chapter8~Chapter9

  In December, the heating had already been turned on. As soon as he entered the house, it was like a different world from outside the door. The warm air inside made Ah Heng feel a surge of warmth flowing through his hands and feet.

  The interior decoration of the Yan family home was not much different from that of the Wen family, except that the Wen family's antique jade carvings were more exquisite and the Yan family's decorations had a grander atmosphere. However, the distinctive feature of the Yan family's decorations was the numerous genuine photographs hanging on the walls, each one as clear and vivid as a painting, with bright and bold colors. But what was strange was that the people and objects depicted in these photos seemed to have been imbued with new souls, delicate and pure, exuding warmth and... coldness.

  "Xī pāi de." Si Guān looked at her intently, smiled, and followed her gaze to those works, eyes shining brightly. "ā Xī has a lot of artistic talent, and in his free time, he often goes out to sketch, take pictures, and excels in everything he does."

  "That one in the corner was taken when we went out to play together last year." Siyun pointed at the photo in the corner and asked her, "Guess where it was taken?"

  A Heng concentrated his mind, looking at the photo, becoming more and more bewildered. Clearly, there was mist swirling around, as if in the clouds, yet inexplicably, several brown stones appeared, strange and bizarre, naturally formed.

  She shook her head.

  Xian Xi slapped Si Yun with a bad temper and immediately walked towards the kitchen.

  "In the hot spring water below, he was squatting there taking pictures." Si Guang looked at the photo, smiled and opened up, handsome and gentle, with eyes that shone even brighter.

  "That guy always comes up with some weird stuff."

  A Heng smiled, his eyebrows and eyes clear and warm.

  She gazed at the photo, involuntarily walking closer, stretching out her hand to touch the misty smoke, brown stone, and peaceful eyes, yet this gaze gave rise to a kind of longing and envy.

  "Next time, bring me along, okay?" She looked at Si Guang and said with a sweet tone.

  Her father taught her: "Reading ten thousand volumes is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. In one's youth, one should set ambitious goals."

  She yearns for warmth, and she yearns for wandering. This wandering is a bold idea, but it's not rebellion.

  Whether it's Yunheng or Wenheng, she will be moderate and moderate, but freedom is the nature of youth, she wants to walk occasionally and change a layer that doesn't change.

  Of course, looking into Si Gwang's eyes, she knew her request had put him in a difficult position.

  "Good." A vague voice came from behind him.

  Ah Heng turned around and saw Yan Xi crouching beside him, neatly holding a white porcelain bowl, his mouth stuffed with dumplings, his eyebrows and eyes hidden in his black messy hair, but those lips, red and tenderly beautiful.

  "Thank you." Her palms were sweating, feeling relieved.

  "Mm." Xīn Xī didn't have time to bother with her, looking at the plump and white dumplings, feeling very satisfied.

  Su Yun was somewhat surprised, but still smiled.

  Forget it, since Xī decided, what else can he say?

  "Dumplings are ready, kids!" A short and stout middle-aged man wearing an apron walked out of the kitchen with two bowls of dumplings, smiling at the young boys and girls in front of him.

  "Xiao Xi, go eat in the dining hall, what are you doing squatting here!" The man scolded with a smile, looking at Yan Xi and kicking him lightly.

  "Ah, Uncle Li, I've brought it out for you. How was your trip?" Xiangyun stepped forward with big strides and politely took the bowl from him.

  "Is this Ah Heng?" The man scrutinized Ah Heng.

  "Ah Heng, Li Bo Bo, said Grandfather's deputy officer." Si Gua said softly to Ah Heng.

  "Uncle Li." Ah Heng took the bowl with both hands and spoke in a low voice.

  "Alright, alright!" The man nodded, his face relieved, tears almost welling up.

  Then, he walked up to Ah Heng, gently stroking her hair and speaking softly - "Good child, it's okay to go home now, you've suffered enough."

  A Heng was a bit dazed, Si Guang also stunned, only Yan Xi continued to stuff dumplings in there.

  "Vice-Officer Li!" a loud voice boomed from the dining hall.

  "Report!" Deputy Officer Li gave a military salute, his voice loud and clear.

