Chapter 15: Subtle Changes in My Deskmate, The House Is Gone

On the side, Zhou Ran was biting her lip hard as she dialed the police. She was furious and heartbroken. If Song Kai really licked the basketball, she swore she would never speak to her deskmate again.

The call connected, and Zhou Ran began, “Hello, is this the police station? I want to report—” Before she could finish, Song Kai suddenly raised the basketball in his hand and slammed it into Zhang Meng’s face with a loud thud. As the ball bounced away, Song Kai swung a punch, landing it on Zhang Meng’s chin. Zhang Meng’s body tilted sideways, and Song Kai seized the moment to drive his knee into Zhang Meng’s chest, right at the solar plexus.

In just three moves, the massive Zhang Meng, who weighed over two hundred pounds, collapsed to the ground, clutching his chest. He couldn’t even speak, let alone stand.

Everything happened so quickly that no one else had time to react before Zhang Meng was already at Song Kai’s feet, blood streaming from his face and mouth where the basketball had struck him.

Song Kai placed his foot on Zhang Meng’s face and looked at the other four boys, a cold smile on his lips. “Who’s next?”

The four of them swallowed nervously, fear written all over their faces. They were nothing like Zhang Meng; they hadn’t been paid by Chen Haijun and had no reason to risk themselves.

Song Kai strolled over, picked up the basketball, now smeared with Zhang Meng’s nosebleed.

He walked back to Zhang Meng, squatted down, and said, “Lick it.”

Zhang Meng glared at Song Kai in rage.

Song Kai raised a fist and punched Zhang Meng in the ribs, right at a vital point. The blow made Zhang Meng’s whole body shudder in agony, yet he couldn’t make a sound. The knee to his chest had already left him struggling for breath.

“Lick it,” Song Kai repeated, fist raised again.

This time Zhang Meng didn’t resist. Tears welled in his eyes, blood covered his nose, and his burly body now seemed as helpless as a crawfish. He stuck out his tongue and licked the blood and mucus from the basketball.

The students watching were completely petrified.

“Hello, ma’am? Can you tell me what’s happened?” Zhou Ran’s phone crackled with the dispatcher’s voice.

Zhou Ran was still in shock. Only after the operator asked three times did she snap out of it and hurriedly replied, “Oh, sorry, I made a mistake. It’s nothing, nothing at all.”

“Ma’am, you’re wasting our police resources!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Zhou Ran hung up quickly. She felt as if she didn’t recognize Song Kai at all—this timid deskmate, when had he become so fierce?

She recalled vividly how, after Song Kai’s family went bankrupt, he owed gambling debts and came to her house to borrow money, only for her mother to scold him so harshly that she practically cursed his ancestors. Yet Song Kai hadn’t dared utter a word and left with his tail between his legs.

Was this really the same useless, weak-willed, irresponsible Song Kai as before?

Zhou Ran’s beautiful eyes widened. Seeing so many students around and knowing a teacher would arrive soon, she hurried over, tugged Song Kai’s sleeve, and whispered, “Let’s go! Do you want to get expelled?”

Song Kai stood up, glanced at the basketball in his hand, then looked toward the hoop over ten meters away. With a casual flick, he threw the ball.

The basketball traced a perfect arc and landed in the hoop with a clang. This was far easier than pitching arrows into a pot.

“Whoa!”

“No way!”

“Is that for real?”

The surrounding students gasped in amazement, then someone started clapping, soon followed by a chorus of cheers and applause.

Zhou Ran’s heart raced. She grabbed Song Kai and hurried out of the crowd toward the cafeteria.

Zhang Meng lay there, hiding his head in his arms, too ashamed to show his face. Chen Haijun and his crew were grinding their teeth in fury.

“Boss, something’s not right. Since when has that guy been so tough?”

“And that last shot—even the NBA doesn’t exaggerate like that.”

“We’re done for, boss. I bet, instead of driving Zhou Ran away, she’ll be checking into a hotel with Song Kai tonight.”

Chen Haijun glared, “Shut your damned mouth! Don’t jinx it. Song Kai, you asked for this!”

