I Heard You're Hard To Chase - Chapter 20 Part 1
After reading the entire composition, Yao Wenjing resisted the urge to call Xie Huai to stand in the corridor.
In an essay, nine out of ten sentences were inseparable from his handsome deskmate.
This time, she didn’t specify any particular theme for the National Day assignments; it was open-ended, as long as students wrote a minimum of four essays, it would be considered complete.
But Xie Huai, for his first essay, left her utterly bewildered.
From the very beginning, it was all about “My desk mate is really handsome.”
The whole class has not stopped laughing since Xie Huai recited the first sentence. The few people standing in the corridor who had just washed their faces all looked puzzled, wondering what had happened to make everyone so cheerful while they were away.
Lu Yi gave Xie Huai a thumbs-up from a distance. “Impressive.”
Hao Xuxi turned his head to look at Jiang Xu. The protagonist seemed surprisingly happy?
He silently turned his head back, noticing Xie Huai’s contrasting black-and-white expression: white because Xie Huai was genuinely pale, black because his face was darkened by his current frustration.
As for the subject of the essay, Xie Huai, he looked like he was ready to murder someone.
Standing at the podium, he stared fiercely at the person responsible for this, feeling like he might step down at any moment and attack the person who had made him read this composition about his boyfriend’s handsomeness.
Jiang Xu didn’t laugh out loud like the other students, but the upward curve of his lips was evidence that he had indeed chuckled.
“You…” Yao Wenjing took a deep breath, attempting to calm her emotions. She looked at Xie Huai and said, “You can go back to your seat now.”
Xie Huai, holding his composition book, walked back to his seat.
As he passed by Jiang Xu, he reached out and lightly tapped him on the back with his fingers.
Yao Wenjing on the stage opened the textbook and started class.
Jiang Xu saw something wrong with Xie Huai’s face and thought Xie Huai was angry, so he stretched out his right hand and touched the palm of Xie Huai’s left hand with his fingertips.
Jiang Xu lowered his eyes: “I’m sorry.”
Xie Huai was stunned for a moment, then held Jiang Xu’s hand.
He wasn’t angry at Jiang Xu; it was just an essay. During junior high, he had often been called to the front of the class by the Chinese teacher to read essays. Moreover, he couldn’t bear to be angry with Jiang Xu.
His face wasn’t right because his bones were hurting again, and he could clearly feel that this time the pain was even more intense than before.
Now he was in class, so Xie Huai couldn’t run outside to take his medicine.
He had to endure the pain until the end of the class.
As soon as the class ended, Xie Huai rushed to the water station on this floor, grabbed a paper cup, filled it with warm water, and took his medicine.
Xie Huai’s chest rose and fell not too violently. He leaned against the wall to relax for a while, and then threw the paper cup into the trash can nearby.
After throwing it away, he turned around and saw Jiang Xu standing at the door.
Jiang Xu walked over in a few steps, his tall and straight figure blocking the sunlight behind him from Xie Huai’s eyes.
Frowning, Jiang Xu, with darkening eyes, asked, “Xie Huai, what’s wrong with you?”
Xie Huai’s fingertips curled slightly, then he looked at Jiang Xu with a bewildered expression and said, “I’m fine. Can’t I just drink some water when I’m thirsty?”
“Do you think I believe that?” Jiang Xu’s expression also darkened.
In this cramped water station, Xie Huai’s breathing gradually became difficult. His throat tightened, and his long eyelashes trembled slightly.
He gazed at Jiang Xu and slowly spoke, “I’ll tell you when we get home tonight, okay?”
The same words he said before confessing to Jiang Xu.
However, this time, Jiang Xu had an ominous premonition in his heart. But he couldn’t refuse this pleading look from Xie Huai, so he nodded reluctantly. “Okay.”
The two returned to the classroom. After sitting down for a while, they saw the school committee member standing in front of Xie Huai’s desk and placing a just-bought milk tea on his desk. She gently pushed it toward Xie Huai.
“Xie Huai, I’m sorry. The essay earlier was my fault. I accidentally mentioned your name to Teacher Yao. Don’t blame the class monitor.”
