Fever Break - Chapter 6

The girls ordered a cup of milk tea for each of them. After five or six people finished ordering, they stood nearby chatting about makeup, nails, and hairstyles, eventually circling back to those few boys.

Li Liting leaned closer to Lu Wuke and whispered, “Do you know which one is Shen Yixi’s girlfriend?”

Lu Wuke added some toppings to her drink, glanced around, and her gaze landed on the most delicate and beautiful girl.

But she replied that she didn’t know and withdrew her gaze.

Li Liting looked at her as if she were sharing some secret tips and raised an eyebrow: “I’ll teach you how to recognize them, so you won’t make mistakes no matter how many times he changes his girlfriend.”

Lu Wuke looked at her, wanting to say, do you think I’m interested in this? Before she could speak, Li Liting was already eagerly explaining.

“Good-looking, big chest, long legs, perky butt,” Li Liting counted on her fingers, “See, just look for these traits, you can’t go wrong.”

She pointed with her chin at the girl with a bun outside: “There, that one.”

It was indeed the girl Lu Wuke had just noticed, and she was indeed outstanding.

Yan Yingying had a few strands of soft hair falling on her neck, and her swan-like neck was fair and slender, clearly a dancer. Her friend next to her was joking with her, probably saying something funny, making her ears turn red.

“Why don’t you buy a cup of milk tea for your man?”

Yan Yingying looked shy: “He doesn’t like sweet things.”

“Did he tell you that?”

“No.”

A few sharp-witted friends nearby chimed in with laughter: “Oh, before you got together, you even figured out what he doesn’t like to eat.”

This was followed by a burst of teasing laughter. Yan Yingying, who had probably just started dating Shen Yixi, blushed and couldn’t handle the teasing, stomping her foot and running over to the milk tea shop.

Although Yan Yingying said she wouldn’t order for Shen Yixi, she was actually more considerate than ordering for herself, her little girl thoughts written all over her face.

She flipped through the menu and asked, “Is there anything here that’s not too sweet?”

Li Liting pointed to one: “Yes, this one.”

She mumbled, “I’ve had this one, it’s not that great. Is there anything else?”

Lu Wuke pulled out a stack of milk tea cups from below and set them aside, doubting whether girls in love always become silly, judging by Yan Yingying’s troubled expression.

She reminded, “If you don’t want it sweet, just put less sugar in it.”

Along with Yan Yingying, Li Liting suddenly realized this and sighed in relief, patting her chest as she said, “Thank goodness the boss isn’t here, or I would have been scolded again.”

After saying that, she looked at Yan Yingying, “You can choose whichever you want, and we’ll put less sugar in it for you.”

“Alright,” Yan Yingying nodded, “I’ll have this one.”

“Yingying.”

While the milk tea was being prepared, some girls over there were making faces and calling out to Yan Yingying.

Lu Wuke heard them say someone was coming.

She lifted her gaze.

Under the dim yellow streetlight, a group of boys crossed through the gaps in the passing traffic and walked toward this direction.

Shen Yixi was the kind of person who could be spotted in a crowd with just a glance. With a crew cut, his hair closely cropped to his scalp, this hairstyle really tests the shape of one’s head and facial features. However, Shen Yixi possesses excellence in both, making him a rare sight in the crowd. He leisurely fell to the back, like he was just taking a stroll.

As soon as Yan Yingying saw who was coming, she clung to him, forgetting her milk tea, while a bunch of people nearby started teasing.

Yan Yingying, blushing, linked her arm with his and asked, “What are we doing later?”

Shen Yixi had his hands in his pockets, a cigarette pinched between his fingers.

He glanced down at her, chuckled softly, and said, “Drinking.”

Then he raised his gaze and nodded towards a guy ahead, saying provocatively, “He’s treating.”

A few guys who were in the know burst into laughter.

The guy from the technical college, nicknamed Eagle, had just walked past the milk tea shop, and upon hearing this, he raised a middle finger.

