Volume 5 Extras
Extra 1, He Mu Qing, Part 1
“Teacher He, Teacher He…”
The little girl was raising her short and slender arms. Her round face, and her dark and black, big eyes. Her cheeks were red, and she was like a ripe red apple. Her voice was crisp and naïve. “I heard from my dad that Teacher He is leaving, right?”
He Mu Qing stopped her action of wiping the blackboard and turned around. Her fingertips were pinching a white chalk dust, and the eraser was on the stage. Below the stage was a row of naïve-looking children, but their eyes were shining with a strong desire for knowledge.
It was difficult in the mountainous area. This had almost supported her to stay here for a year.
She was smiling, and she had wiped the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand. She had nodded and had said, “Yes, I’m leaving.”
The children had suddenly started to make a fuss. Many people had wanted her to stay. A few of the more sensitive little girls had lowered their heads and had wiped their tears. Teacher He was gentle and knew everything. She had taught them a lot with the other teachers.
He Mu Qing had walked down the stage and had comforted them in a low voice. She had looked at the naïve faces and had matched them with their names one by one. She had accidentally had red eyes.
The conditions had been difficult when she had first come. The mountains were very beautiful, with many beautiful landscapes and animals and plants. The road up and down the mountain was winding, and there were few people in the town. The young people had left, and the rest were old people with their children. Every year, a teacher would come, and they would piece together the only one.
The enclosed mountainous area was ten or twenty years behind the outside world. The children had not received a good education since they were young, and the personality they had developed was as wild as the flowers and grass that were growing everywhere on the mountain.
They were very disobedient, and they were mischievous, and they even skipped class. But their nature was not bad. The teachers before had also taught them well. When she had come, the students were all quite well-behaved. She would sometimes suddenly think of the her of her childhood. A girl’s family was like a boy. She had dared to climb trees, to catch insects, and to fight…
There were two reasons for this kind of personality. The first was a lack of love, and she had always wanted to attract others’ attention. The second was doting. Someone had spoiled her, so she was always fearless.
She was lucky. She was the second type.
“Will you miss me after you leave, Teacher He?”
“Of course I will. I’ll also come back to see you.”
He Mu Qing had squatted down and had touched the little girl’s head. The baby fat on her cheeks was watery. She had the deepest impression of this girl. She was good at studying, but unfortunately, there was only an old grandmother left in her family, and her family’s conditions were not very good. “Little Red Flower, when Teacher He comes back, you’ll definitely be even more beautiful.”
“Little Teacher He… someone is looking for you. It seems to be… from outside the mountain.”
He Mu Qing had turned her head and had seen the principal standing at the door, panting. She had been stunned for a while after she had heard it. “Principal, you said… who came?”
“I don’t know. He’s looking for you by name. He seems to be almost at the entrance of the village. He found a car to come up the mountain, and he was just picked up by Ergou’s father. He said he knew you.”
She had suddenly run back to the stage and had taken her phone. She had run out of the teaching building and there was a large open space. A large patch of a yellow and bright grain was also being dried. A few dogs were dozing at the door, and in the distance, the mountains were connected to the mountains, and it was a dark and pressing patch.
As soon as she had gone outside, the phone signal had been much better. She had flipped through the chat history between the two of them. Recently, he had always said that he was busy with work, and the messages between the two of them had been much less. Many times, she had wanted to ask, “Do you not miss me anymore?” But after she had passed the naive age, she had found that she couldn’t say these words.
The latest one was still from yesterday morning. He had asked her if she was coming back soon, and if she had gotten a tan. He was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to recognize her then. She had replied with a voice message, and she was so angry that she didn’t want to talk to him. That day, she had turned her old skincare products upside down and had applied a mask for several days in a row.
He Mu Qing had rubbed her eyes and had taken a deep breath. She had dialed his phone, but it had not gone through. She had frowned and had quickly dialed a second one. This time, she had heard his voice.
“Where are you now?”
She had asked him directly, and she had not stopped. She had been walking towards the entrance of the town. There was a very narrow mountain path. It would take half an hour to walk, and it would directly lead to the place where the town had a market. From time to time, someone in the village would set up a stage there to sing a big opera.
“I… I’m in the car.”
“Where’s the car? Why are you running around at this time when you’re not at work?”
“It’s just… a car I hailed on the side of the road. I’m busy here. Hey… I’m getting off. Why are you asking this?”
“Nothing. I just wanted to tell you. Su Yu, don’t let me know you’re lying to me…” He Mu Qing had licked the tip of her teeth and had raised her head and had seen the three- or four-story small building in the town. Her steps had followed and had quickened.
Before she could hang up the phone, he had suddenly made a fuss on the other end, and his tone was flustered. “Damn, why is this big yellow dog barking so fiercely? It’s biting people…”
Another man was speaking. “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. The animal is psychic. It doesn’t bite people…”
A shout with a very local accent had been instantly captured by her. He Mu Qing had frowned and had hung up the phone. She had clenched her fists and had almost run to the town.
