Returning to school involved several major tasks: distributing new books, electing class officers, and arranging seats.
Despite Teacher Li’s shy demeanor, he was swift and decisive in his actions. When it came to electing class officers, he noted that since everyone was still getting to know each other, he would appoint a few representatives for the time being. Once the midterm arrived and everyone was better acquainted, they would hold a proper anonymous vote.
No one objected. In truth, now that they were in high school, the students’ enthusiasm for being a class officer had waned. It was a drain on time and energy, and at sixteen or seventeen, most were in a phase where they didn't want to stand out. It wasn't like primary school, where everyone treated the teacher's words like imperial edicts and desperately wanted to be the teacher’s "little helper."
Back in primary school, Tan Junzi had been a total "power-seeker." In the first and second grades, she was a squad leader, and wearing that single-stripe badge on her arm made her feel incredibly majestic. Later, when the "commoner" Chang Ying was elected as the sports representative and donned a double-stripe badge, Tan Junzi fell into a long slump. What annoyed her even more was that the "double-striped" Chang Ying was scatterbrained; he often forgot to wear the badge that symbolized his status, showing he didn't care about the position at all. Seeing him acting so nonchalant every day made her want to kick him.
The class monitor position was still held by Ji Fan, who had transitioned up from the previous junior high class. Tan Junzi was no longer the discipline representative; instead, she was assigned the role of Life Affairs Representative. Qin Ruanshu was temporarily appointed as the Academic Representative. Once the roles were settled, the seating arrangement began. Teacher Li asked everyone to step out of the classroom and enter one by one to be assigned a spot. Of course, they could make requests—for instance, if someone was nearsighted, they could sit closer to the blackboard, or if they were struggling with math, they could ask to sit next to a top math student.
The desks were arranged in pairs, and every two weeks, the rows would shift to the right. This meant that the students in the rows to one's left and right would eventually take turns being one's desk-mate.
Naturally, everyone wanted to sit with people they knew, but Teacher Li’s principle for seating was to keep girls with girls and boys with boys as much as possible. After all, this was high school; teenage hormones were stirring, and desk-mates were the most likely candidates for "stories" to develop. He wanted to prevent "puppy love" at all costs. However, since the number of boys and girls in Class 1 wasn't even, some mixed-gender pairings were inevitable.
They lined up outside the classroom according to their student ID numbers. Tan Junzi’s surname started with 'T', which was toward the end of the alphabet, so her number was also near the back. By the time it was her turn, only a few empty seats remained. Teacher Li looked at her height—she wasn't short for a girl—and gave a broad wave of his hand. "You sit there."
Tan Junzi looked over. Second to last row. To her left was Qin Ruanshu, to her right was Chang Ying, and behind her was Qin Ke. To Qin Ke’s right was Zhang Da, and to his left was Luo Zihan... Good grief. For some reason, it felt like a Pizza Hut "Land, Sea, and Air" Super Supreme pizza—a deluxe, headache-inducing lineup.
If it weren't for Qin Ruanshu being on her left, Tan Junzi would have nearly blacked out. However, she was relieved not to be sitting next to Jiang Chenchen anymore. She had been his desk-mate for all three years of junior high, and the guy had a habit of picking his nose... and not just that, he liked to flick what he found.
Chang Ying was currently propping his chin on one hand and spinning a pen with the other, looking at her from the doorway with a beaming smile.
Tan Junzi carried her bag over and sat down. Chang Ying pushed a bun toward her. "Want a bite?"
Tan Junzi waved him off. "Wait, something’s not right. Why aren't you in the back row?" Chang Ying, Luo Zihan, and Zhang Da were usually permanent fixtures of the very last row. The back row was where the "charm" of a class resided—it was the place for talking back to teachers, eating snacks, making weird noises, reading novels, and playing on phones. But because the boys in Class 1 actually had decent grades, the teachers usually couldn't do much about them.
Chang Ying didn't actually hang out with Zhang Da and the others that much, but he did enjoy sleeping in the back row. Throughout junior high, he always looked like he hadn't woken up yet, only showing true spirit on the basketball court. Yet, his grades always stayed in the upper-middle tier, which was infuriating.
Chang Ying took a bite of the bun, looking perfectly composed. "Guess?" He then showed her the filling. "Red bean paste. Sure you don't want any?"
When it had been his turn to be seated, he had put on the act of a model student and earnestly told Teacher Li, "Teacher, I'm nearsighted. I can't sit in the back row."
Teacher Li had actually fallen for his nonsense.
***
When school let out, Tan Junzi ran into the short-haired Yuan Guo at the school gate. Yuan Guo was wearing an oversized school uniform that already had a few ballpoint pen marks on it. Her backpack was slung over one arm, and she was blowing bubbles with gum while waiting for someone. She had ditched the "soft girl" style for a "delinquent" look.
She had also gotten into No. 1 High School, though she wasn't in the honors class.
