When Rouqiu heard Lin Fang mention going to college, he lacked confidence: “Me? I may be dumb, but I know my limits. Since childhood, I’ve barely scraped by on exams only because you pushed me. The idea of getting into college? I’ve never even considered it.”
“Then start considering it now. What if you can’t take over your dad’s job? Are you planning to end up like Si’an, drifting around and eventually landing in jail?” People care about face, and because of this, Si’an’s family couldn’t hold their heads up in the village.
Si’an was from Lin Fang’s village, the youngest of four brothers. His father worked at a bank, and it was always understood that Si’an would take over his father’s position upon retirement. But when the time came, the bank rejected Si’an for his delinquent behavior and instead favored the clever and honest third brother, San’an. Left with no choice, their father had to let San’an take the job.
Already lazy, Si’an grew resentful when he couldn’t inherit the job or transfer his household registration to the city. He spiraled further into bad behavior and was eventually arrested for stealing electrical wires, sentenced to eight years in prison. He was still behind bars.
Rouqiu shook his head: “I’d rather starve than end up like Si’an. He’s brought shame on eight generations of ancestors.”
“Good,” Lin Fang pressed on. “As the saying goes, ‘Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.’ It doesn’t hurt to think ahead. And even if you do take over your dad’s job, having a college degree would give you a much better position—more glory for your family.”
“You make sense. Let me think about it.” His tone was uncertain.
The fact that he was willing to think about it was progress. Rouqiu had never been much of a student, but he always managed to scrape by on exams through last-minute cramming, showing he had untapped potential. Lin Fang didn’t push further, planning to encourage him gradually.
Lost in thought, they entered the school gate and saw students heading to class. Rouqiu checked his digital watch—less than twenty minutes until class. He hurriedly pushed his motorcycle toward the dorm.
The first class in the afternoon was Chinese, after which he’d accompany Lin Fang to Teacher Gao’s office. Though Lin Fang was the assistant to both Teacher Gao and Teacher Qiu, Rouqiu was nervous about facing Teacher Qiu’s stern expression if he didn’t perform well in Chinese.
Lin Fang walked at a leisurely pace. Her first class was physics, jokingly called the “wild horse class” by the school administration.
Their physics teacher, also their elusive homeroom teacher, had barely shown up this semester. Each physics class was just the class monitor assigning new material, promising the teacher would explain it next time—except the next class was the same.
On the rare occasion the teacher did appear, he’d cram several lessons into one session, indifferent to whether students understood. The moment class ended, he’d rush out on his bike, leaving no trace until his next unpredictable appearance.
Lin Fang’s deskmate, Zhang Jiejun, had whispered that morning that half the class had passed the midterms—a miracle given the teacher’s haphazard methods. Zhang Jiejun was from the same village as the teacher.
Turning a corner, Lin Fang noticed a few girls whispering outside the dorm but paid no mind. If she could skip class, so could others.
Her sharp senses picked up an unusual atmosphere inside the dorm.
Someone was stifling sobs—heart-wrenching, suppressed cries of grief and injustice. Two girls at the door wiped tears. The source of the crying was Fu Hongxia, who had just returned after a week in the hospital.
Less than a step from Fu Hongxia, Lin Fang detected the presence of a stranger—likely a man.
Further back stood another man, someone Lin Fang recognized as Officer Shangguan despite their limited interactions.
Pi Xinhong, absent for a week, stood near the door, breathing unevenly. Given her impatient and self-righteous nature, she was either furious or exhausted.
Lin Fang frowned and turned away. She wasn’t heartless, but she’d seen Fu Hongxia’s act before. While Fu Hongxia’s situation was pitiable—a fifteen-year-old ignored by her father after an ear injury—Lin Fang couldn’t muster sympathy.
As the saying goes, “Pitiable people have their own faults.” Fu Hongxia was opportunistic, treating people like treasures when useful and discarding them like trash afterward. As Chen Dong had said, “You care about her as a classmate, but does she care about anyone else?”
After the bell rang, Lin Fang returned to the dorm. The crowd had dispersed, and the door was closed. Inside, only Fu Hongxia remained. The moment Lin Fang saw where she was lying, her expression turned icy.
Standing by the bed, Lin Fang glared at Fu Hongxia, who had taken her spot. “Get up.”
Fu Hongxia, sensing something off but unfazed, smiled. “Lin Fang, where’ve you been? I missed you. You didn’t even visit me in the hospital.” She stayed put, not even sitting up.
“Get. Up.” Lin Fang’s voice was colder.
Only then did Fu Hongxia realize Lin Fang’s anger. Sitting up, she wrapped herself in the blanket, pleading, “Lin Fang, we’re old classmates. You’re always understanding. I just wanted to switch spots with you.”
“UP—!”
Lin Fang snapped. She yanked the blanket away, exposing Fu Hongxia’s naked lower half.
The sight of Fu Hongxia’s pubic hair made Lin Fang nauseous. She turned away, voice icy. “Leave now if you don’t want more humiliation.”
Lin Fang, usually frail and barely speaking, now radiated fury. Fu Hongxia froze, stunned.
“Are you leaving?”
Another roar snapped Fu Hongxia into action. She scrambled up, forgetting her underwear, and hastily gathered her bedding. Shaking, she moved to retrieve Lin Fang’s bedding from her original spot.
“Don’t touch my things.”
Lin Fang barely restrained herself from lunging at Fu Hongxia. The girl recoiled, trembling on the bed despite the cold.
Lin Fang rearranged her own bedding, then stormed out, slamming the door.
Only when Lin Fang’s footsteps faded did Fu Hongxia dare to sob—this time out of genuine fear, not performance. She didn’t understand Lin Fang’s rage but had felt the murderous intent in her voice.
Outside, the cold air helped Lin Fang calm down. She couldn’t explain her outburst. Normally, Fu Hongxia switching spots without asking wouldn’t have bothered her.
Fu Hongxia’s original spot was next to Pi Xinhong. After their falling out, it made sense she’d want to move. In the past, Lin Fang would’ve let it slide. But this time, something primal had erupted—a buried hatred for those who took what wasn’t theirs, a remnant of erased memories from the old monk.
“Lin Fang, skipping class?”
A voice interrupted her thoughts. Officer Shangguan and Teacher Su were playing basketball on the uneven, snow-cleared court. The contrast between the tall Shangguan and short Su was stark. Lin Fang didn’t know basketball rules, but she sensed Shangguan was outmatched.
“Yeah,” Lin Fang replied curtly, not in the mood to talk.
The patchy court, partly dry and partly wet, looked chaotic under the players’ lively movements.
Shangguan tossed the ball to Su and approached Lin Fang. “They say it’s colder after snow melts, and there’s no sun today. You shouldn’t be out here with your health.”
Lin Fang smiled. “Thanks, Officer Shangguan. Just needed some air.”
Su, bored without competition, joined them. “No class?”
Lin Fang shook her head silently. It was a tricky question—she didn’t know if her teacher had shown up.
Shangguan answered for her: “Her class is self-study today. The physics teacher—also their homeroom teacher—is absent again.” Attendance was part of his duties.
Su just nodded and dribbled away, uninterested in the answer.
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