School Uniform for the New Year

Old Wang, before retiring, was the director of education at a school, a man who adhered to rules and regulations his entire life. Now, he was frowning at the New Year's Eve dinner table. What worried him was not the lack of New Year's goods or his children not being by his side, but his grandson, Xiao Bao, who was in elementary school.

"How many sets is this now?" Old Wang pointed at the mountain of children's clothing piled on the floor, his tone laced with a hint of helplessness and a hint of anger. "Red, green, floral, cartoonish, not a single decent piece!"

His wife劝劝 him from the side, "The child is growing up and has his own ideas, don't worry about it so much."

"What do you mean don't worry? It's the New Year, you have to look like it's the New Year!" Old Wang huffed, "Dressed like this, what does it look like? Like a wild child!"

Xiao Bao hid behind the sofa, only revealing a pair of round eyes, looking timidly at his grandpa. He was wearing a brand-new hoodie with a cartoon dinosaur print, which clearly hadn't won his grandpa's favor.

"If you ask me, it'd be better if he wore his school uniform!" Old Wang blurted out, and was stunned for a moment after saying it.

His wife chuckled, "You old fool, talking nonsense! Wear a school uniform for the New Year? Which family makes their kids wear school uniforms for the New Year?"

Old Wang didn't reply, but his brows furrowed even deeper. He stared at Xiao Bao and suddenly thought that a school uniform might not be a bad idea. At least it was neat, simple, and not flashy.

The next day, Old Wang started his "school uniform renovation project." He rummaged through boxes and cabinets, finding all kinds of school uniforms he had collected during his time as the director of education, from elementary to high school. He washed them all clean, ironed them crisp, and then called Xiao Bao over.

"Come, Xiao Bao, try this one." Old Wang handed Xiao Bao a blue elementary school sports uniform.

Xiao Bao looked at the oversized uniform, his face filled with reluctance. But his grandpa's authority was still there, so he had no choice but to put it on obediently.

On New Year's Eve, Old Wang's family gathered around the dinner table. Xiao Bao, wearing the slightly too-big blue school uniform, looked particularly comical. Old Wang looked at him, but a satisfied smile appeared on his face. "Now, that's more like a student!" he muttered to himself.

His wife shook her head and smiled helplessly. His children watched silently, no one dared to say anything.

After dinner, Xiao Bao insisted on going out to set off firecrackers. Old Wang agreed, but only on the condition that he had to wear his school uniform.

Xiao Bao, wearing his school uniform, ran around amidst the sounds of firecrackers. He jumped, laughed, as if he had forgotten that he was wearing clothes that were out of place. Old Wang stood at the door, watching his grandson's happy figure, his heart filled with comfort.

On the first day of the New Year, relatives began to come to pay their respects. When they saw Xiao Bao come out wearing his school uniform, they were all stunned.

"Oh my, Xiao Bao, why are you wearing a school uniform?"

"Wearing a school uniform for the New Year, I've never seen that!"

Old Wang proudly explained, "Wearing a school uniform is so much better, it's proper, unlike those flashy things, all a mess!"

The relatives looked at each other, and could only laugh awkwardly, saying a few words of flattery.

For the next few days, Xiao Bao kept wearing his school uniform. He wore his school uniform to visit relatives, wore his school uniform to go shopping, and even wore his school uniform to play in the park. The people around him went from being surprised at first to becoming accustomed to it later. Some even began to imitate him, wearing their own old school uniforms.

On the streets, more and more people in school uniforms appeared. Some were children, some were young people, and even some were elderly. They were wearing school uniforms from different eras, as if they were participating in a grand fashion show.

By the fifteenth day of the New Year, Old Wang walked down the street and saw that the entire city was filled with a strange atmosphere. People no longer cared about new clothes for the New Year, but instead put on school uniforms, like a large-scale performance art.

That night, Old Wang had a dream. In his dream, he went back to school and found that all the teachers were wearing school uniforms, while the students were wearing all kinds of bizarre costumes, dressed up in a flamboyant manner, holding up banners, and shouting: "We don't want school uniforms, we want individuality! We want freedom!"

Old Wang woke up in shock, looking out the window, the streetlights still flickering, only, they seemed more hazy than before. He looked down at the pajamas he was wearing, and suddenly felt an inexplicable chill. He opened the closet and found a neatly folded, brand-new school uniform that he had worn when he was the director of education. He tremblingly picked up the yellowed uniform and found that the school badge was missing from the chest. He slowly put the clothes down, and let out a barely audible sigh from the bottom of his heart.

"Tomorrow, let's get Xiao Bao some new clothes," he said softly. The next day, Xiao Bao put on a newly bought hoodie and once again became the most ordinary boy on the street, wearing a cartoon print. Everything seemed as if it had never happened. Only Old Wang understood that some things, even when taken off, were still imprinted on you.