Chapter 2: Drowning Sorrows in Alcohol

Half a month had passed, and Zhu Daodong gradually adapted to the simple and orderly life at school. As a graduate of the provincial normal university, he was assigned to be a homeroom teacher upon arrival, and also taught Chinese to two other classes in the first year of junior high. His days were busy, with at least five classes a day, and he also had to manage a class. It was only after school that he had some free time.

However, Zhu Daodong found it very difficult to be idle, because as soon as he had free time, a certain figure would constantly linger in his mind. Yet, he couldn't fully immerse himself in his work; he had no passion! How could a young man without passion be enthusiastic about his job? Therefore, he did just enough to get by, never doing more than necessary.

His classes were also lackluster, purely task-oriented. He let the students do as they pleased. Although Principal Liu Tao mentioned this to him several times, Zhu Daodong would only agree in person but continue as usual behind his back. This led to complaints from other teachers, especially the four middle school graduates who were assigned to the school at the same time, who took pleasure in his misfortune. After all, Zhu Daodong was a graduate of the provincial normal university, while they were only middle school graduates.

This kind of life was full of uncertainty, disappointment, and sadness for Zhu Daodong. He felt like an outsider, a drop of oil that could never blend into the water of Shulin Ridge.

Whenever he had the chance, Zhu Daodong would drink alone. He had few friends at school, and if he had to name one, it might be Hu Lihua, the English teacher in his class.

Her desk was right across from Zhu Daodong's, so he could openly look at her without drawing attention. Before Zhu Daodong arrived, she had been the acting teacher for the class, and now she was the English teacher. They often discussed class matters, which improved Zhu Daodong's mood.

However, Zhu Daodong would never invite her to drink, nor would he seek out the other teachers. When he first arrived at Shulin Ridge, the school had held a welcome banquet for the new teachers. The so-called banquet was a meal in the small canteen for all the teachers, with dishes like braised tofu with meat, stir-fried tofu with meat, red-braised tofu, mapo tofu, and home-style tofu, along with four cold dishes. It was practically a tofu feast, but this was the highest standard of hospitality the school could offer.

This year, five teachers were assigned to Shulin Ridge Middle School, three men and two women. Besides Zhu Daodong, the other four were middle school graduates. Principal Liu Tao had introduced Zhu Daodong with great fanfare, praising him as a highly educated university graduate with a wealth of knowledge. Liu Tao was eager to bestow all the praise on Zhu Daodong, as he was the university graduate Liu Tao had specifically requested. Praising Zhu Daodong was like praising himself for his foresight and courage.

Zhu Daodong had never been praised so openly before, and it made him feel even more awkward, especially since his mood was already terrible. His smile at the time was barely distinguishable from a grimace.

However, this still made enemies for Zhu Daodong. The four middle school graduates were full of disdain and hostility, especially the two who shared a dorm with him, who seemed to want to eat him alive.

Initially, the five of them got along well, but after this incident, the four middle school graduates banded together and isolated Zhu Daodong. Once, Zhu Daodong overheard them talking about him, mocking him. "What's the big deal about a degree? It doesn't mean much. Even if he has one, so what? The real test is whether he can teach well!" They then burst into laughter, and Zhu Daodong's face felt as if it were being burned by charcoal.

The new colleagues who should have been the closest to him were now like strangers. Zhu Daodong's relationship with the other teachers had not reached the point where they could talk freely and drink together. He bought alcohol and drank it outside, returning to the school only after he was done. When he got back to the dorm, he ignored the strong smell of alcohol and fell asleep immediately.

Zhu Daodong often drank to the point of intoxication, which made the two middle school graduates in the dorm even more contemptuous of him. Sometimes they would even mock him to his face, asking him to "explain" what a "wine sack and food bag" meant. Such veiled insults were no different from a direct insult. If it were the old Zhu Daodong, a fight would have been inevitable. Although he was poor, he had dignity and self-respect. Without self-respect, what was the point of living?

But now, Zhu Daodong endured it, and he didn't even show any anger. Such things were not worth getting angry over... However, Zhu Daodong's teaching style changed noticeably. According to the students, Mr. Zhu's classes were now lively, easy to understand, especially for classical Chinese. Listening to his classes was like listening to stories, which made them particularly interesting.

