Light from the windows fell into the classroom.
The front desks were washed pale, edges sharp.
The back rows were dimmer.
The writing on the blackboard had just been erased, leaving faint gray traces.
There was a light smell of chalk in the air.
Break time.
Chairs scraped back.
Some stood. Some turned.
A dull thud from the back.
"Li Qiang, what are you doing?"
Zhang Yuan stood beside his seat, voice restrained.
Li Qiang stood in the aisle. Broad shoulders. Sleeves rolled halfway up his arms.
He had bumped into someone.
He didn't step back.
Zhang Yuan looked at him.
"You pushed someone just now."
Li Qiang smiled a little.
"You saw it?"
Chen Ming said quietly, "We all saw it."
Li Qiang turned to him.
His gaze paused for a moment.
Chen Ming lowered his head. Didn't speak again.
Wang Lin straightened his book. Didn't turn around.
The sound dispersed.
Guang sat in the front row.
His pen moved across the paper.
It didn't stop.
The next day.
Same place.
Li Qiang walked out from the back.
He went straight forward.
Bumped.
Wang Lin was hit. His book fell to the floor.
"Don't you watch where you're going?"
Wang Lin's voice tightened slightly.
Li Qiang stopped. Turned back.
"The path's this wide."
Zhang Yuan stood up.
"You did that on purpose."
Li Qiang looked at him.
"So what are you going to do?"
Not quiet.
A few people looked over.
No one spoke.
Zhang Yuan stopped.
Wang Lin bent down, picked up his book.
Sat.
Li Qiang went back to his seat.
Tilted the chair back.
Two legs on the ground.
Third day.
In class.
Chen Ming whispered to Zhang Yuan,
"He pinned someone to the ground in PE yesterday."
Zhang Yuan frowned.
"Who?"
"Zhao Kai."
Li Qiang reached from behind, pressed down on Chen Ming's neck.
"Who are you talking about?"
His voice was very close.
Chen Ming stiffened.
"Not you."
Li Qiang didn't let go immediately.
Two seconds.
Then he released.
"Talk less."
He leaned back.
No one turned.
Guang's pen didn't stop.
Fourth day.
Lunch break.
Li Qiang sat by the window in the back.
Legs up.
Spinning a pen.
Wang Lin stood beside him.
"That's mine."
Li Qiang didn't look at him.
"Borrowing it."
"Did you ask?"
Li Qiang looked up.
"I'm asking now."
Two people nearby glanced over.
Then looked away.
Wang Lin paused.
Didn't speak again.
Changed seats.
Li Qiang kept spinning the pen.
After school.
People left one after another.
Zhang Yuan said to Chen Ming,
"No one's going to deal with him?"
Chen Ming lowered his voice.
"The teacher did."
"And?"
"His dad came."
"Did it help?"
Chen Ming shook his head.
They left.
Guang stood up.
Walked to the back row.
Stopped at Li Qiang's desk.
Scratches on the surface.
Fresh.
Guang looked for a while.
Didn't touch.
He turned and left.
The hallway was quiet.
He stopped at the office door.
Knocked.
"Come in."
Guang entered.
Stood in front of the desk.
"Guang, what is it?"
He placed a sheet of paper on the desk.
"Record."
The teacher looked down.
Time. Frequency. Targets.
Line by line.
"You wrote this?"
"Yes."
The teacher read it again.
"How do you want this handled?"
Guang paused for a moment.
"Enforce by rules."
The teacher looked at him.
"Specifically?"
Guang said,
"Discipline integrated into grouping and task permissions."
His tone was steady.
No extra explanation.
The teacher was silent for a moment.
Nodded.
"Alright."
Guang turned and left.
Next day.
Classroom.
On the side of the board:
"Grouping and Task Permission Adjustment (Including Discipline)"
Zhang Yuan whispered,
"This time it counts as discipline."
Chen Ming nodded.
"Looks like it."
The list was posted.
Li Qiang was in the last group.
He glanced at it.
Said nothing.
Sat down.
Tilted his chair back.
Day one.
Tasks assigned.
Division of work required.
Li Qiang's group had four people.
Liu Zhi assigned tasks.
"I'll record. Chen Hao organizes. Zhou Li writes."
He finished. Paused.
Looked at Li Qiang.
Didn't continue.
Li Qiang said,
"What about me?"
Liu Zhi said,
"According to rules, you don't participate in core tasks yet."
Not loud.
But clear.
Li Qiang looked at him.
No one responded.
The others kept writing.
Li Qiang sat.
Didn't move.
Day two.
Materials distributed.
Li Qiang reached out.
"Give it to me."
Liu Zhi didn't hand it over.
"You currently don't have operation permission."
Flat tone.
Li Qiang frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Liu Zhi said,
"It's marked in the record."
He didn't look up.
Kept writing.
Li Qiang's hand paused.
Then withdrew.
Day three.
Class discussion.
Li Qiang spoke.
"This question is wrong."
Chen Hao glanced at him.
"Follow the answer."
No argument.
No explanation.
Kept writing.
Li Qiang stopped.
Didn't speak again.
Day four.
Teacher check.
"This group's progress?"
Liu Zhi stood to answer.
Li Qiang wasn't called.
No one looked at him.
Day five.
Li Qiang reached toward Zhou Li's desk.
Tried to take paper.
Zhou Li pressed it down.
"You don't have permission."
Very quiet.
But his hand didn't move.
Li Qiang looked at him.
Zhou Li didn't back down.
Two seconds.
Li Qiang withdrew his hand.
Sat back.
The chair didn't tilt.
Day six.
Break.
Li Qiang suddenly pushed Liu Zhi.
Not light.
Liu Zhi swayed slightly.
But didn't react.
Didn't turn.
Kept writing.
Chen Hao glanced at Li Qiang.
Said nothing.
Continued working.
Zhou Li didn't move either.
No one in the group responded.
No argument.
No voices.
Li Qiang stood for a second.
Then sat down.
Others in the classroom looked over.
Then turned away.
No spread.
No noise.
As if nothing happened.
Day seven.
Li Qiang spoke less.
Moved less.
Didn't touch others anymore.
Day eight.
Group reassessment.
New list on the board.
Li Qiang remained in the group.
Liu Zhi glanced at it.
Said,
"You can participate in recording."
Flat tone.
Didn't look at him.
Li Qiang paused.
Nodded once.
Sat down.
Picked up a pen.
Didn't speak.
Following days.
No more pushing.
No more taking things.
No more grabbing people.
Classroom rhythm stabilized.
Guang sat in the front row.
His pen moved across the paper.
Without pause.
As if nothing had ever happened.