After the exam, Xu Lan will stay in Chengdu for two more days, mainly to visit her former teachers and relatives in Chengdu. Cheng Ran's aunt's family is here. In fact, some of Cheng Ran's grandparents were not from Chengdu. Some were of northern descent, and some were of southern descent. In the red era of "aiding the construction of the Third Front", with the ambition of "devoting themselves to the most difficult and poorest places", groups of people came to the west and entered the Xichuan Basin. Some even went further and took root in cities like Shanhai.
In fact, the construction layout and style of many cities in the province are exactly the same, from the layout of streets, industries, commerce, and residential areas to the shape of some bridge guardrails. Almost every time you arrive in a new city, you will feel a sense of déjà vu. This is mostly because there were no private real estate developers or private construction units back then. The engineering corps construction companies responsible for urban construction all came from the same system, and most of the drawings and plans are similar.
Decades passed in a flash, and the families were scattered everywhere. In this era when there were no highways to build roads through mountains and bridges over rivers, no high-speed trains, and no developed modern airports, and the main means of transportation still relied on coal-fired trains and winding national highways between mountains, it was still considered a long distance away.
After going through all these connections, Liang Xingping, Xu Lan's high school teacher at Shanhai, who is now the president of Rongcheng Institute of Technology, received them at his home. When he heard that Cheng Ran had passed the transfer exam to No. 10 Middle School, he gave him a thumbs up and could not hide the appreciation and joy in his eyes.
Even though he is the dean of the Institute of Science and Technology, Chengdu Institute of Science and Technology can only be considered a second-tier university. Students from super high schools like Chengdu No. 10 Middle School are extremely popular with the Institute of Science and Technology. Even if the students are in the middle or lower levels of the No. 10 Middle School, as long as they have the reputation of the No. 10 Middle School, the college will not hesitate to give them various scholarships.
Liang Xingping looked at Cheng Ran with his eyes shining the whole time, and he told a lot of stories in his conversation. Cheng Ran knew that Xu Lan respected his former teacher very much. In fact, the friendship between teacher and student continued for a long time in later generations. Every time Liang Xingping returned to Shanhai, a large group of students would come to reunite with their teacher. The friendship of the past could be maintained for a lifetime.
This kind of pure teacher-student friendship that can stand the test of time has become increasingly rare in later generations.
Cheng Ran remembered that when Xu Lan encountered difficulties, she wrote a letter to ask for advice from the teacher, and Liang Xingping also wrote a thick stack of letters in reply. He advised on marriage, life, career, and the principles of dealing with people, which was generally the case with his former students.
At that time, Cheng Ran began to believe that some people would always be like lighthouses and become role models for many people.
At Liang Xingping's house, when talking about the recent situation, Xu Lan told me that Cheng Ran passed the junior high school entrance exam and entered No. 1 Middle School. Shanhai No. 1 Middle School is a famous provincial key school, and Liang Xingping also knew about it. When talking about this part, he was so excited that he slapped the table and was very excited about Cheng Ran. He didn't have the style of a dean at all. "In the past, your mother always couldn't raise her head when she mentioned your grades at the class reunion... I told your mother that most sons are late bloomers, and they have great potential and stamina when they mature. Don't think that I was very confident in the letter at that time. In fact, I was not sure in my heart... I thought, what if Cheng Ran really has no future in the future? What will happen... Your mother is most afraid that you will not be able to get into college, but you can't just give up studying if you fail to get in. Otherwise, I will use my connections to arrange a route for you to upgrade from a junior college to a bachelor's degree? That's what I thought and prepared at the time... Now it's good, my words have come true, and I don't have to think about it sometimes. I feel like I'm pretending to be worried."
"Rongcheng No. 10 High School is a great high school... What do you think? Can I get in? How confident are you?"
"I don't know, let's try."
“One can be humble, but not inferior... I am waiting for your good news!”
After the two of them had dinner at his home, Liang Xingping personally went out to see them off, saying that he was going to take a look around the department. He watched them until they left the house and got into the car.
Cheng Ran and Xu Lan got on the bus. Through the window, they saw Liang Xingping still on the platform. He was wearing trousers and a shirt of not very good quality. It seemed that this former high school teacher of Xu Lan, now the dean of the polytechnic college, always dressed like this. The skin underneath the outfit had only become thinner with the passage of time, but he was still vigorous.
Cheng Ran remembered the last time he saw him, it was in the hospital ten years later, after an esophageal cancer surgery. He still talked to Xu Lan about life and the past, and offered advice based on his own life experience. He seemed to be there, always protecting his students.
At that time, he was unable to eat, but he still maintained his spirit. His son could only put the food under the white rice and turn his back to his father, not daring to see him.
Later, Cheng Ran heard that he returned to Shanhai and then passed away. A beacon-like figure, he basically died of starvation in the pain of not being able to eat.
Most people do not fully understand the weight of the phrase "life is impermanent".
As a reincarnator, Cheng Ran must bear these responsibilities as he moves forward.
