Chapter 3, Scavenging
Director Pang and Teacher Zou are truly excellent individuals
He walked into the garbage heap, gently sifting through it with his gloved left hand, picking out plastic bottles and glass bottles. In these times, there were not many aluminum cans; when he occasionally found one, it felt like discovering a treasure. He quickly brought his palms together to crush it, then placed it into the basket behind him. His left hand skillfully rummaged through the debris, while his right hand was not idle either. He gently used a bamboo stick to pinch a bag of paper scraps on the ground, then released it backward, allowing the limp, black paper clump to be obediently consumed by the basket behind him. His movements were extremely proficient; he wielded the long bamboo stick as if it were a pair of chopsticks in the hands of an ordinary person.
Yi Tianxing deliberately lingered until the end, not wanting to leave too hastily and inadvertently attract the attention of those petty rascals
The garbage dump exuded a foul odor under the night sky, and the bright moon in the night sky seemed unable to endure such stench, quietly retreating behind the clouds, making the surroundings of Yi Tianxing even darker
At this moment, Yi Tianxing transformed into a twelve-foot tall Vajra and said hesitantly, "My name is Yi Tianxing"
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At this moment, the classmates were looking at Yi Tianxing and Leilei's parents with curiosity. Leilei reproached, "Mom and Dad, what are you doing? This is our classmate, who is usually very shy. It took us a lot of effort to invite him today, so please don't scare him off."
Leilei's mother sighed about his background, then turned to the classmates at the table and began to boast about the genius past of Yi Tianxing during his elementary school years, leaving the classmates in awe and respect. She continued unabated, regardless of the fact that Yi Tianxing's face had turned as red as a boiled shrimp.
After everyone was seated at the dining table, Teacher Zou raised a small wine glass and began to recount the connection with Yi Tianxing, becoming quite emotional as he spoke. After a while, Director Pang, oh, Leilei's mother, asked with concern: "We moved away when you were in elementary school; have you been doing well since then?"
Isn't a person who picks up garbage also considered a colleague? Those who dig for a living in a heap of trash every day can also be regarded as coworkers, right? It's just a pity that between such colleagues, there is only the indifference of their gazes. Perhaps this is better, as it spares one from the hypocritical smiles of those sitting in the office
"Kid, it's time for you to wash your hair. Come over for dinner tomorrow night." A few bicycles whizzed past him, and among them, a short-haired girl turned back and made a face at him
Leilei's mother waved her hand and said, "Adults are speaking, you child should not interrupt." Then, with a gentle smile on her face, she asked, "Young man, what is your name? Remember, it should be the one on the household registration book."
Yi Tianxing carefully took off his shirt and trousers, which were indistinguishable as blue or white, folded them neatly, and placed them on the bed. He also inserted a newspaper between the bed sheet and the clothes. Then, he reached under the bed to retrieve his work uniform, putting it on with remarkable skill, without even furrowing his brow.
As soon as the name Yi Tianxing was mentioned, Leilei's mother and Teacher Zou both laughed and said, "Do you still remember who gave this name?"
In front is the place where he works the night shift, the Gonghe Village garbage station
Yi Tianxing watched the bicycle disappear into the distance, standing at the school gate in a daze. He looked up and saw the night sky growing darker, realizing that it might rain later. He quickly got on his bicycle and hurried home.
"Hey, what are you staring at?" A rogue insulted Yi Tianxing, who instinctively turned his head.
Leilei's mother waved her hand to interrupt and shouted, "Why be so foolish? Just directly ask this kid for the name on his household registration, and that will suffice"
The work attire consists of a pair of excessively black jeans, a blue work shirt from an unknown textile factory, a tattered straw hat with frayed edges, and a handkerchief that cannot be washed to a white color
Yi Tianxing is dealing with a large chicken leg brought over by Leilei's mother, and he vaguely replies: "Everything is quite good, the neighbors are very helpful"
After that day, Yi Tianxing became familiar with Zou Leilei, often going to her home to share a meal and enjoy some delicacies, and after finishing the meal, he would conveniently take some tasty treats back to his little black room.