  "Hey, you two, won't let me eat in peace!" Yan Xi was startled and began to cough violently, with tears streaming down his face as he choked on the dumplings, his complexion turning crimson like a peach blossom.

  Li Deputy Director patted Xi's back with all his might until he spat out the dumpling that was stuck in his throat.

  "A Xi, you've listened eight times a day, how come you're still not used to it?" Si Gua handed him water and smiled.

  "My grandma!" Xīn yī kǒu shuǐ pēn dào sī guāng liǎn shàng.

  Translation: "My goodness!" Xin spat a mouthful of water onto Si Guang's face.

  "Ah Heng, eat some more, it's cold outside and you'll freeze your ears off." Zhang Shu looked at the girl beside her and chattered on "I made them with your Auntie Li, they're delicious!"

  A Heng nodded vigorously, nibbling on a dumpling in the midst of the swirling water vapor.

  "Can everyone guess what filling it is?" Deputy Li smiled and looked at the old and young people around the dinner table. He was always good at adjusting the atmosphere.

  "Ah, there's shrimp, pork, and sea cucumber." Si Guang savored the chewy texture of the tongue-tip filling, his dimples slightly intoxicating.

  "Winter melon, bamboo shoots." Old Wen said.

  "Ginger powder, scallion, sauce, chicken essence, high soup." Warm Mom tasted the soup water and spoke softly.

  "It's all right, it's all right." Deputy Li smiled.

  Everyone savored it carefully and exchanged glances, all of them quite perplexed.

  What else can be done? The ones sitting in front, eating and guessing, one can't figure out the other, it's hard to beat a whole table, and Deputy Li is also quite skilled.

  "Li Ma, you're not being very nice. Who could have guessed that something so cunning?" Xian Xi let out a satisfied burp, wiped her mouth with a napkin, and curved her beautiful big eyes, shining with amusement.

  He had dug through the kitchen beforehand and knew what else was in the filling.

  "What a sharp tongue you have, something we often see." Deputy Li heard the young man's address and was not annoyed, already accustomed to his own children's venomous tongues.

  The child he raised, what kind of virtue, can't he be clear about it himself?

  If this also makes you angry, then you will be really busy.

  "Girl, say something." Yan Shuai looked at Ah Heng for a long time, seeing that she remained silent, wanting to tease her into speaking.

  "Orange peel."

  Then, he withdrew his head into the misty steam and nibbled at the dumplings in small bites.

  Everyone was stunned and looked at Deputy Li in unison.

  Li's deputy smiled even more benevolently, with the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes squeezed together, quite comical and lovely - "Ah Heng was right. The pork I bought today is a bit fatty, not four thin and six thick, I'm afraid Xiao Xi will pick out the fat, so I chopped some orange peel into it, which removes both the greasiness and the fishy smell, just right."

  "Ah! Li Ma, you clearly know I don't eat fatty meat, yet you're bullying me again! I'm going to deduct your salary immediately, right now, it's useless to appeal!" Xian Xi curled her lip in disgust, her expression was one of distaste, her slender and beautiful eyebrows were raised, and her delicate long fingers kept fiddling with the TV remote control.

  "Hey, no need to worry about me, my salary is none of your business." Deputy Officer Li was amused.

  He was rewarded with a first-class merit during the war and enjoyed subsidies from the State Council. As a nanny for Sheng Yihong's family, she was doing voluntary labor entirely out of respect for her former superior.

  Others serve countless people, he only serves one person, this one, unfortunately, is a stinky little brat who has one foot in the mental hospital and the other on Mars!

  Xian Xi felt that being filial to the family's old nanny was a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation, so she shut her mouth and lazily buried her head in the sofa.

  A Heng ate very full, but Mr. Yan persuaded him to be more diligent, so he had to learn from Si Guang's example, sipping the dumpling tea in small mouthfuls, being polite and also dragging out the time.

  Occasionally through the fog, vaguely, I saw that young man, leaning on the sofa, black hair blowing across his forehead, red clothes soft and fluffy, long legs swinging back and forth, feet tapping on the ground, lightly and leisurely clapping his hands, with a mischievous and carefree appearance, looking great.