"Where's your hair?" Tan Junzi pointed at Yuan Guo’s short locks. In the sunlight, they had a subtle green tint—the kind of hair color that was just barely subtle enough to avoid a teacher's notice. It looked perfectly normal under fluorescent lights, but natural light gave it away instantly.
Yuan Guo successfully popped a bubble, pulled the gum back into her mouth, and continued chewing. "Are you stupid? The one before was a wig."
"Oh." Tan Junzi nodded. Seeing the way Yuan Guo chewed gum, she looked exactly like Qin Ke. Then she asked, "Are you waiting for Liu Kan?"
Yuan Guo froze for a second. "Who's Liu Kan?"
Tan Junzi’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Yuan Guo immediately laughed. "Just kidding." She explained, "We broke up. I dumped him. He was too clingy, got a bit annoying. The novelty wore off." She spoke casually, as if it were a trivial matter.
Tan Junzi took a moment to process this. She felt strange—not because she thought poorly of Yuan Guo; on the contrary, she had always liked girls like her who were straightforward, lived in the moment, and were free-spirited without any pretense.
But Liu Kan was one of Chang Ying’s close friends and was also familiar with Tan Junzi. Hearing Yuan Guo speak like this, Tan Junzi didn't know how to respond, so she just gave a muffled "Oh."
Seeing her reaction, Yuan Guo poked Tan Junzi’s cheek. "The first time I saw you, I thought you were really arrogant. Now I think you're just a bit slow. What? Are you upset that we broke up?"
"Not really." Tan Junzi shook her head. Just as she was about to say something else, Yuan Guo jumped up and waved toward the teaching building. She then scurried like a squirrel toward a boy Tan Junzi didn't recognize—likely an upperclassman. Yuan Guo turned back and waved at Tan Junzi. "My boyfriend’s here! I’m heading out, bye-bye!"
***
Chang Ying also found out about the breakup from Liu Kan. He had gone to Liu Kan’s classroom to find him so they could head to the basketball court, but Liu Kan had uncharacteristically refused. Seeing Liu Kan’s sour face and awkward behavior, Chang Ying slapped the back of his head. "What's wrong?"
To his surprise, Liu Kan had a massive reaction. Clutching the back of his head, he crouched down right there in the hallway. "I just fucking got dumped! Can you stop hitting me?!"
Chang Ying looked at his hand, somewhat shocked. Calling it "hitting" seemed like an exaggeration; it was just a light pat. Seeing Liu Kan still crouching there, Chang Ying grabbed him by the collar of his uniform and hauled him up. Liu Kan was a guy over 180 centimeters tall, yet at this moment, he looked utterly miserable, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. The younger students in the hallway avoided them, casting pointed looks at Chang Ying as if he were some kind of school bully.
Not wanting Liu Kan to continue embarrassing himself in the hallway, Chang Ying dragged him to the sports field. The two of them sat down under a basketball hoop. In the distance, a few boys were playing. Since school had just started, the field was mostly empty.
"Shit, are you actually crying?" Chang Ying was incredulous, unable to stop himself from swearing.
Liu Kan’s eyes were red, and his face was slightly chapped from the wind. He sat there in silence for a long time, staring at the half-torn net swaying in the breeze. After a while, he sighed. "When is the school going to fix these hoops? Look, this one is crooked." He pointed at the hoop above them.
Chang Ying ignored that and asked directly, "You broke up?"
Liu Kan turned his head gloomily, his eyes reddening again. "I just fucking got my emotions under control."
Chang Ying said nothing, waiting for him to continue.
"Tell me, how can a girl be so fickle? She was the one who pursued me in the first place. Once we were together, when she wanted to talk to me, she’d call eight times a day or cling to me from morning till night. When she didn't want to talk to me, she’d disappear for two days without a word... And then she was the one who brought up the breakup. Her reason was actually that she thought I didn't know how to blow bubbles with gum...! That reason is so fucking half-assed! She didn't even try to come up with a good lie!"
When Liu Kan reached the peak of his crying, he buried his head in his knees, his voice muffled.
Once Liu Kan finished his rant, Chang Ying didn't know what to say. The two sixteen-year-old boys sat slumped on the field.
After a moment’s thought, Chang Ying patted Liu Kan on the shoulder.
Liu Kan stared at the crooked hoop, tears streaming down his face in the wind. Suddenly, another fresh wave of tears fell. "Shit, thinking about it now, I was cheated out of my body and my heart... It’s so fucking sad..."
At this, Liu Kan turned to look at Chang Ying, speaking one word at a time: "Seriously, when it comes to feelings, you need to be prepared. Protect yourself. Whoever takes it seriously first is doomed."
Looking at Liu Kan’s solemn yet ridiculous face, Chang Ying slowly uttered a single word: "Scram."
Liu Kan shook his head and added, "Sigh, what am I worrying about? Sister Tan will cherish you. I can see she’s wrapped around your finger; she’s so good to you, she definitely won't hurt you. Childhood sweethearts are the best."
