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

一

One autumn morning in 2006, Lin Zhiyuan was awakened by a crying sound.

He opened his eyes and glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table—4:20 AM. Little Siqi in the cradle was waving his fists, his face flushed red, crying his heart out. Su Wanqing turned over, her eyes still closed, and mumbled, "Go check on him."

Lin Zhiyuan got up, walked to the cradle, and picked up his daughter. Little Siqi's face was covered in tears and snot; he wiped it with a tissue, then touched her diaper—it was dry. She wasn't hungry, she wasn't wet, so—she was crying for no apparent reason.

He carried his daughter around the room, gently patting her back and humming an unknown tune. Little Siqi's crying gradually subsided, turning into sobs, then into even breathing. He pressed his face against his daughter's, feeling her warm breath, and his heart melted completely.

Su Wanqing sat up at some point and leaned against the headboard, looking at him.

"She's stopped crying?"

"Going to sleep."

"Put it back, come and sleep here."

Lin Zhiyuan carefully placed his daughter back in the cradle and tiptoed back to bed. Su Wanqing lifted a corner of the blanket to let him in.

"Lin Zhiyuan."

"Um?"

"You're a great father."

"Yeah?"

"Hmm. Better than I expected."

Lin Zhiyuan smiled and stretched out his arm for Su Wanqing to rest her head on. It was still dark outside the window, and the distant crowing of roosters sounded like the time. He closed his eyes, but couldn't sleep. His mind raced with the classes he had to teach, the homework he had to grade, the meetings he had to attend, and the phone calls he had to make that day. Then, he thought of his daughter. Her eyes were like Su Wanqing's, bright and clear; her mouth was like his, with slightly upturned corners. When she was asleep, she looked like an angel; when she cried, she looked like a little devil, but whether she was an angel or a devil, he loved her to death.

At 6:30 in the morning, Lin Zhiyuan got up. Xiao Siqi was still asleep, and Su Wanqing was still asleep too. He quietly washed up, changed his clothes, heated a cup of milk in the kitchen, and ate breakfast with a slice of bread. As he left, he stood by the cradle for a while, looking at his daughter's sleeping face, and couldn't help but gently kiss her forehead.

Xiao Siqi wrinkled her nose but didn't wake up.

Lin Zhiyuan smiled, turned around and left.

two

In mid-September, Lin Zhiyuan took over as the homeroom teacher of Class 5, Grade 11.

This was his first time serving as a homeroom teacher at Yucai Middle School. When the principal spoke with him, he said, "Mr. Lin, you've been here for a year and have done an excellent job. The grade leader recommended you for the position, and I also think you're suitable. Would you like to?"

"willing."

"Then it's settled. Grade 11 (5), the science-focused key class."

The honors class. Lin Zhiyuan knew what this meant—higher expectations, greater pressure, and more responsibility. Students in the honors class had good grades, but they were also more thoughtful; parents had high expectations, but they were also more cooperative; the school valued them, but there were also more people watching them. He took a deep breath and accepted the task.

On the first day of his new class, he stood on the podium, looking at the sixty faces below. The students in the honors class were quieter, more composed, and more aloof than those in the regular classes. They didn't easily express their emotions, nor did they easily trust anyone. Lin Zhiyuan knew that winning their trust would take time.

"Hello students, my surname is Lin, I am your Chinese teacher and also your homeroom teacher." He wrote his name and phone number on the blackboard. "From today onwards, we are all one family. My requirements for you are simple—listen attentively in class, hand in your homework on time, respect your teachers, and get along well with your classmates. Can you do that?"

"Yes." The voices were scattered.

"Speak louder. Can you do that?"

"Yes!" This time it was much more orderly.

He nodded, flipped open the roster, and began calling out names. He read each of the sixty names aloud, looking at them one by one. Halfway through, he stopped and looked at a boy in the third row.

"Your name is Su Hang?"

"Yes." The boy stood up. He was very tall, with fair skin, and wore gold-rimmed glasses.

"Suzhou's 'Su' and Hangzhou's 'Hang'?"

"right."

"Good name. Did your parents meet in Suzhou or Hangzhou?"

Su Hang was taken aback for a moment, then smiled: "Teacher Lin, how did you know?"

"Just guessing. Sit down."

The whole class laughed. The atmosphere relaxed a bit.

three

Su Hang is the top student in the class.

Not just one of them, he's number one. His grades are ridiculously good; he's always in the top three of his grade, frequently getting full marks in math, physics, and chemistry, and his Chinese and English are also quite good. He's the teacher's darling, the class's academic star, and the "other people's child" that parents always talk about.

But Lin Zhiyuan noticed that Su Hang didn't interact much with his classmates.

