NOVPUBSunday.
Because of a week spent touring, Xu Qingfan’s Little Sunflower class was in session once again.
In junior high, aside from languages, math, and English, they needed to study four additional subjects: history, geography, biology, and politics—the academic load was nothing to scoff at.
However, of the first three, history, geography, and biology were not tested in middle school exams, and the only required exam in politics was open-book, so it wasn’t really as demanding as it might seem.
"Rational numbers include positive integers, 0, negative integers, and fractions, which encompass positive and negative fractions..." Five girls, either standing or sitting around Xu Qingfan, listened as he explained the content of seventh-grade mathematics.
"This is so simple; I’m going to study on my own." Xia Xiaoxiao lost patience after listening for a while, as the contents of the seventh-grade math book, full of definitions, were nothing compared to the competition problems they encountered in Yanjing.
"Xiaoxiao, I’m with you!" Xiao Ruawen also found it boring and followed suit.
Xu Qingfan also thought the content was far too simple, so he looked up and asked Lin Wanning, Zhang Yiyi, and Wu Lingyu, "What about you guys, do you want to listen to me or study on your own?"
"Brother Qing Fan, I’ll listen to you!"
"Brother should teach!"
"Brother Fan, I guess I’ll study on my own then..." Wu Lingyu glanced over the content in the book and then at Xu Qingfan’s handsome face, but, alas, the content was too simple and she could learn more efficiently on her own, so she reluctantly said.
After Wu Lingyu left with her book, only Xu Qingfan, Lin Wanning, and Zhang Yiyi remained at the table.
"Then let’s continue; the only difficult part of this chapter is the operation of rational numbers, for instance..." Xu Qingfan picked up a pen and continued the lesson for the two girls.
Meanwhile, the three girls lay comfortably on bean bags, a book in the left hand and a pen in the right, occasionally underlining the key points in the books.
The living room’s phonograph was playing soothing instrumental music, while rhythmic cicada chirps from outside the window seemed to add percussion to the music.
The big white cat, Little Brother, hopped onto the windowsill for a nap; the white frosted window curtain was gently stirred by the breeze, a typical summer afternoon.
Everyone inside was busy with their own things; even though no one was speaking, no extra exchange of glances was necessary, yet all six youths felt connected at heart, an incredibly comfortable way to be together.
They continued studying alone until evening; the cicadas outside ceased at some unknown time, and Little Brother was the first to succumb to loneliness, admitting defeat in a game of statue.
"Ha~" Xu Qingfan stretched languidly and said while yawning: "That’s about it; we’ve covered all of unit one."
Xia Xiaoxiao reached over to rub the head of Little Brother, who had wandered over to nudge her leg, and said, "I reached unit four already, so boring."
Xiao Ruawen also joined the cat-petting, softly rubbing the cat’s belly with her bare feet, "Brother Fan, what are we having for dinner? I’m hungry!"
"Brother Qing Fan is cooking!"
"Brother is cooking!"
Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi stood up from where they were leaning on the table and said in unison.
"I’ll help out." Wu Lingyu also raised her hand and volunteered.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go grocery shopping!" Xu Qingfan stood up, approached Little Brother, grabbed the cat by its hind legs, performed a 360-degree backflip, and then skilfully caught its front paws from the front.
"Old Wu~" Little Brother looked pitifully at Xu Qingfan.
"Xu Qingfan, aren’t you annoying!" Xia Xiaoxiao raised her hand and slapped the back of his hand, snuggling the cat back into her arms.
"What do you know, I’m training it for backflips; a cat that can’t do backflips would be embarrassing to talk about!" Xu Qingfan asserted righteously.
"Pfft~" Xia Xiaoxiao smiled slyly; the girl suddenly remembered how Xu Qingfan had clumsily tumbled while doing a backflip to amuse her in elementary school.
"I think you’re the embarrassment!" Xia Xiaoxiao smiled and glared at him.
"Backflips are not to be taken lightly, they’re dangerous. If you land on your neck first, you could die." Xiao Ruawen, with years of martial arts experience, knew exactly which parts of the human body were most fragile.
"Xu Qingfan can’t do a real backflip to save his life; he always lands on his hands, ridiculously." Xia Xiaoxiao ruthlessly exposed him.
"Oh, then it’s alright, as long as it’s not a free-falling backflip." Xiao Ruawen nodded in agreement.
"If you dare speak ill of me again, you’ll dine with Da Huang tonight!" Xu Qingfan punched Xia Xiaoxiao and said, "Let’s go; it’s just the right time for grocery shopping as the sun sets."
"Let’s go!"
After leaving the cat in the house and locking the door, the six of them walked shoulder to shoulder on the way to the market.
"Tomorrow when we return, we won’t have to see that annoying head teacher ever again, so great!" Lin Wanning led the way, treating the sidewalk’s blue bricks as hopscotch squares, jumping to six and seven then spinning around to tell everyone.
"Who would’ve thought the internet could be so powerful, just one article and she was done for. Brother Fan is going to be a great writer!" Xiao Ruawen put her hand on his shoulder and continued, "The brush was Mr. Lu Xun’s gunstock, and the keyboard is Brother Fan’s gunstock, so Brother Fan is a warrior of the keyboard!" 𝑛𝑜𝑣𝑝𝑢𝘣.𝘤𝑜𝘮
"Hahaha~" Although the term ’keyboard warrior’ was not yet popular in 2008, having spent so long with Xu Qingfan, the girls fully grasped its true meaning.
"I think you’re more of a keyboard warrior, still reminding netizens under my comment section that Shan Fengtao changed her phone number." Xu Qingfan bumped her head with his, not amused.
"Brother Qing Fan is the good type of keyboard warrior!" Lin Wanning ran back to wedge herself between him and Zhang Yiyi.
"Do you think anyone called to scold Shan Fengtao after reading the article?" Xiao Ruawen smiled sweetly, her dimples showing, but her words were rather sinister.