With that, Chen Haijun turned and strode away.

……

In the cafeteria, Zhou Ran was ordering food non-stop.

“Steamed fish, braised pork, grilled lamb chops, and the deep-fried crayfish—yes, all large portions,” she rattled off, each dish costing over thirty yuan.

Song Kai’s face turned green. He tugged her arm, “Are you a pig? That’s so much food and so greasy! Just get the small portions, the servings here are big enough. Stop ordering!”

“Let go! What are you doing, trying to take advantage of me?” Zhou Ran shot him a glare.

Song Kai looked aggrieved, “You’re the one taking advantage! We agreed not to order anything over ten yuan!”

“You’re so stingy. Most of those dishes, you ate four-fifths of them!” Zhou Ran teased, her eyes narrowing in laughter.

“Hmph!”

Song Kai continued reading his book, but his heart ached for his wallet.

With the table groaning under the weight of food, Song Kai sighed in despair.

“Eat up!” Zhou Ran said, tearing into the lamb chops.

“Ugh! Eat yourself fat!” Song Kai cursed, but he dug in too. The money was spent; there was no point regretting it now.

Watching Song Kai devour the meat, Zhou Ran’s eyes narrowed with quiet satisfaction.

After lunch, they returned to the classroom. Song Kai resumed reading his physics textbook.

Zhou Ran watched him flip through the pages as if reading a novel, which annoyed her. She leaned closer and said, “Hey, if you really want to study, I can help you. The way you’re reading now is pointless.”

Without looking up, Song Kai replied, “If you really want to help, get me all the math, English, chemistry, and biology textbooks from first to third year in high school. I’ll be grateful to your ancestors for three generations, and I won’t even complain about the hundred and fifty yuan you spent today.”

Zhou Ran laughed, her eyes turning to crescents. “You’re so petty, still hung up on that hundred and fifty, when you ate four-fifths of the food.”

“Hmph!”

Song Kai buried himself in his book.

After school, Song Kai stretched, thought for a moment, and sent Xu Ling a WeChat message: “Honey, what are you doing?”

“Busy. If you want money, forget it,” Xu Ling replied instantly.

Song Kai was speechless, so he sent a selfie, saying, “Honey, school’s out. How about you treat me to dinner? And then a movie? The new Kung Fu 2 just came out, I heard it’s great—Stephen Chow’s film.”

“Get lost…”

Short and to the point, and that was it.

Song Kai looked at his phone and shrugged.

Just then, his phone rang. The caller was Zhang Dejun, his landlord.

“Is he chasing me for rent?” Song Kai broke out in a cold sweat. The apartment was old, but spacious, and in the city center. Four thousand yuan a month was reasonable.

But he only had four thousand left to his name!

Nervously, Song Kai answered. “Uncle Zhang, have you eaten yet?”

“Song Kai, I’ve put your things downstairs. Collect them when you get back. You don’t need to pay last month’s rent,” Zhang Dejun’s voice was steady, but resolute.

Song Kai felt a pang of frustration. He hurried to say, “Uncle Zhang, what’s going on? I never said I wouldn’t pay. Let me give you this month’s rent first, and I’ll pay the rest as soon as I have the money!”

There was a pause before Zhang Dejun spoke again. “Song Kai, I know you’re having a hard time, and I know you’re broke. Your father helped me once long ago—he probably doesn’t remember, but I do. I never planned to chase you for rent, but this time it’s different. My wife suddenly had a stroke and was rushed to the hospital. It’s serious—she needs surgery and the fees are high. Someone offered to pay three years’ rent in advance. I have no choice. I’m sorry, Xiao Kai, but you’ll need to find another place.”

Song Kai was silent for a moment, then said, “Alright, Uncle Zhang, let’s not talk about the rent for now. Which hospital is Auntie in? I’ll go visit her.”

“Tengyun First People’s Hospital. I have to get to the hospital now—goodbye.”

The call ended.

Song Kai threw his backpack onto the desk, thought for a moment about the symptoms of a stroke, then ran toward the pharmacy at the school gate…