Thirteen thousand and thirteen

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It was Tuesday morning, 7:20 a.m., when Linghuan Yu stepped into the school building, yawning. The first class this morning was English. Upon reaching the fourth floor, Xin Meng headed to the English teacher’s office.

Xin Meng was an excellent student with good grades and performed well as the English class representative. Teacher Zhang was fond of her and often asked her for help.

Linghuan Yu walked alone into the classroom of Senior Three, Class One, heading straight to her seat without looking around, setting down her backpack. Her deskmate, Congqian Song, was already there, quietly reading a book.

Linghuan cast a glance at the book’s cover: it wasn’t a textbook nor a supplementary guide recommended by the teacher.

The reading list of a top student truly differed from that of ordinary folks.

Like yesterday morning, there was no interaction between the two, not even a glance exchanged.

Meanwhile, a boy across the aisle greeted Linghuan, “Good morning, Sister Huan!”

The boy, Cong Ji, had been Linghuan’s deskmate last semester. His current seat was behind and to the right of Linghuan’s, right in front of Hongwen Li.

Cong’s skin was fair, with delicate features, standing just over 1.7 meters tall—about the same height as Linghuan.

Because of his appearance, Cong had long been mocked by malicious boys as “effeminate.”

Linghuan once stood up for him against such taunts, and from that moment on, their relationship blossomed—

To be precise, it was a one-sided admiration from Cong toward Linghuan; he always called her “Sister Huan” and frequently volunteered to run errands for her.

Linghuan tugged at the corner of her mouth in a slight smile. “Good morning.”

Cong asked, “Why didn’t Xin Meng come with you?”

“She went to Teacher Zhang’s office.”

“Oh… right. By the way, I heard you and Xin Meng went to Tianyue City after school yesterday. What did you buy?”

As he finished speaking, Linghuan suddenly felt several pairs of eyes fixated on her.

Many classmates seemed curious about this, especially Hongwen Li, who had arrived early and was nearby.

“Nothing much,” Linghuan replied. “Just browsed around and bought a few small things.”

Cong asked, “Didn’t you bring anything today?”

She shrugged. “No, why?”

Cong drew out an “oh” and turned to look behind at Hongwen Li. “Brother Wen, Linghuan didn’t bring anything today.”

Hongwen Li glared, “Mind your own business!”

A trace of schadenfreude flickered across Cong’s face. “Yeah, yeah, my bad. But about that bet yesterday… it still counts, right?”

He had overheard the betting conversation between Hongwen Li and a few boys the previous day and had meant to warn Linghuan but forgot amid his homework.

Hongwen Li had also mocked Cong as “effeminate,” and Cong held a grudge, deliberately stirring the pot.

“Exactly!” another boy joined the teasing. “I almost forgot, Brother Wen, looks like you’re doing the frog jumps at noon! You won’t back out, right?”

Hongwen Li stammered, “I—”

“No way!” Cong immediately cut in, “A man’s word is his bond! Brother Wen wouldn’t go back on his word!”

Amid their back-and-forth chatter, Hongwen Li’s expression grew increasingly twisted.

He couldn’t understand why anyone would leave behind a watch worth tens of thousands and brand-new luxury goods.

If his father bought him a Rolex, he’d want to wear it twenty-four hours a day, showing it off everywhere!

“Brother Wen, you’re not really going to renege, are you?” someone else asked, seeing his hesitation.

“I…” Hongwen Li bit his lip and steeled himself. “Fine, I’ll do it! I, Hongwen Li, stand by my word!”

It was just 400 meters of frog jumps!

If he didn’t do it, how could he face his friends in class?

For the sake of pride, Hongwen Li conceded.

Linghuan promptly added, “When are you planning to jump? Before or after lunch? If I’m free, I’ll come watch.”

Hongwen Li was speechless.

“Linghuan!” he said, his face turning green with anger. “Are you doing this on purpose?”

