Mr. Thompson and Mr. Johnson didn't exchange many words before they started arguing, the two of them on the brink of conflict, engaging in a heated verbal exchange.
The teachers in the office, sensing the situation was not right, all came over to mediate.
"Alright, alright, can't we talk this out without arguing?"
"Ah, just stop talking for a moment."
"We're all leading the same class, let's not hurt our rapport."
"That's right, don't hurt our rapport, let's all stop talking for a moment."
Mr. Thompson dropped a line: "With the lousy grades of your Class 17, do you think I care to lead it?"
The teachers in the office were all momentarily at a loss, not knowing what to say, with words of comfort and reconciliation stuck on their lips.
Mr. Johnson was also angry and said to him, "I will apply to the school to change the English teacher."
"Please do, I can't stand this class for a day. If any student from your class can make it into the top ten, I will apologize in front of the whole class, admitting that Mr. Thompson was wrong."
...
The argument between Mr. Johnson and Mr. Thompson spread in an instant.
Daniel spoke up: "Although Mr. Thompson's words are harsh, they are also the truth. Our class's grades are indeed terrible. There's no one who can make it into the top hundred in every exam, let alone the top ten."
Hao Ming also sighed upon hearing this and said, "But he was too much when talking to Mr. Johnson. But there's nothing we can do to help."
Daniel looked at William, who was playing a matching game, and asked, "William, what do you think?"
"No idea."
Ellie heard their conversation, her hand paused for a moment as she wrote, and then continued working on her math problems.
The atmosphere in the class was a bit low. Mr. Johnson was a good teacher, and they wanted to make him proud, but their abilities didn't permit it.
At noon.
"William, William, a new shop opened in the back street, do you want to go eat there?" Hao Ming said to William.
William replied, "Sure."
Daniel said, "Let's go eat, I heard it's especially delicious."
The newly opened small shop sold some stir-fried dishes, and it was crowded. The three of them chose a corner to sit down.
"What do you want to eat, William?" Daniel looked at the menu in his hand and asked William.
"Anything is fine."
"Mistress, we'll have an order of sweet and sour pork ribs, a dish of stir-fried carrots, fungus, and eggs, a dish of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, a soup of three delicacies with tofu, and five bowls of rice."
Daniel was about to order more dishes when Hao Ming next to him said, "Stop ordering, are you planning to eat a whole pot?"
Daniel asked William, "Is there anything you particularly want to eat?"
"No, this is enough." William dropped his phone on the table.
"Ah, William, your phone lit up, it seems someone is calling you."
William picked it up and glanced at it, an unknown number, and he directly pressed decline.
The phone flickered again.
William glanced at it and then pressed decline again.
"Wow, they are quite persistent. But it could be someone you know calling. Are you really not going to answer it, William?"
William looked at the constantly flickering phone number and said, "You guys start eating first, I'm going to take a call."
With that, he stood up and walked outside, pressing the answer button.
"Hello."
"William."
It was a woman's voice. William glanced at the phone number, confirming it was one he hadn't saved, and he said, "Who is this? Do you need something?"
"I'm your mom. William, can I meet with you? Just for a meal and a chat. I haven't seen you in so many years, I want to see what you look like now. I've really missed you all these years, mom."
William was silent for a moment, then laughed sarcastically, "No need, don't disturb my life."
There was a brief silence on the other end, as if she wanted to say something but stopped, and William directly hung up the phone.
He put the phone back in his pocket, then walked in and said to the two, "You guys eat, I'm not eating."
"Hey, William."
Hao Ming and Daniel looked at each other, not knowing what had happened, but judging by William's expression, it didn't seem to be a good call.
But they didn't dare to catch up, as William liked to be alone when he was angry and didn't like to be disturbed.
Even though the two of them had known William for several years, they only knew that William had a father who was often not at home.
"Boss, besides the dishes we just ordered, pack another one to go."
Hao Ming looked at the five bowls of rice in front of him and said, "Why didn't you just ask the boss to bring fewer bowls of rice? Can we two finish all of this?"
Daniel said, "Just five bowls of rice, who are you looking down on?"
"I hope you can still be so tough in a while."
Daniel said, "I've always been tough, okay."
There was one last piece of pork rib left in the plate, and as Daniel was about to take it, Hao Ming snatched it away.
"Damn it, Hao Ming, that last piece of pork rib is mine."
Hao Ming said, "Do you want the bone?"
"Disgusting."
Daniel finished the last grain of rice in his bowl, rubbed his stomach, and said, "Damn, I've never been so full in my life. I feel like if I talk, the rice will come out of my mouth."
"Don't stand so close to me, or if you vomit on me, I'll kill you," Hao Ming said.
Daniel suddenly leaned close to Hao Ming and made a "vomiting" sound.
"You're so disgusting."
"I won't vomit the rice I've worked hard to eat into my stomach. The farmers worked so hard."
Hao Ming was speechless: "You're just making excuses for eating too much."
"Get lost."
Daniel picked up the packed meal from the boss and said, "I don't know if William is in the class."
Hao Ming said, "It's okay, we'll bring it back anyway. You can eat it even if William's not there."
"Do you really think I'm a pig?"
"Aren't you?"
...
William dialed a number, and the other side picked up quickly after a pause.
"Did you give her my number?"
Philip tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, picked up the coffee on the table, took a sip, and said, "Your mom, she misses you very much."
"Miss me? Don't forget it was her who didn't want us back then. I'm not an object, not something she can take or throw away as she pleases. I'm a human being."
Philip paused and said, "I didn't have the ability back then, so I couldn't keep her, not your mom's fault."
William said sarcastically, "If you want to see her, go see her yourself, don't involve me."
"She misses you very much."
"Tsk, now you're saying that. It's really funny. Tell her I don't miss her, and don't let her send me messages again in the future." William hung up the phone after saying this.
Philip was still the same as before, always eager to approach whenever she waved her hand.
Philip's eyes only had her and couldn't accommodate anyone else, not even his own son.
He clenched his hand so tightly that he didn't even realize when his fingernails dug into his flesh.