Mermaid By the Shore Chapter 9

The bell rang for the end of get out of class.

Almost at the same time, the quiet corridor became noisy. Students left the classroom to go to the toilet, get hot water, or use the short ten minutes to play football on the playground.

Jiang Ting slowly tidied up her desk and took out the textbooks for the next class. A familiar girl came up from behind and took her arm: "Tingting, accompany me to the bathroom."

Jiang Ting smiled and said, "Okay."

The two girls walked side by side in the corridor, arms linked. The girl looked at Jiang Ting's face and said, "What's wrong with you lately? You seem to be always unhappy."

Jiang Ting shook his head: "No."

The girl came close to her and asked mysteriously, "Are you in love?"

Jiang Ting felt angry and amused, and patted her on the shoulder: "Don't talk nonsense."

When passing by the Grade 2 Class 4 classroom, Jiang Ting slowed down and looked into the room through the glass window. Most people in the classroom were not in their seats, but the empty desk was still eye-catching.

Jiang Ting stopped and stared at the desk in a daze. The girl urged her in confusion: "Come on, what are you looking at?"

Jiang Ting didn't know how to answer, so he just gently pushed her away and said, "You go first. I'll come find you later."

The girl muttered "this is incomprehensible" and walked away in dissatisfaction.

At this time, a boy came over with a water cup and looked at her curiously: "Classmate, who are you looking for?"

Jiang Ting was startled: "Oh, I... I'm not looking for anyone."

The boy looked puzzled and turned to walk into the classroom. Suddenly, he heard Jiang Ting sigh behind him.

He faced Jiang Ting again. The girl bit her lip and pointed hesitantly at the empty desk.

"Whose position is that?"

"A..." the boy seemed surprised, "a girl in our class."

"Where is she?"

"Transfer to another school, or drop out... I don't know. Anyway, I haven't seen her for several days." The boy looked Jiang Ting up and down, "Do you know her?"

Jiang Ting's face turned paler and paler: "What's her name?"

"Su Lin." The boy thought for a moment and asked tentatively, "What do you want?"

Jiang Ting shook his head.

The conversation between the two people at the door attracted the attention of the students in the classroom. Some eyes were cast over. Jiang Ting's instinct told her that some of them were not friendly.

It was the pretty girl with chestnut curly hair and the two girls beside her.

The beautiful girl's eyes moved back and forth between Jiang Ting and the boy, with vigilance, hostility, and a hint of panic in her eyes.

Jiang Ting couldn't resist. She nodded to the boy, said thank you, and turned to walk towards her class. As soon as she reached the door of the classroom, the familiar girl caught up with her and patted her shoulder with a smile.

"You're so good, and you still say you're not in a relationship." She pouted, "You even hid it from me."

Jiang Ting didn't react for a moment: "What?"

The girl pointed her thumb behind her and said, "Look, people are watching you."

Jiang Ting turned around subconsciously and happened to see the boy holding the door frame and looking at him solemnly.

Jiang Ting was restless for the whole afternoon. The three girls from Class 4 gathered at the door of Class 1 after class and pointed at her through the glass window. The pretty girl with long chestnut hair had a cold face and her eyes shot straight at Jiang Ting like sharp arrows.
 
Although they were not in the same class, Jiang Ting had heard of her. It was said that this girl had a rich father and a perverse personality, and was the kind of person you couldn't mess with on campus. Moreover, after seeing them beat up the girl named Su Lin, Jiang Ting was even more afraid. Therefore, as soon as school was over, she changed her usual procrastinating style, picked up her schoolbag and rushed out of the classroom.

However, as soon as she reached the stairs, Jiang Ting was stopped by the two girls. One of them grabbed her arm without saying anything and said, "Come with me. Someone wants to talk to you."

"I don't know you." Jiang Ting was anxious and struggled hard, "I won't go..."

"Shut up." Another girl also grabbed Jiang Ting, "Don't force us to beat you in the corridor!"

"What are you going to do?" Jiang Ting cried, "I'll tell the teacher..."

Such resistance and warnings were useless. Jiang Ting was dragged and pushed by the two of them along the corridor to the auditorium connected to the teaching building.

The auditorium was empty. Jiang Ting cried quietly as she was pushed by the two girls through the rows of seats, onto the stage, and then around to the rehearsal room at the back.

There was only one small light on in the rehearsal room, the light was dim, and the objects in the room were hidden in the dark, with blurred outlines. The girl with long chestnut hair sat on a wooden box, hugging her shoulders, with a sharp look in her eyes.

Jiang Ting was pushed in front of the girl with long chestnut hair. She didn't dare to look up at her. She rubbed her painful arm and whispered, "What are you doing? I don't know you."

The girl with long chestnut hair stared at her for a few seconds: "My name is Mana, you are in the same class, right?"

Jiang Ting nodded.

"What did you say to Yang Le today?"

"Yang Le?" Jiang Ting was somewhat puzzled. "Who is Yang Le?"

Before she finished her words, she felt a kick on her knee from the girl behind her. Then, a sharp voice rang out: "Still playing dumb!"

Mana looked at Jiang Ting motionlessly: "Who did you ask him about?"

