Warmth

Wang Ke was actually hungry too, but she didn’t want to take the initiative to speak to Fang Chang’an. She’d rather stay hungry, because she disliked Wang Yuwei—and he had spoken to Wang Yuwei, even with such a familiar tone.

The young girl was quietly sulking when she heard Fang Chang’an call back to her. She was momentarily stunned, then recalled what he’d said, feeling a bit hesitant.

Just now, it was Wang Yuwei who had spoken to Fang Chang’an… Fang Chang’an speaking to her clearly felt more intimate… With so many people watching, he was the class monitor… Besides, it seemed like he really couldn’t manage everything by himself…

She hesitated for nearly a second, then pursed her lips and stood up to help him distribute the buns.

There were only a dozen or so buns for the group, and the confusion was really only at the beginning. The first few who came had already received theirs, and after that, the process sped up.

The two of them worked together and soon had all the buns handed out to the rest of the class. In the end, there were three bags left: one with thirteen, one with ten, and one with three—twenty-six buns in total.

Wang Ke was puzzled as to why so many remained, but before she could ask, she saw Fang Chang’an take one bun from the bag of three and add it to the bag of ten. Then he handed the remaining two bags and the other full bag to her.

The girl blinked, quickly calculating—fifteen buns. The thought “I can’t finish them all” flashed through her mind, when she heard Fang Chang’an say:

“Eat first—I need to deliver some to the other classes.”

Only then did Wang Ke realize he’d bought for students in other classes as well. She nodded with a soft “mm,” and looked at the two bags with their uneven numbers, wondering which to eat from first.

“Ah, you’re finally here! I was starving!” Fang Dianqiu saw Fang Chang’an and reacted like a fledgling in a nest spotting a parent returning with food, almost opening her mouth wider than her head to call out.

“There were too many buns, the owner had to make them fresh, so it took a bit longer,” Fang Chang’an explained, not mentioning the extra bun, and handed her the bag through the window. “I haven’t eaten yet myself, so I’ll be off.”

Fang Dianqiu took the buns and couldn’t help asking, “How many did you buy, that the owner had to make them fresh?”

“Not many—one hundred eighty. If anyone in your class wants some tomorrow, let me know. I’ll be making the trip anyway.” Fang Chang’an smiled, waved, and turned to leave.

“Huh?” Fang Dianqiu and Yuan Yuan were both stunned, thinking they’d misheard. Fang Dianqiu pressed up to the window for a look, but Fang Chang’an was already gone. She pouted and sat down, muttering, “One hundred eighty buns… Is that real?”

Yuan Yuan said, “Let’s eat first, I’m starving… Oh, there seem to be eleven here!”

When Fang Chang’an returned to the classroom, Wang Ke had placed all the buns on her desk. She’d already finished the last two from one bag and was eating from the larger bag. Seeing him return, she glanced up, then lowered her head and continued eating quietly.

Fang Chang’an took out his chopsticks and sat at Shen Mo’s desk to eat with her. After a moment, he called out, “Everyone, open the windows, otherwise the smell of buns will linger and affect the other students.”

“Creak—bang—” Hearing his words, those near the windows promptly opened all those that hadn’t been opened yet.

Xu Yang, who had finished his buns early, opened the window on his side, turned to Fang Chang’an, hesitated, and finally asked, “Monitor, will you go buy them again tomorrow?”

Fang Chang’an smiled, “Will you eat them again tomorrow?”

“Yes!” Xu Yang nodded vigorously. “They’re tastier than the cafeteria’s food, and they’re big, so I feel full.”

Chen Yu from the back row chimed in, “Exactly. Monitor, will you go again tomorrow?”

Fang Chang’an laughed, “With you all asking, how can I not? Give me the money during evening study, I’ll tally it up beforehand.”

“Okay, thank you, Monitor!” Chen Yu led the chorus, and Li Dongfeng, Xu Yang, and several others joined in. A few immediately wanted to hand over their money, but Fang Chang’an quickly said, “No, no, give it to me during evening study. There’s still a whole day—if you change your mind, you’ll feel awkward, and it’s no good to keep it bottled up.”

Chen Yu tossed a one-yuan coin to him, calling, “Monitor, just take it, I won’t change my mind.”

