Classmate Number Seven - 1
The day Qi Xia arrived in Jing City was February 13, 2013.
The snow had cleared over the Capital, leaving the sky bright, but the temperature had yet to rise. Outside, the mercury had plunged well below freezing, even a drop of water turned to ice. The air was thick with the damp, penetrating bite of winter.
It was the height of the Spring Festival travel rush. People surged through the train station in waves, coming and going, some with their entire families in tow, others traveling alone. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry.
Qi Xia squeezed through the exit with bags of luggage weighing down her shoulders. Her little face was flushed from the cold and the crush of people. Then, in the distance, she spotted Qi Lanjing waving at her.
“Xia Xia, over here! Thirty-some hours on a train. You must be exhausted.”
“I’m fine, Auntie.”
Qi Lanjing took her suitcase and one of her backpacks, then flagged down a taxi.
“Baita Lane, number fifty-six.”
The heater inside the taxi was working well enough. Qi Lanjing loosened the scarf around her neck and looked at her niece with a smile.
“A whole year, and look how much you’ve changed. Goodness, you’ve grown into such a beautiful young lady.”
Qi Xia had been sickly since childhood, spending years on injections and medication. Before starting high school, she had always been a little plump, her body prone to swelling. Then, last year, she began exercising more seriously. Gradually, she needed fewer injections, and the weight came off.
She smiled shyly. “It’s nothing special. I’ve just been following the doctor’s advice and running regularly.”
Qi Lanjing loved that obedient streak in her.
“Your school’s already been arranged. Jingda High School, Class 5, Senior Two. The new term starts at the end of February, you'll have some time to settle in first.”
“Thank you, Auntie.”
“We’re family. No need to thank me.” Qi Lanjing leaned back in her seat. “It’ll take more than forty minutes to get from West Railway Station to Baita Lane. Rest for a while.”
The city streamed past the window. Qi Xia leaned against the glass, gazing absently at the unfamiliar streets. Fragments of memory flickered through her mind, one after another, like scenes from a film played too quickly. In those fleeting images, she found herself looking back over the short sixteen years of her life.
Her parents had divorced, and she had grown up on Yizhou Island with her father and younger sister.
Her father, Qi Liguo, ran a seafood wholesale shop on the island. After school, Qi Xia would go there to help out, sometimes cooking, sometimes doing the accounts. The adults often teased her, saying that despite her young age, she was already her father’s most capable assistant.
As far back as she could remember, her father had always been busy. The weight of making a living rested heavily on his shoulders, he'd risen before dawn and worked until late at night, spending nearly all his waking hours at the shop. He always told her that he could manage, that she needed to take care of her health and devote her time to her studies.
Qi Xia had always been sensible. From childhood, she finished her homework ahead of time and worked hard at school. She understood that only by getting into a good university could she hope to find a decent job later. For ordinary people like them, education was the only way out.
Yizhou Island belonged to Lancheng, but Qi Xia had barely visited the city proper itself. She had spent her entire childhood on the island, from kindergarten through primary and middle school. This was the first time she had ever traveled so far from home.
The reason she had left home could be traced back to an accident six months earlier.
That evening, Qi Xia had been riding her bicycle to the shop after night study, as usual, when the wail of an ambulance suddenly rang out across the island.
Something tightened in her chest. Her eyes followed the ambulance until, finally, she saw it pull up outside her family’s seafood wholesale shop.
Qi Liguo had suffered a sudden heart attack. The emergency treatment had failed, and he died. Their mother, Zhao Xiangqiong, could not be reached. Just like that, Qi Xia and her younger sister, Qi Yuan, were left completely orphaned.
Qi Lanjing had originally planned to bring both of her brother’s daughters to Jing City. But her own circumstances were genuinely difficult. She had in-laws to care for above her and children to raise below her. After the entire family discussed it, they decided that Qi Yuan would stay on Yizhou Island under the care of their eldest uncle and continue her schooling there, while Qi Xia would come to Jing City with Qi Lanjing.
Jing City, the Capital, was a world utterly different from Yizhou Island.
As Qi Xia emerged from her long reverie, she found the air inside the taxi growing oppressive.
Music was playing on the radio.
‘The gates of my home are always open, my arms wide to welcome you…’
It was the song that had swept through the streets and every corner of the country five years ago. Under the circumstances, the lyrics seemed almost fitting.
But did Jing City really welcome her?
Qi Xia had no idea.
