MM | Chapter 9

Dine and Dash

The morning classes flew by.

As Zhao Cai was finishing the last essay example, Gao Tianyang suddenly leaned back against Sheng Wang’s desk and whispered, “Zhao Cai doesn’t drag on.”

“Hmm?” Sheng Wang leaned forward, puzzled, “And if he doesn’t drag on, then what?”

“Then we can head to the cafeteria right on time,” Gao Tianyang said. “Just a friendly reminder, you should figure out the direction of the cafeteria first. As soon as the bell rings, sprint there. That way, you can grab one of the only two edible dishes.”

A question mark slowly appeared on Sheng Wang’s face. “Why run? Didn’t we walk there yesterday?”

“You said it yourself, that was yesterday.” Gao Tianyang sighed, “From today, the good times are over. Because the first-year students have also started, doubling the number of people fighting for food.”

Gao Tianyang wagged his finger, “Life is tough, you’ll see. Those first-year kids run faster than dogs.”

Before Sheng Wang could reply, Zhao Cai suddenly knocked on the podium. “Gao Tianyang!”

Sheng Wang immediately sat up straight, touching his nose, while the person in front of him stood up awkwardly.

“Trying to steal my spotlight, huh?” Zhao Cai asked bluntly, “What were you babbling about? And dragging Sheng Wang into it too.”

Gao Tianyang scratched his head, “Nothing much.”

“Fooling ghosts?” Zhao Cai propped her chin on the podium, “Anyway, it’s almost time. Come on, share what you just said with us.”

Gao Tianyang moved his lips, sounding like a mosquito humming.

“Toothache?” Zhao Cai said, “Repeat it three times! We won’t end class until you do.”

Forty-something heads turned around, and Gao Tianyang shouted with full vigor, “I said those first-year kids run faster than dogs!”

Zhao Cai: “…”

Sheng Wang thought this punishment was legendary.

Zhao Cai pointed at Gao Tianyang, “Sit down and shut up. Copy today’s three essays once, and hand them in during evening self-study. Then—class dismissed!”

After speaking, the slightly chubby female teacher swiftly stepped aside.

Before Sheng Wang could stand up, the classroom was already almost empty.

The students of Class A surged down the stairs like a tidal wave. Halfway through, the bell rang, and more people joined the crowd, rushing towards the cafeteria.

What kind of scene was this, like a pack of hungry wolves?

Sheng Wang was dumbfounded, and then heard Zhao Cai shout, “Hey? Why aren’t you two running?”

“You… two?” Sheng Wang turned his head and noticed the “two” behind him.

Jiang Tian not only didn’t sprint, he was still writing on his paper.

Seeing the corner of the test paper, Zhao Cai couldn’t help but feel a bit touched. “Wow, the sun must be rising from the west today. You’re actually correcting your paper so seriously? Let me see, which question are you writing the answer to for so long, is there something you don’t understand?”

“No.” Jiang Tian scratched his nose with his left hand, while his right hand didn’t stop, writing even faster.

According to some experts, touching your nose means you’re feeling guilty.

Sheng Wang sneaked a peek, hey, a physics test.

As Zhao Cai walked off the podium, Jiang Tian just finished simplifying the last equation. He dotted the end with his pen, quickly stuffed the paper into his desk, and stood up before Zhao Cai approached, saying, “Teacher, I’m going to eat now.”

With that, he stepped out of the classroom door.

Sheng Wang “hmm”-ed, waved at Zhao Cai, and said, “Teacher, I’m heading downstairs too.”

“Oh, sure, go ahead.” Zhao Cai was left a bit dazed by them, and in the blink of an eye, the two boys had turned out of the door one after the other.

“Why are they running so fast, like they’ve seen a ghost?” she muttered, glancing at Jiang Tian’s desk. The corner of the paper peeked out, showing his just-written conclusion: “The small ball is in force equilibrium, maintaining uniform linear motion at speed Vt.”

Zhao Cai: “…”

She took a stride to the back door, angrily shouting, “Jiang Tian! Come to the office for a talk during evening self-study!”

The broad school uniform of the young man flashed around the stair corner and disappeared.

The classroom was especially cool with the air conditioning. Sheng Wang quickly descended to the bottom floor, realizing he had run too fast and hadn’t taken off his school jacket. He wasn’t the one writing a physics test during Chinese class, so he didn’t know why he was feeling guilty.

He hadn’t felt it while going downstairs, but now the scorching sun hit him, and the sweat started to steam up, making him uncomfortable. He took off his jacket and held it in his hand.

Jiang Tian was a few steps ahead.

He seemed immune to sweating, his school uniform still on, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Students who often bent over desks tended to slouch, but he had no such issue, standing straight like a walking ice pop in the sun.

Handsome guys always attract attention, especially when there are two of them.

Several groups of girls looked over as they passed, nudging each other and giggling. Two of them, not paying attention, were teased by their friends and nearly bumped into Sheng Wang.

Sheng Wang sidestepped, smiled at them amidst a series of “sorry”s, and then caught up with Jiang Tian in a couple of steps.

“Hey, got any tissue?” he asked, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

The fountain on the school plaza wasn’t on, and Jiang Tian walked down the fountain steps, ignoring him.

“I’m talking to you,” he said again.

Jiang Tian continued to selectively ignore him.

Sheng Wang clicked his tongue, dissatisfied. “I only ran down here because of you, and you won’t even lend me a tissue?”

Jiang Tian finally responded, “Learn how to address people before asking for tissue.”

Sheng Wang looked at the back of his head, his lips moving silently. Eventually, he reluctantly dragged out, “Jiang Tian classmate, could you please lend me a tissue? Is that polite enough?”

