Diagnosis: Friend [Rebirth] - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

“Ms. Zhou is truly warm-hearted. On behalf of all my students, I want to thank you and everyone at the ‘Chuyang Foundation’.”

Glimpsing Jiang Qing standing by the osmanthus tree out of the corner of her eye, Jian Wenxin waved her over.

The girl clearly froze for a moment. Seeing her teacher mouth the words “Come here,” she finally trotted over, enveloped in the fragrance of the blossoms.

Jian Wenxin led the girl to the woman, affectionately wrapping an arm around her with her wrist resting on the girl’s shoulder. “Ms. Zhou, this little one is the most outstanding student in our sophomore year. She has scored full marks on her physics monthly exams several times; she’s a prime candidate for A University.”

Jiang Qing looked up and offered Zhou Xuening a smile: “Hello, Auntie Zhou.”

Zhou Xuening’s eyes crinkled. Her gaze swept over the girl’s face and settled on her canvas shoes—faded from washing, with the rubber soles starting to split at the toes. Her eyes filled with a flicker of heartache as she reached out to gently rub the top of the girl’s head.

Zhou Xuening said, “Good child. Study hard; a bright future is waiting for you.”

Jiang Qing cooperated perfectly, nodding with solemn importance.

Jian Wenxin patted Jiang Qing’s shoulder and glanced at her watch: “Jiang Qing, class is about to start. Head back to the classroom first.”

As she watched the girl’s silhouette disappear around the corner, Jian Wenxin sighed. “This child is very smart and works incredibly hard, but her family circumstances aren’t great. She has made it this far entirely on her own.”

Zhou Xuening smiled softly: “Ms. Jian, the original purpose of the Gu Group establishing the ‘Chuyang Foundation’ was to help children like her. If there is anything she needs in the future, please don’t hesitate to tell me. I will do my utmost to help her.”

At the corner of the teaching building.

Jiang Qing stood amidst the dense osmanthus bushes, peering through the gaps in the leaves at the mint-green figure.

…What should I do? I can’t find a single chance to be alone with Zhou Xuening.

The school bell rang, long and echoing. Jiang Qing sighed, turned, and ran toward her classroom.

After the afternoon classes ended, Jiang Qing ran back to the dormitory.

The slip of paper in her palm had been crumpled into a ball. Jiang Qing fished out her old phone from the cabinet and pressed the buttons one by one according to the numbers on the slip, finally hitting the call button.

The phone rang twice before being picked up.

“Hello, Ms. Zhou. This is Jiang Qing. We met today at the thank-you event. Do you remember me?” Jiang Qing tried to keep her voice low against the backdrop of chaotic footsteps in the corridor.

“Ah…” The other end went silent for a moment. “Oh! The student from No. 2, right? Hello! I am Manager Zhou’s secretary. She isn’t in right now. Is there something I can help you with?”

It was the expected result; the number Zhou Xuening had left was not her personal one.

Jiang Qing spoke again: “I see. Could I trouble you, sister, to tell Ms. Zhou when she returns to call this number back? I have something to tell her. Please.”

Secretary Wang, sitting at her desk, thought of the promise Zhou Xuening had made at No. 2 that day. While marveling that a student actually called to ask for something, she said gently: “Are you in some kind of trouble? You can tell me; I can help you as well.”

The girl on the phone insisted: “No, I really have something I need to tell Ms. Zhou personally. Can you please pass the message to her?”

Youth is so naive… How could Manager Zhou possibly call back a high school student just because she said she “had something to tell her”?

That being said, facing a polite minor, Secretary Wang maintained a good attitude: “I understand. When Manager Zhou returns, I will report it to her.”

As for whether she calls you back… well, the possibility is zero.

“Alright, thank you.” Jiang Qing hung up.

Though a callback was unlikely, to avoid missing it in case Zhou Xuening actually did call, Jiang Qing took her phone to evening self-study. If it vibrated, she would run to the restroom to answer.

The Dean didn’t seem to be patrolling today. And Zhou Xuening indeed did not call back.

