(Our Hua Jie from author’s weibo)
After the flag-raising ceremony on Monday, the Director of Studies found the Art Department.
“The evaluation for outstanding provincial high schools is coming up, and our school is participating in the rating, too. The appearance of the campus is an extremely important aspect.”
“If the campus looks exceptional, it creates a comfortable learning environment for the students and leaves a good impression on the leaders, which might even boost our scores in other areas.”
“Since it’s too late to start any major renovations now, the school leadership has proposed several achievable plans that, if executed well, would have a high impact.”
The Director of Studies sat behind his large office desk, speaking to a few art teachers sitting across from him.
“What do you need from our art department?” asked a senior year art teacher.
“Well, first off, the Sports Department needs to properly ice the rink, and we’ve allocated a budget to buy a batch of new ice skates for the students.”
“For your part, I’ve approved a budget of 400 for the Art Department to paint some murals around the campus.”
“Just simple sketches related to campus life. Paint on the walls— one picture per wall. It could depict long jump, studying by candlelight, doing eye exercises, running, high jumping, raising hands in class to answer questions, and so on.”
The art teachers exchanged glances, their eyes communicating their resignation to the Director’s amateur suggestions.
“This is the first step in campus publicity. The outer walls are seen by everyone who passes by— pedestrians, cars, leaders— while the inner walls are for the students to see.”
“The idea is that outsiders will immediately recognize that we are a high-end, top-quality high school. First in the city, first in the province, with high college admission rates, and holistic development…”
“And the students? They should feel inspired and influenced by what they see.”
“This is very important and must be taken seriously. Discuss a plan among yourselves and give me a response by this Friday. Ideally, the murals should be finished within half a month.”
The Director’s expression was stern, his gaze piercing as it swept over the three teachers.
The art teachers were speechless.
It sounded less like painting school walls and more like brainwashing or hypnotism.
“Alright, go back and discuss it,” the Director said, clapping his hands together and smiling benevolently.
The three art teachers left with somber expressions, contemplating the daunting task of painting campus murals in the cold weather, needing a plan within a week and completion in half a month.
The demands were high, involving school ratings.
As soon as they were out of the office, the senior year art teacher spoke up in refusal:
“You two decide on this matter. I’m about to prepare my senior students for an intensive art exam session, and then lead them to competitions across different regions. I really don’t have the time.”
His expression was earnest.
The junior year art teacher immediately responded:
“My grandmother is seriously ill, so I’m taking this week off and won’t be back until next weekend. I was hoping you could cover my classes, Little Wang. It turns out I’ll be away just at the right time, sigh…”
Junior art teacher Wang Ting looked at her colleagues’ troubled yet resigned expressions, feeling as if she had been struck by lightning.
This is just…
When the three left the Director of Studies’ desk, they still wore pained expressions.
However, as they left the main office, only Wang Ting still looked upset.
…
Hua Jie received the gig Shen Mo had pulled for her, dreaming of earning some extra money at the Go club over the weekend, when art teacher Wang Ting called her into the office.
Upon entering, she realized she wasn’t the only one standing in front of Teacher Wang.
Teacher Wang had summoned the best art students from the first-year classes. Everyone looked around at each other, then all eyes turned to Teacher Wang.
“The school is planning to paint the campus walls, and I want to involve our talented artists in this project,” Wang Ting said, foregoing the Director’s pompous speech and facing the clear-eyed gazes around her. She took a deep breath and got straight to the point.
The students exchanged glances. A girl from the first-year class was the first to speak up:
“Are we painting now? It’s freezing cold, you can’t even stick your hands out. If we stand outside for a bit, we’ll stiffen up.”
Awkward silence.
Wang Ting was also in a dilemma. Without involving the students, the project was unmanageable.
“As it concerns the school’s appearance, and since we possess exceptional talents, we must take on this responsibility at such times,” Wang Ting said, her voice firm.
The students remained silent, none responding.
This was even more awkward.
