"The great river flows east..." In the middle of my dream, I was woken up by the sound of my alarm. I knew it was already 7 a.m. Morning self-study started at 7:40, but luckily, I just had to wait at the entrance of our neighborhood to catch the No. 2 bus to Linhai No. 1 High School, which left at 7:20.
I turned off the alarm, got up, put on my clothes, and headed to the bathroom. Passing by the staircase leading to the second floor, everything was still quiet upstairs. It seemed my parents were still asleep. Unless there was something urgent, they usually woke up around 8 a.m. to go to work.
After washing up, I quickly grabbed my backpack and headed toward the neighborhood entrance.
The number two bus pulled into the neighborhood bus stop exactly at 7:20. After a little over ten minutes, I arrived at the school gate, bought two steamed buns and a cup of soy milk, and headed into the campus.
"Zihan," I heard someone call from behind as I walked along the rubberized track. I turned around and saw Li Xiaojun. Today, she was wearing her school uniform, her hair tied up in a neat ponytail that revealed her youthful face. The blue-and-white school uniform subtly accentuated her chest, and beneath her long legs clad in blue school trousers, she wore a pair of white canvas shoes.
"She looks so pure today," I thought. Even though I had seen her many times before, I still found Li Xiaojun quite pleasing to look at.
"Hey, good morning, Xiaojun," I said, standing still and smiling at her.
"Morning, let's go," Li Xiaojun said cheerfully as she walked up to me.
"You said the exchange student is coming to our class soon?" I asked.
"Yeah, last night, Teacher Zhang said she would bring the exchange student to our class during the morning break. She asked me to arrange a warm welcome from the class," Li Xiaojun replied.
"Alright, is it a Black person or a White person? A boy or a girl?" I asked with interest.
"Guess, hahaha," Li Xiaojun glanced at me and laughed.
"I won't guess. If you won't tell me, I'll find out soon enough," I rolled my eyes at her. Li Xiaojun always loved keeping things mysterious.
"Zihan, don't be impatient. I'll leave a little suspense for you, hehehe."
After that, the two of us walked up the stairs to the third floor and entered the classroom.
It seemed like the classmates already knew about the exchange student's arrival, as the classroom was buzzing with excitement. After finishing my breakfast, I tuned out the noise and started my morning self-study session.
After the morning break, we returned to the classroom but didn't see any so-called exchange student. For a while, the class thought it was just a rumor.
"Zihan, Teacher Zhang and the principal are bringing the exchange student over," Li Xiaojun rushed in from outside and said to me, who was sitting in the front row.
"Oh?" My interest was piqued.
"Everyone, quiet! Teacher Zhang and the principal are bringing the exchange student to our class. Let's give them a warm welcome later, and try to greet them in English," said Li Xiaojun, standing at the podium as the class monitor.
"OK, sure, no problem, I love you, pretty girl!"
The classmates, who usually didn't speak much English, suddenly started spouting English phrases.
I couldn't help but laugh. They didn't even know if it was a boy or a girl, and they were already saying "I love you"?
"Alright, everyone, quiet. They're coming soon," Li Xiaojun said before returning to her seat behind me.
Not long after, we heard the sound of many footsteps approaching from the hallway outside the classroom. "Principal, please, yes, yes, yes," voices kept coming through. We all fell silent, staring intently at the door. Suddenly, Zhang Min walked in first, followed by a dark-skinned Black male student. He was wearing a long white shirt, gray trousers, and a pair of polished black leather shoes. He didn't look as muscular as the Black basketball players you see on TV in the NBA, but he seemed stronger than me and a bit taller too.
His short, curly hair was cut into a buzz cut, with thick, dark eyebrows and large eyes. Compared to Asians and Caucasians, he had the typical broad, flat nose and wide mouth of a Black person, with two thick, pale lips underneath. The only white parts of this Black student were the lenses in his big eyes and the teeth and two plump, pink lips revealed when he grinned. Despite his dark skin, he gave off a playful and approachable vibe.
"Huh... Pfft, hahaha... 'I love you'? Hahaha..." I seemed to hear a few boys in the back seats snickering and unable to hold back their laughter.
"Class, this student is Sam from South Africa. As an exchange student, Sam will be studying, living, and playing with all of you for the next year. Let's give him a warm welcome!"
