Muzi'er 2

  I actually called a boy's phone.

  He asked me: "Who?"

  I leaned against a public phone booth and said in a trembling voice: "Can you come to the 'Whatever' bar?"

  "Who are you?"

  "I wrote you a letter," I said. "I've been waiting for you at 'Whatever', waiting for an hour."

  I finished speaking and slammed down the phone. I believe he will come, people with curiosity will definitely come.

  I walked out of the phone booth and returned to "whatever", heard Ba La standing on that narrow wooden stage singing Wang Fei's song, she was singing "Eyes On Me".

  I am your Chanel, you are my model

  Before the song was finished, I saw Xu Yi. He seemed to have run here, with sweat on his forehead. He stared at Ba La on stage, his eyes never leaving her. He looked so haggard, and my heart ached for him.

  "Hey hey hey!" The singing stopped abruptly, and she jumped down from the stage, jumping all the way to my face, shouting in a high-pitched voice: "Little Ears, your handsome guy is here!"

  After finishing speaking, Ba La blew a loud whistle towards Xu Ge.

  My face turned bright red again and again.

  Xu Yi walked to the front of us and sat down opposite me. He cleared his throat and asked in a low voice, "I just want to know, is it true about Zhang Yang?"

  "Really." Ba La said resolutely and affirmatively.

  "Why!" Xu Yi shouted loudly, and everyone in the bar heard it. Some boys gathered around.

  "Why!" Xu Yi continued to shout loudly, grabbing Bala's collar and shaking her violently: "I'm telling you, I won't let you off, I won't let you off!"

  Barla was definitely dizzy, but her face didn't show any expression at all.

  Xu Yi was quickly pulled away, and before I could understand the situation, he had already been beaten to the ground by them, pinned down, with countless fists falling on his body.

  I can't hear anything.

  I screamed: "No, no! Don't!!" I rushed over, but Bala couldn't catch me. I frantically rushed into the middle of that group of people, wanting to use my body to protect Xu Ye. A beer bottle accurately smashed onto my head.

  Blood, red blood.

  I can no longer hear, any sound.

  When I woke up, I found myself lying in Baba's home.

  Bara's arm was holding a cat. A very fat cat, with a long white tail, lying quietly in Bara's arms. The green pupils were shining brightly, but the face had an expression of being stuffed full.

  Ba La hugged the cat and looked at me with affection, saying: "Little Ears, fortunately you're okay."

  "What about Xu Yi?" I suddenly remembered.

  "He's fine," said Ba La, "there's a wound on your head, I've bandaged it for you, what should you say when you get home?"

  I won't say anything.

  "You can stay at my place for a while," she said.

  I crawled over from her bed to the mirror placed on the other side of the bed and saw a detestable white gauze stuck on my head. I pulled it off with force, which made me wince in pain. "Ba la" shrieked at the top of her voice: "What are you going to do?"

  I said to Ba La: "I need to use the restroom."

  He stretched out his hand and pointed in the direction.

  I endured the pain, cleaned my bloody hair with cold water in the bathroom, and then combed my hair. I ran outside and asked: Is there a suitable hat for me to wear?

  There were a lot of hats, but I tried on almost ten before finding one that was barely wearable. It was a small red hat, and Barla said it was the one her little niece had left at her house.

  Ba La saw me off all the way to the front of the ramen shop. She said to me: "Little Ears, you are even braver than I am, I want to learn from you."

  "That child..." I asked her.

  She patted her belly mysteriously and said, "Don't worry, I'll give birth to him."

  I covered my mouth.

  "It may hurt a little, but it's worth it."

  "Doesn't your mother care about you?" I asked her.

  He curled his lips and said, "Can't control it anyway."

  "Don't be reckless," I said. "What's the benefit of doing it this way?"

  Look at me.

  "Bala, don't be like this, I know you actually don't like it this way." I said, then turned around and left Bala with big strides.

  When I turned back, I saw her standing still in the same place. Seeing me turn back, she put her hand to her lips and threw a flying kiss, then she turned around and walked away.

  I went home with that little red hat, looking quite strange. My mom looked at me strangely, and I rubbed my hands together as I walked to my room: "It's really cold today, I bought a hat, it feels much better."

  Those days, I had a strange idea.

  I suddenly want to be bad.

  I'm suffocating and I stubbornly believe that only when things get worse can I gain freedom.

  I wrote another long passage of nonsense on my blog, after finishing it, I hoped someone would read it, so I sent the address of my blog to Ba La's mailbox. Ba La quickly replied to me. She said: Xia Er Duo seems not very happy, or you come to "suan le" listen to me sing a song.

