Chapter 15: Apprenticeship

The next day, Feng Yiping suddenly remembered that today was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and he was going to seek extra lessons. It didn't seem right to go empty-handed. However, after rummaging through his desk a few times, he found nothing suitable to bring. He needed to think of something, preferably a small toy for their little daughter.

So, he dragged Xiao Zhijie, who had some pocket money, to the small store run by the physical education teacher outside the school. He asked Xiao Zhijie to contribute both money and effort to decide what to buy.

The store was a single-story building with asbestos roofing, backed by the school's wall. For Feng Yiping, such a place was like a Louis Vuitton or Armani boutique in the future. At this stage, anything that required money was a luxury for him, and he rarely entered such places.

In the middle was a glass cabinet, and behind it, against the wall, was a row of wooden shelves. The items on display included stationery, cigarettes, alcohol, and other daily necessities, some snacks, and a few small toys. To be honest, the variety of goods was limited. Apart from packaged cookies, most snacks were in plastic bags, such as sunflower seeds, twisted dough sticks, and flavored beans.

However, the smell inside the store was something Feng Yiping would remember for years to come. The first thing he smelled was tobacco, not the good kind, but the kind that old smokers found harsh and irritating. This was a familiar smell from the older generation in the village, which he found very comforting. Then came the mixed scents of alcohol, sugar, milk from cookies, and the spiciness of flavored beans, all blending into a very homely and inviting aroma, making him nostalgic.

Feng Yiping couldn't help but close his eyes and take a few deep breaths. Fortunately, the shopkeeper behind the counter was busy with her accounts, and Xiao Zhijie went straight to the snacks without noticing him.

Xiao Zhijie picked up a pack of flavored beans for one yuan. Items around this price were the natural choice for students like Xiao Zhijie who had pocket money. As for the more expensive items, they would think long and hard before buying them. He tore open the pack and poured some into Feng Yiping's hand. The spicy and slightly sweet beans were the first snack Feng Yiping had tasted since his rebirth, and it felt particularly special.

While choosing items, Xiao Zhijie immediately set his eyes on a water gun hanging on the wall, but Feng Yiping was not satisfied. Yes, children love water guns, but parents absolutely hate them. They get the kids and the house wet, and accidentally spraying water on others can lead to apologies. Later, when buying milk for children at the supermarket, water guns were often included, and sometimes there would be seven or eight of them at home, causing headaches for Feng Yiping and Zhang Yan. Of course, Xiao Zhijie, being a child, couldn't understand this yet.

After some debate, Feng Yiping decided, and Xiao Zhijie contributed 2.5 yuan to buy a box of colored pencils. Colored pencils, of course, are also disliked by parents. After buying them for their children, the walls, chairs, tables, sofas, books, and clothes at home would be covered in colorful drawings. The effort and money spent cleaning these things could buy dozens of boxes of colored pencils.

However, there were no other options in the store, and colored pencils at least allowed children to draw and trace patterns, which was better than water guns.

On the way back to the classroom, Xiao Zhijie, who was somewhat obsessed with power, said, "If you get along well with Teacher Zhu, you'll get along well with Teacher Wang, and maybe you can be the class monitor next semester?"

Feng Yiping couldn't help but laugh. This was the result of thousands of years of traditional Chinese culture. Of course, having a position at work would be great, but what was the point of being a class officer in junior high? It took extra time, didn't add to exam scores, and sometimes made you a teacher's lackey, causing conflicts with classmates.

However, this explained why Xiao Zhijie was appointed as the class monitor and joined the school student council in the first year of vocational school. He must have had his parents lobby the homeroom teacher.

The two stayed on the playground until they finished the bag of beans, then returned to the classroom. At this time, Xiao Zhijie's deskmate, Zhang Qiuling, the vice-principal's daughter, had also returned from lunch, and Xiao Zhijie hurried back to his seat.

Feng Yiping glanced at Huang Jingping across the aisle and wanted to laugh. It turned out that the one who had always claimed to like Huang Jingping now seemed to have a special fondness for Zhang Qiuling. This was the love of a teenager!

