through the strait gates(过门/Guomen)//work by priest(CN)//BL

Chapter 8: Damned Entanglement (vol.scallions)

8: Damned Entanglement

Wu Tao, using someone's else's name to act, was caught in the middle of it by that someone. He was embarrassed, unable to speak, his tongue frozen in awkward silence.

The air in the restroom froze, too. The few people that just hit somebody stared at each other, none of them uttering a word. Wu Tao waved his hands, gesturing for them to stay put. He walked forward alone, and slung an arm on Xu Xilin's shoulder, speaking in a humble, low voice, "Let's talk about this outside."

Xu Xilin crossed his arms and refused. "No need for that. We can settle this here."

"Dude, this was for you, don't you think that you're acting inappropriately?" Li Buozhi butted in from behind.

"My nostrils aren't wide open, do I look like I need you to help me *let out air?" Xu Xilin arched his brows and looked at him, "Was I talking to you?"

*let out air: payback

Li Buozhi was not expecting him to be so brutal, and immediately flipped his lid. He almost changed the target of his anger immediately, but was held back by people beside him.

If they actually escalated this into a fight in the spot, they did have an advantage in numbers, and Xu Xilin was alone—it was clear that Xu Xilin wasn't on the same boat with him yet. Who was more likely to win was evident.

But everyone wasn't planning on having a fight, because although it would be severely satisfying to have a full-on fight, how would they take care of things after?

Xu Xilin wasn't some pathetic little shit everyone disdained. Once he was back in class, a few words would bring all the boys, who made up half the class, on his side. Li Buozhi might not care, but Wu Tao still had to stay in Class 1.

Xu Xilin told Wu Tao, "Anyways, you take care of this yourself."

Wu Tao marched in the same spot for a while, the color of his face switching between vibrant reds and green, and then did do as Xu Xilin said.

He turned back and gestured at Li Buozhi and the others, "Let's go."

Li Buozhi's neck stiffened. "You......"

Wu Tao raised his voice. "We'll talk about this afterwards! We have to leave!"

Breathing out roughly several times, Li Buozhi glared viciously at Dou Xun. Then he walked away with his also reluctant companions.

There was only a Dou Xun left in the restroom staring at Xu Xilin, who had just broke into the restroom, his expression indefinite. Xu Xilin bent down to pick up the basketball, and glanced at him, thinking, "Deserves it, he lacks a good beating in his *elements."

*elements: In traditional Chinese philosophy, natural phenomena can be classified into the Wu Xing, or the Five Elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. In this case, it means the Five Elements in the human makeup.

Then he dribbled away without a word.

Because of this accident, playing basketball was out of the equation. Xu Xilin dug around in his pockets, and felt the 500 dollars his mom just gave him. Xu Xilin, who had just gained a new amount of pocket money, turned around and headed to the school's grocery. He bought a bag of iced drinks and brought them to the court, distributing them to the people in them. Afterwards, he saved one for Tsai Jing––Tsai Jing never hang out with them on Monday's PE class. He had a night shift on Mondays, and had to utilize the time for homework.

Dou Xun had already returned to the classroom earlier on––the wooden stick had left a bruise on his arm, and it throbbed every time he moved it.