As I walked back to the classroom, I suddenly saw a tall, burly man in all black, with a menacing face, who clearly looked like trouble, standing in front of a delicate, short-statured "girl" and saying something. I focused my eyes—it wasn't a girl, it was a boy! And I knew him. It was Liu Xiaoyu, my deskmate, who looked like a girl.
I instantly panicked and rushed forward, forgetting everything else.
I grabbed Liu Xiaoyu's arm and pulled him behind me, then faced the imposing man. "Who are you? This is a school. What do you want?"
I was a little scared, so my voice trembled slightly.
Up close, I realized this man was a true brute. He was a bit shorter than me, maybe five-seven, but his build was immensely more muscular. He had thick brows and large eyes, and even a scar on his face, making him look like a terrorist.
"Who are you?"
His sharp eyes fixed on me. I immediately felt a chill. I'd read about "killing intent" in people's eyes in movies and novels, but I'd never truly felt it until now. It was like being targeted by a predator.
But Liu Xiaoyu behind me gave me a slight boost of courage. I clenched my teeth and asked, "What do you want?"
He smiled, looking at me with interest. "What do you want?"
I blushed, feeling a bit angry and embarrassed. "Why are you mimicking me?"
"Uncle Luo, he's my classmate..." Just then, Liu Xiaoyu broke the stalemate, gently emerging from behind me and covering his mouth with a giggle.
Then he pointed to the brute and told me, "This is my uncle, not a bad person."
"Huh?" I was stunned, my face flushing even deeper. It turned out my dramatic rescue was completely unneeded.
"I'm sorry, Uncle... Uncle Luo." I stammered, feeling even more awkward under the man's slightly amused gaze. I wanted to escape. I quickly handed the phone to Liu Xiaoyu behind me, saying, "Thanks, Xiaoyu, you really helped me out. I have to go now."
Without waiting for Liu Xiaoyu's reply, I fled the scene without looking back.
The man Liu Xiaoyu called Uncle Luo watched my retreating back. After a moment, he spoke to Liu Xiaoyu. "Xiaoyu, how do you know this guy?"
"Mind your own business? Is it not normal for classmates to know each other?" Liu Xiaoyu retorted with an irritable tone. "What, are you running a census to report back to my mom?"
"Oh, I was just asking. Your uncle won't interfere with your personal life. But I was curious. Is there anything about him that attracts you? Why would you be friends with him?"
"I make friends based on my mood. I make friends with whoever I like. Do I have to have an ulterior motive?" Liu Xiaoyu rolled his eyes at him.
"Dear Uncle, please stop trying to guess what others are thinking, thank you." Liu Xiaoyu gave "Uncle Luo" an awkward but polite smile, the corners of his mouth upturned in that insincere way, like a smiley emoji.
"Alright, my bad. I asked too much. I was wrong. Let's go back now. It's getting late, and your mom will probably start nagging you again." Uncle Luo smiled, carrying Xiaoyu's schoolbag. A burly man carrying a small, pig-themed backpack looked comical, but his intimidating aura kept most people from laughing.
"Tch," Liu Xiaoyu rolled his eyes, but he followed his uncle.
Suddenly, a heavy rain started pouring down, accompanied by thunder and lightning. The raindrops hammered down.
Fortunately, I had brought an umbrella; otherwise, I would have been completely soaked.
I had returned the phone directly to Liu Xiaoyu. I had deleted the original videos, but I had compressed and sent them to my email. I just needed to go to a cybercafé to receive them.
I do have a computer at home, but because of my past poor performance, my mother had locked it down. This lock wasn't just a password; the computer tower was physically locked inside a cabinet at home. I couldn't play even if I wanted to.
I grabbed my backpack and headed to an unlicensed, black-market internet cafe that didn't require an ID. These places were very expensive, costing much more per hour than legal ones, and with increasing crackdowns, they were harder and harder to find.
The one I found had taken me a long time to locate.
I arrived at a storefront where the main door was completely shut, piled high with miscellaneous items, making it look abandoned. But there was a secret entrance. I slipped into a small alley and entered through the back door. Immediately, a distinct cybercafé smell wafted out: a mixture of smoke, grease, and sweat. Once you got used to it, it wasn't too bad.
The owner was a five-seven chubby man who knew me; I used to come here often.
