Lin Zeqiu finished his bowl of rice like a whirlwind, barely even picking up any dishes. Then, he returned to his room, hesitated for about two seconds before opening a locked drawer.
In the drawer lay an old, yellowed photograph.
This photo was taken ten years ago when Lin Zhixia hadn’t been born yet, and his parents had taken a family portrait with Lin Zeqiu. Lin Zeqiu sat on his father’s lap, his mother held his hand, and he looked like an only child who had received all of his parents’ attention.
Lin Zeqiu picked up the photo and found a hundred-yuan bill underneath it.
During last year’s Spring Festival visit to their hometown, his grandmother had secretly slipped Lin Zeqiu a hundred-yuan bill. But she hadn’t given Lin Zhixia a penny.
Grandmother told Lin Zeqiu: “A grandson is a grandson, a granddaughter is a granddaughter. Granddaughters will eventually become someone else’s daughter-in-law, you are the root of our Lin family.”
This hundred yuan, Lin Zeqiu had hidden for more than a year and never spent it. And now, he clutched the bill in his hand until his palm became slightly sweaty. He left his bedroom and pushed open Lin Zhixia’s door.
Lin Zhixia lay flat on her bed with her eyes closed, her hands crossed on her chest, as if shutting out all external sounds.
Lin Zeqiu was startled by her, and seeing that she had cried until her eyes were swollen, he felt a sourness in his throat. He called out: “Lin Zhixia, get up! What time is it, and you’re already sleeping, are you a pig?”
“Don’t bother me,” Lin Zhixia still didn’t open her eyes, “I’m cleansing my consciousness.”
“Cleansing my foot! Get up quickly.” Lin Zeqiu tugged at her.
She shook off his hand: “You’re so annoying.”
Lin Zeqiu reached out again and pulled at her pillow. She frowned and said, “Why are you a brother, not a sister? Other people’s sisters are all so gentle, you’re the most annoying brother.”
Lin Zeqiu was infuriated and simply lied: “A hundred yuan from Dad for you.”
He released the bill and placed it next to Lin Zhixia’s bedside table: “Whatever other kids can have, you can have too. You don’t need to envy others.”
After he spoke, Lin Zhixia immediately sat up on her bed.
She refused: “Thank Dad, but give the money back to him. I don’t want to go to the aquarium anymore. It’s unnecessary.”
Lin Zeqiu was at a loss, standing there fidgeting: “If I say you go, you go. Why so much fuss! Our family isn’t without money. It’s just that Dad and Mom, you know, they’re always thinking about saving money, with no foresight…”
The bedroom door was already ajar.
Her mother came carrying a tray with steaming food and soup. She kicked the wall with her foot and asked: “Both of you are here?”
The aroma of braised pork ribs wafted into the bedroom.
Lin Zhixia remained as still as a meditating monk, unmoved.
Lin Zeqiu was quick. He stuffed the hundred yuan into Lin Zhixia’s schoolbag. He relaxed his whole body, doing arm-swinging exercises, and seeing that Mom had brought food to coax his sister to eat, he quickly chimed in: “Lin Zhixia, your stomach is growling, I heard your stomach growling.”
“I’m not hungry,” Lin Zhixia insisted.
Her mother sat down on the edge of Lin Zhixia’s bed. She picked up a porcelain bowl, used chopsticks to scrape the meat off the ribs, then used a spoon to scoop up a spoonful of rice, added some cabbage, dried tofu, and rib meat, and held it to Lin Zhixia’s mouth: “Xia Xia, take a bite?”
Lin Zhixia shook her head: “No, I don’t want to eat!”
“Xia Xia, do you plan to never eat again?” her mother asked her, “Just because mom said a few words to you, you’re making mom upset like this?”
Lin Zhixia opened her mouth and bit the spoon.
Her mother murmured, “If you want to go to the aquarium, then go. Mom apologizes to you. Mom was in a bad mood today and got angry with you…”
Lin Zhixia ate and cried at the same time: “Why does Mom have to be fierce with me, and also call me useless… When you scold me, I feel like you don’t like me. Every harsh word you say to me, I can’t forget. My memory is so strange, but none of you understand, no one understands me, no one comprehends me. I feel so sad, Mom…”
Her mother wiped her tears with a tissue, and as she wiped, Mom almost wanted to cry too, saying more chokingly: “Never seen a child like you, don’t know how to raise you. When Mom was little, working in the fields, leeches would climb up my legs to suck blood, and I still had to continue working. The words your maternal grandparents scolded me with were much harsher than what I said to you.”
