TGMNDIAR - 82 | If-line (1)
Classroom
A boy with a buzz cut and a boy with a spiked hairstyle were huddled together at their desk, whispering.
"Hey, did you know? I passed by the office and saw Teacher Li talking to a boy..."
"Who? Someone got scolded by the teacher?"
"I don't know him, but I overheard that he's from another school and is transferring to our class."
"Now???"
"Yeah, it's weird. We're already in sixth grade, how's he going to catch up?"
...
Thump, thump—the sound of knocking on the glass window.
The next second, a stern female voice appeared.
"You two, why are you whispering instead of doing your morning reading!"
The two boys immediately flinched, hunching over their desks like quails, and began reading aloud.
Their loud, grating voices competed to be the loudest, standing out awkwardly and even harshly among the robust reading sounds.
Bai Nian, sitting in the back row, paused and looked up for a moment, then quietly lowered his head and continued reading.
Outside the window, Teacher Li snorted but said nothing more, and her high heels "clacked" away.
"That scared me to death..." The buzz-cut boy patted his chest.
The spiked-hair boy pushed his hand away, "Don't talk to me, we'll get caught again."
The two boys wrestled a bit, and the buzz-cut boy accidentally knocked over a few arranged stylus pens with his elbow.
Bai Nian squeezed his fingers but said nothing, silently bending down to pick them up.
The buzz-cut boy and the spiked-hair boy exchanged glances, their expressions turning strange.
"Ring ring ring," the bell signaled the end of morning reading, and they had a ten-minute break.
Bai Nian put the stylus pens back in order, took his thermos, and went out to get water.
"Ugh, I thought he was going to do something..." The buzz-cut boy sighed in relief.
The spiked-hair boy said nonchalantly, "He doesn't even talk, what are you afraid of? He looks so weak and frail, like a girl."
The buzz-cut boy curled his lip, "Yeah, his voice is thin, and he's pale as a ghost. He doesn’t look manly at all!"
The spiked-hair boy said, "Like a white-headed mouse!"
The buzz-cut boy said, "Exactly!"
The spiked-hair boy said, "I bet his mimicry is just as timid, with arms and legs as skinny as sticks, always with his head down, hiding in the corner, all gloomy and damp."
The buzz-cut boy nodded seriously, "No wonder Brother Ba doesn't like him and doesn't play with him. Ignoring him is the right thing to do!"
The spiked-hair boy, shaking his head proudly, said, "Let's go tell Brother Ba about this after school—"
He suddenly stopped speaking.
Bai Nian stood there, holding a black thermos, his gray-blue eyes remained calm.
He stood still for a few seconds, then lowered his eyes and said in a flat tone, "Move, I need to go in."
The spiked-hair boy stepped aside.
After Bai Nianye sat down, he didn't say another word.
The spiked-hair boy and the buzz-cut boy exchanged another glance.
---
The first class was Chinese.
As usual, Teacher Li walked into the classroom with her lesson plan, head slightly raised.
However, this time, she was followed by a boy they didn't know.
"I hadn't even reached the door, and I could hear you all making a racket. You're the loudest class on the entire floor." Teacher Li's face was stern. "How many times have I told you, sit down as soon as you enter the room, be quiet as soon as you sit, and start studying as soon as it's quiet. Why does no one listen?"
All the students lowered their heads, and the classroom was so silent you could hear a pin drop.
Teacher Li gave her usual admonishment and then got back on track.
"Alright, any more of this and there will be extra homework. Today, we have a new student joining Class Three," she said, smiling at the silent boy. "Come on, Xu Mu, introduce yourself to everyone."
Curious eyes turned to the boy. He wasn't wearing the dark blue school uniform or a red scarf but his own clothes: a white t-shirt, black jeans, simple messy hair, and a cool, detached look in his long, narrow eyes.
"I'm Xu Mu," he said and then clamped his mouth shut.
Teacher Li was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered, "Alright, students, let's give Xu Mu a warm welcome."
The classroom erupted into enthusiastic applause.
"Xu Mu, would you like to write your name on the board so everyone can see?" Teacher Li asked gently.
Xu Mu thought for a few seconds, took a chak, and carefully wrote his name on the board.
