Futile Devices Scans

After clinging to Zhi Li’s thigh for a long time as if they were parting in life and death, the two little devils were picked up that very night. Ke Bu reached a conclusion in his heart: with Zhi Li, those who liked him would like him very much, and those who hated him would hate him very much. The class bell rang through the classroom. Ke Bu raised both hands and stretched, straightened his legs, and collapsed limply on the stool. Spring was impatiently pouring in through the half-open window, pouring in endlessly—slightly warm wind, slightly warm sunlight, a slightly warm breath, a slightly warm atmosphere. Ying Xiu Jie walked in as if this were his own classroom. A section of black hair had already grown out beneath his short golden hair, the layers very distinct. He plopped down on the desk beside Zhi Li, forever looking as energetic as if he had been injected with chicken blood, even in this lazy season.

“How great would it be if things could be switched around? Class time could be ten minutes, and break time could be forty-five minutes.”

“Keep dreaming. I had that idea back in middle school, and now I’ve already recognized reality.” Ke Bu poured cold water on him.

“You give up too easily. I believe that day will come eventually.”

“I’m afraid you’ll die before you can wait for it.”

Chu Hao Yu joined the conversation. “If we’re talking about switching things around, I think girls’ underwear should be worn on the outside. Isn’t it really strange? Some underwear is designed beautifully and is expensive too, but if they wear it inside, no one can see it. Why do girls buy it? Since it’s all covered by the clothes outside anyway, wearing something ordinary wouldn’t make a difference, right?”

The three boys sank into deep thought. What Chu Hao Yu said made sense. They simply did not understand girls’ thoughts. Some things girls thought were only natural, boys found completely baffling. Ke Bu pinched his chin. “It’s probably to protect their chests. Don’t people always say you get what you pay for? Maybe the prettier and more expensive ones slow down the speed of sagging.”

“That’s also possible.” Chu Hao Yu agreed.

“I actually think, why do girls wear underwear in the first place? Doesn’t something like that feel tiring when it tightens around you? It’s not convenient for exercise either, and it’s hot in summer. Such a hassle.” Ying Xiu Jie was very simple when it came to this kind of thing. Gong Zhu put his pen into his pencil case and gently zipped it shut. “Probably because clothes these days are becoming more and more see-through. In summer, when you walk behind girls on the street, it’s often easy to see their underwear through their clothes from the outside, so maybe that’s why they wear prettier ones.”

“But the year doesn’t only have summer as a season. Zhi Li, what do you think? Why do girls buy expensive and beautiful underwear that can’t be shown to other people?”

The group looked toward Zhi Li. Zhi Li thought about it, then with clear, natural eyes, said seriously, “Probably because they’re always prepared for someone to take it off.”

Chu Hao Yu struck his fist into his palm. “So that’s how it is.”

“That makes sense now.”

“Right.”

“Don’t agree so easily!!! If you think about it, that’s obviously impossible, right!! Speaking of which, when did we start talking about this topic? Ying Xiu Jie, what exactly did you come here for?” Ke Bu spoke up to stop them.

“If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would’ve forgotten. I’m going to dye my hair. Anyone who wants a haircut can come along.”

Ke Bu scratched his own hair. It really had been a long time since he had gotten a haircut. Gong Zhu looked over the four boys in front of him and smiled. “I think everyone should go together. It’ll be livelier. Call You Yan and Xin He too, and let them give some opinions.”

“It’s been a long time since we saw Zhang Luo.”

“He’s holed up somewhere, saying he’s going to create a masterpiece.”

“Him? Maybe he’s already died suddenly in front of his computer.”

“In twenty years, that kind of death might become common.”

After school, everyone gathered at the school gate. Zhi Li arrived late with his handsome beauty. A simple shirt, simple jeans, and simple canvas shoes became scenery when worn on Zhi Li. His damp hair carried the scent of shampoo as it flowed through the air.

“Aren’t they going to wash your hair when you get a haircut?” Gong Zhu asked.

“He has a lot of things he can’t tolerate.” Ke Bu explained from the side. “He doesn’t like getting his hair washed at the barber shop.”

“Why?” Zhou Xin He also found it strange.

“He can’t stand being looked down at by someone while lying there getting his hair washed, and he can’t stand being touched by people he doesn’t know. His bottom line is letting other people cut his hair. Tsk, tsk, what a spoiled child. Look at how carefree I am. Anyone can touch my hair—uncle, auntie, ladyboy, girl, boy, come touch it as much as you want.” Ke Bu was somewhat proud.

“Yes, yes, you’re amazing.” Zhi Li pressed his hand onto Ke Bu’s head and rubbed it wildly.

“This is malicious revenge.”

“You saw through that too.”

“Zhi Li, hurry and look.” Zhi Li was called over by Chu Hao Yu. Chu Hao Yu excitedly pointed not far away. “Look, those two dogs are mating in the street.”

“…” Ke Bu had the impulse to spit at Chu Hao Yu. He had thought something had happened. Zhi Li looked at the two dogs, then looked at Chu Hao Yu. “That’s how you got your family’s dog pregnant, isn’t it?”