Feng Yiping thought for a moment and decided to bring the jar of pickled vegetables he hadn't touched, placing it in his backpack.

The homeroom teacher and his wife were both employees, so they were allocated two adjacent rooms with a door between them. The room used as a living room and dining room was crowded with a dining table, a TV cabinet, and a small bamboo bookshelf. On a desk was a tape recorder with two speakers, textbooks, notebooks, and a few test papers.

There was no decoration, but the walls were covered with white paper, on which a poem by Su Shi, "Chibi Fu," was written. The remaining space was adorned with a few bamboo paintings. Whether the calligraphy or the bamboo, it was all the work of Teacher Zhu. To be honest, Feng Yiping couldn't tell if it was good or bad, but at least it wasn't ugly. Of course, these decorations didn't quite match the room, but they reflected a certain lifestyle and taste.

When Feng Yiping arrived, they had already finished eating. Teacher Wang was combing the hair of his three-year-old daughter, Yanzi, while Teacher Zhu watched. Feng Yiping greeted them, and Wang Yumin responded indifferently, continuing to fuss with her daughter.

Teacher Zhu, looking at the colored pencils Feng Yiping had brought, joked, "Oh, how thoughtful, you even brought a gift?"

Feng Yiping smiled and said, "It's my first time coming, and it's the Mid-Autumn Festival, so it's a gift for Yanzi. And this jar of pickled vegetables, you can use it to add flavor. My mother is quite good at making pickled vegetables."

Wang Yumin put down the comb, pushed the items into Feng Yiping's backpack, and said to her husband, "What did you tell Feng Yiping?"

Feng Yiping, of course, didn't argue. Wang Yumin said, "I don't know why you want to learn painting and music. You're already busy with your main subjects. Where do you find the time? Even if your grades are good and you have a solid foundation, you will still face pressure. But since you want to learn, I won't stop you. You need to be clear about your priorities and manage your time well. As for the pickled vegetables, that's fine, but where did you get the money for the colored pencils? Take them back!"

Teacher Zhu complained, "What's wrong with extracurricular activities? They're worth learning. We were always taught to develop morally, intellectually, physically, aesthetically, and laboriously, right, Yiping?"

Feng Yiping could only say, "Ah!"

Seeing Wang Yumin ask Feng Yiping to return the colored pencils, Teacher Zhu, holding Yanzi, said, "Forget it, you know how Mrs. Wang is. She won't give you a refund for something you've already paid for."

Wang Yumin thought about it and agreed. The wife of the physical education teacher was known for not giving refunds, so asking Feng Yiping to return the items would be difficult.

Teacher Zhu continued, "Since you brought them, I'll keep them. I'm actually quite pleased. This shows you have good family values and are thoughtful. Character comes before knowledge. No matter how well you do in school, whether you get a master's or a doctorate, or even study abroad, remember this. What do you think, Wang Yumin?"

Wang Yumin said, "Right, you're growing up and need to learn how to behave, but don't bring gifts when you come to the teacher's house. Remember that. When you get into a good university and find a good job, then you can bring gifts to see the teacher, and the teacher will welcome you!"

Teacher Zhu was wise, and Wang Yumin, being the homeroom teacher, was perceptive. Feng Yiping nodded and took the opportunity to hand the colored pencils to Yanzi, "Yanzi, these are the colored pencils Uncle brought for you. Let's draw together, okay?"

Hearing this, Teacher Zhu smiled, and Wang Yumin called out, "Feng Yiping! What Uncle?"

Well, it seemed he couldn't play the role of an elder. Feng Yiping changed his words to Yanzi, "These are from your big brother. Let's draw together, okay?"

This lighthearted moment lightened the previously serious atmosphere.

Yanzi, with her finger in her mouth, looked at Wang Yumin, who nodded, and she reached out to take the pencils, ran to the desk to find paper, and started drawing. Good, she knew to draw on the paper!

