Chen Yuanxing obediently went to the living room to turn on the TV. Xiao Qiqi was busy for a while but he didn't move at all, so she was puzzled. When she went to the living room, she found that he was watching a Korean drama. She asked in surprise, "What are you watching? A Korean drama?"
Chen Yuanxing nodded, "Yes, my sister asked me to look at it for you, so I did. Don't worry, I have a good memory. I'll tell you about it tonight." He then gave her an extremely sweet smile, which made Xiao Qiqi's heart skip a beat. She hadn't realized that he was actually very handsome.
Because Chen Yuanxing hadn't bought any leafy greens for dinner, he ate to his heart's content, burping as he showered Xiao Qiqi with compliments. "Sister, your cooking is so delicious! Whoever marries you will be so lucky. A girl as beautiful, a good cook, and good at housework as you is sure to have a blessed future. She'll definitely find a smart, capable, and handsome husband, and live a loving life together." He showered her with compliments, making Xiao Qiqi's scalp tingle. She hadn't thought much of his sweet talk and flirtatious words when she was at the hospital, but now that he was doing this to her, she was actually happy. However, unaccustomed to his enthusiasm and feeling a little uneasy, she casually smacked him with her chopsticks as she cleared the table, saying, "Stop nagging."
Chen Yuanxing, true to form, jumped up, "Xiao Qiqi, don't hit my head, it'll make me stupid." Xiao Qiqi breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him yelling. This was his true nature; he only said those flattering words because he didn't want to be kicked out. She couldn't help but chuckle, "Even if I don't hit your head, I think you'll still become stupid."
Seeing her gentle and charming smile, Chen Yuanxing was somewhat taken aback and couldn't help but be amazed. He turned his head to watch TV with a sullen expression and said, "Auntie said that a man's head and a woman's feet can't move. Don't you know that, you're a woman?"
"I don't understand." Xiao Qiqi decided to stay silent and said, "If you dare to play any tricks on me again, I'll beat you even harder."
Chen Yuanxing suddenly looked at her seriously, "Don't worry, sister, I will never let you down." Xiao Qiqi was stunned; it sounded like a vow of eternal love.
Just then, their neighbor Zhang Xiaoyi returned. Chen Yuanxing's eyes lit up upon seeing her. Zhang Xiaoyi wasn't tall, but rather a plump and sweet girl—perfectly described as round and full-figured. She was exactly Chen Yuanxing's type. Chen Yuanxing, always quick with a sweet tongue, soon had the lively and adorable Zhang Xiaoyi beaming. The two chatted enthusiastically, while Xiao Qiqi felt like an outsider, unable to join the conversation. Xiao Qiqi secretly breathed a sigh of relief; perhaps she didn't need to worry too much about whether Chen Yuanxing had ulterior motives.
That night, she finally made Chen Yuanxing sleep on the sofa in the living room. It was a double sofa with high armrests on both sides. Chen Yuanxing was tall, and when he huddled in the middle, he looked like a shrimp. There was no air conditioning in the living room, and the sofa was a thick, soft, and large thing, so he soon got so hot that he jumped up. After fanning himself with a newspaper for a while, Chen Yuanxing secretly pushed open Xiao Qiqi's bedroom door and saw Xiao Qiqi lying on her side on the double bed, with most of the bed empty on the outside. Chen Yuanxing tiptoed into the room. The cool world made him feel comfortable all over. He gritted his teeth and vowed that even if Xiao Qiqi kicked him to the ground, he would never sleep on the sofa.
Just as she quietly lay down on the bed, Xiao Qiqi, a light sleeper, already sensed her presence and said, "Get out."
Chen Yuanxing then whined, "Sister, shall I tell you about the TV series I watched today?"
"No good." Xiao Qiqi didn't even move. "Get out."
“Okay, where should I begin…” Ignoring Xiao Qiqi’s objections, Chen Yuanxing launched into a detailed account of the Korean drama he had watched that day, describing it in great detail, even the setting, props, and background music. Xiao Qiqi initially tried to interrupt and shoo him away, but as she listened, she fell silent. His deep, soothing voice gradually lulled her into sleep, and she drifted off to sleep without realizing it. Hearing her breathing become even, Chen Yuanxing breathed a sigh of relief, made a face, and then happily went to sleep himself.
