Simon sent an email to Teacher Zhou Pingchu during a break from his homework, saying that Wang Shuonian had invited him for ice cream, and "incidentally" invited her to come along.
At 9:54, a reply came: "Zhou Pingchu: No problem (∩_∩)"
Wang Shuonian rubbed his hands like a fly at mealtime, "How was it?"
Simon gave a thumbs up, "It worked."
"Where did you pick up that dialect?"
"Online, from Mao Mengtai."
"Mao Mengtai is what show? Uh, oh, Cantonese?"
Simon finished copying the last set of pinyin, which took him about an hour and thirteen minutes. He had only completed one subject so far. He had chatted with Qiu Qiongzh last night and hadn't had time for homework.
Wang Shuonian was still marveling at how quickly young people grew up, while Simon had already packed his school bag and was ready to go out.
"Teacher Wang, let's go, for ice cream."
"Oh, right, right, right, wait for me to change."
Simon looked him up and down. Wang Shuonian was wearing a khaki sweater on top and light blue jeans on the bottom. This outfit was actually perfectly acceptable. With his glasses, he looked at first glance like that enviable type of refined scoundrel, cultured and elegant, with the temperament of a modern gentleman. Aside from his rather ordinary appearance, everything else was commendable.
"Just wear a scarf." Simon rubbed his hands, his wrist aching from writing homework.
Wang Shuonian indeed went and chose a beige scarf to wrap around himself. This added much warmth and a layer of mystery to his scholarly aura, somewhat concealing the flaws in his appearance.
The young man, quite vain, turned a few circles in front of the full-length mirror. Too bad he didn't have a little skirt to make him feel floaty, otherwise he would surely have gently and softly flown to the ceiling.
Simon opened the door, "Please."
…
Simon could say that his kindergarten years were commemorated by the love story of his two teachers.
Two years later, he graduated from Chun Ya New Kindergarten. That evening was also the day Teacher Wang Shuonian suffered a breakup.
The Four Heavenly Kings of Chun Sun Class were witnesses to this brief romance, though they were just four ignorant or feigning-ignorant children. In Linhai New District, Jiangzhe City, at the few shopping malls and various food festivals, in terms of time and space, the four children each participated in small fragments of the two adults' lives. Pieced together, they formed a somewhat complete picture.
From the autumn of 2082 to the spring of 2083, this was the timeframe others knew. However, Simon knew that Wang Shuonian's crush on Zhou Pingchu had lasted much longer than that.
It was the familiar ice cream shop. Today was June 17, 2083, Thursday. Yesterday was the graduation ceremony.
The outdoor temperature was 26 degrees Celsius.
The four little ones sat around a table, eating shaved ice. At the next table were Wang Shuonian and Zhou Pingchu.
Today, Wang Shuonian was wearing a white, cotton-like T-shirt. This shirt was from last year, and it was indeed last year's shirt.
Nowadays, people use 3D printing to make their own clothes to save money. So-called clothes shopping has become choosing desired styles online. After purchase, the store sends the garment data, which can then be directly printed by a machine, and the materials are reusable.
Wang Shuonian's clothes were wrinkled and disheveled, with a coffee stain on the hem.
Zhou Pingchu looked at him expressionlessly, but it wasn't a cold expressionless look. It was precisely that kind of just-right smile—the kind countless people on the street would give you, not as a greeting, but to indicate distance: stay away from me.
Simon didn't look at the adults' love-hate drama. It seemed that Wang Shuonian was down-and-out and pathetic, and Zhou Pingchu appeared heartless, but in fact, it was Wang Shuonian who couldn't bear Zhou Pingchu's cheerful vivacity. Just as plants yearn for light but are accidentally set ablaze, Wang Shuonian was the kind of person suited to quietly take root in barren land.
Last winter break, he went to his Great-Grandfather's house again and asked him if he was confident about his social credit. The old man just said to wait and see.
As long as he's learning, it's fine. Xiao Lu felt relieved.
Soon it would be time for promotion. Kindergarten had no graduation assessment; when you reached the age, you were out. Next was elementary school. Good schools required early registration, then an online exam, and only by passing could one enter.
Linhai New District had two best elementary schools: Pinghai Experimental Elementary School and Linhai District Central Elementary School.
There were many kindergartens, fewer elementary schools, even fewer middle schools, and still fewer universities. Students were gathered little by little, filtered layer by layer: the strong ascended, the weak descended. This was a very real, authentic Chinese education.
Everyone discussed which elementary school to attend. Of course, good friends would go together. But as they talked, the topic shifted from entrance exams to plans for spending the summer vacation.
Zhang Yingxuan: "No more traveling, I need to study."
Qiu Qiongzh raised her hand.
"This student, please speak."
"Ah, I want to lie at home, on my bed, wasting time!"
Su Xiangli applauded vigorously.
The children's joy was like a sugar-soaked salted duck egg, bobbing and floating in a pot of warm soup on a summer afternoon.
At the corner ice cream shop, sunlight streamed through the window, painting a comfortable golden glaze on the red wooden floorboards.
The square table had a white frosted plastic top, a silver-white cylindrical leg, and a red-painted circular iron base.
The Vessels for ice cream included transparent glass bowls and opaque white porcelain cups.
Vanilla ice cream was pale yellow, chocolate ice cream was dark brown, strawberry was pink, and cantaloupe was light green.
The fruit pieces were square and colorful. Coconut flakes were delicate like feathers. Blueberry jam was still on the surface of the ice cream, about to drip but not yet, its surface glistening, and the delicate colors spilling from the cup wall blurred on Simon's retina.
He didn't know where he should look.
Was it the climbing ivy on the wall, or Wang Shuonian's helpless feet hidden under the table?
He didn't know what he should listen to. Was it the music from the well-hidden speaker in the corner of the shop, or the clash between Wang Shuonian and Zhou Pingchu?
Su Xiangli: I want to go to summer camp this summer.
[Zhou Pingchu: Teacher Wang, what are you trying to say dressed like this? It doesn't take much time to dress up.]
Qiu Qiongzh: Ah, that's a great idea!
[Wang Shuonian: We are still friends, and colleagues, right?]
Zhang Yingxuan: Which summer camp are you signing up for?
[Zhou Pingchu: If you want to think that, then yes.]
Su Xiangli: Sunshine Children's Summer Camp.
[Wang Shuonian: That's truly for the best.]
Simon: Oh, that's a name one can't help but dislike.
[Zhou Pingchu: Hehe. If you say so, then so be it.]
Qiu Qiongzh: Then it's settled, we'll go to summer camp together and stay together for elementary school.
[Wang Shuonian: Then I'll see you at work.]
That day, Simon heard a three-part symphony: the music from the ice cream shop, the promises of the four children, and the mutual encouragement of the two adults.
But he later discovered that the only one that truly didn't deceive him was the first.
Qiu Qiongzh went to school in another city, and Zhou Pingchu resigned.
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"