Chapter 23: Snowfall

Feng Yan walked toward the cafeteria, shivering, and said to Chen Hao, "It's so cold, is it winter already?"

"What do you say?" Chen Hao said while speaking, while running fast. "Ah, what's the rush, this isn't...?" Before he finished, Feng Yan glanced at his watch, "Doomed." He thought, and also ran fast over.

As a result, they were still one step late; the Year Director blocked Feng Yan in front of the teaching building, the latecomers stood in a line, and the Year Director looked at them. Feng Yan furtively glanced at the Year Director—he wasn't very tall, had his hands behind his back, wore sunglasses, so Feng Yan couldn't see his eyes, but he felt this Year Director was the best among them. Feng Yan and they stood in a line, then two girls came behind and were both called out by the Year Director, who sternly asked, "Which class are you from?" The two girls answered honestly; the Year Director removed his sunglasses, revealing eyes as sharp as an eagle's, sighed, and said, "It's still a second-tier class, so you should work even harder!"

Then he went to the office, took out a duty roster, and said, "Write your names on it." The latecomers each wrote their names on the roster, finally returning it to the Year Director's hand. He glanced at the names on the list, then directly tore the roster into pieces and threw them into the trash can.

Everyone looked puzzled at the Year Director's action; then the Year Director spoke, seemingly recalling his own student days. He looked at those standing punishment, showed a concerned expression, and asked, "Are you cold?" No one replied, then he continued, "After all, it's freezing weather; the forecast says there will still be heavy snow today, it's bitterly cold—who wants to get up so early? Besides, being late isn't really a big deal, is it worth the school's so much attention? As for us teachers, we don't get up that early either, so this time I'll let you off—just don't be late again. Now, hurry back to the classroom."

Upon hearing that, they all ran back to the classroom; Feng Yan returned to his seat and sat down. Chen Hao asked him, "All right?" "All right." Feng Yan replied, "The Year Director said being late isn't a big deal, just telling us to pay attention next time." "But I'm afraid some people don't think so." Chen Hao said with a worried expression. Feng Yan knew what that meant, turned around, directly took out today's textbook, and prepared to start today's recitation.

Just then, the homeroom teacher came to the classroom, walked to the podium, picked up a list, and read aloud: "Feng Yan, Chen Hui, and those few latecomers—do I really have to call roll one by one? Come to the office door, all of you!"

Several people heard their names, rose from their seats, and Chen Hao grabbed Feng Yan, showing concern, and asked, "You were late?"

"Isn't that nonsense?" Feng Yan laughed and replied, "With finals coming up, we latecomers naturally deserve punishment; before, it was just cleaning, but this matter is taken very seriously by the principal, so it should be different." After saying that, Feng Yan walked with them to the office door.

The homeroom teacher stood before these people and said in an extremely stern tone, "I've emphasized over and over again: don't be late, don't be late! So what happened? Did you treat my words as wind in the ears? If I don't give you a taste of your own medicine, you won't know what your status is!" After saying that, the homeroom teacher went into the office, picked up his phone, as if to call the parents.

Feng Yan and those people stood outside the office door; snow was falling outside, and the north wind scraped their faces like a blade.

They were shivering from the cold outside, trembling all over. At that moment, Chen Hui suggested, "How about we go walk on the playground?"

Several people arrived at the playground, walking slowly on the track, lap after lap, and thus they gradually stopped feeling cold. They began to watch the snow fall heavier and heavier, gradually covering the ground, covering the filth that could previously be seen directly, replaced by a pure white expanse of earth. They watched as they walked, saying nothing, not wanting to break the atmosphere; thus they continued walking on the playground until they could walk no further, then came to a pavilion ahead that could shelter from the snow. Several people went up to the pavilion, sat down one by one, and began talking.

First was Chen Hui, who asked, "Wasn't the duty roster already torn up? Why do we still have our list?"

"You forgot, the duty roster was indeed torn up, but there's still surveillance—the surveillance room is right in the homeroom teacher's office." Feng Yan replied.