Using ‘responsibility’ to persuade the kids clearly wasn’t effective anymore.
Just as Wang Ting was about to say more, the girl from the first class interrupted:
“Teacher, my hands got frostbite from drawing before, and it flares up in the winter, look—”
“I really can’t participate in this, I’m sorry, Teacher Wang.”
She showed her chilblained hands to Wang Ting.
Then—
“Teacher Wang, my academic performance isn’t great, and I’m worried about not meeting the score requirements for the cultural subjects in my senior year. I’m in tutoring classes every weekend now. My dad thinks that learning painting is distracting me from my studies, and he doesn’t even want me to learn it anymore. All my free time is spent studying, and I might not be able to come to our school’s art studio for evening self-study in the future. I can’t help with this either…”
“Teacher Wang, I’ve just started learning about color, and I’m not good at painting.”
“Teacher Wang, I can’t paint with gloves on…”
“Teacher Wang…”
The reasons for refusal were diverse, and Wang Ting was instantly dumbfounded.
With the students banding together to refuse, their courage grew, as there’s safety in numbers.
After apologizing to Teacher Wang, they lined up and left one by one.
“……” Wang Ting.
As one student reached the door of the office and looked back, seeing Hua Jie still inside, he hesitated for a moment, then left quickly without looking back, fearing that Teacher Wang might come up with a reason to keep them.
Better to escape first.
The air around Teacher Wang’s desk in the junior year group office was so quiet.
Teacher Wang and Hua Jie stared at each other.
Only one left!
Suddenly, Wang Ting realized, her eyes lighting up. Without waiting for the girl to speak, she rattled off:
“There’s a budget of 400 yuan for this project. I’ll spend 200 to hire a designer to help with the wall design, and I’ll give you the remaining 200 yuan as a cold weather subsidy for outdoor work in winter.”
After saying this, Wang Ting stared at Hua Jie like a predator watching its prey, looking like she was afraid the girl might run away.
“……” Hua Jie.
“Uh?” Teacher Wang raised an eyebrow and cocked her head, looking like a witch trying to lure a child with a candy.
After a while, just as Teacher Wang was expecting Hua Jie to refuse, the girl finally spoke up.
However, what she said was rather surprising to Wang Ting.
The young girl stood poised in front of the desk, negotiating with surprising adeptness:
“Teacher, how about this? I’ll handle the design as well—200 for the design and 200 for painting the wall with you. What do you think?”
Her tone was persuasive, as if negotiating a deal.
“…” Wang Ting.
Are kids these days all this methodical and rational when they speak?
“This way, you won’t need to contact any designers.” Hua Jie smiled: “Let’s have a straightforward business talk.”
“You can design?” Teacher Wang blinked.
“Teacher, I’ll have the design draft ready for you after school,” said Hua Jie, bowing slightly before turning and leaving the office.
Wang Ting sat stunned at her desk, trying to piece together how all this had happened.
???
Did she say something?
How did it end up with the student earning 400 yuan and having the design ready right after school? What?
The high school sophomore art teacher heard that Wang Ting had held a meeting with a student and came over, curious.
Wang Ting, who generally kept to herself, worked meticulously, but she seemed surprisingly eager to engage in gossip.
“There’s a student who claimed she can handle both designing and painting on her own.” Wang Ting said nonchalantly while organizing her lesson plans.
“A freshman student?” laughed the sophomore art teacher. “Kids these days really talk big.”
“…” Wang Ting glared at her colleague.
“…Ah, you didn’t believe her, did you?”
“Why shouldn’t I let her try if she’s so eager to contribute to the school and is so responsible?” Wang Ting emphasized the word “responsible” significantly.
The high school art teacher from the senior second group gave an awkward smile, apologized, and then turned to leave the junior first group’s office.
Wang Ting sighed and pushed the teaching plan in front of her forward slightly. After a moment’s thought, she realized how foolish it was to place her hopes on a 15-year-old child and decided to call a classmate who was studying design instead.
