Chapter Nine: Enrollment

The next day, under my master’s guidance, I visited the most famous place in Chongqing—Magpie Mouth. And to be honest, it was quite an interesting place, brimming with a sense of tradition. The streets were bustling with people, somewhat noisy and crowded. I darted around, peeking here and there, while my master strolled leisurely behind me, his face openly displaying his disdain for my wide-eyed curiosity, as though I had never seen the world before.

“Hey, hey, hey! Can you stop looking like a country bumpkin? Be careful and don’t get lost! There are too many tourists here; I don’t want to waste time looking for you later!” my master shouted from behind.

Chewing on a twist of fried dough, I called back, “Master, hurry up! There must be a lot more fun things ahead. I want to see them!”

He caught up to me, hands full of purchases, and said, “What’s the rush? It’s still early.”

I made a face at him. Seeing this, he clicked his tongue. “Oh, so you’re getting bold, are you? Daring to make faces at your master?” He reached as if to hit me, but I dashed away before he could.

He shook his head, laughed, and called out again, “Slow down! Don’t get lost!”

I shouted back that I’d be fine and ran ahead, munching on my snack and buying whatever caught my eye—after all, my master was paying! I strode through Magpie Mouth, but before long, I felt someone grab my hand. I turned and saw an old fortune teller sitting by a street stall, wearing small black glasses and a gray gown, holding a folding fan. He was gripping my right arm. Why did I know he was a fortune teller? Because a sign next to his stall read: “Divination and Fortune-Telling—All-Knowing.”

Puzzled, I pulled my arm back and asked, “Grandpa, do you need something?”

The old man paused, took off his glasses, and looked at me. “What, child? Do you think I’m very old?”

I quickly waved my hands, embarrassed. He nodded, then said, “Child, I can tell from your face that you are destined for wealth and glory. Would you like me to tell your fortune? Don’t worry—if I’m wrong, you don’t have to pay.”

Honestly, hearing him say I’d be wealthy and honored, I was tempted. After hesitating a moment, I plopped down in front of him and asked, “Sir, how do you know I’ll be wealthy and honored? Can you tell me more?”

He glanced at me, chuckled, and said, “I know not only that you’ll achieve wealth and honor, but also the course of your fate. Though you’re destined for greatness, your early years will be fraught with hardship and adversity. You’ll suffer and face many difficulties, and because of certain events, you’ll become someone you never meant to be. But if you endure all this, you’ll accomplish great things and become a leader in your own right.”

The fortune teller paused. I eyed him doubtfully, but he only smiled and said, “That’s enough. Destiny cannot be controlled, and the great way cannot be altered. Things rarely go as one wishes. It’s getting late—I should pack up.”

With that, he began to gather his things. I lowered my head, mulling over his words, utterly confused. All that talk of suffering and adversity—was it really so serious?

I squeezed the plastic bag in my hand and looked up, but the scene before me stunned me. The fortune teller who had just been packing had vanished without a trace. I sprang to my feet and looked around, but he was nowhere to be seen. More confused than ever, I wondered if I’d imagined the whole thing.

Shaking my head, I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning, I saw my master holding a drink. “What are you sitting here daydreaming for?”

I shook my head again and said it was nothing. My master sipped his drink and handed it to me. “Here, I bought this for you. Come on, let’s go explore some more.”

The rest of the day we wandered all over Magpie Mouth, but I never saw the fortune teller again, which only confirmed my suspicion that I’d imagined him.

Before I knew it, evening had fallen. After dinner, my master and I rode the light rail home. As soon as we got in, he dumped all the bags on the table and flopped onto the sofa. “If you keep buying like this, you’ll bankrupt me! You can’t just buy anything you see. Look at all this random stuff. Next time, I’m not taking you out.”

I poured him a glass of water and grinned. “Master, you’re so stingy. How could grown-ups ever understand the world of us kids? Tell you what, next time I won’t buy anything, I’ll just listen to you, okay?”

“You’re still a kid? You’re already in middle school. How much younger do you want to be? Oh well, you’re my apprentice—if you want something, I’ll buy it for you, but only if it’s the right thing. No more of these ceramic toys and knick-knacks. You’re not a little kid anymore. If you really like that stuff, I have plenty. And remember, you’re starting school in a few days.”

He ruffled my hair and smiled as he drank his water.

I stuck out my tongue in agreement. After chatting with my master for an hour downstairs, I went up to bed. Over the next few days, he took me to all the famous spots in Chongqing—Hongya Cave, White Emperor City, Fairy Mountain, and more. We visited every tourist site in Chongqing. I was happy, but also uneasy, because I was about to go to a place that sent chills down my spine—school!

On the fifth day in Chongqing, the moment all parents love finally arrived—the start of the new school term. I sat on the back of my master’s electric scooter, the wind whipping my hair and brushing my face. Despite the scenery, I couldn’t muster any enthusiasm—my master, rich as he was, insisted on bringing me to school on an electric scooter. When I asked why he didn’t drive a car, his reply made me lose a lot of respect for him.

“What do you know? This is low-carbon travel. Besides, you have to be humble, not show off everywhere.” That was his exact reply. Hearing it, I couldn’t help but think less of him. Humble? Then why weren’t you more low-key when flirting with that salesgirl the other day? Of course, I only dared think this, not say it out loud.

Soon, we arrived at the school gate. I got off and looked inside; it was impressive—spacious grounds, a rubber running track circling a huge soccer field, several dormitories beside the track, a vast cement courtyard with a flag-raising platform, rows of basketball hoops, and several towering academic buildings straight ahead.

