At five o'clock on Monday morning, Lin Zhixia woke up. Her mother had just returned from stocking up on goods, and both her dad and mom were organizing the warehouse. Meanwhile, Lin Zhixia, wearing slippers, tiptoed quietly into the kitchen.
She peeled two apples, mashed them into a paste, and added rock sugar and starch... Suddenly, her mother's voice sounded behind her: "Xia Xia, what are you busy with?"
Lin Zhixia turned to look at her mother and described honestly: "Mom, I want to make two apple pies."
Last night, their family had just eaten dumplings, and there were still a few sheets of dough left in the refrigerator.
Her mother washed her hands with a basin of tap water, took out the dough from the refrigerator, and then said to Lin Zhixia: "Go back to your bedroom and sleep, Xia Xia. Mom will make the apple pies for you."
Lin Zhixia yawned and rubbed her eyes: "I want to make them myself."
"You've never cooked before, you don't know how to use the gas stove, and you're not even as tall as the water pipe. What can you do?" her mother issued an ultimatum. "Go back to sleep. I'll wake you up at six o'clock."
Lin Zhixia was indeed very sleepy. She returned to her bedroom, curled up under a quilt, and quickly fell asleep. When she woke up, she smelled the aroma of apple pies. Her mother had placed the pies on a plate and set them by the stove to cool.
Lin Zhixia packed the pies into a glass lunchbox and then stuffed the lunchbox into her backpack.
On her way to school that morning, Lin Zhixia skipped and hopped. The azure sky stretched endlessly, and her mood was incomparably joyful. Each step felt as if she were stepping on clouds, allowing her soul and body to drift freely in the wind.
The aquarium! The aquarium! Visiting the aquarium!
In her backpack, there were also strawberry milk, strawberry biscuits, and apple pies!
Lin Zhixia was super happy!
Carrying all her assets, Lin Zhixia rushed excitedly into the classroom of Class 1, Grade 4.
The school bus was scheduled to arrive at the school gate at 7:50 a.m. But it was only 7:10, and the classroom was sparsely populated and relatively quiet.
Jiang Yubai had already arrived.
Jiang Yubai stood by his seat, observing the campus scenery on the first floor. Lin Zhixia ran up to Jiang Yubai, opened a fresh-keeping bag, took out the lunchbox inside, and handed him a fork.
She said, "This is an apple pie made at home. I prepared the filling myself. Try it."
Jiang Yubai wasn't hungry at all. But Lin Zhixia was looking at him with shining eyes, and he felt too embarrassed to refuse, so he reluctantly accepted. He lowered his head, took a bite of the apple pie, chewed it slowly, and then said softly, "It's quite tasty."
Lin Zhixia lifted her head: "I'm glad you like it. This is your lunchbox; I'm returning it to you."
Jiang Yubai declined: "I don't take back gifts I've given to others."
"Do you want more apple pie?" Lin Zhixia asked.
Jiang Yubai remained reserved: "Thank you, but no." He had a firm and unyielding spirit and would never allow himself to be bribed by food.
Observing his expression, Lin Zhixia deliberately said, "Then I'll give it to someone else to eat."
This morning, Han Dawei, the labor committee member, had arrived at school at 6:50. Han Dawei had cleaned the classroom all by himself and was now starving. When he heard Lin Zhixia say she would give the food to someone else, Han Dawei bounded over to her in three quick steps: "Lin Zhixia! What delicious food do you have?"
"This!" Lin Zhixia raised the lunchbox.
"Give it to me!" Han Dawei reached out with both hands to take it.Jiang Yubai unzipped his backpack and pulled out a large bag of fruit crisps and coconut cakes from Hainan. These high-quality snacks were all tossed to Han Dawei.
In an instant, Han Dawei's shock turned into ecstasy: "Wow! Jiang Yubai! You're so generous!"
Jiang Yubai took the lunch box from Lin Zhixia and zipped his backpack shut. Without saying a word, he returned to his seat, his deeds unknown and his name unheralded.
Lin Zhixia had her back to him, gazing out the window with an air of having calculated all the mysteries under heaven: "Jiang Yubai, will you still have this kind of personality when you grow up?"
"What kind of personality?" Jiang Yubai asked seriously.
"That kind of personality," Lin Zhixia described, "what you're thinking in your heart isn't quite the same as what you say out loud."
Just as Jiang Yubai was about to refute her, she turned her head and smiled at him. He immediately forgot what he was going to say, staying quietly in his seat like a mute.
At 7:40 this morning, all seven fourth-grade classes had formed their lines.
Each class had two accompanying teachers in addition to the homeroom teacher. The teachers repeatedly emphasized that all students must follow the aquarium's rules and regulations, avoiding running around or shouting to prevent damaging the school's reputation.
Teacher Wu faced the students of Class 1, Grade 4 and emphasized once more: "When you step outside this school gate, you represent not just yourselves, but also your teachers' dignity and the school's reputation, understand? Our Class 1 is an advanced class, the top-ranked class in the grade. You must maintain order and have a sense of collective honor! Okay?"
The students shouted in unison: "Okay!"
Their momentum was overwhelming, soaring straight to the clouds.
Teacher Wu waved her hand. Class President Dong Sunqi quickly followed Teacher Wu's steps. Then, the entire class orderly boarded the bus.
Jiang Yubai took a seat in the last row, with Dong Sunqi and Ding Yan as his neighbors, while Lin Zhixia and Gan Shuli sat in front of him. The two girls were whispering to each other and soon burst into giggles.
Ding Yan asked: "Lin Zhixia, are you telling jokes? Include me, I want to hear too."
Lin Zhixia and Gan Shuli were having too much fun and completely ignored Ding Yan's request from behind them.
Ding Yan placed his hands on his knees, turned to Jiang Yubai and said: "I have a great idea."
Jiang Yubai asked him: "What idea?"
Ding Yan whispered sneakily: "Lin Zhixia and Gan Shuli won't tell me what jokes they're telling. If you and I laugh a few more times, when they ask us, we won't tell them either!"
After explaining, Ding Yan laughed: "Hahahaha, Jiang Yubai, hahahaha."
Jiang Yubai said: "Psycho."
Abandoned by both female and male friends, Ding Yan suddenly understood the hardships of life. When he looked up, he noticed Jiang Yubai had an earphone in his left ear. He leaned closer for a better look and discovered Jiang Yubai was holding an iPod.
An iPod!
Forget about an iPod, Ding Yan thought, his parents hadn't even agreed to buy him an iPod.
Ding Yan hooked his arm around Jiang Yubai's shoulder and pleaded: "Let me play with your iPod."
Jiang Yubai agreed. Thus, the iPod fell into Ding Yan's hands.Ding Yan noticed that this MP4 player was the latest model released by Newman Company just this September. The screen was as large as his palm, with high clarity and resolution, while the metal buttons carried a slight dullness to the touch. When Ding Yan pressed one with his finger, he felt instantly elated, as if seamlessly connecting with the cutting-edge high technology of 2004.
