The moment they kissed, Han Shuo thought to himself, it’s indeed more comfortable to kiss outdoors. Now, the two of them were squatting on a narrow path in the rice field, with layers of rice ears as cover. They didn’t have to worry or constantly fret over Meng Yuxiu’s thin skin. The previous ten-minute break kiss had really worn both him and Meng Yuxiu out.
Especially Meng Yuxiu, who would push him away at the slightest movement. It was as if being discovered was as shameful as having his pants pulled down.
“Comfortable, comfortable, finally we can talk while kissing.” Han Shuo sighed, “Oh right, Meng Yuxiu, we have a holiday this afternoon, what are we doing on Saturday and Sunday?”
Meng Yuxiu didn’t speak, he kept his mouth shut, only his eyes moved.
“?” Han Shuo waved his hand in front of his face, “Hey, why aren’t you talking? Cat got your tongue?”
Only then did Meng Yuxiu push away the puzzled Han Shuo and spoke, “You talk, I don’t want to accidentally have you say my tongue went in again.”
Han Shuo chuckled, “Come on, why are you so nitpicky? I, the one who got the tongue, didn’t even mind.”
Looking at Meng Yuxiu’s proud expression on his handsome face, Han Shuo softly pleaded, “Alright, alright, last time I spoke without thinking, this time I won’t talk nonsense. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself, rest assured! Even if you stick your tongue down my throat this time, I’ll say your tongue is amazing!”
“How about that?”
Meng Yuxiu didn’t like Han Shuo’s tone as if coaxing a child, he awkwardly said, “If we’re kissing, why do we have to chat?”
“Isn’t it boring to just kiss without talking? Time flies when you chat while kissing, right?”
Meng Yuxiu was pondering Han Shuo’s words when suddenly his lower lip was bitten, and he widened his eyes, “What are you doing?”
Han Shuo smiled, “If you’re really worried about your tongue going into my mouth, I’ll just hold onto your lower lip, so you can talk freely. Even if your tongue comes out, it’ll only touch my nose.”
“……”
Meng Yuxiu thought it made some sense, so he let go of his mental burden, and finally, they could have a proper chat.
Han Shuo asked him, “How about we meet up on Saturday or Sunday? Oh right, where do you live? Let me see how far we are from each other. I live in Xiaoshi Village, Qingshi Town.”
Meng Yuxiu said he lived in Xiqiao Village, Baishan Town.
Actually, Han Shuo asked in vain, he had no idea about the distances between these towns, but Meng Yuxiu had done some homework. He told Han Shuo that Baishan Town was about fifteen or sixteen kilometers from Qingshi Town.
“Damn, that far? I was thinking if we were close, we could meet up during the day.” Han Shuo asked, “Is there a bus or tractor going to your town? If there is, you can come find me.”
Meng Yuxiu frowned, “Why don’t you take the bus to come find me?”
Han Shuo said bitterly, “My brother gives me one yuan every Sunday to take the bus to school or home. If I had extra pocket money, would I need you to come? If you want me to come, lend me some money.”
Meng Yuxiu said even more bitterly, “I don’t have money either, I don’t even have one yuan.”
Han Shuo was surprised, “Didn’t others say your family is well-off?”
“That’s only well-off in the village.”
“Then how do you get to school every week? Don’t tell me you run here on two legs?”
“I ride a bicycle.”
Han Shuo “oh”ed, “Then your condition is indeed okay. Then you can ride your bike to my village on Saturday or Sunday, or you can just come back with me today, and we can go to school together on Sunday, saving you the trip.”
Meng Yuxiu decisively refused, he said, “I have to go home first, my current parents are very strict, I have to tell them. I’ll go to your village tomorrow and stay at your place for a night.”
Han Shuo was amused by his elementary school-like statement, but he could only hold back his laughter since they were kissing.
Meng Yuxiu felt like his lower lip was being held by a turtle, he pointed discontentedly at his lip being held by Han Shuo.
“Oh.” Han Shuo immediately leaned in to hold it again, he teased Meng Yuxiu, “Hey, aren’t you from the 21st century? Why are you so timid? They’re not even your real parents, is it necessary?”
Meng Yuxiu cast a frustrated look, “If I don’t listen, I won’t even have a bike to ride.”
“Damn, hearing you say that, your life here is quite tough. Are your current parents not treating you well?”
Meng Yuxiu: “No, they’re good to me, just no pocket money.”
“Why?”
“They’re afraid if I have money, I’ll think about playing and delay my studies.”
Han Shuo asked, “What do your current parents do?”
Meng Yuxiu said his current dad is the principal and Chinese teacher of the elementary school in Baishan Town, and his mom is a math teacher.
Hearing this, Han Shuo wasn’t surprised.
“Then how about I go to your house with you today.”
Meng Yuxiu refused again, “No, they often knock on my door, I’ll go to your house tomorrow.”
“Alright then.”
The two of them set their plans, Meng Yuxiu raised his wrist to check the time, they could kiss for another twenty minutes.
The autumn sun was fierce, and the two of them squatted under the blazing sun until their legs went numb, the young and energetic boys were sweating profusely on their foreheads.
Han Shuo and Meng Yuxiu had to keep wiping the sweat rolling down their cheeks.
“It’s too hot.” Meng Yuxiu couldn’t help but say, “I can hardly breathe.”
