It is December of 1997, and the year is drawing to a close. Young people's faces are always filled with joy, while older people's faces are more tinged with the frost and dust of time.
The most profound event of this year was the death of the great man and the return of Hong Kong and Macao. The great man who connected the past and the future and had a far-reaching influence did not live to see the return of Hong Kong.
Regret is such a thing that even a great man cannot avoid it.
People still live on this land. The blizzard of layoffs has arrived. The shadow of not seeing the future and the way forward has enveloped many people, but people still live in the dim light, as stubbornly as weeds. There is no world where commercial housing is rising everywhere. Most of the buildings are ordinary and old. No one is driven away. People are as light as ants on the land, but the network and life they maintain by walking in the streets and alleys are as heavy as Mount Tai.
A lot of stories happened during this year, those sad, happy, angry, sad and happy, all have been deposited in the bottom of my heart. Maybe they will be turned out many, many years later, and what can evoke memories may be a picture of laughter, a scene of love and separation with tears, or even a song that freezes time and space.
For the students of Shanhai Old Junior High School, the common memory of all of them this year is the unreasonable appearance of a student named Cheng Ran.
The Hale-Bopp Comet Cultural Wall he painted amazed time and space. He and Jiang Hongshao, one ranked first in the school and the other ranked first in the class. They were later described as two dark horses who pretended to be pigs and eat the tigers. They unreasonably pushed aside all the academic masters and Buddhas who usually dominated the school list to make way for them, and stood on the stage of people's memory.
The absence of Jiang Hongshao in No. 1 High School made the students in the first grade feel a little regretful, because after Cheng Ran later became the number one in the grade with his explosive fighting power, many students in the first grade would "carelessly" publicize, "What's the big deal... Jiang Hongshao, who was the number one in our grade and surpassed Cheng Ran, has now gone to Rongcheng No. 10 Middle School. It is said that Rongcheng No. 10 Middle School has a new enrollment poster, and she is the first person on the cover..." and so on, triggering many fascinated glances.
The legendary story continues. Although some things in this era make people despair, beautiful things are still budding.
After Cheng Ran joined the "57 Degrees" band, some people made a special trip to inquire about what was so special about the 57 Degrees band. Because of Cheng Ran's joining and Qin Xizhen's guidance, the band was still very eye-catching, and at least it was well-known throughout the school at one point.
But when the band was practicing, most of the people who came to inquire about it shook their heads and smiled bitterly. Most of those who could listen to the two songs were attracted by Qin Xizhen's appearance. Facts have proved that even though Qin Xizhen has strong professional ability, he is still not good at education...
So even with Cheng Ran and Qin Xizhen, this band still couldn't gather much popularity, and in the eyes of many people...
Cheng Ran, the top student in the grade, also seemed to have faded out of the spotlight...
New Year's Day is approaching, and students who are unwilling to fall behind are burying their heads in study to catch up with others in the final sprint. In the gap between preparations for the art festival, the momentum of chasing each other in study is also very strong.
In this situation, Cheng Ran came to the music classroom where Qin Xizhen asked him to go during the break between school and evening self-study.
When Cheng Ran entered the classroom, Lin Chu and other band members were already there. Someone passed by the door, saw them, shook his head and smiled and walked away. No one stopped to listen or watch, and the laughter of the conversation continued in the corridor.
Lin Chu and the others looked a little unhappy. When Cheng Ran came in, Lin Chu half-jokingly and apologetically said, "Teacher Qin hasn't come yet... I'm sorry to make you listen to the noise again..."
Cheng Ran smiled. For someone like him, it was just noise. For Qin Xizhen's professional ears, it was probably a huge torture. But she still had to endure this and guide these music beginners. In fact, it was not easy. At least Cheng Ran felt that if it were him, he would definitely not have this patience.
After a while, Qin Xizhen came in hurriedly, carrying two large bags in his hands, "Sorry, sorry, I'm late..." Qin Xizhen looked around, his eyes fixed on Cheng Ran for half a second, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and then he raised the plastic bag, "Everyone is here, you have been working hard recently... Let me treat you all to Taiwanese milk tea!"
“Taiwanese milk tea!?”
A group of band members immediately put down what they were doing. Zhang Qi, the girl who played the bass, had a reserved look in her eyes.
After swallowing his saliva, even Lin Chu, who was posing as a cool host, stood up silently from his half-sitting position on the table. This was the best tribute to the food.
