The class reunion arrived quickly.
On Sunday evening, Huo Chuxue and Qiao Shengxi headed to Xizi Renjia together.
Xizi Renjia was quite far from First Hospital, in completely opposite directions. They had set off half an hour early, but the rainy weather made for poor road conditions. It was also the evening rush hour, and the car was stuck in traffic for dozens of minutes.
Fortunately, they arrived right on time.
The internet-famous restaurant was resplendent and magnificent, very large. Walking inside felt like being in a maze.
The two still had to ask a staff member to find Private Room 616.
Standing outside the private room door, Qiao Shengxi couldn’t help but click her tongue twice. “Xiaoxue, you have to admit, this restaurant’s design is very unique. Our old classmates certainly have good taste!”
Hospital work was busy, and Huo Chuxue didn’t have the mental energy for socializing. She didn’t have many friends, and opportunities to go out to meet people were rare. This was also her first time at Xizi Renjia. She had been secretly observing the restaurant the whole way.
She shrugged, her right hand touching the cool door handle. “It is quite beautiful. Let’s go in.”
Qiao Shengxi said, “Okay.”
Inside the private room, everyone was sitting in a circle, filled with laughter and chatter, looking very lively. Not only were classmates present, but also teachers. The number of people was even more than Huo Chuxue had expected. Basically, all the students from Class 3 had come.
After more than ten years apart, at first glance they were all unfamiliar faces; she didn’t recognize a single one. Only upon careful scrutiny did she recognize the class monitor.
Class Monitor Song Ming, sporting a massive beer belly, his short hair slicked with pomade, shiny and greasy—no matter how you looked at him, he seemed oily.
During high school, Song Ming had been a plump, round fatty, his chubby face full of flesh, exceptionally cute. Now, after all these years, he hadn’t gotten thinner; instead, he had become even more rotund.
In contrast, she and Qiao Shengxi hadn’t changed much in appearance over the years, so people recognized them at a glance.
Song Ming hurried over to greet them. “You two great beauties, you really kept us waiting! Our whole big group has been waiting for you two.”
Qiao Shengxi looked at Song Ming and gave a charming smile, teasing, “Class Monitor, you’re looking quite well! More and more prosperous!”
Song Ming: “…”
Song Ming grinned. “Isn’t it just that the unit cafeteria food is too good!”
Song Ming was now the head of a certain bureau in Qingling, considered quite successful, with an official’s bearing all over his face.
Huo Chuxue and Qiao Shengxi had been beauties in the class during their student days. Especially Qiao Shengxi, she was the undisputed class flower, secretly admired by many boys.
After so many years apart, the two girls had blossomed even more strikingly, delicate and moving. Some of the men present immediately had a gleam in their eyes.
Three teachers had come this time: Head Teacher Liu, Math Teacher Li, and Physics Teacher Zheng.
Ten years had passed, and the three teachers had aged considerably, the marks of time on their faces painfully obvious.
After the two of them briefly greeted the three teachers, they took their seats.
They sat by the window. It had started raining outside, raindrops tapping against the glass, gloomy and oppressive.
Outside the window was the restaurant’s backyard, planted with many green plants, lush and verdant. A few unknown trees shook their leaves, sifting down a fine drizzle.
Looking at these trees, for some reason, Huo Chuxue was reminded again of the loquat tree at Cenling Villa.
The weather had been like this for the past few days. Once it rained, the temperature dropped considerably.
Qiao Shengxi tugged at the sleeve of Huo Chuxue’s trench coat and asked in a low voice, “So, how is it?”
“How is what?” Huo Chuxue didn’t understand.
“The people. How do they look?”
“Not much to look at.”
“True,” Qiao Shengxi agreed deeply. “The boys in our class are all a sorry bunch. Only Zhou Mo is still worth a look.”
Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrives.
Zhou Mo and Zou Yi arrived fashionably late. However, the handsome man and beautiful woman made a pleasing, well-matched pair, and they flaunted their affection in front of everyone.
Zou Yi wore a white long dress today, ethereal and graceful. Her makeup was exquisite, clearly the result of deliberate effort.
Unlike Huo Chuxue and Qiao Shengxi, who had just thrown on some clothes and left the house, more casual than casual.
The couple exchanged pleasantries with the teachers. Zou Yi was polite and proper, poised and graceful. There was no trace left of her former inferiority complex and sensitivity.
Qiao Shengxi said coldly, “Xiaoxue, Givenchy!”
Huo Chuxue glanced from afar at the dress Zou Yi was wearing. It was Givenchy’s early spring new release. She and Qiao Shengxi had seen it in a magazine before.
Huo Chuxue nodded and didn’t say anything.
“You’re late! Zhou Mo, tell me, how many years has it been since we old classmates have seen each other? On such an important day, you actually show up late? That’s not acceptable, is it?” As Song Ming scolded Zhou Mo, his gaze fell on Zou Yi, taking a long moment to recognize her.
“Whoa, Zou Yi!” Song Ming howled. “What’s the situation with you two? Hey, Zhou Mo, you had good news and didn’t even notify me!”
Zhou Mo said with a smile, “The wedding was arranged in a hurry, didn’t have time to notify everyone. Sorry!”
“Damn! Already married! You two kept that secret too well!”
“Penalty drink! Must have a penalty drink!”
“Right, penalty drink!” the crowd chimed in.
