Chapter 10: Never Give Up Easily

Otherwise, I might as well go back to the classroom; at least I could rest for a while. After some thought, I decided to return to the classroom.

There were only a few students inside. Some were reading, others were resting their heads on their desks. The room was quiet, no one speaking.

I walked softly to my seat, picked up a book, placed it under my arms on the desk, and lay down to rest for a moment.

As it neared one o’clock, classmates began to trickle in. Cui Ling entered too, laughing and chatting with a few other girls.

Immediately, the atmosphere in the classroom brightened. It seemed that after lunch, everyone was refreshed and full of energy.

The first class in the afternoon was physics. I gathered my books and headed to Class B’s classroom.

I had been transferred to the B level after the monthly exam two months ago, having struggled for a long time on the edge of Class A.

My physics grades were neither particularly bad nor good, but I did find it difficult to grasp certain concepts.

The physics teacher in Class A, Mr. Zhang, was an experienced teacher in his fifties, of medium build, generally a bit unkempt. He smiled often in class, but could be quite intimidating when angry.

I always wondered if teachers’ eyes were specially trained; when a teacher fixes you with a stare, it’s truly frightening.

Mr. Zhang worked in the same physics group as Yin Yu’s father, and he often mentioned Yin Yu’s brother during class.

He taught physics very well. Even though I sometimes couldn’t keep up, I could tell he was always earnest and dedicated in his teaching.

Back when I sat next to Yin Yu in physics class, she could understand almost everything. Even if something eluded her at first, a single explanation from the teacher was enough.

As for me, I could grasp only about half.

Mr. Zhang would often sweep the room with his small but lively eyes, and then say with a half-smile, “I suppose some of you are already lost. If you really can’t keep up, you should take the initiative and ask to be transferred to the B level.”

I always felt he was speaking directly to me.

I asked Yin Yu, “I always feel like Mr. Zhang is talking about me. Should I ask to be moved to the B level?”

She would always reply, “No, don’t overthink it. Stay in Class A. Let’s attend class together.”

Ah, my old seatmate. How I wished to continue attending class with you.

But the teacher’s words always made me restless, as though a sword hung perpetually over my head.

After the last monthly exam, my physics results were truly poor, and I was finally moved to the B level. Oddly, I felt much more at ease.

The physics teacher for Class B was Ms. Liu, the homeroom teacher of Grade Three, Class Three. She was a woman in her thirties, slightly plump, with a round face, fair skin, and large, bright eyes. Her personality was cheerful and open.

She had taught us physics in our first year, so she was quite familiar to us.

I remember once at a celebration, our English teacher, Mr. Yin, came by each class to offer New Year’s greetings. When he reached our class, he sang the English song “Edelweiss.” Without a microphone, he simply rolled up a book to use as one.

His rich baritone, exaggerated movements, and humorous expressions amazed us and made us all laugh.

Just then, Ms. Liu arrived. Mr. Yin invited her to dance. We were treated to quite a spectacle. Even if their dancing wasn’t particularly graceful, it felt warm and intimate. Perhaps it was because we glimpsed another side of our teachers.

It turned out Ms. Liu was there to ask Mr. Yin to join a Party branch activity. After their dance, both teachers left, leaving us still eager for more.

Ever since, I’ve felt much closer to Ms. Liu whenever I see her.

As for Mr. Yin, well, his presence was so commanding that, for us, he remained a lofty figure we could only look up to.

As I was thinking this, Ms. Liu entered the classroom, holding a stack of test papers.

This physics class was to go over the last mock exam. I hadn’t done well, and I suspected the college entrance exam would be much the same.

Still, I listened carefully as the teacher reviewed the test, correcting my mistakes.

No matter what, we mustn’t give up easily, right?