Chapter 27: Youth is the Pen that Weaves Dreams

After Anshui Middle School moved down from the center of the county town, the campus became much more spacious.

There were rows of teaching buildings, dormitories, washrooms, a small supermarket, a canteen, and a rubberized running track—everything one could need was there.

Above the canteen, which could accommodate over four thousand people for meals, a massive multi-purpose hall had been converted. It could serve as a venue for New Year's Eve galas or grade-wide assemblies.

At this moment, the multi-purpose hall, capable of holding over two thousand people, was buzzing with noise. Under the guidance of their respective class monitors, students were taking their assigned seats.

Because there was no evening self-study session, many students were extremely excited, gathering in small groups to play and joke around. Since it was a rare moment of leisure, the teachers guiding the order did not impose strict discipline.

After a period of commotion, once everyone had settled down, Principal Wu Jia walked up to the front row of seats and began his speech. Below, the students gradually quieted down.

Even now, Wang Donglai was holding a mathematics book, grinding for experience points. For Wang Donglai, if he hadn't promised Meng Fang that he would go on stage to share his study experience, he wouldn't have come here at all. In the same amount of time, reading a book would yield much greater gains than sitting here.

To Wang Donglai's left and right were Chen Mengni and Guo Xing. It could be said that after their grades improved, the two girls had stayed close to Wang Donglai's side. They were inseparable, arriving early and leaving late. Even during meals, the three of them were together, rarely parting. To onlookers, people could only feel envy and jealousy toward Chen Mengni and Guo Xing.

"Wang Donglai, can I ask you a question?" Chen Mengni suddenly put down her book, turned her head to look at him, and asked.

"Mm, go ahead," Wang Donglai replied casually without lifting his head.

"What is your dream?"

As soon as Chen Mengni asked this, Wang Donglai's movements stopped. He closed his math book, looked up at her, and instead of answering directly, he asked back, "What is your dream?"

With a hint of longing in her eyes, Chen Mengni said, "My dream is simple. I want to travel across the country and see all the scenery I haven't seen yet."

"What about you?" Wang Donglai turned to ask Guo Xing on the other side.

Guo Xing thought for a moment before saying, "Maybe I want to find a good job, earn more money, and do the things I want to do—maybe open a shop, or travel the country like Mengni."

After listening, a trace of a smile appeared in Wang Donglai's eyes as he spoke to them, "To fulfill both of your dreams, it's going to be quite difficult. You two will have to work hard."

"You asked about my dream. Actually, I used to have many dreams. When I was a child, I thought scientists were inventors who could make all kinds of fun toys, so I wanted to be a scientist. After entering middle school and learning about physics and chemistry, I realized scientists weren't just inventors, so I wanted to join the military—guns and cannons are the eternal romance for boys. Later, as I grew more sensible, I wanted to make money—lots of money—so I could live without worries, not have to work, and do whatever I wanted. During my first and second years of high school, I played around for two years and read novels for two years; my grades plummeted, and I fell into decadence. You all probably know how bad my grades were when we first split into classes, so I won't mention it."

"Now, to be precise, I don't have a 'dream.' I only have one idea: I want to stand at the very top. I want to change this society; I want to truly do something for society. A 'dream' is something precise, something you must give your all to, something romantic. But an 'idea' isn't so complicated; it is simply a thought that flashes within a single moment from the heart. So, what do you think? Do you think I'm being arrogant?"

A confident smile appeared on Wang Donglai's face, his gaze gentle and calm as he asked the two girls.

"No! I think your idea is really cool. Your vision is much bigger than mine, and I believe you can do it. Keep going!!!" Chen Mengni clenched her small, fair fists and puffed out her cheeks, making a cute, encouraging gesture.

"Everyone's dream is different, and they change at different stages. I dreamed of being a singer when I was little; that's actually quite normal. You said you want to change society and do something for it—do you mean you want to enter politics and become an official?" Guo Xing was more mature; her first reaction after hearing him was that he intended to pursue a political career.

"No! I don't want to take the civil service exam. I'll probably become a loathsome capitalist. I'll start a business and become a boss. You two can come work at my company; for the sake of being classmates, I'll arrange good jobs for you."

Wang Donglai rejected Guo Xing's guess and provided an answer neither of them expected. In fact, after Guo Xing made her guess, both girls had assumed that Wang Donglai either wanted to enter politics or go into technical research. Only then would it align with his words about "changing society." They hadn't expected this answer.

While they were stunned, Meng Fang approached Wang Donglai and whispered, "Wang Donglai, go sit in the front to prepare. It's almost your turn to go on stage."

"Okay." Wang Donglai stood up and followed Meng Fang through the aisle to sit in the front seats.

"Wang Donglai, right? Sit here." The grade leader, Wang Yuhua, saw a student following Meng Fang and immediately knew it was Wang Donglai, so she greeted him with a smile.

