Chapter 6: High School
Nie Qiu was actually thirty-eight years old, the same age as Nie Aifang. She feared that her words of comfort would further hurt the mother’s self-esteem, so she couldn’t offer any. However, calling someone her own age “Mother” did cause Nie Qiu a moment of struggle, but since things were this way, perhaps they couldn’t be changed.
By now, Nie Qiu had also come to understand some basic details about this family. For instance, the body’s name was Nie Qiu, and Nie Qiu was sixteen years old, attending the third year of junior high at a high school. Furthermore, Nie Qiu’s mother was thirty-eight years old, and there was no father figure in their family.
Nie Qiu had always wanted to ask how she got injured. When she woke up, the memory of the mother slapping her was still vivid. At that time, the mother had said, “Fighting?” This girl’s injuries were definitely not that simple. Nie Qiu had looked in the mirror. They say one’s appearance reflects their inner self; this girl should have been an introverted and low-key person. Why would a child get so badly hurt from fighting?
But Nie Aifang consistently avoided the topic, so Nie Qiu didn’t press the issue, fearing she would hurt the mother’s feelings.
However, one thing surprised Nie Qiu: why would a migrant worker living in a rented residential area send their child to a high school? And… where would they get so much money to send their child to a high school?
In the morning, Nie Aifang steamed two steamed buns for Nie Qiu and carefully handed them to her. She adjusted Nie Qiu’s school uniform collar and said with a smile, “Qiu Qiu, I’ll take you to school this morning. You’ve lost your memory, so you might not know the way. Come back by yourself after school this afternoon. Remember to come back early; I’ll make you something delicious.”
Nie Qiu nodded and followed Nie Aifang to A City High School. A City High School could be considered her alma mater; she had attended middle school at this very institution. The school’s Hall of Fame still bore her personal signature and ID photo, and of course, there was her personal exhibition section, which contained her homework, exam papers, notes, and photos of her receiving awards on the lectern during various competitions throughout her three years there.
A City High School truly lived up to its name as a high school; at least its facilities and campus size were among the best nationwide. At the school gate stood a giant rock, seven meters long and about four meters high, inscribed with the words “A City High School.” The inscription below bore the principal’s name.
Upon entering the middle school gate, one was greeted by a large and spacious campus landscape. Directly facing the office building was a pond, and above the pond stood a metal sculpture of a dancing woman, with a small, rotating fountain below.
The building directly opposite the main entrance was the office building. Below it was the auditorium, and upstairs were the offices and club classrooms for various student organizations. The teaching buildings were on either side, with the dormitory buildings located at the rear. The entire campus layout was themed with European architecture, exuding a romantic atmosphere.
Along the tree-lined paths, at regular intervals, stood celebrity sculptures made of imitation white marble. Beneath each sculpture were the famous person’s wise sayings and aphorisms, highlighting the guidance of celebrities in education.
Nie Qiu remembered that this school had a total of nine hundred and ninety-nine celebrity sculptures, with foreign celebrities making up the vast majority. There were ancient, modern, and contemporary figures, both deceased and living. In fact, as soon as Nie Qiu entered the school, she felt countless gazes sweeping over her. Nie Qiu frowned but pretended not to notice. After surveying her alma mater, she noticed that Nie Aifang had been walking with her head down. Nie Qiu paused, realizing that this woman was feeling inferior.
