radicalducati Chapter 128 The Three of Them
Chapter 128 The Three of Them
Chapter 129 The Three of Them
Song Che flipped through the book beside him, thinking about how to allocate his time. He needed to compress his time more tightly, try to keep up with the progress of each lesson, and have time for review.
There's not a lot of material in high school, but there's not a little either. For science-related subjects, you can just do practice problems, while for humanities subjects, you should go back to the textbooks. Song Che had already made arrangements beforehand—and those arrangements were finalized after the New Year.
The wake-up time must be the same as the school's, and the bedtime cannot be too early. If this is done for several months, it will be possible to catch up with the plan.
The human body—it's truly garbage.
Back when I learned magic from Hit, I could do anything, whether I was traveling the world or going without sleep for days. Now, I can't even stay up all night.
It must be said that humans are truly weak and frail, while machines have ascended to a higher plane.
He put the books away; these plans started on the first day of school after the New Year, and these last few days were a time to relax.
We must at least fulfill Xia Li's promise.
Nothing else matters; the important thing is not to break the promise. Xia Li values promises the most.
Song Che had just turned on his phone to check on the ski resort when a barrage of messages hit him, including not only Jiang Shuo's insults but also—Zhang Hanyu's insults.
Song Che remained silent, went in to reply to messages, scrolled all the way to the top, and then paused.
Well, it turns out it wasn't their fault after all.
It was my own fault.
The two of them sent him messages, and he forgot to reply to them—many messages in total—and only saw them now.
He remembered seeing their messages, but after clicking in and then out, he forgot about them.
Before the Lunar New Year, Jiang Shuo and Zhang Hanyu had called him over. Whether it was to play or study, these two guys cared about him a lot. But before the Lunar New Year, he was in a very bad state and couldn't get over that hurdle in his heart. Now he is in a better state, but he can only accept that hurdle. To get over it, he still needs to have the ability to solve problems.
But that problem is probably unsolvable.
If I can solve this, then I'm incredibly awesome.
Song Che has a deep understanding of his own abilities.
That's all he has in terms of ability and mindset. When he's an outsider, he can calm down, analyze the problem carefully, find the key, and know that he needs to have the right mindset. But when he's involved and needs to make a choice for himself, he can't tell the difference.
Song Che temporarily stopped looking for a ski resort and read through the messages his two friends had sent.
Amidst the barrage of insults, a small amount of concern was found.
Even if you nitpick, you can only find one or two flaws.
However, Song Che understood that the three of them had a good relationship, and these insults could be taken as concern, just anxious concern.
Song Che carefully typed a few words in the chat box.
[Refusing to admit wrongdoing]
There was silence in the group for about a minute, then another barrage of messages.
[Jiang Shuo: ???]
[Jiang Shuo: Say that again?]
[Jiang Shuo: Hanyu and I took turns sending you messages, more than a dozen times, and you didn't reply to a single one. Now you're telling me you refuse to admit your mistake?]
[Jiang Shuo: Song Che, are you even a poet?]
Song Che leaned back on the sofa. He hadn't finished typing when Zhang Hanyu's message came in.
[Zhang Hanyu: Let him speak]
[Zhang Hanyu: I'd like to see what kind of nonsense he can come up with.]
[Zhang Hanyu: He played dead for over a dozen messages, but as soon as he resurfaced, he refused to admit his mistakes. Wait till I tear you to pieces and display you at No. 1 Middle School.]
Song Che deleted the half-typed text and started typing it again.
[Song Che: You're wrong]
[Song Cheol: I was really wrong]
[Song Che: I wasn't feeling well before the Lunar New Year, and I forgot to reply to the message after seeing it]
Jiang Shuo replied instantly.
[Jiang Shuo: Not in good shape?]
[Jiang Shuo: What's wrong with you?]
[Jiang Shuo: Heartbroken? No, you have a boyfriend. Dumped? No, you two are still together. Never mind, you two should both be in the same high school.]
Song Che looked at the string of words and smiled.
Jiang Shuo, that kid, still speaks without thinking.
[Song Cheol: I'm not heartbroken]
[Song Che: It's just that something came up, I'll take care of it after the New Year.]
Zhang Hanyu posted a meme of a cat slapping another cat on the head with its paw, captioned "Fine, I forgive you."
[Jiang Shuo: Okay then]
[Jiang Shuo: Now that you're better, let's go out and have some fun!]
[Jiang Shuo: I'm about to burst from holding it in, you know?]
