MM | Chapter 27

Forced Confession

Gao Tianyang’s WeChat profile picture is “Light of the Universe” and his nickname is “Boom,” probably self-proclaimed as the origin of all things.

According to Song Sirui, his original nickname was the English version of “Big Bang,” but since someone else had it, he shortened it to “Bang,” a pun meaning both explosive and awesome. However, Song Sirui and his friends affectionately called him “Bang Bang,” which annoyed him enough to change it.

Sheng Wang, being a bit of a peacock himself, couldn’t stand someone boasting right under his nose, so he noted Boom as “Plain and Simple Gao Tianyang.”

At this moment, Plain and Simple Gao Tianyang sent him a voice message.

Sheng Wang accidentally opened it, and his phone suddenly blasted with laughter, drawing looks from Sheng Mingyang and Jiang Ou.

Oh crap.

He quickly covered it, turning the voice message into text.

Plain and Simple Gao Tianyang: Hahahahaha, I saw the photo, Xi-ge sent it to me. Hold on, I’ll send it to you.

The next second, Sheng Wang was bombarded with embarrassing photos.

In the pictures, two thugs were squatting in the corner of “Those Years BBQ,” holding their heads in a pathetic, angry-but-silent manner. The photos were probably taken by Zhao Xi, showing their miserable state from all angles.

Plain and Simple Gao Tianyang: Sheng-ge, look at their faces. Are they the two idiots who set you up?

Canned: I don’t recognize the faces.

Plain and Simple Gao Tianyang: …

Canned: Judging by the hairstyles, yes.

Plain and Simple Gao Tianyang: Damn.

Plain and Simple Gao Tianyang: Why are you keeping me in suspense? I don’t care, I’m just going to laugh at them today!!!

Sheng Wang was actually quite pleased, but he couldn’t join Gao Tianyang in laughter. He was pondering how such a coincidence could happen. Those two idiots had just messed with him in the morning and got their comeuppance by evening.

He suspected it was related to Jiang Tian, but he had no evidence.

“What are you chatting about?” Sheng Mingyang handed him a drink. “Sometimes you’re laughing, sometimes you’re serious.”

Since joining the Affiliated High School, Sheng Wang hadn’t had dinner at home, except for the day he first met Jiang Tian, which ended in an unpleasant quarrel, leaving him hungry all night.

Tonight’s meal was the first real family dinner, with him, Sheng Mingyang, and Jiang Ou all seated at the table, just waiting for Jiang Tian.

After the chemistry exam in the afternoon, Jiang Tian was called away by an unfamiliar teacher. Apparently, the teacher was from the school’s management office, and he and Jiang Tian worked on the school’s website together. Whenever there was an issue, he would call Jiang Tian.

Jiang Tian had told Sheng Wang before leaving that he would be late and they shouldn’t wait for him for dinner, but Sheng Mingyang insisted. After all, it was the first time the two kids agreed to eat together, and they couldn’t start without everyone present.

Sheng Mingyang had been on business trips recently and didn’t know why Sheng Wang and Jiang Tian’s attitudes softened, but that didn’t stop him from being happy and showing it. He used to not look at Sheng Wang’s phone, but today, while chatting, he leaned over without noticing.

Sheng Wang hadn’t been this close to him in a long time, maybe one or two years, or three to five? He couldn’t quite remember.

As a child, Sheng Wang was frail and thin. Sheng Mingyang often lifted him over his head, letting him ride on his shoulders, joking to Sheng Wang’s mom, “Did we pick up the wrong kid? Even my cat weighs more than him. If they fight, Wang Zai might not win.”

Then Sheng Wang would tug at his ears, and he’d always pretend it hurt, crying out in pain.

He was busy and careless, often causing Sheng Wang to get bumped and bruised while playing. But every time he returned from a business trip, Sheng Wang would wait at the entrance with his big slippers, like a cat, waiting for him to come home.

This closeness lasted until Sheng Wang was 10. For those years, they were almost inseparable. Sometimes when Sheng Wang dreamed of his mom feeling unwell at night, he’d bring his blanket to squeeze into Sheng Mingyang’s bed. Having someone nearby eased his discomfort.

Later… maybe it was puberty, or maybe Sheng Mingyang got busier, and that closeness became hard to maintain.

Sheng Wang would still wake up in the middle of the night, but when he opened the door to the next room, he couldn’t find anyone to squeeze in with. The houses they moved to got bigger, and he’d roam from upstairs to downstairs, drinking water, eating, changing TV channels, playing games, finally falling asleep alone on the sofa.

Over time, he stopped needing to be close to anyone.

He started marking his territory—don’t come upstairs without reason, don’t knock on the door without reason, and don’t meddle in trivial matters. He rarely lost his temper because it was unbecoming, but even without losing his temper, his displeasure was evident.

At some point, a distance grew between father and son. Some people thought it was “open-mindedness,” but Sheng Wang knew it was “politeness.”

Like how just a glance from him would make Sheng Mingyang look away from his phone screen, smiling and saying, “Oh, sorry, I got carried away because I’m so happy, I didn’t mean to look.”

Sheng Wang didn’t lock his phone, leaving his chat with Gao Tianyang open for his dad to see, but Sheng Mingyang never leaned over again.

“Is this a classmate from Class A?” Sheng Mingyang asked casually.

“Yeah.” Sheng Wang didn’t look up, his thumbs flying over the chat box.

Gao Tianyang’s laughter indicated they were on good terms, and Sheng Mingyang, looking pleased, said to Jiang Ou, “This kid is amazing. He adapts quickly wherever he goes, making friends in no time.”

Sheng Wang’s fingers paused, as if something crossed his mind. But soon, he resumed typing and sent a message.

Canned: Did Xi-ge say how they got caught?

