Chapter 9 - To QuenChapter One’s Thirst by Thinking of Plums
In the end, Zheng PingQing let Lin Qian be and dutifully carried him all the way home.
Zheng PingQing probably thought he looked like a very reliable man, but Lin Qian suspected that he only did it to prove that he could absolutely withstand hundreds of kisses.
He was such a beast!
As Zheng PingQing walked on, he began to foolishly suggest: “Or you can stay at my place tonight. My family won’t be at home.”
As the son of Zheng BuLu, the city’s richest man, Zheng PingQing lived in a large and luxurious house.
Lin Qian’s family lived only a few blocks away, so he would often bump into Zheng PingQing on the way to and from school. After a few years though, he realized that the big house he used to covet jealously was nothing more than an empty husk, utterly devoid of any life.
Zheng PingQing’s parents divorced when he was very young and was ultimately given to his father. But Zheng BuLu was often busy working. Despite giving Zheng PingQing a grand house, a generous allowance, and the best nanny, Zheng BuLu had no time to sit down and have a meal with his son.
As he grew older, Zheng PingQing simply drove the nanny away and in the end, the young man lived alone in his large house and devoted his days to fighting with Lin Qian.
But now, that fighting part was definitely never going to happen, so Zheng PingQing figured he should focus on other things.
Of course, Lin Qian shot that idea down in a second: “Didn’t you just say your young body was impulsive? I don’t think trying to stay overnight is going to be as simple as you think.”
The righteous and arrogant Zheng PingQing replied: “You’re my boyfriend, no, my fiancee. Why shouldn’t we take advantage of such youthful impulses?”
Lin Qian: “....” He had to admit, Zheng PingQing can really be eloquent at times.
However, Lin Qian sadly told him the facts: “Young man, have you forgotten? I’m still underage.”
Zheng PingQing “....fuck!”
In their previous life, he and Lin Qian fell in love long after they had graduated so where water flows, a canal is formed. Who would have thought that there would be a day they would be restricted by their ages, ah?
After a long silence, Zheng PingQing reluctantly said: “Then buy me a pacifier and hope I can quench my thirst by thinking of plums.”
Lin Qian leaned down until his lips were touching Zheng PingQing’s cheek. Feeling the man’s face heat instantly, Lin Qian grinned and said: “What plums? My dear, don’t you think it’s impossible not to kiss your wife?”
Zheng PingQing sighed and smiled in satisfaction as he replied: “I’ll just have to wait until your birthday, then do it seven times a night.”
Lin Qian: “....”
Lin Qian patted him on the shoulder and sincerely said: “Don’t rely on your youthfulness and neglect your body; you should look at things in the long-term.”
The Zheng PingQing whose brain was filled with perverted thoughts carelessly said: “You don’t need to worry about that, I’m strong.”
Lin Qian was so angry he headbutted the back of Zheng PingQing’s head.
Zheng PingQing: “Hey...”
......
Although he didn’t sleep over, Lin Qian still accompanied him and stayed for dinner.
To celebrate their love that lasted for more than ten years, Zheng PingQing personally cooked dinner. After living alone for so many years, his cooking skills developed well.
While they ate, the two talked about their past life and exchanged information again and again until they could remember past events clearly. Lin Qian wouldn’t be comfortable until they could accurately predict their future trajectory. In their last life, he and Zheng PingQing made too many mistakes, and it ultimately led to the complete disarray of the fates of the people around them. This time, he had to do his best to get everybody back on track.
Zheng PingQing agreed with him and helped plan their future movements. But after a while, Lin Qian couldn’t help but interrupt him: “Hey, when outlining our important life plan, can you ease up on the number of dates you’re putting in there?”
“No.” Zheng PingQing was firm. “Love is also an important aspect of life.”
Lin Qian gave him a hard look and replied: “That can wait. We’ll get to that eventually, but the most important thing right now is to raise everyone’s grades before the college entrance exams...”
Zheng PingQing rubbed his hands together. “I can’t wait.”