  "No way," I said. "But I'll go to the riverbank this afternoon to read."

  That afternoon, I held a book and sat on the wooden chair by the river, pretending to read. Baba finally arrived, wearing a dress with long flowing tassels, carrying a rose-red bag, walking towards me with exaggerated steps, staring at me with bright eyes and asking: Muzi'er, do you really, really want to become a bad girl?

  I nodded heavily with a silly expression.

  Her hand slapped loudly on my head.

  "I'm going to die," Baba said, "Daydreaming all day!"

  Ba La suddenly smiled and said: "Little Ears, promise me one thing."

  "Huh?"

  "When my son is born, you'll be his godmother. So you mustn't become a bad person, I want my son to have a good mother, so he won't lose out to others!"

  "What are you talking nonsense about!" I pulled her with all my might and said, "Come with me!"

  "Where are you going?"

  "Go to the hospital!"

  "Let me go!"

  "No!" I said, "You have to go to the hospital, you must go!"

  She pushed me away, sat down on the wooden chair with a smile and said: "Little ears, listen carefully. Even if everyone in the world wants to kill this child, I will still give birth to him. This point will never change, unless I die!

  I was startled by Barla's smile and it took me a long time before I could say: "Barla, what is the point of all this?"

  She put her chin on the wooden chair and said slowly, "You won't understand, just like you can never become a bad kid. Little ears, everyone's fate is determined from the day they were born, you are a good girl, so you can only be a good girl for your whole life, do you understand?"

  During the winter vacation, I didn't go out again.

  On the first day of the new semester, I met Xu Ge at the school gate. He stretched out his long arm to block my way.

  There were many girls watching me from the side.

  My face turned bright red again and again.

  Xu Yi said: "Thank you."

  "It's nothing." My voice was as thin as a mosquito.

  "Why did you want to help me? Was it you who called that day?" Yu said.

  I lifted my head in confusion.

  "Do you like me?" Xu Ge asked again.

  I panted heavily and ran past him, rushing into the classroom quickly.

  I don't know why, but I feel like I'm going to die. My small heart that has undergone surgery can no longer bear the burden. I've been in a daze for a week's worth of classes, and on Saturday, Xu Yi came. At first, I didn't notice him because I was too tired. I was drinking a cup of instant coffee in the classroom, and when I lifted it up too quickly, a few drops spilled onto my red woolen scarf. My seat was by the window, and after I put down my gaze, I saw Xu Yi. He actually stretched out one finger and beckoned me to come out. My heart suddenly felt some inexplicable ***, and subconsciously, I dropped the cup and rushed out of the classroom.

  He didn't look at me, walking ahead of me, my footsteps quickening and slowing down a bit like an idiot, I don't know where he's taking me. It was a Saturday afternoon, the school teachers were all attending some chaotic meeting. The original self-study session had been changed to a holiday, there were very few people in the school. Damn it, the sky was snowing again, and dusk was like night. He took me through the playground and the lab building, snowflakes falling on his short hair and broad shoulders, my heart rising and falling with pain. I could only turn my head to one side, then I shouted: "Where are you taking me anyway?"

  He suddenly stopped and turned around. I subconsciously took a step back, my feet crunching into the thick snow with a soft creaking sound. We were on the path behind the school at that time. The large rolling shutter door of the water house was closed, painted blue. The staircase next to it was empty, and it was then that Xu Yi pulled me in there. I felt a little scared, the two of us about two meters apart, I leaned against the wall, biting my lower lip staring at him. He wore a gray coat, with ice crystals and snowflakes on his shoulders. His hair on his forehead was slightly wet. Oh, Xu Yi, the Xu Yi who used to be so cool, with an angelic face. He still looked as handsome as ever.

  I crouched down in distress. Seeing the coffee stain on the cuff clearly, I stretched out my sleeve and wiped it off.

  "I know you like me."

  "No."

  "Was it you who wrote me letters every day?"

  "No!"

  "Look at me."

  I didn't dare, I crouched there trembling slightly.

  He grabbed my left arm and pulled me up, I was so scared that I let out a soft scream.

  "Don't expect me to like you," said Xu Yi.

  "Stop pretending to be so innocent! Don't think I don't know, you're in cahoots with that Bala. You guys haven't had enough fun yet? Fine, I'll keep playing along with you!"

  Never had a boy been so fierce to me, I couldn't shake him off, and tears suddenly fell down.

  Xu Yi looked at me, his face furious, I thought he was going to hit me. I closed my eyes, but felt him being pushed away by someone. I opened my eyes and saw You Tai, his eyes red with anger, blocking Xu Yi, speaking coarsely to me: "You get back to class."

