From a county-level lecture hall to a nationally renowned teacher

一

On the day the final exams ended, there was a downpour.

The rain came down suddenly and violently, as if someone were pouring water from the sky. The cinder track on the playground was eroded into gullies, and the leaves of the sycamore trees were knocked to the ground. The students were trapped in the teaching building and couldn't get out, so they gathered in twos and threes in the corridors to chat.

Lin Zhiyuan stood by the office window, looking at the rain outside. Chen Mingyuan sat behind him, slowly sipping his tea.

"Xiaolin, you'll be a senior in high school next semester."

"Um."

"Teaching senior high school students is tough," Chen Mingyuan sighed. "The pressure is immense, there's a lot to do, and students are prone to causing problems. You need to be prepared."

"I know."

"You don't understand." Chen Mingyuan put down his enamel mug. "Let me tell you, the hardest thing about senior year isn't the teaching, it's the mindset. The students' mindset, the parents' mindset, and your own mindset. If any of these three mindsets goes wrong, the year will be tough."

Lin Zhiyuan turned around and looked at Chen Mingyuan. The old man's hair was a bit whiter than last year, and the wrinkles on his face were deeper, but his eyes were still bright.

"Mr. Chen, how many graduating classes have you taught?"

"I've lost count. More than a dozen sessions, I guess." Chen Mingyuan thought for a moment. "Every session is different. Some students usually do well but fail the college entrance exam. Some students are unremarkable usually but soar to great heights in the college entrance exam. Some students are under too much pressure and break down before the exam. Some students have a good mindset and perform exceptionally well."

He stood up, walked to Lin Zhiyuan's side, and looked out the window at the rain.

"Xiaolin, let me tell you, in your senior year of high school, you'll not only have to be a teacher, but also a psychologist, a babysitter, and a police officer. Students will come to you when they have insomnia, when they don't want to study, when they argue with their parents, and when they break up with their boyfriends. You need to be mentally prepared."

Lin Zhiyuan nodded. The rain outside the window gradually subsided, and a sliver of light appeared on the horizon.

two

Lin Zhiyuan did not rest during the first week of summer vacation.

He did one thing—he compiled the college entrance examination goals of each student in the class into a table.

Based on each student's grades and potential, he set a target university for them, dividing them into three tiers: top-tier universities, second-tier universities, and vocational colleges. He posted this chart on the wall opposite his desk, where he saw it every day.

Zhou Haitao's goal: A top-tier university. His target university: Provincial Normal University.

Liu Qiang's target: a second-tier university. His target universities: second-tier universities within the province.

Zhao Xiaoman's goal: A top-tier university. Her target university: A university in the provincial capital.

Chen Yutong's goal: a second-tier university. But Lin Zhiyuan secretly set a first-tier university for her—he felt she had the potential, but hadn't yet realized it.

Sun Xiaolei's goal: to get into a top-tier university. She is one of the most consistently high-achieving students in her class, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, getting into a top-tier university shouldn't be a problem.

Li Siyuan's goal: a second-tier university. He has a good foundation in humanities, but his math is a weak point.

Wu Tingting's goal: to attend a vocational college. Her grades have never been very good, but she has beautiful handwriting and is meticulous in her work. Lin Zhiyuan believes that she will do well no matter what she does in the future.

Lin Zhiyuan looked at the table many times, and the more he looked, the more pressure he felt. More than fifty students, more than fifty futures. He didn't know how many of them would achieve their goals a year from now.

Su Wanqing came to the school to find him and saw the chart on the wall.

"Are they even aware of the goals you've set?"

"I haven't told them yet."

When do you plan to tell me?

"Let's start school," Lin Zhiyuan said. "On the first day of school for seniors, I'm going to have a talk with them. We'll set goals, and then they'll have direction for the year."

Su Wanqing looked at him with a look of heartache in her eyes.

You've lost weight.

"Is there?"

"Yes. Are you not eating properly again?"

Lin Zhiyuan smiled and said, "There's no time to eat properly."

"Then go eat now. I'll go with you."

The two went to a small restaurant near the school gate and ordered two dishes and a bowl of rice each. Lin Zhiyuan ate very slowly, as if he were savoring something precious.

"Su Wanqing".

"Um?"

"Do you think I can do a good job teaching this graduating class?"

Su Wanqing put down her chopsticks and looked at him seriously: "You lack confidence in yourself?"

"It's not that I lack confidence. It's that... the pressure is immense. The lives of over fifty students rest on my shoulders."