Once the taxi entered the Second Ring Road, traffic began to crawl. Cars barely moved, and horns blared in an endless chorus.
Taking advantage of the delay, Qi Lanjing reached over and took Qi Xia’s small hand.
“Xia Xia, do you remember what I told you before? About how you should behave when you go to Grandma Chen’s house?”
Qi Xia hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “I remember.”
Qi Lanjing had already explained the family’s circumstances to her. Six people were crammed into a seventy-square-meter rental apartment, with no spare room to speak of. Jingda High School had no dormitories either, so finding somewhere for Qi Xia to live had become a problem.
Fortunately, things had worked out.
Qi Lanjing had once been a nurse in the rehabilitation department of a private hospital. Later, through a twist of circumstance, she had caught the attention of a wealthy family, who hired her as a long-term private caregiver.
The family’s surname was Chen. They were well-known in Jing City and had no shortage of either money or property.
After becoming their private caregiver, Qi Lanjing lived and ate at the Chen family’s old residence. She had initially planned to spend her own money renting a larger apartment, but when Grandma Chen learned of their situation, she generously offered the empty rooms in her home.
There was more than enough space for one young girl, she had said. It would be no trouble at all.
And just like that, Qi Xia’s living arrangements were settled.
“The Chen family are all good people,” Qi Lanjing continued. “Grandma Chen is the only one who lives in the old house. Her children and grandchildren come over for dinner on weekends...”
As she spoke, the taxi pulled to a stop.
“We’re here. Number fifty-six, Baita Lane.”
Qi Xia lowered her gaze from the cuffs of her sleeves, worn pale from countless washes, and looked outside. Her eyes settled on the white villa standing before her.
Its Western-style architecture was clean and symmetrical. A garden occupied the grounds, along with statues and an empty swimming pool. Beneath the white walls and red-tiled roof, the house exuded a grandeur and extravagance that could not be concealed.
Qi Xia had never seen such a beautiful home. Though it stood right in front of her, it somehow felt even more distant than the magnificent palaces she had seen on television.
Qi Lanjing thanked the driver and paid the fare. The moment the door opened, icy wind rushed inside, cutting across Qi Xia’s face like a blade.
She breathed out a cloud of white vapor, rubbed her palms together, and followed Qi Lanjing out to collect their luggage from the trunk.
It was only after they entered that Qi Xia noticed another building behind the white villa. It was a two-story house, clearly an annex to the main residence, with an open stretch of ground separating the two.
Qi Lanjing led her over and pointed to a room.
“You’ll sleep here from now on.”
The room was spacious, roughly twenty square meters, with a desk, wardrobe, and all the other necessary furniture. Sunlight filled the space. Outside the window lay the garden, though in the depths of winter, all she could see was an expanse of white.
“Auntie, where will you sleep?”
Qi Lanjing pointed to the room next door.
“I’ll take a nap here for an hour or so during the day. At night, I stay in Grandma Chen’s room. She has trouble getting around, I need to be there to look after her.”
By the time they finished putting away Qi Xia’s luggage, night had fallen. Winter came early in the north. Qi Xia glanced at her digital watch. It was only five-thirty.
New to the city and staying in someone else’s home, she suddenly felt awkward, as though she had no idea where to put herself.
“I’d like to go thank Grandma Chen.”
When you were living under someone else’s roof, the proper courtesies mattered.
“No rush. It’s getting late today. Tomorrow will do.”
Dinner was zhajiangmian, noodles tossed with shredded cucumber, shredded carrot, and a savory-sweet soybean paste. Qi Xia wasn’t accustomed to the flavor, but she ate every last bite.
The long train journey had worn her out. That night, she slept more deeply than she had in a long time.
The following afternoon, Qi Lanjing came looking for her with a bright smile.
“Come on, we’re going out.”
“Aren’t we going to thank Grandma Chen?” Qi Xia had not forgotten.
“First, I’m taking you to the mall to buy some clothes.”
Qi Xia instinctively wanted to refuse. But glancing toward her wardrobe, the words died in her throat.
She owned very few clothes to begin with. Though they were always washed clean, they were undeniably old, showing up to meet Grandma Chen in them would not be appropriate. Besides, Yizhou Island was summer all year round. Her wardrobe consisted almost entirely of short-sleeved shirts and lightweight jackets, none of which would be enough for Jing City’s freezing, snow-covered winter.
Qi Xia said nothing more. She tied her hair back simply and followed Qi Lanjing out.
