I Am A Killer

“Dong’zi! Dong’zi!”

“What is it?” Yin Xu Dong raised his head from his exercise book and looked at the ahLang that came in in a flurry. 

“Pant… a pretty student just transferred into your class!” Ah Lang passed on the intelligence he’d just gotten from the office in excitement.

“Then?” Yin Xu Dong returned to studying, asking, unconcerned.

“Freaking hell! Why is it that I’ve never realised your hidden mugger* stat?!” Ever since the first semester of his second year, Yin Xu Dong’s large u-turn in attitude had shocked everyone’s pants off; he’d been chomping on his textbook with that mugger* of a mei mei from Year One. Now that his chilly-faced mei mei was no longer around, why was it that he was mugging* all the more harder?! Thanks to that though, his grades did improve significantly and he managed to get into Class One in Year Three.

* ‘mugger’ (noun) is a slang for ‘someone who studies very hard’; ‘mugging’ (verb) is a slang for ‘studying very hard’

“Ah Lang, we’re in Year Three, if you’re gonna continue moping around and not pull up your socks, you can’t get into university.” Yin Xu Dong urged.

“Tch, do you think everyone’s like you? Mugging away all pumped up? So be it if I can’t get into uni. Pops’ got the money anyway, he’ll think of a way.” Ah Lang said indifferently. “But it’s still unusual for you to be like this though, where’s your excitement, a babe just transferred into your class! You… are you still thinking about your mei-mei-next-door?”

Yin Xu Dong slammed the pen he was holding on the table heavily. 

At seeing that, ah Lang immediately decided it was time for him to disappear. “Uh… I, my lessons are starting, so I’ll be leaving…”

Yin Xu Dong buried his head in both his hands, rubbing his palms roughly against his cheeks. “Xuan Xuan’s definitely not dead, she definitely won’t die.” A long while after receiving Qin Ke Xuan’s call last year, that kid Qin Peng Cheng came over crying and told him that his jie jie’s dead. He ran over to ask Qin Shu Hua what happened, but Qin Shu Hua told him in pain that the SF had notified him about Qin Ke Xuan getting into an accident during a mission and sacrificed… He’d followed the Qin family in a daze to the cemetery; her body was already cremated and buried under the orders of the SF.

He didn’t believe it though. Xuan Xuan had told him that she would return. He didn’t even manage to see her body, how could he believe that she died just like that? He wouldn’t believe it no matter what! Also, if she’d really died because she sacrificed herself during a mission, there would be no reason for her to be buried just like that without even a proper military ceremony. Something was definitely off about this!

As of right now however, he was not capable of doing anything. If it weren’t for his lack of strength,  he wouldn’t be unable to do anything when he heard that Xuan Xuan was in danger. Hence, the only thing he could do now was to learn more and as fast as he could to gain the ability to search for Xuan Xuan! And protect her!

Their form teacher brought a female student in when it was time for lessons. She wrote a name on the board in a few swooshes and introduced her to everyone: “Students, this is our new classmate, Zhuo Xiao Xuan, let’s give her a warm welcome!”

As everyone started clapping, they whispered privately about why this new classmate would pick such a time to transfer? There were only a few months left to NCEE*, wouldn’t she find the sudden change in environment too foreign?

* 高考 = gao kao; College Entrance Examinations, full name: 普通高等学校招生全国统一考试 = National College Entrance Examinations (NCEE); an academic examination held annually in PRC taken by students in their last year of senior high school

Yin Xu Dong’s deskmate bumped his elbow, whispering: “She’s quite pretty!”

“Number-one, I didn’t know you were so wretched?” A mocking smile tugged Yin Xu Dong’s lips. 

“I’m angry! I’m going to fight you if you call me number-one again!” He Yi punched him. The number-one seat in their level no longer belonged only his ever since they began Year Three. What’s worse was that his number-one seat rival was actually this ex-gangster head! “If I hadn’t been exploited by you, the number-one seat would have been mine forever! Is this what they call showing the wolf into the house*?”

