Cheng Yifei had noticed him several times already, but he disliked talking during class. He waited until the bell rang before nudging Fei Cheng’s arm. "What are you thinking about? You didn't even notice class ended."
"Hmm? Is it over?" Fei Cheng looked around. It really was.
Yu Qing, sitting at the desk behind them, poked Fei Cheng’s shoulder with his pen. "You aren't still thinking about what Liu Yucong said yesterday noon, are you? Where exactly do you live? Cheng Yifei and I can walk you back."
Fei Cheng hadn't taken Liu Yucong’s threats to heart at all, but he didn't mind sharing what he had actually been pondering. "I was thinking about how, ever since I accidentally bumped into Qiu Minmin yesterday, I seem to see her everywhere. Going back to the dorm, coming to class, getting water during breaks, in the cafeteria, at the snack shop..."
"Why don't you just say you see her in the bathroom too?" Cheng Yifei scoffed.
"I did see her! When I was going downstairs, she happened to be coming up." Fei Cheng chuckled to himself. "This kind of fate is just too perfect. I was just worrying about how to see her more often, and God is already helping me out."
Yu Qing gave an exaggerated shudder and asked Cheng Yifei, "Just how much does he like this Qiu Minmin?"
Cheng Yifei didn't answer. Instead, he rolled up his book and smacked the still-grinning Fei Cheng. "Have you forgotten what your goal is? Is this how you repay me after less than a week? If that's the case, go back to the back row as soon as possible. Don't waste my time."
"Hiss—" Fei Cheng rubbed his head. Cheng Yifei had actually put some force into that hit. Since he couldn't find a logical reason to explain his intense focus on Qiu Minmin, he figured it was better to let them misunderstand and think he had a crush on her.
He stole a glance at Cheng Yifei, whose eyes were slightly narrowed. Shivering, he picked up his politics textbook as a shield. "How could I forget? I’ve already memorized the content for this politics class, so my mind just... wandered a bit."
Cheng Yifei set his book down. "You haven't even solved your own troubles, yet you're already thinking about liking someone else."
Fei Cheng muttered his words back at him—silently, of course. Cheng Yifei pressed a hand onto his shoulder and asked, "Why don't you say that a little louder?"
"I said, what you said makes total sense! Even Big Eyes couldn't have said it better! Really!"
Yu Qing slapped the table behind them, laughing quietly. "Cheng Yifei, he’s only afraid of you. Teach me how to handle him too. Every time I talk to him, he always snaps back at me."
Fei Cheng turned around and bared his teeth at him. "You're too stupid. Cheng-ge said you're unteachable."
"Hey, you!! I'm ranked in the top twenty of the entire grade! You have the nerve to call me stupid?"
Fei Cheng shrugged, wanting to insult him a bit more, but the bell for the next class rang.
Many classes didn't hold formal lessons on Friday afternoons, so the campus was livelier than usual. Many students' minds drifted away, floating toward the playground or the basketball courts—anywhere but the podium.
The politics teacher cleared his throat several times before beginning to assign homework. There were still seven or eight minutes until the end of class. As long as the bell hadn't rung, class wasn't officially over. Being caught letting students go early was a minor issue regarding salary, but being lectured by the Dean of Students was a major headache.
Being a teacher these days wasn't easy; they were squeezed between the students and their superiors.
Finally, the clock struck four. As soon as the bell rang, the classroom erupted. The students shouted a collective "Goodbye, Teacher!" before grabbing their bags and bolting out the door. Only a few students who lived in the dorms stayed behind to pack up.
Fei Cheng stuffed his homework and notes into his messenger bag and asked Cheng Yifei, "Cheng-ge, are you going home this weekend too?" Didn't he say his home was too far to go back often?
Cheng Yifei hummed in affirmation, stood up, and pushed his chair under the desk. He asked Fei Cheng, who was ready to leave, "Do you need a ride?"
Fei Cheng grinned, revealing his canines. "Stop joking, Cheng-ge. It only takes me half an hour to get home. If I pedal fast, I might even make it in ten minutes. You and Yu Qing live in Gaobu; it must take at least an hour by bike, right?"
Cheng Yifei noted Fei Cheng’s sharp canines and nodded. "We called a moto-taxi. We'll be home in fifteen minutes."
Fei Cheng: "..." Then why did you offer to see me home?
He gave Cheng Yifei a speechless look, turned, and waved. "Then I'm heading home. See you Sunday."
Yu Qing ran back from the snack shop, clutching three bottles of iced soda. Seeing that Fei Cheng’s bag was gone, he asked breathlessly, "Hey, where's the shorty?"
"Gone." Cheng Yifei tossed Yu Qing's bag to him.
Yu Qing scrambled to catch it and yelled, "Why did that kid run off so fast?! When I was buying stuff, I heard Liu Yucong’s friends saying they were going to corner him!"
Cheng Yifei looked up at him, his gaze faintly reproachful.
Yu Qing immediately protested his innocence. "I rushed back here as fast as my legs could carry me the moment I heard!"
"Forget it." Cheng Yifei walked out of the classroom.
Yu Qing followed with his bag, peeking at Cheng Yifei’s expression. He lowered his voice and asked, "Are we really not going to check on him?"
"Check on what? Join the fight?" Cheng Yifei’s expression wasn't great.
Yu Qing was torn. He followed Cheng Yifei dejectedly. How could Cheng Yifei just not care? In the past, hadn't he always been the type to do anything for a friend? Otherwise, a bully like Liu Yucong wouldn't still be afraid to provoke Cheng Yifei! He had been completely beaten into submission by Cheng Yifei before!
