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Zhu Xingyao glanced toward the VIP section but didn’t see Lu Ji. She was momentarily confused—where had he gone? The lights dimmed, leaving no time for her to dwell on it. Quickly adjusting her state of mind, she turned around, smiled at the audience, and raised her bow.
Some have described the sound of the cello as “a pledge of life and death.”
French composer Hector Berlioz once said: No instrument is better suited than the cello to express delicate and yearning melodies.
This was Jiang Tu’s first time truly seeing Zhu Xingyao perform on stage. The piece she played was one he had listened to countless times on his MP3 player, its melody etched into his memory. His gaze remained fixed on the stage. Lu Ji glanced at him sideways and suddenly remarked, “I hope we can compete fairly. What’s the point of your sneaky tactics?”
Fair competition?
Jiang Tu couldn’t afford such fairness. He looked ahead, his tone icy as he countered, “And what do you think qualifies as fair competition?”
Lu Ji paused, suddenly at a loss for words. He was young, reckless, and fearless. Jiang Tu was different—his family was complicated, entangled in endless troubles, and Zhu Xingyao had even been hospitalized because of it. After a few seconds of silence, Lu Ji coldly said, “Fine. I’ll keep your secret well. I’ll make sure Zhu Xingyao never finds out her entire life.”
Jiang Tu clenched his teeth, his jaw trembling slightly as he suppressed his emotions to the extreme. In a low voice, he responded, “Don’t speak too soon.”
Neither of them spoke again, their eyes fixed on the girl on stage.
The entire recital lasted only an hour and a half, ending promptly at 9:30 PM. A group of people rushed onto the stage to take photos with Zhu Xingyao. Nearly everyone from Class 1 attended, and even those who hadn’t received complimentary tickets—like Zhang Sheng and Cao Ming—had bought their own to attend.
Zhang Sheng shamelessly squeezed into a photo with Zhu Xingyao; deep down, his obsession with her remained unchanged.
Li Xixi called out, “Xingyao, come to the center so we can all take a group photo!”
They gathered near the piano stand. Zhu Xingyao was pulled to the center by Li Xixi, while Jiang Tu stood tall and lean at the edge, his gaze cool and distant as he faced the camera. Finally, Lin Jiayu suddenly pushed him forward, smiling brightly. “We’ve all taken individual photos. It’s Jiang Tu’s turn now.”
Jiang Tu frowned, glaring down at her.
Zhu Xingyao pressed her lips together, her eyes gleaming as she looked at Jiang Tu and smiled. “Alright.”
Just as she was about to walk over, someone accidentally stepped on her dress. She was wearing a strapless gown that night, and this misstep would surely expose her. Startled, she quickly covered her chest with her hands and let out a small scream. Jiang Tu swiftly moved to shield her with his body, ensuring she was completely concealed. For a brief moment, he glanced down—he saw the star-shaped pendant necklace around her neck, her delicate collarbone, and the soft curves of her youthful figure…
He quickly raised his head, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly.
Zhou Yuan frantically waved his hands. “Sorry, sorry! I didn’t mean to…”
Lu Ji climbed onto the stage and kicked Zhou Yuan before turning to Zhu Xingyao, who was blushing as she adjusted her dress. Without a word, he subtly pulled her aside, a faint smirk on his lips. “A photo, right? Let me join too.” Zhu Yunping and Ding Yu had gone to see off friends, giving him the chance to sneak up.
Jiang Tu exchanged a glance with Lu Ji, his expression unreadable, then stood to Zhu Xingyao’s left.
The photographer called out, “Our leading lady, look up!”
Zhu Xingyao: “….”
She lifted her head, and the photo captured her sandwiched between two boys, her expression a mix of confusion and innocence.
Not long after the recital ended, November arrived. Zhu Xingyao was set to take the TestDaF exam in Beijing at the beginning of the month. The night before her departure, she suddenly felt inspired and spoke to Jiang Tu in German: “Classmate, I want to assess my teaching results.”
Jiang Tu was working on a physics test paper. Hearing her, he turned his head and softly replied in German, “How do you plan to assess them?”
Zhu Xingyao was stunned, her eyes widening in surprise. “Wow, you actually understood?”