The next day, Xiao Qiqi got up and looked at Chen Yuanxing's comfortable sleeping posture. She sighed. How did she end up with this sticky guy?
It was another busy day. During my lunch break, I rubbed my temples and leaned back in my seat for a short rest when my colleague, Sister Cheng, suddenly called out, "Qiqi, did you graduate from K University in H City?"
Xiao Qiqi didn't even open her eyes. "No, K University is the university next door to us."
"Sigh, the world is going to the dogs. How can college students these days do such things?" Sister Cheng sighed with some emotion. "Qiqi, come and see. Isn't this something that often happens in college? I'm really getting old and can't keep up with the times."
Qi Qi had no choice but to stand up and go over to look. "What is it that makes Sister Cheng so emotional?"
"Look," Sister Cheng pointed to a webpage on a forum, "it's about news from K University. K University is a top-tier science and technology university in the country, how could something like this happen?"
Xiao Qiqi initially glanced at it indifferently, but was quickly drawn in by the content. The text was original, written by someone claiming to be a student at K University, recounting the biggest scandal at the university recently. Of course, all the protagonists were pseudonyms. The main story was a romantic affair between Chen X, a high-achieving student about to graduate, and Yu X, a medical student. The two were in a relationship, but Yu X, because Chen X had changed his mind, attempted suicide by jumping off K University's most iconic laboratory building, causing a huge uproar. Later, the university expelled Chen X to quell the incident.
Xiao Qiqi's face immediately changed, a bad premonition burning within her, making her heart tremble. She suddenly remembered that week at the hospital a year ago, when Chen Yuanxing and that junior intern doctor named Yuyao were always joking and flirting.
Xiao Qiqi kept getting distracted at work in the afternoon, thinking about the whole incident and feeling a sense of lingering fear. After get off work, she had to go to the construction site to supervise the work, and no matter how anxious she was, she had to get back to work first.
23. Explanation
Back home quickly, Chen Yuanxing didn't pretend to be asleep this time. Hearing footsteps on the stairs, he hurriedly opened the door. Just as a smile appeared on his face, he saw Xiao Qiqi's frosty expression. "Sister, did you get scolded by your boss?"
Xiao Qiqi walked straight into the room and said coldly, "Come in."
Chen Yuanxing walked in looking puzzled. Xiao Qiqi slammed the door shut, pulled the printed report from her bag, and slammed it onto the table. "What's this?"
"How would I know what it is?" Chen Yuanxing picked up the paper in confusion, glanced at it, and his expression changed drastically.
"Do you have any explanation?" Xiao Qiqi laughed angrily, crossing her arms and looking coldly at Chen Yuanxing.
Chen Yuanxing abandoned his usual jovial demeanor and became unusually serious, casually tossing the paper into the trash can. "I have no explanation."
Xiao Qiqi had expected him to offer an explanation, that it was a misunderstanding, or that it wasn't him, but she was utterly disappointed. The complex emotions churning within her stirred up painful memories, and her fingers trembled with hatred. She abruptly flung open the door, pointed at it, and said, "Get out! I never want to see you again."
Seeing Xiao Qiqi's face change drastically, turning deathly pale, Chen Yuanxing became somewhat anxious. "Xiao Qiqi, it's not what you think."
"What is it?"
Chen Yuanxing opened his mouth, still hesitant, unsure how to explain. Seeing the hesitation in his eyes, Xiao Qiqi's heart sank further. She opened the door, pushed him out, and slammed the door shut. Chen Yuanxing stared blankly at the closed door, scratching his head in frustration. Should he speak or not? The door opened again, and Chen Yuanxing was overjoyed. Just as he was about to speak, a huge package nearly hit him. It was Xiao Qiqi who threw his luggage out, followed by another loud slam of the door shut.
Xiao Qiqi closed the door, went back to her room, and slammed the door shut behind her. Zhang Xiaoyi, who was next door, came out sleepily and asked through the door, "Qiqi, what happened?"
Xiao Qiqi forced herself to remain calm, opened the door, and smiled at Zhang Xiaoyi, "It's nothing, did I disturb you?" Zhang Xiaoyi yawned, and seeing that nothing was wrong, went back to sleep. But Xiao Qiqi couldn't fall asleep. Honestly, what was such a big deal about romantic relationships in college? Hadn't she also fallen into the same trap, become infatuated, and gone astray? Why was she so furious about Chen Yuanxing? Was it disappointment, or did she see her own past reflected in it? Back then, she couldn't understand Xia Xuan's feelings, and today she couldn't know what Chen Yuanxing's feelings were when he went through those things. Distracted and restless, Xiao Qiqi sat on the balcony, smoking cigarette after cigarette until her mouth and nose were numb, before staring blankly at the dim light and getting up. She changed into her workout clothes and decided to go for a run to clear her head.
