Look at me

After saying goodbye to Ruan Xiyan and putting down my phone, it was almost time for the first evening self-study session.

Lu Er grabbed a towel and rubbed her hair for a while. Her hair was short, and it dried very quickly when the weather was cold.

Huang Lingling turned around and saw her carrying her schoolbag and about to leave. She felt a surge of excitement and couldn't help but ask, "Are you going to hand in your phone?"

The Third Middle School explicitly prohibits electronic devices from entering the school. Boarding students either store them off-campus or entrust them to teachers for safekeeping. Despite the rules, most students still prefer to hide their phones on their person.

Huang Lingling was like that; she was wondering if Lu Er had the same idea as her.

Lu Er said, "Okay, I'll give it to the teacher." She didn't give her phone to Deng Lianchun, but instead left it with Teacher Mina. Lu Er and Teacher Mina were close, and they lived nearby, so it was easier for Lu Er to talk to Teacher Mina than for Deng Lianchun when it came to getting her phone.

Huang Lingling pouted and subconsciously hid her phone in her pocket: "Why are you so honest? I've never given my phone to the teacher. You won't tell anyone, will you?"

Lu Er didn't care much about others: "Hmm."

Winter has deepened, and light rain has begun to fall in Huai'an. The sky is always overcast, and the wind from the horizon blows a gray gloom down one's spine.

Perhaps wanting to get closer to her new roommate, Huang Lingling took the initiative to stand in front of Lu Er, who was eating alone, at lunchtime in the cafeteria.

May I sit here?

Lu Er nodded: "Okay."

Huang Lingling ate stir-fried carrots and wood ear mushrooms. She arrived late, and the cold food was hard as steel when she bit into it, and it tasted terrible.

"It's so cold today." Huang Lingling wished she could tuck her neck, chin, and even her whole face into her scarf. "It's warmer to let my hair down, but the school insists that girls tie their hair up."

She looked at Lu Er's short hair and asked curiously, "Aren't you cold with this hairstyle?" Huang Lingling's gaze then swept over Lu Er's features. "I think you would look better if your hair grew longer."

Her hair wasn't long, so the wind could indeed blow down to her neck through the gaps. But Lu Er was used to it: "A little, but it's fine if it's covered up well... and short hair is more convenient."

Lu Er couldn't remember when she started having short hair. It seemed to be when she was quite young, during her second year staying at her second aunt and uncle's house.

After being adopted by her second uncle, Lu Er knew that living under someone else's roof meant she was destined to live at the mercy of others. To directly avoid that unpredictable situation, she chose to prove herself through her actions—to prove that she wasn't there to freeload.

Lu Er learned to cook dinner for four people, to clean the whole family's clothes, to sew and mend her own clothes, and to avoid causing trouble for others.

Back then, Lu Er didn't have short hair. At its longest, her hair cascaded down her back like a long, thin waterfall. Long hair meant it needed more frequent styling.

While working, this long hair became a hindrance, and with Lu Er putting in all her effort on housework every day, she had no extra energy to manage it. So one night, Lu Er took a pair of scissors, looked in a small mirror, and snip, snip, cut her hair to a neat height.

Although later, when she had more free time, Lu Er got used to her short hair and didn't choose to grow it long again.

Huang Lingling said "Oh", then looked up and glanced at her features: thin eyebrows, big black eyes, and a pointed chin. With this face, it seemed that she would look good whether she had hair or not.

Huang Lingling saw the steaming soup on Lu Er's table and said enviously, "Where did you get it? I didn't see it."

Lu Er pointed in a direction: "The seaweed and egg soup that Auntie just brought over."

"It seems to be a limited supply," Huang Lingling said dejectedly. "It's probably sold out now."

"Do you want some? I'll share half with you. You probably won't be able to finish it," Lu Er said after thinking for a moment.

Huang Lingling's disappointment vanished: "Really?"

"Um."

"Thank you!"

Huang Lingling suddenly realized that her roommate seemed like a pretty good person.

-

Huang Lingling's preconceived notions about Lu Er were completely changed the following Saturday.

The instructors don't check dormitory hygiene on weekends, but Lu Er heard that they occasionally conduct surprise inspections during rest periods. When everyone is relaxed and playing on their phones without any precautions, the instructors suddenly push open the door, stand tall, extend their hands, and have an stern and impartial expression, forcing the students who have brought phones to obediently hand over the contraband.

It is said that this method has been tried and tested many times, and students have fallen for it every time.

Huang Lingling went to visit her friend's dorm in the afternoon, leaving Lu Er alone in room 306.

In winter, every dormitory door was closed to keep out the wind. Suddenly, the door was opened. Lu Er thought it was Huang Lingling returning, so she didn't look up and continued writing her math.

The shadow cast by the female instructor did not move. Lu Er looked up and saw her standing solemnly in the light.

Lu Er's eyes darted around, catching a glimpse of Huang Lingling's phone tucked under the blanket. The phone was in such an obvious spot that anyone with eyes that weren't blind could easily spot it.

Lu Er's expression remained unchanged: "Hello, Instructor."

The instructor nodded and stepped into the washroom at the back of the room first. This was because some students had previously been hiding in the shower room playing on their phones.

Taking this opportunity, Lu Er pushed Huang Lingling's phone deeper into the blanket until he was sure the instructor couldn't see it.

