The night school's class ended today, and without a doubt, Jiang Cheng became the favorite student of the two teachers, bar none.
After class, everyone began packing up their desks.
Zhang Cuijuan, with the demeanor of a veteran cadre, walked over to Jiang Cheng, holding a duty roster.
"Ms. Jiang Cheng, you're staying behind to clean today," she said.
"No problem," Jiang Cheng replied with a smile, not the least bit troubled.
Her straightforwardness made Zhang Cuijuan a bit uncomfortable, but she couldn't find any fault with it.
Could she say the other person was too enthusiastic? Too cooperative?
Jiang Cheng packed her bag and looked at Zhang Cuijuan's duty roster.
"Mr. Zhang, do me a favor and write my name on it so you won't have to keep reminding me in the future, don't let it interrupt your studies," she said.
In other words, don't keep your eyes on me for no reason!
Zhang Cuijuan's face didn't look good, but she prided herself on being fair and still filled in Jiang Cheng's name.
After writing it down, Zhang Cuijuan slightly arrogantly said, as if enjoying being an official, "Make sure to clean properly."
"If Mr. Zhang is worried, why not stay behind to supervise us?" Jiang Cheng suggested.
With her penchant for authority, Zhang Cuijuan was indeed a bit tempted.
"But with a progressive person like Mr. Zhang, you surely can't watch comrades with the same aspirations work while doing nothing yourself. The instructors always say to participate with the masses..."
Jiang Cheng chattered on.
Zhang Cuihua couldn't bear to listen any longer.
Jiang Cheng had already suggested she stay voluntarily every day.
Who would want to stay every day!
Zhang Cuijuan, not only hitting a brick wall, ran away in slight haste.
The classroom soon had only four people left, and they cleaned the classroom together.
As they were finishing, Sun Jiandong, thinking himself handsome, blocked Jiang Cheng's path.
"Hello, Ms. Jiang Cheng, I'm Sun Jiandong, you must have heard my name," he said.
Jiang Cheng first stepped back three steps, maintaining a safe distance of over a meter.
"Sun Jiandong? Could it be that Mr. Sun is our class monitor?"
Sun Jiandong replied irritably, "No!"
"Oh—are you the class committee member?"
"No!"
"The best at studying?"
"No!"
"The fastest runner?"
"No!"
"Could it be you eat the most?"
"Pffft!"
"Cough, cough!"
The three other classmates cleaning the classroom could no longer hold back their laughter.
Sun Jiandong's face turned red as he glared at Jiang Cheng with eyes ready to devour her.
"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" he asked.
Jiang Cheng stepped back two more steps, it's safer to keep a distance from angry people.
"Mr. Sun, you said I should know you, yet it turns out I don't even know your name. I think you shouldn't be questioning me here but should reflect on why you don't have a single distinguishing feature," she replied.
"We, in the new era, born under the red flag and growing up in the spring breeze, are not expected to save the world, but to strive for skills. The organization spends a fortune to sponsor your studies, to let you learn well and contribute to the country, to enhance character and carry responsibility, to be honest and uphold the family," she continued.
"But you, a healthy man, can't even achieve the basics. After death, your epitaph can only state 'son of someone.' Is this what you want?"
Jiang Cheng's righteous words were ear-splitting and awakened several people.
Even stirred a bit of passion.
This was an era not lacking passion!
And it was the best era to make grandiose statements!
Sun Jiandong felt a sense of shame like being lectured by his grandfather at home, and his originally lax posture subconsciously changed.
But he was awkwardly resistant to admitting Jiang Cheng was right, twisting his body to block the door.
Jiang Cheng, with her backpack, looked at Sun Jiandong meaningfully and said, "If you need to go to the restroom, go ahead."
Sun Jiandong: ??
Sun Jiandong's face burned, having long forgotten his original intent for coming here. Now, he only felt he had lost face.
"Jiang Cheng, I've remembered you! Just you wait!"
Sun Jiandong ran off.
"Hey—look how frustrated the kid is," Jiang Cheng remarked, shaking her head. In the next moment, she turned to the other three and gave a light smile.
