Chapter 113 [END] - Pay Attention to Me

Translator's Note:

Hello, I hope you've all been doing well.

Here you go, and I wish you a good read.

And as I said before, if you wish to read ahead, you can head over to my Patreon to get early access to all the translated chapters.

The emotions that the principal's boring speech at the coming of age ceremony failed to evoke started to bubble up on the day of the school festival.

 

The third-year students were given "special treatment" as always, they didn't have to prepare anything. They just watched as the first and second-years prepared the decoration, jumble sale, and program for the school day.

 

"Why didn't we have so many activities last year?" Zhang Ke was so sour.

 

Chen Yingying: "This year is the 70th anniversary, of course, they have to celebrate it with great fanfare."

 

"Alas, why are we so miserable..."

 

Although they were still at school, the school seems to have regarded them as outsiders.

 

It was also true that they will be soon leaving this school.

 

Young people were not yet good at facing separation. They didn't know how to relieve these emotions other than through their whining and complaints.

 

The school was kind enough to allow the third-years to participate in the afternoon jumble sale event on the school day.

 

So all the students took the opportunity to clear out their "inventory" and donate their unwanted items. Most of them were brand new exercise books that they had bought but hadn't written a single word inside. There were also some doodads that were piled up in their classrooms and dormitories that they didn't know how to deal with.

 

There are a lot of things piled on the stalls of each third-year class.

 

They were all heavy with memories.

 

The students of Class 1 came early to seize a good location. As the jumble sale began, they immediately started shouting to solicit new customers, attracting the attention of many people.

 

"This skirt is so beautiful." A girl picked up the cloth on the table and compared its size to her own waist, "Hmm? Why is it so big..."

 

"Sorry, this was originally mine." Guo Zhixiong scratched his head awkwardly.

 

"......" The girl silently put down the skirt.

 

Han Meng pulled out an identical one: "My size is smaller than his, want to try mine? It shouldn't be a problem to wear it as a long skirt."

 

The girl silently took a step back.

 

It wasn't uncommon to see big boys wearing women's clothing, but it was the first time that she saw a whole class of boys wearing women's clothing.

 

"It's not what you think... this was our class's dress code for last year's garden party event, we wore this just once." Han Meng explained.

 

Chen Yingying: "Are you sure you've worn it just once?"

 

"...... Well, I have to admit that I also wore it a few times later at home. Alas, class monitor, why don't you sell yours? Do you want to keep it for yourself?"

 

Chen Yingying raised her head: "Can't I? Didn't you say I looked good in it?"

 

Han Meng froze: "You still remember that?"

 

"I have a good memory, unlike some other people." Chen Yingying muttered, "You also said that you wanted to go to the same university as me. Wake up, you should just forget about it, also don't ask for my help later..."

 

Jiang Yao came over holding a huge bag of books, threw it on the stall table, then used the collar of his shirt to fan himself: "It took me half a day to pack them up, I did not know I had so many books. It was really heavy. Lao Han, you... What's wrong with you? Why is your face so red?"

 

Han Meng turned his head: "So annoying, don't look at me."

 

Then he gritted his teeth and said: "Brother Yao, please help me look at the stall."

 

"Okay, where are you going?"

 

"I have something to do with the class monitor." Han Meng took Chen Yingying's hand and left, Chen Yingying didn't say a thing and let him pull her away.

 

"Why are they both acting weird?" Guo Zhixiong was puzzled.

 

"Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask." Jiang Yao took one of his books out and set it up, then grabbed the bag and turned around to walk back. Unexpectedly, he bumped into a person with his arms.

 

Yin Che rubbed his forehead and glared at him.

 

He looks so cute, even when he's mad.*

[T/N: The original expression is often used to describe a kid or a little animal. When they are being angry or fierce, they usually look adorable with their movements and sounds.]

 

Jiang Yao thought he was so cute that he stroked his head and picked up the things in his hands: "Didn't I say I'd come back to get these for you? You could have just waited for me in the dormitory."

 

"This stuff isn't much, I can carry it myself."

 

Yin Che's bag didn't contain any books, there were just some small handicrafts he made. They weren't much exquisite, but it was a rare thing to be found at the jumble sale. As he laid them out on the table, some students passing by exclaimed, "Did... Yin Che make this?"

