A New Gift Part 1

Lin Rong always used to joke that she didn't know who Song Yu took after; the kid's heart was harder than a rock, unmoving when poked and unresponsive when knocked.

The hard-hearted Song Yu was always self-contained, uninterested in others and the outside world, never expressing or revealing anything. Yue Zhishi felt he enjoyed living a hidden life, truly like a buried stone.

Once he did express something, it seemed exceptionally abrupt.

In the darkened dormitory, Yue Zhishi repeatedly opened his phone, clicked on that Moments post, glanced at it, and then closed it again. This meaningless, repetitive action did nothing to dissipate the bubbling joy in his heart. He couldn't fall asleep peacefully.

The joy also defeated his reason. Yue Zhishi stopped thinking about why Song Yu was acting abnormally, and holding onto this fragile happiness, he forced himself to close his eyes and sleep.

The day Song Yu returned from his field assignment happened to be the day Yue Zhishi had his interview for the main team. Lacking confidence, he had been dragged along by Qin Yan, who said he should at least go check it out, and it wouldn't matter if he was eliminated. So, he was persuaded. Just an hour before he was scheduled to meet Qin Yan at the school gymnasium, he received a call from Song Yu.

“I’m almost at your school,” Song Yu said, asking where he was.

Without a second word, Yue Zhishi ran to find his brother. The sun was intense, tree shadows and spots of light intertwining. Yue Zhishi, wearing a white jersey with yellow trim, ran past a few girls holding parasols, kicking up a breeze.

Song Yu was standing by the transparent glass door on the first floor of a teaching building, his head slightly lowered as he looked at his phone. Though people were coming and going inside, he seemed to have a natural aura of isolation from the world. Yue Zhishi spotted him in an instant.

He pushed the door open and went in. The air conditioning was on full blast, and the sudden change from hot to cold made him shiver uncontrollably. Just then, Song Yu looked up and saw him. His gaze clearly changed from indifference to one with emotion as he walked toward Yue Zhishi from a pillar in the first-floor lobby.

“Why are you dressed like this?” Song Yu sized up his jersey. His collarbones and arms were exposed. His skin was already very fair, and wearing an all-white jersey, he was as dazzling as a small porcelain doll standing under the sun.

“I’m going to the sports department in a bit. Brother Qin Yan said he’d take me to the tryouts.” Afraid of being mocked by Song Yu, Yue Zhishi resorted to a self-deprecating preemptive strike. “I know I definitely won't get picked, I just want to go and see.”

As he got closer, he smelled the faint scent of lemon on Song Yu, the fragrance of his usual body wash. He also noticed that Song Yu was wearing a loose, plain white T-shirt with no decorations. He had no backpack, and his hair was loose, giving him a languid feel, not at all like someone who had just returned, travel-worn, from out of town.

“It’s dangerous for you to play competitive games with your physical condition,” Song Yu said anyway.

Yue Zhishi changed the subject. “Did you shower after you got back?”

Song Yu froze for a moment, then grunted in affirmation after a while, his expression a bit awkward. “Showering makes me feel more comfortable.”

“It smells so good.” Yue Zhishi took another step closer. “I really like the scent of this body wash. It’s a bit like that ‘boyfriend fragrance’ my high school deskmate had me smell.”

The rhythm of Song Yu's speech was often interrupted by Yue Zhishi's sudden expressions, and he sometimes had to find it again himself.

First, he said that if Yue Zhishi liked it, he could buy the same one. Then he lowered his head and reached into his pants pocket. “I picked something up on this trip.” He said it very casually, as if he had picked up a discarded wad of paper or a drink bottle, but when he took it out, Yue Zhishi saw that it was a very peculiar stone. Its surface was black, a bit like coal, although Yue Zhishi had never seen real coal.

He carefully picked up the stone lying in Song Yu's palm. It wasn't large, about the size of a mangosteen, and its shape was a little strange. The outer layer was black, and as Yue Zhishi turned it around, he discovered one side had been cut. The cut surface revealed a lustrous, beautiful blue stone texture, crisscrossed with a few dark lines.

“What is this? It’s so beautiful!” Yue Zhishi looked up at him, his amber pupils shining.

Song Yu then took out a small transparent bag containing a very thin slice of the stone as a specimen. A label was stuck on the bag with the three characters for Turquoise, along with a location and time.

