Chapter 44: Heart Knot

Junzi didn’t notice his deskmate’s change and whispered to Qi Huaiwen, “Is this intern teacher suffering from polio?”

Compared to the first time he saw Lin Qiao and whistled, he was much more well-behaved. Nearby troublemakers were whispering or making small movements, but they gave some respect and didn’t cause too much commotion.

Vice Principal Qi knew these students at the back were hard to manage, so he continued the introduction, “This is our new intern teacher, Wu Haiyang, a graduate of Yandu Normal University…”

Before he could finish, there was a screeching sound of a chair being dragged across the floor, and Qi Huaiwen stood up with a cold face.

“What are you doing?” Vice Principal Qi instinctively frowned, and other students were also surprised.

After all, Qi Huaiwen was a troublemaker, but whether it was not doing homework or handing in blank exam papers, he never affected others. Even when he used to deliberately oppose Vice Principal Qi, he never caused such a big disturbance in class, especially since he had been much better recently.

Junzi couldn’t help but whisper to him, “What’s wrong?”

Qi Huaiwen didn’t respond, his cold gaze shifting from Vice Principal Qi to Wu Haiyang. He turned around and slammed the back door shut.

The wooden door hit the frame with a loud “bang” and even bounced back a bit, showing how forceful the slam was.

Many students were startled, and Wu Haiyang, who was about to introduce himself, looked embarrassed.

Vice Principal Qi’s face turned ashen, and he strode to the front door, “Stop right there!”

Lin Qiao was teaching Class Three and rushed out upon hearing the commotion, “What’s going on? Qi Huaiwen!”

The boy walked quickly, not looking back.

Lin Qiao, being closer, caught up and grabbed his arm, “Qi Huaiwen, where are you going?”

“Let go!” The boy struggled, his tone as cold as ice.

Lin Qiao didn’t let go, “It’s still class time…”

“I told you to let go, didn’t you hear me?” The boy, who had been looking down, suddenly turned his head, and Lin Qiao saw his eyes were red. She had seen many sides of Qi Huaiwen—cold, lazy, sarcastic—but never like this. He looked like a wounded young beast. Though he seemed fierce, ready to bite anyone approaching, his eyes told her he was about to cry.

At this moment, who would he want to listen to? He just wanted to find a place to lick his wounds quietly.

Lin Qiao let go, “Don’t go too far; the teacher will worry.”

Her clear phoenix eyes looked up at him without anger or blame, making Qi Huaiwen momentarily speechless. He pressed his lips together, seemingly wanting to say something, but Vice Principal Qi had already caught up, “Qi Huaiwen, go back and apologize to Wu Haiyang!”

This statement seemed to trigger something in the boy. His gaze turned icy again, “Why don’t you go back and apologize to my mom?”

The words were harsh and filled with hatred, almost shouted out. Vice Principal Qi’s steps faltered, and his thin face turned pale, the anger draining away.

Lin Qiao saw him instinctively clutch his chest and quickly stepped forward, “Are you alright?”

Vice Principal Qi raised his hand, wanting to say he was fine. The boy in front seemed to pause at the sound but didn’t look back, disappearing down the corridor in an instant.

His hand fell back down, and even his head drooped. Seeing this, Wu Haiyang, who had followed them out, quickly supported him from the other side, “Don’t get too worked up.”

Lin Qiao, having experience, asked Wu Haiyang to check Vice Principal Qi’s pockets and quickly found a bottle of quick-acting heart pills.

Wu Haiyang was about to pour some out, but Vice Principal Qi waved his hand, having already recovered a bit, “I’m fine.”

He took a couple of deep breaths. Though his face was pale, he stood firm and reassured Wu Haiyang, “He’s not targeting you; it’s because of me.”

It probably had something to do with him. Otherwise, Qi Huaiwen wouldn’t have looked at him before leaving as if they already knew each other.

But since Vice Principal Qi said so, Wu Haiyang just nodded.

At this time, students from Class Four and Class Three peeked out to see what was happening. Lin Qiao asked Vice Principal Qi, “Do you want to rest in the office first?”