 

Jiang Yao smiled and said, "Yes, my boyfriend is so skilled, right? Do you want to buy one? I'll give a nice couple price."

 

The student passing by felt embarrassed: "We're not a couple..."

 

Jiang Yao: "You've misunderstood, the 'couple' refers to me and my boyfriend. We're both selling these together, that's why I'm calling it a couple price."

 

"......"

 

"Can you be any more shameless?" Yin Ze just walked over, holding Bai Yuwei's hand, "What is there to publicize? Why would you need to make everyone know that you are in a relationship? Do you understand?"

 

A student suddenly spoke up: "Can holding hands be considered as acting low profile..."

 

"What does it matter to you? She's my girlfriend! Can't we just hold hands?"

 

Bai Yuwei was speechless. She let go of his hand and bent down to look at the handmade knickknacks on the table: "Wow, these are really well done."

 

Yin Che: "Which one do you want? I'll give it to you."

 

"No, no, I'll buy it. The money is going to be donated anyway, consider it a good deed. Let me see... eh, this hand rope is so nicely braided, I'll take it."

 

Yin Che picked it up and handed it to her, but Yin Ze snatched it away first: "Pick something else."

 

Bai Yuwei frowned: "You don't have to buy it for me, why don't you let me try it on?"

 

Yin Che was a bit surprised. Bai Yuwei usually looked gentle and soft, but it seems like she also had such a strong side.

 

Yin Ze struggled for a while. Between saving face and not making his girlfriend angry, he chose the latter and said in a low voice: "The one surnamed Jiang also wears one on his hand, won't you... look like a couple."

 

Bai Yewei was surprised: "You said earlier that you didn't care about this stuff, then just forget it."

 

Yin Ze was happy again: "But my Ge does a good job. If you want anything else, I will buy it for you."

 

She really knows how to control him. Yin Che thought to himself. Perhaps only a girl like Bai Yuwei, who knows how to play soft and hard-to-get, can win over his proud and childish brother.

 

Bai Yuwei finally chose a woolen kitten and a wooden pen holder, insisted on paying by herself, and gave him fifty yuan.

 

"Your brother is quite obedient to her." When they both left, Jiang Yao laughed, "This is how a man should look like."

 

Yin Che: "How does he look like?"

 

Jiang Yao: "The same as me, a man that treasures his wife."

 

As soon as Yin Che raised his leg, Guo Zhixiong and Zhang Ke immediately used their bodies to protect several objects on the stall, "Brother Che! If you want to fight, please go somewhere else! Don't hurt the innocent victims!"

 

"......"

 

Halfway through the jumble sale, most of the things displayed on the stalls of Class 1 were sold. Not only did the current students come to shop there, but many alumni who returned to school to participate in the school celebration also bought a lot of stuff, mainly as a souvenir.

 

"Eight hundred and six... eight hundred and eight..." Zhang Ke counted the cash accumulated in the box and said, "We earned a lot, but unfortunately these can't be used. "

 

Yin Che: "This is for donation. You can't take it."

 

"I know, I was just kidding."

 

"Hmm." Yin Che withdrew his gaze and frowned at the things that still remained on the table.

 

Jiang Yao noticed his gaze and asked: "What's wrong?"

 

"These weren't sold... are they too ugly?"

 

Jiang Yao nodded: "It's true that they are not as good as the ones that we sold."

 

Zhang Ke: "... Brother Yao, it's a miracle you were able to get together with Brother Che."

 

"That's for sure, you don't know how much heartache I've gone through." Jiang Yao was oblivious and went on to say, "Don't worry, I have a way to sell these."

 

Yin Che: "What way?"

 

Jiang Yao: "I'll go back and bring the ones I made, we'll sell them all together. In contrast, these would look much better."

 

"......"

 

Zhang Ke: "That's actually a great idea."

 

"I'll be right back." Jiang Yao picked up the bag and headed for the dormitory building.

 

This place was not far from the dormitory building, and with his large steps, he quickly left all the noise behind him.

 

When he returned to the dormitory, he casually scooped some random handmade knick-knacks he made from his bookshelf and threw them into the bag, not caring whether they would be smashed or ruined.

 

... They were already in a sorry state anyway.

