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

一

On the weekend, Lin Zhiyuan stood at the entrance of the county hospital, his palms sweaty.

He wore a newly bought light blue T-shirt, styled his hair with hairspray, and polished his leather shoes until they reflected his image. Wang Jianguo's wife, Zhang Lihua, had arranged to wait for him in the outpatient lobby to take him to see the girl.

"Zhiyuan, over here!" Zhang Lihua walked out of the hall. She was in her forties, with a round face and a loud voice. "Why are you here so early? Didn't we agree on ten o'clock? It's only nine forty now."

"I... am afraid of being late."

"You silly boy, a blind date isn't a meeting," Zhang Lihua said with a smile, pulling him inside. "Come on, she's on duty, she'll be off soon. Let me tell you, that girl is really great, a doctor in the internal medicine department of the county hospital, a graduate of a proper medical school, a year younger than you, and very pretty. Don't be nervous."

"I'm not nervous."

"If you weren't nervous, why are your palms so sweaty?"

Lin Zhiyuan put his hands back into his pockets.

Zhang Lihua led him up to the second floor and to the door of the internal medicine clinic. The door was open, and inside sat a young female doctor, examining an elderly woman. She was wearing a white coat, her hair tied in a low ponytail, and she was writing a medical record with her head down, so only her profile could be seen.

"Wanqing," Zhang Lihua knocked on the doorframe, "she's here."

The female doctor looked up and glanced at Lin Zhiyuan.

In that one glance, Lin Zhiyuan felt his heart skip a beat.

It wasn't because she was particularly beautiful—though she was indeed pretty, with fair skin, large eyes, and a shallow dimple when she smiled—but because of her gaze. It was a very quiet gaze, not scrutinizing or examining, simply looking at him as if to say, "Oh, you've come."

"Hello, Su Wanqing." She stood up and extended her hand.

"Lin Zhiyuan." He squeezed her hand; her fingers were slender and slightly cool.

"There are still a few patients, please wait for me." After she finished speaking, she sat down again and continued to see the old lady.

Zhang Lihua tactfully left, whispering to Lin Zhiyuan before she went, "Don't just stand there like an idiot, find somewhere to sit."

Lin Zhiyuan sat down on a chair in the corridor. Through the door of the consultation room, he could see Su Wanqing working. Her voice wasn't loud, but it was clear, and she was patient with every patient. An old lady had hearing problems, so she leaned closer to speak; a little girl was afraid of needles, so she coaxed her for a long time; a middle-aged man had a bad attitude, but she didn't get angry and just spoke as she always had.

He suddenly realized that this was somewhat similar to being a teacher.

two

Half an hour later, Su Wanqing got off work.

She changed her clothes; under her white lab coat was a floral dress, and her hair was down, draped over her shoulders. She looked completely different from when she wore the white lab coat, but her quiet gaze remained unchanged.

"Where to?" she asked.

"You decide."

"There's a noodle shop across from the hospital; the food's alright. Can I eat there?"

"able."

The noodle shop was small and crowded at lunchtime, so they found a corner to sit down. Su Wanqing ordered a bowl of beef noodles, and Lin Zhiyuan ordered the same thing.

"Sister Zhang said you're a teacher?" she asked first.

"Teaching Chinese at the county's No. 1 High School."

"My Chinese teacher." She nodded. "I was the worst at Chinese in high school."

"How bad is it?"

"I once got 15 points on a monthly exam essay."

What's the maximum score?

"40".

Lin Zhiyuan laughed: "Then you really are bad."

Su Wanqing smiled, her dimples reappearing: "That's why I've always had a phobia of my Chinese teacher. You're the first one who makes me feel less afraid."

Why?

"Because when other language arts teachers hear that I only got 15 points on my essay, they'll say, 'Then you need to read more and practice writing more.' But you don't."

"How do I know if you've read enough or practiced writing enough? Maybe you have, but you just can't write well."

