A Young Woman's Heart

"Don't play pranks like that again, okay? Seriously!"

“Exactly, exactly.” Mo Zhuyou nodded vigorously. “People with poor health really shouldn’t drink like this.”

Today, everyone is criticizing her together, and Wang Jiale has joined in: "Yinyin has been like this for more than a day or two. She doesn't know when to stop playing pranks. Xiaoxue can't hold her liquor either, right? Getting her drunk would be even more troublesome."

"Xiaoxue will be fine..." Hua Yinyin clasped her hands together, her head slightly lowered, her eyes fixed on the table. "Um... I didn't do it on purpose..."

Seeing her somewhat aggrieved and hurt appearance, Mo Xueyao suddenly felt a pang of pity.

Everyone has a different personality, and Hua Yinyin's personality is generally like this; sometimes you can't force it.

Everyone makes mistakes, so just don't play any more outrageous pranks in the future.

"Alright, alright, Yinyin has already admitted her mistake, so please stop arguing with her."

Wang Jiale and Mo Zhuyou exchanged a glance. Before they could say anything, they saw Hua Yinyin suddenly raise her head, tears welling up in her eyes, and rush into Mo Xueyao's arms.

"Waaaaah—Little Yaoyao—!!"

"Hey, hey, hey, is it really necessary to get so worked up? And don't wipe your snot on my clothes!"

……

(two)

The midday practice session was thus cancelled.

The alarm rang urgently. Fortunately, Yu Shu had woken up a few minutes earlier, but she was still a little dazed, her hazy eyes filled with confusion.

"Ta-da! Shu'er, look! Your performance has been recorded!"

Mo Xueyao, with drooping eyelids, pushed Hua Yinyin's cheek away: "Alright, that's enough. Yu Shu just woke up, so stop acting strangely."

“Xiao Yao…” When Yu Shu saw her, her cheeks suddenly burned, and she looked at the foam mat on the ground in a panic, as if she remembered something.

It seems that being drunk doesn't necessarily mean you won't remember anything.

"Alright, alright, are you feeling better? Should I ask you to take the afternoon off?" Mo Xueyao was particularly bossy at this moment.

Unlike Li Wanyan, who manages others as a class monitor, she also has a touch of dashing youthful spirit, making her seem like a reliable older sister.

Of course, this feeling only lasted for a moment, at most making Hua Yinyin, who was next to her, a little dazed.

"Tsk, she's really starting to resemble Wanyan more and more..." she muttered, pursing her lips.

"No need... It's alright."

"Shall we take you back to your class? If you're really not feeling well, just say so, and we'll help you ask for leave. We'll say you're not feeling well and need to rest in the band room for a while."

"No, no need!" Yu Shu shook her head vigorously, then hugged her head again, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

"You shouldn't do any big movements now," Mo Xueyao said with a helpless smile. "You should rest. It's quiet in the band room and you won't be disturbed. We'll ask for leave for you."

“Yes, Shu’er, it’s better to take leave if you’re not feeling well.” Mo Zhuyou nodded vigorously.

Wang Jiale reached out and touched her forehead: "It seems... a little hot? You should rest well."

"Well……"

"That's fine then, get some rest!" Mo Xueyao helped her sit down in a chair.

Mr. Xue handed over another full glass of warm water at just the right moment, and said with a faint smile, "Drink more water."

"Thanks……"

The bell slowly stopped ringing, and everyone had to return to the classroom.

Hua Yinyin was the last to leave, giving Yu Shu an apologetic smile as she looked towards the door, before quickly catching up with Mo Xueyao and the others.

……

(three)

The sky is getting dark earlier and earlier.

It was nearly 5 p.m.

The sunset had already painted a small patch of the sky red.

The clouds resembled the smoke from an incense burner, swirling in the sky and rotating slightly. They were clearly layered and varied in shape, as if there was an even more prosperous city above the clouds.

"Sister Yu Shu, how are you feeling?" Mr. Xue walked into the band room carrying a cheap plastic bag. Yu Shu seemed to be in much better spirits. She was resting her chin on her hand, looking out the window with a fascination in her eyes.

Yu Shu was startled and turned her head in a panic, only to see Mr. Xue, with his red lips and white teeth, smiling at her.

That smile was absolutely pure and without any impurities.

"W-What happened..."