"What videos do you have?" Ding Yan asked eagerly.
"Detective Conan, Pokémon, and Black Cat Sheriff," Jiang Yubai replied, operating the buttons to bring up the playlist.
Dong Sunqi, sitting nearby, leaned over and exclaimed, "Detective Conan!"
"Let's watch Black Cat Sheriff instead?" Ding Yan suggested. "My dad won't let me watch it. He said Black Cat Sheriff has too many deaths... wait, not people, but animals."
Jiang Yubai didn't seem to mind. "Up to you."
Ding Yan immediately selected the fourth episode of Black Cat Sheriff, titled "The Wife-Eating Mantis."
"The Wife-Eating Mantis!" Ding Yan marveled. "Wow! That title is so intense."
Lin Zhixia, sitting in the front row, suddenly turned around and told them, "I read in Life Science Research that the probability of a male mantis being eaten by the female during mating isn't high. Male mantises have well-developed wings and stronger flight capabilities than females. When he mounts the female's back..."
At this point, Lin Zhixia abruptly stopped.
Ding Yan, Jiang Yubai, and Dong Sunqi all stared at her blankly.
She shrank back into her seat as if she'd seen a ghost in broad daylight. Her cheeks flushed crimson, the redness spreading to her ears. A sudden, intense embarrassment wrapped around her like a silkworm's cocoon, so tightly she could barely breathe.
"I was talking about science!" Lin Zhixia declared softly. "Do any of you understand?"
Jiang Yubai took the lead in responding, "Life science."
Lin Zhixia breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes! Exactly, life science."
She swapped seats with Gan Shuli. She moved to the window seat, while Gan Shuli took the aisle side.
The bus was equipped with blue foldable curtains, which Lin Zhixia pushed aside to gaze at the scenery outside. The bus had just ascended an overpass, carrying its passengers higher and higher. In the distance, skyscrapers stood in orderly rows, the city's skyline layered and well-proportioned, with the blue sky and white clouds blending seamlessly into the urban landscape.
Looking at this microcosm of modern society before her, Lin Zhixia couldn't help but think about the origins of human civilization. She recalled the Sumerian civilization of Mesopotamia—academically recognized as having the earliest traceable written records in human history with their cuneiform script. And then there was the Liangzhu civilization originating from the Yangtze River. Around four to five thousand years ago in the Liangzhu region, Chinese people were already crafting exquisite cong and bi jades, lacquerware, and silk.
Both cong and bi jades were ritual objects used by ancient Chinese in important ceremonies... such as sacrificial rites. The ancients emphasized "using bi to worship heaven, and cong to worship earth." It seemed all ancient civilizations left wonders related to heaven, earth, deities, and religious beliefs. Why was that? Lin Zhixia began pondering this new question.She recalled that the Pumapunku ruins in South America consisted of a massive collection of intricately processed stone structures. The materials used for these stone formations were extremely hard andesite and diorite. Yet, the Pumapunku people from 15,000 years ago were able to drill perfect circular holes, straight horizontal lines, and precise right-angled polygons into such rocks. She suspected that those ruins were formed through casting molds rather than polishing.
When Gan Shuli asked her, "Lin Zhixia, what are you thinking about?"
Lin Zhixia could only vaguely reply, "Me? I don't know either."
Another twenty minutes passed, and the school bus arrived at the ocean aquarium's parking lot.
The autumn sky was clear and bright, with no wind or rain, and the temperature was neither too hot nor too cold. Lin Zhixia got off the bus and stood in the class line, hopping up and down with joy.
"Aquarium! Aquarium!" she exclaimed happily.
"Quiet!" Teacher Wu commanded from the front. "All of you, quiet down! No noise, maintain the formation! No one is allowed to fall behind! If even one person is missing, we can't go home!"
The students immediately fell silent and obediently followed the teacher through the main entrance of the aquarium.
The aquarium had arranged a guide for each class. The guide for Class 1, Grade 4 was a young woman in her early twenties. Wearing her work uniform, she led the group of children through the hall.
Some visitors, including Lin Zhixia, couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow!" because they were walking through an underwater tunnel. Above their heads was an arched glass panel, with countless marine creatures slowly moving on the other side.
These elegant creatures from the ocean perfectly demonstrated fluid dynamics.
They captivated Lin Zhixia, making her stop in her tracks.
The colorful world of the shallow sea was right before her eyes. Lin Zhixia pressed against the glass and murmured to herself, "So many fish, so, so many fish."
The variety of fish was dazzling, and Lin Zhixia couldn't take them all in.
Jiang Yubai, however, remained unimpressed. He walked past Lin Zhixia as if no one else was around. Lin Zhixia found this strange and asked him, "Jiang Yubai, aren't you amazed to see so many fish?"
"What's there to be amazed about?" Jiang Yubai replied. "It's just a bunch of fish."
Lin Zhixia corrected him, "A large bunch of fish."
Jiang Yubai humbly accepted, "Mm, a large bunch."
Lin Zhixia asked him again, "Have you been to an aquarium before?"
Jiang Yubai countered, "Which city's aquarium?"
Before Lin Zhixia could answer, Jiang Yubai caught sight of a plump, turquoise-blue fish. He remarked, "This fish is very fat."
"This is a humphead wrasse, belonging to the order Perciformes, suborder Labroidei, family Labridae [1]," Lin Zhixia explained to him. "It's mainly found in the Indo-Pacific region. It's a very gentle and cute type of fish. It's not called a fat fish."
Jiang Yubai's gaze fixed intently on Lin Zhixia. Lin Zhixia tilted her head slightly. Jiang Yubai imitated her by tilting his head. She said, "Don't copy me."
Jiang Yubai said, "I still think this fish is fat."
The humphead wrasse seemed to understand their conversation. With a flick of its flowing tail, it swam away indignantly.
"There are so many blue tangs over here!" Lin Zhixia pointed to a spot. "Look quickly, blue tangs aren't fat; they're flat and thin."The body of the regal tang is blue-purple, but its tail is bright yellow. They frolic among the coral reefs, making them quite eye-catching. Lin Zhixia told Jiang Yubai: "Did you watch 'Finding Nemo' that was released last year? The fish named Dory in 'Finding Nemo' is a regal tang."
She turned her head to look at him: "Do you like regal tangs?"
Jiang Yubai repeated: "You, hedgehog, eagle?"
Lin Zhixia nodded: "Yes! Re-gal, tang!"
"It's clearly a fish," Jiang Yubai commented, "but its name has both hedgehog and eagle - this fish has lost its identity."
Lin Zhixia couldn't stop laughing: "The 'tail' character means tail, and 'tang' is the fish radical with the character for week."
