Evening Stars Chapter 36
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 36
While they were herding the yaks, Xu Nanheng took plenty of photos with his Polaroid camera. But the Polaroid's motion capture wasn't very good. Some shots came out blurry, some were passable. Later, he took a few more pictures with his phone.
On the ground of the dry, yellow grassland, there were still patches of snow that hadn't melted. The snow was clean, bright white, and when a horse's hoof stepped on it, it left a deep mark.
The vast grassland stretched into rolling mountains, and where it met the base of the mountain, there would normally be a noticeable change in color. But now, it was completely blanketed by snow, looking like a giant wool carpet. Just as Xu Nanheng raised his phone to take a picture, he suddenly heard a distant ‘awoo’ sound carried over by the wind.
Teacher Xu, being from the city, found this wild howl both unfamiliar and startling. Sitting on horseback, he almost dropped his phone. Choedon, who was closest to him, said, “It's a wolf pack, Teacher Xu. It's alright, they're far away.”
They were indeed very far away. In fact, the wolves had already finished their howl by the time Xu Nanheng heard it. The vast Southern Tibetan Plateau, unobstructed by buildings, allowed such sounds to travel freely. There were the resonant calls of wild beasts, the eagles piercing the sky, and on the other side of the grassland, vultures gazing down from high above.
Noticing where Xu Nanheng was looking, Choedon added, “There's a sky burial platform over there, so there are many vultures and eagles.”
“I see.” Xu Nanheng knew about Tibetan sky burials.
In Tibetan Buddhism, life was believed to be a cycle of rebirth. People might not see tomorrow's sun, but everyone understood that tomorrow, the sun would still rise. It was a simple analogy: if one could believe in the rotation of the sun and moon, why not in the rebirth of life?
It was rather introspective, Xu Nanheng thought the first time he heard this analogy. He thought the alternation of the sun and moon was due to the Earth's rotation. But as he looked up at the vultures in the sky——the cycles of the sun and moon was something humans had already understood. What if one day, people also uncovered the principle behind the cycle of life? Who could say?
The world stretched boundlessly, and the wind of the Southern Tibetan Plateau seemed to travel for thousands of miles without end.
Who could say?
Time slowly moved into mid-November.
Every time Dr. Fang took his rotation at the county hospital, he felt time dragged unbearably. He wished he could press a fast-forward button. But Teacher Xu wished he could find a way to slow down life at 0.5x speed. Flipping through the books, there simply wasn't enough time to learn everything, nor to review it all.
In the second-floor dormitory, a small electric heater under the desk warmed Teacher Xu's calves and feet. In the traditional Chinese sense, as long as the feet and lower legs were warm, the whole body would feel warm. And it was true. As long as the power stayed on, Teacher Xu felt life was quite all right.
Perhaps it was the protection of the gods and Buddhas, but since November began, the village had barely had any power outages. Teacher Tsering said that in past years it hadn't been like this. Maybe the Bodhisattva knew the students were in their final year of junior high and had shown mercy.
Xu Nanheng nodded in agreement. Whatever the reason, it was good as long as long as he could safely see this graduating class through. At least…… at least if one could get into a school in Lhasa, and another three or four into Shannan, he would be satisfied.
On the last Friday of November, Principal Sonam planned to hold a parent-teacher meeting. Parents here had limited awareness of education, so the purpose of the meeting was to inform them about the path their children would take next.
This included the options for those who passed the senior high school entrance exam, and those who didn't. For the former, it covered the logistics of boarding school and applying for financial aid. For the latter, it discussed alternatives like vocational training. On Thursday evening, while students had dinner, the teachers made do with steamed buns and flatbreads, eating in the office while holding a meeting.
Currently, the only student in both classes with a chance of getting into a school in Lhasa was Dasang Choedon. Her foundation was stronger than everyone else's. As Sonam Tsomo said, Choedon had always been diligent. Back in the first two years of junior high, when everyone else was slack and unmotivated, Choedon was memorizing lessons and vocabulary, and she would often go to Sonam Tsomo with questions.
