MM | Chapter 32

Absence

Putting aside this subtle change, life in the courtyard of Baima Lane No. 7 was relatively harmonious, but it didn’t last long.

Sheng Mingyang’s previous troubles hadn’t been fully resolved when new issues arose in his business. On Friday morning, Sheng Wang came downstairs and stumbled upon an argument between him and Jiang Ou.

The content of the argument was actually simple. Jiang Ou felt she could help, but Sheng Mingyang wanted her to stay home and look after the two little ones.

Jiang Ou was a gentle person, and Sheng Mingyang wasn’t irritable. That’s why, when they were at a stalemate, there was a sense of helplessness and frustration.

“Otherwise, why am I working so hard day and night?” Sheng Mingyang said, leaning on the kitchen counter, rubbing his temples.

“But—”

Jiang Ou was about to retort when he added, “You told me about Xiao Tian before. I know you don’t want to go through that again.”

Jiang Ou opened her mouth but was suddenly cut off. She seemed to recall something and lost interest in arguing, lowering her eyes in silence.

Sheng Mingyang placed a hand on her shoulder and said, “So please, listen to me this time, okay?”

After a while, Jiang Ou nodded.

…

Someone noticed Sheng Wang by the stairs, and the two quickly composed themselves. Sheng Mingyang opened the glass door and came out of the kitchen, while Jiang Ou gave a quick smile and started serving porridge.

“What happened?” Sheng Wang hadn’t really heard the argument clearly. He looked at Jiang Ou’s back and instinctively glanced at the stairs.

Luckily, Jiang Tian had gone back to his room to get some papers he left behind, missing the scene. Otherwise, who knows how he would have reacted.

Sometimes Sheng Wang found Jiang Tian’s relationship with his mom quite strange.

If they didn’t get along, it was clear from many details that Jiang Tian was protective. No matter what, as long as Jiang Ou asked, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

But if they were close… something always seemed missing.

Sheng Mingyang’s phone buzzed. He answered hurriedly and turned to Sheng Wang, “It’s nothing major. I have to go on a business trip for a few days. I’m heading to the airport later.”

Sheng Wang was used to his dad flying around and wasn’t surprised. “How are you getting there?”

“Hello?” Sheng Mingyang greeted the person on the phone, then quickly replied to his son, “Xiao Chen will drive you and Xiao Tian to school. I’ll take another car.”

“Let Uncle Xiao Chen take you. We have a school bus,” Sheng Wang said.

“What bus?” Sheng Mingyang was too busy to hear his son clearly.

“…”

Sheng Wang waved his hand. “Go on with your call. I’m going to eat.”

Sheng Mingyang made a gesture of apology with his fingers and then went out onto the terrace.

After finishing the stressful call, he returned to find Sheng Wang and Jiang Tian had already finished breakfast and left. Xiao Chen was still waiting outside.

*

Every old street in this city had plane trees, standing by the bustling roads for many years, their thick branches intertwined, blocking out the sky.

The sun could only peek through the gaps, leaving dappled shadows on the ground where pedestrians walked through the light and shade.

Outside Baima Lane, the street had several food trucks, with steaming mist and lines of people.

Sheng Wang bypassed the crowd, waiting at the crosswalk. He glanced back at the old street and said to Jiang Tian, “When I was little, I was quite a handful, often waking everyone up early.”

“And then?” Jiang Tian asked.

“Then I’d come to this street to inspect the people’s lives,” Sheng Wang said. “I had to walk from one end to the other, and only when I saw everyone living peacefully could I go back and sleep.”

Jiang Tian laughed. “Why this street?”

“Because it’s lively,” Sheng Wang said. “People need to be chattering to be interesting.”

He noticed Jiang Tian’s expression turn dry and laughed, “Hey, no, no, I’m not saying you’re boring. You’re fine as you are. I was just saying.”

“But seriously,” Sheng Wang said, looking at the traffic light, “If you had come a few years earlier, I would have welcomed you.”

“Why?” Jiang Tian asked again.

Lately, his way of chatting had changed. He no longer just ended conversations with “hmm” and “oh,” but actually engaged more.

“Because there was a time I really wanted a brother. Older or younger, but preferably a bit younger,” Sheng Wang said, then suddenly patted Jiang Tian, “Green light, let’s go. What time does the school bus arrive?”

“6:30.”

“That’s fine, we have time.”

Sheng Wang checked the time on his phone and crossed the street with Jiang Tian, heading to the bus stop. The topic of brothers was left behind.

Actually, Sheng Wang was a bit of a brat when he was younger, not liking anything that took his toys, spotlight, or snacks. If he had siblings, they’d probably end up wrestling every day.

Later, the grandfather who took him on street inspections was gone, his mom who called him “Wang Zai” was gone, and slowly, Sheng Mingyang wasn’t around much either. He became less selfish.

