Chapter 27: A Man's Mission is Sacrifice

10:13 AM.

The morning sun cast its glow upon faces brimming with the vitality of youth. The music playing over the broadcast system was bright and cheerful. If viewed from above, the winter playground was a sea of joyful countenances, yet some were departing this festive atmosphere, moving with hurried steps.

Their class was Freshman Year Class 1. The advantage of being in Class 1 was that they were always the first to head downstairs for morning exercises; the disadvantage was that they were always squeezed into the innermost layer by the classes behind them. Therefore, when three figures cut through the orderly lines—from the freshman level down to the seventh, from Class 1 to Class 6—walking against the current of the crowd without looking back, they began to attract eyes.

"Two, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight—"

Amidst the rhythm, many lost their beat, twisting their waists when they should have been kicking, and kicking when they should have been twisting. It is said that on a small island in the East Indian Ocean, more than 300 kilometers south of Java, a special species of red crab resides. Every year, when the rainy season returns in October or November, they begin their legendary mass migration. The island’s 80-kilometer coastline is ringed by sheer cliffs, so they sweep inland like red waves, surging with astonishing momentum to overcome all obstacles—roads, cars, houses, tunnels... even the cliffs themselves.

The person who provided this piece of trivia was walking behind Du Kang; he was a middle-school boy named Qing Yi, who loved dramatic flair. Du Kang didn't know if the others shared the sense of déjà vu, but he certainly felt that the three of them were currently like three red crabs that had strayed from the pack.

They wove through the army of "crabs," moving past individual figures, nimbly and stubbornly pushing through obstacles. Despite the cheerful music, Du Kang felt no annoyance; he just smiled and waved, occasionally greeting acquaintances from other classes, or shouting to those beside him:

"Excuse me, coming through..."
"Hey, stop kicking me, kick the person in front!"
"Buddy, make way, we've got something to do!"
"Of course it's urgent. You ask what's so urgent... I don't even know! He dragged me away while I was still warming up!"

"He," of course, referred to the one leading the trio. Zhang Shutong was that leading crab.

The music faded as he stepped into the school building's lobby. A wave of cool air greeted him, and he waited for a moment. Sure enough, Du Kang came jogging up, immediately asking in an exaggerated tone:

"What exactly is going on?"
"I told you. We're catching someone."
"I know we're catching someone... the problem isn't the catching, it's how you suddenly knew who it was?"

The three of them walked in a line, their feet never stopping.

"I don't know."

Du Kang choked. "You don't know? Then who are we catching..."
"But I know where he is right now."
"Aren't everyone in our class outside doing exercises?"
"It's not someone from our class," Zhang Shutong shook his head. "I spent all afternoon yesterday at Old Song's office, and I've basically ruled everyone out."
"If it's someone outside the class, the scope is even bigger, isn't it?" Du Kang widened his eyes.

Zhang Shutong merely said: "The scope is actually smaller."

The freshman level was, of course, on the fourth floor. They stepped onto the first stair, made of marble, which gave off a crisp echo.

"How did you narrow it down? Explain your reasoning. I’ve been holding back from asking since a moment ago," Qing Yi leaned in.
"The key is the castle."
"The castle?"
"Yes."
"Why do I feel like dwelling on that is meaningless? Gu Qiumian didn't even react to it," Du Kang asked, puzzled.
"It's not about Gu Qiumian's reaction, but why the perpetrator would smash her castle."

Zhang Shutong explained: "Compared to that, the perpetrator's motive, identity, and even the names on the partition are all distractions. Rather than thinking about those details, it’s better to grasp the one thing the castle represents."

He concluded: "The way he chose to take revenge on Gu Qiumian."
"I think I get it," Qing Yi seemed enlightened.
"What are you two talking about? Why can't I understand a word of this!"
"Just listen to Shutong, don't interrupt," Qing Yi glared at Du Kang.

The three turned and headed up to the second floor.