Xie Huai: “?”
The school committee continued: “I was turning in my math homework at the time, and Teacher Yao saw me and casually asked if Jiang Xu had turned in the essays. I was answering questions from the math teacher at that moment and didn’t realize it. I said ‘yes’ without thinking.”
Let’s go back in time to the end of the morning self-study.
The school committee member had collected all the math assignments and brought them to the teacher’s office. The math teacher was already seated at her desk. The class committee member intended to drop off the assignments and leave, but the math teacher insisted on pulling her into a discussion about some math problems.
Yao Wenjing also saw her at this time, and asked casually: “Lin Yue, has Jiang Xu collected all the essays?”
The class committee member’s mind was still with the math teacher, and without hesitation, she nodded and said, “Yes, he turned them in.”
“I plan to select a few essays for them to read what they’ve written,” Yao Wenjing said, her expression conflicted. “I don’t know which ones are well-written.”
“Xie Huai?” Lin Yue saw the math teacher taking Xie Huai’s assignment book. She instinctively called out his name.
Yao Wenjing thought Lin Yue was answering her question, so she squinted her eyes and thought for a moment: “Is Xie Huai’s essay good? Is that what Jiang Xu said?”
Lin Yue’s attention was still focused on the math problem, and she was one step away from solving it. No matter what Yao Wenjing asked, she just nodded, “Yes.”
Yao Wenjing suddenly realized, “I see.”
“That’s roughly what happened,” the class committee member said with an awkward smile.
Xie Huai was silent for a moment, then shook his head to the school committee and said, “It’s okay. You can take the milk tea back and keep it for yourself.”
Lin Yue was instantly touched and apologized to Xie Huai again before leaving.
“Aren’t you mad at me?” Jiang Xu asked.
Xie Huai choked for a moment, took out his textbook for the next class, and then said, “I wasn’t mad at you in the first place.”
Thinking back to Xie Huai ignoring him in the previous class, Jiang Xu clearly didn’t believe Xie Huai’s words. He gently massaged Xie Huai’s hand back and said in a light tone, “Then why did you ignore me in class?”
“Talking in class is not what good students do,” Xie Huai looked at Jiang Xu without any embarrassment. “I’m a good student.”
Xie Huai’s mind suddenly produced this sentence: “Good students who climb walls to fight and sleep in class.” He found it quite amusing.
In other words, Xie Huai was saying that Jiang Xu was not a good student.
Jiang Xu couldn’t help but think of how Xie Huai ignored him in the previous class. Clearly, he didn’t believe Xie Huai’s words. He lightly massaged Xie Huai’s hand and said in a teasing tone, “Good students don’t usually have early romances.”
Xie Huai: …
Unable to come up with a response to Jiang Xu’s words, Xie Huai simply closed his mouth.
In the afternoon, after school, Lu Yi walked over with a basketball in hand and greeted Xie Huai and Jiang Xu: “Brother Huai, brother Xu, are you going to play basketball?”
“I won’t go,” Xie Huai stared at the basketball in Lu Yi’s hand for a few seconds and then waved it off. “I don’t feel like playing.”
It was clear to Jiang Xu that Xie Huai did want to play.
Lu Yi felt a bit disappointed but when he considered Xie Huai’s previously injured foot, he guessed that it might not have fully healed yet. He didn’t insist and turned to Jiang Xu, “What about you, Brother Xu?”
“I’m not playing either.” Jiang Xu said to Lu Yi.
“Ah?” Lu Yi wanted to persuade him again, “We…”
Before he could finish his sentence, he was pulled away by Xiong Qiqi, who had come up from the front. As she left, she turned back to look at Jiang Xu and Xie Huai with a playful smile, and then gave a disdainful glance to Lu Yi. “What ‘we’? They both said they’re not playing. Come on, let’s go play.”
Lu Yi was pushed forward by Xiong Qiqi and his voice echoed in the corridor as he continued, “Do you even know how to play?”
Xie Huai burst into laughter. After laughing for a while, he took out his phone from his desk and sent a message to his mom.
