Spicy Hot Pot

During the fourth period in the morning, the PE class that Chang'an Fang dreaded the most finally arrived. Last week's first PE session had been mostly about lining up, but today, the PE teacher was finally ready to teach something proper—a set of warm-up exercises whose name no one seemed to know. It looked like an extended version of the standard calisthenics, with the first part focused mainly on stretching.

Perhaps because it wasn’t difficult and perhaps out of embarrassment, Ke Wang didn’t ask to be excused and followed along with the movements as well.

The instruction lasted about fifteen minutes. Afterward, the teacher had everyone review the routine once, then gathered them together before dismissing them for free activities.

Usually, the moment dismissal was announced, Mo Shen would turn her head to look at Chang'an Fang, who would promptly head in the direction of the toilets. Yet this time, he still heard her call out behind him, “Chang'an Fang!”

He had no choice but to stop and turn around, feigning a puzzled expression.

The young girl walked up to him in a few quick steps and pointed toward the track. “Let’s have a race.”

“Oh,” he replied, his expression dawning in understanding. After a brief hesitation, he added, “You run first. We’ll just compare our times. I need to use the restroom first.”

“Alright then.”

There was no way to argue with such a strong excuse; the girl could only agree.

Since the start of term, besides Chang'an Fang, the person Mo Shen was most familiar with was Ke Wang. With Chang'an gone, she walked over to Ke Wang and chirped, “Ke Wang, let’s go measure our running times.”

Ke Wang was in the middle of a conversation with Lili Zheng. After a moment’s hesitation, she shook her head. “You go ahead first.”

Mo Shen hadn’t expected her to refuse. “Let’s go together.”

By now, the rest of the class had already scattered. Ke Wang hesitated, and Lili Zheng leaned in to whisper something in Mo Shen’s ear. Mo Shen paused, and her fair, translucent face seemed tinged with a blush. Her bright eyes sparkled as she sized up Ke Wang, her expression a mixture of surprise and curiosity.

Chang'an Fang lingered in the restroom for nearly ten minutes before reluctantly pulling up his pants and stepping out. All the other boys who’d come in with him had already left. From a distance, he saw Mo Shen, Lili Zheng, Bei Liu, Yu Wei Wang, and a group of other girls skipping rope together, with Ke Wang standing to the side watching. Only then did he cautiously circle behind the northern wall of the boys’ dormitory, slip into the cafeteria to wash his hands, and sneak back out again.

Mo Shen seemed to be having a great time, jumping energetically, her bun swaying in the sunlight. Chang'an didn’t dare look for too long. He saw Yu Chen, Dongfeng Li, and Chuanbiao Wang playing basketball under the hoop, and quickly joined them, turning his back to Mo Shen and the others to watch the game.

“Class rep, want to play?” Dongfeng Li noticed him and called him over.

Chang'an Fang didn’t know how to play basketball, but he’d been thinking about getting in shape. Now that he had money, nutrition wasn’t a problem anymore—at least he could eat his fill, and it was time to get some exercise. So he agreed without hesitation.

“Sure, but I don’t know how. Don’t mind if I mess up.”

“No worries. We’re all the same,” said Yu Chen, who, along with Dongfeng Li, was among the boys closest to Chang'an Fang in class—well, second only to Hao Wang, his nightly bedmate.

Di Wu and Chuanbiao Wang exchanged a glance but said nothing.

Originally, there were six of them, three on each team. With Chang'an joining, he became an extra. Most of them didn’t even know the rules well, so Chang'an just ran around chasing the ball. Even though he wasn’t skilled, his presence made a difference. After Yu Chen scored a basket, Chang'an called over another boy to even things out.

The game continued until nearly the end of class, when the PE teacher blew the whistle to gather everyone back. In those twenty minutes, Chang'an barely touched the ball, but running around and working up a sweat made him feel refreshed, as though he’d played half a period of real basketball.

When the class was dismissed, the crowd dispersed. Having successfully dodged a race, Chang'an Fang took the initiative to find Mo Shen. “Did you run?”