"I’ve been thinking about a few questions since yesterday afternoon. Let's start with the first one," Zhang Shutong tapped his finger lightly against the metal railing. "If you were that person, how would you take revenge on Gu Qiumian?"
"Tear up her homework?" Du Kang suggested instinctively.
"No, tearing up homework or books isn't satisfying enough," Qing Yi dismissed it first. "Think about it. Not to mention her family is wealthy, even for an ordinary student, wouldn't she just buy new ones?"
"Insult her?"
"Don't be stupid, you'd get caught immediately..."
"No, I mean writing a note and leaving it on her desk. Didn't that A4 paper say 'Go to hell' on it?"
"That won't work either," Zhang Shutong shook his head. "As I just said, the point is the method of revenge. That doesn't even count as revenge; it's just the rage of the incompetent."
"Then, smash her phone or watch? My cousin goes to school in the city, and I heard a girl there was bullied, it was something like that..."
"That would be a huge problem," Zhang Shutong said. "Don't forget who her father is. That would blow up outside the school, and it would be very hard to clean up."
"So, it has to cause enough pain, but the perpetrator wouldn't dare make a scene too big for fear of being identified?" Qing Yi summarized.
"Exactly. That narrows the scope down significantly."
"Oh, so it's the castle?"
"Yes, it's the castle."
"What are you two saying again? Did the person leave a clue when they smashed it? Didn't they fail to identify the handwriting?" Du Kang asked, curious.

Zhang Shutong ignored the question and asked: "Second question: What do you think the castle meant to Gu Qiumian?"
"It must be a very precious... toy? She brought it from home specifically. Every time I go to the bookcase to get a book, I’m afraid of bumping it and getting blamed."
"Correct," Zhang Shutong nodded. "The perpetrator assumed Gu Qiumian would treasure it, but in reality, she didn't care about it at all."

He recalled his conversation with the girl after school yesterday: "Don't say that about the perpetrator; even I didn't expect it at first. That person’s understanding of Gu Qiumian is about the same as ours. No deeper, no shallower."

"Then that bastard must be furious, thinking his plan was seamless, only to find out Gu Qiumian didn't even care."

Du Kang curled his lip, and only then did he realize: "But even if you've said all this, how do you know where that person is? The castle was already smashed, wasn't it?"
"That leads to the third question—"

They had just reached the third-floor landing. Zhang Shutong stopped tapping the railing and softened his steps.

"Why did this happen during the long break?"

This time, before he could speak, Qing Yi gave the answer: "First of all, before or after school is impossible. Too many people, too many eyes; you'd be discovered in no time. It has to be a time when no one is around. That leaves only PE class and the two breaks. The first to be ruled out is PE class."
"Why?" Du Kang didn't want to think anymore; he wasn't cut out for it, so he decided to just enjoy the process of unraveling the mystery.
"We already ruled out our own class at Old Song's office, so it must be from another class," Qing Yi was happy to explain. "So how could it be during PE? Are we supposed to charge over while in class? That's why Shutong said the scope narrowed."
"Then what about the long break in the afternoon?" Du Kang asked urgently.

The two of them looked at him in silence.
"It's been snowing for days, the playground is iced over, we can't go out for runs."
"Oh, oh, I see," Du Kang had an epiphany. "You mean the bastard ruled out those two times and realized the morning break was the only time to act, so he targeted Gu Qiumian's castle, smashed it, and ran?"
"No," Zhang Shutong interrupted. "He wasn't aiming for the castle from the start."

Du Kang was confused: "I remember you two saying 'So it's the castle' so profoundly just now. How is it not?"
Zhang Shutong smiled: "Don't forget, when I asked for your opinion on the castle, you said yourself that it was 'supposed' to be precious to her."

He lowered his voice: "But don't forget there is something that is 'definitely' precious."

Du Kang froze, and the words slipped out: "The scarf!"

They stepped onto the fourth floor.

"Right! I just remembered that scarf. Didn't you make her cry because of that last time, Shutong? Many people know that. Even I thought of it, so why wouldn't he just snatch Gu Qiumian's scarf?"
"So he was aiming for the scarf from the beginning."

The corridor above was empty. Zhang Shutong stopped and signaled for them to lower their voices. He leaned against the corner, lost in thought, recalling the person who had locked eyes with him on the flag-raising platform yesterday.

"But he didn't account for one thing."
"What?"
"Dummy," Qing Yi covered his face. "What did you do during the long break yesterday? You forgot so soon?"
"I know we went to talk to some people, but what does that have to do with this?"
"Were you cold yesterday?"
"A bit, the wind was quite strong."
"Then, do you think Gu Qiumian was cold listening to you talk in that wind?"
"Probably pretty cold?"
"There you go. No morning exercises yesterday, so she was definitely cold," Qing Yi spread his hands. "So that person ran to the classroom and found that Gu Qiumian was wearing the scarf out. Recall what we said about the method of revenge, and you'll understand."

