My name is Ye Ze. In my freshman year of high school, I learned one thing.
It's not about how to fight or how to mingle in society, but how to survive standing up.
On the first day of school, someone broke into our dormitory to collect protection money. I paid because I didn't dare not to pay. Later I learned that there were three factions in this school. There was one named Viper who picked on weaklings, one named Black Bear who wanted to recruit me into their gang, and one named Zhou Ye who was sitting next to the girl I liked, smiling and putting something in her cup.
I rushed up and beat him. Then the girl I liked scolded me with red eyes: "You must be sick!"
She helped the man I hit and walked away, leaving me alone in the corridor with the incandescent lights buzzing above my head.
That night I squatted on the ground and thought a lot. I think of what my mother said, "Be patient and you'll get over it." I think of what my dad said, "There's no shame in kneeling down." I think of what Xiang Yang's brother said, "Think clearly, how muddy the water in this school is."
Then I stood up.
Because I want to understand one thing: some people will not let you go even if you kneel down. There are some battles that you have to fight even if you don't want to.
Then fight.
It's better to end up with a bloody head than to be a coward for the rest of your life.
