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墨書 Inktalez
During class, I kept glaring at A Fei, who understood why I was staring at him and deliberately avoided looking at me. The more he did this, the angrier I became. Xia Ying saw me like this and laughed until her stomach hurt. Isn't this just blatant schadenfreude? But she has always been such a terrible girl, always mocking others when they are happy. Sigh! Having a deskmate like this is truly an unfortunate event in life.
During the noon training session, we practiced shooting and breaking through. Shuai Dong didn't show up; this was already the third time he had skipped class this month. I wonder what excuse he has this time. We were divided into teams for a free match. A Fei chose to be on the same team as Zhongqi Senior, while I teamed up with Wu Zhi Kai. This class felt like it passed by quickly. When A Fei and I returned from basketball practice and walked onto the playground, we saw a person about 1.8 meters tall standing in the center of the field, followed by three or four seniors—it's Situ Jianfei! What are they doing here? Are they waiting for us? I felt that their intentions were not good and silently repeated to myself: they are not looking for us, they are not looking for us... A Fei and I walked past with our heads down. "Hey, you two students, stop!" Situ Jianfei called out; they really were looking for us! I had a bad feeling. "Don't be nervous; I'm not here to bully you or cause trouble. I'm here as a senior to give you some advice," Situ Jianfei said as he slowly approached us and whispered, "Dating is wrong, so don't get involved in any romantic relationships that affect your studies. Stay away from Sha Xiaomei. If I see you getting too close to her again, I'll have to educate you on behalf of your parents." He turned around and said, "Let's go!" and left the playground. A Fei and I stood there in shock for five minutes before coming back to our senses: was that a warning? The answer was definitely yes.
Back in the classroom, I pondered Situ Jianfei's words while feeling conflicted: Sha Xiaomei, should I give up on you? I feel like you're not really into me. Looking back at A Fei, he seemed completely relaxed, showing no signs of conflict, as if nothing had happened at all. This guy is always so carefree. Just then, Shuai Dong walked over with a grin and said, "Hey! What's up? Are you lovesick?" "Get lost!" I wasn't in the mood to joke with him at that moment. Seeing that I was annoyed, Shuai Dong dropped the teasing: "I heard Sha Xiaomei's birthday is coming up..." "When?!" I stood up and asked excitedly. "This Sunday!" A Fei came over and asked, "How do you know?!" I was surprised. "This morning Sha Xiaomei told me about it, and she invited a few classmates to her house for a birthday party and invited me too. Do you want to come along?" A Fei casually replied. "What?! She invited you?! I... I..." I jumped up in excitement. "Calm down! It doesn't matter who goes; just pick out a gift to bring along! You might impress Sha Xiaomei; this is a great opportunity that you can't miss." Shuai Dong quickly tried to calm me down. "Alright! Who's afraid of who? Let's see who can win over Sha Xiaomei!" My blood was pumping; Situ Jianfei's words had already been thrown out of my mind.
Sha Xiaomei's birthday arrived as scheduled on Sunday evening. A Fei and I headed to her house with my carefully chosen gift: a pink watch that cost me over two hundred yuan. Why a watch? Because I noticed her wrist looked bare, and every time she checks the time after wearing it, she'll think of me. Plus, it's currently the best gift within my budget—heh heh! I wrote my thoughts on a card and placed it inside the gift box so that Sha Xiaomei would see it when she opened her present. A Fei had a gift box too but wouldn't tell me what it was; he was being quite mysterious—hmph! It must not be better than mine.
When we arrived at Sha Xiaomei's door, "Unit 01, Qingling District B should be it," we rang the doorbell. "Cheng Fei! You're here! Oh? Xiang, you're here to celebrate my birthday too—thank you!" Wow! Sha Xiaomei looked like a princess dressed up like this; she reminded me of a Barbie doll—so beautiful... I was mesmerized. Usually, we wear those ugly school uniforms; seeing her in casual clothes... Sha Xiaomei, you are the princess of my heart! "Yeah, happy birthday!" A Fei and I handed her our gifts. "Thank you! Hehe, don't just stand outside; come in quickly!" Sha Xiaomei pulled us inside. It turns out she has such a lively side outside of school; it's hard to imagine that the serious girl who makes people hesitant to approach her is the same person standing before me.
Once inside, we found seven or eight classmates already there laughing loudly; the living room was messy—it was clear they had already partied hard before we arrived. There were gift boxes, snacks, and a birthday cake on the table. Looking at the noisy crowd made me freeze for a moment when suddenly... "Situ Jianfei!" I stammered nervously upon seeing him—what bad luck! Situ Jianfei really is hard to shake off. "Hello," he said with an awkward smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Jianfei! So you guys know each other!" Sha Xiaomei exclaimed happily without knowing what was going on between us. "Cheng Fei, let me show you my sketches," she said while grabbing A Fei's hand and leading him away into another room. "Sure!" I responded but felt frustrated—she actually held A Fei's hand! But when I glanced at Situ Jianfei's expression—it looked terrifying.
On Monday morning when school started, as soon as I sat down Xia Ying hurriedly asked me: “Big Casanova, did you go celebrate Sha Xiaomei’s birthday yesterday?” “How do you know? Why are you being so nosy?” I replied grumpily since she always bothered me when I was in a bad mood. “Come on! Is this even confidential?” Xia Ying ignored me after that. After second period ended, I waited for Sha Xiaomei outside her classroom door. “Sha Xiaomei!” When she came out, I called out to her. “Huh? Xiang? What’s up?” Sha Xiaomei looked confused. “About that note on top of the gift box…” Suddenly her gaze flickered: “Xiang Jie, let’s just be friends…” “Okay then; no need to explain further—I understand.” My heart shattered as soon as those words left her mouth; it felt like hearing my heart break into pieces.