Jiang Yubai asked out of ignorance: "What?"
Lin Zhixia wrote on her palm: "Tang is written like this, pronounced diāo, first tone."
"I know too few Chinese characters," Jiang Yubai reflected deeply.
The line from Class 1, Grade 4 disappeared at the end of the underwater tunnel. Both Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai had mixed into the queue of Class 2, Grade 4. Lin Zhixia quickly grabbed Jiang Yubai's sleeve and pulled him forward.
The tunnel was a one-way path. When Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai ran out, they happened to bump into the tour guide sister.
All the students and teachers from Class 1 were standing in an open area. The sister said to everyone: "Our Ocean Aquarium warmly welcomes all teachers and students from Experimental Primary School! Today, I'll be your tour guide. Along our sightseeing route, I'll ask some small questions. Any child who knows the answer can tell me - every question has corresponding prizes!"
Many students cheered in unison.
Lin Zhixia, mixed among the students, cheered along: "Prizes! Prizes!"
Jiang Yubai only asked: "What prizes?"
"She's carrying a backpack," Lin Zhixia pointed out, "the prizes are all in the bag."
Although Teacher Wu repeatedly emphasized that the whole class must maintain formation, the aquarium was crowded and noisy. Students gathered in small groups, and the teacher gradually couldn't manage them all. The three leading teachers of Class 1, Grade 4 formed a triangle, keeping all students within their line of sight.
Lin Zhixia closely followed the tour guide sister, shadowing her every step, just like the sister's little tail.
Finally, when they arrived at the "Jellyfish Exhibition Hall," the sister began asking questions: "Children, do you know how big the world's largest existing jellyfish is?"
Lin Zhixia immediately raised her hand: "I know! Nomura's jellyfish can reach up to three meters in diameter and weigh over five hundred jin!"
The sister opened her backpack and gave her a jellyfish refrigerator magnet.
Lin Zhixia was super happy. The whole class looked at her with admiration.
The sister continued explaining: "This little friend just told us about the largest jellyfish. Is there any child who knows how small the world's smallest existing jellyfish is?"
"Irukandji jellyfish!" Lin Zhixia raised her hand again. "It's only one cubic centimeter in volume, but very poisonous! It can kill adults!"
The aquarium asked elementary school students questions because they adopted an educational approach of "self-questioning and self-answering, combining education with entertainment." The tour guide sister never expected that there would really be a little girl who could consistently provide the correct answers.The older sister was momentarily taken aback, then pulled out another jellyfish refrigerator magnet and gave it to Lin Zhixia.
Lin Zhixia passed this magnet along to Jiang Yubai.
Jiang Yubai asked her in confusion, "Why are you giving this to me?"
"I gave it because I felt like it," Lin Zhixia's reply carried a hint of arrogance.
Jiang Yubai opened his backpack and dug out a strawberry candy. He directly stuffed the candy into Lin Zhixia's coat pocket. Lin Zhixia asked him, "Why are you giving me strawberry candy?"
Jiang Yubai took a step away from her: "Because I can't finish it all."
Lin Zhixia frowned: "Really?"
Jiang Yubai said: "Really."
The lighting in the jellyfish exhibition hall was dim. Jellyfish of all sizes floated up and down in the gloomy light, with several already in a state of dissolution, no longer maintaining their complete and graceful forms.
Jiang Yubai didn't understand what "jellyfish autolysis" meant. Facing the glass display case, he described: "This jellyfish looks like a soaked piece of bird's nest."
"It's dying," Lin Zhixia explained beside him. "When jellyfish undergo autolysis, they look like this."
Jiang Yubai turned to look at her: "Lin Zhixia."
Lin Zhixia stopped: "What's wrong?"
Jiang Yubai asked her: "Does your brain get tired from remembering so many things?"
"Sometimes it does get a bit tired," Lin Zhixia confessed honestly. "My memory is strange, and I'm somewhat afraid of being discovered by everyone. You should understand, right? When you become different from the group, it might bring corresponding risks."
Jiang Yubai seemed to understand her very well. He even reminded her: "You memorize texts very quickly - three seconds per passage. The whole class knows."
Lin Zhixia explained: "Back then, when I had just started first grade, I was a bit naive. Now when I take exams, I occasionally intentionally get a couple of questions wrong so I don't always score perfect marks."
While she was talking with Jiang Yubai, the guide sister proposed some new questions. Lin Zhixia didn't participate anymore. She opened the strawberry candy Jiang Yubai had given her. The candy packaging was exquisite, and it was a spherical gummy. She took a bite and smiled brightly: "So sweet, thank you."
Jiang Yubai didn't hear her. He, along with Ding Yan and Dong Sunqi, had already walked far away.
After leaving the jellyfish exhibition hall, the visitors entered the penguin exhibit.
The penguins lived among icebergs and snowy grounds, either lying down or sitting, with none of them moving. Therefore, some elementary school students stood outside the display windows, pounding their chests, jumping around happily, and making various strange noises, trying to attract the penguins' attention.
The penguins still refused to approach the windows, watching the human children as if they were looking at fools.
The homeroom teacher, Teacher Wu, promptly stopped her students' crazy behavior. She scolded: "Quiet down, all of you! The visitors aren't looking at the penguins anymore - they're all looking at you! Have you no shame!"
The guide sister smoothed things over: "Alright, children, this is the polar penguin exhibit! Do you know what the world's largest penguin is called?"
Visitors came and went around them as Class 1, Grade 4 gathered together. Everyone heard the guide's question. Class president Dong Sunqi was the first to answer: "Emperor penguin! The largest is the emperor penguin!"
Vice class president Tang Yueqin also said: "It's the emperor penguin!"The commentator took out a Little Penguin plush toy. This plush Little Penguin stood about thirty centimeters tall, with round black eyes, a fluffy gray back, a plump white belly, and delicate pink feet—absolutely adorable.
Lin Zhixia's soul was completely captivated by the Little Penguin. Without hesitation, she raised her hand and exclaimed loudly, "Sister, sister! You just asked about the world's largest penguin. Well, the largest living penguin is called the Emperor Penguin, with the scientific name Aptenodytes forsteri. Adults can reach 120 centimeters in height. And also! The Klekowski's penguin discovered by scientists on Seymour Island in Antarctica! Its scientific name is Palaeeudyptes klebowskii! This penguin is extinct! But they could grow up to two meters tall! Two meters! Taller than Emperor Penguins! They lived in Antarctica 37 million years ago[2]."
The entire class suddenly fell silent.
Even the tourists turned to look.
Teacher Wu, the homeroom teacher, remarked to another teacher, "Oh, our Lin Zhixia really loves reading books, she's different from ordinary students. I've taught book-loving students in previous years too, but none remember things as clearly as Lin Zhixia."
The other teacher asked, "Is Lin Zhixia... very smart?"