Xu Nanheng could sense how hard Dasang Choedon applied herself to studying. There was a kind of earnest, urgent thirst for knowledge in her. It wasn't the kind driven by the desire to escape the mountains, but a simple wish to understand what she didn't yet know.
During the parent-teacher meeting, they informed the parents about their children's possible paths ahead and to explain the teaching plans for the following term.
Since some parents could only understand Tibetan, the parent meeting for Teacher Xu's class included not just the parents but also all the students. For those parents who didn't understand Chinese, the students softly translated for them. Not everyone could attend, as many parents were away working, leaving only the elders at home.
When the meeting began, quite a few parents looked reserved. After all, everyone knew that this teacher was from Beijing, a young, well-educated man with that unmistakable capital aura. Naturally, they felt inferior, as if they were looking upward from a lower place.
Xu Nanheng had expected such reaction. He didn't speak in formal or official tones. Instead, he kept his manner plain and straightforward, treating the meeting as a simple report. He started with a self-introduction, the same one he gave on the first day of school.
“Good afternoon, everyone. My surname is Xu, and my full name is Xu Nanheng.” Standing behind the lectern, he gave a polite nod before continuing, “Since our time is limited, I'll keep this brief. There are a few areas where I need the parents' cooperation with my work……”
Xu Nanheng hoped the parents could set aside time in the evenings to help their children with dictation exercises. In Beijing, or even in smaller cities, most parents would be able to manage this. But here, a significant number of parents couldn't even fully recognize all the Chinese characters themselves. However, Xu Nanheng had thought of a solution.
On the lectern were two stacks of A4 papers, around a hundred sheets in total. He had the group leaders hand them out one by one.
Xu Nanheng explained, “Here's how it works. To make things more efficient, each paper has a symbol. Parents can read out the symbol, and the student will find the corresponding dictation exercise. There are English words and classical Chinese poems. During dictation, parents should make sure the child can't see the textbook, and afterward, the student will check and correct their own work.”
Xu Nanheng continued, “For students whose parents aren't home, and for those whose grandparents can't help with dictation, go to the small hospital after school and ask one of the nurses or doctors when they're free.”
He had already arranged this with the small hospital. Since there wouldn't be many students needing help, the staff there were more than willing to assist.
It couldn't be helped. Xu Nanheng couldn't handle everything on his own. The decision had already been approved during the teachers' meeting. This was because he had more pressing matters to attend to. He needed to pick up the teaching pace.
Accelerating the teaching pace was harsh, but necessary. They could no longer lecture at a slow, immersive speed, which would ultimately hold back students like Dasang Choedon.
“Lastly……” Xu Nanheng cleared his throat. “Um, maybe…… maybe everyone doesn't have a very clear idea of what ‘passing the exam and making it out’ really means. It might sound difficult. But I…… I have a colleague, also a teacher from Beijing. His surname is Tan, and Teacher Tan is volunteering in Liangshan this year.
“Funny thing is, Teacher Tan is actually from that same village in Daliang Mountains. So in a way, he's gone back home through volunteer teaching.”
A few people laughed softly.
Xu Nanheng smiled too, then went on, “Teacher Tan was someone who studied his way out of Daliang Mountains and got into Beijing.
“From a village just like ours, he made it. He got into a university in Beijing, passed the teacher certification exams, found a job, and now rents a small apartment with his housing allowance.”
Looking at everyone below the podium, Xu Nanheng said, “Teacher Tan successfully walked this path, which means this path works. We just have to work hard.”
After finishing, Xu Nanheng gave a small nod. “That's all for now. Thank you very much for your time. Parents, please leave in an orderly fashion. Everyone else, return to your seats. We are starting the new lesson.”
He didn't leave any time for reflection, nor did he encourage anyone to dwell on the meaning of that final example. Xu Nanheng didn't want to waste even a single minute. He disliked sentimentality and grand emotions. The story about Teacher Tan was simply the most practical and relevant example he could give.
