Aunt May was still busy at Guangmao, and only got free around noon. Ethan Young had spent the morning in Big Ray's room playing video games, using a red-and-white console hooked up to an old TV that had never been thrown out: "Why do you still keep this thing?"

"Nostalgia," Ray Jones said. "And most importantly, it still works! The quality is unbelievable."

As Ethan Young played, he remembered something nostalgic too: "When you were a kid—didn't your mom buy you some kind of thing? Did you eat it? Did it work?"

Ray Jones was confused: "What thing?"

Ethan Young said, "That thing that was supposed to improve memory and develop intelligence."

Lei's mom had tried all sorts of odd tricks for Ray Jones's grades, even made him drink talisman paper, but none of it ever worked.

There was a time when TV was running ads for a so-called magical children's health supplement, promising to change your life and destiny, help kids win at the starting line. The ad was a half-hour infomercial, and Lei's mom immediately called the order hotline, full of hope, and lugged back two big boxes.

Ray Jones remembered: "Oh, that. Look at me—do I look like it worked?"

Ethan Young: ""

Ethan Young thought: Yeah, am I an idiot or what.

------------

56. Chapter Fifty-Six

, fastest update of the latest chapters of "Disguised School Scum"!

Big Ray's house was still the same as ever, even the dent on top of the TV in front of them, and the crack running from the dent to the corner of the screen, all looked so familiar.

That was from when Belle accidentally smashed it. Afterward, he was startled: "Did I break it...?"

Belle even started thinking about how to sell himself to pay for the damage.

But Big Ray just waved it off: "No way it's broken. If it really broke, my mom would thank you. This TV is indestructible. My mom's been waiting for it to break for ages, just so she can have an excuse to buy a new one... See? Not a problem at all."

Ethan Young played for a while, then stopped. He shoved the messy pile of blankets on Ray Jones's bed into the corner, barely making enough space, leaned back against the nightstand, half-lying on the bed, and looked down at the class group chat.

[Luke Carter]: Let me tell you, my dad came home drunk last night, hugged the toilet and called my mom's name with deep affection. My mom almost kicked him into the toilet...

[Wanda]: Your dad is way too much.

[Logan Wright]: Is he still alive?

Henry Howard was up pretty early. Ethan Young had just received a private message from him and hadn't replied yet, when he saw him pop up in the group chat.

[Henry Howard]: You two up there, stop roasting.

[Henry Howard]: Compared to Haozi's dad, you two are just as bad if not worse. Want me to repeat your heroic deeds here?

Wanda immediately quieted down. In the face of black history, you have to bow your head.

[Wanda]: ...Hahaha, well, I just remembered I haven't finished my homework. See you guys around.

[Logan Wright]: See you around.

Ethan Young watched as the two who said "see you around" popped up again not long after, wailing about too much homework.

With all this time chatting, they could have finished a whole set of practice papers.

Ray Jones got bored playing games alone, and distractedly noticed that Boss Young seemed to be in a good mood: "What's got you so happy?"

"Chatting in the group," Ethan Young explained simply. "Getting drunk and treating the toilet as your wife, too much homework."

Ray Jones: "..."

Ray Jones: "Oh."

If he hadn't known this guy for so long, with Ethan Young's stingy words, making you fill in the blanks yourself and twist your brain to follow his logic, he wouldn't have any idea what he was talking about.

After his "oh," Ray Jones thought again, something feels off, but what is it?

"Wait—class group chat?" Two minutes later, Ray Jones almost jumped up, tossing aside the game console.

Ethan Young: "What's with your reaction?"

"Surprised," Ray Jones said. "I... I really didn't expect it."

Ethan Young was about to just exit, but the words Henry Howard had whispered in his ear last night kept echoing—about the class group, about the class rep... So Ethan Young hesitated for a moment, deciding to leave a trace before leaving.

He scrolled through the emoji bar and finally found a smiley face that looked somewhat friendly.

Then, all the online students in Class 2, Grade 11, saw a new message in the chat box—a smiley that didn't fit their youthful aesthetic at all, reserved yet cold, with eyes full of mockery.

Ethan Young: [/smile].

[Wanda]: ......

[Luke Carter]: ......

[Logan Wright]: ......

The group chat instantly went cold.

Only their Bro Henry remained unfazed.

[Henry Howard]: Morning, Lao Xie. Have you eaten?

Ethan Young tapped the screen twice, but before he could send a reply, Henry Howard called. He was a bit sleepy and answered, "Yeah, I ate. What is it?"

Henry Howard chuckled: "Nothing, just wanted to hear your voice."

"Standard answer again?"

"...No," Henry Howard felt the kid might have misunderstood him. "Where are you?"

"At the house of the one who wrote a really good self-reflection," Ethan Young glanced at Ray Jones's bed, which looked like a doghouse. Though he was a bit disgusted, he couldn't find anywhere else to sleep, so he added, "...Anything else? If not, I'm going back to sleep."

Damn, sleep again?

Henry Howard put the two sentences together and felt something was off: "Where are you sleeping?"

Ethan Young said, "On the bed, where else?"

"Oh," after a pause, Henry Howard muttered, "My little one is going to sleep in another man's bed."

"..." Psycho.

Ray Jones was still sitting on the floor playing games. Ethan Young suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable, the kind that comes from flirting with your boyfriend in front of your longtime buddy: "I'm hanging up."

Henry Howard was just joking. He'd hoped to hear something sweet, but even though he didn't, he still felt good—after all, whatever the kid did was fine: "Mm, go sleep."

As soon as Henry Howard hung up, he bit into a candy, put his phone aside, and went back to his practice papers. Just as he was sorting out the questions, his phone lit up again.

It was a text.

From the cutest kid in the world: Not another man's bed, my ass.

Just a few simple words, the tone not very nice, as cold as ever. But Henry Howard stared at it for a long time. By the time he snapped out of it, all thoughts of solving problems were gone—he just wanted to run a few laps on the field and yell a bit.

Damn!

If you round it up!

That's a confession!

All mine!

After sending the text, Ethan Young slept until noon, when Ray Jones finally woke him up: "Boss Young, look at the time, it's almost past lunch, how come Aunt May isn't back yet? I'm starving."

At noon, the light outside was even brighter. Sunlight poured in from the balcony, the alley was still lively, and some couple was arguing so loudly that half the street could hear.

Ethan Young sat up and looked outside, seeing an auntie on the opposite balcony listening while cracking sunflower seeds, occasionally offering half-hearted advice: "...What are you arguing for? You two, why not just have a fight? How long are you going to keep arguing?"

"..."

Ethan Young didn't know if he hadn't slept well, or if it was the noise, but his right eyelid kept twitching. He raised his hand and gently pressed it: "You call and ask."

Ray Jones called, but no one answered.

He called several times before finally getting through. Yvonne Shaw hurriedly said she had something to do and told them to go eat at a restaurant, she'd be back in the evening, then hung up.

"She said she's busy, probably something came up at Guangmao," Ray Jones stuffed his phone in his pocket, stood up and said, "So, should we go out to eat?"

There weren't many places to eat around here, just a few Sha County snack shops, all empty. Aside from those sketchy-looking unlicensed places, the only options were street stalls.

"Lei, long time no see," the shop owner greeted them warmly when he saw a familiar face. Ray Jones had wanted to look around more, but now they had no choice but to go in. "Sit, sit, what do you want to eat?"

Ray Jones found a seat by the window and sat down: "Just two specials."

Ethan Young grabbed a pair of chopsticks: "Someone you know?"