Chapter 27 Breadth of Mind vs. Personality

Sometimes we should indeed face this f*ck*d-up life with a b*llsh*t attitude (though this might not relate to the chapter).

The brain-teaser kept Yang occupied for two classes. After the second period, I slid into the seat beside her. "Little sister, figured it out yet?" I teased.

"Not yet. Is the answer as bloody as last time?" Her confused expression was hilarious.

"Want big brother to tell you?" I grinned."For the last time, you're younger than me!" she pouted.

"Fine, but you'd never guess. Each paid ¥10, got ¥1 back—¥9 each. 3×9=¥27. The boss has ¥25, waiter stole ¥2. 27-2=25—no missing yuan! You dummy." I flicked her head.

Yang calculated again, then gasped: "The question's misleading!""Exactly—tests your IQ.""You cheat at riddles!" she huffed."Proves you're slow.""He's a mentally challenged kid, Yang. Ignore him," Dong Yulan cut in.

"I can only think of two reasons you can't stand me: either your heart's too small, or my personality's too big," I said shamelessly."I've seen shameless, but never like you." Her retort silenced me. Silence is golden—pushing further might unleash her wrath. These tough girls didn't respect personal boundaries, maybe too fond of certain... things. Wait, why am I thinking dirty again?

After chatting, I returned to my seat. Lord Wu leaned in: "Little J wants to visit the provincial capital for two days. Wanna come?""Visit for what?""He didn't say. I've only been once—let's mooch off old classmates." His grin was sinister."Perfect, I can reconnect with friends. When?""Tomorrow. Two pretty girls from his class are coming." Lord Wu leered.

"Anyone else from our class?""Nope—they bailed when I said the girls are meeting friends in Shijiazhuang, not hanging with us.""Ugh." I was torn, but promised. "Can I back out?""No! You're my only company." Lord Wu clung to my arm like a damsel, sending shivers."Fine, stop that. Who bought tickets?""Little J went to check. Let me call." Lord Wu's call was six words: "Hello... Okay... Sure... Bye," under 30 seconds. Impressive.

"Tickets for 7:30 tomorrow.""Skip class?""Duh.""But I promised no more skipping after the last review...""Promises are like 'f*ck you'—cheap talk." His analogy had me laughing.

The next day, Lord Wu woke me at 6 AM. "Five more minutes," I groaned."No time! Pack up—we'll miss the train." I rushed up, washed, forgot to brush my teeth, and swiped Xiaohua's last two Yida gums.

"Fix your hair—don't embarrass me," Little J said. Just two girls—was this necessary?"Maybe they'll set you up," he added. I immediately combed my hair. Vanity, maybe, even with Little Cabbage.

After primping, we hurried downstairs. "Call your classmates," Lord Wu told Little J.

His call revealed: "They're at the station... Yes... Why so early... We're at the gate... Hurry... Bye."

"They said—""Just go!" We cut him off, rushing to the gate. Taxi or bus? Taxi in 10 minutes, bus in 30. It's 6:45—bus saves money. We owed it to our parents' wallets.

Once on the bus, it inched along—unusually slow today. As we neared the city center, traffic ground to a halt. Stuck in gridlock, I grumbled about the city: poor development, worse traffic, and a massive park downtown. Like prioritizing luxury over basics—my hometown called that "showing off without substance."

Little J's phone rang. "It's them, nagging," Lord Wu muttered."Where are you? The train leaves soon!" a shrill voice barked."Almost there. Go ahead if we're late," Little J said."Are you kidding? You have the tickets!"Little J patted his pocket, sheepish. "We're coming!" He hung up. "Accident ahead—driver says we're stuck."

"Let's walk," I suggested."Take a cab," Lord Wu decided.

We flagged a taxi. "Train station, quick!" The driver initially headed into traffic, then swerved, dropping us at the station for ¥5—we'd saved ¥2. But it was 7:35.