…
These days, he was still staying in the hotel that he had booked during the exam. After returning from his work, sometimes when it was still early, Cheng Ran would go out for a stroll to see the contrast between the city in front of him and the amazing changes in later generations.
He strolled along Wenmiao Street outside Chengdu No. 10 Middle School, which he had almost just passed by before. The air was filled with the scent of osmanthus flowers, and the plane trees seemed to be stained with light in the glow. He stood on the street, looking at the pedestrians and layout around him, comparing it with the changes in later generations.
Time and space seemed to change in his sight.
Cheng Ran stood under the paulownia tree, the setting sun casting a very long shadow on him.
…
After leaving the airport, Jiang Hongshao sat in the back seat of her Passat and drove towards the city via the airport expressway.
The driver was the secretary Sun Wei. Jiang Hongshao's mother had a meeting today, so she asked Sun Wei to pick her up.
On the way, Sun Wei asked about the health of Jiang Hongshao's grandfather and chatted with him casually. Just chatting with Jiang Hongshao, Sun Wei felt very comfortable. This daughter of Boss Li was the most polite and well-educated of all the children he had ever seen. No matter what you said, she could catch it, and sometimes some of her words even made him feel like his eyes were brightened.
Sometimes Sun Wei couldn't help but sigh that Jiang Hongshao was really very similar to her mother, both were extraordinary women.
As they talked, Jiang Hongshao looked out the window, as if she was worried. Sun Wei, who saw this from the rearview mirror, reduced the conversation at the right time. With his strong ability to read people's expressions, he kept the atmosphere in the car stable so as not to disturb her too much, nor make her feel awkward because of silence.
He didn't know why Jiang Hongshao was worried, although she didn't show it too much, but the way she looked out the window and sometimes looked at her reflection in the car window made the insightful Sun Wei notice something.
But of course he wouldn't ask any questions, nor would he take even a single step beyond that.
There are some things that he is not allowed to find out. At the same time, because of the people he serves, he needs to give his boss and his family corresponding privacy. No one wants you to know everything.
The car came down from the Third Ring Road and entered the city, but encountered a traffic jam during rush hour. Sun Wei turned around and said, "Can we go along the river from Shuyuan Street instead of the main road of the Zhongyan Line?"
"Okay, Uncle Sun, just follow my lead."
Jiang Hongshao smiled slightly, and Sun Wei's slightly annoyed mood caused by the traffic jam instantly disappeared.
The vehicle slowly drove to the next intersection. Sun Wei drove along the riverside road, passing through the lush trees on both sides. After walking for a while, Sun Wei said, "Rongcheng No. 10 Middle School is ahead."
Jiang Hongshao's "hmm" sound came from the back seat of the car.
Passing Wenmiao Street, there is a paulownia path ahead. Through the open window, you can smell the scent of summer grass and trees. Jiang Hongshao looked through the window at the school where she has been studying for a year. Although this school is enough to make anyone who hears its reputation stand in awe, the buildings are all magnificent. But for some reason, the old school in Shanhai City is more impressive in her mind.
There were small, plain-looking buildings, there was a cultural wall where she had spent a wonderful summer, and there was the special scent of kapok flowers that could not be smelled anywhere else.
The privacy windows filtered the sunlight outside into amber, with faint golden particles floating inside the car. Her face was reflected in the windows like an oil painting.
And after a moment, she suddenly spoke.
"parking!"
As far as Sun Wei could remember, he had never seen Jiang Hongshao's sudden and anxious side.
"Why, did you drop something?"
The car stopped by the roadside. Jiang Hongshao did not answer him. She pushed the door and got out of the car. She stood on the roadside outside Rongcheng No. 10 Middle School, staring at the figure in front of her.
Then she lowered her head and looked at her dusty outfit.
As Sun Wei stared in astonishment, he saw Jiang Hongshao, after a brief hesitation, walk up to the boy and pat him lightly on the shoulder.
Jiang Hongshao had prepared many questions in her mind, such as why are you here? Are you here to see me? Or are you really stupid? How could there be anyone here during the holidays? Or do you want to see where I walked by? Are you going to do something bad? Why are you sneaking around
Just when Jiang Hongshao glanced at Tassel seductively, the boy being photographed was startled and turned around.
It was a strange face. There was not a single familiar outline on it.
Jiang Hongshao's hand just froze in mid-air.
When the boy was still a little confused, Jiang Hongshao spoke first, "Classmate, there is a Sihai Yijia here, do you know how to get there?"
The boy nodded and gestured, and was about to volunteer to lead the way. However, the girl in front of him, whose appearance as she walked down the street was enough to make anyone want to take a few more glances at her, politely declined and said thank you, then turned around and walked back to the car parked on the side of the road.
The car started again, Jiang Hongshao withdrew her eyes from the street on the side and looked forward... There seemed to be a hint of disappointment.
So... it's not you.
It's a little late, sorry, don't stay up late, good night. Hug and wait for more~