“No need. It’s just the beginning of the term, and there’s not much to teach. I haven’t finished the introduction.” Vice Principal Qi shook his head and went back with Wu Haiyang.

Lin Qiao had to put the matter aside and return to the classroom to finish teaching Class Three. After class, she didn’t see Qi Huaiwen in Class Four. His seat was still empty when she checked again during the next period. A few students in the class said Qi Huaiwen hadn’t returned, which worried Lin Qiao. She planned to discuss this with Vice Principal Qi.

Unexpectedly, there was no one in Vice Principal Qi’s office either. They said he had left before the previous period, possibly to look for Qi Huaiwen.

Lin Qiao kept thinking about this matter. The next morning, as soon as the morning reading bell rang, she went to check the classroom’s back door.

Qi Huaiwen still hadn’t come.

Not only Qi Huaiwen but Vice Principal Qi also didn’t come. By noon, she heard he had been hospitalized due to a heart attack.

“His health is like this, and he still thinks about coming to school. He collapsed at the door this morning. If not for the neighbor’s wife seeing him and rushing him to the hospital, who knows what would have happened?” Group Leader Gao couldn’t help but tell Lin Qiao on the way to the hospital.

Lin Qiao was also a bit helpless, “We should persuade Vice Principal Qi to rest for a few more days.”

However, when they arrived at the hospital, the first thing Vice Principal Qi asked was, “Did Huaiwen go to school?”

This made Lin Qiao feel a bit heavy-hearted, “Didn’t he go home?”

Hearing this, Vice Principal Qi knew her answer, his lips trembling, “He came back late last night and left again this morning.”

It seemed the father and son had clashed at home and parted badly. Given Qi Huaiwen’s attitude, they might not have even spoken.

Lin Qiao felt a headache coming on, “I’ll help you find him. You should rest well in the hospital and try not to get too worked up.”

Seeing Vice Principal Qi still worried, she hesitated for a moment and finally asked, “Can I ask why?”

Vice Principal Qi was silent.

“Why does Qi Huaiwen have a grudge against you? Can I ask? He doesn’t seem like an unreasonable child.”

According to Group Leader Gao, Qi Huaiwen used to be quite sensible. Did Vice Principal Qi treat students poorly before?

To solve a problem, you need to address the root cause. Lin Qiao felt that resolving the issue between the father and son would be difficult without understanding the situation.

Vice Principal Qi was silent for a long time, so long that Group Leader Gao stood up, “You two talk. I’ll go home for lunch. Otherwise, my family will worry if I’m late.”

“It’s not something I can’t talk about,” Vice Principal Qi said. “This matter is my fault towards Huaiwen and his mother. I don’t want to talk about it mainly because I don’t want Wu Haiyang to know and feel burdened. After all, this matter originally had nothing to do with him; it was my own mishandling.”

It indeed involved Wu Haiyang. Otherwise, Qi Huaiwen wouldn’t have reacted so strongly yesterday.

Lin Qiao didn’t speak. Seeing that he wasn’t trying to hide anything, Group Leader Gao also sat down, “Is it related to Huaiwen’s mother’s passing?”

“You guessed it?” Vice Principal Qi smiled bitterly.

“He was a sensible child, but he suddenly changed after his mother passed away. It’s hard not to guess.”

Vice Principal Qi sighed, “Huaiwen’s mother was always in poor health. She gave birth to him at 29. Being an older mother and with the lack of food back then, her health worsened after giving birth. She was sick for half the year, especially during the difficult years for teachers.”

Poor nutrition, poor care, and facing difficult circumstances gradually wore her down.

“That year, I heard the college entrance exam was being reinstated. I was busy tutoring some students. By the time I noticed, his mother had been bedridden for several days. I was shocked and quickly found a doctor for her. She hadn’t even taken the medicine for two days when that incident happened.”

The “Blank Paper Hero” incident dashed the hopes of many students like Wu Haiyang. Even teachers felt disheartened.

