Extras 7

It wasn’t after a period of observation that Gong Xuechang discovered her blind date’s special job.

After all, the frequency of them meeting up for meals was a bit… too much. It was as if the other party wanted to make up for the number of times she rejected his invitation. Almost every day at noon, she would come to the school cafeteria just to see him. He naturally couldn’t take a date to the cafeteria with food that was more or less only ten Yuan. In the end, they always went to nearby gourmet restaurants.

Although this girl looks a bit eccentric, her personality was cute. Sometimes, she would appear with messy hair and yawn frequently due to lack of sleep. However, her eyes would be sparkling. She was like a small chick dazzled by food when she was hungry. Only later did he realize, her bright gaze was not for food at all, but… for him.

“Teacher Gong, I used the subjunctive mood for this sentence, can you see if this is correct?”

“‘He’s a little worried something might happen in the future.’ Is it the subjunctive?”

“Teacher Gong, do you think the words I use here should be changed? I always feel that the translation is a bit strange.”

“Teacher Gong…”

She seemed to have endless questions. Some of the topics she raised even had practical and research significance such as, ‘I can follow you just like a shadow chasing the light…’ or  ‘If you were the fireworks on the sea, I would be the foam of the waves. Your light illuminates me at a certain moment…’

“Teacher, how can we.. beautify this translation? I mean… you know? I want to reflect the beauty of the Chinese language; a kind of love that seems to be humble but persistent, yet doesn’t ask for anything in return…” she said. “I always feel that there are no words in English that reflect the beauty of these Chinese words.”

Gong Xuechang glanced at it and found that what she had brought out were typical Chinese lyrics and a series of compliments that were popular on the Internet. How to translate the language that was both beautiful and still understandable was also a major topic of his current research. However, apart from the enthusiastic discussion, Gong Xuechang was also interested in Fang Qiuye’s career.

He put down the coffee cup in his hand, and he couldn’t help but raise a smile at the question as Fang Qiuye pushed her frame glasses on the bridge of her nose with an inquisitive look on her face.

“Miss Fang is very sensitive to the beauty of language, and you are also very talented,” he said. “Do you read often?”

This line of conversation was finally more like how normal blind dates go. After ten dates, the topic had finally expanded beyond the scope of English tutoring.

Fang Qiuye was taken aback. In fact, she was a bit introverted and didn’t like to communicate too much with strangers in public. But for the man, who she had met more than ten times and whose name had been pasted on her computer screen, Teacher Gong had now obviously risen to the level below her best friend, but above a common friend. She felt Completely comfortable opening up the conversation.

“Of course. I read a lot every day,” she replied. Fang Qiuye was even a little proud when she said this.

Since college, while others were listening to lectures, she was sneakily reading from below.

If she were to share how it all started, the story would go way back to her grade school days. While others were doing serious stuff, she would read famous romance novels inside the library. Of course, this was just a hobby. She had never failed a class; she was a good student all the way. She was one of the lucky people who would still pass every exam even though she only studied at the last minute.

As Fang Qiuye thought of her great achievements in the past, she smiled and ate a delicious roast duck.

On the contrary, Gong Xuechang was stunned. “Is it work related?” he asked. He also read a lot of academic materials every day.

“Um…half and half.” Fang Qiuye wasn’t abLe to fully swallow the roast duck inside her mouth. But she waved her hand, not wanting the other party to misunderstand too much. “However, I mainly read for entertainment purposes,” she brushed it off casually.

She didn’t want to hide anything from the teacher, who she thought their relationship was above a common friend. She even planned to tell the other party about her real work and the purpose for their tutoring sessions.

However, Gong Xuechang guessed it first. He found that Jinjiang, which was the company she worked at, was a website. And the girl in front of him always liked to take out a notebook from her small bag and jot down a few sentences from time to time. There were even a few times when she left her seat in the middle of their tutoring sessions. When she came back, he would find her holding her mobile phone and typing very seriously.

While she was preoccupied, a faint smile always appeared on her face. Sometimes, she would even be muttering…

“If the male protagonist talks like this, will he be criticized badly?”

“Hmmm… is it too late to start talking about sex now?”

“Why is this man so infatuated with this woman that he couldn’t even think of giving her up? Hmm… I need to add more to the plot for it to be more convincing…”

“The villain was killed in one move. Is it good or bad? Argh, I’m so torn…”

Every time he took her home after a meal, he could hear her blurting out the thoughts in her head as she sat in the car seat.

One day, Gong Xuechang finally had the chance to pick up the notebook that Fang Qiuye had left after a meal. He didn’t have the habit of peeping at other people’s belongings. He only sent a text message to Fang Qiuye, telling her that he had the notebook and that he would return it to her the next time they met.

Unexpectedly, Fang Qiuye started spamming his WeChat in the first hour after returning home anxiously! He was back at school with his phone muted. He also didn’t check his phone while teaching. After class, he found several urgent text messages, as well as WeChat calls and missed calls.

