Chapter 9: Awkwardness

At this moment, Kate still had no idea that Sumu had already discovered the little secret she was trying so hard to hide.

Her period had come unexpectedly today, completely messing up her cycle. She’d intended to deal with it in the school restroom, but then the chaos at school erupted, and in her panic she’d forgotten. Only after she boarded the bus and took her seat, feeling a growing discomfort, did she suddenly remember. If she’d been on the girls’ bus, she could have asked a teacher for help. But now, sitting among the boys, she could only use her backpack as a shield, desperately hoping no one would notice her embarrassing predicament. Naturally, she had no heart to talk to Sumu.

On the other hand, Sumu was feeling incredibly awkward himself. It only now struck him that the goddess of his dreams was, after all, a perfectly normal girl, subject to the same monthly inconveniences as any other. The stark contrast between fantasy and reality made him realize she was no different from other girls, and for the first time, she seemed touchable. The thought filled him with a gentle happiness, and only a fool would have exposed her secret at such a moment. Pretending to know nothing, he turned to look out the window, the glass reflecting a smile lingering on his face.

The school bus retraced its route, stopping now and then to let students off. The driver, so accustomed to this daily journey, barely needed the students to call out their stops. The number of passengers dwindled with each block. In the window of a store they passed, a television screen behind the glass was already broadcasting breaking news about the shooting at Castellar High.

Sumu barely glanced at it in passing, so he didn’t catch the full story. He certainly didn’t see that one of his classmates—a Chinese boy he knew fairly well, someone he could call a friend—was now lying motionless in a pool of blood…

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When Su Dingcai heard the news at the market, he rushed home in panic. The whole household was thrown into chaos, scrambling out the door and piling into their old Ford pickup, heading straight for Castellar High, where Sumu studied.

Mobile phones had only just become popular in these years, making it hard to reach anyone in a hurry. Old Su had already tried calling home, but Sumu’s homeroom teacher hadn’t picked up, so they’d set off in a rush. Not knowing if Sumu was safe for even a moment was unbearable. They weren’t alone—many other parents, whose children also attended Castellar, were hurrying toward the school as well.

As they left the boundaries of Chinatown, Su Dingcai, at the wheel, spotted a yellow school bus coming towards them. The license plate was a familiar number, and his eyes lit up. He shouted to his father and wife, “Look! That’s the bus—just ahead of us!

“That’s our son’s school bus, isn’t it? There are students inside—I saw someone!”

Sumu’s grandfather, still wearing his apron from when he’d been about to help make dumplings, craned his neck from the passenger seat. He’d run out the door as soon as he’d heard about the incident, not even pausing to change clothes. “Yes, yes! That’s the one! It passes here every year. The plate’s 5438—I’ll never forget it!”

Sumu’s mother, not one for dramatic events, was an ordinary woman with only a high school education. The news that her son might be in danger had filled her eyes with tears. Now, suddenly seeing the school bus and students inside, hope surged within her. She stared wide-eyed at the bus, searching desperately for a familiar face.

She didn’t spot Sumu, but she did see Li Ping’an, who was laughing. Su Dingcai relaxed, realizing that if Li Ping’an was all right, Sumu probably was too.

He made a U-turn to follow the bus, trailing it all the way to the edge of Chinatown. The bus pulled over by the curb, and students began to file out one by one. Su Dingcai parked, and old Su hurriedly climbed out, jogging to the bus. Sumu was the family’s only hope now—how could a grandfather not be anxious?

Kate was sitting by the aisle, Sumu by the window. She shifted slightly to let him out. When Li Ping’an passed by, he glanced at his friend, then at Kate’s serious face, guessing nothing had happened and feeling a little disappointed. He called out, “Let’s go, Wood! Do you want to walk Kate home? This… well, it’s early in the morning, not safe for a girl to go alone.”

He’d meant to say “so late at night,” but the sun was just rising in the east, and the streets were crowded. The chance of an incident was minimal; Li Ping’an just wanted to give Sumu an excuse to spend a little more time with Kate. He’d seen them talking earlier and, though he doubted Sumu could win her over, he still felt it was his duty as a friend to support him.

Sumu didn’t answer, but Kate shook her head decisively. Her voice was cool as she replied, “No, thank you. My mother will come pick me up. But thank you for your concern.”

Having grown up in England, her speech still carried a British lilt, despite having lived in America for so long. With an English mother and a Chinese father, she’d spoken Chinese from a young age. Her pronunciation was good—better than most—but she still struggled with idioms and more advanced expressions.

A person’s manner of speaking reveals much of their character. Kate almost always said “thank you,” showing her excellent upbringing. The British accent gave her English a certain charm and elegance, invoking thoughts of nobility and refinement, even as Britain’s global influence waned.

Students filed off the bus one after another. Sumu guessed why Kate remained seated—just as someone who’d wet themselves would rather not move and be discovered, she was hiding her embarrassment. He grinned at Li Ping’an, “Enough talk. Let’s go. How about a movie today?

‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’—I heard it’s fantastic. I saw the first one, but haven’t caught this one yet. I’ve got some money, my treat.”

“Fine! I know you’ve got money—you’re always saving it up.” Li Ping’an, now distracted, glanced out the window and said, “Hey, isn’t that your grandpa out there? He’s waving at you.”

“My folks won’t be home at noon. Mind if I come over for lunch? I wonder if Duzhong’s on holiday… if he is, that would be perfect…”

After the two boys got off, a few more students followed. Soon, only Kate was left on the bus. Having reassured his family, Sumu was about to head home with them when he glanced back and saw Kate still sitting there. Their eyes met, unexpectedly.

She looked more helpless than he’d ever seen her before. No man likes to see the woman he cares for in distress. Sumu clenched his teeth, muttered something about having left something on the bus, and hurried back inside. Walking up to Kate, he quickly took off his jacket and said, “Use this to cover up. You can return it whenever. Tie it around your waist and no one will notice.”

Leaving her stunned, Sumu dashed off after his family and Li Ping’an. Kate, urged by the driver, finally stood, tied Sumu’s denim jacket around her waist, and after a quick check, stepped off the bus. Perhaps without even realizing it, a smile had settled on her face.