"You're not alone," Su Wanqing said. "They have parents, themselves, and other teachers. You're not carrying this burden alone."

Lin Zhiyuan looked at her and suddenly realized she was right. He wasn't alone. He had colleagues like Chen Mingyuan, Wang Jianguo, and Shen Ruohan, Su Wanqing by his side, and the students' own hard work. All he could do was try his best.

"Thank you," he said.

"You're here again." Su Wanqing laughed. "If you say thank you again, I'll get angry."

Lin Zhiyuan smiled, then lowered his head and continued eating. The sunlight outside the window was intense, shining brightly on the restaurant's concrete floor. The cicadas chirped intermittently, as if they were shouting something.

three

In mid-July, Lin Zhiyuan visited Zhou Haitao's home.

It wasn't a home visit; it was delivering something.

Zhou Haitao's transcript, scholarship certificate, and some review materials for this semester. Lin Zhiyuan rode Wang Jianguo's motorcycle, bumping along the mountain road for more than an hour, until they arrived at Tangcun Township.

Zhou Haitao is not home. His mother said he went to the mountain to chop firewood.

"Why are you chopping firewood on such a hot day?" Lin Zhiyuan asked.

"We're out of firewood," Zhou Haitao's mother said, pouring him a bowl of cold tea. "Teacher Lin, please sit for a while, I'll go and call him back."

"No need, I'll go find him."

Lin Zhiyuan followed the directions given by Zhou Haitao's mother and walked up the hillside. The sun was scorching, making his skin sting. The grass by the roadside was wilted by the sun, and the cicadas were chirping loudly.

After walking for more than ten minutes, he saw Zhou Haitao.

He was shirtless, chopping down a dead tree. The axe rose and fell, sending wood chips flying. His back was covered in sweat, glistening in the sunlight. His shoulders were broader than last year, and his arms were more muscular, but he was still thin, his ribs protruding.

Zhou Haitao.

Zhou Haitao turned around, saw Lin Zhiyuan, and froze.

"Teacher Lin? What brings you here?"

"I'm bringing you some things." Lin Zhiyuan walked over and handed him a bag. "Your report card, scholarship certificate, and some review materials."

Zhou Haitao took the bag, wiped his hands on his pants, and opened it. His eyes lit up for a moment, but quickly dimmed again.

"Ms. Lin, what was my score on the English final exam?"

"72".

"I've improved since the midterm."

"Yes. Your study method is effective; keep at it."

Zhou Haitao nodded, put the bag on the ground, and picked up the axe again.

"I'll chop it for you." Lin Zhiyuan stretched out his hand.

"No need, Teacher Lin, you don't know how."

"What's so difficult about chopping wood? Isn't it just lifting it up and chopping it down?"

Zhou Haitao hesitated for a moment, then handed him the axe. Lin Zhiyuan took it, raised it, and chopped down hard—the axe missed, bounced up, and almost hit his own leg.

"Teacher Lin!" Zhou Haitao exclaimed in surprise.

"It's alright, it's alright." Lin Zhiyuan was also a little shaken and handed the axe back to him. "You can do it."

Zhou Haitao took the axe and smiled. It was the first time Lin Zhiyuan had ever seen him smile so broadly, revealing a row of white teeth.

"Teacher Lin, please go back, it's too hot."

"I'll help you chop for a while before I leave."

"Really, you don't need to."

"I told you, I'll help you."

Zhou Haitao looked at him and didn't refuse again. The two took turns chopping, each chopping for a while and then resting. The firewood piled higher and higher, and the sun rose higher and higher. By noon, the dead tree had been chopped down and split into neat logs.

"Enough to burn for a month," Zhou Haitao said.

"Is that enough?"

That's enough.

The two sat under the shade of a tree, drinking the chilled tea they had brought. A mountain breeze blew by, carrying the scent of pine resin. In the distance, the mountains rose in layers, looking as if painted with ink.

"Ms. Lin, next semester will be our senior year of high school."

"Um."

"I'm a little scared."

"What are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid I won't pass the exam." Zhou Haitao lowered his head. "I'm afraid of disappointing you and my dad."

Lin Zhiyuan looked at him, thought for a long time, and said, "Zhou Haitao, I have something to tell you. Do you know why I came back to be a teacher?"

Zhou Haitao shook his head.

"Because I had a really good Chinese teacher in high school. He showed me that someone like me could also achieve great things." Lin Zhiyuan paused. "I'm not some amazing person; I'm just an ordinary teacher. But you might become someone much more amazing than me in the future. You'll get into university, go out into the world, see a bigger world, and do bigger things. That's my expectation for you. It's not about how many points you get or which university you go to; it's about going out into the world."