Jiang Ting lowered his head and said nothing.

"Last Wednesday, in that neighborhood," Mana stood up and walked closer to her, "was it you?"

Jiang Ting smelled the strong scent of perfume on her and saw her increasingly obvious hostility.

She took a step back and turned her head.

"Why are you asking about Su Lin?" Mana stared at Jiang Ting, "She is your friend?"

Jiang Ting squeezed out two words from between his teeth: "No."

"That's what I told you." Mana chuckled, "How can that poor guy have friends?"

"Are you okay?" Jiang Ting closed his eyes tightly, then opened them immediately, "I want to go home."

"I said, can you leave now?"

Just as Jiang Ting was about to speak, she felt her hair being grabbed by Mana. A sharp pain came from her scalp. Then, a slap hit her face.

"This matter has nothing to do with you." Mana shook her head and said word by word, "Don't be so curious, do you understand?"

Jiang Ting grabbed her hand, shaking his upper body with her movements, without saying a word.

"Speak! Do you understand?"

Mana raised her hand and was about to hit him again. Suddenly, a male voice came from the door of the rehearsal room.

"what are you doing?"

Mana looked in the direction of the voice and saw Yang Le, who looked surprised, walking in quickly.

She subconsciously let go of Jiang Ting's hair and straightened her clothes: "Why are you here?"

Jiang Ting covered her head and groaned softly. Yang Le looked at her and frowned: "What are you doing?"

"Nothing." Mana put her hands on her H!ps and tilted her head. "It's a personal grudge."

"Psycho!" Yang Le turned to Jiang Ting, "Are you okay?"

Jiang Ting said nothing, turned and walked towards the door of the rehearsal room.

"You're not done yet!" Mana screamed, "Do you dare to walk out of this door?"

Jiang Ting's body trembled and his steps slowed down. Yang Le glared at Mana, took Jiang Ting's hand, and strode towards the door.

Mana was enraged and screamed hysterically, "Yang Le!"

Yang Le opened the door of the rehearsal room, turned around and looked at Mana: "What? Go find someone to beat me up." After that, he pulled Jiang Ting out of the rehearsal room.

As soon as they walked out of the auditorium, Jiang Ting shook off his hand and walked quickly along the corridor.

Yang Le followed closely and said, "Classmate, wait a minute."

Jiang Ting simply started running, and it was not until he was out of the teaching building that Yang Le caught up with Jiang Ting on the playground.

The girl kept her head down and walked quickly. Yang Le called her several times, but she didn't respond. As a last resort, Yang Le had to stop her.

"Classmate, wait a moment." Yang Le ran out of breath, "I have something to ask you."

Jiang Ting said nothing, walked around him and went straight to the school gate.

Yang Le grabbed her and said, "Just give me a few minutes."

Jiang Ting pushed him away and walked faster and faster.

"Why are you asking about Su Lin?" Yang Le called out from behind her, "Do you know something?"

Jiang Ting suddenly stopped and then started jogging again.

At this time, there was a quarrel at the school gate. Jiang Ting looked up and saw his mother pushing Uncle Li from the message room away and running towards him.

Jiang Yushu ran to her daughter and pulled her behind her: "What's going on?"

Unable to wait for Jiang Ting to answer, she looked at Yang Le again: "Who are you and what are you doing?"

Yang Le stood still awkwardly: "Auntie, I..."

"What are you doing?" Jiang Yushu was very excited. "Which class are you from?"

"Mom, it's okay." Jiang Ting pulled her sleeve, "Let's go home."

"Is he your classmate?" Jiang Yushu looked her daughter up and down. "What did he do to you?"

"I didn't do anything." Jiang Ting turned her head away. "Let's go home." After that, she let go of his hand and walked towards the school gate on her own.
 
Jiang Ting locked himself in his room all night and didn't even have dinner. No matter how Jiang Yushu knocked on the door, ordered, or even begged, Jiang Ting never opened the door. Jiang Yushu had no choice but to sit on the sofa in the living room and wait. Near midnight, Jiang Ting's bedroom door suddenly opened. Jiang Ting tiptoed out and went straight to the bathroom.

Jiang Yushu, who was taking a nap, woke up and called her. Jiang Ting lowered her head, lowered her hands, and whispered, "Mom, I need to go to the bathroom." Jiang Yushu had no choice but to wave her hand.

Jiang Ting came out of the bathroom relaxed and could already smell the aroma of food in the living room. She rubbed her deflated belly and sat down at the dining table obediently.

Although the meal was simple, Jiang Ting ate it voraciously. Jiang Yushu sat opposite her and waited patiently for her to finish. After stuffing the last mouthful of rice into her mouth, Jiang Ting pushed away the bowl and chopsticks, stood up and left. Jiang Yushu shouted sternly, "Sit down."

Jiang Ting's body trembled and he sat back reluctantly.

Jiang Yushu quickly adjusted her mood and tried to ask in a soothing tone, "What happened today?"

Jiang Ting lowered his head and twisted his fingers: "It's okay."

"Who is that boy?"

"I don't know anyone from other classes."

