After coming into highschool, Shen Shao continued to find time for specialty courses and studied calligraphy and piano each time he was on break and had nothing else to do. Though he didn’t have a lot expertise in piano, he had an excellent reminiscence. His ability stage in school wasn’t unhealthy. After all, it wasn’t like he was competing in Grand Prix competitions. That wasn’t what mattered to him. Having the ability to play piano was only a dream he needed to satisfy.

He nonetheless remembered an incident that occurred in his final life when he was sixteen. He and his coworkers within the resort delivered a particular VIP meal to a household on the second ground. When he arrived on the door, he noticed a younger man with a straight again taking part in the piano beside a floor-to-ceiling window. He couldn’t bear in mind ever seeing something so elegant.

However he didn’t have time to envy it for lengthy. The younger man stared at Shen Shao like he was some kind of insect. It felt like chilly water was being poured on his head, and he instantly woke from his reverie. Possibly he was too younger again then, or possibly it was as a result of he had such an excellent impression of the younger man at first. Though many different individuals checked out him the identical approach sooner or later, the eyes of that younger man remained in his reminiscence.

Afterward he grew to become fixated on the thought of studying piano. Now that he had the monetary means, he started to be taught the instrument he’d come to treat as significantly refined. However after finding out for 3 years, his unique obsession had lengthy since disappeared. Piano was simply one in all his traditional pastimes now. After all, he was solely adequate to impress amateurs. It was solely a pastime.

In comparison with piano, Shen Shao most well-liked calligraphy. In his final life, he used to observe calligraphy when he had free time, however he solely discovered from manuals, not from a trainer.

On this life, he discovered that the extra significantly he studied, the extra he appreciated Chinese language tradition as wide-ranging and profound. He even felt that regardless of how a lot time he put into it, he was solely scratching the floor.

His present calligraphy trainer, surnamed Tong, was a retired professor from a well-known college. There have been solely about ten college students in his curiosity class. Earlier than college students had been allowed to enroll, they needed to move an evaluation.

Shen Shao had an excellent basis in calligraphy and was in a position to be part of the category with none points. Though Professor Tong was strict, he appreciated hard-working and critical college students. In his spare time, he gave Shen Shao further steerage one-on-one.

After interacting with him a number of occasions, Shen Shao discovered that Professor Tong was a retired professor of Chinese language research. As a result of he felt a bit bored at residence and was nonetheless in good well being, he’d signed as much as train his nephew’s calligraphy curiosity class.

“To observe calligraphy effectively, exhausting work isn’t sufficient. You additionally want vitality, vitality, and soul.” After trying via Shen Shao’s calligraphy homework, Professor Tong gave a reluctant nod. “Because the saying goes, written characters are like individuals. That doesn’t imply the form displays the persona of the one who wrote it. Relatively, it means you’ll be able to see the mind-set they had been in from their brushwork. Your characters have some form, however they don’t have sufficient soul. They’re a bit bit rote.”

Shen Shao nodded. He knew this was a behavior he developed from copying calligraphy in his final life. His calligraphy was missing some private type. “Thanks, trainer. I’ll pay extra consideration sooner or later.”

“En.” Professor Tong was happy with Shen Shao’s critical angle. His face relaxed a bit. “You’re taking your last exams in just a few days, so that you may not be capable to come right here to observe calligraphy for some time. However that doesn’t imply you’ll be able to slack off from observe. Because the saying goes, three days with out observe makes the hand rusty. Calligraphy is a matter of perseverance. I don’t need you to check calligraphy since you wish to showcase.”

Shen Shao nodded once more. He knew Professor Tong was saying this for his personal good. After listening to the person’s directions, he thanked him significantly. “Thanks, Instructor. I’ll bear in mind. When the joint last exams are over, wouldn’t it be potential to be taught extra about Chinese language research from you?”

Professor Tong was about to agree when he remembered that Shen Shao was an exterior scholar. He frowned. “It’s winter break. You’re not going residence to rejoice the New 12 months?”