Lin Qian had to bitterly remind him again: “Did you forget that we haven’t been in high school for over a decade? Are you sure you’ll have the energy for so many dates?”
The two needed to cram hardcore to relearn their faded high school knowledge, especially Lin Qian, who definitely has to do even more remedial lessons in secret in order to keep his top spot.
Zheng PingQing couldn’t help but angrily slam the table: “Fucking evil college entrance exams.”
......
When Lin Qian arrived home, it was almost 10 o’clock.
He took a deep breath, then opened the front door. The lights were still on, with his father Lin YaZhi, smoking on the balcony.
Lin YaZhi turned his head when he heard the front door open. His mouth was still blowing out smoke, his expression cold. When he saw Lin Qian enter, he turned his head back and blew out a circle of smoke.
This father and son pair hadn’t communicated in years.
Lin Qian’s childhood lacked any sort of father figure. Back then, Lin YaZhi went on business trips all year round. It was his mother who raised him and his sister Shao SiJa all on her own. Even when his mother got into an accident, Lin YaZhi failed to show up at the hospital in time.
During the years after his mother’s death, Lin Qian and Shao SiJia ended up shuffled around different relatives. Eventually, Lin YaZhi returned to the city and became a math teacher in No. 12.
However, the relationship between father and son could no longer be fixed, especially when Lin Qian had just entered his rebellious period. The dissatisfaction from his father’s absence grew as the years went by, and the two confronted and quarreled with each other constantly. This already tumultuous relationship broke when Lin YaZhi remarried and in the end, the two fell into a cold war.
For the old him, this would be the time to start another fight. But this time, Lin Qian simply said nothing.
In his past life, Lin Qian often came home late because he wanted to avoid Lin YaZhi.
But Lin YaZhi often stayed up late and had a huge smoking addiction. No matter how late he came home, he would find his father smoking at the balcony.
Many years later, Lin Qian learned that Lin YaZhi wasn’t addicted after all. He only did it while waiting for Lin Qian to arrive home.
Lin Qian’s throat moved and with his voice a little raw, he said: “Dad, I’m back.”
Lin YaZhi, who had already turned away, was so shocked he quickly turned back. The astonished expression he wore indicated that he was wondering if he heard wrong.
Lin Qian sighed softly in his heart.
In his last life, the misunderstanding between the father and son pair ran too deep. Lin Qian mistakenly thought that his father didn’t care about his children, and Lin YaZhi thought his son hated him to the bone. This misunderstanding had continued for so long that their relationship eventually reached the point of no return and fractured.
It took Lin Qian years to find out what Lin YaZhi had to pay to ensure the well-being of his children, and what he had to give up to achieve this.
But by then, it was already too late.
No matter how much he had tried to mend their relationship, there were too many cracks to put things back together.
Fortunately, he had come back to the start.
Lin Qian looked at his father’s shocked face, the cigarette dangling from his mouth, and said: “Go to bed earlier and stop smoking all the time.”
At this, Lin YaZhi’s face became even more exaggerated. His cigarette fell into the ground, and his face became so foolish Lin Qian couldn’t look at it directly.
After a long while, Lin YaZhi managed to reply: “Good, good.”
Lin Qian looked at his gobsmacked face, looking nothing like the cool, expressionless look Lin YaZhi usually wore in school which had prompted some rebellious students to fear him. Lin Qian suddenly felt some sympathy for his father’s students.
Lin Qian had no words and could only say: “You’re still not going.”
“Going, I’m going.” Lin YaZhi’s brain had completely entered auto-pilot. Lin Qian suspected that his father didn’t know what he was supposed to be doing, so he reminded him again: “Pick up the cigarette and throw it away first.”
“Oh, right.” Lin YaZhi responded by squatting down and picking up the cigarette butt.
Lin Qian put a hand on his forehead and went to his room.
A few minutes later, Lin Qian could hear a faint humming outside.
Lin Qian: “....”