 

When he turned around to leave, he suddenly caught a glimpse of some small items scattered under Yin Che's bed.

 

Jiang Yao squatted down to have a closer look, and it turned out to be the stars that were accidentally knocked over that night.

 

The few scattered stars looked small and cute.

 

He thought he already put them all back in the jar, but it seems like there were still some fish that escaped his net.

 

Jiang Yao squatted down and stretched his hand to pick up the remaining stars, which were basically intact, except for one that was slightly dented. It probably should have hit its corner when it fell off the desk.

 

He tried to redo the corner, however, it became more and more crooked, and in the end, the whole star was undone.

 

... Maybe his hands were really cursed.

 

He had no choice but to take it apart and refold it again.

 

He couldn't bear for even one of the things the little brat cherished to be damaged.

 

The good thing is that although his technique was poor, his hand memory was not bad, he still remembered the star folding method taught by Yin Che before. So he first located the small opening and unfolded the long strip of paper bit by bit...

 

One word suddenly jumped to his eyes.

 

Then the second, the third... until the whole sentence appeared.

 

Jiang Yao froze.

 

There was actually a note hidden inside.

 

He had previously guessed that these stars could be hiding Yin Che's wishes, but looking at this sentence, it seemed that it was not a wish:

 

"I didn't succeed in the last final exam. I wonder if there'll be a next time."

 

The handwriting was beautiful and steady, but just looking at this sentence, he felt a bit baffled.

 

Jiang Yao's curiosity shot straight up and he felt the uncontrollable need to open the rest of them. However, he had to ask for permission to do so first, so he sent him a message: [I seem to have discovered the little secret hidden inside your stars].

 

He worded it in a slightly cunning way.

 

It took a minute for Yin Che to reply: [If you already know, then so be it.]

 

Does it mean, it's okay to look?

 

Jiang Yao immediately and decisively took down the star jar on the opposite shelf, unscrewed the lid, and poured all its content onto the table in a single gesture. The little stars scattered everywhere.

 

He started checking from the bottom, and sure enough, each star had a message hidden inside.

 

"The last time I sent Ah Ze a birthday gift, he didn't want it."

 

"This is my last deskmate, right? He hates me too."

 

"This is my last year in the club, I'm finally not alone."

 

"My last year with mom and dad, I wanted to go home every week, but Ah Ze would get mad."

 

"This is my last year to participate in the sports meet, I wanted to win first place."

 

......

 

According to the timeline, the earliest star was folded after the final exam in his first year of high school.

 

Jiang Yao stroked the small piece of paper and understood what was going on.

 

The brat fainted that year and was taken to the hospital. Knowing that he only had one year left, he started folding these stars to record all the "last times" in his life.

 

The little fool ended up hiding all his regrets and sadness deep in his heart.

 

There were so many stars that they could not be undone in a short time, so Jiang Yao wiped his face and planned to check a few of the most recent ones before leaving. He wanted to spend more time cherishing this person now than these memories belonged to the past.

 

Another star was unwrapped, yet this time, it was different from all the previous ones.

 

Class 1's stall only had a few things left, and the customers were getting fewer and fewer. Zhang Ke became anxious: "Why isn't Brother Yao back yet? I also don't know where the class monitor and Old Han went, they haven't returned for a long time... Brother Che, only a few of us are left here, so we should depend on each other."

 

Yin Che wasn't listening to him much and was slightly lost in thought.

 

Jiang Yao seems to have discovered the content of his stars... He couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed and a little ashamed.

 

Would he think that he was being pretentious? For recording so many trivial things...

 

As he was lost in thought, a shadow was suddenly cast in front of him.

 

Zhang Ke was stunned: "Holy shit, Brother Yao, where did you come from? How did you appear so fast?"

 

Jiang Yao didn't answer him. He simply slapped down a handful of long strips of paper he was holding in his hand.

 

Yin Che was shocked by this movement and hurriedly looked back at him.

 

Jiang Yao didn't smile. He pursed his lips and his face looked cold and stern, as he didn't seem too happy.

 

Yin Che remembered that he had written some not-so-nice words about Jiang Yao, during their breakup. Although there were only one or two sentences, they were quite hurtful. Jiang Yao probably just saw them, and that's why he was not so happy.

