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墨書 Inktalez
I was annoyed by her stubbornness and retorted, "Do you consider me a friend?"
She nodded vigorously.
"Then we are friends."
She smiled sweetly, captivating to the eye. "Since we are friends, can you trust me?"
"What do you mean?"
"We are equals. You don't have to accommodate me in everything. I help you for my own reasons; I am not the giver, and you are not the receiver. There is no relationship of gratitude or acceptance between us. You can do anything according to your own wishes. I hope that as your friend, I bring you not insecurity but the comfort of casual communication and easy interaction."
That infuriating Xu Wenmo!
Does she have superpowers? How else could she hit the nail on the head with every word? It felt as if my brain was laid out on a dissection table for her to analyze.
This Xu Wenmo could dissolve your grudges and hatred with just a few short sentences; how could I possibly dislike her?
"Got it," I said weakly, giving her a friendly glance. "You are truly terrifying."
I thought my eyes were filled with sincerity; otherwise, how could she let out a sigh of relief as if unburdening herself?
"I’m curious about something and want to ask you." Since everything was laid bare, I decided to follow her lead and communicate casually.
"Mm?" She opened her lunchbox.
"Do you dislike me?"
"What?" She asked in surprise.
"I mean, every time I touch you, you seem annoyed."
"Oh... that," she lowered her head, her gaze flickering. "It's not because of you; I'm just not used to physical contact with others."
"Huh? Is that so? Don't Uncle Xu and your mom ever touch you?"
"Mm, they don't."
"Why not?"
"Can I not say?" She looked at me almost pleadingly, making it hard for me to press further. "Of course, that's your choice."
"Thank you."
See, this is what so-called friendship looks like—hiding and dodging, unwilling to share anything. I think our relationship has softened and become closer, but it will never reach the level of intimacy.
"Hey, are you going to the next PE class?" As the second-to-last class of the afternoon was about to end, my deskmate Wang Wenyuan leaned over and whispered sneakily.
"I don't want to go..." I rested my head on the desk lazily. "Isn't it the same old routine? Running and long jumping, exhausting myself to death. I'd rather sleep in the classroom."
"Don't! You don't know? We have a new PE teacher who just graduated from sports school. He's young and handsome. My friend from Class Four was so excited after class yesterday."
"How handsome can he be?" I said disinterestedly. With Mr. Xu around, what kind of man could be more handsome than him?
"You'll find out if you go see," Wang Wenyuan replied. "Also, I heard this teacher is particularly strict. It's probably because he's new and wants to make an impression. He'll take attendance every class, and if someone is absent, he'll report it to the homeroom teacher and criticize them in the next class."
The homeroom teacher? Forget it; I didn't want to face her ugly, bloated face.
A little over ten minutes later, all fifty-two students stood under the scorching sun, waiting for the spirited young teacher to call attendance.
"Alright, all fifty-two students are here. Not bad, better than other classes." He was indeed quite handsome, more so than most boys in school, but he still couldn't compare to Mr. Xu, so I wasn't as restless as the other girls.
"Next, we'll start with the 800-meter test." He put down the attendance sheet, took out a stopwatch, and raised his right hand high. "All students, turn left!"
The students turned left in unison. Just as he was about to signal the start, an incongruous voice floated out from the line.
"Teacher, I want to ask for leave."
I looked toward the source of the voice; it was Xu Wenmo, raising her right hand to face the PE teacher.
"What’s going on? Is it that time of the month again?"
Immediately, the whole class burst into laughter, except for me. Perhaps I felt a bit of genuine concern for her and instinctively worried.
In that era, girls couldn't openly discuss their menstrual issues, especially in front of boys. I didn't know if this PE teacher had experienced university openness or if he was trying to assert his authority and masculinity.
He continued without care, "You girls have thirty days in a month; if you're on your period every day at this rate, you'd have bled out by now."
Xu Wenmo's face turned as red as blood; she slowly lowered her hand and returned to the line. The PE teacher whistled, "Ready, go!"
The first two hundred meters were relatively easy; familiar friends chatted and laughed as we ran forward. But by the end of it, my lungs felt like they were being pricked with needles, my legs grew heavier, and all I could hear was the sound of wind and my own breathing—nothing else.
When I reached the second lap, I noticed no one was beside me anymore. Looking back, my classmates had stopped behind me and formed a circle as if something had happened.
I turned back and approached the crowd. Through a gap between shoulders, I saw Xu Wenmo collapsed on the ground, her face pale and lips bluish-purple; her chest rose and fell weakly—almost identical to what had happened in that alley.
The PE teacher realized he had caused trouble; he pushed through the crowd and with help from some boys carried Xu Wenmo on his back as he hurried toward the infirmary.
As her friend, I naturally couldn't leave her behind and quickly followed after them.
Upon reaching the infirmary, the PE teacher laid Xu Wenmo on a bed. The duty nurse glanced at her face; her expression immediately turned serious as she put on a stethoscope and examined her for a while before glaring at the PE teacher. "You carried her over?"
"Um," the physical education teacher seemed a bit flustered.
"Take her to the hospital; I can't handle this here."
"What... what do you mean?"
"She likely has a serious heart condition. After this bumpy ride, her situation is even more dangerous. There's no time; hurry and take her."
The physical education teacher hurriedly took out her phone. "Call an ambulance. If someone else didn't take her, there could be an accident on the way."
"What’s wrong with you?" The doctor seemed to be losing patience, speaking without regard for my presence as a student. "An ambulance coming in and out of the school looks like something serious is happening, which is very distracting. I'll give her two doses of Heart Rescuer; you go find a car and take her directly to the hospital."
"Okay, okay."
The physical education teacher rushed out of the infirmary in a panic. The doctor glanced at me. "Student?"
"Yes."
"Go back; this has nothing to do with you." She waved her hand impatiently.
Before leaving, I took another look at Xu Wenmo, who was frowning tightly on the bed. Even if she had fainted, she must be in great pain. Please don't let her die; otherwise, how could I continue staying at Xu Family Villa?
After school, the car that picks us up appeared at the school gate as usual. I got in alone; the driver didn't ask anything. Once I closed the door, he started the engine and drove home.
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