Reverse Approach

It was gloomy on Saturday morning.

 

It just rained heavily at night, and the temperature dropped sharply. It was cold waking up in the morning without a jacket.

 

Su Beimo had always been independent, dragging his suitcase to the station early in the morning. After waiting at the entrance for a while and not seeing Liao Nanqing’s figure, he guessed that he had overslept, so Su Beimo wiped his chin helplessly and turned around to enter the station.

 

As a result, from far away, he heard Liao Nanqing shouting.

 

“Su Beimo!”

 

Su Beimo——

 

As usual, never called him brother. No big or no small, always liked to call his full name.

 

After a summer vacation, Liao Nanqing seemed to have grown taller. He developed a little bit late, and had only gotten taller now. But compared to Su Beimo, he was still much shorter. He was panting, probably running all the way here.

 

“You came running all the way? Not to say this, but you don’t have to come if you can’t get up. ” Su Beimo said so, but he was very happy.

 

“The phone alarm didn’t ring.” Liao Nanqing wiped off the beads of sweat on his forehead, “My mom gave me two hundred more for my living expenses, I’ll save up and go change my phone after a while.” He pushed all the blame to the phone, and his annoyed look was very cute in Su Beimo’s eyes.

 

Looking at his flushed irritability, Su Beimo suddenly felt comfortable, and he reminded him again and again like an old man: “You have just transferred to another school. You must study hard and don’t always think about playing with your phone.”

 

“I don’t play, I’ll just send you a message!” Liao Nanqing’s eyes were filled with reluctance, and it took him a long time to grasp the corners of his clothes and hesitate, “Can I call you often?”

 

“Anyway, if you don’t understand a question, send it to me and ask me.” Su Beimo hesitated again and again, but still reached out, rubbed his head hard, messed up his hair as always, and with a gentle tone, even a little gentler, “I’m going in, you go home early, it’s going to rain later.”

 

Liao Nanqing frowned, “When will you be back?”

 

“During the winter vacation.”

 

“…Ah, so long.”

 

Su Beimo changed his mind, “I’ll probably come back for the October break, and after I’m done with school, I will work in a company over there for an internship.” The internship was found with the help of the instructor, and Su Beimo took it seriously, “I’ll probably be busy.”

 

“Then you will always be there?”

 

“En, if there’s no accident I will stay there to work, the development treatment is better.” His plan was to stay in City B for a few years, and then return to the downtown area to find a job when he was almost done. If the development was good, it was possible not to come back.

 

“Then I will find you, I’m not busy.” Liao Nanqing said urgently.

 

“Don’t jump around in the third year of high school, study hard.” Su Beimo preached to him and said goodbye to the reluctant Liao Nanqing, “Okay, go back.”

 

If he didn’t return, it would rain.

 

 

 

Su Beimo’s university was in City B, and it took only one and a half hours by train. However, usually there were too many classes in school, so naturally he didn’t bother to come back. This year, he caught up with the senior internship period, and so there was no time to go back to the town. Su Beimo thought that it was possible that when he came back from winter break, Liao Nanqing had grown taller and made new friends, and might not stick to himself as much as he did during this summer.

 

Thinking of this, he was a bit disappointed, but felt that it would be good if Liao Nanqing could just gradually become cheerful like this.

 

Liao Nanqing should have new friends, new space, and a new life. He was strong and patient, he was great.

 

But Su Beimo had only taken a few steps into the waiting room when he saw Liao Nanqing, who had been standing outside the door, standing alone, staring at him with a sad face. Seeing him turning back, the silly boy waved his hand vigorously, his eyes were red.

 

It was really reluctant to let go just like a little quail, only wanting to follow, wanting to stick, for fear that he would be lost.

 

Su Beimo slightly pursed the corners of his mouth, but his heart was sour and swollen, he really wanted this summer to be longer.

 

Or go back to the day when Liao Nanqing first came to the stationery store to buy cigarettes, and then from the beginning, Su Beimo would treat him well.

 

Su Beimo gestured for him to go back.

 

Under the gloomy daylight, Liao Nanqing’s eyes were sore as he looked at Su Beimo and kept looking. After watching for a long time, his Adam’s apple moved and he took out the report card of Friday’s quiz from his pocket and flattened it carefully. On one hand, Liao Nanqing was calling Su Beimo with his poorly functioning phone, and on the other hand, he was holding the report card with only 15 points above his head.

 

The red letter with fifteen points was displayed in front of Su Beimo.

 

Toot–toot–

 

“Liao Nanqing, what is that?” Fifteen points?