"Wow, Xu Mu's handwriting is beautiful," Teacher Li praised immediately.
Xu Mu responded with a nonchalant "Hmm," exuding a cool demeanor.
Teacher Li smiled, patting Xu Mu's shoulder. "Let’s see, there's an empty seat in the last row. You can sit there for now, and we'll rearrange the seats later."
Bai Nian, who had initially glanced up and then lost interest, slowly raised his head again, just in time to meet the teacher's gaze.
Teacher Li's smile deepened, "Student Nian, please take good care of the new student."
Bai Nian lowered his eyelids and responded, "Okay, Teacher Li."
Teacher Li then asked Xu Mu, "Is it alright if you sit in the last row for now? We’ll change seats later."
Xu Mu nodded and walked over first. As he approached, Bai Nian moved his large bag of pens slightly to make room.
Xu Mu took his seat without any fuss, and Teacher Li, satisfied, began her lesson.
...
Xu Mu had sixth-grade textbooks from his previous school, which used the same federal edition for Chinese class.
But he had forgotten to bring a pen.
Teacher Li tapped the board with a pointer, raising her voice to emphasize the key points, instructing the students to mark and write them down.
Xu Mu tightened his lips, planning to rely on his memory to mark the key points first. Suddenly, a pen appeared at the top left corner of his book.
Xu Mu was startled. He turned his head to see his deskmate handing over the pen without looking at him, the pale profile of his face moving slightly with his writing motion.
"...Thanks," Xu Mu said softly.
Bai Nian paused with his pen, "Mm."
The response was somewhat cold, but Xu Mu didn't mind and earnestly began to take notes.
They didn't speak again after that.
Time passed quickly, from morning to afternoon, in the blink of an eye.
On his first day, Xu Mu slowly adjusted to the pace of classes at his new school and felt it was manageable.
The last class was math, and the bald old teacher dismissed them on time.
The classroom immediately became noisy, as everyone hurriedly packed their things, eager to go home.
The buzz-cut boy, Yang Xin, was humming a cartoon theme song excitedly as he packed his things in a rush. He urged his deskmate, the spiked-hair boy Zou Chen, to hurry up.
In his haste, he jumped up, and with a sweeping motion of his arm, he knocked Bai Nian's pen box to the floor.
Several pens scattered on the ground.
Yang Xin froze for a moment, ignored it, and was about to walk away.
Bai Nian said nothing and squatted down to pick up his pens.
Seeing this, Xu Mu frowned.
He stepped out of his chair, blocking Yang Xin's path.
"You knocked over his pens," Xu Mu said.
Yang Xin was taken aback at first, then he stuck out his neck defiantly, "What does that have to do with you! Get lost."
Xu Mu remained motionless. "Pick them up and apologize."
Yang Xin laughed angrily, "It’s none of your business!"
Xu Mu stared at him coldly.
Yang Xin suddenly felt intimidated, and Zou Chen quickly stepped in to support his friend. "I advise you to stay out of Bai Nian's business. He—"
Yang Xin continued, "He's a sick person, you will understand later."
Zou Chen nodded vigorously. "He doesn't talk, looks as pale as a ghost, his voice is high-pitched, and he's super girly. He has no masculinity at all! So weak!"
With each sentence, Bai Nian's pace of picking up the pens quickened.
Finally, the pens were back in place. Bai Nian kept his head down, not defending himself once.
The muscles at Xu Mu's mouth twitched. He grabbed Yang Xin’s arm, his expression darkening.
"You're also a sick person," Xu Mu sneered. "When you do something wrong, you apologize. Do it now."
Xu Mu applied more force.
Yang Xin yelped in pain, instantly unable to bear it. He grimaced and apologized, "So-sorry."
Xu Mu turned him around to face Bai Nian. "Look him in the eye and apologize."
Zou Chen was scared, and others around them craned their necks to see. Intimidated, Yang Xin mumbled another apology.
"Do you forgive him?" Xu Mu asked Bai Nian.
Bai Nian remained silent.
Xu Mu turned back, his voice cold. "Alright, he doesn't want to forgive you, and you're indeed in the wrong. Apologize when you make a mistake and be careful next time."
"And don't speak ill of others."
