Chapter 78 What does Teacher Wen want?
It was noon, and the sun was hotter than at any other time of the day.
After a while of sunshine in the morning, the water stains on the ground had long been evaporated, and the cicadas in the trees on campus were chirping, and the noise never stopped.
At this time, there were almost no other teachers and students wandering around in the school. Only Fang Wei and Wen Susu were left. They walked out from the dormitory behind the teaching building with their luggage, and walked along the school road under the shade of trees towards the school gate.
"Teacher Wen, what time did you buy the ferry ticket?"
"At twenty past one."
"Don't worry, Baitan Pier is not far from the school. I also said that if you are in a hurry, I can just ride my bike to take you there."
"Fang Wei, do you usually ride a bike to school?"
"Yes, with Cailing, Zhiyi, and Asheng."
“How long will it take to ride here?”
"Less than half an hour, that's pretty close."
Wen Susu smiled when she heard this and said, "When I first came to school, I thought that students from the surrounding islands all needed to take a boat to come here for classes."
"You can also take a boat, but it's not as convenient as riding a bike."
"Let me take the luggage you have. It's quite heavy. It's too hard for you to carry it alone."
"It's okay, the suitcase can be dragged, and it's just a matter of carrying a few things in your hands."
Fang Wei said this stubbornly. In fact, both the suitcase and the bags of things together were quite heavy.
"Teacher Wen, what did you bring with you? Why did you bring so many things with you? I thought you were not going to come back!" Fang Wei asked casually, half-jokingly.
"How could you not come back? Do you think it's winter or summer vacation?"
Wen Susu said, "It's just some clothes and stuff. I don't know how there are so many. I packed them up and it became a big box. Most of them are local specialties and stuff. I'll take them back home for them to try."
"How many people are there in Teacher Wen's family?"
"Just me and my parents."
"You're the only daughter?"
"Well, what about you? Are you the only one in your family?"
"Yes."
"I see that many students in the class have brothers and sisters. Didn't Cailing also say that she has a sister working in Shanghai?"
"Does Teacher Wen still remember?"
"Yes, I remember almost everything you told me. I'm not old enough to forget things easily, am I?"
"No, Teacher Wen is very young, almost like an older sister."
"Haha, you're quite good at talking!"
What Wen Susu said was right. Many families on the island did have two or three children. However, when they were born, family planning was already in place. Generally, if the first child was a boy, they would not dare to have another one. If the first child was a girl, they would be allowed to have another one. So many of my classmates had an older sister.
The teacher and student chatted and unknowingly walked to the school gate.
The security guard was dozing off in his chair, and the two men did not wake him up. Fang Wei was holding something in his hand, so Wen Susu walked to the front and opened the door, then closed it after coming out.
The security guard heard the noise, looked up, then lay down again and continued his nap.
"Okay, Fang Wei, go back to the classroom and rest. I can get it myself."
As Wen Susu spoke, she came over and prepared to take the thing from his hand, but Fang Wei had no intention of letting go.
"I'm here to help Teacher Wen get to the dock. It's still a long way to go. How can I just drop her off at the door?"
"You still have classes in the afternoon. Aren't you sleepy if you don't take a break at noon?"
"It's okay. We're all going to have a holiday. It's only half a day. Teacher Wen, hurry up and leave. You'll miss the boat soon."
Without waiting for her to continue speaking, Fang Wei carried his luggage and continued walking forward.
Wen Susu was both moved and helpless, so she had to quickly follow.
The afternoon sun was scorching, and the town's streets did not have as much shade as the campus had. The scorching heat shone directly on the skin, and Fang Wei couldn't help but feel a burning breath in his chest and lungs.
But soon, as a fresh and elegant breath approached from behind, he felt a cool sensation above his head.
Wen Susu held up an umbrella.
Fang Wei smiled and said, "Teacher Wen, just cover yourself. We have grown up in the sun, so this little bit of sun won't hurt us."
"Then the teacher can't just sit there and watch you get sunburned, right? Give me a few bags and I'll carry them."
Seeing that she insisted this time, Fang Wei stopped being stubborn and gave some of the bags in his hand back to her.
Probably apart from Wen Susu, no one else on the island would hold an umbrella just to block the sun.
Even though she changed into a more casual outfit and no longer wore a skirt, her temperament looked very different from that of a girl from the island.
Fang Wei was a bit shorter than her, and when she walked with him holding an umbrella, they looked no different from siblings.
Perhaps because the Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, some people who worked outside and returned home early were now returning to the island one after another. However, they all walked home from the pier carrying their luggage. The only exception was Wen Susu, who walked towards the pier carrying her luggage.
Unlike in school, when they were outside the school, the topics of conversation between Fang Wei and Wen Susu became more homely.
"Teacher Wen just graduated from university not long ago, right?"
"Well, last year I was a student just like you!"
"Then why did Teacher Wen come to teach here? Did he find the job on his own?"
"A former senior sister introduced it to me."
“She teaches here too?”
"No, she teaches in the mountains further away, and I went to the seaside, haha."
