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

一

On the morning of June 1st, Lin Zhiyuan got up earlier than usual.

He sat in his dormitory for a while, mentally reviewing what he needed to do that day. The results of the final mock exam had already been distributed, all the key points had been covered, and all the necessary reminders had been given. All that remained was for the students to adjust their mindset and enter the exam room with the best possible attitude.

He stepped out of his dormitory and found it was already broad daylight. There were people running on the playground; one was a student he didn't recognize, probably from the sports-focused class. The sycamore leaves were already quite thick, rustling in the morning breeze. The air smelled of fresh grass, mixed with the aroma of congee wafting from the cafeteria.

He walked to the classroom door, stood there for a while, and then pushed the door open and went in.

The classroom was already half full. No one was talking; everyone was reading or doing exercises. Zhou Haitao was memorizing English vocabulary, his lips moving rhythmically. Liu Qiang was working on math problems, his scratch paper covered in formulas. Zhao Xiaoman was reviewing her humanities notes, highlighting key points with a highlighter. Chen Yutong was writing something—not homework, but her own notebook. Sun Xiaolei was flipping through her Chinese textbook, muttering to herself.

"Class, stop for a moment." Lin Zhiyuan clapped his hands.

Everyone looked up at him.

"There will be no lecture today. I'll just talk about a few things."

He walked to the podium, picked up the chalk, and wrote three words on the blackboard: diet, sleep, and mindset.

"First, diet. Don't eat raw or cold food, don't eat at street stalls, and don't drink ice water these days. Eat in the cafeteria or at home, keep it light, and hygiene is the top priority."

"Second, sleep. Starting today, you must be in bed by 10:30 every night. If you can't fall asleep, just lie down and rest with your eyes closed. Don't stay up late, and don't drink coffee or strong tea. Your current level is already set; staying up late won't give you an extra point, it will only make you sleepy in the exam room."

"Third, mindset. The college entrance exam is just an exam, not a matter of life and death. Doing well is great, of course. If you don't do well, there are still many other options. Don't put all the pressure on this one exam."

He paused, looking at the students below.

"You've studied with me for three years. In those three years, I've taught you everything I was supposed to teach, and you've learned everything you were supposed to learn. The rest is just about performing as you normally would. Just write down what you've learned, and that's enough."

He took a deep breath and uttered his last words:

"Good luck to you."

two

June 3rd, the last Chinese class.

Lin Zhiyuan didn't talk about anything related to the exam. He told the students to put away their textbooks, then took a book himself, stood on the podium, and began to read.

He was reading Zhu Ziqing's "Hurry".

"The swallows have gone, but they will return; the willows have withered, but they will turn green again; the peach blossoms have faded, but they will bloom again. But, tell me, wise one, why do our days never return?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it was clear. The classroom was quiet, with only his voice echoing. A breeze blew in from the window, causing the curtains to sway gently.

"...The past days are like wisps of smoke, scattered by a gentle breeze, like thin mist, evaporated by the rising sun; what trace have I left behind? Have I left even a trace as faint as a spider's thread?"

He finished reading, and the classroom remained silent for a long time.

"You studied this article in junior high school," Lin Zhiyuan said. "But some articles can only be truly understood at a certain age or at a certain moment. Perhaps ten or twenty years from now, when you read this article again, you will have different feelings."

He closed the book and looked at the students below.

"Three years have passed. You've grown from little kids in your first year of high school into adults. In these three years, I've criticized you, praised you, sometimes been strict with you, and sometimes too lenient. In any case, three years have gone by."

His voice was choked with emotion. He paused, then took a deep breath.

"In the future, you will go to different cities, attend different universities, and meet different people. Perhaps some of you will never see each other again in this lifetime. But I hope you will remember that in Anyuan County No. 1 Middle School, in the classrooms of Grade 11 (5) and Grade 12 (5), you spent more than a thousand days together."

He bowed deeply.

Thank you.