Although it was faint, it was obviously Lin YaZhi’s voice.
In his last life, he had never heard this. He didn’t know that Lin YaZhi hummed!
What happened to the coldest math teacher in No. 12?!
At this time, the most ruthless math teacher in No. 12 was passionately writing in his Weibo: My son asked me to pick up my cigarette butts, my son is right.
Then he posted a photo of the cigarette butt.
In the middle of the night, the Ke CaiZhu who had gone to Lin YaZhi’s Weibo: ......
Lin Qian, this student who was usually unkind to his parent, was someone really hard to read!
......
The next morning, Lin Qian was awakened not by his alarm, but by the noises coming from the kitchen.
He rubbed his eyes as he ambled into the kitchen, only to be greeted with the image of Lin YaZhi busy in front of the stove, an apron around his waist.
The scene was very bizarre to Lin Qian; after all, Lin YaZhi’s household skills were abysmal. In his last life, Lin YaZhi had never cooked, and they relied purely on takeaway.
“Why did you get up so early?” Lin YaZhi asked him in surprise. He hadn’t spoken to Lin Qian in a while, so it was natural that he would be a little rusty.
Lin Qian wanted to ask the same thing, but instead replied perfunctorily: “Going to school early to study.”
“Oh.” Lin YaZhi didn’t think about it too much. When he saw Lin Qian turn around to leave, he awkwardly stopped him and said: “I’m making breakfast, do you want to eat some?”
Lin Qian’s heart was moved; he guessed why Lin YaZhi suddenly had the urge to cook.
He glanced at the stove and was shocked. But looking at Lin YaZhi acting nonchalant, he couldn’t refuse.
Maybe Lin YaZhi had wanted to cook for him and Shao SiJia in the past, but the sister and brother pair had never given him a chance.
Lin Qian tried to remember where the stomach medicine was while he calmly responded: “Alright then.”
Lin YaZhi then happily went back to the stove.
Lin Qian quickly ran towards the small medicine box in the living room and pocketed the stomach medicine. He’ll have to rely on this to help him walk out of the house healthy today!
Ah, it’s not easy fixing a father-son relationship, not easy tying back this connection.
......
Zheng PingQing was standing under the bus stop sign near the entrance of Lin Qian’s district. With a hand in his pocket, he was kicking a small stone around.
His tall figure could be described as excellent, and with his youthful looks, the whole person exuded an atmosphere full of sunshine. This attracted the attention of the passers-by.
Zheng PingQing was also very satisfied with his current self. Young people really are different when it comes to love, being able to do things a lot of adults can’t.
Like for example, picking up a boyfriend to go to school together.
Before his rebirth, he had never experienced the life of a student in love. Zheng PingQing suddenly realized the beauty of campus love. He had been so excited getting up this morning, and he had to count to a hundred just to calm himself down. Then he headed towards Lin Qian’s home, buying breakfast on the way.
But when he looked up and saw Lin Qian, the other person’s face was pale.
Zheng PingQing was taken aback and ran up to help him: “What’s wrong with you? Why is your expression so ugly?”
Lin Qian waved his hand and sighed: “Being a son is too difficult.”
Zheng PingQing was puzzled by this, but seeing that he was too weak, he handed him a bag of fried buns: “I bought you breakfast, do you want to eat some first?”
Lin Qian smelled the oil from the buns and couldn’t contain the churning of his stomach any longer “Ugh-” directly dry heaving.
Zheng PingQing: ? ? ? ! ! !
“What’s wrong with you?” Panicking, he hurriedly patted Lin Qian on the back, but was startled by a roar from behind: “Zheng PingQing, you swindler!”
Zheng PingQing turned and saw Xu Yao running towards them with a sullen look, shouting as he ran: “Let Ah Qian go, see if you have the ability to go against me!”
Zheng PingQing: “....”
How can he possibly have gotten misunderstood in this position?
And who’s trying to go against who?!
Back to school/idiot misunderstandings/facepalming next week!