Husky’s Side Chapter 43

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Life-Saving Days by the Husky’s Side
Looking into antiques

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Zhou Li found two free seats next to each other in the third row from the bottom and supported Ji Shaoyan as they hobbled over.

It’s just that, he didn’t know if the young master had simply forgone one of his legs when jumping. Whatever the other boy did, it made him jump very slowly. Under the eyes of the watchful crowd, Zhou Li awakened the ability to visualise the handicapped version of a leisurely walk*, and after what felt like half a day, finally jumped to their destination.  

[T/N: lying to himself that he was going on a leisurely stroll, ignoring the person next to him]

Zhou Li almost worked up a sweat through the sheer effort of keeping his companion up. He helped support and lower the other boy into the seat and collapsed in the one beside him, letting out a loud sigh that was full of emotion.

Ji Shaoyan was in a very good mood. Although he knew the other might not have single positive word left in his body, he still asked, “What’s wrong?”

Zhou Li solemnly educated, “You young masters are all weak* and lack exercise. Remember to be more active when you fully recover; with the way you’re acting, it’s like you’re a delicate little maiden.”

[T/N: literally, empty]

Ji Shaoyan smiled. These comments didn’t affect his mood at all. He even gave a good-tempered “en”.

Zhou Li was once again convinced and gave up the battle of seeing who can be more shameless. He settled into his seat and waited for the lecture to start. Ji Shaoyan looked at large projected screen at the front and searched the professor’s details on his phone, looking very relaxed in his seat.

The visual impact of two handsome guys sitting together was much stronger than if it were just one. Many people secretly peeked at them from all around the room.

After the emotionally-draining* high school years, many people who entered the university campus longed for love and wanted to jump into a relationship or something like that. Some freshmen pushed each other, hesitating on whether to go up to the two and ask for their WeChat contacts.

[T/N: 苦逼: not satisfied with the status quo, but can do nothing aobut it]

A local student recognized the school uniform on Ji Shaoyan’s body and pointed out with mixed feelings, “They’re from Mingying ah.”

The person next to them curiously asked, “Mingying? What university is that?”

“Not a university, it’s a high school.” The person who spoke fell into an even more complicated mood. “An elite high school*.”

[T/N: 贵族学校/noble school: school for the ‘noble’ (rich), with reputable teachers, good learning and living conditions, and is very expensive to attend]

Qing University was the best university in the city, ranking 17th in the country. Those who can pass the entrance exam were all study tyrants. As a study tyrant himself, he naturally knew of Mingying, because that high school was still the one regret he could never voice aloud.

Every year, Mingying would accept straight A students from the ‘outside’. However, they were not one to take on charity cases, so the number of spots were extremely limited, only around ten; sometimes less than ten, sometimes a little more, but never more than fifteen in a year. Back then, he had also taken the exam but unfortunately did not get in.

Mingying took the route of elite education. Over 90% of the students would continue to study abroad. He buried himself in regret for a long time.

One of the boys didn’t wear the school’s uniform but since they came together, he probably also belonged to Mingying. So, they were either the cream of the crop amongst all those study tyrants, or the prince of a rich family.

After listening to the character introductions, the surrounding girls gave up and abandoned all plans.

Those who were far away didn’t know the truth and thought they were also university freshmen. Soon after, two girls went over to their seats and asked in a coquettish manner, “Xiao-gege*, can we add you on WeChat?”

[T/N: literally, little-big brother (a girl’s cute way of referring to a handsome boy)]

Ji Shaoyan looked up at them, gently turning them down as he said, “I’m sorry, I already have someone I like. Except for him*, I will not consider anyone else.”

[T/N: him and her sound the same in Chinese, so the girls don’t know he’s talking about a boy (although I’m not sure if homophobia even exists in the novel’s world since most people didn’t care about Lin Ye & Zhou Li and most of the student population are curious about Ji Shaoyan & Zhou Li)]

Zhou Li: “……”

The two girls had spent a long time fortifying their psychological strength before making their way over and were instantly embarrassed, their eyes subconsciously switching over to Zhou Li.

Zhou Li: “Sorry, I’m not adding either.”

This was even more embarrassing.

The two noticed that the people nearby were all looking at them and squeaked out a quick “excuse me” with a dry smile before running away with blushing faces.

Zhou Li snuck a glance at Ji Shaoyan, who continued to read the information online as if nothing happened, and couldn’t hold back his questions after a short while. “Was what you said just now real or fake?”

Ji Shaoyan said, “Real.”

