Chapter 23 Chapter Twenty Two

It's been a nasty weekend. It rained non-stop.Handa walked up and down as if she had something important to do.Mrs. Leaver was in a bad mood, and was of no help either in action or in word.Fu Ruo was very angry, how could such a thing happen in "her" gymnasium.Miss Wagga was like an omnipresent prophetess, babbling about what everyone already knew.Miss Luc was quiet and tired. When Miss Luc came back from Rabo Town, she brought her a pink candle wrapped in light green paper. "Dude asked me to bring this back to you," she said, "I really don't understand why."

"Oh? From a cake?" "Yeah. It happens to be my birthday these few days." "Nice. He remembers." "Oh, he has everyone's birthdays in his notebook. It's part of his public work. It's his secretary's job to send congratulatory messages to the right birthday people on the right date." "Don't you ever give positive reviews?" Lucy asked. "To Xiaode? No, there will be no real emotion. Don't forget, I have known him since he was ten years old. He can't bluff me for five seconds. " "My hairdresser," said Lucy, "taught me a lesson when he did my hair. He said there are three mistakes one should tolerate. Much better character."

"If you can put up with Edward's three mistakes, unfortunately, you will find him worthless." "why? " "Because his three mistakes are vanity, selfishness, and self-pity. And any part of these three items is completely harmful." "Phew!" said Lucy, "I give up." But she still put the candle on the dresser, thinking of Edward Attire. She hoped that she could also care about Bao'er's well-being in the same way.Her beloved Boa is furious that Innes has given up the position of Allingo, making the situation even more difficult.In fact, as far as Lucy knew, the two lovers were on the verge of quarreling over the matter.

"She said it would make her unhappy to take the place of the dead," said Boa, radiating sparks of absolute anger. "Can you imagine something more absurd? Rejecting Alingo like a cup of tea. Besides, she was so sad when she didn't get the chance in the first place. For God's sake, Miss Ping, you go and talk to her before it's too late. It's not just Alingo, it's about her The future. Starting from Alingo is equivalent to taking the lead. You talk to her, okay? Talk to her, let her not indulge in this ridiculous idea." It seemed like Lucy was constantly being asked to "talk" to someone.She's either the comforting syrup, the adrenaline rush, or the usual household soda.

When she is not the one who saves the crisis, she becomes the one who violates the law.But she tried not to think about it. Of course she had nothing to say to Innes, but the others did.Ms. He Ju had a heart-to-heart talk with her, and she was extremely frustrated by the rejection of the girl she was unwilling to assign at first.Now she has no one else to send to Alinga.She had to write a letter to inform Alingo to find someone else.After the news of this accidental death spread in the academic circle, the next time Alinge was looking for a physical education teacher, he might not come to Lai's College again.There should be no accidents in a well-managed sports academy, let alone fatal accidents.

That's exactly what the police think, and the police are very nice and considerate. Very well aware of how unwilling an educational institution like this is to be harmed by negative publicity.But interrogations are of course necessary and painfully open to the public.Handa's lawyers have gone to the newspapers and asked them to keep the matter low-key, but it's hard to guarantee that some editor will grab the headlines? Who knows what will happen then? Lucy planned to leave before the inquest began to avoid being constantly reminded of her crimes under Fayan, but Handa asked her to stay.

She has always been unable to reject Handa, especially this pitiful Handa who suddenly became old.So Lucy stayed on and helped with the odds and ends so that Handa could concentrate on the extra responsibilities that had been thrown at her after the accident. But she was unwilling to attend the interrogation. She couldn't sit knowingly without trying to get up and explain the truth, so as to unburden her soul. Who can guarantee that the police won't sniff out anything} They have visited the gymnasium, measured the positions of objects, calculated the weight of the bars, talked to everyone, consulted various experts on the case, but only listened to what the crowd said. No comment.It may be routine for them to remove the bolts that cause fatal accidents, but who knows? Who knows what suspicions lurk beneath their calm hearts and polite manners? A savior appeared.

