Chapter 34: Those Who Care Too Much About Saving Face Can't Even Enjoy a Piece of Candy

Chen Shian finally understood why Wen Zhixia ate so slowly—it was impossible to eat quickly when she chattered away throughout the meal. The old rule of “no talking at the table or in bed” had no place with Chen Shian; even when dining with his master, Fat Mo, their meals were always accompanied by conversation.

Chen Shian never rushed his food, even when he started out hungry. He maintained a steady pace from beginning to end. Although the food was simple and his attire plain, there was always a quiet elegance about him.

In the end, it was Wen Zhixia who finished first. About two minutes after she set down her chopsticks, Chen Shian, still eating at his usual even tempo, finished as well.

This pleased Wen Zhixia greatly. She had always been embarrassed to keep others waiting but didn’t mind waiting herself. Chen Shian really was the perfect meal companion!

“Are you done eating?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Here’s a tissue.”

The girl pulled a packet of tissues from her pocket. These small packs were much larger and sturdier than the regular ones. She drew one out, tore it in half, and handed half to Chen Shian.

Tissues were as good as gold at school. Leave ten yuan on a desk and nobody would bother with it, but leave a pack of tissues and it would be gone by day’s end. Sharing half a tissue like this was something only good friends did.

Chen Shian was about to say he had a handkerchief, but seeing her small hand holding out the tissue, he smiled and accepted it.

“Anyway, just try learning English the way I showed you. My English wasn’t very good in middle school either, but I improved a lot over time.”

“Alright, your methods seem useful. I’ll give them a try.”

During the meal, Wen Zhixia had shared many tips for learning English—mainly tricks to improve memorization, like how to remember vocabulary faster or retain passages better.

They say that in poverty you rely on tactics, in wealth you rely on firepower. For ordinary students, the struggle with memorization was hard to imagine for Chen Shian, who had possessed a photographic memory since childhood.

Still, he listened intently. At least, if anyone ever asked him how to improve their memorization, he could pass on Wen Zhixia’s methods, instead of just saying, “Just look at it a couple more times and you’ll remember.”

“Shall we go?”

“Do we have to wash our trays ourselves?”

“No, just put them in the collection area. Follow me.”

Wen Zhixia stood with her tray, and Chen Shian followed suit.

The dish return station was by the back door of the cafeteria. They emptied their leftovers into the slop bucket, stacked their trays, and walked together along the campus path.

“Are you going back to the classroom for a nap?” Chen Shian asked.

“Yes! Day students can only nap in the classroom. It’s almost twelve forty now, and class starts at one thirty. There’s no time to go home for a nap. How many day students are in your class?”

“I think I’m the only one. What about yours?”

“Just me too!”

“Is it because everyone lives far away?”

“That’s part of it, but not all. Some people don’t have anyone at home to cook, or it’s just more convenient to study at school, so they board. The default is boarding—you have to apply to be a day student.”

“So you’ll be alone in the classroom at lunch?”

“No way!” Wen Zhixia ticked off on her fingers. “Usually, there are at least seven or eight people who stay in the classroom at lunchtime in our class. They’re all boarders who don’t take naps but study instead. I’m sure your class has a few too.”

“Studying outside of class?” Chen Shian was surprised. The teachers hadn’t mentioned any such rule, so this must be voluntary.

“Yeah, our school is very competitive. You saw the honor roll, right? If you don’t score at least 600, you’re not even in the top 100. Classroom learning alone isn’t enough. Lots of students also have private tutors after school.”

Hearing this, Chen Shian gained a new understanding of just how competitive high school life was. He’d already thought the class schedule was long enough, but apparently, it wasn’t.

“Balance is key. Too much of anything is bad,” Chen Shian remarked.

“You have a good mindset. But whether it’s teachers or parents, they all say we have to study hard. If you don’t, your exam scores will be bad. If your scores are bad, you won’t get into a good university. If not, you won’t get a good job, and then you won’t earn money, and your life will be ruined.”

She paused, then looked at Chen Shian. “But you’re different from us.”

“How so?”

“You’re the opposite. You already have a job—you’re a Taoist priest. Whether you do well in school or not, it doesn’t affect your being a priest.”

“Jealous again?” Chen Shian smiled at her.

The girl took a deep breath, as if about to shout, then just clenched her fists and said in a playful tone, “I’m so~ jealous~!”

Chen Shian burst out laughing.

Chatting as they walked, the two made their way to the teaching building. Not far ahead was the campus convenience store. Wen Zhixia thought for a moment.

“Why don’t you go ahead? I’m going to buy some pen refills—I just ran out.”

“Where do you buy them?”

“Over there—the mini-mart. You can pay with your meal card.”

“Let’s go together.”

“Do you need something?”

“I’ve never been inside. I just want to look around.”

“You’re so idle!”

Having company was always better, so Wen Zhixia brought him to the campus store.

Its layout was much like any other small market, not very big—just a little place selling snacks, bread, stationery, drinks, fruit, even tea eggs and steamed dumplings in the mornings. The prices were about the same as outside, and the owner was from the same hometown as many at the school.

To Chen Shian, it all felt new. He’d always thought of school as just a place to study, never realizing how modern campuses had so many facilities to support students: mini-marts, clinics, counseling rooms, gyms—it was like a little city within the city.

Whether this little world was an idyllic haven or a kind of purgatory probably depended on the student’s stage of life. Chen Shian had learned to see things dynamically; at least for now, from his perspective, it seemed pretty good.

Wen Zhixia picked out a box of pen refills. She went through pens quickly, but to save money, unless the barrel was broken, she always replaced the ink instead of buying a new pen.

She had a habit of spinning her pen, and when she found one that spun perfectly in her fingers, she was reluctant to let it go.

Chen Shian didn’t need anything, but seeing lollipops at the checkout, he bought a few on a whim. Fifty cents each, the different colored wrappers represented different fruit flavors.

“You like lollipops?” Wen Zhixia asked as they walked out together.

“It’s been ages. I thought I’d try one.”

The first time Chen Shian had a lollipop was when he was three, during a ritual with his master at someone’s home. A girl gave it to him, saying he was adorable—so small, dressed in priestly robes like a little grown-up.

That lollipop was apple-flavored, and the white plastic stick turned into a whistle when the candy was gone.

He’d wondered then why, even though it was just the same as regular candy, eating it on a stick felt so different.

He asked his master, who replied, “Good disciple, do you have any more? Let your master try one—I’ve never had one before.”

“Why didn’t you eat one just now at their house?”

“A man my age eating candy would’ve been a joke for everyone.”

So at age three, Chen Shian learned a valuable lesson: if you’re too proud, you might not even get a taste of candy.

Candy, he decided, is best when shared.

Chen Shian handed two lollipops to Wen Zhixia. “Here, consider it a partner’s fee—thanks for being my meal companion.”

“You learn fast!”

Partner’s fee—just what she’d joked about that morning when she brought him soy milk.

“Take them.”

“No, I’m trying to lose weight. I shouldn’t eat candy.”

“If I get fat, we’ll get fat together.”

There was no better reason to shatter one’s resolve to diet.

Wen Zhixia finally accepted the two lollipops, unwrapping one as he did.

Hers was a pink strawberry ball; his, a pale green apple.

Together, they popped the candy into their mouths, the balls rolling on their tongues, the sticks poking out at jaunty angles.

They looked at each other and laughed, sweet as sugar.

“How is it?”

“Hee hee, delicious!”