“Doing what on purpose?” Linghuan raised her brow. “Oh, and when you jump, be sure to get someone to record it. Otherwise, who’ll know if you really did the full lap?”

Cong volunteered enthusiastically, “I’ll do it! I’m good at this!”

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After the ruckus died down, Hongwen Li gloomily tossed his pen onto the desk, still unable to accept that he had lost the bet.

Yao Qian’s seat was just behind and to his right.

She caught Linghuan’s eye, and Linghuan winked at her; both smiled.

The bell rang over the loudspeaker—it was 7:30, signaling the start of morning self-study.

Everyone settled into their seats.

Linghuan took out her vocabulary book, preparing to get an early start on memorizing words for the day.

Throughout the earlier commotion, Congqian Song had remained silent, absorbed in his reading.

Thinking this over, Linghuan whispered, “Sorry for disturbing your reading earlier.”

Congqian paused.

Just as Linghuan thought he wouldn’t respond and began flipping through her vocabulary book, she heard a soft, “It’s alright.”

The first class was English, followed by Chinese with homeroom teacher Lao Qin.

After the morning exercise break came two consecutive math classes.

Following the English teacher’s lead, the math teacher gave a surprise quiz before formal lessons started, prompting groans throughout the class.

Fortunately, math was one of Linghuan’s strengths, and unlike yesterday’s disastrous vocabulary test, she managed to answer all the questions.

After four classes in the morning, Linghuan and Xin Meng went to the cafeteria for lunch.

Passing the sports field, Hongwen Li was already doing his frog jumps, with Cong Ji nearby recording a video.

Seeing Linghuan approach, Cong gave her an “OK” sign. “Don’t worry, I’m recording to make sure Brother Wen completes the full 400 meters.”

The campus was bustling at noon, filled with students heading to the cafeteria or picking up takeout at the gate.

Hongwen Li’s “performance art” drew many curious glances, especially from students who had just finished PE class.

Among them was Mingzhu Meng’s International Class C.

Classes B and C had just held a basketball game—boys playing, girls watching.

“Zhu, I really envy you!” a short-haired girl beside Mingzhu said with admiration. “Sheng Han is so handsome and tall, and he plays basketball well—he’s the only one worthy of you!”

At this, Mingzhu blushed slightly. “Don’t say that. Sheng Han and I aren’t actually dating yet.”

“Zhu, stop being modest!” the girl teased. “Everyone knows you two grew up together, your families arranged a childhood engagement—if not Sheng Han, then who else?”

Mingzhu smiled faintly but said nothing.

Of course Sheng Han belonged to her, but—

She closed her eyes, and in her mind’s eye appeared another tall, handsome figure—

Her nominal elder brother, Qichuan Meng.

She was determined to have both men. Otherwise, how could she justify the opportunity fate had given her to rewrite her story?

Just as Mingzhu was lost in these daydreams, a sudden scream pierced her ears, followed by sharp pain in her knee.

Startled, she lost her balance and stumbled to the ground.

“Ah!” she cried out in pain, sitting up angrily.

In her line of sight stood a burly male classmate, equally surprised. “Uh, I…”

“Are you crazy?!” Mingzhu snapped without hesitation. “Can’t you watch where you’re going? If your eyes are blind, go get them fixed!”

The International Department allowed students to wear casual clothes; almost no one wore uniforms.

The boy who bumped into her wore the Senior Three uniform, clearly not from the International Class and without any influential family background, so Mingzhu spoke without holding back.

Hongwen Li was also furious.

Who was not watching where they were going?

He had just been doing frog jumps for nearly a lap around the track. The heat made him sweat profusely, his legs were sore, and he was utterly annoyed.

Hearing Mingzhu’s scolding, he withdrew his intended apology and straightened up to glare at her. “You’re the crazy one! Anyone running on the track watches their path. You just barreled into me!”

Mingzhu stared at him in disbelief. “What did you say?”

“I said you’re the one who’s crazy!” Hongwen Li shouted. “I was jumping here minding my own business, and you ran into me, then turned it around to blame me!”