Teacher Wu smiled and said, "Children have good memories. She doesn't like too much attention. I've told other teachers to give her more freedom, that makes her happy."
Meanwhile, the tour guide sister wore a frozen, awkward smile. As a recent biology graduate currently interning at the marine aquarium, she certainly knew about Klekowski's penguin, but she had forgotten its scientific name. Why were elementary school students these days... so knowledgeable!
"This little friend is really impressive," the tour guide sister said, coming back to her senses, and handed the Little Penguin plush toy to Lin Zhixia.
Lin Zhixia hugged the plush toy, spinning around joyfully on the spot.
"Why do girls all like stuffed animals?" Ding Yan wondered aloud.
"They stop liking them when they grow up," Jiang Yubai speculated.
"Jiang Yubai, are you still going to compete with Lin Zhixia?" Ding Yan asked again, "Look how strong she is, she even knows about that... Kaka Gugu penguin!"
Jiang Yubai corrected him, "Not Kaka Gugu, it's Klekowski's penguin." He still had the refrigerator magnet Lin Zhixia gave him in his pocket. Slipping his left hand into his pocket, he gripped the magnet and suddenly felt his spirits lift. He actually didn't enjoy visiting aquariums. Having seen many marine creatures before, even going scuba diving at Australia's Great Barrier Reef and riding in helicopters, he found this somewhat boring.
This refrigerator magnet reminded him that today was a good opportunity to compete with Lin Zhixia.
Lin Zhixia was surrounded by many girls.
All the girls wanted to hold the Little Penguin plush toy. But Lin Zhixia couldn't bear to let it go. She clung tightly to the stuffed animal and even hid behind Teacher Wu, their homeroom teacher.
None of the classmates wanted to approach Teacher Wu.
Lin Zhixia successfully shook off all her classmates—except Jiang Yubai. Jiang Yubai remained by Lin Zhixia's side. Lin Zhixia asked him warily, "Do you want to snatch my Little Penguin too?"
"Yes," Jiang Yubai replied.
Lin Zhixia froze.
She stood dazed for a long moment, tears glistening in her eyes, her eyelashes damp with moisture. Lowering her head slightly, she made a tremendous decision, clutched the Little Penguin, and held it out to Jiang Yubai: "I'll give it to you..."
Jiang Yubai was taken aback.Lin Zhixia urged again, "Take it! Quick! Or I'll change my mind."
Jiang Yubai suddenly smiled. He didn't smile often. That smile made Lin Zhixia grow timid, no longer able to confidently force her gift upon him.
Jiang Yubai told her, "Only girls like stuffed toys."
Lin Zhixia hugged the Little Penguin tighter. "That's not true! We shouldn't use concepts of 'boys' or 'girls' to define what someone should like or dislike."
She held up the Little Penguin with both hands, presenting it to Jiang Yubai. "Touch it, it's super cute."
Jiang Yubai was firm. "No."
Lin Zhixia muttered softly, "You're missing out on a precious opportunity."
She turned and ran ahead, walking alongside Teacher Wu. This time, even Jiang Yubai didn't follow Lin Zhixia.
As noon approached, the guide led the group to the freshwater fish exhibit.
The freshwater fish were divided into four major categories, distributed across eight sections. Many visitors were enthusiastically taking photos, and class monitor Dong Sunqi was also snapping pictures everywhere with his camera.
Over half the class had cameras, including Jiang Yubai. However, Jiang Yubai couldn't be bothered to take photos; he hadn't even taken his camera out of his backpack. He moved through the aquarium with the ease of someone strolling through their own garden.
At that moment, the guide sister asked again, "Children, do you know which freshwater fish holds the record for the world's largest freshwater fish?"
Jiang Yubai immediately answered, "Mekong giant catfish."
The guide sister had already noticed Jiang Yubai. She smiled and handed him a catfish greeting card.
Yes, a catfish greeting card.
A card printed with a catfish.
All the previous prizes had been quite tasteful. Why did the budget plummet so drastically at the freshwater fish exhibit? Jiang Yubai accepted the catfish card, finding it completely un-giftable and feeling not even a hint of superiority over Lin Zhixia.
Just then, Lin Zhixia wandered over to him.
Looking puzzled, Lin Zhixia said, "You didn't want the Little Penguin, but you accepted the catfish."
Jiang Yubai defended himself, "Catfish are edible, penguins aren't. Both sole and Jiangtuan fish are types of catfish, and they're quite tasty."
Lin Zhixia jumped in place. "This is..."
Jiang Yubai looked at her. "Is what?"
"Arapaima!" Lin Zhixia pointed behind him.
Jiang Yubai turned and saw an enormous fish with a sharply tapered head.
Lin Zhixia pressed one hand against the glass and explained to Jiang Yubai, "Arapaima can grow really, really big. Their native home is in the Amazon in South America. This fish is very ferocious!"
Jiang Yubai asked, "How ferocious?"
"They eat very fast, swallowing things whole," Lin Zhixia told him. "Arapaima can eat piranhas. You know, Amazon piranhas are also very fierce."
The glass felt cool to the touch, and the water rippled gently under the dim lighting. The Arapaima slowly swam closer to the visitors. Their heads were relatively small, their eyes even smaller. As they moved sideways, one of their eyes seemed to lock gazes with Jiang Yubai.
Jiang Yubai immediately stepped away. He grabbed Lin Zhixia's sleeve and, with his catfish card in hand, headed toward a safer area.
The clock pointed to noon, and some classmates began clamoring for lunch.The aquarium's restaurant had prepared boxed meals for everyone, one per person with two vegetable dishes and one meat dish. The vegetable dishes were stir-fried bok choy and braised tofu, while the meat dish was radish and beef brisket. Lin Zhixia queued up to receive her boxed meal and cherished it greatly. She said to Gan Shuli, "This boxed meal is much better than I imagined."
Gan Shuli felt the same way.
She and Lin Zhixia randomly found seats. Soon after, Jiang Yubai, Ding Yan, Dong Sunqi, Han Dawei, and others carried their boxed meals and sat near Lin Zhixia.
Han Dawei lifted the transparent plastic lid of his boxed meal, snapped apart the disposable bamboo chopsticks, and roared, "What fragrant rice!" He held the boxed meal in his left hand, gripped the chopsticks in his right, and shoveled rice into his mouth haphazardly.
"The rice is chewy! The beef brisket is delicious!" Han Dawei wiped his mouth with his sleeve and exclaimed. Noticing that Jiang Yubai hadn't touched his chopsticks, he asked curiously, "Hey, Jiang Yubai, why aren't you eating?"
The aquarium's restaurant was spacious and bright, arranged like a university cafeteria, with rows of blue plastic tables and red plastic stools as far as the eye could see. In such an environment, facing a boxed meal and disposable bamboo chopsticks, Jiang Yubai suddenly lost his appetite. He wasn't someone who particularly cared about dining ambiance, but he felt today's dishes would be hard to swallow.
