Drama Queen

With Wang Ke and Zheng Lili opting out, Fang Chang’an reverted to his usual schedule, leaving the classroom at ten o’clock. As he reached the stairwell, a voice called out behind him, “Class monitor!”

He turned to see Li Xiaoyi hurrying over, jogging a few steps until he caught up, his hand extended with four one-jiao coins, slick with palm sweat.

Fang Chang’an gave him a questioning look and grinned. “What’s this? Trying to bribe me?”

“No.”

Li Xiaoyi, never one for words, seemed unsure whether Fang Chang’an was joking. He shook his head, speaking softly, “It’s the change for the buns I underpaid for yesterday and today. Also, both Zhang Lu and I only have three buns a day, not four.”

“What do you mean by that?” Fang Chang’an raised an eyebrow. “I’m the top student in the whole school. You don’t really think I could get such simple arithmetic wrong, do you?”

“No, no.” Li Xiaoyi looked flustered, waving his hands, eager to explain. Fang Chang’an, seeing his anxiety, decided not to tease him further and patted his shoulder with a smile. “Don’t worry. Four buns for thirty cents—that’s the price I pay. I’m not making or losing anything.”

Li Xiaoyi paused, as if wanting to say more, but Fang Chang’an gestured him off. “Alright, get back inside. Instead of fussing over this, you might as well solve a couple more problems. And don’t go blabbing, or I’ll have to rough you up.”

Li Xiaoyi was left speechless, watching him head downstairs. He hesitated but ultimately didn’t follow.

The next morning, during calisthenics, a striking white BMW rolled into the schoolyard, “discreetly” parking along the east wall. Some students noticed, and most teachers did too, sending the odd curious glance its way. Soon, a young man stepped out from behind the wheel: leather shoes, dress pants, white shirt, hair slicked back, standing by the car, idly lighting a cigarette as he surveyed the students in formation.

Then, from the back seat, emerged a middle-aged man in his forties, also taking in the rows of students with a look of curiosity and confusion. At the younger man’s invitation, he lit a cigarette as well, and the two stood chatting.

As the morning exercise routine neared its end, the pair opened the trunk and lifted out three foam boxes and a large plastic bag.

Once the exercises were over, the students gathered by class, then dispersed—toward the school gate, the cafeteria, or classrooms—spreading out like a receding tide.

Several figures detached themselves from the ranks of the junior high students and approached the BMW, greeting the two men before starting to unload boxes and bags. Then, three more students from the eighth-grade formation ran over and joined in to help.

Many students nearby watched this scene, unable to help but stare.

Fang Chang’an first went to classes six and seven to call Liu Cheng and two others. By the time they reached the car, Cheng Mengfei had already greeted them and gone to fetch the electric scooter, while Shen Mo was still waiting, helping to take names and collect money. She was usually absent during distribution, so it was her first time seeing so many buns; her eyes sparkled with surprise.

Over fourteen hundred buns—only half fit in the trunk, with several large bags on the back seat. Fang Chang’an smiled at Shen Chengyan, “I thought Uncle Zhang would come on a tricycle to deliver these. Didn’t expect Uncle Shen would bring them in a BMW.”

Liu Cheng and his companions didn’t dare speak. Even Zhang Fei, in front of Shen Chengyan, was reserved, only giving a shy smile. “Didn’t expect there’d be so many all at once; didn’t have time to get a tricycle. I’ll bring them myself tomorrow.”

He started unloading buns from the car, with Liu Cheng and the others quickly helping.

Shen Chengyan said, “I can do the deliveries. After all, I have nothing else to do. You and your wife already get up in the middle of the night to make the buns—that’s hard enough.”

He turned to Fang Chang’an, “Just the four of you?”

“There are three more.” Fang Chang’an pointed to Chang Wei, Liu Yan, and Zhao Xu, who were running over. Shen Chengyan sized them up with a smile, “You’ve all worked hard. I’ll treat you to a meal someday.”

Chang Wei and the others recognized him, smiling awkwardly and declining, “No need.”

The buns had already been sorted by class according to the list Fang Chang’an provided. Liu Cheng handed the eighth-grade box to his older cousin, Liu Yan, who took it. Fang Chang’an pointed to the box for class four, “Wei, that’s for our class. Would you help carry it? Just give it to our classmates.”

“Sure!” Chang Wei agreed instantly, not the least bit bothered—instead, he was delighted, even a bit grateful. Of all the students present, he was by far the most aware of Shen Chengyan’s status and most eager to know him. Fang Chang’an asking him for help was practically a personal endorsement.

As the six of them carried the buns away, Shen Chengyan gave Fang Chang’an a light pat on the head, laughing, “You’re quite the slacker.”

Shen Mo, seeing Fang Chang’an “punished,” stifled a laugh, her dimples showing, her eyes curved in amusement, a little schadenfreude in her expression. Fang Chang’an shot her a glare, then said to Shen Chengyan, “Uncle Shen, I actually wanted to talk to you.”