Su Wanqing was taken aback for a moment, then laughed even harder: "You have a very interesting way of speaking."

The noodles were served. Su Wanqing ate very slowly, one noodle at a time, as if she were counting them. Lin Zhiyuan felt embarrassed to eat too fast, so he ate slowly with her.

"Are you a local?" she asked.

"Yes, in the county town."

"How come I've never seen you before?"

"I went to No. 1 High School, then went to university in the provincial capital, and just came back last year. What about you?"

"I'm a local too, but I started school in the city from junior high. Later, I went to Nanchang to study medical school, and I was assigned back last year." She paused. "I don't actually have many friends in this county."

"Me too."

The two looked at each other, then lowered their heads to eat their noodles.

After finishing her noodles, Su Wanqing said she had to go back because she had to work the afternoon shift. Lin Zhiyuan escorted her to the hospital entrance, and the two stood there for a while, unsure of what to say.

"Um," Lin Zhiyuan mustered his courage, "when are you going to take your next break?"

Next Wednesday.

"Then... shall I treat you to lunch next Wednesday?"

Su Wanqing thought for a moment: "Okay. But let's not go to the noodle shop."

"OK."

She turned and took two steps, then turned back: "Teacher Lin."

"Um?"

Why are you so nervous?

Lin Zhiyuan was stumped. He thought he had hidden his nervousness well.

"Do I look nervous?" he asked.

"No need to write it down." Su Wanqing laughed. "You were counting the noodles the whole time you were eating them."

After saying that, she left, the hem of her white coat fluttering in the wind.

Lin Zhiyuan stood at the hospital entrance, his face suddenly turning red.

three

On Wednesday noon, Lin Zhiyuan rode his bicycle with Su Wanqing to a small restaurant on the east side of the county town.

The restaurant was recommended by Wang Jianguo, who said, "It's a good place for a date; the ambiance is nice and the prices aren't expensive." It was indeed quite nice. It was tucked away in a small alley, looking unassuming from the outside, but the inside was spotless and had a small courtyard with a few bamboo trees.

Su Wanqing ordered a sauerkraut fish, a stir-fried vegetable dish, and a tomato and egg soup.

"You ordered so much, we can't finish it."

"Eat slowly." She poured him a cup of tea, looking at him. "Are you this nervous in class too?"

"I'm not nervous."

"Then why are you nervous now?"

Lin Zhiyuan took a deep breath and decided to tell the truth: "Because you are a doctor."

"What's wrong with the doctor?"

"I've been afraid of doctors since I was a child. I'm afraid of injections, afraid of taking medicine, and I get nervous whenever I see someone in a white coat."

Su Wanqing laughed: "Then why did you go on a blind date with me? Weren't you just asking for trouble?"

"Wang Jianguo forced me to do it."

"Oh, Zhang Jie's husband? The one who teaches math?"

"right."

"Is he a good math teacher?"

"He's alright. But he's good at playing cards."

They both laughed. After they finished laughing, the atmosphere relaxed considerably.

The pickled fish was served, steaming hot. Su Wanqing picked up a piece of fish, carefully removed the bones, put it in her mouth, and said with squinted eyes, "Delicious."

Watching her eat, Lin Zhiyuan suddenly felt that this girl was very genuine. She wasn't pretentious or aloof; she wouldn't pretend to eat very little just to be reserved on a first meeting. She was just an ordinary girl who, after work, would eat a bowl of pickled fish and say it was delicious if she thought it was good.

"Dr. Su, I have a question for you."

"Go ahead and ask."

Why did you come back?

Su Wanqing put down her chopsticks and looked at him: "What do you mean by 'why did you come back'?"

"You graduated from medical school, you have opportunities in the city or the provincial capital, right? Why do you want to go back to the county town?"

Su Wanqing was silent for a moment, then said, "My mother is in poor health, and my father can't take care of her by himself. I'm back so I can help."

