“I’ve already made myself clear from the start, yet so many people still want to challenge the bottom line. Don’t think that just because your grades are good, you can slack off and ignore what teachers say. Open your eyes and look at the world – there are many people who are not only more excellent than you but also work harder. If you become satisfied and lazy because of temporary achievements, you won’t accomplish anything in life!”
This harsh criticism was clearly directed at someone, leaving the whole classroom stunned.
“What are you still standing there for? Get out!”
Jiang Wen walked through the shocked gazes, unmoved.
“The rest of you, self-study in the classroom,” the Iron Lady teacher said as she walked down from the podium.
Discussion erupted the moment the Iron Lady stepped out of the classroom.
“Teacher Tie is really angry this time…” “Those words were quite harsh.” “Wow, wow, wow, this is getting interesting.”
Zhao Binlin witnessed Jiang Wen throwing his test paper backward just two seconds before the teacher arrived.
He was so shocked that he didn’t know how to react. Limited by his vocabulary, he stammered and managed to say: “The Iron Lady truly has an iron heart, and Jiang Wen truly has an iron head.”
Jiang Wen being punished to run laps on the track field became quite a sight on campus.
— At least almost everyone in their grade knew who Jiang Wen was.
Considering factors like family background and appearance, Jiang Wen was mentioned most frequently in various gossip circles about handsome guys. He had been student council president in middle school, consistently ranked top in academics, was cold and refined in demeanor, and never gave sideways glances to girls who tried to talk to him.
The colder he was, the more mysterious high school girls found him. Like Stockholm Syndrome patients, they couldn’t help themselves even while being ignored.
Actually, no one was really focusing on studying. Only the class monitor and English representative were barely maintaining order.
Among the whispers, Feng Ning rested her chin on her hand, staring blankly out the window.
Through the glass, she could see a small corner of the track field. Every few minutes, Jiang Wen’s figure would flash by.
In the sunshine, groups of students taking PE class gathered around the track field. Some pretended to pass by, others pretended to admire the scenery, but their eyes were actually sneaking glances at a certain someone.
The boys being punished to run didn’t feel embarrassed; instead, they were quite pleased. They discovered that running with Jiang Wen meant they could also be noticed by girls and get some attention – how nice.
Soon there were posts on the school forum, and the title was quite clever: [What’s going on? Even the prince is punished like common people?]
The replies came quickly:
Passerby 1: Who’s the prince? What law did he break? Please explain?
Passerby 2: Answering above, the prince is Jiang Wen, he’s running on the track field
Passerby 3: “The prince being punished like common people” hahahahaha
Passerby 4: What happened, what’s wrong with Jiang Wen??
Passerby 5: Heard he didn’t do his homework and got punished
The original poster shared a blurry photo showing only a side profile, clearly taken hastily with a phone. Despite the blur, it couldn’t hide his good looks.
The enthusiasm in the replies grew even more:
Person A: Wuhooooo~ Question, what grade and class is he in!!!! Is he taken??
Person B: Wow!!!! He’s quite handsome!!! His skin looks so good!!!!
Person C: So… do you all really not know Jiang Wen? He was famous before…. If you don’t know him, I suggest checking the forum’s pinned posts, there’s one ranking school heartthrobs that includes him. I guarantee he’s ten thousand times more handsome in person~~~~~ PS: Not only handsome, his grades are insanely good too. But he’s really cold, not just regular cold, but Arctic cold, and he stays away from girls. Let me give an example – he can walk past people confessing to him without changing expression, won’t even accept love letters. Girls, please think carefully before making a move.
Several people came in looking like wilted eggplants just pulled from water, and all eyes in the classroom focused on them.
Jiang Wen walked to his seat, pulled out his chair, and sat down quietly.
“Oh, you’re finally back!” Xi Gaoyuan called out from several rows away, pretending to be concerned: “Not too tired? Not too sunburned?”
Meanwhile, Zhao Binlin started reciting poetry dramatically: “I too long for such a person, who would spare me from fear, spare me from suffering, spare me from wandering without refuge, spare me from having no branch to rely on. I too long for such a person who, when I haven’t done my homework, would stand before me without hesitation, sparing me—”
“Want to get hit?”
After receiving a cold glare from Jiang Wen, Zhao Binlin swallowed the rest of his words.
He had just finished intense exercise, his back was all wet, and his uniform stuck to his body, sweat revealing most of his body’s outline.
“Hey.” Feng Ning patted him.
Jiang Wen turned his face, streams of sweat running down. His breathing hadn’t recovered yet, and he was still slightly panting.
“Here, finished copying. Thanks, Mr. Top Student, thanks thanks thanks.”
Jiang Wen took the test paper and glanced at it. The name field had been filled in, the strokes bold, with the last stroke of ‘Wen’ extended into a hook.
After looking at it for about a minute, he put the paper in his drawer.
Zhao Binlin was browsing the forum on his phone, following Jiang Wen’s drama. As a semi-insider, he suddenly started singing coyly: “A lifetime of passion, too hard to turn back, hiding bitterness in my heart~”
Jiang Wen paused while reaching for his book, stared at him for a few seconds, then looked away.
Leaning against the wall, Zhao Binlin closed his eyes and continued singing persistently: “Do you know the feeling of heartache, I’m always the one experiencing it~”
Seeing his antics, the person in front turned around with a half-smile, “What’s wrong, did Zhao get dumped?”
“Nonono, the one unsuccessful in love isn’t me.” Zhao Binlin put on a mysterious expression, “The young don’t appreciate Jacky Cheung, by the time they understand, they’re already heartbroken.”
