Jiang Li watched Chi Fang close the door after quickly placing Jiang Nuomi out and joked behind his back, "Didn't you say Jiang Nuomi is waiting for me to see him every day? Why are you driving him out now?"
"He's not the only one waiting." Chi Fang said and even locked the door, turned around, leaned over, and kissed Jiang Li's face.
He was as clueless as before, instinctively kissing him simply, and even hit Jiang Li's glasses while kissing.
Jiang Li was amused by his dog-licking kiss, pushed his face away, and opened a little distance between the two. "Wait, you're drooling over my face."
"You're disgusted?" Chi Fang was dissatisfied, he put his arm around his waist and pushed him to the bed, "It's like I didn't eat your saliva in the morning, I wasn't even disgusted."
"I'm not disgusted either…"
Jiang Li's legs touched the edge of the bed and he fell down on the bed, looking up at Chi Fang and the two of them looked at each other.
Chi Fang knelt down beside him on one foot, removed the glasses for him, and using one hand to hold the back of his head, he bent down and kissed him.
The gentle moonlight illuminated the entire night sky, the night wind came in through the screen window and faint wind chimes echoed from outside.
Chi Fang's kiss was unskilled and clumsy, but it was an act of treating him as someone so precious that could not be ignored. His fingers propped on the edge of the bed, inserted into Jiang Li's fingers and he held on tightly.
In the quiet night, in the brief moment of showing love for each other, there was a thin layer of sweat on the back of the two people, and the heartbeat of "thump thump thump" could be heard. They didn't know whose heartbeat it was, and some place at the lower half of their body slowly reacted.
"Dong dong-"
The knock on the door from outside interrupted the kiss between the two. The old man asked outside, "Xiao Fang, I heard something just now, are you back?"
The old man's voice was accompanied by Jiang Nuomi's angry and aggrieved cries. The two people in the room acted as if they had done something bad and were caught on the spot by their elder. They quickly separated, Chi Fang jumped up and shouted towards the door, "It's me. Jiang Li and I just came back."
"Jiang Li is also here ah, you guys should rest early." The old man said.
"We'll sleep right away!" Chi Fang replied quickly, "You should go back to sleep too. By the way, grandpa, take Jiang Nuomi away as well, he's so noisy."
The sound of the old man's footsteps gradually left and Jiang Nuomi's voice became much smaller. The old man probably carried it back to his room.
After about half a minute, Chi Fang and Jiang Li glanced at each other, and both saw the guilty conscience on each other's faces that had not yet disappeared, and they both laughed out loud tacitly.
After Jiang Li laughed, he propped himself on the bed and looked at Chi Fang with his head tilted: "Look at how cowardly you are."
When he said this, in addition to the smile between his brows and eyes, there was also the affection that had not completely faded from the kiss earlier. Those eyes that were like splashes of ink seemed to contain stars and oceans under the refraction of the light, making him not help but want to indulge in it.
Chi Fang walked past Jiang Li, bent down, and embraced him, hugging him tightly with both hands.
He didn't know why, it was clearly the first time that he fell in love, but he had a feeling of regaining Jiang Li after losing him.
They had to get up early for school the next day, so the two of them lay down after taking a bath.
It was different from lying side by side with a huge gap in the middle like last time. This time, Chi Fang stuck onto Jiang Li's body with his arms around his waist. He felt like he suddenly had a skin thirst disorder, he just felt uncomfortable not sticking with him.
Fortunately, there was air conditioner in the room, so Jiang Li let him be.
As he was about to fall asleep, Jiang Li vaguely heard his Little Cutie System say, "…I thought I was going to be closed in the little black room again. Please hold on, my host, you guys are not adults yet."
Jiang Li: … There's no need to worry.
When they woke up the next day, the two of them had turned into the position where Jiang Li was lying on Chi Fang's chest like before and Chi Fang had put his arms around his shoulders.
Jiang Li usually woke up early but this day he woke up even before the alarm clock went off. As soon as he moved, Chi Fang's arm on his shoulder tightened a bit.
Jiang Li thought he was awake, so he looked up and found that it was just a subconscious act- just like in his previous life – which warmed his heart, so he just lay back and napped for a while.