 

"I opened these up, and folded them again." Jiang Yao said in a deep voice.

 

Yin Che was stunned. He didn't understand why such a little thing would make him so angry that he had this murderous look on his face: "Oh..."

 

Jiang Yao hadn't finished speaking. He leaned down close to him, looked him straight in the eyes and said, "Unfold one, and read what's written inside."

 

Yin Che froze.

 

Then he realized that what was written on these notes were probably not bad words about Jiang Yao, but... even worse words, words that could not be seen.

 

"... don't."

 

Jiang Yao leaned closer, stared more closely at him, then said with a more vicious tone: "You dare to write it but not to read it?"

 

Yin Che twisted his head: "Don't force me to kick you."

 

Zhang Ke heard this sentence and immediately dodged to the side, hiding in Guo Zhixiong's arms: "Brother Che! Show us some mercy! Don't kick us!"

 

As soon as Guo Zhixiong heard that Yin Che was going to kick someone, he was so scared that he also jumped to the side, almost knocking Han Meng, who had just returned to the stall, away.

 

"Holy shit! Get the hell out of the way!"

 

Guo Zhixiong: "Sorry, sorry, sorry!"

 

Zhang Ke: "Fuck me, what were you two doing? No one has been around for a long time. Class monitor, shouldn't you set the right example?"

 

Chen Yingying lightly coughed, her cheeks turning pink with what seemed to be some shyness. However, once she opened her mouth, she still looked domineering: "Don't leave me alone now. Old Wu will come to inspect us later."

 

Speaking of inspection, Wu Guozhong came over holding a thermos in one hand, and a small camera in the other as he smilingly said: "Come, come! Go to the school entrance to take a picture together. The other students are already waiting, it's not easy to find you all."

 

Anyway, there was nothing valuable left on the stall. Zhang Ke asked the class occupying the neighboring stall to help keep watch for a while, and the whole group of people left, following old Wu as he walked away.

 

Yin Che was continuously pestered by someone and walked forward with his head down.

 

"Read this one first, okay?" Jiang Yao wouldn't let it go. He spread out his palm and the content written on the star paper was clearly displayed in front of his eyes.

 

Sure enough, it was all those hidden and shameful thoughts of his.

 

"Read it yourself." Yin Che sneaked into the crowd of students that came to take a group photo and stood to the far right, in the last row, without looking back.

 

Jiang Yao came to stand right next to him, looked at Han Meng holding hands with his beloved in the front row, and also reached out to hold the hand of the person beside him.

 

Yin Che's hand stiffened but he didn't struggle.

 

"In fact, whether you read it or not, I'm still... very happy." Jiang Yao looked at the camera in front of him and smiled, "This just feels surreal. There are so many things written in here that I've never heard you say before, so I just wanted to make sure I wasn't dreaming."

 

Yin Che glanced sideways at him and met the familiar gaze he used to cast over him.

 

The spring breeze was slightly warm, softly blowing up his hair. The leaves of Wutong trees on both sides of the avenue rustled, and the sun rays scattered on the open space they were standing on.

 

The only thing left in their eyes were each other's faces.

 

Ignoring the school building behind them, the hustle and bustle of the campus, the laughter of their classmates, and the teacher's shouts of "Three! Two! One!"

 

"Click."

 

All the splendor and beauty of this moment were frozen in time.

 

"... You're not dreaming."

 

He wasn't dreaming either, the warm temperature of the hand that he was holding in his own was clear and unmistakable. He managed to catch this person, and this person also caught him.

 

They clasped each other's hands, firmly holding the small pieces of star papers.

 

There were no "last times" in there, only "first times".

 

"The first time I was kissed by him, it was just on the back of my hand. Why was my heart beating so fast?"

 

"The first time I felt so happy for New Year's Eve, if only we could meet."

 

"The first time I held his hand, I didn't want to let go..."

 

"The first time I was hugged by him, it felt so warm. I want to feel his scent again."

 

"The first time I had the desire to survive."

 

......

 

All his "first times" began on a certain day. All the "him" pointed to the same person.

 

......

 

"The first time I liked a person, and probably the last time in my life. His name is Jiang Yao. I think I will always like him, until the last day of my life."

 

The End.

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