The morning classes weren’t over yet, but during breaks, many girls had found out where Jiang Wen sat. Using the excuse of going to the bathroom, they came to Class 9’s corridor to observe, and some who didn’t know him even called out his name. Classmates were also whispering about him.
Jiang Wen didn’t know what was happening, feeling puzzled.
But he soon found out the source — his old shirtless photo had been dug up.
Because of the forum post, curious people directly searched for Jiang Wen’s name and found the old photo.
This shirtless photo was shared from Xi Gaoyuan’s friend’s social media to the pinned school heartthrob post.
It was taken in summer when no girls were present. A group of them had just finished playing basketball and were so hot they took off their shirts.
Even among other boys, though Jiang Wen wasn’t standing in the center, he was still the most eye-catching.
It was noon when the light was strongest. He was tilting his head back drinking water, wearing only loose sports pants. His wet hair, stomach, and waist lines were all visible in the photo, both youthful and sexy.
Many girls saved this shirtless photo to their phones while fighting their embarrassment.
Zhao Binlin teased from the side, “Oh no, oh no, how did my top star’s intimate photo get dug up again? Now his pure body has been seen by everyone.”
Jiang Wen sat still, just lowering his head to read without responding.
“What what what?” Feng Ning was an unabashed girl with strong curiosity, “What intimate photo! I want to see too!”
“Jiang Wen’s intimate photo, want to see?”
Feng Ning made a “wa” sound and waved her hand, “Really? I want to see, let me appreciate it.”
Zhao Binlin leaned over, pretending to ask: “So should I show her?”
Jiang Wen remained silent.
“Tsk, if you don’t want me to, I won’t.”
“Whatever.” His tone was unreadable.
Zhao Binlin made a couple of “oh” sounds, still deliberately teasing him: “Give me a clear answer, ‘whatever’ means…?”
Jiang Wen was quiet again, then after a while said: “Don’t show it.”
Zhao Binlin sensed his tsundere attitude, made a “tch” sound, and passed his phone to Feng Ning.
Monday mornings were always particularly difficult to get through. When lunch break finally came, Zhao Binlin jumped up from his seat, cheering like he’d been liberated: “Come on, let’s go eat.”
Amidst the noise, Jiang Wen said: “You go ahead.”
“Why, aren’t you eating?”
“No.”
His face had turned an abnormal pale. He supported his head with his hand, rubbed it, and closed his eyes.
Outside, the lunch break music played over the broadcast system. People walked back and forth, bumping into desks and chairs, voices and laughter rising and falling. He maintained this position for a long while, finally waiting until the buzzing sounds around him gradually weakened.
— Knock knock
Someone tapped his desk twice.
Jiang Wen opened his eyes, his vision still a bit blurry, and Feng Ning’s face suddenly appeared before him.
They were too close, and he unconsciously leaned back a bit.
Their eyes met, and in that flash of moment, Jiang Wen recalled that night’s dream. She had been this close then too, almost making him lose his soul even in the dream.
Feng Ning tilted her head slightly, calmly examining his face color, then after a while straightened up, “Get up.”
Jiang Wen didn’t react, looking up at her.
“You have heatstroke, I’ll take you to the infirmary.”
At this time, there was only one female doctor on duty in the infirmary. She put down the book she was halfway through reading, “What’s wrong with you two?”
Feng Ning briefly explained the situation. The doctor made an “oh” sound, “Are you dizzy, feeling nauseous now, how long have you been feeling unwell?”
Jiang Wen answered each question.
The doctor reached out her hand, “Give me your student card, I’ll help you get set up with an IV.”
After setting up the IV, the doctor had him lie down on the narrow hospital bed.
Feng Ning stood beside him, adjusting the drip speed, “Thanks for the test paper today. Didn’t expect you to be so loyal to friends.”
Her words sounded like formal gratitude, carelessly creating distance between them.
There’s a saying.
When the result is there, does the truth matter? It doesn’t, everyone will choose the answer they want.
So Feng Ning didn’t ask about his motives, but chose her own way to explain his behavior, maintaining peace.
Jiang Wen sensed her distance, lowered his eyes, and started getting annoyed with himself.
He didn’t know if he was just fooling himself or trying to self-hypnotize, “Even if it was someone else who drank until they had to be hospitalized, I would have done the same.”
After a pause, he said: “You go eat, I’ll be fine by myself.”
Feng Ning agreed readily, “Okay, I’m leaving then. If you’re not feeling well, ask the teacher for leave and go back to the dorm to sleep in the afternoon. Remember to call someone when the IV is finished.”
Jiang Wen made a sound of agreement and simply turned his head to the side.
Footsteps faded away, the door was closed very gently, making a very soft sound.
The white curtain hung right in front of him, with dancing sunlight and shadow grids divided by the window frame, swaying in the breeze.
Jiang Wen stared at it for a long time, maintaining the same expression.
The disturbing wind gradually died down, and after a while, the white curtain stopped moving. He forcefully pulled out the IV.
Blue veins stood out on the back of his hand, continuously oozing blood drops, and he felt a bit better for a moment.
As he prepared to get up from the bed, he turned his head and froze.
Feng Ning was leaning nearby, acting as if nothing had happened, looking at him with an ambiguous smile, “Little Jiang, what are you throwing a tantrum for?”
Author’s Note:
- “Spare me from disturbance, spare me from wandering” is from “Time Has a Woman”
- “A lifetime of passion, too hard to turn back” are lyrics from Jacky Cheung’s “Too Hard to Turn Back”
- “The young don’t appreciate Jacky Cheung” is an internet saying.
Leave a Reply