"Boss, machine number 10, one hour."
I handed him ten yuan. The owner gave me five yuan back in change.
I pressed the power button and waited for the computer to boot up.
Watching the blue boot-up animation, I didn't put on headphones as usual. I sat here, and while the surroundings were the same, I felt different. This was the first time I'd come to this illegal cybercafé, and it felt like the first time I wasn't here to play games.
The computer started. I logged into my email in the browser, plugged in my flash drive, and downloaded the video from my email onto the drive.
The download finished, and I still had over half the time left.
I stared blankly at the screen, with no desire to open a game. So many images flashed through my mind—my mother and sister, and all the events of today. Reality, I found, was much more interesting.
I got up, shut down the computer, and prepared to leave, but the owner called out, "Little Fatty, why aren't you playing? Is there a problem with the computer?"
I looked at the owner and said, "I don't feel like playing. I didn't plan on playing games today."
"Oh, is that so? You haven't been around in a while. I was thinking of letting you play for a few hours for free today," the owner smiled. I looked around the cafe. Only a few screens were lit. With the increasing crackdown on illegal cafes and the widespread use of home computers, this place was a far cry from the bustling spot that used to have a waiting line.
A sense of melancholy welled up in me, but I still had no desire to play. "No need, thank you. I probably won't be coming to play anymore."
"I see." The owner didn't say anything more, but I knew he was probably disappointed.
"This place is closing down soon," the owner suddenly said.
"No customers anymore?" I asked.
"Yeah. There's no money to be made here anymore." The owner lit a cigarette. Smoke curled up, and the light revealed a hint of weariness on his face.
"What are you planning to do?" I asked.
"I don't know. Just taking things one step at a time." He spoke softly, looking at the cafe with a trace of sadness.
I didn't say anything else. I simply left. I didn't have time to indulge his melancholy. The owner hadn't been a good person when business was booming, and his mannerisms were irritating. Now that he had no customers, there was a sense of desolation, but that didn't mean I felt pity for him.
Outside, I turned back to look at the place. In all likelihood, this would be the last time I came here.
I felt a strange sense of loss, as if something within me had been abandoned. But after a moment, I smiled again. So what if I abandon it? Doesn't growth require shedding more and more things?
After leaving the cybercafé, I went straight home. With my phone gone, my entertainment options were practically zero, so I had to find something to do.
I used my bank card to withdraw some cash, went to the market, bought some groceries, and ate a large bowl of noodles.
After resting for a bit and feeling bored, I went downstairs and headed to the gym.
I soon arrived at the Syrian Gym. I pushed the door open. Honestly, after a week without training, I had actually missed it.
The afternoon session was usually intense. I stepped inside and immediately saw Chen Ge and his girlfriend chatting casually.
I hadn't been here for a week, so I felt a bit awkward and tried to slip inside unnoticed.
But after two steps, I heard him call out, "Lin Nan, you're here?"
I froze instantly, raising my head with a wry smile. "Chen Ge."
"Come talk for a bit." Chen Ge patted a stool next to him, signaling for me to sit down.
I walked over and sat down.
"I thought you weren't coming back," Chen Ge smiled. His girlfriend next to him looked down at her phone when we started talking. I remembered her, not just for her alluring long legs but also her loud voice.
"I can't help it. I still have school. I'm a high school student," I said helplessly.
"You're a high school student?" Chen Ge sounded surprised.
"Yeah, what's wrong? Do I not look like one?"
Chen Ge looked at me closely. "You do, actually. Your face is quite fair up close; you're just a little heavy."
"I see. Yeah, it's tough with school." Chen Ge nodded.
"It is. And my grades are bad, so I'm even busier," I pouted.
"How so?"
"I messed around in freshman year, and now I'm playing catch-up. I can't keep up with the class pace." I stretched, leaning back, but the unstable stool wobbled, startling me.
"Careful there," Chen Ge laughed heartily.
"Oh, right. You said you wanted to learn freshman stuff, didn't you? Your 'Sister Chen' teaches students at a tutoring center. She specializes in that. Do you want to check it out?" Chen Ge suddenly offered.
"I don't know... is that alright?" I hesitated. I couldn't just attend for free; I'd have to pay.
"It's not expensive. You can go listen in and decide if you like it," Chen Ge said cheerfully.
