Chapter 77: Small Town Flu

(1)

“Flu has been really bad at Second Middle School lately.”

At the school gate, the teacher on duty was chatting with another middle-aged woman who also looked like a teacher.

“Flu happens every year. You get used to it.”

“That’s different this year. The flu is especially severe. There are more than ten students in my class absent today.”

“Really? That bad?”

“Yeah, in one class I teach, even the homeroom teacher has a fever.”

“That can’t be. At First Middle School, there are only a few absent at most. Most students have coughs but still come to class.”

“Could it be that the flu started at our Second Middle School and spread out?”

The teacher on duty joked with a smile.

“In that case, I’d better keep my distance from you, so I don’t catch it.”

“No worries. A few days of paid sick leave wouldn’t be bad.”

“I wouldn’t dare take time off. The math scores in my class have just started to improve. If I don’t keep an eye on them, those kids will regress in less than a week.”

“Eighth grade is really exhausting…”

One after another, students walked past the school gate.

The teachers’ chat drifted away on the wind, occasionally interrupted by the loud “Goodbye, Teacher!” from the etiquette monitors.

Second Middle School in this small town had mostly boys, so the etiquette monitors were usually all male—girls were mostly assigned as hygiene inspectors to avoid conflicts.

When An Jing just started eighth grade, that guy Fang Qiang got into a big fight with a male hygiene inspector from another class because he couldn’t stand the inspector’s arrogant attitude about deducting points from his class.

After that, the hygiene inspectors were mostly girls.

Even if the other party was arrogant, Fang Qiang would at most grumble quietly to himself.

Though he was only the sports committee member, he cared quite a bit about the class honor… or maybe he just couldn’t stand arrogant people.

There was no extended class today.

As soon as the bell rang, everyone was dismissed, so the sunset hanging in the sky was still visible—if they had left ten or twenty minutes later, they probably wouldn’t have seen it.

“Zhou Chao, where’s A Qiang?”

The short-haired girl tilted her head and looked at the boy next to her, who carried a bit of a rogue vibe, and asked with some confusion, “Isn’t he coming with us to see A Wei?”

“His girlfriend has a fever. He’s going over to check on her.”

“There are so many people with fevers lately.”

An Jing shook her head, “But at least he should check on his buddy first before going, right? It wouldn’t take much time. That guy’s been…”

“Haha, it’s his first relationship.”

Zhou Chao openly put his arm around An Jing’s shoulder.

“It’s only natural to care.”

“So, shall we go directly to A Wei’s place?”

“Aren’t you going to Zhu Ying’s?”

“Uh… let’s go to A Wei’s first, then decide.”

“I think we should go to Zhu Ying’s first. If we spend too much time at A Wei’s, it might get inconvenient later.”

“It’s fine either way. I messaged her, and she said she’s okay…”

Zhu Ying actually came to school today, but she couldn’t hold on by the second period.

After checking her temperature, the teacher sent her home on an electric scooter.

“Idiot—”

Zhou Chao stretched the last word out, spitting so much that it almost flew onto An Jing’s face, “You can’t just trust girls when they say they’re ‘okay.’ Besides, if she’s sick and you don’t go see her, she might get upset—or at least a little disappointed. It’s not even far.”

“Tch, didn’t you say last time that brothers are more important?”

“Bro is bro, you’re you, we’re different.” Zhou Chao seriously patted An Jing’s shoulder. “If it’s true love, you have to cherish it. Do you understand that?”

“But… visiting a girl’s house when she’s sick feels… cough! a bit awkward.”

“What’s awkward about it? She’s your girlfriend, damn it.”

Zhou Chao gave her a playful punch on the back, causing her to stagger a few steps forward.

“You should care about your girlfriend properly. Love isn’t something where you just wait for the other side to make all the moves.”

“Damn, why does it sound so weird coming out of your mouth?”

“Enough nonsense! Let’s go. I’ll take you to buy a get-well gift.”

“You didn’t also egg Fang Qiang on, did you?”

“He’s way smarter than you. That guy went on his own initiative.”

“Damn, betraying his friends for a girl, who’d have thought he was like that!” An Jing pretended to be indignant.

“That guy’s lucky to have a girlfriend at all. Let him enjoy it!”

“I know, I’m actually happy for him. I always said someone should like him.”

“But first loves usually end in failure.”

“Hey, hey, are you hinting at me?”

Zhou Chao didn’t answer but said seriously, “In any case, be mentally prepared.”

“Tch, you just wait to drink at my wedding with Zhu Ying!”

“Hahaha, sure!”

***

(2)

Near the greenhouse shopping street, there were many old small shops.

Their decor might not be great, but the prices were definitely affordable.

Many locals liked shopping there and often said the Carrefour supermarket nearby was full of traps for outsiders.

“What should we buy? Fruit or flowers?”

