The Ministry of Education advocated for quality-oriented education, and B City, being the imperial capital, had to show a proper response to the central government’s call.

Thus, during the single weekly physical education class at Ah Heng’s school, there was a bustling atmosphere of excitement. The school had ordered several sets of sportswear for the students. However, being products from Xilin, they were all knockoffs – Nike and Adidas back-to-back, imitated with exquisite craftsmanship and consummate skill.

The principal smiled and said, “Students if you don’t study hard, how can you face the craftsmen who rushed to make this brand-name sportswear for you?”

Everyone deeply agreed, worshiping his words, feeling that all the principal’s speeches over the years could be flushed down the toilet compared to this one statement.

Indeed, if not for quality education, they should at least do it for those mind-boggling trademarks like “Adidos” and “NEKI” – such renowned, soul-stirring brands…

Unfortunately, it was winter, and the weather wasn’t great. Cold winds whistled through the bare tree branches. Ah Heng’s mind wandered – if leaves were trees’ clothes, then they were quite strange, wearing green coats in summer and going “streaking” in winter… hehe.

The term “streaking” had started becoming popular at school. Boys would boast and talk big: “If I don’t do such and such, I’ll go streaking.”

Ah Heng found it amusing and had been eager to use this term but couldn’t find the right opportunity.

So, seeing the bare trees, the timing and setting were perfect, inspiring this connection. She felt quite satisfied.

The PE teacher gave his usual instruction – “free activity” – and the boys huddled together, battling it out on the basketball court.

The sixteen and seventeen-year-old girls, hugging volleyballs, chattered away while watching the basketball court with an air of superiority, as if commenting on the state of the martial arts world: This one with a beard wearing Nike and Adidas thinks he’s Michael Jordan, but he’s a hooligan; that one hasn’t washed his oily hair for who knows how many days – “no character, no quality, no upbringing” – a representative of the “three nos.” Who else but them could be described with two phrases: unbearable to watch and horrifying!

Ah Heng didn’t know much about basketball, but hearing the girls’ commentary, she could barely contain her laughter. However, soon the girls fell silent, all of them becoming refined and elegant without exception.

Ah Heng peeked through the gap and saw a group of second-year students discussing having a match with their class. The leader happened to be Si Wan. They also had PE class this period.

Seeing Si Wan, Xin Dayi smiled, his white teeth gleaming, arm in arm with the young man, living up to the term “childhood friends” – a perfect pair. Unfortunately, his dribbling was fierce, the basketball hoop clanging loudly, making the girls wince in pain: “Auntie, be gentler! If you hurt Wen Si Wan, you won’t need to live to return to class!”

Si Wan appeared calm and gentle, nodding politely to the girls, but hearing his childhood friend Young Master Xin grinding his teeth, he was secretly amused, wondering when he had offended these impetuous youths. However, there was no need to give a face to his brother – he stole the ball, took three steps to the basket, and effortlessly hit the backboard.

Si Wan moved like a swimming dragon, turning back with a smile that could captivate hundreds, startling the group of little hens nearby. The girls felt extremely embarrassed inside but outwardly scolded Xin Dayi for being useless and bringing shame to their Class 3.

Xin Dayi furrowed his brows, his big eyes glaring at the girls like light bulbs, letting out an earth-shattering “damn!”

The girls knew Xin Dayi’s temper and scattered like birds and beasts, pairing up in small groups to play volleyball nearby.

Ah Heng was left alone, quietly squatting in the corner. Arms extended, wrists together, using wrist strength to receive the ball, she… could do it too.

To the left, the basketball court, with graceful figures dripping with sweat; to the right, elegant gestures and pleasant laughter.

She was in the middle, neither left nor right.

And so, she felt somewhat lonely.

After squatting for a while, her feet became numb, so she stood up and stamped them; after standing for a while, she got tired and squatted down again.

After repeating this several times, Ah Heng felt she was just wasting time and thought she might as well return to the classroom to solve some physics problems.

Just as she stood up, a white ball came flying straight at her face.

“Bang!” Her face met the volleyball squarely and enthusiastically.

Ah Heng squatted down holding her nose, tears instantly streaming down.

A girl ran over, patted her shoulder somewhat roughly, and asked, “Hey, Wen Heng, are you okay?”

“No… no… no problem.” Ah Heng’s head was buzzing, her nose hurting badly, and her voice muffled.

“What did you say?”

“No problem.” Her head was spinning, stars circling it.

“Can’t you speak louder!” Northern girls were forthright and couldn’t stand others being timid. Ah Heng’s voice was very soft, and the girl raised her voice, showing some impatience.