During those years, he wished there were more people in the house. Preferably a younger brother, just a bit younger, staying a bit longer.

But then one day, he realized, even brothers didn’t mean much.

They come, but they always have to leave.

*

At 6:30, the school bus arrived on time.

As Sheng Wang and Jiang Tian got on, the bus full of girls started whispering and giggling, making Sheng Wang almost retreat back to the platform.

The driver, seeing unfamiliar faces and such a commotion, immediately felt a sense of duty. He gestured towards the machine by the driver’s seat, “What grade are you in? Got your card? Swipe it.”

Sheng Wang had never taken the school bus and didn’t understand this at all. He was stunned for a moment and asked, “What card?”

“The school card,” the driver said.

The school card at the affiliated school was the same as the badge, containing student information and money. It was essential for boarding students for meals, showers, and hot water, but for Sheng Wang, it was unnecessary.

Xi Le Convenience Store accepted mobile payments, and he hadn’t been to the cafeteria in ages, so he didn’t think to bring the card.

“Didn’t bring it?” The driver asked suspiciously.

Sheng Wang awkwardly touched his nose, about to say, “Maybe I should get off,” when Jiang Tian’s voice came from behind, “Got it.”

He reached over Sheng Wang and swiped the card on the machine, then handed it to him.

“When did you take it?” Sheng Wang asked, surprised.

“When you sneaked out like a thief,” Jiang Tian said, swiping his own card.

Some people insisted on taking the school bus but were faster and emptier-handed than anyone else.

“Where did I leave my card?”

“On the cabinet by the entrance.”

“Don’t block the door,” the driver said, though they were only half a meter away. He used the loudspeaker to announce, “There are empty seats in the back!”

“Sorry.”

Sheng Wang quickly moved inside, catching a glimpse of two girls in the front row blushing and whispering.

Baima Lane wasn’t far from the affiliated school. By this stop, the bus was almost full, with few empty seats, all scattered. Only the back row had two adjacent seats.

The bus soon started moving. Sheng Wang looked back at the last row and said to Jiang Tian, “Let’s sit here.”

He sat in the third row, leaving the second-row seat in front of him for Jiang Tian, then put on his earphones and started scrolling through his phone.

The school badge’s lanyard was wrapped around his fingers, loop after loop.

The guy next to him was chatting with two girls in the front row, all from the same history and politics class taught by Big Mouth Xu, who always had the latest news.

Sheng Wang heard them mention the parent-teacher meeting.

He thought, “No way…”

Parent-teacher meetings were the most troublesome part of school for him because he always had to explain why his parents couldn’t attend.

He suspected there was something mystical about it, always happening precisely when Sheng Mingyang wasn’t around.

The first two periods were physics. Master Sheng had no mind for papers, focusing instead on hoping He Jin would dispel the rumor after class.

After the second period, He Jin said, “I have an announcement. The grade parent-teacher meeting will be held on Sunday afternoon after two classes, in the Xiude Hall Auditorium. After all, the second year is the most crucial year.”

Gao Tianyang murmured, “You said that in the first year too.”

“Yes, every year is crucial,” He Jin said, annoyed. “Anyway, the school wants to communicate with parents, so let them know. From 3 to 4 is the grade meeting, and attendance is required. After 4, return to your class. I’ll discuss each of your strengths, weaknesses, and future development with your parents.”

After He Jin finished, she dropped the words Sheng Wang dreaded most: “Attendance is mandatory. If there’s a special circumstance, come talk to me after class.”

Sheng Wang’s head hit the desk with a thud.

He pursed his lips, hiding his hands under the desk as he messaged Sheng Mingyang.

Closed for the Day: Have you landed yet?

Health Encyclopedia: Yes, I have.

Health Encyclopedia: I told Xiao Chen to take you both. Why did you sneak off without saying anything? Are you mad at Dad?

Closed for the Day: No.

Closed for the Day: When are you coming back?

Health Encyclopedia: Hard to say, probably around Thursday or Friday next week.

Health Encyclopedia: Why?

Closed for the Day: Just asking.

Health Encyclopedia: Really nothing wrong?

Closed for the Day: No.

Closed for the Day: I’m off to morning exercises.

After sending the message, Sheng Wang turned off his phone, feeling frustrated.

Sheng Mingyang was busy and couldn’t pay attention to the weather back home. Otherwise, he’d notice it was pouring by 8 AM.

And his son knew this well, so he didn’t bother coming up with a plausible lie.

Sheng Wang lay there for a while, then took out his phone and earphones from his bag and headed to the other end of the hallway.

To the right of the restroom was a corner with a tricky angle. A Class A students loved to make calls there secretly, as long as they didn’t blatantly hold their phones, it was hard to get caught.

Sheng Wang put on his earphones and searched for Driver Xiao Chen’s name in recent calls.

