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Bubbles Under the Sun
墨書 Inktalez
Bang!
Another loud noise jolted Lin Xu awake from her dreams. Instinctively, she curled up under the covers, clutching her arms tightly around herself like a frightened fawn.
"Are you done yet? Every day it's the same! Can't you keep it down for once?" Her father's furious shout echoed from the living room, slicing through the morning's tranquility like a sharp knife.
"I'm making noise? Look at yourself! All you do is play mahjong all day long. Have you ever taken care of anything at home? Huh? Have you even asked about the children's lives? Do you even consider this place a home anymore?" Her mother's sharp questions pierced Lin Xu's eardrums like tiny needles.
"Oh, so now you're getting feisty, huh? I'm the one earning money to support this family, and I can't have a little hobby? You, woman, are just long-haired and short-sighted!"
"Short-sighted? If it weren't for this family and the kids, would I be stuck with a gambling addict like you? I must have been blind!"
Crash! The sound of shattering porcelain mingled with her mother's cries, reverberating in the cramped living room. Lin Xu buried her head deep into her blanket, tears flowing silently like pearls from a broken string, soaking her pillow.
"Why... why does it have to be like this every day... Can't we just live peacefully?" she silently questioned in her heart, her voice choked with emotion, but no one could provide her with an answer.
In the morning light, Lin Xu stood before a mirror reflecting a dim yellow glow, carefully adjusting her school uniform. The girl in the mirror had dark, doe-like eyes that were clear and bright but now bloodshot and rimmed with traces of unshed tears. She sighed softly, picked up her worn-out backpack with frayed straps, and tiptoed out of the house, afraid to make any noise that might stir up another storm.
The early autumn morning carried a hint of chill in the air. Lin Xu tightened her collar as she walked along the familiar path to school. The sycamore trees lining the roadside were beginning to shed their leaves; golden leaves twirled in the breeze as if whispering tales of autumn's melancholy. With her head down, she kicked at small pebbles on the ground while her thoughts drifted far ahead to school.
The classroom was already filled with students; some were buried in their studies, others whispered quietly among themselves, while a few chased each other playfully. Lin Xu kept her head down like a startled bird and hurried to her seat. But as soon as she sat down, she noticed that her desk was covered in ugly doodles—colorful drawings that seemed to mock her.
"Hey, look who's here—the unwanted child," came whispers from behind. Her deskmate Li Xiaodong nudged Wang Qiang with his elbow, both exchanging knowing glances and wearing malicious grins. Lin Xu bit her lip tightly, pressing it into a thin line as she silently took out a tissue and began wiping the desk vigorously.
Her movements were slow and gentle, as if afraid of disturbing something fragile or perhaps carefully preserving what little dignity she had left.
"Oh look, someone likes to keep things clean," Wang Qiang said mockingly. "But no matter how much you wipe it down, you can't erase the fact that your parents don't want you."
"What did you say?" Lin Xu shot up her head, anger flashing in her eyes for a brief moment before it faded away. She knew arguing with them was pointless; it would only make things worse for herself.
During lunch break, students gathered in groups heading to the cafeteria filled with laughter and chatter. Lin Xu sat alone in a corner of the classroom and opened her slightly chipped lunchbox.
The meal hastily prepared by her mother that morning had gone cold—some potato pieces and wilted greens lay forlornly inside, giving off a faint greasy smell. She picked up her chopsticks and ate slowly while stealing glances at the classroom door, her eyes filled with loneliness.
In the hallway, Ye Feng from the next class walked by laughing with his friends. He wore black-rimmed glasses and had neatly styled short hair; his face always bore a confident smile that shone like sunlight. Lin Xu felt her heart race involuntarily as she stared at Ye Feng's retreating figure until he disappeared around the corner.
"He’s so wonderful..." Lin Xu thought quietly to herself with envy in her voice. "If only I could talk to him, even just to say 'hello.'"
Her gaze fell back on her lunchbox; she forced a bitter smile and continued eating.
The library after school was Lin Xu's favorite place—a refuge where she could escape reality. It was quiet and warm, filled with the scent of books. She pulled out her favorite coming-of-age novel from the shelf and found a cozy corner to sit in; sunlight streamed through the window onto her, warming her skin.
As she turned the pages of the book, all her worries seemed to fade away temporarily; only the world within its pages remained.
Lin Xu immersed herself in the story—smiling at times and furrowing her brow at others—as if she had become one of its characters. "If only I could write such stories too," she mused wistfully, "to weave my joys, my sorrows, my dreams into tales."
Lin Xu opened the slightly worn notebook and began to write her thoughts. As she wrote, a faint smile crept onto her lips, a reflection of genuine happiness.
The next day in Language Arts class, the teacher held a stack of essays for review, and the students sat up straight, listening attentively.
"This time, Lin Xu from our class did quite well on her essay," the teacher said in a neutral tone, devoid of any emotional inflection. "Let me read it to you..."
Lin Xu's heart raced, tightening in her throat as she clenched her fists, her palms sweaty. She stole a glance at the door, hoping to catch a glimpse of Ye Feng, even if it was just his silhouette. But as the bell rang for class to end, that figure never appeared, leaving Lin Xu filled with disappointment.
"Lin Xu, do you like Ye Feng?" He Miao suddenly leaned in close after school, a sly smile on her face and mischief dancing in her eyes. "I saw you sneaking glances at him during class. But I advise you not to dream too much; someone like you doesn't deserve to like him. He's one of the top ten students in our grade. And you? Have you looked at your own grades? What do you have to compare with him? It's like a toad wanting to eat swan meat!"
Lin Xu's face flushed bright red, resembling a ripe apple. She hurriedly packed her bag, keeping her head down and unable to utter a word, desperate to escape the situation.
"He Miao, don't say that; we're all classmates..." Li Xiaodong chimed in insincerely, though the mockery on his face was even more evident.
"Hmph, I'm just speaking the truth," He Miao scoffed dismissively. "Some people just lack self-awareness."
Unable to endure it any longer, Lin Xu suddenly stood up, grabbed her bag, and rushed out of the classroom, laughter trailing behind her. In the hallway, she collided with Ye Feng and a group of classmates who were chatting and laughing about a difficult math problem, completely oblivious to the flustered Lin Xu lurking in the corner.
"How ridiculous..." Lin Xu stood by the empty hallway window, gazing at the playground bathed in sunset light. Tears streamed down her cheeks like pearls slipping from a broken string, soaking her school uniform. "How could someone like me ever deserve to like him... How could I ever hope for a beautiful love... How could I ever have a happy family..."
She pulled out the notebook filled with her innermost thoughts and flipped to a new page. Tears fell onto the paper, blurring the words she had just written into an indistinct mess. "No... I can't go on like this. I can't keep wallowing in self-pity; I can't keep sinking into despair." Wiping her tears away, Lin Xu tightened her grip on the pen, determination flashing in her eyes. "I must... I must change myself! I will make them see me differently!"
Suddenly, a noise from the end of the hallway broke the momentary silence. Lin Xu looked up and saw a familiar figure entering the supply room.
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