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Chapter 42: The rest of the day is mine.
After Chen Wengang left, Qi Tongzhou wandered alone on the campus, sneaking around and guiltily peeking at his phone. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.
What was he doing sneakily? Capturing moments among friends is an open and honest activity.
Thinking about it, he decided to directly send Chen Wengang that photo and even posted it on his Moments without hesitation.
Soon, friends gave him likes. His older sister, Li Hongqiong, was among them, and she sent him a teasing emoji.
Probably Mu Qing also saw Qi Tongzhou’s Moments. He proactively sent a message asking where he was, mentioning that he happened to be at the school too.
Considering Mu Qing as a good friend, Qi Tongzhou thought it wouldn’t hurt to treat him: “How about I treat you to a meal?”
However, Mu Qing replied, “Let me treat you; thanks for helping me so much.”
Privately, the two of them maintained occasional contact. Qi Tongzhou even introduced a rising curator to Mu Qing.
These days, in the art world, connections matter. This person was known by Qi Tongzhou’s mother and had some influence in the curator circle. Rumor had it that he had discovered many new artists and was good at marketing. Although Qi Tongzhou didn’t know much about the art world, he valued friendship and made a mental note to share the contact information with Mu Qing. He would also ask about their collaboration later.
After about a quarter of an hour, he saw Mu Qing walking toward him under the scorching sun.
It was hot, and Mu Qing walked in the shade, his pace neither fast nor slow. Dressed in a white shirt and jeans, he looked refreshingly like a student.
Qi Tongzhou stood on the side of the road, hands in his pockets. From a distance, he had a déjà vu feeling, similar to the one he had with Chen Wengang.
Where was it? He finally remembered a word his sister often used—possibly it was about dressing sense. Qi Tongzhou suddenly realized the reason; Chen Wengang also seemed to love wearing this kind of shirt. But dressing is not a monopoly, and he pushed the thought aside.
The conversation between that curator and Mu Qing went even smoother than Qi Tongzhou had imagined, making him genuinely happy for his friend.
At the dining table, he inquired about the details, “So, did that person say they could organize a personal exhibition for you?”
“Yes. He seems to have a positive view of my work, saying it has a certain spiritual quality and probably thinks it has some value.”
“That’s impressive.” Qi Tongzhou sincerely praised, “Don’t underestimate yourself; having a solo exhibition is quite remarkable.”
“It’s too early to say; nothing is settled yet,” Mu Qing frowned. “We also need to see if we can find suitable sponsorship.”
“How much money would it take to organize the kind of art exhibition you mentioned?”
“For a well-selected art gallery, just the venue cost could be between ten to twenty thousand. And there are other miscellaneous expenses,” Mu Qing explained.
Hearing Mu Qing’s words, Qi Tongzhou felt a bit intrigued.
Being somewhat ignorant of prices, he originally thought it would cost several million. If it was only two or three hundred thousand, he could easily cover that amount himself. His family often spent that much on luxury brands without batting an eye.
However, he obviously couldn’t bring up this idea in front of Mu Qing to avoid hurting his feelings.
After knowing each other for a while, Qi Tongzhou also understood Mu Qing’s situation. No parents, living with an uncle; in terms of background, it wasn’t much better than Chen Wengang’s. Mu Qing didn’t have the same financial comfort. Both of them seemed to carry a sense of pride, and Qi Tongzhou figured it wasn’t easy for either of them.
Qi Tongzhou even thought about secretly helping out, but there was no need to let Mu Qing know.
Suppressing his thoughts for the time being, they continued with their meal. Qi Tongzhou mostly initiated the conversation, and remembering what other students had mentioned earlier, he suddenly asked, “By the way, do you know about the campus or something like that election at our school?”
He didn’t notice the subtle pause in Mu Qing’s expression. “You mean ‘Campus Star,’ right? What’s up?”
“Do you know where the entrance is?” Qi Tongzhou asked excitedly. “It sounds interesting, but it was crowded this morning, and I didn’t get the chance to find out. Do you know if Wengang is a candidate? It’s said that he has a good chance of winning, and I want to check the event page.”
“It’s on the school’s official website.”
“Okay, let me check.”
However, upon opening the page, Qi Tongzhou showed the same expression as Zheng Maoxun, but he felt even more awkward—because of what he had just said.
“Oh, so you’re also a candidate?” Fortunately, Qi Tongzhou reacted quickly and put on a surprised expression. “And your vote count is so high. I didn’t expect you to be so modest. The future campus star, how come you never mentioned this?”
“There’s nothing to mention, and it’s not that high,” Mu Qing replied with indifference. “I’m not as popular as Chen Wengang.”
“You can’t say that…”
“That’s the reality.”
“I’m sorry, are you upset?”
“I’m not.”
Qi Tongzhou thought to himself that this was a mess. He had no idea that both of them were candidates, creating a competitive situation. His previous words were undoubtedly uncomfortable for Mu Qing, but he faintly felt that if it were Chen Wengang instead, the reaction might not have been so petty.
Trying to lighten the mood, he joked, “Too bad I don’t have a student ID yet; no votes to cast. Otherwise, next semester…”
“There’s no need for that.” Mu Qing’s indifference was evident. “I never understood the meaning of such events. Hanging people up like commodities, judging and comparing solely based on appearance—what’s the point?”
He raised his voice slightly, threw his fork onto the table, and stood up, heading toward the exit.
Qi Tongzhou hurriedly went after him, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. It’s my fault for not thinking before speaking.”
Someone nearby looked over upon hearing the commotion. Perhaps Mu Qing didn’t want to attract attention, so he finally sat back down.
Qi Tongzhou kept apologizing until he saw Mu Qing’s expression ease.
