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The Promise Under the Stars
墨書 Inktalez
For three whole days, heavy rain had flooded the lower areas of the campus with muddy water.
Principal Chen called everyone together for a meeting, instructing everyone to keep their students in the classroom and not to move around freely except for meals and bathroom breaks.
I had just arranged my class with my colleagues when the Director of Education, Liu Guoliang, ran over with a broken umbrella in the rain, shouting, "Teacher Xiao Song!"
I quickly walked outside and asked, "What's wrong, Director Liu?"
"Your brother is here!" Liu Guoliang exclaimed excitedly. "He's in the principal's office right now!"
My brother?
I was taken aback.
Liu Guoliang was referring to Jiang Xiaoyu.
He is the half-brother of my good friend Zhang Tingting. Throughout our childhood, Zhang Tingting and I would tease and bicker with each other, but our bond remained incredibly strong.
Jiang Xiaoyu is three years younger than me and was raised by both of us as a younger brother. When he was little, he was exceptionally cute and well-behaved, always following us around like an inseparable little tail.
However, after Zhang Tingting and I went to college, Jiang Xiaoyu gradually drifted away from us.
Especially after I graduated and came to Wutong Village for teaching support, it had been nearly two years since I last contacted him.
I heard he got accepted into a university in the United States, and the major listed on the admission letter is Financial Management.
With his grades, he could have easily chosen a top school in the country, but he didn't.
I don't know why he suddenly came here.
In the office, Jiang Xiaoyu was sitting upright between Principal Chen and Zhu Xi, drying his hair with a towel.
He has changed so much that I almost didn't recognize him.
"Jiang Xiaoyu?"
I pushed open the door, my tone incredulous.
"Sister Song Jia."
Jiang Xiaoyu put down the towel and stood up to look at me.
He has grown taller and darker; his originally soft and delicate facial features have become sharp and defined, resembling a rapidly growing tree, subtly taking on the appearance of a mature man.
As I examined him, Principal Chen and Zhu Xi were also looking at me.
"Teacher Jiang, your sister just said she was going to give you a good lesson."
Zhu Xi is Principal Chen's niece. After graduating from university, she gave up opportunities to develop in big cities and chose to return to her hometown to become a teacher.
She has a gentle personality and always speaks in a soft voice, showing great understanding towards others.
"Exactly, it's lucky nothing happened. What would you do if something really went wrong?"
Principal Chen chimed in. She is not much older than me, yet she always treats me like a child, and her concern for me is no less than that of my dad.
"Did you hear that?"
I shot her a sidelong glance and mimicked the tone of Principal Chen and Zhu Xi, saying, "You mustn't do that again next time."
Jiang Xiaoyu lowered his eyes, his long and delicate eyelashes hiding his emotions.
After a while, he softly replied with an "mm."
Principal Chen and Zhu Xi exchanged glances and tactfully tried to ease the situation for us: "Song Jia, why don't you take your brother to wash up and change into clean clothes so he doesn't catch a cold?"
"Right, you two siblings haven't seen each other for years. I'm sure you have a lot to talk about. Go on."
I took Jiang Xiaoyu to the dormitory.
"The conditions here are quite tough. If you're having any difficulties, feel free to tell me; there's no need to force yourself."
On the way to the dormitory, we had to pass through a muddy dirt road. I carefully moved my feet forward while talking to Jiang Xiaoyu.
"What do you think of this place?"
He followed me with his luggage, his voice very soft: "That's good, no need to change on purpose."
I turned to look at him.
His forehead was slightly damp, and his clear, bright eyes were quietly watching me.
The dormitory was a two-story small building, with separate accommodations for male and female students, each room housing four people.
Jiang Xiaoyu was assigned to the first room on the first floor. I helped him unlock the door and pushed it open.
Inside the room were four single beds, one of which was made up with a mat and a summer quilt.
I pointed to that bed and said to him, "This is your bed. There's a fan next to it; if it gets hot, just turn on the fan."
"I'll buy the rest of the things for you in town once the rain stops."
He lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes casting a shadow on his fair skin.
"No need, everything you need is here. You don't have to spend money on me."
I looked at him and suddenly smiled: "No need to be polite with your sister; I have plenty of money."
He pressed his lips together and didn't say anything.
Habitually, I raised my hand to ruffle his hair, but he tilted his head to avoid it.
My hand, suspended in mid-air, paused for a moment before I casually pulled it back and playfully scolded him, "You little brat, growing up and still throwing tantrums at your sister."
He looked at me, his voice low, "Sister Song Jia, can you stop treating me like a child?"
I instinctively retorted, "I'm not treating you like a child."
"Then what do you call me?"
He said softly, "I'm not your brother."
I was slightly taken aback.
Oh right.
Jiang Xiaoyu is not my brother; he isn't even my relative.
All these years, I had always regarded him the same way I did with Zhang Tingting—as my younger brother.
"Then what should I call you?"
I blinked and asked, "Should I just call you by your name?"
His eyelashes fluttered slightly, but he didn't respond.
I walked over and pinched his cheek. "That's not acceptable; you're younger than me, so I have to call you my brother."
"Not calling you brother, then should I call you sister?"
He swatted my hand away and stared at me with wide eyes.
I fearlessly glared back at him, "Try staring at me again?"
"Do you believe I will hit you?"
He lowered his gaze, his thick eyelashes casting shadows over his eyes, his voice soft: "You can't beat me."
My threatening words instantly got stuck in my throat, unable to go up or down.
He was right.
Although I was older than him, when it came to fighting, I really couldn't win against him.
Jiang Xiaoyu had been learning Sanda and boxing from Zhang Tingting's father since childhood. He won the city-wide youth championship in middle school and got into the country's top high school with nearly perfect scores.
As for me, I had hardly ever scored full marks in any subject except for Chinese exams, and I had lost countless fights.
Seeing me at a loss, the corners of his lips curled slightly, and a hint of a smile flickered in his eyes.
He softly changed the subject: "I'm hungry."
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