Zhang Min stood at the podium and began to clap, and we all joined in. Sam scratched his head sheepishly, then walked back to the front of the class, looking at us with his big eyes wide open. "My name is Sam, and I'm from Cape Town, South Africa. My Mandarin... isn't very good. I hope you can all help me in the future. I love China, I love you all, thank you."
Sam grew bolder, spreading his arms in an embrace. "Woo-hoo... OK, no problem, no problem," the boys in the back row started whistling. "Hahaha, our classmates are quite enthusiastic, and Sam's self-introduction was brilliant. I hope everyone will take good care of Sam from now on, befriend him, and get along well with this international student. Alright, Teacher Zhang, I won't say more."
After the principal said a few words on stage, the female secretary beside him snapped photos frantically. Then, the principal nodded to the teachers and students and walked out of the classroom.
Once the group of teachers followed the principal out, homeroom teacher Zhang Min returned to the podium and looked at us. "Hehehe, students, starting today, Sam is one of us. To help Sam quickly integrate into our Class 12 family, we'll rearrange the seating now. Two students per row. Sam will sit with our class monitor, Wang Zihan. Zihan, make sure to communicate more with Sam from now on. This is a rare opportunity," Zhang Min said, giving me a meaningful look. Damn, they're pairing Sam with me? Are they out of their minds?!
"Alright, Teacher Zhang," I replied. But what could I do? I was the class monitor, after all.
I forced a smile and looked at Sam on the podium. Sam didn't hold back either, walking toward me with a smooth, outstretched hand, his lips spread wide as he grinned at me. "Oh, so you're the class monitor, Wang Zihan? I heard from the teachers before I came that you're an excellent student. From now on, we'll be good friends, Zihan," Sam said without any reservation, enthusiastically trying to hug me. "Uh, Sam, no big deal, no big deal," I shook his hand and then endured his enthusiastic hug. Are all Africans this warm and open?!
I'd heard that Black people have a certain smell, but I didn't notice any unpleasant odor on Sam.
And so, Sam from Cape Town sat with me in class. At noon, we held a welcome ceremony for him in the classroom. Under the homeroom teacher's instructions, class monitor Li Xiaojun bought plenty of snacks and food. Everyone happily chatted and interacted with Sam, who didn't shy away from sharing everything, including stories about his life in South Africa. With Sam's exaggerated expressions and gestures, he had everyone roaring with laughter.
It wasn't until the afternoon, just before school ended, that homeroom teacher Zhang Min called me to her office.
"Zihan, how do you feel about being with Sam?" Zhang Min smiled as she looked at me. "It's fine. Sam is very outgoing, and we had a great time," I said. Sam was easy to get along with and told me many funny stories about his life in South Africa. He even mentioned having a girlfriend back there and how they had tearfully parted ways when he came to China as an exchange student. Sam's exaggerated gestures and naturally comical appearance made me laugh uncontrollably.
"Well, that's good. Make sure to communicate well with him—it's a rare opportunity," Zhang Min said, taking a sip of tea from the cup on the table. "There's another matter. Since Sam is new here, to help exchange students better experience and integrate into the Chinese learning and living environment, the school has decided to arrange for Sam to stay with a local student's family. Of course, the city will provide some subsidies. After careful consideration, we've decided to have Sam stay at your home and live and study with you. As you know, given your entrance exam results, the school plans to support you in applying to universities abroad and striving to study overseas."
Zhang Min smiled at me. "This..." I understood the school's intention. My tuition at Linhai No. 1 High School was fully waived, and I had even received a 5,000-yuan reward.
But having Sam stay at my home—I didn't object, but my parents might not be so sure.
"I know what you're worried about. We've already called your parents to inform and explain the situation to them, and they're very welcoming. Now, we just need to know how you feel about it."
Zhang Min looked at me gently. After all, I was her treasure.
"If my parents agree, then it's fine. Getting along with him has been good so far," I said, looking at Zhang Min.
"Good. After school today, relevant officials from the city's education commission will take Sam to your home. You two can head back together once classes are over," Zhang Min patted my shoulder.
"This... isn't it a bit too sudden?" I asked.
"Not at all. The sooner you get to know each other, the better it'll be for your future interactions. Don't worry. Sam's family has a large business in South Africa, so his manners are nothing to worry about. Just communicate well with him—it'll definitely benefit you," Zhang Min said with a smile.
