Li Mo
Summer vacation always seems to fly by, and before you know it, half of it has already passed.
One day, the class WeChat group suddenly became active because the homeroom teacher, Yuan Hai, posted a notice: the school was offering a two-week summer tutoring program for "soon-to-be senior high school students" to help them review the key knowledge points for senior year. The principle was voluntary registration, but it was clearly stated at the end that "a fee is required."
The news sparked a flurry of discussion in the group.
For most students in the top classes, this is almost a must-have option, and the students at Yuehai Middle School are not short of money.
Soon, the list of people signing up for tutoring classes grew longer and longer.
Liang Xinchong replied with a "1" almost instantly, and then stared at the screen, hoping that a number would pop up after that familiar avatar. However, he did not receive a response from Li Mo until the registration deadline.
He clicked on the gray cartoon jasmine avatar and sent a message.
Liang Xinchong: "Aren't you coming to the tutoring class?"
Several hours passed, until evening, before Li Mo's profile picture finally lit up.
Li Mo: "Reading at home is the same."
As Liang Xinchong looked at these words, his heart felt a slight pang.
He almost immediately thought of the application form for the student in need and the dry bread she ate for lunch.
She didn't think of studying at home as a hobby; she clearly wanted to save on tutoring fees.
A mixture of heartache and helplessness welled up in his chest, but he knew he couldn't let it show.
Liang Xinchong: Oh, okay then.
Liang Xinchong: [Puppy with droopy ears.jpg]
From that day on, Liang Xinchong could only prop his chin up and stare blankly at her empty seat.
Since he couldn't be seen at school, he and Li Mo chatted more frequently on QQ.
In fact, he always racks his brains to find topics to talk about first.
From the tutor's comical catchphrases to Lin Shusen being called out for snoring in class, to the cafeteria's new dishes that were so unpalatable during summer vacation that they were universally condemned...
He wrote down everything, big and small, as if he wanted to tell her about every person and every event in his life through his writing.
Li Mo's replies were mostly brief, sometimes just an "um" or "oh," but she always responded to his messages and never let them go unanswered.
For Liang Xinchong, this was already enough.
However, Liang Xinchong didn't just chat with her all the time.
More importantly, Liang Xinchong began his "data sharing plan".
He carefully photographed almost every outline and test paper issued by the tutoring center with his mobile phone, organized them, and sent them to Li Mo.
Liang Xinchong: [Images][Images][Images]
Liang Xinchong: These are the physics notes from Old Yuan's lecture today. I've highlighted the important points in red.
Liang Xinchong: This math test is quite tricky. Don't look at the answers directly for the last big question; try to do it yourself first.
On the other end of the phone, Li Mo looked at the endless stream of clear images and data on the screen, and felt a soft, moist warmth wash over her heart.
She was studying at home alone and inevitably encountered times when she got stuck. These materials were like a godsend.
Looking at the constantly jumping cartoon wolf avatar, she could almost see the boy on the other side of the screen, clumsily yet persistently trying to pull her back onto his path, wanting to walk alongside her.
She accepted the sentiment.
She pursed her lips, her fingertips tapping on the keyboard, using a playful tone that even she herself didn't realize was slightly coquettish.
Li Mo: Liang, did Teacher Yuan know that the information leaked was confidential information about the tutoring center?
Li Mo: Since you're so... 'helpful', I'll treat you to a drink next time you come to the store.
Li Mo: [Patting the puppy's head.gif]
Almost the instant the message was sent, Liang Xinchong's replies came flooding in.
Liang Xinchong: What's there to be afraid of? They're all from our class anyway, it's not like they're going to other schools.
Liang Xinchong: But you have to keep your word.
Liang Xinchong: Any drink is fine?
Liang Xinchong: [Husky wagging its tail wildly.gif]
Liang Xinchong: I'll go tomorrow... no, I'll go the day after tomorrow.
Looking at the string of replies that made her almost able to imagine the other person's excitement, Li Mo finally couldn't help but laugh at the screen.
The summer night breeze blew in through the window screen, carrying the faint noise of the night market downstairs, but it couldn't dispel the sweet and warm feeling that was quietly growing in her heart.
He seems really easy to please.
A drink she casually promised, the one whose whereabouts she didn't even know, could make him this happy.
In short, Liang Xinchong and Li Mo's private conversations almost never stopped throughout the summer vacation.
Although Liang Xinchong did most of the talking and Li Mo responded occasionally, he was used to checking his phone as soon as he woke up every day and sharing every little thing with her.
However, this tacit understanding was broken a few days before the summer vacation was about to end.
His message disappeared without a trace, never to be answered again.
One day, two days... the profile picture remained gray, and no one answered the phone.
Liang Xinchong felt a strong sense of unease in his heart. He was restless and his mind was filled with countless bad guesses.
