It was a normal Chinese evening class. We were told to take the time to sort out our homework for the day. However, there was a black sheep among us.

Jack, instead of doing his ‘fate-changing’ homework, was reading a novel, Dragon Raja, which he had borrowed from me. With a heap of books and papers on the desk covering his crime, Jack was browsing the pages comfortably.

Our Chinese teacher is as sharp eyed as a shepherdess. A mere glance, and she sensed Jack the black sheep was relapsing into his old ways, straying from the right track. Just before the teacher could get any closer, though, Jack shoved the novel into the desk and pretended to be reading his Chinese papers.

After a while, Jack, who did not dare to read the novel any more, got so bored that he fancied a game. He tore some leaves off his big fat Chinese textbook. Then he fashioned them into neat cards. Jack marked each of them with a figure. Pretty soon a deck of cards was ready.

A wink from Jack, and two other fellow black sheep leaned in. The three started to play cards. They were having such a great time that they released quiet mirth from time to time despite themselves. Much lost in the fun, they were not aware that the teacher started stalking them. Right by their side, the teacher watched them gaming merrily. It was not until Jack threw his only cards down triumphantly on the desk and whispered, “Double Queens, mates!” that the teacher’s presence was detected.

You may have guessed, Shengliver, what the black sheep suffered after that.