Chapter 82

Morning.

Class 2 of the Experimental Elementary School started.

The familiar music bell rang, and a female teacher in her forties walked into the classroom with her lesson plan neatly in her arms, "Good morning, everyone."

"Stand up!" the class monitor shouted.

Everyone stood up in unison, "Good morning, teacher!"

The Chinese teacher smiled and said, "Please sit down, everyone."

Other children were all well-behaved, standing up and sitting down as instructed. Only Zhang Ye's little Chenchen was always a bit slow, looking listless, as if she hadn't eaten enough. Zhang Ye had never seen Chenchen genuinely smile, not even once. The only smiles he had seen were mocking or cold ones, and the little girl always had a serious face.

Zhang Ye nudged her, "Pay attention."

Chenchen softly replied, "Okay."

The female teacher heard a sound and, seeing it was Chenchen, immediately frowned, "Be quiet, it's class time!" Then she smiled again and said to the parents, "Good morning, parents. Today is my open class, and I thank you all for taking the time to participate. For the class content, I want to use a more open approach. I will give an essay topic, and the students will write an essay of at least 200 words based on the topic. Parents can supervise and offer suggestions, working together with the children. This will help parents better understand the children's world and strengthen interaction with them. Now, I will give the topic."

She turned to write on the blackboard.

The topic:

Write an essay praising any plant.

Requirement: Clear theme, at least 200 words.

The class's homeroom teacher, Ms. Zhao Mei, was sitting in the last row, observing the children's performance.

Clapping her hands, the Chinese teacher said, "Alright, everyone can start writing the essay. If you don't know how to write a word, you can ask your parents."

"Dad, I want to write about a rose!"

"Sure, that's a good choice."

"But I don't know how to write '瑰' (gui)."

"Come here, I'll write it for you."

"Mom, mom, I want to praise the silver fir, or the orchid. Our orchid at home is so beautiful, isn't it very precious?"

Everyone started writing.

Only Chenchen didn't move for a long time. She held the pen for a while but didn't write a single word. Finally, she turned her head and stared at Zhang Ye, "Zhang Ye."

Zhang Ye asked, "What is it?"

Chenchen, without blushing or hesitating, handed him the pen, "Write it for me."

Zhang Ye glared at her, "The teacher wants you to write the essay. Adults can only help with spelling. Don't be so shameless. Hurry up and write it yourself."

Chenchen said firmly, "I can't."

Zhang Ye encouraged her, "What do you mean you can't? Just choose a plant you like, write about how it's beautiful and good. You're usually very articulate, with a much larger vocabulary than other kids your age. You'll be fine." This little girl had even managed to leave Zhang Ye, a professional broadcaster, speechless the other day. Zhang Ye knew Chenchen was very smart.

But Chenchen just couldn't write. She sat there for a long time, still not writing a single word, and it was clear she was getting frustrated.

Suddenly, footsteps approached from outside.

The school leaders arrived, and it seemed some officials from the city education bureau were among them. There were about twenty people, men and women of various ages.

The Chinese teacher hurriedly greeted them, "Director Liu, Principal Li."

Principal Li of the Experimental Elementary School waved his hand, "Continue, don't mind us."

Ms. Zhao Mei also stood up to welcome them, making room for the prepared empty seats in the back, "Please sit here. The children are writing essays, and this is a Chinese class."

Director Liu of the education bureau smiled, "Good, I'd like to hear the children's essays."

Zhang Ye glanced at the back and understood. It was probably because the leaders were visiting today that this open class was arranged. Sigh, it's really troublesome, formalism is killing people.

Soon, the Chinese teacher checked her watch, "Alright, time is almost up. Who has finished? Please raise your hand, and I'll read them. By the way, since Class 1 is an experimental class, the best essay today will be broadcast on the school radio tomorrow. This is a rare opportunity."

Hearing this, the children were all excited and eager to try.

"I'm done!"

"Me too!"

"Read mine first! Read mine first!"

Everyone was very enthusiastic, and children tend to get excited when there are visitors.