"Alright," I nodded. Since Zhang Min put it that way, maybe getting along well with Sam would help me climb the ladder of success in the future.
Back in the classroom, Sam smiled at me. "Zihan, where did you go?"
"To the teacher's office. We'll walk home together after school," I said.
"Oh, good, my Zihan," Sam spread his arms open again, making me feel awkward.
"Zihan, Sam," Li Xiaojun called out from behind us.
"Oh, beautiful class monitor," Sam said upon seeing Li Xiaojun. I could sense his eyes widening and brightening.
"Giggle, Sam, you don't need to be so formal in China," Li Xiaojun covered her mouth and laughed.
"How could I not? The class monitor is one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen. I mean it from the bottom of my heart," Sam said, extending his hand as if to shake hers.
"Giggle," Li Xiaojun had no choice but to reach out and shake his hand.
"I heard from Teacher Zhang that Sam will be staying at your home, right?" Li Xiaojun looked at me.
"Yeah, I just found out too," I pursed my lips.
"Oh, really, Zihan? Then we'll be as close as sharing the same pants from now on!" Sam happily hugged me again.
"Uh, yeah, sure," I thought to myself. This Sam really doesn't know about boundaries between guys, does he?
"Dingling dingling dingling dingling..." The school bell rang, signaling the end of the day. "Goodbye, Sam," many classmates came over to bid farewell to Sam. "Goodbye. Oh, you're so handsome. Oh, you're so beautiful," Sam said, his lips parting in a constant smile as he stood up to shake hands with his classmates. "Giggle giggle, Sam is so amusing," Li Xiaojun laughed while looking at me. "Yeah, he is quite amusing," I replied with an awkward smile. "Alright, I'll head off first. Let me know if anything comes up," Li Xiaojun said, her eyes on me. "Okay," I nodded. After most of the classmates had left, Teacher Zhang came to the classroom to call for me and Sam. "Let's go," Teacher Zhang said as she approached us. "Oh, okay. Teacher Zhang, you're so beautiful," Sam suddenly blurted out in slightly accented Mandarin while looking at Zhang Min. "Uh, giggle giggle, Sam—no, Zihan, you'll need to teach him Chinese etiquette properly from now on," Zhang Min said. "Mm... okay, Teacher Zhang," Sam replied, opening his right arm to wrap around my shoulder without any hesitation. Grinning broadly, he joked with me as we followed Zhang Min downstairs.
"Principal, the two of them are here. Let's go," Zhang Min said as we reached the school gate, where the principal was speaking with a leader sporting a slicked-back hairstyle. "Alright, Director Wang, let's go," the principal said, glancing at the middle-aged man with the slicked-back hair. "Let's go." Then, Sam, Teacher Zhang, and I boarded a small official bus heading toward my home.
When we arrived at the entrance of my residential complex, I saw my dad and mom waiting there. Dad was dressed in a suit, while Mom wore a professional skirt suit. Beneath her skirt, her long legs were clad in flesh-colored stockings, and she wore a pair of black high heels. With her beautiful face and striking presence, she stood gracefully beside my dad.
"President Wang, sorry for the trouble. But who asked you to have such an outstanding son? This exchange student will be a bit of a hassle," the principal said as he walked over and shook my dad's hand. "Hahaha, it's no trouble at all. Our city needs to learn to be inclusive and connect with the international community, hahaha," my dad replied with a laugh. "With your words, I feel reassured. Mrs. Lin, sorry for the inconvenience," the principal said, shaking my mom's hand. "Giggle giggle, it's no problem at all. Our Zihan needs some experience too, giggle giggle," my mom said happily, her smile blooming like a rose—though whether it was genuine or not was hard to tell.
"Dad, Mom, I'm Sam, from South Africa. I'm here in China as a one-year exchange student and also a good friend of Zihan's," Sam said, extending his smooth, dark hand to shake my dad's hand, then my mom's. "Dad, you're so handsome. Mom, you're so beautiful!" Sam added with a smile. "Hahaha, this kid," my dad said, shaking his head. After the leaders and teachers finished speaking with my parents, they drove off. My parents then led us into the complex. After registering Sam's face at the property management office, we headed home. The complex was bustling with people, but since Linhai City is a developed coastal area, seeing a Black person was nothing unusual for the residents.