Jiang Tu gave a faint smile. “Yes, I understood.”
Zhu Xingyao quickly rattled off a few more sentences, and Jiang Tu managed to respond to most of them. She was both astonished and delighted, her eyes unconsciously filled with admiration. “How do you know all this? I don’t think I taught you this much.”
“I remembered hearing you recite them.”
It wasn’t entirely true—privately, he had put in great effort to learn.
Zhu Xingyao realized this and whispered, “Your memory is incredible.”
After a while, Jiang Tu looked at her and said in German, “Good luck on your exam.”
Zhu Xingyao’s breath caught, her gaze falling on his test paper. Lowering her eyes, she softly replied, “Okay.”
Zhu Xingyao’s TestDaF Level 4 exam went smoothly. Upon returning from Beijing, it was time for the midterm exams. Classes 1 and 2 were still fiercely competing over their average scores, as this directly impacted whether Mr. Cao could win over Teacher Xie. Unfortunately, when the results came out, they were still one point behind. With 52 students per class, they needed an additional 53 points to surpass Class 1.
Xu Xiangyang, a carefree guaranteed admission student, tapped the table and shouted, “Everyone, let’s put in more effort next time! We need to help Mr. Cao resolve his lifelong happiness before graduation, right?”
Everyone burst into laughter.
Someone teased, “Class monitor, you’ve already resolved your lifelong happiness.”
Li Xixi blushed slightly and retorted, “Don’t talk nonsense.”
Someone else chimed in, “Right, don’t say anything inappropriate. Anonymous reports are still punishable by Principal Liu’s personal isolation policy!”
The atmosphere froze instantly.
Everyone turned to look at Zhu Xingyao. She remained composed, her expression distant. “Why are you all looking at me? You should focus on studying instead.”
With the heavy workload of senior year, everyone had less energy to dwell on gossip. Occasionally, when the forest of star lights was switched on, people would joke about it. Who dared to use the scene to confess tonight?
By late November, leaves were falling everywhere, and the trees in the forest were nearly bare. The countless thin wires and star lights were exposed to daylight, shining brighter than ever when lit.
By the end of December, the star lights had not illuminated for over a week, leaving the deeply engrossed Grade 12 students puzzled.
Soon, someone explained, “The circuit must have burned out. After all, it was exposed to wind and rain. It’s impressive it lasted several months.”
Li Xixi lamented, “What a pity. The school should have preserved it as a scenic spot!”
Everyone turned to look at Zhu Xingyao.
Upon hearing this, Zhu Xingyao raised her head and gazed out the window.
The forest was dark, and it would never light up again.
She suddenly felt a pang of sadness. Her thousands of stars were gone…
With the disappearance of the stars, it seemed as if her fleeting youth had also grown shorter. Perhaps only Jiang Tu felt differently—he desperately wanted to shorten this period of helplessness and longing.
Friday.
Zhu Xingyao received a letter from “J.”
Don’t be sad. In the future, I’ll make as many stars for you as you want.
—January 1, 2009
Signed, J
When Zhu Xingyao read the letter, she didn’t feel the joy she expected. Some things, she realized, could never be replaced, no matter how much was given later. Perhaps it was because she and Lu Ji had been isolated for so long that their already fragile relationship had undergone subtle changes.
Perhaps some things, once experienced in a lifetime, were enough to leave a lasting impression.
After New Year’s Day, Hexi Lane buzzed with excitement. The long-awaited demolition documents had finally arrived. Located in the central district, land prices were high, and after years of negotiation, the residents secured the best compensation package—460,000 yuan per person.
The news made headlines. Hexi Lane was set to be demolished in 2009 to make way for a stadium, with all residents required to relocate by the end of October.
At noon, a group gathered outside for lunch. Only during such times would Zhu Xingyao sit at the same table as Lu Ji. Unbeknownst to her, Jiang Tu had started joining them during these occasions as well.
Lin Jiayu brought up the topic, complaining, “You wouldn’t believe it. Once people heard the compensation was calculated per person, everyone went crazy. Those who were single quickly found boyfriends and got married. The most outrageous cases involved college students being pressured by their parents to get married and register immediately…”
Everyone laughed heartily.
Lu Ji teased, “Did your parents pressure you?”