Xie Huai: Mom, can you ask the doctor if, after I leave the hospital, I can go to school during the day and come back to the hospital in the afternoon? It’s just this half of the semester, and after that, I’ll stay in the hospital.
There was only a month left in this half of the semester.
In fact, Xie Huai knew that this was unlikely, but he didn’t want to spend his last days in the hospital.
Zhao Li quickly replied to Xie Huai.
Mother: Mom will help you ask the doctor.
Xie Huai: Thank you, Mom.
Zhao Li also knew that her son would definitely not want to stay in a place like the hospital.
During the holidays, Xie Huai could stay in the hospital all the time. During the school term, he could go to school during the day and come back to the hospital in the afternoon, as long as he took his medication on time at school and avoided physical activity. It was only a month, so it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
But she was still very worried.
Today’s evening self-study ended earlier than usual because the first-year students were having an event. To avoid being disturbed by others, the school let the second and third-year students finish the self-study during the first class.
On their way back, Xie Huai felt incredibly anxious. He hadn’t figured out how to talk to Jiang Xu about it yet. If Jiang Xu hadn’t run into him in the water room today, maybe he could have had a few more days to think about it. Although the outcome might still be the same, at least Jiang Xu wouldn’t have known too early, and it would have spared him a few more days of sadness.
He was really afraid that Jiang Xu would be sad and unhappy.
Jiang Xu didn’t say anything along the way, and both of them were quiet, as if they were waiting for some serious judgment.
Instead of going home directly, Xie Huai brought Jiang Xu to the rooftop.
Standing here, they could see the stars in the sky just by looking up.
But tonight, there wasn’t a single one.
Xie Huai sat on the stairs, and Jiang Xu sat next to him.
Xie Huai didn’t say anything, and Jiang Xu didn’t rush him, just waited quietly.
At this time, the autumn night wind blew, bringing a coolness into Xie Huai’s heart.
Xie Huai gazed into the distance where there should have been stars, but after a long while, Jiang Xu heard Xie Huai’s voice, trembling and choking with tears, “Jiang Xu, I… I don’t want to be apart from you, not at all.”
Jiang Xu felt a sudden pain in his heart, and quickly stretched out his arms to hug Xie Huai, and said softly: “Baby, we won’t be, never, not in this lifetime, not in the next.”
Xie Huai tightly grasped the sleeves of Jiang Xu’s school uniform and shook his head, his throat tightening: “But… But I don’t have this lifetime, Jiang Xu. I don’t have it.”
Hearing these words, Jiang Xu was stunned. He wanted to ask a question, but before he could speak, he heard Xie Huai continue.
“I have bone cancer, it’s in the advanced stages, and it can’t be cured. The doctor said I have at most a year left… I… I don’t want to die. If I die, what will my mom and dad do? They only have me as their son.”
“After my mother gave birth to me, she was told by the doctor that she could no longer have children. Why was it me, Jiang Xu? Why was it me?”
Xie Huai buried his head in Jiang Xu’s chest, tears streaming uncontrollably, “If I die… what will happen to you?”
When Jiang Xu heard the words “advanced stage of bone cancer,” his breathing completely stagnated, his mind went blank. He couldn’t hear anything from the outside world.
“Baby,” Jiang Xu’s heart ached so much it felt like he was about to die. His voice trembled and sounded hoarse, “Are you joking with me?”
But he understood that Xie Huai would not make such a joke with him.
“Jiang Xu, I can’t bear to leave you. I really thought about forever with you before. I thought we could always be together. I had it all planned out.” Xie Huai gritted his teeth and refused to let go. Cry out loud to yourself.
Jiang Xu’s fingertips trembled. He stretched out his hands and gently held Xie Huai’s face. The place he touched was wet with tears.
So, Xie Huai clung to him because he knew he wouldn’t be able to do it in the future. Letting himself be held while he slept was because he knew he didn’t have much time left and couldn’t sleep through the discomfort alone. Only being held by himself would allow him to sleep peacefully.
Just thinking about these things made Jiang Xu feel like he couldn’t breathe.
