Duan Qiyan had been an ambitious person since childhood.

In first grade, he established a magnificent goal—he would become the most noble brigade leader in the school.

As everyone knew, the brigade leader had to wear a small badge on their arm with a white background and three red stripes. Each stripe symbolized both status and strength.

On Monday mornings, the brigade leader would stand at the school entrance to check if each student entering wore their red scarf. During eye exercises between classes, the brigade leader would lead all the squad leaders of the grade to inspect each classroom and record the names of students who didn’t take the eye exercises seriously.

Every qualified brigade leader should implement the principle of “selflessness and complete impartiality,” adhere to the action guidelines of “from the students, to the students,” and take “serving students, protecting students” as their personal belief.

Duan Qiyan deeply understood the brigade leader’s responsibilities and significance. Combined with his excellent academic performance, known as the “First Warrior of the Teachers’ College Elementary School,” all subject teachers praised him highly. Finally, in the year he entered third grade, he received the appointment letter and badge for brigade leader from the grade office.

That was the highlight of Duan Qiyan’s life.

Every Monday morning, Duan Qiyan would appear early at the entrance of the Teachers’ College Elementary School, standing with his hands behind his back like a middle-aged male teacher in his forties or fifties, slightly pushing out his stomach—he didn’t have a belly at all, but he deliberately imitated his homeroom teacher’s posture.

What a weirdo—this was Tang Tingting’s first impression of Duan Qiyan.

It was a cold winter day, with frigid winds cutting like steel knives across Tang Tingting’s face. Despite wearing a thick cotton coat, she still shivered in the cold wind, while Duan Qiyan stood outside the school gate like nothing was wrong, running and jumping with abundant energy.

When third-grade students saw Duan Qiyan, they all greeted him, with titles like “Brigade Leader Duan,” “Warrior Duan,” “Brother Duan,” “Boss Duan” constantly heard, creating an atmosphere of gang-like grouping.

Tang Tingting also attended the Teachers’ College Elementary School. She was in the same grade as Duan Qiyan but in a different class. She haughtily raised her head and walked past Duan Qiyan without a glance, but was stopped by him: “Tang Tingting from Class Two!”

Ten-year-old Tang Tingting raised her chin even higher, almost tilting it to the sky. She secretly thought, I absolutely won’t greet you!

Unexpectedly, Duan Qiyan said: “Tang Tingting from Class Two! You’re not wearing your red scarf! Today is Monday flag-raising ceremony, either buy one at the school gate or go home!”

Duan Qiyan’s tone conveyed the authority and arrogance of someone in a high position.

Tang Tingting was stunned.

Duan Qiyan tugged at his brigade leader badge and restated the school rules.

The three bright red stripes on the badge were like three red arrows piercing Tang Tingting’s eyes. She had no choice but to open her backpack zipper, hoping to find fifty cents—red scarves at the small shop by the school gate cost fifty cents each.

Unfortunately, Tang Tingting had no money.

She had forgotten to bring any.

Tang Tingting and Duan Qiyan stared at each other in the cold wind.

Time ticked by second by second, and Tang Tingting tried to negotiate: “Let me in, it’s freezing out here. I’ll borrow a red scarf in class, and if I can’t, I just won’t attend the flag-raising ceremony.”

She even condescended to call him: “Brigade Leader Duan.”

But Duan Qiyan ended their friendly conversation with an angry shout: “No! You slacker! The school has its rules!”

Tang Tingting was nearly deafened by his outburst.

She cursed back: “What’s so great about your loud voice? Why are you shouting? Are you a rooster crowing?”

The grade director, who had been warming himself in the security room, heard the commotion and came out with his thermos. As he walked toward Duan Qiyan and Tang Tingting, Tang Tingting thought “this is bad” and even prepared to turn and run home.

The grade director was the most fearsome teacher in the entire grade. He often pulled students to their classroom door and scolded them loudly in front of the whole class until they cried—his educational approach treated boys and girls equally, intimidating students across all grades, bringing many brave heroes to tears.

Tang Tingting absolutely couldn’t be caught by the grade director!

Because she wouldn’t meekly take the scolding. She would definitely talk back, escalating into a shouting match, with unimaginable consequences!