“When I heard about it, Wu Haiyang had already gone to the countryside. I was afraid he might lose hope, so I chased after him to encourage him not to give up.”

Wu Haiyang was assigned to Yunnan, and it took several days by train from Yandu. He chased after him, walked half a day on mountain roads, and found him looking utterly hopeless. When he saw him, Wu Haiyang tried to smile, but it looked worse than crying.

Vice Principal Qi still remembered his words, and Wu Haiyang probably did, too. He said the city might not need people for five or ten years, but it wouldn’t be forever. He said that as long as people were needed, those with knowledge wouldn’t lack opportunities. He encouraged him to keep studying and not give up. He said he would wait for him in Yandu, waiting for him to return and become a valuable person for the country. He never regretted this, and because of his words, Wu Haiyang regained his spirit and became one of the first college students after the exam was reinstated.

But when he returned home, he found only his wife’s cold body and his son’s hateful face…

“Huaiwen was still young then. I thought he didn’t know I went to find Wu Haiyang, so I arranged for him to be in our grade. It seems he knew.”

Lin Qiao was silent, and Group Leader Gao also didn’t speak for a while. They knew Qi Huaiwen had a grudge against Vice Principal Qi but didn’t realize it was so deep and involved one’s life. Perhaps with Huaiwen’s mother’s health, Vice Principal Qi couldn’t have saved her even if he stayed home, but all Huaiwen knew was that he wasn’t there.

Lin Qiao didn’t know how Qi Huaiwen got through those days or the countless days and nights afterward. But she knew that despite all this, Qi Huaiwen was just rebellious, always opposing Vice Principal Qi. In terms of character and temperament, he was really good.

“Couldn’t you have waited a few days?” Group Leader Gao couldn’t help but say to Vice Principal Qi.

“I saw Shuyun’s health improving, and she could even cook. I thought she was getting better. Besides, I was afraid Wu Haiyang couldn’t wait.”

If Huaiwen’s mother was sick for a day, then he wouldn’t go for a day. But if she was always unwell, should he never go?

Group Leader Gao couldn’t refute, “So what do we do about this? This knot can’t be untied.”

Lin Qiao also found it tricky. It was already an unresolvable heart knot, and now the person was right in front of him. It would be surprising if Qi Huaiwen didn’t explode. She asked Vice Principal Qi, “You didn’t tell Qi Huaiwen you went to find Wu Haiyang. What did you say?”

When Group Leader Gao mentioned Wu Haiyang to her, he said nothing about finding someone, so Vice Principal Qi must have kept it a secret. As expected, Vice Principal Qi was silent for a moment and said, “I only told him I had something very important to do and had to go far away.”

“Did you apologize to him?”

This time, Vice Principal Qi was silent for even longer.

Lin Qiao knew that Chinese parents had a common problem: they were reluctant to apologize to their children. Whether they did something wrong or wronged their children, they wouldn’t say “I’m sorry” afterward, as if saying it would undermine their parental authority.

But often, this is how conflicts arise. The adults’ authority is maintained, but what about the children’s feelings? How do they process everything?

Moreover, there was another thing between Vice Principal Qi and Qi Huaiwen—guilt.

People have a self-protection mechanism, which is why some people, after severe trauma, selectively forget things that cause them pain. Guilt is similar; facing it every time brings pain, so over time, people subconsciously choose to avoid it. This avoidance only widens the rift between father and son.

Whether he avoided talking about it or spent more time with students to avoid facing his son, it all harmed Qi Huaiwen.

Vice Principal Qi was a good teacher, worthy of every student he taught, but wasn’t a good husband or father.

Lin Qiao looked directly into Vice Principal Qi’s eyes, “Principal Qi, if I were Qi Huaiwen, and my mother was seriously ill, but my father insisted on leaving, and I watched my mother take her last breath without him there, without an apology or explanation, I wouldn’t forgive either.” She was always very measured and never meddled in others’ affairs. The last time she spoke so bluntly was to Li Xiaoqiu’s parents.

Vice Principal Qi lowered his eyes, his face gradually filled with guilt and regret.