Yang Xin was dumbfounded, feeling a lump in his chest.
Xu Mu let go of his arm and started to leave. He had other things to do and didn't want to stay at school any longer. He quickened his pace once outside the classroom, almost breaking into a jog.
The others around them dispersed as well.
Bai Nian's grip on his pen tightened, his knuckles standing out.
He returned to his seat, and even after the other students had left the classroom, he remained there.
The curtains by the glass window fluttered, casting a layer of golden sunset glow over the desk.
Bai Nian suddenly glanced at the back door, looking somewhat lost.
After a long while, he held his pen and slowly wrote two characters on a blank notebook page—
Xu Mu.
---
At the orphanage
The old iron walls were full of dents, and the flickering floating light was dim, especially after sunset, when the moonlight spread across the yard, making it seem even darker.
"Ah Mu, how have you been adapting to the new school these past few days?" Aunt Xi asked as she mended a drafty blanket with skilled, quick hands.
"I'm adapting well," Xu Mu replied, taking unfinished handmade dolls and placing them one by one into a bag.
"Are you keeping up with the coursework?"
"Yes."
"Have you encountered any difficulties?"
"No."
"Really?" Aunt Xi asked again, "No difficulties at all?"
"Really, no difficulties."
Aunt Xi sighed lightly, "Alright, I hope so. After all, it's a public elementary school with good teachers. I was worried you wouldn't understand."
Xu Mu's previous school was a private elementary school near the orphanage.
The tuition was not expensive, in fact, it was quite cheap. However, the owner’s other businesses went bankrupt, and this charitable elementary school couldn’t stay open either. The orphanage had to apply to the Federation to help Xu Mu find a new school.
The quality of the teachers wasn’t the main concern; what mattered was securing a student status to prepare for the primary-to-middle school entrance exam.
"Aunt Xi, the faucet in the back is broken," Xiao Tao came over and said.
"Broken again?" Aunt Xi sighed, "We don’t have the money to fix it."
Xiao Tao said, "We can only manage for now, at least I blocked the leak."
Aunt Xi said helplessly, "That’s all we can do then."
Xiao Tao sat down, leaning against Aunt Xi, and the two whispered to each other.
Xu Mu sat on a small stool, meticulously packing the handmade dolls into bags.
"Brother Mu..." Four-year-old Tiantian came running over, stumbling.
Xu Mu lowered his eyes and took a bottle of milk out of his bag for Tiantian.
Tiantian smiled broadly, trying to kiss Xu Mu, but Xu Mu dodged him.
Behind him, Yan Yu, who was two years older, stood quietly with her clear, big eyes and rosy cheeks.
"Want a small bun?" Xu Mu asked.
Yan Yu touched her stomach and said softly, "Brother, do you still have a bun today?"
"Yes, from school," Xu Mu handed it to her.
The orphanage had applied for a scholarship that covered breakfast and lunch.
Yan Yu swallowed and said gently, "Thank you, brother."
"...Well, we’ll see if the Federation will allocate funds, or maybe merge us into the Federal Childcare Center," Aunt Xi said, sounding more and more melancholy and sad. She had started this private orphanage out of kindness, providing a home for the abandoned, parentless children she found.
Over the years, she had spent almost all her savings, and now it was becoming difficult to maintain.
"As long as all the kids can live well, would I be satisfied," Aunt Xi said.
Xiao Tao remained silent, wiping away tears at the corners of her eyes. "Mm, no matter what, I still want to stay here."
Aunt Xi smiled.
She saw Xu Mu giving milk to Tiantian and Yan Yu and asked worriedly, "Ah Mu, do you get enough breakfast at school?"
Xu Mu's hand paused for a moment, then he naturally withdrew it. "Yes, there was eggs and porridge. I’m full."
Aunt Xi said, "Then you should drink the milk too."
Xu Mu replied, "Milk doesn’t taste good."
He really disliked the taste of milk, and besides...
Xu Mu pressed his lips together, recalling what he had overheard last week—
"Spending money is easy, earning it is hard. I don't even know where to find money to feed so many mouths..." Aunt Xi had said, deeply worried.