A sudden cough echoed in the hallway, sounding a lot like Big Mouth Xu. Startled, he fumbled with his screen and put the phone back in his pocket, waiting for the call to connect.

The ringing seemed longer than usual, almost endless.

Finally, after a while, there was a soft rustling on the other end, and the call was answered.

Before the other person could speak, Sheng Wang bluntly said, “Uncle Xiao Chen, there’s another parent-teacher meeting. Can you cover for me again?”

For some reason, the other side remained silent.

After a moment, Jiang Tian’s voice came through the earphones, softly saying, “You seem to have dialed the wrong number.”

His voice was so quiet, like a breeze over strings, that it surprisingly sounded gentle, perhaps due to the silence in the earphones.

Sheng Wang suddenly felt embarrassed.

It was like someone who kept a composed facade outside, only to feel a lump in their throat when their parents asked, “What’s wrong?”

It was just a simple sentence.

For a few seconds, Sheng Wang didn’t speak, nor did Jiang Tian hang up.

Class A was on the west side of the hallway, and his corner was on the east side, just a few dozen meters apart. If a classmate shouted, it could be heard inside and outside the earphones.

After another moment, Sheng Wang said, “I’ll hang up and call again.”

Jiang Tian said, “Okay.”

He reached into his pocket, pressed the side button twice, and scrolled through recent contacts several times but ultimately didn’t make another call.

Gao Tianyang came over to use the restroom, greeted him with a friendly shoulder tap. Sheng Wang pulled down his earphones and said, “Go use the restroom. I’m heading to the office.”

“Why?”

“To explain a special situation to Old He.”

He walked through the hallway, past classmates chasing each other, and entered the office, calling out, “Excuse me.”

He Jin waved him over. “Come in, what’s up?”

“Teacher, my dad can’t make it to the parent-teacher meeting,” Sheng Wang said.

“The school specifically scheduled it for Sunday to avoid weekdays,” He Jin said, not blaming him but trying to persuade him. “Can he coordinate his time? This meeting is quite important. If he really can’t make the auditorium session, just coming for the 4 PM part would be fine. Half an hour is enough.”

“He really can’t make it,” Sheng Wang said.

“How about twenty minutes?” He Jin asked. “If he comes, I can talk to him first.”

At this age, boys grow tall, often towering over teachers. He Jin had to look up to speak to him from her chair.

She saw Sheng Wang lower his eyes, reaching to touch his nose, a silent standoff.

He Jin’s own son was much younger, nothing like Sheng Wang. But seeing the boy in front of her, she suddenly felt a pang of sympathy.

She thought for a moment and said, “How about this, have him come next weekend. I’ll wait for him here.”

Sheng Wang smiled and said, “He’s often on business trips, hard to catch. If I manage to, I’ll bring him to you.”

He Jin understood. This meant he might not even be able to come next weekend.

She didn’t have the heart to press further.

It was clear Sheng Wang didn’t want to stay a second longer. But duty-bound, she couldn’t ignore it completely.

She hesitated, about to speak again, when another “Excuse me” came from outside the office.

The voice was familiar from the earphones, and Sheng Wang, ever sensitive, turned to see Jiang Tian standing at the door, his uniform open, tall and composed.

“Come in,” He Jin said. “What do you need?”

Sheng Wang watched Jiang Tian enter and stand beside him, speaking in his usual cool tone, “No one can come to the parent-teacher meeting for me.”

He Jin: “…”

Sheng Wang’s embarrassment vanished, replaced by confusion as he looked at Jiang Tian, who didn’t even glance at him.

He Jin sighed, “Did you two plan this?”

“Fine,” He Jin nodded, resigned.

The top student and the most improved student both couldn’t attend the parent-teacher meeting. What more could she say?

“Why not pair up? Discuss with your parents when they’re available, and we can arrange a small meeting for the three of us to talk,” He Jin said, giving no room for objection, then waved them off, “That’s settled, off you go.”

The two were ushered out of the office but didn’t make it back to class, intercepted midway.

The one intercepting them was Big Mouth Xu from the Political and Educational Office. He stood with a stern face, hands behind his back, waiting at the corner of the hallway, motioning for them to follow him to Duxing Building.

“Me?” Sheng Wang asked, pointing to himself.

“You two,” Big Mouth Xu said.

“I haven’t fought recently,” Sheng Wang said, puzzled, adding, “Neither has he.”

For some reason, this seemed to hit a sore spot for Big Mouth Xu, and his expression darkened further. But his anger didn’t seem directed at Sheng Wang and Jiang Tian.

“About your missed listening test… Jiang Tian spent quite some time in my office, asking to check the hallway surveillance. So, we looked into it,” Big Mouth Xu said. “We’ve questioned quite a few people over the past few days and have some results. Today, we’re giving you an explanation.”