Lin Zhixia continued to sob: “Mom is so pitiful.”
Tears fell in large drops, and she hugged the dog plush toy tightly: “I can imagine that scene…”
“Go to the supermarket,” her mother called to Lin Zeqiu, “bring a bottle of strawberry milk for your sister.”
Lin Zeqiu ran very fast: “Going right away.”
Lin Zeqiu used the fastest speed he could achieve in his life. Dad heard that his daughter was wailing and let his son bring two bottles of strawberry milk and strawberry-flavored lollipops. The whole family used all their means and finally managed to comfort Lin Zhixia.
However, the next morning, after Lin Zhixia woke up, her eyeballs still had red bloodshot lines.
She adjusted her mood, carried a bottle of strawberry milk, stuffed a strawberry lollipop in her pocket, and happily went to school.
Today, Jiang Yubai arrived earlier than Lin Zhixia.
Following his daily routine, Jiang Yubai tore open a pack of disinfectant wipes and carefully wiped both his and Lin Zhixia’s desks. He wiped the desktop until it was spotlessly clean and shining.
Tang Leqin, the vice class monitor of Class 4(1), passed by and stopped, praising: “Jiang Yubai, your desk and your deskmate’s desk are so neat.”
Tang Leqin was one of the girls in the class who listened to the teachers the most. Teachers often praised her for being sensible, intelligent, meticulous, and attentive in class. Usually, when the class needed to collect class fees or miscellaneous fees, it was all handled by Tang Leqin. Today was no exception. Tang Leqin carried a sheet of white paper for names, a ballpoint pen, and a plastic bag for collecting money, and was going around collecting this semester’s autumn excursion fees.
She stood in front of Jiang Yubai and told him: “76 yuan, excursion fee.”
Jiang Yubai opened his schoolbag and took out a Dunhill wallet. Tang Leqin didn’t recognize the Dunhill brand, but she could tell at a glance that this wallet was not cheap. The leather itself was deep blue, and the zipper was golden; the two colors combined produced a harmonious aesthetic.
Jiang Yubai inserted two fingers into the wallet compartment. Tang Leqin saw a thick stack of hundred-yuan bills, too many to count.
She suddenly remembered the nickname “Class One’s richest, Jiang Yubai.”
Her expression became solemn, and she automatically stepped back: “One hundred-yuan bill is enough, Richest Jiang.”
The richest Jiang handed her a bill.
The morning sunlight was just right. Tang Leqin took the bill, held it against the light to verify the watermark: “I’ll give you 24 yuan change.”
Zhou Bufeng, sitting in front of Jiang Yubai, suddenly turned his head and said to Jiang Yubai: “Jiang Yubai, you’re so rich! I’ll just take that 24 yuan, you wouldn’t mind, would you?”
“I’ll immediately call the police and report you for robbery, you wouldn’t mind that either, would you?” Lin Zhixia had just walked to her seat and casually responded. From the moment she entered the classroom until she sat down, many classmates frequently glanced at her.
Because Lin Zhixia had tied her hair in twin ponytails today.
Her hair was black and thick, with slightly natural curls at the ends. She had tied pink strawberry hair ties on both sides, making her look very pretty and cute.
The reason she chose twin ponytails today was that she hoped her different hairstyle would divert her classmates’ attention from her bloodshot eyes. But she found that more people were looking at her.
“You’re so cute,” Tang Leqin praised sincerely.
“All thanks to the hairstyle,” Lin Zhixia responded modestly.
Tang Leqin lifted the plastic bag in her hand, letting Lin Zhixia see the bag full of money. Tang Leqin urged: “Excursion fee, 76 yuan.”
“I’m not going,” Lin Zhixia said.
Jiang Yubai, sitting beside her, asked: “Why aren’t you going?”
Before Lin Zhixia could answer, Jiang Yubai clenched his left fist: “Do you want to stay home and read books? Then I won’t go either.”