Spring left and summer arrived. A few months had pa.s.sed, and perhaps it was because of Shi Yan’s meticulous care that He Nuo grew taller and his face was no longer a ghastly white. However, the intense college entrance examination was approaching. He Nuo faced a problem: he had boldly decided to study the liberal arts by himself in his third year, and until today his family still didn’t know about his decision. Now he had to fill in an application form; his father had always filled in the form for their majors together with his older brothers, and at that time his older brothers weren’t very knowledgeable either. But now that Fourth brother was working, his father would definitely consult Fourth brother on his opinion, and they would be able to tell at a glance that the form he brought them was an enrollment form for the liberal arts.

After he told Shi Yan, this person had a surprised look on his face at first, which changed to a cunning one before he actually ended up laughing. He Nuo resentfully said, “Laugh, keep laughing. Can’t believe you’re laughing at my misfortune.”

“I just didn’t think that you’d do something like that, aren’t you a courageous one? I really admire you, I really do.” Shi Yan clasped his fists together as if he had just seen a swordsman1.

“You’re throwing rocks at me while I’m down!” He Nuo couldn’t think of any other way but to bite the bullet and tell his family the truth. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to avoid another round of belt whipping.

After the past six months of occasional contact with He Nuo’s family, Shi Yan had learnt a lot about He Nuo’s situation at home and how strict his father was with him while spectating from the side. So he wouldn’t let He Nuo go home and obediently wait for his punishment. He took his own enrollment form for the sciences and gave it to He Nuo, then He Nuo would be able to fill in a choice related to the sciences before he changes it at school to a liberal arts one. Even though this was a bit too bold, Shi Yan doesn’t care. He thought that once He Nuo receives his matriculation notice, his family’s happiness would overshadow everything, then his parents wouldn’t pursue the matter anymore. He used this reason to persuade He Nuo too, and of course he monitored He Nuo to ensure that they applied for colleges that were in the same city.

After they filled in their college aspiration forms, they could count the number of days to the start of their college entrance examination with their fingers. For the last week of school, all cla.s.ses were stopped and students could go home to revise on their own. The school closed its doors three days in advance so that they could clean up the examination venue and paste the examination numbers on desks; students could come over to look at how the examination venue is arranged during these three days so that they would know in advance which teaching building and which cla.s.sroom their examination would be held at. Shi Yan wanted to look for He Nuo to go look at the examination venue together one day before the actual examination, but his Dad had jam-packed his schedule for the last two days so he went to look for He Nuo on the very first day after their cla.s.ses stopped.

When he reached He Nuo’s house, his yard’s door wasn’t locked so he knew that his family were either at work or in school. Thinking that he should be alone at home, Shi Yan pushed the door open and entered straight away. When he opened the door to He Nuo’s room, the people who were inside got a scare, while the one who was outside got a shock. Yu Yao immediately released her hands that were wrapped around He Nuo’s waist as she blushed. If it wasn’t because Shi Yan’s anger had blinded him, he would’ve seen how He Nuo was raising his hands helplessly and had a surprised expression on his face as well. When Yu Yao said her goodbyes in a fl.u.s.ter, He Nuo didn’t even think about sending his deskmate out of his house.

When Yu Yao pa.s.sed by Shi Yan, her face burned up even more as she hung her head. Shi Yan’s initial shock had already turned into rage; he sat in front of the table and was so angry he couldn’t even say anything. When He Nuo saw this expression of his, he wanted to explain himself but he didn’t know where to start. He was also stunned by Yu Yao’s confession just now, but what stunned him even more was what Yu Yao had said.

“What did the two of you do?” Shi Yan’s eyes were spewing raging flames.

“Her family had transferred her household register, she won’t be taking the exam here. She came here to say goodbye to me.”

“The two of you are dating?” Because Shi Yan’s girlfriend was his deskmate, and he had utilised his time in school to date her, so even though he knew that He Nuo went home the moment cla.s.ses ended, he still guessed that they were dating.

“Of course not.”

“You like her?”

“No.”

“Then who were the adulterous couple I f.u.c.king saw just now?!” Shi Yan roared.

He Nuo was so infuriated that he started trembling. This was just, just — Shi Yan was actually saying such words to him that He Nuo considered to be incredibly vicious.

“What did she say?”

He Nuo didn’t answer him. Firstly, he was still angry over Shi Yan’s slanderous words; secondly, he wasn’t someone who would tattle on others, so he wouldn’t reveal Yu Yao’s sudden confession to other people — especially since he feels nothing towards Yu Yao, he had an even bigger obligation to protect this secret. How could he trample on other people’s feelings?

