Limited First Love Chapter 53
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 53 Fail A Test
Ruan Yiyun was just a student, after all. He did come from a well-off family, but nearing the end of the semester and recently helping out his broke friend, his pockets were emptier than usual. Buying a new phone outright was simply out of the question.
This did put Guo Wei somewhat at ease.
Since they started dating, he had only given Ruan Yiyun a bottle of calming essential oil plus a small pot of succulent plant. However, Ruan Yiyun had given him a full set of things to eat, use, wear, all of which were quite valuable. If Ruan Yiyun really went ahead and bought him a new phone without consulting him first, he would feel pressured just thinking about it.
However, two days later, he still received a gift.
Ruan Yiyun gave him a phone case.
This phone case had a simple design, very similar to Guo Wei's original case at first glance. Made of silicone, it was grippy and shockproof, with a built-in hidden finger ring.
Guo Wei happily replaced it.
As long as it wasn't too valuable, receiving something from Ruan Yiyun always made him feel sweet inside.
Seeing his joy, Ruan Yiyun subtly reminded him that their agreed-upon matter had been delayed for far too long and it was time to put it into practice.
The last time Ruan Yiyun examined his injuries, Guo Wei had assumed a strikingly similar posture in the same position.
The difference was that now Ruan Yiyun was observing him through a screen, and he couldn't simply shrug off the situation by pulling up his jacket.
The process turned out to be a thousand times more embarrassing than he had imagined.
Guo Wei kept his eyes closed throughout, heightening his sensitivity to both bodily sensations and auditory cues. Ruan Yiyun remained mostly silent, only occasionally reminding him to adjust his foot when it went out of frame.
He thought the entire ordeal lasted a long time, especially since even his fingers started to wrinkle. It wasn't until it was over that he realized it had only been a little over ten minutes.
Afterward, he unilaterally terminated the video call.
However, when Ruan Yiyun called again, he dutifully answered.
"I've never done something so foolish..." he muttered softly to his phone.
"Not foolish, very endearing," Ruan Yiyun said.
"You're not allowed to take screenshots or record videos," Guo Wei reminded him.
Ruan Yiyun chuckled. "You're just saying that now that it's all over?"
Guo Wei was startled. "You recorded it? Quickly delete it!"
"No," Ruan Yiyun reassured him, "Why would I record? There's no need, it's not like we won't see each other tomorrow."
Guo Wei hesitated. "Tomorrow..."
"If you give up now, then today's efforts will be in vain," Ruan Yiyun said.
Guo Wei thought to himself, I should change my posture. The previous one was both tiring and embarrassing.
"How do you feel now?" Ruan Yiyun asked.
"Can't say, not uncomfortable, and there's also a bit..." Guo Wei trailed off.
"What is it?"
"...Missing you," Guo Wei used a particularly delicate expression.
Soon, Ruan Yiyun's soft laughter came through the earpiece. "Me too, I especially need to hear your voice again, that's why I called you."
The next step was something Guo Wei had experienced before.
Despite balancing work and rest, reviewing did not achieve the effect of getting twice the result with half the effort.
After the next few exams, Guo Wei exited the exam hall a nervous wreck. He had never been superstitious before, showing no interest in horoscopes, blood types, or fortune-telling. However, in recent days, he had been fervently reposting various so-called lucky images on social media, and at one point even considered spending money online to have someone divine his fortune, earning ridicule from Wang Tong.
He desperately hoped to pass smoothly, not just because he didn't want to retake exams for superficial reasons, but also for deeper ones.
His broken phone, after being put in a phone case, didn't seem to have any major issues at first glance. However, when he started using it, he could clearly feel the difference from before.
The most obvious issue was that the area around the crack on the screen had become unresponsive, occasionally not registering touches, making typing extremely difficult for him.
The relentless studying left him dizzy, and exam anxiety gnawed at his nerves, making him short-tempered. After wrestling with typos and jabbing the unresponsive area in frustration, a strange blotch appeared on the screen — like a spilled oil stain on a wet sidewalk.
Another day passed, and he realized the screen problem was just superficial. Something seemed to be happening internally with the phone, and the battery also started acting up, draining power at an alarming rate.
It seemed procrastination wouldn't work. He had to get a new phone. He didn't have the money himself and was unwilling to accept financial help from his boyfriend, so he could only swallow his pride and ask his parents.
Since he started dating, his family had provided extra funds for dating expenses. He felt embarrassed to ask for more, especially if he returned with a disappointing report card.
Furthermore, he worried his parents would think he was neglecting his studies for the sake of love, leading to thoughts about Ruan Yiyun himself.
"But this really is a classic case of being led astray by a beauty," Wang Tong remarked sarcastically after hearing his complaints, "If it weren't for being enamored with beauty, would you have sunk to your current state?"
Guo Wei thought to himself, "You wouldn't understand."
Even if he were Tang Sanzang, he would immediately renounce his monkhood after encountering a fox spirit like Ruan Yiyun.