Han Shuo comforted him, “There’s no way, work is never easy, hang in there. Think about it, farmers still have to work in the scorching heat, compared to them, we’re nothing.”
Meng Yuxiu frowned, “Can you even compare that?”
“Why not? You’re just not appreciating your blessings.” Han Shuo said seriously, “There are so many people who want to kiss but can’t find anyone to kiss.”
Meng Yuxiu felt a bit frustrated.
Han Shuo encouraged him, “Hang in there, just think of it as practice with me, when you return to the 21st century and grow up to date, your partner will praise your amazing kissing skills.”
“……”
But after a few more minutes, Han Shuo couldn’t take it anymore, the sweat was like a waterfall, he felt like his underwear was soaked.
He glanced around with the corner of his eye and saw a small patch of sweet potatoes at the end of the rice field, and the sweet potato leaves looked like lotus leaves.
Han Shuo had a bright idea and told Meng Yuxiu to go pick a sweet potato leaf for shade.
Meng Yuxiu was about to get up when Han Shuo pulled him back.
Meng Yuxiu was puzzled.
Han Shuo explained, “Don’t let go, or we’ll waste a few seconds.”
“Then how do we pick it?”
Han Shuo thought for a moment and came up with an idea, “We’ll stick together and walk sideways like crabs.”
“……” Meng Yuxiu had no choice but to cooperate with Han Shuo.
However, it was a hassle for the two of them to stand up together without letting go, sticking together like patients in a rehabilitation hospital.
Finally, Han Shuo said he’d count to three, two, one, and they’d stand up together.
“Three.”
“Two.”
“One!”
But as soon as they stood up, they heard a man’s shout not far away.
The two of them didn’t react for a moment, still holding hands, lips touching, maintaining the standing posture.
It turned out the director of the teaching office wasn’t taking a nap at noon and went to the field ridge behind the teaching building to smoke, just in time to catch them.
“Which class are you two from?! Let go!!!”
Han Shuo and Meng Yuxiu exchanged a glance and took off running.
“Hey! Which class are you two from?! Not studying properly and dating here! Stop right there!!”
There was no way Han Shuo and Meng Yuxiu would listen to him. Meng Yuxiu was thin-skinned, and Han Shuo was afraid of being caught and becoming the focus of the teachers’ attention. Doing sneaky things with Meng Yuxiu would be too conspicuous, and he didn’t want to compress the already limited time for tasks.
Fortunately, their seventeen-year-old bodies were agile, and they sprinted through the fields. In no time, the director couldn’t even see the shadows of those two rascals.
“Stop running, we’ve lost him!” Han Shuo ran until his lungs hurt, he supported his knees to catch his breath, “Meng Yuxiu, what time is it now?”
Meng Yuxiu glanced at his watch and said, “Fifteen minutes until class.”
Han Shuo asked if they should find another place to continue.
After what just happened, there was no way Meng Yuxiu would agree. So Han Shuo could only follow him back to the dormitory building. They were both drenched in sweat, even their hair was wet, so they went to the bathroom to wash their hair and faces under the faucet.
“I’ll come to your village tomorrow.” Meng Yuxiu said, then paused, turning to ask Han Shuo beside him, “How’s your brother? Is it okay if I come empty-handed?”
Han Shuo laughed, teasing, “What, are you planning to come as a son-in-law with gifts?”
Meng Yuxiu said speechlessly, “I’m serious, don’t joke around. After all, I’m going to your place to eat and stay for a night tomorrow.”
Han Shuo put his arm around his shoulder, “It’s fine, just come empty-handed, as long as you don’t mind the food and my broken bed.”
Meng Yuxiu said he didn’t care much about food and accommodation.
Han Shuo raised an eyebrow, “I can tell, you’re most concerned about school, a bookworm.”
Meng Yuxiu couldn’t be bothered to argue with Han Shuo’s cheeky remarks, he just said, “I’m going to the classroom, class is about to start.”
“Go ahead.” Han Shuo waved his hand.
But just as Meng Yuxiu was about to leave the bathroom, he stopped and turned back to ask, “Do you have time on Saturday and Sunday? No work, right?”
Han Shuo reassured him, “My big brother doesn’t make me do any work, so I usually stay home with my nephew on weekends. My nephew is only five, doesn’t know anything. Even if there’s no time during the day, we can do tasks at night lying on the same bed.”
Meng Yuxiu nodded and then left.
There were only two classes in the afternoon, and before the bell rang, Han Shuo and the others had already packed their bags. Unlike Meng Yuxiu, who rode a bike to and from school, most middle school students in the small county town either took the bus or walked home.
When Han Shuo first came to this world, he suffered once. It was his first time experiencing the Friday after school, and Pidan and Doufu urged him to hurry, or there’d be no seats on the bus. Han Shuo didn’t take it seriously, but when he got to the station, he was shocked by the bus that was as crowded as an Indian train.
At that time on Friday, all the students were rushing for the bus. When the bus arrived, the door was shaking from the crowd, and Han Shuo felt like any gap on the bus could fit a student. The last minibus was so packed that the door couldn’t even close.
So as soon as the bell rang, Han Shuo and Pidan and Doufu grabbed their bags and dashed out of the classroom. As they ran down from the third floor to the first, they saw Meng Yuxiu leisurely walking out, and Han Shuo didn’t have time to greet him, just waved his hand.
“Don’t forget!”