"Jiang Yubai?" Lin Zhixia called his name.
He asked, "What is it?"
Lin Zhixia retorted, "Have you never eaten a boxed meal before?"
As soon as she finished speaking, several nearby classmates stared intently at Jiang Yubai. The cafeteria lights seemed to converge above his head, placing him in the spotlight. Without another word, he immediately opened his boxed meal and began eating solemnly and formally.
The tofu seasoning was too salty, the bok choy was average in texture, the beef brisket had a faint fishy taste, and the rice... the rice was slightly overcooked. Just as Jiang Yubai had anticipated, he couldn't get used to this kind of food.
Ding Yan, ever the troublemaker, mocked him: "Haha, Jiang Yubai, you can't eat it, can you? I've seen this episode in 'The Eloquent Ji Xiaolan'! The noble young master travels incognito but can't stomach commoners' food... Jiang Yubai, you're definitely going to go hungry!"
Somehow, Ding Yan truly lived up to being Jiang Yubai's friend made through fighting.
Jiang Yubai didn't argue. He unzipped his backpack, found his lunchbox, and took out two apple pies, placing them on the rice. The pies had long gone cold, but the rice was steaming hot—the rising heat warmed the pies, raising their temperature significantly.
He ate the apple pies. The filling was soft, neither too sweet nor too greasy, perfectly suited to his taste.
Or perhaps his taste was randomly changing. He simply remembered Lin Zhixia's words, "I mixed the filling," while eating the pies. Some uncles and aunts he knew would ask chefs to create a story for every dish when dining out—as long as the story was moving enough, diners would willingly pay a fortune. Pure food critics were no longer popular; culinary culture appreciation was the eternal refined art.
Jiang Yubai hadn't expected to become so trivial himself. In any case, he finished the apple pies.
Ding Yan was puzzled: "Is this your family's lunchbox?"
Jiang Yubai admitted, "Yes."
Ding Yan exclaimed in surprise, "You're so frugal? You brought two pies from home?"
Jiang Yubai let his actions speak louder than words. He picked up his chopsticks and continued to taste his boxed meal.Next to the restaurant stood a souvenir shop. The students had obtained Teacher Wu's permission to browse inside. With the assembly time set for 1:30 PM, many students rushed into the souvenir store right after finishing their meal, making every second count.
At the entrance of the shop stood a circular display rack adorned with delicate keychains featuring various small animal pendants, including seals, dolphins, and walruses. Lin Zhixia gently spun the rack, watching the seals, dolphins, and walruses twirl along. She clapped her hands happily and exclaimed, "So cute!"
"How much for one?" Gan Shuli asked.
Lin Zhixia checked the price tag. "Fourteen yuan each."
Gan Shuli asked again, "Are you buying one, Lin Zhixia?"
"I'm not," Lin Zhixia replied. "It's a bit expensive."
Gan Shuli reluctantly let go of the dolphin pendant. "I only brought ten yuan... I can't afford it."
Lin Zhixia reached into her pocket. "I have three yuan in coins. If you borrow one more yuan from someone, you'll have enough for fourteen." As she searched for the coins, Zhou Bufeng brushed past her.
The souvenir shop had attracted a large crowd of visitors. A bustling throng gathered in front of the shelves, stirring up a clamor of lively conversations.
Zhou Bufeng was relatively short in stature. He effortlessly slipped into the crowd, used his sleeve as cover, snatched four keychains, stuffed them into his backpack, and turned to head out of the shop. His movements were smooth and efficient, like those of a seasoned street thief.
"Zhou Bufeng!" Lin Zhixia called out his name.
She had seen him steal!
As Zhou Bufeng's classmate, Lin Zhixia felt it was her duty to keep an eye on him. She grabbed his backpack and whispered threateningly, "Put the things back. Otherwise, I'll call security or the shop assistant."
"Get lost!" Zhou Bufeng shoved Lin Zhixia away.
The backpack strap slipped from his shoulder and tangled around his elbow. He strained his wrist, struggling fiercely, his eyes fixed on the ground as he yelled, "Let go! Let go! Who do you think you are?"
Besides Lin Zhixia, Gan Shuli was also a witness to the entire incident. Gan Shuli was one of Lin Zhixia's few friends.
Gan Shuli was usually quiet and introverted, speaking softly and slowly. But now, she shouted at the top of her lungs, "Someone's stealing! Teacher Wu! Zhou Bufeng stole something and hit someone! Zhou Bufeng stole something and hit someone!"
Teacher Wu rushed to the scene in an instant.
In the blink of an eye, Teacher Wu grabbed Zhou Bufeng and dragged him into the restaurant. Under the watchful eyes of a crowd of adults and elementary school students, she yanked off his backpack, turned it upside down, and dumped everything onto the ground with a clatter.
Four keychains from the aquarium lay quietly in plain sight for all to see.
Teacher Wu's face turned pale with a tinge of green, then purple with rage. She struggled to contain her anger, veins bulging on her forehead, her expression dark and stormy—the most terrifying look Lin Zhixia had ever seen in her life.
"Stealing! You're stealing again!" Teacher Wu scolded. "You just can't control your hands! I'm calling your grandfather right now!"
Zhou Bufeng burst into loud, heaving sobs. Crying, he insisted, "I didn't steal... I wanted to buy something!"Tears surged and dripped onto the ceramic tiles. Zhou Bufeng wept so hard he could barely catch his breath, like a burst water pipe. His nose clogged with mucus, he gasped through his mouth while pointing at Lin Zhixia and arguing, "It's her! She's lying!"
How pathetic, Lin Zhixia thought.
Although, in Lin Zhixia's view, most of her classmates had some intellectual deficiencies, Zhou Bufeng's shortcomings were particularly distinctive. She couldn't even bear to expose his clumsy lies because he had always lived in boundless delusion—he would do anything to attract attention.
Facing Zhou Bufeng's accusations calmly, Lin Zhixia systematically presented evidence: "After getting the keychain, Zhou Bufeng didn't go to the checkout counter. He walked outside the store. I quietly told him to return the item, but he pushed me away."
"I can testify," suddenly came another classmate's voice.
Lin Zhixia looked over and saw the class vice-monitor, Tang Yueqin.
Tang Yueqin gripped her backpack straps with both hands, standing firmly before Zhou Bufeng and declaring righteously, "Lin Zhixia is telling the truth! You did steal!"
The store clerk and manager arrived one after another. Teacher Wu and the dean of academics handled the aftermath. The dean's expression was even darker than Teacher Wu's as they led Zhou Bufeng to the manager's office—a windowless small room containing a table and a wooden chair, permeated with the nostalgic scent of accumulated old newspapers.
Teacher Wu pushed Zhou Bufeng's back and ordered, "Apologize to them."
