029. Handwriting Reflects the Person
Fortunately, the game was just a game, He Jin would indulge this demon as much as possible here. No worries, it’s the place to let myself fly![1] He tried to comfort himself; it did not matter even if his moral integrity had dropped to the lowest limit, this place was only a virtual world, no need to be so uptight here, no one would know the real him anyway… As for Hou Dongyan, there was a possibility that they might encounter each other in the game later; however, according to Monkey’s character, He Jin felt that roommate of his wouldn’t make a fuss even if He Jin played as a demon character, so, the key lay in himself, he just had to stay calm, calm, calm… (← another brainwashing attempt, repeat this three times)
After he had convinced himself, He Jin went to sleep peacefully.
He Jin had no dream that night, and soon it was the next day: Saturday. He Jin did not have any activities scheduled today; he suddenly had a lot of free time after quitting the student union. Even though he was swarmed with homework as a junior student, it was still easy to handle for an extremely self-disciplined person like him.
In the morning, He Jin went to study for a while and then went to the school’s Part-time Center to look at the jobs listed there.
It wasn’t easy to find a part-time job in the human-affair management field. He also wanted to look for tutor jobs, but most of them were seeking people from the Physical Chemistry Department. The numbers of internship offers were also quite small, maybe because right now was neither summer or winter vacation, the students wouldn’t be able to work many hours. Even if some companies did open recruitment for short-term staff, they were less likely to consider hiring elite students, as the qualifications would exceed the demand.
He Jin looked at the job-list data for half a day, until he finally found a recruitment for assistant position at a well-known investment company. However, the company stated that Business Management students would be prioritized. He Jin’s major did not really match with this, but he could meet the other requirements for this job. Thinking about this, he decided to just try and send a resume.
At night, He Jin received a dreaded phone call. He was asked about all kind of things in the phone call; from his academic situation, to his relationship with other students. The questions felt endless, and he was annoyed by this. Of course, he did not mention anything about his trip to the lake and the Demon God game; after two and a half years, He Jin had learned how to deal with his family. But that woman was not only overly anxious, but also suspicious by nature, and she liked to be inquisitive about anything.
“Why didn’t you say anything about it? Is there anyone in the school who has feelings for you? I’m telling you now, it is best not to find a partner while you are both still students. Who knows what would happen once both of you graduate…”
“Mom, I don’t have any…”
“And that school of yours, most girls there are arrogant, not really a family-oriented type. You have to be rational, there will be more good girls here to pick from once you come back home…”
“……”
He couldn’t even get half a sentence out. It was useless trying to refute her, so He Jin simply stayed tight-lipped, listening to every word said by that woman in silence.
He knew that she did all this because she always thought those actions were “good for him”, he also knew that woman was indeed considering his best interests; He Jin could understand her mentality and reasoning, but that did not mean he agreed with it.
After half an hour of video call, He Jin finally hung up the phone and laid depressingly on his bed; it felt like all his strength had been pumped out of his body.
During this moment, Qin Yu sent a text message to him, asking about their appointment tomorrow. Thinking about studying with this enthusiastic and straightforward handsome Xue Di[2], He Jin finally regained some of his spirit.
“What time do you get up? Would you like to book a discussion room in the library?” He Jin asked.
Qin Yu: “About eight o’clock, how about we meet at nine? You can go to my dorm, it’s at 417B.”
Every two dormitory rooms shared a discussion room, so they could indeed study in the dormitory, and it was also more convenient.
The next day, He Jin brought his data and notes up on time to room 417. He was going to knock on the door, but Qin Yu had first opened it from inside.
“Here you are.” Qin Yu today was only wearing a thin long-sleeved, V-collared cotton shirt, and loose flannel trousers, looking very casual.
He Jin thought they were going to study in the lounge, but Qin Yu actually took him into the room.
“No one in your room?” He Jin was puzzled, Hua University’s dormitory rooms were designed as shared rooms for two people, so it should be less disturbing if they studied outside the bedroom.
Qin Yu pushed the door open and said, “I live alone.”
The room’s heater was turned fully. He Jin asked in surprise, “Why do you live alone?” The other bed in the room had no bedding, only filled with a few white storage boxes.
“My previous roommate went abroad not long after school started, but he said he had paid the dormitory fee for our first year. Then, at the beginning of my second year, the dormitory office still did not arrange any new student to this room, I think they forgot about it.” Qin Yu explained.
He Jin: “Your luck is really good ah, single room!”
“Oh, but it can be very boring sometimes.” There was a computer on Qin Yu’s desk, and a couple of professional books, he pulled out the empty chair and said, “Let’s sit here.”
He Jin nodded and sat down, “This is …” In any case, having a roommate meant having someone to chat and joke around with daily, so being alone in a single room was indeed boring.
“Just sit for now, I’ll make you a cup of coffee.” Qin Yu said and pushed the door out.
He Jin looked around, and saw a pair of tennis rackets leaning against the corner, as well as Qin Yu’s not-quite folded quilt. It made the bed look as if it was just slept on; it did not look messy though, only appeared a bit lazy instead.
A coat with a familiar brand was hung on the back of another chair, it was the coat Qin Yu had draped over his shoulders a couple of days before. He Jin‘s face turned hot thinking of that scene, and he hurriedly turned back to look at the study materials he had brought, considering where he should start the lesson.
Qin Yu came back after he was done brewing the coffee, and walked to He Jin’s behind. Silently, he propped one hand on the back of the chair, while his other hand went around to put the cup on the desk.
