Chapter 1 - My deskmate (Translated by Xing and edited by Souhi)

《My Deskmate》

Author: Tang Xue (Primary 2[1])

My deskmate's name is Li Yubing. He is an extremely hateful person. Why do I hate him? This is because grandpa promised me that if I become the top scorer in cla.s.s, he will bring me to Disneyland. I really want to go to Disneyland! But I am not the cla.s.s's top scorer. Li Yubing is the one who is. Teacher praised Li Yubing at the parent-teacher conference. Daddy told me to take a good look at Li Yubing and then look at myself. I wish that teacher would not praise Li Yubing. This is because he is too hateful.

Tang Xue saw that the feedback her essay received was a string of ellipsis. She did not understand what Teacher Zhao wanted to express.

Anyway, she had already clearly expressed what she wanted to.

Teacher Zhao summoned her to the office during the break in between lessons and started telling her about certain principles. The general gist was that one should hold fraternal love for one's schoolmate, self-reflect more to understand the cause of their troubles in studies, look forward to becoming the cla.s.s top scorer as long as effort is placed… … et cetera.

Tang Xue nodded her tiny head. This action had a tempo akin to pounding garlic and looked exceptionally charming.

Teacher Zhao then praised Tang Xue: "This time, your essay did not have any wrongly written characters or misused words. The punctuation usage was all correct as well. You did well in this aspect. Keep it up."

Tang Xue was very happy: "Thanks teacher. Teacher, I had Li Yubing edited the essay for me. I will ask him to edit it again the next time!"

"Cough… That's not what I meant." Teacher Zhao felt slightly speechless, "Tang Xue, look, Li Yubing only wrote about your good points in his essay and said that he liked having a deskmate like you."

Tang Xue's tiny brain was filled with glee, "Would he dare to badmouth me?!"

Teacher Zhao helplessly held her forehead. She quietly pondered to what extent had Li Yubing that poor child been bullied to…

She could only repeat her earlier words and once again try to educate Tang Xue on the principles of life.

After Teacher Zhao's lecture, Tang Xue returned to cla.s.s to see her good deskmate being surrounded by a few people.

Li Yubing always obtained full marks on his exams without exception no matter how major or minor the exam was. When coupled with his good looks, this made the teachers like him very much. The students in cla.s.s all followed this trend. After lessons, there was always someone coming up to speak with Li Yubing. This guy was almost becoming a mini celebrity.

"Li Yubing, help me to sharpen a pencil." Tang Xue started commanding him before even being seated.

Li Yubing replied with a faint "oh" and took out a mechanical sharpener to sharpen a pencil for her.

Might as well. Li Yubing sharpened two pencils for himself.

While he was rummaging through his pencil case, Tang Xue's sharp eyes spotted a pack of stickers in it. She asked despite already knowing the answer: "What are those?"

"Stickers."

"Rubbish, I know those are stickers. What kind of stickers?"

"Happy Star[2] stickers."

Tang Xue beckoned him with her finger, "Lemme see."

Li Yubing pretended he heard nothing and continued sharpening the pencils. Pencil shavings emerged from the mechanical sharpener with every turn. The layer of shavings on the table was akin to the dried leaves covering the ground in autumn. He carefully gathered them into a pile.

Seeing his indifference, Tang Xue shamelessly stretched out an arm to take the stickers. She carefully examined them and felt that they were pretty nice. As a result, she asked: "I'll stick them for you?"

"Whatever."

Without hesitation, Tang Xue tore open the pack of stickers and stuck them on her own pencil case and bag.

At an angle that Tang Xue wouldn't see, Li Yubing rolled his eyes.

After school, as the form teacher, Teacher Zhao needed to make sure that every student was safely picked up by their parent before she could get off work.

Li Yubing was the last child left. Teacher Zhao was standing with him at the school gates to wait for his parent.

It was September and the weather has already became cooler. Li Yubing was wearing a blue and white long sleeved school uniform. Basked in the warm evening glow of the setting sun, he curiously gazed at the pedestrians pa.s.sing by. His tiny face was fair and delicate, with clean looking and exquisitely formed features. Looking at his face, Teacher Zhao wondered just how many girls this child would be a disaster to in the future. May Buddha bless them.

Seeming to sense Teacher Zhao's gaze, Li Yubing raised his head to look at her.

Teacher Zhao gave a light cough before remembering Li Yubing's tyrant of a deskmate. This invoked a sudden sense of sympathy in her. She gently said: "Li Yubing."

"Teacher Zhao, what is it?"

"Tang Xue, she… … if she bullies you, you can tell me. Don't be afraid."

