Meng Yan's Transformation

Zhan Mengyan stood by the window and saw the swollen buds on the withered branches, the tender yellow of the forsythia, and the slight movement of the willow branches, all telling the prelude to the quiet revival of life.

Zhan Mengyan returned to her classroom with an undisguised smile.

"Look! Zhan Mengyan is back."

"Look at her, she looks like she's found a huge gold ingot."

"This doesn't sound like a criticism!"

"Her face was beaming with joy; she looked so happy, as if she had encountered something wonderful..."

"..."

Amidst the whispers and stares of her classmates, Zhan Mengyan sat down in her seat.

She pretended not to hear her classmates' chatter, her eyes trembling slightly but she tried to remain calm, her lips pressed tightly together, her muscles tense, and her forced smile somewhat stiff.

Zhan Mengyan rubbed her hands together, thinking: I must remain calm even if Mount Tai collapses before me, and not even blink if a deer runs past on my left. Stay calm! Stay calm... When the clouds of suspicion hang over my heart, my expression must remain as calm as a still lake, and I must prove my worth through my actions.

Zhan Mengyan calmly sat down in her seat and began to solve the analytical geometry problem she had been working on.

Xu Yanmei, who sat next to Zhan Mengyan, repeatedly rubbed the splinter on the corner of the table. Pencil dust was stuck in her fingernails as she carefully observed Zhan Mengyan, trying to guess what she had just experienced from her facial expression.

Zhan Mengyan suddenly turned her head, and her pupils reflected Xu Yanmei's puzzled face. She quickly lowered her eyes, as if she didn't want Xu Yanmei to see through her inner panic.

"Zhan Mengyan, Principal Li took you away just now. What did you do there? Did you go to the principal's office? When you left, you looked really nervous. Why are you so happy to come back? Your face is all smiles. What's the good news? Share it with us!"

Xu Yanmei, who sat next to her, finally couldn't contain her curiosity and asked.

"Yes, I went to the principal's office. Nothing much, we just chatted for a while."

Zhan Mengyan's voice was very soft, like a dandelion seed scattered by the wind.

"They only chatted for a short while?!"

Xu Yanmei asked in surprise.

"Um……"

Zhan Mengyan gave a soft "hmm" and turned her face away to do her homework.

Xu Yanmei sensed a sense of distance from Zhan Mengyan's aloofness, which made her feel somewhat awkward. She wanted to ask more questions, but hesitated to speak.

"'Just chatting for a bit!' Nobody would believe you. Not only did you not tell me, but you also told such a lame lie. Do you think I'm a three-year-old? Do you think Principal Li is so idle that he would chat with classmates? Zhan Mengyan, just you wait and see. You'll be sorry. Let's see how long you can be so arrogant!"

Xu Yanmei harbored resentment towards Zhan Mengyan and turned her head away angrily.

The bell rang again, and Dong Hanmei pulled Zhan Mengyan up from her seat, and the two walked out of the classroom.

Dong Hanmei pulled Zhan Mengyan to a secluded spot on the playground. After looking around to make sure no one was watching, she asked anxiously, "Zhan Mengyan, what happened? Why was Principal Li taken away by you? The other students are all talking about it. I was so worried for you!"

"Oh, why are you so nervous? I'm not nervous at all. I just need to ask the principal for a letter of introduction to transfer my food ration and to apply for boarding at the school."

Zhan Mengyan spoke in a relaxed and cheerful manner.

"Oh dear, you're happy? I was terrified! Your classmates said you'd be punished because you often skipped evening self-study and mysteriously disappeared. Did you get the letter of introduction to transfer your grain ration? Did you solve your boarding problem?"

When Dong Hanmei spoke, she showed a caring expression.