Far from this eerie place, the school was filled with laughter and joy. Unaware of the terror in the forest, the villagers enjoyed a delightful time. Children's laughter and adults' cheerful conversations drowned out the faint cries for help in the distance.
The principal found himself surrounded by a group of children and village women."Principal, tell us another story!" the children clamored.
Principal Zhang used to be the only educated person in the village. He loved telling stories to the children because he believed that stories could not only entertain them but also impart wisdom. His white hair and kindly smile made him a figure like a family elder in the eyes of the villagers. Both adults and children enjoyed gathering around him to listen to his many fascinating tales.
Seeing the eager eyes of the children, Principal Zhang felt a wave of warmth in his heart. He knew that although these children lived in a poor village, they were full of curiosity and hope for the world.
"Usually, I tell you historical stories and"Journey to the West", Principal Zhang said with a smile, his voice gentle and melodic."Today, let's go with a lighter story, shall we?"
The children's eyes widened, nodding in anticipation of a good story.
"Long ago, an alien came to Earth and encountered a farmer selling vegetables. The alien pointed a finger, indicating something big. The farmer, without hesitation, showed two fingers. The alien then puffed out its chest, showing three fingers with a fierce expression. The farmer thought for a moment and then held up six fingers, tapping his iron hoe, making a crisp sound, and miming hoeing the ground. The alien, discouraged, returned to its spaceship and left Earth."
"Mr. Zhang, what does it mean?" the chubby boy Barney always curious, asked.
"When the alien got back to its spaceship, his companion asked the same. The alien said,'I pointed one finger, indicating our huge interstellar fleet. The farmer showed two fingers, meaning Earth has two fleets, even bigger than ours. I said we have three thousand fierce warriors, and the farmer said Earth has six thousand, as tough as iron, able to bury us here.'"
The glow of the campfire danced in the night sky, casting warm shadows on Principal Zhang's face. His face was marked with the passage of time, but his eyes remained bright and expressive. Whenever he reached a thrilling part of the story, his eyes would narrow slightly and his mouth would curl into a smile, as if he too were lost in the world of the tale.
"But Mr. Zhang, we don't have any interstellar fleet or warriors!" Barney couldn't help but interject.
The teacher patiently explained,"Yes, the farmer was puzzled too. Seeing the alien's one finger, he thought it asked the price of a big pumpkin in the field, so he showed two fingers, meaning two dollars!"
The children giggled.
"The farmer saw the alien showing three fingers, thinking it asked the price for three pumpkins, so he indicated six dollars and tapped his hoe, meaning he could harvest them right away. The alien, frightened, ran away!"
"Ha ha ha," the children's laughter echoed joyfully in the night sky.
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A-Lai found his classroom, his slightly slender frame draped in a faded blue shirt. The desks and chairs were pushed to the back of the room, some desks even turned upside down on top of others.
In the corner, three or four girls huddled together, whispering and giggling, their laughter echoing softly in the night breeze. Their figures swayed gently in the dim light, like night sprites, their laughter flowing like a clear stream, infusing the dark corner with youthful vitality.
By the moonlight, A-Lai could make out the familiar faces of his classmates. He stole a glance at a girl in a pretty dress. She was the girl who sat next to him in class, always quiet and unassuming, yet she never failed to catch his eye. He longed to speak to her, but every time he tried, his heart would race uncontrollably, and his throat would tighten as if an invisible rope were strangling him. He held a simple greeting in his heart, but whenever their eyes met, the words seemed impossible to utter. He feared rejection, and even more, he feared ruining the silent beauty of their unspoken connection.
When their eyes met, she smiled—a clear, warm smile, like a gentle ray of sunlight, giving him warmth and comfort. Whenever her smile touched him, his heart would tremble, and the world would seem to brighten in that moment.
A-Lai slowed his steps, moving to his seat by the window. He lightly jumped onto his desk, glancing at the shadow beside him, imagining the girl sitting there. Moonlight caressed his profile, soft and serene.
His eyes are like two lakes, filled with views of gentle moon shadows. He took a deep breath, as if to etch this beautiful moment into his memory. Even years later, he would never forget that night, that moment, and that warm smile that lingered in his mind.
An old man, accompanied by his young grandson, walked down the corridor towards the classroom. The old man's face bore the marks of time, each wrinkle a testament to his years. His eyes were filled with affection as he held the boy's hand, who skipped along beside him. The boy's hair was a tousled mess, a bundle of chestnut curls bouncing with his every step. As they approached the classroom door, the boy's eyes lit up at the sight of A-Lai bathed in soft moonlight.
At that moment, a senior student's shadow appeared at the entrance. The old man's sharp gaze cut through the darkness of the corridor, his presence so commanding that it seemed to root the shadow in place. After the grandfather and grandson entered the classroom, the shadow reluctantly continued walking, fading away down the corridor.
"What happened?"
"I don't know, but that old man's aura was too strong. I have a feeling if I got any closer, I'd be in serious trouble."
"Who is he? He just looks like a regular old man."
"A regular old man? With eyes that can cut you in half?"
"Are they our competitors?"
"Now that we've found the target, who can say other killors won't find it too? Anyway, I'm leaving tonight."
"Hey, wait, come back!"
In an inconspicuous corner, a couple of senior students were now fast asleep, back-to-back. They might not remember what happened, or they might have a vague sense, like a part of a nightmare.
Another shadow crept closer and leaped towards A-Lai, successfully approaching him unnoticed. The figure lunged at him with a loud roar.