* 引狼入室 = (lit.) showing the wolf into the house; (fig.) introduce a potential source of trouble (often by oneself inflicted onto oneself) Z L T

“No no, this is called the colour indigo makes blue, but blue is more vivid than indigo*.”

* 青出于蓝而胜于蓝 = (lit.) the colour indigo makes blue, but blue is more vivid than indigo; (fig.) the student surpasses the master

“Oi oi, don’t you think the vibe she gives off is very similar to Qin Ke Xuan’s? Don’t glare at me! Look for yourself!”

Yin Xu Dong turned to look at the new classmate standing on the platform. After staring at her for quite a while, he sent He Yi a kick. “Your vision needs to stop swimming every time you see a pretty girl! How does she even look like Xuan Xuan?!”

Yin Xu Dong was pretty much half a martial arts expert now, so that sturdy kick had He Yi crying out in pain. “Tch… how can you vent your anger on your greatly respected teacher?!” Of course he knew that the new classmate didn’t look like Qin Ke Xuan, he wasn’t blind, but, but didn’t the both of them… exhibit facial nerve paralysis symptoms?! Of course that though wasn’t something he dared to tell Yin Xu Dong, else he’d be eating another shadowless kick from him.

“Humph! I won’t hold myself in if you nonsense anymore!” Yin Xu Dong threatened him fiercely, before returning to solve his math question.

He Yi minced his lips. It’s already been a year since the Qin Ke Xuan matter, but this fella still hadn’t let go. 

After lessons ended, a lot of people crowded around the new classmate to ask her all sorts of questions. Their Year Three life was very dull and depressing. With the sudden introduction of a new classmate however, everyone’s taking the chance to relax their taut nerves to enjoy the novelty of it all.

Despite her chilly expression, Zhuo Xiao Xuan replied their questions one by one.

“Why did you transfer now?” Z L T

“For NCEE.”

“Where are you from?” Z L T

“B City.” 

“Aye? So you’re a local? Which school did you attend previously?”

“I didn’t attend one.” Z L T

“Hah?” 

“I just returned from abroad.” Z L T

“Woah! A returnee! So cool!”

“…” 

The bunch of them babbled on, asking her an entire lot of questions. Many questions regarding learning English also popped up later.

He Yi glanced at the commotion by the side, before peeping at Yin Xu Dong that was speedily scribbling away. “Dong’zi, not gonna chat with our new classmate?”

“Why are you suddenly so pesky and gossipy? You’re done with the exercise questions?”

“Tch, finished them long ago.” He was just being concerned about his mental health!

“I mean these exercise questions.” Yin Xu Dong threw He Yi a question booklet and slanted a disdainful glance at him.

He Yi flipped through the question booklet in suspicion. “Freaking hell! Do you need to mug so hard?! Fine, fine, I’ll let you have the number-one seat in the future, I’m not competing against you anymore! So don’t work so madly! It won’t be worth the candle if you wreck your health!”

From then on, He Yi was granted another nickname—jinx-er. Z L T

Perhaps he really had been studying too crazily, or perhaps it was He Yi that jinxed it, but regardless, Yin Xu Dong finally fell sick this day. He went to the washroom to wash his face to wake himself up. Shaking his head, he walked out, his steps heavy. When he saw the new classmate, he raised a hand to greet her lifelessly. “Hi.”

“You’re very skinny.” Zhuo Xiao Xian told him expressionlessly.

“Hah?” This was very serious; Yin Xu Dong’s illness was grave enough he’s hearing things now.

Zhuo Xiao Xuan: “You have to live on properly.”

“Hah?” But he didn’t have thoughts of suiciding! Z L T

Yin Xu Dong’s head got even dizzier. Turned out he was indeed quite ill…

Thump! 

Zhuo Xiao Xuan lowered her head to look at the flushed Yin Xu Dong that had fainted on the ground. Bending down, she pulled him up onto her back and carried him to the school infirmary.

By the time Yin Xu Dong had awakened, he was already lying on the sickbed. When the school doctor saw him struggling to get up, she quickly asked: “What wrong?”

“I need to go for my lessons, can you help me undo the needle for the drip.” Yin Xu Dong raised his hand and said to the school doctor.

