Ye Yuncheng wanted to walk around the school at a leisurely pace. He moved very slowly, and the two of them kept pace with him — not because of his leg, but because every scene he encountered seemed to move him deeply.

For Ye Yuncheng, high school had been twenty years ago.

At the time, the secondary school in the countryside had only one teaching building. There were no computers, and not even a decent classroom to be had.

The back of the school bordered a cemetery, and to one side stood a mountain that had been half-demolished by blasting. Every day they would enter through the main gate, walk past the osmanthus tree planted in the middle, and into classrooms that let in drafts in all four seasons, where they laboured over lessons before a grey, weathered old blackboard.

The teacher spoke in heavily accented, approximate Mandarin, and always pronounced the word for “number” as if it rhymed with something else entirely.

In those days, for him, studying was simply a matter of suffering.

To bed at midnight, up before dawn. Frost in winter, scorching heat in summer.

The most youthful stretch of his life was wrapped in a hazy white mist that not even the most blazing sun of July and August could burn through.

He found it impossible to envision any future, and felt unable to sustain a life on his own — so he chose to give up on his education.

But even then, he knew: leaving school meant he would have even less of a future.

At that time, he could not imagine in what direction the future would unfold.

Nor could he have imagined that twenty years later, a school could look like this.

He was like someone who had never been to school at all — walking into one for the first time, confronting directly the changes this fast-evolving society had undergone during the years he had stood still.

How wonderful.

Ye Yuncheng thought to himself. The world has grown vast. Even poverty no longer means facing a barren sky. You only need to reach out your hand and someone will come to help. Education really can change a life now. Even if neither of us is around, she can live with her head held high and do anything she wishes.

He was glad Fang Zhuo had been born in this era.

Yan Lie walked a step ahead, pointing things out as he went. “That classroom covered in vines is the music room — they built it out of the way on purpose, but the equipment inside is quite well-stocked. Sometimes you can hear them playing piano or singing classical pieces from over there. The spot next to it used to be a dump, but it was later converted into an equipment room. Students can borrow balls from the storage as long as they have them in stock.”

Both Ye Yuncheng and Fang Zhuo wore the expression of people discovering a whole new world.

Yan Lie looked at Fang Zhuo in astonishment. That’s really too much, Zhuozhuo. That really is too much.

What is wrong with you?!

Fang Zhuo pretended not to see his expression.

Though she had been there for over a year, no one had ever systematically taken her on a tour. She had always moved between the same three points, and genuinely didn’t know much about the school.

The three of them completed half a circuit and arrived near the convenience shop.

By now the school had grown considerably more crowded. Students were bringing their parents around for a look, and several students on duty duty wore red armbands and were stationed at various paths to give directions.

As they passed through the entrance, they came face to face with Shen Musi and his parent.

Shen’s father was exactly the sort of middle-aged man Yan Lie had described — the kind who didn’t pay much attention to keeping in shape.

He had a warm and genial face that seemed to be smiling even in repose, and his general appearance was somewhat reminiscent of the well-known, cheerfully rotund Maitreya Buddha.

Shen Musi spotted his classmates from some distance away and raised his hand in greeting. “Lielie!”

The small group converged.

Shen Musi was not very good at concealing his reactions. When he got a clear look at Ye Yuncheng’s legs, a flash of surprise crossed his face — then he very deliberately looked away, shifting his gaze to Yan Lie’s face and staring at him.

Shen’s father, on the other hand, was entirely natural about it. He took Ye Yuncheng’s hand and greeted him warmly. “You must be Yan Lie’s parent? You’ve done a remarkable job! Raising such a well-mannered child!”

Fang Zhuo opened her mouth slightly.

So a top student gets to casually borrow someone else’s uncle, just like that?

Shen’s father looked over at her and added, “And this must be the new student? Such a pretty young lady. Musi has mentioned you — he said you’re especially independent, especially… A? Well — I have to say, you three do look a little alike. Are you relatives?”

Fang Zhuo nodded vigorously. “Yes.”

Shen’s father looked entirely vindicated. “I thought as much! But how come Musi never mentioned it — that Yan Lie has a classmate who’s a relative.”