Baita Lane was located in the heart of the city. Walk eight hundred meters east, and you could watch the flag-raising ceremony. The lane itself was tucked away in the bustle of downtown, quiet despite its location. The people who lived there were all wealthy or influential.
Qi Lanjing made a point of helping her learn the way.
“The mall isn’t far. Turn left at the entrance to the lane and walk straight for two hundred meters. There’s a large indoor ski resort right beside it...”
“There’s a ski resort in the city center too?” Qi Xia asked curiously.
She had only ever seen ski resorts on television, the kind built into mountains where people hurtled down snowy slopes at terrifying speeds.
“It’s an indoor one. Tickets cost four or five hundred yuan each. The rich kids go there to play all winter.”
The moment she heard the price, Qi Xia decided skiing sounded even more terrifying than she had imagined.
When they reached the entrance to the lane, Qi Lanjing patted both her pockets and let out a startled cry.
“Oh, no. I forgot my wallet.”
“Should we go back for it?”
“You wait here. I’ll go. I’ll be back in five or six minutes, tops.”
“Okay.”
The sky was overcast, the cold bit deep. Before long, fine snow began to fall. Qi Xia pulled on her hat and gazed absently at the snow gathered on the bare branches of a tree.
For a child from the south, snow was a novelty. She reached out to catch a few flakes, then heard voices behind her.
Qi Xia turned around.
A group of boys around her age was approaching from a distance, snowboards in hand, arms slung over one another’s shoulders as they laughed and joked.
“Fan-ge, you skipped the escape room the day before yesterday, and you skipped barbecue yesterday too. We finally managed to drag you out today.”
“Doesn’t A-Fan have a membership at the ski resort? We're all getting in for free today, right?”
“Speaking of which, Fan-ge, what’s with that pink snowboard? It really suits your Princess Chen persona.”
Their laughter and chatter rang out clearly in the quiet entrance to the lane.
“Princess, my ass. My sister and my mom shoved this thing on me.”
The last voice was deeper, with a distinctly Beijing accent. Its lazy, nasal drawl made him sound utterly unconcerned.
Qi Xia’s gaze passed through the falling snow and landed on the boy in the middle of the group, the one carrying the pink snowboard.
He was too far away for her to make out his features clearly. All she could tell was that he was tall, wearing a black knit cap with round ski goggles perched on his forehead. He had on a black winter jacket, cargo pants, and white sneakers.
With his dark, hard-edged outfit, the pink snowboard looked almost absurd in his hands.
One of his friends called out, teasing, “Princess Chen, you covering our tickets today?”
Someone bent down, scooped up a handful of snow, packed it tight, and hurled it at him with a loud laugh.
“Princess Chen? Who said you could call him that? It’s Your Highness to you!”
“Oh, you really want to start something, huh?” he shot back, laughing.
“Come on, then!”
The next thing Qi Xia knew, two of them had launched into a snowball fight for no apparent reason. They traded shots back and forth, neither willing to give an inch.
Worried about getting caught in the crossfire, Qi Xia backed away again and again. But the stray snowballs showed no mercy. Just as she reached the tree, a sudden flash of white filled her vision.
A snowball came hurtling straight toward her forehead.
It was so fast that by the time she realized what was happening, there was no chance of getting out of the way. She instinctively squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the inevitable.
But the pain never came.
An arm shot across from the side, blocking the snowball in midair. It smacked against the ground and burst apart.
Before she had time to process the situation, a clean, fresh scent filled the air around her. Her heartbeat skipped for no reason she could name.
Then a clear, youthful voice sounded beside her ear, no longer muffled by the wind and snow.
“Sorry. Are you hurt?”
From the corner of her eye, Qi Xia caught sight of his white sneakers and a sliver of pink snowboard. Her gaze shifted upward, just enough to take in the sharp line of his jaw and the prominent angle of his throat.
His Adam’s apple formed an almost severe point, and his jawline was clean and cutting. Even with so little of his face in view, he gave off the impression of someone who would not be easy to deal with.
Heat crept into Qi Xia’s cheeks.
“No.”
He gave a faint hum and said nothing more.
One of his friends called from farther down the lane.
“Fan-ge, come on!”
“Coming!”
The boy did not linger. He broke into a long-strided run, his voice carrying back through the snow.
“Knock it off. We’ll settle it on the slopes. Don’t hit innocent people in public.”