I paused. I recalled Chen Ge had said something similar when he was trying to get me to sign up for the gym. I felt like I was being led into a whole new layer of salesmanship, but he hadn't cheated me before.
"It's fine, little brother, don't be shy. There are a lot of people in the class," the woman next to him raised her head and smiled.
"Okay, Sister Chen, I'll come tomorrow," I nodded.
"My name is Chen Shi." Chen Shi was dressed like a university student—shorts and a t-shirt, revealing her long, beautiful legs and fair arms. She didn't look like she worked out but had a naturally pure and attractive look.
"Chen Shi, Chen Ge..." I muttered internally. What kind of names are those? They sound like siblings.
But I certainly didn't dare say that out loud. I plastered on a smile and called out, "Sister Chen Shi." My face felt a little hot after I said it.
"Hey, if you have any questions, just ask me," Chen Shi smiled.
"Got it." I nodded, chatted for a bit, then got up to go work out.
This workout was much better than the previous one. I exercised for over an hour before stopping. After rehydrating, I said goodbye to them and headed home.
Passing a street food stall, the smell made me feel uncomfortable, stirring up bad memories. I quickened my pace, quickly leaving the area.
Returning to my neighborhood, I was walking along the road when I suddenly saw a figure pass by.
I looked closer, and it was the beautiful dog I had seen last week. However, its condition was truly pitiful now. Its white fur was completely filthy, losing its former lustrous appearance. It looked like it had rolled in mud. More importantly, it was limping when it walked. I followed it closely and saw that its back right leg was injured.
The dog's elegance and beauty from the previous week had made such a deep impression on me that I couldn't reconcile its former grace with its current miserable state. I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy. How could such a beautiful dog end up like this? Perhaps it was my strong empathy, or perhaps I identified with its similar experience. I approached and gently called out, "Coo-coo-coo..."
It heard my voice, looked back at me, and stopped.
I continued calling softly as I approached, but it was highly cautious and kept backing away, its eyes full of alertness. I couldn't imagine what it had been through.
I wouldn't be able to pet it this way. After a moment of thought, I said, "Wait here for a moment. I'll be right back." As I spoke, I pointed at the ground.
Without waiting to see if it understood, I ran upstairs and brought down the leftover noodles.
When I came back down, it was gone. I felt a moment of disappointment, but I didn't give up and called out, "Coo-coo-coo..."
Luckily, its figure reappeared. I was delighted, but I didn't rush toward it, afraid of scaring it away. I slowly walked to it, placed the bowl on the ground, and then walked away.
It hesitated for a while. I didn't know if it recognized me, or if its memory was that good, but it finally came forward slowly. Finding that I wasn't making any aggressive moves, it lowered its head and began to eat from the bowl.
I quietly approached. "Quietly" wasn't really possible, as my size made any movement noticeable, but I tried my best to approach low to the ground so as not to startle it.
Fortunately, it didn't retreat and allowed me to get close. I successfully managed to pet its head.
Seeing the wound on its leg, I felt a stab of distress. After it finished eating, I hesitated for a moment, then prepared to pick it up. I was on guard the whole time, afraid it might bite my hand, which would mean spending money on rabies shots.
But it didn't resist. It allowed me to pick it up. I picked up the bowl with my other hand. Its body was dirty and wet, and it stained my clothes, but I didn't mind. I carried it upstairs.
Arriving home, I kicked the door open and placed it on the floor mat. Looking at its injured leg, I was at a loss; I didn't know what to do.
Remembering a few methods I had inadvertently seen, I went downstairs and bought some cotton swabs, tweezers, saline solution, and iodine.
I first used scissors to trim the fur around the wound, then used the cotton swabs and tweezers to remove the dirt from the dog's injury. I then rinsed the wound with saline and finally disinfected it with iodine before placing it back on the mat.
The dog's body was trembling, and it occasionally whined, but it didn't stop me. I thought the dog was so intelligent, so understanding. This strengthened my resolve to keep it.
After all that, my palms were sweaty. I gave it some water, went downstairs to buy some chicken breast, and put it in its bowl. I didn't know what else to do.
When I came out after showering, I immediately saw it. It also raised its head and looked at me, staring with its dark, gentle eyes.
I walked over and stroked its head, found some old clothes, and placed them next to it. By the time all of this was done, it was around ten o'clock. It was time to rest.