Fake Slackers

Chapter 32: A wild 800-word boast

Six exam papers were placed on the desk. Xie Yu thought Old Tang was going to briefly go over the monthly exam with them.

But Tang Sen asked instead, "You like to play video games?"

In order for the pretense to seem genuine, even though they didn't really like them, they had to nod.

Xie Yu said, "Mm."

He Zhao said, "Yup. I like them a lot."

"I gave it a try, too. That very popular game, He Zhao, that I heard you've been playing." Tang Sen didn't mention the exam papers. He took out his phone. "I didn't expect your taste to be so... innocent and pure."

"Innocent and pure?"

He wasn't sure how Old Tang had come to the very strange conclusion of 'innocent and pure.'

While Old Tang was looking down at his phone, He Zhao nudged Xie Yu with his arm. "Is he saying I'm childish?"

"I don't know, and I don't want to know."

"Then how am I innocent and pure? A man like Old Tang probably likes to play chess, drink tea, and birdwatch in his free time." The more He Zhao thought, the more he wanted to know what this was about. "He probably doesn't play King of Guns or Planet Terror."

As Tang Sen opened the game, he said, "It's not that I think video games are bad. There are two sides to everything. The good side is it lets people relax and have fun, while also exercising one's self-control..."

He Zhao ignored the rest and nodded in agreement. "Yes. I agree. You make a lot of sense."

Xie Yu saw a very familiar pink flash across Tang Sen's phone screen.

But he'd only glimpsed it. As Tang Sen got excited, he put his phone away and continued talking. "This self-control and willpower is very strong. There are many temptations in the world. For example..."

He Zhao got a little sleepy while listening and secretly stuck his hand in front of Xie Yu.

Xie Yu looked down. "What are you doing?"

"Pinch me," He Zhao said. "I'm having trouble staying awake."

Xie Yu had just touched the back of He Zhao's hand and hadn't yet had time to pinch when Tang Sen changed the subject from self-control to studying, and then from studying to games. Then Tang Sen slid his phone over and, after seeing the pink game interface, He Zhao was suddenly wide awake. "......"

Tang Sen talked for another half an hour and the class bell rang before he let them go.

When He Zhao left, he forgot his manners and didn't even say, "Goodbye, Mr. Tang."

Xie Yu wanted to laugh very much but held it in.

He Zhao walked quickly. He took several steps then stopped again. Seeing Xie Yu, he reminded him, "Don't laugh. I'm this fucking close to exploding."

The first afternoon class was history. When they returned, the history teacher was already in the classroom.

"Quick, come in. Class has started. Why are you still dawdling?" the history teacher said, opening a book. "The bell has rung, so quickly get to your seats and sit down."

Just now in the faculty office, Tang Sen had shown them his score in the dressup game and explained some of his thoughts on the game. At the end, he'd compared the game to studying and hoped it would ignite some interest in them for studying.

"The game gives you a dressup theme every level and the player has to think about it... Take a look at this reading comprehension question. Actually, doing questions is very similar... Why not this skirt? Why is this answer wrong? You have to think about it and solve the question."