On the other side.
Steel Rolling Mill Primary School
Inside the teachers' office.
On Li Jinhua's desk, a potted green ivy drooped its leaves listlessly, much like her current mood.
She mechanically flipped through the students' workbooks in front of her, her red pen leaving marks of correction on the paper, but she couldn't concentrate at all.
"Ms. Li, have you submitted the report cards for Class 3 this time?"
Ms. Liu, the teacher at the next table, leaned over and asked a question, but her eyes kept glancing at Li Jinhua's neck.
Li Jinhua subconsciously pulled up her shirt collar to cover the faint red mark.
"I submitted it; it was left at the academic affairs office yesterday."
Her voice was eight octaves higher than usual, tinged with nervousness.
Teacher Liu gave a meaningful "oh," turned around, met Li Jinhua's gaze, and then quickly looked away.
The other teachers in the office also glanced over from time to time, their whispers as quiet as mosquitoes buzzing.
Li Jinhua's fingers unconsciously twisted together.
She knew what they were talking about.
Last Friday night, Vice Principal Zhang Haiyang stayed in her dormitory until the early hours of the morning before leaving.
Although it was late at night, the soundproofing in the teachers' dormitory was so poor that the ambiguous noises in the corridor could probably be heard throughout the entire floor.
"Teacher Li, you don't look well. Are you feeling unwell?"
Teacher Liu handed over a cup of hot water, her eyes filled with inquiry.
Li Jinhua forced a smile.
"It's nothing, I probably just didn't sleep well last night."
The small alarm clock on the desk pointed to three o'clock in the afternoon.
Li Jinhua finally finished grading the exam papers, and she suddenly felt a little thirsty.
Her gaze fell on the apples she had just bought next to her desk.
This is the third time she's bought apples this week. She's been craving sour things lately, and even green apples, which she usually hates, taste delicious.
Li Jinhua picked up an apple, wiped it on the corner of her clothes, and took a big bite without waiting.
The sour juice exploded in her mouth, and she squinted her eyes in satisfaction.
But the next second, a sudden wave of nausea rushed from my stomach straight to my throat.
"vomit--"
Li Jinhua suddenly covered her mouth, and apple pulp mixed with sour water spilled out from between her fingers.
She grabbed a tissue from the table in a flustered manner, but couldn't stop herself from gagging.
The office fell silent instantly, and everyone's eyes were on her.
Teacher Liu walked over quickly and gently patted her back.
"Teacher Li, what's wrong...?"
Li Jinhua waved her hand, trying to say that she was fine, but then she felt a wave of nausea.
She stumbled towards the restroom, and behind her she could clearly hear people talking.
"This reaction, could it be..."
"I heard that Vice Principal Zhang last week..."
As soon as the door closed, Li Jinhua slumped down next to the toilet and vomited up everything she had eaten.
She trembled as she turned on the tap, the icy water splashing on her face, revealing a deathly pale reflection in the mirror.
"impossible..."
She murmured to herself, her fingers unconsciously stroking her flat stomach.
When was your last period?
last month?
Or was it the month before last?
Since separating from Su Mingqiang, her life has been a mess, and she can't even remember her most basic menstrual cycle.
There was a gentle knock on the bathroom door, and Teacher Liu's voice came through the door.
"Teacher Li, do you need any help?"
Li Jinhua took a deep breath, straightened her clothes and expression before opening the door.
Teacher Liu stood outside the door, looking at her with a complicated expression.
"I was like that when I was pregnant; I threw up at the sight of everything."
"I...I just had an upset stomach."
Li Jinhua's voice was very soft.
Teacher Liu smiled meaningfully.
"Ms. Li, we're both women, and some things can't be hidden. Have you been craving sour foods lately? Do you feel dizzy when you wake up in the morning?"
She glanced meaningfully at Li Jinhua's chest.
"Is it uncomfortable here?"
Li Jinhua instinctively hugged herself; Teacher Liu's words were like a knife, cutting through everything she was trying to hide.
Yes, she has recently experienced breast tenderness, and her bras are all too tight.
I often gag when brushing my teeth in the morning.
Her sensitivity to smells suddenly increased; even the smell of chalk dust in the office made her uncomfortable...
"I..."
Li Jinhua's lips trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Teacher Liu sighed and handed her a note.
"Dr. Zhao at the People's Hospital is my cousin. Go see her; you don't need to wait in line."
She suddenly whispered.
"Does Vice Principal Zhang know?"
Li Jinhua suddenly looked up, and the fear in her eyes confirmed Teacher Liu's guess.
The subtle glances and whispers in the office suddenly became clear.
Everyone knows about her relationship with Zhang Haiyang, and there might be more to it...
This child came out of nowhere.
"Thank you, but I really just have an upset stomach."
Li Jinhua, clinging to her last shred of dignity, took the note, stuffed it into her pocket, and turned back to her desk to pack her things.
Her hands were shaking so badly that her lesson plans were scattered all over the floor.
When the school bell rang, Li Jinhua practically fled the school.
She stood at the bus stop, her thoughts drifting back to that rainy night a month ago.
That day, Su Mingqiang came to her drunk, kneeling on the ground and begging her to come home, saying that he had nothing after the failed division of the family property.
Looking at this once spirited man, now unshaven and reeking of alcohol, she felt nothing but disgust.
That night, Zhang Haiyang came to "comfort" her, and the two, fueled by alcohol and anger, crossed that line...
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