The savior was Arthur Midham, a tea importer who lived at 59 Selabo Road.In other words, he lived in a small mansion on the side of the main road, halfway between Rabo Town and Lai's College.Mr. Midham knew nothing about Lay's College except where it was located and the occasional well-dressed young woman passing by on a school bike.But he had also heard of the accident.What impressed him deeply and felt strange was that on the same morning and almost at the same time when the bolts in the gymnasium of Lai’s College came loose, a piece of glass in the window of his studio was driven from the southern construction site in Rabo Town. A large train of vehicles shakes out the window.His theory was, in fact, the same as that proposed by Miss Luc: shock.It's just that Miss Luke's statement is a blow in a daze and has no reference value.Mr. Midham's theory was sound, and it was backed up by something: a piece of broken glass.

As always, once someone raises the head, many others follow. (If someone makes up a story and writes to the newspaper office, saying that he saw a green lion in the sky at around 5:30 the previous evening, at least six people will prove that he also saw it at the same time. (Yes.) After hearing Mr. Midham’s testimony, an emotional woman also stood up from the audience in the lobby and said that a jar she had kept for years on a shelf in front of her window Pickled ginger, also dropped at the same time. "Madam, where do you live?" the medical examiner asked when she was summoned out of the audience to testify.

She said she lived in a cottage halfway between Lay's College and the town of Billington.Is it next to the main road? Oh, yes, right next to the main road, the dust is thicker in summer, if there is a big car passing by - no, she doesn't have a cat.No, there is no one else in the house.After she finished her breakfast, she found it on the ground.Never happened before. Poor Eileen O'Donnell, who was very nervous but unequivocal, confirmed that she had placed the bar against the wall and Ruth had placed the bar near the middle end of the field. The meaning of "placement" is to use ropes to pull up the pole, and then use the bolt to position it to maintain the height; at the same time, the rope is pulled over the crossbar to a certain length, and one end is bypassed at the bolt of the upright stake.No, they didn't test the equipment before going to the placement.