Zhou Li pasted on a curious appearance. “Who ah?”

Ji Shaoyan smiled and replied, “Wait until I catch him, then I’ll tell you.”

Zhou Li naturally threw out another question, “Then, what if you can’t catch him?”

The hand which Ji Shaoyan held the phone with paused, knowing that this question had been deliberately crafted.

Because Zhou Li has always been smart. During the days where he was stuck in his coma, he had visited three times a day; this behaviour was far too obvious. It’s just that they have not yet pierced through this thin layer of paper between them.

He stared into the other boy’s eyes, looking particularly vulnerable. “It doesn’t matter. In this world, there aren’t many wishes where you can satisfy opposing demands*. If I can’t catch him, I’ll just watch over him silently.”

[T/N: to have the best of both worlds]

Zhou Li: “……”

As if this con-man was telling the truth*.

[T/N: 说得跟真的一样: saying absolute rubbish/telling blatant lies]

He stared at this vicious and merciless masquerader* and offered a couple words of encouragement without any sincerity. He suddenly no longer wanted to talk to this companion of his.

[T/N: 白切黑/white cut black: white ‘exterior’, black soul (will be using con-man/fraudster and the likes to describe JSY from now on)]

The lecture happened to start at this moment.

The two boys diverted their attention from each other.

The archaeology professor surnamed Xia was a very humorous person. The knowledge normal people found boring was able to transform into vivid description when spoken through his lips.

Zhou Li was not very interested in the lecture content at first but after listening to it for a while, he was hooked in before he knew it. Even when the lecture was over, the knowledge still lingered in his mind.

It was now lunchtime. Everyone in the lecture hall soon left.

Zhou Li motioned to Ji Shaoyan to wait where they were sitting and stood up, making his way towards Professor Xia and patiently watched the other students ask their questions first. When he knew that they had all left, he proceeded to take out his phone and greeted, “Hello, Xia-laoshi*, I have something I wish to consult with you.”

[T/N: teacher. ZL also uses formal ‘you’]

Professor Xia was very kind. “En, what is it?”

Zhou Li opened his photo album.

It was useless to wear that jade pendant around his neck, so he tried touching it once before going to sleep again, only to find that this method was also useless. So, he put it back in the box. Because he didn’t know the origin of the jade, in order to avoid unnecessary trouble, he only took pictures.

He said, “This is my friend’s jade pendant that I saw not too long ago, and at that time I was intrigued by the words on it. But even after a lot of research, I couldn’t find anything useful. I heard that you were holding a lecture at Qing University today and wanted you to take a look.”

Professor Xia took the phone, observing it carefully for a long time before frowning. “It’s hard to say. It could be the script from a certain ethnic minority in ancient times. I need to go back and do some research myself.”

Zhou Li felt that this man was quite reliable and asked, “Then, can I please add your WeChat?”

Professor Xia did not refuse and shared WeChat contacts with him, asking him to send the photos over before he started to pack his materials away.

Zhou Li successfully passed along his question to the expert, so he turned back and returned to his seat.

Ji Shaoyan had been looking at him throughout the entire exchange. Knowing that him listening to a lecture was simply a disguise, he finally found Silly Fool’s true purpose of coming here. He said, “What did you ask?”

Zhou Li: “Just a little question.”

Seeing how he wasn’t willing to spill anything, Ji Shaoyan didn’t pester him anymore and stretched a hand out towards the other.

Zhou Li didn’t support him by the waist this time. Instead, he chose to hold the young master’s arm, planning to accompany him like this and jump back together again.

Ji Shaoyan: “……”

The misfortunes you bring onto yourself are the hardest to accept*. He had leaned too close before and now his partner refused to do it again.

[T/N: 自作孽不可活]

As soon as he saw Zhou Li’s expression, he knew that it was hopeless and honestly jumped back on his one good leg. In order to avoid getting exposed, he purposely used the same speed as when they came in initially.

The two quickly got in the car and soon arrived at a highly rated restaurant under the suggestion of Ji Shaoyan. When they were finished with their meal, Ji Shaoyan fully immersed himself in his act and really went to the hospital for a change of bandages. Afterwards, he took Zhou Li back to school.

Zhou Luwen has been having lunch with Zhou Li in the past days. Today, when he saw the other coming back despite knowing he left to deal with his own business, he still asked out of concern, “Have you eaten yet? How’s your classmate?”

Zhou Li: “I’ve eaten. He’s fine, just somewhat disabled.”

Zhou Luwen: “…that still counts as fine?”

