Chapter 2.1: She Called Him Silently, “General”

As early as during the summer vacation, the students of Year Two Class Two learned that there would be a special transfer student in the new semester.

The head teacher of the class, Liu Qinghua, did not specifically explain Qi Ying’s situation, but he told the students in Class Two that the new classmate’s father was an honorable and great policeman who sacrificed his life for the people and was worthy of the greatest admiration. This new classmate was the daughter of a martyr and a descendant of the hero. Therefore, everyone must help and love each other.

The biggest worries of these adolescent boys and girls in their daily lives were nothing more than test scores, coupled with unrequited love troubles. Where would they have seen such adjectives like “martyr” and “hero”? After the initial shock, one after another they flooded the forum and pledged that they will definitely love and protect this new student!

The new semester on campus began full of vigor and vitality.

Although Qi Ying had been doing psychological therapies for a long time already, she still can’t adapt when there were suddenly so many people around her.

She was born in exile where devastation and starving people filled the land. Later, she lived in the General’s Manor, but there were only two or three servant girls who served her. For the most part, it was lifeless and lonely there.

The only excitement she could think of was the Shangyuan Lantern Festival of that year. The general happened to be returning to Beijing. He changed into civilian clothing and led her to the streets. In the middle of the crowds, the general held her hand and bought her a stick of tanghulu.

(T/N: Candied Chinese hawthorne, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crataegus_pinnatifida)

Image result for tanghulu

The tanghulu was sweet and sticky, and it made her teeth stick together. The general asked her, “Is it delicious?”

She couldn’t open her mouth and was inwardly ashamed, so she could only nod her head and hesitantly stretched out the tanghulu in her hand. The general just smiled and shook his head, “I bought it for you.”

Someone suddenly bumped into her shoulder, and Qi Ying’s foot stumbled, interrupting her memory.

A group of boys ran in the corridor like a gust of wind while swearing and chasing after one another. Yu Zhao supported Qi Ying, and scolded the person who already ran away without even apologizing: “Are you blind or something?”

Unexpectedly, the last boy who ran heard it, and abruptly turned around. It seemed like he wanted to come over and say something to Yu Zhao. He had just taken two steps back when he suddenly heard his brother shouted, “Qu Dazhuang what are you dawdling for? Are you going to let our elder brother wait for us?!”

The boy named Qu Dazhuang erected a middle finger towards Yu Zhao, and turned around to run away.

Yu Zhao, not to be outdone, returned a middle finger.

(T/N: means unwillingness to show that you are worse than others)

The guy in glasses leaning next to the balcony, kindly said: “Classmate, I advise you not to provoke that group of people.”

Yu Zhao was a thorn head in junior high school. He was the least afraid to cause trouble, and he just sneered when he heard the warning: ” Why can’t I mess with them? ”

(T/N: 刺头(thorn head) – a person who was always at odds with others. A difficult person. A prick.)

The guy in glasses covered the corner of his mouth and said: “Those people are mixed with Ji Rang. ”

The newborn calf that was not afraid of the tiger, Yu Zhao: “Ji Rang? Which bastard? Never heard of him. ”

(T/N: fearless, dares to act)

There was a sudden silence for two seconds.

The glasses guy didn’t expect that he would say such crazy words and was stunned for a while. He then glanced at Yu Zhao meaningfully before he quickly ran away.

(Editor’s Note: 自求多福 – to seek happiness using one’s own strength is better than seeking help from others. Here, the glasses guy glance probably means ‘you’re on your own’ or ‘I better not mix with you to save my own hide’. It depends on how you interpret the glasses guy gaze.)

Yu Zhao still didn’t know what he had provoked. He patted the clothes of Qi Ying who was still standing in the same place, then held her wrist, and took her to the class teacher’s office.

Liu Qinghua was sorting out the roster and had just turned to the page with Qi Ying’s information. The girl in the thumb-sized photo had a ponytail which revealed a clean and full forehead, and the corners of her mouth were slightly curved, looking smart and quiet.

When he heard someone shouted, he looked up and saw a young lady who was even more beautiful than the picture, standing timidly at the door.