During breaks, while other boys chatted, joked, and played around in groups of three or five, Su Hang sat alone in his seat reading. During free time in PE class, while others played basketball, soccer, and ran, Su Hang sat alone under the shade of a tree, lost in thought. After school, while others walked in twos and threes, Su Hang walked quickly alone with his backpack, as if he were running away from something.

Lin Zhiyuan observed him for two weeks and decided to talk to him.

"Su Hang, come to my office after school."

Su Hang looked up at him, nodded, and didn't ask why.

After school, Su Hang arrived. He stood at the office door, carrying a schoolbag on his back and holding a book in his hand.

"Come in, have a seat." Lin Zhiyuan gestured to the chair opposite him.

Su Hang sat down, put his backpack on his lap, and held the book in his hand. Lin Zhiyuan glanced at the cover; it was a physics competition study guide.

"Do you watch this every day after school?"

"Um."

"Not playing with your classmates?"

Su Hang was silent for a moment, then said, "There's nothing fun about it."

"Basketball isn't fun? Soccer isn't fun? Chatting isn't fun?"

"I'm not very good at interacting with people," Su Hang said softly. "When I'm with other people, I don't know what to say."

Lin Zhiyuan looked at him. This boy had such good grades, his mind was full of formulas and theorems, yet he didn't know how to talk to people. He thought of Zhou Haitao, who was also silent and aloof. But Zhou Haitao's silence stemmed from poverty and inferiority; Su Hang's silence wasn't due to poverty. He came from a well-off family; both his parents were intellectuals. His silence was something deeper, something innate.

"Su Hang, I have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"You are very smart and have excellent grades. But life isn't just about taking exams. You'll be going to university, entering the workforce, and interacting with many people. If you can't communicate effectively, your talents will be greatly diminished."

Su Hang lowered his head and remained silent.

"I'm not asking you to become a social butterfly overnight. But you should at least try to talk to your classmates more. During breaks, put down your books, go stand in the hallway for a while, and listen to what others are saying. During PE class, it's okay if you don't play basketball, just sit on the sidelines and watch, cheering on the others. These things aren't difficult, but you have to do them."

Su Hang remained silent for a long time before saying, "Teacher Lin, I'll give it a try."

"It's not about trying, it's about doing."

"I...I'll do it."

Lin Zhiyuan nodded and patted him on the shoulder. Su Hang's shoulders were narrow and thin, like a bamboo pole. He stood up, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and walked away. When he reached the door, he stopped and turned back.

"Thank you, Teacher Lin."

"You're welcome. Go ahead."

four

In mid-October, Xiao Siqi turned four months old.

She learned a new skill—rolling over. One afternoon, Su Wanqing put her on the playmat, went to the kitchen to get some water, and when she came back, she found her lying on the mat with her head held high, looking around.

"Lin Zhiyuan! Your daughter can roll over now!"

Lin Zhiyuan ran out of the study and squatted down next to the playmat, watching his daughter. Little Siqi saw her father and grinned, revealing her pink gums. She reached out towards Lin Zhiyuan, but couldn't reach him, and started whimpering in frustration.

Lin Zhiyuan picked her up and lifted her into the air. Little Siqi giggled, her laughter as clear and crisp as a bell.

"Siqi, call me Dad."

"ah--"

"No, it's Dad."

"puff--"

Su Wanqing was laughing so hard she couldn't stand up straight.

That night, Lin Zhiyuan lay in bed, scrolling through photos of his daughter on his phone. He had taken over three hundred pictures of her since birth. He couldn't bear to delete a single one; he thought each one was the best. Su Wanqing said he was crazy, to which he replied, "You're the crazy one. This is a record of her growth."

"Lin Zhiyuan."

"Um?"

"Who do you think Siqi will resemble in the future?"

"Like you."

"In which aspect?"

"She's like him in every way. Good-looking, smart, and kind."

Su Wanqing laughed and buried her face in the pillow. After a while, her voice came from under the pillow, muffled: "You're good at saying nice things."

I'm telling the truth.

Lin Zhiyuan put down his phone and turned off the light. In the darkness, he listened to Su Wanqing's even breathing and the occasional murmurs of his daughter in the next room, and a sense of peace welled up inside him. This wasn't the lonely peace he felt in his dormitory in the county town; this was the peace of having a home, a lover, and children. He had waited a long time for this peace.

五

Wang Jianguo arrived on the first weekend of November.

He took a bus from the county town to the city, carrying a large bag filled with pickled vegetables, cured meat, and dried sweet potatoes made by his wife, Zhang Lihua. Lin Zhiyuan went to the station to pick him up and saw him walking out of the station exit, still wearing that military green jacket and those mud-covered leather shoes.

"Old Wang, why are you dressed so lightly? It's colder in the city than in the county."

"It's not cold. I have thick skin."

They both laughed. Lin Zhiyuan took his bag and led him home.

