That afternoon, Li Hui and Wang Shu and I played until the third period before sneaking back to school.
The first time they skipped class, they were a little scared. Fortunately, they were habitual offenders and had rich experience. For example, they knew when it was appropriate to skip class, which teachers were easy to fool or who were incompetent, and where to get over the wall faster.
I knew how to avoid the office and find the best escape route in the classroom... So, from the time I climbed out of the wall to the time I came back, although I was extremely nervous, I did have a safe journey.
"Everyone said it's okay. What are you afraid of?"
"Hey, coward."
"What shall I tell the teacher later?"
I still vaguely remember a few conversations we had at that time. When I passed the classrooms of other grades, I imitated them and slipped under the window, and I couldn't help but feel a little worried. Now that I go back to the classroom, I will probably be caught.
How to explain it? Thinking about it makes me feel guilty.
"Let's just go to the toilet." After successfully passing through the teaching area and going around the back of the toilet to the quiet corridor, Li Hui straightened his back.
"not bad?"
"At worst, I'll be forced to stand, it's better if I don't have to go to class." Wang Shu smiled and didn't care.
…
But I was very uneasy and a little guilty. Because that class was a Chinese class, and the Chinese teacher in my memory was a very nice person, with a low profile, and was one of the few teachers in the school who was liked by most students. Mainly because, I
I got good grades in Chinese and he was very kind to me.
When he was approaching the stairs, Li Hui turned around and asked Wang Shu: "Hey, is your dad here?"
Wang Shu rolled his eyes, "How dare I go out while he's here?"
"That's good."
Li Hui felt relieved and turned over in a swaggering manner.
I know why he asked that, because the principal's office is facing the entrance to the stairs. In fact, I also saw the lights on in the principal's office, but I wasn't that scared. Because the principal usually only shows his face in the morning and basically disappears in the afternoon.
There are no people around, only the vice-principal is occasionally there.
However, I became nervous in the next two seconds. Li Hui walked in front and glanced at the principal's office very casually. Then I paused when I saw him, and then immediately turned around and walked straight away, his movements stiff. Then Wang Shu also
He took a sneak peek, lowered his head and walked over in three steps and then two.
I was breaking out in a cold sweat. Not to mention taking a closer look, I didn’t even dare to raise my head. I followed closely behind them. I only repeated the five-character mantra in my mind - you can’t see me, you can’t see me, you can’t see me.
…
However, it turns out that Jiang is still too old. It’s not that the other party didn’t notice us, but they wanted to catch us all. When we had passed for a few seconds and were about to walk up the stairs, both showing expressions of relief, there was a sound behind us that I still remember.
Sound that feels uncomfortable.
"You three, come in."
…
The three of us froze at the bottom of the stairs. My face turned pale with fright, and I just looked at them in fear. In those days, the principal was as celestial to ordinary people as he was to ordinary people. Especially to me. Because for people like my family
For such a powerless out-of-town family, even if they are humble and pay several times the money, the opportunity to go to school in the city is still a rare gift. And this gift often has to be provided by the principal.
Giving. In my eyes when I was a child, the principal was almost equal to the emperor of the school.
Li Hui and Wang Shu were habitual offenders, but they were much calmer than me. They pushed each other around for a while, and then the former took the lead and walked back in dismay.
I had no choice but to follow, lowering my head anxiously and not daring to raise it when we entered the principal's office.
In the past, the principal's office was a tall and mysterious place for me when I was young. I couldn't help but be curious and wanted to take a closer look. However, every time I passed by the door, I only dared to take a quick glance. Over the past few years, my impression has changed.
The deepest one is the money tree directly opposite the door.
"Where have you been?"
…
"Dumb?"
…
I was shaking with fear, my mind was empty, how could I dare to speak? After a while, I heard Li Hui's weak voice, "Go to the toilet..."
"Are three of us going to the toilet together?"
"I, let's wait for him..." Wang Shu added.
"And you?"
…
Li Hui touched me, and I realized that the other person was talking to me. I remember taking a look inside, but I can't remember the other person's appearance and expression clearly now. I shook my lips and said a few words, about
It's something like 'Me too', or 'I also go to the toilet'.
"come here."
"oh……"
I didn’t think about it, and I didn’t have time to think about it. Anyway, for us at that time, everything the teacher said and did was right, let alone the principal. I stopped in front of his desk, lowered my head and couldn’t see anything. I could only
I saw the black wood-grained desktop, which was shiny and shiny, very clean.
He said again, "Come over here."
I hesitated for a moment and walked around to the side of the table.
He added, "Come a little further."
