"Hurry, hurry! It's the first day of class, we can't be late."
The morning sun filtered through the mist and spilled onto the streets as Chen Yang stepped into the main entrance of the Department of Politics and Law, Class 1.
The classrooms of the 1980s had a simple layout. The desks and benches were designed for two, and the podium featured nothing but a blackboard and a desk—there were no projectors to assist with teaching.
After scanning the room, Chen Yang saw that beautiful silhouette once again. She was seated by the window, where the sunlight painted a touch of gold onto the tips of her hair and cast a soft veil over the bridge of her nose.
Chen Yang!
His white moonlight from a past life—the woman who had reached into the deepest parts of his soul, and the first to suggest they break up and discard him.
Looking at that face, this time Chen Yang felt no beauty. Instead, he saw the hideous face of Liang Lu.
Every time he and Liang Lu argued, she would drag Chen Yang out to lash at him repeatedly, mocking their past romance.
Twenty years of daily denigration. Though Chen Yang argued back, he occasionally wondered: Did Chen Yang ever truly love him?
Chen Yang had no answer.
But after all these years, with Liang Lu constantly chanting in his ear like a mantra, forcing him to dissect that beautiful memory over and over, Chen Yang had reached a conclusion that left him profoundly dissatisfied.
It could be summarized simply: a fleeting attraction based on looks when they first met; self-delusion born from the first time a girl showed him care and he received his first pair of sneakers; and the discovery that Chen Yang’s family background far exceeded his expectations.
One golden label after another, layers of buffs stacked up, leaving him completely lost, struggling desperately, unwilling to let go.
Teacher Liang had once said, "The children of farmers are usually very stubborn once they choose a path, because you only have one chance. If you miss it, it’s gone."
"But Chen Yang is different. Her father, Chen Yanshi, is a Deputy Procurator-General, a bureau-level cadre. She has many choices, which is why she is so carefree."
"The 'love' you claim you would protect with your life is only because you were spineless and incapable, unable to find anyone better."
"Chen Yang dumped you because she had a good father and found someone better in Jingdu; she looked down on you."
"Don't always think that I was the one who ruined your love. What you two had wasn't love at all."
During that conversation, Director Qi had been completely broken by Teacher Liang. His remaining sanity kept him from striking a woman, but he had smashed every piece of furniture in the house.
Memories that should have blurred with the passage of time were instead corrected and restored by his "hyperthymesia," looping in his mind frame by frame.
The images were so clear he could see every micro-expression on Teacher Liang’s face.
The disdain, the gratification, and the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes were all clearly visible.
"You hateful old woman."
Chen Yang cursed inwardly, struggling to suppress the violence rising in his heart.
His fists were clenched, his teeth ground together, and he radiated a crushing, heavy aura. He silently walked to a seat in the back row by the window and sat down.
"Tch. Rude and arrogant. So what if he’s wearing new clothes? What a show-off," Chen Yang muttered, curling her lip.
"Senior... why are you here?"
A freshman who had just entered the classroom recognized her.
Chen Yang looked up and revealed a sweet smile. "My name is Chen Yang. I'm your classmate."
"Oh? No... I'm so sorry. I thought you were a sophomore or junior. After all, on the day of registration, you..."
"Oh, that? That was just me helping the teachers in the Student Union office."
"Joining the Student Union as soon as school starts? That's awesome!"
"It's not as impressive as you think. The Student Union is just an organization to serve the students. I joined to challenge myself."
Chen Yang was humble-bragging, though she was already overjoyed inside.
In truth, she had chosen to arrive at the classroom early and put on a solemn, unsmiling expression specifically to see the shock on the faces of the students who called her "senior" once they realized the truth.
See? While you bunch of underclassmen are still confused about college life, your senior is already in the Student Union arranging work for you.
We're all freshmen, but she was simply better than them. Tremble, foolish mortals.
Chen Yang had a vivid internal monologue. The only person who had given her the cold shoulder was Chen Yang. She glared fiercely at him, then whipped her head around so quickly that her high ponytail swung like a lash, moving with such force it left afterimages.
*I’ll whip you to death with my ponytail!*
Ten minutes before the start of class, students arrived one after another. They would see Chen Yang, look shocked, come over to chat, and look shocked all over again.
Before long, a crowd had gathered around her, and Chen Yang stood in the center, surrounded like the moon among stars.
She tirelessly explained her reasons for joining the Student Union. Behind her reserved smile, she was screaming with delight.
To put it in modern terms: she was the queen, confident and wild.
As for Chen Yang? He was just a toad that had hopped out of some corner, a clown seeking attention by trying to be unique. How childish... she had already cast him to the back of her mind.
"Join the Student Union as a freshman and become the monitor of Class 1, Department of Politics and Law; become a department head as a sophomore; become the Student Union President as a junior; and then hit the ground running when I start my career—this... this is the path of Chen Yang."
...
*Ring-a-ling.*
The bell rang, and the students returned to their seats.
Just then, a young Gao Yuliang walked into the classroom.
He wore a light-colored Zhongshan suit and gold-rimmed glasses, his hair meticulously combed.
Gao Yuliang walked to the podium, picked up a piece of chalk, and wrote "Gao Yuliang" on the blackboard. He turned and pushed his glasses up with his finger, a strong air of scholarship emanating from him.
"Students, my name is Gao Yuliang. I major in law and I am the head teacher for Class 1 of the Department of Politics and Law. I hope we all have a rewarding experience over the next four years."
Hearing Teacher Gao’s voice again, Chen Yang felt a lump in his throat.
Director Qi had once said that if he were to die one day, the only people who would truly grieve and cry for him were Gao Xiaoqin and Gao Yuliang.
In '69, he met his first mentor, and because of a single White Rabbit candy, he learned that knowledge could change destiny. If he wanted to be fed, he had to study hard.
In '84, he met Chen Yang. Driven by love, he had suppressed his inferiority complex and joined the Student Union.
Chen Yang had gained goals and love from these two people, but a true man had to have noble ideals.
And he had found those ideals in Gao Yuliang.
For seven years of university, Chen Yang had always viewed him as a lighthouse, an unreachable mountain, a saint not to be desecrated!
He knew everything about Gao Yuliang by heart; every article he wrote had been savored and treasured like a precious gem.
"Eating leftovers, wearing hand-me-downs—when outsiders only gave me endless cold stares, only Teacher Gao understood me. He knew my hardships and was willing to help me."
"Teacher Gao spent seven years teaching me, helping me grind away the inferiority and scheming etched into my bones. I could have walked forward one step at a time, living out the dignity of the law as your disciple."
Silent tears slid down his cheeks, and Chen Yang lowered his head.
"But in the end, I failed you. Teacher Gao, I'm sorry. Tongwei has disappointed you."