At Tang Tingting’s most panicked moment, Duan Qiyan took fifty cents from his pocket and pressed it into her palm: “You’re so scared your face has gone white. Short on money? I’ll lend you some. Go buy a red scarf.”

This was the longest sentence Duan Qiyan had ever said to Tang Tingting.

He didn’t look at her while speaking.

He was still inspecting the passing students.

Suddenly, the winter sunlight seemed to converge on his head. His pickiness, sharp tongue, arrogance, and adult-like behavior all became proof of his ability to endure hardship and take responsibility.

He took off his gloves, his knuckles red from the cold.

Tang Tingting tossed him a tube of chilblain cream: “Don’t freeze to death.”

She turned and headed straight for the small shop.

The grade director arrived late. He asked Duan Qiyan: “What’s going on with Tang Tingting from Class Two?”

Duan Qiyan showed the tube of chilblain cream: “She brought me medicine.”

The grade director patted Duan Qiyan’s shoulder. He took Duan Qiyan to the security room to warm up. Although all the students disliked this teacher, Duan Qiyan had a good impression of him.

The grade director even gave his plastic thermos to Duan Qiyan to warm his hands. He formally introduced him to the security guards: “This boy is Duan Qiyan, the best and smartest student in our grade! He gets perfect scores on every test. He’s only in third grade but already studying competitive math. The math coach says he’s very promising. In such cold weather, this boy stands guard outside without a word of complaint, never slacking off, following rules so well! He’ll definitely be an exceptional talent in the future, bringing glory to our country.”

The security guards all agreed.

Duan Qiyan heard remarks like “so impressive,” “truly promising,” “this boy’s parents make us other parents envious.”

Ten-year-old Duan Qiyan had already learned how to respond to adults’ praise. He nodded casually but gripped the grade director’s thermos tightly.

The grade director advised him: “Duan Qiyan, when you achieve great things in the future, don’t forget to come back and visit your alma mater, the Teachers’ College Elementary School.”

Duan Qiyan agreed without hesitation.

He wanted the reputation of “First Warrior of the Teachers’ College Elementary School” to spread throughout the world!

He would be the next Hua Luogeng, Chen Jingrun, Einstein, or Madame Curie!

*

Thanks to Tang Tingting’s kind help, Duan Qiyan didn’t get chilblains that winter.

Discovering such effective chilblain cream for the first time, Duan Qiyan had his father take him to a pharmacy to consult professionals. The pharmacy staff told them: “Ah, this chilblain cream is imported from Northeast China, fourteen yuan per tube. Would you like a new one?”

Fourteen yuan!

Duan Qiyan was shocked.

He had originally thought the cream cost at most one yuan per tube. He had lent Tang Tingting fifty cents, thinking they would be even. Never did he imagine chilblain cream could cost fourteen yuan! Tang Tingting was truly hiding her cards.

By this calculation, he actually owed Tang Tingting a huge sum.

As the renowned “Brigade Leader Duan” of the Teachers’ College Elementary School and “First Warrior,” he had always upheld the principle of “not taking a needle or thread from the masses” since taking office. His deskmate had once tried to bribe him with Pikachu dolls and toy cars from the Four-Wheel Drive Brothers, all of which he firmly refused. How could he fall into Tang Tingting’s hands?

So, Duan Qiyan explained the situation to his parents.

His mom and dad nearly laughed themselves sick, saying he was so naive. He felt a bitter sense of being misunderstood and tragic heroism. Fortunately, though his parents teased him for being naive, they still gave him fourteen yuan to repay Tang Tingting.

One morning in the second semester of third grade, the third-grade students were lining up outside their classrooms, waiting for their homeroom teachers to lead them to the playground for morning exercises.

Duan Qiyan seized the opportunity and strode toward Tang Tingting from Class Two.

Tang Tingting was the class monitor of Class Two. She had just arranged the line formation when Duan Qiyan appeared. She frowned tightly: “What do you want?”

Duan Qiyan handed her a yellow paper envelope with a line written on the cover: “A loan repaid makes borrowing again easier.”

Tang Tingting quickly stuffed the envelope into her desk drawer. When classmates around her asked: “What did Duan Qiyan from Class One give you?”

Tang Tingting said seriously: “Something from the grade office. I’m the monitor of Class Two and the squad leader of our grade. I’ve told you all! When doing eye exercises, you can’t open your eyes, otherwise I’ll report you to the teacher!”

