lice

Xu Nian, who was a man of the five grains, had not eaten for two consecutive meals. Because he was feeling unwell, he didn't feel very hungry anymore.

She was just often confused about the boundary between the future and the present. During the self-study class, she had no intention of doing the homework. Seeing Liu Xi and Wu Xinyu in the back seat discussing the problem fiercely, she felt that no one was saying anything.

Taking advantage of Liu Xi's triumphant return, Xu Nian tapped her arm and asked hesitantly, "Xixi, let me ask you a question."

Liu Xi was in a good mood. "Ask me, and I will tell you everything I know."

"Then I'll tell you." He leaned over to her ear and whispered, "Do you think it's a problem for girls and boys to occasionally play together?" He seemed to feel that his words were not clear and organized himself again, "What I mean is that if boys and girls have contact, people will gossip about them."

Liu Xi's hand holding the pen suddenly stopped, and his eyes slightly opened. "Did anyone say anything to me?"

Xu Nian said "Ah" in confusion, "No!"

Liu Xi's chest heaved, and he glanced sideways behind him and said sadly, "Maybe the county town is better. If we grow up in the village, it's best not to play together after we turn ten, otherwise there will be a lot of gossip."

"No, it's already 1974. It's been so long since the feudal dynasty was overthrown. How can someone still have such foolish ideas? I don't understand. I really don't understand."

Liu Xi was silent for a moment, as if thinking deeply. "That's why we need to study. Only by studying can we become wise, stop blindly following others, and have the opportunity to change."

Xu Nian leaned over the table, and looking at Liu Xi, she suddenly felt that she had divinity, a wisdom that was even deeper than Xu Hongqi's. Perhaps it was because men and women were different in gender, so they thought differently. But at this moment, she suddenly became enlightened, and no longer fell into the self-pitying thought of "I am the one who empathizes, and I am also the one who is powerless."

Perhaps the process of national ideological emancipation will take a long time, but it will definitely come, as Xu Nian has experienced.

She happily hugged Liu Xi and said, "Xixi, I think you will definitely be a very powerful person in the future, or a heroine who can influence others."

"Let go quickly, the teacher will be here for patrol soon." Liu Xi was actually quite happy but a little embarrassed. No one would understand what she was saying to her parents and family, let alone praise her like Xu Nian did.

She often doubted whether her ideas were right or not. At first, her family actually wanted her to go to No. 3 Middle School and take the technical secondary school entrance exam directly after graduation. It was because she was unwilling to give up that she mustered up the courage to boldly rebel against her parents for the first time, and only then did she go to No. 1 Middle School despite their disapproval.

Others always asked her why she never went home even though her home was in the suburbs but still in the county, not too far away. This was the reason. Her resistance created a weird atmosphere at home. Although her parents finally agreed, they didn't pay much attention to her, and she was very lonely at home.

Xu Nian's sudden question just now scared her even more. She always forgot her limits and communicated too much with Wu Xinyu. If she was misunderstood and told her parents, she felt that her schooling was over.

After the two of them finished discussing this topic, their relationship became closer. It is rare to have a close friend who shares the same values ​​as you.

——

Ever since the snow fell, winter seems to have really arrived, and people who feel cold want to hold charcoal.

Xu Nian had little experience living on campus, so she forgot to bring her thick clothes. Just when she was about to ask for leave to go home, Xu Hongqi came to the junior high school to find her.

This was the first time the two met since their unpleasant parting. Although Xu Nian's mentality had changed a long time ago, it did not mean that he agreed with Xu Hongqi's idea.

"What do you want from me?"

Xu Hongqi handed her a large cloth bag and said, "I heard you didn't bring enough clothes, so I got you some clothes."

Xu Nian took it, thinking that he had returned home, and opened his pocket to take a look. The bright red color was so fresh, it was obvious that it was a newly bought cotton-padded jacket.