Fang Wei looked up at her. Even though she taught in a place like this, she didn't show the slightest bit of frustration when she talked about this matter. If it were another teacher, they would have some complaints.
"Teacher Wen, why don't you go teach somewhere with better conditions? Your words shouldn't be difficult, right?"
Almost every colleague, relative and friend who knows Fang Wei asks her this question, and Fang Wei is the first student who asks her this question, and he is also the class monitor she appointed.
Wen Susu did not give a direct answer, but asked back: "Why? Can't I come here to teach? Or do you think I'm not a good enough teacher?"
"I swear to God! Teacher Wen, I don't think there is any teacher better than you!"
"Then you still ask."
"Just curious."
Wen Susu paused for a while before continuing, "It's nothing, I just think it's very meaningful."
"So, according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, what you care more about than material pursuits is the need for self-realization, Mr. Wen?"
"Eh? When did you learn this?"
"I usually read a lot of miscellaneous books."
"Really? That's great! No wonder you have good grades. Reading more is a good thing!"
Wen Susu praised him and walked slowly, enjoying the scenery of the town leisurely.
"Before I came here, I had prepared myself for the poor conditions. But after I came here, I found that it was much better than I thought. The scenery here is beautiful and the people are very friendly. I have been to many places, but I still feel that the human touch here is very strong. Whether it is living or teaching, it is very good!"
"So, Teacher Wen is used to living here?"
"Haha, it's okay. Whether you get used to it or not is actually the least important thing. As long as you study hard and have a bright future, I will be very pleased as a teacher."
"Teacher Wen, what you said is exactly the same as the old teacher in the school!"
"Then I am also a teacher, right? Isn't this what teachers think about?"
Fang Wei did not answer, but thought to himself, not all teachers think like you, maybe they are just trying to get by in order to have a stable job.
"Teacher Wen, was your dream to become a teacher?" Fang Wei asked curiously.
"That's not true."
Wen Susu didn't talk to him about her once childish dream, she just smiled and said, "Becoming a teacher is probably an idea I only had when I was in college. Actually, I didn't want to be a Chinese teacher at first. I wanted to be an art teacher, you know. But now I'm both a Chinese and an art teacher."
"Very unexpected, huh?"
"When you reach my age, you will understand that there are many unexpected things in life~"
"...Teacher Wen, aren't you only in your twenties?"
Fang Wei rolled her eyes. When she said this, she looked very mature. It turned out that all teachers have this problem. They like to preach at every turn.
"I'm so old, I envy you guys your youth."
Wen Susu was speaking from her heart. Looking at the twelve or thirteen-year-old boys and girls in her class, she sometimes wondered what would happen to her life if she could go back to that age. But time can never be reversed. No one can predict. When she is in her forties or fifties and sees young people in their twenties, will she wonder what it would be like to go back to her twenties?
……
Even though it is the largest town on the surrounding islands, Baitan Town is actually not very big.
The town is right next to Baitan Wharf, and is a place that Fang Wei Cailing and her friends must pass by on their way to and from school.
If you want to take a boat to Shanghai, the only boat nearby is the Baitan Wharf. Like long-distance buses, tickets are sold in advance. Of course, you can buy the ticket when you arrive, but the time is uncertain, and it is easy to get a ticket during holidays, after all, there are really too few flights.
Soon, Fang Wei and Wen Susu arrived at the dock carrying their luggage.
Fang Wei raised his hand to check the time. There were still more than ten minutes left before Wen Susu bought the ticket.
The transport ship will not depart early, it will only be delayed. In fact, the possibility of delay is much greater than departing on time. After all, when sailing on the sea, various small situations can easily delay time.
However, it has been calm these days, so even if there is a delay, it will not be too long.
When they arrived at the dock, Wen Susu urged again: "Okay, go back to the classroom and have a rest. You can still take a nap if you go back now."
"The boat hasn't come yet."
Fang Wei looked out at the sea in the distance but did not see any transport boat.
"I can just wait here by myself. I always come here alone. Do you really need a little monitor like you to worry about the teacher?"
"I'm so tired from walking, I'd just like to rest for a while."
"..."
Seeing that Fang Wei insisted on sending her on board, Wen Susu had no choice but to feel touched but also helpless.
There were benches for waiting for the boat on the shore, with large parasols on them to provide shade. The two sat down on a bench. The air was a bit stuffy, but with the sea breeze blowing in their faces, it wasn't too torturous.
"Help me watch my things first."
"Hey? Where are you going, Mr. Wen?"
When Fang Wei looked up, Wen Susu had already walked quickly towards the convenience store nearby.
When she came back, she had two more ice creams in her hands.
"Hey, please have some ice cream."
"Hey, thank you Teacher Wen!"
Fang Wei didn't bother to be polite with her. He took the ice cream from her hand and started eating it happily.
Ice cream is much more expensive than popsicles, and young boys and girls usually can’t afford to buy them.
However, Fang Wei could also tell that, judging from Wen Susu's usual attire and her vision, her family background should be quite good. Perhaps, as she said, coming here to teach was really just something she felt was meaningful. As for income, professional titles, and the like, those were the things she cared least about.
