Ah, those were the school breaks in elementary school. Everyone was letting loose and playing happily.
Are humans the only living beings like this?
I'm referring to the fact that the vitality of childhood, adolescence, middle age, and old age seems to be concentrated in childhood. During those seven or eight years of childhood, there's so much running and playing. But once you enter junior high, the breaks between classes seem to lose that liveliness.
So, is it an age issue?
While this is certainly a very important reason, Chen Bing believes that issues related to education should not be ignored.
After entering middle school, the pressures from all sides no longer allow people to play recklessly. The pressure of studies, the burden of work, and the financial difficulties of life—the burdens of being an adult—drag back the steps of childhood, no longer allowing them to run so fast.
But aren't I the same way?
Look at Chen Bing herself, in what way does she resemble a child?
However, I'm not a child.
Growing up is growing up. Even if everything goes back to the way it was before, the fact that I've grown up is something that can never be undone.
Even with this six-year-old body, walking in this school of memories, eating childhood snacks, and playing those games, it is still not a true childhood.
I long to buy osmanthus blossoms and share wine, but it will never be like the carefree days of my youth.
"Chen Bing." Shang Yunmiao returned to Chen Bing's side after using the restroom, interrupting his reflections on life.
"Finished? Let's go back then."
Chen Bing straightened up and stretched. She reached out to take Xiao Shang's hand and lead her back to the classroom.
To his surprise, the little girl turned to the side and dodged his outstretched hand that was about to hold hers.
Chen Bing: ?
"I...I didn't wash my hands..." Shang Yunmiao lowered her eyes, answering embarrassedly, "There was no water in the toilet..."
Well, what a fussy little girl.
Chen Bing looked around and, after spotting a faucet whose purpose was unknown, took Shang Yunmiao and went over there.
After washing her hands, Shang Yunmiao happily took Chen Bing's hand. Her small hand, still damp with a few water droplets, was cool, smooth, and soft—it felt wonderful to hold.
Suddenly, Chen Bing wasn't in such a hurry to go back to the classroom. Why should she stay cooped up in the classroom on such a beautiful day? She felt like she was going to mold. Wouldn't it be better to come out for a walk, enjoy the scenery, and watch the children play?
Guided by this idea, Chen Bing turned to Shang Yunmiao and suggested that they take a walk around, to which Shang Yunmiao readily agreed.
While walking around the activity area twice, Chen Bing discovered a game that was quite popular at the school.
Chen Bing didn't know the exact name of the game. It was a game where two people took round cards made of paper, plastic, or small metal pieces and took turns tapping each other's cards. Whoever could flip over the other person's card first could take the other person's round card.
After searching her memory, Chen Bing recalled that she had indeed played this kind of game when she was in first or second grade. However, she wasn't very skilled back then, and she would always lose all the small deck of cards she bought for five cents in no time. Later on, she simply watched others play.
Now, many years later, when Chen Bing sees the game again, he has no particular feelings about it.
After showing Xiao Shang a few things, the preparatory bell slowly rang throughout the campus.
When he slowly led Shang Yunmiao back to the classroom, it was just in time for the class bell to ring.
A young, unfamiliar female teacher was now standing on the platform, and the students were all sitting obediently in their seats. Judging from the lyrics and sheet music written on the blackboard beforehand, it was clear that this was a music lesson.
Facing the gazes of the teachers and classmates, Chen Bing shouted "Report!" and then sat back down in his seat.
Du Meiling was taken aback when she saw a very handsome young boy and girl walking in hand in hand.
After gossiping about their relationship for a bit, she began her first music lesson.
Elementary school music classes are not like the superficial classes in middle school that show "talent shows"; teachers are actually teaching singing.
In today's music class, the teaching plan was to teach us to sing the national anthem.
Learning the national anthem in your first music class is a very meaningful thing.
For Chen Bing, although he had sung "The March of the Volunteers" for more than ten years in his previous life, this was the first time he had been professionally taught the specific syllables and tones.
As for the other children, needless to say, learning to sing, especially the national anthem, is such an interesting thing that they naturally gain a lot from the class.
The music class gradually came to an end in a lively atmosphere, and a class on morality and character followed immediately.
After all of this was over, the distant sound of the school bell echoed into the classroom, marking the end of most of the first day of school.
After packing their schoolbags, Chen Bing took Shang Yunmiao's hand and walked out of the school gate together, where they found their mothers waiting to pick them up.
Among them, Liu Yue held a candied hawthorn in one hand and was smiling as she stared at the two people walking over.
After accepting the candied hawthorn from her, Shang Yunmiao sweetly said, "Thank you, Aunt Yue."
After rubbing her head, Liu Yue turned to look at Chen Bing.
Then, before the other person could react, she sighed and took a bite of a candied hawthorn.
No, I haven't said I don't want to eat it yet. Mom, why are you like this?
After a full day of elementary school life, Chen Bing, though essentially still a mature adult, has a faint childlike quality veiled over that quality.
In other words, he wants to eat candied hawthorn.
"Mom, I want to eat too."
Chen Bing hugged Liu Yue's leg and said in a somewhat unnatural, coquettish tone.
What is an innate skill of children to act cute takes on a rather strange form when it comes to Chen Bing.
Yunxuan wasn't too bothered by this scene, since in her mind, Chen Bing was a fairly clever child. Liu Yue, however, was amused by the comical contrast in his behavior.
She covered her mouth with one hand and smiled very elegantly. After laughing, she handed Chen Bing the candied hawthorn in her hand, seeing his slightly embarrassed expression.
"If you want to eat it again next time, ask your mom to buy it for you."
After receiving the candied hawthorn, Chen Bing lowered her head and took a bite.
Mmm, candied hawthorns are so delicious, so delicious that I can't hear anything else.
"Chen Bing, would you like some grapes?"
Shang Yunmiao's question pulled Chen Bing back from his pretense of being busy. Without a word, he took a bite of the skewer Shang Yunmiao offered. In return, he offered his own skewer to Shang Yunmiao for a bite.
The taste of candied hawthorn is sweet and sour, with a layer of sugar coating covering the sweet and sour fruit inside.
Its taste was just like Shang Yunmiao's mood today. Arriving in a strange place and meeting a group of strange people was certainly bittersweet. But Chen Bing, who protected her, the various interesting courses, and the heartfelt joy she felt after school all masked the bitterness in her heart.
Just like how the sourness of hawthorn berries completely dissipates when they are simmered in a sugar pot for a long time, when she is enveloped in this gentleness and sweetness for a long time, she will also shed the bitterness in her heart and become a sweet and energetic child.
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