Chapter 41: Exclusive to Jinjiang 1/2

Time flew by, and the midterm exams were approaching.

During this time, the students worked hard on their studies, but Song Fuzhi also knew what they were busy with in addition to their academics.

The students in the A Capella Club practiced singing during lunch; those playing instruments practiced their instruments; and those dancing practiced dancing. The chefs in the Gourmet Club were developing snacks that could be sold. Some other clubs related to learning were also active, such as the Geography Club, School Magazine Club, Debate Club, and Model United Nations. Often, students could be seen making posters for their clubs, holding meetings, and preparing for recruitment during their free time.

One day, Song Fuzhi even saw the students from the anime club trying on makeup in their activity room, creating a colorful little world.

Song Fuzhi smiled and glanced at it for a while, then passed by the activity room.

This was how Teacher Song was. As long as they didn’t take up class time, he supported them in developing their hobbies and interests during their free time.

But Song Fuzhi still emphasized in the class that studying came first and not to get the priorities mixed up.

The Club Carnival would be held on Saturday after the midterm exams, and there would be a week to prepare after the exams. No distractions were allowed before the exams.

The students didn’t dare ask Song Fuzhi about the Club Carnival, but the other teachers did.

Old Zhou asked, “Teacher Song, will you come to our club exhibition?”

Since the event was on a Saturday, it wasn’t mandatory for everyone to participate.

Club members and interested students could spend a day freely communicating at school. Students who didn’t want to participate could also rest at home.

Besides the teachers leading the clubs, other teachers didn’t necessarily have to be present.

Song Fuzhi said, “I’m not sure if I’ll have time. I might come in the morning.”

Old Zhou nodded with a smile. “Because they have a gourmet club planning to make cold noodles on the spot.”

The students were quite creative, and Song Fuzhi smiled, “Then I must try that.”

Actually, Song Fuzhi didn’t want to come, but he saw another event.

On the Saturday of the Club Carnival, there would also be a comic convention held in the city.

Compared to the grand convention that took place during the summer vacation and attracted people nationwide, this local comic convention would naturally be smaller in scale. However, it was exquisite and not as crowded, and the experience was said to be good every year.

The comic convention and the Club Carnival were held on the same day, meaning that his students interested in the world of anime and manga would definitely be at school, and no one would go to the comic convention.

So, at that time, the comic convention would be a safe place.

Song Fuzhi thought of the conversation he had with Shi Zhang under the starry sky, talking about dreams, and remembered the rubber duck Shi Zhang gave him at his bedside and the night when Shi Zhang leaned down and whispered, “I hope Fuzhi will be carefree and free-spirited.”

Song Fuzhi sat quietly in the office for a while. Eventually, he picked up his phone and forwarded the Weibo post promoting the local comic convention to Luo Luli.

Luo Luli quickly replied, Oh, what does Teacher Song mean by forwarding this to me? [covering mouth and laughing]

Song Fuzhi: That’s the meaning. [Pointing]

Luo Luli: Ahahaha.

Luo Luli: I don’t understand.

Song Fuzhi helpless: Excuse me, Teacher Luo Luli, do you have time that weekend? Could you spare some time to go to the comic convention with me?

Luo Luli: Oh~ going in casual clothes?

Song Fuzhi: If you want to cosplay, I can be your photographer and bag carrier.

Luo Luli: Teacher Song, is it difficult to say, “I want to try cosplay”?

Luo Luli: Dead tsundere.

Being easily seen through like this, Song Fuzhi was someone who didn’t need to wear any underwear in front of Luo Luli.

So, Song Fuzhi didn’t hide or cover up and said straightforwardly, Luo Dian, take me to play cosplay.

Luo Luli burst into a string of laughter. Luo Dian, ahahaha, such a chuunibyou and ancient term!

Luo Luli: But seriously, I went out for a while and came back. You’ve changed a lot. Why are you actively thinking about playing cosplay now?

In fact, Song Fuzhi also felt that he had changed a lot, and he was a bit surprised himself.

