The Daily Record of Secretly Loving the Male Idol Chapter 21.1

maripaz with a message from tranzgeek: We are currently looking for help translating, translation checking and/or editing for the novel Master Devil Don't Kiss Me. No experience necessary, and you don't have to be fluent in Chinese to help translate. The novel is supposed to be quite easy. It's also supposed to be way better than the drama. ^_^ If anyone is interested, please email [email protected] Try it out! It will be fun! : )

Minodayz:  It's exams time.  Since translating this story, even I developing a phobia of the Chinese education system … the amount of exams is just scary ~ kudos to Chinese students – I do salute you! Our foursome have such varying ways to prep for their exams, it's almost funny. First snow & the upcoming Lunar New Year's Festival….

Chapter 21.1 : Black and White

Translated by Minodayz
Edited by Librismuse, Miss Bookie & maripaz

All too soon it was the start of the dreaded monthly exams. After the last monthly exam, both Peng Zige and Su Zi began their academic rivalry and had since been 'gnawing' through their textbooks and revision worksheets.  Rong Si was, as usual, maintaining his typical unharried manner; his movements neither fast nor slow. He calmly finished his breakfast, pulled his seat out to sit, and then plugged earphones into his ears before starting his revision. What really surprised these three was the actions of the independent and unpredictable rogue Li Erqin, who usually ran on her own rhythm. She was sprawled on her desk sticking right into her revision work.

Su Zi took advantage of the time when she was switching out textbooks to cast a glance at Li Erqin. She realised that Li Erqin was always struggling with the same Physics workbook. After a while, she couldn't resist elbowing Li Erqin.

"What's the matter?"

Su Zi pointed to the books on her table. "The next exam is History."

"I know that."

Su Zi: "… …" She thought for awhile before saying, "Aren't you worried about the other subjects?"

With her pen between two fingers and her palm supporting her chin, Li Erqin replied, "Should be alright, I'm more worried about Physics."

As they were conversing, a s.h.a.ggy head appeared at the back door of the cla.s.sroom, "Ah Zi … Erqin …"

Peng Zige's attention was immediately drawn, and just from her voice, he was able to identify the person. Smiling, he turned back, "What brings you here?"

"I came to see how you guys were getting along with your prep … And at the same time, I thought I'd check to see if your key questions are the same as ours."

Su Zi immediately replied, "Quickly! Come on in."

Ruan Nuonuo sat between Li Erqin and Su Zi. Glancing at Li Erqin's Physics worksheet, she commented, "Huh? Don't we have our History exam next?"

Su Zi nonchalantly waved her hands, "Don't mind her. 'Great G.o.ds don't walk the commoner's road'." After saying that, her eyes naturally glanced towards the other 'Great G.o.d'.

Ruan Nuonuo followed Su Zi's glance. "What is student Rong Si looking at?"

There was no answer forthcoming.

Her questioning eyes sought out Peng Zige.

Peng Zige casually tugged on Rong Si's earphones. "His music tends to be a tad loud."

With his earphones pulled out, Rong Si gave a helpless sigh. He lifted his head to notice that everyone was looking at him. He glanced past them, pausing on Li Erqin and her revision work and raised an eyebrow.

Li Erqin's brows gave a start (her eyebrows jumped! lol).

"Give me your revision questionnaire," Rong Si plainly requested, "and your answers too."

Li Erqin docilely complied.

Rong Si quickly scanned through the questions and then looked through Li Erqin's answers. He made a few calculations and corrected them with a few strokes: "Look here."

He suddenly paused as Li Erqin had unconsciously leaned across, and her head was almost touching his.

(minodayz: padam! Padam!)

"You are still making the same mistake at this step of the equation." Rong Si was explaining in a calm manner (平缓无波 – smooth without any waves) when he suddenly paused and raised his head. "You guys need something?"

The three who had been randomly watching Rong Si collectively shook their heads in response.

Rong Si sat quietly (almost meditative like) without moving.

The other three conspicuously tried to cover up their earlier actions and quickly opened their books. "Hey, Su Zi, have a look at this chapter…"  

At this, Rong Si settled back and started explaining once again to Li Erqin the mistake she had made.

It was the day after the monthly exams had ended.  Li Erqin was woken up from her deep sleep by the alarm clock. Rubbing her eyes as she looked out the window, she let out a happy exclamation: "WOW!"

