Chapter 2: Stop Shaking Your Leg and Get Out
1215 Words
In the third period of the afternoon, Wen noticed that her seatmate hadn't returned. She briefly glanced at the empty seat before continuing to listen to the lecture.
Zhou Nan had just finished a group fight. His face had a few scratches, but he wasn't in bad shape. He casually applied a band-aid, his expression unreadable.
On his way back, he saw a blond-haired boy slapping a small, scrawny boy across the face, cursing him out.
“Damn it! I told you to get me some money! Can't you understand human speech?”
“I don’t have any money.”
“Then why don’t you steal some from home? I don’t care. You’d better bring it tomorrow.”
Zhou Nan frowned, then grabbed the bully by the collar and threw a punch at his face.
The blond-haired boy grimaced in pain. Just as he was about to yell, he froze when he saw who had intervened. Trembling, he muttered, “Bro, you’re here...”
“Don’t call me that. We’re not that close,” Zhou Nan said in a low, hoarse voice. “Don’t let me catch you bullying anyone again at school.”
The blond-haired boy cowered in a corner, realizing that Zhou Nan wasn’t someone to be trifled with. He nodded rapidly, “I understand. I swear, I’ll never bully anyone again.”
Zhou Nan snorted and replied coldly, “You better keep your word.”
The bully lunged to hug Zhou Nan’s leg, “I really won’t do it again, bro.”
“Don’t call me that. Apologize to him.”
He pointed at the small boy standing nearby.
“I’m sorry! Please, let him go!” the bully begged.
“I don’t forgive you.”
Zhou Nan kicked the boy once more, then helped the smaller boy up. “Go home.”
Wen was taking notes when Zhou Nan came in, his face covered with crooked band-aids. He sat down next to her.
The teacher on the podium seemed to be used to this by now, not even glancing at Zhou Nan. He continued the lesson, while most of the class slept, including Wen’s seatmate, who immediately fell asleep.
When the bell rang for dinner, everyone rushed out of the classroom.
A new girl, who had recently become acquainted with Wen, asked, “Do you want to go to the cafeteria with us?”
Wen waved her hand dismissively, “You all go ahead.”
She went to the door where Liu Ma, the housekeeper, would bring her meal on time. Wen’s diet was very specific, mainly light food. The school meals were either too greasy, too salty, or too spicy, none of which she could eat. Plus, she had to take medicine after her meal.
Wen sat by the door, eating slowly from her lunchbox. Liu Ma handed her a cup of water, and she smiled at her. “Thank you, Liu Ma.”
Liu Ma looked at her lovingly. “Honey, did today’s meal suit your taste?”
“It’s delicious,” Wen responded with a sweet smile.
After she finished eating, Liu Ma handed her some medicine and a thermos. She watched as Wen took the medicine.
Zhou Nan happened to pass by and saw the scene.
“What are you looking at, bro?”
Zhou Nan withdrew his gaze and replied indifferently, “None of your business.”
Yong Ming chimed in, “Did you hear that? None of your business.”
“Oh Yong , do you want me to hit you?” Hao Ming shot him a threatening look.
“Ha, ha, ha! You think you can hit me?” Yong Ming said, only to realize Zhou Nan was walking quickly. He hurriedly ran to catch up. “Bro, wait up!”
Later, during evening self-study, Wen was reading when she heard a knock on the glass. She looked up and saw a small boy standing outside the window.
She opened the window. “Who are you looking for?”
The boy nervously licked his lips and handed her a carton of milk. “Could you pass this to Zhou Nan for me? Please tell him thank you.”
Wen nodded, “Sure, I will.”
When Zhou Nan returned, she placed the milk on his desk.
“It was delivered by someone after class,” she explained. Seeing his confused look, she quickly added, “It was a boy, not a girl. He asked me to thank you.”
Zhou Nan glanced at the milk, immediately understanding. “Mm, got it,” he said, recalling the boy he had helped earlier.
After passing along the message, Wen returned to her work, focusing intently on her textbooks.
The classroom was chaotic—notes flying everywhere, some talking, some chatting, no atmosphere of studying. Zhou Nan, however, kept his head down, playing a game on his phone.
“Bro! Bro! Wanna play a game?” Yong Ming turned and asked.
Wen glanced at the two of them, hearing Zhou Nan reply, “Not playing, get lost.”
Yong Ming turned away, realizing Zhou Nan wasn’t going to play. He went off to find Hao Ming instead.
Zhou Nan glanced at Wen, then kicked Yong Ming’s chair, who was shaking his leg.
Yong Ming turned back, “Bro, let’s play a game?”
“If you keep shaking that leg, get out.”
“Got it, Bro.” Yong Ming immediately stopped.
He’s really scary, Wen thought quietly, but at least the desk stopped shaking.
When she returned home that night, her mother asked, “How was the first day of school, Wen?”
Wen thought for a moment before replying, “Everything’s good. The teachers are nice, and the students are fine. The new student is good too… and my new seatmate is fine as well.”
Li Jun nodded, “That’s good. If you’re unhappy about anything, just tell Mom, and I’ll call the teacher.”
Wen shook her head lightly, “No need, everything is fine.”
Li Jun patted her head gently. “Good girl. I won’t disturb you. Your medicine’s on the table, take it and go to bed early.”
“Mm,” Wen responded, swallowing her medicine with warm water.
Li Jun closed the door softly. “Goodnight, Wen.”
“Goodnight, Mom.”
Later that night, Wen tossed and turned, unable to sleep as her stomach twisted in pain. Sweat covered her forehead, and her blanket was clenched tightly in her hands. Trembling, she reached for the painkillers in her drawer and took one. It wasn’t until late into the night that she finally fell into a deep sleep.
Zhou Nan had learned about Wen’s condition before she transferred to Sixth High School.
He had seen her report card; her grades were excellent, always in the top ten at B City’s Seventh High. When he first met her, he noticed how obedient and sweet she looked, yet he knew such a gentle girl might not survive much longer.
He couldn’t help but wonder: God, what are you doing?
Wen didn’t want anyone to know about her condition, so when she went for treatment, she asked Miss Loh to tell the other teachers that she had been attending extra classes.
- Writer