"Dad, Mom, Zihan's house is really big," Sam said, carrying a backpack and dragging a suitcase as he followed us to the door. "Mm, from now on, you'll share a room with Zihan. That way, you two can get to know each other better and communicate more easily," my dad said, looking at Sam and me with a smile. Sam told me he was also sixteen this year. He was a bit taller than me, probably around 175 cm.
Although Sam was Black, he wasn't particularly muscular—after all, he was just a sixteen-year-old boy—but he was definitely stronger than me.
"Okay, Dad," Sam said, looking at me. My mom walked ahead without saying a word, opened the front door, changed into slippers, and went inside.
Dad helped Sam carry his suitcase to my bedroom and led him in. Luckily, my room was spacious enough to fit another bed, so Sam could sleep right next to me.
Mom changed into casual home clothes, though perhaps because Sam was around, she wore long, thin sleep pants and still had on a short-sleeved top. Her chest was quite large, filling out the shirt completely. "Tidy up properly, you two. Sam, you'll sleep next to Zihan. Just add a few more layers of bedding," Mom said as she walked in, frowning at the messy state of the room. "We'll have dinner soon, and I need to set some rules for both of you. Hurry up and clean up." With an annoyed glance, she looked at Dad, who wisely scratched his head and headed out of my bedroom.
Without even looking at us, Mom closed the bedroom door, leaving just Sam and me inside. "Zihan, your mom is really strict," Sam said, spreading his hands. "Haha, yeah, I'm used to it. My mom has always been strict with me since I was little," I replied, placing my backpack under the desk. Sam followed suit, putting his backpack next to mine.
"So, Sam, my mom won't go easy on you just because you're a guest. We'll have to listen to her obediently from now on," I said, sitting on the bed and looking at him. Thankfully, Sam didn't have any unpleasant odor—if he did, sharing a room with him for a year would have been unbearable.
"Okay, Zihan, I'll definitely listen to Mom. Back home, my mom was strict too. Even though my family is well-off, I've always been frugal," Sam said, glancing at me before opening his suitcase and taking out his daily necessities.
A short while later, Mom opened my door and threw a few blankets onto my bed. "Mom, where's the bathroom? I want to put away my toothbrush and towel," Sam asked, looking at her. "Just go straight out and you'll see it," Mom replied, glancing at Sam before tossing the blankets under my bed. Sam picked up his toiletries and walked out. "Zihan, make sure you get along well with him," Mom said. "Okay, I know, Mom," I replied. "When Sam comes back, tell him to spread the blankets here. That should do it," she added, smoothing the hair on her forehead with her right hand before looking at me and walking out.
"Mm," I said. Sam's belongings were mostly basic necessities, along with what looked like several bank cards.
Soon, Sam returned to the room. "Oh, Zihan, your mom looks really stern, but your dad seems so kind," Sam said as he came over. "Hehe, is that so? Well, my mom said you should spread these blankets out. From now on, this is where you'll sleep."
I said my bed couldn't fit Sam anymore, and I wouldn't sleep with him either—just thinking about it gave me goosebumps.
"Okay, Zihan," Sam replied, then started making his bed while I followed him around the room, chatting about this and that.
Once Sam was done, my mom called us out for dinner. Sam and I walked out barefoot—good thing the floors at home were all wooden.
"Dad, Mom, Zihan, thank you so much. I'm really grateful to have met you all. Please take care of me in the future," Sam said, then knelt down in front of my parents. "Hey, hey, hey... hahaha..." My dad burst out laughing, and my mom chuckled too. "No need for that, Sam. Just relax at home and treat this place as your own," my dad said with a smile. "Isn't this right, Dad? That's what they taught us at the Confucius Institute—to show respect to parents by kneeling," Sam looked at my dad innocently. "Hahaha, that's correct, but it's not necessary now. Alright, Zihan, come eat," Dad said, still smiling. After Mom served everyone rice, Sam spoke up again, "Wow, Mom's cooking is so delicious. Back in South Africa, the food our servants made was never this good." Sam ate Mom's dishes heartily, and they really did look tasty.
"Hehe, then eat more," my mom laughed. Who doesn't like being praised, especially by this boy from South Africa?
Though as Mom laughed, her chest shook quite noticeably. I wondered if Sam had seen it.
At the dinner table, Sam didn't hold back at all, sharing everything he'd seen and experienced in South Africa with our family. Gradually, everyone began to accept this boy from Africa.