Principal Li was pleased and said to the leaders, "Director Liu, this is our best experimental class in the second grade. The children are very enthusiastic."

"I can see that," Director Liu praised, "Very good."

Only Chenchen remained silent, her notebook still blank. She looked at the classmates raising their hands and pursed her lips.

Zhang Ye couldn't bear to see her like this. He gritted his teeth and decided to help. He couldn't let her lose face in front of her classmates. Besides, the Chinese teacher had been annoyed by Chenchen before, and if she encouraged the other children to exclude her, it would be a situation Zhang Ye didn't want to see. The landlord had always helped him when he was in trouble, and Ms. Rao had entrusted her child to him, a tenant, out of absolute trust. Zhang Ye couldn't let anything happen to the child on his watch.

"Chenchen," Zhang Ye whispered, "I'll dictate, you write."

Chenchen pursed her lips and nodded, unusually compliant.

But what to write? What plant to praise? Zhang Ye's mind went blank for a moment, then he suddenly had an idea. Yes, that one!

Chenchen urged, "Zhang Ye."

"Alright, don't rush. I've got it." Zhang Ye said, "Title: 'Praise for the Poplar Tree.' The poplar tree is not an ordinary tree. I praise the poplar tree!"

Chenchen wrote quickly, pen moving swiftly.

Zhang Ye continued, "The car races across the boundless plateau, and what meets your eyes is a vast carpet of yellow and green. The yellow is the earth, uncultivated wasteland, the outer shell of the Loess Plateau formed by the great natural forces hundreds of thousands of years ago; the green is the result of human labor conquering nature, the wheat fields. The breeze blows, and the green waves roll, one after another. At this moment, you will truly admire the two characters 'wheat waves' created by our ancestors. If not a stroke of genius, they are indeed the essence of language refined through time."

Some words Chenchen hadn't learned yet, so Zhang Ye guided her step by step.

...

On the other side, the Chinese teacher picked up Dede's essay, "Dede was the first to raise his hand. Let's read Dede's essay. 'Lavender,' I like lavender. Once, my parents took me to Europe, and I saw it for the first time in a courtyard. It was so beautiful..." After reading, the teacher praised, "Very well written. It's clear Dede put a lot of effort into it, and the writing is excellent."

Dede was overjoyed.

Dede's parents also smiled, somewhat proud.

"Next, Tongtong raised her hand. Let's see Tongtong's essay." The teacher picked up a little girl's essay, "Title: 'Praise for the Cedar.' The cedar is one of the most precious trees in the world. Due to excessive logging, many ancient cedars no longer exist..." After reading, the teacher's eyes lit up, "Tongtong's essay is even better. It has more depth and an environmental message. Very good, keep it up."

"Thank you, teacher," Tongtong said with a smile, then glanced at Chenchen, showing off. It was clear they didn't get along.

One...

Three...

Five...

The children's essays were read one by one.

Finally, the Chinese teacher asked, "Is there anyone else who has finished but hasn't been read yet?"

Tongtong suddenly shouted, "Rao Chenchen's hasn't been read!" She pointed at her desk mate.

Tongtong's father, who was nearby, looked at Chenchen and Zhang Ye with a cold expression, sarcastically saying, "Yes, I'd like to hear what Chenchen wrote." Last semester, Chenchen had made his daughter cry several times, so he naturally didn't like them. This time, he was clearly looking for trouble. "Chenchen's parent, is it done? Then let the teacher read it. Chenchen's grades are 'top-notch,' so her essay must be good!"

Actually, everyone in the class knew Chenchen's grades were poor, one of the worst in the experimental class!

Many children who didn't get along with Chenchen started to cheer and jeer.

"Read Chenchen's!"

"I want to hear Chenchen's essay!"

The Chinese teacher didn't want to read Chenchen's. She knew Chenchen's Chinese level was the worst in the class, and she was likely to be kicked out of the experimental class next year. Today was an open class, and there were many teachers, school leaders, and even education bureau officials listening. She wanted to read the best essays to highlight her teaching ability. So she said, "Chenchen might not be finished yet."