Tang Tingting’s masterful “deflection technique” successfully shifted her classmates’ focus. Everyone began reflecting on whether they had opened their eyes during eye exercises, whether they had let their class down, and whether they had burdened Tang Tingting’s work. Naturally, they no longer paid attention to Duan Qiyan from Class One.

Tang Tingting held her head high, following the homeroom teacher, leading her classmates to the playground.

As the familiar music began, all students started doing radio calisthenics. Tang Tingting casually glanced toward Class One’s area and her breath suddenly caught—she suddenly realized how seriously Duan Qiyan was doing the radio calisthenics!

He was even more serious than the student leading exercises at the front.

He squatted, jumped, raised his hands high, with such a solemn expression, as if he wasn’t doing radio calisthenics but competing in the World Olympic Gymnastics Competition. His athletic spirit also influenced the boys around him—that circle of boys completed each radio calisthenics movement with high standards and dignified postures, like members of a men’s gymnastics team.

Indeed, Duan Qiyan’s way of thinking was different from ordinary people.

But his status at Teachers’ College Elementary School remained high.

No student could defeat him.

From third to sixth grade, Duan Qiyan ranked first in every exam, without a single exception. He also won awards in the Hua Luogeng Competition, receiving praise from the principal and vice-principal. The competition class of Provincial No. 1 High School, hearing of his reputation, extended an olive branch, sincerely inviting him to participate in the 2004 competition class selection exam.

In Class 6(1), he declared: “Even at Provincial No. 1 High School, I’ll still be first in the grade! Forever the First Warrior of Teachers’ College Elementary School!”

All the boys in the class shouted in response: “First Warrior! First Warrior!”

At this moment, Tang Tingting happened to pass by Class One’s window. Carrying a stack of test papers, she glanced sideways at Duan Qiyan. Their eyes met—Duan Qiyan sat on the desk while she raised her chin as usual. Then a boy said: “Tang Tingting from Class Two is so arrogant and wild, I really can’t stand her attitude. Isn’t she far worse than our Brother Duan?”

Tang Tingting stopped in her tracks.

Duan Qiyan’s heart tightened, and he quickly smoothed things over: “She is she, you are you, I am I…”

Before Duan Qiyan could finish, Tang Tingting pushed the window open and scolded the boy who had gossiped: “What the hell are you so cocky about! How many brothers do you have, calling a classmate your brother? Hiding behind someone else’s power and insulting me? If you can’t stand me, gouge your own eyes out!”

Tang Tingting had a sweet appearance and loved wearing pink and light blue clothes, but her cursing was extremely fierce, like a reckless thug—most terrifying was that her grandfather ran a martial arts academy in the provincial capital. She was Class Two’s monitor and arts committee member. Because she often said “martial arts is also an art form,” her homeroom teacher accepted her argument and let her wield great power in Class Two, truly dominating the class.

Duan Qiyan thought Tang Tingting was arrogant, irritable, and acted almost without thinking.

Holding these prejudices about each other, they both were admitted to the competition class of Provincial No. 1 High School, thus beginning a six-year journey as classmates.

*

At Provincial No. 1 High School, Duan Qiyan’s ambitions were thwarted.

He encountered a terrifying existence—a person named Lin Zhixia. She appeared pure and beautiful but had a wild and fierce inner nature, consistently ranking first in every exam. When playing Go with classmates, her style was ruthless and brutal, never showing mercy, always determined to utterly destroy her opponents before stopping.

To defeat Lin Zhixia, Duan Qiyan studied late into the night, but with little effect. His class ranking even dropped considerably.

Even Jin Baihui from the neighboring class could leave Duan Qiyan far behind.

Life at Provincial No. 1 High School didn’t bring the glory Duan Qiyan had imagined, only a never-ending stream of bitter tears.

Yet Duan Qiyan’s father said: “Your school’s competition coach keeps telling your mother and me not to pressure you too much. My goodness, since you started middle school, your mother and I haven’t dared to manage you, knowing the pressure you face at school. Your father never attended university, your mother only went to college. With our educational background, if you can get into a university, that would be wonderful news for our family, understand, good son?”

Duan Qiyan replied: “Lin Zhixia’s parents don’t have high education levels either.”