Chen Yuanxing stood blankly in a corner downstairs, staring at the flickering light on the third-floor balcony, as if he could almost smell the pungent smell of smoke lingering in his heart. He rubbed his temples and then tiptoed upstairs.
As soon as Xiao Qiqi opened the door, Chen Yuanxing, who had been leaning against it asleep, fell straight back. Xiao Qiqi quickly stepped aside, listening to him fall heavily to the ground. She stared blankly at his tired face, his misty peach blossom eyes slowly opening. Chen Yuanxing got up from the ground, scratching his exposed skin, and muttered in dissatisfaction, "Xiao Qiqi, did you raise mosquitoes at the door just for this?"
Why haven't you left yet?
"Wouldn't it be petty of me to just leave like this?" Chen Yuanxing got up from the ground, dusted himself off, and went into the house. Xiao Qiqi put her hand on the door frame and looked at him coldly.
He chuckled again, "Sister, can you listen to me for just one sentence? Just one!"
"Okay, go ahead!" Xiao Qiqi's hand remained still.
"Let's go inside and talk. All my blood was sucked away by mosquitoes all night, I'm so thirsty, can you let me have a drink of water?"
Seeing the bloodshot in his eyes, Xiao Qiqi lowered her hand. Chen Yuanxing quickly crawled in, grabbed half a pot of ice water from the refrigerator, and gulped it down before letting out a satisfied sigh. Turning around, he saw Xiao Qiqi leaning against the door with her arms crossed, coldly watching him. He gave a sullen smile, "Want to listen to a couple of words?"
Xiao Qiqi opened the door, but Chen Yuanxing quickly stopped her, "No, I'm scared of you. Can't I explain? You can't sentence someone to death without even allowing them to explain, can you?"
Xiao Qiqi stopped and went into the room. Chen Yuanxing quickly followed her in. Xiao Qiqi closed the door tightly, sat down on a chair and took out her cigarette case. Chen Yuanxing hurriedly pressed her hand down, "Sister, you've been smoking all night. Aren't you afraid of getting tuberculosis? I am!" As he spoke, he continued to fight against the large bumps all over his body.
Xiao Qiqi put down her cigarette, took out some floral water and tossed it into his hand, saying, "Here you go."
Seeing that her expression had softened considerably, Chen Yuanxing felt a little relieved. "Do you really want to tell me?"
Xiao Qiqi turned to look at the gradually brightening sky outside the balcony, her expression somewhat bitter. "What's there to say? Men and women are all the same. Who can explain matters of the heart? Sometimes, just a chance encounter can lead to a whole host of stories. You, me, him—no one can escape the word 'love,' nor can anyone escape a day of separation and mistakes. That's all. I'm going for a run."
Chen Yuanxing didn't want to say it, but seeing Xiao Qiqi's expression and tone, he became anxious and grabbed Xiao Qiqi's hand, "Qiqi, it's not like that, really."
Xiao Qiqi was surprised to see him so anxious. She pulled her hand away and said, "I didn't say you did anything wrong. Why are you in such a hurry? If you really don't dare to go back, then stay here if you want. Anyway, I... I'm not exactly a good woman, and I don't care about anything."
"Xiao Qiqi!" Chen Yuanxing suddenly called out sternly, his eyes deep, and he gripped her hand even tighter. "From now on, you're not allowed to belittle yourself like this. You're right, people only make mistakes occasionally, and there are gains and losses and impulses in relationships, but it's never a lifelong fate or a path of ruin. The road ahead is so long, you can't always be so gloomy, understand?"
Xiao Qiqi smiled and said, "I know, so I have no right to blame you or say anything more to you. Let go."
"I won't let go." Chen Yuanxing looked at Xiao Qiqi with an unprecedented seriousness, pulled her down to sit, and pressed down on her shoulders. "Originally, I didn't want to explain my affairs, but now I think I have to. Otherwise, with your stubborn nature, you'll definitely think that there are no good men in the world, that people have no feelings. One mistake is fate and destiny, and the future is uncertain."
