The truth of the matter
Climbing over walls was commonplace for Tingyue and Tingxubai, and the two easily and nimbly climbed over.
There's no need to worry about Qi Xu. She was even more mischievous than these two siblings when she was young, but she has become much more restrained since her father, Qi Yansheng, left.
“Tingyue,” Ting Xubai suddenly remembered something, paused, “have we forgotten someone?”
"Oh dear!" Tingyue slapped her forehead. "Does Han Xue know how to climb over the wall?"
Before the words were finished, a figure flashed on the wall, and Qi Xu and Han Xue landed steadily.
“We were worried you wouldn’t be able to get out.” Tingyue ran to Han Xue’s side.
Han Xue dusted off her hands and said calmly, "I got used to sneaking out to play when I was little."
This simple explanation seems to conceal a long-ago rebellious period.
"What are we waiting for? Let's go to the internet cafe!" Qi Xu grabbed Tingyue with one hand and Han Xue with the other, and they ran off in a flurry. Ting Xubai smiled and shook his head, quickly following after them.
Han Xue's heart was enveloped by a long-lost, light and warm current. Ever since being betrayed by a so-called friend in the sixth grade, she had never truly made a friend again.
But now, she so longs to be friends with Qi Xu, to go to school together, to chat together, to play together... This anticipation makes her steps lighter.
The group was walking excitedly towards the internet cafe when, after turning a corner, Tingyue suddenly stopped, her face instantly darkening. From her angle, she could only see the annoying teacher and didn't notice the boy crouching in the corner.
“Take another route.” Her voice was tense, and she turned into another alley without allowing any room for argument.
The other three followed her gaze.
In the corner stood that repulsive Teacher Liu. She was grabbing a little boy who looked no more than six years old, her face contorted in a grotesque grimace. Her fingers dug deep into the boy's thin arm like iron clamps, and the child cried out in pain.
Even more horrifying, she grabbed a wooden stick from the side and whipped the child hard, leaving clear, glaring red welts under the child's thin clothes.
"A burden! Useless trash! What good are you!" Vicious curses accompanied the sound of sticks being struck.
"I was wrong, I was wrong," the boy cried, sobbing uncontrollably.
The stick swung down again, and the boy instinctively flinched and dodged.
"You dare to dodge?!" Teacher Liu was completely enraged, pinching and twisting his flesh even harder with her other hand. "I'll let you dodge! I'll let you dodge!" The wooden stick whistled through the air and fell mercilessly, again and again.
The four people who witnessed this scene had already frowned, their anger surging within them.
Without a word, they rushed out in unison.
Qi Xu quickly stepped forward, shielding the boy behind her, and swiftly lifted his clothes. What she saw was shocking! Large and small wounds covered the young boy's body: burns, pinch marks, knife scars... old wounds piled on top of new ones.
"Mind your own business!" Teacher Liu shouted sternly, her eyes fierce.
An uncontrollable rage instantly engulfed Han Xue, burning away her usual composure.
She suddenly raised her hand and slapped Teacher Liu hard across the face!
The siblings were about to step forward to stop the violence when they were stunned by Han Xue's sudden action and looked at her in surprise.
Teacher Liu was stunned by the beating. She covered her face and was about to retaliate when she suddenly recognized Han Xue, the principal's daughter! Her face turned deathly pale instantly.
It's over, she's definitely lost her job. Even if she goes back... Thinking of the man at home, she felt only despair. At that moment, all she wanted was to escape. She gave the trembling boy one last venomous glare, then turned and fled in a disheveled state without looking back.
All eyes then turned back to the boy.
Qi Xu squatted down, took out a tissue, and gently wiped away the boy's tears and smudges, like comforting a frightened little animal, patting his back again and again: "Don't be afraid, it's okay."
The boy recognized Tingyue and Tingxubai, and sobbed softly, "Thank you...brother and sister..."
Looking at his new wounds, Tingyue asked with concern, "Have you used up all the medicine I gave you last time?"
"Yes," the boy choked back tears, lowering his head, "my mother threw it away."
Without a word, Xu Bai immediately turned and ran to the nearby pharmacy. Soon, he returned with ointment to reduce swelling and relieve pain.