Du Kang slapped his thigh hard: "Damn, I finally get it! He was aiming for the scarf, but when he didn't find it, and tearing up homework was useless, he remembered Gu Qiumian had a castle?"
"Exactly. The castle was smashed under those circumstances," Zhang Shutong took over. "Which naturally leads to the fourth question—was his revenge successful?"
"I think... no?" Du Kang pondered. "We saw Gu Qiumian going out to eat at noon, and besides, her reactions have spread everywhere. That bastard must know too."
"Then what do you think he's thinking?"
"He must be furious. He wrote 'Go to hell' on the paper, but Gu Qiumian didn't even care. If it were me, I'd feel worse than Gu Qiumian... actually, I feel pretty frustrated right now, too."

The broadcast gymnastics music had completely disappeared. They were now leaning against the corridor window. Looking out, the classes were leaving in an orderly fashion, and the students were buzzing with noise. Gymnastics provided moderate exercise, enough to break a slight sweat but not enough to leave anyone panting. In the cold weather, some were exhaling white mist, some had their collars open, and some were so hot they had taken off their jackets and were swinging them around.

The long break was about to end. Soon, waves of students would return to the building. Du Kang hadn't done the exercises and was now sweating from anxiety, wanting to dash into the classroom to find out what was happening.

"The students are coming back. We've analyzed his thoughts, but what does that have to do with coming up here? What else can he do in the classroom? The castle is smashed, the scarf is worn... wait," Du Kang suddenly opened his mouth silently, looked at the students taking off their jackets outside, and then looked at Zhang Shutong.

He didn't know when, but Zhang Shutong had quietly walked to the stairwell. He leaned on the railing, checked the time, lowered his gaze, and looked at him and Qing Yi.

Du Kang lowered his voice urgently: "You mean..."
Zhang Shutong nodded faintly: "Right. Morning exercises today."

...

"Right. Morning exercises today."

Du Kang's head buzzed as everything became clear. He cursed under his breath, "Then that bastard went to look for the scarf, shouldn't we hurry up?"

But Zhang Shutong tilted his head to listen and shook it slightly: "We have to wait a little longer."

Du Kang had no choice but to wait patiently. He checked his watch; the second hand moved crisply, but time felt stagnant. The half-hour long break was nearing its end. It had been passing quickly, but now it felt unbearable. He asked in a low, urgent voice: "Shutong, are you really sure he'd dare to come today?"

"The penultimate question," Zhang Shutong held up two fingers, then shook his head and laughed. "Actually, it's not really a question. What day is it today?"
"Friday..."
"So, if he wants to act, he has to do it today. Otherwise, it'll be the weekend, and by the time we return on Monday, all clues will be gone. Where would we look then..."

As he spoke, Zhang Shutong suddenly paused and turned his head sharply. Du Kang followed his gaze. The corridor was still empty, but it was accompanied by a "rip" sound in his ears, as if fabric were being shredded. Zhang Shutong waved his hand and dashed into the corridor. Du Kang reacted immediately.

That bastard was making his move!

A single look was enough to convey the message. He stopped talking, putting all his focus into his legs, leaping up the stairs and sprinting. He was actually faster than the other two. By the time Zhang Shutong and Meng Qing Yi reached the classroom door, Du Kang had already sprinted inside. His eyes instantly focused on the seat by the window. Sure enough, a boy was acting sneakily in front of Gu Qiumian's desk.

One end of the red scarf that was inseparable from the girl was being stepped on by the boy, while he wrapped the other end around from behind and pulled hard.

The girl named Gu Qiumian was a wealthy socialite; it was common knowledge that she possessed countless valuables. But that scarf was an ordinary object. Du Kang remembered Ruo Ping saying it wasn't even a brand-name item; it looked more like it was hand-knitted, yet it was the girl's most precious possession.

The ordinary wool scarf, of course, could not withstand the force. It stretched, tore, and the fibers came apart. With a heartbreaking "rip" sound, it was completely ruined.

But the boy didn't seem satisfied. His expression was neither a smile nor a frown; it had a twisted look of vengeance fulfilled. He stomped on it a few more times, cleared his throat, and opened his mouth—

Then, he was startled by footsteps and turned his head instinctively. In an instant, three boys appeared at the classroom door.

"You..."

The twisted expression froze on his face.

They... when did they arrive? Why did they know he was here? Was he seen? What if he was seen?

Shock, panic, fear... Unfortunately, before he could speak, the leading boy had already charged over, and one of the boys behind him pulled out a phone and shook it: "Got it all on camera."

As he said this, he asked the boy beside him, puzzled: "Who is this guy? Qing Yi, do you know him?"
"Oh, the dirty-joke guy, the one who transferred classes because of Gu Qiumian. But Shutong, how did you not guess? I figured it out back on the stairs..."

What do you mean, "dirty-joke guy"!

That was the last thought that flashed through his mind. He instinctively wanted to turn and run, but the lead boy's foot was faster.