“Ah,” his father tapped his head, “why compare yourself with others? There’s nothing to compare. Your father drives an Alto to and from work, while the boss drives an Audi. Has your father ever complained at home? Isn’t it the same principle?”

Duan Qiyan spoke to his father like a buddy: “When we make it big someday, I’ll buy you a Mercedes…” Remembering Jiang Yubai’s various luxury cars, he added: “A Hummer, Land Rover, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce, one of each!”

His father, far from being moved, tapped Duan Qiyan’s head again: “You’re getting carried away! Spendthrift, talking about wasting money before you’ve even earned any! Dad doesn’t want your cars. Dad just likes driving his Alto.”

Duan Qiyan chuckled. He and his father patted each other’s shoulders, then took his backpack from his mother and leisurely rode his bicycle to Provincial No. 1 High School.

On the road from home to school, Duan Qiyan’s schoolmates were everywhere. He heard them saying: “The school’s centennial celebration is coming up, what performance is your class preparing…”

Centennial celebration!

Duan Qiyan’s mind started working.

Though he couldn’t rank at the top of the school’s honor roll, he could shine at the school celebration. If he successfully performed a super funny skit, wouldn’t he earn the title of “Zhao Benshan of Provincial No. 1 High School”?

The more Duan Qiyan thought about it, the happier he became, and his cycling speed increased.

He rushed into Class 2(17), afraid he was late and that Jiang Yubai might steal the title of “Zhao Benshan of Provincial No. 1 High School.” From his observation, Jiang Yubai was the most scheming boy in the class, and he utterly disdained associating with him.

However, Jiang Yubai’s contribution to the class was tremendous. He provided perfect costumes and props for Class 2(17)’s “Changes” drama group, leaving even Duan Qiyan amazed.

The outfit Jiang Yubai gave Duan Qiyan looked exactly like an old scholar from the late Qing and early Republic period. Once he put on the clothes and glasses, he walked with an aloof manner in the rehearsal room.

Director Shen Fuxuan shouted through a megaphone: “Duan Qiyan! Duan Qiyan! Come over here! Build some rapport with your stage wife!”

The whole class burst into laughter.

Duan Qiyan, being in puberty, certainly understood what those laughs meant. He stood frozen, refusing to move, until Tang Tingting shouted from the other side: “What are you embarrassed about, Duan Qiyan? Either you act or give the role to someone else! Our class worked hard to borrow this rehearsal room, time is tight!”

Lin Zhixia added: “It’s tight.”

Jiang Yubai cut to the heart of the matter: “If we don’t perform well and don’t pass the preliminary selection, we won’t have a chance to get on stage, wasting the script our classmates wrote through nights of hard work.”

“Goodness,” Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai worked in tandem, “will Class 18 mock us?”

Jiang Yubai looked at Duan Qiyan: “Do you even need to ask?”

Duan Qiyan was provoked by their words and rushed like the wind toward Tang Tingting, shouting at her: “Wife!”

Several boys in the corner continued to tease.

Lin Zhixia grabbed the director’s megaphone and rallied loudly: “Classmates, we are a team. This play wasn’t easy to create, each character has been carefully crafted by the scriptwriting team who stayed up late for a week. Our homeroom teacher trusts us, and the scriptwriting team, directing team, and props team are all working hard. I hope everyone won’t laugh at the characters in the script. The final effect of this play is the result of all our collective efforts. We’ve all seen Duan Qiyan’s dedication. Respecting each classmate is not just for this play but for ourselves.”

Jiang Yubai suddenly realized that Lin Zhixia’s core philosophy in coordinating the team boiled down to two points: first, everyone is equal; second, others are an extension of the self. This was a highly elevated philosophical state that Jiang Yubai couldn’t yet achieve. He quietly watched Lin Zhixia, and when she turned to look back at him, he averted his gaze.

He wore a Republican-era Western suit with a slightly tight collar. As he adjusted his tie, Duan Qiyan on the opposite side shouted again at Tang Tingting: “Wife!”

This time, the entire class fell silent.

Tang Tingting’s face flushed red. Wearing a qipao, she was stuck in place. Just as she was about to speak, she forgot her lines, and director Shen Fuxuan couldn’t bear to watch: “Tang Tingting, you and Duan Qiyan go rehearse the script on the side. I’ll direct Jiang Yubai and the others.”