"Train's delayed!" Little J cheered after a call. In the waiting room, two girls approached: tall Song Xiaoxiao and heavily made-up Ni Tingting. They looked familiar.

"Hey, 壮士 (hero), we've met," Song Xiaoxiao said."You're the park poser!" Ni Tingting exclaimed. Right—they were the "big sisters" from Chapter 19 who'd embarrassed me.

"You know each other?" Little J asked."Just a past misunderstanding," I lied, grateful they played along.

Little J introduced them, forgetting Ni Tingting's name. As we queued to board, Song Xiaoxiao gushed: "First train ride!" Lord Wu turned protective—such is the power of women.

Onboard, Little J had scored five seats. "Trains are comfy," Ni Tingting said, ignorant of long journeys. Little J groaned about his grueling trips, but they were thrilled.

"Let's play cards," Lord Wu proposed."But we need a game for five," Little J said."I'll sit out," I offered, preferring to watch the scenery. They unpacked cards and started Black Red A—a game I didn't know. As they shuffled, I gazed out the window, wondering how this trip would unfold.

"You watch the scenery through the glass window, blink away raindrops at the corner of your eye, breathe quietly—silence also speaks..." Invisible Scenery played in my ears. Isolating the world with headphones, I watched the window, recalling how I used to sit by windows, listening and humming...

My nose twitched—since when did I get so sentimental? I disliked this side of me, shaking my head back to a smile.

Song Xiaoxiao noticed, pausing her card game: "Why so gloomy?""Just got lost in the song," I mumbled, struggling to explain."What song is so sad?""Has Anyone Ever Told You by Chen Chusheng." I lied—my music taste was too niche. This was the most "normal" song I could think of, lest they take me for an alien.

"I like that song, but it's too sad." She discussed music with me, though I found it upbeat.

Lord Wu won the card round, chuckling: "Has anyone told you that you lost?""Good god! You cheated while we were distracted!" Ni Tingting protested."Surprise attack—you weren't focused," Lord Wu said shamelessly."Believe it or not, I'll slap you into the wall so hard they can't scrape you off!" Her threat drew stares. Chinese love spectacles—Lu Xun was right.

Lord Wu glanced around: "Where's the wall? I fear not death, but living aimlessly. Go ahead." Messing with Lord Wu was suicide—even the dean once backed down from him.

"Hmph, I won't stoop to your level. Who'd marry you?" Ni Tingting relented."Next life, I'll be a woman and marry myself." We burst into laughter. She grinned: "Has anyone told you you have no shame?""Has anyone told you you're bossy?" Lord Wu shot back. Little J intervened: "Stop—what if she jumps off the train?""A real man doesn't fight women," Lord Wu declared, though he'd nearly provoked her to murder.

"This game is boring," Xiaoxiao said."Can't play for money—we're mooching off friends in the capital," Little J said."No duct tape for paper strips," Xiaoxiao sighed."Use toilet paper." Ni Tingting produced a roll—impressive.

Lord Wu flinched, so she provoked: "Scared?"Knowing Lord Wu never backed down, he snapped: "Bring it." They played, losing rounds meant wearing toilet paper strips. I refused—imagine being the "toilet paper crew" on Train T5680, trending worldwide... Ridiculous.

I put my headphones back on and dozed off, waking as Little J announced our stop. To my surprise, no toilet paper on their heads.

"Where's the paper?""We took it off after," Lord Wu said."Wanna see? I took pics!" Xiaoxiao offered her phone."You promised not to!" Lord Wu protested."For memories." The photo showed Lord Wu and Little J with toilet paper strips fluttering—comical. Lord Wu snatched the phone, deleting the pics amid protests.

"Check out their pics," he said, handing me his phone."You 偷拍 (sneak-shot) us too!" Ni Tingting accused. Their pics were equally absurd—their long hair made the toilet paper look... artistic.

"Too bad I deleted yours," Lord Wu sang Heroes' Anthem."Lucky I have backups," Ni Tingting smirked. Trust no one on this trip.