"It really is you, you disgusting bastard!"

The next moment, the boy was knocked to the ground, scarf and all. Du Kang wanted to curse, but the boy was so winded and stunned that he didn't know what to say, scrambling to get away.

"Du Kang, grab him, don't let him run."
"Got it."

Just as the boy had stepped on the scarf, Du Kang stepped on the boy's jacket. The guy seemed scared senseless, losing all will to resist, sitting on the floor, motionless, his eyes vacant.

Du Kang sighed with relief. Although he didn't have a great impression of that socialite, the bastard's actions were so disgusting that he felt satisfied, even a little excited.

The three of them had undoubtedly performed a heroic deed again. While they didn't save the world, at least they saved a girl their friend liked. Rare, truly rare.

His mind jumped quickly, wondering what would happen if they had to give a speech on the flag-raising platform tomorrow—would that be too frequent? If Gu Qiumian’s father gave them a reward, he didn't mean he didn't want to accept it, but what if Ruo Ping wouldn't let them?

Besides, Gu Qiumian, the person involved, would be back soon; he wondered what she would think. Lost in thought, he didn't even bother interrogating the boy, wanting to ask if they should turn him over to the office.

But then, Qing Yi suddenly said: "Move your foot and see if that scarf is completely ruined."

Du Kang froze, pulled the boy away, and looked at the scarf pressed to the floor. It was indeed ruined beyond repair. Unlike last time, when it just had a footprint and a slightly loose end, it was now completely deformed, with the center nearly torn apart... it couldn't even be mended, right?

As he stood there, stunned, Zhang Shutong walked over, squatted down, and picked up the scarf, shaking it before his eyes as if examining a corpse. He threw it on the floor as if it were dirty and sighed: "Ill-fated. What a pity."

It's over! It's really over!

Du Kang didn't care about anything else now; only this thought remained. Last time, it was just a small scratch, and Gu Qiumian made such a fuss. This time, wouldn't it be cataclysmic?

He didn't care how Gu Qiumian reacted, but the problem was—they were the ones who used the scarf as bait! Although the intention was good and the "culprit" was caught, the outcome was absolutely the worst it could be!

If he were Gu Qiumian, choosing between the scarf and the truth, he was sure he would choose the former. They say the ignorant are not to be blamed... but they were clearly informed. And to record the evidence, they specifically waited for the perpetrator to act before running out.

So how should they explain it? Tell the truth and beg for Gu Qiumian's forgiveness? The boy who transferred classes was caught, but what if they were the ones who had to transfer classes?

Or lie, and say they had a stomach ache and came back to use the restroom, only to stumble upon it by accident? If the homeroom teacher asked if all three of them had the same stomach ache, they'd have to nod and say, "Of course... no!" That's insane; even Du Kang didn't believe that.

"So, Shutong, what should we do?"
"We'll deal with it, I guess. Blame the scarf's bad luck," Zhang Shutong shrugged.
"But the problem is, what do we say when Gu Qiumian comes back?"
"Hmm, let that kid pay his respects to the scarf?"
"This isn't the time for jokes!"
"What else can we say?" Zhang Shutong said helplessly. "We did it to help her. We can only hope Gu Qiumian is understanding."
"Buddy, aren't you too calm?" Du Kang trembled as he spoke. "You forgot she cried last time? I could tell, this scarf means something special to her, right?"
"Her..." Zhang Shutong recalled the conversation after school yesterday and the girl's indifferent expression. Though he couldn't quite figure Gu Qiumian out, his understanding should be correct. "Actually, it's fine. It's just a cheap scarf; she shouldn't care that much."
"Alright, stop worrying. There's no other way. Great men don't sweat the small stuff," Qing Yi sighed, patted Du Kang's shoulder deeply, his eyes shining. "The meaning of being a man is just like this: to protect one thing, you must sacrifice something else."
"Cut it out, brother!"

Who knew that after such a profound life lesson, the previously calm teenager would roll his eyes.
"Was I wrong?" Qing Yi asked, confused.
"Uh, you were right, but I have a different perspective now..."

As he spoke, he reached into his pocket and pulled hard. Under their stunned gazes, a flash of bright red danced out of his bulging pocket.

Zhang Shutong stroked the scarf, which was clearly a bit old and even pilled, draped it over the back of Gu Qiumian's chair, and rubbed his chin.

"Why do I feel that the meaning of being a man is to be calculating?"

Without caring about the shock frozen on his two friends' faces, he raised his head. A happy smile appeared on his usually cold face as he held up a finger.

"The last question: Does anyone know what time the clothing shop on the commercial street closes?"