The town was much more lively. After the autumn harvest, every household was much more free. They would gather together to chat, to play cards, and to talk about their daily lives. A strong and rich local flavor was coming to her face.
The old yellow dog that was tied to the railing was barking fiercely, and it was always restless. There were people coming and going in front of her. She was looking for his shadow everywhere, but she had come up empty.
“You bastard. If you’re not going to prepare a surprise, then don’t learn from others to prepare one.”
She had blinked her inexplicably wet eyes and was muttering and was calling him. Her expression was not good, and her heart was pounding.
“Hey, Su Yu, I’m telling you. Don’t play hide-and-seek with me. I’ll give you three seconds. One… two…”
“I’m behind you.”
She was stunned for a moment. She had licked her somewhat dry lips, and the cold wind had brushed past the corners of her eyes, and it was cool. She had subconsciously touched the scattered hair on her shoulder, and she had also grabbed her bangs.
The little girl had taken a breath and was listening to the lively sound in her ear, and the sound that was flowing past her ear with the wind. She had slowly turned around.
“I just put away my luggage. I’ve been a little busy with work these past two days. It’s not easy to squeeze out these two days of a holiday. And this place is also too hard to find. If it wasn’t for the fact that I had met a local villager, the road would also not be good. I was so bumpy that I was about to vomit my breakfast…”
Su Yu had really had a hard time on this trip. He also didn’t know why he had said so much. Although he had seen the photos that He Mu Qing had sent him, when he had seen her, she was suddenly a little different. This was the second time the two of them had been separated for so long.
He Mu Qing had run over and had held him tightly. She had bumped into his heart, and there was a hint of a retaliatory meaning. He had been choked, and his voice had stopped.
He had looked down and had seen her buried in his chest. Her fists were still clenched. He couldn’t tell if it was warmth or anger. Anyway, her tone was not very friendly.
“You’re so talkative. Why are you still so talkative?”
He Mu Qing had closed her eyes, and her eyes were red, and she was very weak and was hot. She had rubbed against his collar, and her voice had become muffled and had become smaller.
It was as if a cat were whimpering. “I really miss you so much.”
…
“Teacher He is in a relationship…”
During the break, Ergouzi had gathered a group of his friends and was listening to his rambling.
“How do you know?”
“Of course… I saw it with my own eyes.”
Ergouzi had raised his head and was showing off again.
Everyone had immediately straightened their ears and was asking one question after another. “What is it? What is it? Stop keeping us in suspense.”
“Hmph, I saw Teacher He’s boyfriend come to find her. And it was my dad who picked him up from the bottom of the mountain.”
Ergouzi had slapped the table and was acting like the storyteller at the entrance of the town. He was shaking his head. “Usually, Teacher He would tell us to be strong. But in the end, she was crying her eyes out. It’s so shameful.”
Little Red Flower was listening on the side and had chimed in. “Teacher He is so beautiful. Is it strange that she has a boyfriend? I’d like to see what Teacher He’s boyfriend looks like.”
“What are you guys talking about? Can you tell me too?”
He Mu Qing had walked into the classroom with her textbook. She had glanced at Ergou, whose head was buried the lowest, and had suddenly understood. She had walked up to him and had coughed. She had seen the little guy’s shoulders tremble, and he had looked up at her with a timid look.
Her face was kind, and her tone was gentle. “Ergou, what did I tell you yesterday? It seems I have to have a good talk with your dad about your grades.”
“Don’t, Teacher He. I was wrong.” Ergou’s little face had turned pale.
“Hmph, I can’t even deal with you, you little brat.”
He Mu Qing had clapped her hands, and her expression was solemn.
“It’s time for class.”
The classes that had been arranged for her recently were not many, and there was basically no distinction between subject teachers. Usually, one teacher would teach several subjects. She was leaving soon, and she had applied for an extension. At the very least, she wanted to finish the book in her hand.
After class, she was packing her things at the podium. Suddenly, a not-so-big hand had reached out to her, and it was holding a basket of local eggs.
“Teacher He, this is what my grandma prepared for you.”
Little Red Flower was small, and she was not as tall as the podium. She was calling her with a crisp voice.
“Oh, this is too much. This… I can’t accept this.”
He Mu Qing was holding the basket of eggs, and it was heavy.
“It’s okay. We have a lot of eggs at home. We can’t finish the ones that are left over from selling. When you go back in the future, teacher, you won’t be able to eat our eggs here.”
“Alright then. Little Red Flower is so good. Come… I’ll give you a few candies. There are still a lot here. You can share them with your classmates later.”
“Thank you, teacher!”
Little Red Flower had looked at the large jar of chocolate and had swallowed. Her dark and black eyes were shining, and she was so greedy that she couldn’t stand it.
The mountains here were far, and the express delivery could not be delivered into the mountains. The few snacks she had had had been given away in a few days when she had just arrived. Fortunately, that guy had brought a lot yesterday, and he had asked her to share them with the children.
He Mu Qing had thought that he was thoughtful, and that he had not forgotten her. Her heart was sweet, and she couldn’t help but smile.