"See you tomorrow night, comrades," she said.
The three of them waved their hands statue-like, watching Jiang Cheng leave.
They had only one thought in their minds: who exactly is this Jiang Cheng?
She—she's so different.
When Jiang Cheng came out of the night school, she hadn't even reached the entrance when she saw the old doorman, Grandma Shen, Shen Xing, and Shen Yue talking.
The four saw Jiang Cheng coming out. They waved together, calling her.
Jiang Cheng flashed a bright smile, quickening her pace to run over.
"Uncle Wang, this is Grandma Shen, this is Shen Xing, this is Shen Yue," she introduced.
The doorman grinned, nodding, "I know, they've been here for a while. Why are you just coming out now?"
"I volunteered to stay and clean the classroom. We can't handle big things, but small ones we can," she answered.
Uncle Wang gave a thumbs up.
Jiang Cheng smiled humbly, knowing she had indeed done the work herself.
A certain registrar, finishing the day's work, looked over at the familiar voice.
Big Hat Jiang?
Zhao Na's eyes sharpened, quickened her pace, and with a jump, hopped onto a bicycle and sped off in a flash.
The doorman only felt a shadow fly past.
"What a big rat!"
Jiang Cheng suppressed a smile, knowing who it was but said nothing more. After chatting briefly with the doorman, she walked home with Grandma Shen, Shen Xing, and Shen Yue.
Still the dim beam of the flashlight, still the four of them.
None of them mentioned why they came to pick her up, simply accepting it quietly.
"Sister Jiang Cheng, I saw Aunt He from across the street leave the night school too," Shen Yue said.
Shen Yue tilted her head to look up at Jiang Cheng. She didn't quite understand the details, but she knew Sister Jiang Cheng didn't like the neighbor.
So, she didn't want to like her either!
"He Dan also studies here, ignore it. I can handle it," Jiang Cheng reassured her.
Shen Yue nodded with her chubby face, squeezing Jiang Cheng's hand gently.
"Sister, you're the best!" She clumsily comforted her.
Jiang Cheng patted her head, her confidence unmistakable.
"Of course! You should never doubt that!" she affirmed.
Next to her, Shen Xing almost offered words of comfort but swallowed them back down.
How could he forget Sister Jiang Cheng's boundless confidence?
Grandma Shen still said nothing, simply watching the three of them chat back and forth.
The world was peaceful, and the present was serene.
Just when Grandma Shen was sketching this beautiful picture, unknowingly, the topic changed.
Jiang Cheng began telling a story, a scary one.
Shen Xing instinctively moved closer to Granny Shen, feigning: "Granny, let me help you. The road is uneven."
Granny Shen thought: I think it's your heart that's uneven?
Granny Shen didn't expose him, listening to Jiang Cheng's story about human traffickers.
The more she listened, the stranger it seemed.
How did it feel like Jiang Cheng's methods sounded more formidable than the traffickers'?
It felt as though she could end up selling the traffickers instead.
Their return took ten minutes less than yesterday. Once inside the courtyard, Shen Xing and Shen Yue instinctively sought the safest place—the bed.
Jiang Cheng shook her head in exasperation and looked at Grandma Shen, "Their courage is still a little lacking."
"I think with you around, they'll have plenty of opportunities to build it," Grandma Shen teased.
Jiang Cheng responded, feigning difficulty, "Since you put it that way, I can't let you down. Rest assured, I'll do my best."
Grandma Shen chuckled wryly, unable to believe this girl could talk nonsense so earnestly.
After washing up, Jiang Cheng continued studying in bed.
Meanwhile, Shen Xing unsurprisingly dreamt of being abducted, having his limbs broken, eyes poked out, begging on the streets, emaciated, fighting with rats in the trash for food.
Tragic!
So tragic!
The next morning, on their way to school, Shen Xing and Shen Yue had four panda eyes, staying as close as possible, their eyes wary, convinced none around them were good people.
Jiang Cheng didn't go with them; she went foraging for food.