Xie Huai was only seventeen years old. Why did his darling have to suffer like this?
Jiang Xu leaned forward and kissed Xie Huai’s tears away, and put his forehead against Xie Huai’s.
Finally he couldn’t hold it anymore and started crying.
Xie Huai was afraid that Jiang Xu would be like this. He felt extremely distressed and his eyes were red. He reached out and grabbed the collar of Jiang Xu’s school uniform and kissed Jiang Xu on the lips.
The night wind blew their school uniform jackets open, and the tears were dried by the wind, leaving a cracked sensation.
This kiss was really painful-
Jiang Xu held Xie Huai tightly. When he fell asleep, Jiang Xu got up quietly and left the room, going to the living room to search for the cigarettes his dad had left in a cabinet when he was last home.
He took a lighter and went to the balcony, chain-smoking one cigarette after another.
He used to hate the smell of nicotine and couldn’t stand the slightest smell.
Now…it only took Jiang Xu a minute to learn to smoke.
Jiang Xu lit another one, and the white smoke he exhaled vanished into the night sky.
Until he finished a whole pack of cigarettes, one by one, Jiang Xu slowly crouched down, leaning against the glass door behind him, and began to cry softly, holding his knees.
Jiang Xu only spent one night digesting the matter of Xie Huai’s advanced bone cancer.
The next morning, when Xie Huai woke up, Jiang Xu’s hands were still around his waist.
Xie Huai reached for his phone and saw that it was almost seven o’clock.
Today, they still had classes, and morning self-study had already been going on for ten minutes.
Xie Huai suddenly sat up in bed, feeling pain in his shoulder, but he didn’t pay much attention. He was used to it by now.
He nudged Jiang Xu forcefully. “Jiang Xu, we’re late!”
Xie Huai went to freshen up after changing his clothes, then rushed to the entrance to change his shoes. Xie Huai tossed the tags from his clothes into the trash can as he passed by the living room, but inside he discovered a pile of cigarette butts.
He paused, not needing to guess; he already knew who had smoked these cigarettes.
Xie Huai’s chest ached. Jiang Xu, did you smoke so many last night?
Jiang Xu hugged him from behind. “Baby, don’t look.”
His breath gently brushed Xie Huai’s ear, and Xie Huai lowered his eyes and let out a sad “hmm.”
Xie Huai thought that after telling Jiang Xu about his illness, he would feel better, but unfortunately he didn’t. On the contrary, he felt even sadder.
Jiang Xu looked no different from before, but that was only on the surface.
When they arrived in the classroom, the first period had already been going on for ten minutes. The math teacher didn’t even glance at them and just asked them to come in and take their seats.
After class, Xie Huai received a WeChat message from his mother, Zhao Li.
Mom: Huaihuai, I asked the doctor. The doctor said they will make a decision based on your current condition. Can you take a leave today and come to the hospital?
Xie Huai typed a reply.
Xie Huai: Okay.
Mother: Then go and ask for leave from the teacher.
“Jiang Xu.” Xie Huai called him.
Jiang Xu put down his pen and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Xie Huai hesitated for a moment and said, “I need to go to the hospital today. I won’t be able to go home with you.”
“Okay,” Jiang Xu didn’t say much or ask anything. He simply gave Xie Huai’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Just be careful.”
Xie Huai bit his lip: “Yeah.”
Zhao Li arranged for a driver to pick up Xie Huai at the school gate.
As Xie Huai left, Jiang Xu stood at the classroom door, his gaze fixed on Xie Huai’s retreating figure. He continued looking until there was nothing to see, then returned to the classroom.
Lu Yi walked over, looked at the empty seat next to Jiang Xu, and asked, “Brother Huai asked for leave?”
Jiang Xu didn’t even raise his head: “Yeah.”
“He seemed a bit down today. Is he sick?” Liu Yi scratched his head.
Jiang Xu’s hand subtly paused for a moment, then he told Liu Yi, “No, he’s fine, just some family matters.”