Aren't you going home?

"Hmm... I'll ask later." Yu Shu opened her mouth slightly, as if she wanted to ask something, but then swallowed it back down.

Mr. Xue sat down opposite her, opened the plastic bag, and inside was a cheap foam box. As soon as the box was opened, a barbecue aroma wafted out.

Seeing her looking at him, he smiled and asked, "Want some?"

"No, no need... thank you..." Yu Shu hesitated for a moment, and seeing Mr. Xue preparing to take a bite, she couldn't help but ask softly, "What... is this?"

"This? Roasted spider."

"Huh?!"

"I might only come here once a month, so I'll buy some food when I see it."

Are they all spiders?

“No, this is a grasshopper, this is a seahorse, this is a kudzu worm…” Mr. Xue introduced them one by one as if they were his own treasures, and finally sighed with some regret, “They taste very delicious, but you can’t eat too many.”

"..." Yu didn't even want to ask why, because she lost her appetite after seeing it.

There were even scorpions and centipedes inside.

Scorpions are one thing, but how could anyone bring themselves to bite a centipede...?

"Sister Yu Shu, are you hungry?"

"Don't, don't call me that..." Yu Shu hurriedly covered her cheeks, her face burning hot, almost red to the roots of her ears.

“You told me to call you that before,” Mr. Xue said earnestly.

"I, I, I was just like that before... um... I, I didn't!" Yu Shu finally gave up explaining and chose to escape.

"But you are indeed older than me."

"No, don't say anymore..." If there were a hole in the ground, Yu Shu would have crawled into it already.

Just as Mr. Xue was about to say something, Hua Yinyin's energetic voice came from outside the door.

It sounds like he's playfully fighting with other girls.

Yu Shu breathed a slight sigh of relief and quickly whispered, "Just... call me that normally..."

"Okay, Yu Shu."

"Um……"

"Yo~ Sister Yu Shu~!" Mo Xueyao teased as soon as she entered the classroom.

"Even Xiaoyao—!" Yu Shu stomped her foot in embarrassment and annoyance, her cheeks puffed out almost as much as her bun.

Everyone sat in the band room with their own dinners; there were more people there than usual at this time.

Li Wanyan and Mo Xiaoxiao usually come over, and sometimes Cha Li, Xuan Anyi, Lu Chengyuan, and even Du Qicai and Ye Banxia will come to visit.

The main advantage is that it's quieter here, unlike the noisy main teaching building.

"The wind outside is particularly cool today, how about we eat on the rooftop?" Cha Li was also here today, and when she said this, she smiled and glanced at Mr. Xue.

"Mmm!" came Mo Zhuyou's reply. "Let's go, let's go, Cha Lili, let's go get some fresh air~"

Cha Li's gaze lingered on Mr. Xue for another second before subtly shifting away: "Is anyone else going?"

"Let's go together then!" Mo Xueyao shook the bag in her hand. "Yu Shu, are you coming too? I can share some with you. You must be hungry, right?"

"fine……"

Mr. Xue finished the rest of the fried skewers in one go, and licked his lips with a hint of lingering satisfaction: "It's a pity I've finished them all."

"We can go to the rooftop to chat after we finish eating, come on, Xiaoxue." Wang Jiale put one hand on his shoulder and pulled him away as if she were her best friend.

"Yeah, it's more fun when everyone's together." Cha Li winked playfully.

Mr. Xue winked at her playfully in response.

Everyone was already used to his mischievousness.

In fact, Mr. Xue isn't always the kind of person who is very serious.

……

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Performance Arranged by Rain Sky High School

Friday, July 14, 2001.

noon.

The sunlight wasn't bright; it carried a dreamlike haziness.

The last day of the week, a school day, always makes people feel especially sleepy.

Sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the entire classroom.

The world outside the window was not very clear, and the windows were so bright that it felt as if there were lights shining very close to you.

In front of Mo Xueyao was a red plastic mirror, and on the back of the mirror was a picture of a beautiful woman dressed in an alluring manner.

These kinds of mirrors are most commonly found at street stalls.

The picture on the back is actually just a thin piece of plastic. Over time, even if you don't tear it, it will naturally wrinkle and peel off.

Even now, there's still something she doesn't understand.

Since most mirror buyers are women, why would they put pictures of beautiful women behind the mirror?