Everyone fell silent; they stayed in the pavilion for a while, watching the snow, and smiled a little, then returned to the original place where they had been standing punishment.

"Where did you go?" the homeroom teacher asked. He opened the door and saw several people walking back together.

"The weather is too cold; we couldn't bear it, so we went to the playground and walked a few laps." Feng Yan spoke for everyone.

"Then don't walk anymore; your parents should be coming shortly." The homeroom teacher said that and went back to the office.

"Parents!" Feng Yan's heart gave a jolt, his heartbeat suddenly quickening—"It's snowing so hard! They actually made the parents come!" The more he thought about it, the angrier he got; his hand slowly clenched, making a clicking sound. "Then let's go out and play—Feng Yan, are you coming?" Chen Hui asked. "I won't go; you go, someone has to stay here." Feng Yan forced out a smile worse than a cry, said to those in front of him, "Well, then we're leaving." After saying that, they all left.

Feng Yan watched as several people slowly left, "All gone?" he gazed at the white snowflakes, lost in thought. Until that one person arrived.

"Oh dear! The parents have come!" The homeroom teacher walked out of the office, showing concern for the students while pulling Feng Yan inside. Feng Yan saw that it wasn't his grandmother but his uncle. "That makes sense; if my grandmother had come, I'd feel even worse inside." Feng Yan thought.

"Come, sit down; it's not easy to make a trip in this freezing weather, have some tea." The homeroom teacher spoke while fetching tea leaves, picking up a thermos, then taking out two disposable cups, putting in the tea leaves, pouring water, and after a while the office was filled with the fragrance of tea.

The homeroom teacher handed the water cups to Feng Yan and his uncle, took a sip of tea himself, and said, "Your child was late—of course it's not just being late, otherwise I wouldn't have called the parents over for such a small matter. This time it's because the Year Director is strictly cracking down on lateness; naturally it's not just your child, but a few others as well. However, I don't know where they are now, and I'm not someone who disregards evidence; I have here a class monitor's duty log."

"I know," Feng Yan's uncle said, "his parents have long been working away from home, not returning for years; this boy is a bit wild, which is why you, teacher, have gone to the trouble of repeatedly disciplining him to set him straight."

The homeroom teacher took a sip of tea and said, "It's not that I'm managing him alone; with so many students in the class, I can't possibly watch each one individually. High schoolers need sufficient self-discipline for their studies to progress." Feng Yan lowered his head, silent; his uncle repeatedly agreed with the homeroom teacher, who, while speaking, put on a concerned look for the students. Feng Yan felt nauseous, so he turned his head away and avoided looking at the homeroom teacher.

The homeroom teacher felt his authority challenged, stood up, and shouted, "What do you mean? Do you think you're something special? You were late—do you have an excuse? What kind of attitude is this!" Feng Yan still ignored him, gazing out the window at the snow.

"Well, homeroom teacher, don't get angry—this kid has a weird temperament; please bear with him a little more." After Feng Yan's uncle said that, he directly pulled Feng Yan out to the office door and asked, "What's going on?"

"I was late." Feng Yan said.

"Just because of this? Him?" the uncle asked. "Yes, just this." Feng Yan said with a grim face, clenching his fists.

"Look at you!" the uncle directly scolded Feng Yan, "Go in and apologize; earlier on the phone I said I'd cancel your exam eligibility." Then he dragged Feng Yan into the office.

"Teacher, I admit my fault—I shouldn't have been late, and certainly shouldn't have challenged your authority." Feng Yan said, glancing at the homeroom teacher with the corner of his eye. The homeroom teacher's face flushed red then pale; he wanted to scold Feng Yan again but couldn't, and finally said, "You may go, but remember: if you're late again, you won't be allowed to take the final exam."

Upon hearing that, Feng Yan sprinted back to the classroom; this period was English class—"Report!" "Get out!" Just like that, Feng Yan ended up standing on the balcony for the whole period.

Until the class ended, the bell rang, everyone came out, and only then did Feng Yan enter the classroom; at that moment his nose tip was frozen red, his complexion awful. He slowly returned to his seat, preparing for the next lesson.

