The Song of Our Hearts { Completed }

四

The people who are hurt the most are always the ones who smile the most.

People are always attracted to the stars but always neglect the sun.

Only when something is gone does one truly appreciate that which is missing.

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Chen Taiyang
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Looking at my watch, I'm shocked by the time. I'm late! Groaning, I sprint the rest of the way until I reach my classroom. Sliding into my seat, I pant slightly as I watch the clock. Five minutes until class starts.

That was close! Too close.

I look over to my right to greet Míngqín, but I'm surprised to see it empty. When I hear the skidding of the classroom door, I turn to greet her only to be disappointed at the sight of my teacher walking through instead.

Where is she?

When attendance was taken, Míngqín was still absent.

"Has anyone seen Míngqín? She is rarely late," questioned Teacher Zhōu Mì.

"Maybe she died like she should have done years ago, along with her cursed kind." joked a tall girl and the whole classroom snickered. My forehead slightly wrinkles in confusion. What are they talking about?

"Well, we must count her as absent then."

At that moment Míngqín slowly opened the door and walked over to the teacher.

Is it my imagination or is she limping?

"You are late, Lǐ Míngqín."

Bowing, she apologizes for tardiness.

But instead of it being a warm feeling, it was as if I was watching a timid bird accepting its death fate when it is caught by a cat.

I cringe when I witness the teacher's lecture on the importance of being on time while she takes the blame without uttering one word of an excuse.

"I expect more from you, Lǐ. It would be different if you had parents or then you could learn a trade from them. But since you are an orphan, your education and your future relies on government funding which the hard working citizens have to pay for."

"I understand." The small girl said as she kept her head down in shame.

"Even when you go off partying, at least think of the people taking care of you. Your actions reflect poorly on them. If it wasn't for their extreme generosity, you would have died by now."

She apologizes again for being late.

"Do you understand the importance of education?"

Straightening her back, she turns towards teacher Zhōu Mì, and gives him a small nod of understanding. Satisfied, teacher Zhōu Mì allows her to return to her seat.

I am struck in awe by the way she carried herself. Why didn't she give him an excuse?

Resting my chin on the palm of my hand, I stare at the girl in open curiosity.

When she sits down, Teacher Zhōu Mì asks for the reason why she was late. My heart dropped when I saw her scared face. "My phone's alarm broke, so I was unable to wake up at a decent time."

Nothing big. It's a normal excuse, but I can't prevent myself from feeling slightly suspicious, especially when I see some of the girls in the classroom looking too happy when they watched Míngqín being punished by the teacher........