The Freshman Welcome Night was on a Friday. It was decided that after the last class in the afternoon, they would make time for a big clean-up.

“Achoo!”

Lin Shiyu sneezed, supporting the mop, and angrily remarked, “Stop playing with the chalk eraser!”

While Mao Silu and Gao Jie were cleaning the podium, they inexplicably got entangled, throwing chalk and erasers at each other and filling the classroom with a powdery cloud.

“I don’t want to clean up anymore.” Gao Jie tossed the rag onto the desk. “Shall we head to the auditorium now?”

“Why go now? The event hasn’t started yet.”

“To watch our class’s most popular male and female students rehearse.”

Mao Silu recalled, “Zhong Qi is rehearsing; he probably won’t have time for dinner.”

“You don’t need to worry about that. Shen Ziyi is taking dinner to Tao Chen; she must also bring a portion for Brother Qi.”

“What food is she bringing?”

Suddenly, Zhong Qi appeared in front of everyone, startling even Lin Shiyu. He was wearing an oversized white T-shirt, black casual pants, sneakers, and looking no different from usual.

“Zhong Qi, aren’t you rehearsing?”

Zhong Qi casually walked to his seat, grabbing his backpack. “Rehearsal’s done. I’m going out to eat.”

“Brother Qi, not to criticize, but you’re performing on stage, shouldn’t you dress up?” Gao Jie said, but then quickly changed his tone. “But this way, you’re handsome. It’s okay, Brother Gao has confidence in you.”

While they were talking, Lin Shiyu took the mop to the restroom. Along the way, as many people hastily finished cleaning, they formed groups and went to the cafeteria or the auditorium, eagerly anticipating tonight’s freshman welcome, losing focus on the actual work.

Lin Shiyu rolled up his sleeves, threw the mop into the sink, turned on the tap, and thought about going straight home or attending the event.

He had no idea what was so appealing about the event, as it was just people singing, dancing, and performing comic sketches. Lin Shiyu never liked watching such events. Yet, he stared at the gushing water, caught in a dilemma.

He had just left with the mop when Mao Silu rushed over, grabbing the mop from his hands. “What are you doing, taking so long?”

Lin Shiryu didn’t quite understand. “What?”

“The cleanup is done. Let’s have dinner together,” Mao Silu said. Unsatisfied with his calmness, he snatched the mop and headed back to the classroom. “Let’s have dinner and then watch the event. Let’s go. We’ve all been waiting for you.”

Lin Shiyu was a bit surprised and followed him into the corridor. He saw a few boys leaning on the hallway railing near the classroom. Gao Jie and Ruan Zhikai were chatting and laughing, with Zhong Qi standing facing away from him, wearing a shoulder bag. The breeze in the corridor continuously tousled their short hair and fluttered their clothes.

They were actually waiting for him.

As Lin Shiyu passed by them, Zhong Qi glanced at him, saying, “Why so slow with cleaning the mop?”

“Shiyu!” Mao Silu returned the mop, then rushed to Lin Shiyu in the classroom. “Hurry up, I’m so hungry.”

Lin Shiyu walked over to put away his backpack and left the classroom with them.

This time, there were no more questions like: “Why should I eat with you guys?” or “I’ll watch the event by myself.”

Because for this group of people, the answer seemed to become quite simple.

In the cafeteria, five boys occupied a long row of seats and the table was full of bowls, plates, and various fried skewer snacks. Gao Jie had an enormous appetite. A meal and a bowl of rice weren’t enough. He dashed to the fried skewer counter and bought two more servings, declaring it was for everyone to share, but actually ended up all in his own stomach.

Ruan Zhikai kicked him. “Aren’t you worried about high blood sugar or high lipids?”

Gao Jie, holding a skewer sausage, muttered, “Guilty as charged. Good food is the root of all evil.”

Lin Shiyu was eating beef noodles when the phone in his pocket buzzed. Thinking it was a message from his mother, he took out his phone to check, only to find it was from Zhao Bin.