Applause erupted in the classroom. At first, it was sporadic, then more and more, growing louder and louder. All the students stood up and clapped, clapping for a very long time.

When Lin Zhiyuan looked up, his eyes were red. He saw Zhou Haitao crying, Liu Qiang crying, Zhao Xiaoman crying, and Sun Xiaolei crying. Chen Yutong wasn't crying; she stood there, clapping her hands, her lips tightly pressed together.

He didn't let the students see his tears. He turned around and wrote a line on the blackboard:

Until we meet again.

Then he walked out of the classroom.

three

June 6th, the day before the college entrance examination.

School was out for break, and the students were allowed to visit the exam venue. Lin Zhiyuan didn't go with the students; he sat alone in his office, going over the exam procedures in his mind again and again.

Su Wanqing called: "Where are you?"

"office."

"Aren't you taking a break today?"

"The college entrance exam is tomorrow, I can't rest."

"Come out, I'll treat you to dinner."

Lin Zhiyuan hesitated for a moment, but still went. The two sat in a small restaurant near the school gate, where Su Wanqing ordered his favorite braised pork and pickled fish.

"Are you going to see someone off to the exam tomorrow?" Su Wanqing asked.

"I'll go. I won't feel at ease if I don't."

"Don't be too nervous. If you're nervous, the students will be even more nervous."

"I know."

"What's the use of knowing? You always say you know, but you never do it."

Lin Zhiyuan remained silent. He knew Su Wanqing was right. He couldn't help but be nervous. For the past three years, he had poured all his energy into these students. Tomorrow, they would be entering the examination hall. It was impossible for him not to be nervous.

"Lin Zhiyuan, I have something to tell you." Su Wanqing put down her chopsticks and looked at him seriously.

"What is it?"

"You take everything too seriously. You're serious as a teacher, serious as a homeroom teacher, and serious as a husband. Being serious isn't a bad thing, but you need to learn to relax. Otherwise, you'll exhaust yourself."

Lin Zhiyuan looked at her and suddenly smiled.

"What are you laughing at?"

"I'm laughing at you. The way you talk is exactly like my mom's."

Su Wanqing glared at him, but the corners of her mouth also turned up.

After finishing his meal, Lin Zhiyuan took a walk around the school. The teaching building was sealed off with police tape, and an exam room layout map was posted at the entrance. He stood outside the tape, looking at the building where he had spent three years. Tomorrow, his students would be taking their exams inside.

He stood there for a long time, then turned and left.

four

June 7th, the first day of the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao).

At seven o'clock in the morning, Lin Zhiyuan arrived at the school gate. He was wearing a red T-shirt—Wang Jianguo said red was auspicious and could bring good luck. He didn't usually believe in such things, but on this day, he was willing to believe anything.

The students arrived one after another. Zhou Haitao was the first to arrive, wearing a faded T-shirt and carrying an old backpack. He saw Lin Zhiyuan, walked over, called out "Teacher Lin," and then fell silent.

"Are you nervous?" Lin Zhiyuan asked.

"A little."

"It's normal. Take a deep breath and relax. You're ready, don't be afraid."

Zhou Haitao nodded.

Liu Qiang arrived, wearing a new outfit and with his hair slicked back. He walked up to Lin Zhiyuan, grinned, and said, "Teacher Lin, if I do well on the exam today, I'll treat you to dinner."

"It's only right that you did well on the exam; you don't need to treat me to a meal."

"That won't do, you must invite them."

Zhao Xiaoman arrived, wearing a floral dress and light makeup. She saw Lin Zhiyuan, smiled, but didn't come over; she simply waved from afar.

Chen Yutong arrived, wearing a white shirt and with her hair tied up, looking very energetic. She walked up to Lin Zhiyuan, took a notebook out of her bag, and handed it to him.

"Teacher Lin, this is for you."

Lin Zhiyuan took it; it was her novel. It was printed, neatly bound, and the cover was in color—she had drawn it herself: a small boat sailing in the morning light.

