The August sunset cast a warm glow over everyone. Bei Yao spread her small palm open for Zhao Zhilan to see.
Five pieces of chocolate lay in her hand. Zhao Zhilan picked them up and examined them: "That child gave these to you? These aren't cheap."
Five red-wrapped "Qishilin" chocolates, all produced in T City.
Childhood didn't offer many special treats - even ordinary candies brought joy, let alone this brand of chocolate. When Zhao Zhilan married Bei Licai, the Bei family was still in debt. Though they never deprived Bei Yao after she was born, Zhao Zhilan rarely bought such snacks for her.
One piece of "Qishilin" cost two yuan - these five substantial pieces amounted to a full ten yuan.
For little Bei Yao, who was in third grade, ten yuan represented a "fortune." Holding the "fortune" given by Pei Chuan, she felt uneasy. Seeing her daughter's innocent and adorable expression, Zhao Zhilan's heart softened: "Since you've already accepted them, keep them. In the future, when I make snacks, you can bring some to Xiao Chuan."
Bei Yao nodded vigorously and smiled: "Mom, have some."
"You keep them. Mom doesn't like sweets."
"Then give them to Dad."
"Dad doesn't like them either."
The chocolate contained alkaloids that brought happiness. When Bei Yao's small white teeth bit into it and the chocolate melted in her mouth, her eyes sparkled with tiny flecks of light.
Bei Yao only ate one piece, unable to bring herself to consume the rest. She hid them in her drawer, planning to take them out whenever she craved something sweet.
Soon it was mid-August. August 17th marked Bei Yao's fourth birthday. Her birthday celebration was simple - a bag of candy plus sweetened egg soup. After eating, she still went to kindergarten.
The children sang "Happy Birthday" in their tender voices. Bei Yao glanced at the empty spot in the corner and felt somewhat downcast.
Xiang Tongtong said: "I'm going to preschool this year."
Several younger children looked at her with envy.
Chen Hu had already arrived at kindergarten. Being older, he was also among the children who would attend preschool. He asked Fang Minjun: "Minmin, are you going?"
Fang Minjun shook her head: "I'm not going. Mom says I'm still too young."
Chen Hu said: "That little mute is going too. I'm definitely going to beat him up!" He imitated his father's mannerisms, waving his fist and speaking in a rough voice. Being bitten by a legless child had left both psychological shadows and humiliation in Chen Hu's mind. He was determined to get revenge!
Bei Yao frowned at the chubby Chen Hu.
She knew she was supposed to spend another year in kindergarten, always being one grade below Pei Chuan. But if Pei Chuan's class was full of children like Chen Hu, did that mean Pei Chuan never had any friends?
Returning home, Bei Yao asked Zhao Zhilan: "Mom, can I have a birthday wish?"
Her bright eyes were clear and sincere. Recently she had been particularly well-behaved, as if turning four had suddenly made her much more obedient. Zhao Zhilan told Bei Yao to go ahead and share her wish.
"I want to go to preschool."
Zhao Zhilan rejected it without hesitation: "No, you just turned four. You need to wait until you're five. Don't try to fly before you can walk properly. Those older children are going to learn writing. You should stay in kindergarten and play games with your friends."
"I don't want to play games," Bei Yao said seriously. "I want to learn writing."
Zhao Zhilan didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Her daughter was somewhat adorably clueless, always slower to react than other children since infancy. The teacher said that while other children needed three repetitions to learn a nursery rhyme, her Yao Yao needed five - and if five wasn't enough, she would slowly sing it ten times by herself.When Bei Yao said she wanted to attend preschool, Zhao Zhilan merely took it as a joke. Matters concerning a child's future could not be left to Bei Yao's whims. Falling behind at the starting line would make it impossible to catch up later.
Even after being rejected, Bei Yao wasn't discouraged. She returned to her room and emerged again for dinner, showing her parents her small squared-practice notebook.
Zhao Zhilan was stunned at the sight.
Both sides of the page were filled. On the left were Chinese characters—rows of "big," "small," "many," and "few."
Bei Yao's handwriting was tiny, not even occupying half of each square, yet every stroke was executed with evident care.
On the right were addition problems like "1+1" and "1+2." Though she had only added up to five, it was enough to astonish Zhao Zhilan. In those days, kindergarten was more like a large daycare where children at most sang nursery rhymes together. Formal learning typically began in preschool, with the multiplication tables being formally taught in first grade.