Since his first photoshoot at the studio, Zhao Bin would occasionally send him messages. Apart from asking if Lin Shiyu would come back next time, the content had no significance to Lin Shiyu. It started with sharing fashion, clothing tips, and photography guidelines for fashion models. After Lin Shiyu replied with a “I don’t want to see” once, Zhao Bin started sharing jokes he found on Weibo and Zhihu. Following the jokes were strings of silly laughter comments.

Lin Shiyu never replied. He had no intention of establishing deeper contact with this university student photographer. This sporadic behavior of seeking attention irritated Lin Shiyu, but he couldn’t straightforwardly ask him to go away because he still needed Zhao Bin’s WeChat transfers.

“What is this guy trying to do?” Lin Shiyu threw the phone aside, thinking: ‘Don’t university students have a lot of homework?’

He was about to pick up a steamed bun, but as he looked up, the entire basket of buns was gone.

Lin Shiyu watched high Gao Jie, who was devouring the table. He didn’t say anything, just got up and walked towards the bun stall.

Zhong Qi was eating beside him, and Lin Shiyu placed his phone beside his bowl. The screen hadn’t turned off. Zhong Qi glanced at it, seeing a WeChat conversation with the user “Erlu-Wan Zhao,” who had shared something, followed by a series of cheerful comments.

Lin Shiyu came back with a steamer of buns. The six buns were quickly taken by high spirited Gao Jie, who immediately said, “Oh, Brother Shiyu, how did you know I wasn’t full yet? Thank you, thank you.”

As he said that, he grabbed one.

Mao Silu: “I want one too!”

Ruan Zhikai: “Me too.”

In the blink of an eye, three buns were gone. Lin Shiyu took a deep breath, thinking: ‘Alright, three are left.’

A pair of chopsticks reached over and picked up two buns.

Lin Shiyu quickly caught Zhong Qi’s hand and glared at him. “Why do you get to eat two?”

Zhong Qi smoothly transferred the buns to his other hand, finished one with a bite, and the bun was gone.

“I have a performance later; I need to replenish my energy.” He said it in a completely reasonable manner. Then, in another bite, he finished the last of the two buns.

Lin Shiyu, unable to stop him, watched the fresh buns he just bought disappear in the blink of an eye, and began rolling up his sleeves. Gao Jie and Mao Silu hurriedly restrained him. “Brother Shiyu just let it go!”

After a lively and noisy dinner, Lin Shiyu was still sour about Zhong Qi snatching two buns from him and stood far away from him, not even looking at him.

As they walked towards the auditorium, Zhong Qi, full and in a good mood, saw Lin Shiyu walking silently, standing apart from him and Mao Silu. Zhong Qi stepped around Mao Silu, lifted his foot, and kicked Lin Shiyu’s heel from behind.

Lin Shiyu was caught off guard by the sudden attempt to trip him, and he was instantly irritated. “What are you doing!”

“I only ate two buns.”

“Did I let you eat them?”

“They’ve all eaten some, so why can’t I?”

“If you want to eat, you can only have one!”

“What’s the matter if I eat two?”

Mao Silu, caught in the middle, hurriedly separated them with one hand. “Hey! It’s just buns. Shiyu, don’t get angry. I’ll buy you two baskets on Monday morning.”

Ruan Zhikai said, “What kind of kindergarten-level argument is this between you two?”

Lin Shiyu didn’t calm down until he was seated in the small auditorium, but as soon as he calmed down, he remembered that he forgot to buy water.

He was thirsty after the meal; he couldn’t just sit there all night without drinking water. Lin Shiyu had to get up again and said, “I’ll go out and buy water.”

Zhong Qi had already gone backstage to prepare for the performance. At the mention of water, Mao Silu said, “I want a bottle of Sprite, please.”

Lin Shiyu: “Did I say I’ll bring you any?”