She didn't know what expression to show on her face for a moment. She was happy, but she also felt embarrassed for her cold attitude towards him just now. With the way he spent money, how could that money last until he went to college? She couldn't help but sigh. If he didn't go to college, he would be even more old-fashioned.

Xu Nian raised her head and wanted to remind him, but when she looked up, she saw expectation in Xu Hongqi's eyes, so how could she say it?

Seeing that he was still wearing the padded jacket he wore in spring and autumn, he felt a little sad. He changed his mind and took it out and put it on. "It fits me perfectly. I can even wear another piece of clothing underneath."

After she finished speaking, she saw the relaxed look in Xu Hongqi's eyes, then turned around and asked playfully, "Brother Hongqi, do I look good in this?"

Some classmates who came out to use the restroom looked at her wearing a new cotton-padded jacket with envy. Xu Nian said generously, "My brother bought it for me because he was worried I'd be cold. It looks good, doesn't it?"

She said it openly, and other students also touched it openly, and those who felt it said it was good...

Xu Hongqi always knew that Xu Nian had fair skin, but today when she put on red clothes, he found that her skin was really glowing white. The bright smile on her face was brilliant under the winter sun. The happy mood infected him and drove away all the gloomy mood he had been in for the past two weeks.

He said sincerely, "It looks good."

Xu Nian said conceitedly, "I'm going to braid my hair tomorrow, it will look even better with this."

She saw Xu Hongqi seemed to be thinking along with what she said, with a little red on his face. She waved him to the corner of the stairs and said, "Brother Hongqi, how much did you spend on your new clothes? Do you need a ticket?"

Xu Hongqi's originally smiling brows froze in an instant, "You need to return it to me? No, I don't need it. I said it was a gift for you, so just accept it."

Xu Nian suddenly stretched out her two small, icy hands and placed them on Xu Hongqi's exposed neck. Before he could react, she quickly withdrew them and said with a smile, "What are you thinking? The clothes are mine after you gave them to me. Do you want them back? Don't even think about it."

When she said this, Xu Hongqi laughed and said, "Well, I won't take it."

Seeing him like this, Xu Nian leaned closer and asked, "Tell me how much it is. If someone in the class asks me, I can brag about it and make them envy me."

Xu Hongqi was not surprised at all when he heard this. "When you come to school, just study hard and don't let your mind wander."

Xu Nian wrinkled his nose immediately after hearing this. "Forget it, thank you. Go to class quickly. I'm leaving." He looked unhappy.

Xu Hongqi rubbed his forehead helplessly and quickly pulled her back. "Thirty-seven dollars and eighty cents."

Xu Nian was just waiting for him to shout. She knew that the cotton-padded jacket must be expensive, with its unique waist-pinching design. However, she didn't expect it to be so expensive, almost as much as her three or two months' salary.

She couldn't believe it and asked Xu Hongqi, "You must have been cheated."

"Who could lie to me?" Xu Hongqi said, then whispered, "Don't tell your classmates. I asked someone to make this for you. Otherwise, it would be more expensive to buy it at the supply and marketing cooperative or department store."

Xu Nian nodded resignedly, "Did you buy it for yourself?"

Xu Hongqi took two steps back and saw that there were fewer people outside the classroom. He thought that class was about to start. He turned around and looked at Xu Nian and said, "I'm not cold. I don't need it."

Xu Nian held back his eyes rolling. He didn't need a ghost. When he just touched his neck, it felt so cold. He was really bad at nothing and was the best at talking tough.

She mentally calculated the amount of money she had saved, which was exactly 40. She rolled her eyes and said to Xu Hongqi, "Brother Hongqi, you know my third brother needs to look respectable at work now. His old cotton-padded jacket is worn and tattered. I want you to bring me one. Don't worry, I'll pay for it."

Before she finished speaking, Xu Hongqi seemed to know what he wanted to say. He looked at her with a grim expression for a long time.