Lin Jiayu pouted. “I’m not even eighteen yet! They’re regretting not having another child back then…”
Jiang Tu sat across from Zhu Xingyao. She looked up at him. Secretly, she had asked Lin Jiayu about his situation. Lin Jiayu didn’t know the exact amount owed, only that it was less than a million. Zhou Yuan bluntly asked, “If Hexi Lane is demolished, will Jiang Tu be able to pay off his debts?”
Jiang Tu glanced up, his tone indifferent. “Mm.”
The premise was that Jiang Jinhui wouldn’t secretly rack up more gambling debts. With nearly two million yuan left after repaying the existing debt, Jiang Tu didn’t feel particularly happy. A gambler couldn’t be trusted, and he only wanted to take control of his own life.
The atmosphere grew tense.
Xu Xiangyang quickly tried to ease the tension. “Hey Lu Ji, can’t your class just let us win a little on the final exam? Don’t leave Mr. Cao and Teacher Xie single even after we graduate.”
Li Xixi chimed in, “Exactly! I think Teacher Xie is just too stubborn about saving face. She’s probably waiting for us to beat your class so she can have an excuse to back down gracefully.”
Lu Ji suddenly turned to Zhu Xingyao. “Do you think so too?”
He was sitting right next to her. Zhu Xingyao turned to look at him and said, “Mm. Teacher Xie cares a lot about appearances. She already said in front of everyone that our class has to outscore yours before she’d agree. She might just need a way out.”
On the day the final exam results were announced, Class 1’s average score was 0.05 points higher than Class 2’s.
Li Xixi rushed into the classroom from the hallway and whispered into Zhu Xingyao’s ear, “Lu Ji’s essay on the Chinese exam was completely off-topic—so bad that it scored only 5 points for handwriting. Now the students in Class 2 are accusing him of deliberately throwing the exam to make you happy. They refuse to accept the results!”
Zhu Xingyao froze, stammering, “I thought our class actually won…”
Suddenly, the hallway erupted in commotion as students from both classes began arguing—
“Lu Ji definitely threw the exam! He did it on purpose to please Zhu Xingyao! Our class refuses to accept these results!”
“Who cares if he threw it or not? Our class still won. You guys should save some face!”
“Don’t bring up Zhu Xingyao. What if Principal Liu comes…”
“What’s the benefit of leaving Teacher Xie single? Why won’t you accept these results!”
…
The hallway buzzed with noise.
Coincidentally, Class 1 had physics class while Class 2 had math. When the bell rang, Cao Shujun and Teacher Xie walked upstairs together. The crowd dispersed, rushing back into their classrooms. Cao Shujun entered his classroom and called for everyone to stand. As the students rose, someone asked, “Mr. Cao, what if Class 2 doesn’t accept the results?”
Cao Shujun cleared his throat. “Let’s start class first. Don’t worry about these trivial matters.”
However, whispers continued. Someone joked, “We’re worried that you’ll still be single after we graduate!” Cao Shujun laughed and scolded them lightly. “You don’t need to worry about that nonsense. Focus on preparing for the college entrance exam—that’s what really matters.”
After the bell rang to signal the end of class, Cao Shujun remained at the podium, answering questions from students who approached him. Suddenly, Xu Xiangyang stood up. “Come on, classmates! Let’s go ask Teacher Xie if she’ll agree to be Mr. Cao’s girlfriend!”
Everyone froze, including Cao Shujun.
Li Xixi suddenly became excited. “Let’s go! Everyone, let’s go together!”
Several boys immediately stood up. “Let’s go!”
Xu Xiangyang was extremely popular in the class. Once he took the lead, most of the boys followed. Zhu Xingyao was pulled up by Li Xixi and joined the large group leaving the classroom. She glanced back at Jiang Tu.
Jiang Tu looked up at her. He stood and walked toward her.
The classroom gradually emptied.
The hallway filled with people.
In Class 2’s room, Teacher Xie was still holding the class over when Xu Xiangyang arrived with almost the entire Class 1, blocking both the front and back doors of Class 2. The students inside were stunned. Teacher Xie paused, then frowned. “What are you all doing?”