Jiang Yubai was the male lead and the soul of the entire play, holding a very important position. While Shen Fuxuan discussed the character with Jiang Yubai, Tang Tingting and Duan Qiyan sat aside “rehearsing the script.”

This was Tang Tingting’s first time wearing a qipao, and Duan Qiyan’s first time seeing her in one. He didn’t know where to look. He couldn’t avoid looking at her when talking to her, but looking at her felt so strange! It was as if the classmates’ teasing voices were echoing in his ears again.

His relationship with Tang Tingting was completely innocent.

Moreover, Tang Tingting was terrifying!

Tang Tingting stepped one foot onto the cross-beam of a long bench, took out a bag of spicy snacks from her backpack, tore it open with a “whoosh,” took a bite, and tilted her head to look at him: “Have you memorized your lines?”

“Still missing a page,” Duan Qiyan said.

Tang Tingting offered the spicy snacks to him. At first, he pretended to be coy and refused to eat, but when Tang Tingting was about to call over other classmates, he grabbed several strips, stuffed them into his mouth, and found them increasingly delicious as he chewed.

“Be careful,” Tang Tingting warned, “don’t get it on your clothes.”

He stretched his neck, eating the spicy snacks like a giraffe bending down to drink water.

Tang Tingting watched him with interest: “You’re quite fun. During elementary school, you were flying high. In middle school, after meeting Lin Zhixia, you came back down to earth.”

“Are you close with Lin Zhixia?” Duan Qiyan asked her.

“Of course,” Tang Tingting claimed, “I’m Lin Zhixia’s closest female friend.”

“And male friends?”

“Jiang Yubai.”

Duan Qiyan said impatiently, “Why are you so fierce? My stage wife is supposed to be gentle and virtuous. Can’t you learn from Wan Chunlei and Lin Zhixia?”

Tang Tingting scoffed: “You’re getting too full of yourself. I have nothing to do with you, and I’m only rehearsing with you out of respect for Shen Fuxuan and Jiang Yubai, understand? And which eye of yours saw Wan Chunlei and Lin Zhixia as gentle and virtuous? They’re not easy to deal with either. Mind your own business, you devil.”

“Devil” was a line from the script, and Tang Tingting said it naturally. But she wasn’t being flirtatious—she was simply trying to mock Duan Qiyan.

Duan Qiyan was indeed mocked. He clutched the spicy snacks, sitting still like a statue.

Shen Fuxuan was still arranging scenes: “Tang Tingting, Duan Qiyan, get ready for the opening!”

Tang Tingting quickly ran to Shen Fuxuan, showing a serious and responsible work attitude, while Duan Qiyan seemed to be acting like a diva, ignoring Shen Fuxuan’s words.

“Duan Qiyan, last notice! Get ready for the opening!” Shen Fuxuan issued his final ultimatum.

Only then did Duan Qiyan move to the center of the rehearsal hall. He closed his eyes, imagining himself as an old scholar, slowly pacing, and accidentally bumped into Tang Tingting, who quietly threatened: “Bump into me one more time, and I’ll twist your arm.”

Duan Qiyan was partly out of character, yet partly in character.

He found the pattern and successfully portrayed the feeling of an old scholar, earning frequent praise from Shen Fuxuan. Even Jiang Yubai’s acting skills were outshone by him—Jiang Yubai often role-played with Lin Zhixia during breaks, playing all sorts of historical figures, yet surprisingly, his acting skills were merely average. How incredible!

Duan Qiyan took the initiative to find Lin Zhixia and volunteered: “Stop role-playing with Jiang Yubai, play with Tang Tingting and me instead. Aren’t our acting skills much better than Jiang Yubai’s?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Duan Qiyan noticed Jiang Yubai watching him from the side. His hair stood on end as Jiang Yubai tried to pull him outside for a chat. Duan Qiyan immediately left this troublesome place and never mentioned “acting skills” to Lin Zhixia again.

When Tang Tingting heard about this incident, she said: “Don’t try to wedge yourself between Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai. Isn’t that boring?”

It was five in the afternoon, and they were walking side by side out of Provincial No. 1 High School’s gates. The red sunset illuminated the vast campus behind them, creating a backdrop. Tang Tingting hugged her notebook, walked a few steps, then asked: “Why haven’t you been riding your bicycle lately?”