Lin Zhiyuan nodded. He understood the reason.

"And you?" she countered. "You're from National Taiwan Normal University, why did you come back?"

"I'm in a similar situation to you. My parents both live in the county town, and my mother's health isn't good. And..." He thought for a moment, "I feel that the county town needs teachers more."

What do you think?

"I believe it."

Su Wanqing looked at him, her eyes filled with something indescribable. She didn't ask any more questions and lowered her head to continue eating her fish.

four

Over the next month, Lin Zhiyuan and Su Wanqing met five or six more times.

Sometimes it's lunchtime, sometimes it's an evening walk. The county town isn't that big, there aren't many places to go, but they always manage to chat for a long time.

Lin Zhiyuan discovered that Su Wanqing was a person who didn't talk much but was a very good listener. He talked about the students in the class, about Zhou Haitao's essays, about Liu Qiang almost dropping out of school, and about Chen Yutong wanting to talk about Sanmao. She listened attentively and occasionally asked a question or two.

She would also talk about hospital stories. She told the story of an old lady who was diagnosed with cancer, but none of her children were willing to come and sign the consent form; she told the story of a young man who was rushed to the hospital after drinking pesticide, and who cried like a child while having his stomach pumped; she told the story of working until 3 a.m., being so tired that she fell asleep on the table for a while, and when she woke up, she found someone had covered her with a white coat.

"Who built it?" Lin Zhiyuan asked.

"I don't know. It could be the head nurse, or it could be a patient." She shrugged. "These kinds of things happen a lot in hospitals. Everyone has their struggles, so let's help each other out if we can."

Lin Zhiyuan looked at her and felt that this girl possessed a very special kind of power. It wasn't the kind of power that was flamboyant or aggressive, but rather a quiet, reassuring power. Like the winter sun, not scorching, but warm.

One weekend in mid-May, the two strolled along the embankment by the river in the county town. A gentle evening breeze carried the scent of river water and fresh grass. In the distance, the lights on the bridge were reflected in the water, shimmering gently.

"Lin Zhiyuan," Su Wanqing suddenly called out his full name.

"Um?"

"What do you think we are...?"

Lin Zhiyuan's heart raced. He knew this question was important and he couldn't afford to answer it wrong.

"What do you think it is?" he countered.

"I'm asking you."

He stopped and looked into her eyes. In the moonlight, her eyes shone brightly, as if they held two stars.

"I'm pursuing you," he said. "Can't you tell?"

Su Wanqing paused for a moment, then smiled. This wasn't a faint smile, but a genuine smile that emanated from her heart, revealing deep dimples and curving eyes.

"You," she said, "you take even pursuing someone this seriously."

Teachers take everything seriously.

"Then keep being serious." She turned and walked forward, her steps much lighter than before.

Lin Zhiyuan followed, his heart still pounding, but he couldn't suppress the smile on his face.

五

In June, the school entered end-of-term mode.

While preparing for his exams, Lin Zhiyuan continued to meet with Su Wanqing. They never explicitly said they were "together," but everyone could see what was going on. Wang Jianguo laughed, "How was it? My wife's introduction was pretty good, wasn't it?" Zhang Lihua was even more direct: "When are you two getting married?"

Lin Zhiyuan always glossed over the details, not because he didn't want to, but because he didn't dare to rush things. He felt that Su Wanqing was the kind of person who needed to be taken slowly; rushing things would scare her away.

In mid-June, the literary society held its last activity of the semester.

Chen Yutong finally talked about Sanmao.

She had prepared very carefully, writing several pages of densely packed script, but she still got nervous when she went on stage. Her voice trembled, her hands shook, and she couldn't continue reading halfway through. She stood there, her face flushed red.

"Don't rush," Lin Zhiyuan said. "Take your time."

Chen Yutong took a deep breath and started again.

