No. 26 When Tears Turn to Scars
“Alright, that’s all for today…”
Before the homeroom teacher could finish her sentence, a few students started to get up.
“Hold it right there!” She slammed her hand on the desk. “Did I say class is dismissed?”
They quickly sat back down.
“Look at yourselves! What kind of behavior is this?”
She stood with her hands on her hips, her face stern. “Eager to go play? To go to the internet cafe? Do you want me to turn your next class into a self-study session?”
With the high school entrance exam approaching, many elective courses had been replaced with self-study sessions. Even PE, which was mandated by the Education Bureau, had been reduced to once every two weeks. So, their eagerness for physical activity was understandable.
Although PE usually consisted of a few warm-up exercises and a couple of laps around the track.
“I have an announcement. Starting tomorrow, we will have classes on Saturdays.”
Her words were like a bomb, sending shockwaves through the classroom.
“Why?!”
“What era are we living in? Extra classes on Saturdays?”
“You should have told us earlier! I already made plans for tomorrow.”
“Yeah, this is so sudden!”
Even Tan Lijiang, the model student, couldn’t help but protest. “Teacher, can we ask for leave? I have something to do tomorrow.”
I watched the chaos unfold, my heart filled with conflicting emotions.
On one hand, I was grateful for this second chance at life, to experience the joys of school again. On the other hand, I was saddened by my inability to change the predetermined fates of those around me.
Some of these students would become factory workers, some would become office workers, and some would face bankruptcy and broken families.
Yet here they were, arguing with the teacher about extra classes.
“Enough! It’s just extra classes! Stop complaining!” The teacher slammed her hand on the desk again and pointed at a notice posted beside the national flag. “Look at this! How many days are left until the high school entrance exam? Our school is being lenient. Other schools have classes even on Sundays! And you’re still not satisfied?”
“Look at Yi Yao. She’s a girl, and she’s not complaining. Why can she be a hero, but you can’t? This is the difference! Do you understand?”
That’s because they hadn’t been kidnapped. In the face of death, everyone was equal.
But seriously, teacher, are you trying to throw me under the bus?
Why bring me into this? Why portray me as the outlier, the enemy?
Classrooms were strange places. Everyone knew that even if someone from their class scored the highest in the city, it wouldn’t affect their own lives. Yet, they still felt the need to suppress or sabotage their competitors, making comments like, “I didn’t study at all last night. I’m going to fail this test,” or “I messed up so many questions. I’m giving up. Let’s go to the internet cafe tonight.”
No one could relax and enjoy themselves knowing their friend was studying hard at home.
“Yi Yao, stand up and tell us your thoughts on extra classes.”
Seeing that I wasn’t reacting, she gestured for me to stand.
“Before I answer that, I have a question for you, teacher.”
I stood up and smiled faintly. “Do you have one day off or two days off every week?”
Days off were a sensitive topic for most people, including teachers.
Just like the Education Bureau’s rule against weekend classes for students, our country had implemented a law twenty years ago limiting work hours to forty per week. Which meant that, with an eight-hour workday, a five-day workweek was the legal limit.
But the reality was that, even after twenty years, eighty percent of schools in Upper Capital City still held classes on Saturdays, and most companies still only gave their employees one day off.
Even ten years later, in 2026, this situation wouldn’t change. In fact, it would only worsen.
“I…” The teacher was speechless. She stared at me, then stammered, “Look, I’m working overtime with you. Don’t you think you should study hard?”
“That’s all. Remember to come to class tomorrow. I’ll be taking attendance. You’ll face the consequences if you skip.”
She left the classroom, her parting words a thinly veiled threat.
“Haha, well said, Yi Yao!”
The two boys in front of me turned around and gave me a thumbs-up.
“Yeah, look at her face! Why didn’t I think of that? We have extra classes, and she has to work overtime. Hahaha, fair trade.”
I just smiled faintly, not wanting to engage.
They were still children…
When it came to rest and relaxation, teachers definitely had it worse than students.
Students could nap during class, play on their phones, or read comics. But teachers couldn’t. Besides teaching, they had to grade papers. If they couldn’t finish grading during school hours, they had to take it home, unpaid overtime.
Students had extra classes, teachers worked overtime. Students went home to do homework, teachers went home to grade papers. Both sides were exhausted, trapped in a vicious cycle with no end in sight.
