[133] No Farewell

Although she wanted to motivate the students, Cheng Mengfei was careful to preserve the self-esteem of those with poorer grades. She handed out certificates only to the top thirty students, leaving the rest to the classmates sitting in the front rows to distribute. She no longer announced rankings or called students up to receive awards.

Wang Ke ranked seventeenth, improving two places from the last unit test. Compared to her twenty-sixth place at midterms, she had climbed nearly ten spots—a notable improvement.

This was undoubtedly a reason to be happy, yet when she thought of the two students ahead of her, her joy was tempered by a quiet determination. After all, this was only the first semester of middle school; she could still catch up gradually.

Much like a sapling, if its branches grow slightly askew, it might develop into two entirely different shapes when fully grown. Life was much the same.

In her previous life, Wang Ke’s grades were mediocre. Fang Chang’an, who sat next to her, was in the second year of middle school then. At that time, her grades were average, but during the reclassification in the third year, she did not make it into the new advanced class. There was at least a fifty percent chance they would remain classmates, which might have prevented Fang Chang’an from “changing his affections” to Liang Jingyu.

Anyone who has experienced a long-distance relationship knows how difficult it is. Well… not being in the same class could count as a kind of long-distance relationship, right?

“Next, we will distribute certificates,” Cheng Mengfei’s voice interrupted Fang Chang’an’s wandering thoughts, instantly bringing him back to attention. As expected, Cheng Mengfei announced cheerfully, “We have three students in the top ten for the grade.”

Her tone was genuinely pleased. Perhaps due to the pressure Fang Chang’an brought, the top students in Class Four performed very well this time, securing four of the top ten spots for the grade, while the other three advanced classes only had two each.

“Fang Chang’an, first in the grade.”

“Mao Shanshan, fifth in the grade.”

“Shen Mo, seventh in the grade.”

Fang Chang’an and Shen Mo stepped up to the stage to receive their certificates. Before they even sat down, Cheng Mengfei called out, “Now for the top five in our class: Fang Chang’an, Mao Shanshan, Shen Mo, Liu Bei, and Wang Sha.”

Fang Chang’an had no choice but to stand again with Shen Mo to receive the award.

“Next are the ‘Three Good Students,’ ten in total: Fang Chang’an, Mao Shanshan, Shen Mo…”

Everyone knew that the ‘Three Good Students’ were those with excellent grades, so these awards went to the top ten in the class.

Li Xiaoyi ranked seventh and was also among the ‘Three Good Students.’ When he went up to receive his certificate, Cheng Mengfei looked at him with a gentle, caring gaze as if she wanted to say something but refrained.

There were already plenty of certificates being handed out, yet after the ‘Three Good Students,’ Cheng Mengfei still had more in her hands.

“Next is the award for Outstanding Class Cadre.”

All eyes turned to Fang Chang’an again, but the name called was “Zhang Lu.”

Even Zhang Lu herself was stunned. Cheng Mengfei smiled and said to her, “You’ve worked hard opening and closing the door every day this semester. Come up and receive your award.”

Though Zhang Lu was the vice class monitor, she was so inconspicuous in the class that many students had to pause to realize she was indeed a class officer.

Cheng Mengfei’s words both praised and explained, dispelling doubts about Zhang Lu’s award. Many only belatedly realized that it had been Zhang Lu opening and closing the door all semester.

“I…” Zhang Lu hesitated, wanting to decline, but upon hearing Cheng Mengfei’s words, she froze, her eyes reddening as if on the verge of tears. She hurriedly suppressed them, lowered her head, stepped out, and accepted the certificate quietly, saying, “Thank you, Teacher Cheng.”

“The teacher should be the one thanking you,” Cheng Mengfei smiled. After Zhang Lu returned to her seat, she continued, “Now, the last three certificates for the five students with the greatest progress in class.”

“Wang Ke: baseline exam 37th, final exam 17th, improved by 20 places.”

“Liu Xixi: baseline exam 30th, final exam 11th, improved by 19 places.”

“Cheng Ziyu: baseline exam 27th, final exam 10th, improved by 17 places.”

“Song Hang: baseline exam 29th, final exam 14th, improved by 15 places.”

“Wang Chuanbiao: baseline exam 44th, final exam 31st, improved by 13 places.”

“Please come up to receive your awards. Keep up the hard work next year and strive for even better results.”

