The soft tissue paper brushed against his cheeks with a gentle breeze, and perhaps there was even a faint scent of camellia blossoms.
“Juan Ge, can you bring out the goods or not?” Chen Dog wiped the sweat from his nose and his chubby cheeks turned red under the scorching sun.
He shielded the light and took out a cigarette case from his pocket, revealing a corner with a diamond logo. He lowered his voice and said, “It’s what my old man brought from outside.”
“Let’s try it.” Qi Juan hooked the corner of his lips and reached out, resting his hand on Chen Dog’s shoulder.
“Let’s go to the playground, the usual spot. Isn’t the next class an air defense drill? Your class should be informed too, right?” Chen Dog seemed to be constantly wiping off his sweat, nervously wiping his forehead. “No one will notice over there, it’s safe.”
When they turned into a spacious corridor, it finally became a bit cooler in the shade.
Occasionally, some students came and went, but the few people who came with Chen Dog were sticking closely behind him, like walking wooden stakes, silent and expressionless.
Qi Juan raised an eyebrow, “Are they your helpers?”
Chen Dog’s narrow eyes squirmed behind his glasses, and he shrunk his neck, saying, “How could it be, Juan Ge? They are just my friends, two of them followed from behind. They are just benefiting from your presence.”
Qi Juan chuckled lightly and didn’t say anything more.
Together with Chen Dog and his friends, they walked all the way to a wooded area behind the restroom at the edge of the playground.
Qi Juan took the cigarette Chen Dog handed him, flicked the match a few times to put it out, and said, “You’ve crafted quite a story. What do you want from me?”
“I heard you had someone beat up my cousin. We should return the favor, right?” A tall and thin figure emerged from the woods, snapping twigs under their bright orange sneakers, producing a muffled sound.
With the brim of a cap pulled low, only the upturned corner of their lips was visible, and their provocative words were faster than their steps.
Qi Juan had anticipated this and pressed his fingers, smiling as he replied, “One-on-one, or all of you together?”
“One-on-one!” As soon as the words were uttered, the tall and thin figure swung a fist towards Qi Juan’s face, and he quickly moved a few inches to the side to dodge.
Immediately, another fist came at him, but Qi Juan reacted swiftly, turning his body to the side while holding the cigarette between his fingers and taking a deep drag.
At the same time, he delivered a kick to the person’s waist, causing them to topple to the ground.
Unexpectedly, a sharp pain in his stomach caused Qi Juan to bend over in discomfort. Seizing the opportunity while Qi Juan was distracted, the tall and thin figure grabbed his arm and pulled him down. With a forceful swing, the figure’s fist struck Qi Juan’s eye with a loud “thud.”
“Hiss.” The view was suddenly filled with buzzing flies, darting and swarming around. Qi Juan raised his hand and rubbed his swollen and painful eye corner.
The people around them held their breath, watching them grappling on the ground, leaves and dirt sticking to their clothes as they continued to wrestle.
“Ge, get him! Beat him!” Chen Gou clenched his fist and shouted.
The others followed suit, cheering on, “Hao Ge, come on!” “Hao Ge, go for it!” “Hao Ge, you’re the best. Hao Ge we love you!”
Qi Juan took advantage of the moment, exhaling a mouthful of smoke to obscure the vision of the tall and thin figure. He swiftly flipped over and pinned the person beneath him, his sturdy knee firmly pressed against the person’s waist.
“This is payback.” Qi Juan held the cigarette in his mouth and delivered a punch to the person’s nose bridge, causing a stream of blood to flow.
“Oh no,” Chen Dog muttered under his breath, quickly urging the others nearby, “What are you standing around for? Get him!”
Upon receiving the command, the group immediately grabbed bricks and those with stones picked up stones, and they rushed towards Qi Juan, surrounding him in a dark, threatening manner.
Qi Juan dared not aim for the head, but he certainly didn’t escape being beaten up. His arms, elbows, and bent knees all received blows, wherever the attackers could strike, leaving his clothes covered in dust.
Grumbling in pain, Qi Juan didn’t let go. From childhood to now, he had never been afraid of getting into trouble. When facing a group of people like this, his principle was clear: whoever dared to make the first move would be the one he caught and kept hitting until they dared not retaliate.
This time, he singled out the tall and thin figure and relentlessly punched his face again and again, to the point that his own hands hurt from the force.
The tall and thin figure’s hat was also knocked off and lay upside down in the sand. Though he kept cursing and mumbling, his body remained motionless. He spat out a mouthful of blood and whatever he said was incomprehensible.
Qi Juan didn’t show any mercy in his attacks, and he had to deliberately tilt his head to avoid the splattering blood.
Chen Dog grabbed Qi Juan’s hair, forcing him to lift his head. “Let go, damn it!”
Qi Juan replied, “If I let go, we both let go.”