My master led me inside. There weren’t many students reporting in that day. He took me into one of the buildings—“Administration Building,” the sign read. We entered the elevator, and he pressed the button for the twelfth floor. When the doors opened, we walked down the corridor and stopped in front of a door labeled “Principal’s Office.” My master knocked, and a deep, magnetic male voice called, “Come in!”

Inside, a slightly portly man sat at the desk, reading some documents. When he saw us, he stood up, adjusted his glasses, and walked over, hand extended warmly. “Ah, you’re here! Please, have a seat.”

My master shook his hand, then sat down. “Xuan, this is Principal Qin,” he said to me.

I respectfully greeted Principal Qin, who nodded and turned to my master. “Brother Tan, this is your apprentice? Such a promising young man! Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he gets into Tsinghua or Peking University.”

My master waved his hand. “Sorry for the trouble. We meant to come yesterday, but something came up. Today he’ll start classes directly—please assign him to a class.”

“Of course, of course. Don’t worry, leave it to me,” Principal Qin replied cheerfully.

He made a phone call, and soon a beautiful female teacher entered. “Mu Ran, this is Lin Xuan. He’ll be joining your class. Please show him around and help him get settled,” Principal Qin said. Then he leaned in and whispered, “Mu Ran, take good care of this boy. He has a strong background. Don’t ask too much—just look after him.”

She looked at the principal in surprise but only nodded. Turning to me, she said, “Lin Xuan, come with me. I’ll show you to your class.”

I glanced at my master, who stood and said, “Let’s go.”

I followed my master and Teacher Mu out of the principal’s office and into the elevator. I asked, “Master, are you and Principal Qin close? He seemed very respectful to you.”

Since only the three of us were in the elevator, my master chuckled awkwardly, glanced at Teacher Mu, who also smiled awkwardly, then cleared his throat and said, “Well, we’re friends. I helped him out with something before. By the way, why are you so talkative today?”

I shrugged and said nothing more. When the elevator doors opened, my master said, “I have things to handle. Don’t cause trouble at school, you hear? I’ll pick you up after classes. Teacher Mu, thank you for taking care of Xuan.”

“No trouble at all. You go ahead, I’ll look after him,” Teacher Mu replied with a smile.

My master nodded and left the campus. Watching his retreating figure, I felt a tangle of reluctant emotions. Teacher Mu patted my head. “Come on, Xuan, let me take you to your new class and introduce you to your classmates.”

Reluctantly, I followed her to the adjacent teaching building and up to a classroom on the second floor. I stood behind her, backpack on my shoulders, as she knocked. Every student in the room looked up.

She led me inside. “Everyone, this is your new classmate, Lin Xuan. Let’s give him a warm welcome.”

A round of applause followed. Embarrassed, I looked at everyone. When the applause ceased, Teacher Mu said, “Xuan, introduce yourself.”

I nodded, stepped to the podium, cleared my throat, and said, “Hello, everyone. My name is Lin Xuan. I’m from a rural village in Wanzhou, Chongqing. I just moved to the city and don’t have any particular hobbies. If I don’t understand something, I hope you’ll all help me out.”

No sooner had I finished than the room erupted in laughter. Someone called out, “A country bumpkin? What’s a rural kid like you doing here? What makes you think you deserve a spot in this school? Am I right, everyone? Hahaha!” The laughter continued.

Annoyed by the mockery, I felt the bold, unyielding spirit inherited from my grandfather stirring inside me. I clenched my fists, ready to respond, but Teacher Mu intervened. “Enough! What’s so funny? Is being from the countryside a joke? Can’t rural kids go to school? Whoever keeps laughing will copy the lesson a hundred times!”

The laughter stopped abruptly. Teacher Mu turned to me, patted my shoulder, and said, “Lin Xuan, take the seat in the first group, third row. There’s an empty spot there.”

I nodded and found the seat. To my surprise, the student next to me was a pretty girl. I put my backpack under the desk and glanced at her, but she ignored me, busy with her notes. Teacher Mu tapped the desk. “Alright, continue your self-study. Lin Xuan, share a book with Chu Mengxi for now; I’ll get you your own copy soon.” She gestured to the girl beside me.

I was startled—Chu Mengxi? So that was her name. Hearing the teacher, she looked up and, seeing me, was surprised. We stared at each other for a moment before she said, “Sorry, I was taking notes and didn’t see you. Welcome to our class. My name is Chu Mengxi. What’s yours?”

“Uh, I’m Lin Xuan,” I replied.

She nodded, moved her book to the middle, and said, “We’re classmates now. Let’s read together for now.”

I agreed and leaned in. What I didn’t realize was that, in the last few rows, some students were already whispering about me. One boy in a cap kept staring at me, his expression so cold it seemed to drip with disdain.

The day passed quickly. After school, I packed up and left the building, where my master was already waiting at the gate. When he saw me, he waved. “Hey, over here!”

I walked over, climbed onto the scooter, and we headed home, taking nearly half an hour. Once inside, I tossed my bag onto the sofa, turned on the TV, and flopped down. My master disappeared for a while, then came in, sat beside me, and switched off the TV.

Surprised, I protested, “Master, what are you doing?”

He shook the remote at me, then set it down, smiling. “Alright, my little apprentice, tell me about your day. How was it? Are you settling in?”

I nodded, a little dazed, and said nothing.