[Jiang Shuo: During the Spring Festival, my mom kept nagging me to study every day. How could I possibly study?]
[Jiang Shuo: When did you get back?]
Song Che is typing.
[Song Che: I just got back today]
[Song Cheol: I was just looking for you guys]
Jiang Shuo sent a string of exclamation marks.
[Jiang Shuo: What are we waiting for! Come out!]
[Jiang Shuo: Same place, bubble tea shop, now!]
Song Che glanced out the window. The sunlight was lovely, but it was getting late, almost four o'clock.
[Song Cheol: Not today]
[Song Che: Just got home, something came up]
Jiang Shuo replied instantly with a string of question marks.
[Jiang Shuo: ???]
[Jiang Shuo: What's up now?]
Song Che thought for a moment and then typed.
[Song Cheol: We need to check the ski resorts]
[Song Cheol: I want to go skiing in a few days]
The group was quiet for a few seconds, then Zhang Hanyu's message popped up.
[Zhang Hanyu: Skiing?]
[Zhang Hanyu: You?]
[Zhang Hanyu: Didn't you say going out to play was boring and you preferred staying at home?]
Song Che was stunned for a moment, and his dead memories twitched.
At that time, he was still very young, really only eighteen years old.
He seems to have said something like that. It was last winter when Jiang Shuo was clamoring to go skiing, and Zhang Hanyu asked him if he wanted to come along. He said it was pointless and he wouldn't go.
But it's different now.
[Song Che: Xia Li wants to go]
Jiang Shuo replied instantly.
[Jiang Shuo: Oh—]
[Jiang Shuo: Got it, got it]
[Jiang Shuo: If my girlfriend wants to go, I have to go.]
[Jiang Shuo: If we want to go, then it's pointless.]
Song Che smiled.
[Song Cheol: You know that's good.]
Zhang Hanyu posted an eye-rolling emoji.
[Zhang Hanyu: Okay, okay]
[Zhang Hanyu: Where should we go skiing?]
Song Che swiped up on his phone to look at the places he had searched for before. He had only searched halfway and hadn't decided yet.
[Song Cheol: Watching now]
[Song Cheol: Do you have any recommendations?]
Jiang Shuo will return first.
[Jiang Shuo: Yunding Mountain]
[Jiang Shuo: It's on the outskirts of our city, more than an hour's drive away]
[Jiang Shuo: I went there last year, it was alright]
Zhang Hanyu refuted this.
[Zhang Hanyu: Yunding Mountain is not an option]
[Zhang Hanyu: There were so many people, it was like boiling dumplings.]
[Zhang Hanyu: Besides, the ski slope is too short; you can ski for a couple of seconds and then it's over.]
[Jiang Shuo: So where do you want to go?]
[Jiang Shuo: We can't exactly go to Changbai Mountain, we'd have to fly there.]
Zhang Hanyu did not reply.
A few seconds later, she sent a screenshot.
It was a page from a travel app, featuring an introduction to a ski resort. Song Che clicked on it and took a look.
Xueye Lake Ski Resort. It's next door, a 10-minute high-speed train ride or a 30-minute drive. There are three ski runs: one intermediate and two beginner, plus a dedicated practice area. Tickets are inexpensive: 180 RMB on weekdays and 230 RMB on weekends.
There are also comments below, spanning several pages.
Song Che scrolled through the comments, and found mostly positive reviews, saying the snow quality was good, there weren't many people, and it was suitable for beginners.
[Zhang Hanyu: This]
[Zhang Hanyu: My cousin went there and said it was alright]
Jiang Shuo sent a question mark.
[Jiang Shuo: Then we'll have to take a car.]
[Zhang Hanyu: Nonsense]
[Zhang Hanyu: You're not going to take a car to ski, you're going to ski there yourself?]
Jiang Shuo sent a wronged emoji.
[Jiang Shuo: I was just saying]
[Jiang Shuo: How do we get there? By car?]
Song Che thought for a moment.
Jiang Shuo's family owns a car, but they can't all afford to share a driver's license. If they were to drive, their parents would have to accompany them—with their parents constantly by their side, there would be endless nagging and reminders about safety.
[Song Cheol: A bus?]
[Zhang Hanyu: The ski resort is in the mountains, there's no public transportation.]
Jiang Shuo came up with an idea.
[Jiang Shuo: Let's charter a car.]
[Jiang Shuo: Let's find a seven-seater minivan. With the rest of us and your partner, it'll be perfect.]