  When Ah Heng was visiting the Yan family, he had never seen Yan Xi's parents. At first, he thought it was because they were busy with work. Later, after hearing snippets of conversation between his grandfather and mother, he inferred that Yan Xi's parents were diplomats stationed in the United States and had left the country when Yan Xi was less than two years old.

  Grandpa's original words to mom were: "Axi is a bit wild, but his parents are not around, and Shuai is not someone who can take care of children. If he can grow up, it's all thanks to the child's good luck. We let Siyuan play with him, that's okay, but those temperaments of Xihai are not something to be learned."

  Ah Heng felt a little uncomfortable after hearing that, but he didn't know why he was uncomfortable. He quietly went upstairs and continued to do his English exercises without stopping.

  It's funny to say, Ah Heng is not talented in speaking Mandarin, but he speaks English fluently. According to Si Guang, it means he has great potential to betray his country. Si Guang has a friend who grew up with her and is studying in Vienna. When they talk on the phone, they often chat in English to practice their oral skills.

  One time, when the phone rang, Si Wan was busy with something else and didn't have time to answer it, so she let Ah Heng take the call. Ah Heng struggled for half a day to say "hello" in Mandarin but couldn't get it out, while the other party suddenly said "Hi, Siwan?"

  "No, Siwan has something at hand, this is his sister, please wait a minute" Ah Heng was somewhat excited, thinking to himself that it was the first time he had spoken so fluently since arriving in B city.

  Si Guang's hands were busy, but her eyes were idle, and after glancing at Ah Heng's expression, she laughed so hard that her stomach hurt.

  "Hello?" A clear and magnetic standard Mandarin came from the other end of the phone.

  "A Heng fell silent for a moment, then said very seriously and solemnly to his opponent: 'Another, another.'"

  Si Guang listened and was stunned.

  After a moment, she smiled, looking at Ah Heng, her smile was exceptionally sincere and beautiful.

  How about another one?

  It's not like... it can't be accepted at all.

  The Ministry of Education advocates for quality education, B City is the imperial city, responding to the central government's call, and still has to follow suit.

  As a result, the only physical education class every week in Ah Heng's school was lively and joyful. The sportswear for students was tailor-made in several sets, all of which were counterfeit products from Xilin, absolutely perfect imitations, such as Nike and Adidas, perfectly copied, with excellent workmanship.

  The principal smiled and said a sentence: "Classmates, if you don't study hard, can you be worthy of the master who rushed to make famous brand sportswear for you?"

  Many people think so and admire it, feeling that with this sentence, all the words the principal has said over the years can be flushed down the toilet.

  Yes, it's not just about quality, but also for those several dizzying logos, like Adidas, Nike, and many other famous brands...

  Unfortunately, in winter, the weather is not good, the cold wind blows with a whooshing sound, and the bare tree branches look a bit embarrassing. Ah Heng's imagination runs wild, if leaves are the tree's clothes, then it's quite strange, wearing green sleeves in summer and running naked in winter... haha.

  "The term 'streaking' started trending in school, with boys boasting and talking nonsense, saying things like 'if I don't do this or that, I'll go streaking'."

  Ah Heng thought it was interesting and had been thinking about using this term in his mind, but he couldn't find an opportunity.

  Then, seeing withered trees, timing is everything, and emotions are triggered by the scene. Very satisfied in heart.

  The physical education teacher said as usual: free exercise, boys gathered in a heap and started fighting on the basketball court.

  Sixteen or seventeen-year-old girls, who are at the age of being insincere, holding volleyballs and chattering away, facing the basketball court with a proud and arrogant attitude. That long-bearded guy wearing Nike and Adidas thinking he's Jordan is actually a hooligan. The one with oily hair who hasn't washed it for God knows how many days has no manners, no quality, and no family education - three "no"s that can't represent anyone! Two words: pitiful to the extreme, pitiful beyond human endurance!

  Ah Heng didn't know much about basketball, but hearing the girls' commentary made him want to laugh badly.

  Possible, but after a while, the girls fell silent. Without exception, they were elegant and refined.

