Feng Ping

Linda is 16 years old. Because all the other students call her fat, she is very shy and timid. Lacking confidence in everything, Linda is always afraid of making mistakes. And she has neither beauty nor a talent to shine. It seems as if Linda is invisible to all the others. So, she never answers any of the teachers’ questions and always sits at the back of the classroom. No one ever wants to talk to her after class either. She just sits there quietly, observing the other students with her sensitive mind.

There is one boy there who is very handsome and intelligent. His name is Wang Gang and he is the most brilliant star in the class. Not only is he the best student, but he is also a very good basketball player. He attracts the attention of most of the girls in the class, too.

Linda’s heart is always pounding when she sees Wang. The sight of him always makes her blush. But she is fat, and common, and no one ever notices her. Whenever Linda is alone, she sighs secretly inside. How she wishes everything could change!

Linda only has herself to blame when it comes to being common. She is not a good student, yet the idea of improving herself never occurs to her. She never reads any books, other than only what teachers ask the class to read. She never thinks of developing a hobby, wasting on her time doing nothing and idling. As for her appearance, she wishes she could be as beautiful as a film star, like most teenage girls do; however, she lacks the self-discipline to work on it. She always eats more than she should, but somehow cannot stop herself. Most importantly, Linda lacks the courage to make changes. She tragically wonders whether her life will waste away like this into the future.

One day after school, she is walking home. There are many people in the street. As Linda walks among them, she suddenly begins feeling very sentimental. The world is a such a beautiful place to her, with so many strange faces and beautiful colors, if only she could find the courage to engage with the rest of the world.

While she is walking across the bridge, she stops and leans on the bridge to see the flowing river underneath. The sunset is incredibly beautiful. The sky is half red with the sunset glow. It is like a fairytale world.

Linda hears someone speaking to her.

“Young girl, could you help me? I lost my wallet so I can’t get back home. Could you lend me 2 yuan so that I can buy a ticket for the bus?”

Who she saw in front of her is a very old woman with a black hat on her head. She is smiling kindly and asking for help. Linda has a strange feeling when she sees this old woman, because she carries a unique air about herself, making other people calm as soon as they see her.