"Let me do it." Han Xue extended her hand, her voice regaining its calmness, yet carrying an undeniable gentleness.
Hearing Bai hand her the medicine, Qi Xu sat down on a relatively clean stone step by the roadside, holding the boy, and placed him steadily on her lap.
Han Xue carefully squeezed out the ointment and gently applied it to the hideous wounds.
Tingyue took a brightly wrapped fruit candy out of her pocket, unwrapped it, and gently put it into the boy's mouth.
The sweetness melted instantly on his tongue, and the boy, sobbing, finally managed a faint smile.
"Is it sweet?" Tingyue asked softly.
The boy nodded.
Upon hearing this, Bai simply took out all the candy from his pocket and stuffed it into the boy's pocket, ruffling his hair: "I'm giving you all the candy. Hide it well and eat one secretly every day, but don't let Mom find out."
"Thank you, brother..." the boy's voice was filled with dependence.
"You're welcome," Xu Bai replied with a gentle smile.
Then, he gave a piece of candy to Qi Xu, Ting Yue, and himself.
When it was Han Xue's turn, seeing that she was focused on applying the medicine, I withdrew my hand first.
After Han Xue carefully applied the medicine, Qi Xu helped the boy tidy up his clothes.
Just as Han Xue tightened the cap on the ointment, a candy was handed to her.
She looked up and met Ting Xubai's smiling gaze.
"Here you go, everyone gets one. I saw you were busy earlier, so I didn't want to bother you," he explained.
Han Xue took the candy and said softly, "Thank you."
Qi Xu put the boy down and made him stand up: "Shall we take you home? We're worried about you walking alone."
The boy pursed his lips, hesitating slightly: "I... I can go back by myself..."
"We'll feel at ease if we see you off," Qi Xu insisted.
The boy didn't refuse again and silently led the way.
Tingyue couldn't help but lower her voice and ask, "Is there no one else at home?"
“I have a dad,” the boy’s voice lowered, “He’s been going to work lately.”
Tingyue realized she couldn't ask any more questions and stopped herself in time.
The group followed the boy to a somewhat dilapidated and messy neighborhood.
As I approached the building where the boy lived, I heard a series of loud smashing sounds and a man's furious roar, mixed with a woman's suppressed sobs.
The boy stopped at the door, his small body stiffening. He neither knocked nor went in.
The scene inside the room was immediately clear to everyone; the crying female voice was clearly that of Teacher Liu, who had just left.
Qi Xu gently placed her hand on the boy's head, her voice so gentle it could melt ice: "I see the area outside the neighborhood looks quite lively, with lots of food stalls? Shall we take a look? I'm a little hungry."
“I’m hungry too!” Tingyue immediately understood and echoed with a smile.
Han Xue glanced at her watch: "Hmm, it's almost lunchtime."
Just then, Ting Xubai's stomach rumbled in perfect unison.
The unexpected sound broke the heavy atmosphere, and everyone couldn't help but laugh. Even the boy with the tense little face smiled through his tears and nodded: "Okay, I'll take you there."
They ate something simple nearby, chatted with the boy for a while, and only after he calmed down did they take him back to the entrance of his building.
The boy waved to them, and his small figure disappeared into the stairwell.
Inside the house, the boy's mother was huddled in a corner, terrified.
His father sat on the sofa, a cigarette between his fingers, his face grim amidst the swirling smoke.
Upon seeing his son return, he immediately stubbed out his cigarette and greeted him with a smile.
But when his gaze fell on the bag of medicine his son was carrying, his smile froze instantly.
He ripped off his son's coat, revealing the old and new scars starkly exposed.
The father's eyes instantly turned terrifying. He scooped up his son and strode into the bedroom, trying to keep his voice calm: "Sweetie, stay inside. Daddy has something to take care of." The door slammed shut behind him.
Immediately afterwards, the piercing sound of whipping and a man's furious roar rang out from outside the bedroom: "I told you to take care of the child! Is this how you take care of him? And you think you can run away?"
"I was wrong! I was wrong! Please forgive me!" came the woman's desperate pleas for mercy.
