Volume 1 - CH 17

Shiyi High's cafeteria has three floors. It can accommodate the entire Shiyi student population at once.

The school's attitude towards their cafeteria is be expressed in one sentence.

"Eating well is studying well; if nutrition maintains, then grades will sustain."

So, our school invested a large portion of their funds to build our cafeteria. Even the meal fees are partially covered by the board.

The first floor was Western foods. Fried chicken, burgers, potatoes, etc. I'll eat there occasionally, since I have an affection for that fried taste. But if I eat too much, I'll feel sick, and it was incredibly unhealthy.

The other two floors were various normal, Chinese dishes. The second floor were specials, and were only available at specific mealtimes. The dishes varied in accordance to the season, and kept the same old menus and recipes.

In the morning, there were steamed dumplings, steamer buns, wontons, youtiao*, onion bread, potato bread, etc. When I'm late to school, I'll grab one of these on the go.

*Youtiao is a fried dough strip around 14 inches long. It's about as thick as two erasers in diameter. Although it loks giant and dense, it's really fluffy and airy on the inside. If you were to squeeze it the tightest you can, it'll actually only amount to the size of a tennis ball. It's typically eaten with soybean milk.

The noon buffet bar about ten different giant trays of dishes, paired with a serving of rice or a bun. I ate lunch here most of the time. I'll grab a meat, vegetable, and the complimentary soup. It always warmed me up and tasted really good.

In the evening, the menu was more directed towards boarding students. It wasn't so different from the lunch menu, but it'll have more soups and porridges, so it'll be easier on the stomach.

The third floor was about the same as commercial second-rate restaurants. It was open for 12 hours, and had all kinds of stir-fried, chilled, and baked dishes. There were private rooms/booths that people can book to host events and such.

Students at Shiyi High have never really worried about meals. But the school strictly forbids us to take food to classrooms, giving us students a hard time.

Everyone wants to eat their food outside, so that they wouldn't have to crowd in the cafeteria and so that they can study while eating lunch. But the school defended their decision in the name of protecting the school's environment, and the ban of eating during class.

Every day, I have to drag the unconscious Guotong to the lunch tables.

As always, we ate at the second floor, eating the same dishes as we've been eating for a whole year.

"Fan, you really rejected the hot, knockout top model student of our grade? It's really a wonder how you can deny her in the name of studying."

Guotong spoke glumly.

"I don't need romance right now, not to mention one this twisted. There's no reason for her to like me at all. It's just a quick phase, and I don't want to play mind games with anyone."

I quickly swallowed my food.

"Hmph, Fan really is an alien from the faraway Planet Study. Well, I wish you good luck. But you have to admit, there are far more interesting things in the world other than grades."

Guotong looked at me quizzically.

"What could be more important at this point in our lives?"

"Beautiful girls, and entertaining games. Those two are enjoyed by me, and many more intellectuals."

I rolled my eyes.

"All and all, Fan, you're really missing out on all the fascinating things around you."

He stared blankly outside the window.

I knew that outside the glass, across the street, was the internet cafe.

"I don't have your supreme brain, alright? If I lessen my grip my grades, I'll starve when I'm out of high school. What's more, I want to make certain things come true, for someone important that I knew."

I stated.

"Someone important?"

"Something terrible that happened long ago. It's all very strange…."

I reminisced, and sighed deeply.

"Can't you just top it off with Jiang Muqing? I'm not the only one curious about this, you know. The entire school is talking about it."

"Well, at least I lived up to Teacher Li's expectations, and set a good example for my classmates."

I felt slightly proud of myself.

….

When the word "homework" slammed onto the expectant girl's ears, she must've thought that in my eyes, her young, succulent body wasn't worth any more than the papers cluttered on my desk.

She lost all hope. For such a meat-headed nerd like me to be so dense, to not even respond to her undying love.

Judging from Jiang Muqing's expression, my words did take their toll and effect.

That night, she callously slid off my bed. Watching the brutal, vicious storm, she bit her lip tightly.

"Thank you, Lu Fan."

"Lu Fan and Auntie are very, very nice people. For you two, I'll keep living."

Has my overdue gratitude come early?!

Jiang Muqing slowly turned around, and walked to the door. She turned the doorknob, and stopped suddenly.

"It's too bad, that I'm not that type of person…."

That night, she disappeared from our house without warning.

In the coming dawn, the storm clouds subsided. A crimson sunrise lit up the horizon, showering rays onto our dinner table. A letter was left there by the girl.

The girl had written the words "Thank you" heavily on the paper, and signed her name, "Jiang Muqing". The envelope was stuffed with hundred-yuan bills.

I flipped through the notes with a shaking hand. The sum of money far surpassed her hospital and meal expenses.

I showed the money to my mother, and informed her of Jiang Muqing's leaving.

My mother, still curled in her blankets, peered strangely at the bills, and asked.

"Did you say something to her? This child wasn't this polite before."

"Isn't politeness between people great, though?" I lightly smiled.

"Oh, well. As long as Fan's happy."

Mom didn't look too concerned.

As I predicted, the girl started coming to school regularly. In the following month, we did bump into each other a couple times, but it was as if we were strangers. None of us said a word to each other.

As the school's model student returned to normal, the First Year Head Teacher Li was overjoyed. When I informed him of my success, he praised me tremendously, and went back to analyzing his myriad of test problems.

….

"A perfect ending, isn't it?" I asked him.

"It's depressing. Fan, you almost clambered out of the hole of bachelors! Now that you've thrown away your chance, you'll definitely regret it later!" Guotong lamented.

Listening to my wondrous tale, Guotong seemed absolutely mystified. While I was almost finished with my plate, he didn't touch a single grain of rice.

"As if that'll ever happen. Eat your food quickly, the class rep* is going to test us on memorization at noon!"

*Class representative= Class president

"Memorizing lessons? Moshiyu that bitch wouldn't let my ass go for her life. It makes no difference if I stay here for a while longer."

Guotong's face fell as the topic of studying arose.

"Don't talk about the class rep like that. She's doing this for your sake." I pleaded.

"The homeroom teacher's already let me off. She still follows me like a savage dog!"

Guotong started to grow miserable.

"The Class Rep does have some extreme methods, but she's still doing it all for our sake."

I had to stand at Moshiyu's side on this. Guotong's actions really shouldn’t be tolerated.

Copying homework and sleeping in class both offend the classroom rules. But when the rules bent to Guotong's likening, the Class Rep started to grow an intense hatred towards him.

In lesson memorization, everyone is quizzed on one line. Guotong, are you full of yourself right now? I'll quiz you three lines.

The Class Rep Moshiyu pounded Guotong daily on these little things.

Because I was his deskmate, I'll sometimes be pulled into the whole mess, too. So I learned to study the lessons heavily, in case the Class Rep took her anger towards Guotong out on me. If I were to be caught off-guard and not be able to recite two or three lines, I'll be doomed.

….

When everything fell back in place, I almost could see the end of our crossings.

If you want to see the finale, here it is.

Jiang Muqing studied at Class A, and I stayed in Class F as Guotong's deskmate. I learned, he slept. I did my homework, and he copied it.

In the rare occasions that he woke up during the day, he'll try convincing me to go the cafe with him. I'll refuse, just as always, and he'll go back to sleep. I kept on taking notes.

The classroom, cafeteria, and home were the three defining points of my life. It was peaceful.

My hopes were achieved.

The perfect ending. *

*little did Lu Fan know that there's TWO HUNDRED MORE CHAPTERS

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