Chapter Twelve: The Weekend Arrives

At Innovation High, there circulated a playful doggerel among all the students: Step into the hell of Black Monday, endure the toil of White Tuesday, oh, the unbearable Purple Wednesday, a glimmer of dawn before the Brown Thursday, and at last, the final push—Friday, breaking through the lines, the weekend arrives. No one quite knew which legendary wit had penned it, but it captured perfectly the longing high school students felt for the weekend.

Time always slips away unnoticed, and in the blink of an eye, it's Friday. The end of the school day means it's time to go home. Normally, the seniors would have extra classes, but lately, the Education Bureau had been cracking down hard on unauthorized weekend lessons. So the school administrators, in a rare show of generosity, sent everyone home. For this year's seniors, it was nothing short of a godsend. Of course, the teachers would assign heaps of homework before they left, and there would still be private tutors waiting at home, but being able to return home was a blessing nonetheless.

During the last period on Friday, the physics teacher was still passionately lecturing on uniform linear motion. Yet, few of the students below were truly listening. And this was the honors class; in the regular classes, students’ minds had long since drifted away, off to dreamland.

Wang Tao was counting on his fingers at his desk. "Three Chinese practice papers, three math, two English essays, four chemistry... Oh no, so much homework for a single weekend. How are we supposed to have any fun at all?"

The boy in front of him turned and said, "Tao, you forgot one subject!"

"What? No way, that’s all the subjects we have." Nowadays, the college entrance exam required three compulsory subjects and two electives. The students in Class One had all chosen physics and chemistry, making it a science track class.

Wang Yuqing could have chosen the humanities class, but because a certain someone was in the science track, she switched as well. When she transferred, the humanities class teacher had shaken his head in regret, lamenting that such a gifted girl was wasted on the sciences—a true loss for the country.

"And what about the physics we're having right now? Do you really think the physics teacher won't assign homework? You're too naive," Wang Tao replied.

No sooner had he finished speaking than the physics teacher announced, "Alright, let's assign the weekend homework. Please turn to page 54..." Wang Tao’s eyes widened in disbelief.

"Hey, Boss Xiao, we're heading off," Wang Tao and Lin Xudong called out to Xiao Lin as they left. They didn’t head the same way as him. In fact, no one in class did, even though some lived in the suburbs like he did—because Xiao Lin biked home, a journey of over ten miles. So, he always went alone.

"Yuqing, any plans for the weekend? Want to go shopping together? There’s a food festival on the street this weekend!" Tan Linlin beamed with excitement.

"You! Always thinking about food. No thanks, you go have fun. I have something to do," Wang Yuqing replied with a smile.

"What could be so important? It’s finally the weekend, you should enjoy yourself!" Linlin tilted her head, curious.

Wang Yuqing glanced back at Xiao Lin, who was packing up his books, and, with a mischievous grin, said, "It's a secret."

"Linlin, wait for me outside."

"Huh? Why do I have to wait outside?" Linlin asked, puzzled.

"Just go, go!" Wang Yuqing pushed Linlin out the door, not stopping until she was outside.

Now, only Xiao Lin and Wang Yuqing remained in the classroom.

"Hey, Xiao Lin, I need to talk to you about something," Wang Yuqing approached him in the corner.

"What is it?" Xiao Lin looked up at her, and for some reason, a shiver ran down his spine—a sense of foreboding.

Wang Yuqing pressed her lips together and said softly, "I'm coming to your house this weekend."

"What?" Xiao Lin exclaimed in surprise.

"Why are you so loud? I’m just coming over to help you with your studies. Even though you used to have a solid foundation, you’ve been out of practice for a while. There are bound to be issues. I can help you get your grades back up," Wang Yuqing said, entirely serious.

"No. Absolutely not," Xiao Lin replied, resolute.

"Xiao Lin, you need to understand, this is for your own good," Wang Yuqing said, cheeks puffed in mild annoyance.

"Still no." He remained unmoved.

Seeing his stubbornness, Wang Yuqing’s big eyes sparkled with a new idea. "Xiao Lin, if you agree to let me tutor you and promise to study diligently, I’ll tell you a secret you’ve always wanted to know—free of charge."

Curiosity piqued, Xiao Lin asked, "Wang Yuqing, can I ask you a question? Will you answer truthfully?"

"I will. But only if you agree to let me tutor you tomorrow."

Xiao Lin ran a hand through his hair in defeat. "Fine, but there’s no bus to my house!"

She laughed, "Silly! You can come pick me up. Ask your question tomorrow. I’m leaving now—wait for my call." With a cute tilt of her chin, Wang Yuqing turned elegantly towards the door, waving goodbye to Xiao Lin.

He watched her skip away, light and cheerful, unable to suppress a wry smile. More and more, he realized she was his nemesis—and yet, he always gave in to her, never resenting being led by the nose. With a self-mocking shrug, Xiao Lin slung his Adidas backpack over his shoulder and left the classroom.

At the bike shed, Xiao Lin rolled out his mountain bike, put on his sunglasses, adjusted his bag, glanced at the sky, and muttered, "Half an hour home today." Then, with a shout, "Let’s go!" he hopped onto his fiery red bike, traced a graceful arc, and sped toward home.

Meanwhile, Wang Yuqing and Little Chubby walked out of the school gate together. There, the entrance was lined with small stalls, run by migrant workers or elderly locals making a little extra income. Crowds of students surrounded each stall, chattering and laughing, turning the place into a miniature marketplace. Students were the best customers—as long as the food was tasty.

Little Chubby’s eyes lit up at the sight of the stalls. She rubbed her hands together and blew into her palms, "Yuqing, let’s get some roasted sweet potatoes. Warm up a bit, it’s freezing!"

Wang Yuqing looked at her friend’s chubby cheeks and laughed, "You’re such a little foodie. Your stomach is always round. No wonder Xu Tong calls you Fatty."

"So what? Being able to eat is a blessing—my mom says so! Come on, let’s go!" Little Chubby tugged Wang Yuqing toward the nearest roasted sweet potato stand.

By now, the sun was setting, painting the clouds a fiery red, while the sky gradually darkened and the earth slipped into a haze of confusion—like the dying notes of a symphony fading into silence. The quiet campus was draped in poetic tranquility. Wang Yuqing and Tan Linlin, sweet potatoes in hand, strolled quietly along the edge of dusk, their silvery laughter ringing out from time to time.