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墨書 Inktalez
"Lao Liu, are you not leaving yet?" Vice Principal Chen Lianqing stopped at my office door, taking off his gold-rimmed glasses and putting them into the pocket of his suit as he asked me.
"Aren't we supposed to go to the Ministry of Education this afternoon? I'm just preparing some materials; you can head back first," I replied. As he raised his eyebrows, ready to leave, I hurriedly added, "When you see your wife, tell her that I'll be back in half an hour, so she doesn't have to wait for me."
Chen Lianqing smiled meaningfully, "Alright, you hurry up then."
Look at that, my reputation has been thoroughly damaged by Song Yuegui.
I stood up and closed the office door, walked over to the filing cabinet, took out the training papers for the math competition, separated the answers and explanations, and placed them deep inside the cabinet. Then I returned the papers to their original spot and sat back down. Excitement and anticipation filled my mind; I couldn't help but rise onto my toes, my leather shoes clattering against the floor.
After a few minutes, the footsteps in the corridor gradually faded away. I rolled up my sleeves and checked the time: 11:40. There were still twenty minutes until school was out; it felt so long.
Knock knock knock—
"Who is it?" I asked impatiently.
"Principal, I'm Xu Xiaoran from Class 3 of Grade 5. Teacher Li said to come get the math materials."
It's her! I was so excited that I nearly fell off my chair. I straightened my suit, puffed out my chest, pulled in my stomach, picked up a pen, and meticulously copied down the meeting summary from the Ministry of Education. "Come in," I said, my voice trembling slightly; I hoped she hadn't noticed.
She gently pushed open the door. A small foot clad in white sneakers peeked in first, followed by her entire body. She held onto the doorknob and stood there, her gaze resting on my head. I couldn't help but worry; my thinning hair made me look like a foolish bald man—would she dislike that?
"What are you standing there for? Come in," I put down my pen and smiled at her. "Close the door; I'm working and need some quiet."
She nodded and closed the door before taking a few steps forward. With her hands behind her back and long hair cascading over her shoulders, she wore a light yellow floral dress—so quiet and beautiful. I regarded her with an elder's demeanor; hmm, her complexion looks pale—she must be unwell. "Did you skip evening study yesterday?"
Her beautiful eyes blinked as her small mouth opened slightly in surprise. "Yes, I had a stomachache and took leave; Teacher Li knows."
"Did you go to the infirmary?" I moved to sit on the guest sofa as she turned to face me and lowered her head.
"I did."
"That's good," I said. "Your father came to see me and mentioned your situation. It's normal not to adapt well to a new environment; you should communicate more with your teachers and classmates. If you encounter any difficulties in life, you can talk to Teacher Li or come find me."
"Okay, thank you, Principal."
I couldn't discern her emotions.
"How's your studying? Are you keeping up with the pace? Can you accept the teaching methods of your teachers?"
"I can."
What an introverted child! "That's good," I said, trying hard to think of an appropriate topic. Perhaps too nervous, I couldn't come up with anything despite racking my brain. "Are you interested in participating in the math competition?"
What a pointless question!
"I am," she continued to look at the ground.
I stood up and strode over to her, one hand gripping her shoulder and the other lifting her chin. "You need to be confident! When you talk to others, you should appear assertive, understand?"
She was startled by me, her eyes wide open, frozen for a few seconds. "I understand."
I released her and walked over to the filing cabinet, taking the opportunity to grab some documents while letting out a long sigh.
God knows, I had acted on impulse just now; adrenaline surged through me, causing my hands to tremble.
"You start first. Once you're done, bring it over, and I'll check your answers. Leave blank any questions you don't understand. Treat it like a formal exam and complete it within the time limit. Don't discuss it with anyone else because no one will guide you in the exam room," I said seriously.
"Okay," she replied as she took the test paper, nodding earnestly.
"Do you have any other questions?"
"No."
"Alright, go back for now. Feel free to come to me if you have any questions." I said with a hint of regret.
When I got home, Mao Mao was jumping around in the yard. Upon seeing me, he excitedly rushed over. I picked him up and vigorously rubbed his fluffy fur. I was so excited that I felt an abundance of energy that needed to be released.
"What’s going on today?" Song Yuegui leaned against the doorframe, looking at me with a half-smile. "You usually don’t touch Mao Mao."
My eyelid twitched as I set Mao Mao down and avoided looking at her face. "All the elementary schools in the city are having their final competitions today, and our school came in first place. How can I not be happy?"
"Oh, is that all?" She seemed uninterested as she stepped down and touched her hair. "Do you notice anything different about me today?"
I looked her over; her black hair had turned dark red and was styled in small curls piled on her head. She had been cooped up inside all day, her skin pale and smooth. At first glance, she resembled a burnt white pig—quite comical. "You dyed your hair and permed it."
"What do you think?" She looked at me expectantly.
"It's pretty good," I replied dismissively, "but you're a staff family member; shouldn't you be mindful of your image? It makes our home look like a salon."
"And what's wrong with a salon? At least they have people coming and going with someone to talk to..."
Here we go again—bringing up old topics endlessly.
"Alright, alright," I said as I grasped her shoulder and led her inside. Today I had enough patience not to argue with her. "What are we having for lunch?"
After lunch, I lay down on the bed intending to take a nap when Song Yuegui walked in, swaying her hips with a flirtatious look in her eyes as she teased softly, "Lao Liu—"
I jolted awake, knowing that it was time for another round of 'public service.'
Women in their thirties are like wolves; in their forties, they're like tigers. A woman like a tiger is the most terrifying creature in the world. But since I was feeling spirited today, I suddenly sprang up and tackled Song Yuegui down.
She was beneath me while Xu Xiaoran filled my vision.
Ten minutes later.
“Lao Liu, let’s have a child,” Song Yuegui said softly, resting her head on my chest.
A child—suddenly, my mood plummeted like a receding tide, falling from the ethereal clouds to the deepest valley.
I sat up, reached for a cigarette on the bedside table, lit it, and took a deep drag. Perhaps the nicotine was too strong; it pressed painfully against my chest.
The idea of a child felt so distant, so far that it had taken twenty years for him to not be born in Song Yuegui's womb.
Song Yuegui shared the same worries; she tucked her head under the covers and began to sob softly.
I gazed out at the phoenix trees; pale purple petals mixed among the palm-sized green leaves swayed gently, drooping as if about to fall.
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