Xu Xiangyang smiled. “Teacher Xie, our class beat yours. We heard your class wants to renege on the deal. Are you trying to go back on your word?”
Teacher Xie: “….”
Ding Xiang shouted, “Teacher Xie, you promised that if our class beat yours, you’d agree to be Mr. Cao’s girlfriend. No backing out now!”
Teacher Xie’s face flushed red. The students in Class 2 stopped paying attention to the lesson and stood up to argue. The hallway descended into chaos, everyone acting as if they were above the rules. Cao Shujun came over to scold them but was pushed into the classroom by the students through the back door.
“Teacher Xie! If you don’t agree today, we’re going to block you here!”
“That’s right, Teacher Xie! You can’t go back on your word!”
Teacher Xie’s face turned beet red, clearly embarrassed. Cao Shujun thought she looked several years younger. Teacher Xie glared at him, her tone sharp. “Cao Shujun, control your students! What kind of behavior is this?”
The students had never seen Teacher Xie like this before. Amused, they teased, “Teacher Xie is blushing!”
Cao Shujun chuckled and coughed. Throwing caution to the wind, he said, “If you agree, they’ll stop causing trouble.”
The hallway roared with cheers from Class 1.
Other classes were curious. Were Classes 1 and 2 about to fight? No—they were arranging a marriage! Teacher Xie, flustered and angry, finally relented. “Fine, fine! I’ll agree! But this is outrageous! Look at how old we are…” She suddenly remembered something and hurriedly urged, “Hurry back to your classrooms before…”
Her words were cut short by Director Liu’s furious shout from downstairs. “What are you all doing?!”
Cao Shujun and Teacher Xie froze. “Quick, quick! Everyone back to your classrooms!”
Zhu Xingyao stood off to the side, smiling. Earlier, Li Xixi had said, “I think Xu Xiangyang is so cool today,” and then squeezed her way to his side. Now, Zhu Xingyao was somewhat traumatized by Director Liu’s yelling. At the sound of his voice, she instinctively ran backward—straight into Jiang Tu.
She stepped on his foot and bumped into him. He let out a low grunt, his voice muffled above her head.
Zhu Xingyao’s heart skipped a beat. She looked up at him, but Jiang Tu seemed unfazed. He grabbed her hand and pulled her back as the crowd jostled them toward the classroom. People urged them, “Hurry, hurry! Director Liu’s coming!”
Director Liu ran upstairs, panting and cursing. After grabbing a student to confirm the situation, he turned green with anger.
As Cao Shujun and Teacher Xie stepped out of the classroom, Director Liu berated them with a black face. “When the leaders are crooked, the followers will be too! Just look at yourselves…”
The “followers” referred to Lu Ji and Zhu Xingyao.
Cao Shujun coughed. “Director Liu, we’re adults.”
“You’re also role models for your students! Look at this mess! Combined, you’re sixty years old! How can you act like students?!”
“…”
“Director Liu, whether it’s teenagers or people in their sixties, love is a natural instinct. You can’t deprive people of that,” Zhou Yuan shouted from the doorway before quickly slipping away. The crowd was too chaotic for Director Liu to catch anyone, leaving him fuming. “This is outrageous! After all these years of teaching, I’ve never seen such bold students!”
The grand “forced marriage” ended with Director Liu’s scolding.
Before evening self-study, Xia Jin took advantage of the sparse crowd and Zhu Xingyao’s absence from her seat to approach Jiang Tu with a box. She placed it on his desk, trying to keep her voice steady. “Jiang Tu, happy birthday.”
Jiang Tu glanced at the box on the desk—the latest iPhone 3.
Without expression, he looked up at her, his voice cold. “Thank you, but take it back.”
Xia Jin bit her lip. “It’s just a birthday gift.”
Jiang Tu repeated, “Take it back.”
As students returned from dinner, Zhang Sheng walked in and saw the scene. Whistling, he teased, “Wow, Xia Jin, you’re giving Jiang Tu a gift? What’s this? Are you trying to win him over?”
Xia Jin’s face darkened. She glanced at Jiang Tu.
Jiang Tu showed no intention of helping her out of the awkward situation. Fuming, she snatched the gift box and stormed off.