Suddenly, Mu Qing sighed in front of him, “Am I too petty?”
Qi Tongzhou was taken aback and quickly said, “No, no. It was my fault for speaking without thinking.”
Shaking his head, Mu Qing said, “No, you don’t know. I didn’t expect myself to be so petty about such a trivial matter. Initially, I didn’t have any conflicts with Chen Wengang, but you know? Suddenly realizing that the people familiar to you are much better than you, that feeling…”
Qi Tongzhou didn’t know how to respond to this statement, but he didn’t feel resentment. On the contrary, Mu Qing’s previously elusive demeanor had now revealed a genuine side, making Qi Tongzhou feel trusted and bringing their relationship closer.
After a long period of comforting, Mu Qing finally smiled and, before parting, sincerely apologized, “I know it’s my issue. I couldn’t adjust my mindset and ended up venting to you. I’m sorry. Next time, let me treat you to a meal.”
Qi Tongzhou didn’t care at all, “This is how friends should be. Feel free to vent to me if you have any frustrations.”
He sincerely said, “In the future, if you have any troubles, you can treat me as a garbage bin to vent to.”
***
The summer was hot and humid. The weather forecast indicated continuous rain in the coming days, warning citizens to be cautious of slippery roads and to carry umbrellas.
The address of the planned Houren Special Education School was on Shengtang Street in the old city.
The relevant department of the government welfare bureau allocated a building for the school’s use. Originally, it was an abandoned building, but after the government took over, it was renovated and expanded. The change in planning usage located it conveniently in the center of several designated welfare institutions, making it cost-effective in various aspects.
As Huo Niansheng looked in through the back door of the classroom, Chen Wengang was in a meeting with several colleagues, engaged in a lively discussion where differences of opinion were apparent.
The school was recruiting teachers and staff, and for the former, there was no doubt that a detailed background check was necessary. The acting head suggested expanding the investigation to cover all incoming employees, including but not limited to janitors, water and electricity maintenance staff, boiler operators, kitchen staff, and drivers.
However, some thought that this process was too complex, the recruitment costs were too high, and its implementation was impractical.
When Chen Wengang received a message from Huo Niansheng, he turned his head and locked eyes with him through the rear window.
He gave a slight smile, turned his head back, and raised his hand, “I agree with Eden’s suggestion.”
The lady referred to as Eden was the one who proposed conducting background checks on all school staff: “Not only should we do it, but it can’t be too detailed.”
Someone on the opposing side countered, “I prefer just issuing a criminal record certificate. Our janitors and drivers are outsourced, and the personnel change frequently. If we have to check every time a new janitor comes in, we won’t have the time and energy for that.”
She insisted, “But we’re not running a business. Costs need to be controlled, but not in these areas.”
Finally, Chen Wengang chimed in, “Look at it from a different perspective. The school will be receiving children with special needs. Most of them won’t express if they’ve been bullied, and some may not even understand they’ve been mistreated. If something like sexual assault happens, we’d be putting the executioner in ourselves. I can’t even bear to think about that scenario.”
With these words, the faces on the opposing side flickered, and they didn’t argue further. It could be considered a consensus.
“Let’s go with this.” Eden said, “Wengang, continue reading the articles of association.”
After more than half an hour, the discussions concluded, and the people in the room stood up to disperse.
Outside the classroom, Chen Wengang introduced the two to each other, “This is Eden, Luo Suwei, the current acting head of the school.”
Huo Niansheng and she exchanged pleasantries.
Luo Suwei was composed and experienced. After sizing up Huo Niansheng, she quickly judged him to be wealthy, mentally equating him with a potential donor. She smiled and instructed Chen Wengang, “You take Mr. Huo for a casual tour. The foundation still has matters to attend to, and I need to go back.”
Chen Wengang bid her farewell, “Take care.”
Huo Niansheng stood with his hands in his pockets, looking around.
The classroom had been freshly painted, with brightly colored walls and foam carpets on the floor. Low handrails adorned the sides, and there were no typical school desks. Instead, a row of rounded chairs lined the walls, with not a sharp corner in sight.
Just moments ago, a group of adults had been sitting in these chairs, legs bent, conducting a meeting.
Chen Wengang led him out, saying, “Because not all the furniture has arrived yet, there aren’t enough office chairs. We can only borrow classrooms for now.”
The special education school was still in a semi-finished state, lacking even complete office facilities, so the others naturally left quickly.
The entire building was empty, with only the two of them present. Footsteps echoed in the corridor, creating an unusually spacious atmosphere.
The warm tones of the sunset streamed in through one window, giving the freshly painted walls an aged appearance, as if they were filtered through a vintage lens.
Chen Wengang took him from one classroom to another, opening doors to show him sensory rooms. While Huo Niansheng took a cursory look, he gradually developed the illusion that he could walk with Chen Wengang to the end of bygone times. This idea made him feel both warm and melancholic.
When they reached the last room on this floor, he reached out and embraced Chen Wengang, kissing him against the wall.
Chen Wengang restrained him, pushing him away, “Don’t be reckless. And don’t you see there’s a surveillance camera above us?”
But the surveillance cameras were undoubtedly not yet operational. Huo Niansheng disregarded it, “The remaining time today belongs to me, alright?”
His eyes were full of the promise of something about to happen. Chen Wengang’s heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and he interlocked his fingers with Huo Niansheng’s, saying, “Let me lock the door first.”
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“His previous words were undoubtedly uncomfortable for Mu Qing, but he faintly felt that if it were Chen Wengang instead, the reaction might not have been so petty.” That’s because one is a person with his own personality, while the other is a pathetic loser that copies other people in order to stand out.