Zhou Haitao's eyes reddened. He lowered his head so that Lin Zhiyuan wouldn't see.

"Teacher Lin, I will."

"I know."

The two sat in the shade of a tree, neither speaking. A mountain breeze blew by, carrying the scent of summer. In the distance, a bird called, its voice crisp and clear, like glass beads falling to the ground.

four

In early August, Lin Zhiyuan and Su Wanqing got engaged.

It was called an engagement, but it was really just a meal where the two families sat down together. Su Wanqing's parents came, and Lin Zhiyuan's parents also came. The two families were very polite to each other. Su Wanqing's father and Lin Zhiyuan's father got along very well—the two old comrades had endless topics to discuss.

Su Wanqing's mother and Lin Zhiyuan's mother were discussing the wedding. When, where, how many guests, and what to wear. The two women chatted enthusiastically, as if the wedding were tomorrow.

Lin Zhiyuan and Su Wanqing sat to the side, listening to the elders talk, occasionally exchanging glances and smiling.

"Are you nervous?" Su Wanqing asked softly.

"I'm not nervous."

Your hands are shaking.

Lin Zhiyuan looked down at his hands, and sure enough, they were trembling. He put his hands under the table and clenched his fists.

"A little," he admitted.

Su Wanqing smiled, reached out, and took his hand under the table.

"Don't be nervous. I'm here for you."

There was no formal engagement ceremony; the two families simply had a meal together and exchanged tokens of their affection. Lin Zhiyuan bought Su Wanqing a silver ring, which wasn't expensive, but Su Wanqing liked it very much and would wear it on her hand, turning it around from time to time.

"Aren't you going to buy me one?" Lin Zhiyuan asked.

"You're a man, why are you wearing a ring?"

"Men can wear it too."

Su Wanqing thought for a moment, then took a pen out of her bag and handed it to him: "Here, take this. You'll need it since you're grading homework every day."

Lin Zhiyuan took the pen; it was a Hero brand gold pen, heavy and smooth to write with.

"This must be expensive, right?"

"It's not expensive. As long as it works, it's fine."

Lin Zhiyuan tucked the pen into his breast pocket and patted it: "I'll keep using it."

How long can a pen last?

"lifetime."

Su Wanqing looked at him and smiled. Her smile held happiness, shyness, and a touch of uncertainty. She didn't know how long "a lifetime" was, but she was willing to believe him.

五

In mid-August, Lin Zhiyuan returned to school ahead of schedule.

He needed to prepare for his senior year of high school. He found the past three years' college entrance examination questions, did them one by one, analyzed the test points, and summarized the patterns. He also went through the textbooks again and marked the key passages. He also borrowed several senior year Chinese teaching reference books from the library and read them one by one.

Shen Ruohan also returned ahead of schedule.

She had lost some weight since last semester, and her complexion wasn't good either. Lin Zhiyuan asked her what was wrong, and she said, "Nothing, maybe it's just too hot."

But Lin Zhiyuan noticed that the ring on her hand was gone.

He didn't ask. Some things, if others don't tell you, you shouldn't ask.

Shen Ruohan sat at her desk, opened her textbook, and began preparing her lesson. She was reading very attentively, but from time to time her mind would wander, and she would stare blankly out the window.

"Teacher Shen," Lin Zhiyuan called to her.

"Um?"

"If you need any help, just let me know."

Shen Ruohan glanced at him, remained silent for a few seconds, and then said, "Teacher Lin, you're too easily swayed by emotions."

"Isn't it good?"

"Good. And bad." Shen Ruohan lowered her head and continued reading the textbook. "The good thing is that the students like you. The bad thing is that you'll be very tired."

Lin Zhiyuan didn't reply. He picked up his red pen and continued working on the problems. The office was quiet, with only the sound of the pen nib scratching across the paper and the occasional chirping of cicadas outside the window.

After a while, Shen Ruohan suddenly spoke up: "Teacher Lin, are you married?"

"Not yet. I'm engaged."

"Congratulations." She paused. "Treat her well."

"I will."

Shen Ruohan didn't say anything more. She picked up a red pen and drew a line on the textbook, so hard that she almost tore the paper.

Looking at her profile, Lin Zhiyuan suddenly realized that this woman harbored many things within her heart. She hadn't told anyone, and perhaps she never would. She carried it all alone, like a tree that bends when the wind comes and straightens again when it passes.