"Is this the last version?" he asked.

"Okay. All revised."

"I'll look into it after the exam. Don't get distracted now."

Chen Yutong nodded, turned around and walked into the examination room.

At 8:30, the candidates began to enter the examination hall. Lin Zhiyuan stood at the school gate, watching his students walk in one by one. Some glanced back at him, while others did not. When Zhou Haitao reached the gate, he suddenly stopped, turned around, and bowed deeply to Lin Zhiyuan. Then he straightened up and walked into the examination hall.

Lin Zhiyuan stood at the school gate, tears welling up in his eyes.

He didn't wipe it.

五

Lin Zhiyuan lost five pounds during the three days of the college entrance examination.

He stood guard at the school gate every day, watching the students take exams one after another, day after day. He didn't ask how the students did; he would just pat them on the shoulder and say, "You've worked hard, go back and rest."

When the last exam was over, students poured out of the exam hall like a tide. Some were laughing, some were crying, and some were expressionless. Liu Qiang was the first to rush out, ran to Lin Zhiyuan, and shouted, "Teacher Lin, I'm done with the exam!"

"How are you feeling?"

"It's alright! It's all filled up anyway!"

When Zhao Xiaoman came out, her eyes were red. Lin Zhiyuan asked her what was wrong, and she said, "Nothing, I just feel it's all too fast." Zhou Haitao was the last to come out, walking very slowly. He walked up to Lin Zhiyuan, stopped, his lips moved, but he didn't say anything.

"It's good that the exam is over," Lin Zhiyuan said.

"Thank you, Teacher Lin." Zhou Haitao's voice was very soft, almost inaudible.

"Go back and get some rest. We'll talk about it when the results come out."

Zhou Haitao nodded, turned, and left. His figure grew smaller and smaller in the setting sun, exactly like the countless times he had left the classroom over the past three years. But Lin Zhiyuan knew this was the last time.

That evening, Lin Zhiyuan returned to his dorm and sat on his bed, lost in thought for a long time. The dorm was quiet; so quiet he could hear his own heartbeat. He picked up his phone and sent Su Wanqing a text message: "Exams are over."

A little while later, a text message came back: "You've worked hard. Get a good night's sleep tonight."

He didn't get a good night's sleep. He lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. His mind was filled with images from the past three years—the first class where they shouted "Together we go!", Zhou Haitao's first essay, Liu Qiang saying he didn't want to study anymore, Chen Yutong sitting alone in the garden, Zhao Xiaoman saying, "You don't treat me like the director's daughter's teacher," Chen Mingyuan's back as he retired, the anxious faces at the parent-teacher meeting, the thunderous slogans during the 100-day countdown rally, and his choked voice as he read "Hurry" in his last Chinese class.

These images played on repeat in his mind like a movie, over and over again, until dawn was approaching and he finally drifted off to sleep.

六

On June 23, the results of the college entrance examination were released.

That morning, Lin Zhiyuan woke up before six o'clock. He sat in front of the computer, refreshing the score checking website again and again. The website was very slow, constantly spinning. His heart was pounding, and his palms were sweaty.

Around 8 o'clock, the first phone call came in. It was from Sun Xiaolei.

"Teacher Lin! I got 578 points!" Her voice screamed into the phone, almost deafening Lin Zhiyuan.

"Congratulations!" Lin Zhiyuan's heart beat even faster.

"Thank you, Teacher Lin! My parents are overjoyed!"

The second call was from Liu Qiang. His voice was trembling: "Teacher Lin, I got 496 points on the test."

Lin Zhiyuan was stunned for a moment. Four hundred and ninety-six points, just short of his own target of five hundred. But this was already a very good score, several tens of points higher than his mock exam.

"Liu Qiang, you're amazing!"

"Teacher Lin, did I really pass the exam?"

"You got in! With your score, you'll definitely get into a second-tier university!"