Once connected, Wang Ting discussed the school’s situation with her friend, and they earnestly began to devise a solution.
The more they talked, the tighter Wang Ting’s brow furrowed, and her expression grew increasingly grim.
By the time she hung up, all that was left was a long sigh.
Difficult.
…
However, Hua Jie didn’t find it difficult at all. The only challenge was that painting the wall would definitely be cold and exhausting.
But right now, she was deeply loved by her parents, and in her fiery zeal, she wouldn’t let any opportunity for money slip by.
Awoo!
—A hungry wolf howl in her heart.
This 400 yuan was a must-win for her.
Filled with a disco-like excitement to make money, Hua Jie postponed her other orders first, using all her break times to work on the designs—
Listing elements, integrating concepts, creating graphic designs, simplifying graphics, blending elements…
Having mastered the tricks of the trade and with her mind filled with numerous futuristic design cases and materials, she had drawn more than a dozen drafts by the time evening self-study rolled around.
These days she was using up erasers too quickly, and with no time to buy a new one today, she resorted to using the tiny bit of eraser left, the size of a fingernail, to rub out the pencil lines.
Shen Mo couldn’t stand to watch it any longer and, before heading out to the bathroom, couldn’t help but say:
“Why don’t you go buy an eraser during the break?”
“No time.”
“…” Shen Mo flicked his forehead, “Don’t you even have time to go to the bathroom?”
“Yeah, didn’t you see I hardly drank any water today?”
“…” Ruthless… Shen Mo shook his head and walked out of the classroom.
At the edge of the playground, the boys playing there voluntarily made space for Shen Mo.
After entering the field and spending some energy running and sweating to his satisfaction, he strolled to the side of the playground.
After exerting his extra energy and feeling exhilarated from the running and sweating, he leisurely walked to the edge of the playground.
The bell for the start of class rang, and the boys rushed to score one last goal before dispersing.
A tall boy unscrewed his water bottle, lifted it high, and poured water into his mouth, then handed it to Shen Mo.
Shen Mo similarly tilted his head back and gulped the water like a bull drinking, his Adam’s apple bobbing, exuding a rugged masculine charm.
The passing girls all stared, spellbound and thirsting.
Walking with other students back towards the academic building for a while, Shen Mo suddenly pivoted on his toes and headed in a different direction.
“Hey! Aren’t you going to class?” a boy called out to him, turning his head.
“Got something to do,” Shen Mo replied without looking back.
“Skipping class?” The boy was eagerly anticipative, as if he would follow immediately if Shen Mo just mentioned going to an internet café.
“…” Shen Mo didn’t respond and continued striding ahead, quickly turning past the science building.
Approaching the main gate, he ran into the head of student discipline.
The towering male teacher instantly demanded with a stern face:
“Classes are in session, where are you going heading out?”
Any other student would have been scared back by now, but Shen Mo was unfazed and simply replied:
“Got something to do.”
“… You…” The head of discipline wanted to stop him, but even he was wary of Shen Mo, a student known for his fierce temper and past altercations with teachers.
Thus, he angrily watched Shen Mo leave without intervening.
Thinking to himself, just two more incidents! Then he would have to call the parents!
Shen Mo left the school unimpeded, oblivious to the head of discipline’s anger, wondering to himself: Was that imposing teacher a Chinese or English teacher? It’s just evening self-study coming up, not their classes, why so agitated…
…
Ten minutes later, the door to Class 7 of the first-year was knocked, and the homeroom teacher, watching over the students’ self-study, responded:
“Come in.”
Shen Mo nonchalantly pushed open the door, nodded at the homeroom teacher, and swaggered in.
“…” The homeroom teacher was used to his always composed and indifferent demeanor and continued reading his book with his head down.
Hua Jie stood up to let Shen Mo into his seat, and only after he was settled did she sit back down to continue working on her homework—
She needed to write faster today; if she could finish all her homework during this study period, she could organize all her drafts into presentation scripts in the next one.
Then, suddenly, a large hand slapped down on her desk.