"Wrong? Too late! Mom is gone! It's all your fault, you vicious woman!" The man's voice was filled with pain and hatred.
Ms. Liu harbored resentment due to her husband's infidelity. She became addicted to gambling and drinking, and abused her elderly mother-in-law, causing her to become paralyzed. In the end, her mother-in-law was on the verge of death when her husband returned home.
The family completely fell apart after the husband discovered the scars on his mother's body.
In the bedroom, the boy sat on the edge of the bed, listening clearly to everything outside.
He gripped the hem of his shirt tightly, his fingertips touching the hard candy in his pocket.
Seven of them—their warm smiles, their gentle words, the sweetness in their mouths… those fleeting moments of happiness vividly appeared in my mind.
Slowly, very slowly, he unwrapped a candy and put the small, sweet candy into his mouth, as if building an invisible wall to gradually shut out the sounds of pain outside.
After seeing the boy off, the group of four finally arrived at the internet cafe.
With their tension eased, their "good times" truly began.
Reasons for skipping class? They already had reasons.
Han Xue and Qi Xu are the principal's daughters, and they have excellent grades. Han Xue will handle the aftermath herself.
The siblings claimed they were punished by their teacher for copying school rules and were forced to reflect on their actions in the library.
They were both top students, so the teachers turned a blind eye and might even have been happy to cover it up.
More importantly, the rest of the afternoon classes are all club activities. For independent students like them who haven't chosen a club, no one will bother to pay attention to them.
"Han Xue, what are you playing?" Qi Xu picked up his headphones, his movements a beat slow, waiting for her answer.
"How about we play 'Peacekeeper Elite' together? It'll be perfect for a four-person team," Tingyue suggested, her eyes sparkling.
“I’m fine with this, wanna come together?” Ting Xubai also extended an invitation with a smile.
Faced with the three people's enthusiastic invitation, Han Xue nodded; she was indeed playing the game.
The crisp sound of the earphones snapping shut instantly drew the four people's attention to the virtual battlefield.
The sounds of keyboard typing, mouse clicking, gunfire in the game, and teammates exchanging commands blend together.
Time slipped away quietly amidst the fierce battle.
At the same time, Mingde Middle School.
The bell rang, signaling the end of club activities.
In the art club, Hao Nan carefully rolled up the unfinished portrait of Qi Xu and left the classroom with his friend Xu Sheng.
He couldn't wait to return to his class, wanting to show the drawing to Qi Xu as soon as possible, but found her seat empty.
He packed his schoolbag, his gaze repeatedly sweeping towards the door, but Qi Xu's figure never appeared.
Wan Xiaoyi returned to the classroom at that moment. Hao Nan immediately went up to her and asked, "Have you seen Qi Xu?"
"No," Wan Xiaoyi shook her head, "Maybe in the library or the restroom?"
"So long?" Hao Nan frowned slightly. "I'll go look for it."
"I'll go with you." Wan Xiaoyi followed, and they met Xu Sheng again in the corridor. The three of them then searched together.
The library was quiet, with no sign of Qi Xu. Returning to the classroom, it was still empty.
"Could she have left with Tingyue and the others?" Wan Xiaoyi wondered.
“Let’s go check on Class 2!” Xu Sheng suggested.
The three of them walked quickly to the door of the classroom of Class 2, Grade 11. The door was locked and the room was empty. Tingyue and Tingxubai were obviously not there either.
The last glimmer of hope was extinguished. Hao Nan stood dejectedly in front of the closed classroom door.
The three of them arrived at the bicycle shed. Tingyue and Tingxubai's bicycles were still parked there quietly.
"You two go back first," Hao Nan said to Wan Xiaoyi and Xu Sheng.
The two nodded, got on their bikes, and left the campus. Hao Nan, however, lingered, pushing his own bike.
He lingered near the bicycle shed, his gaze repeatedly drifting towards the teaching building, until the hustle and bustle of the campus finally subsided into silence.
"It's time to lock up, students, hurry home!" came the gatekeeper's voice.
Hao Nan took one last look at the silent teaching building in the twilight, then finally got on his bicycle and rode out of the school gate.
The heavy iron gate slowly closed behind him with a soft clang.
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