Yi Tianxing pushed the 28-inch bicycle out of the shed, gazing at the dark night sky above the campus and the books in his hands, his brow subtly twitching without anyone noticing. He greeted the classmates passing by with friendliness. He was no longer a child; he understood the importance of keeping himself clean, and no longer did any classmates distance themselves from him due to the odor he once carried. In high school, no one would discriminate against a person based on their family background; even if there were some, in a campus filled with the fragrance of books, no one dared to display such tasteless disdain on their faces. He was no longer a child; he understood the importance of keeping himself clean, and no longer did any classmates distance themselves from him due to the odor he once carried. In high school, no one would discriminate against a person based on their family background; even if there were some, in a campus filled with the fragrance of books, no one dared to display such tasteless disdain on their faces.
A mountain-like pile of garbage appeared before Yi Tianxing, and a foul odor assaulted him. He gently lowered the gray handkerchief tied around his nose, yet there was no look of discomfort on his face. Indeed, after scavenging for over ten years, how could he still be unaccustomed to it
"Fat Director?" Although classmate Zou Leilei did not know what had happened, seeing the quietest student in her class unexpectedly call her mother 'Fat Director' made her unable to hold back her laughter.
Unexpectedly, as soon as the engine of the dirty agricultural vehicle started and the headlights illuminated, his figure was instantly cast upon the heap of garbage
He smiled. That short-haired girl is named Zou Leilei, my deskmate, but unfortunately we are on different paths, at least our ways home are different
The more he walked, the better his mood became. It is worth noting that the pair of rubber shoes he wore used to be too large, requiring a piece of twine to keep them on while walking. Now, they fit him better and better. With his spirits lifted, the scavenger walked more easily along the cobblestone alley, almost as if he were about to break into a dance
He was pushing the overly tall bicycle out of the school, along the dimly lit path leading to the main gate. As he was slowly contemplating which books to borrow from the county library on Saturday, he was unexpectedly brushed past by someone like the wind. Accompanying this rush was a hand that reached out and ruffled his hair.
Dressed in his work uniform, with the backpack secured on his back, and wearing the rubber shoes that had accompanied him through over a decade of scavenging, he held a split bamboo stick in his hand like a sword. Our scavenger softly sang: "Only see you leave, not see you return..." Mimicking the fourteen tones from the television drama, he began to walk along the dark street towards the vast garbage dump at the city outskirts.
Teacher Zou, wearing glasses, slowly walked in from the study. He then took off his glasses and examined them for a long time before slowly saying: "The features are somewhat familiar, but it has been many years..."
The two exchanged a smile as they gazed at each other
He frowned, knowing that it must be the local thugs stealing raw materials from the factory in the north. He quickly turned around and took a few steps back. As he passed by a few elderly scavengers, he quietly greeted them. The elderly scavengers, alerted by his reminder, suddenly realized that there were several thugs behind them, and in a fright, they hurriedly scurried to the back of the garbage pile.
Yi Tianxing looked at three or four colleagues walking among the piles of garbage with a slight smile. He was very satisfied with this life of not conversing with others, as he often did not know whether what he said could be understood by others
Yi Tianxing was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, and said: "It was you who forgot my name, how can you pretend? Moreover..." Suddenly he paused and said: "Monster genius? Could this be the title I had in elementary school?"
His little black room is still in the same place, in the most dilapidated corner of the old city gate.
Leilei can be considered one of the most familiar classmates of Yi Tianxing on campus, and the reason is quite simple. During the last class gathering at Leilei's home, Leilei's mother stared blankly at Yi Tianxing, then, with her greasy hands, directly patted his face, exclaiming: "Hey, come and take a look, isn't this the kid?"
In the deep night, a few individuals approached from a distance, dressed in trendy baggy pants and T-shirts. Yi Tianxing, with keen eyesight, could see clearly that these individuals were carrying several lumps of aluminum ingots, heading towards a farm vehicle parked outside the garbage dump
Yi Tianxing suddenly realized, looking at the two parents for a long time, and then gratefully said: "So it is Director Pan and Teacher Zou."
After finishing the meal, everyone dispersed. Leilei accompanied Yitianxing to the door, draping a coat over her shoulders. In the dim light, the girl looked at him with clear eyes: "I never expected it, Yitianxing, you really can put on an act. It turns out you are the same monstrous genius from elementary school."