 

“Su Beimo, I’m very bad, I only scored fifteen points on the test.” En, it was fifteen points.

 

Su Beimo couldn’t say anything, looking at the score, he almost dropped his chin to the ground.

 

“So don’t dislike me, I might send you questions and call you every day…” Liao Nanqing talked more and more lightly.

 

“This score of yours, it’s the last one, ba?” Su Beimo was angry and amused, holding the phone in his hand, his bony knuckles were clear.

 

When Liao Nanqing heard him say that, he put away the report card with a red face and stuffed it into his pocket carelessly: “When you come back during the October holiday, I’ll show you the new report card. I promise, it won’t be the last place.”

 

He spoke sincerely, his youthful voice trembling on the tip of his teeth, like small grains of rice falling on a wooden drum, dripping and turning into rain. Along with summer, the season was pouring.

 

“Su Beimo, I’m going to take the exam to City B, I’m going to find you.” He was inexplicably determined, running forward with all his might, chasing after Su Beimo’s figure and would shamelessly say to him, wait for me.

 

Liao Nanqing really stuck to Su Beimo.

 

Along with these words, the last rain of the summer fell without warning, washing away the summer.

 

Near the end, the wind was slightly cool, and the heat was gone. The temperature began to drop, one degree, two degrees, and suddenly one day, it dropped from more than 30 degrees to more than 20 degrees. Early-rising students began to wear coats, the occasional rainy season soaked their shoes made them feel troublesome, and the wet ground was scented with dirt.

 

The dappled summer passed, and slowly it would move into a slightly cooler autumn and usher in a biting winter.

 

And Su Beimo’s heart was warm, the arrival of the rain, for him, it was like a long drought meeting dew.

 

He somehow, a little enchanted.

 

 

 

The internship life in the fourth year of college was not easy. For the convenience of going to work, Su Beimo rented a bachelor apartment near his company. The price was not expensive and the area was quite small, but it was enough and comfortable for him to live alone.

 

September was extremely busy, and Su Beimo’s communication with Liao Nanqing was limited to nine o’clock in the evening. It was the time when Liao Nanqing’s evening study session just ended. He would hide in the toilet of the school building to send him questions he didn’t understand, and after he returned to the dormitory and washed up, Liao Nanqing could lie in bed and receive answers from Su Beimo.

 

On weekends, as long as Su Beimo did not work overtime, he would receive a call from Liao Nanqing.

 

Liao Nanqing would tell him about school events, such as his grades improving, or his tablemate Xu Yanyan quarreling with Ge Yun again, or he signed up for a sprint at the just-opening field day.

 

He made new friends, Xu Yanyan was one of them, or perhaps this silly boy still couldn’t distinguish the boundaries of the word friend. He treated all his classmates who treated him well as friends and he cherished them very much. He could also hear that Liao Nanqing was tired these days, studying even on weekends.

 

He wanted to catch up on everything he had left behind, aiming for the universities in City B.

 

Xu Yanyan especially did not understand: “There are only the third choices1 universities2 in City B. You can barely make up for it, and the rest is a junior college3. Moreover, as far as your current grades are concerned, even the junior college is strenuous.”

 

Liao Nanqing immersed himself in the question: “I will work hard.”

 

“…why do you have to go to City B.” Xu Yanyan chewed peanut candy and kindly gave Liao Nanqing the key points in the textbook.

 

Ge Yun was annoyed by him and turned her head over to criticize him. “Others want to go to City B, why do you care so much?” After speaking, she threw them each a piece of chocolate, “Liao Nanqing, have you finished copying the English notes I lent it to you?”

 

“It’s finished, it’s finished.” Liao Nanqing hurriedly returned Ge Yun’s notes to her. In passing, he also gave back a history notebook. They were in the liberal arts class, they could never finish copying the notes and memorizing the notes. “And this language notes, I copied one for you too.”

 

Ge Gyun, for this reason, shared an extra packet of spicy strips with Liao Nanqing.

 

Xu Yanyan was not happy: “All sitting in this corner, why help her copy, ah!” He poked Liao Nanqing’s elbow, “Little Nannan, I also want ~ I want you to help me copy the history notes ~” Ge Yun at the front table shivered, he was famous for copying people’s history notes to death, Xu Yanyan was really shameless!

 

But Liao Nanqing would not refuse. He also wanted to copy it several times to increase his memory, so he said honestly: “Then I will copy the test paper for you later.”

 

After that, Xu Yanyan hugged Liao Nanqing and was moved: “Xue di, you agreed with so many history notes. You deserve to be the person I am after, and we will be real brothers in the future!” Liao Nanqing was embarrassed that he kept shrinking back.

