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墨書 Inktalez
"Lao Liu, are you not leaving yet?" Vice Principal Chen Lianqing stopped at my office door, taking off his gold-rimmed glasses and putting them into the pocket of his suit as he asked me.
"Aren't we supposed to go to the Ministry of Education this afternoon? I'm just preparing some materials; you can head back first," I replied. As he raised his eyebrows, ready to leave, I hurriedly added, "When you see your wife, tell her that I'll be back in half an hour, so she doesn't have to wait for me."
Chen Lianqing smiled meaningfully, "Alright, you hurry up then."
Look at that, my reputation has been thoroughly damaged by Song Yuegui.
I stood up and closed the office door, walked over to the filing cabinet, took out the training papers for the Mathematical Olympiad, separated the answers and explanations, and tucked them deep into the cabinet. Then I returned the papers to their original place and sat back down. Excitement and anticipation filled my mind; I couldn't help but rise onto my toes, my leather shoes tapping against the floor with a clatter.
After a few minutes, the footsteps in the corridor gradually faded away. I rolled up my sleeves and checked the time: 11:40. There were still twenty minutes until school was out; it felt so long.
Knock knock knock—
"Who is it?" I asked impatiently.
"Principal, I'm Xu Xiaoran from Class Three of Grade Five. Teacher Li said to come get the Olympiad materials."
It's her! I was so excited that I nearly fell off my chair. I straightened my suit, puffed out my chest, pulled in my stomach, picked up a pen, and meticulously copied down the meeting summary issued by the Ministry of Education. "Come in," I said, my voice trembling slightly; I hoped she didn't notice.
She gently pushed open the door, a small foot clad in white sneakers peeking in first as if testing the waters, followed by her entire body. She held onto the doorknob and stood there, her gaze resting on my head. I couldn't help but worry; my thinning hair made me look like a foolish bald man—would she dislike that?
"What are you standing there for? Come in," I put down my pen and smiled at her. "Close the door; I'm working and need some quiet."
She nodded and closed the door before taking a few steps forward. With her hands clasped behind her back and her long hair cascading over her shoulders, she wore a pale yellow floral dress—so quiet and lovely. I regarded her with an elder's demeanor. Hmm, she looks a bit pale; it seems she's indeed unwell. "You didn't attend evening self-study yesterday?"
Her beautiful eyes blinked as her small mouth opened slightly in surprise. "Yes, I had a stomachache and took leave; Teacher Li knows."
"Did you go to the infirmary?" I moved to sit on the guest sofa as she turned to face me and lowered her head.
"I did."
"That's good," I said. "Your father came to see me and mentioned your situation. It's normal to not adapt well to a new environment; you should communicate more with your teachers and classmates. If you encounter any difficulties in life, you can talk to Teacher Li or come find me."
"Okay, thank you, Principal."
I couldn't discern her emotions.
"How's your studying? Are you keeping up with the pace? Can you accept the teaching methods of your teachers?"
"I can."
What an introverted child she is! "That's good," I said while trying hard to think of an appropriate topic. Perhaps too nervous, I couldn't come up with anything suitable despite racking my brain. "Are you interested in participating in the Mathematical Olympiad?"
What a pointless question!
"I am," she kept looking at the ground.
I got up and strode over to her, one hand gripping her shoulder and the other lifting her chin. "You need to be confident! When you talk to others, you should appear assertive, understand?"
She was startled by me, her eyes wide open, staring blankly for a few seconds. "I understand."
I released her and walked over to the filing cabinet, taking the opportunity to grab some documents while letting out a long sigh.
God knows I acted on impulse just now; the adrenaline rushed to my head, causing my hands to tremble.
"You start working on it. Once you're done, bring it over, and I'll check your answers. Leave any questions blank; treat it like a formal exam and complete it within the time limit. Don't discuss it with anyone else because no one will guide you in an actual exam," I said seriously.
"Okay," she replied, taking the test paper and nodding earnestly.
"Do you have any other questions?"
"No."
"Alright, you can go back now. If you have any questions, feel free to come find me," I said with a hint of regret.
When I got home, Mao Mao was jumping around in the yard. Seeing me, he excitedly rushed over. I picked him up and vigorously rubbed his fluffy fur. I was so thrilled that I had an abundance of energy that needed to be released.
"What’s going on today?" Song Yuegui leaned against the doorframe, looking at me with a half-smile. "You usually don't even touch Mao Mao."
My eyelid twitched as I set Mao Mao down and avoided looking at her face. "All the elementary schools in the city are having their final competitions, and our school came in first place. How could I not be happy?"
"Oh, is that it?" She seemed uninterested as she stepped down and ran her fingers through her hair. "Do you notice anything different about me today?"
I looked her over; her black hair had turned dark red and was styled into small curls piled on top of her head. She had been cooped up inside all day, and with her fair skin, she looked like a roasted white pig—ridiculously funny. "You dyed your hair and permed it."
"What do you think?" She looked at me expectantly.
"It's pretty good," I replied dismissively, "but since you're a staff family member, shouldn't you be mindful of your image? You’ve made our home look like a salon."
"What’s wrong with looking like a salon? At least they have people coming and going who can talk..."
Here we go again, bringing up old topics endlessly.
"Alright, alright," I said as I grabbed her shoulders and led her inside. Today I had enough patience not to argue with her. "What are we having for lunch?"
After lunch, I lay down on the bed intending to take a nap when Song Yuegui walked in with a sway in her hips, her eyes sparkling as she teased in a soft voice, "Lao Liu—"
I jolted up; I knew what was coming next.
Women in their thirties are like wolves; in their forties, they are like tigers. A woman like a tiger is the most terrifying creature in the world. But since I was in the mood today, I suddenly sprang up and tackled Song Yuegui down.
She was beneath me while Xu Xiaoran filled my vision.
Ten minutes later.
"Lao Liu, let's have a child." Song Yuegui lay on my chest, speaking softly.
A child—suddenly, my mood plummeted like a receding tide, falling from the ethereal clouds to the deepest valley.
I sat up, reached for a cigarette from the bedside table, lit it, and took a deep drag. Perhaps the nicotine was too strong; it pressed down on my chest painfully.
The idea of a child felt so distant, so far that it had taken him twenty years and still couldn't find his way into Song Yuegui's womb.
Song Yuegui shared the same worries; she tucked her head under the covers and began to sob softly.
I looked out at the phoenix trees; pale purple petals mixed among the palm-sized green leaves swayed gently, hanging low as if about to fall.
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