Lu Yi was relieved and sighed: “That’s good. You know, Xie Huai is a guy who likes to keep everything in his heart. If he’s really sick, and no one notices, he could probably keep it a secret until he’s already recovered.”
This was the first time Jiang Xu heard the name “Xie Huai” from Lu Yi.
Thinking back on Xie Huai’s behavior over the past few days, Jiang Xu thought Liu Yi might be right. If he hadn’t noticed something off with Xie Huai in the water boiler room, he might not have discovered anything was wrong for a long time.
At the hospital, Xie Huai was sent for a comprehensive examination. The wait for the results was quite long, and he had to sit in the hospital room for nearly two hours before getting the results.
When the doctor came in holding the test results, Zhao Li quickly stood up. “Doctor, how are the examination results?”
“Based on his current condition, this approach is feasible. We have discussed it, and the plan we propose is that he attends school during the day and comes to the hospital for treatment at 4 PM. However, this can only be maintained for a month because there will be a series of treatments such as chemotherapy later on. Prolonged continuation of this approach is not recommended.”
Hearing this, Xie Huai breathed a sigh of relief.
One month was better than nothing.
However, starting tomorrow, Xie Huai couldn’t sleep next to Jiang Xu anymore. He would have to stay at the hospital at night, while Jiang Xu would have to go to school and return home alone.
Poor thing.
Xie Huai had finished the medication he had earlier, so he obtained another box and then rushed back to school.
It was already past noon, and the playground was filled with people playing basketball and chatting while taking walks. The weather today was a bit chilly, so everyone was dressed warmly.
Every year, once the National Day has passed, the temperature will start to drop. During the National Day it was still thirty degrees, but after it’s over, it quickly drops to the teens.
Xie Huai walked across the playground and returned to the classroom, where he saw Jiang Xu still sitting in his seat doing questions.
He walked over quietly, intending to scare Jiang Xu, but Jiang Xu discovered him before he could take more than a few steps.
Seeing Xie Huai, a faint smile curved at the corner of Jiang Xu’s lips. “Back already?”
“Yeah,” Xie Huai couldn’t scare Jiang Xu, which was a pity. He leaned back against the chair, and nodded towards Jiang Xu. “Aren’t you going to have lunch?”
“I already did.”
“Do you think I’ll believe that?” Xie Huai stared at Jiang Xu with a look that said, ‘Do you take me for a fool?’ He then took out his phone and showed Jiang Xu the screen. “It’s only 12:18 now, and you claim to have finished lunch in just 18 minutes?”
“Yeah, I eat quickly.” Jiang Xu confidently told a lie without any guilt.
“Are you sure?” Xie Huai raised an eyebrow.
Xie Huai turned his head slightly to look at the person sitting on the other side, leaning against the window. He raised his chin and asked, “Xue Bai, our class monitor said he went to the cafeteria for lunch. Did he go?”
Xue Bai raised his head with confusion on his face. He thought he didn’t see him go, but he still replied, “No, he didn’t. The class monitor hasn’t left the classroom since class ended. Where would he have gone to have lunch?”
Jiang Xu: “…”
Xie Huai tapped Jiang Xu’s desk with his fingertips with a half-smile: “I’m asking you, Class Monitor, which cafeteria did you go to for lunch?”
Even when his lie was exposed, Jiang Xu just continued working on his assignments in silence.
Xie Huai laughed angrily and pulled Jiang Xu up with one hand. Jiang Xu didn’t expect Xie Huai’s strength to be so strong and was slightly surprised.
Xie Huai didn’t say anything, but just pulled Jiang Xu towards the school supermarket.
It was almost 12:30, and by now, the cafeteria would likely only have leftovers.
In the supermarket, there were rice balls available. Xie Huai picked up two for Jiang Xu and also grabbed a bottle of milk. These items were cold, so he asked the store employee to heat them in the microwave.
There were seats nearby, and Xie Huai led Jiang Xu to sit down.
“Eat.” Xie Huai said.
Storyteller Springforyou's Words
Hello, Spring here to springkle some BL energy~ Please refrain from Re-posting/Sharing it on any other platform/Social Media as you risk it being taken down!
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