Su Baixue knew that many girls liked to talk about Su Yang. She wasn't stupid. If she said Su Yang gave her a gift to repay a favor, she would have to explain everything. With finals approaching, she was in a hurry to go home and study.
So she made up an answer that left Chen Baozhu speechless.
"Su Yang asked me a few math questions. He hasn't been to school in a while. Even though my science scores aren't great, I'm ranked first in math in the whole grade. I recommended 'Green Hill,' 'N-Year College Entrance Exam N+1 Year Simulation,' 'Textbook Interpretation,' and..."
Chen Baozhu: "..."
Sun Shumin: "..."
Tian Ling: "..."
Shao Li poked her head in from the door of Class One and asked Su Baixue, "What are you guys doing? Baixue, want some spicy sticks?"
Su Baixue stood up, adjusting her backpack strap. "Can I leave now?"
Chen Baozhu reluctantly moved aside. Tian Ling wanted to hassle Su Baixue, but when she saw Shao Li, she shut her mouth.
Su Baixue quickly rushed out and ran with Shao Li to the school gate. There, she finally patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief, her legs weak.
"You're such a coward," Shao Li commented while eating her spicy sticks.
Su Baixue gave a sheepish smile.
*
On the third day, fourth day, and all the way until finals ended and vacation began, Su Yang never returned to school. Su Baixue had to keep the gift at home, waiting to give it to him if they ever met again.
She placed the little Santa Claus figurine he gave her on her desk shelf, along with the black stone.
The day vacation started was a clear, sunny day. The blue sky looked like it had been washed clean.
"It's vacation!" On the way home, Su Cui was even happier than Su Baixue. "Baixue, what are your plans for the break?"
"Work!" Su Baixue declared firmly.
Su Cui was resigned but not surprised. "At the coffee shop again?"
"No, wearing a mascot costume! Grandma, the newly opened amusement park in A City is hiring part-time. Wearing the costume is warm in winter, the pay is good, and after the job, you get free tickets to the park. Shao Li and I are going together!"
Ah, hanging out with classmates? That's nice. Su Cui agreed with a smile. "Great!" Even if there were many people, she could just go to the park and keep an eye on things.
*
While Su Cui and Su Baixue were looking forward to their vacation, in a hidden room in A City, someone was taking off gloves and putting his hands into the pockets of a white coat, watching a youth stumble through the door and throw himself onto the operating table, wailing.
"Keep it down. He's not dead yet." The man with knobby fingers pushed up his glasses. Fresh out of surgery and in a good mood, he saw the newcomer's panicked expression, grinned, and revealed his white teeth. It was a smile like a demon's. "It's rare to see you brothers suffer such a loss. If Tapana had come back any later, it wouldn't just be his right hand. Maybe you'd come here today and see his corpse—ice-cold and reeking of decay..."
Tapas roared angrily, "Shut up!"
"Hahaha."
Taking off his white coat, the man pushed the door open with his knobby fingers. Sunlight streamed in. Without the smile, the red mole between his brows could belong to a Buddha in the sunlight.