"Then why is he pestering you?"

"I have no idea."

"Are you in love too early?"

"No." Jiang Ting raised his head, with a look of confusion on his face, "How is it possible?"

"Why would someone pester you for no reason?"

"how could I know?"

Jiang Yushu paused and said, "Tingting, don't lie to your mother."

"I didn't." Jiang Ting stood up and walked straight to the bedroom. "I'm going to sleep. I have to go to school tomorrow."

"If you don't tell me the truth, I can only ask your homeroom teacher."

Jiang Ting stopped, turned around, and frowned: "Why?"

"Because I want to know what happened to you!" Jiang Yushu stared at her daughter, "Don't you think you've been acting strange lately?"

"Why am I abnormal?"

"She was worried all day. She sneaked out alone in the middle of the night." Jiang Yushu counted on her fingers, "and suddenly a boy appeared..."

She suddenly opened her mouth and stared at her daughter in a daze. Under the light of the ceiling light in the living room, there were several dark red marks on Jiang Ting's fair face.

"What's wrong with your face?" Jiang Yushu stood up and ran to her daughter. "Did you have a fight with someone?"

She turned Jiang Ting's face and was about to take a closer look, but her daughter raised her hand to block her.

"It's okay. I accidentally bumped into him during gym class."

"Who did it?" Jiang Yushu was anxious, "Was it that boy?"

"I told you, nothing happened!" Jiang Ting grabbed her mother's hand, "Mom, I promise you, nothing happened."

Jiang Yusu bit her lip, and after a few seconds, her tone softened.

"Mom is just worried about you." She opened her arms and hugged Jiang Ting, "You are my precious daughter, I can't let anything happen to you."

Jiang Ting snuggled in her mother's arms, her eyes slightly closed, but she was thinking about another man's daughter.

He unscrewed the sealing valve, opened the iron door, and was stunned.

The mattress was empty.

But the schoolbag is still there, and the hardcover notebook and textbooks are still there.

He stepped through the iron gate, holding the candle and shining it around. Soon, he saw a pair of legs crossed at the edge of the candlelight.

The girl kept crawling, lying sideways on the cement floor a few meters away. He walked over, squatted down, and looked at her right hand - an open compass was held in her palm.

He thought for a moment, returned to the mattress, and put the candle into the "candlestick". Then he walked to the girl, picked her up, and put her back on the mattress.

The girl was as light as a feather. Not like them.

As he moved, the girl seemed to be awake for a short while, and uttered a dreamy sound from her throat. Then, she fell silent again.

He took off his green canvas bag and rummaged through it. Finally, he took out a small white medicine bottle and poured out a few pills.

Then he pulled out a plastic bottle from under his armpit. The hot water in the bottle had once burned him so much that he grimaced, but now it was just the right temperature.

He held up the girl's head, pinched her cheeks, and opened her mouth slightly. After putting the pills in, he pointed the mouth of the plastic bottle filled with hot water at her mouth and slowly tilted the bottle.

The hot water entered her throat and the girl swallowed instinctively. Soon, her eyes slightly opened and she took the initiative to replace her instinct and sucked on the bottle mouth.

She was really thirsty and drank the whole bottle of hot water.

He laid her flat on the mattress and noticed that her breathing seemed to have calmed down a little.

He stared at her for a while longer, then stood up and moved closer to unzip the tracksuit she was wearing. The clothes were half wet and half dry, so it took a lot of effort to take them off. Then he took off the thin long-sleeved autumn clothes underneath. When he pulled the girl's arms out of the autumn clothes, she groaned loudly, and the compass in her hand waved weakly, and finally poked his arm limply. He snatched the compass and threw it aside.

Next came the pants. The struggle had consumed most of the girl's energy, and it was much easier to take off her pants.

Now, the girl, wearing only underwear, was lying flat on the mattress, looking even thinner.

He picked up the "candlestick" and carefully examined the girl's body. Compared to her hands, feet and face, her body was much cleaner. Therefore, the abrasions on her elbows, ribs, H!ps and calves were more obvious. Especially her right calf, which was swollen and the skin was stretched to a shiny state.

He stood up, walked to the corner, picked up a bottle from the row of bottles, shook it, threw it away, picked up another one, shook it, and returned to the girl.

He poured the liquid from the bottle into his palm and rubbed it on the girl's abrasions. The spicy smell of white wine filled the "room". The stinging pain from the wound woke the girl up again. After moaning a few times, she began to cough violently.
 
He quickly wiped the girl's right calf. After the dirt was wiped off, he saw a bright red and hot lump. He put down the bottle and squeezed the lump hard. Dark red blood flowed out from a pinhole-sized wound.

The girl was in great pain, twisting her legs weakly, moaning intermittently. He held her calf and continued to squeeze until bright red blood flowed from the wound.

He used the same method to wipe the wound repeatedly with white wine. The girl was trembling all the time, but she no longer had the strength to struggle.

After doing all this, he took off his military coat and covered the girl with it, and then he drank the last bit of liquor left in the bottle.

Blowing out the candle, he lay beside the girl, quietly listening to the other breathing sound that had not appeared for a long time.