It was snowing.

Together with Su Zi, they washed up in the s.h.i.+vering cold and then playfully headed towards Ruan Nuonuo's room to meet up. A thoughtful Ruan Nuonuo had already prepared three hand warmers, and she was all smiles as she thrusted them into their hands.

Like any other day, yet not quite like any other day.

Because it was snowing.

The three of them walked along the long hostel corridor and out the front door. The Peng Zige duo had already been waiting for them for quite some time. From afar, one could see Peng Zige jumping up and down like a monkey, rubbing his hands together and occasionally turning his head in the direction of the girls.

Then there was Rong Si standing with his usual tall and 'suave' bearing, his black brows twinkling white with a dusting of snow.

A dazzling white against ebony black.

Li Erqin was slowly walking forward when she caught sight of a brightness that shone through Rong Si's inky black eyes. She was momentarily stunned.

A thought suddenly crossed her mind: 'Those hands that are currently in the pockets of his dark-coloured down jacket, I wonder what they'd feel like? (literal: I wonder what temperature the hands are)'

(Minodayz: oooo … LEQ, what's with all these thoughts!!!!  Your symptoms have worsen .….. I think you've got it bad! lol)

At that thought, her face flushed hot, and she even felt her whole body heating up!

Su Zi sensed her delayed footsteps and looked back. "What's the matter?"

Li Erqin shook her head, but when her eyes connected with Rong Si's, her whole mind seemed to explode like fireworks.

This time, even Ruan Nuonuo sensed that something was not right with her. "Erqin, are you alright?"

Li Erqin held her hand warmer (TN: hot water bottle). "I'm really hungry, so hungry that my mind has gone completely blank."

Su Zi and Ruan Nuonuo broke out in laughter.

Peng Zige curiously watched them laughing away as they drew closer and asked suspiciously, "Who are you guys talking about behind their backs? You're all laughing so strangely!"

"We're definitely not talking about you!" Su Zi prodded him, "Don't flatter yourself!" (Literal: imagining affections where there are none)

"Pfft!" He had both his hands stuffed into his pockets. He didn't like the cold so he refused to take them out. Thus he used his arm to b.u.mp Rong Si. "Let's go, Rong Si. I'm dying of hunger already!"

Rong Si smiled and then glanced at Li Erqin.

Li Erqin froze, arrested by his gaze. The numbness seemed to spread from the base of her spine to the top of her head, and all her head could say was: '(I'm) finished, finished, finished.'

"Erqin, why is your face so red?" Peng Zige asked her.

Li Erqin's face remained red, but her voice was unchanged as she replied, "Strong winds, (wind) blowing."

"Oh." Peng Zige pouted before responding, and then his voice brightened, "Let's go to the small cafeteria! Beef Noodle Soup! Beef Noodle Soup! Beef Noodle Soup!"

Su Zi ridiculed him, "So early in the morning and you're so intense/hardcore!" (重口味 – literal: strong taste. It's a kind of slang that means hardcore, but here it's also a play on PZG wanting to have beef noodles, which have a strong taste and/or intensity)

Peng Zige clucked his tongue and shook his head. "I can tell you little ladies don't have any common sense! Men are carnivores. If we don't eat meat, how can we help you girls with the heavy ch.o.r.es?"

"Then what heavy ch.o.r.es have you done?" Su Zi countered.

Peng Zige was stuck for words and at that moment, couldn't come up with any other hard labour than hauling water.

As Peng Zige wasn't able to give a quick reply to the conversation topic, the group trod quietly through the snow-covered sports field.

Li Erqin finally commented: "Endure your humiliation in silence." (忍辱负重 Idiom : to endure humiliation as part of an important mission or to suffer in silence)

"Pooh!"

Minodayz : Oh myyyy..those 2 leads are just getting cuter yet almost none the wiser…well, I like to say LEQ is catching on to it but those smiles RS throws at her, almost as if he is also beginning to do his 'reeling' (fis.h.i.+ng term LOL) of his own! !!!  I thoroughly love PZG and SZ's banter & LEQ getting in the last word! ROFL!!!  PZG just can't hold himself up against LEQ!… with RNN now in the mix, not sure how our group dynamics will evolve and how PZG will react if either should confess….hmmmm… just throwing that out! Hahahaha!!!! Onwards to the next part…..

[][][]