This year, a milk tea shop has just opened in Shanhai City. A cup of milk tea costs about 10 yuan. For ordinary students, it is as much as the money for two meals. It is a rare commodity. It is as popular as Starbucks in a certain place in the future, or the arrival of a famous brand in a city.
Qin Xizhen picked up his pocket, stood next to the milk tea, and handed a cup of original flavor to Cheng Ran.
After the milk tea in their pockets was distributed, everyone looked at Qin Xizhen, "Teacher Qin, didn't you buy one for yourself?"
Qin Xizhen smiled and said, "I don't drink what kids like you drink..."
Everyone was still wondering, this milk tea is popular in the area, how can it be considered a drink for children? The people who often sit in the milk tea shop are college girls like you. There are not many ordinary high school students who have the financial strength to do this. What's more, you, Teacher Qin, are only a few years older than us, so why do you have to speak in such an old man's tone
"Oh, by the way..." Qin Xizhen took out another box of cakes from the paper bag at the back.
"It's Guanshengyuan's Tidamisu!... It's not cheap... Teacher Qin, you are so rich..." The drummer was drinking milk tea and reached out with one hand, but Qin Xizhen slapped him on the back of his hand.
"This isn't for you."
Everyone blinked.
Qin Xizhen placed the cake in front of Cheng Ran. "You asked for Friday, but I tore your pants. This is... a small compensation."
Everyone stared at Cheng Ran's "special treatment" and thought to themselves, Teacher Qin, you are still very clear about gratitude and grudges!
Cheng Ran stared at the milk tea and tida miso handed to him by Qin Xizhen. Was this considered an apology
So he smiled at Qin Xizhen and said, "Okay, I appreciate it."
So under the staring eyes of everyone biting their milk tea straws, Cheng Ran started to eat the cake. It tasted really good. Nowadays, old-fashioned cake shops like Shanhai still use sufficient ingredients, and it had a familiar taste.
Watching Cheng Ran eating with big mouthfuls, Qin Xizhen squinted his eyes and smiled, a strange feeling arose in his heart, why did he feel... quite satisfied
Cheng Ran was eating, he looked up at everyone, raised the spoon in his hand, and said, "How about... you guys have some?"
"No, no, Teacher Qin bought this especially for you, eat it, eat it until you die..."
The group swallowed their saliva and waved their hands to refuse modestly.
…
"Teacher Qin, we have been rehearsing all this time, and we have never really heard you sing a song. How about you sing a song for us so we can see the professional level of the music school?"
Lin Chu suddenly spoke.
Everyone immediately responded to the call and applauded. To be honest, Qin Xizhen had taught classes in this grade, taught music history, music theory, and even played the piano for everyone, and everyone was fascinated, but no one had ever heard her sing.
They are the ones who are closest to the water and get the moon first.
Amidst the applause, Qin Xizhen was slightly startled, but then she generously took a guitar and moved a chair to sit in front of them. She had black hair draped over her shoulders, with a braid tied behind her head. Her long neck and oval face made her look even more fresh and elegant. The white shirt could not hide her graceful curves. She held the guitar and smiled, "Then I'll sing a song for you."
As she spoke, she lowered her eyes and plucked the strings of the piano with her fingers. In the winter sunshine, the whole classroom fell silent, as if infected by the concentration and immersion she could achieve in an instant.
Her voice that captures the heart is like a magnet, singing with a softness and tenderness that makes people's hearts tremble: "I have a gorgeous appearance and brilliant lights. I am a carousel in this paradise, just to fulfill the dreams of children. Climb on my back and I will take you to fly..."
Everyone held their breath, Cheng Ran was stunned...
This woman
Very strong.
"I forgot the sadness of being able to run in place, and I also forgot that I was locked up forever. No matter how long I can stay with you, at least I can let you imagine flying with me..."
Fireflies were all around her, and chords were echoing in the air.
"The running horse makes you forget your pain, in this paradise of laughter. Look at their envious eyes, don't worry about me..."
Her hair was jet-black, her eyes radiated a bright light like obsidian, and her voice was like an invisible hand, gripping the listener's heart and rubbing it gently; if it was heavier, their breathing would quicken and pause, and if it was lighter, their soul would relax.
The corners of Cheng Ran's mouth felt sweet again, as if he tasted the taste of Tidamisu again.
“A merry-go-round… doesn’t have wings. But it can take you flying everywhere.
When the music stops you will leave... and so will I."
(First update, entering the winter of December with Cheng Ran’s story…)