Chapter 2 — Sunlight on the School Desk

3 I put an ice cream cone into Tan Du's hand, but he didn't accept it. With a "pop" sound, it fell straight to the ground. He continued quietly. I bent down to pick up the ice cream, ran quickly after it, and stuffed it into his hand again. Falling to the ground again. I'm starting to get angry, this kid... I took a few steps to chase him, suddenly pulled his collar off - Tan Du finally couldn't keep calm anymore, quickly covered his chest, took two steps back, looking at me warily. I laughed, holding the ice cream out in front of him. This time he took it. We walked parallel to each other, but Tan Du only held the ice cream in his hand and did not eat it. So I leaned closer, said in a low voice: "Don't be shy, I won't tell anyone that... your breast mole is pink..." Tan Du immediately broke the ice cream in half, stuffed it into his mouth and increased his speed as if running away. See, when people are embarrassed, they often pretend to be busy. If there is water, drink water. If there is ice cream, suck it. I looked at Tan Du who was timidly licking the ice cream and smiled. “Tan Du, you know, ice cream can help cool down the heat—especially when it's hot, and if you stick it into buffalo or cow skin, it'll be even cooler—” Tan Du stopped eating. He lowered the ice cream cone, his cold lips turned red, and looked at me silently. He looked like he was completely helpless against me. I felt a bit guilty. It seems like the topic just now... was a bit rough. I was about to change the subject when Tan Du blurted out his second sentence today: "Heo." I was stunned, then burst into joy: "Oh that's right! It's pig skin, that pig skin! I remembered wrong!" "Tan Du!! I didn't expect us to be so compatible. Did you also watch those crap low-fat videos?!" I thought an autistic teenager like Tan Du didn't use the internet, but who knew he was also an expert at surfing the net! I'm as happy as a party - I've truly found my soulmate! Getting out of the luxury car, I waved goodbye to the beauty queen enthusiastically. As soon as I turned around, I almost stopped dead on the spot. Duong Tham stood right on the stairs, his eyes cold: "Does your mother know? You are close to a sick guy like that." I gave him an ice cream I bought extra. Duong Tham calmed down slightly, reaching out to take it, but his mouth still refused to let go. "That guy Tan Du just looked at me and knew he had a mental problem. Do you think everyone is as good-natured as me? I've been nagging you since childhood and still can stand it..." I squeezed the melted ice cream hard and sprayed it straight on his face. Duong Tham screamed, took two steps back, and the sensor light on the stairs also turned on. Sweet melted ice cream dripped all over his face, he glared at me as if he wanted to eat me alive. “Are you crazy?!” I pulled out a tissue to dry my hands and walked past him without even looking. "You say other people are sick? I think you're the one with the most serious illness." Duong Tham turned his head to look after me, but I had already turned around and walked up the second step, not bothering to look back. The next day, during recess, I proactively asked for Tan Du's WeChat. He rarely responded — but this time… he opened his mouth again. "Are not." I raised my phone to take a photo of him, but Tan Du frowned and waved his hand away. I immediately reached out to grab the phone stuffed in his pocket - Tan Du panicked as if I was about to... touch his thing, immediately took two steps back, his face as tense as a guitar string. While the two of us were struggling, Duong Tham knocked on my desk: "Chu Nhuoc, I won't compare with you about last night. Tonight my mother will make sweet and sour ribs, let's go home after school." I let go of torturing Tan Du and glared at Duong Tham from the corner of my eye. Is he crazy? I still don't understand what I said so clearly yesterday? I didn't bother to answer, I turned my head away - then realized that Tan Du had already stood up and walked out of the classroom. I took a deep breath, then hurriedly chased after him. Tan Du was standing right outside the classroom door, stiff as an idiot. I guess he was trying to avoid me, but he didn't know where to go, like... the CPU circuit burned out. I was so funny, I raised my hand to tease him: "Hey, you really won't let me add WeChat?" He didn't say a word, just stood there motionless until the class bell rang. “Hey, the teacher is coming.” I gently pulled his sleeve, but Tan Du still didn't move. “What are you two standing here for?” The music teacher frowned and asked. I looked at Tan Du - as stiff as a piece of wood, then looked at the teacher and quickly replied: "Teacher, Tan Du... has a stomach ache." 4 Tan Du's pupils shook slightly, surprised by my unblinking lie. The teacher waved her hand and told me to take him to the infirmary. I was terrible at singing, and I was able to escape the music lesson entirely because Tan Du, in the teacher's eyes, was an obedient, easy-to-teach student. He was like a rock, letting me drag him forward. When passing by the window, I glanced at Duong Tham's gloomy face looking out. “Tan Du, you... have never skipped school, right?” I broke his hand away — his warm palm made my heart itch a little. Shamelessly, I secretly stuffed my hand into his. He didn't take it back. I pulled him across the small alley near the school gate to my favorite noodle shop. The boss smiled and brought out a bowl of hot noodles. "Bringing a friend here? Aren't you studying at this hour?" I smiled widely: "Yes, we skipped school to come here to eat." Tan Du seemed to stop breathing, quickly raised his hand to cover my mouth, his panicked eyes looked as if he wanted me to immediately swallow what he had just said. I laughed like crazy - oh my god, who invented this Tan Du look, it's so cute I can't stand it! Exactly my cute style! I brought out two small bowls. “Half you, half me — feelings that won't fade away.” Tan Du frowned at the bowl of noodles and said nothing. I thought he hated sharing things with me, but unexpectedly he took out his phone and showed it to me. I get the point. He said he had money. You can buy… two bowls. Actually, it's because... I can't eat. Just finished breakfast, how can I swallow a whole bowl of noodles? I took the opportunity to take Tan Du's phone and secretly added my WeChat. Tan Du's hand slightly stopped, but did not stop me. He eats very quietly, even a normal bowl of noodles gives off an aristocratic aura. When I finished eating, I wiped my mouth and dragged him away. Tan Du was bewildered and staggered after me. It wasn't until I exited the small alley that I turned around. The teenager's eyes were terrifyingly bright — as if this was the first time in his life he had done something so rebellious. His heart was beating so fast, so fast that even though we were standing opposite each other, I could still hear each beat clearly. He pulled my hand, wanting to turn back, his eyes were very determined. I pushed his hand away: "If you run away, why come back? You'll lose face and die." Tan Du pursed his lips and looked at me silently - not angry, just eyes full of helplessness, compliance, but also a bit of perseverance with principles. I smiled happily at him: "If you want to go back, it's okay. But you have to say one thing to the boss: 'Sorry, we'll go back and pay.' If I hear that, I'll come back." Tan Du stood hesitantly at the end of the alley, hesitated for five minutes, then finally gave up and pulled my hand back to the shop. The boss was cleaning the table when he saw the two of us standing at the door like two wooden statues and was shocked. I nudged him gently: "Say it." Tan Du's hands began to sweat, he held my hand so tightly that it turned red, and his ears also turned red from embarrassment. I thought he was going to give up. Who would have thought that in the next second, I heard Tan Du's characteristic voice - cold, trembling slightly, each word stuttered: "Sorry... sorry uncle... we'll go back... pay."