too.” Zhou Yanli glanced inside. The room was so small that it could only fit a bed and a desk. His brows wrung into a knot, “Is it comfortable here? Looks like a f#$%ing prison cell. If you don’t like it here, I’ll go get another room for you at the hotel.”
Jiang Huihui shook her head, “I’m alright here. Moreover, it’s a closed environment. Prior to the competition, we can’t go out.”
Zhou Yanli inwardly grumbled, what kind of bullsh*it rule is this?
He didn’t continue staying here to disturb her, “Fine, then go rest. Good night.”
Jiang Huihui nodded. She stood by the window, watching them disappear in the distance.
In the dark of night, their figures were extremely similar, even their height was the same.
The only difference was probably just the air around them.
One was unruly and unrestrained, while the other was steady and reserved.
Having watched them whispering to one another for that long, Zhou Jinwei remained silent the whole way, but in the end, he still couldn’t help asking him “What were you talking about just now?”
Zhou Yanli let out a low ‘heh’, “Couldn’t tell, you even have quite the curiosity.”
He flippantly said, “But I don’t want to say.”
Zhou Jinwei: “……”
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