Post-exam & school holiday in Shanghai

The school semester has just finished. We are on holiday.

Fuxiao, my sister’s girlfriend, comes to visit her at our home. I am in another room. However, I can hear their conversations in my room. Fuxiao says to my sister: ‘Do you know that your sister is the top student in her grade?’ (In China, a grade has several classes. There were 13 classes in my grade in high school, for example.)

Upon hearing this, I get curious. The final exam consists of two subjects: maths and English. I got 87.9% in my maths. I can hardly believe this kind of score is what the top students gets.

Suddenly I have an urge to find out if I am really the top student in my grade. I would feel better if I get the confirmation. However, it seems the school has a policy of not disclosing each student’s place in the grade so that they would not feel too proud for being on top or too ashamed for being at the bottom.

After learning this, I feel better and my urge for confirmation has gone.

...

Still as part of school holiday. We are all going to Shanghai. I get to pick if I want go there by train or by plane. After consideration I decide to go by train as not only it’s cheaper, it would offer me more experience. Besides, it’s not like I am in a hurry to get there.

I am staying at Zhangwenjun’s parents in Shanghai. (Zhang is my colleague in Shenzhen and she is from Shanghai.) Her parents live in a two bed-room apartment. I am in their living room. It feels a bit strange as their place is not as luxurious and comfortable as I have imagined. There is only one set of furniture in the living room – a wooden dining table with four chairs, nothing else. I’ve never been to anyone’s home that is so simple.