The sound of the beeping alarm clock woke them up. Chi Fang reached out and touched the edge of the bed. He skillfully turned off the alarm clock without looking at it. He pulled the blanket next to him to his face before wanting to go back to sleep.
Jiang Li pushed aside the blanket, got up from his embrace, reached out and pinched his face. "Time to wake up."
Chi Fang rolled over, wrapped his arms around his waist, put his face on his thigh, and said unclearly, "Sleep a little longer, I'm so sleepy."
"If you continue sleeping, you'll be late." Jiang Li pulled his hands away, pushed him aside, and wanted to get out of bed. He was hugged and dragged back by Chi Fang before his feet touched the slippers. A shadow appeared in front of him. Chi Fang's whole body was supporting on top of him, and stared at him with bright eyes.
"What do you wanna do?" Jiang Li looked at him and asked.
"Let me give you a kiss." Chi Fang said, pressing his face down and kissing Jiang Li's mouth.
Jiang Li tilted his head and the kiss landed on his cheeks. "You haven't brushed your teeth yet, don't you think it's dirty?"
"You didn't brush, I didn't brush, we're the same." Chi Fang turned his face over with his hand, pressed his own lips on his lips, and coaxed in a low voice, "I'll just give you a kiss, I won't stick out my tongue, be obedient. "
Jiang Li: "…"
To Jiang Li, his words sounded like "I'll just rub, I won't go in", it felt like he was searching for trouble, but he just lay down obediently and didn't resist.
Their faces were very close, nose to nose, lips to lips, and their gazes glued tightly together.
Just as he said, Chi Fang didn't use his tongue, just rubbed his lips lightly for a while, then sighed contentedly and let go of Jiang Li.
The two got up and went out. As soon as the door was opened, Chi Fang saw a white hairball rushing toward him. He subconsciously wanted to raise his hand and wave it away. Fortunately, he instantly realized that it was Jiang Nuomi. He quickly changed his movement and hugged the little guy in his arms.
Seeing Chi Fang firmly hugging Jiang Nuomi, Jiang Li's heart felt relieved.
"Meow!!!"
After Jiang Nuomi was hugged by Chi Fang, not only was it not grateful, but it pulled the collar at Chi Fang's chest and called out to him with a ghastly expression; as if it hated the act of shutting it out last night.
"You're so loud in the early morning, are you in heat?!" Chi Fang tilted his head to avoid Jiang Nuomi's claws, pinched the back of its neck with one hand, and carried it to the living room, "You're so young, why are you so wild?"
Jiang Li: "…" You were a lot wilder than my son yesterday.
"Meow meow!" Jiang Nuomi couldn't understand what he meant, but it could see the discontent on his face to some extent and wanted to climb up on his head with a grumpy temper.
Chi Fang held it down with one hand, walked over to the sofa, threw it lightly into the sofa nest, pointed at it, and said, "Lao zi let you eat, drink, and have fun, but you repay the kindness by taking revenge, say, where's your conscience?"
Jiang Nuomi arched his back, raised his tail, and glared at him. "Meow!!!"
"How dare you, you're still so arrogant!" Chi Fang rolled up his sleeves and pretended to want to teach it a lesson.
Jiang Nuomi was not afraid of him at all, baring its teeth as if it was about to pounce on him.
"…" Jiang Li watched the confrontation between a person and a cat and pressed his eyebrows speechlessly and helplessly. It seemed that in each world, the relationship between the two of them was "like water and fire".
Jiang Nuomi was about to explode due to anger in front of him, when Jiang Li stepped forward and pushed Chi Fang away. He picked up the irascible Jiang Nuomi and gave Chi Fang a sideways glance: "Enough, don't bully my son anymore."
"Tsk" Chi Fang pointed his middle finger to Jiang Nuomi- who was lying in Jiang Li's arms – and changed his expression in a second, and muttered, "So what, I'm even your reborn parent."
Jiang Li: "…" Chi Fang, aren't you childish, you're fighting with a cat just because of this?
After breakfast, the two went to school.
The two met Feng Yu at the school gate. Feng Yu saw that they had only confirmed their relationship the day before yet now they were riding a bicycle each, so his intention to gossip rekindled. He took a big turn and parked the bicycle beside Chi Fang. He then asked aloud, "Chi ge, you guys aren't riding on the same bicycle today?"