Chang Ying corrected him, "You’ve got it backward. I’m the one wrapped around her finger." He remembered the day at the supermarket when Tan Junzi had stubbornly refused to hold his waist again. It was only after he played a little trick that they returned to their usual dynamic. Thinking of this, he felt a faint pang of melancholy. Tan Junzi was the type of person who would take one step forward and then three steps back. He had a long road ahead of him.
Just then, a boy they knew walked by and greeted them. "Chang Ying, Liu Kan! Hey, Brother Kan, what’s wrong...?"
Chang Ying pointed at the hoop. "The hoop is crooked. He’s devastated."
The boy blinked. "I didn't realize Brother Kan was so sentimental. See ya, bye."
As the boy walked away, Liu Kan’s emotions flared up again. He wailed, "...But I still like her so much! Waaaaah!"
***
For students, it was a toss-up as to which was more painful: military training or extra classes.
The boys and girls were assigned to their respective dorms. Tan Junzi and the others were in a large open room with bunk beds. There were over twenty bunks in one room, with girls from several different classes packed together. Yuan Guo was there too.
The instructor in charge of the Class 1 girls was Instructor Liu, a young man in his early twenties. He had only been in the service for a few years before being sent to lead military training. Standing in the girls' dorm under the gaze of so many students, he was a bit nervous as he taught them how to fold "tofu blocks," struggling to maintain his authority.
Afterward, he gave them ten minutes to tidy their quarters before they had to assemble on the field. Instructor Liu repeatedly emphasized that they must assemble immediately when the whistle blew—they had to be on the field within three whistles.
Tidying up meant making the beds, stowing luggage, folding the quilts into the "tofu blocks" they had just been taught, and putting on their military uniforms.
Everyone was also issued a small folding stool and a water canteen, which they had to bring down for the assembly.
Tan Junzi already knew how to fold tofu blocks from home. She quickly finished her own and ran over to help the other girls. Yuan Guo was currently sitting cross-legged on a bottom bunk, watching Tan Junzi help her. She smiled and said, "From this angle, you look so much like a perfect housewife~"
Tan Junzi rolled her eyes and nudged Yuan Guo off the bed. "Go, go, go. The sheets need to be flattened too. Stop sitting there and get your shoes on."
Qin Ruanshu had also met Yuan Guo, but her first impression wasn't great. She felt she might be being petty, but the reason for her dislike was the feeling that Yuan Guo might steal Tan Junzi away. Thus, Qin Ruanshu stood there with her arms crossed. "You have the nerve to sit there while letting someone else fold for you. Hmph."
Yuan Guo shot back, "Yours was folded by Junzi too, you have no room to talk." Despite her words, Yuan Guo obediently hopped off the bed and began putting on her uniform and training shoes. Qin Ruanshu’s focus was entirely on the fact that she had called her "Junzi"! How annoying! Why were they so close?!
Tan Junzi finished folding and stood up, looking at the two of them glaring at each other. "Did you guys put on sunscreen?" They hadn't.
Qin Ruanshu went to find her sunscreen while Yuan Guo crouched down to tie her laces. Just then, the whistle blew. It was time to assemble downstairs. The girls grabbed their stools and canteens and sprinted for the door. In an instant, only the three of them were left in the room.
Qin Ruanshu had only applied half her sunscreen, and Yuan Guo couldn't get her belt buckled no matter how hard she tried. Tan Junzi crouched down to help Yuan Guo fiddle with the belt, so frustrated she almost wanted to use her teeth. After a while, she realized the buckle was broken. Tan Junzi snatched up all three folding stools and said to Yuan Guo, "Hold your belt with your hand. I'll carry your stool. Let's get downstairs, fast!"
She then turned to Qin Ruanshu. "Put the sunscreen in your pocket, stop applying it! Hurry, hurry!"
The three girls sprinted downstairs. By now, the entire grade was already lined up in front of the dorm building, and the instructors were giving their opening speeches. Four or five hundred students watched as these three girls arrived: one carrying three stools, one with a crooked hat and uneven sunscreen on her face, and one literally holding up her pants by the waistband.
Instructor Liu said sternly, "You three, go stand over there on the side!"
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
班委 | Class Committee / Class Officers | Student representatives in a class.
生活委员 | Life Affairs Representative | A student officer responsible for general welfare, hygiene, and logistics.
学习委员 | Academic Representative | A student officer responsible for academic matters and coordinating with teachers.
一道杠 / 两道杠 | Single stripe / Double stripe | Badges worn by student leaders in Chinese schools to denote rank (e.g., squad leader vs. committee member).
豆腐块儿 | Tofu blocks | Military-style folded quilts that are perfectly rectangular and sharp-edged.
小马扎儿 | Small folding stool | A portable, collapsible stool often used during military training or outdoor events.
早恋 | Puppy love / Early love | A common term in China for romantic relationships between students.
作训鞋 | Training shoes | Standard-issue athletic shoes for military training.