Shen Yixi provocatively whistled, placing his fingers to his lips.

Qi Siming laughed heartily, “Bro, at least give Eagle some confidence. What if he really has to treat you to this drink?”

Shen Yixi was just having fun with the bet. He took a drag from his cigarette and laughed casually, “It’s not like he is short on drink money, let him treat.”

“That’s the spirit!”

Yan Yingying watched as Eagle leaned against the milk tea shop counter and asked, “What’s he going to do?”

Qi Siming said, “What else? Chase after the milk tea girl.”

“The milk tea girl?”

Qi Siming pointed to Lu Wuke beside eagle and said, “Yeah, her.”

After saying that, he clicked his tongue a few times, “But her looks and figure are really something. If Yingzi manages to chase her, it would be quite a steal for him. There’s a saying, how does it go…”

“Fresh flowers on cow dung, you illiterate.”

“Illiterate my foot.”

At that moment, Shen Yixi’s phone rang in his pocket.

Yan Yingying, seeing that he seemed oblivious, told him, “Your phone is ringing.”

Shen Yixi was completely unfazed, still leisurely smoking, “I know.”

After taking the last puff, he finally extinguished the cigarette in the nearby trash can and answered the phone. Once the call was over, the Eagle and Qi Siming were chatting with their arms around each other’s shoulders.

Seeing him approach, the Eagle said, “You were right; don’t even mention the phone number, the person wouldn’t even say their name.”

If he hadn’t brought it up, Shen Yixi would have completely forgotten about it.

He stuffed his phone into his pocket and laughed heartlessly, “Who let you go find trouble.”

Qi Siming had already finished gossiping about the eagle and was laughing so hard he could barely catch his breath. He said, “Yi Ge, do you know how that milk tea girl rejected him?”

Shen Yixi’s craving for a cigarette hit again, and he pulled one out and stuffed it in his mouth.

He sounded utterly insincere: “What is it?”

Qi Siming was laughing uncontrollably, nudging Yingzi: “You say it; I can’t talk anymore.”

Yingzi didn’t think it was a big deal; who hasn’t failed to chase after a girl? If this one doesn’t work out, there’s always the next.

He shrugged: “She said she doesn’t use a phone.”

Qi Siming was already doubled over with laughter: “Come on, what era is it now? Who doesn’t have a phone? This girl is clearly trying to reject you; she just cut off all your escape routes.”

They stood in front of a graffiti wall; calling it graffiti was generous, as it was just a chaotic mess of spray paint.

Abstract, messy, fierce.

The streetlight’s glow was perfectly split by the wall’s corner, casting them in shadow.

After hearing Yingzi’s words, Shen Yixi, who was lighting a cigarette, lifted his eyelids slightly. In the darkness, the lighter illuminated the lower half of his face. It seemed that from this moment on, he was truly listening to their conversation.

He chuckled, tossing the cigarette and lighter to Yingzi, as if suddenly interested: “And then?”

Yingzi caught it and casually pulled out two more, tossing one to Qi Siming.

“And then? I ask her why she doesn’t use a phone.”

Qi Siming, with his sharp tongue, couldn’t help but chuckle, “Guess how she replied to him?”

Shen Yixi, smoking a cigarette, remained silent, squinting his eyes and gesturing with a nod to Qi Siming to continue, looking like a streetwise rogue.

Qi Siming’s expression instantly turned serious, mimicking Lu Wuke’s earnest and obedient demeanor almost perfectly.

“She said, ‘You need to study seriously.'”

Shen Yixi was taken aback by this response.

After a moment of surprise, he exhaled a puff of smoke and let out a low chuckle.

“Damn,” even Yingzi couldn’t help but laugh, “this girl is really funny.”

He imagined Lu Wuke’s serious expression and laughed, “She looked so damn adorable.”

Qi Siming was shocked, “No way, Yingzi, are you still interested in her? Planning to pursue her further?”

