**
"Hmph, what a snob!" Ji Feng muttered coldly, glaring at the retreating figure of the fat nurse.
"Feng'er, you've really grown up," Xiao Sumei said softly, her eyes tracing her son's frame—already half a head taller than her, yet still carrying a trace of boyish innocence. A relieved smile spread across her weathered face.
During the confrontation with the nurse, Xiao Sumei had feared Ji Feng might lose control and lash out, which could have led to trouble. Instead, her son had handled it with sharp-witted calm, turning the nurse's arrogance against her in a way that cut deeper than any fist. Pride swelled in her heart.
"Mom, I promised you," Ji Feng said firmly, his voice resolute. "No one will look down on you again. I'll make sure of it."
"I believe in you, Feng'er," Xiao Sumei replied, her eyes shining with trust.
Ji Feng's expression shifted as he recalled the nurse's words. "Mom, was I really in a coma for three days?"
Xiao Sumei's face tightened with worry. She nodded quickly. "Yes, Feng'er. How do you feel now? Are you okay?"
Warmth flooded Ji Feng's chest as he looked at his mother. Though only in her forties, her face bore the lines of a life spent struggling to raise him. Guilt gnawed at him—how much had she endured for his sake?
"I'm fine, Mom. Really," Ji Feng reassured her, clenching his fist and marveling at the strength surging through him. His body felt alive with power. "Look!" he added, flexing his arm with a grin.
Malnutrition had always left Ji Feng frail, his body weak. This newfound vigor was startling. *Must be the hospital rest,* he reasoned. *A few days of care, and I'm stronger than ever.* The thought sparked a flicker of joy.
Seeing her son's vitality, Xiao Sumei's worry eased, her smile returning.
"Let's go, Mom," Ji Feng said. "I'm completely fine now."
Xiao Sumei sighed, her heart heavy. If money weren't so scarce, she'd have kept him in the hospital longer. But their reality allowed no such luxury.
As they left the ward, they spotted the fat nurse in the corridor, her face twisted in a sneer. "Hmph," she muttered as they passed. "Poor trash, pretending you can afford a hospital."
Ji Feng's expression darkened, a cold snort escaping him. His fists clenched, but Xiao Sumei gently patted his back.
"Let it go, Feng'er," she whispered.
Taking a deep breath, Ji Feng nodded. "Let's go, Mom."
Outside, Ji Feng inhaled deeply, the fresh air a welcome contrast to the hospital's stifling medicinal stench.
"Feng'er, put your things in the cart," Xiao Sumei called, wheeling over their battered pedal tricycle from the parking shed.
Guilt hit Ji Feng again. "Mom, you haven't sold vegetables these past few days, have you? You stayed with me."
"Silly boy," Xiao Sumei said, ruffling his hair with a tender smile. "I sell vegetables for *you*. If anything happened to you, what would money matter?"
Ji Feng touched his head, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. Her love was a warmth he'd never take for granted again.
"Oh, Mom, it's still early," he said suddenly. "I'm not going home yet. I need to get to school."
Xiao Sumei frowned. "Feng'er, I got you leave from school. Rest today and go back tomorrow."
Ji Feng shook his head. "Mom, I'm in my final year. I can't fall behind. I have to study hard and make you proud."
Seeing his resolve, Xiao Sumei relented, her face glowing with pride. "Alright. I'll buy meat this afternoon and cook you a proper meal tonight to build your strength."
Ji Feng nodded with a smile, then parted ways with his mother, heading toward Mangshi County No. 2 High School.
Watching her son's retreating figure, Xiao Sumei's smile faded into worry. She murmured, "Feng'er's going to college, but the tuition…" Her jaw tightened. "No matter what it takes, even if I sell everything, I'll make sure he gets there."
---
Stepping through the gates of No. 2 High School, Ji Feng felt reborn. Three days ago, on this campus, Hu Xuehui had crushed his heart with her cruel words. Now, he was determined to leave that pain behind.
"It's over," he told himself firmly. "Ji Feng, you're not alone. For your mother, who's sacrificed everything, you *will* succeed. Let others scorn you, but you'll never let them scorn her."
Straightening his clothes, Ji Feng strode toward his classroom with purpose.
Senior Year Class 6 was on the second floor of the school building. At ten in the morning, the campus was quiet, with students immersed in lessons.
At the classroom door, Ji Feng knocked lightly. "Report, I'm late."
The teacher, a kind-looking man in his fifties with glasses, glanced up. "Come in, Ji Feng."
As Ji Feng entered, every eye in the room turned to him. Some classmates smirked with glee, others cast disdainful looks, and a few offered sympathy. Ji Feng ignored them, walking calmly to his seat.
To his right, where Hu Xuehui once sat, was now Zhang Lei, his only friend. Zhang Lei had been in Ji Feng's class since their first year. Unlike Ji Feng, whose average grades came from relentless effort, Zhang Lei was a prodigy. He barely studied outside class yet always ranked in the grade's top ten and class's top three.
Alongside Tong Lei, the class monitor and school beauty, and Xu Mo, the deputy monitor, Zhang Lei was part of Class 6's "Three Sharp Blades," known for their academic prowess. But his dyed yellow hair, unbuttoned shirt, and carefree demeanor screamed anything but "model student."
As Ji Feng sat down, Zhang Lei leaned over, whispering, "Hey, Crazy, you okay?"
Ji Feng shook his head with a faint smile. "Fine. Just heatstroke."
Zhang Lei snorted, unconvinced. "Yeah, right. I heard about you and Hu Xuehui. That snob's not worth it. Forget her. After school, I'm taking you to a seafood joint to cheer you up. Deal?"
Warmth bloomed in Ji Feng's chest. In a class of over forty, Zhang Lei was the only one who truly cared. "Thanks," he said softly, his smile genuine.
"Let's continue," the teacher called from the podium. Ji Feng pulled out his textbook, determined to catch up on three missed days.
With the semester just starting, the coursework was light, and Ji Feng breezed through the material. By the end of the period, he'd covered everything.
*Ding!*
The bell rang, signaling the end of class, just as Ji Feng finished his review.
"Crazy, you good?" Zhang Lei grinned, leaning over. "We're in physics, and you're reading English?"
Ji Feng rolled his eyes, closing his book with a huff. "Not everyone's a genius like you, Lei. I missed three days—I've got to catch up for the college entrance exam. And stop calling me Crazy!"
Zhang Lei chuckled, unfazed. "Whatever, lunatic."
"You jerk," Ji Feng shot back, grinning.
Their banter eased Ji Feng's lingering pain. Zhang Lei's teasing was his way of showing support, and Ji Feng felt gratitude warm his heart. Only with his friend could he relax.
As he reached for his textbook to review two tricky questions, Ji Feng froze. The moment he thought of them, the book's pages flashed vividly in his mind, every word and diagram crystal clear, like a film playing in his head.
*Is this… photographic memory?* he thought, stunned.
---