Three Women in the Cage

Xinxin said hesitantly: "I... just came here to find a place to stay..."

The young lady glanced at her and said, "We're all migrant workers here, waiting for the train, so we're staying here for the night. You look like a student, right? Why are you staying here?"

Xinxin was reluctant to tell her about her situation, and said impatiently: "Sister, please let me stay for two nights! I have money, I will pay you..."

Seeing her eagerness, the boss next to her came over. Thinking that she wouldn't come here unless it was absolutely necessary, he smiled and said, "Want to stay two nights? Sure, register your name here and the receptionist will take you to your room later."

Xinxin looked at the boss with some gratitude, then wrote her name on the notebook handed to her by the receptionist. Then she was led upstairs by the receptionist to the room at the back by the window.

After opening the door, the sister at the front desk said: "This room is a little better, you can stay here! Different people live in these rooms outside, you'd better not walk around. You can come to me anytime if you have any problems..."

After saying that, she left, leaving Xinxin alone in the room.

It was Xinxin’s first time staying in a hotel. After the receptionist left, she immediately closed the door.

Looking at the small room with only a bed and a black and white TV, Xinxin felt strange and warm.

Although this place is small, it is better than the cold and fear that are everywhere at home. It is like a warm haven where she can curl up in peace.

There is no need to be afraid of being harassed by evil spirits that may appear outside at any time, nor do you need to be stared at by those with fierce eyes. No one here knows you, and no one will pay attention to you.

Here there is care and concern from strangers, unlike when you are alone at home, where there is malicious surveillance everywhere.

She can sleep here peacefully, without having to be alert to any disturbance outside, and without having to worry about teasing and harassment at any time.

It’s so nice to be locked in such a small space. I can do whatever I want. I don’t have to be as cautious as when I go to someone else’s house. I don’t have to look at other people’s faces. I can’t decide whether to stand or sit.

She threw her schoolbag onto the bed and jumped onto it happily. This feeling was extremely comfortable, with an indescribable sense of ease and freedom.

Then she turned on the TV, selected a TV series, took out a piece of bread from her schoolbag, leaned her back against the pillow, and ate the bread while watching TV.

It was so comfortable, she had never felt so comfortable before. She was intoxicated by the feeling of freedom and thought, how nice it would be if it could always be like this.

She stayed in the room for two days. She went out to buy some food and stayed in the room the whole time.

On the last day, she packed up her room early, packed her backpack, and prepared to check out.

When she passed by the front desk, the receptionist greeted her with a smile: "Little sister? Are you going back to study?"

Xinxin nodded embarrassedly, because others were looking for accommodation to catch the train, while she was looking for a place to stay overnight.

Although she did not explain the situation to the receptionist and the boss, she could feel from their eyes that they seemed to know something, and she felt embarrassed and wanted to escape.

After hastily paying the two-day accommodation fee, she ran towards the door in a panic.

After running out, she thought that she couldn't go to this house again next time, otherwise if she went there every time, it would make them suspicious, and she didn't want to attract attention.

That feeling is not good. Once you attract attention, they will reveal your secrets. But when they do, it only satisfies their curiosity. However, for you, you are just waiting for others' pity and charity.

She had experienced the feeling of being pitied and given charity, and nothing could change it except making herself sink into a more humble state.

After seeing your shortcomings, others can leave at any time, but you stay where you are, and become a poor guy labeled in the eyes of others, unable to raise your head.

Since the result is the same, why go through it again and make each other feel resentful?

So, she couldn't, and didn't want to. Why bother to tell others about her own suffering? No one else could save you...

But which one should I go to next time? She looked around blankly. It seemed that this whole area was full of hotels, and some of them even had separate rooms for residents.

This should be enough for her to live here for the whole semester. This is her last half of the semester and the high school entrance examination is coming soon. She comforted herself that as long as she was admitted to the county high school, she would not have to wander like this.

After all, high school students can stay on campus on weekends.

Xinxin walked towards the school while thinking. She soon arrived at the school. Looking at this school where she had been for almost three years, Xinxin felt a little emotional.

This place went from unfamiliar to familiar, and then from familiar to unfamiliar, as if everything had returned to the starting point.

It's almost over!

This time on the playground, Xinxin didn't see Teacher Wu again. It must be that they haven't met again since he became estranged.

There was a time when she wondered if all their previous encounters were deliberately waited for by him?

And his current absence is also a deliberate avoidance on his part?

Or maybe he was regretting his previous waiting, regretting their previous encounter. That's right, it should have been like this, it should have been like this.

He was just a teacher responsible for teaching, and he only had to teach her how to study and gain knowledge. After class, she should not be involved in anything other than studying.

Even if you meet by chance, you should just nod and say hello briefly, then pass by each other calmly. This is mutual courtesy.

There shouldn’t be any other….

Soon, after reviewing and studying every day and night, the high school entrance examination arrived.

Xinxin sat in the classroom, doing the test paper calmly and composedly. She wrote the answers on it quickly. When the bell rang, she slowly walked out of the classroom with the other candidates.

Finally, after the last exam, everything was settled. The candidates threw all their books away happily and ran out of the classroom impatiently, heading straight for the outside of the school.

Liberated, everyone is liberated.

There was no graduation ceremony, no graduation party, nothing. Calm was restored so suddenly.

Xinxin packed her textbooks and walked on the school playground for the last time. She looked in the familiar direction, took a deep look, and turned away.

When the school gate closed behind her, she knew that this place would have nothing to do with her anymore and she would never be able to set foot here again.

Everything good and bad here is settled at this moment.

She turned and left, slowly disappearing at the end of the path.

However, after her back disappeared, a figure flashed by. He stared blankly in the direction where Xinxin disappeared until he could no longer see any shadow.

Since leaving, Xinxin has never returned to her alma mater, nor has she ever visited Teacher Wu. Even when she passed by the school gate, she never went in. She just looked at the direction of the playground from a distance and then passed by the school gate.

She didn't know that Teacher Wu had been learning about her situation, and he learned about it from her former classmates.

But Xinxin doesn't want to recall the past, mention old things, or old things...

Let everything stay where it is, untouched, and gradually forgotten...