Chapter 83: I'll Share Half My Earphones with You
"Want some?"
Looking at the beef jerky Yi Zhi Xuenai offered him, Pu Tong accepted it.
Originally, he hadn't planned on eating anything.
But after sitting in the stands for so long, he felt like something was missing if he didn't snack.
It was like watching an opera without cracking sunflower seeds.
Snacking was part of the experience.
He glanced into Yi Zhi Xuenai's bag and saw dried fruit, chocolate, potato chips, and all sorts of snacks.
"Your snack choices are surprisingly local. Shouldn't a Japanese girl be bringing rice balls or something?"
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
She frowned.
"If you want some, I can bring you rice balls this afternoon."
"Although the ones sold here taste a little different from the ones back home."
"No, thanks."
Pu Tong tore open the beef jerky and took a bite.
He couldn't help admiring her taste.
She really knew how to pick snacks.
It tasted great.
The sports meet had officially begun, but none of the events involving their group would take place until the following day or the day after.
The 4×100 relay, 1,000-meter, and 800-meter races required the entire track.
Since those events occupied the whole field, they were scheduled toward the end of the competition.
Events like the 50-meter and 100-meter sprints, which only used sections of the track, were held first because they were easier to organize efficiently.
"I dodged a bullet."
Yu Wanwan glanced at the red rubber track below and suddenly felt dizzy.
Thankfully...
She didn't have to run today.
"Look at how little ambition you have."
Pu Tong seized the opportunity to mock her mercilessly.
The last time she'd made fun of him...
Was the last time.
"So boring..."
Leaning against the backrest, Yu Wanwan stretched lazily, unconsciously puffing out her modest chest.
Looking at it from this angle...
It actually wasn't that flat.
"What are you looking at?"
"I'm looking to see where you hid your phone."
Pu Tong answered casually without blushing, changing expression, or even skipping a heartbeat.
Actually, I was looking at the jade pendant on your chest.
"Tch..."
Finding him boring, Yu Wanwan simply took her phone out from the inner pocket of her jacket.
"I'm so bored. I'm going to play with my phone."
Pu Tong didn't feel like chatting either.
He continued reading his notes.
If there was one disadvantage to studying in an environment like this...
It was that solving problems was inconvenient.
There wasn't enough space to write things down.
So he could only review and memorize material.
"Your song sounds really blurry."
The girl beside him suddenly spoke.
"Huh?"
Pu Tong looked over.
Only then did he notice that Yu Wanwan had already put on her earphones and started listening to music.
"I mean this song."
She took off the right earbud and handed it to him.
"Listen for yourself."
"Oh."
Pu Tong accepted the earbud.
Since it was an in-ear model, it still retained a little of her warmth.
The song playing was none other than "Deskmate of Yours", the song that had first appeared on the variety show.
The beginning of everything.
Yu Wanwan always referred to it as "that song."
She had never once called it by its actual title.
"It couldn't be helped."
"It was recorded through the camera during filming, so the audio quality was just like that."
"Have you ever thought about recording it properly?"
"I feel like it's a really good song."
Pu Tong nodded.
It really would be a shame if such a classic song could only circulate in such poor audio quality.
Sharing one earphone...
Relationship mode activated.
"So..."
"Who exactly did you write it for?"
"It doesn't feel like something a high school student could write."
Even now, the mystery remained unsolved.
Of course, she knew Pu Tong couldn't possibly have had a crush on her.
But the timing of that song's appearance had been far too coincidental.
Even after both of them publicly denied any romantic relationship...
The internet still stubbornly believed there was something between them.
"You guess."
Pu Tong simply smiled.
He didn't elaborate.
"Tch. Fine."
The song ended.
The playlist automatically switched to the next track.
It was "Eternal"
"Don't tell me your entire playlist is just..."
"I just sorted them randomly!"
Yu Wanwan immediately held out her hand.
"Give me my earphone back!"
Pu Tong didn't tease her any further.
He removed the earbud and returned it.
"There isn't any earwax on it, is there?"
