Xiaobai Is Also Troubled Today

The world was a hazy mist, a place with no light source, yet it was paradoxically bright and clear.

 
Bai Tingzhi was not fully conscious, feeling as if she was sailing through this sea of fog. She pushed away the gauze-like mist, and it dissipated at her touch.
 

She vaguely remembered being in a dream, but her mind couldn't quite confirm it, as if an ephemeral curtain was veiled over her thoughts. She didn't know where she was or what might lie ahead.
 
As she moved forward, her mind grew clearer.

 
It was hard to say if this scene, both real and unreal, was a place she had ever been, but the tangible sensations and the faint humidity were all subtle and perceptible.
 

Until a machine, standing aloof from the world, appeared on the white wasteland not far away.
 
At some point, Bai Tingzhi found herself standing in front of a slot machine.

 
The machine was almost twice her height, painted with white flowers, bombs, and a question mark. Driven by instinct or impulse, Bai Tingzhi jumped with all her might, barely reaching the lever.
 

A cold sensation spread instantly from her fingertips. Accompanied by the sound of the spinning reels, her eyes fell on the three windows that were about to stop.
 
Question mark.

 
The second window, question mark.
 
The third window, still a question mark.

 
"What does this mean...?" As if sensing something, Bai Tingzhi reached out to touch the cold machine. In that instant, time seemed to stop. Everything in her vision, including her own arm, began to move in slow motion.
 

Everything except her thoughts.
 
The vast white field suddenly collapsed, and space twisted, falling into a singularity of nothingness.

 
With a shudder, Bai Tingzhi struggled to sit up from the bed, the cold sweat on his back soaking his pajamas.
 

Sunlight slipped into the bedroom, and the hazy afterimages of the dream lingered in his vision. He had already forgotten what happened in the dream, only feeling a lingering sense of fear.
 
Bai Tingzhi subconsciously unzipped his pants. There, between his legs, was that thing again.

 
"Ah...!"
 

Flick.
 
Chen Qianqian gave Bai Tingzhi's forehead a light flick. "What were you yelling about upstairs just now? Aren't you going to class? Go wash up and eat."

 
"No... I didn't yell anything."
 

Just as she was about to walk into the kitchen, Bai Tingzhi's mother stopped and turned to look at him again.
 
"Is your cold still not better?"

 
"Cold? It's gone," Bai Tingzhi replied dismissively, ducking into the bathroom.
 

He didn't have a cold in the first place. Mom must still be groggy, he thought.
 
Chen Qianqian, feeling that Bai Tingzhi's voice sounded slightly different from before, walked into the kitchen with some doubt.

 
After confirming his 'little brother' was truly back, Bai Tingzhi felt that everything was back on track, and life seemed more vibrant.
 

The green trees on both sides of the road were dazzling under the sunshine, and the crisp new leaves reflected his mood.
 
After handing in his homework, Bai Tingzhi settled in for his usual morning routine of zoning out. A hastily eaten breakfast was enough to fill him up.

 
"Are you going after school?"
 

Lin Yunian's steady voice came from right over his shoulder.
 
After a moment's thought, Bai Tingzhi responded with a grunt. "Yeah." He then heard footsteps walking away.

 
Although the matter was resolved, yesterday didn't feel like a dream. How could he forget those memories from just a day ago? The unspeakable emotions hadn't disappeared either.
 

He had to go to the source and see. Besides, there had to be an explanation for the 500 million.
 
It's definitely not for the money, he told himself, I just want an explanation. Without an explanation, it's basically fraud...

 
Yesterday, he had been in a state where he didn't even want to move an inch, but now he didn't have so many concerns.
 

The osmanthus tree in front of the classroom door was lush, its presence unconsciously calming passers-by. On a rare impulse, Bai Tingzhi decided to go get a glass of water and saw Gu Junzhu by the water dispenser.
 
The girl wasn't overly dressed up; her neat, meticulous school uniform alone gave her an air of cold alienation. She stood in the crowd, yet seemed apart from it—admired by all, but untouchable.

 
Steam from the boiling water blurred his vision. He didn't notice when the girl in line ahead of him had left, and the corridor was surprisingly empty.
 

"Classmate Tingzhi."
 
Gu Junzhu looked at him, her gaze soft, not as cold as it appeared from a distance.

 
"Classmate Gu," Bai Tingzhi greeted her awkwardly and started to fill his cup with hot water.
 

"Classmate Tingzhi."
 
"Hmm?" He turned his head slightly, confused, but didn't fully look at Gu Junzhu standing beside him. "What is it, Classmate Gu?"

 
She's done getting water, why isn't she leaving...
 

"Tingzhi..."
 
Bai Tingzhi felt very strange. She had said she wanted to be friends, but their relationship was special, after all. He put his cup away and looked directly at Gu Junzhu. "If you don't mind, Classmate Gu, you can just call me Xiaobai."

 
He didn't mind when his friends called him that, but this was the first time he had offered the nickname to someone.
 

"C-Can I?" Gu Junzhu's expression didn't change, but Bai Tingzhi felt he saw a hint of shyness.
 
It seems Classmate Gu isn't as cold as she looks. She's more like... just not good at socializing...

 
"Bai Tingzhi—"
 

He looked toward the voice and saw an unfamiliar student running over, apparently looking for him.
 
"Are you Bai Tingzhi? Teacher Chen wants to see you in the office."

 
He hadn't expected to be summoned right after class. He simply gave a vague sound of acknowledgment.
 

Nodding to Gu Junzhu, Bai Tingzhi went up the side staircase toward the office on the third floor. He couldn't believe he had to go again, having just been there before morning self-study to drop off his phone.
 
The office was {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} well-lit, but the curtains were mostly drawn, so the fluorescent lights were on even during the day.

 
"Teacher Chen."
 

"Ah, Tingzhi, you're here." Chen Motian looked up as Bai Tingzhi came in, then moved to drag a stool over from the side. "Sit."
 
After they made eye contact, Chen Motian took a form out of a drawer and placed it between them.

 
"I called you here for two reasons. First, your English grades are not exactly ideal."
 

Bai Tingzhi felt a knot in his stomach and sat up straighter.
 
The teacher's pen tapped repeatedly on Bai Tingzhi's column on the form.

 
"Your other subjects are pretty good; I'm not worried about them. It's just that English is really dragging you down. Do you study it at home, or go to a cram school or anything?"
 

Looking into Chen Motian's questioning eyes, he was too embarrassed to admit that he just went home to play.
 
"I didn't think about it... I have been slacking off a bit..." Bai Tingzhi trailed off, finding it difficult to continue.

 
Staring at the score of sixty-something on the form, Chen Motian felt a headache coming on. This might require starting from scratch. Fortunately, it was still early in the year. If Bai Tingzhi could catch up now, it wouldn't be too difficult later on.
 

Oh, well...
 
"I'll talk to your parents about this later. The other thing is this," Chen Motian adjusted his glasses. "Have you heard about the sports meet?"

 
"I've heard them talking about it."
 

"Right. Well, I'm not expecting you to compete, but you could help with logistics if you're willing. After the sports meet, there's a school-wide event where each class is encouraged to have someone perform a talent. I heard from Yunian that you're pretty good at piano?"
 
"Oh, right. I know a little," he said, making a small gesture.

 
"Don't be so modest. I heard you've also been practicing piano at home. You're certainly keeping busy. The main issue is still your grades. Just think about the performance. It's fine if you don't want to do it."