“No,” she replied, still flushed from play, her fair face glowing with a faint blush in the sunlight, excitement lingering in her glittering eyes. “I saw you playing basketball, so I knew you didn’t run either. Let’s do it next week. We’ve got plenty of time before the PE retest anyway.”

“Alright!” Chang'an nodded. Then he added, “The PE retest is about physical fitness. Any kind of exercise helps, so whether I play basketball or you skip rope, it all counts. It’s the same as sharpening your axe before chopping wood—it’s time well spent.”

Mo Shen shot him a sidelong glance, pouting as she waved goodbye. “I’m off.”

He waved back, then saw Ke Wang and Lili Zheng behind him and waited for them. “Where are you two going for lunch?”

“We’re still deciding. Where are you going?” Ke Wang asked. She always trusted Chang'an’s choices in this matter, certain he could find something tastier than the cafeteria.

He thought for a moment. “There’s a place for spicy hotpot just outside the school, next to that supermarket. It’s less than ten minutes away. Want to try it?”

After settling breakfast, Chang'an had been working hard to diversify his lunch and dinner options. He’d discovered this spicy hotpot spot just yesterday.

Ke Wang glanced at Lili Zheng, then nodded. “Okay.”

So Chang'an led the two girls to the hotpot place. It was closer than Zhang Fei’s bun shop by half, but tucked away in an alley, making it all the more “hidden.” Most of its customers were students, and the prices were low—one serving of noodles and two vegetarian sides cost just fifty cents, the starting price.

Unlike Chang'an, both girls came from families that weren’t strapped for cash; one spent seventy cents, the other eighty. Now that Chang'an had money, he didn’t want to scrimp on meals as he had in his previous life. Having just exercised, he ordered two servings of noodles with extra toppings for a full yuan.

Because it was a bit out of the way, most customers were eighth or ninth graders. Chang'an had heard about this place from Cheng Liu.

The shop was small but busy. All four round tables were occupied. Chang'an and his friends, looking young and fresh-faced compared to the more developed older students, stood out—especially since all three were rather good-looking. As soon as they entered, they attracted plenty of attention.

Chang'an chose the least crowded table and had Ke Wang and Lili Zheng sit inside while they chatted and waited for the food. Lili Zheng studied Chang'an for a moment, then suddenly said, “You’re really fair-skinned—even fairer than us girls.”

After a moment’s thought, she added, “Well, except for Mo Shen, maybe.”

Ke Wang turned to look at Chang'an, who met her gaze. Lili Zheng continued, “Ke Wang, you’re probably about the same as him, right?”

Chang'an laughed. “She’s fairer than I am.”

Ke Wang glanced at him, then pouted and stretched out her arm. Chang'an extended his as well, placing his wrist next to hers so all three could compare.

Lili Zheng said, “It really is close.”

Chang'an added, “Her skin is more delicate.”

Ke Wang scrutinized their arms, comparing and analyzing in silence. Lili Zheng looked again. “But you’re about the same. Ke Wang, I bet your legs are even fairer than his, and—”

Ke Wang blushed fiercely and glared at Lili Zheng, who realized she’d said too much and quickly changed the subject. “Why are you so fair-skinned?”

Chang'an shrugged and sighed. “I don’t know, and I don’t really want to be. It makes people think I rely on my looks to get by.”

The two girls stared at him, unsure if he was being narcissistic or self-deprecating. Lili Zheng said, “I wish I could be that fair.”

She stretched out her own arm, placing her wrist next to Chang'an’s—the contrast between their skin tones was stark. She withdrew her arm, a little dejected, and repeated, “Why are you so fair?”

“I must take after my mother,” Chang'an replied.

Ke Wang asked in confusion, “Aren’t boys supposed to resemble their fathers, and girls their mothers?”

Lili Zheng said, “I think boys often take after their mothers, and girls after their fathers.”

As the three of them delved into this matter of genetics, two boys approached. One had hair at the front dyed yellow, already fading, and the other had a buzz cut. Both affected a tired, supposedly cool demeanor straight out of a movie.

They hesitated in front of the two tables inside, but as soon as they spotted Ke Wang, they headed over to their table and sat down opposite Chang'an, closer to Lili Zheng.