(1)
April 2, 2010, Friday.
Sun Wei always took the bus when he left the house.
That’s right, it was the kind of minibus public transit line unique to small cities like this one, running from the nearby countryside into the city.
Unlike the minibuses at the intercity coach station, this type didn’t have a conductor, just a coin box and a card scanner.
Yesterday, after helping Ye Wen clean out a vacant office, it was already dark by the time he left school. When he got home, for once, he didn’t copy homework, but actually finished all of it himself—though he couldn’t guarantee it was all correct, at least it was done.
He’d already been really sleepy by then, but after a shower, he was suddenly wide awake, tossing and turning in bed and unable to sleep. It wasn’t until around three o’clock that he finally dozed off, only to be woken by his alarm at six.
—He had to leave early, after all, it took time to get there by bus.
“Ha… ahhh…” Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, he stared dully at himself and the bird’s nest of hair on his head. The dandruff was so obvious that just lifting his hair a bit would send a cascade of flakes to the floor.
His Nongmin parents had already left. His dad had to drive the van with his mom to a farther-off Pifa Shichang to get stock, and then rush to reach the Caichang before six.
“I definitely don’t want to end up like Dad, selling vegetables for the rest of my life,” Sun Wei slapped his forehead with a hand still wet from cold water. “Time to actually start studying for real. If a miracle happens, maybe I won’t have to repeat a year. Sigh, why the hell did I slack off on purpose in eighth grade? I could keep up fine in seventh.”
Washing up was extremely simple for Sun Wei—sometimes it took him less than a minute, both tasks combined.
As for that messy hair, he was too lazy to do anything about it. He just threw on his school uniform, grabbed his bag, and walked out the door.
In the yard, a young man who looked quite handsome was doing radio calisthenics with a serious face. Nearby, an old-fashioned, bulky tape player blared out music and rhythms that Sun Wei was already sick of hearing.
“Stretching exercise, one two three four, two two three four…”
This was the new tenant at Sun Wei’s house. At first, they barely saw him, but for the past few days, for some reason, he’d started doing radio calisthenics in the yard every morning. Although his movements were full of energy, seeing that serious expression always made Sun Wei’s mouth twitch.
It just felt weird to see someone doing radio calisthenics outside of school.
Like someone doing something in real life that only ever happens in anime.
The bus stop was right outside Sun Wei’s home, so he didn’t need to walk far. He just had to wait for the minibus to arrive before heading out.
“About five more minutes,” he muttered, pulling a band-less digital watch from his filthy pocket and checking the time. He yawned with his nose in the air, “So damn tired…”
“Good morning.” The tenant, Lu Ye, finished his daily calisthenics and greeted Sun Wei with a smile.
“Morning.” Sun Wei nodded. “You’re up pretty early, too…”
“Early to bed, early to rise, good for your health.”
“I got up early, but unfortunately, didn’t sleep early.” Sun Wei scratched his scalp, his head feeling swollen. “Got away with it yesterday, but today, I bet it won’t happen again…?”
He was, of course, thinking about the Si Ban Banzhang—the little delinquent girl’s Xiaohunhun boyfriend. If that guy really wanted to beat him up, he wouldn’t have any way to fight back.
Even if it was just a beating, with a bunch of people, it wouldn’t just hurt—it would be downright humiliating.
At that point, Sun Wei probably wouldn’t even dare resist. Trying would just bring more fists—he’d be nothing but a coward.
He sighed deeply, regretting his decision to confess—who said youth was supposed to come with the pain of getting beat up?
“Little bro, you’ve got something on your mind.”
“Yeah, who doesn’t have something on their mind these days, sigh.” Sun Wei glanced at Lu Ye and scratched his head. “Why the hell are there Xiaohunhun in this world anyway?”
“Because everyone needs a sense of achievement and fulfillment. If they can’t get it through study or work, they’ll find it another way. Some people get it from games, others from bullying.”
“So damn annoying.”
“You don’t look like you’ve been beaten up yet.”
“I haven’t, but… tch. Whatever, just thinking about it gives me a headache.”
“When someone bullies you, always remember to fight back.” Lu Ye’s tone at that moment was like a teacher’s, gentle and earnest.
“Come on, there’s so many of them. Fighting back just means getting beaten worse.”
“Fighting back is a moment’s pain. Not fighting back is a lifetime of torment.”
“If I can run, I’ll run. Only an idiot fights so many people head-on…” Sun Wei sighed again. “If only there were hitmen. I’d just hire one and get that guy killed—do the world a favor, damn it!”
“Alright, name your price.”
“…Huh?” Sun Wei stared blankly for a while before forcing out a word.
“Everyone has their price.”