Next to him, Gao Jie was even more natural. “I want the milk tea from the bubble tea shop at the entrance.”

Lin Shiyu wanted to grab his collar. “You still want bubble tea?”

Gao Jie became a little intimidated by his expression and his robust body shrank a little. “Then–then, how about a cola?”

Lin Shiyu wasn’t in the mood to argue with him. He turned to ask Ruan Zhikai, “What do you want?”

Ryan Zhikai raised the bottle of mineral water in his hand, indicating that he didn’t need anything.

Lin Shiyu left the small auditorium and headed to the convenience store on the first floor of the cafeteria to buy himself a bottle of mineral water and a Sprite. He initially thought about getting a bottle of cola directly, but he hesitated at the door for a while. In the end, he turned and walked outside the school holding the bag.

He stood at the bubble tea shop impatiently waiting for his milk tea. He thought to himself that even though the person was fat, he still wanted to drink bubble tea.

His detour took a long time. The day was turning dark, and the school’s streetlights were on. The seniors were in the classroom for evening self-study, while the juniors were in the small auditorium. The square was deserted, and the night was quiet.

Carrying the beverages, Lin Shiyu passed through the square, walked past an office building, and behind the building was a small grove, densely planted with a pebble path running through it.

The trees were casting dark shadows, and Lin Shiyu noticed a few people gathered in the grove, with a spark of light and smoke.

They weren’t standing very far apart. Lin Shiyu could even recognize the face of one of the individuals.

It was the sophomore boy who accidentally knocked over his meal tray in the cafeteria that day.

Those few people, upon hearing footsteps, thought it might be a teacher and hurriedly extinguished their cigarettes, looking over to meet Lin Shiyu’s gaze.

“Damn, you scared me.” The boy tossed the cigarette and walked over. “Oh… It’s you again.”

A cheap cigarette smell hit Lin Shiyu’s face. He immediately retreated, disgusted by the smell, covering his nose.

The other guys also approached, friends of the boy from that day. One of them looked Lin Shiyu up and down and couldn’t help but laugh. “He’s carrying a pink rabbit backpack? Seriously?”

“Dressed like a girl too.” They encircled Lin Shiyu, and one nudged him. “Do you wear women’s clothes every day? Do you have no shame at all?”

“He’s thick-skinned.”

Lin Shiyu was nudged and staggered. His fingers, clutching the bag, tightened a bit.

“Keep your distance from him, he might be gay.”

“Don’t say that, but it’s true…”

The tall boy looked around with a menacing look on his face. “Your stupid buddies aren’t around to protect you this time.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Shiyu finally raised his head, his gaze as cold as a knife, full of disdain and no hint of fear.

“Do you always talk this much nonsense?”

“Damn it!” The boy pushed Lin Shiyu hard. His temper flared. “All alone and still acting tough. You didn’t get a beating before because those idiot friends of yours were around to help you! Damn it, I nearly broke my nose because of you, a group of freshmen bastards…”

The boy was grumbling while grabbing Lin Shiyu’s collar, another guy reaching out to restrain him. Lin Shiyu was pulled to the boy, and in that moment, the rational part of his brain ceased.

Violence, chaos, undeserved humiliation and curses, were an endless tangle; the familiarity and yet repulsiveness of the stifling and suffocating sensation returned to his memory and body.

The tranquil days had been too long, and Lin Shiyu almost forgot.

This’s how he grew up.

With a bang, the bag dropped, the beverages spilled out, the milk tea cup shattered, and the sugary liquid spilled everywhere.

Lin Shiyu turned back and grabbed the boy’s wrist, fiercely kicking him in the abdomen. The blow made the boy retch immediately. The two fell to the ground, shouts echoing all around. Lin Shiyu was like a wolf cub suddenly provoked from its deep slumber. He got up from the ground, grabbed the boy’s neck, raised his fist and then struck hard.

 

Edited by: Jaisland

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