Home/ The Selfish Gene/ Chapter 66
After the wound healed, Zheng Jieyuan took the time to drive his car away. We only spoke briefly at the door, but he didn’t enter the room, let alone mention Shi Hao’s matter. He took the car key and left in a hurry.
I knew that it was really not easy to talk about this kind of thing openly, so I politely sent him a message asking him not to hesitate to speak to me if he had any difficulties. In our relationship, there’s no need to be polite.
After a long time, he sent a series of crying emoticons and finally replied with the word “hmm”.
Ji Chenfeng and I have returned to a state that is infinitely close to our past.
I say infinitely close because, like lovers, we will eat together, sleep together, and live under the same roof. But unlike lovers, we will not hold hands, kiss, or go to bed.
Every day, I yearned to return to the state of being a true “lover” with Ji Chenfeng, wanting to kiss and hug him freely, rolling and lingering in bed.
But at the same time, I also understand Ji Chenfeng’s feeling that “it’s not enough”. Looking at my previous actions, it is not an exaggeration to be too cautious.
This may be one of Ji Chenfeng’s tests for me, whether I am patient enough or not. When one day he takes the initiative to kiss me and returns to the state where he always wants to be intimate with me, it should be when he feels “enough” and completely forgives me.
“You are so awesome.” Meng Xueyan looked at the test paper in my hand and said with envy, “I only got 76…”
In a quiz of the sign language class, there were a total of fifty multiple-choice questions. I made one mistake and scored 98, undoubtedly ranking among the “top students.”
“The teacher taught well.” Looking at Ji Chenfeng who was handing out test papers to others, I unconsciously raised the corners of my lips.
In order to improve our relationship, I have been thinking of various ways recently, one of which is to ask Ji Chenfeng more questions in the class. Since it is a very reasonable request, he generally doesn’t refuse it. As a result, communication between us has improved, and my grades in the class have also improved.
“I should be more attentive.” Meng Xueyan folded the test paper carefully, stuffed it into her small bag, and suddenly sniffed.
I heard the sound and looked at her, only to find that the corners of her eyes were slightly red, and she looked like she was about to cry.
“Why are you crying?” It’s just a small test in class, there’s no need to be this sad.
“I thought of my younger brother…” Meng Xueyan said, “My younger brother has congenital neurological deafness, and his hearing has been getting worse in the past two years. It was because of him that I wanted to learn sign language. I originally thought that before he completely lost his hearing, I would at least be able to learn how to communicate with hearing-impaired people in sign language without barriers, but I’m so stupid that I feel like I can’t do it anymore…” In the end, she even choked up while speaking.
If you don’t want to give in, work hard to change yourself. What’s the use of just crying?
“As the saying goes, ‘a stupid bird has to start flying early.’ If you feel stupid, you should work harder.”
Compared with Ji Chenfeng’s teaching style full of encouragement and praise, I am more like an eagle-style educator— If you say ‘I can’t learn even if I die’, then you should try to learn until you really die. I will never say nonsense like “You have tried your best” or “don’t put too much pressure on yourself.” If you don’t meet your ideal expectations, there is no doubt that the effort you put in is not enough.
Meng Xueyan pursed her lips, perhaps not expecting me to speak so directly, and there was a hint of embarrassment on her face.
After a while, she asked in a low voice: “Sang Nian, why did you come to learn sign language?”
“Because the person I like can’t hear.” I saw Ji Chenfeng bending down and handing the test paper to a male student. I don’t know what Ji Chenfeng said but the student’s ears immediately turned red and he nodded incessantly, showing a humble attitude of being taught.
When you just handed me the test paper, why did you just put it down and walk away without saying anything to me? We are all your students, so how can you treat people differently? Top students also need encouragement.
“Huh? The person you like can’t hear?”
I glanced at Meng Xueyan beside me: “Is there anything wrong?”
“No, no, no problem.” She waved her hands repeatedly, as if afraid that I would misunderstand, “I’m just a little surprised. Nowadays, there are not many boys who are as attentive as you…”
After Ji Chenfeng finished handing out the test papers, he returned to the podium and prepared to start the class again.
Taking advantage of the last moment, I replied to Meng Xueyan: “They are worth it. I am willing to do anything for them.”
After the class, the three of us got on the same subway. There were not many people in the carriage, and there were still a few empty seats. Ji Chenfeng and I sat together, while Meng Xueyan sat opposite us.
