Chapter 5#

Two days later, the results were out. Chen Yuanming got seventh in the class and fifteenth in the grade. After the papers were distributed, the seats were rearranged according to scores as usual. In the past, when he was ranked in the twenties or thirties, he could be pushed to the back row for various reasons. But now… when Chen Yuanming picked up his schoolbag and sat down in the middle of the third row, the expression on Teacher Han’s face was priceless. However, for such an “achievement,” it was hard for him to say whether he felt happy or disappointed.

Adding up two lifetimes, he had long passed the age of being smug about this kind of counterattack. The more his memories from his previous life recovered, the more insignificant this campus conflict became. Those things that had once caused him pain and made him toss and turn at night were, to put it bluntly, just a clumsy reflection of the real society. Compared to the naive and ridiculous campus life, there were too many things in the world that could not be shaken by one’s own strength.

That being said, when he was cornered on a secluded path, Chen Yuanming still showed a cold smile. Today he was supposed to go to Sun Lang’s house to see the glove styles. He wasn’t even on the way home, but he didn’t expect to be followed. Not far ahead, a chubby boy with a big waist blocked the middle of the road. He was riding the most fashionable variable-speed mountain bike at the time, with a typical traitor’s center-parted hairstyle. The small eyes behind the lenses were smugly curved into two thin slits. Behind him, two “little brothers” stood on his left and right, looking no different from ordinary school bullies.

Discovering that the “prey” had seen him, the guy got off his bike and swaggered forward two steps with his little brothers, his eyes provocatively sweeping over the gauze wrapped around Chen Yuanming’s head, “You got smarter after getting your head cracked open, huh? You even know how to cheat on exams?”

The corner of Chen Yuanming’s mouth twitched. He silently took off his schoolbag from his shoulder, wrapped the shoulder strap around his hand twice, and let it hang heavily. The boy standing opposite was named Ma Zhiqiang. His father was the director of a branch factory, and his mother worked in the grain bureau. Therefore, even though his grades were nowhere near the admission line of No. 3 Middle School, he still got into the key class with his head held high, and even got a seat in the front row because of his “myopia.”

Such a privileged student should have had nothing to do with Chen Yuanming. Who knew that since the first semester of the second year of junior high, the two had inexplicably become hostile. In Ma Zhiqiang’s words, “I just don’t like this kid.” In the environment of the key class, the original Chen Yuanming had no class consciousness, but there were indeed many students who had this kind of consciousness. Someone was instigating and inciting in the middle, and the impact was self-evident. After being isolated and discriminated against for more than a year, he finally couldn’t help but fight with Ma Zhiqiang. The result was that his head was broken, he was warned by the school, criticized by the head teacher, and scolded by his parents, while the other party, because of the bruises on his face, became the “victim.”

In the original memory, he had fought with him several more times in the last half year of junior high school, and was almost expelled from school in the end. Now, although he didn’t intend to get entangled in this matter, since the other party had come to his door, it would be unreasonable not to accept.

“Why don’t you talk, is your tongue broken… Ah~~”

The ridicule instantly turned into a cry of surprise. A few steps away, with just a running start, the schoolbag in his hand was swung out, hitting the other party’s chin. The fatso’s upper and lower teeth slammed together, and blood spurted out. Chen Yuanming turned around and kicked the weak follower in the waist, making him squat on the ground with a cry of pain. The other follower had already rushed up with his fists swinging. Chen Yuanming dodged the first punch, grabbed the other’s arm with his left hand, and kneed him hard in the stomach. Although he was wearing thick clothes in winter, his delicate little body couldn’t stand such a heavy blow, and the guy vomited a mouthful of sour water with a “wah.”

Leaving the two followers behind, Chen Yuanming reached out and grabbed Ma Zhiqiang, who was trying to escape when he saw that the situation was not good. He twisted his elbow and kicked him in the back of the knee. The whole person fell to the ground, raising a large cloud of dust.

In the early 1990s, there were no truly bad students. It had only been a few years since the “Strike Hard” campaign, and parents who were scared out of their wits couldn’t stand even a hint of hooliganism. Even the most naughty children were watched closely, for fear that they would commit a crime and be sent to the execution ground. In addition, those who could come to No. 3 Middle School were either children of employees or cross-district students with some status, so they were even more simple and honest. Bullying the few with the many was still possible, but one-on-one was a joke.

And when Chen Yuanming first started his journey to Beijing in his previous life, he did real physical labor. A few years of experience as a fitter gave him a lot of strength. At that time, construction sites were one of the most chaotic places on the market, and it was also when “Young and Dangerous” was popular all over the country. A group of hot-blooded young men often got into group fights. With such experience, dealing with a few junior high school students was a piece of cake.