Be it the Daliang Mountains or the Himalayas, if one was willing, it could be done. As long as one tried their absolute best, these mountains were not that high.
That week, Fang Shiyou returned for his rotation. They had dinner together on Monday and Tuesday, but both of them were busy. The tunnel workers kept getting injured almost daily. As for Xu Nanheng, with December approaching and winter break starting right after New Year's, he had been churning out exam papers nonstop.
On Wednesday evening, Xu Nanheng rushed into the small hospital just as Fang Shiyou, in his white coat, stepped out of the debridement room. Seeing how anxious and hurried Xu Nanheng was, he asked him what was wrong.
Xu Nanheng was holding a thick stack of papers. “Are you busy?”
Fang Shiyou tossed his mask and gloves aside. “Just finished.”
“Here.” Xu Nanheng pointed behind him, where six or seven students stood. “I'm going to bother you. Could you find a few nurses or doctors who are free to help me with one-on-one dictation? Today, it's three class hours' worth of English vocabulary and classical Chinese translation.”
Fang Shiyou nodded. “They're all at the nurses' station, waiting. You can go straight over.”
The nurses and doctors at the small hospital were familiar with most families in the village. Everyone looked out for one another, so when the children came for dictation, they were more than happy to help.
These six or seven students were the ones whose parents weren't home. The students from Teacher Tsering's class came every Tuesday, Thursday, and during the last evening self-study session on Fridays.
“Go on, remember to greet everyone properly,” Xu Nanheng reminded them. Then he gave Dasang Choedon and Lobsang Lhamo a subtle look.
As the group headed toward the nurses' station, Xu Nanheng stepped forward a few paces to Fang Shiyou and said quietly, “You handle these two for English dictation. Try to speak a little faster and make your sentences more connected.”
“Like a college entrance exam listening test?” Fang Shiyou asked.
“Yes.” Xu Nanheng pressed his lips together and swallowed lightly. “They need to get used to it sooner.”
Fang Shiyou roughly understood. Choedon was clearly the most promising spark in Teacher Xu's class. He nodded and said, “I don't have night duty tonight. I'll be in the office reading for a while. What about you?”
He glanced down at the stack of papers in Xu Nanheng's arms. “Grading papers?”
“Yeah.” Xu Nanheng nodded. “The space heater in Teacher Tsering's room broke, so I lent him mine. I'll go grade in your on-call room.”
“Just do it in my consultation room,” Fang said. “The heating pipes there are warmer.”
Xu Nanheng thought about it. He could also keep an eye on those two children. Choedon and Lhamo were both well-behaved, but when girls their age sat together, they were bound to whisper a bit. So he nodded in agreement.
Inside the room, Dr. Fang sat at his computer desk, while Teacher Xu sat to the side, in the chair usually used by patients. The two girls doing dictation sat opposite Fang Shiyou, separated by a printer.
To Xu Nanheng's left sat Fang Shiyou, and to his right were Choedon and Lhamo. While Xu Nanheng graded papers, Fang Shiyou took breaks between reading his articles to dictate English to the two girls.
Fang Shiyou's English pronunciation was pleasant to the ear. When someone spoke a non-native language, it always carried a certain distinct charm, as if their vocal chord had put on a different outfit. It sounded refreshing, and it made Xu Nanheng glance up at him now and then without meaning to.
“Dr. Fang, could you please dictate a little slowly……” Choedon finally couldn't hold it in and spoke timidly.
Xu Nanheng shot her a sharp look, and she immediately straightened her neck and lowered her head, not daring to continue. Fang Shiyou looked over at Xu Nanheng in silence, as if asking for confirmation. Xu Nanheng met his gaze and gave him a look that meant ‘keep going.’
Fang Shiyou said, “Okay…… let's keep going.”
Dr. Fang, who was dictating English while reading an article, couldn't switch back to his native language right away. He cleared his throat and continued dictating.
