"Xu Qingfan!" The female voice on the stage deliberately mimicked a babyish tone.
"While other children are practicing seriously, why aren't you singing?" The female teacher came down from the stage and patiently asked Xu Qingfan.
"I'm tone-deaf." Xu Qingfan glanced at the approaching music teacher, his gaze returning to the materials in his hand.
Pretending to be extremely aloof, his babyish voice successfully amused the teacher.
"Analysis of the 2002 World Cup team strengths?
Read this at home, the teacher will keep it for you first!" The music teacher snatched the booklet from Xu Qingfan, reading out the Chinese characters on the cover.
"Let's practice one more time, turn off the hallway lights~ Ready, go!"
The music teacher on stage swayed to the rhythm coming from the radio, and the classroom echoed with a children's version of Peninsula Iron Box.
Xu Qingfan idly watched Teacher Xiaoyu on stage, humming a few lines just as her gaze was about to fall on him.
"So Octave Space was released this year." He stared at the dappled shadows of trees outside the window, lost in thought.
As the performance piece for the kindergarten graduation ceremony, this song, Peninsula Iron Box, was clearly inappropriate, and there was no need to ask; it must have been a personal preference of the teacher on stage.
However, when he thought about how in twenty years, kindergarten performances would all uniformly become 'Lonely you walk through the dark alley~,' Xu Qingfan found it more acceptable.
Only five minutes until dismissal, just bear with it...
It had been two weeks since he became like this, and though initially embarrassing due to forgetting his classroom seat, he quickly turned things around by casually solving a chicken and rabbit in a cage problem during a math lesson.
At first, the teacher thought Xu Qingfan had just randomly guessed the right answer, but when he wrote out the simultaneous equations on the blackboard, the math teacher was stunned.
Thus, the originally unremarkable Xu Qingfan gained a reputation as a little prodigy after that day.
"Ding, ding, ding, ding—"
"Children, today's class is over, please go home and practice well, okay!"
"Okay!!!"
The moment the bell rang, the classroom exploded with activity like a group of wild horses ready to break free.
Xu Qingfan withdrew his gaze, and his deskmate Xia Xiaoxiao, seeing him look over, instantly scowled at him.
"Hmph!"
The little girl seemed very angry, arrogantly turning her head to the other side.
Xu Qingfan shook his head with amusement, choosing not to bother his pouting deskmate and instead went to the stage to retrieve the booklet that had been confiscated earlier.
Xia Xiaoxiao was Xu Qingfan's neighbor, the two of them had been in the same kindergarten class, elementary school class, and even the same class in middle and high school.
It was clear that she was his childhood sweetheart.
Xia Xiaoxiao had demonstrated unparalleled intelligence starting from the elementary school entrance exam, consistently ranking first in their grade and blossoming into a stunning beauty in middle school, making her naturally the "white moonlight" in Xu Qingfan's heart.
From a young age, he bought snacks, gave gifts, and besides the mandatory daily morning and evening greetings, Xu Qingfan even remembered her period dates clearly. As his roommate later described it, you're like a pitiful Tomcat being toyed with by a goddess!
If you asked Xu Qingfan what he regretted most in his previous life, it would definitely be listening to Xia Xiaoxiao's nonsense.
When they graduated from high school, she said: "Second-tier universities are just better community colleges, you can retake the exam, if you get into Hong Kong University, I'll agree to be your girlfriend."
A year later, she said: "You didn't take that seriously, did you? I was just encouraging you. I don't plan to date in college, but if you still like me after four years in college, I'll agree to be your girlfriend when we graduate."
At that moment, Xu Qingfan even thought of their future children's names.
So he continued to pursue Xia Xiaoxiao relentlessly for three more years.
During college, they were almost inseparable, going to the library together, choosing the same electives, running on the track together, and occasionally walking hand in hand.
Even though Xia Xiaoxiao never verbally agreed to be his girlfriend, except for the last step, what was the difference between their actions and being in love?
Everyone assumed they were a couple, and even Xu Qingfan thought that after graduation, she would surely agree to be his girlfriend, and they would get married.
They would have a happy ending witnessed by countless friends and family.
However, reality once again hit him hard.
Perhaps those being preferred always felt they had nothing to fear, so despite both sets of parents being very supportive of the match, Xia Xiaoxiao still resolutely went to study abroad after graduating from college.
Xu Qingfan would never forget the last words Xia Xiaoxiao said to him: "Xu Qingfan, though I promised you, I'm sorry. I've received an offer from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, can you let me be willful just one last time, really the last time? If I return after graduation and you still like me, I'll marry you..."
The seriousness in her eyes was like stars in the night sky, too brilliant for him to face directly.
She turned and left, as if determined, never looking back.
Leaving is defined as separating from a person or a place; perhaps at that moment, Xu Qingfan finally understood what leaving meant.
"Xiaoxiao! How will I live without you! Xiaoxiao!!" Xu Qingfan ran after the taxi, screaming and crying, but a human body couldn't catch up with a Mercedes, let alone the car god in an AE86.
At that moment, Xu Qingfan realized that he was just a throwaway card in her life, a pawn she used to transition through bonds.
From then on, they lost all contact.
Years later, working on his graduate thesis, he suddenly heard the shocking news about her on his phone.
Xia Xiaoxiao had been caught in a shooting incident while shopping and lost her life in that so-called land of freedom.
He couldn't quite describe his feelings. Xu Qingfan didn't really regret being her worshiper for so many years. If he didn't truly love her, who would willingly be a sycophant?
Sometimes, in the middle of the night, he would occasionally reflect, perhaps he was wrong from the start. A healthy relationship should be built on equality; trying to exchange good deeds for love was a fundamental error.
...
Xu Qingfan glanced out of the corner of his eye at Xia Xiaoxiao following behind him and walked straight towards the kindergarten gate.
"Your mom's head, like a ball, one kick and it's over the department store~"
"Guarantee letter, guarantee letter, promising not to study anymore..."
Xia Qingfan glanced at the chubby kid reciting rhythmically, muttering: "Going for master's degree?"
"Look at your mom!" The chubby kid cursed at him for staring.
He was speechless, wondering who taught this kid such poor manners, hoping the parents wouldn't blame animated shows.
He withdrew his gaze, ignoring the chubby boy, although the kid seemed unwilling to let it go.
Fortunately, they reached the school gate; otherwise, Xu Qingfan wouldn't mind giving the brat a lesson.
"Dad." He called to the young man sitting on the motorcycle at the gate.
"Qingfan, where's Xiaoxiao?" His father stubbed out his cigarette and approached.
The chubby boy saw Xu Qingfan's father and let him go.
"Behind me."
"Hello, Uncle Xu." Xia Xiaoxiao trotted up to join them.
"Come, let Uncle carry your bag."
"Thank you, Uncle." Xia Xiaoxiao handed her bag to Xu Aiguo, then gave Xu Qingfan an icy stare.
Xu Qingfan, not bothered by her moodiness, let her get on the motorcycle first, sitting at the back.
Perhaps his thigh touched hers, but Xia Xiaoxiao pinched him hard.
"Ouch~" Xu Qingfan hissed in pain.
Not letting her off, he ruffled her fair cheeks.
The two teased each other on the ride home, resulting in Xia Xiaoxiao disliking him even more.
"Stupid boy, bullying Xiaoxiao again?" His father playfully scolded, seeing her huff away.
"I didn't!" Xu Qingfan defended himself, not very convincingly.
"Maybe today's homework was too hard," he added.