Finally, on the afternoon of the third day, he could no longer contain himself, so he got on his bicycle and sped off towards the familiar barbecue restaurant in the west of the city.
The closer he got, the lower his heart sank. From afar, he could hear a cacophony of curses and the piercing sound of shattering metal.
When he finally reached the store entrance, panting heavily, the scene before him made his blood almost run cold—
The small shop was a mess, with tables and chairs overturned and broken dishes and food scraps scattered everywhere.
Several men with ferocious faces were still wantonly smashing things, cursing filthy language.
Shen Peixian stood in the corner, her face as pale as paper, clutching her apron tightly, her body trembling slightly, but she did not step forward to stop it.
And Li Mo—
Liang Xinchong's pupils contracted sharply, his gaze fixed on Li Mo.
She stood in front of her mother, her slender figure appearing particularly frail amidst the chaos. A gash was cut on her left arm near her elbow, from which blood was gushing out, staining her light-colored sleeve red.
She bit her lower lip tightly, her face devoid of tears, displaying only a numb, resigned forbearance and stubbornness.
"Stop!" Liang Xinchong felt a surge of heat rush to his head. Without thinking, he rushed in, took a few steps to Li Mo's side, and used his body to firmly protect her behind him.
He pulled out his phone abruptly, his fingers trembling slightly with anger and tension, but he tried to make his voice sound calm and powerful: "I've already recorded it. If you don't stop, I'll call the police right now!"
He made a gesture as if he was about to press the 110 dial button.
"Don't hit him."
A cool hand suddenly pressed down on his wrist.
Liang Xinchong turned around in surprise and met Li Mo's almost pleading eyes.
"Why?" Liang Xinchong asked anxiously and angrily, his voice rising involuntarily. "They're already like this, and you still got hurt."
Li Mo shook her head, her face deathly pale, and repeated, her voice soft yet carrying a heavy resolve: "Don't fight, let them smash it."
Liang Xinchong looked at Shen Peixian in the corner in disbelief, but she simply avoided his gaze, closed her eyes dejectedly, as if she had already resigned herself to her fate.
In that brief moment of stalemate, the men seemed to have exhausted themselves smashing things. The leader spat fiercely on the ground, his gaze filled with contempt and hatred sweeping over Shen Peixian and Li Mo, before uttering a single sentence:
"A murderer wants to open a shop? Bah!"
The group of people walked away cursing and swearing, leaving behind a scene of devastation and deathly silence.
The words "murderer" buzzed in Liang Xinchong's ears, and he froze, his mind going blank.
He looked down at Li Mo in front of him. She had been keeping her head down ever since he protected her, and now she buried her face even deeper. Her thin shoulders trembled slightly, and the wound on her arm was glaringly red.
He looked at the mess on the ground, at the despairing Aunt Shen, at the wounded but stoic Li Mo, and then recalled the accusation of being a "murderer"...
Countless questions and shocks surged in his heart, but all the words were stuck in his throat. In the end, he simply shielded Li Mo with his own body, even more tightly.
The late summer wind blew through the broken shop door, carrying an air of decay.
Standing amidst the chaos, Liang Xinchong realized for the first time that the girl he liked carried a heavy secret he had never imagined.
At this moment, all he wanted was to shield her from all the storms, even though he didn't know where they came from.
Liang Xinchong felt the girl in front of him trembling slightly. He carefully held her shoulders, his voice softer than he even realized: "Li Mo, are you alright? Does your wound hurt?"
Li Mo did not answer, but shook her head vigorously.
The strength she had been maintaining finally crumbled when danger left, especially in front of him, an "outsider."
"Let me lean on you for a moment." Her tense body suddenly relaxed, and she was almost exhausted. Her forehead gently rested on his broad but still somewhat thin shoulder, and the tears she had been holding back for so long burst forth instantly, the warm wetness quickly soaking through his thin T-shirt.
Liang Xinchong's body stiffened abruptly, and he was completely stunned.
He hesitated for a few seconds, feeling a silent tremor and dampness on his shoulder. His heart felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, and a dense, throbbing pain surged through him.
He raised his hand, his movements somewhat clumsy, but extremely gentle, and wiped away the tear stains on her face with his fingertips.
“Don’t cry,” he said hoarsely. “It’s alright, they’re gone.”
Li Mo cried for a long time before she slowly calmed down. She pushed Liang Xinchong away, turned her head away, and wiped away her tears haphazardly with the back of her hand, her voice still thick with a nasal tone: "I'm fine now, you can go."
Looking at the glaring wound on her arm and the ruins of the room, how could Liang Xinchong possibly leave?
"I'm not leaving. What's going on? Why are they..."
“This is none of your business,” Li Mo interrupted him abruptly, her tone sharp and self-protective. “Just leave, please.”
Liang Xinchong pursed his lips, looking at her red eyes and stubborn profile, and did not ask any further questions.