Wang Yumin educated her daughter, "What did you forget to say to your big brother?"

Yanzi turned around and said in a baby voice, "Thank you, big brother!"

Sitting at the dining table, Teacher Zhu asked Feng Yiping, "Why do you want to learn painting and music?"

Feng Yiping thought for a moment and said, "During the summer vacation at my grandmother's house, my third-grade cousin's drawings seemed very childish. But when I drew, my drawings were similar to his. I felt very ashamed and embarrassed."

Teacher Zhu and Teacher Wang laughed. Teacher Zhu said, "Wang Yumin, don't laugh. Your drawings are not much better than Yanzi's."

Wang Yumin thought about it and agreed.

"Is that the only reason?" he asked.

"No, I also think that painting can improve our observational skills and attention to detail. For example, when I write about scenery, I find it beautiful, but when I try to write about it, I don't know where to start, and it always feels forced. Learning to paint will help with this."

Wang Yumin liked this answer.

Teacher Zhu looked at Feng Yiping again. He had a simple hairstyle, was thin and yellowish, and wore a sailor shirt, blue polyester pants, and cloth shoes, indicating his family couldn't afford sandals. A typical rural child, he showed good manners and spoke appropriately for his age, which was impressive.

"What about music?"

Feng Yiping thought and said, "I can understand all the other textbooks, but the music textbook, with its sheet music, is completely incomprehensible to me. I have a competitive spirit, so I want to learn it."

This reason was a bit weak, but his determination to not give up on learning was commendable, so they didn't press further.

"What level do you want to achieve?"

Feng Yiping had thought about this, "For music, I want to be able to read sheet music, sing from it, and write down the sheet music of a new song I hear."

Teacher Zhu rolled up his pants and patted his knee, "Reading sheet music isn't hard, but writing down a song you hear is challenging. And for painting, your standards are even higher?"

Feng Yiping said, "Not really. I want to be able to quickly sketch a person's outline and capture their clothing accurately. For example, if I draw a Santana car, others won't mistake it for a Peugeot."

The couple laughed again, and Feng Yiping joined in with a simple smile.

Teacher Zhu said, "Quick and accurate, that's not a low standard."

Wang Yumin said, "Peugeot, Santana, I didn't know you knew about cars."

Feng Yiping quickly said, "No, my uncle told me about them when he came back from the provincial capital. I only know these two car names."

"I understand your requirements," Teacher Zhu said, "In that case, I'll call you over when I have time. I think a year should be enough to meet your goals." He glanced at Wang Yumin, "If you don't learn it in a year, then by third grade, Teacher Wang won't let you spend time on these things anymore."

Teacher Wang didn't respond, but they understood this was a tacit agreement.

Feng Yiping said, "Thank you, Teacher Zhu, for your hard work!"

"Not at all! Remember, don't bring gifts next time, but if you bring sweet potatoes, persimmons, or chestnuts from home, the teacher will accept them!"

Wang Yumin quickly added, "Feng Yiping, Teacher Zhu is joking. As long as you maintain your main subject grades, the teacher welcomes you to learn these things from Teacher Zhu. You don't need to bring anything. Teacher Zhu is eager to have someone genuinely interested in learning from him. Remember that."

Feng Yiping thought he would start with still life drawing, but Teacher Zhu bluntly said, "You're too full of yourself. You can't even walk, and you want to run? Start with lines!"

Well, drawing lines looked easy but was actually difficult. After more than half an hour, Feng Yiping still hadn't gotten the hang of it. Wang Yumin walked into the bedroom and came out with two paper-wrapped mooncakes, "It's time for self-study. We'll continue tomorrow. Take these mooncakes with you." She put them in his backpack.

Feng Yiping didn't refuse, stood up, and thanked the teachers, then said goodbye to Yanzi, "Yanzi, big brother is going to class!"

This time, Yanzi said without prompting, "Bye, big brother!"

Thank you very much for reading! As a new author, it's not easy to get noticed. If you can, please consider adding this book to your favorites and giving it a recommendation.

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