Chapter 25: Photos

Xu Li’s pause was brief, but Lin Qiao noticed it.

Sensing her gaze, Xu Li smiled, “I didn’t expect you to keep it all these years.”

“It was my grandmother who kept it. If she hadn’t, I might not have found the Ji family.”

Xu Li said nothing more, and Ji Duo left as usual. Later, Xu Li found her son, “You should find a chance to get that photo back. It’s inappropriate to leave Xiao Ze’s photo with Qiao Qiao now that things have changed.”

Ji Duo responded with a simple “Hmm.” After dinner at the old house that evening, they started heading home as the night fell. Lin Qiao was holding two jars as they were about to get into the car.

Ji Duo immediately knew they weren’t from Xu Li. “Aunt Zhang gave these to me earlier. She said they were her homemade pickles for us to eat with our meals.”

“Do you have a good relationship with her?” Ji Duo asked, taking one of the jars.

Lin Qiao wasn’t the type to be particularly favored by elders, but those who interacted with her seemed to like her.

Lin Qiao just smiled, “I guess so. Maybe the plasters I gave her a few days ago helped. Her knee doesn’t hurt as much now.”

Ji Duo thought it was more than that. Ye Minshu was polite to Aunt Zhang, sometimes bringing her treats, but it was just politeness. Ye Minshu wouldn’t care if Aunt Zhang’s knee hurt, let alone think of getting her plasters.

Once in the car, with the doors closed, Lin Qiao suggested to Ji Duo, “Should we give some to Commander Liang’s family? His wife brought us some dry food while you were away.”

Aunt Zhang’s pickles were good, but since Lin Qiao and Ji Duo didn’t often eat at home, they could spoil if left out. In the fridge, they could make everything smell like pickles. Besides, it was only polite to reciprocate since the Liang family often sent things over.

Ji Duo had no objections. When they got home, Lin Qiao washed a canning jar, filled it with pickles, and handed it to him.

Lin Qiao was independent and rarely troubled others with things she could do herself. She wouldn’t ask Ji Duo to do this or that, so he didn’t react at first.

“Aren’t we giving pickles?” Lin Qiao lifted the jar. “You must have noticed that Commander Liang’s wife doesn’t like me much.”

Actually, she didn’t target Lin Qiao or spread rumors about her. Compared to Teacher Zheng at school, she was much easier to get along with.

In the past, people valued close neighbors over distant relatives. Coming from forty years later, Lin Qiao believed in getting along with neighbors if possible but not forcing it if not. After all, everyone lived their own lives once the door was closed. The reason for the gift was that Commander Liang had been good to their family.

This was something Ji Duo hadn’t expected. In the adult world, there was often a lot of pretense. People might curse you behind your back but greet you with a smile.

Lin Qiao’s straightforwardness made him pause, “I’ll go. From now on, I’ll handle it.” He reached out and took the jar.

Commander Liang’s wife didn’t seem to mind when the items were delivered, “What’s the big deal? Whoever lives next door, we should look out for each other. All our husbands are soldiers, always ready to be called upon by the country. We, as military families, have always supported each other.”

Ji Duo still thanked her, and when he returned, Lin Qiao had already taken out the handmade soap she made the previous day and was unmolding it.

After 24 hours, the soap had set and was easy to unmold. Lin Qiao cut it into convenient pieces and trimmed the edges into a rounded shape to prevent the soap from drying out and becoming too hard, which could scratch the hands. She rolled the leftover scraps into a ball and set them aside for a month to complete the saponification process. If the soap is used too soon, it won’t be effective.

Seeing her busy, Ji Duo picked up the photo album on the coffee table, “Where did you say that photo was?”

“In my bag. In the old school bag, there’s a diary inside with an envelope containing the photo.”

Ji Duo went upstairs and found Lin Qiao’s usual military school bag.

Inside the bag was a plastic-covered diary bulging with contents. When Ji Duo picked it up, a few old photos fell out. They weren’t of Ji Ze but of a little girl with a high ponytail. She looked about four or five years old, with large, almond-shaped eyes and an innocent expression.

