DBTHDCAR Chapter 22

September 1, 1997, the second month after Hong Kong’s return, and the big day when Ning Xiaobei and Fan Xia stepped onto middle school grounds.

To celebrate this momentous day, the two ate breakfast that symbolized perfect scores: a single long fried dough stick (youtiao) and two large flatbreads each. Then they each hopped onto their newly bought bicycles and set off for No. 1 High School near the North Station.

As one of the city’s top schools, No. 1 High School was enormous. The middle and high school campuses stretched across north and south, separated by a road.

The school had a standard 400-meter track, a basketball gym, a tiered auditorium, and a swimming pool. On top of that, the teaching, lab, and library buildings alone numbered seven or eight. The buildings were connected by rainbow-colored corridors. Though it was a middle school, it looked grander than some third-rate universities.

New students often got lost just walking around, and that included young teachers who had only recently started their internships.

Why was No. 1 High School so impressive? Besides the fact that its students consistently topped citywide middle and high school exams, and that wealthy parents were willing to pay generous sponsorships to get their kids in, the school also ran a booming third-party business. All sorts of shops around the school belonged to the school itself, including a large parking lot.

The school’s electrified teaching equipment was cutting-edge. In the late 1990s, when desktop CPUs were still 486s and 586s, and university computer labs required shoe covers and dustproof clothing, No. 1 High School teachers were already using multimedia for teaching. Every classroom had a projector and computer, though many older teachers couldn’t operate them, but that was another matter. Young teachers at No. 1 High School were highly valued, given opportunities to take on important roles, and encouraged to develop professionally.

Foreign faces also frequently appeared at the school, exchange high school students. For someone to come in, naturally, someone else had to leave.

This was exactly why Ning Xiaobei had insisted on coming to No. 1 High School.

Seven years of secondary education, he had gained so much here.

“Xiaobei, we’re here.”

Normally, it only took ten minutes to ride from the Workers’ New Village to the middle school section of No. 1 High School. Today, because it was the first day of school, the streets around the campus were a bit crowded, but they still arrived at 6:50.

Yes, school officially started at seven. Anyone entering the gates late, whether junior or senior high, was marked tardy. Three tardies, and the whole grade would be notified; three notifications, and parents would be invited for tea in the dean’s office.

But Ning Xiaobei knew this wasn’t even the strictest part. The real strictness was right in front of him…

“Quick, quick, quick! Run! Five seconds left! Five, four, three, two…”

At seven sharp, the female teacher at the gate stretched out her hand, stopping the students who hadn’t yet made it into the classroom.

“Everyone behind here counts as late. Boys, twenty push-ups. Girls, ten. Get to it.”

The new students, thinking that just entering the school on time was enough, froze in shock. They stood at the gate, unsure what to do.

“Down! Down! Don’t you understand human speech? Kneel, hands forward, butt up!”

Homeroom teacher Ms. Yan tucked her stopwatch into her pocket, pointed sharply at them, and yelled.

Her harsh voice instantly silenced the students, who had been chattering and getting to know one another in the classroom.

Since it was the first day, seating hadn’t yet been arranged, so everyone grabbed whatever spot they could. Some students had graduated from the same primary school, forming little clusters here and there.

Fan Xia, of course, stuck right next to Ning Xiaobei and didn’t let go.

As for Ding Zheyang, he sat diagonally across the aisle from them; not too close, not too far. He didn’t talk to the new classmates, just held a book and pretended to read. But behind the thick lenses, his eyes kept glancing toward the door from time to time.

Standing at the doorway, giving these kids a first taste of strictness, was their homeroom teacher and math instructor for the next four years, Yan Bingru.

She wasn’t even thirty, with an apple-shaped face, fair skin, and a petite frame; so much so that the already 1.55 meters Ning Xiaobei barely came up to her shoulder.

Normally, such a young female teacher would be well-liked by students. But right now, true to her name, she was as cold as ice. With her finely arched eyebrows raised like a king of the underworld, she looked terrifying, and the kids were instantly frozen in place.

“Yan Bingru… same as always after all these years,” Ning Xiaobei muttered quietly, watching her back.

In that real world, he had been just another one of the kids outside.

To take care of the prep-class students, the school had placed their classrooms in a three-story building nestled between two gardens. The little building was much shorter than the other teaching blocks and hidden among trees and flowers, easy to get lost. Sure enough, Ning Xiaobei and the other kids got lost too.

Luckily, the school had anticipated this and stationed plenty of senior students as volunteers to guide each child to their classroom door.

When he finally stepped happily into the prep-class corridor, ready to enter the classroom, the teacher stopped him in the hallway and demanded he do push-ups just like the kids outside.