Bei Yao watched her mother nervously, her heart pounding.
Zhao Zhilan asked, "How did you learn these?"
Bei Yao's heart raced as she replied, "From the walls in kindergarten."
Before Zhao Zhilan could respond, Bei Licai laughed heartily and said, "Our Yao Yao is a little genius!"
Bei Yao knew her father wasn't as perceptive as her mother. With memories of third grade, writing characters and doing addition were no challenge for her, but she only dared to show simple things, afraid Zhao Zhilan would grow suspicious.
Zhao Zhilan thought for a moment and asked, "What's two plus two?"
Feeling somewhat guilty, Bei Yao lowered her head and counted on her fingers. After a moment, she held up four soft, tiny fingers.
Seeing her daughter's raised fingers beside her cheek, Zhao Zhilan planted a loud, affectionate kiss on Bei Yao's face!
Finally, Zhao Zhilan had a chance to outdo Zhao Xiu! It felt utterly triumphant!
"We'll enroll you in preschool! Tomorrow, Mom will go talk to the teacher!"
Bei Yao's almond-shaped eyes curved into a bright, radiant smile.
~
When wild daisies along the roadside began sprouting buds, September arrived.
In City C, the start of the school year always brought a rain shower.
September 1, 1996, was no exception. Pei Chuan watched as the road was instantly soaked, his pale fingers resting on his wheelchair, lost in thought.
Jiang Wenjuan, worried her child would get wet, helped him into a raincoat.
The night before, Jiang Wenjuan had spoken calmly with her husband for the first time. She was deeply uneasy about Pei Chuan starting preschool. Ever since Pei Chuan lost his legs, Jiang Wenjuan had often been jolted awake by nightmares of the bloody scene, the recurring images tormenting her as a mother. Since the incident, she had found her taciturn husband increasingly difficult to tolerate.
But getting Pei Chuan into school relied on Pei Haobin's connections.
There were no special education schools near their home, and the country had yet to establish such schools that year. Jiang Wenjuan was even afraid of sending her child to such a school, as if it would stamp Pei Chuan with a lifelong label of being different and incomplete.
Chaoyang Elementary School in City C had two preschool classes: Class One and Class Two. The Chinese teacher for Preschool Class One happened to be Pei Haobin's junior high school classmate, surnamed Yu. Teacher Yu had known about Pei Chuan's special circumstances early on and agreed as soon as Pei Haobin brought it up.
Chaoyang Elementary was a fifteen-minute walk from their neighborhood. Pei Haobin started his motorcycle and gestured for Jiang Wenjuan to help Pei Chuan onto it.
The wheelchair was strapped to the back of the motorcycle with leather cords, while Pei Chuan was seated securely in the front.
Pei Haobin carefully shielded his son and said with forced cheerfulness, "Let's go!"Pei Chuan gripped the metal bar of the motorcycle, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
The drizzle pattered softly. Once out of his mother’s sight, Pei Chuan’s expression finally faded. Behind him was his father’s broad chest—Pei Haobin was riding slowly. Few raindrops hit Pei Chuan’s face as he gazed into the curtain of rain, aware that he was heading toward a new environment.
He didn’t want to go, but he knew he had to.
Because of this preschool matter, his mother had finally started speaking to his father again. He wanted a complete, normal family, even if his own body was no longer whole.
Pei Chuan tightened his grip on the metal bar. On this first day of school, many elementary school children carrying backpacks glanced curiously at Pei Haobin’s motorcycle.
The engine roared loudly.
When Pei Chuan was three, Pei Haobin had bought this motorcycle. Back then, little Pei Chuan had been thrilled to ride it, feeling like the coolest little superhero. Everyone around had looked at him with envy. But now, as he sat on it again, with those once-admiring gazes turning strange, Pei Chuan lowered his eyes despondently.
Along the way, Pei Chuan saw countless youthful faces, all as vibrant as the name of Chaoyang Elementary School suggested—children full of hope for their futures.
Pei Haobin dropped him off at Teacher Yu’s office door, where Pei Chuan sat in his wheelchair.
A water bottle hung by the wheelchair—plain boiled water poured by Jiang Wenjuan for Pei Chuan to drink when thirsty.
Summer had not yet faded in September, and the plane trees at Chaoyang Elementary stood lush and green.
The gentle Chinese language teacher, Yu Qian, extended her hand to him. “Hello, little Pei Chuan. I’m Teacher Yu, and I’m also a friend of your father’s. I’ll teach you knowledge and take good care of you from now on.”