Among the five progress awards, Wang Ke was the most pleasantly surprised. She had been quietly pouting while watching Fang Chang’an and Shen Mo rise and sit repeatedly. Liu Xixi felt the most comforted, as her eleventh place was just one step shy of the top ten. Though the progress award was not as prestigious as the ‘Three Good Students,’ it was still a consolation.

The most bewildered was undoubtedly Wang Chuanbiao, a student painfully aware of his shortcomings. He never imagined receiving an award. Half surprised and half doubtful, he stood up hesitantly, even needing to confirm with a nearby classmate before believing he really had a certificate.

Dazed, he returned to his seat with the award, grinning foolishly amid quiet teasing from Chen Yu and others. His gaze passed over Fang Chang’an’s back, and he felt a vague sense of gratitude.

If not for such a formidable presence in the class, he certainly wouldn’t have behaved so well and might not have earned a single award before graduating high school. He also owed thanks to his poor baseline exam score…and that Cheng Mengfei was willing to give a progress award. Perhaps next semester’s progress awards should be based on this final exam?

Wang Ke was clearly happy but knew her award paled in comparison to the two ahead of her. She tried hard to suppress her joy. Yet, sitting down and looking at her certificate, she couldn’t help but smile faintly, feeling a bit shy.

Especially when Fang Chang’an and Shen Mo glanced her way, and she still couldn’t stop smiling, her embarrassment grew. She longed to cover her face to avoid being seen but couldn’t do so in class. So, she struggled to restrain her smile, trying not to make it too obvious.

Shen Mo didn’t pay much attention to Wang Ke’s reaction. She was simply surprised and sincerely happy for her. Fang Chang’an, however, was more focused. Unlike the silly way Shen Mo stared at the awards, he watched Wang Ke’s expression the entire time, sharing in her joy and finding her shyness amusing—especially when she instinctively wanted to cover her face but held back. She was so adorable it made him want to pinch her cheeks or hug her and playfully tumble with her.

Alas, he could only admire from afar.

After the awards ceremony, Cheng Mengfei gave some reminders. Seeing other classes’ students already waiting outside for their classmates to go home, she wished everyone an early Happy Spring Festival and dismissed the class.

The students streamed out again. Fang Chang’an, having previously informed Fang Dianqiu and Fang Ying that he wouldn’t be going home with them, said goodbye to Wang Ke and Shen Mo before riding his bike near the lighthouse. Seeing his parents absent, he withdrew two hundred yuan from the ATM.

On the night of the robbery, Fang Chang’an had prudently deposited two thousand yuan back into the bank, keeping only a little over a hundred on him. After withdrawing the two hundred, he now had over three hundred yuan in cash.

He was about to head to the market to find his parents when Fang Lujun arrived, driving a three-wheeled vehicle, puffing smoke, and asked if he needed to buy anything.

Fang Changming shouted, “Still haven’t bought any firecrackers!”

With the New Year approaching, the town was crowded, and the wholesale street was packed. Fang Lujun stopped in front of the wholesale street, and Fang Chang’an volunteered to watch the vehicle. His parents and the younger kids went inside to shop. After a while, they emerged carrying a large assortment of firecrackers, sparklers, and other fireworks. His parents held spring couplets and various supplies, and the vehicle was loaded with marinated meat, fresh meat, and vegetables.

They also bought each of the three children a new outfit and returned home fully laden.

At home, Fang Chang’an handed his newly withdrawn two hundred yuan to his mother, saying it was red envelope money from Shen Chengyan and Cheng Mengfei. Although Congrong and Fang Lujun also gave red envelopes each year, they were only ten or twenty yuan, so this much was surprising.

Fang Lujun asked, “You’re taking other people’s money again?”

After Fang Lusheng pressured him to repay gambling debts, Congrong once said that if needed, he could ask Fang Chang’an for help, but Fang Lujun naturally refused and never brought up the matter again. Now seeing his son accept red envelopes, he found it hard to accept.

Fang Chang’an replied, “They said it was gratitude and only this once. I’ll remember the kindness and repay it when I’m grown.”

Returning the money now was impractical, so Fang Lujun told Fang Chang’an to keep it. Fang Chang’an slipped the money into his mother’s pocket and grinned. “Actually, I got three hundred yuan. I kept one hundred and asked Mom to keep the two hundred. She always keeps my red envelopes, and I’ll get them all when I’m older.”

