8. Clear-cut in love and hate

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PS: Please vote for me, or the cute scar-faced disciple will come knocking on your door tonight.

It was only later that Zhang Tan learned that Xiaobai’s punishment for fighting was being forbidden from watching television. For others, missing one night of TV might be nothing, but for Xiaobai, it was like losing half her life. She was completely wilted and listless.

"These are the scripts you wrote yesterday, distributed randomly and anonymously. Each of you has one. Please critique them, and we will meet in an hour to discuss."

The deputy team leader distributed the ten scripts from the previous day at random. Everyone received one, and since there were no names, no one knew whose was whose.

Zhang Tan received one and began to flip through it. An hour later, everyone gathered in the conference room. Besides the two deputy team leaders, the team leader had also arrived.

Seeing that everyone was present, the team leader, Lao Liu, called out directly: "Zhang Tan, you go first. Tell us about the script in your hand—both the pros and the cons. Everyone, listen carefully."

Zhang Tan closed the script and placed it on the conference table in front of him.

"The script I have has very clear pros and cons. There are three pros: first, the language is vivid, lively, and cute, which fits the needs of the plot... There are also three cons: first, the plot lacks logic. For example, at the beginning, it says Little Mud is very poor and dreams of winning a grand prize, and then he actually wins... The momentum of the story cannot come from pure coincidence..."

Everyone in the conference room listened intently, though a girl sitting to Zhang Tan’s right had a rather peculiar expression.

"Second, there is a subplot where Little Mud and his friends decide to make a youth film. A large portion of the script is dedicated to the plot of that youth film. The audience is watching a play, and the characters in the animation are also acting. It’s a play-within-a-play, which is quite inappropriate..."

...

After Zhang Tan finished, the team leader asked: "So, regarding these three problems, do you have any ideas for revisions?"

Zhang Tan paused. He hadn’t intended to offer revisions, only a critique, but he was confident and composed. "Regarding the first problem—the pure coincidence—you could make Little Mud winning the lottery part of the background setting. That is, he starts the story having already won, and the plot revolves around how he spends the money. This would avoid..."

Once Zhang Tan finished, Lao Liu nodded repeatedly, calling it excellent, and then asked: "Who wrote this? Please raise your hand."

Everyone looked around, and a voice sounded from Zhang Tan’s right.

"It’s me."

The team leader smiled: "I suspected it might be you. Jiang Rong, what do you think of Zhang Tan’s critique?"

Jiang Rong replied: "His points were very sharp. I accept them all. Thank you; I’ve learned a lot."

...

After work, Zhang Tan received a call from Aunt Huang, saying that Xiaomi had been picked up and was in a stable mood, neither crying nor causing trouble.

Zhang Tan didn’t go home immediately. There was a team dinner tonight to welcome him and He Chao, the two newcomers. The suggestion had come from the team leader, Lao Liu, and all fifteen members of the evaluation group attended.

As one of the guests of honor, Zhang Tan couldn’t avoid drinking. Fortunately, he had a good tolerance and didn't get drunk, unlike He Chao, who was seven or eight parts in, his tongue thick and clumsy.

Jiang Rong toasted Zhang Tan, saying that today’s critique had been incredibly beneficial to her.

While drinking with Zhang Tan, the team leader encouraged him to remain patient, guard against arrogance and rashness, and wait for his opportunity. Among the new recruits, Zhang Tan was the one he had the highest hopes for.

As the drinking wound down, the restaurant owner pushed open the door, smiling cordially as he handed out business cards and invited them back.

Jiang Rong said: "The food is great, but it’s too far. Do you have any branches, boss?"

The owner replied: "Yes, yes, we have three other branches. One is on West Chang'an Street..."

Jiang Rong praised the owner for his successful business, noting that all his branches were in bustling areas. The rent alone for a month must be astronomical, and on top of that, he had to turn a profit, so the business must be thriving.

The owner sighed: "The rent is expensive, especially on West Chang'an Street!"

Everyone joked that while the rent on West Chang'an Street was indeed high, the business was good, and it might well be the most profitable of all the branches.

The speakers were casual, but the listener took note. Zhang Tan’s mind began to churn.

After dinner, everyone went their separate ways. When Zhang Tan returned to the academy, the security guard, Old Li, stuck his head out of the booth to greet him.

"Young Master Zhang is back, eh? Oh, you’ve been drinking."

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Zhang Tan sniffed himself but couldn't smell it. He asked: "Is the smell of alcohol very strong?"

Old Li replied: "A little."

Zhang Tan had originally intended to go to the classroom to check on Xiaomi, but upon hearing this, he abandoned the idea and went straight upstairs to his room. He entered the bathroom to take a shower, but as he came out, he heard a knock at the door.

"Just a moment."

He changed his clothes, wiped the water from his hair, and walked to the door. He opened it, but no one was there. He looked down—oh, why was no one there? Two little children were standing right in front of him, looking up at him with their little heads tilted. One looked timid, while the other looked fierce, as if she were about to start a fight.

The fierce one was wearing a red "Great China" shirt, with a bandage stuck to her face—it was none other than his arch-nemesis, the student Xiaobai.

In this getup, she looked every bit the "cute scar-faced disciple."

What was this? Tracking him all the way home? Didn't that break the rules of the game? Misfortune shouldn't befall one's family!

The other one looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place her. It felt like most of these children looked the same—either like Dunzi or like a little radish.

The cute scar-faced disciple, Xiaobai, saw him and kept her mouth pursed in a very serious expression. Her large eyes darted around, revealing that she was feeling quite unsettled.

