The Person Outside the School Gate

On the third afternoon, when the stranger stood outside Seventh Public School, Yike was in the implements classroom taking apart an old balance wing. It had already been listed for disposal, but Han Yu insisted it could still be saved. The Objects teacher, worn down by his persistence, gave him one class period. Yike was wearing a school-issued temporary ring and could not see clearly on his right, so he sat beside Han Yu and called out the measurements. The two argued in perfect earnest over whether a bolt was half a unit off or a full unit, neither of them knowing that a newer, more expensive light-filtering ring had arrived at the school gate. Xu Linchuan did not know either. His last class had not yet ended when Old Song called directly through the teacher’s terminal. The old man rarely contacted him during class. As soon as the link opened, he said only, “Someone’s at the gate asking for Yike. Delivering equipment.” Xu Linchuan paused with the chalk in his hand. “Who?” “Says it’s charitable aid. Brought a new ring.”

The district subsidy had not yet been finalized. Nor had the school applied for any new outside assistance in the past few days. If Lian Zhi had found someone herself, she would not have said nothing. Xu Linchuan handed the last few minutes of class over to the teacher next door and went downstairs. The school gate was chaotic before dismissal. Parents of the younger students were already waiting beyond the railings, talking to their children through the gate, while delivery vehicles stood along the edge of the waiting area. Beside Old Song’s registration booth sat a white carrying case. It was very new, and the charitable-equipment emblem on its side was almost painfully conspicuous. A man in his forties stood beside it, wearing a light-gray coat, his right shoulder slightly higher than his left and a smile in his voice. He kept half a step back from the school gate, made no request to enter, and did not touch the registration equipment. When he saw Xu Linchuan, he offered his identification without being asked. “Feng Xu. Green Sprout Children’s Environmental Adaptation Mutual Aid Association.” The man glanced at the badge on Xu Linchuan’s chest. “Teacher Xu?”

“You know me?” “The work summary lists the school contact.” Xu Linchuan passed the identification to Old Song. The identity check cleared, and the association did exist. The school had even worked with Green Sprout once three years earlier. But there was no formal dispatch number for today’s delivery. Feng Xu explained it naturally enough. Temporary charity cases were sometimes delivered before the paperwork was completed. He had been unable to reach the parent, so he thought he would stop by before school let out. It did not matter if the school refused to accept it. He could take it back and wait for the guardian to confirm in person. He opened the white case. Inside was a Muling Type VI. If Lin Qi had been there, he would probably have begun by cursing the waste. The model was better than the district-standard ring Yike was waiting for: lighter, with a complete lateral field of vision and faster compensation for changes in low light. “Who donated it?” Xu Linchuan asked. “Anonymous.” “How did they know Yike needed a ring?”