"…" Xu Su started walking toward the classroom, explaining, "He was my class president in middle school. I just got a little excited seeing an old classmate at a new school."
The Rocket Class was just like any other. Many students were already cleaning. Seeing this, Xu Su and her friends also picked up some spare rags from the teacher's desk and started wiping the windows.
After Xu Su finished one window, she saw Teacher Wu walk into the classroom. A few male students followed him, carrying large bags of military training uniforms, school uniforms, and books.
Teacher Wu rolled up the thick, white notebook in his hand and tapped it on the lectern. Once all the students were looking at him, he said, "Come get them yourselves. Two sets of military training uniforms per person, two sets of summer school uniforms per person. The autumn and winter uniforms will be distributed later. One textbook per subject, don't take extra. After you've collected your things, sign your name here."
About thirty-something new students had arrived in the classroom, and they all swarmed the lectern. It was incredibly crowded.
Xu Su kept wiping the window. When she finished the pane of glass she was working on, the crowd of students getting uniforms at the lectern had thinned out. Only then did she and Huang Feng go up. Neither of them was heavyset, nor were they particularly tall, so they both grabbed size M.
After getting their items, they dutifully signed their names on the distribution list before unfolding the clothes to inspect them.
Huang Feng pulled the military training uniform top on over her clothes to try it out. The size M shirt looked more like a size L on her, with the hem extending past her bottom.
"Is this really a size M? Did they misprint the tag?"
Xu Su glanced at Huang Feng's height, guessing she was about the same as herself. She then picked up her own military training uniform and looked it over. The quality seemed okay. 'It's a bit big, but whatever. As long as it's durable and can take a beating, it's fine.'
Huang Feng then unwrapped the school uniform and held it up against her body. Although the school uniform was also larger than regular clothes, it wasn't as ridiculous as the military uniform. A smile finally appeared on her face. 'The military uniform is only for half a month, but I'll have to wear the school uniform for a long time. It'd be a problem if it didn't fit.'
Xu Su was suddenly reminded of her past life. Throughout her three years of high school, aside from the coldest days of winter, she wore her school uniform almost all the time, whether it was a school day or a holiday.
She wore her first-year uniform all the way until the start of her third year. By then, it had been washed so many times it had faded, and as she grew taller, it had become tight and short.
Back then, when she asked Chen Shulan for money to buy a new uniform, she was dismissed with the excuse, "You're graduating in another year, just make do with what you have."
Later, perhaps because her summer uniform looked truly shabby, or perhaps because Zhou Mochen had intervened in some way, Chen Shulan had, after not too long, reluctantly given her money for two sets of size L school uniforms.
At this thought, Xu Su's hand, which was holding the uniform, paused. She ran to the lectern and exchanged hers for two size L sets.
Huang Feng was a bit confused. "Susu, the medium is already so big. You're still exchanging it for a large?"
"The school uniforms are good quality. One set can last all three years. This way, I won't have to buy a new one in a couple of years."
Her family's financial situation was what it was; there was no need to put on a brave front and pretend otherwise. Xu Su was just being honest.
Huang Feng's family was clearly much better off, but she nodded in understanding.
Teacher Wu waited in the classroom for a while, but not everyone had arrived yet. He turned to two boys standing nearby and said:
"In a bit, go to the office and get a piece of chalk. Write a note on the blackboard telling latecomers to pick up their uniforms and books from the office. This afternoon is free time for everyone to get familiar with the campus. The new textbooks have been distributed. The classroom door won't be locked tonight, so anyone who wants to can come back for self-study."
He scanned the room again, looking at the students he would be teaching for the next three years, and added:
"It would be best if you got your hair cut. There are two barbershops right outside the school. Although there's no official rule that you must cut your hair for military training, I still hope my students look like students. For the next three years of high school, you need to be prepared to study your hearts out. Oh, and remember to add that military training assembly officially begins tomorrow morning."
After he finished speaking, he had a few of the taller male students carry away the remaining uniforms and books.
As soon as the teacher left, the new students, who had been intimidated by his presence, quickly erupted into chatter.
"Doesn't the school have a rule that we *don't* have to cut our hair for military training? Should we go get it cut?"
"The teacher didn't say we absolutely have to, just that he *hopes* we'll get it cut…"
"I was so happy when I heard that City No.1 High School didn't require short hair for military training. Why do we suddenly have to get our hair cut now?"
The girls were a little unhappy about it, but the boys didn't care. Many of them, like Xu Su, had already gotten their hair cut before coming to register.
Huang Feng had long hair, which was tied back in a ponytail. A look of reluctance was on her face as well.
She sized up Xu Su's short hair and asked, "Your hair looks like it was cut recently. Did you do it for the military training?"
Xu Su touched the prickly short hair at the back of her head. "I heard we had to cut our hair for military training, so I just went ahead and did it. It's pretty convenient."
'It really was convenient. After washing it, she no longer had to towel-dry it forever without it getting dry. Most importantly, the Xu Family didn't own a hairdryer. If she still had her long hair from before, who knows how long it would have taken to dry.'
Huang Feng looked at it, her eyes showing a hint of eagerness. "Maybe I'll go get mine cut too. I think your hairstyle looks pretty good."
"Sure. I'll go with you during free time this afternoon."
Qian Jia chimed in from the side, "I'll go too. Teacher Wu is right. We don't have the luxury of worrying about our looks in high school. I'm going to cut my hair short and focus on studying."
Qian Jia's hair was the longest among the five girls in their dorm, reaching her waist. Her decision to cut it short showed her determination to study hard.
And just like that, the girls happily made a plan.
By the time they finished cleaning the classroom and took their new clothes and books back to the dorm, it was already a little after eleven o'clock—time for lunch. Xu Su had only eaten a single pickled vegetable pancake that morning, and after being busy all morning, she was starving.
The City No.1 High School cafeteria had three floors. When Xu Su and Huang Feng arrived, it was already occupied by the first-year students; the second and third-years hadn't been dismissed from class yet.
On the second floor, they saw Qian Jia, Qiu Dandan, and Zhao Mei. The three of them had gone ahead and were already eating their lunch.
Xu Su came back after a lap around the food stalls. On her tray was a scoop of rice topped with some scrambled eggs and tomato. It had cost her one yuan and fifty cents in total.
Huang Feng got a bowl of beef noodles and also ordered two roasted chicken legs. Seeing the pitiful-looking dish in Xu Su's bowl, she put one of her chicken legs on Xu Su's tray.
Xu Su stared at the chicken leg on her tray, wanting to say something but hesitating.
Huang Feng looked at her. "As your good friend, how could I let you just watch me eat meat? Don't worry, this is a one-time thing. Tonight, I'll order the same thing as you, so my treat ends here."
The five girls from Dorm 215 all sat together. They had all just met. Zhao Mei and the others, like Xu Su, had tested in from the county. Judging by their clothes and appearance, none of their families seemed particularly well-off. They ate similarly to Xu Su, with a meal budget of one or two yuan.
Qian Jia asked curiously, "Were you two classmates in middle school? You seem so close."