Song Che counted the number of people. He, Xia Li, Jiang Shuo, and Zhang Hanyu—four people in total. A seven-seater car was definitely enough.
[Song Cheol: Is it expensive?]
Jiang Shuo replied quickly.
[Jiang Shuo: I asked my uncle, he drives a sports car.]
[Jiang Shuo: If he's free, we can offer a discount.]
Zhang Hanyu gave an OK sign.
[Zhang Hanyu: What about accommodation?]
[Zhang Hanyu: Same-day round trip or overnight stay]
Song Che was stunned for a moment.
He hadn't thought about that question yet.
A day trip would be a bit rushed, starting in the morning, skiing all day, and returning in the evening. Staying overnight would require booking a hotel, which would cost extra.
He remembered what Xia Li had said. She didn't want to use his money; she wanted to earn it herself. But she hadn't saved enough money yet.
[Song Che: Let me ask Xia Li]
He put down his phone and turned to look to the side.
Xia Li was staring at the computer screen, her fingers tapping rapidly on the keyboard. The screen displayed a game interface; her character was standing in the main city, surrounded by people coming and going.
"Xia Li."
She didn't turn around, but she responded with a sound.
"Um?"
"About skiing," Song Che said, "Do you want to come back the same day, or stay overnight?"
Xia Li's fingers paused for a moment.
She turned to look at him.
"Is it okay to stay here?"
"Sure," Song Che said, "but we'll need to book a hotel, which will cost a bit more."
Xia Li thought for a moment.
"Stay," she said.
Why?
Xia Li thought about it again.
She said, "I want to stay there and play a little longer."
"OK."
He turned back and picked up his phone.
[Song Cheol: Stay one night]
[Jiang Shuo: Yo]
[Jiang Shuo: Sure!]
[Jiang Shuo: This means we'll be staying overnight.]
Song Che ignored him and continued typing.
[Song Che: Do you have any hotel recommendations?]
Zhang Hanyu posted another screenshot.
It's the same app page, this time showing hotels near the ski resort. Zhang Hanyu, the surfing expert, is indeed useful in crucial moments.
[Zhang Hanyu: This]
[Zhang Hanyu: It's close to the ski resort, only a ten-minute walk.]
[Zhang Hanyu: The price is okay, a standard room is a little over 300.]
Song Che clicked to take a look; the hotel wasn't very big. He then looked at other options; there were cheaper ones, around two hundred, but they were farther away and required a car ride. There were also more expensive ones, over five hundred, which included a hot spring.
He thought about Xia Li's words—"I've never stayed here before, I want to give it a try."
It's not about trying out the expensive options, it's about trying out the experience of staying there itself.
[Song Cheol: This one will do.]
[Song Che: More than five hundred]
Jiang Shuo replied with an OK.
[Jiang Shuo: Then I'll ask my uncle about the car.]
[Jiang Shuo: Which day do you want?]
Song Che thought about the days ahead.
After the New Year, there are still a few days before school starts. The weather has been nice these past few days, no snow, but the ski resort has artificial snow.
[Song Che: The eighth day?]
[Zhang Hanyu: The Eighth Day of the Lunar New Year]
[Zhang Hanyu: I'm fine]
Jiang Shuo also returned.
[Jiang Shuo: I'm fine too]
[Jiang Shuo: Then let's do it on the eighth day of the lunar month.]
Song Che calculated that the eighth day of the month was five days away.
He turned to look at Xia Li.
"Is it okay to go skiing on the eighth day of the lunar new year?"
Xia Li was staring at the screen when she heard this and looked up.
"The eighth day?"
"Yes, in five days."
Xia Li thought for a moment and nodded.
"OK."
She turned back to continue playing the game.
[Song Che: Then the eighth day.]
[Song Che: The specific time will be determined later]
Jiang Shuo sent a string of emojis, all of them scattering flowers, celebrating, and cheering.
[Jiang Shuo: Finally, I can go out and have fun!]
[Jiang Shuo: I'm going to get sick from being cooped up at home.]
[Jiang Shuo: My mom makes me study every day, but what's the point of studying?]
Zhang Hanyu sent a disdainful emoji.
[Zhang Hanyu: You should be content]
[Zhang Hanyu: My mom wants me to go on blind dates]
The group chat was silent for a second.
Then Jiang Shuo exploded.
[Jiang Shuo: ???]
[Jiang Shuo: A blind date?]
[Jiang Shuo: You?]
[Jiang Shuo: How old are you?]
Zhang Hanyu posted a helpless emoji.