As for Fei Cheng, he hadn't realized the danger at all. Or rather, he was certain those people wouldn't dare hit him. After all, they were just teenagers; they’d been scared, and the school had already issued punishments. Even if they wanted revenge, who would be stupid enough to choose this time?
It was practically saying, "Come on! Come expel me!"
Then, when he saw the seven or eight people gathered on the road he had to take home, he... turned his bike around and bolted!
He said he wasn't afraid of being hit, but that didn't mean he enjoyed being beaten up for no reason!
These people weren't following the script at all!
"Fuck! He actually dared to run!"
Liu Yucong and several ninth-graders who were waiting for him hopped onto their motorcycles and gave chase.
Fei Cheng pedaled with all his might, his mind incredibly clear. Which was closer, the school or the police station? The police station!
But the road to the police station wasn't this way, dammit! Back to school? Motherfucker, they’d catch him before he even got close!
No choice—head for the main street!
Fei Cheng glanced back at the motorcycles less than ten meters behind him. He increased his pace and charged into the crowded central street in one breath. He hurriedly dumped his bike in front of a grocery store where the owner knew him and shouted, "Boss, watch my bike for a bit! I'll be back to buy something in a second!" Then, without looking back, he dove into the crowd.
The people following him, determined not to stop until they’d given him a beating, also stopped their motorcycles and chased him on foot. These guys might not be good at studying, but their physical condition wasn't bad; they stayed right on his heels.
Fei Cheng was absolutely fuming. He’d never seen anyone so brazen. He’d already entered the main street, yet they were still chasing him relentlessly. Were they crazy? Could they really hit him in front of all these people?
"Try running again and see if I don't break your legs!" The ninth-grader was exhausted from the chase and shouted a harsh threat.
Fei Cheng didn't look back, running for his life. He ran from the East Street to the West Street, his lungs burning like fire. Finally, he ran himself into a daze; he didn't recognize these crisscrossing alleys!
And then, he was cornered.
There were too many of them; there was no way out.
He stopped, gasping for air, hands on his knees. He really couldn't take it anymore; he’d almost rather just get beaten up.
He wasn't the only one tired; his pursuers were also panting heavily, none of them moving to strike yet.
Fei Cheng glanced at them. They were familiar faces: students from Class 9-6, Class 8-4, and his own classmate, Liu Yucong. Seriously, what kind of grudge was this? Was it worth chasing him like this?!
"I say... brothers... what exactly... do you... have against me?" Fei Cheng leaned against the wall, asking between gasps.
"You motherfucker... you made us lose face in front of the whole school! Now you... know how to be afraid!"
"Let's be reasonable. If you hadn't hit me, why would I have told the teacher? Didn't we say we’d settle it? That matter is already over! If you do something now, it won't be so easy to resolve. Have you suffered through school for two or three years just to throw away your diploma?"
"Who cares about a piece of paper? You've been acting pretty bold lately, daring to talk to us like that. Hit him!"
"Wait! Liu Yulang, did you forget what state you left me in last week? I had internal bleeding! You're coming at me again today? Fine, go ahead and hit me. We'll see each other at the hospital afterward!"
The ninth-graders who were about to move hesitated. They extorted money from Fei Cheng simply because they didn't have enough to spend. If they didn't have enough to spend, where would they get the money to pay for medical bills?
Liu Yucong had a deep grudge against Fei Cheng. He pointed at him and said, "You had internal bleeding and you can still run like a rabbit? You fucking ran for over half an hour! God, you nearly killed us chasing you."
Fei Cheng cursed inwardly. He hadn't thought of that; he couldn't bluff his way out now.
Liu Yucong was the first to rush him. He was in the same class and dorm as this bastard, and he’d seen through it long ago—this guy didn't have a single injury! It was all fucking fake!
He swung a punch, but Fei Cheng reacted quickly, dodging backward. He tried to negotiate. "How about this? We go one-on-one. If I win, you let me go, and I won't tell the teacher. If I lose, you can hit me however you want, and then I'll tell the teacher?"
Liu Yucong was furious that he dared to dodge! After hearing his words, he paused for a moment, then realized the trick and roared, "Do you think we're stupid?!"
Fei Cheng: "..." You are idiots, mad dogs, and in the late stages of chuunibyou! You said you’d use the silent treatment, but you only lasted a week before wanting to get physical again!
Fei Cheng glanced at the end of the alley and secretly adjusted his breathing. He felt like he could jump over it. Should he try? He was going to get hit anyway.
Suddenly, he looked behind them with a face full of surprise, jumping up and waving his arms. "Teacher!! Help!!!"
Everyone instinctively turned around. Fei Cheng sprinted instantly toward the end of the alley a few meters away. He stepped into a hole in the wall, grabbed the top, pulled himself up, and vaulted over in one smooth motion.
He didn't stick around to hear the cursing from the alley. He immediately hugged his bag and ran. It didn't matter if the trick was old, as long as it worked.
By the time Fei Cheng reached the village entrance, it was nearly six o'clock.
He happened to run into Fei Qi, who was getting off a bus.
He spared the other a glance, hopped on his bike, and sped away.
Fei Qi: "..."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
高埠 | Gaobu | A place name (likely a nearby town or district).
摩的 | Moto-taxi | Slang for a motorcycle taxi (moped taxi).
初三 | Grade 9 | Ninth grade (the final year of junior high in China).
初三党 | Ninth-graders / Grade 9 gang | Refers to the group of older students.
刘宇浪 | Liu Yulang | A new antagonist, likely Liu Yucong's older brother or relative.
非祁 | Fei Qi | A character related to Fei Cheng (likely his brother).
中二 | Chuunibyou | "Middle School Second Year Syndrome"; refers to delusional or edgy behavior.
