Dan Kaiquan had been speaking when he was interrupted.
Ma Shicheng retorted, "Those with tattoos aren't anything reputable. That girl could very well be mixed up with shady societies!"
Tattoos, even in the future, still could not shed their prejudice, let alone in 2013, when many people's first impression equated tattoos to disreputability.
Ma Shicheng's voice was a bit loud, and Yang Sheng, sitting a few rows ahead, heard him and was greatly offended. She stood up to confront him:
"What makes you think people with tattoos can't be good?"
"I think you're the one who's not good." Yang Sheng had always been tough, and she did not hesitate to stand her ground.
Sensing that soone dared to argue with him, and moreover, a girl, Ma Shicheng beca excited. He never held back against won.
Raising his voice slightly, Ma Shicheng countered from across the space:
"So, you think tattoos are okay?"
"You don't have one on you, do you?"
He scrutinized Yang Sheng with an exaggerated stare, his look offensive.
Yang Sheng, annoyed by his gaze, cursed, "Bullshit."
"Ha, ha, ha. Do you dare admit you don't have a tattoo?"
"No, you don't dare." Ma Shicheng believed he had seen through it all.
"What if I have a tattoo, got a problem with that?" Yang Sheng did indeed secretly have a small tattoo.
"People who judge others indiscriminately and rashly and dismiss them outright are the real trash!"
Being targeted in such a manner didn't upset Ma Shicheng; he turned and asked Wang Longlong:
"Brother Long, what's your take on tattoos? I think they're no good. You agree, don't you?"
Wang Longlong, a simple and honest guy, had only today played with Ma Shicheng's phone. If he dared disagree, he might never get to use the phone again, so he voiced his support with sycophantic enthusiasm:
"Brother Ma is right!"
Ma Shicheng smiled faintly and then turned to Hu Jun:
"Brother Jun, what do you think?"
Hu Jun, who was actually an upright and impartial class committee mber, but facing Ma Shicheng, he couldn't help recalling the day he was elected class committee mber, bolstered by the support and encouragent of Ma Shicheng and others, giving him the courage to step up.
He coughed before stating his position:
"I think what Ma Shicheng says is correct."
"And what about you, Brother Guo?" Ma Shicheng continued to ask, and several others, all in agreent with him.
Then Ma Shicheng looked at Yang Sheng with a victorious expression and uttered:
"Justice lies within the hearts of the people."
Yang Sheng was utterly exasperated by Ma Shicheng; she had never seen such a despicable person, her chest heaving in anger, montarily at a loss for words.
Dan Kaiquan, seeing that the crowd had finally cald down, carried on:
"She had a colored butterfly tattooed on her arm, and on her ear, there was..."
Before he could finish, another voice chid in:
"It's only when people like you are all gone that tattoos will no longer face discrimination!"
Dong Qingfeng's voice was strong and resonant, as if justice had arrived.
Dan Kaiquan: ...
This show of support greatly increased Yang Sheng's favorable impression.
Feeling the glances Yang Sheng sent his way, Dong Qingfeng felt buoyant.
He had seen online that if you stand up for a woman when she is alone and helpless, you could very well win her heart.
Although Dong Qingfeng was preparing to pursue Shen Qing'e, he also found Yang Sheng's unique temperant hard to ignore.
Ma Shicheng saw that another person had stepped forward to cause a fuss, and it was none other than Dong Qingfeng, whom he had always disliked.
Instead of choosing a strong counterattack, Ma Shicheng took on the tone of a mature man:
"Brother, you're still young. Think about your future wife getting a tattoo—the male tattoo artist inviting her warmly. Do you have any idea how the tattoo is applied, especially in those areas?"
Dong Qingfeng wanted to say, 'I don't have that kind of wife.'
But he couldn't help putting himself in that situation for a mont, and a shiver ran through him.
Yang Sheng, unable to contain her anger, shouted, "Ma Shicheng, watch your mouth!"
Ma Shicheng let out a scornful laugh, unconcerned with engaging those who were verbally defeated.
No matter how furious Yang Sheng beca, she couldn't touch him.
Dan Kaiquan saw that the atmosphere had quieted down and did not rush to speak. After waiting for several seconds, he carefully resud:
"She had a colored butterfly tattooed on her arm, and a shell earring in her ear, sitting right next to ."
"I was deeply captivated by her."
He fondly recalled the scene, still utterly absorbed.
Ma Shicheng had been a bit emotional earlier and had interrupted Dan Kaiquan. He now felt a bit regretful and decided to give Dan Kaiquan a boost:
"Did you ask for her QQ? Show us a photo."
