Chapter 2

Perhaps because Zhang Tan had been standing at the entrance of Xiaohongmao School for too long, the security guard came over and asked him cautiously if he had any business there.

Zhang Tan smiled and said, "Old Li, don't you recognize me? I'm Zhang Tan."

The man was taken aback, looking him up and down, first confused, then suddenly enlightened.

"Oh, it's Young Master Zhang! I didn't recognize you with your new haircut. Is it summer vacation?"

Zhang Tan replied, "I've graduated from university and come back to Pujiang."

"Good for you, graduated. Are you going to stay in Pujiang permanently?"

As they chatted, a commotion suddenly erupted from inside the school. A group of people came out, with two police officers in the lead, one of them holding a little girl. Behind them, a group of children were crying and shouting.

A little girl in a red dress ran out of the teaching building, holding a water gun, and caught up with the police officers, grabbing one of them and refusing to let go, threatening to shoot if they didn't stop, aiming the gun at them.

"You bad guys, taking my doll! If you have the guts, don't run away!"

The little girl in red spoke in Sichuanese, looking fierce, as if she was ready to fight.

The teachers rushed over to mediate, urging everyone to talk things out calmly and not to use weapons.

"What's going on?" Zhang Tan asked, puzzled.

Old Li straightened his security uniform and stood up straight.

"These are police officers from the local police station. The principal called them."

"Ah, there's a little girl in the school, four years old. She was left here two days ago and hasn't been picked up. We can't contact her family, so we think she's been abandoned."

"We had to call the police to take her away and see if they can find her family."

"What's happening now?" Zhang Tan asked.

Old Li saw the little girl in red leading the other children, who were surrounding and blocking the two police officers, causing a wave of crying. He couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time.

"The children are upset. The little girl in red is named Xiaobai. You haven't met her before; she's only been here for three months."

"This child has only known Xiaomi for a month."

Xiaohongmao School had been around for over a decade, but Zhang Tan had never been interested in it. He never cared about or inquired about its operations, only interested in bars, clubs, luxury goods, and beautiful women.

"From what you're saying, it seems there are quite a few abandoned children in the school?" Zhang Tan asked. Old Li's expression and tone suggested he had seen this before.

Indeed, Old Li nodded. "It's happened a few times before. You know, the families who send their children here are not well-off."

Xiaohongmao School covers over 900 square meters. It used to be a regular, licensed kindergarten where most of the children from the urban village attended. Three years ago, Zhang Tan's grandparents transformed it into a night school, operating from 5:30 PM to 1:00 AM, serving night workers in the city, such as the delivery drivers Zhang Tan had seen earlier. These workers needed to work at night and had no one to take care of their children, so they left them at Xiaohongmao Night School and picked them up after work.

Pujiang is a city that never sleeps. Xiaohongmao School is located in a bustling area of the city, near Chang'an Street, which is filled with well-dressed white-collar workers during the day. At night, it becomes even more lively, with bars and clubs open all night, and fashionable men and women coming and going. Behind this prosperity, there are many hardworking people, often unseen, but visible if you look closely at the muddy areas.

The night school serves these hardworking people. The children sent to the night school come from families that are not well-off, belonging to the lower-middle class of Pujiang's bustling city.

Struggling in such a large, international city is extremely stressful. Some parents, unable to bear the pressure, abandon their children at the school. This doesn't happen often, but it does happen, and Old Li has seen it before, so he wasn't surprised by the current scene.

The little girl in the police officer's arms was crying, trying to break free.

A large group of children chased after them, their angry little voices rising, surrounding and blocking the police officers. The teachers' attempts to mediate were ineffective.

The female police officer holding the girl said helplessly, "Children, Auntie is not a bad person. We are police officers, and we are taking Xiaomi to find her mother."

"Principal Huang, look, we can't leave."

Principal Huang, a woman in her fifties from the urban village, has known Zhang Tan's grandparents for decades and has been managing the school.

"I'll try to talk to them."

"Xiaobai, Xiaobai, let go, okay? The police auntie is a good person, and she's taking Xiaomi to find her mother."

The little girl in red, hearing this, hesitated but continued to hold onto the police officer's clothes, shouting that Xiaomi was her good friend and couldn't be taken away, as she wasn't a bad person.

Principal Huang and others tried to calm the crying children, but it was ineffective, and the situation was difficult to control. Finally, the teachers held back the children, allowing the police to take Xiaomi away quickly.

