Pei Cangyu skipped school for the entire day. When he returned home, Pei Yueshan and his grandmother held a solemn meeting to discuss his education. They sat around the dining table, listening to his grandmother’s earnest, painstaking lecture while they ate. Pei Cangyu glanced at Pei Yueshan; the man was smoking one cigarette after another, appearing to listen quite intently.
Pei Cangyu found it bizarre. He couldn't tell if the man was truly ignorant or just playing dumb—did he really not know why Pei Cangyu’s grades were slipping?
But Pei Cangyu said nothing. He didn't mention Pei Yueshan’s injury, nor did he respond when his grandmother remarked that they had both grown thin lately or that Pei Yueshan was working too hard. He didn't say a single word.
He slept fitfully, enduring another night of trembling anxiety.
The next morning, when it was time for school, his grandmother was already waiting at the door. She said she would walk him there today. Pei Cangyu understood; it wasn't so much "walking him there" as it was ensuring he actually stepped through the school gates.
So, Pei Cangyu left the house with her.
His grandmother was in high spirits, greeting neighbors as they passed. One was heading out to exercise, another was returning from walking their bird, someone’s child was getting married—the chatter was lively and bustling. Neighbors she hadn't seen in a long time stopped to congratulate her on her son’s return, saying the family was finally whole again.
His grandmother’s face glowed with a rosy hue; she had never looked better.
Pei Cangyu walked silently beside her.
All along the way, she spoke to him about how full of hope life was—new jobs, a new life, new beginnings. Pei Cangyu couldn't process a single word.
At the school gates, his grandmother pinched his cheek. "You’ve been so listless lately. Are you in love?"
Pei Cangyu almost managed a bitter smile before shaking his head. "No."
She touched his head worriedly. "If something is bothering you, tell me. There’s nothing you can’t say." As Pei Cangyu looked up at her, she added, "Or talk to your father. Men understand each other better..."
Pei Cangyu yanked his backpack strap. "I’m going."
"Hey..." She couldn't call him back.
When Pei Cangyu entered the classroom, he noticed the atmosphere was off. Tomorrow was the "Long-Distance March." The entire third-year class was supposed to spend the morning walking from this campus to the new campus in the suburbs, hold a spirited assembly there, and then take a bus back. The whole event was designed to build their willpower.
Normally, on the eve of such a major event, the class should have been buzzing with excitement, but today it was exceptionally quiet.
Pei Cangyu walked to his seat and instinctively looked toward his former friends. They had all found new social circles now, maintaining a delicate balance of avoiding eye contact and remaining silent.
Apple was already on good terms with the people around him, and most of them stayed together now. Monkey was the same; as a class officer, he had his own circle, maintaining good relationships with the subject representatives and other student leaders. Airplane went without saying; he was a social butterfly, and finding new friends was never an issue. But the strange thing was that while they had expanded their circles, they hadn't formed a new clique that excluded Pei Cangyu. Perhaps out of respect for their former group, they had simply disbanded completely, as if thinking, *Since we’re done, let’s be done for good; let’s not make it look like anyone was kicked out.* As for Pi Gou...
Where was Pi Gou?
The homeroom teacher entered with his books tucked under his arm. His expression was grim, and his pace was hurried.
He tapped the lectern, did a quick head count, and said in a low voice, "It’s like this: Student Liu Yaosheng’s parents were in a car accident yesterday, so she will be on leave for a while. I think if any of you have time today, you should go see if she needs anything. Students should help one another..." He let out a heavy sigh. "To have this happen at such a critical time..."
Many students seemed to have heard the news already; they remained silent.
"Oh, one more thing," the teacher said, setting his books down. "Student Pi Dongzheng has transferred schools. It was quite sudden, so there wasn't time to organize a farewell. Those of you who were close to him can meet up privately, but there won't be a public send-off."
Pei Cangyu sat bolt upright. He looked toward Apple and the others; judging by their startled reactions, they hadn't known about Pi Gou’s transfer either.
After announcing these two pieces of news, the teacher tapped the desk to signal the start of morning reading and began patrolling the aisles with his hands behind his back.
While Pei Cangyu was still in a daze, Bai Shi and Lu Mingban arrived at the back door together. They parted ways there, and Bai Shi walked in through the rear entrance. He looked to be in a good mood, even somewhat jubilant.
He sat down next to Pei Cangyu and looked at his pale face with feigned concern. "What’s wrong?"
Pei Cangyu shook his head, then asked, "Do you know about Liu Yaosheng?"
Bai Shi didn't answer. Pei Cangyu continued, "Do you want to go with me after school tonight?"