In the end, she was not tactful enough to whisper, "By the way, how long will it take for that person to do it? Can it be faster? Is a week okay?"

Xu Hongqi closed his eyes, his Adam's apple moved, and his voice seemed to come from his chest, "Wait." After saying that, he left without saying goodbye.

Xu Nian looked at his back, put his hands behind his back and hummed...

When we returned to the girls' dormitory that night, Liang Ting was still nagging, "My brother is just not as good as your brother. Your brother is still a student, and he only knows how to add clothes to his sister when it's cold. Look at my brother, there are really differences in people."

Xu Nian chimed in, "Yes, you're not a good brother. You need to improve. You have to have a good talk with him when you get back. You're doing this for his own good. Otherwise, it's not easy for a straight man to find a partner."

Liang Ting agreed very much and nodded vigorously. Every word Xu Nian said touched her heart.

Liu Xi beside him listened very...

At night, when everyone went to bed, Xu Nian tossed and turned, as if she was possessed by Li Qiunan next to her. Li Qiunan had been like this a lot recently, but today she was the only one like this.

Liu Xi liked to sleep against the wall, but Xu Nian tossed her around so much that she couldn't fall asleep. She turned around and asked, "What are you doing? Why are you so excited about having new clothes?"

When she got used to the darkness, she found that Xu Nian was asleep. She was silent for a long time, then lay down in the quilt, covered her head and went to sleep.

The next morning, she complained to Xu Nian about her sleeping posture last night. Xu Nian opened his confused eyes, scratched his head, and looked suspicious.

Xu Nian did the same thing again at night. For several days in a row, Liu Xi couldn't stand it even though she was a good friend. And it wasn't just Xu Nian, Li Qiunan beside her was also like this. This made her really unbearable. When Xu Nian tossed and turned again at night, she pushed him awake and asked, "What the hell are you tossing and turning for?"

Xu Nian hasn't slept well these past few days. After falling asleep at night, her scalp starts to feel uncomfortable. When she feels hot, she wants to scratch her head, and her scalp feels very itchy.

She had washed her hair with hot water in the cold weather before going to bed today, but the same thing happened to her tonight. She was very distressed and told Liu Xi about it.

After she finished speaking, Liu Xi felt numb all over. "Niannian, you don't have lice on your head, do you?"

Liu Xi just felt a numbness all over her body, and Xu Nian almost wanted to scream. What did she mean by "she had lice on her head"? Was it what she thought? This... was so scary.

Xu Nian had never heard of such a thing before, and now it was related to her. She couldn't control herself at all and burst into tears with a "wow".

Her mouth was so big, and when she thought about the possibility of lice getting into it, she quickly closed her mouth and started crying. While crying, she also wondered if lice would get into her ears...

However, the first sound was too loud, and those who were light sleepers and those who were able to wake up woke up, and everyone sat up with a confused look on their faces.

"What's wrong?"

"Why are you crying?"

"Having a nightmare?"

Liang Ting also woke up and rubbed her eyes. Seeing that it was Xu Nian crying, she quickly sat up and prepared to get out of bed, "Niannian, what's wrong with you?"

Seeing her coming over, Xu Nian pushed her with his palm, full of rejection, "Tingting, don't come over here, wuwuwu, do I have lice on my head?"

Liang Ting was shocked in the middle of the night, "No, why do you have lice?"

Xu Nian: “Woo woo woo…”

Liu Xi didn't have time to comfort her. Seeing Xu Nian crying pitifully, she felt sad and scared.

The people around her were trying to comfort her, but they were instantly silenced when Xu Nian said this. Liang Ting took the time to continue, "Don't you wash your hair twice a week? How can you get lice in such cold weather?"

The entire dormitory was awake, with only one person still lying motionless, seemingly asleep. Liu Xi was the first to react, hesitantly nudging Li Qiunan. "Li Qiunan, wake up! I don't believe you're asleep. If I remember correctly, you were the one who started scratching your head all night long, weren't you?"