On the first day of school, there was a placement test as usual. This time it was a comprehensive exam covering all subjects. The two days of exams passed by in a flash, and the lingering excitement from the vacation was also worn away during the tense exams.
The evening self-study that day was normal. After finishing the last subject, English, Ruan Mian returned home briefly. The sudden onset of her period resulted in her being somewhat out of it during the entire exam.
After changing her clothes, as Ruan Mian passed by Zhao Shutang’s room, she paused for a moment but quickly sped up her pace and left home.
By the time she arrived at evening self-study, Zhou Hai said in class about the math, physics and chemistry competition class that the school had opened up this semester. “The school is just proposing this class, it’s not advocating that everyone should sign up. After all, not everyone is suited to go down this path. Sign ups start this week, go back and discuss with your parents first. Those who are interested can go to the class monitor first to put down your name.”
Every year, a batch of No. 8 Middle School students would get into universities through these competitions1. This was the first year they were opening up a special guidance class for this, so the students in the experimental class might have more of an advantage going down this path compared to normal and key classes.
But this was not a definitive decision either. There was a lot of discussion in class, but Zhou Hai didn’t say much else, just reminded Fu Guangsheng to keep an eye on discipline, before returning to the office.
Ruan Mian had already gotten the news beforehand, and now feeling unwell, she laid her head down on the desk, listening to her classmates discuss this matter around her.
Fu Guangsheng poked her arm, “Ruan Mian, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
She turned her head resting on her arm to look at him, her expression listless, “It’s my period.”
“Then keep resting.”
Fu Guangsheng took out a heat patch from his bag and handed it to her, “I bought this last time, there’s still one left.”
“Thank you.”
Fu Guangsheng waved his hand, “No problem.”
Ruan Mian was very uncomfortable from the pain at first. After putting on the heat patch, it alleviated somewhat, but she still couldn’t fall into a deep sleep, not completely unaware of the movements around her.
The class was noisily chaotic, mixed in with the sound of footsteps moving about everywhere. Ruan Mian adjusted her position, pulling her uniform shirt over her head.
After a while, in her half-asleep state, she heard Jiang Rang’s voice: “Class monitor, help me put down my name and Chen Yi’s too.”
Fu Guangsheng asked: “You and Chen Yi both plan to go to the competition class?”
“Chen Yi wants to go, I’m just tagging along for fun.”
Jiang Rang stood in the aisle next to Fu Guangsheng, his gaze falling on Ruan Mian as he casually asked: “What’s wrong with Ruan Mian?”
“Oh, she’s feeling a bit unwell.”
“It’s not serious right?”
“No problem, she’ll be fine after resting for a bit.”
Fu Guangsheng clicked his pen and changed the subject, “Okay, I’ve put down both your names already.”
“Thanks man.”
Jiang Rang returned to his own seat. Fu Guangsheng was busy with his own matters. Ruan Mian was awake in the dim darkness, only sitting up when class was almost over.
Fu Guangsheng looked over, “Are you feeling better?”
“Much better.”
Ruan Mian rubbed her uniform, her complexion somewhat pale.
After a while, she asked, “How many people in our class signed up for the competition class so far?”
“Not many, just five or six.”
Fu Guangsheng flipped open his notebook, “Are you signing up too? Teacher Zhou will definitely recommend you participate with your grades.”
Ruan Mian fiddled with the zipper on her uniform, “Then help me put down my name too.”
“Okay.”
After evening self-study ended, Meng Xinglan dragged Ruan Mian to an off-campus milk tea shop to try their new featured drink. Also along were Qi Jia and Fu Guangsheng.
At this time, the shop was very crowded with people, the line already extending outside. The four girls joined the end of the line, surrounded by chattering girls.
Qi Jia quickly spotted a familiar face among the people at the front of the line, calling out, “Sheng Huan!”
Ruan Mian, who had been listlessly kicking pebbles on the ground, suddenly froze stiff upon hearing this name. Her foot slipped and she kicked the pebble straight onto the road.
She looked up to see Sheng Huan like she was a different person.
The girl’s big permed waves were straightened into long black hair. The few streaks of bright highlights in her hair were especially eye-catching under the light. She had also removed her heavy makeup, revealing her originally beautiful features, giving off more of an innocent girl vibe.
Qi Jia asked her to buy four more drinks for them. Meng Xinglan came out from the line and the four girls stood chatting on the side.
