Morning calisthenics

Fang Chang'an returned to the dormitory to find Wang Hao already lying naked on his bed, chatting with the others. Seeing Fang come in, Wang called out, “Back so late?”

“Just finished my run,” Fang replied. He glanced up at Liu Cheng, who was boasting on his own bed. Noticing Fang’s gaze, Liu flashed him a smile.

This guy didn’t seem particularly scheming and probably didn’t know anything. Fang smiled back, stuck out his backside to fish out his washbasin, and headed for the sinks to wash up, dampening a towel to wipe down his body.

Returning, he greeted Wang Hao, then poured himself some of Wang’s hot water, figuring he owed the duty of fetching water the next night. Shedding his trousers, he slipped under the covers and pulled from his pocket a pack of Tang Monk’s Jerky and a bag of Maltesers, tossing them to Wang Hao. “Share these with everyone.”

Wang Hao hesitated, declining, “I don’t need any.”

Fang smiled. “I’ve got more. Go ahead, eat.”

Only then did Wang Hao accept, opening the Maltesers—little chocolate-coated puffs—offering them first to Fang.

“I’ve brushed my teeth, you guys have them,” Fang said.

Wang Hao popped one in his mouth, then passed the bag to a classmate in the inner bunk. Fang produced two chocolate coins, called out, “Liu Cheng,” and tossed them onto his bed.

Liu caught them, a bit surprised, but grinned widely. “Hey, thanks!”

“We’re friends, don’t mention it,” Fang replied, smiling. He took off his T-shirt and lay down, closing his eyes, replaying the day’s events and considering how likely Chang Wei and Liu Yan were to retaliate. At worst, he figured, he’d get beaten up—a trivial matter, hardly worth much thought.

The important thing was lunch at Teacher Cheng’s house tomorrow. He needed to show something special, but not overdo it; how best to strike that balance depended on what kind of man Teacher Cheng’s husband was. He’d have to play it by ear.

The next morning, Fang woke at five forty. He was training himself to keep a regular schedule: up and dressed without delay, a two-hundred-meter run on the track, and into the classroom before six.

Over a dozen classmates were already there—Wu Di, Wang Ke, and of course Zhang Lu and Liu Bei, who’d left late the night before. When they noticed Fang, their expressions were a little odd.

Fang sat down at his desk, opened the Wahaha drink Wang Ke had given him, and took a long pull. He laid out his leftover snacks: a sausage for his own protein, a pack of milk tablets, a bag of crunchy noodles, and some biscuits.

Holding up the biscuits and noodles, he turned to Wang Ke. “Which do you want?”

The girl looked up at him, hesitated, then pointed with a finger at the crunchy noodles. Fang handed her two chocolate coins as well, putting another two on Zheng Lili’s desk.

Zheng Lili wasn’t as close to Fang and hesitated, but Fang had already turned to Wu Di. “Want some?”

Wu Di glanced at him and shook his head.

Fang shrugged, popped a milk tablet into his mouth, and asked Wang Ke, “Want one?”

She nodded vigorously. Fang smiled, handing one over. “You like these too?”

“Mhm!”

“Great minds think alike,” Fang said, giving her the pack. “Pass them around when you’re done; I’ll just have one.”

There were only ten pieces in a pack and more than ten students, but undoubtedly some wouldn’t want any—out of taste, reluctance, or shyness—but that wasn’t his concern. Sharing a little with a few could build rapport, but trying to win people over with petty snacks would only lower his standing, probably backfire.

He opened his English book, sipping Wahaha as he silently reviewed vocabulary. When Wang Ke wasn’t looking, he slipped the last peanut toffee, along with two chocolate coins, into Shen Mo’s desk cubby.

Barely two minutes later, Shen Mo entered carrying her backpack. After sitting, she put her bag in her desk, found the candy while fetching her books, and glanced at Fang, who smiled but said nothing.

The girl smiled sweetly back, took out her Chinese book, and quietly slid over a box of milk and a bar of Dove chocolate.

Fang gave her a thumbs up. She smiled more shyly than before, lips pressed into a soft dimple on her left cheek—sweet and endearing.

Without a word, they returned to their reading and vocabulary.

The classroom gradually filled. When the warning bell rang, Cheng Mengfei strolled in, circled the room, then slipped back out.

After a while, Fang switched to history, noticing Shen Mo was also reading her history book. He couldn’t help casting a discreet glance her way.

A slanting ray of morning sun spilled through the front door, bathing the young girl in golden light. Her fair, translucent skin seemed to glow, fine down shimmering in the radiance, her petite figure merging with the sunlight.

The sun grew ever brighter.

At six forty, Cheng Mengfei returned to the front door, knocked, and called, “Everyone, pause for a moment—assemble on the track.”

Some were delighted, others less so, but all stood, ready for morning exercises.

“Isn’t it supposed to be six fifty?” Shen Mo, walking with Fang, asked in surprise.

“Today we have to practice the formation.”

“Oh,” she realized, slowing down, wanting to wait for Wang Ke behind her, embarrassed to walk next to Fang. Fang looked at her. “Come on.”

After a hesitation, Shen Mo puffed her cheeks and went with him. Only when she saw no one was gossiping did she relax.

It was the first morning exercise, and other classes were coming down around this time too. Stepping out, they were still among Class Four; at the stairwell’s turn, students from Classes Three, Five, and Six mingled in.

With fewer of their own classmates around, Shen Mo relaxed and asked Fang quietly, “Have you done this before?”

“Of course, but I’m not very good at it.”

“Me neither,” she replied, eyes bright, tongue peeking out.

“Most of my moves are just muddled through,” Fang said.

Shen Mo’s eyes widened, both shy and delighted. “Same here!”

“But now that we’re class president and study rep, we can’t just muddle through. We have to be more serious, do it right, set an example.”

Shen Mo whispered, “But I feel silly, jumping around like that.”

Fang grinned. “Me too.”

They exchanged knowing smiles, as if they’d found kindred spirits. After her laugh, Shen Mo puffed her cheeks again. “But I guess we have to be serious now, or Auntie will scold me.”

Fang nodded. “It’s fine—if everyone’s silly together, it’s not so silly.”

She nodded. “Right—no one will notice.”

Joking and chatting, they emerged onto the track, where students were already scattered about. The homeroom teacher directed them to get into formation. Cheng Mengfei stood on the track before the main stairwell, signaling their class to line up.

Scanning the crowd, Fang caught sight of Chang Wei and waved. Chang Wei, having seen him first, grinned and waved back.

Shen Mo noticed, asking softly, “Is he from your village too?”

Fang leaned closer. “No, just a friend—he’s in eighth grade. You’re not thinking he has to call me Uncle too, are you?”

She glanced at Chang Wei, who was taller than Fang. The idea of him calling Fang “Uncle” made her want to laugh, but knowing Fang was teasing, she shot him a mock glare. “I never said that.”

Having made his point, Fang let it go. Noticing Cheng Mengfei looking their way, he subtly put a bit more space between himself and Shen Mo and walked on steadily.