The new semester of senior year quietly began, and Li Baolong and Zhang Fang went on a few dates. Their interactions consisted of simple chats, occasional hugs, and sneaky hand-holding. However, Li Baolong refused to admit that he was in a relationship.
Sister Honghong was busy opening a new dance hall and had no time to bother Li Baolong anymore; however, there was a slight awkwardness when the two met. One day after school, Wang Yumei, the prettiest girl in the senior year class, stopped Li Baolong and asked, "Li Baolong, you're from Xinjiang, right? Our homeroom teacher said that's what it says on your household registration." Li Baolong quickly replied, "I was born in Xinjiang. My parents are from Jianzhou, so I came back to study here." Wang Yumei continued, "My father is also in Xinjiang. I haven't contacted home for a long time. I wonder how he is doing." Li Baolong responded, "I live on the edge of the Xinjiang desert, so I'm not very familiar with other places. Where in Xinjiang is your father?" Wang Yumei said, "In Korla, Xinjiang. I plan to go to Xinjiang to find him after the college entrance exam this year. I think you must have relatives and friends in Xinjiang. Would you like to come with me?" Li Baolong replied, "After the exam this year, I can consider it. It depends on whether I can get into university. If I do get into university, I'd like to go back to Xinjiang." This conversation made Wang Yumei secretly develop feelings for Li Baolong, and also drew him into a small whirlpool of emotions.
One day after school, Li Baolong had just stepped out of the school gate when he was blocked by four or five people. One of the students, a short and chubby one, spoke up: "You're Li Baolong from Grade 12, right?" Li Baolong responded warily, "What do you want?" The short and chubby student said, "Wang Yumei is the girl I like. Stay away from her and don't talk to her anymore." Li Baolong couldn't help but get angry: "You're really being unreasonable. I don't like Wang Yumei. She just came to me to ask about some things. If you like her, go after her yourself. What's it to me?"
The fat student was instantly enraged and cursed, "You son of a bitch, still so stubborn! Don't you know who's the boss in this school?!" The others quickly surrounded him, ready to fight. Li Baolong felt a surge of panic. He was usually docile and rarely argued with anyone; his occasional playful fights with classmates were nothing more than jokes. Now, facing an attack from four or five people, he knew he was in deep trouble.
Just then, Wang Yumei and two other girls arrived. Wang Yumei shouted, "What are you doing? Bullying a classmate just because you outnumber him! I'm reporting this to the disciplinary office!" The chubby student snorted coldly, turned, and left, throwing down a threat: "Don't let me see you again. I'll beat you every time I see you." Li Baolong was still shaken and terrified. He didn't have many friends here, and his cousin Huang Jian was often away. Wang Yumei came over to comfort him: "Don't take it to heart. If he dares to lay a hand on you, I'll have the disciplinary office expel him." A female classmate nearby added, "That's right, Wang Yumei's uncle is the director of the disciplinary office." Li Baolong left, his heart heavy with anxiety.
Back home, Li Baolong seemed lost, completely devoid of any desire to continue studying. He lay quietly on the bed, and after an unknown amount of time, he suddenly sat up. Then, he quickly dragged the dusty suitcase out from under the bed. The old suitcase surface made a rustling sound as it rubbed against the floor, which was particularly clear in the quiet room.
He opened his suitcase and carefully rummaged through a pile of old clothes, finally pulling out a yellowed book. The book's cover was antique, and Li Baolong's hands trembled slightly, as if he were opening a long-sealed piece of history. From within the book, he took out a silver hairpin.
Despite enduring centuries of weathering, this hairpin still gleamed with a silvery sheen. Its radiance seemed to possess a mysterious power, much like a silver sword honed by time yet retaining its sharpness, exuding a cool and noble aura. Li Baolong gazed at it for a long time, then found a red string and gently threaded it through the delicate round hole at the end of the silver hairpin, before hanging this silver hairpin, bearing the weight of history, around his neck. At this moment, as a pendant, it possessed a unique style, as if tightly connecting the past and present, endowing Li Baolong with a special aura.
For the next few days, Li Baolong was always on edge after school, afraid that the fat student would come and cause him trouble again. He tried to immerse himself in his studies to forget about it, but as soon as he reached the school gate, the scene of being surrounded that day would involuntarily reappear in his mind.
However, what was bound to happen finally did. A week later, Li Baolong was researching alone in the library. As he was about to leave, he encountered the fat student again at the library entrance, this time with two other people. Li Baolong's heart suddenly raced. He turned to leave, but the fat student called out to him in a mocking voice, "Hey kid, trying to run away?"
Li Baolong forced himself to remain calm: "I didn't run away, what do you want?" The fat student looked smug: "Last time, that girl ruined your plans, but today no one can save you." As he spoke, they approached Li Baolong.
Just then, Li Baolong assumed a fighting stance and pulled a hairpin resembling a small silver sword from his chest. The fat man was initially taken aback, but unwilling to lose face in front of his companions, he steeled himself and charged at Li Baolong. Li Baolong easily dodged the fat man's punch and even tripped him to the ground. Seeing this, the other two immediately rushed over with wooden sticks. Li Baolong had no fighting skills and could only choose to fight head-on. He brandished the silver hairpin, which was more than ten centimeters long, and shouted loudly, "Come at me if you're not afraid of death! I'll definitely hurt you all!" One of them hit Li Baolong with a stick. Li Baolong felt the pain and swung his hand to stab him. Because the man was wearing a thick autumn coat, the hairpin didn't pierce through his clothes, but the excruciating pain still shocked him. He hadn't expected Li Baolong to actually try to kill him.
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