After speaking, she smiled at Wen Shuren: “I like it, hello teacher.”
“You have good taste, little classmate. Economics is a very interesting subject. Come to the front.”
Wen Shuren walked back to the podium and moved the chair from the platform to the edge: “You can sit and listen next class. Standing for a whole period is too tiring. Even though you’re young, your legs would still ache after standing for one class.”
“Little classmate, how old are you?”
Wen Zhile looked at him with admiration: “Sixteen.”
A flicker of surprise passed through Wen Shuren’s eyes: “I have a daughter who’s the same age as you.”
Wen Zhile twitched her lips, then her expression returned to normal: “She must be very happy to have you as her father.”
Wen Shuren didn’t respond.
He and his wife had given all their love to their daughter, but they always felt there was a barrier between them, unable to see her true feelings.
He couldn’t tell if she was happy—Nuan Nuan seemed to be keeping things from them.
“You should still be in your second year of high school. Why did you think of attending university lectures?”
Wen Zhile wiped all smiles from her face, revealing a bitter expression: “I might not be able to take the college entrance exam, so I came to see the school I’ve always dreamed of attending.”
Wen Shuren frowned: “Why wouldn’t you be able to take it? Who’s stopping you?”
Wen Zhile bit her lip and shook her head.
Observing Wen Zhile’s clothing and malnourished figure, he began to form a guess: “We’ll talk in detail after class.”
He wanted to help this child.
Aside from his deceased parents, this girl was the only person he had ever met who resembled him in appearance. From her conversation with other students earlier, he could tell she had strong comprehension skills and probably did well in her studies.
Wen Shuren felt compassion for her.
If her family’s financial situation was preventing her from continuing her education, he could provide financial support.
The class ended at 4:30.
Considering that some topics might be inappropriate for him to discuss alone, Wen Shuren specifically took Wen Zhile to the English department faculty office and called his wife out.
Wen Zhile looked bewildered and nervous, staring unblinkingly as her mother approached.
Her mother was wearing a white collared shirt with a blue skirt and a thin black belt around her waist—this was her favorite outfit during the summer of 1989.
“Old Wen, who is this?”
Wen Shuren introduced: “A young classmate, the same age as Nuan Nuan. I feel a connection with her. Let’s treat her to a meal and discuss some matters.”
Seeing Wen Shuren’s meaningful look, Shu Ying agreed in surprise.
Wen Zhile immediately spoke up: “Hello, teacher.”
“Ah, hello…” This child…
Shu Ying looked at her, then at Wen Shuren. Why did this child look so much like Old Wen?
The three walked toward the faculty cafeteria, with Wen Zhile in the middle. When they weren’t paying attention, she glanced left and right, pouting as she fought back tears.
She wanted so badly to call them Mom and Dad, but she couldn’t now.
[Sister, don’t be sad.]
Wen Zhile forced out an awkward smile.
The faculty cafeteria was nearly empty at this hour. Wen Shuren asked Wen Zhile to sit first while he and Shu Ying went to get food. On the way, he briefly explained the situation to her.
Shu Ying sighed.
When they returned, both smiled as they placed the food in front of Wen Zhile: “Were you waiting long?”
Wen Zhile shook her head.
“Little classmate, there’s no one around now. Can you tell us who’s preventing you from taking the college entrance exam?”
Hesitation flashed across Wen Zhile’s face. She looked around before cautiously saying: “My parents.”
Wen Shuren and Shu Ying thought to themselves: Just as we suspected.
They all thought the reason was tuition fees, but then they heard the girl’s next words spoken even more softly: “They want me to marry our village chief.”
“Preposterous!” Wen Shuren, being an intellectual, couldn’t even think of harsher words to curse with. The idea of making a sixteen-year-old girl abandon her studies to get married was beyond his expectations and moral compass.
Wen Zhile lowered her head further. “The village chief is over forty and has a son as old as me. I didn’t want to, so I ran away.”
Shu Ying’s expression cracked.
Wen Shuren stood up in anger.
A few scattered teachers dining nearby glanced over. Wen Shuren took a deep breath, sat back down, and after calming himself, sorted his thoughts and asked, “Young student, which school do you attend?”
Wen Zhile silently reached into her cross-body school bag and pulled out her student ID.
Shu Ying took it and opened it, with Wen Shuren looking alongside her.
The student ID read: Jianghe County First Middle School, Dai Zhi.
They immediately seized the key points: Jianghe County, Dai.
Shu Ying thought of her distant cousin, and so did Wen Shuren.
They exchanged a glance, closed the student ID, and each began pondering internally.
Wen Shuren placed a cup of water by Wen Zhile’s hand. “Have some water first. If you’re hungry, go ahead and eat.”
Wen Zhile obediently took a sip of water and picked up her chopsticks.
She picked up a piece of braised pork from her own plate, stretched her arm to place it in Shu Ying’s plate, then put another piece in Wen Shuren’s plate. “Teachers, please eat too.”
Shu Ying stared intently at her arm, her hand gripping Wen Shuren tightly under the table, while maintaining a gentle expression as she picked up the meat and ate it.
They had both seen the scars on Wen Zhile’s arm—injuries that clearly resulted from years of being beaten and pinched.
Shu Ying hadn’t felt such rage since her family’s reputation was restored. How could anyone be so cruel as to abuse such an obedient child?
Watching the girl eat in small bites, her gaze lingering on the girl’s features, Shu Ying felt inexplicably unsettled. Almost as if compelled by some unseen force, she asked, “Student Dai, where is your hometown?”
Wen Zhile swallowed her food and replied softly, “Daijia Village.”
Wen Shuren straightened up and couldn’t help pressing further, “What are your parents’ names?”
His voice was somewhat loud, making Wen Zhile look at him timidly. “Dai Rong, Zhang Danhua.”
Shu Ying abruptly stood up.
Her chopsticks fell from the table, staining her blue half-length skirt with braised pork sauce.