 

Ge Yun: “Pei.”4

 

The bored Xu Yanyan tsk-ed, grabbed Ge Yun’s ponytail in a blink of an eye, and laughed: “Chubby Ge*, what is your goal?”

 

“Trying to get to the second choice.”

 

“Come on, with that grade, you’re not as good as me.” Xu Yanyan was mean-mouthed5, he crossed his legs and reported his goals. “I’m more realistic, can’t reach second choice, so I’ll go to third choice. Anyway, our school is at this level, the level of teacher education is not good, ah ~ ”

 

As soon as the voice fell, the head teacher patted Xu Yanyan on the back of the head: “Go and stand at the door.”

 

The head teacher strode to the podium table, hands propped up on the table and said seriously. “Senior year, regardless of the results, the atmosphere must be good. Saying discouraging things in the class every day will harm the classmates and affect the mentality of others in learning…”

 

Ge Yun smiled and passed a small note to Liao Nanqing.

 

[See, that’s what happens when you talk cheap!]

 

Liao Nanqing didn’t know what to reply, so he didn’t reply. He smoothed out the small note and folded it, putting it in his pencil bag. Ge Yun caught a glimpse of it and misunderstood it a little, so she leaned back when the class teacher wasn’t paying attention and whispered, “What are you hiding my note for??”

 

“…I received a note for the first time.” Liao Nanqing was embarrassed, and hurriedly took the note out and tore it up, crushing it into a ball and putting it in the drawer. His entire face was flushed, and his long eyelashes trembled slightly, as if he had done something stupid. He had never had any friends in school before, and it was even the first time that he received a note.

 

Ge Yun in the front looked at him suspiciously for a few moments and turned back to do the question.

 

Liao Nanqing did not dare to talk to Ge Yun again for fear of revealing his flaws.

 

The head teacher’s class was very boring, just educating the class about the learning culture for half a class period. The next twenty minutes were mostly spent on previous knowledge points.

 

Xu Yanyan was dozing off, but was noticed by the head teacher, and immediately called to the office to talk after the class. Ge Yun’s deskmate was a particularly quiet boy and he never talked to them. He went to the bathroom right after the class ended.

 

In their corner, Liao Nanqing and Ge Yun were left, surprisingly quiet.

 

Liao Nanqing felt embarrassed and found a set of questions to do, and time passed minute by minute. Ge Yun suddenly threw him a note again, not crumpled into a ball, but folded square.

 

—— [It’s okay, you can hide if you like it. ]

 

Immediately afterwards, he received another one.

 

—— [But the third year of high school is still focusing on academics. ]

 

Liao Nanqing didn’t quite understand what Ge Yun meant, but Ge Yun agreed to it, so he folded the note properly. In fact, his motive was very simple. He wanted to leave the note as evidence.
When next week’s October holiday came, he would tell Su Beimo like it was a treasure: You see, I really have made good friends, they are fun and easy to get along with, and they passed me a note!

 

When he thought about it, he laughed quietly. Ge Yun couldn’t help glancing at him several times, and exhaled slightly uncomfortably.

 

As soon as the class was over, Xu Yanyan came back with a smile and pushed Ge Yun’s arm when he passed her: “Isn’t there no one who signed up for the shot put in our class? I just recommended you to the class teacher, and she asked you to go there.” Ge Yun rolled her eyes so much that only the whites of her eyes were left.

 

She said: “Xu Jianjian6, you will die if you don’t act cheap for one day, right?”

 

“Will die, will die, hahahaha.”

 

Ge Yun was furious and went to the office with a stern face.

 

“Why are you always teasing her?” Liao Nanqing asked.

 

Xu Yanyan grunted “I also signed up for the shot put, I have to find myself a partner. By the way, Liao Nanqing, my birthday is next month, I invite you to my home to play, you will spare all your time, okay?”

 

 

1

三本 – abbr. for third choices.

There are three categories of universities:

First choice universities: universities under the central ministries and commissions and some provincial universities. Including Tsinghua University and Peking University. Basically from top universities in China

Second choice universities: Universities are relatively poor, and the admission score is also low. But the individual majors of individual schools are still very strong. Is a provincial university undergraduate major.

Third choice universities: private and independent colleges, and the tuition is very high, about twice as much as the the other two
 

2

本科 – regular college course; four-year programme; undergraduate course

3

大专 – junior college for professional/vocational training

4

onomatopoeia for contempt

5

嘴贱 – It describes that a person likes to say something that someone doesn’t like to hear.
His or her speaking often makes people unhappy.

6

贱 (jian) – cheap