Meng Xinglan grabbed Qi Jia’s arm, asking, “Why did Sheng Huan straighten her permed hair?”
Qi Jia laughed and said, “It’s all because of Chen Yi. She somehow got wind that Chen Yi likes girls with natural long black straight hair. Didn’t you see she didn’t even put on makeup today?”
Meng Xinglan clicked her tongue, “She really is ruthless.”
“That’s just the kind of person she is. When she wants to do something, even her parents can’t stop her.”
After chatting for a while, Ruan Mian saw Sheng Huan walking over carrying a bag of milk tea. Meng Xinglan wanted to pay her, but she declined and laughed, “It’s my treat for you guys.”
Later after she left, Meng Xinglan sipped on her straw going “mmmm”, “Not only is she so pretty, she’s so nice too. To be honest, when she smiled at me just now, my heart stopped.”
Fu Guangsheng eagerly nodded in agreement.
Ruan Mian lowered her gaze, holding the warm milk tea in her hands. With a sip, the sweetness turned bitter, mirroring the unspoken worries of her young heart.
The deadline to sign up for the competition class was the next afternoon.
In the last biology class that afternoon, Zhou Hai got the registration list and saw several students he was interested in were on it, instantly steadying his heart.
He placed the list on the lectern and said, “The competition class is divided into math and science sections. You need to choose your subjects independently. This Saturday the school will organize an exam to screen everyone, and then decide on admission based on the screening scores while comprehensively considering everything.”
“Um, class monitor, after class come get the registration forms from me and have everyone fill them out. Collect them tomorrow afternoon and bring them to my office.”
Ruan Mian nodded. “Okay.”
After class ended, Zhou Hai called both Chen Yi and Ruan Mian to his office. “Teacher Yan hopes you two can both go to the math section for the competition class. What do you think?”
Chen Yi’s grades had always been stable, without much bias. But for choosing a subject, he thought for a bit then said, “I still want to go to the physics section.”
Zhou Hai didn’t say anything. He asked Ruan Mian, “What about you? You should go to the math section, right? With your grades, math is the most reliable.”
Ruan Mian’s hands twisted together behind her back. She hesitated for a long time before nodding and saying, “Then…math it is.”
“Alright, we’ll go with that for now.”
Zhou Hai took out a small stack of registration forms from his drawer and handed them to Ruan Mian. “I have nothing else. You can go back now.”
The two of them left the office. Chen Yi held a registration form in his hand and looked at the silent Ruan Mian. He gently reminded, “You don’t need to care too much what others say about choosing subjects. The main thing is to follow your own interests.”
Ruan Mian nodded. “I know.”
Chen Yi didn’t say anything more. He went back to the classroom while Ruan Mian handed out the forms. Meng Xinglan had also bought dinner back.
While eating, they chatted about the subject selection. Slurping up noodles, Meng Xinglan’s voice was muffled. “I think Teacher Zhou has a point. Look at every exam last semester, your math never went below 145. Teacher Yan has praised you in Shen Yu’s class.”
Ruan Mian still felt hesitant inside.
Seeing this, Meng Xinglan set down her chopsticks and asked, “Then let me ask you, if you had to choose, what would you want?”
Ruan Mian pressed down her pounding heart and nerves. “Physics.”
“Then just choose physics.”
Meng Xinglan picked her chopsticks back up and buried her head to eat with gusto. “Your physics isn’t lacking either. And you’re interested, so it’ll definitely be not as hard as math to learn.”
Ruan Mian sighed. She wanted to choose, yet didn’t dare.
When students trickled back for evening self-study, Ruan Mian received three filled out registration forms before class started.
They were from Chen Yi, Jiang Rang, and the physics class monitor Dai Shuo. All three boys had chosen physics. Ruan Mian spread her own registration form on the desk, staring blankly at the subject section.
In a daze, she spent the entire evening like that. During the last self-study period right before it ended, Ruan Mian went to Zhou Hai’s office and brought up wanting to choose physics.
Zhou Hai clearly didn’t quite approve. “Are you sure? This relates to a lot of later things like exams, school applications, major applications. Once you decide, it won’t be easy to change. Do you want to go back and reconsider?”
But Ruan Mian no longer hesitated. “Teacher Zhou, I understand what you said. But compared to math, I’m still more interested in physics.”
