Chapter 41

On a humid morning, all things began to awaken, and the sounds of lively reading echoed in the county elementary school.

After the morning reading session, Teacher Tian, dressed in a blue smock and with her hair tied in a ponytail, entered the classroom with her teaching materials and began the day’s first lesson.

“Students, turn to page 56 in your textbooks. Today, we will study a passage titled ‘Magnificent Youth.'”

Teacher Tian turned around and wrote the five characters for “Magnificent Youth” on the blackboard with chalk.

As soon as she finished speaking, a student asked from the front, “Teacher, what is youth?”

Teacher Tian pondered the question seriously. “Youth is a beautiful and unforgettable time in life. During this period, we are filled with passion, tirelessly striving for our ideals day and night without ever giving up. Each of us will experience youth; it is the most precious time of our lives.”

“Teacher, are we in our youth now?” another student inquired.

Teacher Tian shook her head and smiled. “Your youth has not yet begun. You are still in the ‘early’ stage.”

“What about the teacher?” someone else asked.

Teacher Tian looked down at her students and smiled helplessly. “The teacher’s youth has long passed.”

After finishing her duty, Jiang Jiang left the school. Only a few students remained at the school gate. Xie Jinyan had things to do today and wouldn’t be going home with her. Adjusting the strap of her backpack, Jiang Jiang looked up and spotted Sun Zhaodi.

It seemed like she was waiting for her. Jiang Jiang cast a puzzled glance at her. Just as she contemplated whether to strike up a conversation, she saw Sun Zhaodi walking toward her.

Before Jiang Jiang could react, Sun Zhaodi thrust a bottle of soda into her hand and quickly said, “I’m sorry,” before running off.

As Sun Zhaodi’s figure disappeared around the corner, Jiang Jiang held the bottle of soda in her hand. She had intended to let the matter pass; she usually treated Sun Zhaodi like any other classmate at school. She hadn’t expected that Sun Zhaodi would take the initiative to apologize.

It was better to interact as normal classmates. Going forward, Jiang sighed and twisted the cap off the soda, taking a sip.

“Jiang Jiang.”

Following the voice, Jiang Jiang turned to see Zhong Xing, Yu Hangyuan, and another boy she didn’t recognize. Zhong Xing was carrying a net bag with a basketball in it, and the three of them looked like they had just come from the court, still sweating.

“Brother Zhong Xing, Brother Hangyuan.”

“This is Chen Shi. He was sent to another commune for work. Recently, he was recruited and will be leaving soon. He’s one of our buddies. Shitou, this is the Jiang Jiang I mentioned to you,” Zhong Xing introduced them.

“Hello, Brother Chen Shi.”

Chen Shi nodded. “Hello, Jiang Jiang.”

“Do you have any other plans? Want to go grab a bite?”

“Sure, but I need to go home first to let my mom know.”

“I saw Aunt He on duty at the county hospital just now, and I mentioned it to her,” Zhong Xing said.

Zhong Xing’s gaze fell on her backpack. “Let me carry your bag for you.”

“It’s not heavy; I don’t have many books,” she replied.

“Well, okay then.”

Jiang Jiang and Zhong Xing, along with the others, made their way to the state-run canteen on the street.

It was not yet peak meal time, so although there were diners in the canteen, it was not crowded. A few young people asked Jiang Jiang to take a seat while they queued up to buy food. Before long, the table was filled with a variety of dishes.

The state-run canteen served alcohol, but none of them were interested, so they only ordered the free tea.

“Time flies; it’s hard to believe we haven’t seen each other in half a year,” Chen Shi remarked as he looked at them, suggesting, “Let’s make a toast.”

Everyone stood up, raised their cups, clinked them together, and downed the tea in one gulp.

“I can’t help but feel a little reluctant to leave my hometown for an unfamiliar place thousands of miles away. I don’t know when we’ll see each other again,” he added.

“Don’t say that; we will meet again someday. Just remember, no matter where we are, we must shine and contribute to the development of our country,” Zhong Xing replied.

“Absolutely.” They exchanged fist bumps, encouraging each other, “Let’s give our all in tomorrow’s basketball game.”

As Jiang Jiang ate her meal, she listened to their conversation and could feel a mix of joy and sadness among them.

The joy was likely because Chen Shi had been selected to serve in the military, which was considered a good opportunity compared to others, and both Zhong Xing and Yu Hangyuan were happy for him.

The sadness was probably due to Chen Shi’s impending departure.

After finishing their meal, they parted ways at the entrance of the canteen, with Zhong Xing taking responsibility for walking Jiang Jiang home.

The moon had just begun to peek out, and Jiang Jiang’s backpack had ended up in Zhong Xing’s hands. In the distance, the sounds of cicadas filled the air, mingling with the fragrance of jujubes.

Jiang Jiang noticed that the sole of her shoe was starting to come apart. She glanced down and shifted her weight to the other foot to minimize wear on the damaged shoe.