Zhang Sheng hadn’t bothered Jiang Tu in a while, but his mouth was as sharp as ever. “Why didn’t you take it? Xia Jin’s family is wealthy and influential. If you were with her, you wouldn’t have to worry about anything. You could skip twenty years of hard work!”
Jiang Tu looked up at him, his gaze icy. “Get lost.”
Zhang Sheng charged forward, angrily shouting, “Don’t think I won’t dare hit you!”
At that moment, Zhu Xingyao and Li Xixi walked into the classroom, hearing his words just in time. Zhu Xingyao’s expression turned cold. “Zhang Sheng, after three years, are you still like this? What grudge do you have against Jiang Tu? Your constant targeting is so childish.”
It was the first time Zhu Xingyao had spoken so harshly. The entire class turned to look.
Zhang Sheng’s face flushed red. Clenching his teeth, he glared at Zhu Xingyao. “You… You’re just relying on my feelings for you, aren’t you? Fine, I won’t argue with you.”
Zhu Xingyao said, “It’s me who isn’t holding it against you.”
Zhang Sheng turned back with a dark expression.
Zhu Xingyao frowned and walked back to her seat.
Jiang Tu turned to look at her and suddenly smiled.
He rarely smiled, so when he did, it felt strikingly different. Zhu Xingyao glanced at him and, for some reason, felt her cheeks heat up. She whispered softly, “What are you smiling about? I was standing up for you.” Then she added, almost shyly, “Actually, you should smile more. Go ahead and smile.”
That night, when Jiang Tu returned home, he found the house in disarray. Since entering his final year of high school, he had spent more time at school and attending evening study sessions, squeezing in work during his free time. He rarely crossed paths with Chen Yi anymore.
Shu Xian was arguing with Jiang Jinhui, her eyes red. “Are you going to gamble this family into nothing before you’re satisfied? Chen Yi wants to mortgage the house, and you…” She paused upon seeing Jiang Tu, quickly wiping her tears. “You’re back.”
Jiang Tu stood at the doorway, his gaze icy as he looked at Jiang Jinhui. “This house isn’t yours alone. My mother has a share. If you dare mortgage it, I won’t let you get away with it.”
“This house is mine!” Jiang Jinhui slurred drunkenly, shouting furiously. “How dare you talk to me like that, you brat?”
“I’ve already said it—my mother has a share. You have no right to touch it.”
“Your mother married me; what’s hers is mine.”
Jiang Tu didn’t want to waste energy arguing with a drunkard. He walked into his room, rummaged through the drawer for a lighter and a pack of cigarettes, and opened the window slightly. Leaning against the frame, he lit a cigarette. The biting cold wind of midwinter blew in, damp and piercing. He took a long drag, exhaling a cloud of smoke.
He thought of Zhu Xingyao telling him to smile more. His lips curled into a self-deprecating smirk. Often, he didn’t know how or why to smile.
Perhaps… only she could make him smile more.
The Lunar New Year was approaching at the end of January. Senior year students only had a ten-day winter break, and after the eighth day of the new year, they would return to school for extra classes. Under the intense pressure of studying, everyone’s nerves were on edge, and time seemed to fly by. A countdown timer appeared in the corner of the blackboard. Not long after the oath-taking ceremony came the city-wide mock exam. When the results were announced, Jiang Tu ranked first in the science stream across the city. Mr. Cao praised him enthusiastically during the class meeting.
Even the vice principal came in with a smile, saying a few words: “If Jiang Tu can maintain this performance, this year’s provincial top scorer might just come from our school. But don’t put too much pressure on yourself—just keep reviewing diligently.”
Jiang Tu humbly nodded. “Alright.”
The vice principal left cheerfully. Zhu Xingyao turned to look at him, grinning. “Brother Tu is amazing.” After tilting her head in thought, she added, seemingly out of nowhere, “My dad knows that I sit next to you.”
The comment felt somewhat abrupt.
Jiang Tu looked at her and smiled.
In the evening, a heavy rainstorm hit, accompanied by thunder and lightning, making it quite terrifying. It didn’t stop until 9 PM, just as the break between classes began. Zhu Xingyao was standing by Li Xixi’s desk chatting when suddenly, the entire classroom plunged into darkness.