Shen Musi tugged at his father’s sleeve. His father turned around. “What is it?”

Shen Musi frowned, looking pained. “That’s Fang Zhuo’s father. You’re embarrassing yourself, Dad.”

Shen’s father: “…”

Fang Zhuo also corrected him. “Actually, he’s my uncle.”

Shen Musi: “…”

Ye Yuncheng rested a hand lightly on Yan Lie’s shoulder and said with a smile, “They’re both good children. I’m attending the meeting for both of them today.”

Yan Lie said with satisfaction, “Well, what do you think? Being my guardian is quite a pleasure, isn’t it? People used to offer to pay for the privilege of enjoying this sort of all-round acclaim — but I turned them down, unfortunately.”

Shen Musi had grown accustomed to trading barbs with him, and out of reflex said, “I’d pay to be your dad too.”

The words had barely left his mouth before his own father delivered a firm smack to the back of his head.

“It’s alright, sir, it’s quite alright,” Yan Lie said obligingly. “The heads of third-year students are rather precious — actually, I’d suggest you go straight for a kick to his backside.”

Shen Musi gave a dismissive snort, deciding he was being utterly childish, and fixed him with a sidelong, narrowed-eyed glare.

But this expression — meant to be withering — was entirely off the mark. With his head tilted and his eyes unfocused, it had no edge to it at all and instead made him look slightly dopey.

Seeing that Yan Lie only laughed at it, Shen Musi grew indignant and called out, then shoved at him with his shoulder.

Yan Lie cheerfully caught him in a loose hold, then called out to Fang Zhuo, “Come on, Lielie-gege will buy everyone sweets.” And with that he dragged the two of them into the convenience shop.

“Those children really get along well,” Shen’s father said, watching them go. “Friendships from your school days are so rare. Once you enter society, it’s not so easy anymore.”

Ye Yuncheng smiled quietly.

His brows and eyes were very gentle, his expression even more so — tranquil, pale as the white smoke drifting over a distant mountain. Shen’s father, seeing that he had nothing to add, studied him for a moment and then smiled again. “My son’s name is Musi. When I gave him that name, I thought — what a wonderful name, poetic and meaningful, and it rolls off the tongue so well.”

“Ha, what a country bumpkin I was — I had no idea there was also a dessert called mousse! When would I have eaten something like that?” Shen’s father laughed openly. “But then I thought about it and decided ‘mousse cake’ isn’t so bad a sound either. Look at him — fair and soft, not too complicated, and in the way young people talk these days, rather sweet, wouldn’t you say?”

“The young man is very endearing,” Ye Yuncheng said warmly. “And the nickname suits him.” He added by way of explanation, “Fang Zhuo’s mother’s name is Yaoling. Yaoling was a name an old village teacher found by looking through a dictionary — it means the sun. When she had Fang Zhuo, she named her daughter after this. Zhuo means brilliant, bright — like something that lights up the sky.”

“The sun, lighting up the sky.” Shen’s father turned the image over in his mind. “Her mother must have loved her dearly.”

Ye Yuncheng said with great sincerity, “She did.”

The meaning of the sun is to illuminate the sky. Even when clouds hide it. Even when it sinks in the west.

Just as the two of them were talking, the three young people emerged from the convenience shop.

Shen Musi was holding a large lollipop and licking it with great contentment. Yan Lie and Fang Zhuo strolled out behind him, each with a thin stick candy between their lips.

Shen’s father said, “I’m planning to go take a look at his dormitory — who knows what state this rascal has let it get into. His mother gave me orders to go sort it out for him.”

Shen Musi protested, “It is not! The class president has a cleaning fixation — every week he makes us all wash our socks together and counts them.”

He looked genuinely aggrieved and couldn’t help lodging a complaint. “He’s impossible! Why can’t socks be worn two days in a row?!”

Shen’s father, as always, refused to take his side. “Sounds perfectly reasonable to me,” he said cheerfully. “I ought to buy your class president a sweet.”

Shen Musi, brightening, offered, “Our class president doesn’t eat sweets.”

Since Fang Zhuo was there, visiting the boys’ dormitory didn’t seem appropriate. It was nearly time anyway, so Ye Yuncheng went ahead to the classroom.