“Why didn’t you praise me today?” With a slight sway, I leaned into Ji Chenfeng’s ear and asked quietly.
He was holding a paper book in his hand and was looking at it intently. Upon hearing the words, he looked up from the book and said, “What should I praise you about?”
“I got 98 points in the test, but you didn’t say anything?”
Ji Chenfeng thought for a while and said, “You did a good job.”
What kind of perfunctory tone is this?
I pressed down the book in his hand with dissatisfaction, stopping him from continuing to read.
“It’s not enough.”
He looked at me again, this time his gaze stayed on my face for an extra long time.
I was very nervous when he looked at me, so I subconsciously took my hand away. Ji Chenfeng took the opportunity to pull the book out of my hand. I thought he didn’t want to cooperate with me and didn’t care about my wishes, so I couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed.
Forget it, be patient. Repeat ten times. Be patient, be patient…
“You did a good job, Xiao Nian.”
Ji Chenfeng’s low and gentle voice rang in my ears, and my eyes were blocked by the unfolded book. As the words fell, a kiss softer and sweeter than a cotton candy fell on my cheek.
My eyes widened, my cheeks began to feel numb, and a tiny electric current suddenly spread all over my body, even the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I was like a pot of hot oil that had been suddenly sprinkled with a small drop of water, and my whole person was about to explode.
Compared to me who was unable to control myself, Ji Chenfeng seemed much calmer. He put down the book and retreated to continue reading his book, as if the kiss just now was just an illusion.
Oops, it feels like my body is melting. Eyes, hair, ears, mouth…every part is burning and tingling. Is this just a light kiss on the cheek?
God knows what would happen to me if he did the things I constantly think about all the time. I would definitely go crazy…
Bending down, I covered my face with trembling hands. That’s enough, don’t think about it anymore, this is on the subway, if you really react, it will be a disaster.
Ji Chenfeng, if you don’t plan to put out the fire, don’t keep seducing me! Or is this his way of punishing me, and if I can control my desires freely, I can pass his test?
“Meng Xueyan has been looking at us, did you say anything to her?” As I resisted the raging fire in my body alone, Ji Chenfeng’s voice suddenly sounded in my ears again.
I was taken aback for a moment, lifted my head, and witnessed the whole process of Meng Xueyan pretending to play with her phone in panic across from me.
It was obvious from the looks of it that she had guessed it.
If she only saw me and Ji Chenfeng whispering to each other on the subway, she may not necessarily think in an ambiguous direction. But after I told her today that the person I like can’t hear, she just needs to think back a little and she will definitely know who the lover I mentioned is.
“Today she asked me why I wanted to learn sign language…” I straightened up and recounted my entire conversation with Meng Xueyan to Ji Chenfeng.
Ji Chenfeng’s gaze always fell on the book in his hand, which was about animal medicine and he hadn’t turned the page for a long time. And I know it because I remember the huge animal heart in the bottom right corner.
It seems that he is not as calm as he appears.
“You came to learn sign language, wasn’t it because you were following me?” As the train approached the station, Ji Chenfeng closed his book and stood up. Before leaving, he nodded to Meng Xueyan opposite him.
I followed him up and saw Meng Xueyan looking embarrassed. I nodded slightly and got off the train with Ji Chenfeng.
“I have to say it a few times before you believe it. I really didn’t follow you, it was fate,” I said.
Standing on the escalator one after another, Ji Chenfeng didn’t say anything, but his expression probably showed disbelief.
“Even on a deserted island, I still want to be able to communicate with you without any obstacles,” I said without warning as I walked along the quiet and uninhabited Fly City path outside the subway station.
Ji Chenfeng stopped in his tracks and turned back in confusion, “What?”
The breeze blew, and the cicadas on the surrounding trees suddenly woke up, shaking their wings and emitting cries that echoed through the night sky. Just like a grand accompaniment to romantic scenes in a romantic movie.
“What if one day electronic devices no longer work? Isn’t this how it is played in disaster movies? I was just thinking, what if my phone is out of battery, the cochlear implant malfunctions, and there’s no pen and paper either. How should I talk to you? After thinking about it, I enrolled in a sign language class.”
Under the dim street lights of Fly City, I smiled and revealed my absurd and nonsensical thoughts to Ji Chenfeng: “Now, there is no need to be afraid. Even if Hong City becomes an isolated island, I can always understand what you mean.”
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