Oh my god!
In my mind, I cursed under my breath. I never expected that Teacher Baldy, whom I respected so much, would suspect me of having a mental illness. My gaze fixed angrily on Teacher Baldy’s receding hairline. If I had a mental illness, wouldn’t he be implicated too?
“Teacher, don’t worry. Other than memory loss, Jiu is perfectly normal. If you don’t believe me, I can bring the medical report from the hospital.”
Xia Yinuo spoke without any change in emotion, her tone flat, as if she had expected this question all along.
“No need for that. I just wanted to confirm the situation.”
Teacher Cangsong smiled, trying to cover up his earlier rash words.
“Wait for me at the school gate after class. I’ll take care of the paperwork for your entry and exit from school.”
Xia Yinuo patted Jiu’s head and waved at the teacher. “Bye, Teacher Cangsong!”
“Goodbye!”
Teacher Cangsong waved back, watching Xia Yinuo leave.
“You also call him Teacher Cangsong?”
I looked at Teacher Baldy with confusion. In my mind, the image of a seductive, Japanese-style teacher overlapped with the figure of this short, fat, middle-aged man before me. I quickly shook my head, trying to dismiss those chaotic thoughts.
The class teacher’s face, which had been smiling, turned serious. His thick eyebrows furrowed. “Jiu, the teacher you mentioned, is she from Japan?”
Xia Yinuo, who was walking nearby, almost stumbled when she heard their conversation. She glanced back at the small figure, her eyes flashing with irritation. Without a word, she continued walking away.
I thought to myself, ‘Oh no, teachers are teachers after all. Even the big boss knows about her.’ But I only mentioned the teacher’s surname, nothing else. Yet, he instantly started lecturing me about something I knew nothing about. I acted confused for about three seconds before asking Teacher Cangsong, “Teacher, what is Japan? Can you eat it?”
Teacher Cangsong was furious. How dare Jiu question him like this, right here in school! This was a challenge to the education system. Just as he was about to discipline me, he saw the clarity in Jiu’s eyes, with no hint of mischief. Jiu’s fair face was filled with curiosity about the question, showing a pure sense of wonder. Remembering Jiu only said she also had the surname Cangsong, Teacher Cangsong realized there was no deeper meaning. For a moment, he was at a loss, able only to roar inwardly, “How dare you!”
Calming down, Teacher Cangsong forced a smile. Since he had mentioned Japan, he had to explain this unsightly word. Changing his angry expression, he placed a hand on Jiu’s shoulder and led him into the classroom. “Jiu, I’ll explain that to you another time. Let’s focus on class for now.”
I rolled my eyes inwardly, thinking, “Teacher Cangsong, can’t you handle losing?”
Teacher Cangsong raised his hand, signaling for the class to be quiet. “Students, I have two things to announce. First, Jiu has recovered and is safe. Second, although Jiu is awake, she has lost her memory and might not recognize any of you, so please take care of her during breaks.”
The students were surprised to hear about Jiu’s amnesia.
Perhaps due to the earlier question, Teacher Cangsong escorted me from the door to the second-to-last row, where a mixed-race girl with a youthful appearance was seated.
“Jiu, this is your seat, and this student is your desk mate. You two must get along well and avoid any mischief during breaks.”
Teacher Cangsong patted my shoulder and gave me a cryptic look.
I noticed Teacher Cangsong’s subtle gesture. He was using both persuasion and force! To prevent me from revealing anything about Japan, he even used beauty to try to distort the truth. This desk mate was truly a desk mate! Cramped together under one desk, there was no doubt this was Teacher Cangsong’s arrangement. A spy, usually female and of exceptional physique and appearance, fit the description perfectly.
Opposites attract, and this girl seemed suspicious. As I looked at my desk mate with caution, I felt the gazes of my classmates turn toward me. Among these gazes, three were particularly intense.
The first was from the student to my left, about half a meter away. He had yellowish skin and squinty eyes, and he seemed friendly, waving at me. It seemed we had a good relationship. I smiled back politely.
The second gaze came from behind me. When I turned, I saw a tiny, fragile-looking girl. Yes, she was a real doll, incredibly cute. Had I not been standing, I wouldn’t have seen her at all. Her eyes barely reached the level of the desk. She seemed to want to say something but hesitated, quickly looking down when she saw me looking at her. Her ears turned red, suggesting she was shy.
I touched my nose and didn’t disturb her.
The third gaze was from the front row, sharp and intense, like a wolf staring at me from behind. Although I hadn’t turned to look, I immediately knew it was from the first girl in the second row.
I turned to face the back, and there she was, the owner of those piercing eyes. She was a cold and elegant girl, her mesmerizing gaze sending chills down my spine. I felt as if I were in a frozen wasteland. I noticed that many students behind me, who had been caught in her deadly stare, quickly averted their eyes, unable to meet her gaze. She seemed to possess a regal presence that made her classmates fear her.
For some reason, I felt a chill run down my spine, and I couldn’t help but lower my head. Without considering the gender difference, I moved my chair closer to hers, feeling safer.
As I sat down, her deadly gaze slowly dissipated. I realized my desk mate was the only one who dared to face that cold girl with a smile. From the moment I entered, she had maintained that playful expression.
I looked at the friendly-looking boy, and to my surprise, his legs were trembling. Several times, he dropped his pen on the textbook. His eyes were fixed on the back of the cold girl, filled with anxiety.
“Is it really that scary?”
In my mind, that girl became a demon, and I decided I wouldn’t approach her unless absolutely necessary.
“Welcome back, Jiu. I’m Chenxi, currently your desk mate. I’m happy to help you recover your lost memories. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do.”
My youthful and voluptuous desk mate smiled brightly, seeming genuinely kind. She extended her small hand, which was full of vitality. Her palm and the back of her hand were a rosy red, looking quite unusual, like an artist had meticulously sculpted a hand that didn’t exist in reality.