The little girl was blinking her eyes, and her face was full of curiosity. “Does Teacher He really have a boyfriend? You’re smiling so happily. Do you like him very much, teacher?”
“Yes, I like him very much.”
She had ruffled Little Red Flower’s chubby face and had said with a smile, “It was like that before, and it’s like that now, and it will be in the future.”
…
He Mu Qing was living in a single-family house in the village. The village was lacking in everything, but it was not lacking in empty land. A lot of houses had been built. The young people in the family had left, and they had always been empty. After she had tidied up, she had moved in.
The winter in the mountains was late to get dark. Sometimes, after class, it would be dark before evening, and there were no streetlights. She had to walk on the narrow and winding village road with the light from her phone. A few times, she had had to run back with a hardened heart when the battery had run out.
When she had just started, she had heard a few of the little brats in her class chatting. They had said that there were wolves on the mountain, and they would run out at night to eat the children who were playing out at night. A group of people were making a fuss, and they had scared her quite a bit.
Once, when she was on her way home, she had just happened to have run out of battery on her phone. She was walking in the dark with the help of the moonlight. She had looked up and had seen something with green eyes. It had four legs, and she had screamed. She had squatted on the ground and had not dared to move.
A few villagers who had heard the commotion nearby had sent her back. It was not until the next day that she had known that it was not a wolf at all. It was just a big black dog that she had often touched during the day. But she was as if she had lost her soul and had cried for a day. She had rested in the house for a day, and her throat was hoarse when she was on the phone with Su Yu. She had said that she would not stay, and that she wanted to go back.
She just remembered that he had agreed without a second thought on the other end of the phone. He had said that he would book a ticket to pick her up. In the end, she had quickly changed her mind. She had thought that she was really not the He Mu Qing of the past, who was not afraid of anything.
In the past, he had always been bullied. Which time was it not her who had stood up for him? Now… how could she cry so hard in front of him? She was so useless.
She had thought that she was strong in her bones. But the days without him had never been good.
“It’s such a dark road. You don’t even have a light?”
As she was thinking, she had been in a daze. It was dark, and she had suddenly bumped into someone. A familiar scent had rushed into her nose. Just as she was about to make a sound, the light from a flashlight had driven away the darkness. She had seen his face clearly, and her heart was as if it had been held, and it was at ease. She had taken two steps back with a fuss, and her gaze was on him and had not moved away.
“What are you doing? You’re like a ghost.”
Su Yu was rubbing his chest and was smacking his lips. “I’m afraid you’ll fall into a ditch if you’re not paying attention.”
“Why are you looking for me? You don’t know the way. You won’t be able to come back if you go into the forest.”
Su Yu had pointed to the front. The courtyard outside the house was still burning with a boiler, and there was a faint firelight. “I’ve cooked a pot of chicken soup… it will be overcooked if you don’t come back.”
“You can cook chicken soup? No… where did the chicken come from?”, He Mu Qing had glanced at him with a suspicious look, and she was not very convinced.
“I caught it in the mountains. Auntie Sun’s husband took me hunting in the mountains. It’s a wild chicken from the mountains. The soup is so fragrant.” Su Yu had raised his eyebrows, and he was a little smug.
He Mu Qing had blinked her eyes and had said dryly, “You’re quite familiar with them…”
Before she could finish her words, she had inadvertently glanced at the bandage on the back of his hand. He had just come here for a while and had already been injured. She had frowned and had asked him how he had gotten it.
“That wild chicken was quite fierce. It scratched me. Auntie Sun’s family has medicine. It’s so magical. It stopped the bleeding at once.”
“Auntie Sun, Auntie Sun. Are you here to see me or to see Auntie Sun?”
He Mu Qing had been fierce with him, and she had fiercely asked him to shut up. She had snatched the other hand that was hidden in his pants pocket. In the end, the injury was even more serious. Two or three bandages could not cover it, and it was bleeding, and it was so painful to look at.
She had felt sorry for him, so she had held his hand and had blown on it, as if she were coaxing a child who had fallen and had been injured in her class. She was so gentle that he was stunned.
“Why are you cooking chicken soup for no reason? I can’t eat any wild game in this mountain. Do you have to be so superfluous? Why are you troubling the neighbors?”
“This chicken has to be sold for money. I bought this chicken. And how come I heard from Auntie Sun that you’ve been paying for it all along… you’ve given all those snacks to the class. What good things can you usually eat?”
“You’re so annoying. I can’t argue with you…”
He Mu Qing had lowered her head and was pinching her palm. Her cheeks were slightly puffed out, and she was looking at him and was emphasizing, “I’m fine here. I’m really not suffering. You believe me.”
Su Yu had looked at the rough coat on her, and her scarf was also sparsely woven. He had sighed. He was not blind. How could this be a good life? Everyone should be better. But when she was suffering, he was not there.
He had not said anything and had pulled her into the house.
“Alright, alright. I believe you. Go back and have some chicken soup. I’m telling you, this is a secret recipe that Auntie Sun taught me. I’ve added a lot of things, like lingzhi, and ginseng…”
“Su Yu, don’t mention Auntie Sun anymore!”