As to why the rope did not replace the bolt, Frau replied that the rope was not wound tightly enough, so when the bolt came loose, it fell down by itself.Winding the rope around the bolt is a mechanical action, and none of the students use it as a safety measure.In fact it is.When the part of the plug is broken.The rope will take tension.yes.It's possible that the rope couldn't bear the weight of the entire crossbar, and it would loosen when dozens of catties were suddenly added, but she didn't think so.Ropes for sports are tested and guaranteed.It is more probable that Miss Ruth did not wind the rope properly when she wound it. It seems that this is it.It was an unfortunate accident.The plug taken away by the police had been used by everyone on the day the results were announced, and there was nothing unusual about it. Apparently an accidental death. When Lucy heard the news, she thought, Well, it's finally over.She stayed in the studio all the time, looking out the window at the garden in the rain, still unable to believe that nothing was wrong.She had read many criminal cases, so she knew clearly that no criminal case could be flawless. When the little flower decoration on the slipper fell off, it was already a hole.Who knows what else the police will find. Now that it's over, Innes is safe.Now she also just realized that she violated the law so much because of Innes.She originally thought that she was for Innes' mother, for Handa, and for real justice. But in the end, no matter what Innes did, it wasn't worth the legal action against her.She has been honed, and the limit she can bear is lower than others.She lacks some basic ingredients that would help her withstand external stressors.But, she's too good to just let it go. Lucy noticed the cheers for Innes when diplomas were handed out on Wednesday morning.The applause received by senior students is not only different in volume, but also in nature.For example, when it was presented to Dax, everyone laughed happily.Baoer received the honor due to the senior class representative; the junior students congratulated the most popular senior.However, the applause for Innes was significantly different. It was warm reverence, fusion of emotions, and good wishes for her alone.Lucy wondered whether it was her refusal of Alingo's position that moved everyone.When talking to Lucy about Ruth's test-taking strategy, Handa had said that Innes was not popular.But amidst the cheers, there was an emotion that went beyond welcome.They admire.This is their outpouring of appreciation. The date of presentation was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but due to the inquest, it was postponed to Wednesday. This was also the last major event during Lucy's stay at Lai's College.She arranged to catch the noon train for London.In the last few days, the students left many small gifts with notes in her room, which moved her deeply.Almost every time she went back to her room, she would find a new gift in the room.Lucy grew up with very few gifts, and she still feels a childlike joy in receiving any gift, however small.These gifts directly touched her heart. There was no group planning or politeness. Everyone gave her gifts that they could think of.The four disciples sent a white card with the words: Hereby offer Miss Lucy Ping's treatment at Four Disciples Clinic in Manchester After opening it, I found a flat loofah cloth for brushing the back inside.Indeed, once in the shower, I was stared at by a funny horse face.However, the person sitting in the bathtub at that time was definitely not the current Lucy Ping. Loyal Miss Morris made a small felt leather bag—God knows, how this little girl has the time to make this thing—as a contrast, it was a gift from Baoer, a pigskin leather case with an extremely material appearance, A note read: "You will need a box for the numerous parting presents." The box was also stamped with her initials.Even Kitty the gardener, with whom she only spent half an hour discussing rheumatism and mice, brought up a plant.She really didn't know what kind of plant it was - it looked fat and fleshy - but thankfully, it wasn't that big.It seemed inappropriate for her to travel with potted plants. Boa came up to help her pack after breakfast and before the certificate was issued, but most of the things were already packed.Whether or not the suitcase can be closed once everything is in is another matter. "I'll come over and help you sit on it in the morning before I go to work in the consulting room, so I can close my luggage," Boa said. Before, there was nothing to do." "Do you miss being at Lai's College?" "Absolutely miss it. I had a great time. But no matter what, the summer vacation was great comfort." "Innes said once that you two would go to Norway together." "Yeah, it was," Bao'er said, "but we're not going." "Oh." "Innes has other plans." Obviously, the relationship between the two of them will never be the same as it used to be. "Well, I'd better watch before the juniors take all the good seats at the certificate ceremony," she said, and walked away. However, one relationship seems to be going well. Sao Walnut knocked on the door and said he would come in to give dear Miss Ping a lucky charm. She walked in, looked at the pile of boxes, and said in her usual direct tone, "You're not good at packing, are you? Neither am I. Packing is mundane and uninteresting." Lucy has received lucky charms ranging from children's toys to South African coins in recent days, so she is curious to see what the walnuts will do. A blue rosary. "It was unearthed in South America hundreds of years ago, almost as old as the world. It's very lucky." "But I can't take that away from you," protested Lucy. "Oh, I have a whole rosary bracelet. What I dug up was actually a bracelet. But I'll take one apart and give it to you. I have five more, enough. I have another news for you. I'm not going back to Brazil gone." "not going back? " "I'm going to stay in England and marry Rick." Lucy said she was very happy to hear the news. "We're getting married in London in October, and you'll be there, and you'll be there, won't you?" Yes, Lucy would be more than happy to go to the wedding. "I'm very happy," she said.After a few days, she really needed some happy news. "Yeah, very satisfying. We're cousins, but not too close, and it's good for the family if we get closer. I always thought it would be nice to marry an Englishman, and