  Ah Heng glanced over from the seam and saw a group of second-year students discussing a match with their class, led by none other than Si Gua.

  Si Guang and their class also had physical education this period.

  Xinda Yi saw Si Guang, laughing with his white teeth shining brightly, and the young man hooked shoulders and leaned back. It didn't disappoint the phrase "childhood friends" at all. The bamboo horses were paired, but unfortunately, the ball was thrown fiercely, and the basket was slammed loudly. The girls heard it and screamed in pain. Auntie, be gentle! Just one sentence short of "if you hurt Wen Si Guang, you won't have to come to class alive!" Si Guang's surface was warm and polite, nodding politely at the girls, but hearing Xinda Yi grinding his teeth, he couldn't help but laugh inside. He didn't know when he had offended the silly boy in front of him, but since it was his own brother, he didn't need to give face. He snatched the ball, took three steps, and scored easily, right into the basket.

  With a gentle smile, she seemed like a dragon swimming in the air, and her eyes sparkled with a hundred charms, startling a group of little hens beside her.

  The girls pouted, feeling ashamed to the extreme. Ah, just now Wen Siwen smiled at me, but scolded Xinda for being useless and bringing shame to their class, Class 3 of Grade 1. Xinda's eyebrows were furrowed, her big eyes stared like light bulbs, glaring at the girls, and she let out a "Damn it!", which was earth-shattering, making the sports field tremble.

  The girls knew Cinderella's temper and slipped away, scattering to one side, playing volleyball in twos and threes.

  A-Heng lost the bet. He sat quietly in a corner, watching his classmates play volleyball.

  With arms straight and wrists together, she uses her wrist strength to receive the ball, she... can also do it.

  On the left, basketball court, graceful posture, sweating profusely. On the right, elegant gestures, smiling and cheerful.

  She is in the middle, neither left nor right.

  So, there is some loneliness.

  Squatted for a while, feet got numb, stood up, stomped feet, stood for a while, got tired of standing, squatted down again.

  He repeated himself several times, Ah Heng felt that he was messing around and it would be better to go back to the classroom to do a few physics questions.

  Just got up, a white ball flew towards me.

  "Bang", a face fiercely and enthusiastically smashed into the volleyball.

  A Heng covered his nose and squatted on the ground, tears streaming out.

  A girl ran over and patted her shoulder somewhat roughly "Hey, Wen Heng, are you okay?"

  "It's...it's...nothing." Ah Heng's head was a bit dizzy, his nose hurt badly, and his voice was hoarse.

  "What did you say?" The other person didn't hear clearly.

  "It's nothing." Ah Heng felt dizzy and heard the other person's voice, with stars spinning around his head.

  "Can't you speak louder?" The northern girl was straightforward and couldn't stand seeing others being reserved, Ah Heng's voice was very soft, so the girl raised her tone, somewhat impatiently.

  Ah Heng was getting anxious and really wanted to shout "You try being hit in the face with a volleyball and see if you can still speak!" Unfortunately, his Mandarin was still at a baby level, so he just shut up and mentally chanted "it doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt".

  A person is either explosive in silence or even more silent in silence.

  In just a few seconds, a hot liquid flowed down from the nostrils along the gap between the fingers.

  Bang, bang, fresh red blood.

  Ah Heng had a fainting spell since he was young, originally his head would spin, and when he saw blood, with a crowd of people surrounding him, the more he looked, the dizzier he felt, his head spun, and he fainted.

  She had a dream, in which there was a vast expanse of whiteness, dense and cold.

  When I woke up, I found myself covered with a quilt, and a warm breath that was different from the dream.

  Opened her eyes and saw a familiar face.

  It's Si Guang.

  "Are you awake?" The young man smiled.

  "En." Ah Heng smiled, his black eyes warm and clear.

  "Does it still hurt?" Si Gyun's voice became even softer, her eyes fixed on hers, with a hint of sympathy in her gaze.

  Ah Heng looked at Si Gwan and smiled too, with a warm corner of his mouth and a curved eyebrow.

  "It doesn't hurt." She thought she wasn't being a bother, and shook her head.

