Chapter 23: Turning Anger into Strength, Winter Break...
Turning anger into strength, Fang Minzhou finished the English workbook she had bought for Wang Kan but which Wang Kan didn't want during her less than a week at home during winter vacation.
Based on Wang Kan's level, she specifically chose a book of medium difficulty. The entire book uses classic examples to summarize and generalize grammar, which was a little too easy for Fang Minzhou, but she focused on reading it through in one go and used it as a way to solidify her foundation.
It's Wang Kan's loss that he doesn't want it.
She should have known this sooner, shouldn't she? A three-minute wonder, self-righteous, all talk and no action, taking other people's kindness for granted.
After their unpleasant parting at the train station, Fang Minzhou and Wang Kan lost contact. Whenever she thought of him, Fang Minzhou would not only curse him, but also herself; he had only sung a song or given her a gift, and she had acted like a fool.
She was angry with Wang Kan, and in the end, her anger turned into a resentment that was not suitable for deep thought, which she could only relieve by doing math problems.
This startled Zhao Ningying, who thought Fang Minzhou had suffered some kind of shock, but she had done well on the final exams. She couldn't help but privately blame Fang Liangping for putting too much pressure on her.
Fang Liangping had his own twisted logic. He rarely praised Fang Minzhou, fearing that too much praise would make her arrogant. He even talked to her: Since it's a holiday, let yourself rest for a while. Studying is important, but you also need to balance work and rest.
"Didn't you make plans to go out with any classmates during winter break? Like, a second-year high school student, or a first-year high school student, like the girl who sat next to you, Yuan Yue?"
Fang Minzhou said, "She went on a trip."
Her father was silent for a moment, then launched into a long speech, saying that she should actively interact with her classmates and not keep to herself, and that friends made at this age are a lifelong treasure...
Fang Minzhou didn't consider herself a particularly talkative person, but at that moment, she suddenly realized she had inherited her father's lecturing and nagging habits. She remembered that day at the bus stop, when Wang Kan probably also found her talking annoying.
Their several arguments, filled with right and wrong, were all well-intentioned, but none of them led to anything good. Realizing this, Fang Minzhou suddenly felt deflated, as if she were doing something futile. Although she still felt that her anger was understandable, and Wang Kan's anger was unreasonable.
If he didn't want to be comforted, why did he say nice things during the midterm exams? Since he kept saying to relax, why did he get angry when she said those things?
As for her father's words, she should just listen to them and let them go. Fang Minzhou still had to hurry up and finish her winter vacation homework, which seemed impossible to complete at first glance. Because in the past, when she went around visiting relatives and friends during the Lunar New Year, she would not only have no time to do her homework, but she would also have to tutor her younger siblings.
This year's situation is indeed the same.
With the winter vacation halfway over, Ouyang Qian invited Fang Minzhou to the flower and bird market. With her parents' support and comfort, Fang Minzhou went out.
Fang Minzhou last visited the flower and bird market when she was in elementary school. Her science class final assignment required her to submit an observation diary about plants or animals, so her father brought her here to buy a few small goldfish.
Many years later, the market is still the same as Fang Minzhou remembered. It is the Spring Festival, with Spring Festival couplets and red lanterns hanging up, and the whole market is full of joy.
Fang Minzhou originally thought Ouyang Qian was there to buy something, but Ouyang Qian just wandered around. Instead, when she heard that she wanted to buy a few succulents, she took her to a small shop in an alley.
The shop owners are a young couple who are also acquaintances of Ouyang Qian.
Fang Minzhou found it strange and joked in a low voice, "You're not here to recruit people, are you?"
Fang Minzhou was about to ask who to look for when he guessed it and muttered to himself, "You don't have to drag me into this."
"Doesn't that make it seem like T's purpose isn't so strong?"
Fang Minzhou has doubts about this.
Not wanting to carry too much, Fang Minzhou only picked out two succulent plants in the end, and the shop owner also gave her and Ouyang Qian a bouquet of flowers as a gift. Before leaving, Ouyang Qian asked casually, "When Brother Liang's restaurant opens, my aunt will probably send a flower basket over, right?"
"Of course we'll deliver," the shop owner said. "Why don't you bring your classmates with you then?"
Fang Minzhou politely agreed with Ouyang Qian as they left the store, but once they were outside, she said she couldn't keep up with the appointment. Ouyang Qian smiled and said, "I know, I know."
"Your aunt..." Fang Minzhou asked curiously, "...seems to have done a lot of work?"
“She started working after graduating from high school, and she knows a lot of people. Sometimes they help each other out.”
How old is she?
Ouyang Qian: "Twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine."
Fang Minzhou: "..."
Ouyang Qian spoke casually, and Fang Minzhou followed suit with composure. Ouyang Qian clearly knew what shocking thing she was talking about, and winked at Fang Minzhou, "Come on, let's walk around some more. I'll treat you to candied hawthorns."
The hawthorns coated in syrup were sweet and sour. Fang Minzhou asked Ouyang Qian, "Is your aunt here? Can't you just ask her?"