The power had gone out, plunging the entire school into pitch-blackness.
After a few seconds of silence, the room erupted in chatter. “Why did the power go out?”
“Maybe because of the heavy rain? Will the power come back soon? Is it just the school, or the whole area?”
“Can we go home early?”
…
The surroundings were completely dark, with barely a trace of light.
Blinking in the darkness, Zhu Xingyao suddenly felt someone grab her forcefully from behind. Startled, she screamed, “Ah!” Instinctively, she kicked backward, and the person quickly released her. The next moment, a faint flicker of flame appeared in the classroom.
Jiang Tu quickly lit his lighter and walked over to her. “What happened?”
The faint glow illuminated Zhu Xingyao’s face, which was pale and filled with shock and anger. There was something she couldn’t bring herself to say. Li Xixi tugged at her sleeve, urgently asking, “You looked really scared just now. What happened?”
Zhu Xingyao bit her lip, glancing around. Her gaze landed on Zhang Sheng, sitting at the last desk in the second row. Lowering her head, she whispered, “Someone hugged me from behind… and…” She hesitated, her voice dropping even lower. “…touched my chest. I kicked him, and he let go.”
Li Xixi’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Damn! Which pervert did it?!”
Jiang Tu’s expression darkened, his eyes cold. Xu Xiangyang frowned, scanning the room. Who the hell would be so bold?
The classmates nearby turned their attention to Zhu Xingyao.
This was the first time Zhu Xingyao had been harassed, and by a classmate no less. The feeling was unbearable. She clenched her face, clearly distressed. From downstairs, a teacher’s voice called out, “The power will be back soon. Everyone stay calm, don’t move around.”
The lighter remained lit, its flame flickering.
Jiang Tu looked at Zhu Xingyao, his voice low and steady. “Go back to your seat and sit down first.”
Just as they sat down, the lights suddenly came back on.
The power had returned.
Jiang Tu tossed the now-hot lighter onto the desk. Zhu Xingyao lowered her head, her slender neck exposed. He glanced at her, then stood up and walked out. Passing Zhang Sheng’s desk, he glanced down at his shoes. Zhang Sheng was wearing expensive red sneakers, one shoe clean and the other marked with a grayish-white smudge.
Feeling guilty under Jiang Tu’s gaze, Zhang Sheng scowled. “What are you looking at? No matter how many times you stare, you still can’t afford these.”
Before his words even faded, Zhang Sheng’s cheek was punched, causing him to cry out in pain. Blood dripped from his split lip.
Other classmates gasped in shock. Zhang Sheng was stunned, unable to react before Jiang Tu grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall. His head hit the wall with a loud thud. Jiang Tu’s expression was fierce as he delivered punch after punch to Zhang Sheng’s abdomen. Xu Xiangyang was the first to snap out of it, rushing over to intervene. “What are you doing? Suddenly starting a fight?”
Jiang Tu shoved him aside and landed another punch on Zhang Sheng’s face, eliciting more cries of pain.
Xu Xiangyang stepped forward again. “Keep this up, and someone’s going to get seriously hurt! Even if no one gets hurt, there’ll still be consequences!”
Zhu Xingyao stood frozen for a moment before realizing what was happening. She rushed over, tugging at Jiang Tu’s sleeve and whispering, “Stop.”
Jiang Tu paused, his face dark as he dragged Zhang Sheng in front of Zhu Xingyao. His voice was cold. “Apologize to her.”
Zhang Sheng’s face was swollen, his entire abdomen burning with pain. Breathing heavily, his eyes blazing with fury, he glared at Jiang Tu. “What did I do? I didn’t do anything.”
Jiang Tu continued to grip the back of Zhang Sheng’s collar, his gaze icy. “Apologize to her.”
Zhu Xingyao frowned, staring at Zhang Sheng.
The entire class fell silent, everyone watching them.
Suddenly, Zhang Sheng grabbed a fountain pen from the desk and lunged toward Jiang Tu’s face. Jiang Tu dodged backward, grabbing Zhang Sheng’s hand. Just then, an angry shout came from the doorway: “Who allowed you to fight?!”
Jiang Tu froze, but Zhang Sheng, driven by rage, seized the opportunity to strike.
