Chapter 21: Away From Home
As the class monitor, Chu Jingyi was a busy girl. She had to remember every student’s personality, their family background, assign tasks, and organize class activities. But today, she had an additional responsibility: lying. Lying to the teacher.
Lu Li had been absent from school all day yesterday and was nowhere to be seen this morning. When the homeroom teacher asked about his whereabouts, she could only muster a feeble, “He’s called in sick.” Was he really sick? She couldn’t help but stare at his empty desk. His textbooks were still in place, as if he had merely skipped class as usual.
An Baili pouted. “Some people can’t even look at an empty desk without getting lost in thought. Who knew he was so irresistible?”
“I-I’m just worried about my friend.”
“He disappeared after visiting your house the other day. Did your father have him whacked and dumped in the river? You know, the classic ‘walk down a dark alley, get hit with a blunt object, wake up in a ditch’ scenario…”
An Baili’s teasing was cut short by Chu Jingyi’s indignant outburst.
“My father is not a gangster! Baili, I’m warning you!”
When angry, Chu Jingyi’s delicate brows furrowed, her expression stern, radiating an air of authority. An Baili rolled her eyes and turned to stare out the window. Chu Jingyi had been distracted since yesterday, constantly asking, “Where’s Lu Li? Why isn’t he in class?” An Baili couldn’t stand it. Who did Chu Jingyi think she was, questioning her Lu Li’s whereabouts?
Where was Lu Li? An Baili knew exactly where he was. She also knew that tomorrow was the official start of the Six-Province Tournament. He had probably gone to see Zou Yameng.
A wave of malice surged through her. She adjusted her glasses and looked at the still-fuming class monitor.
“I know where Lu Li went.”
“You do?”
“He went to see another girl. A very important girl. Irreplaceable. And very beautiful.” Her own heart ached as she said these words, but she was more interested in seeing Chu Jingyi’s reaction.
To her disappointment, the girl simply tilted her head in confusion.
“Why didn’t he ask for permission?”
Love was selfish. True love couldn’t be shared. That wasn’t love, that was mere lust. Chu Jingyi’s lack of reaction meant that she wasn’t a rival. The realization drained her of all energy.
She suddenly felt foolish, her own petty jealousy dwarfed by Chu Jingyi’s pure and innocent heart.
Chu Jingyi fell silent as their Morality and Ethics teacher shuffled into the classroom. Today’s lesson was on “Trust and Friendship.” The teacher, a frail old man who looked like he was on his last legs, didn’t even bother wearing his reading glasses as he droned on, reading directly from the textbook. Even when the students in the front row gathered to play cards, he seemed oblivious.
Only Chu Jingyi paid attention. She highlighted passages in her textbook with a red pen, as if taking notes. However, a closer look revealed that she wasn’t taking notes at all. She was defacing the illustrations in the book.
The stick figure on the left was saying, “Let me introduce you to my friend. Then we’ll all be friends!”
The stick figure on the right looked apprehensive. “I’m shy!”
Chu Jingyi scribbled over the face of the stick figure on the left and muttered, “No way…”
“No way what?” An Baili’s sharp ears picked up her mumbling.
“N-nothing.”
*
Rewind to the previous day.
When do humans feel insignificant? For Lu Li, it was when he stepped into a completely unfamiliar city, alone. The city was like a hungry beast, devouring the youth, passion, and dreams of countless young people. Beneath its concrete surface lay the sweat and toil of generations. The successful found fame and fortune, while the poor wept in obscurity.
People often marveled at the grandeur and mystery of nature, forgetting the intricate and often cruel machinations of human civilization.
He had brought only two thousand yuan in cash. To save money, he walked from the airport on the outskirts of the city to the downtown area, finding a cheap rental room for fifty yuan a day near the sports stadium. The landlady, perhaps taking pity on him, hadn’t asked for any identification. In fact, the still-attractive woman had even flirted with him, drawn to his youthful good looks. He felt like Dazai Osamu’s character, Yozo Oba, a feeling that sent shivers down his spine.
He spotted Sister Yameng at the stadium but didn’t approach her. She was completely focused on her training, her expression serious, her eyes determined, even fierce. She was a far cry from the gentle, smiling girl he knew. The entire Chuanhai team seemed tense, their energy coiled tight, ready to explode during the official tournament in two days.
People who were passionate about their work deserved respect. He didn’t want to disturb her. He sat in the stands, watching her practice until nightfall.
Sister Yameng was the last athlete to leave. She and Coach Dan exited through a side door, unaware of his presence. He stretched his numb legs and walked out of the stadium. Before coming to Lingyue, he had been worried about his sister, worried that she might be crushed by another defeat, worried that she might lose her fighting spirit. But he had underestimated her resilience.
The voluptuous landlady was still watching TV at 10:30 pm. She chuckled as he entered. “Back so late, handsome? No hot water left for you~”
Her suggestive tone was enough to set any young man’s heart racing. She was curvy and full-figured, the type who would bear many children. In Lu Li’s words, she was prime wife material. Women came in all shapes and sizes. Some were meant to be admired from afar, like works of art, like Chu Jingyi. Others were meant to be enjoyed, like everyday objects, like the landlady.
However, Lu Li was too exhausted to entertain her advances. His body ached from the long journey. He forced a smile. “Cold water is fine.”
His smile melted her heart. She had never met such a charming young man. “You can’t shower with cold water! You’ll catch a cold. I have some hot water left in my room. You can use it to wipe yourself down.” She reached for him, but he deftly dodged her grasp.
“Thank you, ma’am.”
He wasn’t opposed to casual encounters, but he also knew how to behave.
She gave him a disappointed look. “Old Man Zhang is in the bathroom. He’s having some… digestive issues. You can use my room. Don’t worry, I won’t peek. What are you so shy about?” In these cheap rentals, seven or eight people usually shared a single bathroom. The rooms were separated by thin partitions, offering little privacy.
As if on cue, a voice called out from one of the rooms, “Hey, landlady! If he doesn’t want you, I’ll gladly take him off your hands. How about it?”
She swatted at the air with a fly swatter. “Shut up! Can’t you see I’m trying to watch TV?” Her aggressive demeanor was a stark contrast to her earlier flirtatious behavior.
In the end, Lu Li didn’t get to shower. He lay on his narrow bed, listening to the symphony of snores around him, his mind replaying the image of his sister training, her face determined, her body glistening with sweat. He remembered her words from his past life, her repeated warnings before he left for university:
“Take care of yourself when you’re away from home…”
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