He believed in separating personal and professional life, a standard he set for himself. He couldn't let his personal mood affect the learning of dozens of students. In college, Zhu Daodong had resolved to contribute to China's education. But now that he was on the podium, he had forgotten this.

Their behavior, though despicable, made him realize his responsibilities, and he was startled into awareness. This incident had a profound impact on Zhu Daodong. From then on, he always separated personal and professional matters, regardless of his job or position.

Since others disliked his alcohol smell, Zhu Daodong decided to drink outside, sometimes even staying out all night. But staying out all night meant additional expenses. Although Zhu Daodong was a government employee, his salary was not high. If he could save this money, he could buy two more bottles of Laobai.

Every day after school, Zhu Daodong would carry two bottles of alcohol and wander around the countryside, looking for a quiet place that could shelter him from the wind and rain. As he became more familiar with Shulin Ridge, he finally found an ideal spot.

Behind the Shulin Ridge township government, there was a Sanqing Taoist temple. During the early liberation period, all the Taoists were driven away, and it had been vacant ever since. In recent years, a wandering Taoist appeared and, seeing that the temple was unmanaged and he no longer wanted to wander, he declared himself the abbot, calling himself "Wuming Daoren" (Nameless Taoist). The local people did not make things difficult for him. After he arrived, on the first and fifteenth of each month, or during market days, some people would occasionally come to offer incense and give him some money.

Except for those specific days, the temple was quiet during the day and even more so at night. Zhu Daodong found a room near the temple gate, lit a candle, and discovered that it had a table and chairs, though they were a bit dirty. He didn't have high standards, so he cleaned it up a bit and started drinking alone.

Zhu Daodong didn't know when his alcohol tolerance had become so high. In the past, he could only drink one bottle of beer or a cup of homemade rice wine, about two ounces. But recently, whether to numb his nerves or to forget the pain in the back of his head, his alcohol tolerance increased. When he first arrived at the school, he could only drink half a bottle of Laobai, but now he could drink two bottles of a one-liter bottle of Laobai in one night. Laobai is a 52-degree high-proof liquor, and a half-liter is already considered a good drinker. Drinking a liter of Laobai in a place like Shulin Ridge would make one a drinking expert, but now Zhu Daodong could drink two liters without a word.

Laobai is a sorghum liquor produced by the Shulin Ridge distillery, known for its rich aroma and strong flavor. The locals also enjoyed it. After arriving at Shulin Ridge Middle School, Zhu Daodong quickly fell in love with this cheap and flavorful liquor.

He opened a bottle of Laobai, set out some preserved tofu and peanuts he bought from the supply cooperative, and started drinking. Chewing a peanut and taking a sip of Laobai, he felt truly relaxed. Only at such times could he forget everything and enjoy himself. But just as he took a few sips, someone suddenly appeared in the room, faster than the wind, scaring Zhu Daodong, who grabbed the bottle to defend himself.

"Sir, please don't be alarmed. I am the abbot of this temple," the man said, fearing that Zhu Daodong would attack him if he didn't speak quickly.

In fact, Zhu Daodong had already decided to fight. Who would appear in such a place at midnight? Although he had no martial arts skills, he grew up in the countryside and was strong. When he jumped up, he already had the bottle in his hand, and if the Taoist had been a bit slower, the bottle would have already hit his head.

"Who are you?" Zhu Daodong suppressed his fear and asked sternly.

In his panic, Zhu Daodong hadn't heard what the man said.

"I am the abbot of this temple," the Taoist said, bowing to Zhu Daodong.

With the candlelight, Zhu Daodong finally saw the man clearly. He had long hair tied up with a chopstick, a ruddy complexion, a large red nose, and an unkempt beard. His Taoist robe, reflecting the candlelight, was so oily it could be used as a mirror. He looked like a complete slob.

"May I ask your name?" Zhu Daodong, seeing that the man meant no harm and was the owner of the place, quickly calmed down.

"I have no name, sir. You can call me Wuming Daoren," the Taoist said, sitting down at the table and eating the preserved tofu Zhu Daodong had brought.