After evening self-study, Jiang Qing went alone to the small woods behind the playground. When she dialed the number again, she heard clear impatience in the voice. She spoke first: “Secretary sister, I’m truly sorry to bother you again. I just wanted to ask if you informed Ms. Zhou about my matter?”

Surrounded by a mess of files on her desk, Secretary Wang was fuming. Overtime was annoying enough without having to deal with this brat. “I told her. She’s busy!”

The phone went silent for a moment.

“I’m sorry for causing you trouble.”

Secretary Wang blinked, a sudden wave of guilt washing over her. Was I too harsh? She’s just a student; I shouldn’t take my overtime frustrations out on her…

Just as she was about to say something to soften the mood, the girl spoke: “Secretary sister, could I trouble you to pass the message one more time?”

The woman’s anger flared up again. Is this ever going to end? Can’t you see Zhou Xuening doesn’t want to deal with it!

“Pass it on, pass it on, pass it on”—the phrase made her head ache. Every tiny thing had to be passed to Zhou Xuening; she had already been scolded by her boss when she mentioned it today, being called a useless secretary who couldn’t handle trivialities herself!

The voice on the phone continued: “Please tell Ms. Zhou that if she doesn’t want Mr. Gu to find out about her affairs, she must call me back. Also, please tell her my surname is Jiang, I am sixteen years old, and my birthday is on Christmas Day.”

Secretary Wang’s fury reached a boiling point. Can someone please control these high schoolers! Why is she telling me her birthday? Does she expect us to throw her a party? It’s just a charity project, and she’s actually stalking us—

Wait!

The woman’s anger vanished instantly. Oh ho, we have gossip! …And it seems like a big one.

She perked up, her overtime fatigue disappearing. She tried to probe the girl for more information, but the girl remained tight-lipped, only repeating the message.

“Alright, I will inform Manager Zhou.”

Her curiosity went unsatisfied, leaving her heart itching with questions.

Silence shrouded the woods, with the distant sounds of students playing. Jiang Qing received a call from Zhou Xuening the following Sunday at noon, asking to meet that afternoon. The voice on the phone was incredibly calm, just as soft and magnetic as it had been at the activity room, causing Jiang Qing to drift off into a daze unconsciously.

“Jiang Qing.” The voice on the phone called her name.

Jiang Qing snapped back to reality, her fingernails picking at the old wooden cabinet door. “See you Sunday, Ms. Zhou.”

Dim, warm light fell through the gaps in the bed curtains, resting quietly on a pale wrist. Specks of dust danced in the light, and a warm breath flowed in the palm of her hand.

After a long time, the arm moved, and the sound of slow breathing echoed in the quiet dorm. With a “snap,” the curtains were pulled open. A girl in pajamas sat on the bed, warmth radiating around her. Her eyes were blank, and her hair looked like a bird’s nest as she dazed out.

Jiang Qing sat on the bed for ten minutes before the grogginess from sleeping too long left her body. She kicked her shoes out from under the bed.

After tying her laces, Jiang Qing folded her blanket and threw her school jacket over her T-shirt. Suddenly, a happy voice came from above: “Jiang Qing, are you going out to get food?”

Jiang Qing looked toward the sound. Between two thin bed curtains, a head popped out, grinning at her. “Jiang Qing, I don’t want to go out, but I’m so hungry.”

Zipping up her jacket, Jiang Qing asked, “You didn’t go home?”

Zhang Zixi’s grinning face instantly deflated. “I fought with my family. Just ran back; you were sleeping when I got here.”

“Does your family know you’re back at the dorm? I’m worried they’ll look for you and call Ms. Jian.” Jiang Qing took a comb to the sink and tied her hair into a low ponytail.

Zhang Zixi rested her chin on her palm: “Hmph, they might not even remember me.”

Jiang Qing didn’t know how to comfort her. Remembering the hunger, she walked back to Zhang Zixi’s bunk. “What do you want to eat?”