Canned: It’s too much of a coincidence. Did someone help?

Plain and Simple Gao Tianyang: I’m chatting with Xi-ge now. He didn’t know those thugs messed with you this morning. I told him, and he was surprised. It seems like a coincidence.

He even sent a screenshot of the chat. In it, Zhao Xi, not looking a decade older, sent several emojis to express his shock.

Plain and Simple Gao Tianyang: See? This is what you call justice from above.

…

Sheng Wang scrolled through the chat history and suddenly got drawn to something.

He reopened the photo of the two thugs. One picture showed the shoes of onlookers, some close, some far. The farthest one was almost out of frame, standing behind a table. It was easy to miss.

At first glance, Sheng Wang thought the shoe color looked familiar. He zoomed in and confirmed it wasn’t just familiar; he had seen it before, in his home’s shoe cabinet.

Without saying a word, Sheng Wang headed to the living room.

Sheng Mingyang called out, “What’s wrong, not eating?”

“I am.” Sheng Wang didn’t turn around, heading to the entrance. “The slippers are uncomfortable, I’m changing them.”

Given his picky nature, Sheng Mingyang wasn’t surprised by his sudden shoe change.

Opening the shoe cabinet, Sheng Wang found that the shoes in the photo were indeed missing, worn by someone else.

While he was staring at the empty spot, lost in thought, the sound of a keypad beeping came from just beyond the door. Sheng Wang was startled back to reality.

His phone buzzed. Looking down, he saw Gao Tianyang still using “Tian” in various phrases. He pressed his lips together and quickly typed.

Plain and Simple Gao Tianyang: Heaven has eyes.

Plain and Simple Gao Tianyang: The net of heaven is wide.

Canned: Can’t talk now.

Plain and Simple Gao Tianyang: Oh, something up?

Canned: Yeah.

Canned: Tian just came in.

Plain and Simple Gao Tianyang: ?????

Jiang Tian didn’t expect someone to be standing at the entrance and nearly bumped into Sheng Wang upon entering.

“Why are you standing here?” He stopped abruptly, frowning.

Sheng Wang opened his mouth, then glanced back.

Sheng Mingyang and Jiang Ou were chatting and laughing. The dining room was far from the entrance, and it was just early evening, far from quiet. They hadn’t heard Jiang Tian come in.

Sheng Wang unconsciously lowered his voice. “Did you hear those two thugs got caught?”

Jiang Tian lifted his phone. “Gao Tianyang’s been giving me live updates.”

The loudmouth certainly lived up to his reputation.

“He told me too.” Sheng Wang stared into his eyes, illuminated by the door light. “Did you find them?”

Jiang Tian squatted to change his shoes. “What do you mean, did I find them?”

“Those idiots who messed with me.” Sheng Wang said. “Did you find them?”

Jiang Tian glanced up, then went back to untying his shoes. “Where would I find the time?”

“You didn’t go to the BBQ place?” Sheng Wang asked again.

“No.” Jiang Tian replied crisply. “I just left the computer lab.”

Sheng Wang made an “oh” sound, silently enlarging a photo. He bent down, supporting himself on his knee, and held his phone screen up to Jiang Tian’s nose. “Zhao Xi sent Gao Tianyang a photo, and Gao Tianyang forwarded it to me. I think these shoes are pretty cool, don’t you?”

Jiang Tian glanced at it, and his shoelaces became impossible to remove.

He let go of the laces, turned his head slightly, and sighed, standing up straight with an expression that said, “If I don’t want to speak, no one can make me.”

Sheng Wang suddenly wanted to laugh.

His first impression of Jiang Tian was Bking, then cold and uncommunicative. Now he found him cool but kind of amusing…

Sheng Wang held back his laughter, staring him down for a few seconds, then glanced at the dining room and pulled Jiang Tian outside.

“Tell me, how did you find them?” Outside, Sheng Wang didn’t bother keeping his voice down.

Jiang Tian was taller, and being pulled like this, he had to bend down. He looked at Sheng Wang’s smiling eyes and said, “Let go first.”

“No way.” Sheng Wang was bold, as if certain the other wouldn’t get mad. “Are you confessing or not? If not, we’ll just stay here forever.”

“…”

Jiang Tian looked exasperated and finally said, “The camera at Xi Le caught it, and Zhao Xi’s friend who co-owns the BBQ place knows a lot of people, so I just sent it over.”

“I knew it.” Sheng Wang said knowingly.

Jiang Tian paused, not quite understanding how Sheng Wang could be so sure. After all, many people closer to him rarely said, “I knew it.”

“I should change your contact name.” Sheng Wang finally let go, shaking his hand. “Doing good deeds without leaving a name, I should call you a modern-day Lei Feng.”

Jiang Tian rubbed his neck, saying coldly, “Don’t you dare.”

“What wouldn’t I dare? Let’s go, time to eat.” Sheng Wang said, pulling out his phone and typing as he headed inside.

Jiang Tian followed, finally able to finish changing his shoes.

His phone buzzed twice, and Jiang Tian pulled it out to see two new messages from the person walking ahead into the dining room.

Canned: Thanks.

Canned: Seeing those two get beaten up felt great, really.

Jiang Tian considered replying: The hallway cameras in the teaching building can also be checked. We can find out if Zhai Tao was behind it.

But the matter wasn’t settled yet, and mentioning it early seemed like seeking credit. Jiang Tian glanced over the whole sentence, found it childish, and deleted it.

Even though that day’s WeChat conversation ended with Sheng Wang, Jiang Tian, as always, was sparing with words. But Sheng Wang still sensed a change.

It felt as if he could see through Jiang Tian’s cold exterior and understand certain things, like in a game where placing a few wards in the bushes suddenly opens up Jiang Tian’s perspective.