That year, before he could even finish twenty push-ups, Ning Xiaobei had an asthma attack. Cold sweat broke out all over him, and his eyes rolled back. Luckily, the homeroom teacher from the neighboring Class 2, Teacher Sui, experienced and quick-thinking, ran over and escorted him to the school infirmary.

Not only did Ning Xiaobei miss the placement test that day, but he also ran a high fever that night.

Three days later, when he returned to school, he was horrified to find that Teacher Yan had assigned him a seat at the very last row along the wall, directly in front of a trash can.

At No. 1 High School, the last row of four desks and eight chairs had, over the years, earned the nickname special seats — meaning that if you ended up there, you were practically doomed to stay at the back, possibly carrying over to the next class, beyond help.

It turned out that when Ning Xiaobei was rushed to the infirmary, the school principal happened to be inspecting the new students and witnessed the whole thing. He immediately scolded their homeroom teacher harshly.

So being assigned to the special seats was only natural.

Back then, Ning Xiaobei wasn’t like now, he hadn’t toughened up on the streets, and his face wasn’t as thick as a city wall. Sensitive little Xiaobei immediately sensed he was being singled out by the teacher. He was both shocked and scared. For several monthly exams in a row, he didn’t perform well, almost falling all the way to Class Two.

Ning Xiaobei twirled his pen, watching the kids who had been late stumble into class, crying after their punishments.

One pale, skinny girl, seeing her dirt-stained hands and scraped knees, sat down and sobbed uncontrollably. She had worn brand-new white silk socks under her blue school skirt to celebrate the first day of school, but now her knees were scraped, and the new socks were ruined.

“That’s Zhuang Li…”

Fan Xia recognized her.

“Why are you crying? Keep it up and I’ll have your parents take you home. I don’t have room here for little princesses, and I certainly don’t have room for ‘Lin Daiyu.’ Understand?”

Emotions spread quickly among the children. A few other girls, seeing Zhuang Li cry, began to tear up as well. But Yan Bingru acted first, slamming her hand heavily on the desk. That one sharp gesture made the girls gulp back their tears.

Zhuang Li lowered her head, her frail shoulders trembling, and dared only a quiet, choked sob.

The boys glanced at each other, all lowering their heads and staying silent, frozen like insects in the cold.

Seeing the whole class in perfect order, Yan Bingru’s usually pale lips curved slightly, her first smile of the day.

“Remember this from now on. Anyone late will face this consequence. Today is the first day, so push-ups will do. Starting tomorrow, one minute late means a lap around the playground.”

Seeing the students’ pale faces and knowing her first impression had landed perfectly, Yan Bingru left the classroom, satisfied. She still had to give a speech on behalf of the young teachers at the opening ceremony.

The moment Teacher Yan left, the classroom immediately erupted into chaos.

The boys whispered to each other, hardly able to believe that this seemingly cute and pretty teacher was actually a she-devil. A few girls helped Zhuang Li and the other two latecomers go to the bathroom to wash up. It looked like a friendship would soon form among them.

Suddenly, Ning Xiaobei slammed his pen down on the desk with a loud crack, startling Fan Xia.

On the way home, the two rode side by side, and Fan Xia was extremely uneasy.

“What should I do? I don’t think I did very well on the placement test just now.”

The placement test was a single paper combining Chinese, math, and English.

After the exam, still feeling dizzy, Fan Xia opened the newly issued textbooks and realized that the last few big math problems weren’t just above their level, they hadn’t even been taught yet. He immediately shouted that it was unfair.

Many classmates shared the same frustration. At this point, they hadn’t yet experienced the full force of their math teacher, and they all asked why she would test them on things they hadn’t learned.

Yan Bingru’s light, effortless words immediately shut them all down.

“As students of Class 1, you haven’t even previewed your lessons? What did you do over the two-month summer break? Is learning for the teacher or for yourself? If your attitude toward learning stays like this, you might as well head straight to Class 4’s trash bin row.”

“Don’t be discouraged. You don’t know it yet, and neither does anyone else. Besides, with monthly exams, you get a chance to improve every month. Don’t worry, there’s always a seat next to me for you. Work hard and maybe you’ll sit next to me before graduation.”

Ning Xiaobei patted him on the shoulder, trying to comfort him.

“You’re really funny, boss.”

Fan Xia’s face darkened even more, looking almost black.

Just as Ning Xiaobei had said earlier, getting into No. 1 High School was only the first step, the road ahead was still long.

“By the way, Xiaobei, what did Teacher Yan mean just now before class ended? What’s all that about go home and talk with your parents, think about how to strengthen the student-teacher bond? I just don’t get it.”

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t get it, as long as your uncle gets it.”

Ning Xiaobei let out a cold laugh.

………………

“What do you mean? Your teacher is basically hinting at something.”