An Jing stood on tiptoe, looking at several shops not far ahead.

“Zhou Chao, you’re behind me. Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“We’re not buying any of those.”

“Then what? Isn’t buying those the usual for visiting the sick?”

An Jing looked puzzled.

“For couples, the gift should be something that lasts. So whenever the other person sees it, they’ll think of you.”

“Wow, so calculated.”

“You can also buy something novel, so it leaves a deep impression.”

“That’s unnecessary, right?”

“Haha… but,” Zhou Chao put his hands in his pockets, smiling casually, “between you and Zhu Ying, you don’t have to be so scheming.”

“I was planning to do just that anyway. Something simple. Too much planning looks…”

“… too deliberate.”

“That’s exactly what I said.”

An Jing rolled her eyes and suddenly pointed forward.

“What about those roasted sweet potatoes and corn over there?”

“You want to give those?”

“Yeah. They can be eaten immediately, and they’re warm. Or maybe just sweet potatoes—they’re easy to bite.”

“Are you sure?”

Zhou Chao’s expression was strange.

“What? Just buying casually… We’re still students. No need for expensive get-well gifts.”

“No… do you know eating sweet potatoes makes you fart?”

“Uh… what’s wrong with that?”

“Damn, you really don’t get it. Girls farting is super awkward. So if you buy that, she won’t eat it right away. If she doesn’t eat it immediately, it gets cold—and then you’ve wasted your money.”

“Whoa, you really know girls well.”

An Jing’s eyes widened.

“You’re not a master anymore—you’re a damn love guru.”

“Just a little experience,” Zhou Chao said modestly, though his expression was anything but humble.

“Fine. Then what do you suggest we buy?”

“That’s up to you…”

“Come on, just say it.”

“No, my ideas might be too pragmatic and might not please her.”

“Pretentious idiot…”

An Jing curled her lips and glanced at the quiet greenhouse shopping street that was dead on weekends.

“What about milk tea? It’s hot too, and Zhu Ying seems to really like it.”

“Sounds good.”

“But just milk tea as a get-well gift—is that okay?”

“If it was Fang Qiang asking me, I’d say no—but for you two, I think it’s fine.”

“Because Zhu Ying’s different from other girls?”

“You guys are in tune. Of course it’s different. Are you an idiot or what?”

An Jing quickly raised her middle finger and dashed into the greenhouse shopping street.

“Hey, why the rush?”

“Saving time!”

The last rays of the setting sun stretched their shadows long behind them.

***

(3)

Zhou Chao struggled to suck the last few pearls from the bottom of his milk tea as he looked up at the residential building ahead.

“Is this it?”

“Yeah…” An Jing glanced at the milk tea and a bottle of colorful bean chocolate in the bag.

“Every time I bring her something, I stop here and then head back.”

“Let’s go up then.”

“Aren’t you coming?”

“Why would I?”

“Damn it, if you don’t come with me, I’ll feel embarrassed going alone…”

“Damn, it’s been so long, and you’re still embarrassed? Don’t you hang out together a lot at school?”

“Cough… it just feels different.”

“You’ve been to other girls’ houses before.”

“That, that’s different…”

“Come on, it’s all the same!”

Zhou Chao patted her on the back.

“Hurry up and go upstairs!”

“Really not coming?”

“Nope. Stop asking or I’ll turn and run right now.”

An Jing scratched her slightly flushed cheek.

“Fine, I’m going up.”

“Go!”

Though it was just an ordinary stairwell, the higher An Jing climbed, the faster her heart beat.

The air seemed filled with a sweet scent, making her expression dreamy.

When she came back to her senses, she was already standing in front of Zhu Ying’s door.

The closed security door looked no different from other homes.

But knowing that inside was Zhu Ying’s house, her private room, made the door seem mysterious.

She tried psyching herself up several times, but her raised hand never knocked once.

Visiting Wang Xinru’s house didn’t make her nervous, but coming here to Zhu Ying’s was especially shy.

“Uh, cough, um…”

“Click.”

Just then, the security door opened.

Zhu Ying, in pajamas and pale-faced, gave a faint smile as she looked at An Jing.

“Don’t hesitate so long, huh?”

“Wow!! You scared me!”

“You were really scared?”

“Cough… you didn’t overhear what I was thinking, did you?”

“Lately, if I want to hear, I can.”

“Whoa, really?” An Jing panicked.

“Pfft… just kidding. Come on in.”

“Uh, shoes…”

“Wear mine.”

Zhu Ying took out a pair of cute bunny slippers from the shoe cabinet.

“Here, these are warm.”

“Are there any men’s slippers…”

“My dad has athlete’s foot, and my mom only wears open sandals.”

Zhu Ying winked playfully.

“Are you sure you don’t want to wear mine?”

An Jing pulled the corner of her mouth, “I’ll wear yours then.”