C101 – Principal Ding
At noon on the second day, a towering rainbow arch stood at the hotel entrance, flanked by numerous firecrackers. Lee Sumei and Su Ming greeted guests at the doorway, while Su Tao took his place at the head table. A fleet of buses, summoned by Su Ming, rolled in from the distance, ferrying villagers to the event.
“Old Lee, your son has really made something of himself. Make sure he remembers me in the future,” one guest remarked.
“Old Lee, is your son seeing anyone?” another inquired, adding, “My niece is quite a catch.”
Relatives filled the venue, with men gathering inside to converse with Su Tao and women clustering around Lee Sumei. Both Su Tao and Lee Sumei beamed with pride and joy.
Suddenly, a sizable group approached from a distance, numbering in the dozens.
“Isn’t that Principal Ding?” someone exclaimed.
Principal Ding, the head of the town’s only elementary school, was a respected figure in the community.
“Principal Ding! What brings you here?” they called out, eager to greet him.
“Good day to all,” Principal Ding responded with a warm smile, his attention quickly turning to Su Ming. He approached briskly, “Su Ming, thank you for hosting this wonderful gathering.”
The crowd was taken aback. Principal Ding was a local luminary, and while they had assumed Su Ming’s success came from a lucrative job or a lottery windfall, none expected him to command such respect from a figure like Principal Ding.
Yet there stood Principal Ding, deferential before Su Ming, as if a student before a teacher, showing him great reverence.
Principal Ding, astute as ever, then turned to Lee Sumei. “You must be Su Ming’s mother. What an extraordinary woman you are! Raising such a talented individual is not only your achievement but also an honor for our school.”
Lee Sumei was momentarily speechless. As a rural woman, the most prominent official she was accustomed to seeing was the village chief. The idea of engaging with someone as esteemed as Principal Ding was beyond her wildest expectations.
Blinking in disbelief, she found herself in an unfamiliar scenario, one she had never experienced before.
“Principal Ding,” Su Ming interjected calmly, “It’s quite warm outside. Please, lead the teachers inside to sit down.”
With an eager nod, Principal Ding shook hands with Su Ming, bidding him farewell before escorting the teachers into the hotel.
The teachers stood at the back with a clear view, and most had already met Su Ming during the school’s anniversary celebration.
As they walked past Su Ming, each one greeted him with a friendly smile.
Their unexpected arrival brought a hush over the villagers seated inside the house.
In the summer, villagers typically tended to their crops and weeded their fields.
At midday, neighbors would usually be chatting under the banyan tree while sharing a meal.
But today, there was an unusual stillness.
Su Hai blinked in surprise to see that all the neighbors’ doors were locked.
He was utterly perplexed. What was happening?
“What’s the matter?”
Fong Yuemei emerged from the house, urging, “Hurry up and start cooking.”
Su Hai remarked, “The neighbors aren’t home.”
“What’s that got to do with you?”
Fong Yuemei frowned and stepped outside. On their street, theirs was the only door unlocked.
They exchanged a puzzled glance. What was happening here?
“Why are you both at home?”
Just then, an elderly woman approached. She was over eighty, her back bent, relying on a walking cane for support.
Upon seeing her, Fong Yuemei called out, “Sixth Aunt, where has everyone gone?”
“You’re not aware?”
The old lady blinked, her age evident, yet her mind was sharp.
“No, I have no idea.”
Fong Yuemei and Su Hai were utterly baffled. What on earth had occurred?
The sensation of being left behind was distinctly unsettling.
What exactly was the situation?