Duan Qiyan told the truth: “You know that kneeling scene I had in the ‘Changes’ production? On the performance day, I knelt too hard and injured my knee. I can’t ride a bike for these two weeks, so I’m taking the bus.”

His carefree tone showed no sign of pain.

Tang Tingting froze.

She remembered how Duan Qiyan used to stand guard at the school gate in elementary school. No matter how cold the wind, he never slacked off, his hands red with cold, yet he never complained. And in the first year of middle school, when he lost a bet with Jiang Yubai, he honored his word, no matter how embarrassing, and never tried to wriggle out of it.

Now with this “Changes” centennial performance, he had knelt so many times without ever complaining to the scriptwriting team, never expressed any discomfort during rehearsals or after leaving the stage, even though he couldn’t even ride his bicycle.

Tang Tingting’s eyes reddened. But she blocked her face with her notebook, and the sunset rays washed over her. No one except herself discovered her secret, no one guessed her confused state of mind at that moment.

She pretended to be casual and asked: “Is it that serious? How badly did you fall? Have you been to the hospital?”

“Damn,” Duan Qiyan said, “do I need to go to the hospital for such a minor injury?”

Tang Tingting felt inexplicably angry: “Fine, don’t go then!”

She left Duan Qiyan and walked alone toward the bus stop.

Duan Qiyan stood where he was, not understanding her meaning.

Tang Tingting’s words and actions often left Duan Qiyan bewildered—as the class arts committee member, Tang Tingting was only sweet around Lin Zhixia; to everyone else, she presented a fierce and crude image. If you said Tang Tingting wasn’t gentle or delicate enough, she also had a low crying threshold. When the class organized viewings of films like “Cats & Dogs” and “The Chorus,” Tang Tingting cried loudly.

In short, Tang Tingting was shrouded in mystery.

As Duan Qiyan pondered, Jiang Yubai passed behind him and called out: “Duan Qiyan.”

Duan Qiyan was startled: “Huh?”

Jiang Yubai stared at his expression for a while, then said: “Your face is as red as your ears.” Then asked: “What are you thinking about?”

Duan Qiyan said, “Female classmates.”

Before he finished speaking, his stomach growled loudly. He had eaten lunch in the school cafeteria but hadn’t eaten enough, so he naturally got hungry quickly in the afternoon. Jiang Yubai took a strawberry bread from his backpack and handed it to him: “This is all I have. Try it.”

Duan Qiyan opened the wrapper, took one bite, and felt it was the most delicious bread. After devouring it, his mouth full of strawberry fragrance, he immediately asked: “Was this meant for Lin Zhixia?”

Jiang Yubai put his hands in his pockets: “If you ate it, then it was meant for you.”

How suave!

Duan Qiyan said nothing more.

Jiang Yubai added: “When leaving the school gate earlier, I was walking behind you and Tang Tingting, and happened to hear your conversation…”

“You were eavesdropping!” Duan Qiyan pointed his index finger at him.

Jiang Yubai grabbed his finger and gently bent it toward himself: “Knee problems aren’t minor. If you can go to the hospital, you should, or you can tell me the symptoms, send me photos on QQ, and I’ll ask a doctor at home to examine them. I’ll bring you some medicine tomorrow.”

But Duan Qiyan said, “Alright, alright, don’t be so concerned about me. We’re not that close.”

“This isn’t about being close,” Jiang Yubai analyzed, “I’m part of the ‘Changes’ acting team, also wrote part of the script, and for the final draft, I was the first reviewer, responsible for arranging props and costumes. I didn’t add padding to your pants, which was an oversight on my part. I’m trying to make up for my unfulfilled responsibility now. Don’t feel pressured.”

Duan Qiyan was bewildered by Jiang Yubai’s persuasion.

That night, Duan Qiyan used his family’s digital camera to photograph his knee and sent the photos to Jiang Yubai via QQ. To his surprise, Jiang Yubai brought a doctor for an on-site consultation, making his parents quite nervous, thinking he had some terminal illness. Fortunately, the doctor said it wasn’t serious and just needed some spray medication.

The next afternoon, Jiang Yubai indeed brought Duan Qiyan two boxes of medicine.

