The theater stage was spacious and bright, with the audience seats filled to capacity. The host stood on stage, introducing with great emotion: “This year is 2006, marking the 100th anniversary of Provincial No. 1 Middle School! A century of history, a century of changes. Next, the students from Class 17, Year Two will present a large-scale drama ‘Transformation’!”
The stage lights gradually dimmed, and Jiang Yubai made his entrance with composure.
The high-definition lens of the camera focused on Jiang Yubai, displaying on screen just how exceptional his appearance was. The audience indeed fell silent, with the spotlight falling on Jiang Yubai’s head.
Jiang Yubai faced the audience, his demeanor completely natural.
Duan Qiyan was influenced by Jiang Yubai and immediately got into his role. He was both a teacher at a new-style school and a stubborn old scholar. He held a discipline ruler in his hand, which was the embodiment of his authority. He half-raised his head, looking down on Lin Zhixia with contempt, exuding an air of arrogance from his very core.
Lin Zhixia stood at the school gate carrying a bamboo basket. She talked at length, fighting for her opportunity. She wanted to receive modern education, to step through the school gates dignified and upright like a man.
She raised her voice, angry yet helpless, and even with tears in her eyes, her expression remained proud and composed. She pulled out a stack of rice paper from her bamboo basket—it was her own written work.
Jiang Yubai refused to read her work, while Duan Qiyan continued with his sarcastic remarks from the side. Lin Zhixia flung her arm, scattering the rice paper all over the ground, and proclaimed loudly: “One day, women will also be able to enter schools, women will also be able to serve as officials and take office!”
The theater used both floor microphones and hanging microphones, providing excellent sound amplification. Lin Zhixia’s cry reached the ears of the audience, and a group of students in the front rows spontaneously began to applaud.
Lin Zhixia’s performance was too vivid. She was the central character in the 1906 scene of “Transformation.”
When it came to 2006, the entire stage became Jiang Yubai’s domain. The audience’s gaze closely followed his figure as he explored the rise and fall of history from a hundred years ago.
He played the role of a middle school student, which came naturally to him. He engaged in heated debates with a group of classmates, and everyone suddenly realized—the significance of education lies in providing more opportunities, exploring broader horizons, and creating a more equal world.
During the curtain call, all the actors stood in a line and recited in unison the school motto: “Broad Learning, Careful Thinking, Self-Cultivation, and Bright Virtue.” Principal Shen, sitting in the audience, was the first to stand and applaud for them, instantly bringing the atmosphere in the theater to its peak.
The homeroom teacher of Class 17, Year Two, Teacher Zhang, stood in the aisle of the audience section, looking at his students with a face full of pride. His colleagues were all politely praising him, saying that his students possessed creative spirit and lofty ideals.
Normally, Teacher Zhang would have humbly responded, “Not at all, not at all.” But today, Teacher Zhang smiled as if basking in spring breeze: “The students in our Class 17 are quick-thinking and have strong practical abilities. They wrote this script themselves; I hardly supervised them at all.”
After saying this, Teacher Zhang stood tall, enjoying the envious gazes of his colleagues.
Class 18’s homeroom teacher, Teacher Wang, sat upright in his seat, not even casting a glance in Teacher Zhang’s direction.
However, Teacher Zhang knew that for the school anniversary, Teacher Wang had specially guided Class 18’s students to perform “The Green Katydid.”
“The Green Katydid” was a text from the Year One Chinese textbook. The author of this text was the French entomologist Fabre. Through “The Green Katydid,” Teacher Wang wanted to express a spirit of “caring for animals, caring for nature.” This idea was, of course, good and excellent.
However, this performance, when placed on stage, proved unsuitable.
The actors from Class 18 wore green katydid headdresses and repeatedly jumped back and forth under the bright lights, imitating a group of lively and cute katydids. The audience all burst into laughter, and no one paid attention to what the katydids were saying—in a sense, Class 18’s performance was also quite successful. They had achieved great heights in comedy.
After Class 18’s curtain call, the actors left the stage one after another. They removed their green katydid headdresses and happened to run into Class 17’s cast backstage.
Class 17’s production team huddled together like a small team, with Lin Zhixia standing in the center, exclaiming excitedly: “I’m so happy! Did you hear how loud the audience’s applause was? They all agreed with our viewpoint, and even Principal Shen liked our performance.”
Jin Baihui unexpectedly interjected: “Principal Shen is Shen Fuxuan’s mother. Shen Fuxuan is from your Class 17.”
Shen Fuxuan was called out by Jin Baihui. He frowned: “The principal is my mother. So what, did that bother you? Is my mother not allowed to applaud for our Class 17?”
Jin Baihui raised one hand, holding the green katydid headdress. Many of Class 18’s students stood behind her as she confronted Class 17: “I didn’t mean anything else. I just wanted to say that you didn’t perform that well.”
“This is hilarious,” Duan Qiyan pushed Shen Fuxuan aside and rushed to argue with Jin Baihui first, “If our Class 17 didn’t perform well, how much better was Class 18’s green katydids?”
