Fake Slackers

Chapter 24: All the other kids have gone to play basketball

"Yo, Jie-ge!"

Very early in the morning, Wan Da gathered his things and headed to the cafeteria for breakfast. When he turned, he saw Shen Jie holding a pack of soymilk heading up the stairs, and waved and said hello.

He had met Shen Jie during an exam where they had forged a friendship through comparing their answers and cheating together. Although they didn't talk often, they always had an inexplicable feeling of camaraderie when they met.

Shen Jie was about to reach the third floor landing when he heard a shout. "Hey, Know-It-All."

"Why are you at the dorms?" Wan Da walked over. "Looking for Zhao-ge?"

Wan Da saw the bag in Shen Jie's hand swinging back and forth and felt the impulse to grab it and spin around in circles. "Yes."

Wan Da remembered that He Zhao had skipped morning classes and the subject teachers were all very angry about it. He said in understanding, "Zhao-ge asked you to come get him? Not a morning person, huh."

"Comrade Know-It-All, what do you take Zhao-ge for?" Shen Jie asked. "Does he look like the sort of person who would ask people to come get him in order to not be late for class? You think too highly of him."

Wan Da: "...Indeed, I was too naive."

Shen Jie continued, "Your class's new form teacher... he's not bad."

"Mr. Tang?"

"Ah, right, the one surnamed Tang."

Class 2.3 had gone through the perturbations of changing form teachers together. When they wrote the petition, a feeling of rising up for great justice had rippled through the whole second year class. Wan Da smiled and said, "Old Tang is quite a good guy."

Shen Jie: "Really formidable. Never seen anything like this before."

Tang Sen had not only called He Zhao over to have a very long and ugly conversation, he had even tried to understand He Zhao's soul on a deeper level. Eventually, he had even called Shen Jie over.

This was the first time Shen Jie had been called to the office by a teacher from a different class. He drank two cups of piping hot tea and sat there, unsure what to do with himself. "Sir, I'm from Class 2.8."

Tang Sen said kindly: "I know you're from class 8."

"I quite like the students in my class. They're cordial and friendly, and students and teachers help each other, moving forward hand in hand. I'm quite happy and don't have any intention to change classes right now." Shen Jie felt like the teacher was eyeing him strangely and wondered if Tang Sen was trying to poach him.

In the end, Tang Sen explained that he had sent for Shen Jie in the hopes that Shen Jie could help He Zhao.

"I looked into it and you have quite a good relationship with our He Zhao. I think that, in his heart, he does want to come to class, but the difficulty lies in fighting the draw of his bed and winning. He doesn't have much self-control. If possible, would you invite him to come to class with you? Sorry for the inconvenience."

"......"

Shen Jie was a little shocked but still replied, "Sure, sure, sure, I will."

Tang Sen continued, "I know that young people like you have rich night lives. I also want to understand what video games you young people are playing these days. Do you know if He Zhao has been playing any video games recently?"

"What games is Zhao-ge playing these days?" Wan Da asked.

"It's a little hard to talk about." Shen Jie stopped swinging the plastic bag in his hands. His expression was complicated as he said, "...Miracle. Miracle Nikki."