The instructor checked that no one was in the inner room and came out. She stood with her hands behind her back in the center of the dormitory, a position large enough to observe all the beds.

"There are only two people living in your dorm?"

Lu Er nodded: "Mm."

The drill instructor stared intently at the math test paper in her hand, as if sensing something amiss. But of course, she couldn't find anything, so she looked away: "Are you alone? Where's the other person?"

"They went out."

At this moment, Huang Lingling, who was visiting the dormitories, also entered the room. She stopped at the doorway: "...Instructor?"

The instructor glanced at her twice, then put his hands behind his back and walked around from the dormitory entrance to another dormitory.

Huang Lingling hadn't forgotten where she hid her phone, so she quickly reached for it on the bed. The phone was still there, and Huang Lingling immediately realized who had done this.

She was extremely grateful to Lu Er. Huang Lingling had been arrested once last year, and according to the school rules of No. 3 Middle School, if she was arrested again, she would have to attend classes and go home to reflect on her actions.

Lu Er responded to her with the same indifferent expression. Huang Lingling thought to herself, "My new roommate is such a kind person, seemingly cold on the outside but warm on the inside."

That evening, Lu Er went to the office to get her phone. Unexpectedly, she saw someone else.

"teacher?"

The office was empty except for Ms. Mina, who was still hunched over her desk grading papers.

Upon seeing Lu Erlai, Teacher Mina smiled and handed her her phone: "I've fully charged it for you." There were no power outlets installed in the school dormitory.

Lu Er took the phone: "Thank you, teacher." After saying that, she hesitated for a moment and said, "Teacher, it's so late, are you still at school?"

Normally, Lu Er might not have asked such a question. But ever since she learned that Teacher Mina had a heart condition, a part of her heart felt like it was being fished out, swaying with unease.

After the age of nine, Lu Er had very few close friends. In her heart, Teacher Mina was not only a respected elder, but also an irreplaceable, moon-like figure.

"Yesterday I gave face-to-face feedback to a few students in the class. Since it was almost the end of evening self-study, I moved it to this afternoon. I didn't expect it to go by so quickly. I stayed behind to correct their homework. Once I've finished correcting it, I'll hand it back to you tomorrow night so you can check it during evening self-study."

Ms. Mina teaches English to Class 18 and is also the homeroom teacher of Class 4. Sometimes when Deng Lianchun is away on business, she will also serve as the acting homeroom teacher for Class 18 for a period of time. Taking care of a child and two classes by herself is obviously very hard work.

Lu Er wanted to remind her to take care of her health, but Teacher Mina rubbed her temples and smiled: "You've made great progress in English this time, scoring 139, ranking fifth in the grade."

"I also have to thank the teacher for the tutoring this summer."

After chatting for a while, Teacher Mina glanced at the clock and said, "It's getting late, I have to go back, otherwise Mi Tian will start nagging me again."

"Goodbye, teacher." Lu Er took two steps, then turned back to look at her and said earnestly, "Teacher, you should take care of your health. People with heart problems shouldn't overwork themselves."

Teacher Mina paused for a moment, then smiled kindly beneath her slightly curly, light yellow hair: "Okay, thank you, Xiao Er."

-

The next day, Sunday afternoon, during her free time to use her phone, Lu Er's WeChat kept buzzing.

[Ruan Xiaogou]: The exam pressure is so great QwQ

Upon receiving the message, Lu Er was squatting under a kapok tree in the community, feeding the black and white cat. She stayed at the hotel six days a week, and initially, Lu Er was hesitant about feeding the kitten. Mi Tian heard about it and happily offered to help. So, from Monday to Saturday, Mi Tian helped, and Lu Er fed it on Sundays.

Lu Er didn't know what to say, so she typed: "Keep it up."

【Ruan Xiaogou】: Is this how you comfort me?

【Ruan Xiaogou】: Unhappy

The person on the other end seemed very dissatisfied, their words revealing resentment.

【11】: So how do we do it?

[Ruan Xiaogou]: Let me think...

【Ruan Xiaogou】: (Xiao Ba is deep in thought)

[Ruan Xiaogou]: Come see me now.

【Ruan Xiaogou】: I'll forgive you ouo

Lu Er was already on her way back to school. Upon seeing this message, she replied with a photo of herself on the bus.

Ruan Xiyan immediately sent a voice message: "You don't care about me at all." His voice trailed off, sounding aggrieved, and Lu Er could almost see the corners of his eyes crinkling into crescents.

【11】: Ruan Xiyan, you're so shameless!

[11]: I'll only visit you if you behave.

Before meeting Ruan Xiyan, Lu Er had never met someone so stupid and shameless.

[Ruan Xiaogou]: I've been very obedient; I haven't gone looking for you.

Like a child who couldn't get candy, Ruan Xiyan kept pestering Lu Er. Finally, she said helplessly.

[11]: Then next week

Ruan Xiyan got his way and happily shared his experiences at school with her. He sent a few voice messages, and Lu Er, wearing headphones in her dorm, couldn't help but smile as she listened to his clear laughter.

Huang Lingling returned to the room and was surprised by Lu Er's rare smile: "Who are you chatting with?"

Lu Er stopped laughing, but the smile on her lips didn't disappear. She thought for a moment and said, "The dog at home."