Only then did Jiang Tian take a pack of tissues from his school uniform pocket and toss it to him. Sheng Wang caught it, pulled one out, and wiped his sweat.

“At this pace, can we still get food?” Sheng Wang glanced around. In the bustling crowd, they were like a slow-moving stream.

Actually, he didn’t want to eat with Jiang Tian. It was obvious Jiang Tian didn’t want him along either. Just imagining the scene was awkward enough to suffocate. But the inexplicable competitiveness among boys was ever-present. In this situation, it felt like whoever ran first lost. Sheng Wang didn’t want to be the coward, so he stubbornly walked shoulder to shoulder with Jiang Tian…

Two minutes later, he realized he was getting further from the cafeteria.

“Wait, the cafeteria is that way. Aren’t you planning to eat?” Sheng Wang asked.

“If you go to the cafeteria now, you can eat the plates,” Jiang Tian glanced at him. “If you want to eat, go yourself.”

Of course, Sheng Wang didn’t want to eat there. He followed Jiang Tian past the basketball court and part of the “Xiushen Garden,” entering a convenience store by the west gate.

There were three convenience stores on the Affiliated High School campus, one near the cafeteria, one by the dormitory, and the one here.

The store was called “Xi Le,” and its color scheme seemed to imitate “Lawson,” exuding a knockoff vibe as if it could be shut down by the authorities at any moment.

This store was in the opposite direction of the cafeteria and not close to the teaching buildings, so there weren’t many students at noon.

The owner, Zhao Su, was a tall, skinny middle-aged man with slightly bulging eyes like a mantis. When he looked over his thick glasses, he seemed shrewd.

“Out of food at the cafeteria?” Boss Zhao asked.

Sheng Wang nodded, “Went too late.”

“Well—” he gestured with his mouth, “there’s food, snacks, and oden. Pick what you like. I’m busy.”

He had a big basket of washed cucumbers on the table, a stack of newly opened disposable boxes, and a roll of plastic wrap.

Across from him sat a strange-looking person. The man seemed over 50, thin and short, hunched over like a shrimp, clearly a hunchback.

He wore a white vest with two moth-eaten holes in the back. Below were gray-blue cotton shorts, and his exposed arms and legs were tanned to a bronze color, sinewy.

He seemed ashamed of his appearance, shrinking behind the shelves when Sheng Wang entered, perhaps afraid of scaring people. But when he saw Jiang Tian, he grinned and made meaningless sounds, gesturing with his hands.

Sheng Wang quietly realized, oh, he’s mute.

Jiang Tian nodded at the mute man, not overly friendly, but the mute seemed happy, gesturing again at Boss Zhao.

His movements clearly weren’t standard sign language, just instinctive gestures. Sheng Wang was clueless, but Boss Zhao understood.

“Yes, yes, he’s grown quite tall. Kids these days shoot up like crazy. Stop gesturing and put on the gloves. I’ve been waiting forever.”

The mute immediately complied, carefully putting on gloves. Boss Zhao picked out cucumbers and placed them in boxes, while the mute stretched plastic wrap over them. Not very agile, but helpful.

Sheng Wang watched for a while, sensing Jiang Tian either came here often or already knew Boss Zhao and the mute.

Lost in thought, Jiang Tian suddenly said to him, “You can eat here. I’m leaving.”

“What… aren’t you eating?” Before Sheng Wang could react, the convenience store’s glass door chimed, and Jiang Tian’s figure vanished outside.

“He doesn’t eat here,” Boss Zhao pointed behind him. “He goes outside the school.”

Sheng Wang was even more puzzled. To leave the school during the day, you need a leave slip. He hadn’t seen Jiang Tian get one signed by any teacher.

“Where outside?” he asked.

“The residential area,” Boss Zhao spoke with an elder’s sharpness, “Why, can’t you eat alone? Why worry about him? Your lunch break isn’t long, eat and get back to class.”

Sheng Wang remembered the pile of papers waiting for him and said no more, choosing a couple of dishes and sitting down with his tray.

Though small, the store had everything a convenience store should, and the food was surprisingly good.

Sheng Wang, not usually picky, ate it all up. He placed his tray in the return area, feeling slightly better about Jiang Tian. At least he had brought Sheng Wang to this store, avoiding the crowd and hunger.

“Full?” Boss Zhao took off his gloves, asking, “How was it, better than the cafeteria?”

Sheng Wang wasn’t stingy with praise, “Not worse than home.”

Boss Zhao laughed heartily, clearly pleased. After laughing, he extended his hand to Sheng Wang, “Pay up.”

“Oh right, almost forgot.” Sheng Wang chuckled, reaching for his pocket, but his smile quickly faded.

Boss Zhao asked warily, “What’s wrong?”

With a dry laugh, Sheng Wang said, “I didn’t bring any money.”

He had no cash, and his phone was in his backpack in the desk, leaving him penniless.

Boss Zhao immediately grabbed his hand, “That’s not okay, no money, no leaving.”

“How about you put it on my tab, and I’ll pay for lunch tomorrow?” Sheng Wang suggested.

“No,” Boss Zhao refused.

“Then can I run back to the classroom to get it?”

“No,” Boss Zhao repeated.

“Come on, give me a break.”

“No.”

“You’re so stingy!”

As lunchtime was almost over, Sheng Wang was desperate.

Boss Zhao thought for a moment, “In a hurry? Fine.”

He took out his phone, found a number, and dialed it, putting it on speaker and setting it on the table.

The ringing lasted a while before the call connected, and Jiang Tian’s voice came through, “Uncle Zhao, what’s up?”

Boss Zhao said, “Got a situation, come over with some money and bail out your little friend who ate for free.”

Jiang Tian was silent for a moment, then hung up.