So Even Good Students Smoke

Li Chitan climbed out the window and escaped the endless arguments at home. On the street late at night, he ran into a boy in the alley behind a convenience store, a cigarette between his lips and a beer bottle in hand. His gaze was vicious, his movements practiced, like a fugitive on the run.

The next day, the transfer student Xiao Chuji stood at the front of the classroom in a white shirt buttoned to the collar. His expression was cool, and he was every bit the “model student” the teachers praised for his excellent grades and conduct.

Looking into those familiar yet unfamiliar eyes, Li Chitan smiled.

He leaned closer and whispered so only the two of them could hear:

“Hey, so even good students smoke?”