The sound of Liu Qiang's mother crying came from the other end of the phone. Lin Zhiyuan's eyes also welled up with tears as he listened to her sobs.

The third call was to Zhao Xiaoman. She scored 568 points, eight points higher than her target score.

"Teacher Lin, am I eligible to attend a university in the provincial capital?"

"Yes! With your score, you'll have no problem getting into a university in the provincial capital!"

"Thank you, Teacher Lin."

Her voice was calm, but Lin Zhiyuan could tell she was crying.

The fourth call was from Chen Yutong. She scored 512 points, 12 points higher than her revised target of 500.

"Teacher Lin, I passed the exam." Her voice was soft and calm.

"You passed the exam. You can continue writing novels from now on."

"Yes." She paused for a moment, "Teacher Lin, I'm ready to publish that novel."

"What?"

"I submitted my essay to the provincial essay competition. I made it to the finals."

Lin Zhiyuan's hand holding the phone trembled. He wanted to say so much, but after opening his mouth, he only managed to utter two words: "That's good."

The fifth call was from Zhou Haitao.

"Teacher Lin." His voice was very calm, abnormally calm.

"How many points did you get?"

"541 points."

Lin Zhiyuan's heart sank. Five hundred and forty-one points, still a little short of the provincial normal university's admission line in previous years.

"Teacher Lin, am I not allowed to attend classes?"

"Not necessarily. The cutoff score hasn't been released yet. With your score, you have a chance."

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone.

"Zhou Haitao, no matter the outcome, you've done a fantastic job. You've come all the way from Tangcun Township; you've already won."

"Teacher Lin, I know." His voice finally trembled slightly, "but I really want to get out of here."

Lin Zhiyuan closed his eyes. He remembered that skinny boy, wearing a faded T-shirt, sitting in the last row by the window, writing in his essay, "I want to leave with dignity."

"You will get out of here," Lin Zhiyuan said. "Whether you can leave this year or not, you will eventually get out of here."

Seven

In July, the admission results were released one after another.

Sun Xiaolei was admitted to a university in the provincial capital, majoring in journalism. Liu Qiang was admitted to a second-tier university in the province, majoring in business administration. Zhao Xiaoman was admitted to a university in the provincial capital, the same school as Sun Xiaolei, but in a different major. Chen Yutong was admitted to the provincial normal university, majoring in Chinese literature. Li Siyuan was admitted to a teachers' college in the city, where he can become a teacher.

Zhou Haitao was not admitted to the provincial normal university. He was two points short of the cutoff score.

Lin Zhiyuan was tidying up his things in his office when he heard the news. He put down the documents in his hand and sat in his chair for a long time. Then he picked up the phone and called Zhou Haitao.

"Zhou Haitao, what are you planning to do?"

"Teacher Lin, I want to repeat a year of high school."

Are you sure?

"Sure."

Lin Zhiyuan was silent for a few seconds, then said, "Okay. I'll be waiting for your good news next year."

Zhou Haitao repeated his senior year. He returned to the county's No. 1 High School, sitting in another classroom, starting his senior year anew. Lin Zhiyuan would see him every time he passed that classroom. He sat in the last row by the window, a tall pile of books in front of him, head down, writing something.

He was thinner than before, but his eyes were still bright.

In August, Lin Zhiyuan received many invitations to teacher appreciation banquets. He went to some and declined others. Each time he went, he drank a lot, talked a lot, and laughed a lot. But there was always an emptiness in his heart, as if something was missing.

He knew what was missing. Zhou Haitao's university acceptance letter was missing.

He told himself that it would happen next year.

Eight

In late August, the new semester began.

Lin Zhiyuan bid farewell to his first graduating class of senior high school students and welcomed a new class of freshmen. He stood on the podium, looking at the unfamiliar, young, and curious faces below, and took a deep breath.

"Hello students, my surname is Lin, and I am your Chinese teacher."

This time, he didn't say "same ball".