"Don't stress too much," Wang Tong comforted him, "Whether you stick your neck out or keep your head down, it's all the same. Anyway, the results will be out in a couple of days, and whatever needs to be done, will be done. Being anxious won't help."
Guo Wei clasped his hands together. "Wish me luck."
"Take it easy, take it easy. I see you're on the verge of gastrointestinal problems," Wang Tong said, "Spending so much time in the bathroom every day, beware of hemorrhoids."
Guo Wei suddenly felt guilty.
He did spend a lot of time in the bathroom, but not because of gastrointestinal issues.
In a way, his agreement with Ruan Yiyun had become the best way for him to relieve psychological pressure.
Through relentless effort, there was some progress. His two fingers were swollen on the first day, but now they had become relaxed, even somewhat comfortable.
On the day before the final exam, Guo Wei received some bad news.
The subject in which he had originally been most confident had failed miserably, with an unbelievably low score. In disbelief, he went to ask the teacher for a reevaluation, only to sadly discover that he had mistakenly filled out the answer sheet.
In his grief, the last exam turned out to be a complete disaster as well.
Exiting the exam hall, he went straight to Ruan Yiyun's apartment, only to realize upon arrival that Ruan Yiyun was still at school. He could only sit pitifully on the doorstep, sending messages to Ruan Yiyun.
When Ruan Yiyun finally returned, he immediately rushed over to vent his frustrations, his complaints tinged with sorrow, his eyes welling up with tears.
Ruan Yiyun hugged and comforted him, promising to stay with him until the makeup exams were over.
For students who usually passed their exams, the school would provide one chance for a resit. According to those who had taken makeup exams before, the difficulty level was not much different from the regular final exams, but the grading was more lenient, making it easier to pass.
The trouble was having to stay at school for an extra week for remedial classes and paying a resit fee.
He couldn't even secretly pay the fee because the school would cruelly send notifications directly to students' homes via courier, and by now, they were probably in his parents' hands.
"If I really didn't know anything, that would be one thing, but I do know! If I hadn't made that mistake, I would have at least passed with a good grade," Guo Wei lamented, deeply frustrated. "It's so unfair, really too unfair. I just can't accept it!"
"Look on the bright side, since you know the material, the makeup exam is just a formality for you." Ruan Yiyun deliberately slowed down his speech to calm him down. "If your parents ask, just explain it calmly. They'll probably just blame you for being careless, so don't take it to heart."
"I really was careless," Guo Wei sighed, "I'm such an idiot."
"People aren't machines, nobody can guarantee they'll never make mistakes." Ruan Yiyun lifted Guo Wei's chin, planting a kiss on his forehead. "You have so many strengths, consider it balancing things out."
Ruan Yiyun's words were so sweet, but Guo Wei's heart felt bitter. He had to taste them more.
Tilting his head back, he sought a kiss, immediately finding satisfaction.
Since the exams were over, and there was nothing urgent next, it was time to relax, let loose, and vent.
Seizing the opportunity, Ruan Yiyun could finally assess the results of Guo Wei's efforts during their video calls.
"Did you forget to bring the thing I bought for you?" he asked Guo Wei.
Guo Wei lay half-propped on the bed, his face buried in his arm, muffled as he replied, "Forgot... and don't really need it much..."
That thing was too slippery, always quickly wrinkling his fingers, and cleaning up the mess afterwards was a chore. He tried not relying on it and surprisingly, things went very smoothly.
"I was worried you'd be uncomfortable," Ruan Yiyun said.
"I can manage on my own," Guo Wei said softly, "Try it yourself if you don't believe me..."
Much later, he lifted his head slightly, remarking, "It smells really nice."
Ruan Yiyun not only assessed the results but also expanded upon them, laying a solid foundation for an early victory.
Guo Wei's body became limp as a result.
He lazily curled up under the blanket, feeling tired all over, yet not wanting to sleep. It was still early, and he wanted to talk to Ruan Yiyun, anything casual would do.
"Yesterday, my mom called me, asking when I'd come back... I informed her in advance that I might be delayed by a week," he told Ruan Yiyun.
"Did she say anything?" Ruan Yiyun asked.
"She didn't know it was because of makeup exams, didn't think much of it, but she asked about you."
Ruan Yiyun was indeed interested. "What did she ask?"
"She asked if you were still at school, and if... if you wanted to, if you could come over during the break and have dinner with us," Guo Wei said.
After thinking for a while, Ruan Yiyun replied, "Okay, whenever Uncle and Auntie find it convenient."
"Hehe," Guo Wei laughed, "I've already told them in advance about your favorite dishes!"
"You... I'm not picky, if you say too much, they might think I'm difficult to please..."
"Don't worry, they'll like you," Guo Wei reassured him, "You're so nice."
With that, he leaned in, kissing Ruan Yiyun on the chin playfully, "As long as you're not as fierce as you were with others in front of them."
Ruan Yiyun's eyes widened. "When was I fierce?"
"Really not?" Guo Wei chuckled. "That post last time, the one you had someone delete, there were so many people complaining about you on it."