I took two steps in a daze, raised my head slightly, and could already see his clean leather shoes and trousers, as well as the boss chair he was sitting on. It was a large leather chair, a very rare thing in that era, and it was very rare for ordinary people.
Usually I only see it on TV and it is not easy to see it in reality.
"Look up, lift up."
…
I was still staring at the four pulleys under the leather chair, and subconsciously raised my face when I heard the sound.
Snapped!
I didn't even see his appearance clearly, but I was slapped on the face. I staggered, spun around half a circle, and almost lost my balance.
…
At that time, I was confused. I only remember that when I turned around, I happened to be facing Li Hui and Wang Shu. And I still remember their expressions.
"Next time, don't come to school."
I don’t remember what happened in the next few dozen seconds, nor how I left the principal’s office. I only remember these words before leaving.
…
"Does it hurt……"
It wasn't until he came out of the principal's office and walked halfway up the stairs that Wang Shu broke the silence.
"Nonsense, I'll try to hit you..."
Li Hui looked at me, looked at my face, and hesitated to speak. I could see the intolerance, guilt, a little fear and bewilderment in his eyes.
"If he dares to hit me, my dad will complain to him and kill him." Wang Shu straightened his neck, but when he saw my face, he shrank back and looked away.
For a long time, we didn't speak.
I was still stunned, but they didn't know what to say. However, I was stunned not because I hadn't reacted yet, but because I listened to Wang Shu's words.
I suddenly understood why it was me who was beaten. Because Wang Shu’s father is the vice principal, and Li Hui’s uncle is the director of the district traffic management bureau.
Therefore, it is me who gets beaten, and it can only be me.
"I'll go back to the classroom..."
After a while, I said something to break the ice. Although I didn’t know what happened to my face, it was burning and I thought it must be red, so I would definitely be noticed when I returned to the classroom. But they didn’t dare to say it, so
I can only speak, and I can't just stand there.
The two of them murmured, but finally acquiesced.
When we got to the second floor, we originally wanted to hide from the third-grade classroom, but now that we had been discovered, there was no point in hiding anymore, so we went directly through the corridor.
At the door of the classroom, Li Hui and Wang Shu subconsciously blocked me.
The whole class looked over.
The Chinese teacher was writing on the blackboard and did not stop. He continued writing for more than ten seconds before turning around after finishing. I took a sneak peek and saw him glance over casually, but immediately there was an obvious pause, and then again
He glanced over. This time, he looked at it for a few seconds.
Snapped.
He threw the chalk back into the chalk box and walked out.
"Self-study, whoever makes the noise will be detained in class."
Without saying a word, he pushed Li Hui and Wang Shu on the back of their heads and pushed them into the classroom gently. "You come to the office with me."
I had no choice but to follow him. But I don't know why, but I wasn't as panicked as I was a moment ago. I just felt a little aggrieved.
"Hey--"
Because it was class time, there was only one teacher left in the teaching room. I had a deep impression on her. The young female teacher who taught English was quite pretty, but there were some pimples on her face, which was a bit deducted. She looked at
He looked at us for a moment, then stared at me, eyes wide open, full of surprise, "——Who is so heavy-handed?"
"Ah."
"Did you hit me?" She frowned.
"How is that possible? I'm used to shooting from left to right." The Chinese teacher returned to his desk and sat down.
I stood aside with my head bowed. Is it obvious? Although it felt a little spicy, I still didn't know what was going on on my face.
"Who is that? Are you so cruel?" The female teacher was a little angry. She opened the lower drawer sideways and started looking for it, "Do you want red potion..."
"It's no use."
The Chinese teacher took out a piece of paper towel and handed it over, indicating to wipe it, "Nosebleed."
I was startled, then took it and wiped it, only to find that my nose was bleeding a little. If he hadn't told me, I wouldn't have felt anything at all.
He sat down, crossed his legs, and asked, "Who hit me?"
I moved my lips and lowered my head.
The female teacher was a little dissatisfied, "No one can spank a child like this. How can anyone spank a child like this? Even parents cannot spank children like this."
"Do you want me to call the parents?"
"No..." I was shocked and shook my head quickly.
"Then tell me, who hit me?"
"Did the children fight?" The female teacher looked at my face and shook her head, "The children's hands are not that big. Did some teacher hit me?"
"Speak for yourself."
"school……"
"Ah? Louder!"
"school……"
I cheered and said a little louder, "Principal."
Then, the academic office became quiet.
I don’t know how many seconds, ten seconds, or tens of seconds have passed. Anyway, when I looked up slightly, the female teacher had turned her face away and stopped looking at me. Her right hand was still on the drawer she had pulled out.
