Chapter 25
Wang Xiuqin's farce at the school gate was like a stone thrown into a pond; although the ripples gradually subsided, the silt at the bottom was stirred up. Xu Nianlei became even more silent, even more cautiously avoiding any contact with Lu Baiyan than before, as if he were some kind of dangerous pathogen.
Lu Baiyan understood her fear. Wang Xiuqin's threat was like a Damocles' sword hanging over her head, preventing her from crossing the line. He could no longer approach her in any obvious way; that would only bring her disaster.
But sitting idly by and waiting for death was not his style. Since he couldn't break through from the front, he would try to outflank the enemy.
He turned his attention back to the online world, that anonymous battlefield. This time, his target was clearer—Wang Xiuqin's workplace.
Through previously gathered, fragmented information, he knew that Wang Xiuqin worked as a quality inspector at a mediocre textile factory in the county. The work was hard, the pay low, and coupled with the pressures of a failed marriage and life's hardships, she projected all her hopes and resentment onto her daughter.
Lu Baiyan spent several nights carefully crafting an anonymous letter. He didn't use any threatening or accusatory tone, but rather presented the facts in an objective, even slightly sympathetic, manner:
"Dear Factory Leaders: I apologize for disturbing you. Ms. Wang Xiuqin, an employee of your factory, is a conscientious and responsible worker. However, recently, she may have experienced significant emotional fluctuations due to family changes (divorce and raising her daughter alone) and excessive life pressure. Her daughter is at a crucial stage in high school, and Ms. Wang Xiuqin's expectations for her daughter are too high, and her educational methods may be too strict. She has repeatedly publicly scolded and even insulted her daughter both inside and outside of school, which has seriously affected her daughter's mental health and academic performance, and has also had a negative impact on our school's reputation."
"We understand the difficulties faced by a single mother, but we earnestly request that the factory leaders, from the perspective of organizational care, provide appropriate psychological counseling and humanistic support to Comrade Wang Xiuqin, helping her adjust her mindset and improve her parent-child relationship. This would not only benefit the harmony of her family but may also indirectly improve her work efficiency. If this can be done, it would be a blessing for both the school and her family."
Lu Baiyan revised the letter repeatedly, striving for a sincere tone and a neutral stance. He not only pointed out the problem but also offered seemingly reasonable suggestions (organizational concern), attributing his motivation to "benefiting family harmony and work efficiency" to avoid sounding like a personal complaint.
He printed out the letter, left no contact information, and one morning, when no one was looking, he dropped it into the factory manager's mailbox at the entrance of the textile factory.
This was a risky move. He couldn't predict how the factory would react—would they ignore it, or would they actually talk to Wang Xiuqin? Would the conversation lead to reflection, or would it intensify her emotions?
But he had to try. Shifting the focus from "internal family conflict" to "potentially affecting her work and workplace reputation" might garner some attention and at least put some external pressure on Wang Xiuqin, making her think twice.
Having finished this task, Lu Baiyan felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted, yet he also felt burdened with even heavier expectations. He could only wait.
Days passed by amidst the intense final exam preparation. Xu Nianlei continued to keep to herself, but Lu Baiyan noticed that the utter desolation deep in her eyes seemed to have faded a little. Occasionally, when she solved a difficult problem, or when her essay was read aloud as a model in Chinese class, he could catch a fleeting, faint glimmer in her eyes.
He knew that it was a glimmer of knowledge, an instinctive response when one's self-worth was affirmed. He carefully cherished this glimmer.
A week before the final exams, Lu Baiyan noticed that Xu Nianlei was acting strangely. Her face was paler than usual, she often spaced out in class, and she had dark circles under her eyes. Once, during a break, she even slumped over her desk, her shoulders trembling slightly, as if she were enduring great pain.
Is she sick? Or has something else happened?
Lu Baiyan's heart tightened. He couldn't ask her directly, so he could only pay closer attention. He noticed that she ate very little for lunch, sometimes even skipping it altogether. During afternoon classes, she would secretly press her stomach with her hand, her brow furrowed.
Considering her meager living expenses and possibly irregular eating habits, Lu Baiyan guessed it might be a stomach problem. In the "last" cycle, he vaguely remembered that she had taken a day off because of stomach pain.
We can't let her keep pushing herself like this.
The next day at noon, Lu Baiyan didn't go to the cafeteria but left school early. He went to a well-regarded porridge shop, bought a bowl of warm, stomach-soothing millet and pumpkin porridge, and then went to a pharmacy to buy a box of mild stomach medicine. He then found a quiet corner without surveillance cameras and put the porridge and medicine into an ordinary paper bag.
Back at school, it was lunch break time. Only a few students were resting on their desks in the classroom. Xu Nianlei's seat was empty; she had probably gone to some corner to be alone again.
Lu Baiyan walked calmly to her seat, quickly stuffed the tote bag deep into her desk drawer, making sure it was invisible from the outside. Then, as if nothing had happened, he returned to his seat.
Before the first class in the afternoon, Xu Nianlei returned to the classroom. She still looked unwell, and as she sat down, she unconsciously pressed her hand against her stomach.
As she reached into the drawer for her textbook, she paused. A flicker of confusion crossed her face, then, as if realizing something, she abruptly withdrew her hand and glanced around warily. Most of her classmates were preparing for class and no one was paying attention to her.
She hesitated for a long time before finally reaching out and slowly taking out the handbag. When she saw the steaming porridge and the box of stomach medicine inside, she froze.
She turned her head sharply and looked at Lu Baiyan beside her.
Lu Baiyan was looking down at his book, his profile calm, as if he were completely immersed in the ocean of knowledge.
Xu Nianlei's lips moved, as if she wanted to ask something, but in the end she said nothing. She silently put the porridge and medicine back in the drawer, and remained restless throughout the entire class.
When the bell rang, she didn't leave immediately for the first time. Instead, she lingered until everyone in the classroom had left before quickly taking out the bowl of porridge and sipping it slowly. The warm porridge slid into her stomach, bringing a comforting warmth. As she drank, her eyes suddenly welled up with tears.
She didn't know who had sent it. Was it from that mysterious "kind person"? Or...? She dared not think of that name. But the feeling of being silently cared for in her desperate situation was like a handful of charcoal fire in the cold winter, burning her heart and causing even larger cracks to appear in her frozen heart.
Lu Baiyan hid by the window at the back door of the classroom, watching her drink the bowl of porridge and secretly wipe away her tears, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He couldn't show himself, couldn't admit it, so he could only convey his concern in this almost humble way.
Leilei, I know it's tough for you. Hang in there a little longer, at least take care of your health first. I can't take all your pain away, but I will do everything I can to let you know you're not fighting alone.
He turned and left, his back looking exceptionally resolute in the empty corridor. The anonymous letter had been sent; would the seed he had sown sprout? He didn't know. But he would continue to look for the next opportunity, the next crack in the wall that would give her a moment's respite and a glimmer of hope.
Final exams are just around the corner. They are not only a test of knowledge, but perhaps also the first small turning point that could change one's destiny.
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