…
With everyone talking at once, the private room descended into an uproar.
Zhou Mo and his wife arrived late. Only the seat next to Huo Chuxue was still available. Zou Yi sat down beside her.
Zhou Yi said with a smile, “The road was jammed the whole way, otherwise we should have arrived much earlier.”
Huo Chuxue gave her a slight smile. “Rainy days are always prone to traffic jams. Xixi and I left home early too.”
Zou Yi said, “I kept urging Zhou Mo to leave earlier. But you know how Zhou Mo is, he always does things at a leisurely pace, never in a hurry.”
With almost everyone present, the event began.
Teacher Liu, as the head teacher, held up his wine glass to give the opening remarks. “In the blink of an eye, ten years have passed. We elders have all grown old. After graduation, everyone scattered to the four corners of the earth. Gathering together like today, with such a full turnout, is a first. Actually, this is the first gathering for our Class 3. Everyone came, and I, your teacher, am especially gratified. On the way here, I was telling Teacher Li and Teacher Zheng that we old bones must join you young folks in having some fun tonight.”
Teacher Li said, “As soon as Song Ming called me, I decided to come directly. Out of all my students, I still like your class the most.”
Someone shouted, “Teacher Li, that’s not what you said back then. You said, ‘You are the worst class I’ve ever taught’!”
“Right, right, many teachers said that sentence…”
“Hahaha…” The whole group burst into laughter.
In the midst of the conversation, the distance between everyone was also bridged.
Perhaps because it had been truly too many years, and this was the first class reunion after graduation, with teachers present, it was different from previous reunions. The atmosphere was noticeably much better, and the classmates were much more friendly with each other.
After three rounds of drinks, everyone was a bit tipsy.
Huo Chuxue was also inevitably forced to drink two glasses of alcohol by some of the male classmates. Fortunately, she had built up a tolerance for alcohol since childhood by practicing with her father, so she wasn’t drunk.
The few teachers, being older, had even more to say after drinking.
Head Teacher Liu, his hair half white, holding half a glass of red wine, was suddenly feeling sentimental. “Actually, Teacher Li really wasn’t wrong. Your Class 3’s discipline was truly poor. Xie Yang and You Fei sitting in the back row, not paying attention in class, skipping school every day, contradicting the teachers, making many female teachers cry. I remember back then, your English teacher, Teacher Su, was made to cry by them several times, secretly wiping her tears in the corner. Teacher Su was a top graduate from a prestigious university, fresh out of school, so young. I was so angry I wanted to teach you stinky brats a lesson. But Teacher Su stopped me, saying you were young and bound to make mistakes, that you’d improve later. Such a good girl. What a pity she was gone afterward…”
Teacher Liu’s unexpected mention of Teacher Su instantly plunged the private room into silence. The few teachers immediately took on expressions of grief.
Teacher Zheng sighed. “Life is so unpredictable. Such a responsible teacher, gone just like that.”
Someone followed the memory, saying, “I remember Huo Chuxue was the English class representative. Teacher Su really liked her.”
Huo Chuxue’s expression stiffened, her eyes dimming. A stinging pain spread throughout her body.
Xie Yang and You Fei, who were named, were also filled with shame when Teacher Liu brought up those embarrassing past events. Especially Xie Yang, the head of the delinquent circle in Class 3, felt utterly mortified.
Xie Yang said hoarsely, “We were ignorant back then, young and impulsive, unwilling to settle down and study. All we knew was hanging out with those people everywhere. Teacher Su was young, a female teacher. Seeing her as easy to bully, You Fei and I liked to oppose her. It’s a pity we never got the chance to apologize to Teacher Su afterward…”
His voice grew softer and softer, until it faded away completely.
A girl lowered her voice and secretly asked, “How did Teacher Su pass away?”
Another girl said, “You don’t know? The Wangchuan earthquake. Teacher Su happened to be there at the time…”
—
Huo Chuxue felt she couldn’t breathe well, her chest tight and heavy.
She said to Qiao Shengxi, “I’m going to the restroom.”
“Go ahead.” Qiao Shengxi patted her hand. “Don’t think too much about it.”
Huo Chuxue went to the restroom to wash her face.
The restroom connected to the hotel’s backyard. After passing through a not-too-long corridor, she reached the backyard.
The streetlights were dim, the rain misty, the early spring chill penetrating everywhere.
She stood under the eaves, gazing intently at the sky full of rain and mist, lost in thought.
The wind blew, and strands of rain hit her face. She unconsciously tightened the collar of her trench coat and hugged her arms.
The rain kept falling, the temperature dropped, and Huo Chuxue felt somewhat cold.
In the hazy rain mist, several new trees shivered and swayed, their leaves broad with clear veins. Rainwater continuously seeped down the broad leaves, drip-dripping.
Only when she got closer did she realize these trees were loquat trees. Verdant, unripe fruits hid behind the leaves, faintly visible.
Unlike the climate at Cenling, in March, the loquats in Qingling were still inedible.
She stood for a few minutes, clearing her mind. Then she turned to go back to the private room.
Pushing open the private room door, her head half lowered, she didn’t look carefully at the people inside and walked straight in.
Only when she got closer and looked up did she realize something was wrong.
Because everyone was looking at her, faces filled with shock. And in the entire private room, she didn’t recognize a single person.
Oh, wrong! There was one person she did recognize.