Chapter Thirty-Nine: Awakening the Youthful Self

"You fellow, you're truly quick to use people when needed and discard them when not! There will come a day when you'll be begging me!"

"Ah, ah, Old Nian, Old Nian, it's all my fault for speaking without thinking. You know how it is with science majors—sometimes our brains just run a bit too fast!"

"I'm getting a bit hungry. I'm heading home to eat!"

"Why go back? The cafeteria food has improved quite a bit lately. Come on, my treat!"

"That's more like it!"

Liu Laonian tagged along with Xu Wenhua for a free meal, letting go of the matter from earlier. If he were to truly hold a grudge against him, he would have been angered to death long ago.

Having worked together for quite some time, he understood Xu Wenhua's temperament and actually held a great deal of respect for his dedication to sponsoring students.

He knew about the student Yang Xingwu, especially after the incident last month when he fainted in class, which had terrified the entire faculty and student body.

Yang Xingwu had become famous throughout the school, even serving for a time as a model of diligence for the students, often cited by teachers to motivate their classes.

After hearing about Yang Xingwu's situation and inquiring with several of his teachers, Liu Laonian became increasingly aware of the student's remarkable qualities.

Xu Wenhua treated Liu Laonian to a meal, ordering a few good dishes, which finally dispelled the man's resentment.

...

After being shooed out of the classroom by his teacher, Yang Xingwu looked at Xu's departing back and couldn't help but feel a profound sense of admiration.

He felt an even greater respect for the teachers of this era!

Yang Xingwu tucked the money back into his pocket, stopped by the restroom, and returned to the classroom to continue his studies.

Evening self-study began after dinner, running from seven to ten, with fifty-minute sessions followed by ten-minute breaks.

In the classroom, two dim light bulbs cast a hazy glow that made people drowsy, yet many were busy writing furiously, grappling with various types of problems.

The only sounds in the spacious room were the rustling of pen tips against paper and the croaking of frogs outside the window.

Occasionally, there would be a "slap" sound. Yang Xingwu looked toward the noise and saw a classmate striking himself to ward off sleepiness.

Watching this scene, Yang Xingwu was deeply moved.

He gained a new perspective on effort; the sense of superiority he had harbored these past few days was shattered in an instant.

The silent night was perfect for reflection. Yang Xingwu picked up his textbook and began to read, then borrowed a classmate’s test papers to start taking notes.

He had missed a month of work, and there were many assignments he hadn't finished. He used the self-study time to review the problems and work through them again.

At ten o'clock, the bell rang precisely on time.

None of the students in the classroom stood up; they seemed oblivious to the chime.

It wasn't until a teacher came to usher them out that many finally returned to their dormitories.

Back in the dorm, Yang Xingwu reached out and clicked on the light.

He had been up since dawn to travel and hadn't napped at noon, so he was already exhausted.

Before going to sleep, he made sure to hang his mosquito net, as the summer insect bites were truly merciless.

After hanging the net and freshening up, Yang Xingwu lay down to rest. Just as he pulled the sheet up to cover his stomach, he noticed a stack of bills scattered underneath.

He quickly sat up and covered them to avoid raising his roommates' suspicions. He glanced sideways to check their reactions; seeing that no one was paying attention, he exhaled in relief. While his roommates were busy with their own tasks, he quickly gathered the money and counted it—there was about ten yuan.

Seeing this, he understood why his uncle had been so particular; he must have tucked the money in for him.

Yang Xingwu hid the money under his pillow and lay down on his side.

Before long, he was snoring.

His three roommates were caught off guard by Yang Xingwu falling asleep so early.

"Aiguo, why do you think Xingwu is asleep so early?"

"He must be exhausted! His home is so far away, and he walked to school since daybreak—he's definitely tired. Let's keep it down!"

"Right!"

The three whispered for a while and then returned to their books. When the dormitory power was cut, each of them took out a candle and lit it, continuing their studies by the faint, flickering light.

Only when the candles burned down to a certain mark did they blow them out and head to bed.

The next day, Yang Xingwu was shaken awake by his roommates; he had been so tired the night before that he had slept like the dead.

He was urged by them to get up early for morning self-study.

Hearing their voices, Yang Xingwu hurried out of bed and lifted the mosquito net.

Taking advantage of the time his roommates were washing up, he hid his money safely.

After freshening up, the four of them headed to the classroom together.

Summer days dawned earlier and earlier, and the students fighting for the college entrance exam rose even earlier.

When they arrived at the classroom, the sun had not yet risen.

Yang Xingwu pulled out his English book and began to recite vocabulary.

"Studying by the lamp at midnight, waking with the rooster at dawn; this is the time for a young man to apply himself."

Before Xu Wenhua even reached the classroom, he felt very satisfied hearing the rhythmic sound of students reciting.

The students' hard work brought great comfort to him as their homeroom teacher.

Upon entering, Xu Wenhua walked around the room twice, observing the students' state of mind, before grabbing a stool and taking a seat on the podium.

Morning self-study lasted until seven, with an hour break for breakfast afterward.

Once the session ended, Yang Xingwu joined his roommates for a meal.

There wasn't much to choose from for breakfast: only flatbread, steamed buns, eggs, and pickled vegetables.

He used his meal tickets to exchange for a few toasted flatbreads, then went back to the dorm to get an egg and some fermented soy beans his mother had prepared.

After breakfast, the students strolled around the playground to clear their heads before returning to the classroom.

The eight o'clock bell rang.

Xu Wenhua walked in with a stack of papers, distributed them, and began to explain the content.

Yang Xingwu listened attentively, and when he turned his head, he saw his classmates doing the same.

Their eyes filled with a thirst for knowledge and the desperate drive to change their fates through university entrance inspired him, leaving him both envious and deeply moved.

He recalled the students he had once taught; he used to stand on the podium shouting until his voice grew hoarse, while the students below looked on as if watching a clown perform.

He suddenly remembered a line:

"In his youth, he found a gun by the side of the road. While playing with it, a bullet fired. Fortunately, no one was around, and no one was hurt. Many years later, passing by the same spot, he heard a faint whistling sound behind him. He turned around, and the bullet he had fired in his youth struck him right between the eyebrows."

Thinking of this, Yang Xingwu was struck dumb. Wasn't he just like those people? It was only after becoming a teacher that he understood his own powerlessness when faced with his younger self.

No matter how hoarsely you scream, a young person always believes they are the protagonist of their own era.

In his own youth, he had been lucky enough to encounter good teachers.

The teacher would be on the podium, spraying saliva with passion, while he, sitting at his desk, had little interest.

Every time he looked back on the past, he wanted to go back and slap himself twice.

He had thought countless times that if he had just tried a little harder—just a tiny bit—things would at least be much better than they were now!

Watching the impassioned Mr. Xu on the podium, Yang Xingwu felt lucky that he was still in the prime of his youth.