Chapter 39: The Consequences of a Single Sentence

"Of course we should buy it, but I would much rather be with you!"

I told Jiang Meili, "I need to go see Gao Xiunkui."

She looked repulsed, grumbling, "Why go see him? We’d be better off looking at the announcement board."

Jiang Meili hooked her arm through mine and we walked over to the board. There were only a few people around, so the content caught my eye immediately.

The upcoming citywide women’s performance competition was primarily for students, though non-student girls (those not currently enrolled in school but under the age of eighteen) were also eligible to register. There would be first, second, and third-place prizes, as well as awards for excellence.

It was the first time this event was being held, with the stated goal of promoting Chinese martial arts, fostering friendships through martial arts, and discovering new talent.

After reading it, Jiang Meili was filled with excitement. Her voice was quite loud: "Zhengtai, if you win first place, won’t that bring glory to me as well? The other students will naturally look at you differently!"

I was truly struggling to adapt to the idea of being a lesbian; it felt repulsive! Women should be with men; I never expected that some women would have no interest in men, yet be too impatient to wait, and so...

I wasn't sure under what circumstances such a strange phenomenon occurred. I hadn't known much about lesbians before, but after searching on my phone, I discovered there were several types.

For instance, there were cases where both women presented as feminine, or one dressed in masculine attire, or they adopted a neutral style—categorized as "T," "P," and "H."

It made me feel nauseous. To think that this was happening to me, and that I was actually coming to terms with it—it was truly absurd!

Jiang Meili had wanted to be my wife for a long time, and she kept insisting that she would marry me once we were adults.

As we looked at the board, she kept her arm tightly locked in mine, regardless of the crowd.

In the distance, a girl shouted, "Meili! What are you and Zhengtai looking at?"

We both turned around. A young girl came into view: her black hair reached her waist, pulled into a thick ponytail held by a rubber band, which she smoothed as she walked. She had a rosy, apple-shaped face and a pair of large, bright, gem-like eyes—truly beautiful. She stood about 1.6 meters tall, wearing a white school uniform and girls' sneakers.

I always felt there was a raging fire within her, as if it were about to burst out of her body.

As soon as Jiang Meili saw her, she shouted, "Mi Nini, you're late! Zhengtai couldn't get into the classroom."

Mi Nini’s face blossomed into a smile. She looked at both of us and said, "Zhengtai, congratulations! Teacher Wang has submitted your name for the martial arts performance. I hope you win first place!"

I did have that intention, and I was quite confident. However, my master had taught me that there is always someone better, and a taller mountain beyond the mountain; no matter where you go, you must remain cautious.

"There are countless students in this city, and they study all kinds of martial arts. Since I don't know the depth of their skills, I won't know where I stand until the performance itself."

Jiang Meili didn't want to hear that. In front of Mi Nini, she asked, "Didn't you say everyone else’s skills were just for show? Why have you changed your tune?"

When had I ever said that? I remembered saying: "It’s a performance competition, so the focus is on the performance. Even if it’s just for show, as long as it’s executed well, it’s still enjoyable to watch!"

***

Mi Nini didn't have much time to chat with us, as she still had to open the classroom door. She walked ahead, and Jiang Meili and I followed. When we arrived at the Class 3 door on the second floor, many students had gathered. As Mi Nini unlocked the door, she said, "Sorry, I’m late!"

Jiang Meili and I squeezed through the door and reached our seats just as the bell rang.

Male and female students rushed in from outside, took their seats, and stared at the blackboard.

A male teacher walked in, placed a wooden triangle ruler and several books on the desk. Without taking attendance or saying a word, he wiped the blackboard with an eraser, placed the triangle ruler against it, drew a few polygons, turned, and fixed his gaze on the students: "Today’s lesson is on shapes and their applications!"

I focused intently on the blackboard, occasionally glancing at the other students and Jiang Meili beside me. Like me, they were all concentrating deeply.

Everyone was like that—could they be any more focused?

The teacher began to lecture, moving from tools to drawing, from object outlines to the rendering process.

It felt like a lullaby; I tried hard to keep my eyes open, but I couldn't. I squinted at the surrounding students and saw they were exactly the same. The entire classroom was practically dozing off.

The teacher finally lost his patience. He slammed his hand onto the desk and shouted, "No sleeping in class!"

The students struggled to open their eyes, but couldn't maintain it for even a minute.

The teacher was furious! After slamming the desk, he hit the blackboard hard with his teaching pointer, making a loud "thwack, thwack" sound. It had little effect, so he had to scold them loudly: "No sleeping in class! Do you even know what I’m saying?"

The students were trying their best to open their eyes and look at the teacher, but they simply couldn't manage it.

The teacher had no other choice but to walk around, tapping on the students' desks and shouting, "You, you, and you! No more sleeping!"

Some students, startled, managed to open their weary eyes with great effort.

Then the bell rang.

As soon as the students heard that sound, they immediately snapped to their senses, scrambled from their desks, and rushed outside.

The teacher had wanted to take the opportunity to say a few words, but since everyone had already left, he had no choice but to gather his books and the wooden triangle ruler and leave.

Jiang Meili wanted to get out of the classroom to get some air, so she pulled my hand and walked out.

I still couldn't figure it out. Even with such focus, we couldn't stay awake. Hoping to find an answer to this problem, I asked, "Why did that happen?"

Jiang Meili shook her head and said, "I heard some of it—something about shape tools—but after that, I have no idea."

Jiang Meili and I discussed it for a long time, wondering how the other students felt. I took a casual look and saw the class monitor, Mi Nini, leaving the classroom. I went up to her and asked, "Why was the teacher so angry?"

Mi Nini’s reply was simple: "It’s all because you were sleeping in class!"

***

That left me speechless. Hadn't she noticed whether the class monitor herself had been sleeping? It seemed she thought she was better than everyone else.

Jiang Meili chimed in bluntly, "You were sleeping too, I saw it! The teacher was hitting the blackboard with his pointer, and it didn't even wake you up."

A class monitor should lead by example. Mi Nini knew this, so she stubbornly refused to admit it.

At the classroom door, many students were coming and going. Mei Linlin passed by and added, "I saw the class monitor sleeping with my own eyes! She was sitting in the front row; anyone with eyes could see it!"

Mi Nini tried to defend herself; otherwise, how could she criticize others?

"I wasn't! Who saw me sleeping? You're talking nonsense!"

This remark angered many students, who gathered around, the noise level rising.

"I saw it!"

"I saw it too!"

"And she’s still trying to deny it!"

Mi Nini was flustered and couldn't explain herself. She buried her head in her hands, squatted on the ground, and began to cry loudly: "I didn't! I wasn't sleeping!"

Some students spat on the ground; others cursed: "You only talk about others, not yourself. Next time we vote for a class monitor, I’m not voting for you!"

More and more students were gossiping, which made Mi Nini’s spine chill and her heart race. Crying for a long time didn't solve anything, and she remained huddled on the ground, unable to face anyone.

The bell rang, and the female announcer's voice came over the intercom.

The students returned to their seats, but Mi Nini remained huddled by the door.

A female teacher passed by, saw her, and asked, "Mi Nini, what’s wrong?"

She only knew how to cover her face and cry, unable to get up.

The female teacher had no choice but to scan the classroom and ask loudly, "Who bullied her?"

The students sat at their desks, looking left and right, not a single one saying a word.