But he didn't leave. He walked to the side, took out his phone, and made a call.
In just over twenty minutes, several men in work clothes, who were quick and efficient, arrived with cleaning tools and several brand-new plastic stools.
The leader greeted Liang Xinchong politely, and then directed the others to quietly begin tidying up.
Li Mo and Shen Peixian were both stunned.
Shen Peixian said, "I'll pay you whatever it costs."
Liang Xinchong whispered to Shen Peixian, "No need, Auntie. Just let them clean it up. It'll be done soon."
Shen Peixian insisted on giving it to him.
Liang Xinchong glanced at Li Mo, but ultimately accepted it.
He didn't explain further, and rolled up his sleeves to help put the usable tables and chairs back in their places.
Li Mo watched his busy figure, seeing his calm and composed demeanor, and his silent dedication. Her lips moved, but she ultimately said nothing. She simply found the first-aid kit and asked her mother to give her some basic treatment for the cut on her arm.
Many hands make light work. In just over an hour, although the store was much emptier and the damaged items had been cleared away, it was at least restored to basic cleanliness.
After everything was packed up, Liang Xinchong still refused to leave. He walked up to Li Mo, looked at her bandaged arm, and was about to say something when Li Mo gave him a cold look. Liang Xinchong took a deep breath, paused for a moment, and then said, "Okay, then I'm leaving."
He paused, then added, his tone extremely serious: "If there's anything else, you can contact me anytime."
“Mm,” Li Mo said softly, “Thank you for today.”
After saying that, he gave her a deep look, turned around, got on his bicycle, and disappeared around the street corner.
The shop returned to silence, but a sense of weariness and desolation, as if it had survived a catastrophe, permeated the air.
Li Mo walked to her mother, who had been silent all along, and asked softly, "Mom, are you alright?"
Shen Peixian shook her head, her face showing deep exhaustion and a predictable bitterness. She murmured, "I'm fine... I just didn't expect them to find us so quickly..."
Li Mo's heart sank.
She stepped forward and hugged Shen Peixian; the two embraced tightly.
How did things turn out this way?
The tragedy that befell their family occurred around the time of this year's Spring Festival.
Li Mo's father, Li Jiansheng, was originally the vice president of a construction company in Shanghai.
At the end of last year, the company boss maliciously withheld wages from a large number of migrant workers, leaving those workers who were waiting for their money to go home for the Spring Festival with nowhere to turn for help.
Li Jiansheng was an upright man. He tried to persuade his boss many times to no avail. Finally, before the Spring Festival, he invited his boss for drinks as a last hope and tried to make one last effort.
That night, the boss seemed to relent and promised to pay the money the next day.
Li Jiansheng had been drinking and, with a glimmer of hope that the problem could be resolved, collided with a van carrying several migrant workers on his way home... Li Jiansheng's car crashed into the roadside guardrail, and he was seriously injured.
The migrant worker's van went out of control, crashed through the bridge railing, and plunged into the icy lake.
Ultimately, those migrant workers who failed to receive their hard-earned wages never returned home for the Spring Festival and died on the eve of the holiday, a time for family reunion.
Although Li Jiansheng was not directly intentional under the law, he was sentenced to prison in May of this year for causing a major traffic accident while driving under the influence of alcohol.
The Li family was suddenly devastated, facing a barrage of compensation claims and public pressure.
Li Mo could no longer stay at her original school and became known as "the daughter of a murderer" in the eyes of her classmates, suffering endless criticism and isolation.
Shen Peixian sold all her family property to pay the compensation, but it still wasn't enough. In the end, she had no choice but to take her daughter and leave her hometown for Yuehai, where no one knew her, in an attempt to start over...
It turns out that the people who came to vandalize the store were relatives of the victims.
They were unaware of the truth, and did not know that Li Jiansheng had drunk the alcohol because he was trying to get back their wages.
All they knew was that during that Spring Festival, their father and husband died in the winter while they were anxiously waiting for news of their wages.
It was so cold that day.
Having lost their loved ones, they were filled with grief and anger, and had nowhere to vent their anger. They came here and poured their hatred on the mother and daughter who were also suffering.
Li Jiansheng and Shen Peixian have done a lot of good deeds and made some friends over the years; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to transfer Li Mo to another school and open a shop in Yuehai.
However... whatever the truth is, her father, Li Jiansheng, did indeed drive under the influence of alcohol and did kill someone.
They did indeed owe a lot of debt.
These things have already happened.
Looking at her mother's profile, which had aged considerably in an instant, and at the empty, dilapidated shop, Li Mo felt a dull ache from the wound on her arm, but her heart was filled with boundless desolation.
"It will be alright, Mom." Li Mo wiped away her tears. "Things will get better in the future."
It's unclear whether she was trying to comfort Shen Peixian or herself.
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