Chapter 2

I did not dare delay, so I first sent my daughter home.

My wife was not there.

The house was still the old house from seven years ago, and the furniture had become old, but everything was cleaned neatly.

My daughter said her mother had gone to deliver takeout and would not be back until night.

I settled my daughter in, then went out to buy groceries and made her dinner.

She ate ravenously while secretly glancing at me, as if she were afraid I would suddenly disappear again.

“What time does Mom usually come home?”

“Sometimes eleven or twelve, and sometimes even later.”

My daughter put down her chopsticks.

“Dad, don’t blame Mom for not answering your calls, because Mom’s phone is really broken.”

“She originally wanted to repair it, but repairing it costs two hundred yuan, and she couldn’t bear to spend it, saying it was enough for a week of my meals.”

My heart felt painfully blocked.

After dinner, I told my daughter to do her homework, while I sat in the living room and waited.

When it was almost twelve, the door sounded.

My wife pushed open the door and came in, wearing the fluorescent vest of a delivery rider, with her helmet still on her head.

When she saw me, she froze.

“I’m back.”

She froze for a few seconds, then took off the helmet, casually hung it by the door, and spoke in a voice so calm it was frightening.

“Have you eaten?”

“There are noodles in the kitchen.”

“I’ve eaten, and Nuan Nuan has eaten too.”

She went to the kitchen, poured a glass of water, drank it all in one breath, and only then turned around to look at me.

Seven years.

She had aged far too much.

There were wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, calluses on her hands, and her face had been reddened by the sun.

The only thing that had not changed was those eyes, and when she looked at me, they were still the same as seven years ago.

“Is the project finished?”

“It’s finished.”

“Are you leaving again?”

“I’m not leaving.”

She nodded, did not cry, did not complain, and only said, “That’s good.”

“Sleep, because I have to get up early tomorrow.”

After we lay down, in the darkness, her hand quietly reached over and held mine.

At two o’clock the next afternoon, I arrived at the school on time.

The parent meeting was held in my daughter’s class, and the homeroom teacher was still the same woman from yesterday, surnamed Zhou.

The parents filled the room, and I sat in the last row.

Teacher Zhou stood on the podium, first said a string of formal words, and then began calling names to praise students.

“Li Hao placed third in the class on this midterm exam, so everyone, please applaud.”

Li Hao’s mother stood up, smiling so widely she could hardly close her mouth.

“Zhang Mengmeng placed first in Chinese in the whole class.”

Another parent stood up.

After finishing a round of praise, Teacher Zhou turned her gaze toward the back.

“As for some students, I won’t name them.”

“Their grades look very good, but everyone knows in their hearts how they got those grades.”

“Parents shouldn’t pretend to be confused either, because you know your own child’s level best.”

Someone turned around to look at me.

Teacher Zhou cleared her throat.

“There is also one more thing, and our school has a recommendation quota for No. 1 Middle School, with one spot for our class this year.”

“In principle, we recommend based on grades, but grades are only one aspect, and overall quality is also very important.”

“We cannot only look at scores, because we also have to look at a child’s character, family background, and future development potential.”

She paused and looked toward me.

“A school like No. 1 Middle School is not something an ordinary family can aspire to.”

“Letting a child honestly attend a good vocational school, learn a trade, and make a living in the future is also fine.”

“If you insist on climbing too high, then when you fall in the end, the ones who suffer will be you and your child.”

The classroom quieted down.

A parent beside me asked quietly, “What rank did your child get?”

I said, “First.”

He froze for a moment and did not say anything else.

When the parent meeting ended, the parents walked out one after another.

Just as I stood up, Teacher Zhou called out to me.

“Chen Nuan’s parent, stay for a moment.”

After almost everyone had left, she walked over and sat in the seat in front of me.

“I won’t beat around the bush with you, and regarding your daughter’s situation, I suggest you make plans early.”

“What plans?”

“Transferring schools,” she said.

“She is not suited for our school.”

“She gets perfect scores every time and compares all the other children down, so what are the other parents supposed to think?”

“Li Hao’s mother has already come to me three times, saying she suspects your child of cheating and demanding that the school investigate strictly.”

“Other parents have also complained, saying this is unfair and puts too much pressure on their children.”

“So?”

“So transfer schools as soon as possible.”

“Go to a more ordinary school, or simply attend a vocational school preparatory class, because that would be good for everyone.”

I looked into her eyes.

“What if my daughter didn’t cheat?”

“What if she really earned those scores?”

Teacher Zhou laughed, and her smile carried a bit of impatience.

“Chen Nuan’s parent, I understand how you feel as a father.”

“But you also need to recognize reality.”

“What kind of family conditions does your daughter have?”

“Your wife delivers takeout, you disappeared for seven years, and she has never even taken tutoring classes.”

“How could she get perfect scores?”

She stood up and patted my shoulder.

“Stop dreaming.”

“For your child’s good, recognize reality early.”

After saying that, she left.

I sat alone in the empty classroom and stared at the blackboard for a long time.