Why it never ends

Molly changed her coat in the entrance hall and turned into the cloakroom. Hesta changed her shoes and sat down in the living room. Then she heard Molly tell her that there was food in the kitchen and refrigerator, and she could help herself if she needed it.

"What are you doing in there?" Hesta asked.

"Wait a minute," Molly replied, "I have a half-hour meeting."

Sure enough, not long after, Moli's serious conversation came from the study room in the back. Hesta listened at the door for a while, and could not understand much of the content, but judging from a few keywords, Moli seemed to be looking for something. people.

Hesta sat back on the sofa in the living room and leaned back in boredom.

She didn't like Molly's living room. This living room was too boring. The objects on the floor and table were reduced to a minimum. The only item that was not strictly necessary for life was a black iron music stand, which was placed next to it. The position of the window almost blends into the darkness outside the window.

Everything was placed neatly, as if someone had calculated the position and angle with a ruler and protractor. Hesta sat for a while, then stood up and went to the window to look at the night scene. In comparison, the straight road passing downstairs and the dotted buildings in the distance looked more lively.

When passing the coffee table, Hesta's eyes inadvertently glanced at the dozen files on the table. Suddenly she saw her own among the pile of names. She stopped and leaned over to check. The title of the document read "Accommodation Solutions for Retired and Exam-Exemption Freshmen in Outer Districts" in the Southern District 14 dialect. Hesta recognized the word "accommodation" and put it down.

At nine twenty-five, the door to the study room opened. Molly took off his glasses and went to the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee.

She approached with a cup in hand, "Where is your current host family?"

"Next to the school."

Molly looked at the time and said, "There is no bus here. I will drive you back in a while."

"No rush," Hesta leaned on the sofa, "Are you avoiding me on purpose this week?"

Molly glanced at Hesta, as if surprised that she had such an idea, "I have other things to do."

Although Hesta did not ask further questions, her eyes were always following Molly.

"There are a few students who have not reported to school since the start of school, and they have never been found." Molly walked to the coffee table and put down the quilt. "Recently, several parents have received news that they came to the North 14th District. I went to work, and the police suspected that these things might not be that simple..."

Hesta watched Molly pick up the document just now and put it in front of her.

"What is this?" Hesta asked.

"Someone told me something about you recently," Molly said softly, "If you don't want to stay with the host family, you can take this document directly to the school logistics department to go through the procedures again, and they will arrange a room for you. dormitory."

"..." Hesta picked up the document, "Can I choose the dormitory building of my choice?"

"Of course not," Molly replied, "but you can choose whether you sleep for eight, six, four or two."

"No private room?"

"The private rooms are for graduate students."

Hesta accepted the document happily, "This has nothing to do with Zuo Wentao's matter, right?"

Molly raised her eyebrows slightly, "Yes."

"I don't know if you've heard of something. There was a teacher on the school's investigation committee last week -"

"I know, things are a bit complicated..." Molly pinched the bridge of her nose gently, "I originally planned to ask you to come to my office next Monday. As far as the current situation is concerned, the work of the investigation committee has ended -" Hesta was a little surprised: "But no one has ever told me——"

"...because I haven't signed yet," Morley looked at her. "The original process of this matter is: student complaints, investigation committee intervention, internal evaluation and discussion, and announcement of the results. But the problem now is that the internal voting process is At that time, more than half of the faculty and staff stood with Zuo Wentao... Don't use that expression, this is a fact. I said half of them were polite. There were a total of twenty-two faculty members in the investigation committee. Three abstained and two voted in favor. Regarding your claim, the rest agree that Teacher Zuo is not wrong in this matter, but considering your cultural background and the topicality of this matter, everyone prefers to mediate privately... It will not look good on the stage."

After a moment of silence, Molly spoke again, "What do you think?"

"What do I think...I can't figure it out. Can I see the materials they compiled? I dictated the entire incident on the phone -"

"There is nothing wrong with the material. I have compared the text with your recording," Morley replied. "The basic facts are consistent and there is no distortion."

"...Out of the twenty-two faculty and staff, seventeen are Zuo Wentao's supporters? Is this a high probability? Does he have such a status in this school?"

Morley glanced at Hesta, "There are two paths next, and I'm still considering which one to choose. Either the school will announce the results, and you can express your dissatisfaction, continue to complain, and ask the Municipal Education Bureau to intervene. If the Municipal Education Bureau comes down, , then the school can say hello is relatively limited. Who they send out and how long the investigation lasts... are all up to them. But with such reliance, you have to consider the impact of this matter on public opinion - if you still care about your If it’s a livable place assessment.”

"...What's another way?"

"Restart directly in the school, re-select the committee members, and this time additionally control the gender ratio of the members——"

"What was it last time?" Hesta asked.

"Nineteen to three... But don't have too much hope. The female teacher may not be on your side. One of your two votes in favor this time is from a male teacher," Molly said softly, " The remaining two female teachers voted against it.”

"Objection?" Hesta confirmed, "Not abstaining?"

"Ah."

"That's ridiculous." Hesta murmured in a low voice, "I can't imagine that this school is managed by you..."

Molly laughed, but did not refute. She returned to the kitchen with the empty coffee cup and said coldly, "...I disappoint you."

……

On the way back, Hesta sat in the passenger seat. Neither she nor Molly spoke, they just looked ahead silently.

At a certain intersection, Hesta suddenly spoke, "Molly, can I ask you a question."

"Ok?"

"When I first got here, one day you called me to your office."

"Ah."

Hesta turned her head, "...Did you have any objections to me at that time?"

"...How could you have such an idea?"

"Feeling?" Hesta stared at Molly's profile, "You didn't seem too polite to me at that time."

Molly looked at the decreasing seconds under the red light until the green light came on. She stepped on the accelerator again, "It's nothing."