“The tricycle will be needed sooner or later—there are three more schools to deliver to in the future. When you have time, you should buy one, a used one will do, no need for anything new.”

“Always acting like you know everything.” Shen Chengyan gave him another friendly tap.

Just then, Cheng Mengfei came around from behind the classroom building on her scooter, parking nearby. “Mo, let’s go.”

Shen Mo glanced at Shen Chengyan, who smiled, “I have things to do later, you go home for lunch with your aunt.”

“Okay.” Shen Mo climbed onto the scooter’s back seat, wrapped her arms around Cheng Mengfei’s waist, and waved to Shen Chengyan and Fang Chang’an. Cheng Mengfei called out, “Don’t forget you have to work today! And Fang Chang’an, get back to class and eat your buns while you study.”

“Alright,” Fang Chang’an replied, with Shen Chengyan answering with dignity, “I know, I know.”

Watching his wife leave, Shen Chengyan turned to Fang Chang’an with a smile, “Well, what do you think? Your uncle’s pretty sharp, isn’t he? When you had Mo tell me the class break time yesterday, I knew what you were up to. Not bad, right?”

Fang Chang’an smiled, “Uncle, you brought the car yourself—how could it not go well? I bet on Sunday, we’ll have a lot more orders.”

Shen Chengyan let out a breath, smiling, “Doesn’t matter how many there are, we’re already making them. By the way, since we’ll need to hire people, do you have any relatives or friends to recommend?”

Fang Chang’an had already thought about this. “You go ahead and hire first, Uncle. I’ll ask around later.”

Shen Chengyan nodded, so Fang Chang’an said, “Alright, Uncle Shen, Uncle Zhang, you two get back to work. I’m off to eat my buns.”

“You’re leaving already?” Shen Chengyan looked surprised. “Don’t you have anything else to say?”

At first, Fang Chang’an had indeed meant to ask about how much time and supplies it took to make a thousand buns, but Shen Chengyan’s attitude toward Cheng Mengfei just now made him realize that sometimes too much concern isn’t a good thing.

Of course, in Shen Chengyan’s eyes, he would always be a child, so it likely wouldn’t matter. But a dam can be undone by an ant’s nest—early details in their relationship mattered. This “project” was clearly Shen Chengyan’s initiative, his first real step toward independence, so it was best not to interfere too much.

“I’ll just do as you say, Uncle Shen.” Fang Chang’an waved and headed upstairs. Shen Chengyan, a bit surprised, didn’t dwell on it, getting back in the car to drive Zhang Fei home.

Fang Chang’an returned to the classroom, a little disappointed to find that no one was gossiping about the BMW delivering buns.

The buns had already been distributed; those who ordered were eating at their desks, chatting idly. As soon as he walked in, several people greeted him right away. Li Dongfeng, ever the sycophant, called out, “Class monitor, I put your buns on your desk.”

Fang Chang’an wrote his name on the list—ten buns.

Wang Ke was sitting on her desk, eating. When she saw Fang Chang’an, she motioned with her chin, indicating his buns were on his desk and warning him not to come over and eat with her.

Fang Chang’an pursed his lips, sending her a look that said, “You think I care?”

The girl rolled her eyes and went back to her bun.

Fang Chang’an sat down and ate two buns. The taste was familiar, but somehow not as delicious as before. After a moment’s thought, he realized why—he pulled a box of pure milk out of his desk, took a sip, and then found the buns tasty again.

Learning from yesterday, he waited until evening study hall, and with Shen Mo absent and Wang Ke still there, he secretly wrote a note and passed it to her: “Are you feeling unwell?”

The girl read it, her cheeks flushing. She glanced up at him, only to find his gaze clear and filled with genuine concern.

She lowered her head and wrote in his notebook, “Just a bit tired. I’ll be fine in a few days.”

Fang Chang’an read it, quietly letting out a sigh of relief, then looked up and gave her a reassuring smile—a silent message that he was just glad she wasn’t mad at him or unwilling to run together anymore.

He wrote back, “Rest for a few days, then we’ll run together again when you’re better.”

Wang Ke nodded gently at his note, and Fang Chang’an smiled brightly before turning back to his book.

Glancing up at the clock, he realized it was past 9:40. Turning, he saw Wang Ke and Zheng Lili still working. He lowered his voice, “Aren’t you two leaving?”

Wang Ke looked up, blinking, “Are you going?”

Fang Chang’an nodded. Wang Ke hesitated, glanced at Zheng Lili, who, catching their exchange, looked up and asked, “Shall we go too?”

Wang Ke hesitated again, then replied crisply, “Alright.”

Fang Chang’an hadn’t expected such an easy result. As he packed up to leave with the two girls, he couldn’t help but muse, “Actors are made by circumstance… If you could, who wouldn’t want to be a pure, sincere, and genuinely good kid?”