"Ban Feng, save me!"
A desperate cry pierced the air, jolting Li Banfeng awake from his slumber.
The room was eerily quiet, the other beds unoccupied, save for He Jiaqing, who was kneeling on the floor, diligently packing his belongings.
He Jiaqing glanced up, a question in his eyes. "You’re finally awake?"
Li Banfeng looked at him, still disoriented. "Was that you calling for help just now?"
He Jiaqing’s brow furrowed slightly. "Are you still half-asleep? Come help me pack, we’re running out of time."
He Jiaqing was scheduled to depart on the evening train.
For the past four years of university, he had been Li Banfeng’s closest companion.
Li Banfeng’s gaze flickered to his phone; the time displayed was already half-past three.
A shared meal would precede their trip to the station for his farewell.
Li Banfeng sprang from his bed, joining He Jiaqing in sifting through a chaotic assortment of personal items.
"Do you need the toothpaste?"
"Yes!"
With remarkable precision, Li Banfeng tossed the tube of toothpaste directly into He Jiaqing’s awaiting suitcase.
"What about the meal card?"
"It’s yours now."
Li Banfeng expertly flicked the meal card, landing it squarely inside his own drawer.
Within a five-meter radius, Li Banfeng was an unerring marksman with any thrown object.
"Do you want your diploma?"
"No."
Li Banfeng casually tossed the diploma into a nearby wastebasket, a mere three meters away.
He Jiaqing found himself admiring this particular facet of Li Banfeng’s personality.
He simply accepted He Jiaqing’s disinterest in his diploma without question, tossing it aside with his characteristic nonchalance.
If he desired something, he claimed it; if not, he let it go. Such was his uncomplicated philosophy. Li Banfeng had a knack for cutting through unnecessary complexities.
Throughout their four years at university, He Jiaqing had found his sole confidant in Li Banfeng, drawn to his unique demeanor.
Li Banfeng, in turn, considered He Jiaqing his only friend, largely due to his own history with mental health challenges, which made forming close bonds with others a difficult endeavor.
Li Banfeng opened a cardboard box overflowing with envelopes, each one stuffed with a multitude of photographs.
He Jiaqing harbored a passion for photography, especially with film cameras, and made a practice of personally developing his prints in rented darkrooms. This box brimmed with mementos from their four years together.
"Do you still want to keep these photos?"
He Jiaqing paused, considering. "Take a few of the good ones for the journey, and let’s get rid of the rest."
Li Banfeng carefully selected several envelopes and presented them to He Jiaqing. "These are all the decent ones."
Without a second thought, He Jiaqing placed them into his suitcase.
Li Banfeng then picked out a few more envelopes. "These are pictures of your girlfriend, all poorly taken. We should toss these."
He Jiaqing looked surprised. "Are they all ruined?"
Li Banfeng nodded sagely. "She’s not even properly dressed in them. They must be completely spoiled."
He Jiaqing quickly retrieved the envelopes, tucking them securely into his suitcase.
***
At the barbecue restaurant near the campus entrance.
He Jiaqing poured a glass of liquor for Li Banfeng. "There’s something I’ve wanted to ask you for all four years we’ve been here, but I’ve never quite found the nerve."
Li Banfeng waved him off, a playful glint in his eye. "Don’t worry, I’m not interested in men."
He Jiaqing sputtered on the potent liquor, coughing before regaining his composure. "That’s not what I was going to ask! I wanted to know about your name, Ban Feng. Is there some special significance behind it?"
At the mention of his name, the tension in Li Banfeng’s brows seemed to ease, and his lips curved into a smile that bordered on strained.
Most people would have retreated at this subtle shift, recognizing it as a precursor to emotional instability.
However, He Jiaqing felt no alarm. While Li Banfeng often smiled when his mood was volatile, he also displayed the same expression when genuinely happy.
His current mood was quite pleasant, and he responded with evident interest. "It all started with Old Lady Wu from our foster home. She was the most educated person there. She was caring for seven children, and she gave us all names.
My siblings and I were named Ban Shan, Ban Luan, Banling, Ban Ya, Ban Gang, Ban Yue, and Ban Feng.
