September 5th

Chapter 3

After Xiao Ming's performance, I quietly slipped away from the eyes of the deputy principal, who was too delighted with the play of this deceiver. I couldn't wait to meet this pilferer in person and look into his deceitful eyes. How will he be justified now? He certainly will be confused if someone is aware of his theft of someone else's music work.

I slipped backstage, where pupils from other classes were rehearsing and preparing for their performance. Everyone was too busy with themselves to pay attention to me. However, it was around Xiao Ming like a swarm of bees swarmed. Some pupils and a couple of teachers circled around him as if he smeared with honey. I heard their compliments, full of flattery, girls threw adoring glances, but it didn't do nothing to Xiao Ming. He was smiling politely, without any signs of attention, perfectly aware of his superiority.

- Hey, Xiao Ming, – I called from a short distance so that everyone could hear and parted. – You performed well.

For the sake of the performance, I even had defiantly clapped my hands and smiled lusciously. The junior pupils looked at each other and hurried to flee out of harm's way. The music teacher who eloquently praised Xiao Ming's talent adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose, puzzled by my reaction. Another teacher frowned, obviously not happy about my appearance next to one of the outstanding pupils of the school.

Xiao Ming just nodded at my words as a small token of gratitude. Yeah, how could I have expected something more from you. However, this is not why I came here. Coming closer to this guy, a logical chain had already formed in my head, along which I was going to bring him to light.

- Pupil Wang, is there anything else you wanted to say? – the teacher Gao asked primly, the one who frowned with displeasure. He taught Chinese classes and, as one might expect, I didn't maintain friendly relations neither with him nor with his lessons.

- Teacher Gao, what's strange that I want to talk to a schoolmate from the parallel class? – I shrugged. – I was very impressed by his play and was going to personally tell about the emotions that captured me during the performance.

- Really? – Xiao Ming spoke without surprise and continued skeptically: – And what did you feel?

I grinned wryly and, because he sat, bent over to him as close as my ego would allow me. Leaning my hand on the back of a chair, I softly whispered in his ear:

- For example, that your play doesn't match the level of the one who created this music work.

My words had the desired effect: Xiao Ming tensed like a stretched string. Exactly what I wanted. However, the teachers, who were staying around and were not going to leave somewhere, were outraged by my actions.

- Pupil Wang, what are you doing in the presence of your teachers? You are not supposed to distract who is performing on stage. Go back to the assembly hall and sit at your place, – ordered the music teacher, Mr. Han.

- Pupil Xiao, I hope pupil Wang didn't make you uncomfortable? – Mr. Gao asked, seeing how Xiao Ming's face changed. – Did he tell you something wrong? Pupil Wang, come out of the backstage or would you like to get a slap on the wrist again?!

- No, it's okay, – Xiao Ming suddenly said, pulling himself together. – I... was touched by Wang Yibo's reaction. He felt my music very subtly, that's all.

The teachers looked at each other. They had heard about the difficult relationship between Xiao Ming and me, as well as about the scandal raised by his mother, so they wanted to keep our communication to a minimum. The irony was that before the scandal with Xiao Ming's mother, I hadn't even met his eyes.

- Well, I'm not going to distract my friend anymore, – I summed up, although I didn't want to call him like that. I patted Xiao Ming on the shoulder and whispered in the end: – Let's meet at school backyard after the end of the festival. And you'd better not be late.