The next day, the morning atmosphere at school was very calm. Warm sunlight penetrated through the gaps in the classroom windows, creating faint shadows on the desks and floor. Students began to arrive, some joking happily, some busy reading exam preparation books, while others just sat quietly staring out the window. In the middle of the crowd, a teenage boy named Jiu Fan sat on the bench closest to the window, lost in his own thoughts.
His eyes were blank. His thoughts drifted back to yesterday's events. The star brooch that now hung behind his shirt felt heavy, not because of its physical weight, but because of the big secret he now carried.
"I have to keep all of this a secret..." he muttered to himself. "No one can know. Not friends, not family, not even teachers."
His reverie was broken when the sound of footsteps approached. Wu Lixue, a classmate and the only person who had talked to him often lately, approached with a faint smile on her face.
"Morning, Jiu Fan," Wu Lixue greeted as she pulled out her chair and sat down next to him. "You look... different today. Like you're hiding something."
Jiu Fan turned his head, trying to put on a calm expression. "It's nothing. Just a little sleep deprived."
Wu Lixue narrowed her eyes, clearly dissatisfied with that answer. "You know, I'm quite sensitive to people who lie. And you're... very easy to read."
Jiu Fan smiled awkwardly. "Trust me, I'm not hiding anything."
Wu Lixue moved a little closer. "If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. But I'll find out for myself." Her eyes narrowed, indicating that her curiosity had now grown even greater.
"She's starting to get suspicious... I have to be more careful." Jiu Fan thought. He turned his gaze out the window, trying to avoid Wu Lixue's gaze.
A moment later, the sound of the door opening forcefully caught the attention of all the students. Their teacher entered the classroom carrying a stack of papers.
"Good morning everyone," the teacher greeted in a loud voice. "As I said last week, today you will be taking a Science exam."
The entire class was immediately abuzz with complaints and panicked whispers. Some looked confident, while others began to flip through their notebooks in secret. Jiu Fan, who had no recollection of the exam schedule, immediately froze in place.
"Oh my! I forgot there was an exam today! And I haven't studied at all!"
Panic began to creep up on him, but amidst the anxiety, a strange voice came from within his body.
"Don't worry. I'll help you."
Jiu Fan gasped softly. "You...? Taishe?"
"Yes, it's me. Don't worry. You'll pass this exam."
"But... what if someone else hears your voice?"
"Relax. Only you can hear me. My voice can only be heard by your mind, not their ears."
Meanwhile, a robot helper with a sleek design and glowing red eyes began to distribute exam sheets to all the students. Each desk was attached to one exam paper and one optical answer sheet.
Jiu Fan stared at the questions. His eyes widened. "What the heck... they're all hard!"
"Number one is B." Taishe said.
Jiu Fan followed the instructions. Second by second, Taishe continued to state the answers in a calm and certain tone. Although hesitant, Jiu Fan had no other choice.
The exam lasted for 90 minutes. When the bell rang, Jiu Fan put down his pencil and breathed a sigh of relief. He looked out the window, watching the birds flying in the blue sky.
"Thank you, Taishe." he whispered to himself.
"Don't rely too much on me. You still have to study on your own if you want to grow strong. Remember, knowledge is the foundation of strength."
After school, Jiu Fan walked home as usual. The streets were quite quiet. The afternoon wind caressed his hair, and the sky had begun to turn orange. Along the sidewalk, dry leaves were falling in the wind.
However, when he arrived in front of the house, his steps stopped. Three men were standing there. One of them was wearing an elegant black suit and looked familiar to his eyes. The man's eyes met Jiu Fan's and he immediately stepped closer.
"Finally I meet you again." the man said in a warm tone.
"Uncle...? What are you looking for me for?" Jiu Fan asked, still confused.
The man smiled. "I want to say thank you. At that time, you helped me when the thief tried to escape with the suitcase. Without you, those important documents could have been lost."
Jiu Fan remembered the incident. He did not expect that the man he helped was an important person.
"My name is Wang Muzhan. I am the CEO of Zentech Dynamics. A technology company you may have heard of," the man continued while holding out his hand.
"Jiu Fan..." he replied as he shook hands.
"I didn't come here just to say thank you in words. I wanted to give you this as a token of my gratitude." Wang Muzhan opened his small bag and took out a thick envelope.
Jiu Fan's eyes widened. "I'm sorry, Uncle, but this... is too much for me."
"This is nothing compared to your courage. Many people would just watch a theft, but you dared to act. I also want to tell you something else... I will pay for your education until college."
Those words made Jiu Fan speechless. The world seemed to stop spinning for a moment.
"I'm serious," Wang Muzhan continued. "I believe that someone like you deserves a bright future."
Tears almost fell from Jiu Fan's eyes, but he held them back. He bowed deeply in respect.
"Thank you very much, Uncle. I won't waste it."
Wang Muzhan smiled and nodded. "Alright, I have to go. Hopefully we'll meet again."
The man got into the shiny black car that was waiting for him. Soon, the car drove away, leaving Jiu Fan still standing in front of his house.
That day, Jiu Fan realized one thing. That even the smallest act of kindness can have a big impact. He saved a suitcase without knowing who it belonged to, and today, his future has changed because of that simple act.
To be continued...