Duan Qiyan used them for a few days, and his injury healed extremely quickly. In less than a week, he recovered and was back to roughhousing with the boys in the corridor, arm-in-arm, jumping and running, quite happily.

He specifically told Tang Tingting: “I’m better!”

Tang Tingting avoided him: “Good for you then.”

As Tang Tingting walked forward, Duan Qiyan stepped backward: “Hey, were you crying that day?”

Tang Tingting felt a sense of foreboding. She asked him: “Which day?”

Duan Qiyan honestly said: “The day I told you about my knee injury, injured in the line of duty!”

Tang Tingting’s expression changed dramatically, and she cursed him wildly: “Crying my ass! Which eye saw me cry? Get out of the way! Don’t block me from delivering homework to the teacher’s office!”

She’s fierce, Duan Qiyan thought.

Duan Qiyan ran away quickly.

Afterward, he had little interaction with Tang Tingting. Though they were classmates, they might go all day without exchanging a word. Days passed one after another, and the students grew older day by day. The year they graduated from middle school to high school, Jiang Yubai transferred to another school. The year they advanced from first to second year of high school, Lin Zhixia skipped grades to attend university.

The class was no longer the class they knew; laughter became less frequent, competition pressure gradually increased, and during breaks, at least half the students were engrossed in solving problems.

Tang Tingting wanted to go outside for fresh air.

She clutched a test paper, standing in the corridor, leaning against the railing. She looked up at the sky, so blue it hurt her eyes. She squinted slightly, tears flowing from the corners of her eyes—this was because her eyes were tired and she had just applied some eye drops.

Duan Qiyan stopped in front of her.

“You’re crying?” he asked.

Tang Tingting impatiently said: “Crying my ass.”

Duan Qiyan was certain: “You are crying.”

Tang Tingting pressed her lips together without speaking. She tossed the test paper in her hand and turned back to the classroom. Duan Qiyan glimpsed the bright red “seventy-one” on her paper. This was the weekly physics test, extremely difficult, and Duan Qiyan himself had only scored seventy-three.

After pondering for a moment, Duan Qiyan returned to his seat and began correcting his paper from the first question, writing down the simplest solutions. For questions he didn’t understand, Duan Qiyan would consult Shen Fuxuan or go to the office to find a teacher. After half a day’s effort, he threw a draft paper filled with the simplest approaches in front of Tang Tingting.

“A gift for you!” Duan Qiyan said.

Tang Tingting was about to tear the paper to pieces when Duan Qiyan rushed over to stop her: “Damn it, you slacker, at least look at it before tearing it up!”

Tang Tingting saw clearly. She withdrew her hands and squeezed out a “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Duan Qiyan said, “Lin Zhixia is gone, you need to rely on yourself now. You could ask Shen Fuxuan or the teachers for help. I just spoke with Shen Fuxuan, and he’s willing to explain problems to you. My math and chemistry are pretty good, you can ask me about these subjects if you don’t understand.”

Tang Tingting mumbled something quietly.

Duan Qiyan asked her: “What are you saying? Speak louder?”

Tang Tingting looked up at him: “Big brother, my math and chemistry scores are higher than yours.”

“Damn, really?” Duan Qiyan was so embarrassed that he wanted to find a crack in the ground to slip into. This was even more awkward than when he had to call “Emperor Jiang Yubai” three times in middle school. But Tang Tingting suddenly laughed: “No, I’m teasing you. You’re so easy to fool.”

Duan Qiyan felt like he’d been brought back to life.

He turned and walked away haughtily.

Tang Tingting stared at his back, lost in thought.

She remembered his advice: “Lin Zhixia is gone, you need to rely on yourself now.”

*

Through her efforts, Tang Tingting was admitted to Tsinghua University. She had originally applied to Peking University’s Mathematics Department, but her score wasn’t high enough, so she missed the opportunity to join Duan Qiyan and others. Being proud, she couldn’t admit this directly and announced to everyone that she had never considered Peking University.

Tang Tingting also said she chose another school because there were more male students there, and the more men, the higher the chance of finding a partner. She wanted to have a good romance in college and let her youth soak in the ocean of love.

Duan Qiyan was quite annoyed by her.

He lectured her on the main street: “If you’re only thinking about dating, you’re a complete slacker. Who has time for so much romance? How boring.”

“Idiot,” Tang Tingting cursed him back.