Yingzi, holding the lighter in his hand and tossing it around, laughed and said, “She’s interesting, but what’s the point? If the girl isn’t into me, then being persistent isn’t my style.”

What he meant was that he wasn’t really invested; any pretty girl would do.

Qi Siming nudged the shoulder of the nearby Shen Yixi and asked, “Hey, Yige, what do you think?”

“What do I think?” Shen Yixi glanced at Yingzi with a heartless smile. “I’m thinking about that drink you owe me. Hurry up.”

“Hey, if you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have forgotten all about it,” Qi Siming said with a mischievous grin. “Eagle, even though you didn’t score with the girl, we still need to celebrate with some drinks. Let me treat you to a round, come on, let’s go!”

Shen Yixi crushed his cigarette underfoot.

He got up from the wall, slapped the back of the eagle’s head, and laughed mischievously, “Hurry up, you can still drown your sorrows in some drinks. Down a few more bottles, and it won’t matter at all.”

After saying that, he took the lead and walked away.

eagle feel both funny and angry, then laughed at them: “Come on, can you two be a bit more serious, even if it’s just for show?”

He caught up with the two of them and heard Qi Siming asking Shen Yixi, “You haven’t say goodbye to your girlfriend. Why didn’t you tell her?”

Shen Yixi looked nonchalant, “Why tell? She won’t just disappear.”

“How do you know she won’t disappear? Girls are all the same; if a guy is a little indifferent, they throw a fit. Just now, I heard your girlfriend complaining about you taking too long on the phone and not keeping her company,” Qi Siming said, clearly enjoying the drama. “What if she runs home? How will you coax her back?”

Eagle chimed in, “It’s only been a few days; are you already tired of her?”

Shen Yixi seemed to ignore their teasing, chuckling, “She won’t run away.”

They pressed on, “How do you know she won’t run away?”

He laughed, saying matter-of-factly, “Because it’s up to me.”

=

The bubble tea shop owner had a bit of a temper, but there was one thing that was quite humane: the employees could drink for free.

Lu Wuke brought a cup back for Ah Shi and thought about Jiang Qing being in the dorm, so she got one for her too. She and Li Liting lowered the roll-up door of the shop and parted ways at the entrance.

At midnight, there were few vehicles and pedestrians on the road, many shops had closed, and the once lively street was littered with trash blown about by the wind. A transparent plastic bag was swept by the wind, floating across the street. There were people on the street, about ten of them walking ahead.

A few boys were laughing and joking, chatting away.

It was Shen Yixi’s group.

The breeze brought a hint of chill with it.

Yan Yingying linked her arm with Shen Yixi’s and handed him a cup of lightly sweetened milk tea. Shen Yixi glanced down and probably said he wouldn’t drink it, leaving it for her.

Although they were more than ten meters apart, the street was so quiet that Yan Yingying’s words were crystal clear.

Her voice was soft and delicate: “I’ve had some already; if I drink more, I’ll have to lose weight.”

Shen Yixi glanced at her and laughed, saying, “What are you losing weight for? Put on some more meat.”

The girl’s face turned bright red, embarrassed as she pinched his arm.

Shen Yixi laughed, his shoulders shaking slightly, as the girl handed him the milk tea, saying it was delicious. He replied that it was too sweet, took the milk tea, and happily chatted with the girl nearby, while Qi Siming stuffed something into his pocket.

Lu Wuke was leisurely following behind, carrying milk tea for Ah Shi and Jiang Qing.

Ah Shi sent her a text, asking if she was coming back soon and if she needed someone to come down to meet her.Lu Wuke told her not to fuss, that she would be at school soon.

She didn’t pay attention to what the people in front were saying anymore.

The cold autumn wind howled through the pitch-black alleyway, rustling through rusty windows. The sound of it pierced the long night.

The people ahead were still enjoying their nightlife, not planning to return to school, heading further down.

Lu Wuke crossed the street, walking towards the school gate.