Chapter 11
In early July of 1990, the incessant chirping of cicadas was irritating. The afternoon sun scorched the concrete ground of the Huaxing Machinery Factory's residential compound, reflecting blinding light, and even the air carried a hot, dusty smell. The leaves on the old locust trees were somewhat wilted by the sun, and only the occasional breeze could make them sway lazily.
In the courtyard, children who had just finished school gathered in twos and threes, carrying canvas backpacks, chattering about whether Seiya's Pegasus Meteor Fist or Shiryu's Rising Dragon Fist was more powerful, or sharing their newly bought stationery.
Ten-year-old Xu Chen was among them. He wasn't very tall, but he was quite sturdy, wearing a blue sleeveless work vest and black shorts. His gaze kept drifting towards the entrance of the compound, as if he were waiting for someone important, or perhaps he was avoiding them. He carried a heavy burden in his heart, like a stone weighing him down, making it hard for him to breathe.
Finally, the small figure appeared; it was Li Muxue.
Unlike the noisy children around her, Li Muxue appeared exceptionally quiet, even aloof. She wore a faded floral dress, and her hair was simply tied into two small braids that hung over her shoulders. Her eyes lacked the innocence and naivety of children her age, displaying only a coldness, even... hostility, inappropriate for her age.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, the children who had been surrounding Xu Chen tactfully dispersed, and the atmosphere subtly became somewhat awkward.
Xu Chen's heart suddenly raced. He clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and as if summoning immense courage, walked towards Li Muxue.
"Xiaoxue," his voice was a little hoarse, with a hint of barely perceptible flattery, "your...your schoolbag looks quite heavy, shall I carry it for you?"
Li Muxue acted as if she hadn't heard him, not even lifting her eyelids, and walked straight past him without pausing. Her gaze was as if Xu Chen were air, a pebble on the roadside, or even… something she loathed.
Xu Chen's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, his face burning as if he'd been slapped. A few suppressed laughs drifted from the surrounding area, making him even more embarrassed. But he didn't leave; he simply followed silently behind Li Muxue, keeping a few steps away.
This scenario has played out countless times in the past two years.
Xu Chen knew in his heart that it was his father, Xu Zhenguo, who ruined Li Muxue's family.
From the day his kind, gentle Uncle Li, with his amiable smile, disappeared completely from the red brick building, Xu Chen's world was burdened with a heavy sense of guilt. He wanted to apologize to Li Muxue, to tell her that he wanted to atone for his father's sins, but he didn't dare. He was just a child; what could he do? He didn't even dare mention the Li family to his father. He could only use his clumsy methods to approach Li Muxue, to be kind to her, hoping to make up for even a little bit, even just a little bit, of the unease and self-reproach in his heart.
However, Li Muxue's heart felt as if it were encased in a thick layer of ice, which he couldn't melt away...
Today at school, Li Muxue walked into the classroom and saw Xu Chen's seat. She paused for a moment, then frowned as if she had seen something dirty. She turned around and walked to a corner at the back of the classroom, near the window, where brooms and dustpans were piled up. She sat down silently, put her schoolbag on the desk, and because the seat was in a remote location, no one wanted to sit with her. She turned her face to the wall and refused to look at anyone.
Xu Chen's hand holding the pencil trembled slightly, feeling as if something had tugged at his heart, leaving him with a bittersweet feeling.
The bell rang, and the homeroom teacher walked in and began lecturing on "infinite non-repeating decimals." Xu Chen tried hard to concentrate, but his mind kept drifting to the person behind him. He could sense the silent figure behind him, like a cold sculpture.
During the break between classes, a few mischievous boys saw Li Muxue sitting alone in a corner and wanted to go over and tease her.
"Hey, isn't this the daughter of the 'corrupt official'? What are you doing hiding here? Are you plotting to swindle money from someone again?" a boy said sarcastically.
Li Muxue's body stiffened abruptly, her hand on the table clenched into a fist, her knuckles turning white.
Xu Chen jumped up from the front row, blocking the boys' path. His face was flushed red, and his voice trembled with anger: "You...you stop talking!"
The boys were stunned for a moment, then said with grins, "Xu Chen, what are you doing? Your dad's a director now, why are you getting involved with her? Her dad is..."
"I told you to shut up!" Xu Chen's voice grew louder. He didn't know where he got the courage, but he even reached out and pushed one of the boys.
The boy stumbled from the shove and immediately became enraged: "You dare push me? Xu Chen, do you want to fight?"
Seeing that a fight was about to break out, Xu Chen felt a little scared, but he didn't back down. He just stared fiercely at the boys, his eyes filled with determination. He couldn't let them bully her anymore, not even a little bit.
Perhaps Xu Chen's appearance was a bit scary, or maybe they just didn't find it interesting, but the boys muttered a few words and eventually left dejectedly.
The classroom fell silent for a moment. Xu Chen breathed a sigh of relief, turned around, and wanted to see how Li Muxue was doing.
But then Li Muxue slowly raised her head. Her face was expressionless, only her eyes stared at him coldly, even colder than before.
"Who told you to meddle? What are you pretending to be, don't you think you're being hypocritical?!"
Her voice was soft, yet it was like a fine needle piercing Xu Chen's heart. "Xu Chen, we're not on the same path. Stay away from me."
Xu Chen stood there, looking at her cold face, feeling all the courage he had just mustered vanish in an instant. His nose stung, and he almost burst into tears. He knew Li Muxue hated him, hated his father, but he still couldn't help wanting to be good to her. This guilt, like an invisible chain, bound him tightly.
The cicadas outside the window continued their tireless chirping, and the sunlight remained blinding. But within this small classroom, between Xu Chen and Li Muxue, it seemed as if an insurmountable river separated them…
(To be continued)
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