“Hey, Yi Yao, is Lan Zhuoyue still not here?”
Tan Lijiang approached me with a few other boys as I was packing my bag. “The basketball game is about to start. You said you would give me an answer after class.”
“My answer is,” I put on my cap, “I’ll play in his place.”
“What? You?”
He looked at me incredulously. “Come on, do you even know how to play basketball?”
I turned to him. “Yes, I do. Why?”
I didn’t know how to play basketball, but Yi Yao did.
She played streetball, the rough and tumble kind. She often played with Hua She and the others after school or during holidays. Like Taekwondo, basketball was a skill ingrained in her body. Now, having inherited her body, I was naturally familiar with the game.
“Well… never mind. Do whatever you want.”
He waved at his friends, then patted my shoulder. “Meet us at the court after warm-up.”
“Okay.”
His agreement was expected.
Yi Yao had never shown off her athletic abilities in school. Even in the 800-meter run during PE exams, where she could easily come in first, she would deliberately slow down and barely pass. I already had a conflict with Tan Lijiang. Now that I had volunteered to play, he wouldn’t miss this opportunity to see me fail.
Warm-up exercises, running laps, safety instructions—PE class passed quickly.
Then came free time.
I took off my school uniform jacket, revealing a T-shirt and denim shorts, and headed towards the basketball court.
Tan Lijiang and the Class 12 team were already there.
“You seem to be short a player.”
One of the Class 12 boys looked at Tan Lijiang’s team. “There are only four of you.”
Tan Lijiang pointed at me. “And her.”
“Seriously, Lao Jiang? That’s not fair.” The boy glanced at me. “Is your class that desperate? This is a competition. Bringing a girl is not cool.”
I walked over to him. “You don’t have to treat me like a girl.”
“Ooh, feisty, aren’t we?”
He feinted a move, then effortlessly sank a basket. “We’re not responsible for any injuries, okay?”
“Try to hit me first.”
I chuckled inwardly. Playing basketball with Hua She and his gang, I had encountered all sorts of dirty tricks. These kids were amateurs.
“Alright, I like your spirit.”
He tossed me the ball. “Fine, Lao Jiang, I’ll trust you this time. You guys have the girl, you get the ball.”
I passed the ball back to him. “Let’s play by the rules.”
“Yi Yao, aren’t you going to take off your cap?”
Tan Lijiang whispered behind me.
“No need.” I adjusted my cap and took my position as forward. “Let’s start.”
Taking off the cap would defeat the purpose of this game.
“Are you serious? Trying to bully us with a girl?” One of the Class 12 boys was outraged. “Little sister, let me tell you something. Don’t expect us to go easy on you. This is about our class’s honor.”
The commotion on the court attracted a crowd.
Even some of the girls from our class, who usually avoided the sun, came over to watch, whispering among themselves.
“I never asked you to go easy on me.”
“Heh, that’s what you said.”
The whistle blew, and the game began.
“Two points for Class 12!”
One of the Class 12 boys sank a basket after a smooth pass.
“Ten points for Class 12!”
“Twenty-four points for Class 12!”
“Two points for Class 11!”
“Forty-two points for Class 12!”
“Eighteen points for Class 11.”
Whether out of distrust or malice, my teammates never passed me the ball. Even when I managed to steal it, they would immediately demand it back. Fifteen minutes had passed, and I hadn’t scored a single point.
“Halftime!”
I walked over to my bag, barely breaking a sweat, and was about to grab my water bottle when a small, pale hand offered me a cold bottle of mineral water.
“Go, Yi Yao!”
The girl was Luo Xiaoning, whose grades were second only to Tan Lijiang. In my previous life, she had often asked me for help with her studies. But in this world, Yi Yao had barely interacted with her.
“You’re the first girl in our class to play in a basketball game. We’re rooting for you.”
She added, seeing my confused expression.
“Thank you.”
I took a few sips of water, then walked over to Tan Lijiang. “Switch me with the point guard.”
“What? Why?” He wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel. “I’ve never seen you practice shooting.”
“Come on, Lao Jiang, let’s just forfeit.”
A few Class 12 boys approached us, grinning. “You’re trailing by 26 points. Class is ending in fifteen minutes. Just give up.”
“Why should we give up?”
I looked at them, the sun shining brightly on my face. “It’s just 26 points. Nine three-pointers, and we’re ahead.”
Huhuhu, show them Yi Yao!!