After Duan Qiyan finished speaking, several students from Class 17 let out “pfft” laughs.
Duan Qiyan and Jin Baihui had long been enemies. Today was the centennial celebration, a day of great joy, yet Jin Baihui led her classmates to pick faults—how could Duan Qiyan possibly tolerate this? He directly mocked: “As for your class’s script, I could write over a hundred like it with my eyes closed. What are you so arrogant about, Jin Baihui?”
Duan Qiyan’s simple remarks deeply intensified the rift between the two classes.
The backstage of the theater was crowded and noisy. Backstage staff were still moving around nearby. Lin Zhixia scanned the surroundings, trying to smooth things over: “Jin Baihui, although your class’s script was relatively simple, your class’s main idea was very positive and uplifting, showcasing the youthful vitality of middle school students, and the audience was all laughing happily…”
After a pause, Lin Zhixia added: “I originally thought you wouldn’t participate in the school anniversary performance.”
“I heard you were going to perform, so I came.” Jin Baihui carried the katydid headdress and brushed past Lin Zhixia.
Lin Zhixia turned her head to gaze at Jin Baihui’s retreating figure.
Although Jin Baihui had joined Class 18’s performance team, she still seemed unable to integrate into the collective. Her classmates from Class 18 rarely spoke to her, and she always did things quietly by herself. She found her backpack, organized her materials, and also took out a book called “English Vocabulary Pocket Treasure.” She placed her backpack on her lap and sat on a pure wooden bench backstage. By the dim light, her lips moved up and down, silently practicing English vocabulary.
Jin Baihui’s tenacious spirit shocked Lin Zhixia.
Lin Zhixia stood rooted to the spot, and Jiang Yubai followed her line of sight, seeing the diligent Jin Baihui. The hustle and bustle of the centennial celebration had nothing to do with Jin Baihui. She was completely immersed in her lonely, isolated world.
“The path to the mountain of books is found through diligence; the boat across the sea of learning is made of hardship,” Jiang Yubai commented.
“Are you like this at home too?” Lin Zhixia looked at him curiously. “My brother is very hardworking at home. But brother also likes to play games; he especially likes to play basketball. He probably wouldn’t memorize vocabulary backstage at a theater.”
Jiang Yubai described: “At home, I…”
“Mm-hmm!” Lin Zhixia nodded continuously. She listened to him speak very seriously.
Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai stood in a corner with sparse lighting. Jiang Yubai’s expressions and movements were all hidden in the darkness. Lin Zhixia heard him laugh softly. She didn’t get to see the smile on his face clearly, and a slight regret rose in her heart. He continued: “At home, I often have tutoring sessions.”
Lin Zhixia clasped her hands together: “I admire you, and I also admire Jin Baihui.”
But Jiang Yubai said: “You don’t need to admire ordinary people like us.”
As soon as these words left his mouth, Jiang Yubai felt a slight surprise. He could actually admit calmly in front of Lin Zhixia that he was an ordinary person. Two years ago, when he had just turned nine, he dreamed of defeating Lin Zhixia, of letting Lin Zhixia know all his strengths.
Now, at just eleven years old, his perspective had already changed.
Lin Zhixia told him: “I admire all classmates who work hard toward their goals. Essentially, we are all the same.”
She extended a hand toward Jiang Yubai. As if possessed, Jiang Yubai also reached out, and Lin Zhixia immediately gave him a high-five. She was extremely happy, as if she had just drunk a bottle of strawberry yogurt.
For Lin Zhixia, the significance of the three characters “Jiang Yubai” even surpassed that of strawberries.
*
At the end of September, Provincial No. 1 Middle School’s anniversary activities concluded successfully. The organizing committees from each grade jointly reviewed the anniversary programs and selected the first, second, and third prize-winning classes from the middle school section.
Class 17, Year Two’s “Transformation” won first prize. The principal also solemnly praised the fighting spirit and values conveyed by “Transformation” over the school broadcast. During that period, the students of Class 17 walked with a swagger around campus.
The small red flag of honor for “First Prize in the Centennial Celebration Tribute” was also hung at the front of Class 17’s classroom. When Teacher Zhang came to teach mathematics, he couldn’t stop smiling. Admiring the red flag, he suddenly said: “Let me treat everyone to a meal.”
Teacher Zhang leaned against the lectern and said loudly: “For this program rehearsal, I didn’t put in much effort. Originally, I didn’t expect our class to win any prizes, but you all performed so well. Through this activity, I realized that our class students aren’t just bookworms—you love learning, have a sense of collective honor, and class cohesion. You are the best group of students I’ve ever taught.”
Teacher Zhang’s words touched some students in the class.
Jiang Yubai closed the book in his hand and also turned his gaze toward the homeroom teacher. At this moment, his deskmate Lin Zhixia had gone to the high school section for training, and the seat beside him was empty.
Initially, whenever Lin Zhixia left, Jiang Yubai would indeed feel disappointed. But he quickly adjusted his mindset. Because he knew she would definitely return. With an expectant heart, he welcomed her return, and her appearance became a pleasant surprise.