The sound of Dr. Fang's voice kept hitting something in Teacher Xu's chest. His grading pace slowed noticeably. Quietly, he stood up, tapped a finger on the edge of Dr. Fang's desk, and asked, “Do you have any earphones?”
Dr. Fang took a pair of Bluetooth earbuds out of his pocket and handed it over. Too lazy to reconnect his own phone, Xu Nanheng simply used Fang Shiyou's to play some music. To his surprise, their playlists had quite a lot in common.
At some point, another doctor came in holding an X-ray film and handed it to Fang Shiyou. Back in Beijing, Dr. Fang had worked in preliminary diagnostics for an orthopedics specialist, so he could read spinal films. He clipped it to the lightbox and switched it on.
“This isn't good,” Fang Shiyou said, taking a sip of strong tea to moisten his throat. Using a pencil from the desk, he circled an area on the film. “See here? The spondylolisthesis has squeezed out the lumbar disc. It requires surgery.”
“Oh……” The doctor who had come over nodded, scratched his head, and said, “Sigh, I'll go ask around the county to see who can do the surgery.”
He glanced at the two kids writing English beside them and laughed. “Hey, Dr. Fang, you really look like you're taking care of two daughters.”
Fang Shiyou laughed and replied, “Please don't. These two are driving Teacher Xu half mad with worry.”
As soon as he said it, he realized something sounded off, as if the two girls were his and Xu Nanheng's daughters. But the other doctor hadn't picked up on any secondary meaning and just laughed heartily a couple of times.
“Alright then, I'll let you get back to it.” The doctor left, nodding politely at Xu Nanheng on his way out. Xu Nanheng waved back as a casual goodbye.
After three hours' worth of vocabulary and classical Chinese, the dictation finally ended. With music playing in his ears, Xu Nanheng's grading efficiency improved, and after finishing the test papers, he directly took the girls' dictation sheets to mark them.
“Dasang Choedon, last week you left out the ‘u’ in graduate. Read this word, ‘graduate,’ for me.” Xu Nanheng looked straight into her eyes.
Fang Shiyou quietly shifted his gaze back to his reading. One should never interrupt a teacher who was angry.
Dasang Choedon opened her mouth and awkwardly read out ‘graduate.’
Kids from rural areas had no English-speaking environment, so they were never confident about pronunciation, always speaking softly, afraid they sounded strange.
“See? You can read it!” Xu Nanheng raised his voice on purpose, just to let Dasang Choedon know she had said it right.
He continued, “When you read up to gradu, how are you supposed to connect it to the -ate if you miss that ‘u’? How could you forget again this week after already copying it last week?”
“And you,” Xu Nanheng said, turning to Lhamo.
During those brief three minutes of questioning, Fang Shiyou sat upright and completely still. The room was so quiet that even the sound of him tapping the laptop's touchpad was deliberately softened.
When Xu Nanheng finally finished lecturing the two girls, Fang Shiyou let out a sigh of relief almost simultaneously with the two girls opposite him.
“Alright, you can go now,” Xu Nanheng said, standing up. “It's getting dark, so walk carefully.”
The two girls hurriedly stuffed their papers and pens into their backpacks and dashed out.
Fang Shiyou couldn't help but laugh.
“What are you laughing at?” Xu Nanheng asked, stacking the papers together.
“You scared me, Teacher Xu. I kept feeling like after scolding them, you were going to scold me next.”
“I wouldn't dare.” Xu Nanheng walked up next to him, his mood much better. “If I scold you, I won't have anyone to make braised sauce noodles for me during New Year.”
Fang Shiyou looked up. “Huh, so that's all I'm worth?”
“You still have to dictate to those two daughters.” Xu Nanheng bent slightly, brushing his palm over Fang Shiyou's cheek in a teasing, roguish gesture. “You're worth plenty, Dr. Fang.”
Fang Shiyou, being flirted with, deliberately played along. “Then how are you going to repay me? Why don't you give me two daughters, Teacher Xu?”
“I'll give you three.” Xu Nanheng laughed, patting his face. The smile was dazzling enough to be lethal.