It was Lin Qiao as a child. There was also a photo of a young Liu Yulan and a young man, who looked to be in his early twenties, wearing a military uniform and smiling with perfect teeth. Given the resemblance to Lin Qiao, he was likely her father.

Sure enough, Lin Qiao’s clear voice came from behind, “This was taken when my parents got married. My grandmother kept it so I wouldn’t forget my father.”

Lin Qiao had finished her work and was about to put the photos back in the diary, but Ji Duo didn’t let go, “Let’s put them in the album too.”

This surprised Lin Qiao, “Put them all in?”

Generally, when someone passes away, their belongings and photos are not kept. Even in group photos, the deceased person’s part is often torn off. Grandma Lin kept Lin Shouren’s photo out of a personal desire for Lin Qiao to remember her father.

“There’s no need to be so particular.” Ji Duo opened the album directly and started placing the photos.

Although this man appeared serious and reserved, he wasn’t as rigid as he seemed. For instance, he never complained about Lin Qiao not cooking. In this regard, he was better than many men even forty years later. If she were the original Lin Qiao, she might have clung to him desperately when she had no other options.

Lin Qiao took out the other photos from the diary and handed them to him one by one.

There weren’t many—besides the group photo, there were only three photos of Lin Qiao herself: a hundred-day-old photo, a childhood photo, and a high school graduation photo.

It seemed that she had left only these few traces in her eighteen years of life, unlike Ji Ze and Ji Ling, who were pampered by Ye Minshu, getting one or two photos taken every birthday. Later, with a camera, each had a large album, and Ji Ling even got tired of it.

Ji Duo looked at the photos without speaking. At this moment, Lin Qiao pulled out another photo from the envelope, “And this one, from when you were a child.”

He instinctively took it, and his gaze froze. He remembered this photo—it was taken when Ji Ze was seven or eight years old. He remembered it because Ji Ze was being mischievous at the time, insisting on going out to play with him. Ye Minshu had forced him to stay for the photo, wearing a shirt he didn’t like. The young boy frowned the entire time and kept tugging at the bow tie around his neck. He hadn’t expected this photo to end up in Lin Qiao’s hands and for her to think it was him.

Lin Qiao didn’t notice the man’s expression and had already put away the diary. She casually asked, “How old were you in this photo?”

“I don’t remember.” Ji Duo casually inserted the photo into the album in front of Lin Qiao, planning to take it out later when she wasn’t paying attention.

The next day, Lin Qiao rarely cooked porridge herself. They had breakfast with Aunt Zhang’s homemade pickles, and fortunately, her porridge-making skills were pretty decent.

After breakfast, they each went to work. Not long after they left, Junzi caught up from behind, “Teacher Lin, that’s not fair. You said we could try it at home if we were interested, but when my dad wanted to hit me, you didn’t stop him.”

“I teach you chemistry, not to be reckless,” Lin Qiao raised an eyebrow at him.

Junzi fell silent, rubbing his nose with an embarrassed smile.

Lin Qiao turned her attention back to her book and continued walking, “Have you finished your chemistry homework?”

“Of course, I have.” Junzi looked even more uncomfortable, trying to change the subject, “Besides that little experiment, do you know any others?”

“You want to learn more?” Lin Qiao looked at him with a half-smile.

This time, Junzi didn’t look away, “Of course! It’s so much fun. You don’t know, after your class, many people asked us how we did it, especially Class Three. They kept asking why you didn’t choose their class for the trial lesson.”

How did the other classes know about their fun little experiment? It was because they bragged about it. But the fact that the experiment had such a good effect was a good thing. It was probably because the students didn’t have many opportunities to do experiments, so they found it so novel. In those days, unlike later, schools didn’t have laboratories, and teachers didn’t take students to the lab for classes. The military school already had good conditions, but it still only had a small room with reagents and equipment for teachers to demonstrate experiments. Students could only watch.

In rural schools like the one Lin Qiao attended, the school budget was limited, and they often couldn’t even pay the teachers’ salaries. The whole school relied on students farming school fields to supplement the teachers’ household expenses. Where would they get the money for experiments?