Wen Susu also sat down next to him, and the teacher and student ate ice cream together on the bench.
Fang Wei asked curiously, "Teacher Wen just said that he came here alone?"
"Well, didn't you come to register by yourself? Teacher, I'm an adult, do I need someone to send me?"
"It's quite far after all. Didn't Mr. Wen's parents come to see you off?"
"They are at work, so they don't have time."
"Could it be that Teacher Wen sneaked here on his own?"
"..."
Wen Susu's expression was visibly stiffened for a moment, but she quickly rolled her eyes and said speechlessly, "How is that possible! Such a big thing, I will definitely tell my family."
"They all support Teacher Wen?"
"Ah."
Wen Susu seemed reluctant to talk more about this topic and just gave a vague answer.
Fang Wei didn't ask any more questions.
"Teachers are adults. Adults are responsible for their own actions. Support from home is one thing, but the most important thing is whether you support me or not."
"Of course I support you, Teacher Wen. You know, many students in our class, especially the female students like Cailing, regard you as their idol and want to learn from you."
"Will you study with me?"
Wen Susu smiled meaningfully.
She didn't know what kind of image she had in the eyes of her classmates. Perhaps in the eyes of her parents, she was rebellious and a headache?
They asked her to choose foreign trade, finance or accounting, but she insisted on studying fine arts;
They asked her to work in a good company or stay at home to help and inherit the family business, but she insisted on coming to this place where seabirds poop everywhere to be a teacher...
Can she really be a role model for the boys and girls in the class?
"Has Fang ever been to Shanghai?" Wen Susu asked curiously.
"I've been there in a dream." Fang Wei said.
"..."
Wen Susu smiled, not taking it seriously, but the teacher got excited and said earnestly: "You must go and see if you have the chance. Of course, it's not just Shanghai. The world is so big, you should always go out and see more. The more places you go and the more people you meet, the more you will know what you really want."
"Then what does Teacher Wen want?" Fang Wei asked back.
"Of course... I want you to have good grades and a bright future!"
"What a cunning answer."
I was speechless, thinking that this answer was truly universal.
"Well, I'm a teacher. I don't think about these things. What do I think about?"
Wen Susu looked relaxed, smiled and asked him, "Have you ever thought about what you want to do in the future?"
"Of course...study hard and you will have a bright future! I'm a student, I don't think about these things, what else should I think about?"
"You're such a fast learner!"
Wen Susu was both angry and amused, thinking that what kind of teacher you are, you will find what kind of student you are.
"I didn't learn it on purpose! Teacher Wen, I've only just started junior high school. Don't you think this question is too far-fetched for me?"
Indeed, when chatting with Fang Wei, Wen Susu always inadvertently forgot his age. Thinking about it carefully, he had just entered junior high school. At her age, she was probably just thinking about playing around. In fact, she couldn't remember clearly what her childhood dream was.
"But I do have some ideas for the future. I might go into finance or investment."
The two practiced Tai Chi for a long time, and Fang Wei told her some of his ideas for the future.
Wen Susu was a little surprised. It was not because his dream was so amazing, but she did not expect that his dream was so specific.
"The goal is very clear! Finance, investment... Great, you can go to Shanghai in the future, it's a financial metropolis! But it's not easy to do well in this field, especially investment, which requires a forward-looking vision and various resources. Now that you have a dream, you have to accumulate more now!"
"Teacher Wen, do you think I can do it? I haven't seen much of the world. The farthest place I've been to is a small island nearby." Fang Wei said with a smile.
"You are still young, why can't you do it? Study hard, and you will be able to go anywhere in the world in the future."
"Teacher Wen, you are really suitable to be a teacher."
"Why do I feel like you are insulting me?"
"I don't dare!"
Given their identities and ages, Fang Wei didn't mind the fact that Wen Susu always liked to speak in a reasonable tone. Instead, he found it quite interesting.
After all, only after struggling in society do you realize how rare and precious it is to have someone willing to teach you and help you grow at all times.
……
[Bu——]
The transport boat's whistle sounded and it docked beside the covered bridge.
The passengers returning from afar pulled their luggage down from the boat, and Wen Susu, who was going back to a distant place from here, also pulled her luggage and prepared to board the boat.
The attendants were no different from the conductors on buses, with loud speakers in their hands, reminding passengers to get on board and check their tickets.
[The ship from Baitan Island to Shanghai is ready to depart. Passengers who need to board the ship please bring your luggage and check in. Passengers who have not purchased tickets yet, please hurry up and buy your tickets]
Fang Wei accompanied Wen Susu all the way to the corridor bridge.
"Alright! Go back quickly and don't delay the class!"
"Teacher Wen, goodbye, and happy Mid-Autumn Festival~!"
"Happy Mid-Autumn Festival~!"
[Bu——]
Another whistle sounded.
The bow of the ship broke through the calm sea surface, stirring up layers of fine waves.
The stern of the ship left a long white trail, gradually disappearing into the distance...
(End of this chapter)