Jiang Tu couldn’t dodge in time. The pen nib grazed his neck, leaving a sharp, stinging sensation.
Mr. Cao stormed in, pulling Zhang Sheng away. Seeing Zhang Sheng’s battered face, his expression faltered. He glanced at Jiang Tu, frowning. “What’s going on here?”
“Brother Tu, you… you’re bleeding.”
Zhu Xingyao’s voice trembled as she stared at the wound on Jiang Tu’s neck, sliced open by the pen. His long, pale neck now bore two streaks of blood trickling down, staining the blue collar of his uniform. She quickly grabbed some tissues from the desk and pressed them against the wound.
Jiang Tu held the tissues himself, looking down at her.
Zhu Xingyao’s face was pale. If Zhang Sheng’s aim had been slightly off…
Mr. Cao took a deep breath. “Xu Xiangyang, you and Cao Ming take Zhang Sheng to the infirmary.”
Zhang Sheng, now acting deranged, was dragged away by Cao Ming. Xu Xiangyang glanced at Jiang Tu. Jiang Tu removed the tissue—the bleeding had mostly stopped—and frowned. “I don’t need to go.”
Zhu Xingyao disagreed. “You need to get a tetanus shot for a pen injury.”
Jiang Tu looked down at her, his voice low. “I’ll handle it at the clinic tomorrow morning.”
Jiang Tu was called to Mr. Cao’s office for a talk and only returned near the end of class. Zhu Xingyao and Li Xixi had fetched antiseptic and cotton swabs from the infirmary. As soon as he sat down, Zhu Xingyao turned to him, cotton swab in hand. “Let me clean it for you.”
The wound was obvious—red, swollen, and broken skin. It looked painful.
Jiang Tu, not wearing his glasses, turned to look at her, his dark eyes unreadable. He gave a soft hum of acknowledgment.
Zhu Xingyao leaned close, carefully dabbing the wound with alcohol-soaked cotton. She noticed his Adam’s apple bob slightly and paused, whispering, “Does it hurt?”
“No,” he replied, his low, magnetic voice steady.
Zhu Xingyao suddenly felt flustered. She hurriedly finished cleaning the wound just as the dismissal bell rang. Everyone began packing up to leave. Jiang Tu stood up. Zhu Xingyao called out, “Wait.” She rummaged through her bag and pulled out two band-aids—pink ones with cartoon patterns.
Jiang Tu’s expression faltered slightly.
She tore open the band-aids, stood up, and muttered, “Don’t judge the pink. I know you have band-aids at home. You can replace them later.”
Jiang Tu looked down at her as Zhu Xingyao leaned closer to apply the band-aids, pressing them gently with her fingers. Suddenly, a passing student’s backpack bumped into her back, causing her to lurch forward. Her lips brushed against Jiang Tu’s jaw.
Both froze simultaneously. Zhu Xingyao’s mind went blank as she quickly pulled back, her heart racing. She avoided Jiang Tu’s gaze, unsure if anyone had seen.
Li Xixi, having finished talking to Xu Xiangyang, turned and called out, “Stars, can we go now?”
Zhu Xingyao bit her lip, lowering her head to pack her bag. “Just a moment.”
A heavy rainstorm had fallen that night, and the windows were still open, carrying the scent of dampness and earth. Jiang Tu turned to face the window, taking a deep breath. When he turned back to look at her, his composure had fully returned. His tone was calm. “I’m leaving first.”
Zhu Xingyao quickly looked up. “Remember to get that tetanus shot tomorrow morning.”
Jiang Tu gave a slight nod and left.
At 5 AM, Jiang Tu woke with a start, gasping for breath. He stared at the dark ceiling, raising a hand to cover his face and inhaling deeply. After a moment, he frowned, got up, and went to the bathroom.
Returning with dripping hair, he wiped it carelessly and left it alone.
Without turning on the light, he reached into the drawer, familiar in the dark, and pulled out his pack of cigarettes. Lighting one, he leaned against the edge of the table, smoking quietly. This wasn’t the first time he’d dreamed of Zhu Xingyao. Each time he woke, he felt a pang of guilt.
Jiang Tu raised his hand to his neck.
It still felt like her fingers’ warmth lingered there.
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