"I asked, but she wouldn't tell me, so I just kept searching randomly."
Why didn't I tell you?
She doesn't really pay attention to me.
Fang Minzhou was very puzzled about the relationship between Ouyang Qian and her aunt.
“I had a pretty good relationship with her when I was a child. She stayed at my house for a while. My parents were busy with work, and she would take me to and from school. But after I grew up… it didn’t work out anymore.”
Ouyang Qian remained indifferent throughout, leading Fang Minzhou to believe that these were just ordinary family matters.
"Do you think I'm disgusting?" Ouyang Qian suddenly asked her.
Fang Minzhou shook her head violently, "No way."
Fang Minzhou suddenly felt that she didn't really understand Ouyang Qian, but this realization also seemed to bring her a little closer to her.
She didn't know why Ouyang Qian would tell her this secret. Maybe, as Ouyang Qian had said before, she was feeling uncomfortable and wanted to confide in someone she could trust.
As for why it was her, it might be because her name is similar to her aunt's. But Fang Minzhou was still touched by Ouyang Qian's trust in her, just like when Yuan Yue talked to her about her in the first year of high school.
A person who can trust others is courageous.
To like something is also a kind of courage.
In the spirit of reciprocity, Fang Minzhou felt she should also share her "secret" with Ouyang Qian, but Ouyang Qian saw through her thoughts and disagreed, saying, "You can say it if you want, or you don't have to. You may not believe it, but I'm really not a gossipy person."
Fang Minzhou paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "I believe you."
So she really didn't understand Ouyang Qian. She used to think Ouyang Qian was lively, but most of the time she was just watching the show with her hands behind her back.
Fang Minzhou ultimately said nothing, because it was not worth mentioning anyway.
After leaving the flower and bird market, they walked straight along the road to Renmin Road in the city center. Since there were no movies they wanted to see, Fang Minzhou and Ouyang Qian browsed through the boutiques in the alleys, each buying some trinkets. Passing by the Xinhua Bookstore, which is full of students all year round, they exchanged a glance and naturally went in to take a look.
The bookstore's first floor mainly sells various goods, while the second floor sells best-selling books and elementary school textbooks, as well as food, with the aroma of grilled sausages, milk tea, and coffee wafting in the air.
Fang Minzhou and Ouyang Qian each picked out a book and read for a while before going upstairs to take another look before leaving.
Upon reaching the third floor, Fang Minzhou encountered Zheng Yanhang and Wu Cheng, and a sense of foreboding immediately filled her heart.
Zheng Yanhang: "What a coincidence?"
Wu Cheng raised his hand in greeting.
"You're here to buy books?" Ouyang Qian said to Zheng Yanhang, as if she had discovered a new continent.
"I didn't," Zheng Yanhang firmly defended his image. "I came with them."
"What's done is done," Fang Minzhou muttered, pursing her lips.
Wang Kan walked over while looking down at the teaching materials in her hand. "I'm done. Are you guys done yet?"
After speaking, he looked up and met Fang Minzhou's gaze. His mind went blank for a moment, and he instinctively hid the book behind his back.
This was obviously a mistake. Ouyang Qian bluntly asked, "What did you buy? Why are you hiding it?"
Wang Kan: "..."
At this point, he pretended nothing had happened and picked up the book again, saying, "Just buying something casually."
A science practice book and an English grammar exercise book.
Fang Minzhou stared at the light blue English textbook for several seconds, and after confirming that it was the one she had wanted to give him, she finally looked at Wang Kan and let out a cold laugh without any politeness.
If there were a hole, Wang Kan would want to fall straight to the first floor right now, but Zheng Yanhang had to undermine him, echoing Ouyang Qian: "You guys don't know, he secretly studied at home during winter break, call him..."
Wang Kan's tone was threatening: "Zheng Yanhang."
Zheng Yanhang wouldn't listen: "...He never comes out when we're supposed to be out having fun, even harder to get him to come out than Wu Cheng. And when he does come out, he says he wants to come to the bookstore."
Ouyang Qian: "Tsk tsk tsk."
Wang Kan: "..."
He wanted to die, but he wanted to take Zheng Yanhang with him.
Wu Cheng noticed that Wang Kan was suppressing his temper and came to his rescue, asking Ouyang Qian and Fang Minzhou, "What did you buy?"
Ouyang Qian didn't buy anything, but Fang Minzhou had a bestselling novel in his arms. Zheng Yanhang couldn't help but add, fearlessly, "Then it seems that Wang Kan is the most studious one among us."
Wang Kan just smiled and remained silent. If Fang Minzhou hadn't been there, he really would have given Zheng Yanhang a beating.
He didn't tell anyone about his argument with Fang Minzhou, and Zheng Yanhang probably thought he was helping him improve his image, unaware that he had completely lost face.
I hadn't seen her for ten days or half a month, and I had thought about many things, but I never thought it would end like this.