Smiling, Shen Shao shook his head. “There isn’t anybody at residence, so it doesn’t matter the place I spend the New 12 months. I’d choose to remain right here and be taught extra from Instructor, however I don’t wish to disturb your relaxation.”

“If you wish to be taught, as your trainer I’m more than pleased.” As a result of Shen Shao’s expression was so bizarre, Professor Tong assumed Shen Shao’s mother and father had been migrant staff or doing enterprise overseas and didn’t have time to go residence. He didn’t assume the rest. He patted Shen Shao’s shoulder and mentioned with satisfaction, “In case you have questions, be happy to return and ask me.”

“Thanks.” Shen Shao smiled and made plans for the New 12 months.

Because the joint last exams approached, the opposite college students in school decreased their extracurricular actions too. Everybody spent extra time finding out, striving for an excellent rating.

By now Shen Shao’s research notes had turn into a sizzling commodity in school. Quite a lot of college students requested to borrow them to make copies. It wasn’t that they didn’t research exhausting on their very own, however they needed to be taught Shen Shao’s problem-solving methods to enhance their very own effectivity.

When the scholars from different courses heard about it, they envied the scholars in Class 15 a bit. In any case, not each scholar who was ranked first of their class was as beneficiant as Shen Shao and prepared to lend their notes.

“Shao Ge, why can’t I determine this out?” A boy got here as much as Shen Shao and pointed to a posh geometry query. “Assist me work out what I’m doing improper?”

After finding out it for a second, Shen Shao drew two traces in pencil on the geometry diagram. “Calculate the realm of the shaded half first. It’s simple after that.”

“That basically makes it rather a lot simpler. Thanks, man.” The boy redid the mathematics, considered it a bit extra, and patted Shen Shao on the again. “Shao Ge, your mind is so helpful.”

Shen Shao patted him on the shoulder. “There’s no want for thanks between us. However is IQ the sort of factor you’ll be able to simply envy?”

“Get a bit reward and also you’re so proud!” The boy grinned, kicked Shen Shao’s chair, and scampered away like a monkey.

Close by, Liang Cheng watched Shen Shao banter with the opposite boy and gave a considerably melancholy sigh. Shao Ge was the highest-ranked scholar in school. Why didn’t he have any of the chilly and lofty temperament that historically belonged to first place college students?

Liang Cheng didn’t know this was Shen Shao’s approach of integrating into the category. It appeared his method was going effectively. Anyway, he had an excellent relationship with the opposite boys in school.

The ultimate exams rapidly approached. After passing the trial by hearth, the scholars of Class 15 lastly arrived at their long-awaited winter trip.

When Zhou ZeYu noticed the joy on his classmates’ faces, his emotions had been a bit combined.

Shen Shao was the primary scholar he met on this class, and after hanging out with him for a number of months, Zhou ZeYu had discovered that Shen Shao misplaced his mother and father a very long time in the past. For different college students, winter trip meant reuniting with their prolonged relations, however for Shen Shao, it solely meant staying alone in an empty home. Zhou ZeYu was fearful Shen Shao must welcome the brand new millennium alone this yr. It wasn’t a cheerful factor to sit up for.

On the day earlier than the vacation started, Zhou ZeYu intentionally averted the opposite college students within the class, pulled Shen Shao to a nook, and mentioned with some hesitation, “Shen Shao, my mother and father determined to maneuver to Furong Metropolis. If you happen to’re not going again to Peng County for winter break, why not come to my home for the New 12 months?”

When Shen Shao heard this, he smiled with gratitude. He knew Zhou ZeYu was fearful about him, however Spring Pageant was a time for households to be collectively. How may he, an outsider, go to another person’s home and spoil the ambiance? Zhou ZeYu repeated the invitation a number of occasions, however Shen Shao refused his kindness.

When Zhou ZeYu noticed that Shan Shao was decided, he knew he couldn’t drag the individual to his residence. He emphasised that his home was near the place Shen Shao lived, and to verify to inform Zhou ZeYu if one thing occurred. Then, when Shen Shao wasn’t trying, he went over to Liang Cheng and requested him and his household to control Shen Shao. In any case, Liang Cheng and Shen Shao lived in the identical group, proper?