Aunt Xiao Tao had replied, "We can still manage three meals a day, but we can't afford snacks for the children. A few days ago, Tiantian wanted milk, Yan Yu wanted a small bun, and Dou Dou wanted strawberries..."
Aunt Xi had said, "We'll have them, once things get better. Just like before, we'll give the kids some variety and treats."
"Brother, eat." Yan Yu tore off more than half of the bread and held it to Xu Mu's mouth, her eyes full of anticipation. "Let's eat together."
He hesitated for a moment but then took a piece and ate it.
Tiantian also tried to feed him milk, but Xu Mu turned away, rejecting it.
Tiantian pouted.
Xu Mu said, "I don’t like milk."
—This was the truth.
---
Back in the classroom
Xu Mu gradually got used to the new school. He arrived early and left early as well. As usual, he went to the cafeteria to get a standard breakfast, returned to the classroom, quickly finished his egg, and drank a few sips of warm water.
Usually, by the second-to-last class, Xu Mu would start to feel hungry. Most of the time, he ignored it, but occasionally, he had to drink a cup of water to fight off the empty feeling in his stomach.
"Classmate Xu," Bai Nian called.
It was his usually quiet deskmate.
Xu Mu tightened the cap on his cup and responded coolly, "What is it?"
The two had been sitting together for about half a month. They weren't very familiar with each other, but since neither liked to talk much, the atmosphere was still relatively harmonious.
Occasionally, they would solve problems together, do homework, and help each other with notes.
"Do you not like drinking milk and eating meat floss buns?" Bai Nian asked softly.
Xu Mu frowned. "What?"
"I've noticed you only eat the egg each time. You don't drink the milk or eat the bread..." Bai Nian's eyelashes fluttered. "Then, during the fourth period, you get hungry and drink a lot of water—"
Xu Mu interrupted, quickly saying, "No, you saw wrong."
His voice was cold and hard, his tone unpleasant, but his earlobes were as red as blood, his shoulders tensed, barely able to move.
Bai Nian, having been snapped at, curled his fingers into his palm. He instinctively wanted to avoid the topic but held back.
"You do," he insisted.
Xu Mu refused to admit it. "Eating eggs fills me up. I have a small appetite. I don't need—"
"Grumble~"
Xu Mu's stomach growled.
At that moment, his cheeks flushed red, and he was so embarrassed his limbs went numb.
Bai Nian pressed his lips together even flatter. He leaned forward a bit. "You're hungry. You were lying just now."
Xu Mu: "..."
Bai Nian took out a thermos from his backpack. Opening it, he revealed fragrant sandwiches, neatly cut into pieces and arranged in rows.
"These were made by my mom. She often makes too much, and I can't finish them all. I really need someone to share with, so I wanted to ask you if you'd like to eat?" Bai Nian looked directly at Xu Mu with sincerity.
Xu Mu: "...I don't want any. You eat it yourself."
Bai Nian: "Are you worried they won't taste good? They're delicious. You can try."
Xu Mu: "...I'm not hungry."
Bai Nian didn't believe him.
Xu Mu took a deep breath. "It was just a coincidence earlier. Don't mind it. I don't like drinking milk, and I don't want to eat bread. I just want to eat eggs, that's all."
Bai Nian softly said, "The sandwiches also have eggs."
Xu Mu turned his head away. "I won't eat."
Bai Nian: "..."
The two of them reached a deadlock.
After a while, Bai Nian called out, "Xu Mu, turn your head for a moment. I have something to tell you."
Xu Mu: "Oh, what do you want to say—"
He was stunned.
Bai Nian curled his fingertips and pushed a half-filled sandwich into Xu Mu's mouth.
"Try it," he said.
Xu Mu blinked in confusion and subconsciously chewed. The sweet salad dressing, soft bread slices, generous layer of cheese sauce, and strong bacon flavor complemented by crisp lettuce and tangy tomatoes—it was delicious. Xu Mu unknowingly swallowed it down.
Bai Nian's lips curved slightly upward as he swiftly fed another piece.
Though his rational mind resisted, Xu Mu's hunger instinct drove him to eat.
His stomach no longer uncomfortably growled.
Bai Nian tilted his head, his voice was very soft: "See, you like my sandwich."
Xu Mu: "..."
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