First Position

Chapter 12: Grateful for You

Ren Xiaosu was deeply immersed in a serious discussion with Yan Liu Yuan about how to quickly garner gratitude. He was a very "simple" person, and when he understood just how valuable a heartfelt expression of thanks could be, he realized he needed that gratitude. Although Yan Liu Yuan felt that Ren Xiaosu had misunderstood the use of the word "simple."

"Brother, I think you could go out and do good deeds," Yan Liu Yuan suggested. "That way, you’d receive sincere gratitude, right? Like giving food to the hungry or water to the thirsty."

Ren Xiaosu stared at him in disbelief. "Do you think I’m that kind of person? If I give them food and water, what will I eat and drink? What will you eat and drink?"

Yan Liu Yuan, with a heavy heart, replied, "Then stop thinking about getting heartfelt gratitude!"

"No," Ren Xiaosu countered, "There must be another way!"

Long ago, Ren Xiaosu had learned that this era held no kindness for humanity, or rather, that genuine kindness between people was rare. There had once been a beggar in the town, and a kind-hearted girl would bring him food every day. But when the girl married, she stopped bringing him food. The beggar, desperate, went to her house and asked why she no longer helped him. He was thrown out, as her husband had no such kindness.

People thought the story was over, and many of the townsfolk eagerly awaited the beggar’s demise, hoping to witness his death from hunger. But that very night, the beggar found his way to the girl's home and killed both her and her husband. Ren Xiaosu always felt there was a profound lesson in this story, though at the time, he was too young to understand. All he knew was to be cautious before sleep...

The next morning, as Ren Xiaosu drew back the curtains, he heard commotion in the streets. He glanced out and saw a procession of musicians leaving the town, with a familiar face accompanying them. It was an old hunter from the town, known for his agility. He seemed quite pleased to be in the company of the band’s staff, perhaps eager to finally gain access to the higher-ups from the sanctuary.

Indeed, many townsfolk had risen to prominence this way. The rich and powerful figures from the sanctuary, with the smallest hint of favor, could elevate them to great wealth and status. As Ren Xiaosu had once asked Wang Fuguo why he was so eager to please those coming from the sanctuary, Wang had mysteriously smiled and said, "The sanctuary does have both the poor and the rich. But those who can freely enter and exit, they are definitely the nobility."

According to Wang, the poor in the sanctuary could rarely leave. The towering walls blocked not only outsiders but also the inhabitants within. At that moment, Ren Xiaosu noticed Wang Fuguo walking alongside the musicians’ staff. As he passed by, Wang shot him a cold glare before leaning in and whispering, "You ungrateful little brat. I recommend such a great opportunity to you, and you refuse it. Did you know? I heard from the staff that they’re looking for a good guide from the town to take them into the sanctuary. It’s an opportunity you won’t want to miss!"

Ren Xiaosu was taken aback. He hadn’t expected such a chance. Had he known sooner, would he have refused? Perhaps not, but he realized that if he went, Yan Liu Yuan could never follow. How could he leave Yan Liu Yuan behind?

Yan Liu Yuan whispered, "Brother, why not go talk to the band again? You're much better than that old Liu. He can never catch any prey, and he never dares go far from the town."

"Enough," Ren Xiaosu frowned. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t moved, but he had made up his mind. "Let’s go. I’ll take you to school."

By the time they arrived at the classroom, Zhang Jinglin was already cleaning the blackboard. He turned to see Ren Xiaosu and Yan Liu Yuan enter and nearly jumped in surprise. Both of them had deep dark circles under their eyes, looking as if they had risen from the dead.

"You two..." Zhang Jinglin hesitated.

"My brother insisted on..." Yan Liu Yuan started to explain.

Before he could finish, Ren Xiaosu slapped the back of Yan Liu Yuan’s head, cutting him off. "It’s nothing. We just didn’t sleep well."

"Oh," Zhang Jinglin didn’t seem particularly interested in their personal matters. "Have you decided what to teach today? It’s your first day as a substitute teacher."

"I’ve decided," Ren Xiaosu nodded. During the day, he was just a student in the classroom, but by the afternoon, he would be standing in as the substitute teacher for survival class.

At the end of the class, Zhang Jinglin, still unsure of Ren Xiaosu’s teaching abilities, decided to sit in the back of the classroom to keep an eye on things. Ren Xiaosu stepped up to the podium, and immediately, the class leader shouted, "Stand up!"

All the students in unison exclaimed, "Good morning, Teacher!"

To the students, Ren Xiaosu was a special presence—he was their "classmate," the oldest among them, and also a famous figure in the town. His coming to teach them was something of a novelty.

Ren Xiaosu suddenly spoke, "Do you think Mr. Zhang works hard teaching you all? You get to sit comfortably during class, but Mr. Zhang stands all day long."

Of course, the students couldn’t say it wasn’t hard, with Mr. Zhang still in the room... So they all said it was tough.

Ren Xiaosu continued, "Shouldn’t we thank Mr. Zhang?"

"Yes!" the students replied in unison.

Yan Liu Yuan’s face turned pale, his heart racing, thinking to himself, Here it comes!

Ren Xiaosu nodded with satisfaction. "From now on, when we have class, you don’t need to say ‘Good morning, Teacher,’ just say, ‘Thank you, Teacher!’"

Zhang Jinglin, utterly confused, had no idea what Ren Xiaosu was doing.

"Alright, everyone sit down. Let’s try it," Ren Xiaosu said with a smile.

"Stand up!"

"Thank you, Teacher!" the students shouted again in perfect unison.

Ren Xiaosu couldn’t help but inwardly mourn. These little rascals couldn’t even give a heartfelt thanks! Is it really that difficult to offer genuine gratitude to the educators who nurture us? No, he had to come up with another way. The first attempt had failed.

But for Ren Xiaosu, failure wasn’t something unfamiliar. Being able to accept failure with equanimity was one of his greatest strengths. He had once heard a saying: "In life, nine out of ten things don’t go as planned." In other words, out of ten things, nine would not be as expected. But even so, did that mean life should stop? Of course not…