The last class for Grade 11, Class 1 was geography. As soon as the geography teacher, Ou Zhikun, stepped out of the classroom, Leng Siyu shot out of the door like an arrow.
Leng Siyu ran to the kindergarten and took Lanlan and each grabbed a little tadpole-shaped hand warmer as they headed back. From afar, they saw a stray village dog strolling leisurely across the pedestrian crossing. A large truck was speeding toward it. Little Yuanyuan and Little Chongchong screamed, "The car! The dog—!" "Doggie! The car—!"
This dog was not as lucky as that old man who once crossed the road recklessly…
Right at the moment the truck was about to crush the dog, a pair of hands suddenly covered the children's eyes—it was Xia Pengfei who had caught up to them—
But Leng Siyu brushed away Xia Pengfei's hand, forcing Leng Yuanyuan to face the sight of the dog being crushed—brains splattering, internal organs bursting out.
Xia Pengfei kept covering Xia Chongchong's eyes and said to Leng Siyu, "How could you be so cruel? She's just a child!"
"Did… did… did that dog die?" Little Yuanyuan's mouth and eyes were wide with horror, her small hand gripping Siyu's already slick with cold sweat. "Cars are so scary!"
Leng Siyu bent down and picked Yuanyuan up, staring straight into her big eyes and said solemnly, "Yuanyuan, remember this—life is just that fragile. A single careless moment, and you can say goodbye to this colorful world forever."
"Big sister, I'm scared!"
Yuanyuan hugged Leng Siyu's neck tightly. The gruesome image of the dog had already burned itself into her mind—likely something that would haunt her for life.
Leng Siyu whispered, "Not only dogs—humans too. There are many things in this world: water, fire, electricity, natural gas, cars, explosives, guns, even other people… countless things can threaten our lives. That's why we must cherish and protect our lives. Understand?"
Yuanyuan blinked, half understanding, but nodded anyway.
Xia Pengfei finally loosened his hand from Xia Chongchong's eyes and picked her up… Even that single glimpse of the dog had terrified Chongchong into clinging tightly to his neck.
"Sis, is that what death is?" Yuanyuan asked sorrowfully. "Do people die too? What happens when people die?"
"People die too. Death means never seeing someone again, never hearing their voice again. Death means turning into nothing but white bones… or even just dust."
Holding Yuanyuan, with Xia Pengfei carrying Chongchong and Lanlan following behind, they slowly walked back. After what they had witnessed, they all fell silent until they reached Phoenix Community.
Back home, Yuanyuan sat quietly on the sofa, picked up the TV remote, then put it down again. She shouted toward the kitchen where Leng Siyu was working, "Sis, can electricity kill people? Is there electricity inside this remote?"
"Don't worry. A remote won't kill you. Not enough current."
Yuanyuan picked up a cup to drink water—but put it back down again.
"Sis, you said water can kill people too? But water is soft. How can it kill?"
"The softest things are often the strongest. Water is powerful. But don't worry—tap water at home won't kill anyone unless it's boiling and burns you."
"How does water kill?"
"By blocking your organs and cutting off your breathing."
"You mean drowning in rivers or seas?"
"Mm. So stay away from large bodies of water. Don't go near the Zixu River without me."
Yuanyuan then ran into the kitchen to remind Siyu, "Natural gas is dangerous too. Sis, you must be careful…"
At the same time, in apartment 0301, Xia Pengfei and Xia Chongchong were already at the dining table. Pengfei kept putting food into Chongchong's bowl, but she had no appetite.
"Brother… was Rain-sis cruel to Yuanyuan? Is Yuanyuan in danger?" Chongchong worried about her friend.
"Cruel? Who told you that?"
"You!" Chongchong imitated him, "How could you be so cruel, she's just a child!"
Pengfei put his chopsticks down, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and turned to Lanlan and Auntie Hao Xiaoli. "Sister Lan, Aunt Hao, come eat. The dishes will get cold. It's just a few of us—no need to take turns."
Hao Xiaoli and Lanlan quietly joined the table.
"If you want me to take you to school, then eat!" Pengfei barked at Chongchong.
"I'm waiting for your answer." She finally picked up her chopsticks.
"Uh… Yuanyuan won't be in danger. Siyu's cruelty is… a higher form of love, I guess…" Pengfei said calmly as he scooped a bowl of soup.
"Oh, I get it. Your love for me is the low-grade one."
"If I beat you until you're crying on the floor, then it'll be high-grade!?"
"Rude! And you call yourself a top student? Your culture has been eaten by babies!" Chongchong mouthed silently, too angry to speak.
…
After lunch, Siyu sent Yuanyuan back to kindergarten. Seeing she still had time before class, she went to the busy Star Supermarket to do part-time work.
A delivery truck was parked outside. The manager, Zhong Xiangdong, lit up like he had found a national treasure when he saw her. "Siyu, quick! Help unload!"
Siyu put on an apron, rolled up her sleeves, and got to work.
The supermarket paid her much more than normal workers. Siyu's acquired physical strength and speed made her work crisp and efficient—easily three times faster than average employees.
Right before class, Siyu collected her pay, tore off the apron, and sprinted toward school… managing to reach the classroom door exactly as the bell rang.
Her cheeks were flushed, forehead sweating, breathing unsteady. Before she even caught her breath, she locked eyes with Xia Pengfei in the third row, middle section. "Xia Pengfei, why are you in my seat?"
Calmly, he replied, "Classmate Leng, look carefully—is this your seat, or Jiang's?"
"Zhiqiu, let's switch seats." Siyu turned to Ye Zhiqiu.
Ye Zhiqiu stared sadly at Pengfei's back. "Siyu, he wants to learn history from you. Just help him."
"I'm not obligated." Siyu stood, then looked toward the fourth row by the window. "Duo Duo, let's switch—"
"I'll tutor you in geography, politics, and math—three subjects. You tutor me in history—one subject. Deal?" Pengfei looked straight into her eyes. "In the entrance exam, you scored 115 in Chinese, 142 in English, 86 in history—excellent in all three. But geography, politics, and math were all failing. Your total was 515—barely enough for a second-tier university. If you improve those three subjects, first-tier is absolutely possible."
He had clearly done his homework just to sit near her.
Siyu hesitated—his offer tempted her, but her mother's repeated warnings echoed in her mind.
"If you let me tutor you, I'm absolutely confident I can raise your scores in all three subjects," Pengfei said firmly, eyes gleaming with an unshakable confidence and dominance.