Lin Qiao knew he wasn’t a fool. If he could understand, he would. If he couldn’t, no amount of talking would help, and it only seemed like stepping on his sore spot. She changed the topic, “This isn’t something that can be solved in a day or two. Let’s find the child first. I’ll go back and ask the students close to him.”

Vice Principal Qi nodded and looked at her again, “Thank you for doing this for Huaiwen.”

As a teacher, she only needed to ensure good grades and manage the students at school. She didn’t have to do so much for them.

Lin Qiao looked back at him, “Principal Qi, when you chased after Wu Haiyang to Yunnan, was it also to hear a student’s parent say this?”

Of course not; he did it out of conscience as a teacher.

Vice Principal Qi said nothing more, and Lin Qiao and Group Leader Gao took their leave, returning to the class in the afternoon.

This time, not only was Qi Huaiwen absent, but his desk was also empty. Lin Qiao had a bad feeling and immediately asked Junzi, who was sitting nearby.

Junzi, who had arrived late, didn’t know, but other classmates did. They said Qi Huaiwen had come during the lunch break and packed up all his things. When others asked him questions, he ignored them. The classmate who asked wasn’t very familiar with him and didn’t press further, seeing his grim expression.

Lin Qiao wasn’t new to the school and knew what it meant when a student packed up everything.

Qi Huaiwen probably didn’t want to continue studying. If Vice Principal Qi could bring Wu Haiyang to the school for an internship, Qi Huaiwen could refuse to come to school. It was a standoff.

Feeling a headache coming on, Lin Qiao asked for Qi Huaiwen’s home address and headed straight to the staff housing complex.

Since it was a school for military children, there weren’t many external hires. The middle and elementary schools shared a single six-story building. Vice Principal Qi’s family lived on the top floor, which wasn’t a great location for a school leader. Lin Qiao climbed up and knocked for a long time, but no one answered. She went down to ask around and found an elderly lady who said he had left with a bag early in the morning.

After that, Lin Qiao didn’t see him for two days. Vice Principal Qi didn’t see him either, and they had to report it to the police.

When the police came to the school to inquire, Lin Qiao felt a headache.

Last month, they had just looked for Lin Wei, and now they had to look for Qi Huaiwen. Was running away from home becoming a trend?

Moreover, Lin Wei left because he saw no way out at home, but Qi Huaiwen was a good student. He wasn’t even an adult yet.

“Can I ask what he took with him?” she asked as she saw the police off.

Seeing their confusion, she explained, “He returned to get his things, so he must have prepared before leaving. I want to know if he took his household registration and food card. If he did, he probably hasn’t left Yandu, which would narrow the search area.”

Lin Wei didn’t want to go home, and Qi Huaiwen didn’t want to go to school. He probably wouldn’t go to another place and become an undocumented person.

The police thought about it and checked. Lin Qiao’s guess was correct; Qi Huaiwen had taken his things. This at least ruled out impulsive actions and leaving the area, giving them a general direction for the search.

Lin Qiao felt relieved and was about to return to the office when she saw Wu Haiyang coming out of Class Four, looking troubled.

Vice Principal Qi was hospitalized with a heart condition that hadn’t improved, so Wu Haiyang had been teaching Classes Three and Four for the past few days. Lin Qiao had listened to half a lesson from the back door and found it quite good. He was indeed a top student from Yandu Normal University with a solid foundation.

Seeing Lin Qiao, he quickly composed himself and asked, “Have you found Qi Huaiwen?”

Lin Qiao answered honestly, “Not yet.”

Wu Haiyang didn’t say anything more, but he was clearly worried. After all, Qi Huaiwen had left after he arrived.

Some things Vice Principal Qi didn’t say, and Lin Qiao didn’t feel comfortable discussing them with him. She only asked, “I noticed you didn’t look well. Did something happen in class?”

“Nothing happened. I just didn’t see Qi Huaiwen and am a bit worried.”