Perhaps it was because this group of students was particularly lively, and their youthful energy influenced Song Fuzhi.

Moreover, they were the first batch of students who accidentally discovered Teacher Song’s hobbies. More or less, they all knew about the teacher’s interests and accepted them well, making Song Fuzhi not so reserved.

But, thinking about it again, students weren’t the main reason.

Song Fuzhi wasn’t easily influenced by students; he had been teaching for a long time and had encountered all kinds of children. Song Fuzhi continued to live a regulated life.

If there was one significant change this year, it was getting married to Shi Zhang.

Shi Zhang introduced him to new restaurants, changed the furniture, took him out to play with his friends, and let him experience a new life. It was like a bright oil color injected into the calm lake of Song Fuzhi’s life.

Clearly, Professor Shi was two years older than him and even more dignified, but for some reason, around Shi Zhang, Song Fuzhi felt like he was still very young. It seemed like there was plenty of youthful time left, allowing him to be extravagant.

Perhaps it was because Professor Shi was accommodating enough, giving him some almost blind support.

Song Fuzhi replied to Luo Luli: Marriage makes people feel rejuvenated.

Luo Luli: Get lost; don’t try to feed me dog food. You kids struck gold to get such a good marriage.

Luo Luli: Speaking of which, if you want to go to the comic convention, what about your husband?

This question was something Song Fuzhi had thought about and was the most uncertain part for him.

After hesitating for a while, Song Fuzhi typed slowly: You think if I want to invite Professor Shi to go together…

Luo Luli:???

Luo Luli: [Impressed]

Luo Luli: You’re doing this. [Thumbs up]

Song Fuzhi: Would you mind?

Luo Luli: Me? I don’t mind, hahaha.

Luo Luli: I really want to see that scene!

In fact, Song Fuzhi’s thoughts were simple.

Since Shi Zhang gave him the courage to try everything, Shi Zhang, as the provider of this courage, should have the right to know.

Song Fuzhi was, of course, worried about whether Shi Zhang could accept the culture of the second dimension, but that night, watching Shi Zhang pull out a big bag of rubber duckies and leopards, Song Fuzhi suddenly felt that the professor should be able to accept it.

Professor Shi was dignified and polite, but in some aspects, he was really cute.

Moreover, things are different now from ten or twenty years ago. The culture of the second dimension was no longer so niche; acceptance should be broader now.

Professor Shi had a bunch of college students under him, and their college’s anime club was quite famous. So, Professor Shi should at least know about the existence of the second-dimensional world.

In this world, Song Fuzhi could be carefree and unrestrained in front of anyone, casting aside all timidity and cosplaying—first would be Luo Luli, and then would be Shi Zhang.

One was the best friend, and the other was the most intimate lover.

In front of them, whether it was being embarrassing or funny, it wouldn’t be something that made people anxious.

Song Fuzhi asked Luo Luli: Do you think if I put on a cosplay costume and stood in front of Professor Shi, he would recognize me?

Luo Luli: Do you want to play so excitingly?

Luo Luli: If the makeup is done well enough to be restored, or if you play a character that requires a headpiece, it’s really possible not to be recognized!

Luo Luli: When I was in college, I came home wearing cosplay clothes after the comic convention. My mom had just woken up, and she screamed, thinking a ghost had entered the house. Ahahaha.

Luo Luli: Songzi, you give me too many surprises. Do you really plan to let the professor see your cosplay?

Seeing Luo Luli’s big reaction, Song Fuzhi also hesitated a bit.

Song Fuzhi: Do you think it’s not okay?

Luo Luli: I didn’t mean that. It’s just that I’m not familiar with your professor; I don’t know what kind of person he is or whether he can accept cosplay, which is a relatively new thing.

Luo Luli: Up until now, I still have the stereotypical impression that he’s a well-built old scholar, hahaha.

Luo Luli: So, it’s up to you. If you think your husband can accept it, then go for it!

This viewpoint was quite reasonable from Luo Luli’s perspective.