Zhou Bufeng stammered, "I didn't mean to take it at first..."
He had grown accustomed to putting on a cowering, trembling act in front of adults, much like the little rat named "Scabbers" from Harry Potter. The rat's true identity was Peter Pettigrew. Everyone looked down on Peter, yet he managed to trample over the lofty Sirius Black. That was the little rat's success, and Peter Pettigrew's victory.
Zhou Bufeng appeared extremely flustered. However, that panic hadn't penetrated his heart. His inner self remained steady and tranquil, even capable of stealing more valuable items from the store again.
Where was the genuine fear? He couldn't feel it.
His fear was merely an act.
Adults didn't believe children could be corrupted. His performance could still be considered pure innocence.
Teacher Wu said to the manager, "I'm sorry about this. This kid in our class is like a dead pig, not afraid of boiling water—he's beyond shame. Even his family can't control him." As he spoke, Teacher Wu dialed the landline number of Zhou Bufeng's home.
The person who answered was Zhou Bufeng's grandfather.
Zhou Bufeng's grandfather was already in his sixties. He had undergone major hip surgery last year and had high blood pressure, making it unadvisable for him to get angry. Upon receiving the call from his homeroom teacher Teacher Wu, he first expressed his fury: "Zhou Bufeng stole again?"
The old man slapped the armrest of the wooden sofa: "Hit him! Teacher Wu, hit him! Parents send their children to school to be educated by teachers... Don't worry about anything else, hit him! Beat him to death! That little beast!"
Teacher Wu turned on the speakerphone, and the grandfather's scolding voice echoed through the cramped, narrow room.
After listening, the souvenir shop manager's face took on a subtle expression. He, the dean of academics, and Teacher Wu whispered a few words among themselves, their voices so low that Zhou Bufeng couldn't make out a single word.Then, right at that moment, the manager suddenly said, "Young Zhou Bufeng, why did you steal? Stealing is illegal. Since you're a student from Experimental Primary School, we'll let it slide today out of respect for your teacher... But if you do it again, no one will cover for you."
Zhou Bufeng nodded desperately.
The office door was slightly ajar. A cool breeze seeped through the crack, and Lin Zhixia stood right at the doorway. She quietly listened to the conversation between the manager, the teacher, and Zhou Bufeng, lost in thought for a few minutes before silently stepping away.
Jiang Yubai tapped her shoulder.
She jumped: "What are you doing!"
Instead, Jiang Yubai asked her, "What were you doing?"
"Me?" Lin Zhixia pointed at the wooden office door. "I was just gathering material for my 'Human Observation Diary.' Tell me, why are adults always willing to give children chances and believe they can correct their mistakes?"
Jiang Yubai thought for a moment before replying, "Children don't know any better." He mimicked the tone adults often use. In that instant, he no longer seemed like a mere nine-year-old boy; his way of thinking briefly resonated with that of a man over twenty.
"You know what?" Lin Zhixia whispered to him, "Children under fourteen are considered to have no criminal responsibility under the law and don't bear criminal liability."
As she spoke, she walked outside with Jiang Yubai.
Combined, their ages barely added up to eighteen, yet they were already discussing the "Criminal Law" and the "Law on the Protection of Minors." Lin Zhixia believed the standard for the age of criminal responsibility could be appropriately adjusted, while Jiang Yubai thought the enforcement methods of "case law" were worth some consideration.
Because Lin Zhixia knew too many legal terms, Jiang Yubai listened to her talk for over ten minutes, feeling utterly confused. In his dazed state, he asked, "Lin Zhixia, can you recite the entire 'Criminal Law' from memory?"
Lin Zhixia stopped walking.
Jiang Yubai also straightened up.
The large aquarium tank stood behind them, fish scattering in the water. Distracted slightly by the school of fish, Lin Zhixia casually replied, "More than that. Besides the 'Criminal Law,' I've memorized many laws and regulations."
"Will Zhou Bufeng break the 'Criminal Law' when he grows up?" Jiang Yubai posed a new question.
This question blended predictions about the future, an understanding of the law, and concern for their classmate Zhou Bufeng. Lin Zhixia thought Jiang Yubai had found an excellent angle. Once again, they had a new topic to delve into together.
Lin Zhixia confessed, "I think the way Zhou Bufeng is now, always stealing things, actually seems normal."
Jiang Yubai asked skeptically, "Why?"
Lin Zhixia looked straight at him: "What I mean is, everything Zhou Bufeng does follows a pattern. I heard his Mom and Dad both went to Shanghai for work, leaving him alone to be raised by his grandpa. I overheard his grandpa talking outside the manager's office—his grandpa... isn't very patient. At school, neither teachers nor classmates like him, and at home, no one gives him warmth or care. The way he's acting now is perfectly normal."She paused for a moment, then added, "Similarly, I don't believe someone who has endured hardships and suffered greatly... can become exceptionally kind unless they find spiritual sustenance. Nietzsche proposed an ideal personality type in his 'Übermensch' theory—this superhuman can overcome all suffering and create their own new philosophy. Ordinary people, however, would simply collapse under continuous blows. I agree with Nietzsche's view."
"Is that so?" Jiang Yubai fell into deep thought.
He actually wanted to ask, do you really like philosophy?
He posed another question: "Are you a superhuman?"
"No, I'm not," Lin Zhixia shook her head vigorously. "From Nietzsche's perspective, I'm just an ordinary person. I really dislike setbacks. When Mom scolds me, I get sad."
Then, Lin Zhixia clapped her hands together: "Remember the first day we met, I asked you whether humans have free will? According to Weignar's experiment in 'The Illusion of Consciousness,' he reached a conclusion—'the fundamental cause of behavior lies outside consciousness.' The entire Universe follows energy conservation—what's the difference between training the human brain and training an artificial neural network? One distinction might be the input sources and feature extraction processes. Oh, and 'The Matrix' is one of my favorite movies."
Jiang Yubai felt dizzy trying to follow Lin Zhixia's jumping train of thought.
Standing in place, he summarized her viewpoint: "Are you saying the entire Universe is composed of mathematics, physics, and data?"
"That depends on how you define the word 'data,'" Lin Zhixia replied.
Their silence stretched on for quite some time.
Noisy sounds came from nearby.
Uniformed aquarium staff accompanied a woman over sixty years old walking quickly toward them. This elderly woman was named Shen Zhaohua, a professor of physical oceanography at one of the province's top universities. Behind Professor Shen followed four doctoral students—three men and one woman—all her prized disciples. She also brought along a young graduate student who had just joined the experimental group this year.
Professor Shen Zhaohua was the director of the Laboratory at the province's marine research institute and the academic leader in "Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics." Her team had just published two important papers this year in "Physical Review Letters" and "Geophysical Research Letters." Lin Zhixia happened to have read one of them about "mixed ocean turbulence distribution." She remembered Professor Shen's photo and couldn't help following the professor for a few steps.