I had let Jianfei convey my feelings for you because he knows you well… What? He didn’t tell you? “What?! What do you mean?” “What’s wrong? Aren’t you two close?” “Oh nothing; we’re pretty close—I’ll take my leave now.” With forced laughter plastered on my face, I turned around and walked away—this is bad; Situ Jianfei knows about my confession to Sha Xiaomei—what should I do?
At noon Shuai Dong skipped training again; after finishing our practice A Fei and I walked past the playground when we saw Situ Jianfei rushing towards us with four second-year students beside him. He quickly approached us and shouted angrily: “Damn it! Are you treating my words like trash?” He punched me squarely in the face—I fell immediately to the ground stunned by his attack! “What are you doing?! Why are you hitting me?” A Fei yelled at Situ Jianfei angrily next to me while also getting punched by him right after: “And you!” “Sha Xiaomei is mine! No one else can have any ideas about her—got it?” Situ Jianfei shouted at us fiercely.
“Do you really think she would like you?” A Fei slowly got back up while clutching his stomach in pain from being hit earlier: “What does it matter to you?” Then he kicked A Fei again right in his gut sending him flying back by a meter: “I’m telling you—even if I can’t have her no one else will!” Situ Jianfei glared menacingly at us: “I like Sha Xiaomei—so what?” A Fei held his stomach trying to stand again while laughing coldly: “Very good!” He raised his fist again ready to strike A Fei once more when suddenly something clicked in my mind—I realized what was happening: What am I doing?! He’s hitting my brother while I'm acting cowardly instead of standing up for him!
After all this time it's because of my confession that Situ Jianfei is targeting me—but now my brother is taking hits for me! “Damn it!” I stood up charging straight towards Situ Jianfei throwing one punch after another while A Fei joined in saying: “Ah! Let’s fight!” Once again my brother and I stood side by side ready for battle—but this time not on the court but rather reliving ten years ago when we fought against those older kids who bullied us together.
The others rushed forward causing chaos all around us as Situ Jianfei got back up shouting angrily: “Damn it! You dare hit me!” Frustrated he pulled out his baton rushing towards us while we were outnumbered—we were already being beaten down by those guys rolling around on the ground when Situ Jianfei yelled: “Get out of my way!” The crowd parted allowing him through as he raised his baton ready to strike down upon us when suddenly Teacher Zhang shouted from afar: “What are you doing?!”
“Consider yourselves lucky today—we’re leaving.” With that he put away his baton turning around running off while Teacher Zhang rushed over asking: “Huh? Xiang Jie? Yu Chengfei? What happened?” “Teacher Zhang—it’s nothing…” A Fei and I struggled to stand back up while saying weakly: “Quickly follow me to the infirmary!” He helped us walk towards there where we ran into Shuai Dong and Pang Hao halfway through: “What happened to both of you?”
“You two showed up just in time—help support them,” Teacher Zhang instructed once we reached the infirmary where our wounds were treated with medicine before getting hooked up to IVs: “You two stay here with them—I’ll notify administration.”
“Yes!” Once everyone else left only the four of us remained as Shuai Dong hurriedly asked: “What exactly happened? Who hit you?” After explaining everything that transpired Pang Hao jumped up saying: “They’re too arrogant!”
“We should tell the principal so they can teach them a lesson!” Shuai Dong added angrily but then A Fei interjected saying: “Forget it…”
“Why not?” both Shuai Dong and Pang Hao exclaimed simultaneously: “People like them have been acting this way for ages—and besides—I don’t want things escalating further.”
While they continued discussing matters Teacher Zhang returned with someone from Disciplinary Affairs Department Director saying: “Who did this? This is unacceptable behavior—the school shouldn’t have students behaving like this!”
As soon as Disciplinary Affairs Department Director entered he began asking questions about what happened but we replied honestly saying we didn’t see clearly who attacked first: “Do any of you know which class they belong to?”
“No idea…”
“Sigh…that makes things difficult,” Teacher Zhang sighed before suggesting: “The facilities here aren’t very good—let’s head over to hospital for thorough check-ups.”
After simple treatment for bruises at hospital Shuai Dong and Pang Hao helped us return back into classroom where classmates gathered around asking questions about what happened: “What’s going on with both of you?”
“How did this happen? Did someone fight with you?”
Classmates bombarded us with questions until finally exasperatedly saying: “Alright alright! Everyone stop asking—it’s just an ordinary fight between students—it’s nothing unusual.” As soon as settled back down into seat Xia Ying followed closely behind asking nervously again: “Who hit you guys anyway? Why’d they go so hard on you?”
“It was just an ordinary fight between classmates!” Feeling impatient now glancing over casually noticed tears shimmering in Xia Ying’s eyes making me ask cautiously: “What’s wrong…”
“It hurts doesn’t it…” she choked slightly replying softly yet firmly denying any pain whatsoever saying: “Nope—not painful—not even slightly.” At that moment seeing how gentle yet pained her expression appeared made something stir within me…
In afternoon after school ended A Fei rode alongside pushing bicycles home both keeping our heads lowered until finally breaking silence saying first: “A Fei…”
“Yeah? What’s up?”
“Sha Xiaomei…maybe she really isn’t suitable for me,” stopping bike placing hand firmly upon his shoulder saying earnestly now adding further details regarding how important treating her well truly mattered since she genuinely deserves kindness—and also…she likes YOU.”
A Fei paused momentarily taken aback before continuing onward pushing bicycle forward quietly until suddenly turning around embracing tightly causing bike crash loudly against ground beneath feet echoing throughout surroundings declaring proudly now stating simply yet powerfully resonating through air surrounding both brothers united once more together fighting side-by-side against whatever challenges lay ahead…
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