She didn’t understand Shi Zhang’s tolerance and support, so she was worried for Song Fuzhi.

Song Fuzhi himself wasn’t a hundred percent sure either. Professor Shi might not be able to accept this.

So, he could try cosplaying first, truly find joy in it, and then tell Shi Zhang. It wasn’t too late.

“I’ll ask the professor if he has time that day,” Song Fuzhi said.

However, not everything goes as planned.

Whether it was heaven’s punishment or fate not yet arrived, when Song Fuzhi returned home that night, as he was looking for an opportunity to ask Shi Zhang if he had time on the Saturday after, Shi Zhang took the initiative to speak first.

Shi Zhang entered the room, still wrapped in the aura of autumn wind, kissed Song Fuzhi on the lips, and bit him.

This kiss was sudden, and Song Fuzhi was a bit dazed. He asked Shi Zhang, “What’s wrong?”

Shi Zhang said, “I have to go on a business trip later, field investigation, for two weeks.”

Song Fuzhi was stunned, and his heartbeat slowed down a bit.

He asked gently, “When are you leaving?”

Shi Zhang gave a date.

Song Fuzhi’s heart sank, and he subconsciously felt that he had remembered it wrong, so he picked up his phone and checked the calendar.

But the date displayed was exactly the Saturday of the comic convention.

Song Fuzhi stared at it for a few seconds and finally confirmed the somewhat disappointing fact.

Time was like that; the school club carnival, the comic convention, and Shi Zhang’s business trip were all squeezed into the same day.

“Have you all set your schedules?” Song Fuzhi asked.

Shi Zhang nodded. “Flight tickets are booked, going to the southwest.”

Song Fuzhi asked, “What time is the flight that day?”

Shi Zhang said, “Nine in the morning.”

Song Fuzhi opened his mouth wide and said, “So early.”

A flight at nine in the morning, arriving at the airport at least an hour and a half in advance, means leaving home at least at six thirty in the morning.

Not to mention going to the comic convention; he couldn’t even stay up late the night before.

Shi Zhang nodded gently. “After the plane lands in the afternoon, I still have to take a car to go to the mountains.”

“Ah.” Song Fuzhi’s gaze gradually became calm, very gentle.

The trip sounded challenging, and Song Fuzhi gently touched Shi Zhang’s face, feeling a bit sorry. “Take care.”

Shi Zhang smiled and said, “It’s okay. At least there’s an inn to stay in this time; there’s no need to set up a tent ourselves.”

“Also, it’s not hard. As someone studying plants, how can I not go and interact with plants? I really like it.”

Song Fuzhi nodded. “I’ll drive you to the airport that day.”

Shi Zhang didn’t refuse; he said okay with a slight smile on his lips.

Ah, having a husband send you off at the airport—that’s quite a beautiful thing.

Shi Zhang asked, “Do you have any plans that day? Just now, it seemed like you wanted to say something.”

Such a subtle reaction was caught by him; Song Fuzhi realized that his emotions were really hard to escape Shi Zhang’s eyes.

Song Fuzhi thought for a moment and said, “That day, our school will host a club carnival. I should go join in the fun in the morning.”

He added, “I’ll send you to the airport first and then go to school; the timing should be just right.”

I don’t know how Shi Zhang came to that association; he paused, smiling, and asked, “Teacher Song, are you trying the ‘childish’ interest?”

Song Fuzhi was somewhat surprised—surprised that Shi Zhang seemed to understand him a bit too well.

“I want to try.” Song Fuzhi nodded.

just that he didn’t plan to try it with students. Instead, he planned to sneak off to the comic convention in the afternoon after leaving the school in the morning.

This way, he could be more carefree and comfortable.

Ah, if Professor Shi wasn’t going on a business trip, he might have been able to see his “childish” side.

But for now, Song Fuzhi thought he could first be childish with his friends.

If he really enjoyed cosplay and was satisfied with it, he could show it to Professor Shi later.

“Have fun; happiness is the most important.” Shi Zhang touched Song Fuzhi’s forehead.