You see, among all the features of a mountain, the peak stands the highest. I was considered the most outstanding among the seven of us, so Old Lady Wu bestowed upon me the name Ban Feng."
He Jiaqing pondered for a moment. "I met this Old Lady Wu once. She visited you when you were in the hospital. I recall she didn’t call you Li Banfeng. She referred to you as Li Baisha."
Li Banfeng nodded in confirmation. "That’s because I used to buy her cigarettes, and during that period, she favored the Bai Sha brand, so she called me Li Baisha.
Before that, she called me Li Hongmei, and even earlier, Li Yingchun. There was a time when life was good, and the cigarettes were good too; she called me Li Furong."
He Jiaqing picked up a skewer of lamb kidneys, mid-chew. "Then why is your surname Li?"
Li Banfeng replied simply, "Because the gatekeeper at the foster home had the surname Li."
He Jiaqing nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "He must have been a person of great virtue and respect."
Li Banfeng gently shook his head. "He's Old Lady Wu's husband. He had a fondness for foreign cigarettes and used to refer to me as Li Camel."
As twilight descended, the two individuals exited the barbecue establishment.
Li Banfeng, holding a napkin to his mouth, precisely tossed it into a trash receptacle situated several meters away.
He Jiaqing vocalized his astonishment, "Within five meters, you never miss. We've been brothers for four years, yet I've never picked up this skill from you."
Li Banfeng's gaze settled on the trash bin. "It's all about the right mindset. The key is to remain steady..."
Shifting his gaze towards the distance, Li Banfeng noticed a woman in her early thirties, clad in a gray suit, approaching them with a smile.
It was Teacher Song.
They quickly moved to greet her.
Teacher Song, a mathematics instructor from the School of Science, sported a short bob haircut that beautifully framed her round, fair face. Her round spectacles perched above intelligent, deep-set, captivating eyes.
Upon spotting the two students, Teacher Song's lips curved into a smile, revealing two endearing dimples on her cheeks.
These dimples had become the object of countless male students' fantasies within the School of Science, often accompanied by tissues.
She exuded a radiance akin to the morning sun, brimming with vitality and an aura of reassurance!
While Li Banfeng remained captivated by Teacher Song's retreating figure, He Jiaqing quietly remarked, "There's a walnut-shaped birthmark on her left 'peach'!".
Li Banfeng was taken aback. "You've seen it?"
He Jiaqing let out a proud burp. "Calculus, linear algebra, probability theory—when have you ever seen me falter in these? Observe how Teacher Song looks at me during lectures; is it the same?"
"I didn't pay attention to her gaze," Li Banfeng stated seriously, his eyes narrowing. "However, regarding the birthmark you mentioned, I distinctly recall it being on the right side."
"How could it be on the right? You must be mistaken..." He Jiaqing also paused, his brow furrowed. "You've seen it too?"
Li Banfeng vehemently shook his head. "I am a decent person."
He Jiaqing remained unconvinced. "You've seen Teacher Song's 'peach,' and you still consider yourself a decent person?"
Li Banfeng affirmed with utmost seriousness, "I observed it in a completely proper and respectable manner, therefore, I remain a decent person!"
He Jiaqing expressed a hint of disappointment. "How could it possibly be on the right..."
He hadn't actually glimpsed Teacher Song's 'peach.' The information about the birthmark came from his girlfriend, Lu Xiaolan, who had seen it in the changing room.
"Is Lu Xiaolan deceiving me, or did I misremember?" He Jiaqing looked earnestly at Li Banfeng, genuinely crestfallen. "I suspect she's lying to me; she frequently deceives me."
As they conversed and ambled along, they reached the base of the girls' dormitory building, where they encountered He Jiaqing's girlfriend, Lu Xiaolan.
Lu Xiaolan, her hair tied in a ponytail, perfectly displayed her delicate features and the unblemished innocence befitting a young lady.
Much like the form-fitting dress she wore that day, it accentuated her petite and exquisite physique.
She was widely recognized as the most beautiful girl in the School of Science, a title affirmed by a substantial eighty percent of the male student body.
