"Are you even human? Is this the virtue you teach? Someone lost her father, and you expel her."
The dean of students looked at me. "This school is a place of truth, goodness, and beauty. We cannot allow a child who is a master of lies to negatively influence other students."
"What lies? What she's saying is true. Her father is a hero."
"She lied to the teachers, saying she had a happy family. She told others her father was very gentle. None of that is true. In her class, Class 3 of Grade 1, things have been lost at least three times. She claimed her family was well-off, so no one suspected her. In reality, her living situation is terrible, and she can barely afford her tuition."
What the dean of students said was probably true. But what was wrong with that? A girl yearning for a happy family, a gentle, non-alcoholic father – was that wrong? Was that not allowed? Because her family was poor, they suspected her of stealing. What was lost? An eraser? She probably forgot to bring it.
I knew all of this clearly but was powerless to explain. I was speechless and pointed at the dean of students' nose, shouting, "I'll f*** your—"
"Ate paper?"
"So hungry, I ate it all!"
"From now on, you can't sleep. If you hear any sounds, shout for help. The big monster is dying. The hero uncles will come to save us. When you hear their voices, shout for help, and we'll win."
"Okay~"
"Good girl!"
With my last bit of strength, I stroked her head. She then said, "Daddy, I think I wet my pants."
"It's okay, Daddy did too. You must wait for the rescue uncles to come."
"Okay!"
I wanted to hold on, but unconsciously, I fainted again. In a world of white mist, I seemed to hear a familiar voice. He stood before me, his face stern. I recognized that face; I hadn't seen it often, but it was unforgettable. It was Li Jiu.
"You can still be saved?" I asked Li Jiu with a smile.
"Is the end of scheming metaphysics?" I asked, smiling.
"No. At a time like this, you don't have to be responsible for someone else's life. You still have water and food."
"Where is the food?"
Li Jiu listened, a strange smile playing on his lips. He disappeared like mist, shrouded in fog, yet he parted once more. A dirty little girl appeared in my sight. She was terrified, her eyes wide, drinking water greedily.
"This is your food? To survive, don't worry about what others say. Don't worry, when you are rescued, no one will report that you ate a corpse."
"She's not a corpse."
I shouted at Li Jiu.
"It's easy to turn her into a corpse."
"She is my daughter. Even a tiger doesn't eat its cubs."
"You are a schemer more vicious than a tiger."
"Get lost, stay away from me."
"This is your last chance!" The voice echoed in my ears. I shook my head vigorously. The fog dispersed a little, and a scene appeared before my eyes. It was someone familiar, Old Ghost and Lin Han. A bowl of congee was brought before him. His bones were visible under his skin. Looking at the bowl of congee, his stomach growled loudly with hunger. He had reached his limit. One more mouthful meant one more chance to live. Yet, Old Ghost smiled, "Girl, half for each of us. I didn't drink a drop more."
I finally saw Lin Han's face. The gratitude in her eyes turned into tears, falling onto my face, by my lips. It tasted a little salty. I woke up, hearing Tang Yi crying.
"What's wrong?"
"The water spilled."
How ridiculous of me, to save water for a child who wouldn't even say if she spilled it. But, fortunately, out of two and a half bottles of water, one bottle remained. If I gave it to her, what if she spilled it again?
It was at this moment that my hand touched something sharp.
Food? The word involuntarily came to mind.
Entrusting life to the unknown is worse than a certain survival. Old Ghost's method was heartwarming, but not everyone was as lucky as him. Li Jiu was right; when rescued in the end, no one would care about this.
Humanity? It only reveals itself when facing death. So-called truth, goodness, and beauty all go against human nature.
I tightened my grip on the sharp object in my hand. It was a piece of wood, sharp enough.
"Daddy, I'm so hungry, so sleepy, I want water."