But he didn't search for it, but slowly pushed it back.
The Chinese teacher asked again, "Did the principal hit you?"
I didn't dare to look at him, so I just nodded lightly and said 'hmm'.
"Did you hit him just now?"
"Um……"
"Did you do something bad? I remember you guys were very naughty." The female teacher interjected.
I didn't know how to answer, so I had no choice but to say nothing.
"call--"
The Chinese teacher took a long breath and stood up, "Raise your head to stop the bleeding."
Although there was no bleeding, I still raised my head obediently. Unfortunately, my eyes happened to be facing a line of large-character slogans on the wall, 'Teach students in accordance with their aptitude, educate people with morality'.
"Wait for me here."
After saying that, the Chinese teacher went out.
You're not going to find the principal, are you?
I'm a little scared again. What will happen if he goes to the principal? Will the principal come to me again? What if he goes to the parents... I'm even more scared as I think about it, but there's nothing I can do. The Chinese teacher goes out.
After that, the female teacher stopped talking and just corrected her homework. I kept my head raised and stared at the eight big characters on the wall, and suddenly I had the urge to turn around and run out.
But in the end I didn't dare to run. It was a bit dull and boring, so I just stared at the wall clock under the slogan and counted with the movement of the second hand.
When I counted more than 200, a teacher came in.
I looked at him and saw that he was the physical education teacher. He glanced at me, smiled and joked, "Which class is this unlucky kid from?" It wasn't until he saw the other side of my face that he opened his eyes.
, very surprised, "Wow, who is this, beaten like this? Teacher Li?"
The teacher he was talking about was another teacher in the lower grade. He was famous for his bad temper in the school. He would hit people on the palms of their hands or even their heads with sticks. He could break a broomstick to the extent that almost all the students were afraid of him.
he.
Before I could say anything, the female teacher who was correcting my homework said something calmly. I still remember it clearly because it was just a few words, "Who told him to be naughty?"
"Then we can't hit him so hard. What if we break him?"
The physical education teacher took a sip of water and went out again. Before leaving, he looked at my face and shook his head, "It's so cruel, you can really do it."
After hearing this, I became even more worried. It was not for anything else, but because I didn’t know how to explain it when I got home. Before, I was hoping that I could get away without being obvious, but after listening to the PE teacher’s words, I felt that it was still obvious. I looked again
I looked up the clock and found that school was about to end in more than ten minutes.
Just then, the Chinese teacher came back.
I didn't come back to my senses until he walked past me and sat down heavily on the chair. Then I saw his face and was a little confused. For me who was only 10 years old, it was still difficult to understand those complicated things.
Emotion. I could only see his livid complexion and the anger in his eyes. I was a little afraid, but I read something different from it. That was, a familiar feeling of powerlessness.
After sitting for a few seconds, he put his fisted hand on his forehead, then brushed his hand and said, "You go back to the classroom first."
"oh."
Instead, I felt relieved and turned around to leave. I was still worried that he would pursue me for skipping class.
Because I was afraid of being seen by my classmates, I had to go through the back door and lower my head back to my seat. In fact, the whole class saw it and took a peek, but no one said anything.
After a while, Wang Shu handed me half a pack of mixed crispy noodles, "Would you like to eat..."
I shook my head and pretended to pack my school bag, "No..."
Li Hui sat at the table in front. He was usually the most naughty and talkative, but today he looked back at me and was uncharacteristically silent.
At that moment, it was probably the first time I knew what suffering was.
Fortunately, it didn't take long for the Chinese teacher to come back. He looked the same as usual. He didn't mention the three of us skipping class, nor did he mention me. He just assigned homework as usual, and then gave a few things to pay attention to during the holiday.
Then the school bell rang.
As soon as I waited for him to say get out of class was over, I ran away dragging my schoolbag.
I walked down the back stairs and went straight to the back door of the school. I was the first student to run out of the school. But not long after, Li Hui, Wang Shu and another friend chased me out.
"Ayi!"
"Are you going to play ball?"
"not going……"
"Then let's go to the canteen, I'll take it."
"I'm not going, I'm going home..."
I don’t know what happened to them, but I actually didn’t go home immediately. I wandered aimlessly, trying to find a place with few people, and every time I met a pedestrian coming from the opposite direction, I couldn’t help but lower my head and touch my face.
, or lift your hair... try to cover the redness and swelling on your face.
Just like that, school ended at 5 o'clock, and I walked around until 7 o'clock and it was completely dark before going home.