Su Cui adjusted her mask, hiding the smirk at the corner of her mouth.
She had thought the situation would be bigger, but only the school sent someone to ask. It seemed the hooligans had only mentioned her in passing.
Those school hooligans had always had a bad reputation on campus, while He Li, as the top student in his grade, was naturally seen as the model student by the school. The school probably believed the hooligans had started the fight, but due to the rich second-generation hooligans' backgrounds, they asked her.
This matter still had a lot of back-and-forth to come.
...
He Li finally woke up after several days in a coma.
He smelled the disinfectant of the hospital. Opening his eyes, he tried to sit up, but his whole body hurt. He Li's eyes were blank, then became filled with disbelief.
"Ah!" He gasped, breathing heavily. When he moved his left foot, a heart-wrenching pain shot through him. "What happened! My foot!"
Doctors and nurses quickly came and gave him a sedative.
The nurse comforted him: "You're still young. After surgery, with rehabilitation exercises, you'll be able to stand again soon! Don't move around too much. It'll be bad if you fall."
Hearing this, the doctor shook his head.
He Li's left ankle had been shattered by a human. The surgery outcome was not good. The specifics would depend on post-surgery recovery. If walking difficulties arose due to joint stiffness, traumatic arthritis, or other issues, well...
His parents didn't come to the hospital. Even the medical fees were paid by his uncle.
It was a pity for such a handsome young man to possibly become lame.
After a while, He Li finally forced himself to calm down. He didn't yet know he might become lame, but he had a vague unease. He kept staring at his left foot, frowning.
When the doctors and nurses saw he was calm, they stayed for a while and then left.
It was quiet all around. He Li didn't dare close his eyes. Every time he closed them, he recalled the pain of the knife piercing his left ankle and the shame of being beaten down by those hooligans.
He Li's face darkened. He silently clenched his fists.
As for the rich second-generation side, after investigation, neither side had concrete evidence.
The hooligans were experienced at ambushing people and deliberately chose a place without surveillance cameras. Even though other surveillance footage proved the fight had occurred, the hooligans insisted that He Li had started it. They had coordinated their stories. With insufficient evidence and the hooligans' parents offering generous settlements, He Li's uncle eventually agreed.
The matter didn't escalate for long, at least not as long as Su Cui had expected.
As for He Li, the official explanation was that he had fallen and requested sick leave.
Not long after, the hooligans returned to school. Their behavior was slightly more restrained than before.
The school appeared calm on the surface.
But Su Cui knew that the turbulent waves were still lurking.
...
During He Li's absence, Su Cui was much more relaxed. She finally accepted Li Guizhi's invitation and decided to experience the life of the elderly early by joining some square dancing.
She didn't know until she tried. Once she tried, she was shocked.
When Su Cui went to the square, she discovered that many seniors were hidden masters. Waltz, jitterbug, rumba, tango—a whole array of dance steps dazzled her.
She followed along in a waltz. Li Guizhi took the male lead and tried to teach her, but Su Cui stepped on her feet several times. She lost count of how many times she apologized. Fortunately, everyone was from the neighborhood, and they were all welcoming to newcomers. Su Cui got to know many elderly neighbors.
Several grannies were particularly stylish. Although their faces had aged, they had permed hair, and their clothing taste and mannerisms were full of flair.
Su Cui thought, after all, she was more than a decade younger, so she couldn't lag behind. So she borrowed Li Guizhi's dance disc and took it home to practice various steps.
The disc showed a couple dancing. Su Cui kept it simple: she set up her stance and danced with herself, carefree.
"One, two, three..."
In the dim light of the living room, whenever Su Baixue got tired of studying and came out for water, she would see her grandmother learning dance steps from the disc. Sometimes, Su Cui would see her and invite her to join, turning up the volume of the music and leading her along.
She called it: balancing work and rest.
"Come on, Baixue, follow Grandma through a few steps!"
"One, two, three... One, two, three... Right, that foot. Oh! My granddaughter is so smart—much faster learner than Grandma!"
[Author's Note]
Yixiu Juan Fengyun 16 bottles;