Lin Qiao had an idea, “There are definitely more little experiments, but…” She smiled, meeting his expectant gaze, “You need to hand in your homework first.”

“Ah?” Junzi immediately wailed.

However, when the class representative brought the assignments from Class Four to the office, Lin Qiao still saw his name. But the content of the assignment…

After grading the stack, Lin Qiao quickly found another one that was the same. Yes, all the mistakes were identical.

She remembered this student. He never missed an assignment, but every time, it was a complete disaster, with bizarre and varied mistakes. He kept submitting and kept making mistakes.

Lin Qiao picked up her pen and left a note on Junzi’s assignment: “Next time, find someone more reliable to copy from.”

“Ha—” Someone behind her laughed. Lin Qiao turned around and saw it was Group Leader Gao from the same office.

Group Leader Gao was aptly named, standing even taller than Ji Duo. However, he had the common problem of very tall people—he didn’t stand straight, unlike Ji Duo, who was always as upright as a pine tree, sharp as a sword. He had just passed by Lin Qiao’s desk and glanced at her work, unexpectedly choking on his drink and coughing several times.

Finally recovering, he covered his enamel mug with lingering fear, “Next time, I shouldn’t drink while walking.”

When the assignments were handed back, the student in front of Junzi saw the note and couldn’t help but laugh, “Is our Teacher Lin this funny?”

Junzi glared at him, “You’re laughing? I copied from you!”

“Then why don’t you copy from someone else? Why always me?”

“Isn’t it because Qi Huaiwen never does his homework?” Junzi was also helpless, “You’re the closest to me. If I don’t copy from you, who else?”

Speaking of which, the student in front turned to the boy sitting next to Junzi, “Qi Huaiwen, have you finished copying?”

“Almost done,” the boy replied in a calm voice, his pen moving swiftly without even looking up.

The student in front lowered his voice and asked Junzi, “Did you see it?”

“See what?” Junzi was puzzled.

“You know, that thing,” the student in front hinted, winking. Nearby boys started laughing, clearly up to no good.

The troublemakers in the back were so used to their antics that they didn’t notice the bell ringing or Lin Qiao entering through the back door.

Lin Qiao effortlessly took the notebook from one of their hands. It was a handwritten copy of the infamous “Heart of a Young Girl.”

This book was widely copied and circulated, though no one knew how it spread so far.

The troublemakers fell silent as soon as Lin Qiao appeared.

Lin Qiao quickly scanned the room and confiscated two more handwritten books from another boy’s desk.

These were copies of “Twelve Beauties’ Skins,” a story about a female athlete, Wang Xiaomei, who was delivering a letter but ended up as the twelfth beauty’s skin. The police investigated her disappearance and eventually uncovered a major spy base.

She took two copies because the boy was still copying when she confiscated them.

Lin Qiao stacked the three notebooks together and picked up the boy’s textbook to check the cover, “Qi Huaiwen.”

The boy didn’t deny it, nor did he stand up. He just slightly raised his head and stared at her silently.

Lin Qiao had noticed him on her first day. He was strikingly handsome, with beautiful almond-shaped eyes and a tall stature. However, he rarely smiled, and even at a young age, he seemed like trouble waiting to happen.

Good looks aside, he was a real troublemaker. In the days since she arrived, she hadn’t seen him pay attention in class or do any homework.

Lin Qiao didn’t intend to make a scene in class. She tapped on his desk, “Come to my office after school.”

As she spoke, Lin Qiao glanced at Junzi and the other boys. They all straightened up as if burned, except for Qi Huaiwen, who casually opened his textbook, which wasn’t even for chemistry. This boy had a strong mental fortitude, but it also made him difficult to manage.

After class, Lin Qiao placed the three notebooks on her lesson plan and took them to the office. Group Leader Gao immediately recognized them, “Confiscated?”

“Yes,” Lin Qiao confirmed.

Group Leader Gao chuckled, “These little rascals.” He added, “The kids in the military are harder to manage than those in civilian schools. After all, while other kids played with wooden guns, they played with the real thing. But they’re not bad at heart, so don’t get too angry with them.”