"Mm." Wang Donglai was not intimidated and sat straight down next to Wang Yuhua.

"So, how is it? Any problems with your studies? Your progress has been very fast. If you had shown this earlier, we would have placed you in the Rocket Class."

Hearing this, Meng Fang's expression changed slightly, and she looked at Wang Donglai with a hint of nervousness.

Wang Donglai's brows furrowed slightly, and a flash of dislike for Wang Yuhua instantly rose in his heart. He said, "Thank you for your concern, Teacher Wang. The Gaokao is coming soon, and I've gotten used to Class 14."

"The teachers in the Rocket Class are our school's most experienced veterans, and the students are the best of the third-year group. The academic atmosphere is the best. Don't you want to..."

Before Wang Yuhua could finish, Wang Donglai's frown deepened, forcing him to speak more clearly: "Yes, I know the atmosphere in the Rocket Class is good, but Teacher Meng has also been very good to me."

After a moment of silence, Wang Yuhua said indifferently, "Fine. If there are any problems with your studies, you can report them to the school in a timely manner."

Only then did Meng Fang quietly breathe a sigh of relief, her expression relaxing, though she felt a flicker of annoyance when she glanced at Wang Yuhua.

Soon, it was time for Wang Donglai's speech. He had not made any special preparations for this speech. The current Wang Donglai had already raised his Language/Literature level to Lv5; speaking eloquently was no longer difficult, and quoting classics was effortless. Thus, a mere speech was no challenge for him.

Under the lights, Wang Donglai walked slowly onto the stage.

"Classmates, I am Wang Donglai. Two months ago, just like most of you sitting here, my grades were not good. I was somewhere between passing and failing the university entrance exam. If I performed well, I could get into a third-tier university; if I performed poorly, I'd end up at a vocational college. Now, standing here, the school has asked me to give a speech sharing my study experience. I don't actually have any secret study methods or hidden manuals. The reason I was able to improve my grades so quickly in just two months is actually quite simple. I wake up at 6:30 AM, spend ten minutes getting ready and eating breakfast, and then sit in the classroom. I give my all to every single class, studying with total concentration. I don't take a nap at noon; I eat and return to the classroom immediately. I stay until 11:10 PM, when I return to the dorm to get ready for sleep. There really are no secret formulas; anyone can come to my seat and check at any time. I won't say whether high school knowledge is difficult or not; I only believe that when a person gives their all, they will inevitably reap rewards."

"We were born to be mountains, not streams. We should look down upon the mediocre ravines from the peaks of the mountains. We were born to be heroes, not chaff; we should stand on the shoulders of giants and despise the lowly cowards. We are all working tirelessly through the nights; why shouldn't I be the one to lead the way? In the race of a hundred boats, the one who strives forward is the one who wins. The version of you that continues to write feverishly in the cold of night, the version of you that grits your teeth and persists after every exam, the version of you that feels inadequate yet continues to strive with vigor—that person is destined for greatness."

"Confusion is a sickness of youth—not daring to hold onto one's convictions, not giving one's all, being hesitant and indecisive, watching others' faces and living a humble life. This is not the youth we want. A young person's shoulders should carry the beauty of nature and the moonlight. Have you forgotten that our journey is toward the stars and the sea? Our youth has not yet ended. Since we have reached the age we most longed for as children, we must become the people we once envied most."

"Do not seek love or visions that have nothing to do with you right now; do not get entangled in unnecessary emotions and judgments; do not indulge in illusions; do not care about tragic failures or a harsh tomorrow. I only know what I want to obtain and that I will never regret it. I have a reason to be strong and a belief to uphold—something that brings tears to my eyes just by mentioning it. How lowly must a person be to feel lost? There is no road longer than the one traveled by your feet, and no mountain higher than the one climbed by a person. Since we are all studying hard under the cold window, how can we allow ourselves to fall behind?"

"One must know that the lofty ambitions of youth once promised to reach the very top. I hope for you, for me, and for all of us, that we can achieve our life goals. The starlight does not ask the traveler's name, and time does not fail those who are determined. May you, and may we all, use our dreams as our steeds to cross these few dozen days and nights, riding upon the vast starry sky to embrace the summer that belongs to us."

"Classmates, after the Gaokao, there will be no exam more fair than this. If you miss this period of time, you will never be able to find this memory filled with sweat and passion again. My speech is over. Thank you all!"

As soon as Wang Donglai finished, a thunderous applause erupted from the audience, so loud it felt as if it might blow the roof off. The applause rolled in like waves, crashing toward the stage.

Looking down at the many students clapping with all their might, Wang Donglai felt a sudden sense of realization. A feeling he had never experienced before spread from the depths of his heart. To be the center of attention, standing in the middle of the stage, speaking with such power and command—what an exhilarating feeling.

His ordinary self in his previous life had never had such an experience.

At eighteen that year, at his alma mater's gala, he had stood below the stage like a mere nobody.

(End of Chapter)