Chen Gou had to change his tone, “Alright, everyone, stop fighting.”
Only then did the group manage to restrain themselves. When Qi Juan rubbed his neck and stood up, the tall and thin figure staggered to his feet, half of his face swollen significantly.
“Fuck, it hurts like hell.” The tall and thin figure spat out blood, revealing two barely recognizable teeth stained with blood.
He took advantage of Qi Juan’s momentary lapse and slammed him against the wall, delivering a punch into Qi Juan’s abdomen, as if it landed into soft cotton.
Qi Juan’s spine pressed into the crumbling wall. Looking up, his face pale, he said, “Hey, just a moment ago, I let you off lightly. Don’t you have any gratitude?”
“Gratitude, my ass,” the person retorted and swung another punch at Qi Juan.
Qi Juan’s throat burned, and he turned his head, spitting out stomach acid. He lifted his foot and kicked the person away, saying, “Watch your mouth.”
…
Several people immediately surrounded and restrained Qi Juan.
After settling his brother, Chen Geou walked over with a cold sneer. “Qi Juan, you’ve got some skills, but today you also fell into my hands.”
He smirked, aiming the half-burning cigarette at Qi Juan’s slender and delicate wrist bone, pressing it down.
“Sizzle!!”
Circular crimson flames quickly extinguished with a faint crackling sound, and the hot wind brushing against his cheeks carried the scent of burnt flesh.
Chen Dog bent down and lightly poked the reddened burn mark with his fingertip, asking, “How is it? Do you like it?”
“…”
“I see. You like it. I wonder if the grandson has grown bolder as he’s grown older? Is there anything else you’d like to play with?” Qi Juan closed his eyelids for a few seconds, cold sweat trickling down his cheeks. When he opened his eyes again, they were clear and bright, his gaze fixed on Chen Dog with a smile that seemed like it was asking for trouble.
Even though no laughter escaped his lips, Chen Dog felt as if the passing wind was filled with subtle mockery.
He flicked the cigarette butt away with his fingers and continued, “Hmph! You sure talk big. If I remember correctly, you missed quite a lot of school last semester, always taking sick leave every few days.”
After sizing up for a moment, the chubby fist moved and ruthlessly landed on a certain spot. “Is it here? Hm?”
“…”
Qi Juan lowered his head, and his hair, slipping down, covered most of his face. The area near his forehead was already dampened with cold sweat, as if it had been immersed in thick ink and was about to drip down.
After a long pause, Qi Juan finally said calmly, “Didn’t eat, huh?”
“Damn it!” Chen Dog was provoked but restrained himself, then fiercely struck the same spot again.
Almost half of his fist seemed to sink in, pushing the internal organs out of place. Qi Juan clenched his thin lips, letting the faint sweet and bloody taste spread through the gaps between his teeth.
His body slowly stooped in response.
Chen Gou turned around, making the dried leaves under his feet squeak. He gnashed his teeth and said, “Who’s strong? Come here.”
“I am. I am.” Someone volunteered eagerly.
Despite being a young boy, that person seemed to have consumed a lot of hormone-influenced food, as a faint mustache was already sprouting on his smooth and delicate face. He rubbed his palms together and said, ” You dare hit Hao Ge, damn it.”
He fiercely punched Qi Juan, who immediately felt a sour and salty sensation in his throat, and his vision also became dizzy for several seconds.
Under the sunlight, the metal watch strap of that person reflected dazzling light, almost blinding Qi Juan’s eyes. The pain in his stomach was causing his consciousness to waver, yet an inexplicable image of a cold and composed face surfaced in his mind.
With his head lowered, Qi Juan’s black hair brushed against his forehead in the gentle breeze, softly swaying. He stared expressionlessly at the shining metal object getting closer and closer to him. The fist in front of him was no longer visible, only the watch strap remained exposed.
He could feel every bone joint landing, incredibly hard, directly striking his torn stomach without holding back the slightest force.
The muscles contracted, as if the sandbag had taken a punch, shaking all over, with only the irritating sand and gravel inside turning the world upside down. The sandbag had already burst open, and quicksand poured out of the hole on its own.
The view also turned yellow for quite a few seconds, and cold sweat seemed to have blurred the eyes. Qi Juan blinked desperately, but he couldn’t get rid of the stinging sensation in his eyes.
The direction of the wind became very strange, unable to sense where it was coming from. There was only one pain point on his body, boundless and magnified.
Yue Yuesheng, Yue Yuesheng.
When he closed his eyes, that face became clear.
A black or brown leather watch should suit him well, it would look great, or maybe one with a canvas strap, low-key and exquisite.
“Geou Ge, here.” Someone behind handed Chen Dog a half bottle of mineral water, the bottle still covered in chilled mist, holding it felt cool to the core.