Pei Chuan’s cold, pale fingers shook Teacher Yu’s hand, offering a polite smile.
He still didn’t like speaking to those he wasn’t close to.
Teacher Yu, already aware of Pei Chuan’s situation, said to Pei Haobin, “You can go to work. I’ll take good care of your child.”
After Pei Haobin left, Teacher Yu told Pei Chuan, “If you need to use the restroom, raise your hand and let the teacher know, okay?”
Pei Chuan’s pupils were dark as he silently watched Yu Qian before nodding after a long pause.
“The preschool class is all new children. You might even see some friends from your kindergarten days.”
Pei Chuan forced a slight smile, but his eyes remained cold.
He didn’t want to see anyone from his past.
The sun slowly rose, and the rain gradually ceased. Teacher Yu wheeled Pei Chuan into the classroom.
As soon as they entered, curious eyes from the children turned their way.
The classroom was filled with little kids dressed in colorful clothes—some neat, others with runny noses. Teacher Yu smiled kindly and settled Pei Chuan in the first row by the window, right under the lectern.
Chen Hu, who had been playing with Li Da in the back, widened his eyes when the teacher wheeled Pei Chuan in.
Wow! They really were in the same class!
“You all met me yesterday during registration. I’m Teacher Yu. Let’s first arrange seats by height, okay?”
The children chorused, “Okay!”
“Now, everyone stand up and compare your heights. Shorter children will sit in the front, and taller ones will sit in the back for now.”
The children were obedient, but comparing heights on their own proved challenging. Teacher Yu and another teacher, the math instructor Mr. Zheng, helped rearrange them by height.Teacher Yu frowned, noticing that several children were missing from the class.
It was raining today, and some who lived far away were likely running late. For now, they could only proceed with rearranging the seats.
Teacher Zheng whispered, "With two students per desk and exactly 58 children in the class, who will sit with Pei Chuan?"
Teacher Yu was also taken aback.
But she quickly recovered and asked the children with a smile, "Little Pei Chuan has injured his leg and needs everyone's care. Which brave and kind child would like to sit with him at the front desk?"
Pei Chuan's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.
The children in the classroom exchanged glances, then looked at Pei Chuan sitting in his wheelchair, his legs missing below the knees.
A few children glanced at the teacher and hesitantly raised their hands.
Teacher Yu was pleased and asked Pei Chuan, "Xiao Chuan, which classmate would you like to sit with?"
Pei Chuan's eyes swept over them one by one.
He rarely smiled, and his eyes held no light, like a damp, shadowy place where sunlight refused to reach. Wherever his gaze fell, the already unsteady hands slowly lowered.
The two teachers exchanged awkward looks. Teacher Zheng said, "Let the other children take their seats first. There are still a few who haven't arrived."
As the children gradually settled into their seats, Chen Hu looked around and whispered to others about how Pei Chuan had wet his pants and bitten people in kindergarten. The children's faces showed astonishment, and all eyes secretly drifted toward the lonely front desk.
Pei Chuan clenched his fists, his gaze fixed on the tall plane tree outside the window.
The rain had stopped, and droplets lingering on the leaves slid downward. He sat in the backlit area, his lips slightly chapped, yet he made no move to reach for the water bottle he had brought.
Drinking water would make him need to pee.
The girl arrived late. Two small buns tied with pink ribbons adorned her head, dampened by the rain. Standing at the doorway, she called out "report" in a clear, bright voice.
Teacher Yu looked over and recognized her as the youngest child in the class.
A fifteen-minute walk for older children took Bei Yao's short legs twenty-five minutes. With the rain, Zhao Zhilan had carried her part of the way but eventually had to let little Bei Yao walk on her own.
Despite hurrying, she was still over ten minutes late.
Pei Chuan's body stiffened, but he did not turn around.
Teacher Yu said, "Little Bei Yao, there are three seats left in the classroom. Choose one and sit down."
Bei Yao walked toward Pei Chuan.
Carrying the scent of post-rain sunshine from outside, she sat down beside him.
Pei Chuan said, "Get lost." It was the first time he had spoken to her, his voice cold as he told her to leave.
Pei Chuan thought, Who needs your pity? It's better if you stay away from me.
Bei Yao's almond-shaped eyes filled with grievance. "But I'm short." Short people can't see from the back.
"..." Pei Chuan fell silent and turned his head away.
OpenNovel