The craving for food temporarily suppressed her family grievances. She counted on her fingers: “I want the red bean milk tea from the back gate—hot, standard sugar. Also, an order of Juewei, ten yuan’s worth is fine. A serving of fried noodles, no soybeans. And a chicken leg, extra spicy…”

Jiang Qing couldn’t remember it all, so she had her write it down on a slip of paper.

After eating a bowl of fried rice herself, Jiang Qing took the note and bought the items one by one. Fortunately, all the snack stalls were on the street behind the school and close to each other. Since it was Saturday and most students had gone home, the stalls weren’t crowded.

While waiting for the barbecue lady to grill the chicken leg—reminding her to make it medium spicy—Jiang Qing stepped into the milk tea shop next door. It was an old shop called “Wind Shelter.” Like its name, it was a “shelter” for students who didn’t have much pocket money but wanted milk tea, famous at No. 2 for its low prices and prime location.

Even on a weekend, the tiny shop was lively. Unlike weekdays, the shop mostly served students from schools other than No. 2 on weekends. For example, as soon as Jiang Qing walked in, she noticed a row of tables by the window filled with students in red-and-white uniforms. A few of them looked familiar.

They were the three girls Jiang Qing had met at No. 9 a week ago.

Lifting her gaze slightly, Jiang Qing looked behind the three girls. Sure enough, a girl in a black-and-white dress sat obediently in a chair, her knuckles idly tapping the table. Jiang Qing felt suspicious—was that girl, Tan Baozhu, in league with them, or just another victim?

The girl’s head moved as if she sensed the gaze. Jiang Qing quickly turned away toward the counter.

That glance was startling. At the counter, a girl holding several cups of milk tea was turning to walk out. Her school jacket was pushed up halfway, and her brow was slightly furrowed. As she lifted her head, the tiny mole on her neck was revealed, making her neck look like a lotus root.

Jiang Qing took a deep breath and looked away, but her eyes uncontrollably drifted back. The girl’s gaze rose candidly, sweeping over the people in line.

It swept over Jiang Qing.

Gu Yining did not remember her.

A solid pang of bitterness welled up in her heart. Jiang Qing comforted herself: from Gu Yining’s perspective, she was just a stranger she had seen once; it was normal not to remember.

As she steadied her emotions, another thought occurred. Tomorrow she would meet Zhou Xuening. Her word alone wouldn’t be enough for Zhou Xuening to believe her; there would definitely need to be a DNA test before any action was taken. Obtaining Gu Yining’s hair would take time—meaning Gu Yining would have to stay at No. 9 even longer.

It would be better to take Gu Yining’s hair to the meeting with Zhou Xuening directly.

Jiang Qing lowered her eyes, watching the girl’s every move as she walked closer. When she was beside her, Jiang Qing suddenly leaned forward with an “Ouch,” stumbling toward Gu Yining.

Gu Yining didn’t expect it. Her dodge was too late, and Jiang Qing landed on her, both falling to the floor.

“I’m so sorry! I just twisted my ankle! I am so sorry!” Jiang Qing panted as she lay on top of the girl, using her limited acting skills to fake an accident.

With someone of similar weight pressing down on her, Gu Yining winced in pain. She pushed her away angrily. As she tried to climb up, her scalp spiked with pain.

“You’re kneeling on my hair!” The girl grabbed Jiang Qing’s wrist and shoved her away harshly.

With a few strands of hair in her palm, Jiang Qing stood up. Gu Yining had already strode back to the window where the three girls were sitting, cursing: “Is she crazy?!”

Jiang Qing didn’t even buy the milk tea; she left the shop quickly. Grabbing the grilled chicken leg, she didn’t stop for a second, fast-walking back into the school.

Under the shadow of a wall, she slowly raised her left hand.

In her palm, besides the strands of hair, was something else—a memory card.

Back in the shop, when Gu Yining had grabbed her hand, her lips had brushed against Jiang Qing’s cheek, whispering in a voice only the two could hear: “Keep this safe for me.”