“The mountainous area we went to seems to be a place where this type of stone is produced. I happened to see it during fieldwork, so I picked one up, made a sliced specimen, and since I have no use for the rest, you can have it, if you want.”

His tone was still that of nonchalance, but Yue Zhishi was overjoyed. “Of course I want it!” His gaze shifted from the stone to Song Yu's face. “Did everyone pick one up?”

Song Yu averted his gaze. “Not really.” It was only him.

“I thought so too.” Yue Zhishi stared at his gift. “This looks so dark and drab, it must be hard to spot if it's just lying in a mountain gully. You’re amazing.”

His praise was always unreserved.

“It’s nothing, I’ve studied it a little, after all.”

“Are you giving this whole piece to me?” Yue Zhishi asked, holding the stone and looking at him. “All of it?”

Song Yu nodded, shaking the specimen in his hand. “I only need a small slice. The rest is yours.”

“In the future, too? You’ll probably find a lot more special little stones in the future, right? Can you give them all to me?” When Yue Zhishi spoke anxiously, he had a habit of reaching out to grab Song Yu’s wrist. His hand was very warm, and Song Yu’s skin was cool. What was conducted between them wasn’t just body heat, but also many faintly stirring emotions.

“My actual job isn’t picking up rocks, it was just a coincidence.” But Song Yu still added, “If I come across them, I’ll still take them.” He glanced at Yue Zhishi. “What are you going to do with so many rocks? Sell them?”

Yue Zhishi shook his head. “Of course I won't sell them. I'm going to keep them all for myself. This is a souvenir from an Earthwalker.”

The look on Song Yu’s face became awkward again. He changed the subject, asking what time Yue Zhishi was meeting Qin Yan. Only then did Yue Zhishi snap out of his daze, grabbing Song Yu's hand to check the time. “Good, good, there’s still half an hour.”

Originally, Song Yu had said he was going back to the dorm to sleep, but Yue Zhishi said he wanted Song Yu to accompany him for moral support. In the end, Song Yu couldn't refuse and agreed.

“But other people don’t know you’re my brother.”

“That doesn't matter.” Yue Zhishi was very naive. “If you’re standing there, I’ll be more easily distracted and less nervous.”

The walk from this building to the gymnasium was hot the entire way. Yue Zhishi looked a little enviously at the girls on the road holding umbrellas. “I want to use an umbrella too.”

Song Yu looked at his exposed skin, so fair it was dazzling. “You should wear a sun shirt.”

Yue Zhishi ignored his suggestion. “Let me tell you, Jiang Yufan shows off in front of me every day, saying how great it is to have a girlfriend. Now he can use the excuse of holding an umbrella for his girlfriend to use one himself when he goes out, so he doesn't have to be scorched by the sun. He also said his girlfriend's hands are small and super cute, and they feel very comfortable to hold.”

After hearing this, Song Yu grabbed his palm and pulled it up, saying rather inappropriately, “Yours aren’t big either.”

Yue Zhishi frowned at his words, thinking it was a kind of taunt. He pulled his hand back. “They’re quite big. I can hold a basketball with one hand for ten seconds.”

“So amazing,” Song Yu praised emotionlessly.

The two of them met Qin Yan at the bottom of the gymnasium. He was squatting on the steps, playing a game, looking extremely down-to-earth. It wasn't until Song Yu walked up the steps and stood in front of him that Qin Yan looked up. “Yo, you’re back. You came to accompany your brother too?”

He looked at Yue Zhishi. “Lele looks really handsome in this jersey.”

“Can’t I come?” Song Yu asked.

Qin Yan stood up, stretched his neck, and led the two upstairs. “Who said you couldn’t? Even though you, scumbag, let me down, our team will forever remember your contributions.”

This sounded funny no matter how you heard it. Yue Zhishi casually asked, “So have you interviewed any suitable new players? Anyone who can compare to my brother?”

“Look at what Lele is saying. The subtext is that no one can compare to your brother.” After teasing him, Qin Yan said seriously, “We actually did find a suitable one. His physical fitness and explosive power are pretty good, and there's room for improvement in his technique. He can probably fill Song Yu’s spot, thankfully.”