Yu Zhao handed Qi Ying over to Liu Qinghua and returned to his classroom.

In the office, Liu Qinghua tried to communicate with Qi Ying, and even spoke with a gesture. Qi Ying’s hands that rested behind her back trembled slightly, she tried to understand what the stranger in front of her was trying to tell her.

The teacher from the next class said: “Old Liu, is she the special student in your class? The one who can’t hear nor speak? She can’t understand you if you blindly gesture ah.”

Finally, Liu Qinghua gave up, wrote in a notebook, and gave it to her: “My surname is Liu and I am your class teacher. I will take you to the classroom now. Your new classmates are very friendly, so you don’t have to worry.”

Qi Ying was relieved finally and nodded obediently.

The classroom of Year Two Class Two was at the end of the corridor. The bell for the first class of the new semester had already rung. Liu Qinghua pushed the door and entered. The noisy class instantly quieted down, and dozens of eyes all looked together at the thin figure beside him.

Qi Ying subconsciously hid behind Liu Qinghua.

Liu Qinghua noticed her fear, held her hand, patted it gently, and took her to the podium, “This is classmate Qi Ying who I mentioned to you before. From now on, she’ll be part of Class Two. Qi Ying’s situation is special, so everyone please help her a lot and make friends with her. Come on, clap and welcome her.”

Applause broke out in the class.

Qi Ying looked at the organized applause. Although she couldn’t hear it, she knew it was a welcoming gesture for her. A smile appeared on her pale face because of her nervousness.

The classmates of Class Two applauded even more vigorously.

Qi Ying’s new desk-mate was a girl with baby fat and small dimples called Yue Li. She stared at Qi Ying with round eyes and waited for her to sit down, afterwards, she immediately extended her hand to show friendliness.

Qi Ying shook hands with her. Yue Li took advantage of Liu Qinghua’s speech about the arrangement of the new school term and took out her already written personal introduction and gave it to Qi Ying excitedly.

If this introduction was reworked carefully and combined with work experience, it can be used as a resume.

Qi Ying learned how many people there were in Yue Li’s family, and how many dogs they were raising. She even learned whether Yue Li liked sweet or salty dumplings.

The surrounding classmates soon follow suit and Qi Ying spent the rest of the time looking at various resumes.

After the class ended, the female students in the class called Qi Ying to go to the toilet together.

As a student, going to the toilet together was a sign of friendship.

Although Qi Ying did not need to empty her bladder, her classmates were full of smiles and enthusiastically friendly. She would not refuse this goodwill, so she had to keep up.

The girls in Class Two surrounded her like she was a fragile product.

Hulala go, hulala come back, and in between classes, they will also chat with schoolmates from the neighbouring class.

(T/N: sound of footsteps)

“Is she the special student in your class?”

“Is your class’s prettiest girl going to be replaced by her?”

“She really can’t hear anything?”

……

…

In the morning, there was a rumor that spread in the second year of senior high school. A very beautiful, deaf and mute girl transferred to Class Two. Her father was a policeman who sacrificed his life for the people.

Although the boys from the lowest ranking Class Nine just had a fight with thorny students from an outside school, and two of them still had injuries on their faces, this did not affect their participation in gossip.

Wave after wave of students went to Class Two to inquire. Not long after, Qu Dazhuang came back while cursing: “F*ck, can’t even get a glimpse of her hair or shadow. Those nerds in Class Two used books to block the windows, was there a need to go so far?”

Qu Dazhuang whose real name was Qu Peng, had a sporty and robust body, hence he was named that way.

(T/N: Dazhuang means very robust)

“Why not?” Liu Haiyang kicked him, “That’s a martyr’s child! Can you see her casually?”

Qu Dazhuang angrily said: “Looking won’t make you lose a piece of meat.”

There was a noisy voice outside the corridor, “I have a picture of the special student! Who wants to see? “

All of a sudden the classroom became rowdy:” I want to see! Show me! “

In the corner of the last row by the window, the boy lying on the desk seemed to be disturbed by the noise. At that time, he didn’t even raise his head, and only kicked forward with his foot violently. When the front chair slammed onto the ground, the classroom suddenly became quiet.