Su Wanqing greeted them at the door, holding Xiao Siqi in her arms. Wang Jianguo's eyes lit up when he saw Xiao Siqi; he reached out to hug her, then pulled back, wiping his hands on his clothes: "My hands are cold, don't let them get cold."

"It's alright, she's tough." Su Wanqing handed Xiao Siqi to him.

Wang Jianguo took Xiao Siqi from him, clumsily holding him as if he were a bomb that could explode at any moment. Xiao Siqi stared at him with wide eyes, neither crying nor fussing, and even reached out a hand to grab his nose.

"This little guy is brave," Wang Jianguo laughed. "Just like you, Zhiyuan."

"How do you resemble me?"

"You're brave. When you first came to school, you weren't afraid of anything either."

Lin Zhiyuan smiled but didn't refute. Back then, it wasn't that he was fearless; it was that fear was useless. Looking back now, those fears have become his current confidence.

Lunch was prepared by Su Wanqing. She made braised pork, steamed fish, stir-fried vegetables, and pork rib soup. Wang Jianguo ate very happily, even having three bowls of rice.

"Your sister-in-law's cooking is really good." Wang Jianguo wiped his mouth. "Zhiyuan, you're so lucky."

"I know."

After lunch, Wang Jianguo and Su Wanqing chatted for a while, and then Su Wanqing took Xiao Siqi to take a nap. Wang Jianguo and Lin Zhiyuan sat in the living room, drinking tea and chatting.

"How is Teacher Chen's health?" Lin Zhiyuan asked.

"Not good. He was hospitalized again recently due to high blood pressure and diabetes. The doctor told him to rest well and not to worry."

"The last time I visited him, he asked me about school."

"He just can't sit still. Even after retiring, he's still thinking about the school every day." Wang Jianguo sighed. "A teacher can never truly let go of their profession."

The two were silent for a while. The sunlight outside the window was bright, shining on the floor, making it appear dazzlingly white.

"Zhiyuan, are you settling in well in the city?"

"I'm used to it. At first, I wasn't used to it; everything seemed so fast and rushed. But now I'm fine; I've caught up with the pace."

"What about the students? Are the students in the city easy to manage?"

"They're hard to manage. But they're interesting," Lin Zhiyuan said. "The students in the county are obedient, but timid. The students in the city are disobedient, but bold and outspoken. Both types of students have their own merits."

Wang Jianguo nodded, picked up his teacup and took a sip: "Zhiyuan, do you know, the way you talk now is starting to sound more and more like Teacher Chen."

"How is it similar?"

"Tone. That unhurried, easygoing tone. Teacher Chen was like that back then too."

Lin Zhiyuan paused for a moment, then smiled. He recalled Chen Mingyuan's words—"Teachers, when they get old, all say the same things." The words he was saying now might be repeated by his students many years later. Passing down from generation to generation—that's what inheritance is.

When Wang Jianguo left, Lin Zhiyuan saw him off at the station. As the bus started moving, Wang Jianguo leaned out of the window and said, "Zhiyuan, take care of yourself. Don't overwork yourself."

"You too. Go back and tell Teacher Chen that I'll go see him in a while."

"it is good."

The shuttle bus left. Lin Zhiyuan stood on the platform, watching it grow smaller and smaller until it disappeared at the end of the street. He looked down at his phone. There was a text message from Su Wanqing on the screen: "Siqi is awake and looking for you."

He replied, "I'll be right back."

He turned and walked towards home. The November wind was already a bit chilly, refreshing his face. He walked slowly, but each step was steady. He knew someone was waiting for him to come home.

六

In December, Lin Zhiyuan took Su Hang to participate in the provincial physics competition.

It wasn't his own request; the grade leader asked him to lead the team. Su Hang was one of the participants, and the other students were from other classes. Lin Zhiyuan was responsible for leading the team, arranging the itinerary, accommodation, meals, and handling emergencies.

The competition was in the provincial capital, a three-hour train ride away. Lin Zhiyuan, along with five students, carrying backpacks and luggage, boarded the train in a grand procession. Su Hang sat by the window, holding a physics book, flipping through it repeatedly, but Lin Zhiyuan noticed that he was only flipping to the same page and wasn't really reading anything.

"Su Hang, are you nervous?"

"A little."

"That's normal. You're here to compete, not to die. It's good if you do well, but it's okay if you don't; there will be other opportunities next year."

Su Hang nodded, closed the book, and looked out the window. The fields, villages, and hills outside the window flashed by frame by frame, like a slow-motion movie.

"Ms. Lin, have you participated in any competitions before?"

"I participated in an essay competition."

Did you win an award?

"No. They didn't even pass the preliminary rounds."

Su Hang turned to look at him, her eyes filled with surprise, curiosity, and a hint of disbelief.

