Chapter 7 Goodbye Zhang Qianqian
Chapter 7
The next day, I put on some makeup, grabbed my prepared speech, and walked out of
the hotel to catch a taxi to school.
My mom initially wanted to come along, but it coincided with my brother’s high school
entrance exam pep rally, and my dad was away on a business trip.
“Mom, I don’t have time to attend my brother’s pep rally. If you don’t go, he’ll be so
pitiful.”
After much persuasion, I managed to convince her to stay.
Just as I was about to get into the taxi, I heard hurried footsteps approaching from my left. Before I could react, a force pushed me aside, and a passerby caught me just in
time.
“Phoebe, it really is you. All dressed up, I almost didn’t recognize you. You wretch, you ruined my family. I’m going to kill you!”
Elodie’s face was twisted with rage. Her hair was dry and lifeless, and her once smooth and round face was now gaunt and sallow, as if she had been working in the shoe factory for over ten years.
“Your parents are criminals involved in human trafficking. It was the police who arrested them. They brought this upon themselves.”
I knew arguing with a madwoman here would only put me at a disadvantage.
So, I turned to hail another taxi immediately after speaking.
But Elodie had already lost her mind. “No, that’s not how it is. I dreamt that you wouldn’t be able to take the college entrance exams. You were caught cheating.”
“I was admitted to the USC School of Cinematic Arts. I entered the entertainment industry, while you, wretch, could only work in a shoe factory. I remember you dying in
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Chapter 7 Goodbye Zhang Qianqian
an alley because my parents said you were a stain on my reputation. To ensure my smooth journey in the entertainment industry, you should have been killed by a robber long ago.”
She ranted, trying to grab me.
Yes, this was all what had truly happened in my previous life.
“Elodie, take a good look. I’m alive now, and your life has changed.”
I pushed her away.
At this moment, she couldn’t distinguish between reality and her dreams, shaking her head with eyes red with fury like a demon from hell.
I quickly ran to the nearby police office for help.
“It shouldn’t be like this. Only if you die can I start over.”
As she ran towards me, the police restrained her. After thanking them, I quickly left.
When I arrived at the school auditorium, I saw the female headmistress smiling and nodding at me. I walked up and shook her hand.
“Someone like you, who has broken through a harsh family environment with your own strength, is an inspiration. I hope every woman can be as strong and brave as you. I hope you can encourage the students here who are fighting against misfortune and injustice.”
“Thank you for your kind words, Headmistress. It was Ms. Chen who helped me back then. I’ve always wanted to repay the school and society.”
Ms. Chen, standing nearby, smiled and gave me a thumbs–up.
I took a deep breath and walked towards the podium.
“Good morning, everyone. It’s an honor to stand here and give you a lesson. I know many of you will be more outstanding than me in the future, but you are still willing to listen to me. Thank you.
While encouraging everyone to face the college entrance exam positively, I want to share my feelings about campus bullying. If someone bullies you because you are a loner, weak, too outstanding, or poor, I want to quote a favorite teacher of mine:
First, it is definitely not your fault. Do not take others‘ ostracism as a reason to treat you rudely. Second, please seek help from your family or teachers immediately, or even
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call the policę.
To the bullies, I want to say that insulting words and swinging fists do not prove your righteousness and strength; they only prove your stupidity and rudeness, nothing more.
I have been bullied many times. Sometimes, the malice between girls is greater than that between boys.
If no one helps you temporarily, you must help yourself and love yourself. A girl’s potential is not lower than a boy’s. Remember, the first female Minister of Justice in Pheah was a great woman.
Finally, to the bystanders, I want to say that maybe the bully can turn over a new leaf, but the victim may live in the past forever. Your silence is not neutral; it is a choice. You can choose to stop the bullying or seek help from adults. You are saving your classmate, not someone irrelevant.
Now, let’s talk about the college entrance exam again.
You must have a period in your life that you walk through alone. Lions walk alone, while sheep flock together. You are full of pain and loneliness, but that thing is called growth.
You must understand and accept this. You may be lonely, but one day you will become outstanding.”
As I bowed and walked off the podium, I saw a few students secretly wiping their tears.
When I returned to the hotel, Elodie was nowhere to be seen. I asked the duty officer at the police station, and they said she had a mental breakdown, grabbing passersby and claiming to be an actress, then throwing stones at them. She was forcibly sent to a psychiatric hospital.
I packed my luggage and returned to my parents.
The previous life felt like a dream, but in this life, I could finally live a happy and authentic life under the sun.
(The End)
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