"Wuming Daoren?" Zhu Daodong didn't know if he was really called that or just teasing him. Seeing that the Taoist treated him as a friend, he also sat down. Having someone to drink with was better than drinking alone.

"Sir, I came here because I smelled your alcohol. May I have a drink?" Wuming Daoren said with a smile. He was a Taoist who enjoyed alcohol and meat, not bound by strict Taoist rules.

"This is Laobai from this town. What alcohol aroma?" Zhu Daodong laughed, having come to drink alone, he had bought two bottles of Laobai and some preserved tofu and peanuts, but no cups. He placed the bottle in front of Wuming Daoren.

Zhu Daodong rarely interacted with others at school, believing that in a place with people, one should only speak a third of what they think and not reveal their true feelings, a lesson he learned from a martial arts novel. Now, with Wuming Daoren, a stranger with no conflicts, he was willing to talk.

"Any alcohol within a hundred paces, I can smell it and find its source," Wuming Daoren said, grabbing the bottle and taking a big gulp, as if afraid someone would take it from him. In a moment, half the bottle was gone.

"Your alcohol tolerance is impressive," Zhu Daodong marveled. The Laobai was a 52-degree liquor, and he had just drunk about three ounces in one gulp, which was a lot.

"If I were ten years younger, I could drink the whole bottle in one go," Wuming Daoren burped and chewed on a piece of preserved tofu.

Before Wuming Daoren arrived, Zhu Daodong had already been drinking. There was about eight ounces left in the bottle, and drinking eight ounces of 52-degree liquor in one go was not just impressive; it was almost divine.

Zhu Daodong had come to drink alone, but with Wuming Daoren, his drinking became even more enjoyable. He took the bottle and, like Wuming Daoren, took a big gulp. The Laobai from Shulin Ridge had a history of several decades, with a spicy and strong flavor. Two big gulps made his throat and stomach feel like they were on fire.

"Refreshing!" Zhu Daodong exclaimed. His alcohol tolerance had improved significantly. He remembered that in school, even a glass of beer would make him blush, but now, he could drink a liter of Laobai without any problem. As others said, alcohol tolerance can be trained, and he had been practicing almost every day, so his tolerance had increased.

"Hey, it's empty?" Wuming Daoren, not realizing Zhu Daodong's tolerance, was upset that he had only taken one sip while Zhu Daodong had finished half the bottle.

"Don't worry, there's another bottle," Zhu Daodong shook his head, feeling no dizziness, and the burning sensation in his throat gradually disappeared. It seemed his alcohol tolerance had improved, and he had drunk more than Wuming Daoren.

"This time, no big gulps," Wuming Daoren's eyes lit up at the sight of another bottle, and after a big gulp, he "friendly" reminded Zhu Daodong, as if the alcohol was his.

"Alright," Zhu Daodong took the bottle and also took a big gulp, but Wuming Daodong was pained to see it. Zhu Daodong found it amusing; the old Taoist was obsessed with alcohol. "Wuming Daoren, is your name really 'Wuming'?"

"Not really. I had a name, but I haven't used it for a long time and almost forgot it. It's easier to be called Wuming," Wuming Daoren said, taking another big gulp, seemingly unwilling to talk about it.

The name "Wuming" sounded ethereal and mysterious, and it was popular with the locals. Otherwise, with his appearance, the temple would have no incense. Even if there was, he would have been driven away. Now, he could stay in the temple largely because of his name.

Wuming Daoren didn't want to talk about it, and Zhu Daodong didn't press further. Wuming Daoren also didn't ask about Zhu Daodong's situation. They just drank and chatted casually. Most of the alcohol was consumed by Wuming Daoren, and the peanuts were all eaten by him. Although Zhu Daodong still felt he hadn't had enough, he was happy to have someone to drink with and listen to Wuming Daoren's stories from all over.

When he returned to the school, it was already late at night. The school was quiet, and the sound of his footsteps made him feel happy. Although he hadn't talked about his personal issues with Wuming Daodong, talking to someone for half the night made him feel less depressed. Back in the dorm, he ignored the loud snoring of the other two teachers and quickly fell asleep.

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