Chi Fang wanted to give Jiang Li a ride, but Jiang Li thought it was too much trouble. Hearing his question, he looked up at him and threw out a sentence, "Why do you care so much?" and walked with Jiang Li to the teaching building.
"Hehe." Feng Yu locked the bicycle and chased after him, "Chi ge, Jiang Li, wait for me, I brought you guys something good, you…"
The following words were stuck in his throat. Feng Yu saw Zhang Ling who was looking at him expressionlessly not far away, so he instantly quieted down like a chicken and made a big round to the side to avoid her. 1
There were two red banners hanging on both sides of the school road which read "Warmly welcome the inspection team of the Provincial Department of Education to visit our school for some guidance". The bush and the field under the banners were all trimmed the previous week. In one look, not even any obvious dead branches and grass could be found and the fallen leaves on the school road were also cleaned up.
The school attached great importance to this inspection work. It was said that it had especially become an escort group composed of school leaders such as the principal, vice-principal, and dean of education. Even the school motto on the wall opposite the teaching building had been repainted.
However, it was the job of the school leaders and teachers to welcome the inspection team. The students in Senior 2 Class 1 should go to class when they should, do their own work when they should, listen to class seriously, and discuss the destination of the fall school trip earnestly.
A morning passed, and the inspection team hadn't arrived yet. It was said that the route was changed to the Experimental Middle School first and then to the No.2 Middle School in the afternoon.
"Damn it, I straightened my waist the whole morning because I was afraid of being spot-checked, but they haven't come yet?" Feng Yu was lying on the table lifelessly, he had straightened his waist all morning in class as he was afraid of being caught by Zhang Ling being absent-minded, which he would then need to write a self-criticism review. However, she didn't come after waiting all morning. These people were really annoying.
Jiang Li smiled and said, "When you get used to it, you won't feel tired anymore."
"That's right." Chi Fang agreed, "Pretending is the worst thing to do."
"Damn it." Feng Yu was not convinced, "Listen, listen, Chi ge, do you think what you said makes sense? You were the one who slept in class and the one who left the class early and came late the most. Now you have Jiang Li to make up for you one-on-one so you forgot who you are!"
"How about you and Chi Fang come for the make-up class together?" Jiang Li suggested, since teaching one person was teaching, while teaching two people was also the same thing.
"Then better don't." Feng Yu waved his hand, "I'm not that material, I just want to finish high school and find a junior college to get a diploma."
Jiang Li had also asked Feng Yu to make up lessons together during the summer vacation, but Feng Yu really didn't have the patience.
"By the way, Chi ge, since you studied so hard, you must have a goal, such as what university to go to." Feng Yu asked.
"University ah." Chi Fang stopped the pen in his hand that was used to answer the question, thought for a moment and said, "Tsinghua University."
Jiang Li: "…"
Feng Yu: "…"
Tsinghua University, the number one university in China.
Chi Fang's average test score at the end of the last semester was less than 60.
"Having a dream is a good thing." Feng Yu said earnestly, "But Chi ge, as a brother, I still have to remind you that this can only be thought about when you are dreaming."
"Fuck you." Chi Fang grabbed the textbook next to him and smashed it at him, "You're single, what shit do you know?"
"You're being angry because you're embarrassed!" Feng Yu caught the book that he smashed over, "Also, just talk when you talk, don't attack."
Chi Fang's answer was to smash another book at him.
Jiang Li, who was on the side, watched the two of them fight. He lowered his head and chuckled and looked out the window.
Tsinghua University ah.
The inspection team arrived at No. 2 Middle School in the afternoon. As they didn't have much time, they did not stay any longer. After checking some work ledgers of the school, they checked the students' class condition in the teaching building and left.
After school in the afternoon, Chi Fang and Jiang Li went back. The two went upstairs while chatting, discussing where to go to play during the November holiday.
Chi Fang intended to take Jiang Li back to City B to have fun, but Jiang Li didn't agree immediately and said that he would consider it when the time came.
Speaking of City B, Jiang Li recalled that there were rumors that Chi Fang did something wrong at the original school before he transferred to the No. 2 Middle School, but he never heard Chi Fang mention it and he didn't know if it was true or not.