“What did the two of you talk about just now?” Shi Yan grabbed He Nuo’s wrist, his fingernails had already dug into his flesh.

“Nothing much.” He Nuo thought that Shi Yan was hara.s.sing him unreasonably. There were still three days left to their exam; he didn’t want to fight with Shi Yan at this kind of juncture so while he tried to break away from Shi Yan’s vice grip. He said, “You should go home first ba.”

But he didn’t know that his words were only adding fuel to Shi Yan’s fire. He’s actually trying to chase me away, he’s trying to chase me away! He’s trying to chase me away after I chanced upon his scandalous affair?! Shi Yan’s grip tightened. Not only did He Nuo fail to break away, but he was also grabbed by Shi Yan as Shi Yan pushed He Nuo onto the table.

“Trying to get rid of me? Do you have a guilty conscience?!” Shi Yan sneered.

“What nonsense are you spouting? Are you crazy? Let go of me, Shi Yan, let go of me!” He Nuo got angry too, he began to struggle after he heard Shi Yan’s slanderous words. As the table shook, his shoulder knocked onto the thousand layer buddha’s hand conch that was on the table. This conch sh.e.l.l had always been carefully wrapped up and kept in the cabinet after He Nuo takes it out for a look, but when Shi Yan saw it last time, he had asked He Nuo to display it outside. He was afraid of damaging it, so he had even placed the protective bubble wrap it came in underneath it.

With this one b.u.mp, the conch sh.e.l.l moved and Shi Yan saw the red thing that was inside. He used one hand to lock He Nuo down, then opened up the conch sh.e.l.l. He Nuo was being pressed down but the side of his face was facing Shi Yan, so all he saw were Shi Yan’s forehead veins that popped out within an instant and his face that suddenly looked like Asura’s2. His eyes that had turned bloodshot looked like they could swallow someone whole. Before He Nuo could get scared, Shi Yan held up a string of red beans in his hand, “What the f.u.c.k is this?”

He Nuo doesn’t know what that is, and didn’t know why Shi Yan was asking him about it as he held it in his hands. His back was facing the conch sh.e.l.l so he didn’t know where it had come from. Shi Yan clearly saw this string on Yu Yao’s wrist before; he had often seen these kind of things when he went to Mount Emei in Sichuan — these red beans were also known as love beans3. Just hearing its name would make you think that this was something that only lovers possessed, and he dare say that they weren’t in a relationship?!

He Nuo was pushed to his limits so he shouted loudly, “How would I know?” and lifted his leg. Originally, only his upper body was struggling, but now he lifted his leg because he wanted Shi Yan to let him go. But since Shi Yan was locking both his arms behind his back and had to use one arm to press him down, he stood very close to He Nuo and thus suffered a kick by the leg that He Nuo had suddenly lifted.

How could He Nuo exert much strength in this kind of confrontation? But because of the string of love beans in his hand, coupled with He Nuo’s shouting retorts and resistance, Shi Yan’s fury and resentment had completely exploded. He pulled He Nuo up and slapped him in the face, “Adulterous couple!!”

1. Original: 大侠 (Daxia) → a warrior/swordsman who would help those in need with all their might, and possesses extraordinary strength, courage and virtue. Lmao so Shi Yan is pretending to salute an honourable daxia↩

2. Boi does Shi Yan look angry↩

3. Why red beans = love beans?

It is said that long ago there was a man who went off to war. His wife was leaning against a big tree in a high mountain while hoping for her man to return home day and night. Because of her continual longing, she was sobbing under the big tree all the time. After her tears dried, she dropped blood from her eyes without noticing. To everyone’s surprise, when the dropped blood fell to the ground, they became red beans. The red beans rooted and then grew into big trees. Soon after, red beans filled the branches and people named them love beans. Day after day, spring to autumn, the fruits slowly changed into the most beautiful seeds：Love beans.

Red beans have a very profound cultural foundation. A red, love bean is very big, with a diameter of about 9 millimeters. This kind of bean has distinct characteristics. They are very hard and hearts shaped, and have a similar color to blood. They can be stored for a very long time without rotting, or fading in color. More so, its shape and all the other lines are heart shaped.

In folklore, red beans are considered intelligent and lucky. If a boyfriend gives red beans to their girlfriends as presents, it means that they want to make a commitment. When a bride wears red beans on her wrist or neck, it means that she will lead a happy life. If married couples put six red beans that have been sworn upon under each pillow, it is said that the couple will maintain their eternal love.

Currently, red bean jewelry is sweeping southward. Fashionable women are proud of wearing red bean jewelry. Male and female lovers rush to choose jewelry for each other to show their love.

Red Beans have always stood for hope from as far back as the ancient periods.↩

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