Even as she asked, she immediately put it back into her ear without hesitation.
"If there is, it'd be yours."
For some reason...
His ear suddenly started feeling itchy.
He had the overwhelming urge to clean it.
That's just how people are.
If nobody mentions something...
You never notice it.
But once you're made aware of it...
Strange reactions immediately appear.
It's like breathing.
The moment you consciously notice your breathing...
It switches from automatic mode...
To manual mode.
Still...
Digging around in his ears in a crowded place probably wasn't a good idea.
Pu Tong rubbed his ear a few times and gave up.
He took out his phone to kill some time.
Only then did he notice that their group chat had new messages.
"We're sitting right next to each other and you're still texting?"
Opening the chat, he discovered that Yi Zhi Xuenai was simply sharing links to the snacks she'd bought.
Pu Tong: ?
Yi Zhi Xuenai: We're sitting right next to each other and you're still texting?
Damn it.
The person he'd intended to tease had turned the exact same line back on him.
"Hehe."
"The two of them said I'm good at choosing snacks, so they asked me to share my hidden treasures."
"That's true."
Her snack recommendations really were excellent.
Clearly the result of extensive experience.
Pu Tong: I'm a student. Buy them for me.
Without changing his expression, Pu Tong muted the group chat notifications.
Then he opened an English listening passage and started playing it.
"What are you listening to?"
"Let me hear too!"
Seeing him put on his own earphones, Yu Wanwan grew curious.
"You want to listen?"
"Then go ahead."
Pu Tong simply handed both earbuds to her before standing up to go to the restroom.
"Hey!"
Yu Wanwan ground her teeth in frustration.
She had wanted to listen together...
Instead, he'd handed over both earbuds and walked away.
Putting them on, she listened.
A nonstop stream of English poured into her ears.
Her mind went completely blank.
Just what kind of things does this guy usually listen to...?
On the first day of the sports meet, everyone's excitement was still fresh.
Most students stayed in the stands chatting.
Even on the way to the restroom, Pu Tong barely saw anyone wandering around.
It was called a sports meet...
But very few people actually watched the competitions.
At most, they only paid attention when students from their own class were competing.
As he passed another class's seating area, he vaguely heard someone say—
"Night falls. Everyone, close your eyes."
He instinctively slowed his pace.
"Werewolves, open your eyes..."
So he hadn't misheard.
A group from another class was playing Werewolf together.
A large, boring event like a sports meet...
Of course it was the perfect place for board games.
Getting a bunch of people together to play Werewolf or Three Kingdoms Kill...
Wasn't that ideal?
Suddenly, Pu Tong sensed a business opportunity.
He could completely turn games like Werewolf and Three Kingdoms Kill into physical card games and sell them.
Maybe even open a board game café once the business matured.
"...Forget it."
There was no end to making money.
Thinking about business all day was troublesome enough.
The company he already owned was merely a fixed asset anyway.
Being a hands-off boss suited him just fine.
Ignoring the brief distraction, Pu Tong quickly returned to his class.
"You really have unusual tastes."
"Listening to English every day."
"It improves listening comprehension and language intuition."
"Isn't that great?"
He picked up his phone again and restarted the English passage from the beginning.
"I want to listen too."
Yu Wanwan interrupted.
"I thought you said my tastes were strange."
"Actually..."
"It's kind of interesting."
"Listening to English once in a while isn't bad."
"Besides..."
"I've already listened to your songs hundreds of times."
"Huh?"
Pu Tong had no idea what she was planning.
In the end, he simply handed her the left earbud.
"Do whatever you want."
"It's fine."
Yu Wanwan put on the earbud.
She didn't continue the conversation.
The sports meet carried on in full swing.
The spectator stands remained noisy.
But the volume in their earphones perfectly drowned out the surrounding sounds.
The wire connecting the earbuds also connected the two of them.
Each held one side.
Sitting very close together.
(End of Chapter)
✨ Love this novel?
Visit my Patreon for fast access and advanced chapters! patreon.com/BbingTranslations Thank you for your support.❤️
Comments
Post a Comment