Tongtong's father sneered, "I see she has already stopped writing."

The homeroom teacher, Ms. Zhao Mei, was a bit angry. What kind of parent is this? How can you treat other children like this? Is it necessary to be so sarcastic? Yes, Chenchen might be a bit sharp-tongued and has made your child cry, but children speak without thinking. Besides, it's their own business. How can you, as an adult, get involved and help your child bully others? What kind of talk is that! Since learning about Chenchen's background and family, Ms. Zhao Mei's attitude towards Chenchen had completely changed, becoming much more tolerant.

Zhang Ye was also angry, staring at Tongtong's father. You little punk, how dare you talk like that! Looking for trouble, huh? Fine!

"Chenchen, you?" the Chinese teacher asked, giving Chenchen a look, indicating that it would be fine if she said she wasn't done.

But before Chenchen could speak, Zhang Ye said, "My child is done! Since everyone wants to hear it, let's read it!"

The Chinese teacher was stunned. Damn, really read it?

Tongtong's father laughed, "Teacher, we're all waiting."

The education bureau officials and school leaders couldn't stand it anymore, thinking some parents were too low. They got up to leave and inspect other classes.

At this moment, the Chinese teacher had already taken Chenchen's essay. She was surprised at first because the essay was much longer than 200 words. So many words for praising a plant? She read with a doubtful tone, "Title: 'Praise for the Poplar Tree.' The poplar tree is not an ordinary tree. I praise the poplar tree!"

As soon as the first sentence was read, everyone laughed.

Praising a poplar tree? Not ordinary? You're really funny! Poplar trees are everywhere, mostly in the countryside. What kind of plant praise is this? Look at what the other children wrote: orchids, cedars, lavender, at the very least, roses!

You?

Praising a poplar tree?

Sweat, why don't you praise gutter oil!

Many children laughed, and some adults, like Tongtong's father, also laughed, showing disdain. Kids are just kids! They can't do anything right! What a lousy essay! They should be ashamed to compare it with my child's essay!

The Chinese teacher also thought the essay seemed problematic, the topic was not good. But she had no choice, pushed by some parents with ulterior motives. As she read on, she became more and more astonished, her expression more and more surprised!

This...

Is this a prose?

She realized the essay was not as simple as she thought. The language was plain, but there was something deeper!

"That is a tree striving to grow upward, with a straight trunk and straight branches."

"The poplar is not an ordinary tree. It is very common in the northwest, not valued, just like the farmers in the north; it has a strong vitality, cannot be oppressed or crushed, just like the farmers in the north. I praise the poplar tree because it not only symbolizes the farmers in the north but also symbolizes the simple, strong, and upward spirit needed in our national liberation struggle today."

"Let those who look down on the masses and stubbornly regress praise the noble camphor tree and despise the common and easily grown poplar. I will loudly praise the poplar tree!"

The Chinese teacher closed Chenchen's workbook, dazed, "That's it."

The essay was finished!

At this moment, everyone was silent!

Tongtong's father was stunned!

The other parents were also shocked!

The education bureau officials and school leaders, who had already walked out of the classroom, stopped in their tracks, dumbfounded, and then quickly returned, staring at the classroom in disbelief, as if they had seen a ghost!

Zhang Ye, on the other hand, felt pretty cool, sneering at those who had doubted Chenchen and him. You really look down on people, don't you?

Show off! Show off now!

Want to compare writing with me? You're really funny!

Zhang Ye wasn't surprised by everyone's shock. This is "Praise for the Poplar Tree." If he remembered correctly, it was a famous essay in the second-year Chinese textbook in his world, and the author was even more famous—Mao Dun!

Whoever could find a flaw in this essay, Zhang Ye would spit in their face. "Praise for the Poplar Tree" doesn't have fancy words like most essays, but that's what makes it precious, highlighting its ideological, educational, and literary value!

Praising a plant?

"Praise for the Poplar Tree" is the most unassuming, yet the most famous!