The way Ah Xin holds his hands in his pockets hasn’t changed. A girl with long hair coiled up, wearing a black dress, is standing in front of him, chatting with him warmly. Ah Xin is smiling, a smile of equality, naturalness, and sincerity. It’s a genuine smile, accompanied by a slight nod, perhaps they have been old friends for years. Their familiarity and warmth are so fitting. At that moment, I realized that to Ah Xin, and even to Monster and Yida, I was just an accidental intruder, a stranger. The elegant black-haired woman, she must be their real friend.
ANN’s Office.
ANN sits in a leather chair, looking at me with a thick stack of printouts, even thicker than the original book, of my summary outline. I stand with my hands behind my back, staring at her high, straight, and beautifully shaped nose. What a work of art, that nose, I wonder if it’s real? ANN glanced at me from above her pink-framed glasses, hmm? Something’s off, there’s an air of hostility.
“Is this your own work?” ANN asked.
“Yes.”
“Every word?”
“Yes.”
“Then, in Chapter 21, which school of thought influenced the composition of the French Revolution?”
Uh-oh, the latter parts were all written by Monster. I haven’t even read those sections. Well, I’ll just have to block that masterpiece of a nose.
CHAPTER 4: Add Another Layer of Fat to Your Stomach
I squatted at the exit of the subway, reading a text message from Monster: Xiao Yu, where are you? What’s wrong? We’re all worried about you, please reply soon.
So, there are people in this world who care about me. Sometimes I want to disappear for a bit, to make those who never cared about me care just a little, and that would be enough for me. I looked at the beautiful milky white shell of my phone, the transparent, new keys, and turned it off before it could ring again. Phones are like electronic prisons, allowing people to find you anytime, anywhere. How boring.