  If a child from a poor family is spoiled, it's simply fatal.

  So, when I was growing up in the cloud family, no matter whether I bumped into a tree or a rock, even if I got stupid, my father and mother would ask me, it must be "not painful".

  Only when you have been hurt can you be qualified to feel pain.

  Si Guang lightly touched Ah Heng's nose, which had just been bandaged by the school doctor.

  She quickly retreated back, took a cold breath, looked at Si Gua, and felt somewhat wronged.

  Si Guang smiled, her dimples deepened, and she gently rubbed Ah Heng's black hair, speaking in a warm voice.

  "Look, it still hurts, if it hurts don't endure it, huh?"

  My eyes are red and puffy, and my nose, which didn't hurt much at first, now aches badly.

  However, in my heart, it's as if a furnace is burning, with orange flames, unrestrained colors, my heart has become a canvas, painted with warm and deep hues.

  She returned to class from the infirmary, and everyone's gaze at her was strange, especially the girls.

  The next class after physical education is music class, naturally self-study class, Ah Heng secretly rejoiced, returned to his seat and prepared to do exercises.

  "Oh, poor little thing is back!"

  Ah Heng looked up and saw the girl in front of her staring at her with a mixture of disdain and curiosity.

  She stood there in a daze.

  The other girls burst out laughing, looking at her with disdain in their eyes.

  The boys didn't care, sitting wherever they wanted, but thought the girls were being petty. However, life was so boring that it was entertaining to watch, and if not now, when? So, with furrowed brows as if doing homework, their ears perked up long.

  A Heng thought deeply, apart from apes, weren't humans' ancestors also donkeys?

  "Wen Heng, why don't you teach everyone how to calculate time so accurately? Wen Siyun just walked over and you fainted?" The girl who hit her with the ball shouted at Ah Heng from a few rows away, with a smile on the corner of her mouth but icy eyes.

  Her hand paused for a moment, she lowered her head and continued to work on the math problem.

  "What's wrong with you, are you disgusting?" The girl's voice grew louder, the whole class fell silent, and everyone turned to look at Ah Heng.

  She felt that all the blood in her body had rushed out, wanting to say "Si Guang is my brother", but Si Guang was such a dazzling person, everyone liked him so much, she couldn't tarnish his reputation.

  There is a stuttering sister, it's not something to be proud of. She doesn't look down on herself much, but in this environment, looking up to oneself is even more foolish than looking down on oneself.

  Of course, she has grown up with many teachers, but none of them have ever taught her to endure humiliation.

  Everyone was staring at her. Their eyes had a playful, watching-the-show, mocking, self-satisfied, and intimidating look, but not a single one was upright.

  She quietly took out a volleyball from the storage cabinet behind the classroom and threw it at the girl's shoulder with moderate force.

  A loud cry of pain.

  Ah Heng gazed calmly at the girl with a goofy grin, his warm eyes devoid of any emotion, and spoke softly ——

  Does it hurt?

  The girl's face turned bright red, her shoulders burning with anger, feeling she had been treated roughly, extremely annoyed in her heart, glaring at Ah Heng "What are you doing?"

  "Are you kidding me?"

  A Heng smiled.

  If one does not put himself in another's shoes, how can he feel others' pain?

  Others treat her with eight points of kindness, but she only returns three points to others.

  But these three points are precisely where her self-respect, tolerance and calmness lie.

  Yes, if this is kindness and warmth, she doubles it, returns it wholeheartedly, good to the heart.

  It's just a pity that these people don't know.

  Xinda Yi, who had become extremely close friends with him in recent days, also remained silent at this time.

  Ah Heng never held grudges, but this matter, she would remember it for her ancestors, eight generations, thousands of years, and forever.

  In his free time, he would take a handle and show it off in front of Xinda.

  "Eve, do you remember that year when I got hit by a volleyball and was really sad? Do you know about it?"

  Xinda cried - "Sister, what do you want? Just speak up."

  Hehe, but Ah Heng won't forget even if he gains an advantage from Xin Da Ye.

  Because she didn't lie.

  It's really tough being alone.

  That year, that day. 10