Xiao Qiqi felt his hand was extremely strong and involuntarily moved her shoulders. "That's not what I meant. I don't want to know what happened to you. Besides, I feel that I'm doing just fine now, and I'm not as desperate as you say."
"No, don't move, listen to me." Chen Yuanxing didn't let go of her hand, but looked directly into Xiao Qiqi's eyes. "The Chen X in the report you saw is indeed me. The female student from the medical school is Yu Yao, who did my hospital internship last year. She was indeed abandoned by her boyfriend because of her pregnancy, and she climbed up the 18th floor of the experimental building at K University and attempted suicide by jumping off. I was the one who carried her down from the building. I was indeed expelled from school because of this."
“But…” A hint of reluctance flashed in Chen Yuanxing’s eyes, “Yuyao’s boyfriend is not me.”
"What, it wasn't you? Then why..." Xiao Qiqi asked when she saw his strange expression.
Chen Yuanxing shook his head, "It's Kuang Shan."
"You're taking the blame for him?" Xiao Qiqi asked, seeing him sitting on the bed with a sullen expression.
"I'm not taking the blame; I confessed to the school on my own initiative." Chen Yuanxing suddenly smiled, casually tossing his hair. "Third Brother is an excellent student, both academically and morally. He was born in a small mountain village. Their village is incredibly beautiful, with towering mountains everywhere. When it rains, mist shrouds the mountains, and water forms small waterfalls cascading down the mountain streams. The natural beauty is unforgettable. I once went there with him. It took four or five hours to walk into the village. On the narrow paths between cliffs, there were lush trees, strangely shaped rocks, birds singing and flying around in the forest, and colorful wildflowers. The villagers were so simple and honest that it was touching. They even slaughtered two pigs and twenty-one chickens for my visit. That summer was the most fulfilling and happiest time of my life. I've always thought that it's truly a blessing from heaven that such a simple and honest mountain village could produce a genius like Kuang Shan."
Xiao Qiqi was drawn in by his words, “I know that kind of place. It’s beautiful and simple. I lived in the countryside with my grandma when I was a child.”
"Yes, Kuang Shan was the first person from his village to get into university, and not just any university, but the top-tier K University in the country. Back then, the whole village spent money to hire a local opera troupe to perform for three days. His tuition was all raised by the entire village. Every time he tells me about this, he gets teary-eyed. Kuang Shan never goes home for holidays; he stays at school to help his professor with experiments, all for the sake of his annual tuition and living expenses. Now, after four years of hard work graduating from university, he has received an offer of admission to MIT with a first-class scholarship. You wouldn't believe how he cried his eyes out in his dorm room while holding the scholarship money, and how he called the only telephone in the village. The whole village treated it as major news and broadcast it on their loudspeaker for three days."
Xiao Qiqi slowly understood the meaning behind Chen Yuanxing's words, "...Then what about you?"
"I'm not exactly a good person either, haha," Chen Yuanxing said with a wry smile. "Actually, I was the one who orchestrated Yu Yao and Kuang Shan's relationship. Yu Yao initially ignored Kuang Shan, but I forced them together. I didn't know Kuang Shan had such a strong impulse, or that Yu Yao had such a temperament. Kuang Shan was going to America after graduation, and Yu Yao started making a scene with him. She also found out she was pregnant, and she refused to have an abortion, insisting on marrying Kuang Shan. Kuang Shan, of course, wasn't willing to marry her. They argued, and Yu Yao climbed up our lab building. Kuang Shan was completely drunk at the time..." "I had no choice but to climb up and hold onto Yu Yao tightly." Chen Yuanxing recalled Yu Yao's behavior at the time, scratching his head and continuing with a bitter smile: "Actually, I wasn't trying to be a hero or anything, but there were many onlookers, including police officers. We were taken to the police station to give statements. Of course, I wouldn't admit that Yu Yao jumped because of me, but I couldn't implicate Kuang Shan either. And Yu Yao, it was strange, no matter what the police asked her, she just cried. When the police asked if it was because of me, she cried; when they said it wasn't because of me, she still cried."
"Just because Yuyao hasn't said anything, the police and the school won't assume it's because of you, will they?"
Chen Yuanxing shook his head: "There were a few witnesses at the time. They, well, you know, I had some minor grudges with them before, so they testified that I was Yuyao's boyfriend."
