Chapter 30: Rare Treasure

Facing the boss lady’s question, Li Heng smiled awkwardly and replied in an evasive tone:

“I don’t remember clearly—it probably hasn’t been that long.”

The boss lady held a comb in one hand and scissors in the other, looking at her reflection in the mirror and asking: “What style do you want? Crew cut? Or side-parted?”

He didn’t like either crew cut or side-parted; after thinking, Li Heng described the hairstyle he usually kept in the future.

After listening, the boss lady said nothing, steadied his head with both hands, and got to work.

During this time, two more people entered the door—Liu Li and Zhang Zhiyong, come to find him.

Li Heng asked Liu Li: “Sleep well?”

Liu Li had intended to sit on the sofa, but upon recognizing Xiao Han, she stopped mid-step and moved to the bamboo bench on the right.

She replied listlessly: “Dozed for about half an hour, then Liu Yejiang came back to the dorm and made so much noise, I got up.”

Zhang Zhiyong sat down beside her, utterly frustrated: “Liu Yejiang’s voice is so loud and he never listens—damn it! I really want to slap him twice.”

Each dorm room at No. 1 High School accommodates ten people, with balconies, while bathrooms and showers are shared per floor.

Of these ten, five openly had conflicts with Liu Yejiang.

Two boys had gentle temperaments and never clashed with anyone.

Two others were Liu Yejiang’s close friends, both lively and fond of shouting; one was even a former junior high classmate from the old town—Zou Ai—and also the last person admitted to Shaodong County No. 1 High School in this batch.

Hearing Liu Li and Zhang Zhiyong keep complaining about Liu Yejiang, Li Heng joked:

“If he’s disturbing your sleep, just deal with him directly—don’t hold back. Sun Man will back you up.”

At that moment, the silent boss lady suddenly spoke: “So it’s you—I didn’t recognize you with all that long hair. You look like a refined gentleman, yet you’re so easily angered?”

Xiao Han, reading with her head down, thought joyfully inside: Back in junior high, he was a real troublemaker, terrifyingly wild! But now he’s truly a gentle, refined gentleman—ah, when will he end up in my bowl…

Li Heng glanced at the boss lady behind him through the mirror and smiled without replying.

Five minutes later, as she made the final touches, the boss lady praised him:

“You look completely like a different person—why did you ever keep long hair? Such a good face!”

“Never grow your hair long again—it hides your vital energy and spirit.”

Before he could respond, she added: “How about I take a photo of you? Put it on the glass door for promotion—free haircuts from now on, how’s that?”

Li Heng dodged the question: “Madam, do you even have a camera?”

She was the vice principal’s wife—calling her “Madam” wasn’t inappropriate.

The boss lady replied: “Of course I do—I can take pictures and develop them too. I can give you a few prints tonight—what do you say? Think it over?”

Under everyone’s curious stares, Li Heng finally shook his head and refused.

Seeing this, the boss lady didn’t press further, only sighed repeatedly.

After the haircut, he washed his hair again; the boss lady dried it for him and asked: “Want some hair gel?”

Li Heng waved his hand: “No, I’m not used to that stuff.”

Then he stood up and asked: “How much?”

The boss lady shook the apron vigorously to dislodge the hair clippings: “Four mao.”

Li Heng counted out three ten-fen coins and added two five-fen coins.

Before leaving, he turned back to greet Xiao Han, then departed with his two dining partners.

On the playground, Liu Li lamented: “Taking a photo means you get pictures and free haircuts forever—why didn’t you say yes?”

Li Heng caught a falling leaf and blew on it boastfully: “Our ambition is the entire cosmos—how could we let our photos be stuck in some backwater corner?”

…

Meanwhile.

After getting his bangs trimmed and leaving the barbershop, Peng Dan, seeing no outsiders, finally couldn’t hold back:

“Xiao Han, didn’t you say you had no connection with Li Heng? But today you two seem awfully familiar?”

Xiao Han smiled sweetly: “Yes! I think it’s strange too. Maybe you’re just too charming today—he’s trying to get to know you through me.”

Peng Dan, timid in public and never daring to mention boys, was lively in private and immediately played along:

“Great! You’re both from the same place—invite him out more often!”

Xiao Han teased her friend: “What? You like him?”

Peng Dan blinked, linked arms with her, and coaxed: “Someone with good grades and this kind of face? He’s rarer than a giant panda—refreshing and pleasant.”

“We can get to know him first—see if there’s a chance after graduation.”

Xiao Han praised her with a helpful smile: “I think that’s a great idea. He’s well-rounded and approachable—marrying him would be an incredible value.”

At the same time, she resolved inwardly: I must write this little devil down—daring to eye my rare treasure? Get lost, get lost!

“Get lost” was a fresh term he’d used yesterday to complain about Ying Wen; she hadn’t expected to use it herself today—she nearly laughed out loud. What a sweet burden.

At that moment, another friend, Chen Yan, teased Xiao Han: “Hey! I remember you used to really dislike him—why are you suddenly so eager to talk about him today?”

Xiao Han’s right hand mimicked a cat’s paw, swiping at the air without blushing:

“A country boy transformed into a city girl’s dream—don’t you think I should be delighted? He’s my junior high classmate.”

Peng Dan suddenly remembered and jumped up: “No way! I remember you told Chen Zijin he looked like a thug with long hair—ugly as hell!”

I was just provoking Chen Zijin—of course that wasn’t the truth, Xiao Han said, tapping her friend with the Youth Digest, her lips curving into a crescent:

“Was I? Now that his hair’s cut, he’s simply impossible to tire of.”

…

Heading to the cafeteria, surprisingly, there was still leftover food.

Zhang Zhiyong, having lost the bet, brought over the pound of spicy seaflower he’d bought; the three of them devoured it together, spicy heat exploding in their mouths—huffing and puffing!

It was delicious beyond words.

Midway through the meal, Liu Li suddenly said: “By the way, Li Heng, just now while I was with Lao Yong buying spicy seaflower outside, I ran into the English teacher.”

“She said she needs to see you—asked you to go to the homeroom teacher’s office after your haircut; she’s waiting.”

Li Heng’s heart stirred—could it be news about “To Live”?

Then he hesitated—hadn’t he only mailed it five days ago? Could it really be this fast?

But it didn’t matter—he’d know once he saw her.

He quickly finished eating, rinsed his bowl and chopsticks, handed them to the two, and rushed toward the classroom, anticipation in his chest.

The homeroom teacher’s office was next to the staircase, adjacent to the classroom, separated only by a corridor.

If both the office door and classroom door were open, Teacher Wang Qi could see most corners of the classroom from her chair.

He sprinted up three flights and found the homeroom teacher wasn’t at her usual spot by the classroom door.

He peeked into the office—it was empty.

Where’s the English teacher who said she’d wait for me?

Even the homeroom teacher was gone—not a soul in sight.

Just as he turned away in disappointment, his gaze accidentally drifted into the classroom.

Huh? Someone’s there?

In the next instant, he froze as if turned to stone, staring fixedly at the person in the third seat of the third row.

(End of Chapter)