Despite their acquaintance, He Jiaqing couldn't resist boasting to Li Banfeng. "Behold my wife; she's a beauty straight out of a 'Month Plate' artwork."
He Jiaqing had always harbored a peculiar fondness for such vintage aesthetics.
However, Li Banfeng remained utterly indifferent to Lu Xiaolan, not even granting her a second glance.
"To be entirely candid, I still find Teacher Song's figure more appealing," Li Banfeng stated with great sincerity to He Jiaqing.
"Honestly, my wife possesses her own merits. Conscience isn't solely judged by size. It requires a comprehensive evaluation..." He Jiaqing glanced at Lu Xiaolan as she emerged from the dormitory building, striving to defend his girlfriend.
The trio then hailed a taxi bound for Yuezhou East Station.
Upon their arrival, Li Banfeng accompanied He Jiaqing to the turnstile. The moment of their separation had arrived.
He Jiaqing addressed Li Banfeng, "Brother, you've had quite a bit to drink. Give me a call when you return to the dorm."
Li Banfeng chuckled. "Why should I call you? Are you concerned I might get lost?"
He Jiaqing shook his head. "I'm not worried about you getting lost. I've also had a bit too much. I might doze off on the train. Just remind me; I need to use the restroom."
Li Banfeng appeared bewildered. "Do I really need to remind you to go pee?"
He Jiaqing earnestly replied, "What if I accidentally wet myself!"
Li Banfeng still couldn't comprehend. "With your wife present, would she permit you to wet your pants?"
He Jiaqing shook his head definitively. "She sleeps more soundly than I do, deeper than any pig. Even if the train were to derail, she wouldn't stir!"
Lu Xiaolan shot him a glare and playfully punched He Jiaqing.
Li Banfeng also voiced his disapproval, "We're about to board, and you're bringing up derailment? That's truly tempting fate."
Their conversation continued for a short while longer, when suddenly, an announcement echoed through the station's speakers: "Train number 1160 is commencing ticket checks. All passengers, please gather your belongings and proceed to waiting room number 96."
He Jiaqing turned to Li Banfeng. "I have to go now."
Li Banfeng let out a faux sob, as if on the verge of tears.
He Jiaqing shook his head, chuckling. "Stop pretending; it's not convincing at all. You can't actually cry."
Throughout his four years at university, Li Banfeng had shed many tears. He had leveraged these tears to garner sympathy from his counselor and to manipulate the academic affairs office. Yet, He Jiaqing was fully aware that Li Banfeng's tears were invariably a performance.
He was correct; Li Banfeng was incapable of genuine crying.
Li Banfeng also felt that feigning tears was inappropriate. However, as He Jiaqing's closest companion, he felt compelled to offer a few more parting words at such a moment.
After a brief pause, Li Banfeng simply managed, "Take care."
"You take care too," He Jiaqing responded, hoisting his suitcase and proceeding through the turnstile with Lu Xiaolan.
Lu Xiaolan casually inquired, "Why did you ask Li Banfeng to call you?"
He Jiaqing let out a light laugh. "Are you feeling jealous?"
Lu Xiaolan scoffed. "Get lost! If you want to marry him and live with him, then do it!"
He Jiaqing playfully pinched Lu Xiaolan's nose. "Don't be upset. You know he has a mental health condition. After all the drinking tonight, I'm just a bit concerned about him returning home alone."
Lu Xiaolan, her arm linked with He Jiaqing's, whispered, "Honestly, Li Banfeng isn't a bad person, just a little eccentric and unsettling at times."
He Jiaqing stated with conviction, "Ban Feng is definitely not mentally ill. I accompanied him to the mental health department at the Third Hospital. Doctor Wang confirmed he wasn't suffering from any mental disorder and he was discharged after just one week."
Lu Xiaolan chuckled, amused by his insistence, and followed He Jiaqing towards the ticket gate.
He Jiaqing reiterated, "Ban Feng truly isn't crazy; you must remember that."
PS: Shala isn't crazy either, dear readers, please keep that in mind.
Dear readers, please consider investing in the new book!