Chapter 36: The Real Lunatic
As the third-year junior high students approached graduation, many began exchanging classmate autograph books. Some bought beautifully decorated notebooks and asked friends to copy song lyrics inside. Despite the rumors swirling around him, Yang Jiabo still received requests. Under Wei Jing’s influence, his once-chicken-scratch handwriting had improved, though it still lacked Wei Jing’s elegant flair, looking limp in comparison.
Yang Jiabo accepted every request, wanting to maintain good relations. With just over a semester left until graduation, he only needed to endure a little longer. He had planned to test into No. 1 High School, but now, he needed a backup plan.
During break, as Yang Jiabo pondered his future, a sharp voice interrupted:
“You’re Yang Jiabo, right?”
He looked up to see a middle-aged woman with a round face, narrow eyes, and an expression of disdain. He didn’t recognize her. “Auntie, who are you?”
“I’m Zhang Yi’s mother. Did you write this?” She slammed a notebook on his desk.
Yang Jiabo glanced at it, it was just lyrics he’d copied for a classmate yesterday. “Yeah, what about it?”
“‘What about it’?” she shrilled. “You should be studying, not writing love songs! This is harassment! My family are scholars, my Zhang Yi is destined for university, not like -”
Yang Jiabo’s temper flared. “Auntie, if you’re sick, get treatment. Are you from the Stone Age? Open your beady eyes, this is just a song! Half the class has done this. With a mom like you, even if Zhang Yi were a fairy, no one would dare like her!”
The woman’s screeching drew a crowd. Zhang Yi, tearful and red-faced, tugged at her mother. “Mom, I told you, it’s just a pop song! Everyone exchanges lyrics!”
“You’re defending him? I sent you here to study, not flirt!” The mother jabbed Zhang Yi’s forehead.
Yang Jiabo stood. “Sort your family drama alone. Don’t drag me in.”
“Oh, I’ll drag you straight to your teacher!” She grabbed for him.
Yang Jiabo dodged, shouting, “Help! This woman’s assaulting me!” Students burst into laughter as he feigned terror, some even fetching the teacher and security.
Zhang Yi suddenly knelt, sobbing. “Mom, stop! I asked him to copy it because I like him! He doesn’t even know me!”
Yang Jiabo froze. So that’s why she’d requested Beyond’s “Like You” (喜欢你, a classic Cantopop love song).
The mother, humiliated, turned on him. “You little delinquent seduced my daughter!”
“Blame my face, then. Might as well leash your kid if you’re this paranoid. Poor girl, you’ll either drive her to suicide or madness.”
The homeroom teacher and security arrived, herding them to the office. Despite explanations, Zhang Yi’s mother insisted Yang Jiabo was a predator. Zhang Yi wept silently, wishing to vanish.
“Mrs. Zhang,” the teacher said wearily, “Yang Jiabo keeps to himself. There’s no evidence of harassment.”
The mother waved the notebook. “Then what’s this? As educators, we must nip this in the bud!”
Yang Jiabo snapped. “Ask anyone, copying lyrics is normal! Or should Zhang Yi live in a study bubble?”
“See his attitude?” the mother spat.
“My attitude? Who crowned you judge? This is No. 1 High, not your backwater school. I’ll take this to the Education Bureau if I must.”
[A backwater school: a school that is considered to be in a remote or rural area, and is often implied to be of lower quality or less prestigious than schools in urban areas]
Rumors said Zhang Yi’s parents taught at Sixth High, her mother was a homeroom teacher, her father was a dean.
The mother scoffed. “I’ve dealt with worse students than you.”
“Enough,” the teacher cut in. “Yang Jiabo, quiet down.”
“Fine, but I demand fairness.” He clenched his jaw.
Ultimately, Zhang Yi fled in tears, her mother chasing after with a final threat: “If anything happens to her, you’ll pay!”
Yang Jiabo yelled back, “I’m the one who has spilled eight lifetimes’ worth of blood and misfortune here! ”
[倒了八辈子血霉 (dǎole bā bèizi xuě méi): lit. spilled eight lifetimes worth of blood and misfortune; fig. unbelievably cursed]
After they left, the teacher sighed. “Focus on studies. Avoid interactions with female classmates.”
“One more parent like that, and I’ll go insane,” Yang Jiabo muttered.
Back in class, friends pressed for details, but he stayed silent, Zhang Yi had suffered enough humiliation already.
Yang Jiabo's personality had inherited some of Li Guizhen's traits, he couldn't distinguish red from green at times, and he certainly wasn't about to swallow his pride for a girl he barely knew.
[不分青红皂白 (bù fēn qīnghóng zàobái): lit. "can't distinguish red from green"; fig. act without regard for reason.]
Later, Zhang Yi stopped coming to school altogether. Rumor had it she was transferring to Sixth High. Maybe it was for the best, who knew what her classmates would say if she stayed?
Thanks to her mother’s outburst, Yang Jiabo had become something of a celebrity again. Girls came to "check him out," and even senior high school girls slipped him love letters, leaving him utterly bewildered.
Around this time, Qiu-jie sent word, she’d found the source of the rumors. After school, Yang Jiabo immediately grabbed his money and headed to her place. Qiu-jie’s house was a mess, with cigarette butts and liquor bottles everywhere, the few pieces of furniture old and worn.
"Qiu-jie, you should cut back on the smoking and drinking. You’re a girl, and with the crowd you run with, who knows what someone might slip into your drink?" Yang Jiabo hesitated to say it outright, but drug use had been on the rise lately.
"Ugh, you sound like an old man," Qiu-jie grumbled, lighting another cigarette.
"I’m just worried about you." He frowned.
"I know. Otherwise, I’d have smacked you already. Worry about yourself first." She gave him a pitying look, she’d heard about the school drama. "Actually, now that I look closely, you’re not bad-looking."
"'Not bad-looking'?" Yang Jiabo bristled. He took after his father in looks and was definitely handsome.
"Pfft. Too skinny, too pale, total little white face."
[小白脸 (xiǎo báiliǎn): Lit. "little white face"; a derogatory term for pretty boys who might rely on looks (or wealthy partners) instead of ability.
"Whatever. Just tell me who’s been badmouthing me." He couldn’t even muster anger at her teasing. He was only sensitive to real malice, not this kind of ribbing.
"Your cousin, Zhou Lingling. What’d you do to piss her off?" Qiu-jie smirked, clearly enjoying the drama.
"We’ve always clashed." Yang Jiabo forced down his anger. What did Zhou Lingling even gain from this?
"Family business? Handle it yourself, then."
"Yeah." He pulled an envelope from his pocket and handed it to her. "Five hundred yuan, enough for a good meal. I’ve got extra classes lately, so I can’t join you. Too bad."
"Too bad? Focus on your studies." She took the envelope, pulled out a hundred, and tried to return the rest, but he refused. "I know things aren’t easy for you guys. That money’s mine, just take it."
"God, you’re such a nerd." But she pocketed the cash anyway.
Qiu-jie wasn’t exactly a good person, she’d done plenty of shady things. But she was loyal, especially to those she’d known since childhood. Yang Jiabo didn’t judge her or her friends, nor did he approve of their lifestyle. Everyone had their struggles, but he wasn’t about to get tangled up in theirs.
Leaving Qiu-jie’s place, Yang Jiabo could no longer contain his rage. He hopped on his bike and stormed to his aunt’s house, intercepting Zhou Lingling right as she got home from school.
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