Qi Juan lazily lifted his eyelids and glanced, then chuckled softly, “Chen Geou1 Chen Dog’s real name, hahaha, so that’s your name. I always thought you were just called Chen Dog.”
“Shut up! I hate it the most when people call me that.” Chen Geou’s narrow eyes were almost spewing flames. He walked over, gripping Qi Juan’s chin, and forcefully poured the mineral water into his mouth.
“Gulp, Gulp.” His throat unconsciously swallowed, and the ice-cold water from the big bottle flowed down his cheeks, soaking a large area of his clothes.
Under the scorching sun, Qi Juan felt like he was in an ice cellar, his whole body immersed in a cold and damp environment. There were icicles rolling in his lungs, ruthlessly devouring everything around. He was like a withering autumn leaf, and his pale complexion was beyond what layers of foundation could hide.
Chen Geou flattened the empty plastic bottle and forcefully smashed it against a weathered and cracked corner of the wall. He said to the person who had just fought Qi Juan, “You, continue.”
The man with a small beard clicked his tongue, and as he took just two steps forward, Qi Juan immediately bent down, his gaze fixed on the flattened plastic remains in the grass.
Suddenly, a drop of water dripped from the bottle mouth.
It was as if the sound of water was infinitely magnified in his ears. Qi Juan couldn’t hold back any longer and vomited all the clear liquid from his stomach.
“Damn it!” The man quickly avoided it.
“Cough, cough, cough…” The person suppressing Qi Juan loosened his grip with disgust, and Qi Juan half-knelt on the ground and continued to vomit. His stomach kept convulsing, and his arms were held tightly, with only cold sweat trickling down his back along the shoulder blades.
Even in the scorching summer wind, he felt like his bone crevices were being split open and filled with ice.
“Damn it, that’s too much!” Chen Geou suddenly got kicked from behind.
He staggered several steps before turning around and scrunching up his face. “Han Xiao, where did you come from?!”
“To teach you a lesson!” Without hesitation, Han Xiao grabbed his school uniform and swung it at Chen Geou’s head, leaving a red mark on his face from the iron zipper.
“What are you doing?” Chen Geou raised his hand, pulled off the blindfolded clothes, and threw them onto a high pile of yellow sand not far away.
“You, you, you.” Han Xiao lifted his leg, but before he could take the next step, he realized there were enough people on the other side. He struggled desperately for a moment, but two people managed to twist his arms behind his back and firmly pinned him down.
Han Xiao could only grit his teeth and shout, “Stop it, all of you!”
Chen Geou used the palm of his hand to support his crooked glasses, feeling that the lenses were somewhat blurry. He took them off and exhaled some hot breath on them. Wiping them with his sleeve, he slowly said, “Han Xiao, oh Han Xiao, I never expected you to side with Qi Juan. It really surprised me. For the sake of our old friendship, I don’t want to fight you, so you better not provoke me either!”
Han Xiao shouted, “I don’t care. Is it interesting for you all to gang up on one person?!”
Chen Geou put on his glasses and pretended to be innocent, “Well, I learned it from your good desk partner. Isn’t that right, Qi Juan? How does it feel?”
Qi Juan weakly smirked, “Why don’t you try it yourself?”
Just as the words fell, a piercing alarm suddenly sounded. The air raid drill had begun, and every particle floating in the air seemed to be ruthlessly split apart.
“So soon?!” Chen Geou was startled, but he recovered quickly and sneered. He walked over and crouched beside the person curled up in a ball. “Doesn’t look good, Juan Ge. What’s wrong with you?”
Qi Juan couldn’t make out what he said amidst the blaring alarm; it was indistinguishable.
“What are you saying? Speak louder,” Chen Geou leaned closer to him.
“Get lost!” Qi Juan shouted into his ear.
“Still stubborn even at death’s door!” Chen Geou gave Qi Juan a slap on the face with a loud “smack.”
In the open space, a loudspeaker suddenly emitted a piercing scream due to electrical interference, and the sound must have looped several times.
After a few “hello” calls, a muffled voice came through. It was their school principal with a hoarse voice shouting, “Class 8 of Grade 11, Chen Qi…”
A tall and thin student exclaimed, “What the heck!”
Someone inconspicuous in the crowd also added, “Why are they calling roll today?”
Chen Geou replied, “Who cares.”
However, right after that, the hoarse voice continued, “Chen Geou, where did you go! And Class 9 of Grade 11, Han Xiao, Qi Juan. Qi Juan! It’s you again! Where are you all? And Class 20 of Grade 11… for skipping classes! Where did everyone run off to? Can someone tell me? Where are they?!”
In the woods, there was a moment of stagnation, and everyone was paying attention to whether their names had been called, with each person’s expression becoming increasingly complex.
Taking advantage of the confusion, Han Xiao struggled and managed to break free from restraint. He suddenly pushed the person who was grabbing Qi Juan. Qi Juan also reacted quickly, quickly getting back on his feet and tackling Chen Geou, who was almost immobilized.