After dinner, Mom came to our bedroom and saw Sam and me writing at the desk. "Both of you, stop for a moment. I have a few things to say," Mom said, her hair loose, glancing at the bed Sam had made. "First, you two must get along well and avoid conflicts," she looked at us. "Haha, Mom, Zihan and I could never have conflicts, don't worry," Sam wrapped his right arm around my shoulder again. I also felt that this person definitely wouldn't cause any trouble with me.
"That's good. Second, come home on time, and you need my permission to go out and play," Mom widened her eyes as she looked at us. "Okay, Mom," we both nodded. "Third, be respectful at home. Sam, since you're in China now, you should learn more about Chinese etiquette. If you don't listen, you'll have to face the consequences," Mom looked at Sam. "Okay, Mom, I'll definitely listen to you," Sam stood up and reached out to hug Mom. "Ah..." Sam let out a startled cry—Mom had slapped his hand. "Sam, in China, you can't just hug girls randomly," Mom frowned, glaring at him angrily. "Okay, Mom, Sam understands," Sam lowered his head and returned to the stool beside me like a child who'd done something wrong. "Hahaha... now you know how tough my mom is," I laughed inwardly. "Alright, that's all I can think of for now. I'll let you know if there's more later. Finish your homework, shower, and go to bed," Mom said, then closed our bedroom door and headed upstairs.
"Zihan, your mom is really scary," Sam said with a pitiful expression. "Hahaha, I told you before, my mom is very strict. Well, you'll get used to it slowly," I comforted Sam. After we finished our homework, I wanted to take a shower. Sam said he wanted to go with me. I initially thought of telling him to wait until I was done, but then I figured he might not know how to use our bathroom. Besides, we're both boys, and seeing how casual he was about it, I couldn't let down the reputation of Chinese men.
After Sam grabbed his change of clothes, we headed to the bathroom. At first, I felt a bit awkward, but Sam showed no hesitation at all—he just took off his underwear right away. I was startled.
Why?
Because I saw that Sam's penis was very large, long, and dark, even the tip was dark. Moreover, Sam actually had chest and abdominal muscles. He had been wearing a long-sleeved shirt today, so I had assumed he wasn't that muscular.
"Zihan, what's wrong?" Sam looked at me. "Oh, nothing. You go ahead and shower first. I'll brush my teeth," I said, walking over to the sink to start brushing. Sam began rinsing off. I have to say, the rumors about Black men's genitalia are true—it really is very large and long, at least much thicker and longer than mine. Comparing us was like comparing a ten-year-old child to an eighteen-year-old adult.
"I'm done, Zihan. Should I just put the dirty clothes in the washing machine?" Sam walked over to me, his member still bouncing slightly.
"Yeah, just put them in," I said, trying to avoid the awkwardness. After brushing my teeth, I went into the shower. I felt at ease only after closing the slightly transparent frosted glass door. Even though you could still see a blurry figure through the door, at least no one could see the more explicit details.
After I finished showering, Sam had also brushed his teeth, and we went back to the bedroom to sleep.
After turning off the lights, Sam started telling me stories about his life in Cape Town again. "Zihan, do you have a girlfriend?" Sam asked from his side of the bed in the darkness. "No, I've never been in a relationship," I replied. "That's such a shame. Someone as handsome as you should have dated a few girls," Sam said. "Hehehe," I could only force a dry laugh. "I have a girlfriend in Cape Town. We get along really well, and we often play adult games. It's so much fun. I wasn't too willing when my dad told me to come study in China," Sam said regretfully. "But I'm glad I met the homeroom teacher, the class monitor, Zihan, and your parents," he added. Sam and his girlfriend in South Africa play adult games? What kind of games are those? I couldn't quite understand.
"Well, Sam, let's just go to sleep. We have morning reading tomorrow, and if Mom comes downstairs later and hears us talking, we're done for," I said. "Ah, Mom, no! Mom is too scary," Sam replied. In the darkness, I saw him pull the blanket over his head. It seemed Mom's strict image was deeply ingrained in Sam's mind. Seeing his reaction, I felt quite satisfied. Now there was someone else to share in the experience of Mom's authority.
Listening to the rustling sounds Sam made from his side of the bed—maybe he was feeling unwell due to the change in environment—I soon drifted off to sleep.