Originally, there was nothing wrong with this posture, but Qin Yu just so happened to bend himself. His abdomen was rubbing against the back of He Jin’s head, caging He Jin perfectly within his pure manly aura.
“You wear so much, don’t you feel hot? ” This sentence was said directly above him.
He Jin suddenly got the same feeling as when Fire called him “Jin Er” before, it was like an electric current was running down his head and straight into his body!
“No ah…” At times like this, He Jin was a little happy with his physique condition, because no matter how stormy his heart was, it would not appear in his surface appearance.
Qin Yu quickly retreated, dragged his chair to He Jin’s side, and took a pen and paper to make notes.
He Jin took a deep breath until he calmed down. He then opened his previously written grammar framework, and asked: “Have you understood all the words within level 6 grammar?”
Qin Yu: “Almost.”
“That’s fine,” He Jin pointed to the framework table, and said, “Level 6 grammar mainly dabbles in these. After we finish learning them, I’ll give some questions for you to do. If you have any questions, just ask me again… We will learn them according to parts of speech, starting with verbs, positions and articles today. You don’t have to take notes, I will lend you this book.”
Qin Yu laughed: “So generous, I remember your notes were copied for sale before.”
“I have no use for it now.” He Jin said, then began to classify things up.
At first, Qin Yu actually listened patiently to He Jin’s explanation, but his attention was soon drawn away and began to wander. He looked closely at He Jin’s hand, the way he held the pen, his apparent wrist and long fingers, the articulate joints, and his clear looking nails with reddish flesh peeking under them… He also looked at the smaller man’s arms, at his shoulders, and at the shallow up and down movements of his Adam’s apple… A little upward, and his gaze would fall on He Jin’s side profile, and facial features… It was indeed more delicate than the average men’s; while other adolescent males might look rough and greasy, he looked very clean and fresh instead.
He Jin explained patiently and carefully. He looked up while turning the page, and was immediately hit by Qin Yu’s gaze locking with his.
“You…” He Jin suddenly nervous, “Why are you looking at me?”
Qin Yu very calmly said: “Your face is a little dirty.”
He Jin stretched out his hand and touched his face: “Where?”
Qin Yu pushed his chair back, took a tissue from his desk, and handed it to He Jin: “On your cheekbones, looks like it’s stained with ash, just rub it lightly.” That tone, that expression; the way he talked made him look very sincere.
He Jin also believed him, and began wiping at his face earnestly before asking: “Is it still there?”
“No,” Qin Yu glanced once again at him, looked down blankly, then asked, “Your handwriting is really good-looking, did you practice it?” In addition to English, there were also notes in Chinese there.
He Jin: “Practiced for a while when I was young.”
Qin Yu: “Handwriting Calligraphy?”
“It’s calligraphy indeed. I practiced with a teacher and was told to copy official scripts and Weibei[3] for a while, then continued to regular scripts, and later practiced my own handwriting. I also practiced by learning to imitate other people’s beautiful handwritings. There was no formal lesson, you can write with your own style as long as you have the foundation.” He Jin pinched the tissue, completely distracted.
Qin Yu: “Now everyone is accustomed to using computer, there are only few people who can write beautifully… There is a saying that says ‘handwriting reflects the person’, and I can see the way you write is very natural and elegant, your horizontal and vertical strokes are full of strength, but I think it doesn’t really reflect your appearance.”
He Jin raised an eyebrow: “And how do you view me as?”
“Your appearance is very soft, looks like someone who’s easy to compromise on things,” Qin Yu seized his expression, and continued slowly, “but I think your handwriting resembles your personality more than your appearance.”
He Jin was surprised, he suddenly felt as if he had been seen-through by the taller guy…
Qin Yu: “Am I right?”
He Jin laughed: “Half of it.”
Although his mouth said so, his heart was actually rather touched. He had never received such a sharp analysis of his “personality” before, even Tong Xuan never did that. Even though he was together with Tong Xuan for one brief year, at that time he was too accustomed to hiding himself from his days at home, and did not dare to be too open to others, always feeling like his hands and feet were tied.
During their break up, Tong Xuan cried very sadly, and said that he did not understand her, but truthfully, He Jin’s heart also felt really wronged back then, because she also did not understand him.
However, in He Jin’s view, boys should always act modest to girls, so even if the other party complained unilaterally about him, He Jin still thought that he owed something to her. At the very least, as a boy, he should not have made a girl cry because of him.
And as he listened to Qin Yu’s words now, He Jin couldn’t help but think: If Tong Xuan was also able to see through his surface appearance, would the direction of their relationship be different?
However, he quickly dismissed this thought, and shook his head; the past had already passed, he and Tong Xuan simply did not fit together, there was no use making assumptions and thinking of what-ifs now.
“What are you thinking?” Qin Yu asked casually.
He Jin was taken aback from his thoughts. Maybe because of their personality talks, but He Jin felt like the distance between him and Qin Yu had become a lot closer now. He unconsciously dropped his senior act, and asked casually: “Qin Yu, have you ever had a girlfriend?”
“No.” Qin Yu answered very simply. He reached out to the coffee on the table, took a sip, then looked back at He Jin, “but I have a favorite person.”
Proof read by: EileenKH123
T/N:
[1] let oneself fly (放飞自我)
Originally, this term means to “take off all disguise and let people see one’s true self, but in this context the meaning is closer to “showing one’s real self without caring about what others will think of you”
[2] Xue Di = School’s Younger Brother or a junior in school
[3] Weibei (魏碑)
tablet inscriptions of the northern dynasties (386-581)
Somehow translating this chapter felt really hard QAQ
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