Zhou Hai was silent for a bit, then let out a long sigh. “Alright, like I said, however you choose is up to you. As long as you’ve considered it yourself, I have no objections.”
Ruan Mian breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Teacher Zhou.”
Zhou Hai smiled and said it was nothing.
Just as Ruan Mian was about to leave, Zhou Hai remembered something. He took some test papers out of his drawer, “Oh right, take these test papers back for Zhao Shutang to do at home. On Wednesday, bring them back to me.”
“Okay.”
That night when Ruan Mian got home, she mentioned going to the competition class to Fang Ruqing. As always, Fang Ruqing maintained her hands-off attitude. “As long as you’ve decided, that’s fine.”
Ruan Mian responded with an “Mm”, and took out the test papers from her bag. “These are the test papers Teacher Zhou wanted me to bring to Zhao Shutang. Can you give them to her?”
Fang Ruqing laughed. “Go yourself, it’s just some test papers, no big deal.”
Ruan Mian scratched at the skin under her eye. Seeing Fang Ruqing insist, she didn’t argue further. Holding the test papers, she went upstairs.
Zhao Shutang’s door upstairs wasn’t closed. Ruan Mian stopped in the hallway and knocked lightly on the doorframe.
A voice called from inside, “Who is it?”
“It’s me.”
Ruan Mian lowered her head to look at her shoes, her tone flat. “Teacher Zhou wanted me to bring this mock exam test paper to you.”
It was quiet for a few seconds inside before there was a response. “Then come in.”
Ruan Mian walked in and stood a meter away from the foot of the bed. “Teacher Zhou said to do these test papers over the next couple days. I’ll bring them back to school for him the day after tomorrow.”
“Got it.”
Ruan Mian held her breath. “Where should I put the test papers?”
“Just put them on the desk.”
Ruan Mian walked over and set down the test papers. Zhao Shutang watched her figure and pursed her lips. The “thanks” she uttered was especially awkward.
Ruan Mian paused, also not turning to look at her. Her tone softened a bit. “You’re welcome.”
After leaving Zhao Shutang’s room, Ruan Mian stood in the hallway and shrugged, letting out a long breath. She turned and went back to her own room.
A few days later, the school organized a screening exam. Written test in the morning, interview in the afternoon. It eliminated one third of the students, including Jiang Rang.
The new week arrived, and the first batch of competition class students at No. 8 Middle School was formed. Ruan Mian got her wish and entered the physics group. Most of the students from Class 1 who had signed up for the competition class were in this class, going with the flow, so her choice didn’t stand out as much.
Initially the competition class lessons were 7-9:30pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, plus Saturday afternoons.
Just like Zhou Hai said, Ruan Mian really was a good seed for competitions. She got first place on the three mock exams after joining the class.
On the most recent mock exam, she and Chen Yi tied for first, but since Ruan Mian had gotten first place the previous two times, when ranking them the teacher still put Chen Yi, who had consistently gotten second place, in second.
Teacher Wang, who taught the class, joked about Chen Yi during class. “Chen Yi, looks like you’ve dug yourself a pit at second place and settled down there, huh?”
The sunny classroom was filled with laughter. The boy sitting in the back row laughed leisurely. “She really is impressive, I can’t beat her. It’s not like I can beat her up and tell her to let me get first place next time, right?”
The classroom roared with laughter. Amidst the sounds, Ruan Mian vaguely heard the beats of her own heart.
Class ended early on Saturdays, still bright out at 5pm.
Usually at this time Chen Yi would go play basketball at the courts with Dai Shuo and some other boys, but today he had to stop by Li Zhi’s place first. So after class he walked home together with Ruan Mian.
Other than seniors and their competition class, there were no other students at school on weekends. The tree-lined path was desolate, with specks of evening glow seeping through the foliage gaps and landing on the ground.
Their shadows trailed behind, swaying on the ground, sometimes touching, sometimes separating again, gaining quite a bit of lingering ambiguity.
Ruan Mian inadvertently turned around and saw the shadows of the two people almost close together. In a fleeting moment, Chen Yi’s steps didn’t pause.
The two shadows seemed to accidentally share a kiss.
- In China, doing well in academic competitions can help students gain admission to top universities through recommendation. This provides an alternative pathway besides the gaokao national college entrance exam. ↩︎
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