"It's really warm." Feng Yan blurted out his inner thought.

"You haven't noticed how many periods you've moved—how can you not be warm?" Chen Hao said, "It's fine; I heard the homeroom teacher called all the parents."

Upon hearing that, Feng Yan grew a bit angry and said, "This is just a damn idiot; asking parents to come in this heavy snow—luckily it was my uncle who came; my grandmother is old, I bet hearing this news would upset her too."

"That's really something—asking parents to come in the snow, ignoring the weather, or just playing around?" Chen Hao comforted Feng Yan. "Forget it," Feng Yan replied, "what can you do about him? Even if you grabbed a loudspeaker and shouted around campus, the homeroom teacher has no conscience."

Chen Hao and Feng Yan laughed helplessly, and thus the day passed.

In the evening, after dinner Feng Yan returned to the classroom for night self-study; back in the classroom, he felt his legs growing heavier and heavier, he slowly dragged this fatigued body along, unable to hear what Chen Hao beside him was saying, he gripped the stair railing, the balcony, and slowly made his way to the classroom. Chen Hao sensed something was off, directly asked Feng Yan, "What's wrong? You look a bit unwell?" "Well, probably just a minor ailment, it's fine—let's head back to the classroom first." Feng Yan gave a weak smile, answered Chen Hao feebly, then continued dragging his body toward the classroom.

Finally, arriving at the classroom, Feng Yan sat directly in his seat, his head foggy, and he promptly slumped over the desk and fell asleep.

Chen Hao looked at Feng Yan, smiling but silent; however, seeing his flushed face and rapid breathing, Chen Hao sensed something was wrong, placed his right hand on Feng Yan's forehead, and sure enough, Feng Yan had a fever—and a severe one.

"Awake?" Chen Hao asked concernedly.

"Yeah, I'm awake—what happened to me?" Feng Yan asked. "You have a fever; I asked the teacher for leave for you, he came on an electric scooter to bring you here, and even paid your medical fees—probably because you stood outside all morning, he knows we get along, so he had me stay with you; after the IV drip I'll return to the dormitory—look, there are still two leave slips, and I think the homeroom teacher isn't as bad as you said." He picked up the leave slips in his hand and showed them to Feng Yan while explaining what happened.

Feng Yan turned his head, after a while opened his mouth and slowly said, "So why am I in the hospital? Don't you know the cause?"

"Exactly!" Feng Yan was about to speak when the homeroom teacher entered.

The homeroom teacher bought Feng Yan some snacks, put them on the nearby table, then showed a concerned expression and said, "All right? I heard you're sick and quite serious—why didn't you say so earlier? I've given you a leave slip; studies are important, but health comes first."

Upon hearing those words, Feng Yan's stomach churned; he suppressed it, turned his head, and said to the homeroom teacher, "Thank you for your concern, teacher—I'm not afraid of dragging down the class average, am I? Then I studied desperately; last night I studied a bit late, so I woke up late today, and then they called my parents; earlier I'd been standing punishment outside for half a day, and it was snowing heavily out there, but I should still thank the teacher, at least he let me see that teachers aren't perfect either—not the silkworm that spins silk until death, nor the candle that burns to ash with tears drying, nor the soul's forge, the knowledge carrier; teachers are just like us, with strengths and weaknesses, just like we students—teachers only like obedient students with good grades; who will manage our troublesome students? Of course they won't give us a chance to explain either. Right, teacher?"

The teacher was speechless for a moment; his face flushed then paled, and finally he left without saying a word.

"Hahaha!" laughter came from the hospital, "Satisfying! Finally I gave that guy a piece of my mind." Feng Yan was delighted and patted Chen Hao on the shoulder.

"Aren't you afraid the teacher will come after you later for trouble?" Chen Hao asked with a worried expression. "Wouldn't not speaking keep them from bothering us?" Feng Yan replied to Chen Hao, "Whatever is bound to come will come—do you think you can escape it?"

Chen Hao nodded, having found an answer in his heart, "Well." Chen Hao said, "Let's begin, our adventure!"