Seeing the two little visitors standing there in silence, Zhang Tan broke the ice:
"Hello there. What’s up? Are you looking for me?"

The timid child lowered her head, fidgeting with her clothes, and took a step to the left, hiding herself behind Xiaobai.

Xiaobai looked at Zhang Tan as if he were burning hot, quickly averting her gaze and staring at a spot on the floor of the hallway, which seemed to be the most interesting thing in the world.

"What is it? Please, speak up," Zhang Tan asked again.

"Uncle, I’m sorry, heh heh heh~~~" Xiaobai didn't even look at him, but the words were definitely hers.

Huh?

Zhang Tan stared at her in surprise. What did she just say? "Sorry"? Was that what the Sichuan dialect for "finish you off" sounded like?

"Does your hand still hurt? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bite you."

Xiaobai finally mustered the courage to lift her head, glancing at him before shifting her gaze down to his hand. The gauze had been removed, leaving only a bandage, just like the one on her face.

Zhang Tan was certain now: the student Xiaobai was here to apologize, not to issue threats.

Then...

Zhang Tan looked at the other little girl Xiaobai was holding. She was about the same height as Xiaobai, thin and small, with slightly swollen eyes, looking as if she had just been crying.

If he wasn't mistaken, this must be Xiaomi.

Sure enough, Xiaobai pulled Xiaomi forward to introduce her: "Xiaomi is back. Say thank you, Uncle."

Then she said to the head-bowing Xiaomi: "You little melon-head, what are you afraid of? Just say it."

Xiaomi heard this, mustered her courage, and whispered:
"Thank you, Uncle."

Zhang Tan had never expected this. Given their history, he was just thankful she didn't call him a "bum-black." He had never imagined, nor dared to hope, that she would come to his door to apologize unless Aunt Huang had been pressuring her with her fierce gaze.

Xiaobai, who was always acting against him and had a sharp tongue, could actually bend and stretch. What a child with such clear-cut love and hate! The "cute scar-faced disciple" was truly something else, yet their world was so simple—there was no such thing as "losing face" or being unable to let go of pride.

Zhang Tan smiled, and the lingering resentment he felt over being called "bum-black" vanished into thin air.

"You're welcome. I understand how you felt at the time. How is Xiaomi doing today?"

Xiaomi kept her head down and didn't speak. Xiaobai nudged her, reminding her: "You little melon-head, Uncle is asking you. Why are you acting so silly?"

Xiaomi looked at her, confused, not understanding the dialect.

Xiaobai puffed out her cheeks and spoke in standard Mandarin: "Xiaomi, Uncle is asking how you’re feeling. Don't just space out."

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Xiaomi whispered: "I'm not crying anymore."

Xiaobai: "Don't tell me, tell Uncle. Look at him."

Xiaomi turned to look at Zhang Tan and repeated: "I'm not crying anymore today, Uncle."

Zhang Tan felt a little tired—could speaking like this be anything else?

"That’s good. Tears are golden beans; children shouldn't shed them too often. Would you like to come in and sit for a while?"

Xiaomi looked at Xiaobai, who poked her little head inside to take a look: "Wow, your place is so comfy! Sitting for a bit is fine."

She led Xiaomi inside, looking around without a hint of hesitation.

Zhang Tan brought over chairs and invited them to sit. "Would you like some water?"

Xiaobai and Xiaomi both shook their heads. Xiaobai remembered something, reached into her pocket, and dug around until she pulled out a handful of boiled peanuts, handing them to Zhang Tan: "Uncle, here, for you to eat."

"Boiled peanuts? I'll just try one; you girls eat them."

Xiaobai dumped the whole lot into his palm: "It's all for you."

Zhang Tan couldn't bring himself to refuse, so he took them all. He went to the kitchen, found a small bowl, poured the peanuts in, and then washed a handful of green grapes and brought out two oranges.

"Try some fruit."

Xiaobai popped a grape into her mouth, smiled politely and formally, said it was sweet, and then suddenly twitched her little nose. "Uncle, you've been drinking."

"You caught me. I did have a little bit."

Xiaobai immediately jumped off the chair and pulled Xiaomi away.

"We're leaving now, bye~"

She came and went like a whirlwind.

Zhang Tan tried to keep them: "Won't you sit a little longer?"

"No, no, we have to go to sleep-sleep."

They practically fled.

"Take the oranges and grapes with you."

"Bye~~"

They didn't want the oranges or grapes.

Xiaobai dragged Xiaomi downstairs. Once they turned the corner, Xiaobai sneakily looked back. Seeing that Zhang Tan hadn't followed, she reassured her little sidekick: "Xiaomi, you have to remember: adults who drink are very fierce and will hit children. We have to run fast."

Xiaomi gave a confused "Oh."

"Oh, shoot~~~"

Xiaobai suddenly remembered that the main purpose of their visit hadn't been stated. What to do? She was a bit afraid to go back and face "Bum-black." What if he was drunk and hit her?

Xiaobai looked at Xiaomi and felt she was truly pitiful. She mustered her courage, rubbed her little hands, and told Xiaomi not to follow, just to wait there for her.

She ruffled her hair, then put her little hands on her waist, where a small water pistol was tucked—she had specifically filled it with water.

One step, two steps. One step, two steps. Xiaobai finished the stairs and arrived at the door again. She bared her teeth and made a fierce face. After a moment of hesitation, she finally knocked on the door.

The door opened. Xiaobai jumped back two steps, watching Zhang Tan guardedly. Her little mouth went off like a machine gun: "Uncle, Xiaomi is staying here tonight, so you have to be nice to her, don't bully children, okay, bye~"

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