This made the situation even worse, with the cries and shouts increasing in volume, as if it were a farewell.

Everyone was crying, except for Xiaobai.

Not only did she not cry, but she became even more fierce, like a stray puppy, barking in a high-pitched voice.

The other children were caught, but Xiaobai broke free and chased after them, trying to bring her Xiaomi back.

Just as she was about to catch up, a hand reached out and grabbed her.

It was Zhang Tan.

The two police officers looked at him gratefully and hurried away with Xiaomi.

"Xiaomi—!" Xiaobai shouted and bit Zhang Tan's hand.

"Ah—!"

Zhang Tan, in pain, instinctively let go, and Xiaobai, like a little rabbit, darted out, chasing after the police car, until she fell and landed on the ground, her water gun flying out of her hand. She watched the police car disappear from her sight and couldn't help but cry out in sadness.

"You bad guys—!"

She finally cried, tears streaming down her face, just like the other children.

Half an hour later, Zhang Tan was sitting in a clinic, getting a tetanus shot and having his wound bandaged.

"I'm really sorry, Zhang Tan. You just got back, and this happened. I'll make sure to educate Xiaobai properly."

Principal Huang was also at the clinic.

Zhang Tan, thinking of the little Xiaobai who cried the most, couldn't blame her and shook his head helplessly. "It's fine. Children don't mean it. She was really upset. Maybe we should let them say goodbye properly."

"They've already said goodbye for a long time, and the longer it goes, the harder it is to let go."

"..."

"Have you had dinner? Come to my place."

"No, thank you. I'm not hungry."

"Don't be polite. I prepared it especially for you today."

Zhang Tan arrived at Aunt Huang's house, where her husband was also there. The table was set with a variety of dishes, waiting for him.

"Zhang Tan is here? What happened to your hand?"

Zhang Tan explained.

"It's Xiaobai, then."

It seemed that Uncle Huang was also familiar with Xiaobai.

"Where are Afang and Amei?" Zhang Tan asked.

Aunt Huang arranged for him to sit down and set the table. "Afang got married, bought a house in Minhang, and has a family. Amei is on a business trip to Guangzhou and will be back in a few days."

"Time flies."

"Yes, have some drinks."

"No, no. I had a hangover last night and my head still hurts. I can't drink."

"Not drinking is good. Drinking is bad for your health. Eat more, then."

"Aunt Huang, your cooking is really good."

After dinner, Aunt Huang's husband cleared the table, and Zhang Tan and Aunt Huang returned to the school.

Aunt Huang said, "I'll take you to your room first. It's on the third floor, already prepared."

She offered to carry his suitcase, but Zhang Tan took it first.

On the third floor, there were four rooms. Aunt Huang had prepared the one at the end of the corridor for Zhang Tan, the largest one, about 90 square meters.

"This used to be the children's dormitory. We had it renovated. It's spacious, but the furniture is a bit old. If it's not good, I can replace it tomorrow."

There was a living room, bedroom, balcony, and bathroom, with all the necessary furniture, but as Aunt Huang said, it was a bit old but cozy, all moved from the old family home.

Zhang Tan's decision to return to Pujiang after graduation was made on the spot, and he arrived immediately. The house had been renovated after the Spring Festival because the old family home was dilapidated, and Zhang Tan had no place to stay. Aunt Huang had the place renovated for him so he would have a home when he returned to Pujiang.

"The place is very clean, and the furniture is good. There's no need to replace it. Thank you, Aunt Huang, for your hard work."

Aunt Huang couldn't help but look at him more closely. She remembered Zhang Tan's bizarre hairstyle from the Spring Festival, when he had come back to pay respects to the two deceased elders and spent his days drinking and partying with friends until late at night. Once, he had come to the school drunk, scaring the children. She had chased him away, but he had threatened to take over the school and kick her out.

Aunt Huang had dismissed it as drunken talk, but her impression of him had been very poor, and she had even prepared for the worst, thinking she might be fired and would have let down the two elders.

Today, Zhang Tan's return had surprised her. He no longer had the bizarre hairstyle, looked clean and tidy, and was mature and steady, respectful and sincere, a complete change from before.

Perhaps the passing of his grandparents had made him grow up instantly. Aunt Huang felt relieved and hoped this wasn't just a temporary change.

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