  Xu Yi stared at him in surprise.

  I turned around and walked into the snow. There were many ice chips on the ground, I was really afraid that they would get into my old running shoes, it would be so cold. I'm a complete idiot. My face was icy cool, I put my hands under my clothes to dig out my tissue from the pocket inside. Because I wore too much, it was hard to dig, but I made up my mind to take it out. I kept this strange posture and strode across the lab building and playground, walking towards my classroom. No one came after me. My tears rolled down in big drops, but I didn't look back.

  At dusk, Xu Ye's mother, my aunt, and my mother were all called to the principal's office.

  After mom came out, she only said one sentence to me, she said: Li Er, you disappointed me.

  She grasped my clothes and said: "Tell me, how did you become like this? Still hanging out with those little girls, it's simply too outrageous!"

  "Don't scold her." Yu came over and helped me out of the situation.

  Auntie turned the muzzle: "I'm going to scold you, you too, what's wrong with fighting with others, the college entrance exam is coming soon, if you get punished, I'll see how you deal with it!"

  As I raised my head, I saw Ba La. Ba La didn't wear any makeup today and wore a very simple outfit. She stood in front of me, looking at me with an inexplicable gaze.

  As we passed by her side, I didn't dare to greet her. Just as I was hating my own cowardice, Ba La suddenly called out to me. She didn't call me "Little Ear", but instead said: "Li Er, wait a minute."

  Everyone stood still, watching her vigilantly.

  "I already know everything," said Ba La. "I'm here to testify for you, to prove that those things have nothing to do with you! Whatever happens, it's all on me."

  "Get out of here!" Yu Ta said viciously.

  "I'll go," Ba La said coldly, "as long as Li Er is fine."

  "She won't be okay, stay away from her, nothing will happen to her!"

  "Hey!" I shouted loudly, "You can't talk to Ba La like that!"

  "What's wrong!" Yu Ta said, "Isn't she making you miserable enough?"

  "Because Barla is my friend!" I said. "She's a good friend of mine and I won't let you talk about her like that! Absolutely not allowed!"

  You took a few steps back, gasping for air. Mom and Auntie's mouths were agape. The world came to a standstill, I couldn't hear any sound anymore, all I saw was Ba La, who had cracked open her mouth in laughter. A dazzling radiance lit up her face. She looked at me, the light in her eyes shining brightly.

  Then I heard her whisper: "Little Ears, I really didn't misjudge you."

  That spring, the sunshine seemed particularly bright. Soft golden light flowed down from the green leaves of the trees, and flowers bloomed silently. Monday was my least favorite day, I hadn't fully recovered from the weekend, and all the hustle and bustle started again, it was really exhausting. That day, after finishing exercise class, I walked alone across the playground thinking about going to the small shop to buy instant coffee, when a strange boy blocked my way. He asked me somewhat nervously: "Are you Li Ruo?"

  "Yes," I said.

  "Please answer a phone call." He took his hand out of his pocket and was holding a small mobile phone.

  "Whose phone?" I said.

  "You take it." The boy suddenly stuffed the phone into my hand, "It's connected, you answer quickly!"

  I hesitated for a moment before putting the phone to my ear, and then I heard the heavy breathing on the other end, just the sound of breathing, but I was sure it was her.

  I shouted out loud: "Balla!"

  "Little ears, is that you?"

  "It's me, Barbara." My heart felt a strong inexplicable unease, and I couldn't say another word.

  "It's great. I've found you." Ba La muttered, "I must thank you, thank you for lending me the umbrella, thank you for saving me last time, thank you for applying medicine for me, thank you for acknowledging our friendship in public... You don't know how much I want to thank you..."

  The sound of "ba la" was getting weaker and weaker, I don't know if it's my ears that have a problem again. Just as I was in a panic, the phone hung up, and all I could hear was an indifferent busy tone.

  The boy stretched out his hand and snatched away Xiao Lingtong, then turned around and ran.

  I finally reacted and chased after him. I couldn't catch up with the boy, but I could only see him enter the classroom of Class 1 in Grade 3. But without hesitation, I followed him and ran over there. The bell for preparing to start class had already rung, all his classmates were rushing into the classroom, and their math teacher was standing at the door holding a lesson plan.

  I also stand at the door.

  A girl who had a lot of things on her mind asked me through the window: "Who are you looking for?"

  I didn't say a word, my eyes were searching the entire classroom for that boy when a note was passed out from inside, on it was written: Ba La is in the hospital, something has happened to her.