Wu Haiyang’s face didn’t show much, but his denial was too quick. Lin Qiao suspected he was hiding something, so she listened in on his next class from the hallway.

She quickly identified the problem. When Wu Haiyang entered the classroom, a few troublemakers in the back row started making strange noises whenever he walked and revealed his limp. When he stood still at the podium, they would make faces and deliberately glance at his legs behind the desk.

Wu Haiyang was very restrained, never stopping his lecture, but it was clear his expression wasn’t good. Anyone would feel uncomfortable being mocked for their flaws in public.

Lin Qiao’s face darkened, but she didn’t react immediately. After class, she went to the classroom and called out four or five names in one breath.

This included Junzi. A group of big boys lined up in front of her, all looking a bit nervous. As they followed her to the stairwell, they exchanged several glances, unsure why she had called them.

“Why did you boo me when I first came to the class for a trial lesson?” Lin Qiao suddenly asked a question no one expected.

The troublemakers were stunned. Lin Qiao directly pointed at Junzi, “Liang Jun, you answer.”

“I, I just thought it was fun to boo the new young teacher,” Junzi said, scratching his head uncomfortably.

Lin Qiao looked at the other boys, seeing their embarrassed smiles, and suddenly asked, “So, was it also fun to mock Teacher Wu?”

The students fell silent.

Whether or not the children study was their own business. As a teacher, Lin Qiao could guide and teach them, but she never scolded them. However, mocking someone’s flaws was a matter of character, and since she saw it, she couldn’t ignore it.

“Have you ever thought about how the person you booed and whistled at on stage felt? Did they find it fun?” Lin Qiao asked calmly. Seeing no response, she continued, “What if I hadn’t been able to handle it and had been driven away or cried because of you?”

The boys lowered their heads even more. If Lin Qiao had been driven away by them, they wouldn’t have had such interesting chemistry classes or such a good teacher.

“Jokes should be appropriate. If someone gets hurt because of your joke, then it’s not a fun thing.” Lin Qiao didn’t believe in the excuse of ‘I was just joking, no harm intended.’

If someone is hurt by your actions and you don’t feel sorry, even thinking they can’t take a joke, how is that not harmful?

Unexpectedly, Junzi, after a moment of silence, looked up, “We weren’t mocking him. He drove Qi Huaiwen away.”

Lin Qiao had suspected this, “How are you so sure that Qi Huaiwen left because of him?”

“As soon as he came, Qi Huaiwen left. If it wasn’t because of him, then who?”

“Exactly. I heard he used to be Principal Qi’s student, and Principal Qi treated him better than Qi Huaiwen.”

Indeed, there are no secrets that time does not reveal. Lin Qiao listened quietly until they finished, “Did Qi Huaiwen tell you the reason himself, or did he ask you to do this?”

The previously indignant students fell silent again.

Lin Qiao sighed, “I know you’re standing up for Qi Huaiwen, but without understanding the situation, treating Teacher Wu like this is no different from what Feng Gang did.”

Junzi had fought Feng Gang because Feng Gang had wronged Li Xiaoqiu. Hearing this, Junzi’s head drooped immediately.

Seeing the students fall silent, Lin Qiao didn’t say more, “Go back to class. When you have time, think about me and Li Xiaoqiu back then.”

One thing after another happened. If Liu Cuiying next door hadn’t called out that someone was on the phone looking for Ji Duo, Lin Qiao would have almost forgotten about him.

Since it wasn’t a mission, Liu Cuiying hadn’t paid much attention. Seeing it was Lin Qiao, she slapped her forehead, “I forgot your Ji isn’t home.”

“No problem, I’ll talk to them.” Lin Qiao picked up the phone, and before she could speak, Ji Ze’s voice came through, “Little Uncle, Song Jing is interning at Aunt’s school. My mom asked me to look after her in the army. Do you think she’ll find out now that she’s so close?”

With both Song Jing and Ye Minshu mentioned, Lin Qiao was confused, “What do you mean by ‘will she find out’?”

The voice on the other end abruptly stopped. After a long pause, it came back, slightly nervous, “Aunt?”