The school doctor was shocked: “You’re running a fever now, and you need to rest properly even after the medicine in the drip finishes and your fever goes down.”

“I’m fine, I know my body. Please help me take out the needle.” Yin Xu Dong persisted.

Whoosh! The curtains by the sickbed were suddenly drawn by someone. Zhuo Xiao Xuan walked over to his side, pushed him back down on the sickbed and said flatly: “Rest properly.”

Yin Xu Dong lied weakly on the sickbed, a wave of dizziness hitting his head again. In his daze though, he suddenly recalled what He Yi had said, that she really did seem a little like Xuan Xuan, even the voice… even though Xuan Xuan didn’t like to smile, she still had a neighbour-next-door vibe with her quiet and nice appearance. Zhuo Xiao Xuan however had a very reserved cool elegance to her, especially when she had a poker face one.

Zhuo Xiao Xuan sat on the chair beside the sickbed, took out the item in the bag she was holding and placed it on the table.

The school doctor asked curiously: “Where did you buy the porridge from?” Z L T

“Restaurant.” 

“Restaurant? Outside school? How did you manage to go out?” Z L T

“Flipped the wall.” 

“…” The school doctor’s face twitched. If she didn’t remember wrongly, the school had especially built the school walls higher to prevent students from flipping the walls out. How did she flip herself out?

Zhuo Xiao Xuan opened the porridge container and handed it to Yin Xu Dong. “Finish it.”

Yin Xu Dong turned his head. “Not eating.” Z L T

“Don’t make me force you.” Z L T

Yin Xu Dong was stunned. Freaking hell, she sure was like her. He turned to look at Zhuo Xiao Xuan, asking earnestly: “Who exactly are you?” 

“Zhuo Xiao Xuan.”

“Xuan Xuan?” 

“You can call me that.” Z L T

Hah? Yin Xu Dong’s eyes widened, before recalling that she had a “Xuan” in a name as well. At that, he laughed self-mockingly: “We don’t even know each other.”

“We can start knowing each other now.” Zhuo Xiao Xuan held the porridge in front of him. “Drink it.”

“I’m tired, I don’t want to eat it. Eat it yourself, I’ll sleep a bit.”

Zhuo Xiao Xuan placed the container down and stretched to hold Yin Xu Dong’s arms to lift him up into a sitting position to lean against the pillows at the head of the bed. Then, she sat down, took the porridge container up again and used a spoon to scoop a mouthful and raised it to beside his lips. “Open your mouth, drink it. You still need to eat your medicine later.”

All Yin Xu Dong did was to open his mouth woodenly to swallow the porridge she’d stuffed into his mouth; he didn’t have the strength to protest. It was only after he finished the porridge and the two pils did he meekly say: “You’re so strange.” They’d never talked before this, yet when he happened to faint in front of her, she ended up taking care of him so meticulously; what a kind-hearted girl. Was this what they called having a heart of gold despite smiling seldomly?

“Enh.” 

After being taken care of by Zhuo Xiao Xuan when he fell sick, or perhaps it’s because she felt so much like Xuan Xuan, their relationship bloomed from nothing to good friends, and the two of them, along with He Yi, became a solid trio.

He Yi teased Yin Xu Dong: “Who would have thought, I really didn’t think that you fella would still make your move on the pretty girl. Spill! Leniency to those who confess, severity to those who resist, what trick did you pull?!”

Yin Xu Dong pushed He Yi’s head away, scolding as he laughed: “What are you thinking? I’m not as vile as you!” 

“What are you saying! You’re the one that’s vile! Your entire family’s vile!”

After a while, He Yi stuck his head over again. “Have you figured out which uni you’re gonna apply?” Z L T

“Yeah. X Military University.”

“Hah? You really want to be a military doctor?!”

“Yeah, is there a problem?”

“Yes!”

He Yi looked at Yin Xu Dong in shock. “I didn’t say that.”

At that, the two of them turned their heads collectively to see Zhuo Xiao Xuan frowning as she stared at Yin Xu Dong.