of course Rick would be nice too." Good half. He is already a senior partner in the firm despite his young age. My parents are happy, and of course, my grandmother is also happy." "So you're happy yourself?" Lucy wondered. "Oh yes. Rick is the only person in the world other than my grandmother who can make me do things I don't want to do. It's better for me." She looked at Lucy's puzzled face, and then her eyes lit up. "Of course, I like him very much," she said. After the certificates were awarded, Lucy drank coffee with the faculty and said goodbye to everyone.Since she was leaving in the morning, no one was free to accompany her to the station.Handa sincerely thanked her for her great help with tears in her eyes this time. But no matter what happened to Handa, it was impossible to imagine how much she had helped. ) Lucy could call Lay's College her home whenever she wanted to, or give lectures whenever she wanted, or - if - but Lucy had to hide the truth, although she spent many happy days at Lay's College. Days, however, she would never want to go back to this place again. If her conscience and Ruth allowed it, she would take this place out of her mind entirely. The staff left to continue their day's work, and Lucy went back to her room to continue packing.She hadn't spoken to Innes since that inconceivable conversation on Saturday morning, and in fact Lucy had barely seen her except for Handa handing her her certificate. Would Innes let Lucy leave without saying anything? When she returned to her room, she found that what Innes wanted to say was left on the table, written in black and white.She opened the envelope and began to read: Dear Miss Ping: I will write it down. For the rest of my life, I want to atone for this thing that I can't erase.I will give willingly and pay for her with my life. It is with great regret that this incident has spoiled your time at Lai's College.I hope you won't be offended by doing this for me.I promise, it will all be worth it. Maybe, ten years from now, you'll come to West County to see what I've accomplished with my life.I look forward to this day.For my aimless days, this would be the only waiting. Please accept my eternal gratitude -- a gratitude that cannot be expressed in words. Innes, "When did you ask the taxi to come?" Bao'er knocked on the door and walked in. "At half past eleven." "That's it now. Is everything packed in? The hot water bottle? You didn't bring it. Is the umbrella downstairs? You don't have an umbrella. So what do you do? Wait at the porch for the car to come, or steal an umbrella? I There is an aunt who buys the cheapest umbrella every time, and then throws the umbrella into the last trash can after the rain stops. As my former nanny said: Money is more important than reason. Then, everything is there Well? Think about it, because once we've closed the box, it's impossible to open it. Is there nothing in the drawer? There's always something stuffed in the back of the drawer." She opened the desk drawer, reached in and poked around. . "More than half of all divorces in West Hampshire are the result of revelations of secrecy." She withdrew her right hand and Lucy saw that she was holding the silver rosette, which Lucy left in the drawer because she couldn't decide what to do with it. Boa was playing with flower ornaments in her hands. "It looked a lot like a button that fell off my shoe," she said. "Your shoes?" "Yeah. Black loafers from dance class. I like them because they're so comfortable when my feet get tired, they're like gloves. I can still wear the shoes I wore when I was fourteen, and my feet are as old as It's not that big, and trust me, it's not consolation when people say I'm going to be tall." She turned her attention back to what she was holding. "So, I'm dropping it here," She said, "You know, I've been thinking about where it's going to fall." She dropped it in her pocket. "I'm afraid you'll have to sit on the box. You sit on it, and I'll fight the lock." Lucy sat mechanically on it. She couldn't help wondering how she hadn't seen how cruel those blue eyes were before.Shiny, cold and shallow. Beau's light hair fell in Lucy's lap as she fought the lock.Of course, the lock would close as tight as she wanted.From the moment she was born, everyone and everything was as she wished.If not, she takes action to make things go their way.Lucy remembered that when Bao'er was four years old, she could already use her own will to defeat the power of all the wills of the adult world combined against her.She never understood what setbacks were. She cannot accept the possibility of frustration. If her friend was eligible to go to Alingo, then she should go to Alingo. "Okay! Close it. If I can't close the other one, I'm going to sit on it. I saw Jiddy gave you a disgusting plant. It must be hard for you. Maybe someday, you can take it to the Go change a bowl by the back door." How long after the incident did Innes start to suspect, Lucy thought? Almost immediately? Definitely when she turned green at the scene that afternoon. But she wasn't really sure until she saw the silver floral ornament in Lucy's hand, where she found it. Poor Innes, poor Innes, atonement. "Taxi-car!" someone shouted from the corridor. "Your car is here. I'll help you with your stuff. No, they're rough. Have you forgotten my training? I hope you don't go, Miss Ping. We'll miss you." Lucy heard herself saying the same words.She even heard herself promising Boa that when Boa starts "working" My first holiday - at Christmas, I will visit her and her family. Bao'er sent her to the car, bid her farewell tenderly, and said to the driver, "Go to the station." The car slid forward, left Bao'er's smiling face behind the window, and left. The driver opened the glass window between the passenger seat and asked: "Miss, is there a train to London?" Yes, Lucy replied, to London. She will stay in London.Back to her safe, good, quiet life in London, and living contentedly in the future.She even gave up giving psychoanalytic lectures. What on earth does she know about psychology? She might as well go back and be a first-rate French teacher. She could write a book about being blinded by faces.At least she was right about that.Generally speaking. Eyebrows are closely related to people's interests. Yes, she's going to write a book about physiognomy. Of course, you have to use a pseudonym, because intellectuals are disrespectful.