The next day, at the crack of dawn, the two Jiang brothers, Jiang Beixing and Jiang Wanwan, arrived at her house.
"I don't have to go to school, why should I get up so early? Why should I go with them? Wouldn't it be better to sleep in comfortably, have breakfast, and then leisurely go to school?" Jiang Wanwan muttered to herself as she wiped her face, her hair a mess.
"Those who cultivate must meditate and cultivate day and night, in all four seasons. If you wish to achieve something, you must cultivate for several times the time of others, and in the future you will have no desire to sleep!"
Jiang Wanwan listened to Old Xia's mutterings with a bewildered expression, silently picked up her small satchel and walked out of the room, following the Jiang Beixing brothers.
There were quite a few people at the market in the morning. As soon as Jiang Wanwan and her group sat down, there were no more seats left on the boat. People who came on board would have to stand. Fortunately, the journey was not very long.
Nestled against the mountains, Qingshi Middle School has a history dating back nearly a century. It was initially called Qingshi Academy, later renamed Qingshi School, and eventually evolved into the Qingshi Middle School we know today.
Throughout these long years, what has remained unchanged is the winding staircase that stretches from the foot of the mountain to the school gate.
Therefore, no matter how wealthy a student's family is, if they want to study at Qingshi Middle School, they must personally climb to the top of the mountain step by step to express their sincerity and determination to pursue their studies.
With its excellent school spirit, outstanding teaching staff, and geographical location away from the hustle and bustle of the city, Qingshi Middle School has successfully cultivated a large number of outstanding talents.
Especially in Jiang Wanwan's year, the number of students admitted to key undergraduate universities accounted for more than half of the entire City C.
"Sis, you haven't climbed in so many years, and you climbed all the way up without even breaking a sweat! That's amazing!" Jiang Nanxing stood at the school gate, hands on her hips, panting heavily.
Jiang Beixing leaned against a stone pillar at the school gate, her legs trembling as if she were about to collapse.
"If you keep exercising, you won't be out of breath like this!" Jiang Wanwan recalled that her physical fitness had inexplicably improved since she fell in her rented room last time, and she felt that she could run back and forth again without any problem.
"But speaking of which, why don't I recognize any of the teachers on the school's bulletin board?" Jiang Wanwan stared curiously at the school's bulletin board. Even the principal had changed, but fortunately, her former homeroom teacher, Shi Qingshan, was still there.
"Sister, what's so strange about that? I've had several different teachers in each subject within a year of starting school! But, I'll tell you a secret, I heard that our school is cursed by the mountain god. The school has been ranked last in the city for three consecutive years, so many teachers are unwilling to teach at our school," Jiang Nanxing said softly to Jiang Wanwan.
Jiang Wanwan looked at the youthful-looking teaching team on the wall, and then at the principal's photo. He was in his forties, with a square face and bright eyes, and he looked very upright.
"This is the principal who was transferred here this year. His name is Yang Dong. I heard he was sent here by the city." Jiang Nanxing pointed to Yang Dong's photo and introduced him to Jiang Wanwan.
"Sis, my voice recorder?"
Jiang Wanwan was thinking about her school teacher when suddenly a shadow fell over her, and she saw Jiang Beixing staring straight at her.
"I placed the order yesterday, it'll probably be delivered to the mailroom, you can pick it up yourself then." Jiang Wanwan was preoccupied with her own thoughts, ignoring the conflicted expression on Jiang Beixing's face.
"You two go to your morning self-study session! I'll wander around the school by myself and then we'll have lunch together at the cafeteria!" Jiang Wanwan registered with the gatekeeper and entered the school.
As soon as Jiang Wanwan left, the security guard took out his cell phone from the drawer and started making calls.
"A female student from a previous year has arrived, named Jiang Wanwan. She's here to see that old bastard Shi Qingshan. Do you want her?"
"Yang Dong has been investigating very closely lately, so it's best not to cause any trouble and to hold off for now."
Jiang Wanwan suddenly stopped and turned around, her gaze falling on the young security guard who was on the phone. Her eyes were filled with curiosity and doubt, but she quickly continued walking towards the school gate.
Throughout the journey, Jiang Wanwan's unease grew stronger. She clenched her fists tightly, goosebumps rising on her arms, as if foreshadowing some ominous event about to occur.
Her gaze remained fixed on the mountain gate not far ahead, where the school motto was engraved: "Extensive learning, careful inquiry, prudent thinking, clear discernment, and resolute practice."
As Jiang Wanwan approached the mountain gate, she stopped and stared at the large characters, trying to find some answers within them. However, at that moment, she only felt a strange sense of unease.
"Master, something big seems to have happened at the school! You heard what that security guard said earlier, right?" Jiang Wanwan's voice was tinged with worry.
She hoped to receive a response from her master and gain some guidance from him.
"From a feng shui perspective, this school is indeed a place of great fortune. Its layout also suggests it's a good place to produce talented people. Why don't you take a look around first?"
Jiang Wanwan abandoned her idea of going to see her homeroom teacher and started wandering around casually. At each place she visited, she gave Xia Laozai a detailed explanation, and even told him interesting stories from her school days.
"Everything seems normal at the school! Not only that, but the air above the school is filled with a strong sense of righteousness and wisps of merit. This righteousness and merit can help students cultivate their character."
"Where did Jiang Beixing get involved with the vengeful spirit? He's at school all day and only goes home on weekends! Didn't he tell me the truth?"
"Forget it, I'll go find my homeroom teacher first, and then I'll have a good talk with that kid at lunchtime!"
Jiang Wanwan made inquiries around the school several times before she learned that Shi Qingshan had actually been transferred to the library as a librarian.
Jiang Wanwan remembers that four years ago, Shi Qingshan was the leader of the Chinese language teaching and research group and the best homeroom teacher in the key classes.
Shi Qingshan's Chinese language classes are lively, interesting, and easy to understand. He always manages to explain the most complex knowledge using the simplest language. His classes are always filled with laughter, and his students love them.
The classes he taught consistently achieved top average scores in Chinese language. He also nurtured many outstanding students, some of whom even won awards in national Chinese language competitions.
But how could such an excellent teacher be transferred to be a librarian? Jiang Wanwan was filled with doubt.
In a corner of the library filled with books, Jiang Wanwan found Shi Qingshan.
Shi Qingshan, barely over 40, already had half his hair turned white, and the deep lines around his eyes made him look even older. His once impeccably tailored suits were now replaced by drab gray long-sleeved shirts and trousers, making him appear even thinner.
He sat on a small stool, sorting through books one by one, in a repetitive and mechanical manner.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