Ma Zhiqiang crawled on the ground in a panic for two steps. Just as he was about to get up, his hair was grabbed and slammed to the ground. Two streams of blood immediately gushed from his nose. Then his neck tightened, and a rough rope was put around his throat. With a pull back, he let out two strange cries, and tears streamed down his face.

“Chen Yuanming… you! You let go! I’ll tell my dad…”

“Tell him what?” A voice sounded in his ear, very light, but chillingly sinister. “That you come to me every day to get fucked?”

Stimulated by this unexpected vulgarity, Ma Zhiqiang coughed violently, scratching his neck with his nails, and even his legs thrashed.

Chen Yuanming was unmoved, pressing his knee hard on the other’s back, “Put away your dirty thoughts, you bitch. With your pig-like face, is it useful to exclude me?”

“You… you…” Ma Zhiqiang trembled all over, “What did you say…”

“Pretending not to understand? I’m not interested in playing with you anymore. Next time you wander in front of me, I’ll break your dog legs.”

“Doudou!” A loud shout suddenly came from a distance!

Chen Yuanming raised his head and saw Sun Lang riding his big 28-inch bike towards him from a distance. The bike was about to fall apart from his frantic pedaling, making a strange clanging sound. He showed a faint smile, untied the schoolbag strap in his hand, picked up the schoolbag and took two steps back.

Having escaped from the crazy and terrible enemy, and with an accomplice coming from the other side, Ma Zhiqiang and his two friends didn’t dare to stay. The little fatty pushed his bike and ran, while the other two drilled into the side road like headless flies.

With a loud bang, Sun Lang had already thrown down his bike and chased after the three of them. “Fuck you, you trash! Three against one, huh? Don’t run if you have the guts!!”

Chen Yuanming quickly grabbed the almost rampaging Sun Lang, “Second Brother, don’t chase…”

“Don’t chase?! Oh my dear brother, did they hit your head? Why are you so easy to talk to!!” Sun Lang almost grabbed him and shook him violently, “Isn’t your No. 3 Middle School strict? If you can’t beat them, why don’t you tell the teacher?! Have you told your dad about this?”

“I hit back too, the school gave me a demerit…”

Hearing this answer, Sun Lang’s eyes widened, “No way?! The three of them hit you, and you still got a demerit? Fuck, No. 3 Middle School is so perverted?!”

“His dad is the director of the first branch factory…”

Sun Lang was instantly stuck. His dad, Sun Jun, was also a minor official, and he had received some education in this area since he was a child. After being stunned for a while, he gritted his teeth, “So what if he’s a factory director? Can a factory director’s son beat people up at will? Don’t be afraid, Brother will go to your school more often in the future. If anyone comes to trouble you, Brother will help you fight back! Humph~~ Can your No. 3 Middle School control the people from No. 2 Middle School?!”

Looking at the angry boy, Chen Yuanming showed a big smile, walked over and picked up the bicycle that had fallen on the ground, “Did Auntie ask you to pick me up?”

“Yeah, dinner is ready at home. My mom told me to see where you were…” Instantly distracted, Sun Lang snatched the handlebars from his hand, “Hurry up and go home with me! We’re having braised pork ribs today, my mom’s braised pork ribs are delicious!”

“Of course, Auntie’s cooking is amazing.” Holding the other’s waist, Chen Yuanming jumped on the bicycle and hung the dirty schoolbag on his back, “Let’s go! I’m starving!”

The generous command earned another round of muttering from Sun Lang, and the boy pedaled the bicycle with all his might. Chen Yuanming slowly restrained his smile and looked behind him. The place where they had just fought was empty, not even a drop of blood could be found, as clean as if nothing had happened. But some things were placed under the incandescent lamp. Was that weird targeting really just because of identity or personality? With a lifetime of experience, a little probing caught the thing buried deep inside. In junior high school, although he was a bit dark and thin and not very tall, his appearance was not shabby, and his features could be considered handsome. In order to prevent talking in class, No. 3 Middle School also implemented a co-ed deskmate system… At this age of sexual enlightenment, too many ignorant teenagers would use some strange methods to deal with imaginary love rivals, even if he was not interested in this at all.

But so what? He didn’t notice it at all back then, and now he had no interest in doing anything about this discovery. If someone had to pay for it, it should not be him who was innocently involved. Retracting his gaze, Chen Yuanming sniffed the snot that had been frozen out and tightened his grip on the cotton-padded jacket of the boy in front of him.

Author’s Note: Strike Hard, a campaign to rectify social order that began in 1983. There have been four such campaigns in China so far. The one that began in 1983 was known for its severe sentences, with many death sentences handed down, which had a great impact on society at the time. You can check Baidu Baike for details.

Young and Dangerous, a famous gangster film series, released in 1996, had a great impact on teenagers in mainland China.