The aquarium staff member said: "Professor Shen, our aquatic biological research center..."
One of the doctoral students interjected: "The research center you co-established with the Institute of Aquatic Organisms?"
"Yes, we've encountered some problems recently," the staff member responded. "We're troubling Professor Shen to conduct this Laboratory environment assessment."
Professor Shen was discussing details of Laboratory equipment with the staff. The students Professor Shen brought were also whispering among themselves. One graduate student said: "I simulated an ocean circulation model a few days ago. The model itself is based on Navier-Stokes equations... I used pressure correction to solve the pressure field with Neumann boundary conditions, and my Poisson operator exhibited strong coordinate-axis-dependent anisotropy[3]. Can you figure it out? How should I approach the preconditioner?"
Jiang Yubai only caught the phrase "anisotropy." He repeated: "Anisotropy?"
Lin Zhixia explained for him: "Ah, that's an academic term. It means some or all properties of an object vary in different directions."Then, she said to that graduate student, "If you treat the integral result of the Poisson operator as the hydrostatic limit in the preprocessor, you can solve your problem. However, this method has flaws and requires discretizing the entire space. This is a very common solution... When you can't evaluate a large continuous space, you can use a discrete model to simulate the final result. If you want to establish a reference frame that is itself iterative, then when preprocessing data, use a recursive algorithm to set the benchmark and keep it unchanged, which can greatly reduce the subsequent computational burden."
All four doctoral students stopped in their tracks. They lowered their heads and looked at Lin Zhixia.
Professor Shen Zhaohua in front turned around, just meeting Lin Zhixia's gaze.
A strange atmosphere filled the surroundings. This atmosphere forced the doctoral students to remain quiet. For a moment, they didn't know whether they should continue discussing the problem, and no one could tell whether this little girl had just made a lucky guess or had actually studied the relevant field.
Actually studied the relevant field?
Such description and portrayal could never, under any circumstances, be applied to a young child.
A smile appeared on Professor Shen Zhaohua's face. Many visitors passed by her side. The joint laboratory of the aquarium and the Institute of Aquatic Biology was not far away, and everyone was waiting for her. Yet she actually took the time to softly ask Lin Zhixia, "Little one, how old are you this year?"
Jiang Yubai answered for Lin Zhixia, "She just turned nine last month."
"Nine years old?" a doctoral student repeated blankly, "Nine years old?"
Lin Zhixia nodded, "I'm nine years old this year."
She stood firmly near the glass tank, carrying a Doraemon blue backpack and holding a Little Penguin plush toy in her arms. She also wore her hair in twin ponytails, even using pink strawberry hair ties.
Pink strawberry hair ties.
Indeed, she was a little girl who had just turned nine.
The contrast before them was too strong. The graduate student under Professor Shen suddenly felt ashamed, with an indescribable sense of shame and frustration growing in his heart. This graduate student took two steps back and stood behind Professor Shen.
"Little one, can you understand the Navier-Stokes equations, Poisson operators, and discrete spaces?" Professor Shen looked at Lin Zhixia, her gaze full of inquiry.
Professor Shen had both a son and a daughter, and her grandson had just turned eleven, still in elementary school. Unfortunately, none of her children or grandchildren were truly interested in scientific research. Her eleven-year-old grandson aspired to become a civil servant and enter politics - this lofty ambition was encouraged and supported by the whole family.
Only Professor Shen still remembered how her grandson had pointed at the world map when he was little and said, Marine physics! Physical oceanography!
Marine physics and physical oceanography are actually two different concepts. Now, when Professor Shen wanted to explain this to her grandson, the child was no longer willing to listen.
The nine-year-old Lin Zhixia had caught Professor Shen's attention.
Surrounded by their group, Lin Zhixia felt a bit flustered. Her scientific world had always been singular, independent, and lacking external communication. Although she had seen contact information for countless professors and scientists on the computers at the provincial library, she had never disturbed those academic giants, nor had she ever publicly expressed her own views.Lin Zhixia was accustomed to reading, contemplating, and recording things in her mind—a one-way process of data input. She wanted to answer Professor Shen's question but was also reluctant to display her uniqueness in front of others.
Her eyes darted away, and she moved closer to Jiang Yubai.
Jiang Yubai asked her, "What are you afraid of?"
Lin Zhixia stubbornly replied, "I'm not."
Jiang Yubai gently nudged her: "I'm brave. I'll transfer some of my courage to you."
"I... I'm not a coward!" Lin Zhixia said.
She mustered her courage and stared at Shen Zhaohua: "I understand all the concepts you mentioned. But understanding concepts is one thing; solving them is another. Whether the Navier-Stokes equations have a unique solution and what the constraints for that unique solution are remain unresolved questions... I haven't studied them deeply either. But I believe a smooth, unique analytical solution exists, not just in the common two-dimensional laminar flow model of incompressible fluids. The mainstream approach to solving it currently involves discrete numerical simulations under known conditions, with the Fast Fourier Transform being widely recognized..."
The graduate student suddenly asked, "If you were to roughly estimate the solution of a nonlinear system of equations..."
"What do you mean by 'roughly estimate'? Basic content from 'Numerical Analysis'?" Lin Zhixia questioned. "Have you tried convergence methods? Aitken's acceleration for convergence, or Newton's method? Show me the system of equations."
Shen Zhaohua glanced at one of her doctoral students. The doctoral student was only twenty-five this year. A top student in a combined master's-doctoral program, he wore black-rimmed glasses, a cotton shirt, athletic pants, and a windbreaker, looking every bit the diligent scholar.
Understanding his advisor's deeper meaning, he suppressed his smile and looked directly at Lin Zhixia, telling her, "We're in a hurry right now. This is my advisor's business card with our office landline number. If you'd like to visit our university's Laboratory, you're welcome anytime."
Lin Zhixia froze, not processing the situation immediately.
Jiang Yubai accepted the card on her behalf and thanked them for her.
The assembly whistle for Class 1, Grade 4 echoed through the cafeteria, and Professor Shen's group gradually moved away.
Jiang Yubai handed the card to Lin Zhixia and asked, "Do you also space out suddenly?"
Lin Zhixia stubbornly insisted, "I don't space out suddenly."
Jiang Yubai pressed further, "Why were you silent just now?"
Lin Zhixia clutched the card: "I was just a bit surprised." She ran toward the class assembly area.
That afternoon, the tour guide sister took everyone to visit the Whale and Dolphin Bay at the aquarium.
This was Lin Zhixia's first time observing dolphins up close in her life.
She was too excited to speak.
The dolphins' skin was incredibly smooth, their body structure perfectly applying fluid dynamics to allow swift movement through water. Lin Zhixia also noticed that one dolphin was particularly lively—it leaped out of the pool twice, splashing water everywhere.