“…”

Ke Bu laughed so hard behind them that his stomach hurt. Su You Yan walked over beside Ke Bu and swept a cold gaze over him. “You’ve been in quite a good mood lately.”

“Not really. It’s only alright.”

“It’s because of Zhi Li.”

“It is not.” Ke Bu denied it guiltily, then added, “But lately, he’s been… how should I put it, docile or something.”

Su You Yan looked up at the sky, carrying a trace of deeper meaning. “Cherish this season properly. After all, summer isn’t far away.”

“What does that mean!! Can’t you interpret it as Zhi Li perhaps becoming kinder? It’s not because this lazy season has made him lazy too… It’s definitely not that.” Ke Bu’s voice grew smaller and smaller as he spoke, until even he himself had no confidence.

“Is that so?”

“What’s with that disbelieving tone? I, I believe in Zhi Li.”

“Can your belief and your understanding be equated?”

“No.”

The barber shop in the small town was not very large, so the group had to take turns. Ke Bu, who finished getting his hair cut first, felt absolutely refreshed. Together with Chu Hao Yu, Su You Yan, and Gong Zhu, who had also finished their haircuts, he stood outside the door waiting. Chu Hao Yu looked through the glass door at Ying Xiu Jie. “You Yan, do you want to learn from those cute girls in anime and tie two braids or wear a hair ribbon or something?”

“I’m not an idiot.”

Ke Bu nodded in agreement. “Whether it’s anime or manga, the gap between them and reality is too big. It looks cute in animation, but if a real person did it like that, they’d look like some tacky village girl instead. Take hairstyles, for example. In anime, handsome guys all have hair that’s a little long, lightly covering their eyes, and it’s so handsome it’s unbearable. In reality, only vagrants and non-mainstream types keep hairstyles like that. This is cruel reality.”

“In BL manga, dicks are drawn beautifully too, but in reality…” Su You Yan glanced sideways at Chu Hao Yu, Ke Bu, and Gong Zhu. Ke Bu covered his important area with both hands. “Don’t suddenly say something shocking!!”

Gong Zhu asked, “Then what kind of hairstyle does Ke Bu like on boys?”

Ke Bu frowned and thought. Excluding the long hair he hated, the ones that covered the eyes, the ones with a huge clump left in front, the heavy ones, the overly flat ones, and middle parts, what remained was… Zhi Li pushed open the glass door and came out. Ke Bu raised his head and froze. The fine, refreshing strands of hair were dyed with a faint halo by the orange sunset, as if desperately trying to set off that clean, untainted face. He had thought Zhi Li was already good-looking enough, but he had not expected him to become even better-looking. Hadn’t he already been looking at this person for six years? Not good! His heart was moved, very moved. His chest was thumping hard. Ke Bu worried that the enormous sound would let the whole world hear. What should he do? The more he tried to force it down, the more intense it became.

Su You Yan answered Gong Zhu’s question for Ke Bu. “The type he likes is already very obvious.”

Zhi Li walked up to Ke Bu, stretched out his hand, bent his middle finger and thumb, and lightly flicked Ke Bu on the forehead. “Did I enchant you?”

“I’m not telling you.”

By the time Ying Xiu Jie finished dyeing his hair, the sky had already gone completely dark. The group ahead laughed and mocked each other’s hairstyles. Ke Bu and Zhi Li walked behind them. From time to time, Ke Bu glanced sideways at Zhi Li’s profile from the corner of his eye. Damn it, good-looking. Really good-looking. Zhi Li was very good-looking.

“Oh right, no matter how pretty girls’ underwear is, you still have to control the impulse to help them take it off.” A long-ago topic suddenly popped out because Ke Bu was trying to find a way to soothe his restless heart.

“Although I don’t wear underwear, don’t act cute, don’t have cute dresses, won’t make you loving bentos, and of course won’t give birth to children for you either. But that doesn’t mean I’m inferior to girls. I think you should understand that very clearly.” Ke Bu bit his lower lip as he spoke. Zhi Li said nothing. In the dim line of sight, he could not see Zhi Li’s expression clearly, and even if he could see it, it would still be difficult to guess.

“Am I too selfish, too willful, and meddling too much?” Ke Bu asked weakly. Zhi Li reached out and ruffled Ke Bu’s hair into a mess. “You’re starting to speak idiot language again.”

“What!! You want to fight, is that it?” Ke Bu rolled up his sleeves, looking ready to strike back.

“So I’m saying…”

“So you’re saying??”

“In front of me…”

“In front of you??”

“You can be a little more selfish, a little more willful, and meddle a little more.”

Ke Bu stood where he was. In the darkness, a beautiful light flickered in his black eyes. Zhi Li walked a few steps and realized Ke Bu had not followed. He turned his head to the side and stared at Ke Bu. Ke Bu rushed up and tightly hugged Zhi Li’s arm.

“What are you doing?”

“Grabbing tight and properly cherishing this season of spring.”

Spring pierced through the night, kept piercing through it—slightly warm wind, slightly warm moonlight, a slightly warm breath, a slightly warm atmosphere, a slightly warm you, a slightly warm me, and also, a slightly warm love.

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