Manager Zhao really was street-smart; he could read people instantly.

“I’ve already prepared everything. After dinner, let Xiao Xia bring it up. Tomorrow you take it to school. During class break, find an excuse to go to the teacher’s office and quietly give it to her.”

“Uncle, what are you talking about? I don’t understand a word.”

Fan Xia lifted his head from his bowl, looking confused.

Ning Xiaobei just held his bowl and said nothing.

“See? All you think about is eating. Xiaobei’s clearly already picked up the hint. You’re in the same prep class, so why are you still acting so childish?”

Zhao Jingwen shook his head in frustration, pointing at Fan Xia with his chopsticks.

Fan Xia blinked his big dark eyes, glanced at him, then at Ning Xiaobei, and finally decided to just keep eating.

Ever since the move, the two Zhao relatives had completely treated Ning’s living room as if it were their own.

Zhao Jingwen was a salesman, so he didn’t have to sit at the factory every day. If he didn’t have evening business to attend, he’d go to the market in the afternoon, buy ingredients, rinse the rice, and wait for Ning Jianguo to cook. Then he’d sweep, mop, and wipe the glass. Basically, aside from cooking, he handled all the household chores.

When it was time for dinner, the uncle and nephew went upstairs together. Between the two households, the four men were living almost like one family.

“Kids really don’t need to understand this sort of thing,”

Ning Jianguo said, giving Zhao Jingwen a disapproving look.

“What’s with their teacher? Isn’t this basically asking the parents… to give gifts?”

The last few words were nearly swallowed in his throat.

“That’s just how society works nowadays. If you want things done, there’s always a cost. Look at Old Ma…well, never mind Old Ma. Schools are no different. Once the teacher mentions it, we just do it, or else we stand out.”

“But that’s a teacher…”

Ning Jianguo’s work at the shoe factory was all technical. He had always relied on skill and experience, and had never needed to give anyone gifts.

“I’m not going,”

Ning Xiaobei said firmly and decisively.

“Then I’m not going either.”

Fan Xia seemed to understand, but not completely.

Still, he followed Ning Xiaobei, whatever boss wouldn’t do, he wouldn’t do either.

“Yes. None of you go. We’ll go.”

Zhao Jingwen patted Ning Jianguo on the shoulder and nodded.

“It would look ridiculous for kids to deliver gifts to the office… How about this: Teacher’s Day is coming up in a few days. Jianguo, we can pick a time to go to the school and visit their homeroom teacher. Better to invite her out for a meal. That way, giving the gift outside the school won’t be awkward.”

“I’m not going. And Dad, you’re not going either,”

Ning Xiaobei said, looking up with knitted brows. “Uncle Zhao can go if he wants. I don’t need to. I refuse. I just don’t believe that if I don’t give a gift, Yan Bingru won’t let me into class.”

In the real world, Ning Jianguo had already given the gift.

It wasn’t until Ning Xiaobei had been bullied and suppressed for several months that, after prompting from the parents of his classmates, a belated Ning Jianguo finally hurried over to Sanyang Department Store on Nanjing Road and bought a whole Jinhua ham, which he delivered to the Yan family.

“Xiao Bei, how are you talking to your uncle? Watch your tone!”

Ning Jianguo shouted loudly.

Ning Xiaobei quickly set down his bowl and chopsticks, stood up, and bowed apologetically to Zhao Jingwen.

“Xiao Bei, this is something you’re too young to understand. You have to know, ‘higher-ranking official crushes the lower one’. If your teacher wants to make things uncomfortable for you, there are plenty of ways.”

Zhao Jingwen waved his hand casually. What did it matter if a kid understood?

“Besides, your grades are good, so the teacher doesn’t need to favor you. Fan Xia is different. Getting into No. 1 High School is like luck hitting the ceiling. If he doesn’t get on the teacher’s good side, what if he really ends up in the trash bin?”

Fan Xia, who had been confident until now, could only droop his head wearily at his uncle’s words.

Ning Xiaobei knew Zhao Jingwen was right, but he still couldn’t help feeling a bit unfair about it.

Suddenly, a commotion came from downstairs, and everyone turned their heads.

Fan Xia ran to the corridor, leaned over the railing, and saw a truck parked in the small square beneath the tubular building.

“Who moves at a time like this?”

He looked up at the darkening skyline and said curiously.

……………… 

Author’s Note:

Huò Líng Zi, Jiē Líng Zi  (豁翎子, 接翎子) – Shanghai dialect: one person gives a subtle, expressionless hint, and the other receives it. It’s a meaning that must be understood intuitively rather than explained.

The author firmly opposes all corporal punishment and the giving or receiving of gifts. This story simply depicts certain negative social practices of the era for critique and exposure. Those who participate in such behaviors will ultimately face consequences.

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