Ah Heng became a bit anxious, really wanting to shout “You try speaking clearly after getting hit in the face with a volleyball!” But unfortunately, her Beijing dialect was still at an infant level, so she closed her mouth, mentally telling herself it didn’t hurt.

People either explode in silence or become even more silent in silence.

Within seconds, something warm flowed from her nostrils between her fingers.

Drip, drip.

Bright red blood.

Ah Heng was already feeling dizzy, and with a crowd gathering around her, things became increasingly blurry. Her head tilted, and she lost consciousness.

She had a dream, where everything was white, thick with the taste of cold.

When she woke up, she found herself covered with a blanket, experiencing warmth different from the dream. Opening her eyes, she saw a familiar face – Si Wan.

“You’re awake?” The young man smiled.

“Mm.” Ah Heng smiled, her black pupils gentle and serene.

“Does it still hurt?” Si Wan’s voice grew increasingly gentle, his eyes fixed on her, showing a hint of pity.

Ah Heng looked at Si Wan and smiled too, her mouth corners warm, eyebrows curved.

“It doesn’t hurt.” She shook her head.

Ah Heng didn’t consider herself delicate – a child from a poor family couldn’t afford to be delicate, it would be fatal.

A habit formed in the Yun family: whether bumping into trees or stones, even if knocked silly, when father and mother asked, the answer was always “doesn’t hurt.”

Only with Yun present did she have the right to feel pain.

Si Wan gently touched Ah Heng’s nose, which had just been treated by the school nurse.

She quickly drew back, inhaling sharply, looking at Si Wan somewhat aggrieved.

Si Wan smiled, his dimples deep, ruffled Ah Heng’s black hair, and spoke softly: “See? It still hurts. When it hurts, don’t hold it in, okay?”

Ah Heng’s eyes reddened, her nose, which hadn’t felt particularly painful before, now ached terribly. However, her heart felt like it had a burning stove inside, warm and cozy.

Returning to class from the infirmary, everyone’s gaze was strange, especially the girls. The next class after PE was self-study, and Ah Heng secretly felt relieved, returning to her seat to work on problems.

“Well, the poor little thing is back!”

Ah Heng looked up; the girl in front was looking at her with a sarcastic tone.

She froze there.

Other girls started snickering, looking at her with disdain. The boys were indifferent, sitting there, just thinking the girls were petty, but life was so boring that when there was drama to watch, why not gossip? So they frowned, pretending to work on problems, but their ears stretched out long.

Ah Heng pondered hard – besides monkeys, could humanity’s ancestors possibly have included donkeys?

“Wen Heng, why don’t you teach everyone how you timed it so perfectly? Just as Wen Si Wan walked by, you fainted?” The girl who had hit her with the ball shouted at Ah Heng from several rows away, a smile on her lips but ice in her eyes.

Ah Heng’s hand paused for a moment, then she lowered her head and continued solving problems.

“What are you pretending to be? Aren’t you disgusting?”

Ah Heng felt all her blood rushing out, wanting to say “Si Wan is my brother.” But Si Wan was such a dazzling person, everyone liked him so much, that she couldn’t tarnish his reputation.

Having a stuttering sister wasn’t something to be proud of. She didn’t look down on herself much, but in this environment, thinking too highly of herself would be more foolish than looking down on herself.

Of course, in all her years, she had had many teachers, but none had ever taught her to endure when insulted.

Everyone was watching her. In their eyes was mockery, entertainment, ridicule, satisfaction, and aggression, but notably absent was righteousness.

She quietly took out a volleyball from the storage cabinet at the back of the classroom and threw it with moderate force at that girl’s shoulder.

“Ah!” A cry of pain.

Ah Heng calmly watched the girl grimacing, her gentle eyes showing no emotion as she softly asked, “Does it hurt?”

The girl’s face turned bright red, her shoulder burning, feeling very angry as she glared at Ah Heng: “What are you doing?”

“Are you… pretending?”

Ah Heng smiled.

How can one understand another’s pain without experiencing it themselves?

If others treated her with the intensity of ten, she would only return with the intensity of three. But in these three was contained her self-respect, tolerance, and composure.

However, if that ten was kindness and warmth, she would return it doubled, repaying thoroughly with goodness from the heart.

Unfortunately, these people didn’t know this, and even Xin Dayi, who would later become a very close friend, at this moment remained silent.

Ah Heng never held grudges, but this incident, she would remember for generations to come, for eternal preservation.

Because of that feeling of being humiliated, even someone as naturally generous as her had never truly forgotten.

It was so difficult, being alone.

That year, that day.