He just took it as Lu Ye being serious with a joke, and shrugged. “Hitmen are expensive, right? If you can afford a hitman, you’d never be scared of some Xiaohunhun… It’s a vicious cycle, damn it.”
From a distance came the rumble of the old minibus engine, and behind it, a stream of black smoke billowed from the exhaust pipe.
These old buses usually ran on diesel. Get close, and you’d smell that thick stench.
“Later, I’m off to school.” Sun Wei waved politely, hopping onto the bus the instant the door opened. Before he even had his footing, the bus lurched forward again—the door barely clanking shut as it went.
Lu Ye, whose real name was Lu Qiao Jingye, watched the minibus roll away and muttered under his breath, “Sun Wei, Class 5, Grade 9, Second Middle School of Small Town, classmates with the target, and quite close. Appears confident but is actually insecure, longs for a pretty girlfriend.”
(2)
By the time Sun Wei’s bus reached the school, it was almost seven.
Not because it was far, but because the bus had to stop so many times, and there was a traffic jam in the Chengqu. The bus even broke down for a bit—the driver had to hop out and fix it before they could continue.
Luckily, he was used to getting to school early to copy homework, or he’d really be late today.
The teaching building was full of students.
The liveliest were the seventh graders, always running down the halls, yelling and screaming. A bunch of boys, chased by angry girls, would let out wails like Tom the cat.
Most ninth graders looked exhausted, dragging themselves toward their classrooms, sometimes in groups heading to the bathroom or to the teachers’ office for hot water.
The rare few who still had energy were hunkered over their desks furiously copying homework.
Listening to the shrill yowling of cats from the bushes, Sun Wei walked up the stairs, step by step.
To reach Class 5, he had to pass by Class 4. He instinctively kept to the edge by the railing, like he was trying to avoid something.
“Sun Wei, you’re finished. I already told my boyfriend. Get ready to get your ass kicked after school!” The sudden shout made Sun Wei jump, but he still forced himself to act tough: “Ha, a bunch of people against me alone? Your boyfriend really has no shame. But I’m not scared!”
“As if he needs help?” The Si Ban Banzhang from Class 4 raised her chin proudly. “My boyfriend can beat three of you by himself!”
Sun Wei wanted to talk tough, but was scared he’d make things worse and cut off his only escape. All he could do was sneer and put on a nonchalant face as he walked into his classroom—in reality, the way he hunched and skulked, he already looked like a panicked rat.
The moment he walked in, he spotted Zhou Chao, who was just coming from the podium to the door. Grabbing Zhou Chao’s shoulders like a drowning man clutching a life raft, Sun Wei blurted, “Damn it, Zhou Chao, what do I do?”
“What do you mean?”
“She straight up said she’s calling people to beat me up. I’m doomed…”
“It’s not that bad… but at this age, Xiaohunhun really don’t know how to hold back.” Zhou Chao grinned confidently. “But don’t worry, bro already has a plan for you.”
“What plan?”
“When you see them, just kneel down and apologize. Be sincere.”
“What the hell, that’s your plan?!”
“Better to lose face than get beaten up, right? A real man knows when to bend and when to stand tall.”
“Then the whole school’s going to hear I knelt to someone!” “No big deal, we’ll graduate soon anyway.” “No way! Damn it.”
“You little… Then there’s nothing to be done. We’ll go up with you, as brothers.” “Including A Qiang, that’s only three of us.”
“I’ll go too. That girl class president from the next class has been acting all high and mighty, I’ve been annoyed at her for ages. Thinks she’s hot stuff just because she’s some Xiaohunhun’s girlfriend. Disgusting as hell.”
“Huh…? Lei Laohu? You’d help me?”
“I can’t stand that creepy vibe you give off, but we’re in the same class, so of course we help each other. Relax, I know how many guys he really has. Just seven or eight lackeys, there’s no way they can always get twelve or thirteen together. I’ll call my bros, and with you three, we can handle it.”
“Tiger Bro!” Sun Wei was so moved he nearly cried. “I never thought you were such a good guy!”
“Don’t get all gross, you’re snot’s coming out.” Lei Laohu cracked his knuckles. “Haven’t fought in a while. My hands are itching… heh.”
“But, what if we win once and they bring even more people next time?”
“No big deal, let them come! However many, we’ll fight! ” Lei Laohu declared, full of bluster and zero fear.
But sometimes, a difference in strength isn’t something you can overcome with attitude alone.
So Sun Wei was still nervous: “What if they bring twenty next time…?”
“Then we’ll call for backup too! Don’t be scared, if it comes to it, we’ll fight every day!”
Sun Wei pulled a wry face and looked down at Zhou Chao, whispering, “Maybe I should just kneel, after all…?”
“No way, you’re actually considering it?” “You’re the one who suggested it!”
“I was messing with you.” “Screw you!”