"Aren't you a very good writer?"

"Being good at writing essays and winning competitions are two different things. Competitions have their own set of rules, and I'm not good at those rules."

Su Hang was silent for a moment, then said, "I'm not good at using tricks either."

"So what are you good at?"

"Do the problems."

"Then do practice problems. Just do your best in what you're good at, and that'll be fine."

The competition was held at a high school in the provincial capital. Lin Zhiyuan escorted the students into the examination hall and then sat on a stone bench by the playground to wait. The sun was shining brightly, and some people were running around the playground, chasing after something. He took out his phone and sent a text message to Su Wanqing: "The children have entered the examination hall."

Su Wanqing replied, "Are you nervous?"

"A little."

"You always have a little bit."

He smiled and put his phone in his pocket. He remembered when he took the college entrance exam, his mother had waited like this outside the exam hall. Back then, he didn't think much of it, but now that he was the one waiting outside the exam hall, he knew how agonizing that wait was. You can't do anything but wait. You can only trust them, trust their usual hard work, and trust that they can perform at the crucial moment.

The exam is over. Su Hang was the first to walk out, his expression calm, making it impossible to tell whether he did well or not.

"How is it?" Lin Zhiyuan asked.

"good."

"Is it possible to win an award?"

"have no idea."

Lin Zhiyuan didn't ask any more questions. He patted Su Hang on the shoulder: "Let's go eat."

Seven

At the end of December, the competition results were announced.

Su Hang won the first prize in the province.

When the news reached the school, the entire grade was in an uproar. A first-place provincial award—this was Yucai Middle School's best physics competition result in nearly five years. The principal praised Su Hang at the assembly, and also commended Lin Zhiyuan—"Teacher Lin's leadership has been excellent, bringing honor to the school."

Standing below the stage, listening to the principal's praise, Lin Zhiyuan's mind was filled with images of Su Hang reading alone under the shade of a tree. No one knew how much he had sacrificed during those silent days. People only saw his achievements, not his loneliness.

Su Hang came to find Lin Zhiyuan, holding an award certificate in his hand.

"Teacher Lin, this is for you."

"Why should I give it to you? This is yours."

"I want you to keep it safe. I wouldn't have come to the competition without you."

Lin Zhiyuan looked at him and shook his head: "Su Hang, you need to learn to protect your own honors. You will have more awards and certificates in the future. You can't give them all to me; you have to keep them for yourself."

Su Hang lowered his head, remained silent for a while, and then said, "Teacher Lin, I don't know how to get along with other people. But I feel very comfortable when I'm with you."

"That's good. Take this comfortable feeling and gradually extend it to your interactions with others. No rush, take your time."

Su Hang nodded and put the certificate into his bag. When he reached the door, he stopped and turned back.

Happy New Year, Teacher Lin.

Happy New Year. Suzhou and Hangzhou, may next year be even better.

Su Hang smiled. It was a very faint smile, but Lin Zhiyuan could tell that it was a genuine smile.

Eight

December 31st, the last day of 2006.

Lin Zhiyuan hosted a small New Year's Eve party at home. No outsiders were invited; it was just him, Su Wanqing, and Xiao Siqi. Su Wanqing cooked hot pot, with lamb rolls, tripe, duck blood, cabbage, and glass noodles filling the table. The pot was a yin-yang pot, half spicy broth and half clear broth.

"Happy New Year." Su Wanqing raised her glass. The glass contained juice; she was still breastfeeding and couldn't drink alcohol.

"Happy New Year." Lin Zhiyuan raised his glass and clinked it with hers.

Little Siqi lay in the cradle next to them, having woken up at some point. She opened her big eyes and looked at them, making babbling sounds.

"Happy New Year to Siqi too." Su Wanqing lowered her head and kissed her daughter on the cheek.

Looking at them, Lin Zhiyuan felt this was the happiest moment of his life. Not just one of the happiest, but the absolute happiest. He had a family, a lover, children, a job, and students. His life wasn't wealthy, but it was enough. His job wasn't easy, but he enjoyed it. His daughter couldn't call him "Dad" yet, but she would smile every time she saw him.

This is enough.

The sound of firecrackers outside the window began. At first, they were sporadic, then they grew more frequent and louder, until finally they became a deafening cacophony. 2007 had arrived.

Lin Zhiyuan, holding his daughter and arm in arm with his wife, stood by the window, watching the fireworks fill the sky. Red, green, yellow, and purple lights illuminated the night sky, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.

"Siqi, look, fireworks," he said.

Xiao Siqi was looking somewhere, her eyes darting around, her mouth opening and closing as if she were saying something. Lin Zhiyuan leaned closer and could only hear babbling sounds. But he figured it must be "Happy New Year."

definitely is.