In the early summer of 1983, a warm breeze, carrying the fragrance of ripening wheat, swept across the fields of Hongqi Commune, casting a gentle golden glow on the blue-brick and tiled houses of the commune's middle school. Shen Nian'an, carrying a faded canvas schoolbag, walked briskly along the path to school. Besides textbooks, he carefully carried a yellowed math competition review outline—sent by a friend in Shanghai through Lin Wanqiu, densely covered with notes he had marked in different colored pens.
"Nian'an, wait for me!" A clear voice called from behind. Wang Xiaohu, a classmate, caught up breathlessly, clutching a hot roasted sweet potato in his hand. "My mom just roasted this this morning. Here's half for you. Eat it to have the energy to study!" Wang Xiaohu's father was a worker at the food factory. Since he started working there, his family's life had improved a lot. Whenever there was something good to eat, he always thought of sharing it with Shen Nian'an.
Shen Nian'an smiled and took the sweet potato, feeling its warmth on his fingertips. "Thank you, Xiaohu. You should eat it too, or it'll get cold." He took a small bite of the sweet potato, the sweet and soft flavor spreading on his tongue. His mind, however, was filled with the scene of Lin Wanqiu helping him study late into the night last night—under the lamp, his mother peeling oranges for him while gently explaining how to draw auxiliary lines in geometry problems, while his father tidied the food shop's accounts, occasionally glancing up at them with a gentle smile in his eyes. That scene, like a warm painting, was etched in his heart, becoming his greatest motivation.
When Shen Nian'an arrived at school, the classroom was already quite full. At the podium, math teacher Ms. Li was organizing a stack of test papers. Seeing Shen Nian'an enter, a pleased smile appeared in her eyes. "Nian'an, come here for a moment." Shen Nian'an quickly walked over, and Ms. Li handed him a brand-new test paper. "These are mock tests I just got from the regional education bureau yesterday. Do them during your break today, and ask me anytime if you don't understand anything. Whether our school can get first place in this regional competition depends on you!"
Shen Nian'an took the test paper, his fingertips trembling slightly. He knew this competition wasn't just about himself, but also about the school's honor. Since Lin Wanqiu funded the school library last year, adding many new math reference books, the school's math scores had improved significantly, and as the top student in his grade, he was held in high regard. "Teacher Li, don't worry, I will do my best!" He nodded vigorously, his eyes shining with determination.
For the next few days, Shen Nian'an devoted almost all his time to studying. During breaks, while other students played on the playground, he did his homework in the classroom; during lunch break, he would munch on the sandwich his mother had prepared that morning while holding his math formula book; when he got home in the evening, Lin Wanqiu would prepare a late-night snack for him—sometimes a bowl of hot egg noodles, sometimes a plate of sliced fruit—and stay up late with him studying. Shen Tingzhou would also take time to help him check his mistakes, explaining complex mathematical concepts in a simple and easy-to-understand way. "Nian'an, doing math problems is like making pastries in a bakery. Every step has to be correct. If one step is wrong, the whole thing is ruined, so you have to be careful." His father's words gave him a deeper understanding of mathematics.
Finally, the day of the competition arrived. That morning, just as dawn was breaking, Lin Wanqiu got up and busied herself in the kitchen, wearing an apron. She made Shen Nian'an his favorite scallion pancakes and steamed eggs, and even specially boiled a glass of milk—she had asked someone to buy it from the county's supply and marketing cooperative; she usually couldn't bear to drink it, and had saved it for today. "Nian'an, get up and eat breakfast. After you finish, Dad will take you to the county for the competition." Lin Wanqiu gently pushed open Shen Nian'an's door and saw that he was already awake, sitting on the bed reviewing his notes.
Shen Nian'an quickly got out of bed, washed up, and sat down at the dining table. Lin Wanqiu picked up a scallion pancake for him, saying, "Eat more, the exam will last two hours, don't go hungry." She then handed him a glass of milk, saying, "Drinking milk will help your brain work faster." Shen Tingzhou also put down his chopsticks, took out a crisp ten-yuan note from his pocket, and stuffed it into Shen Nian'an's pocket, saying, "Dad will wait for you outside the exam hall at noon. After the exam, we'll go to a restaurant in the county town to eat your favorite braised pork."
Looking into his parents' concerned eyes, Shen Nian'an felt a warmth in his heart. He nodded vigorously and ate his breakfast heartily. "Mom and Dad, don't worry, I will definitely get good grades!" After breakfast, Shen Tingzhou rode his bicycle, taking Shen Nian'an with him towards the county town. Along the way, the wind blew past their ears, carrying the fresh scent of the fields. Shen Nian'an leaned against his father's back, clutching his examination admission ticket tightly in his hand, silently reciting math formulas in his mind.
Upon arriving at the examination venue in the county town—the county's No. 1 High School—the entrance was already crowded with examinees and parents from various communes. Shen Tingzhou stopped the car and helped Shen Nian'an straighten her collar. "Don't be nervous. Just like in a normal exam, read the questions carefully and calculate diligently. Dad believes in you." Lin Wanqiu had specifically instructed him not to put too much pressure on his child, so he tried his best to appear relaxed.
Shen Nian'an nodded, took the admission ticket, and said, "Dad, I'm going in. You can wait for me outside." He turned and walked into the examination room, glancing back at his father, Shen Tingzhou, who was waving at him with encouraging eyes. Entering the classroom, he found his seat, took out his pencil case, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself down.
The exam bell rang, and the invigilators began distributing the test papers. Shen Nian'an took his paper, quickly glanced through it, and found that most of the questions were ones he had reviewed, which eased his mind a little. He picked up his pen and started with the first question, the pen nib scratching on the paper. He answered the easy questions quickly and accurately; for the complex ones, he stopped, carefully analyzed the conditions, and recalled the problem-solving methods his teacher had explained, just as his father had said—step by step, slowly and calmly.
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