Mingzhu hissed, “How dare you talk to me like that! Do you know who I am?”

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“I don’t care who you are!” Hongwen Li folded his arms, face contorted. “Even if you were the King of Heaven, you’d apologize today! Or don’t expect to leave!”

...

Leaving the sports field, Mingzhu trembled with fury.

She had been inexplicably knocked down by a boy and then verbally abused.

In the end, fearing he might hit her, she had to swallow her pride and say, “Sorry.”

It was a humiliating ordeal.

Now her brand-new clothes were dirty, her palms scraped, and she looked utterly disheveled.

If not for the many onlookers, she would have burst into tears.

The girl beside her comforted her, “Zhu, don’t be upset. We’ll find out that boy’s name and tell your dad. Director Meng will take care of him.”

“...Okay.” Mingzhu gritted her teeth. If she didn’t avenge this, she wouldn’t be a Meng!

Just then, an anxious female voice called out, “Zhu, so you’re here!”

It was Jingdan Tang.

Knowing she had caused trouble yesterday, she’d been trying to apologize, but after Mingzhu scolded her, she stopped replying.

They were in different classes, and Tang hadn’t been able to get close to Mingzhu all morning.

“Zhu, I’m sorry about yesterday! It was my fault!” Tang rushed out, “That horrible Linghuan Yu tricked me. Can you forgive me—”

Mingzhu was already in a foul mood, and seeing Tang who had caused her to be exposed at home, she snapped, “Get lost!”

Tang was stunned but quickly hurried after her. “I’m sorry, Zhu. I really didn’t mean for you to be recorded! It was my stupidity! You can scold me however you want if you forgive me!”

She was used to Mingzhu’s arrogance and had to humble herself, as her family business depended on the Meng family.

Mingzhu was about to tell her to go away again but changed her mind when she saw Tang’s submissive demeanor.

“Alright,” Mingzhu said, rolling her eyes, “After school, go bother Xin Meng and Linghuan Yu. I’ll teach you what to do. If you do well, I might consider forgiving you.”

...

Quarter to five in the afternoon.

After a full day of classes, the homeroom teacher finally announced dismissal following self-study.

The homework wasn’t heavy today, and Linghuan wanted to buy something from the dessert shop in Tianyue City before returning to do her assignments.

She had been thinking about it all day since Mingzhu’s interruption had thwarted her plans yesterday.

After discussing with Xin Meng, they decided to go together.

They caught the bus at the school gate and took one stop to Tianyue City.

The dessert shop was somewhat upscale and a bit pricey, and usually not crowded.

Since it was a weekday, only one employee stood behind the cashier.

Linghuan stood before the freezer, murmuring, “Everything looks good, but there’s no fridge in the dorm, so if I buy too much, it’ll spoil.”

“Xin Xin, which one do you think I should get?” she asked Xin Meng. “No ‘all are good’ answers!”

Xin Meng hesitated; she rarely ate these desserts and wasn’t sure which tasted better.

After a brief pause, she pointed at a pink dessert. “This strawberry... strawberry pancake looks pretty good.”

Before she finished, a sharp, high-pitched female voice cut in, “Oh my, the esteemed Meng family’s daughter can’t even tell her desserts apart?”

The labels in front of the freezer indicated names and prices, but the one for “strawberry pancake” was slightly askew, positioned between two desserts.

Tang Jingdan turned to face them, her tone biting, “Xin Meng, what you pointed to is strawberry daifuku. The one to its right is the pancake. Don’t tell me you don’t know because you were too poor to have tried these before?”

Xin Meng was speechless.

Seeing Xin Meng’s silence, Tang grew bolder. “So pitiful, eighteen years old and still clueless. Where’s your unfortunate grandmother? When she was alive, why didn’t she take you—”

She never finished the last sentence.

Suddenly, Tang’s vision darkened, and a cold, sticky, oddly smelling mass was flung right onto her face.