Chapter 636: The Shadow of a Man’s Name and Tree

The township middle school, as the highest institution of learning in Liguotun Commune, is located on the west side of the commune. It covers a large area and its walls, made of adobe, are not too high.

There were several rows of classrooms, with a somewhat dilapidated feel in the wind.

However, the sounds of students reading and playing make this place full of vitality.

“Li Junkai, Wang Donglai, the four of you come out with me.” Just when the eighth grade students were having self-study class, the head teacher suddenly came over and said.

Li Junkai and his friends are the tallest boys in the class.

As a student, you have no choice but to obey the teacher’s arrangements.

What’s more, Li Junkai and the other four were not focused on studying at all.

Especially for Li Junkai, his family had already agreed with him that he would drop out of school and help with housework during the autumn harvest.

He is just idling away his time now and trying to get through this semester.

The four of them played around and came to the playground. Seeing students from other classes moving desks, Li Junkai said to the head teacher, “Teacher Shen, what are we doing?”

Teacher Shen glanced at Li Junkai and shook his head in his heart.

This student has a good brain, but he doesn’t use it in his studies, which is a pity.

“Today the principal has invited someone to give everyone a report.” Teacher Shen said solemnly.

After hearing about the report, Li Junkai and others lost interest.

Wang Donglai even said: “What kind of report is this? It’s better to take a physical education class.”

“I still want to play basketball.”

Although there was no basketball hoop in the school, there were only two or three basketballs whose surfaces had been worn out and their original colors could not be seen.

But basketball is the favorite of boys.

Teacher Shen shook her head helplessly. Just when she wanted to say something, Li Junkai asked, “Teacher, who is the principal looking for?”

“It’s Cheng Xuyuan.” Teacher Shen said very solemnly.

“Who is Cheng Xuyuan?” asked a boy with a dull face.

His words immediately prompted Wang Donglai, who was standing next to him, to speak up: “You don’t even know Cheng Xuyuan, and you still say you like watching Soldiers Assault?”

“That’s Cheng Xuyuan’s work.”

“His pen name is Xu Lingyun.”

Hearing the three words “Xu Lingyun”, the originally dull boy couldn’t help but say, “What? The principal invited him over.”

“how is this possible?”

“How did the principal invite someone as famous as Xu Lingyun?”

Hearing this, Teacher Shen felt like rolling his eyes.

What kind of student is this? He is actually questioning the principal here.

“It’s hard for the principal to invite ordinary people, but Xu Lingyun is from Chengjiazhuang in our commune. If he comes back, it shouldn’t be difficult for the principal to invite him.”

Li Junkai said: “I said I would go to Chengjiazhuang a few days ago to see if Cheng Xuyuan had returned, but I didn’t expect that he would come to our school.”

Wang Donglai and others also seemed a little excited at this time.

Obviously, as Cheng Xuyuan produces more and more works, more and more people like him.

Teacher Shen looked at several students who were talking endlessly about Cheng Xuyuan’s situation, and felt a wave of emotion in his heart. The principal asked Cheng Xuyuan to come over and talk about this move, which was the right one.

I just don’t know what Cheng Xuyuan said?
After moving two tables and wiping some debris, Li Junkai and others returned to the classroom.

However, after they returned, the news that the principal had asked Cheng Xuyuan to give a report spread throughout the class.

Not only those students who didn’t study much, but even the good students who studied hard put down their pens and started talking about this matter.

For most students, Cheng Xuyuan is someone they look up to, but now, such a person is coming to their school. Many of them have heard of Cheng Xuyuan.

Even the elderly in the family took Cheng Xuyuan as an example and encouraged them to study hard.

“Does it really seem like Cheng Xuyuan is coming?”

“I heard that he is studying at Yenching University?”

“I heard that he might win the Mao Dun Literature Prize this time?”

……

All kinds of discussions made the classroom noisy for a while.

If it were normal times, if the teacher encountered such a chaotic situation, he would definitely come out to stop it.

But now, the teacher faced with this situation did not come forward, but let the students talk about it, so that they could know through communication that Cheng Xuyuan coming to give a report was a great thing.

In fact, not only their class, but other classes were also talking about the news that Cheng Xuyuan was coming.

Who is Cheng Xuyuan?
What achievements has Cheng Xuyuan made?
How many awards has Cheng Xuyuan won?

These pieces of news were mentioned again and again in people’s discussions, causing many exclamations.

It was because of this anticipation that the school playground was already filled with students ten minutes before Cheng Xuyuan came to give a speech.

Some people even stood on the bench for fear of not being able to see.

When Cheng Xuyuan and Principal Wang came over, almost all eyes fell on Cheng Xuyuan.

Although many middle school students were rather reserved, some of them started talking about it.

“Cheng Xuyuan is quite young!”

“Did he really win the grand prize in the United States?”

“It would be great if I could get into Yenching University.”

……

Principal Wang was extremely happy about this scene, because the more everyone valued Cheng Xuyuan, the easier it would be for him to achieve his goal this time.

“Everyone, let us give a warm round of applause to welcome the pride of our commune, a student of Yenching University, a famous writer, and a famous screenwriter… Mr. Cheng Xuyuan, to give us a report.”

In one breath, Principal Wang listed all of Cheng Xuyuan’s titles.

As he spoke, applause broke out quickly and enthusiastically.

Facing the applause, Cheng Xuyuan was not afraid. He smiled and said, “Everyone, I am unworthy of what Principal Wang said.”

“I am a student like everyone else.”

“It’s just that I’m a college student, and you’re all middle school students.”

“I hope that through hard work, you can become a college student like me and stand here.”

Cheng Xuyuan’s words immediately caused another round of applause.

As the applause died down, Cheng Xuyuan continued, “Principal Wang asked me to give a report, but I really don’t dare.”

“I came here just to chat with you guys.”

“Let me talk about some of my personal insights first. What about later? If you have any questions, you can ask me.”

Cheng Xuyuan said this, looked around, and then said solemnly: “Speaking of me, four years ago, I was working in the fields like everyone else.”

“The reason why I am here today is because of learning. Learning has given me knowledge, and learning has brought me here today…”

Cheng Xuyuan’s voice became louder and louder, and the people around him who were originally discussing in a low voice gradually quieted down.

The way they looked at Cheng Xuyuan became more serious, and some even looked more dignified.

(End of this chapter)