六

A week before the start of the school year, Lin Zhiyuan was making final preparations in the classroom.

He rearranged the desks and chairs to ensure that the lighting and view of each seat were as good as possible. He wrote a line of large characters on the blackboard: "Senior 3 (5) Class, Fight for 2003". Next to it, he drew a countdown sign that read "300 days until the college entrance examination".

He stood on the podium, imagining the classroom filled with students the day after tomorrow. More than fifty people, more than fifty dreams, more than fifty futures. He would lead them through this year, to the examination hall in June.

He remembered his own college entrance exam. He had sat in a classroom in this very school, feeling nervous, expectant, and afraid. His score wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either; he got into the provincial normal university. Back then, he didn't know what he wanted to do in the future; now he did.

He wants to be a teacher. He wants to help more children go out into the world.

He stepped down from the podium and sat in Zhou Haitao's seat for a while. Then he sat in Liu Qiang's seat for a while. Then he sat in the seats of Zhao Xiaoman, Chen Yutong, Sun Xiaolei, and Li Siyuan one by one.

He imagined them sitting there. Zhou Haitao would be looking down at a book, Liu Qiang would be twirling a pen, Zhao Xiaoman would be looking in the mirror, Chen Yutong would be lying down, Sun Xiaolei would be raising her hand to answer questions, and Li Siyuan would be writing a novel.

A year later, these seats will be vacant. New students will move in and begin their high school lives. And these people will be scattered across the country, starting their own lives.

Lin Zhiyuan stood up and dusted off his pants.

He walked to the blackboard, picked up the chalk, and added a line below "300 days until the college entrance examination":

"Keep going, I'll be waiting for you at the finish line."

Seven

On the first day of school, Lin Zhiyuan stood on the podium, looking at the fifty-four faces below.

"Students, it's your senior year of high school now."

He spoke calmly, but the classroom was so quiet you could hear someone breathing.

"What is senior year of high school? Some say it's hell. Some say it's purgatory. I think senior year is the most important step in your lives. If you get through it, you'll see a different view. If you don't, that's okay too—life has many steps. But I want you to get through it."

He paused, turned around, and wrote a few large characters on the blackboard: Goal, Plan, Perseverance.

"This senior year of high school can be summed up in three words. Goal—you need to know where you want to go. Plan—you need to know how to get there. Perseverance—no matter how difficult it is, you have to keep going."

He picked up a stack of papers and asked Sun Xiaolei to distribute them.

"This is a goal card. There are three blanks: your target university, your target total score, and your target ranking. Write them down, stick them on your desk, and look at them every day. If you don't even dare to think about it, you won't be able to achieve it."

The students lowered their heads and began to write. Some wrote very slowly, some wrote very slowly, and some wrote and then crossed out their work, rewriting it. After Zhou Haitao finished writing, he stuck the paper to the corner of the table and wrapped it with several layers of tape to prevent it from falling off.

Lin Zhiyuan walked around and read what everyone had written.

Zhou Haitao wrote: "Provincial Normal University, 550 points, top 20 in the grade."

Liu Qiang wrote: "Second-tier university in the province, 500 points, top 100 in the grade."

Zhao Xiaoman wrote: "Provincial capital university, 560 points, top 15 in the grade."

Chen Yutong wrote: "Any university, 450 points, just don't be at the bottom."

Lin Zhiyuan stopped beside her and glanced at her. She lowered her head, not daring to look at him.

"Chen Yutong, your goal is too low."

"That's my level."

"You're not," Lin Zhiyuan said in a low voice, "You're just too afraid to think about it. Go back and change."

Chen Yutong hesitated for a moment, then crossed out "450 points" and changed it to "500 points". She also crossed out "not at the bottom" and changed it to "top 80 in the grade".

Lin Zhiyuan looked at it, nodded, and said nothing more.

He walked back to the podium and looked at the students below.

"This year, I will be very strict. Those who don't hand in their homework will be punished. Those who sleep in class will be disciplined. Those whose grades drop will be investigated. You may get annoyed with me, you may hate me. That's okay. A year from now, you will thank me. If you don't thank me, that's okay too. As long as you get into the university you want to go to, I will be happy."

He bowed deeply.

"Classmates, the senior year of high school has begun. Let's work hard together."

Applause erupted in the classroom. Fifty-four people, fifty-four hands, clapping the loudest.

Lin Zhiyuan stood on the podium, his eyes a little hot.

He didn't let the students see it.