Students were crowded in from all sides.

The head teacher stood at the podium, copying files, and occasionally turned to offer a brief explanation to the parents below.

Ye Yuncheng walked in and sat down at Fang Zhuo’s desk. After a moment’s thought, he shifted his chair, positioning it between the two desks — so as to make it clear he was the guardian for both children.

His walking stick had to stay where he could reach it, or he didn’t feel at ease. So he leaned it against his leg at an angle — unobtrusive, and unlikely to trip anyone passing by.

The desk had already been cleared, nothing on it except a note the head teacher had written for the parents.

Ye Yuncheng took it out and studied those few lines many times over, as if conducting a careful examination.

Yan Lie’s grades were the best in the class; Fang Zhuo was the hardest working student in the class. The teacher had complete confidence in both of them.

In Fang Zhuo’s note, the teacher had tactfully offered one piece of advice: to push herself in this final stretch. Given how bright she was, there was still a great deal of room to grow.

This was Ye Yuncheng’s first time attending a parent-teacher meeting on someone’s behalf, and he took his role with great seriousness.

Wei Xi and a few others slipped over quietly and pulled Fang Zhuo to the back of the classroom, leaning close to whisper, “Who’s that handsome guy? Are you rooming with Yan Lie?”

Fang Zhuo was amused. “My actual uncle.”

“Your actual uncle is so good-looking!” Wei Xi asked. “Is your family looking to adopt?”

The dormitory head clapped a hand over her mouth.

Wei Xi laughed and pried her hand away.

The small group huddled together, murmuring.

“I didn’t even know you had an uncle,” Wei Xi said. “Are you two close? The one who came before was your dad, right? You look much more like your uncle.”

Fang Zhuo nodded, her attention still fixed on Ye Yuncheng, concerned he might feel uncomfortable sitting there alone.

Before long, a parent walked in and took the seat next to Fang Zhuo’s place.

He looked around, then dragged his chair over and struck up a conversation with Ye Yuncheng. “What should I call you? Are you Yan Lie’s guardian, or the guardian of his deskmate?”

“Both today,” said Ye Yuncheng, leaning slightly forward to talk. “The two children are close.”

“Ha, Yan Lie does have a lot of friends.” The parent asked, “What line of work are you in? You give off the air of a teacher.”

Ye Yuncheng paused briefly. “I don’t have work at the moment,” he said evenly.

The parent was immediately at a loss for words, and only at that moment noticed the black walking stick resting across his lap. He let out an awkward laugh and racked his brain for some other topic to turn to without finding one.

Fang Zhuo was about to go over, but Yan Lie caught her by the arm and pulled her back. He was leaning against the wall with one hand, playing a game on his phone without even glancing in her direction, and yet he had firmly taken hold of her wrist.

A little later, he finally finished the round, turned his head and gave Fang Zhuo a small smile, then let go of her wrist.

Meanwhile, Ye Yuncheng had continued. “I’ve been thinking of opening a breakfast stall in City A, but I’ve never been here before and don’t know the area.”

“Oh, well, I know City A inside and out — I’ve lived here for decades. I’ve lived in the east and the north of the city. Before the high-speed rail station was built in the east, I even had a shop over there. Where were you thinking of setting up?” The parent laughed. “I wouldn’t have pegged you for someone who wanted to go into business. You look like an academic to me.”

“I’ve read quite a few books at home over the years,” Ye Yuncheng said, “but none of them turned out to be very useful. I used to fill in for teachers at the school sometimes. The school has proper teachers now.”

The two of them fell into conversation about how the city had changed over the years and the shifts in the local market. A few minutes later, Shen’s father arrived and joined their small circle.

The head teacher looked up and swept her gaze around the room. “Students, please step outside for a moment. Wait out there for a bit — it’s too crowded in here. We’ll be quick, and I want to leave everyone time for lunch. School A’s canteen is quite well-known, so everyone is welcome to give it a try. After lunch, we’ll be gathering in the auditorium for the general meeting.”

Fang Zhuo’s steps faltered. Wei Xi gave her a push from behind.