Some people were born to lead. Not long after he spoke, the snowball fight came to an end. The group of boys passed Qi Xia with laughter and teasing, stirring up a gust of cold air as they went.
By now, the snowfall had grown heavier. Flakes drifted thickly from the sky, their soft rustling filling the air.
Qi Xia lifted her head. The snow blurred her vision, but she could still make out his tall, straight back as he disappeared into the distance.
Strangely, there was something familiar about him, as though she had seen him somewhere before.
Qi Xia felt a small pang of regret. She hadn't gotten a clear look at his face, let alone managed to thank him.
What she didn't know was that the regret would be remedied that very evening.
When they returned from the mall, Grandma Chen happened to be free, Qi Xia followed Qi Lanjing to meet the person who had taken her in.
“So this is Xia Xia?”
Grandma Chen was over seventy and paralyzed in both legs. She sat in a wheelchair, but her spirits were excellent. Now she looked at Qi Xia with an emotional smile.
“Come here, sweetheart. Let Grandma have a look at you.”
Qi Lanjing had told her that Grandma Chen was a genuinely kindhearted woman. Not only had she offered Qi Xia a place to stay, she had also helped arrange her transfer to Jingda High School. Without her assistance, Qi Lanjing alone would have had little chance of getting Qi Xia into the school.
Qi Xia stepped forward and bowed deeply.
“Grandma, thank you...”
Before she could finish, the old woman reached out and took her hand.
Grandma Chen guided her to sit beside her. Her eyes had already turned red.
“What a lovely girl. I’ve heard about what happened to your family. It’s a lot for someone your age to go through. Settle in here and focus on your studies. If you need anything, just tell your aunt.”
Her hands were warm and dry, comforting against Qi Xia’s skin.
Held in the old woman’s grasp, Qi Xia thought of her father, gone now, and her younger sister still back on Yizhou Island. A dull ache rose in her chest.
She sniffed and fought back her tears.
Grandma Chen had been born into a family of scholars. For generations, her ancestors had worked in education, and she herself had grown up surrounded by wealth and privilege. She had always been softhearted, with tears that came easily.
She patted Qi Xia’s shoulder, her own voice thick with emotion.
“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. Things will get better from here on...”
Moved by the scene, Qi Lanjing quietly wiped her own tears with her sleeve.
Grandma Chen continued, “My son’s company has a scholarship program. Why don’t I ask him to cover your tuition and living expenses...”
“Please, no, Grandma,” Qi Lanjing interrupted quickly. “Having a place for her to stay is already more than enough. I’m deeply grateful. I can take care of the rest myself.”
“All right.” Grandma Chen did not press the matter.
Just then, a sound came from the entrance.
The door creaked open, and someone stepped inside, breaking the heavy silence in the room.
A rush of wind and snow swept in, bringing a brief wave of cold. Qi Xia turned toward the sound and saw a pink snowboard propped against the cabinet in the foyer.
Time seemed to slow.
Qi Xia straightened in her seat, her eyes fixed on the entrance. Her heart began to beat strangely fast.
Then the owner of the snowboard walked in.
It was him.
Recognition struck, and Qi Xia’s breath caught. Her hands and feet went stiff, as if the cold had frozen her solid.
Grandma Chen pushed her reading glasses higher on her nose.
“What brings you here at this hour? Are you alone?”
“Yeah. I stayed out too late at Xiling and didn’t feel like going home, I’m crashing here for the night. What, not happy to see me?”
“Stop fooling around. Come over and meet our guest.”
He walked toward them.
Qi Xia hurriedly looked away, yet found herself stealing another glance despite herself.
The boy was tall and lean, dressed entirely in black. He tugged off his hat and ski goggles and tossed them onto the cabinet before striding closer. Under the living room lights, his hair held a faint brown tint. His features were refined and understated, his looks striking enough to seem lifted straight from a manga.
Qi Xia could barely sit still. A wave of self-consciousness washed over her.
Grandma Chen introduced them. “This is Auntie Qi’s niece. She’ll be attending the affiliated high school too.”
Then she turned to Qi Xia. “This is my grandson. You’ll be at the same school, you two should get to know each other.”
Qi Xia thought she ought to stand up and introduce herself. But her mind had apparently stopped working. She remained seated, motionless, unable to produce even the smallest reaction.
Like a piece of wood.
The boy noticed nothing unusual. He lifted his thin eyelids and glanced at her, his gaze light and devoid of emotion.
“Hi. Chen Xifan.”
---
Comments
Post a Comment