Chapter 19: Is He a Teaching Assistant?

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The fourth-floor classroom of Classroom Building Two, beside the east gate of the Normal University, was unusually lively.

“Have you heard? Our Foreign Literature Appreciation class today is being taught by a young female professor. Apparently, she returned from East Germany on a government-sponsored scholarship. She’s only in her thirties, yet she’s already an associate professor!”

“Wow! She studied in East Germany? Which university did she attend?”

The second class that morning was a recently introduced course called Foreign Literature Appreciation.

Foreign literature had once been banned. Even speaking a few words of English could get someone branded a reactionary.

After the restoration of the college entrance examinations, young intellectuals eagerly absorbed every kind of spiritual nourishment. Works by many foreign literary masters were reprinted and once again entered the public eye.

War and Peace, Anna Karenina, How the Steel Was Tempered, The Metamorphosis, The Castle…

These books were immensely popular, influencing an entire generation of writers. Anna Karenina alone sold several hundred thousand copies.

Writers such as Yu Hua and Mo Yan were deeply influenced by the works of the literary master Franz Kafka.

During the break, the balcony was filled with lively conversation.

Some students had dragged out stools to bask in the sun. Others were discussing points and opinions from the previous lesson, debating the gains and losses of political movements, or reciting poetry.

Zhao Ruixue and her roommates leaned against the corridor railing, whispering among themselves.

“I’m not sure. I heard it might be Humboldt University of Berlin. And there’s more than one new teacher—there’s also a new teaching assistant.”

The bespectacled girl, Zhang Chun, bundled in a thick cotton coat, spoke with a pencil between her teeth.

“Xiaochun, how did you find that out?” Ji Qinglan asked curiously.

“I heard it from Mr. Qigong. A few classmates and I have been studying calligraphy under him.” Zhang Chun blinked.

“Oh, I see.”

Everyone nodded, but soon realized something was amiss.

“All right, Xiaochun! When did you start practicing calligraphy with Mr. Qigong, and why did you keep it from us? Take this!”

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!”

The girls burst into playful chaos.

Not far away, Song Jianchun, a fair-skinned young man about five feet seven inches tall and wearing a leather jacket, leaned against the doorframe. A smile touched his eyes as he watched Zhao Ruixue and the others fool around.

“Old Song! Old Song!”

Suddenly, a short, dark-skinned man came running up from downstairs. He was panting so hard he could barely catch his breath.

“Old Song, I’ve got fantastic news! The May Fourth Literary Society has posted an announcement. That love poem you submitted last week passed the review! They say it’ll be published in Twin-Masted Ship next week!”

The man’s voice was booming. After he delivered the news between gasps, the students on the balcony froze for a moment before erupting in cheers.

“Not bad! No wonder you’re the literary prodigy of our department!”

“Impressive! You’ll be getting quite a bit in royalties, won’t you? Old Song’s poems are always more than a dozen lines long.”

One student with an eye for money immediately began calculating. In those days, poetry royalties were generally figured at one yuan per line.

“It’s only a school publication. At most, it’ll be fifty cents a line.”

“That’s still pretty good!”

A crowd of boys and girls gathered around Song Jianchun, peppering him with questions about what his new poem was like.

Basking in their attention, Song Jianchun merely said that they would be able to read it next week. There was no need to rush.

Across the balcony, Zhao Ruixue and her roommates watched from a distance.

“Hey, Ruixue, did you hear that? Song Jianchun has finally published another poem. This time it’s even appearing in the school paper!”

“And it’s another love poem.”

“Do you think it might be written for Ruixue again?”

The girls began to speculate. In the end, gossip was always the most captivating subject.

“Stop making things up. Comrade Song Jianchun and I have nothing to do with each other.” Zhao Ruixue sounded somewhat helpless. Truthfully, she had no interest in thinking about such things.

Just returning home the previous week to see Cheng Kaiyan had already caused enough trouble.

More importantly, she had inexplicably angered him. What had happened that noon really had been her mother’s fault. Whatever the circumstances, one should never vent one’s anger on an innocent person.

Her mother had also said a great many disparaging things about Cheng Kaiyan. Zhao Ruixue had been too ashamed even to meet his eyes or Auntie Yuxiu’s, much less set foot in their home.

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Although Zhao Ruixue no longer liked Cheng Kaiyan as she once had, she did not want their relationship to deteriorate. After all, they had grown up together and had been childhood friends.

“After I finish this week’s competition… I must go back and give him a proper apology.”

Facing the sunlight, Zhao Ruixue closed her eyes. Her feelings had been terribly complicated lately.

“Hey! What are you thinking about?”

All at once, a pair of large hands landed on Zhao Ruixue’s slender shoulders. Her heart jolted, and she sucked in a sharp breath.

“Who is it? Kaiyan?”

Zhao Ruixue spun around. A young man with a faint smile stood before her, and astonishment filled her heart.

What was he doing here? Had he come to see her?

As if possessed, that answer rose in her mind.

With that thought, Zhao Ruixue asked, “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you.”

Ah!

He really had come to see her. Zhao Ruixue’s heart suddenly began to race.

“Oh, isn’t this our childhood-friend comrade? You’ve come to see Ruixue again?” Ji Qinglan asked with a teasing grin.

“Then we’ll leave you two alone. We certainly don’t want to be third wheels.”

With that, the three girls turned and went into the classroom, muttering among themselves.