In addition, these days, Chi Fang had not mentioned his parents.
During the conversation, as the two went upstairs, Chi Fang took out the key to open the door. As soon as the two entered, they heard the sound of conversations inside. One was the old man and the other was an unfamiliar voice that Jiang Li had never heard before.
The person who came was Chi Fang's uncle, Chi Guoheng, the director of the Provincial Department of Education that Feng Yu and the others had mentioned earlier.
Chi Guoheng looked like he was in his fifties with his hair neatly combed back, wearing a striped short-sleeved shirt and thin and black-rimmed glasses. His appearance looked somewhat serious, but his gaze looking at Chi Fang had obvious kindness.
"Xiao Fang is back." Chi Guoheng stood up from the sofa with a smile on his face, "Come and let uncle take a look. It seems that you have grown taller again, right?"
Although Chi Fang's relationship with his father was not very good, his relationship with his uncle was still not bad. "Uncle, why didn't you say anything about coming here?"
"There is an inspection in the hall, I just stopped by to have a look." Chi Guoheng smiled.
"The one about going to our school?"
"That's not it." Chi Guoheng waved his hand, he didn't need to come in person for this kind of small inspection, and looked at Jiang Li behind him, "This is…"
His words stopped abruptly after seeing Jiang Li's appearance and he was slightly stunned.
"This is Jiang Li." The old man introduced from the side, "Xiao Fang's classmate, the first in the grade, he's giving Xiao Fang make-up lessons."
"Hello, Director Chi." Jiang Li said hello to the other party. He didn't follow and call him "uncle" to get familiar with him but called him by his position.
"Okay, okay." Chi Guoheng nodded and glanced at Jiang Li's face twice, "Just call me uncle, don't be so restrained."
"Okay."
Jiang Li had been an actor for two lifetimes and he easily captured the inquiry in his eyes as he looked at him. Combined with the surprised look on his face when he first saw him, Jiang Li couldn't help but wonder if he had seen him or if he had seen the previous Jiang Li.
Just as he was searching for the memory of the original host, the next second he heard the other party ask, "Is Jiang Li a native of Jiangcheng County? How old are you this year?"
"I'm a local, and I'll be seventeen soon." Jiang Li replied, as the next month would be his seventeenth birthday.
Chi Guoheng nodded: "Who else is in your family?"
"A father."
"Then, where's your mother?" Chi Guoheng asked again.
Jiang Li could hear that his question sounded eager. Something flashed in his heart. He looked at the other party and said, "She left, she left home when I was a child."
"Left…" Chi Guoheng's expression was a little dazed and he asked again, "Then do you know where did she go…"
"Uncle, are you carrying out a political trial?" Chi Fang who was beside interrupted the conversation between the two, fearing that he would ask too much about Jiang Li's parents which would make Jiang Li unhappy. "Get ready to eat, we still have to go to self-study later."
"Yes, yes, let's eat first." The old man said. He had already prepared dinner and waited for Chi Fang and Jiang Li to come back and eat.
While eating, Chi Guoheng's eyes were always looking in Jiang Li's direction whether intentionally or not. Jiang Li pretended to ignore it completely, but he was thinking about the other party's reaction just then.
If Chi Fang hadn't interrupted Chi Guoheng just then, then he should have wanted to ask him if he knew where Mother Jiang went. As for why he asked, he most probably knew Mother Jiang.
Jiang Li had seen a photo of him and Mother Jiang when he was a child in the original host's drawer. As the saying goes, daughters are like fathers and sons follow their mothers. The original host really looked similar to Mother Jiang.
If Chi Guoheng really knew Mother Jiang, it wouldn't be surprising why he was surprised when he saw him.
Thinking of this, Jiang Li glanced at the other party calmly.
Jiang Li and Chi Fang went to school after the meal. Chi Guoheng sat for a while and then also left.
Back in the car, Chi Guoheng instructed the secretary in the front passenger seat. "Help me find the file of a student named Jiang Li in Senior 2 Class 1 in No. 2 Middle School of Jiangcheng County and bring it to me tomorrow."
"Okay, Director." The secretary responded, "Are you going back to the hotel now?"
"En." Chi Guoheng closed his eyes, leaned back in the chair to rest.
The car started slowly and left the community.