On the twenty-sixth, they began preparing dumpling filling, boiling radishes, wrapping them in cloth to squeeze out water, and frying meatballs, fish, and banana leaves. Sporadic firecracker pops and children’s playful quarrels echoed around the house.

Fang Changming and Fang Yanran envied the other children’s playtime because their older brother kept them in line, requiring two hours of study in the morning and one hour in the afternoon, with extra time if they slacked off.

Fortunately, it wasn’t study every day. Fang Chang’an told them stories, some so unbelievable they thought he was making them up—for example, that Li Bai drowned trying to scoop the moon from a pond while drunk; Du Fu died from overeating after long starvation; Du Fu admired Li Bai but was ignored by him; Li Bai and Tao Yuanming loved drinking, and their sons were idiots; Du Fu was a narcissist in youth and only became somber after being crushed by society; Lu Xun almost assassinated a Qing official in his youth...

Beyond textbook content, there were tales from TV dramas, such as Kangxi and Qianlong’s undercover visits being falsehoods stolen from Emperor Zhengde Zhu Houzhao. That foolish ruler was actually stronger than most emperors; the Yang Emperor from ‘Heroes of Sui and Tang’ was formidable, having ordered the construction of the Grand Canal. Fang Chang’an promised to take them there when they grew up but warned comparing him to Qin Shi Huang would insult the latter. There was even a real Tang monk who traveled west for scriptures; Sun Wukong’s havoc in heaven happened during the late Han; Wang Mang might have been a time traveler; the Five Elements Mountain that trapped Sun Wukong fell from the sky and possibly helped Liu Xiu defeat Wang Mang’s army. Liu Xiu founded the Eastern Han...

These stories were novel and entertaining, letting Fang Chang’an slack off on writing homework. The younger two loved hearing them and planned to impress their classmates at school.

Using these anecdotes to capture their interest, Fang Chang’an never forgot to slip in “serious” lessons, always reminding them of textbook standards and exam or essay writing techniques.

In his previous life, Fang Changming and Fang Yanran had decent elementary school grades but declined in middle school. Their performance only improved slowly in high school, largely due to self-discipline issues living in the dormitory.

Fang Chang’an had not cared enough for his siblings before; this time, he was determined not to let them stray and aimed to guide their interest in learning and reading gradually.

On New Year’s Eve, snow fell again. Fang Chang’an stayed home unwilling to go out. He called Shen Chengyan and then Cheng Mengfei, but Shen Chengyan answered first.

“You called the wrong number, didn’t you?”

“No, I just called you. Now I’ll call Teacher Cheng again.”

“You’re just nosy.”

Shen Chengyan teased before handing the phone to his wife. Fang Chang’an explained he wanted to wish them a happy New Year early since they might be too busy on the first day of the Lunar New Year. After hanging up, he called Shen Mo.

This was his real target because Shen Mo’s parents had returned on the twenty-fifth. He expected Shen Mo to have mentioned the transfer news, but there was no sign.

After waiting several days, Fang Chang’an could no longer hold back and called on New Year’s Eve, not waiting until the first day of the new year as originally planned.

After several rings, a woman’s calm, refined voice answered, “Hello, who’s this?”

Unsure of her identity and age, Fang Chang’an cautiously said, “Hello, I’m looking for Shen Mo.”

“Okay, please wait… Mo Mo, it’s your call.”

Within ten seconds, Shen Mo picked up, sounding happy.

“Hello?”

“It’s me, Fang Chang’an.”

“Oh?”

Since she usually called him, the surprise in her voice was clear. Then she sweetly asked, “What’s up? Are you wishing me a happy New Year? It’s only the thirtieth today.”

Fang Chang’an smiled, “I’m afraid there will be too many calls tomorrow, so I wanted to be the first to call.”

The girl laughed happily and chatted about what they were doing at home until they hung up, never mentioning the transfer.

This left Fang Chang’an somewhat uncertain. School resumed on the eighth after the holiday. His parents were so patient as not to mention the transfer early. Would they tell Shen Mo only the day before school starts that she was transferring?

Or did Shen Mo already know but, fearing sadness or seeing no need, choose not to say goodbye?

After hanging up, Fang Chang’an was lost in deep thought.

“Am I really so invisible?”