“I’m not an idiot,” Duan Qiyan declared.

Shen Fuxuan stood to the side, quietly observing their argument. Only after Tang Tingting left did Shen Fuxuan ask: “Are you really that clueless, or are you pretending?”

Duan Qiyan countered: “Are you really playing dumb, or just pretending?”

Shen Fuxuan spoke like a street mystic: “Truth and falsehood, passing clouds.”

Duan Qiyan slowed his pace. At that time, he still wanted to stay in Beijing.

After many twists and turns, he ultimately abandoned the idea of struggling in Beijing and returned to the provincial capital that raised him, living a simple and ordinary life.

He became a mathematics competition teacher at Provincial No. 1 High School.

Returning to Provincial No. 1 High School as a teacher gave Duan Qiyan a sense of “karmic cycle.”

He devoted himself to coaching each student, his phone filled with parents’ contact information. He realized that the things he thought adults must do when he was a child weren’t easy at all, such as cooking, washing dishes, cleaning house, picking up children—although he wasn’t married and had no children yet, he could imagine it.

Shortly after Jiang Yubai and Lin Zhixia got married, Duan Qiyan also saved money to buy a diamond ring. As Provincial No. 1 High School’s new generation competition teacher, he brought Tang Tingting back to the campus.

On the roof of their high school teaching building, Duan Qiyan thrust the box containing the diamond ring into Tang Tingting’s arms. Familiar feelings of embarrassment and anxiety washed over him, and Duan Qiyan was about to run away when Tang Tingting called after him: “If you run, we’re over!”

Duan Qiyan walked back to her with large strides.

“Is it okay?” he asked, “Is the ring big enough? Will you be proud to wear it outside?”

Tang Tingting said, “Who wears this thing to work? I have to check the circuits every day. This diamond is so flashy, it hurts my eyes.”

She hooked her arm around his neck: “How much did this ring cost?”

“Over a hundred thousand,” Duan Qiyan said.

Tang Tingting kissed him hard on the cheek: “Thank you, Brother Duan.”

Duan Qiyan said, “Don’t mention it, it’s nothing.”

“How much money is left in your account?” Tang Tingting asked.

A cold wind blew past, and Duan Qiyan sniffled: “Just over forty thousand.”

Tang Tingting put on the ring and led him downstairs: “Husband, I want a bigger house. Let’s put your place up for rent. It’s in a good location, easy to rent out. I’ll buy a house with my parents’ help and my efforts, fully paid, and add your name to it, okay?”

“It doesn’t matter whether you add my name or not,” Duan Qiyan calculated, “I’ll keep my current house instead of renting it out. After we argue someday, I’ll have somewhere to go.”

Tang Tingting looked at him in surprise.

He looked back at her.

Tang Tingting said, “I won’t kick you out.”

Duan Qiyan randomly patted her head.

Tang Tingting felt a surge of temper. She dragged Duan Qiyan back to his apartment, and that night they ascended to the clouds of passion. The benefits of Duan Qiyan’s years of physical exercise were fully demonstrated, and Tang Tingting felt both pity and affection for him, full of tenderness.

Afterward, Tang Tingting sat drinking water at the head of the bed while Duan Qiyan hid under the covers, refusing to come out. Tang Tingting comforted him: “Hey, I accepted your proposal, so I’ll take responsibility for you. Don’t worry, husband.”

But Duan Qiyan said, “You’re talking nonsense.”

“No, I’m not,” Tang Tingting patted his back, “I’ve always been honest with you since we were little, and I even let you take advantage. Remember that chilblain cream from back then?”

This was perhaps a romance sparked by chilblain cream, Duan Qiyan thought.

He suddenly felt sentimental.

On a Monday afternoon, Duan Qiyan had no classes and had finished grading papers. He took a bus alone to the Teachers’ College Elementary School. It had been more than a decade since he last visited his alma mater. Now with a stable job and marriage on the horizon, he had truly established himself and wanted to take a look at his old school campus. He stood for a long time at the entrance of Teachers’ College Elementary School. The reputation of “First Warrior” had long since disappeared, reading sounds came from the teaching building, and a white-haired old man in the security room waved to him.

He smiled broadly, stepped back twice, turned around, and left the elementary school entrance, striding firmly toward the path to his future.