Love Me in Another Universe

Chapter 31 Soupy's Confusion (Part 2)

September 4, 1995, Monday.

Guan Xuchen walked to school alone, his face etched with worry. Over the past weekend, Gao Xinglang had not asked him to play basketball or called him. He had not gone to see Gao Xinglang again either. He had not gone to watch Gao Xinglang's training on Saturday, or to tutor Gao Xinglang in English on Sunday evening.

This morning, he left home and went to the entrance of Gao Xinglang's residential quarter. But he didn't see Gao Xinglang waiting for him as usual to go to school together. He thought sadly, "Maybe Lang really doesn't consider me a friend anymore."

Guan Xuchen continued to walk to school alone, kicking small pebbles on the road, when suddenly he heard a 'clang'. He recalled being bullied by a beggar last year, and his heart tightened. He looked up and saw that it was merely a pebble that had struck a roadside trash can.

He also recalled how Gao Xinglang rescued him from the beggar last year, and he sighed.

At that moment, Guan Xuchen heard a familiar voice calling from behind, "Soupy, Soupy, wait for me!"

Turning around, he saw Gao Xinglang running towards him and asked with delight, "Lang, what are you doing here?"

"Soupy, you're one to talk," Gao Xinglang complained with a smile. "I overslept today, and you just left without me? I saw you pass by the entrance of the residential quarter. I called out to you many times, but you just didn't hear me!"

"Oh, really? I'm sorry, Lang," Guan Xuchen rubbed his nose and said in an injured tone, "I—I thought you—you didn't want to go to school with me anymore."

"Ah? Why wouldn't I want to go to school with you?" Gao Xinglang feigned confusion, then answered his own question, "Oh, are you talking about what happened last Friday? Hey, didn't I tell you, Bro Feifan is just sharp-tongued. Don't pay him any mind."

Guan Xuchen remembered Gao Xinglang's indifferent attitude towards him last Friday, and muttered with his head down, "Is that really what you think?"

"Soupy, what did you say?" Gao Xinglang seemed not to catch what Guan Xuchen said.

"Nothing. I meant..." Guan Xuchen raised his head and said with a tinge of dissatisfaction, "Then why didn't you come to play basketball with me over the weekend, or call me?"

"Oh, I had to train on Saturday. And then on Sunday, I went to see some relatives with my parents..." Gao Xinglang paused for a second, and then continued with self-assurance, "When I didn't call you, you could have called me instead. Besides, you didn't even come to watch me train on Saturday, nor did you help me with my English on Sunday."

Seeing Gao Xinglang's attitude, Guan Xuchen suddenly felt a bit angry and said, "I'm not Coach Yang or Miss Song. So why do I have to come and watch you train or help you with your English?"

After that, he pouted and continued towards the school on his own, ignoring Gao Xinglang.

Gao Xinglang was stunned for a moment, then he caught up, grasping Guan Xuchen's arm, and said with an apologetic look, "Soupy, I'm sorry, that's not what I meant..."

Guan Xuchen stopped, looked at Gao Xinglang, and asked with moist eyes, "Lang, do you dislike me and no longer want to be friends with me?"

Seeing Guan Xuchen on the verge of tears, Gao Xinglang became somewhat flustered and quickly said, "No, it's not like that. Soupy, why are you talking such nonsense today..."

Suddenly realizing his words might have been inappropriate, he said earnestly, "I, Gao Xinglang, and you, Guan Xuchen, will always be good friends, forever and ever!"