[Teacher, save me! Can you turn to the third to the last page and the last page of the notebook and take a picture for me!?]

[Bro, are you there? Send help]

[Nooooooo….]

Each message became more anxious than the former. He felt as if she could hear her scream at the last message. Gong Xuechang frowned as he glanced at it, and strange enough, his heart felt like it was torn apart. He didn’t hesitate. He dialed the phone before he even walked out of the door of the classroom. This was the first phone call after the two met and tutored for 11 blind dates.

“Teacher Gong!!!”

As soon as it was connected, Gong Xuechang could hear the other party’s scream, which was very rare. She sounded full of vitality and energy. There was no longer the lethargy like their meeting before.

And soon, he also heard the typing sound from the other end of the phone. The sound was  very clear, and as someone who had to prepare lessons and write journal papers often, he was also very familiar with it. It sounded like a good mechanical keyboard. The other party was also typing very fast without the slightest pause. Unlike the intense sound of typing on the keyboard when playing games, this typing sound was more continuous and even.

“Teacher Gong! Did you see my WeChat?” she quickly asked.

Gong Xuechang narrowed his eyes slightly. “I’m sorry, I just saw it. Are you at home?” he replied.

If it wasn’t in the Internet cafe, this would be the keyboard sound she made at home. While talking to him on the phone, her typing speed did not slow down at all, and her typing speed was even more than twice that of his usual translation work!

“Ah, yes, I’m dying at home!” she answered. “Teacher, please! Send me those pages!”

Gong Xuechang responded immediately. “Wait a minute, don’t hang up for now.”

With that said, he took out the small notebook he carried in his pocket and turned to the number of pages Fang Qiuye wanted. He raised his phone up, focused the picture then clicked the shutter button. Through the screen of his mobile phone, he could see the writing of the other party clearly.

‘Chapter 142:

‘1. The male and female protagonists watch the show together. The female protagonist is narcissistic. The male protagonist is jealous.

‘2. The male and female protagonists interacted. The male protagonist kissed the female protagonist. The female protagonist was coquettish and pushed the male protagonist away: ‘I thought about it. Let’s order a takeaway instead,’ she says.

‘3. The male protagonist takes away the female protagonist’s mobile phone: if you eat takeout, then I will… eat you. ’

Gong Xuechang’s hand trembled, and he just happened to press the send button.

Fang Qiuye’s reply was instant. “There’s still the third last page. Please, teacher Gong! Bro Gong! I’ll treat you to lunch tomorrow!”

Gong Xuechang: “…” He took pictures again. This time, the content was more concise and… interesting.

‘Chapter 141

‘1. The female supporting role is provocative.

‘2. The female protagonist slaps the female supporting role!

‘3. The male lead slaps the female supporting role!

‘4. Female supporting role: Meow Meow?!’

Gong Xuechang’s hand trembled again.

“Thank you, Teacher Gong! I’ll get busy first!” the other soon said. “See you tomorrow! Ah, yes! Please bring my notebook too. Thank you!”

Gong Xuechang soon heard the beeping sound after the phone was hung up. From beginning to end, the keyboard clicking sound on the other end did not disappear. Gong Xuechang lowered his head subconsciously and glanced at the notebook in his hand. It was the second last page.

‘Male protagonist for a new book:

‘Mr. Gong

‘Age: 27

‘Occupation: University professor

‘Hobby: Teaching people English

‘Catchphrase: Do you understand?

‘Taste: claims to love spicy food but drinks lots of water every time. He drinks three sipfulls every time’

‘Suitable CP: female lead’

‘Remarks: Rich at home; teaching is just for fun’

Gong Xuechang almost frowned. Mr. Gong? This character was surprisingly familiar… He did not usually eat spicy food, but did he really drink three sips of water every time? He even had a catchphrase? And his title as rich professor. Well… this could be considered a level-up for him.

Gong Xuechang suddenly found the situation a little ridiculous and a little funny.

“Teacher Gong, what funny thing are you looking at to be smiling so happily?” A female teaching assistant who left the classroom last stood in front of Gong Xuechang with a beautiful and gentle smile.

Gong Xuechang merely nodded in greeting.

The female teaching assistant’s smile widened a bit, and she leaned over to look at it. “Show me too-”

But before she could finish her words, the phone that was slightly in front of her face was already gone. Gong Xuechang had already turned around and left. “See you next class,” he said.

“… sure.” The female teaching assistant’s smile was a bit stiff.

Gong Xuechang strode all the way back to the office before taking out the notes again. A suitable female lead for him?

The curvature on the corners of his mouth could not help but become a little more obvious. Did this mean that she has a good impression of him? Did she rate him highly? Maybe… she even liked him?

*

On the twelfth blind date, Gong Xuechang took out the notebook and hit the key points.

“… you write romance novels,” he said. “Do you think my conditions are good enough to be the male lead?  Then, do I have the right to… choose my female lead?”