Shuangling: Braving the Rapids

As the melody of "The Story of Spring" began, girls dressed in their finest attire filed onto the stage, their skirts billowing as they danced gracefully—what a wonderful opening dance!

"Dad, look!" Yue Chuan pursed his chapped lips, his eyes shining as he said, "This stage is much more impressive than the temple fair! The city is great, it has everything you could want!"

Qin Shuangling didn't rush to speak. He pulled out a white plastic woven bag from somewhere, inside which were a few flatbreads and a glass jar containing pickled vegetables.

"Your father's life is over. From now on, you'll have to make your own way. Once you get into university, find a job, and get a city residency permit, your mother and I will have made the most of your education."

After saying that, Qin Shuangling handed the rolled-up pickled vegetable pancake to his son. Usually, the two of them would argue after only three sentences, so it was rare to see them sitting down and chatting so calmly like this.

Men are usually quiet, but when they do speak, they always ramble on about these kinds of heavy topics, which Yue Chuan is tired of hearing. But this time, the boy didn't talk back. Instead, he stared at his father's deeply lined face and said solemnly, "Dad, don't worry, I will definitely study hard."

Qin Shuangling chewed on the hardened pancake and didn't say anything more. This man, who carried a heavy burden, rarely opened his heart to his son. Like fathers of that era, he loved deeply but was ashamed to express it. But the more he did this, the deeper the gap between father and son became. Over time, even sitting together to eat and chat felt awkward.

However, at this moment, the father and son sat side by side, munching on pancakes and enjoying the performance with great relish, a heartwarming scene.

After finishing their biscuits and drinking water, Qin Shuangling urged his son to pack his luggage. Just as the performance on stage reached its climax, Yue Chuan pleaded expectantly, "Dad, can we watch it all the way before we leave?"

"When you become the county magistrate, you can see whatever you want! Now, get out of here right now!"

Qin Shuangling glared, her face darkening again. Indeed, sarcastic mockery was one of Qin Shuangling's communication methods; in an instant, it could plunge the atmosphere into icy silence.

Yue Chuan was so choked that his eyes rolled back. What could he say? He could only pick up his luggage and follow behind his father.

The nearly 500-meter walk from the central square to Yanghe No.1 High School took the father and son more than half an hour. When they arrived at the north gate of the school and saw the long line of new students registering, they felt a chill run down their spines again.

Just as Yue Chuan was worrying, he suddenly heard someone call out from behind: "Second Uncle! Little Chuan!"

Turning his head, he saw Qin Shoufeng running towards him: "Finally, you guys are here! Come on, let's go to the dorm first, you're carrying so much stuff, it's quite heavy..."

Qin Shoufeng spent the entire summer vacation taking extra classes in the county town. As one of the first students to register at the school, he was already familiar with the whole process.

"Brother Shoufeng, have we already been assigned to different classes?" Yue Chuan didn't waste any time on pleasantries and went straight to the point.

"I'm in Class 2, you're in Class 1, what a coincidence! Our dorm rooms are even next to each other!"

Qin Shoufeng grinned, and Yue Chuan felt a warmth in his heart—they ate together for three years in junior high school, and he never expected to be companions in high school.

"That's great!" Yue Chuan muttered, then followed his cousin eagerly.

With his cousin's help, the complicated enrollment procedures were completed quickly. By the time Yue Chuan returned to the dormitory with his new books, his father had already made up his bed.

After settling everything in, the Qin father and son strolled around the school.

As expected of Yanghe County's "Little Tsinghua," Yanghe No. 1 High School boasts a full range of infrastructure, including bright and clean teaching buildings, a standard 400-meter synthetic track, and an open-plan library. However, these physical facilities are merely the surface. Yanghe No. 1 High School's true core competitiveness lies in its high-quality student body and highly qualified teaching staff—its college entrance examination pass rate speaks for itself; the sheer number of students it sends to prestigious universities each year is enough to leave surrounding schools far behind. With these achievements, it's no wonder the county government provides full support. Just last year, the school completed its expansion project, and now the total area of ​​its north and south campuses has reached an astonishing 150,000 square meters! Ample financial subsidies have given it the confidence to expand year after year, while its 60-year history has cultivated a profound cultural heritage.

The father and son carefully examined every plant and tree on campus. The 50-year-old ivy in the North Campus and the garden landscape of the new South Campus both captivated them.

At this moment, Qin Shuangling's gaze was fixed on the granite landscape stone at the school gate, on which were engraved eight elegant vermilion characters: "Strive for self-improvement and be virtuous and magnanimous."

The eight-character school motto seemed to possess some kind of magic, causing Qin Shuangling to stop and repeatedly recite it. The man was probably recalling his own schooling experience when he was young. It wasn't a big deal; like most people in that era, his family couldn't afford the tuition, so he had to drop out of school and go home. As an old farmer, he had no right to complain, but a knot remained in his heart.

Once a person has regrets, they will desperately try to make up for them. Look at Qin Shuangling, he places all his hopes for his son's success on him. Now that Yuechuan has been admitted to a key high school, he will only feel that his life is complete if he can get into a prestigious university in the future.

The man was dreaming about the future when Yue Chuan's cry of "Dad" pulled him back to reality.

Qin Shuangling paused for a moment, then waved his hand and said to his son, "You go back now, I'm leaving."

Seeing his father turn to leave, Yue Chuan quickly stepped forward. "Dad, shall I take you to the station?"

"What are you going to the station for?" Qin Shuangling patted the dust off his shoulders and said with a straight face, "I'm not going home. I have to go to the city gate to see your brother Cheng Dong later."

This father's words were really unpleasant to hear. He never smiled and spoke without any preamble, like a leader issuing orders. It was both stiff and boring, so it's no wonder that his son argued with him every day.

"Then... then I'll take you to the bus stop?" Yue Chuan jogged after his father.

"I already said I don't need it, why are you still coming closer?"

Qin Shuangling's voice suddenly rose, startling Yue Chuan into standing still. Then, realizing something was amiss, the man glanced at the landscape stone, then solemnly waved goodbye to his son.

The moment he turned around, Qin Shuangling felt like a spice jar had been overturned—a mixture of joy and guilt.

The man should feel guilty. His son not only got into the best school in the county, but he also earned his own tuition. And what did he, as the father, do? He didn't even buy him a towel or a washbasin. If word got out, he wouldn't know where he would put his face.

To be honest, Qin Shuangling really wanted to tell his son some more of the old saying "study hard and make something of yourself," but then he thought about it and felt that he was not qualified. His son was so promising, wouldn't it make him seem even more shameless to keep repeating those nonsense?

Qin Shuangling could only keep a straight face; he had to use this cold attitude to cover up his inner weakness. Yes, Qin Shuangling was just that kind of stubborn person.

After walking a long way, he looked back several times to make sure his son wasn't following. Suddenly, the man clenched his fist and pounded it twice on his chest, one punch for himself and one punch for his son...