Bai Shi thought for a moment and nodded.
Most of the students went in groups during the long break, as the hospital wasn't far, but Pei Cangyu didn't want to join the crowd. He waited until school was dismissed for the evening before heading over with Bai Shi.
When they arrived, Liu Yaosheng was at the water dispenser. She stood there as the water overflowed the cup and spilled onto her hand, yet she remained motionless, staring blankly at a corner of the floor.
Seeing this, Pei Cangyu hurried forward, took the cup from her hand, and turned off the tap.
Liu Yaosheng blinked and turned to look at him. Only then did Pei Cangyu realize how haggard she looked. Her eyes were ringed with dark circles; she had clearly been crying a great deal.
Pei Cangyu held the cup and asked, "Do you want to take a walk?"
Liu Yaosheng shook her head. She could no longer maintain her usual composed facade. Her hair was messy, but she seemingly had no time to fix it. "Thank you," she said, taking the cup back and slowly turning toward a nearby bench to rest.
When Pei Cangyu’s hand brushed hers, it felt like touching a lifeless jellyfish—cold, bruised, and devoid of spirit.
Pei Cangyu followed her, and Bai Shi trailed behind.
Liu Yaosheng sat on the bench. Pei Cangyu sat beside her, but as soon as Bai Shi approached, Liu Yaosheng looked up and her face instantly filled with tension. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped her cup.
Pei Cangyu was confused. "What is it?"
Bai Shi sat down. "The car that hit Student Liu’s parents belongs to my brother."
"Your brother?" Pei Cangyu remembered the man he had met once. "Bai... Jiang?"
"No, Bai Yinhua."
Liu Yaosheng pursed her lips, clearly not wanting to see Bai Shi.
Bai Shi sighed. "I’m sorry, Student Liu. My brother is like that; he’s lived a reckless life since he was a child. He’s caused such a disaster this time, and it just so happened that both your parents were in the car. But don't worry, the compensation will be handled properly."
Liu Yaosheng kept her head down, one hand clenched into a fist, the other tightening around her cup.
"How are they doing now?" Bai Shi leaned in and asked. "I heard they haven't woken up yet?"
Liu Yaosheng didn't speak. Pei Cangyu grabbed Bai Shi. "Hey, come to the bathroom with me."
Bai Shi was startled. "Together?"
Pei Cangyu ignored him and hauled him up, dragging him toward the restrooms.
As he was being pulled along, Bai Shi said mildly, "But I don't need to go."
"I do." Pei Cangyu kept walking.
"Alright."
At the restroom entrance, Bai Shi stopped. "I can come with you, but I’m not going in." He looked inside with visible disgust.
Pei Cangyu let go of him and walked in alone.
Bai Shi stood at the door, gazing from a distance at the dejected Liu Yaosheng.
A moment later, Pei Cangyu emerged. He had washed his hands and was drying them with a paper towel, frowning as he lectured Bai Shi. "I’m telling you, no matter how poorly you speak, you have to consider the occasion. How could you say things like that..."
Bai Shi nodded, appearing to listen intently.
Pei Cangyu continued, "And..."
His phone rang.
Pei Cangyu glanced at Bai Shi again. "Stay here and wait for me. Don't go bothering her."
Bai Shi nodded, and only then did Pei Cangyu walk off to a side to take the call.
But as soon as Pei Cangyu was out of range, Bai Shi strode toward Liu Yaosheng.
Seeing him approach, Liu Yaosheng turned her face away, wanting to ignore him. But to her surprise, Bai Shi didn't sit down. Instead, he walked up to her, crouched down, pressed his hand onto her knee, and smiled at her.
Liu Yaosheng was startled.
Bai Shi asked with a smile, "How does it feel?"
Liu Yaosheng recoiled in disgust. "How does what feel?"
"Experiencing tribulation." Bai Shi’s expression was almost innocent.
Liu Yaosheng froze.
"See? Isn't this exactly the 'hero’s setback' plot you love so much?" Bai Shi looked genuinely delighted. "Didn't you say that great people grow through adversity? Then grow. Show me how you grow."
Liu Yaosheng stared at Bai Shi, looking as though she had been struck by lightning.
"What can you even do? What can you do if they don't wake up? The Bai family can handle it; they’ll pay you off, and that’ll be that. The Bai family is very good at that. Did you think you could actually do something?" Bai Shi stroked her knee. "Come on, be a hero for me. Let me see how you plan to endure humiliation and carry your burden. Let me hear you say those pretty words again—how 'suffering is just a phase.'"