Yue Zhishi nodded and said, "That's good." From the hallway, he could already hear the squeaking of basketball shoes on the floor. Qin Yan pushed open the door. There were quite a few people inside, with the old team members and the freshmen who came for the interview separated into two areas. Qin Yan walked in front, and many people greeted him and Song Yu as they passed. Yue Zhishi felt a bit awkward, having the illusion of being escorted in by two big shots. Everyone would glance at him as well.

So he stepped back a little. Qin Yan saw someone and turned his head to tell the two of them, “Hey, that’s the freshman I was talking about who’s going to replace Song Yu.” After speaking, he whistled at the person’s back.

The other person turned around, and Yue Zhishi was a little surprised. “Shen Mi?”

Shen Mi saw them too, tossed the ball to someone else, and ran over, warm and cheerful. Qin Yan had a very satisfied expression, arms crossed, and bumped Song Yu's shoulder with his own. “How about it? This successor I found for you isn't bad, right?”

“I really have to thank you for this.” Song Yu’s eyes darkened, his tone so strange that it made Qin Yan give him a sideways glance.

“What’s with you? Did you learn face-changing in the mountains and come back?”

Having arrived, Shen Mi greeted them warmly. “Senior Qin Yan, Senior Song Yu.” Then he smiled at Yue Zhishi. “Lele, you came too.”

“I came to have a look.” Yue Zhishi felt a bit insecure, but he still smiled at him. “Congratulations, I heard you made the main team.”

Shen Mi scratched the back of his head. “Ah, it was mainly good timing, since Senior Song Yu was about to quit.”

“Who said I was quitting?” Song Yu raised an eyebrow. “I just said I was taking a backseat, I never meant I was leaving the team.”

Qin Yan turned his head to face Song Yu, his eyes wide as saucers. “Bro, are you messing with me?”

“You’re really not quitting?” Yue Zhishi grabbed Song Yu's arm, ecstatic. “Then, brother, you’re staying on the Basketball Team? Won't it be too tiring?”

Song Yu was clearly answering Yue Zhishi’s question, but his eyes glanced at Shen Mi. “It’s fine to play occasionally.”

Shen Mi’s face didn’t show much disappointment. “That’s great. I was feeling quite regretful that I wouldn’t be able to spar with Senior Song Yu.”

Yue Zhishi nodded repeatedly. “My brother is really good at basketball. You’ll definitely improve if you practice with him.”

In any case, Song Yu not quitting the team was fantastic news for them. Although Qin Yan felt like he had been thoroughly played, he was still very excited to share this news with the other old team members.

“You’re really not leaving? That’s great, that’s great!”

“I was sad about it for a while.”

“Were you sad that half the girls watching the games would be gone?”

“Hahahaha! But why did Senior Song Yu suddenly change his mind?”

“I’m curious too!”

Just as everyone was gossiping, the door to the indoor basketball court was pushed open again. Yue Zhishi turned his head and looked over. “Eh? Senior Nan Jia?”

Nan Jia's appearance made all the boys in the gymnasium erupt with excitement, Qin Yan being no exception. Only Song Yu looked at Yue Zhishi. “Are you very familiar with her?”

“Huh?” Yue Zhishi blinked. “It’s a long story. Senior Nan Jia has helped me a lot, she’s a super nice person.”

The risk factor of this evaluation wasn't too high, so Song Yu set it aside for the time being.

Nan Jia was wearing a black, form-fitting sportswear set, very different from her usual attire. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and she looked full of energy. She greeted everyone enthusiastically. The popularity of the beautiful senior among the boys was self-evident. “Training must be tough. I bought milk tea for you all, it’ll be delivered soon.”

“Thank you, Senior!”

“Senior is the best!”

“Don’t be polite.” Nan Jia finally walked over to Qin Yan’s side. Seeing Song Yu, there was obvious surprise in Nan Jia’s eyes. “Weren’t you supposed to be quitting the team?”

“This kid eats his words. He’s not leaving anymore,” Qin Yan complained.

Song Yu shot him a disdainful glance. Nan Jia spoke again, “So that means you’re back too?”

“Too?” Yue Zhishi looked at Nan Jia in confusion, suddenly recalling the time he had a heatstroke, when Nan Jia had casually mentioned her experience as the team manager.