After the final exams, Wang Kan's biggest worry was that Fang Minzhou would change deskmates. After all, he hadn't achieved the grades he promised, but he had really tried his best and made progress. He was sure he could do better next time. However, he didn't know what to say to persuade her to stay.
In her eyes, he was a failure, a poor student who overestimated his abilities.
Although he shouldn't have yelled at her in the end.
Fang Minzhou was logged into QQ all day long, but he would only log in around 7 or 8 pm. He would close the chat window repeatedly, but Wang Kan never dared to do so.
He could sense that Fang Minzhou didn't actually have any feelings for him. Maybe she did, but that was only because she was soft-hearted and overthinking, even though she was often fierce towards him.
Everything left Wang Kan feeling very frustrated. After thinking it over, it seemed that the only chance to prove herself was the entrance exam at the beginning of the semester.
Now, it seems that even the last chance has passed.
As they left the bookstore, the streetlights were just coming on. Fang Minzhou and the others weren't going the same way, so Zheng Yanhang invited her to go out for karaoke next time, to which she verbally agreed.
Fang Minzhou was neither surprised nor surprised that Wang Kan had followed them. She just didn't know if anyone else had seen it, otherwise there would be misunderstandings.
Wang Kan cleared his throat.
Fang Minzhou acted as if he didn't exist.
"Fang Minzhou".
Amidst the hustle and bustle of traffic, Fang Minzhou still didn't want to pay him any attention.
Let's see what nonsense he's about to spout.
A bus arrived, and the station suddenly became much less crowded. Without the sunlight, the night wind was chilly. Fang Minzhou carried a backpack on one shoulder, a bag in one hand, and the other in her down jacket pocket. She heard Wang Kan first ask, "Is it heavy?" and then say, "I don't want to change seats."
Fang Min was taken aback and looked at him.
“Although I didn’t get a perfect score in the section on the final exam this time, but…” Wang Kan said with her head down, then suddenly looked up at her, then lowered her eyes again, “Give me another chance? Maybe I’ll get it next time.”
Fang Minzhou's fingers clenched tightly.
Here's the thing, that's what he initially said: if I get into the top 100 in the grade, we'll continue to sit together. But later, she herself returned to the top five, and she only remembered Wang Kan's boast about getting into the top 100. She never imagined that he was worried about changing deskmates.
...There was never any talk of changing it.
How could you be so stupid?
Seeing that Fang Minzhou remained silent, Wang Kan became even more nervous. "...Are you still angry? That day at the station...I didn't mean to, I just...I'm sorry."
He's still the same; every emotion is written on his face. Is he feeling wronged? Or scared? Or sad?
Fang Minzhou was so angry with Wang Kan that she never thought about him apologizing, and now she suddenly felt lost and confused.
When someone apologizes, it seems there are only two choices: forgive or not forgive.
But she had never actually considered taking this step.
"I didn't tell Teacher Zhan... about changing seats."
Wang Kan paused for a moment, then reacted, seemingly happy but not quite daring to be, and gave a stiff "Oh".
"But I don't know if the teacher will change the seats when school starts next semester."
"They might look at the entrance exam results," Wang Kan added.
"……Um."
"So I'm reviewing."
"..."
"I'm sure I'll do well on my exams when school starts."
"You've done your best, that's enough." Fang Minzhou didn't want Wang Kan to stare at her anymore, so she avoided his gaze. "My car is here."
The bus stopped, and then T heard Wang Kan call out from behind, "If I have any questions, can I ask you on QQ?"
Fang Minzhou thought to himself, "He talks as if he really loves studying," but he still left out the word "okay" and hurriedly got into the car.
She sat down by the window, the fog on the glass wiped away by the person who had been there before, and immediately saw Wang Kan waving at her with a silly grin.
Relationships between people are so fragile. The sun shines and the ice cream in summer melts, and the sugar frosting on the candied hawthorn in winter melts away, but the sweetness in your mouth is always remembered. Sometimes it feels sticky, but even after wiping it away, you still crave it.
Wang Kan asked Fang Minzhou a question on QQ, and the notification sound kept going off, it was so noisy.
Wang Kan: Then teach me in person!
Fang Minzhou: ... Don't
Wang Kan: I'll treat you to dinner.
Wang Kan: What would you like to eat?
Wang Kan: Are you free on Saturday?
Wang Kan: Any other time is fine, I'm available.
He kept sending messages to himself, the chat bubbles filled the screen, then after a pause, he sent a "Are you there?" emoji with a big question mark above his head.
Fang Minzhou sensed something was wrong. This feeling of being angry but then suddenly laughing was inexplicable yet made her feel lightheaded; she didn't even feel like herself anymore.
Fang Minzhou: Have you finished your homework?
Wang Kan: Almost there
Wang Kan: I'm writing now, I'll finish soon.
Wang Kan: Can I ask you to proofread it after I finish writing it?
After a while, Fang Minzhou replied: Let's talk after you finish writing.
Wang Kan: Okay, but don't try to back out again later.
Fang Minzhou laughed in exasperation; who was playing house with him?
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