Fang Chang’an tossed it back, saying, “Even if you won’t, wait until evening study. Otherwise, it’s too much trouble to keep track. Don’t worry, I’ll remind everyone then, no need to fear forgetting.”

Hearing this, Chen Yu put his money away, and the others who were about to pay up also remained silent.

Wang Ke ate slowly but started early. She was already on her fifth bun by now. After Fang Chang’an finished speaking, he kept watching her, saying nothing.

The girl finished her five buns, stole a glance at him, saw him still staring, hesitated, then pursed her lips and picked up another bun.

Fang Chang’an smiled slightly, the look in his eyes full of appreciation. Unfortunately, the girl kept her head down, eating her bun, missing his admiring smile as he waited for her to look up.

But she simply ate in small bites, never raising her head.

Fang Chang’an, still smiling, tried to eat his own buns, but it was a struggle to maintain the expression while chewing, so he gave up and focused on eating. Just as he started chewing in earnest, he caught the girl sneak a furtive glance at him.

Fang Chang’an glared back, feigning annoyance.

Wang Ke finished her sixth bun and, seeing him still watching, whispered, “I’m full.”

Fang Chang’an nodded, carried the bag back to Shen Mo’s desk—the foam box was still on his own desk—and took out a carton of milk from the desk compartment, drinking as he ate.

Wang Ke tore off a corner of a napkin to wipe her mouth, saw him still sitting at Shen Mo’s desk, hesitated for a moment, then poked him. When he turned, she pointed to the foam box and quietly asked, “Where should I put that?”

Fang Chang’an pointed to the open space inside the teacher’s platform, where the brooms and mops were kept and where the class bulletin board was located.

“Oh,” Wang Ke replied, stood up, walked over, picked up the foam box, set it down in the corner, then returned to find Fang Chang’an still at Shen Mo’s desk. She said nothing, pouted, and went back to her own seat to read.

Out of fifteen buns, Wang Ke had eaten six and Fang Chang’an nine. He’d also eaten six, and the remaining three were left in the bag, which he carried out of the classroom and walked to the window of Class Six.

He’d been worried Liu Cheng might not be there, but saw him chatting happily with a girl in the front row, laughing and joking together.

“Playboy!” Fang Chang’an muttered to himself. Even such a young girl, and you’re flirting with her? He walked up to the window, knocked, and called, “Liu Cheng!”

Liu Cheng turned around, surprised to see him. He quickly stopped chatting with the girl, stood up, and hurried out the classroom door, stooping slightly as he approached Fang Chang’an. “Hey, Chang’an, what’s up?”

He’d called him that last night too. Fang Chang’an knew why and didn’t bother correcting him. He pointed to the railing, and the two leaned against it together.

Fang Chang’an handed him the bag with three buns, smiling. “Just bought these in town, had three extra. Don’t mind.”

These days, especially at this age, boys’ sense of personal hygiene was rather rough; Liu Cheng often only brushed his teeth when he felt like it, so he didn’t care that these were possibly leftovers. He hesitated, wondering if accepting them might be disrespectful to “Brother Chang’an,” then took the buns, smiling, “Thanks, Brother Chang’an!”

“We’re friends, no need for thanks.” Fang Chang’an smiled and waved lightly. “I’m off.”

“Hey!” Liu Cheng responded, and instead of going back to class, he stayed in the corridor, biting into a bun and watching Fang Chang’an’s figure recede.

He’d already had breakfast, but boys at this age generally had good appetites, and the cafeteria’s food was hardly filling. These pan-fried buns weren’t much bigger than the northern steamed buns, but seemed a bit heftier; still, eating them posed no problem.

As he ate, Liu Cheng thought the buns were still warm, tasted good, and were large. He wondered if he should ask Fang Chang’an which shop they came from and maybe buy some himself.

Eating the buns, he also considered how nice Fang Chang’an was—a talented guy who didn’t put on airs. He’d just given him a few candies, and now Chang’an had specifically brought him three extra buns…

Morning sunlight streamed across the corridor. Liu Cheng watched Fang Chang’an’s figure fade into the distance, feeling a warm, comfortable sensation in his chest. This simple, genuine kindness between people brought him a sense of long-missed warmth.