Lin Qiao wasn’t angry, just curious, “Do you know much about Qi Huaiwen?”

“Huaiwen?” Group Leader Gao seemed familiar with him: “He’s a smart kid; he just doesn’t study well.”

“And his parents don’t discipline him?”

Like all teachers, seeing a bright but unmotivated student felt like a wasted potential.

Group Leader Gao agreed, “They do, but the more his dad disciplines him, the more he rebels.”

It was unclear whether it was teenage rebellion or a strained father-son relationship.

Before Lin Qiao could ask more, someone came to see Group Leader Gao, ending the conversation.

Lin Qiao wasn’t in a hurry. She took out her textbook and pondered what experiment could captivate the students’ interest. It had to be interesting and surprising enough to keep them engaged for a while.

About ten minutes after school ended, the office was empty, and Qi Huaiwen finally arrived. He entered silently, standing by the door, and coldly greeted, “Teacher Lin.”

Could he be colder than Ji Duo? Lin Qiao didn’t mind, put down her pen, and picked up the three notebooks.

Just as she was about to speak, there was a knock on the door. Vice Principal Qi entered.

Lin Qiao thought it was something important, but Vice Principal Qi glanced at the boy by the door and looked embarrassed. “I’m Qi Huaiwen’s parent. Did this kid get into trouble?”

Vice Principal Qi was Qi Huaiwen’s parent?

Lin Qiao hadn’t expected that. She hadn’t been at the school long and wasn’t familiar with her colleagues or the students’ family backgrounds.

Moreover, the school was short on teachers, so Vice Principal Qi not only had to handle school affairs but also taught physics to Class 3 and Class 4 of the first year. Usually, he doesn’t seem to give Qi Huaiwen special treatments.

Lin Qiao smiled, “It’s nothing serious, just not paying attention in class, and I caught him.”

Although her words were mild, the boy’s face turned completely cold as soon as Vice Principal Qi entered.

Vice Principal Qi’s scholarly face also looked displeased, “It’s my fault for not teaching him well. Sorry for the trouble, Teacher Lin.”

“It’s not a big deal.” Lin Qiao handed the two copies of “Twelve Beauties’ Skins” back to Qi Huaiwen, “I don’t oppose you having your own entertainment after school, but school is a place for learning. Don’t bring these to school or copy them during class.”

Qi Huaiwen took the notebooks without a word.

Lin Qiao then picked up “Heart of a Young Girl” and casually opened a page, “As for this one…”

As an experienced teacher, Vice Principal Qi immediately recognized that this book was a bigger problem than the previous two. He reached out before Qi Huaiwen could, “Let me see.” One glance and his face darkened completely. He knew this book. In the late 1970s, the school cracked down on it, and anyone caught reading or copying it was at least given a public reprimand. His son was disobedient, but he never expected him to read such… such…

Vice Principal Qi tightened his grip on the book and, despite his good manners, couldn’t help but scold his son, “I sent you to school to learn this?”

“You don’t have to send me,” the boy replied, pursing his lips, showing no intention of admitting fault.

This reaction undoubtedly further angered Vice Principal Qi. He pointed at him with the notebook for a while, but he wasn’t the type to chase after his child like Commander Liang. “If you don’t want to learn, there’s nothing I can do.”

He turned to Lin Qiao, “Teacher Lin, whether you want to issue a public reprimand or something else, I have no objections. The child needs to be taught a lesson for doing such things. Don’t worry about me.”

A public reprimand would mean the whole school would know.

Vice Principal Qi was willing to sacrifice his reputation. Lin Qiao didn’t respond immediately. She glanced at the boy, whose fists had clenched upon hearing this, “This book isn’t yours, is it?”

Vice Principal Qi was taken aback, and a flicker of surprise crossed Qi Huaiwen’s eyes.

But the boy quickly raised his head, “If it’s not mine, whose is it? Don’t make excuses for me just because of him.”

His words were sharp, and Vice Principal Qi’s hand trembled angrily as he held the notebook.