Bai Shi’s eyes shone with an unnatural excitement. "And then, say it one more time: how a person can have nothing but still possess their spirit. Hurry, let me see your spirit!"
Liu Yaosheng thought he had gone mad. She tried to pull back, but Bai Shi gripped her knee tightly. "What do you think you are? When your parents were fine and you had no worries, your grades were just mediocre. Now that you have to take care of them, you think you’ll get better? Do you know what the scariest part is? It’s not them dying; it’s them dragging you down until you’re dead too... Do you know what it means to be 'dragged down'?"
Liu Yaosheng slammed her water cup against Bai Shi’s head with a *thud* and screamed at the top of her lungs, "GET OUT!!"
Bai Shi took the hit, a lump forming on his head, but he continued to stare at Liu Yaosheng with piercing eyes. "I have high expectations for you. Let me see your strength. Although I don't believe you have anything remarkable in you, you’re welcome to try and take your revenge..."
People nearby began to look over. Pei Cangyu rushed back and pulled Bai Shi away. "What are you doing?"
Bai Shi stood up and shrugged, saying nothing.
Pei Cangyu looked at the shards of the water cup on the floor and said to Bai Shi, "Go buy a new cup."
Bai Shi nodded and turned to leave.
Pei Cangyu sat beside Liu Yaosheng. She looked terrified. Listening to the sound of Bai Shi’s retreating footsteps, she suddenly burst into tears. Pei Cangyu reached out and pulled her into a hug. Liu Yaosheng buried her face in his shoulder and sobbed, saying she was so scared, she really didn't know what to do...
Bai Shi left the hospital and went to the supermarket by the gate to pick out a cup. He specifically chose a black-and-white one with a very stylish design. He paid for it and requested it be wrapped, making it look like a solemn, expensive gift box.
He walked out whistling, finding Lu Mingban waiting for him at the entrance.
"What are you doing here?"
Lu Mingban lowered his head, then looked up. "I wanted to see her. I just happened to see you coming in."
"Why see her?" Bai Shi walked back toward the hospital. "You’re not even in this class."
"But after all, it was us..."
Bai Shi stopped, turned to look at him, and asked calmly, "Us what?"
Lu Mingban fell silent.
Bai Shi spread his hands. "The car belongs to Bai Yinhua. Bai Yinhua was wasted last night and remembers nothing. If someone else was sitting in the car driving for him, and there were no cameras at that turn... then who was it?"
Lu Mingban thought for a moment. "Bai Yinhua."
"Then that’s that." Bai Shi smiled and patted his shoulder. "Don't think about it anymore. Everyone has their own fate."
With that, Bai Shi stepped back into the hospital, waving a hand over his shoulder to signal Lu Mingban to leave. Lu Mingban stood there for a while before turning to go back.
By the time Bai Shi reached them, Liu Yaosheng had stopped crying.
He paused at the corner, hearing Pei Cangyu comforting her in a soft voice, slowly telling her that everything would be fine. The doctors said it wasn't a major disaster; both parents were conscious and their injuries were minor, so she shouldn't worry too much.
Bai Shi saw Liu Yaosheng lift her tearful eyes. Even someone like her had a side that wasn't so haughty. Thinking of it that way, Bai Shi felt he had done a good deed after all.
Liu Yaosheng clutched Pei Cangyu’s sleeve. "Th... thank you..."
Pei Cangyu patted her hand. "I didn't help with anything. Why thank me?"
"Do you think..." She looked away at the floor, scuffing her foot against the ground before looking back at him. "Is this karma?"
"What?"
Liu Yaosheng’s eyes welled up again. "It’s just... I used to always say... actually, you’re much stronger than me... I was just talking... so now..."
She wept as she spoke, her sentences fragmented.
But Pei Cangyu understood. He slowly patted her shoulder. "How could that be? Just because you were proud, this had to happen? There’s no logic in that."
"This might be... you know, that kind of..." She wiped her tears. "Anyway, I’ll never be able to say those things again... Is it necessary to..."
Pei Cangyu touched her hair. "You don't need to reflect on yourself like this. You didn't do anything wrong. Don't be so hard on yourself. Besides, if God really did this to you just to teach you a lesson, then God is insane. It’s not worth it... Don't cry."
Liu Yaosheng nodded against his shoulder.
Bai Shi checked his watch. He had other things to attend to and needed to go prepare.
He stepped forward, handed the replacement cup to Liu Yaosheng, and said goodbye to her along with Pei Cangyu.
As they walked out, Bai Shi glanced back at Liu Yaosheng. She was staring at him in silence.
***