"Huh? Did you get into a fight with them? That's why they framed you?"
"No, it's not like that. They didn't do it on purpose. To be honest, I was there most of the time when Kuang Shan and Yu Yao went on their dates. We often hung out together. People say I'm a playboy, so whenever a beautiful woman is around, they blame me. I'm innocent. I've only talked to those guys' girlfriends a few times. I'm really wronged."
"Pah! If you're upright, you have nothing to fear. Why are you bothering someone's girlfriend?"
"Hey, Xiao Qiqi, do I look like that kind of person? Don't wrong me."
"Alright, let's stop discussing this. If you keep talking, even now, Yuyao is still not saying anything?"
"Well, women can be really strange sometimes. She's supposed to be a die-hard, but she just won't speak up when it really matters. I can't betray my friend either. At the time, I thought nothing serious had happened, and Yuyao was safe, so I figured I might as well admit it. It wasn't a big deal, so I signed the papers."
"And then what happened?"
"What happened next was far beyond our expectations. We had no idea that there were reporters downstairs recording the whole thing. The next day, a lot of comments appeared about the scandal at K University, and some people even wrote a lot of comments about the school's discipline and conduct. When the school saw that things had gotten out of control, it decided to punish the person who caused the incident."
"So that's how it is. So you became the substitute sheep? Then why are you still hiding it now? Why doesn't Kuang Shan dare to step forward? And what about Yu Yao?"
“Yuyao was picked up by her family the next day, and she knew nothing about what happened after that. Kuang Shan, my buddy who shared a bunk bed with me for four years, those days I saw those scenes of going to his house every time I opened and closed my eyes. He also cried and wanted to go to school to take responsibility for this, but I stopped him.”
"You stopped him? Don't you know that if you do this, you'll have wasted four years of college? You're going to study in the US, and your reputation and future will be affected?" Xiao Qiqi finally took a deep look at the mostly cynical young man in front of her for the first time. Dark phoenix eyes, a straight nose, a cheerful smile, a playful expression—could someone be so foolish or kind?
Chen Yuanxing shook his head. "You don't understand... Kuang Shan and I are different." Seeing Xiao Qiqi's strange look, Chen Yuanxing shrugged indifferently. "If something were to happen to Kuang Shan at this time, all the hard work, hope, and love of his family and all the kind and lovely people in his village would turn into a lifetime of unbearable pain. As for me, not having a diploma and not going abroad to study doesn't matter much. At most, my mother won't speak to me for a few months, and my father will beat me with a belt. As for the future, aha, who knows?"
"Is this your attitude? You don't care about your future at all?" Xiao Qiqi was a little angry. "You're just going to get expelled from school like this, then slink back to Beijing and hide from your family and parents?"
“Yes.” Chen Yuanxing nodded seriously. “I don’t have the lofty ideal of becoming a first-class scientist like Kuang Shan. I just want to make a living. Why bother studying abroad and becoming a lab geek? As for my parents, aha, a higher degree might just give them some face to boast about. As for what they really think, I really don’t know.”
Xiao Qiqi saw a hint of sarcasm on his face. "No parent in the world doesn't want their children to succeed. Your parents raised you from a young age, and they certainly want you to be outstanding. Are you really going to give up like this? No, I think you should go back to school now, explain things to the school, or seek another solution. A warning is fine, but expulsion is too much of a punishment."
“There’s no going back.” Chen Yuanxing shook his head. “You’ve already seen these comments online. This matter has already drawn the attention of the Ministry of Education to the issue of male and female students living together in schools. It’s impossible to change anything now. The only solution now is to quietly deal with this matter and get the school to wrap things up as soon as possible so that the outside world will stop paying attention.”
"But……"
“No buts.” Chen Yuanxing interrupted Xiao Qiqi. “Qiqi, you don’t understand.” There were some things he couldn’t explain to Xiao Qiqi right now. The best way to handle this was for the school to quietly expel him and never mention it again, and for the outside world to shift its focus away as soon as possible. If they continued to drag it out, someone might be determined to dig deeper into his identity. Even if they could bring up Kuang Shan, the outside world probably wouldn’t believe it, and then it really wouldn’t be a problem between him and Kuang Shan. This was precisely what he was most worried about—not his father’s belt or his mother’s cold face, but the political connections surrounding his identity. Chen Yuanxing tried to sound relaxed. “Xiao Qiqi, you’re not worried that I’ll starve to death without my diploma, are you? Don’t worry, I’m incredibly smart. Supporting myself is a piece of cake. I’m a rich young master, so I have nothing to fear. Dropping out of school is no big deal.”
