Teacher Qin Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Summer Break of Grade 8

In August, during the summer break of Grade 8, the rainy season in Linqi County continued. Today, a light rain fell, pitter-pattering against the ground and unsettling the heart. Several men in leather shoes took shelter under a carport. Rain dripped through holes in the roof, sliding down the thick brow of one of the men.

The man stared at the two people across from him for a long time, his sharp eyes narrowing into a thin line.

Big brother, it is this woman. A lackey stepped up behind him and held a phone in front of the man. The photo showed two young, innocent girls walking arm-in-arm, both wearing identical braided pigtails draped over their shoulders.

The man shifted his gaze, his eyes falling on the person who was smiling at the other girl. He took a deep drag of the cigarette between his fingers. The cigarette was nearly finished, and ash fell onto his hand, but he felt nothing.

Big brother, do we move? The lackey pulled the phone back and asked again.

The man turned his gaze toward the young girl standing beside the woman and waved his right hand. Understanding the signal, the men behind him stepped out one by one, their leather shoes clicking as they headed in the same direction.

Polished leather shoes stepped into puddles, splashing dirty water. The man looked up at the hole in the roof above him, reached out to wipe a raindrop from his cheek, and quickly lowered his head as he left the carport to follow them.

The sound of a freezer cart hitting the ground startled the passersby. Those with umbrellas and those without all instinctively looked toward the woman before hurrying away.

Drenched in the rain, the men closed in on the woman. She reached out to shield the young girl behind her, her eyes filled with fear and vigilance as she met theirs. The leader stepped forward from the back, staring at the woman while twisting the jade ring on his thumb.

When the woman saw the man, the expression on her face shifted several times. She turned and grabbed the girl’s arms, pushing her back. It is nothing. You go home first.

The girl was stunned. Raindrops slid down her forehead, but she did not move. Go back now! The woman’s tone was filled with a harshness the girl had never heard before. The girl took two steps back, her eyes meeting the man behind the woman. He kept his head down, still twisting his jade ring, seemingly very patient.

The girl withdrew her gaze and parted her lips. Aunt Lu…

Go! Lu Fei interrupted Gu Yuwei’s words. Gu Yuwei retreated a few more steps. One of the lackeys kicked a stool aside, growing impatient, his eyes fixed on Gu Yuwei.

Gu Yuwei gripped the hem of her shirt tightly, turned, and disappeared into the drizzle.

Ah Fei, you certainly made me look for a long time. The man’s low, raspy voice came from behind Gu Yuwei, carrying a cold sneer. It seems that after not seeing each other for so long, you have been living quite well. The man spoke unhurriedly. But I have not been doing well.

The man stepped forward and grabbed Lu Fei by the hair, forcing her close. What, are you getting old and losing your memory?

The lackey stepped forward at the right moment and handed over the phone again. The man took it and brought it close to Lu Fei’s face. I cannot find her, but you, the guarantor, are just as good.

The contract on the phone screen made Lu Fei’s pupils contract slightly; she clearly had not expected this.

The man did not waste any more words. He let go of Lu Fei’s hair and turned around. Lu Fei sat on the ground in a daze as the rain poured down, soaking everything. The men hauled Lu Fei up from the ground, and they too disappeared into the rain.

Gu Yuwei did not know how she got home. It was not until the barking of the little yellow dog sounded that her consciousness was pulled back. Gu Yuwei stared at the little yellow dog running toward her.

The dog circled her feet a few times and bit her pant leg. Gu Yuwei picked the dog up. Her eyes darkened as she sank into thought.

Unable to sleep all night, Gu Yuwei went to the amusement park very early the next day. She held the little yellow dog, which slept soundly in her arms. She waited until noon, but the person who was supposed to be there never showed up. The traces of yesterday’s struggle still remained on the ground.

As the sun began to grow harsh, Gu Yuwei followed her memory to find where Lu Fei lived. Once, Lu Fei had left the keys to the freezer cart at home, and Gu Yuwei had run the errand for her.

The place where Lu Fei lived was not particularly remote, but because it had been under repair for years, there were very few residents, and the housing prices were low. Gu Yuwei stood before Lu Fei’s door with the dog in her arms and knocked.

There was no response from inside. Gu Yuwei turned and sat down, intending to wait. This wait lasted until midnight. Gu Yuwei looked up at the sky; the streetlights were flickering, having been broken for who knows how long.

A swaying figure stumbled into the light of a streetlamp. From the silhouette, it was clearly a woman. She was wearing a tight qipao with a slit that went all the way up to her thigh, accentuating her curves.

The woman stopped under the lamp. Soon, a wave of nausea hit her, and she leaned against the pole to retch. Gu Yuwei looked over several times before she finally recognized her.

Aunt Lu. Gu Yuwei ran toward her. A pungent smell of alcohol hit her, mixed with the woman’s perfume. It was not as repulsive as the smell of Gu Tao when he was drunk.

The little yellow dog followed behind Gu Yuwei, panting.

Gu Yuwei supported Lu Fei. The woman’s swaying body immediately slumped its full weight against Gu Yuwei, bringing that sharp perfume with it. For a moment, the sensation reminded Gu Yuwei of the time Qin Qing had leaned close to her.