Lin Qiao remained calm and took the book from Vice Principal Qi, “It’s simple. The handwriting in this book is different from the other two.”

Moreover, when she caught him, he was passing it, not reading it.

Hearing this, Vice Principal Qi examined the book closely, “It really doesn’t look like his handwriting.”

The boy remained indifferent, “Even if I didn’t write it, I read it. If you don’t want to punish me, just say so. Why all the fuss?”

If Lin Qiao had only suspected before, she was now certain that Qi Huaiwen was taking the blame for someone else. He probably felt that since the book was found with him, he couldn’t involve others.

Teenagers often have a strange sense of loyalty. Lin Qiao, not being from this era, didn’t avoid these things like the plague and didn’t feel the need to force someone to choose between loyalty and themselves.

She stared at the boy for a moment, “It’s okay if you don’t want to say. As I said, some things are unsuitable for school or your age. I’ll keep the items, and how I handle them will depend on your future behavior.”

Depending on his behavior meant giving him a chance to avoid punishment. Qi Huaiwen didn’t know whether to feel relieved or not and remained silent.

Surprised by her leniency, Vice Principal Qi quickly scolded his son, “The teacher is talking to you. Did you hear?”

Qi Huaiwen instinctively wanted to retort but, looking at Lin Qiao, reluctantly muttered, “Yes.”

“Go have dinner. It’s getting late.” Lin Qiao put away her things, “I’ll be watching your behavior.”

As soon as she stepped out, she noticed a shadowy figure darting away at the end of the corridor.

Lin Qiao’s sharp eyes caught a note slipped under the door. She picked it up and read it.

“Teacher, the book isn’t Qi Huaiwen’s. He was just passing it along. Please don’t punish him.”

The handwriting was crooked as if written with the left hand.

Lin Qiao said nothing and didn’t chase after the person. She handed the note to Vice Principal Qi.

After reading it, Vice Principal Qi was silent for a moment before looking at his son, “Covering for someone is also wrong…”

Qi Huaiwen didn’t wait for him to finish and walked away.

Vice Principal Qi, usually gentle and polite with others, seemed to struggle with his son. Lin Qiao shook her head internally and bid him farewell.

Unexpectedly, as soon as she left the school, she felt someone following her.

The tracking was so clumsy that Lin Qiao turned around and caught the person, “Junzi.”

“Teacher Lin.” Junzi awkwardly emerged behind a lamppost that barely hid him and smiled at her.

Lin Qiao checked her watch. “It’s been a while since school ended. Why aren’t you home for dinner?”

Junzi looked even more embarrassed. “I wasn’t avoiding home. I was waiting for you.”

“Waiting for me?” Lin Qiao raised an eyebrow with interest.

“About that thing this afternoon.” Junzi hesitated but finally said, “That book is not Qi Huaiwen’s.”

Knowing it wasn’t a decent book, Junzi’s face turned red from embarrassment. But Qi Huaiwen seemed to have good friends, as they all came to speak for him.

Lin Qiao crossed her arms, “If it’s not Qi Huaiwen’s, then whose is it?”

Junzi fell silent again, “Well… it’s not Qi Huaiwen’s. He was just passing it along and got caught by you.”

He probably dared to come and speak directly instead of slipping a note because the book wasn’t his. However, the fact that he was still willing to slip a note showed that these students had some sense of responsibility. Otherwise, with Qi Huaiwen already admitting to it, who would take that risk?

Lin Qiao didn’t press the issue further, “Let’s see how you all behave from now on.”

After dinner, as usual, she went upstairs to study and realized that the school’s notebooks looked too similar. She had accidentally brought “Heart of a Young Girl” home.

Should she put it back? Although the item wasn’t hers, bringing confiscated items home, especially such a book, felt a bit odd no matter how she looked at it.

Lin Qiao froze for a moment, then calmly and casually placed the notebook among the books beside her, just before the man cast a curious glance her way.

As long as she didn’t act awkward, no one would suspect it was a questionable book. Ji Duo wouldn’t specifically open it to check, would he?