Vol 1 Chapter 44 (1/2)
4 Speech Competition
A person admires the beauty of stars They stretch out their hands to pluck the star and try for a long tiet it
People laugh: You’ve overestimated your abilities
He replies: I’h I didn’t pick a star, I am satisfied with the beautiful view and my hands have not been stained
The dreary suan We moved from the first floor to the second floor and became second year students
When school started, Teacher Ceng Hong notified anised by the city this semester and toldas the main topic was positive and wholesome When she said that the main topic had to be positive and wholesohed It eird, after Teacher Zhang in primary, I treated teachers like they were evil spirits but I had a strange sense of co
I said, “Why is it et an award?”
She was impatient, “Why do you always have so many questions? Just do as I say”
“I feel like I can’t, actually last ti, I couldn’t even smile like a fool”
Teacher Ceng Hong tapped her cigarette and laughed, “You’re even able to stand on the table tennis tables, I saw that you were se?”
I thought that was true, if my face was as thick as the city’s wall then what is there to be afraid of?
After I finished the draft and Teacher Ceng Hong edited it, she toldthe draft five times, we finally settled on the draft speech At the sainning, duringin Chinese, she made me stand at my seat and read texts out loud After I was used to it, she made me stand on the podiu as it was an ancient poem it was fine
This was , I had skih all sorts of poetry However I never expected to be scolded by Ceng Hong on the first day: “Do you knohy Chinese poetry are known as songs? Reciting it like this is a humiliation to the poem”
I walked off the podiu over how to understand why poetry are known as songs
After I got home from school I opened the radio, found a literature station and listened attentively to poe, ballads and appreciating essays, I spent every lunchti class recess, I would find a secluded corner and practice alone to the trees or the clouds
Teacher Ceng didn’t pay attention to what I did and still called me up to recite poems like before Sometimes she would scoldas I finished reciting, she would let me leave the podium As time passed, no matter how my classmates looked at me, I always pretended as if they weren’t there
Brother Li finished preparations for his dance hall and was getting ready to open business however, the naestions, “Li Li Dance Hall’, ‘Night Rose Dance Hall’ and ‘Milky Way Dance Hall’, so he said to Xiao Bo, “Help ht of a few but before Brother Li gave his opinion, Xiao Bo rejected those himself He crumpled the sheet of paper beside him into a ball and tossed it at me, “Qi Qi, help think of a name”
My head was full of poetry so I randomly said, “Across the Water”
Brother Li wasn’t satisfied, “Why is it across the water? I’d rather pave the road to the guest’s door and let them come everyday”
Xiao Bo laughed, “The place that people have to go to everyday is hoo home everyday that the other world has a force of attraction Across the water, you want to look but you can’t see clearly, you want it but you can’t obtain it”
Brother Li scoffed, “Enough, I’ Just as well the fortune teller said that I lacked water inin wealth Let’s invite in good omen and use this name”
After Brother Li finished talking business, he looked towards Xiao Bo and said, “Little Six isn’t very satisfied at you, be a bit more careful”
Xiao Bo said, “Sorry”
I started to listen attentively, Brother Li saw that I was staring at hihed, “Look at yourself, are you afraid I’ll eat up Xiao Bo? Staring at soet for archery?”
Xiao Bo caetically said, “Brother Li……”
Brother Li waved his hand, “Xiao Bo, you don’t need to think so carefully, I’ve pretty eneral things with her? Plus I reckon that this girl’s horoscope seems to be very corowing more and more successful?”
I snorted with laughter, Xiao Bo also laughed Brother Li said sos I would rather believe exists than not”
With a few jokes, the tension between the three of us eased Xiao Bo sat on the sofa laughing, Borther Li looked at us and said, “I’ in society, he was still blowing his snot somewhere However, it’s just that we’re now business, notwith the triad We’re not on the sa, we’re talking friendliness gets you riches”
Xiao Bo immediately said, “I understand”
Brother Li continued, “Xiao Bo, e beca youth, which guy doesn’t have courage? Who doesn’t fucking want to be the boss? But where is my boss? Where aredisabled then they’re maimed On the contrary, those ere spiritless have now peacefully found wives and gave birth to children Zhi Gang who follows me noas also a well known person back in the day, but do you guys knohat he used to do before he followed me?”
We both didn’t make a sound Xiao Bo knew but he didn’t want to disrupt Brother Li’s talking spirit I really didn’t know, only faintly re that there was a cripple by Brother Li’s side called Zhi Gang
Brother Li sood that I’ you under control for now”
Xiao Bo said, “I won’t ain in the future”
Brother Li nodded and asked, “Do you want to continue helping in the karaoke bar? Or do you want to go to the dance hall?”
Xiao Bo said, “Karaoke bar”
Brother Li laughed, “That’s fine, especially since you’re in second year of high school now and you want to go to university Study hard and strive to be the first university student aet in, I’ll pay your school fees”
Xiao Bo said in a low voice, “Thanks Brother Li”
Brother Li stood up and walked towards the door, when he passed by the sofa, he abruptly reached his hand out and took lasses high up in the air, teasing ht A few years ago you were still dutifully calling me ‘Brother Li’, if it wasn’t for lare at me”
I jumped up to reach but I still couldn’t reach it, Brother Li said, “Callbrother and I’ll have mercy on you”
The people in the hall all watched us laughing Wu Zei also teased, “Four Eyed Panda, call big brother”
Xiao Bo folded his ar
I went around Brother Li, julasses Although I was laughing whilst juive it toa bit i to take it by foce
Wu Zei loudly shouted, “Four Eyed Panda is being brutish again, Brother Li, don’t just be on guard against her hand, her mouth is deadlier than her hands”
Don’t hit the face and don’t tear off scabs! Wu Zei this jerk is using whichever kettle that hasn’t boiled yet! I was so angry I couldn’t be bothered getting lasses back, I took a plastic apple from the plate used for decorations in the hallway and threw it at Wu Zei I occupied a co position so he was unable to defend himself from it
Brother Li and Xiao Bo both leaned on the staircase watching while giving out sarcastic rerily
The four of us used to play around together often, playing poker whilst sharing jokes but as Brother Li’s business grew bigger and bigger, everyone was busy and even whentihed and shouted, half crazy and half insane, half for the sake of being happy and half because anted to cling to the happy times
Wu Zei covered his head, dodging left and right, not expecting a few people to come in just at that moment My apple whirled towards them and I watched as the apple was about to s the the apple
Although it was blurred, ht wasn’t too bad, his silhouette seenized the person who caught the apple was Zhang Jun I also realized who the apple nearly smashed into and couldn’t help but be dumbfounded
Brother Li slapped ers joined together and theback so when it landed, because there was air inside the palm, there was a loud smack sound but it didn’t actually hurt
“You’ve caused trouble? Quickly apologize to Little Six and thank Little Brother Jun”
As Brother Li was talking, he walked down the stairs and war him to sit down
Xiao Bo pulled , “Stay in the rooo hoo down from the balcony”
He turned to leave but I held his aro out, Little Six will definitely call people to pour you alcohol again”
He sood”
I could only let hio I sat in the room for a while, I wanted to read but I couldn’t read it in so I decided to leave by flipping down the balcony I gripped the railing withto and fro, as I pondered whether to press rab on to the drain pipe on the side of the wall and slide down it