But it was different.

Aunt Lu, are you okay? Lu Fei did not respond. Gu Yuwei led her toward the door. Only when they reached it did she remember the keys. Aunt Lu, the… the keys… Gu Yuwei supported Lu Fei with one hand while searching through her bag with the other.

The weight of an adult woman was a struggle for Gu Yuwei; she nearly fell several times.

Once inside, Gu Yuwei placed Lu Fei on the sofa. By the time she had settled everything as best she could, Lu Fei had fallen into a deep sleep. Gu Yuwei stood up and picked up the dog, preparing to leave, but in the next moment, she was frozen by a photo frame in front of the TV cabinet.

The frame had been knocked askew. Gu Yuwei put the dog down, stepped forward, and picked up the frame. The photo showed a young girl with delicate features. One could vaguely see Gu Yuwei’s shadow in her.

Gu Yuwei’s hands trembled slightly, and her heart raced. She tried her best to suppress her emotions as she sat down in front of the sofa, clutching the frame.

When Lu Fei woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. The headache from the hangover left her consciousness blurred. Seeing Lu Fei move, Gu Yuwei quickly turned to look at her. The young girl’s face looked ethereal in the glow of the morning sun. In her haze, Lu Fei thought she saw that person—the person she had longed for half her life.

Gu Yuwei said, Aunt Lu, you are awake.

The girl said, Xiao Fei, you are here.

As if possessed, Lu Fei reached out and embraced Gu Yuwei. Xiao Wen, I missed you so much, really… I missed you so much. The dampness on her shoulder made Gu Yuwei’s hand jerk. The sound of the photo frame hitting the floor shattered the illusion of the moment.

Lu Fei suddenly snapped back to her senses and let go of Gu Yuwei. Her face was pale as she reached up to rub her temples. Xiao Wei, why are you here?

Gu Yuwei remained silent, her calm gaze fixed on Lu Fei, her eyes filled with a searching intensity. After a long time, she looked down at the photo frame on the floor. Lu Fei followed her gaze and reached out, picking up the frame a step faster than Gu Yuwei.

The two faced each other in silence until Gu Yuwei finally spoke. You know that person. You have known all along. The girl’s voice carried a suppressed raspiness. it was not a question, but a statement of fact.

The consequence of not returning home all night was facing Gu Tao’s howling rants. Once Gu Tao had scolded her enough and grown tired, Gu Yuwei turned and went back to her room. She locked the door, shutting herself in her own world in an attempt to find a moment of peace, but her thoughts gradually drifted away.

That was Yang Qianwen shortly after she graduated high school. She and Lu Fei had known each other since their school days. After graduation, Yang Qianwen did not go to university due to family reasons. Lu Fei, who had failed to get in, followed her into society.

How could girls who had just entered society understand that people’s hearts were hidden behind their faces? At that time, the most profitable job in their eyes was selling alcohol. Yang Qianwen had a lively personality, and Lu Fei was good at managing money. Slowly, the two of them made a name for themselves in the bars.

Everything was originally heading in a good direction, but when neither of them expected it, a bombshell went off. An unknown man got Yang Qianwen drunk. By the time she woke up the next day, the man was already gone.

A few months later, her growing belly made Yang Qianwen realize she could no longer hide it. At that time, Gu Tao was pursuing her relentlessly. Yang Qianwen did not tell Gu Tao the truth. She hid everything, erasing Gu Yuwei’s biological father and claiming she was a widow.

Gu Tao felt even more sympathy for Yang Qianwen and swore then and there that he would always be good to her and the child. After Gu Yuwei was born, Gu Tao was framed and lost his job, which forced Yang Qianwen to return to the bars. When Gu Tao discovered she was still showing her face in public, he caused a scene every day.

At that time, Gu Yuwei was not even six months old.

Yang Qianwen gradually saw Gu Tao for who he was. She wanted to escape; both the home and the bars were suffocating her. Scumbags were not the only ones who frequented bars. Soon, Yang Qianwen got her wish. A man took her away from Linqi County.

Since then, no one knew where Yang Qianwen had gone. She had left in such a hurry that she didn’t even have time to settle her affairs. After a long time, Lu Fei thought she had finally escaped the contracts they had signed back then and could leave the bars.

She found Gu Tao’s house but did not enter. That man had become a different person. She started a small business and intentionally let Gu Yuwei find her.

Why did you not leave? That was what Gu Yuwei had asked Lu Fei at the time. Indeed, she could have left this place after getting rid of everything, staying far away from Linqi County. Even if she never met Gu Yuwei, she wouldn’t have ended up back on her old path.

Lu Fei did not answer Gu Yuwei. The answer was perhaps something only she knew.

Maybe she was still holding onto some kind of hope.

After that, Gu Yuwei did not go to the amusement park again. Summer break was tedious for her. She was unwilling to stay in the same space as Gu Tao every day. During the day, she would lead the little yellow dog to the Old Plaza outside the Experimental Middle School and sit on the swings all day.

Today, she saw those two familiar figures again—Qin Qing and Qin An’an. From a distance, she thought she saw Qin An’an smiling at her. She jumped off the swing and prepared to leave with the dog, but she was called out to by Qin Qing.