CHAPTER 6
Uninvited Guest
As they approach the door, a noise is heard from the inside.
Out of curiosity, she walks ahead of the principal and opens the door slightly. Just then, a paper plane flies out, hitting her nose before falling to the ground.
A class of thirty students is inside the room. Almost no one is listening to the teacher’s lecture. Students are applying makeup or nail polish, sleeping, chatting, or playing on their mobile phone.
Jesus, is this the legendary learning environment the school boasts?
An Chuxia’s puzzled eyes lock with the principal. The teacher pinches the bridge of his nose to cover up his embarrassment. The principal’s knock and presence deters some of the class’ behavior. At least, the playing cards are tucked away in the drawers at an incredible speed.
“Do you have anything to do with the principal?” The teacher asks as he stands by the entrance.
“This is An Chuxia, the student I mentioned yesterday.” The principal gazes at An Chuxia. “I leave her to your care.”
“Yes, of course.” The teacher smiles and looks at An Chuxia. “Welcome to class A.”
An Chuxia nods. “Thank you, teacher. I will work hard.”
“Now that it’s all arranged, I will be in my office,” The principal says to An Chuxia.
When the principal leaves, the classroom rises up and down.
An Chuxia’s presence causes an uproar.
“Be quiet. She’s a new student in our class.” The teacher calls An Chuxia towards the podium. Many of the faces look straight at her. She admires those who kept their eyes down.
“Hello everybody. My name is An Chuxia.”
“Well… that’s what a small mosquito sounds like.”
She didn’t know who among the boys made the statement, but the class is immediately filled with laughter.
She’s being ridiculed? She’s ashamed.
She doesn’t wait for the class teacher to calm down the commotion. An Chuxia quickly picks up a chalk and writes ‘An Chuxia’. Three characters. She turns around, her eyes sweeping the class and exclaims, “An Chuxia, please be polite!”
Everyone suddenly quiets down.
“Good. Chuxia, sit with the fourth group of the first table. You have textbooks in the drawer. This section is the language class”, The class teacher says, looking at the space she’s to occupy. “Fei Lixiya, please get along with your new classmate.”
An Chuxia goes over to meet with the rotund girl who looks timidly at her.
“Hello, I hope you can lend me some advice.”
That girl is momentarily surprised. Then, she puts on a smile. “Ah!”
“Well then, we started class. We all know the poet Du Fu is a … .”
Class A goes back to being noisy.
“We are here today to study. If you’re not like everyone who’s here to seriously complete the homework, get out of class!” An uninvited guest appears at the door.
“Wow – isn’t that young master Han Qilu? Why did he come to our class?” Girls start to stir. Even worse, some screamed, fainted, and carried out of the classroom.
To what point do these girls get excited? An Chuxia can’t understand their thoughts. She shakes her head and continues to review the next lesson.
“An Chuxia, did you let our secret out?!”