As soon as the topic of girls' photos ca up, it imdiately attracted a few boys who were spectating.
"Count in," Dan Kaiquan said. "You all know I've got guts."
"Then hurry up and show us already, what's the hold-up?" Guo Kun Nan urged.
"Don't rush , let tell you how I got her QQ," Dan Kaiquan replied, taking his sweet ti as he saw the group of boys turn their attention to him. He deliberately slowed down, putting on the airs of a Master.
"The girl was wearing very little, short skirt, short sleeves, you get it?"
"Today it got cooler outside, and the bus I was on was a rural one, no air conditioning. I was sitting by the window."
"To get her QQ, I suddenly had a great idea."
"I purposely opened the window. That wind outside, wow, it was really strong, it made the girl shiver."
Guo Kun Nan couldn't stand it anymore and criticized:
"You're really an."
"Later, she asked to close the window, and I seized the opportunity to ask for her QQ."
Dan Kaiquan looked disappointed. "Indeed, I asked, but she didn't give it to ."
"She's got spirit," Guo Kun Nan said appreciatively.
Ma Shicheng had expected as much. "Tattoos, ear piercings, wears a short skirt, sounds like the kind who's got a fiery temper already."
"As if you could get her QQ!"
Several classmates around them also expressed similar sentints.
Dan Kaiquan listened to their comnts, and after a while, when the noise had subsided, he spoke up:
"But I still got her QQ."
"Really? For real?"
"I, Dan Kaiquan never lie. The first ti I asked for her QQ, she did refuse. So I didn't close the window, just let the cold wind blow on her." Dan Kaiquan said, relishing the sense of revenge:
"She tried to close the window herself. Hey, do you know how hard it is to move those bus windows?"
"Especially our privately contracted rural buses that hardly get maintenance, most girls can't budge them."
At that mont, he watched coldly, as if he'd turned into ice.
"Turns out, she was pretty strong. She managed to move it a bit and the wind lessened."
"And ? I wasn't cold, so I casually made the window bigger." Dan Kaiquan gestured.
When it ca to being an, Ma Shicheng felt inferior.
"She was so cold she couldn't take it and finally begged to add my QQ." Dan Kaiquan then took out his phone and showed everyone.
"Just now, during the evening self-study, she even asked what grade I was in and which class."
"Ha, she's starting to inquire about ."
"That must an she's definitely got a soft spot for , right?"
"Guys, with won, you can't pamper them too much. Gotta be tough!" Dan Kaiquan said with the tone of soone who's been around the block.
He even clicked into the girl's space right then and there. There were a few selfies, indeed pretty.
Even Ma Shicheng, who always disapproved of tattoos, felt a bit envious.
Since the start of school, he hadn't added a single pretty girl yet!
He had thought Geng Lu and Yang Sheng counted as two, but now both prospects had fallen through. In hindsight, Ma Shicheng felt a faint sadness.
The last period of the evening self-study was, as usual, a study period.
During this ti, Hu Jun took the stage and looked at all the students before announcing:
"Our class's water dispenser has arrived. From now on for drinking water, we will order purified water from the school's store, four yuan a barrel. We will divide into groups and take turns fetching water."
"This is the roster I've made. The cost of photocopying will be taken from the class fund."
Hu Jun took so tape and affixed the water-fetching roster to the wall.
"Geng Lu, am I in the sa group as you?" Jiang Ning turned around and asked.
"Yeah, it's sorted by seating arrangent, four people to a group."
"How nice, if I can't carry it, can you help out? I'll buy you snacks."
A barrel of purified water is 18.9 liters, around 38 kilograms, and indeed, most high school girls would struggle to carry it.
"Sure, no problem." That was a non-issue for Jiang Ning.
Xue Yuantong's seat was near the front. She had good eyesight and saw the roster on the wall. Unfortunately, within her group of four, not one was a boy...
But she could ask for outside help.
"How do I get Jiang Ning to carry water for without letting him see that I can't carry it?"
Xue Yuantong pondered as she touched the new pink rabbit cup she had bought. It was purchased online, two for 24 yuan; the other cup was a white rabbit, which she was reserving to give to Jiang Ning.
Until the end-of-class bell rang, Xue Yuantong was still mulling it over.
She was about to get up, ready to leave the classroom, when suddenly the door was kicked open forcefully, and a boy with a face full of hostility burst in.
He was wearing Nike from head to toe, his eyes like a hawk's, swiftly sweeping over the classroom, and in an extrely arrogant tone, he shouted:
"Which motherf**ker is Dan Kaiquan, stand the f**k up!"
Behind the Nike-clad boy rushed in seven or eight boys, until finally a girl with shell earrings appeared.
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