“I…”
The word “Fuck” was fiercely struck back by Qi Juan. His entire hand pressed against the ground, and the gravel and debris from the sandy soil were embedded in his palm, causing pain to his skin. But his punch also resulted in Chen Geou’s nose bleeding profusely.
Qi Juan smiled coldly, “I shouldn’t have spared you last time.”
“Wu!!—” The second alarm sounded instantly, and several people tried to pull Qi Juan up but couldn’t do anything.
His eyes were tinged with red, and his punches were fierce, making Chen Geou’s head buzz.
Chen Geou’s short and stout legs kicked in the air as if begging for mercy. His lips trembled with sobs, and his nosebleed flowed down, smearing his entire face.
“Qi Juan! What are you doing?!”
A familiar voice came through the chaos.
Qi Juan suddenly couldn’t hear the alarm anymore, and his whole body felt numb as if he had been struck by electricity. Invisible cold water poured down on him, and the suspended fist in mid-air seemed to have been put on pause.
In the corner of his eye, he could sense a cold man standing not far away, staring at him with a stern expression.
“Laoshi, Qi Juan rushed up and started hitting people!” “Yes! It’s terrifying! We couldn’t even hold him back.” Several students who appeared to be trying to stop the fight quickly backed away, eager to report what had happened.
“Yu Laoshi, Help me! Aiyo!” Chen Geou rubbed his eyes and burst into tears. Tears washed away the bloodstains on his face, splashing onto the sand. His fleshy shoulders trembled, looking extremely aggrieved.
Qi Juan stared blankly at the result of his actions.
Crying, huh?
Qi Juan also wanted to fall into Yuesheng’s embrace and cry out all the pent-up frustrations. However, his eyes felt dry, and he couldn’t shed a tear.
Even if he lifted his head, there would be no difference in calmly looking at the person, whose expression gradually turned serious. What difference would it make from cutting into his heart?
“Hello, Laoshi,” Qi Juan patted the dust off his hands and stood up.
Yu Yuesheng glanced at him and said, “I’ll talk to you later.”
“Sure, okay,” Qi Juan replied with a smile.
His slender shoulders seemed to have been bumped, and the smile on his face became somewhat stiff.
Qi Juan licked his cracked and bleeding lip, feeling the sweet and tangy taste. After a while, he remembered to raise his hand and press on his spasming stomach.
“Are you alright? Where are you injured?” Yu Yuesheng asked.
I’m fine, Yuesheng.
I’m not injured, nothing hurts at all. I’m fine, actually, I was just thinking about you earlier, and I didn’t expect to see you again so soon.
Qi Juan obediently answered in his heart.
He heard a rustling sound behind him, probably someone helping the person up or dusting them off, but it was still quite grating to the ears.
“It’s okay, just a little nosebleed,” Chen Ge’ou replied in a low voice.
“Here’s a handkerchief,” Yu Yuesheng said.
“Thank you, Laoshi,” Chen Ge’ou said.
In Qi Juan’s mind, a scene of the respectful and loving teacher was already depicted. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the branches, creating bright patches of light. The soft tissue paper brushed against his cheeks with a gentle breeze, and perhaps there was even a faint scent of camellia blossoms.
The tightly clenched fist that wanted to give this person another brutal beating loosened. Suddenly, Qi Juan felt as if there was no strength left in his body.
There was only one organ dripping with fresh blood, jumping around to remind him that he was still alive.
He thought he could take it all on his own, but in reality, he was on the verge of excruciating pain, just like that mouthful of blood pushing its way toward his throat.
The hard bones pressed deep into his upper abdomen, and his soaked clothes became unbearably heavy, almost crushing him.
Qi Juan slowly crouched down and pressed on his stomach for quite a while, covered in cold sweat. He didn’t know how much he was sweating. A few people glanced over, but no one dared to approach him; he stared right back at them.
Looking around, Chen Geou’s cousin and Han Xiao were nowhere to be seen, and he had no idea where Han Xiao might have been taken.
“Why can’t you stop it?” It was Yu Yuesheng voice.
Yes, why can’t he stop it?
Qi Juan also wanted to ask, why did he feel so terrible? Besides, could this miserable condition make him escape faster?
“Last time, this was also hit. Now, one touch will make the nose bleed.” Chen Geou said.
Complaint. Keep complaining.
Whatever, say whatever you want.
In the woods, several small birds nesting fluttered away, and a few crisp green leaves fell.
After enduring a series of spasms, Qi Juan felt as if he had just been pulled out of the water. He stood still for a moment, then struggled to stand up, holding his stomach and taking a step forward with self-mockery.
Each step felt like stepping on cotton, and his vision was also blurred.
“QI Juan, stop.”