Xiao Qiqi looked intently at the nonchalant man in front of her, who had his legs crossed, and couldn't tell whether she was admiring him or sighing. "...Then, are your parents really okay with it?"
"Let's hide for a few months first. There are no bad parents in the world. Once things have passed and their anger has subsided, they will find a way."
24. Budding
This incident may also be an opportunity for Xiao Qiqi and Chen Yuanxing to improve their relationship. Whether Xiao Qiqi admits it or not, she has gradually changed from rejecting and resisting Chen Yuanxing to accepting him. She no longer chases him away, nor does she treat him like a heartless child. Instead, she sees sincerity and true feelings in his seemingly roguish and indifferent smile, and thus begins to accept him habitually.
Chen Yuanxing was completely clueless about housework. When Xiao Qiqi returned home after a day's absence, the house would be a complete mess. At first, Xiao Qiqi would get angry, and Chen Yuanxing would look at her pitifully like a puppy until she softened. Xiao Qiqi was always an efficient person, and these small chores were nothing to her. She didn't force Chen Yuanxing to awkwardly learn anymore and simply did it herself. She was a good cook and enjoyed cooking. As long as she was home on time, she would definitely cook. Every day, Chen Yuanxing would go to the market to buy groceries according to the menu she wrote down, and then eagerly wait for her to come back. When she returned, he would clumsily try to help wash the vegetables, but he was always more of a laughingstock than a help. Xiao Qiqi would then be both amused and annoyed, giving him a few slaps and sending him out. Chen Yuanxing was happy to have some peace and quiet while she cooked and he watched TV in the living room.
When they ate together, Xiao Qiqi was the happiest. Watching Chen Yuanxing eat vegetables with a gloomy face as she asked him to, Xiao Qiqi felt incredibly good. Perhaps people find happiness in seeing others' suffering, something Chen Yuanxing often told her. Xiao Qiqi didn't care; as long as Chen Yuanxing stayed with her, she would insist. If it was early, Xiao Qiqi would find an 8 PM drama to watch, but most of the time she couldn't finish it. While she watched, Chen Yuanxing would either play games or interrupt her, criticizing this as childish and that as vulgar. Each time, Xiao Qiqi would beat him up before he would shut up, then he would doze off. But whenever Xiao Qiqi missed watching the show, on sleepless nights, Chen Yuanxing would vividly and meticulously recount the night's plot to her, and then Xiao Qiqi would slowly fall asleep to his deep, pleasant baritone voice.
At this moment, Xiao Qiqi was unaware that some things were already inevitably happening between her and Chen Yuanxing. She might have thought about it, or she might not have been willing to admit it. Chen Yuanxing, on the other hand, was enjoying his carefree life, immersed in his playful interactions with Xiao Qiqi and unwilling to wake up from his reverie.
Recently, the project manager assigned Xiao Qiqi to be solely responsible for the renovation project of a specialty store. This multi-million dollar project, from design plans to construction drawings, was entirely her responsibility. Xiao Qiqi had seen blueprints before, but only superficially understood them. The project manager naturally handled the quotations and finalization of the plans; this was the first time she had been completely entrusted with the project herself. Anyone in the renovation and decoration industry knows that if you can't understand the blueprints, everything is a complete mystery.
Xiao Qiqi hunched over her computer again, studying the design drawings, scratching her head in frustration. She sighed, got up, and went to the living room to get some ice water to calm down. When she returned, she saw Chen Yuanxing deep in thought, hunched over her computer. "What are you looking at? Do you even know anything about this?"
Chen Yuanxing shook his head, "I don't understand, but I'll definitely understand when you come back tomorrow night."
After spending more time together, Xiao Qiqi also learned about some of Chen Yuanxing's flaws. Sometimes he was unbelievably confident. "Tch! That sounds nice, but you haven't studied any of this."
"That's precisely why I need a day to learn it." He typed quickly in his notebook. "There are pirated versions of these design software on computers, but they're not authentic. I'll take a look at the instructions first. Tomorrow I'll buy the software and a few books, and after some practice, I'll figure it out."