“What exactly is the relationship between this childhood-friend comrade and Ruixue? He came all the way from Xiaowei Alley to the Normal University just to see her!”

“Who knows? Judging by Ruixue’s expression, they must be quite close. I’ve seen this name in Ruixue’s diary before.”

“But I think he’s very handsome. Still, in terms of talent, he can’t compare with Song Jianchun, can he? And he’s unemployed, just staying at home…”

“Perhaps this is love, then? Even though our childhood-friend comrade falls short of Song Jianchun in talent, ability, and education, love has the magic to break through everything. Ah! Love, the supreme love! When will my own love arrive?” Yang Mengshan chanted, swaying her head from side to side.

The girls gave a few light spits.

“Pooh! Shameless! How can you keep saying that word?”

…

“Ahem… Don’t listen to them talking nonsense.”

“They seem lively enough. That’s a good thing.”

Zhao Ruixue’s thoughts were in turmoil. Pretending to be calm, she smoothed the ink-black hair beside her ear and spoke in a voice scarcely louder than a mosquito’s.

“Um… do you perhaps li—”

“Ring-ring-ring!”

The class bell rang, disrupting her words.

“What did you say? Class is starting. Come on, get inside.”

Cheng Kaiyan glanced at her in confusion. When he saw her standing there in a daze, he gave her shoulder a gentle push.

“Oh…”

Zhao Ruixue felt as though her heart were about to leap from her chest. Her mind was a complete muddle, and she had not even heard what he said. She simply followed him into the classroom.

She did not notice that Cheng Kaiyan had entered with her, nor did she realize that anything was strange about it.

He spotted her roommates’ seats in the first two rows. Two places were still empty.

He walked straight over.

As the teaching assistant, Cheng Kaiyan naturally had to attend the class with Jiang Ting, take notes, and help with the workbooks, which he had not yet finished grading.

“Hmm? Who is that boy?”

“He’s so… so handsome.”

The sight of the two of them walking in one after the other quickly attracted the university students’ attention.

For one thing, Cheng Kaiyan was exceptionally good-looking. For another, Zhao Ruixue was one of the most prominent students on campus.

Song Jianchun reacted most strongly. At a glance, he noticed that a handsome young man had appeared in front of Zhao Ruixue.

When he saw the two of them sit together, his heart rose straight into his throat, and he became intensely wary.

“Which class is that boy from? How come I’ve never seen him before?” Song Jianchun asked, his expression darkening.

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“No idea. He’s several times more handsome than you, Old Song, but when it comes to talent, there are hardly any students in the whole school who can match you.” A prematurely world-weary-looking student named Liu Shu drawled, a hint of mockery in his eyes as he glanced at Song Jianchun.

Song Jianchun came from a respectable family, had good grades, and was talented.

But he was not particularly skilled at handling people or social situations. In the dormitory and the classroom, he was always somewhat self-centered.

In Liu Shu’s opinion, that fellow Song was bound to suffer for it sooner or later.

“Tap, tap, tap…”

With an imposing presence, a cool and aloof bearing, and an air that made her seem untouchable, Jiang Ting strode into the classroom in leather boots.

The boys and girls in the room stared at her in fascination.

“Good morning, everyone.”

“Good morning, Professor!”

The entire class rose to its feet, bowed, and then sat down amid a rustle of movement.

In those days, students’ respect for their teachers came from the heart.

“First, let me introduce myself. I am…”

Jiang Ting introduced herself, then noticed Cheng Kaiyan seated among several girls and could not help frowning.

After her introduction, the students had formed a basic impression of her.

“She’s so beautiful. No wonder Professor Jiang is a highly educated scholar who returned from studying abroad.”

“Just look at the way Professor Jiang dresses. Compared with her, we look like rustic country girls.” Ji Qinglan glanced mournfully at the red-and-green floral padded jacket she was wearing.

“Exactly. Her presence is incredible.”

…

While her roommates continued marveling, Zhao Ruixue suddenly realized what was happening. She hurriedly nudged Cheng Kaiyan and whispered, “Why did you come in here too?!”

“I thought I’d sit in for a while?”

At those words, Zhao Ruixue could not help rolling her eyes at him.

“Actually, I’m your new teaching assistant.”

Cheng Kaiyan took out a workbook and began flipping through it.

“You’re lying!”

Zhao Ruixue naturally refused to believe him.

At that moment, Jiang Ting noticed what was happening and her expression turned cold.

“You two! Class has started!”

The previously noisy classroom instantly fell silent.

Zhao Ruixue hurriedly stood and apologized.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Professor.”

“You! Come up here.”

Jiang Ting pointed expressionlessly at Cheng Kaiyan.

Below the platform, Song Jianchun could not help feeling gleeful. A new official always made a show of authority, and this fellow had walked straight into the line of fire.

“Professor… he isn’t…”

Zhao Ruixue’s expression changed, and she hurriedly tried to explain.

“Since Professor Jiang has called on me, I’ll take the opportunity to introduce myself to everyone. My name is Cheng Kaiyan. I’m the teaching assistant for this course. From now on, I’ll be responsible for offering everyone consultation, answering questions, and arranging assignments…”

Cheng Kaiyan rose and walked to the front of the room, introducing himself to the class.

Zhao Ruixue and her roommates were all stunned.

Wasn’t he merely her childhood friend with a high-school education?

How had he become a teaching assistant?