She talked about Sanmao's wanderings, her loneliness, her love, and her final choice. She said, "Sanmao taught me that people don't have to live such an abnormal life. You can wander, you can go to the desert, you can love someone you want to love. You don't have to follow the path that others have laid out for you."

After she finished speaking, the classroom remained quiet for a long time.

Then Li Siyuan raised his hand: "I think Sanmao was too extreme. She committed suicide in the end. What kind of role model is that?"

"She didn't say she wanted to be a role model," Chen Yutong said. "She's just living her own life."

"But her life led to her death."

"So what?" Chen Yutong's voice rose a little. "At least she lived. She truly lived. Unlike some people, whose lives are as good as theirs."

The air was a little tense. Lin Zhiyuan interjected at the opportune moment: "Our discussion of Sanmao today isn't about judging whether her choices were right or wrong. Rather, it's about using her story to reflect on a question—how do we want to live?"

No one answered.

Lin Zhiyuan glanced at the students present—fifteen people, fifteen young faces. They sat in this dilapidated classroom, listening to a peer talk about a writer from afar. Outside the window, the cicadas chirped in June, one after another, as if urging something on.

"This question doesn't need an answer right now," Lin Zhiyuan said. "It may take you ten or twenty years to answer it. But it's better to start thinking about it than not to think about it at all."

After the meeting, Chen Yutong came to find Lin Zhiyuan.

"Teacher Lin, I didn't speak well today."

"That's good. You've said everything you wanted to say."

"But I almost cried."

"That's fine too," Lin Zhiyuan said. "There's no shame in crying in class."

Chen Yutong lowered her head, remained silent for a while, and said, "Teacher Lin, I want to write something next semester. Something a bit longer."

"Write what?"

"I haven't decided yet. But I want to give it a try."

"Okay. Show it to me when you're done."

Chen Yutong nodded, picked up her schoolbag, and left.

Standing in the empty classroom, looking at the two characters "Sanmao" written by Chen Yutong on the blackboard, Lin Zhiyuan suddenly realized that the greatest joy of being a teacher is not how many points students get on their tests, but that they start to think about things. They think about who they are, where they want to go, and what kind of life they want to live.

These things aren't tested in exams, but life will.

六

At the end of June, Lin Zhiyuan and Su Wanqing were taking a walk along the river when it started to rain.

The rain came down suddenly, pouring down in torrents. The two ran to take shelter under the bridge arch. The arch wasn't big, and they huddled together, shoulder to shoulder. Su Wanqing's clothes were half-soaked, and her hair was covered in water droplets.

"Do you think," Su Wanqing said, gazing at the rain outside, "we'll remember this day in the future?"

"Yes," Lin Zhiyuan said.

Why?

"Because it was the first time we got caught in the rain together."

Su Wanqing turned to look at him, rain streaming down her face. She suddenly reached out and wiped his face: "There's a mosquito on your face."

"mosquito?"

"It's already been washed away by the rain."

Lin Zhiyuan looked at her and suddenly felt that if he didn't say something soon, it would be too late. He took a deep breath and said, "Su Wanqing, be my girlfriend."

Su Wanqing looked at him, raindrops hitting the ground outside the bridge arch, splashing up water droplets.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Sure."

"Isn't it because of the rain and the good atmosphere?"

"It's not because of the rain."

"Why is that?"

Lin Zhiyuan thought for a moment and said, "Because you count the noodles one by one when you eat them, because you cover patients with your white coat, because your eyes light up when you listen to me talk about my students, because you make me feel... that this county town isn't so small."

Su Wanqing was silent for a few seconds, then smiled.

"Okay," she said.

"What should I do?"

"Okay, I'll be your girlfriend."

The rain stopped sometime ago. Sunlight peeked through the clouds, shining on the wet ground and reflecting a golden light. In the distance, a rainbow appeared on the river.

Lin Zhiyuan and Su Wanqing walked out of the bridge arch. Their shadows were stretched long by the setting sun, looking like two trees standing side by side on the wet ground.