Zhou Li: “En, I think he’s quite happy being disabled.”

Ji Shaoyan, still within earshot: “……”

Zhou Luwen didn’t quite understand how he came to this conclusion. After thinking about it, he guessed that it might be because he had an excuse to skip the compulsory practise exercises in class. He helplessly shook his head and stopped bothering the other, letting him use the time to rest.

Zhou Li was not tired. He went back to the classroom and checked the timetable, noticing that both class sessions in the afternoon were self-chosen courses.

Mingying was very open minded. Although they pursued an elite education curriculum, they also didn’t completely abandon the domestic system, but instead combined the two to create their own. The system introduced here was similar to his world’s A-Level, where students were free to choose their own courses. Knowing Qian Liye’s virtues, mathematics, physics and subjects like that were all no-good, so with a wave of his pen and hand, he had chosen business*.

[T/N: remember, Zhou Li thinks Qian Liye will be back soon so he can’t choose the subjects he personally wants]

The choices from all students varied, so no one stayed in the same classroom for every class.

Zhou Li saw that the bell was about to ring and got up to head to his designated classroom. The moment he stepped inside, he looked up and was met with a very familiar wheelchair. Their divine school grass was sitting at the desk by the window, and the seat for the desk mate was (weirdly enough) not taken by anyone.

Ji Shaoyan saw him enter and smiled, lightly waving in his direction. “Zhou Li, here.”

Zhou Li noticed everyone in the classroom turn their heads in unison to stare into him. He calmly walked over.

Liang Jingxiu had also chosen business studies. Sitting in the desk in front of them, he smiled with squinted eyes and said, “What a coincidence ah.”

Zhou Li replied with a short “en” and scanned the people in the room. “Yan-shao didn’t pick this subject?”

Liang Jingxiu subconsciously took a glance at his childhood friend. Seeing how the other boy had not yet noticed things were going downhill in his relationship for the time being, he plainly answered, “En, he chose advanced mathematics.”

Zhou Li nodded. Before he could make any other comment, he saw Song Yingshi enter.

He suddenly remembered that there was also such a setting in the original novel. It was such a shame that Song Yingshi’s role had been robbed by him. He was a little melancholy and sorrowful, but still greeted Song Yingshi.

Song Yingshi startled when she saw him but quickly walked over in a natural manner.

Since Ji Shaoyan and the others must’ve already known of Zhou Li’s hot search incident, she didn’t avoid them and said, “What a coincidence, I was just planning to find you in the afternoon.”

Zhou Li: “What’s up?”

Song Yingshi: “Do you still remember me asking Ji Tianyang in that group chat if we could go see Eggy?”

Liang Jingxiu’s eyes instantly lit up.

Ji Shaoyan remained silent and observed their interaction.

Zhou Li pretended not to notice their burning gazes and responded knowingly, “He replied?”

Song Yingshi: “En, he said Eggy’s injuries are all healed, and he got his girlfriend’s permission. We can go over and take a look after school today, want to go?”

Zhou Li: “Where is it?”

Song Yingshi: “In the plaza near his girlfriend’s neighbourhood.”

To be perfectly honest, Zhou Li didn’t actually want to visit, because the husky was no longer the same husky as before.

But he knew Song Yingshi wanted to go. In order to prevent her own imagination from frightening herself half to death, he said, “Sure, let’s go ba.”

Song Yingshi was immediately at ease.

Although Zhou Li had many pits in his brain, she didn’t know if any new ideas would come into existence during this visit. However, if she had someone accompanying her, she would undoubtedly be a little more relieved.

As Liang Jingxiu watched Song Yingshi walk away, he curiously asked, “She knows Eggy too?”

Zhou Li: “She raised him for a little while.”

Liang Jingxiu grew even more curious, wondering to himself why A-Yan had only gone after Zhou Li, yet did not mention one word of Song Yingshi?

He guessed, “She wasn’t good to Eggy, so she gave him to you to raise?”

Zhou Li said, “No, it’s because I was stuck in a rough situation back then so I ended up giving Eggy to her.”

So it turned out to be a case of ‘the first impression is the strongest’, Liang Jingxiu silently noted in his head, then inched closer to ask, “To make you two worry so much, that Eggy of yours should be super meng ba?” 

Zhou Li said, “It’s not a question of whether he’s meng or not, he’s…not sticky, often vegetable-like, when I call for him he always ignores me, if I want to play with him he never cooperates; everyday and all-day, he either despises me or uses me. I have never met such a cold husky.”