Liang Cheng actually wasn’t going to refuse. Shen Shao was his most admired idol. If his idol was going to spend Spring Pageant alone, he naturally felt a bit fearful.

Shen Shao had no concept he’d turn into a valuable object to be protected within the minds of his two associates. This winter trip was of nice significance to him, as a result of it was when Professor Tong formally accepted him as a disciple.

This wasn’t the superficial relationship between trainer and scholar within the specialty class, however a proper disciple who formally provided tea to his grasp. It was solely after turning into Professor Tong’s private disciple that Shen Shao discovered how profound Professor Tong’s information was. He lastly discovered why others known as him a grasp of conventional Chinese language research.

“”

Tong ZhengHua solely came upon Shen Shao was an orphan with no mother and father after he determined to simply accept him as a disciple. When he considered Shen Shao’s traditional habits, he didn’t act in any respect like a toddler on his personal. Professor Tong thought his angle in the direction of life was uncommon and priceless. Typically it didn’t matter how gifted an individual was. In the event that they didn’t have the best mindset, they’d by no means obtain nice issues.

Shen Shao was completely different. He had character in addition to expertise. Furthermore, he was younger and had a lot willpower. Clearly, this was a uncommon good seedling, and Professor Tong didn’t wish to miss out.

These days, because of the collision of Western concepts, some younger individuals blindly pursued Western tradition and ignored their very own traditions, however that wasn’t true solely of younger individuals. There have been additionally some mature individuals in China who had been pleased with pursuing Western tradition. They progressively forgot that China itself had many conventional cultural treasures.

As a professor of Chinese language research, Professor Tong felt unhappy and helpless when he noticed the present tendencies. Due to this fact, when he noticed that Shen Shao was fascinated with conventional information and had an excellent reminiscence and understanding, how may he not cherish his expertise and settle for him as his private disciple?

After all, such a serious resolution needed to be mentioned with Shen Shao’s mother and father, so Tong ZhengHua informed Shen Shao he needed to fulfill them. That was when he discovered about Shen Shao’s life historical past, straight from Shen Shao.

After Shen Shao left his residence, Tong ZhengHua sipped his tea. “That youngster doesn’t have it simple,” he lamented to his spouse, who was sitting beside him watching a TV drama. “Good-natured and so down-to-earth. It’s exhausting to search out such a disciple.”

His spouse of a few years, Ms. Ning, didn’t flip her head. “He’s much more reliable than you had been at that age.” She and Tong ZhengHua had been childhood sweethearts. In his youthful days, Tong ZhengHua went via a interval when he was wild and conceited. When his spouse considered it now, he was only a younger rascal.

Tong ZhengHua: …

OK, let’s simply ignore this black historical past. Weren’t they speaking about his disciple? How did he get dragged into it?

Girls actually had been such unknown creatures, however there was nothing he may do about it.

Alas.

Tong ZhengHua set free a deep sigh.

TL Notes:

vitality, vitality, and soul – 精气神 – jīng qì shén, the three energies of Chinese language medication

Between us there’s no want for thanks – from 咱俩谁跟谁啊 – Seek advice from Ch 9 for the be aware on 谁跟谁啊 (“Who’s with whom ah”)

is (IQ the sort of factor) you’ll be able to simply envy – 是羡慕不来的 – Even in case you envy what another person has, you’ll be able to’t have it your self (Baidu)

Get a bit reward and also you’re so proud – 给点阳光就灿烂，美得你！ – Provide you with a bit sunshine and also you’re so good – Reward somebody a bit and so they get conceited. It can be used as a praise for people who find themselves content material with a bit reward or do effectively when given assets/daylight (Baidu)

younger rascal – 青头愣子 – black-haired (青头) which means younger

Transliterated names, locations, and titles—new on this chapter:

(surname) Tong – 佟

Professor Tong – 佟教授 – Tóng jiàoshòu

Tong ZhengHua – 佟正华

Ms. Ning – 宁老师 – Níng lǎoshī