Through a glass wall, Lin Zhixia gazed at the dolphin.
The dolphin seemed to be gazing back at her.
What kind of world did the dolphin perceive?If they realized they would be confined in the aquarium for their entire lives, unable to return to the sea, would they begin to reflect upon it... Lin Zhixia drew a dolphin on the glass, bringing today's aquarium visit to a close.
Teacher Wu, the homeroom teacher, gathered all the students and began taking a headcount. Many students were so deeply captivated by the dolphins and beluga whales that they couldn't tear themselves away. It wasn't until Teacher Wu called out three times that the students finally snapped out of it.
Under Teacher Wu's direction, the students lined up in two rows according to their physical education class order—one row for boys and one for girls. Jiang Yubai was at the end of the boys' line, and Lin Zhixia was at the end of the girls' line, so they inevitably ended up standing side by side once again.
After boarding the school bus, Lin Zhixia simply took the seat next to Jiang Yubai.
Everyone had been walking all day and were more or less tired, Lin Zhixia being no exception. She leaned against the side of the seat, closed her eyes to sleep, and was soon fast asleep.
To Jiang Yubai's left was Lin Zhixia, and to his right was the class monitor, Dong Sunqi. Dong Sunqi held his digital camera and asked Jiang Yubai to help him decide which photo was the best.
"I took some photos of you," Dong Sunqi revealed. "I secretly took two shots of you."
Jiang Yubai raised his hand and pressed down on the camera. "Class Monitor, you took photos of me without permission?"
The class monitor gently advised him, "Jiang the Tycoon, don't get worked up."
Jiang the Tycoon was still somewhat agitated. "You need my permission before taking photos." He took his portrait rights very seriously because his uncle, Jiang Shaoqi, had been involved in more than one lawsuit over portrait rights. Jiang Shaoqi's various experiences had taught Jiang Yubai a vivid lesson.
Most of the students around them were sleeping, especially Lin Zhixia, who was sleeping the soundest. Curled up in her seat like a little kitten, she was far quieter than when she was awake.
Jiang Yubai didn't dare speak loudly. His voice became very soft. Dong Sunqi, however, had no such concerns. He chuckled happily and displayed the day's captures on the digital camera's screen.
"Jiang Yubai! Look!" Dong Sunqi exclaimed. "This photo of you is super handsome! You should thank me!"
Jiang Yubai responded indifferently, "I should thank my parents. They determined my looks."
Dong Sunqi put his arm around Jiang Yubai's shoulder. "And this one! You're standing with Lin Zhixia, Ding Yan, and Gan Shuli! Everyone looks so lively!"
Jiang Yubai's reply was unfeeling. "Delete it."
Dong Sunqi was greatly surprised. "This one too?"
"No."
—The one who spoke was Lin Zhixia.
Lin Zhixia had been woken up by Dong Sunqi. She rubbed her eyes, hugged her stuffed Little Penguin tightly, and leaned in close to Jiang Yubai to look at the photo on the digital camera. She smiled very happily. "Don't delete it, don't delete it! Can you save the photo for me? Please save it for me."
Dong Sunqi felt as if, after traversing countless mountains and rivers, he had finally found a kindred spirit who appreciated him. He eagerly asked, "Lin Zhixia, don't you think I took a great photo?"
"Yes! It's a great photo!" Lin Zhixia did not hold back her praise. "There's Lin Zhixia, and Jiang Yubai, Ding Yan, Gan Shuli. We're all good friends. Can you give the photo to me? Could you send it to my email?"Dong Sunqi immediately agreed. Then he asked, "Lin Zhixia, do you want me to send you my selfie too? This group photo doesn't have me, Dong Sunqi. As the class monitor, how can it be complete without me?"
Lin Zhixia was momentarily stunned. She wasn't very familiar with Dong Sunqi. Casually, she replied, "Sure, go ahead and send it."
Dong Sunqi slapped his thigh enthusiastically. "Alright!"
He was speaking to Lin Zhixia across Jiang Yubai, and neither of them noticed Jiang Yubai's expression. Jiang Yubai's left hand reached into his backpack, and soon, he found his digital camera.
Jiang Yubai's digital camera was the latest model, bought just last week. Moreover, this digital camera featured touch-screen buttons, requiring users to adjust various parameters themselves.
Jiang Yubai just wanted to take a photo on the spot, but the camera screen suddenly popped up with an oversized menu selection box.
Looking at options like "saturation, clarity, contrast," he couldn't figure out what these things were for. Too lazy to study them, he randomly pressed a few buttons. Somehow, without knowing what he had touched, the camera's default language suddenly changed to German.
Yes, German.
To Jiang Yubai, it was like reading a book with no words.
Some German words looked similar to English and French, but they weren't quite the same. The digital camera's menu bar had completely become a blind spot in Jiang Yubai's knowledge. Pretending to be calm, he extended his finger to press the power button. Just as he was about to press it, he suddenly heard Lin Zhixia ask him, "Can you understand German?"
Here it comes again! The challenge from his rival had arrived once more!
Jiang Yubai had grown a lot over the past two months. He wouldn't get as ashamed and angry as he did at the beginning.
He admitted frankly and honestly: "I was about to turn it off."
Lin Zhixia took the digital camera from his hands. She lowered her head and pressed a few buttons, and the camera became like a tamed beast, obediently following her commands.
She turned on the camera and asked him, "Do you want to take a photo?"
Things had come to this point; he couldn't let momentary pride ruin everything.
With a broad perspective, Jiang Yubai replied, "Yes, I want to take a photo."
The digital camera was handed by Lin Zhixia to Ding Yan in the front row. Ding Yan quietly raised the camera. Taking advantage of the homeroom teacher and the other two accompanying teachers dozing off, Ding Yan turned around and aimed the camera lens at Lin Zhixia, Jiang Yubai, and Dong Sunqi. He took a new group photo of the three of them.
"This is... the souvenir photo from our aquarium autumn outing!" Lin Zhixia happily concluded.
This was also the only group photo in Jiang Yubai's personal camera.
Why was he so determined to take a group photo with Lin Zhixia?
Regarding this, Jiang Yubai had his own understanding. Lin Zhixia was his competitor. Keeping a photo of himself with his competitor was precisely to motivate himself to honestly face his own shortcomings—just like how American President Lincoln respected and admired his political opponent Seward.
Having sorted out his logic, Jiang Yubai put away his camera.
When the bus returned to school, it was exactly 3:30 in the afternoon, and the sun was still shining brightly. The fourth-grade parents had all come to the school gate to pick up their children, and Jiang Yubai's family driver had arrived too. Jiang Yubai stepped off the bus and walked toward the driver. From afar, Lin Zhixia called out, "See you tomorrow!"
Jiang Yubai raised his hand and waved at her, saying loudly, "See you tomorrow!"
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