Ji Shaoyan: “……”

Liang Jingxiu endured the increasing urge to laugh and asked, “Yet you’re still willing to hurt yourself to save him?”

“Can’t help it. I raised the husky myself and it became my obligation to finish raising him. Besides, he really did look so pitiful. I am a man with a kind heart, I can’t bear to see little animals suffer.” As he said this, Zhou Li took out his phone, “Let’s not talk about him anymore. Look, the little golden retriever I’m raising now is very meng. Bright like the sun and super sticky, come, come, come, let me show you guys some photos and videos.”

Ji Shaoyan: “……”

Liang Jingxiu: “……”

Today, Zhou Li’s heart had been thrown into utter turmoil thanks to Ji Shaoyan, so he made up his mind and wanted to return the favour, just for a bit. Thus, he wanted to show them a small video. It was at this time that he heard a WeChat notification from his phone; Professor Xia’s message came through, asking if it was convenient for them to talk.  

He immediately threw away all plans involving the videos and quickly stood up to make a call in the corridor.

Professor Xia’s efficiency was extremely high. He managed to find the relevant information within a single afternoon, saying, “The script belongs to the Tiansang tribe. The Tiansang tribe was a nationally minority that made appearances in history from 623 to 769 AD, existing for more than 100 years before they were annihilated by natural disasters.”

[T/N: 天桑: literally, sky/heaven mulberry (it’s a fictional tribe, I’m assuming)]

Zhou Li: “Then what are these words?”

Professor Xia: “I’m not sure, and I can’t verify it. However, my colleague knows about that piece of jade. In the past, it used to be owned by someone overseas. Later, he heard it was auctioned off to some wealthy merchant in China. Two ancient books happened to be auctioned off that day as well.”

His tone was thick with slight regret and pity. “It’s said that the two books were sold to two different people. It’s possible that either or both may have some recorded history of the Tiansang people. Where did your friend get that jade?”

“I never asked him.” Zhou Li thought for a bit. “Do you know which auction it was? I will try to see if I can find the person who managed to buy the books.”

Professor Xia was a little puzzled. “Could it be, you are that interested in this matter?”

Zhou Li said, “En, I was intrigued at first sight*. Besides, if I have the ability to research things, I might as well try bei.”

[T/N: 眼缘: seeing someone (something, in this case) for the first time and feeling a sense of familiarity]

Professor Xia remembered that this boy actually came in contact with the jade in reality and guessed that his identity must not be simple, so he simply hummed “en” before adding on, “The jade petal is called Zhonglian*. It is only one piece of a whole jade.”

[T/N: 重莲: literally, heavy lotus]

Zhou Li’s breath stopped for a split-second. “How many pieces are there?”

Professor Xia said, “It’s not too clear, but we can know that when pieced together, it forms a lotus flower. The characters on each petal are different, but this piece may be the only one left intact and preserved.”

He couldn’t help but sigh with that statement.

Zhou Li didn’t care about comforting him. Instead, his brain was full of doubts.

If the jade that the little boy gave him was one of the pieces…how can it be possible ah. This was obviously a completely different world.

He heard the bell signalling the start of class ring and briefly said his goodbyes and thanks to Professor Xia before reluctantly returning to the classroom.

With a single glance, Ji Shaoyan could see that his mental state was off and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Zhou Li replied with a quick “nothing’s wrong”, waiting for the class to start so he can focus on something.

He was only able to hear half of what the professor had to say earlier and Professor Xia quickly sent some more updates. Perhaps it was due to his personality, or maybe it was purely because the professor wanted to use him to get to the sought-after ancient books, but Professor Xia was very positive on this subject and quickly gave him the name of the auction.

Ji Shaoyan glanced over at his screen. He really didn’t bother holding back. With a not-so-gentle gaze, he looked at his conversation partner and asked, “Is that Professor Xia?”

Zhou Li nodded. Remembering that this young master was rather omnipotent, he simply handed the phone over. “Do you know about this auction?”

Ji Shaoyan’s head tilted down for a look and flicked through his memories before announcing, “I know it, I think I went there with Grandpa.”

Zhou Li: “……”

What a coincidence!

Seeing his spirit become revitalised once again, Ji Shaoyan recalled Professor Xia’s profession and went straight to the point. “If I remember correctly, my grandfather also bid and won an ancient book and two antique chinaware.”

Zhou Li: “……”

I will now eat back all the words I said about the little golden retriever. Is it too late?

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The author has something to say:

Ji Shaoyan: Never took a photo, let alone a small video.

Zhou Li: Who dares to keep your dark history!

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