[Zhang Hanyu: I'm eighteen]
[Zhang Hanyu: My mom said, "Let's see how things go first. She doesn't want me to get married right away. She said if I don't find someone, no man will be interested in me."]
Jiang Shuo continued frying.
[Jiang Shuo: Your mom's in such a hurry!]
[Jiang Shuo: We're only in our final year of high school]
Zhang Hanyu did not reply.
A few seconds later, she sent a screenshot.
It was a WeChat chat page with several messages from her mother. The gist was that the neighbor had a son, two years older than Zhang Hanyu, studying at a junior college, good-looking, and honest, and that Zhang Hanyu should add him on WeChat to chat.
After reading it, Jiang Shuo sent a string of ellipses.
[Jiang Shuo: ————]
[Jiang Shuo: Did you add them?]
Zhang Hanyu replied with a single word.
[Zhang Hanyu: No, I'm a staunch advocate of singlehood]
Jiang Shuo sent a thumbs-up emoji.
[Jiang Shuo: Ambitious]
Song Che looked at the screen and suddenly remembered something: Jiang Shuo had been sending him messages.
"Jiang Shuo—" he typed, "You said you were depressed before, is that true?"
[Jiang Shuo: Really?]
[Jiang Shuo: You guys are all ignoring me. [Jiang Shuo: I'm so bored at home.]
[Jiang Shuo: He doesn't reply to messages or answer phone calls.]
[Jiang Shuo: I thought you guys didn't want me anymore]
A string of crying faces followed.
Looking at those crying faces, Song Che suddenly felt a little guilty.
He hadn't replied to Jiang Shuo's messages for a long time. During the period before the Lunar New Year, he was completely trapped in that dream, unable to escape. Every day he woke up to that desolate world, that woman, those New Year paintings. He didn't want to talk, didn't want to see anyone, didn't want to reply to messages.
But it's much better now.
"Wrong—" he typed, "Really wrong."
Jiang Shuo sent a snort emoji.
[Jiang Shuo: It's good that you know you're wrong. Zhang Hanyu interjected.]
[Zhang Hanyu: What about me?]
[Zhang Hanyu: I was also neglected]
The sunlight outside the window moved slowly like a snail, from the sofa to the coffee table, from the coffee table to the floor, and finally moved to Song Che's face.
Song Che leaned back on the sofa, looking at his phone screen.
The chat was still going on in the group. Jiang Shuo was talking about what to bring for skiing, listing out hats, gloves, goggles, one by one.
Zhang Hanyu complained that he was being long-winded, saying it wasn't like they were going to Antarctica. Jiang Shuo disagreed, and the two started exchanging memes, sending one after another.
Xia Li was playing games next to me, her keyboard clattering loudly. She'd pause occasionally to take a sip of water, then continue. She was now playing two games simultaneously, thoroughly enjoying herself.
It was just an ordinary afternoon.
Like most afternoons.
There are friends making noise in the group chat, someone I like playing games next to me, and something to look forward to: skiing in five days.
Xia Li is probably looking forward to it too.
"Xia Li."
"Um?"
Do you know what to bring when skiing?
Xia Li turned to look at him.
"Those were the ones Auntie bought last time?"
"Hat, gloves, goggles."
Song Che picked up his phone and started typing in the group chat.
[Song Che: Remember to buy equipment tomorrow]
[Song Cheol: Do you know what to buy?]
[Jiang Shuo: Decathlon!]
[Jiang Shuo: Cheap and sufficient]
Zhang Hanyu also replied.
[Zhang Hanyu: Don't buy anything too expensive]
[Zhang Hanyu: It was my first time skating, I won't need many tries.]
Song Che thought for a moment.
[Song Che: Okay, that's good to know]
He put down his phone and leaned back on the sofa.
The sunlight outside the window shifted a little further west, shining on the TV cabinet.
Xia Li was still playing games.
He closed his eyes, wanting to doze off for a while.
I had just closed my eyes when my phone rang again.
He picked it up and looked at it.
It was posted by Jiang Shuo; it's a screenshot. It shows the precautions for a ski resort, a densely packed bunch of text.
[Jiang Shuo: Take a good look.]
[Jiang Shuo: Don't be clueless when the time comes]
Zhang Hanyu rolled his eyes.
[Zhang Hanyu: Do you think everyone is as stupid as you?]
Jiang Shuo disagreed.
[Jiang Shuo: Where did I go wrong?]
[Jiang Shuo: I call this thorough preparation]
Song Che smiled.
He gave an OK sign and put his phone down.