Li Yubing tilted his tiny head, gazed at Teacher Zhao and asked: "Teacher Zhao, why am I deskmates with Tang Xue?"

Teacher Zhao was slightly fl.u.s.tered, "Eh… …"

Being stared at by a pair of discerning and clear looking eyes, Teacher Zhao felt a little guilty.

She was silent but Li Yubing had already answered this question for her: "It's because Tang Xue's dad is the school princ.i.p.al, isn't it?"

Teacher Zhao lamented slightly. Kids nowadays are indeed not simple minded. With such astute young minds, how do all teachers continue carrying out their duty of hoodwinking them… …

Li Yubing had guessed correctly. In a single cla.s.s, there will always be a scarcity of students with excellent grades. Li Yubing was both smart and obedient. Princ.i.p.al Tang was hoping that his daughter would be positively influenced by this outstanding child after spending time with him.

With Li Yubing's one question, Teacher Zhao's eyes flickered. She placed one hand on his shoulders and asked something that has been worrying her: "Li Yubing, tell me honestly, has Tang Xue ever hit you?"

Li Yubing shook his head: "No."

"Has she ever scolded you? Said anything mean?"

"No."

Teacher Zhao secretly gave a sigh of relief and consoled him: "I've already criticized Tang Xue. Should anyone bully you in the future, don't forget to let me know."

Li Yubing did not wish to offend Tang Xue. To be exact, the entire cla.s.s did not wish to offend her.

Primary school students possess uncomplicated but acute perspectives: the princ.i.p.al manages the teachers while the teachers manage the students. In other words, as students, they are never able to disregard the might of the princ.i.p.al.

This naturally meant that they are not able to disregard the might of the princ.i.p.al's daughter as well.

Li Yubing's mother drove a champagne coloured minivan. She stopped the car in front of the school gates. From its exterior to its colour, the car was pretty eye catching.

With her light makeup, business attire and heels, Mrs Li looked quite young. She held Li Yubing's hands and apologized to Teacher Zhao: "So sorry. I got delayed by some things. I apologize for troubling you."

"No problem," Teacher Zhao waved her hands. She smiled and asked: "What kind of supplementary cla.s.ses has Li Yubing been taking these days?"

"On your advice, I've withdrawn him from all academic related remedial lessons. He's learning the cello now and picking it up well." Mrs Li gave a soft smile. When discussing their children, parents will always have a sense of tenderness and pride.

"Not taking up anything sports related? There are quite a few boys learning swimming, taekwondo, and even fencing."

Mrs Li was a bit depressed, "He doesn't like to exercise. After attending the swimming cla.s.s once, he refused to go again. Other sports didn't interest him either."

The two adults did not converse for too long as Li Yubing had to rush to his cello cla.s.s.

In the car, Mrs Li asked Li Yubing: "How was today?"

Li Yubing pondered for a while and gave a noncommittal reply: "Still alright."

Mrs Li looked over to see her son's eyebrows lightly furrowed, looking as if something was weighing heavily on his mind. She chuckled and asked: "What's up with you?"

Li Yubing was embarra.s.sed to tell her that he was being bullied by a girl in school. He was silent for a while before softly replying: "My deskmate is too stupid."

"You can't say that of a cla.s.smate," Mrs Li corrected him, "Kind-heartedness is the most important human trait. Complaining about cla.s.smates because they are stupid is extremely narrow minded, do you understand?"

Li Yubing felt wronged but still had to agree that he had erred, "Understood."

"Is your deskmate for this school term still Tang Xue?"

"Mm."

Mrs Li laughed: "Tang Xue is very adorable though!"

Li Yubing's face tightened: "Not adorable at all."

Mrs Li thought, silly child.

She did not want to continue the conversation with her son and turned on the radio broadcast.

The radio was tuned into the traffic station which momentarily broadcasting a song dedication. With his husky voice the radio DJ read: "A listener "Spinach" with the mobile phone number ending in 4591 wants to dedicate a song to his childhood sweetheart… …"

Li Yubing asked his mother: "What does childhood sweetheart mean?"

"Childhood sweethearts refers to people who grew up together. For example, just like you and Tang Xue."

"Oh. Not a good phrase."

Author's Bonus Content

【Q】What has become of the person who bullied you when you were young?

Top Comment: She's now my wife.

Translator's Notes:

[1] According to google sensei, Tang Xue and Li Yubing should be around 8 years old in primary 2.

[2] Happy Star is a sci-fi children's television series from China that was first broadcasted in 2004. There are several seasons and a movie is coming out this year.

Wheee finally got the whole of first chapter out. My goal is to at least update once a week so fingers crossed that I manage to stick to it.