Zhang Yingcai leapt out of bed the next morning as soon as he opened his eyes. Walking so quickly he was almost trotting, he covered the ten kilometres down the mountain before most people had even started breakfast.
On the way he ran into Lan Fei, also heading home. They nodded at each other without talking, and luckily it wasn't long before they parted ways again.
As soon as he got home Yingcai asked his mother, "Is dad here?"
"Your father took a load of fertiliser to town early this morning."
He was about to ask if his father had posted his letter, but then he saw a registered letter on top of the stove. The words "Zhang Yingcai: Private and Confidential" were written on the envelope in a graceful hand. He tore it open. Inside was just a single, puzzling sentence. Constantly I wait for you to knock at my door. Yingcai stared at it blankly but soon deciphered the message. He was so happy, he didn't care that his mother was right next to him. He said, "You can tell she's an artist. What a romantic, poetic thing to say."
Yingcai's mother, delighted that her son was home and that a girl had sent him a letter that made him so happy, went to the kitchen to cook him some cured-meat noodles. As he was eating the rare, delicious treat, he heard a bicycle outside. Yingcai looked up from his bowl to see his uncle coming into the house. Station-Head Wan came straight to the point.
"I came over as soon as I heard you were back. You need to take this memo straight back to school; I'm worried there won't be enough time."
"But I've just got here. Do I really have to go now?"
"This is important. The school will be inspected in two weeks' time to see how well it is meeting the requirements of the Compulsory Education Law. There's no time to lose, we can't even spare a day."
Yingcai finished his noodles, then started back up the mountain with the memo.
He made quick progress at first but, when he stopped for a rest, couldn't resist reading Yao Yan's letter again. He pressed his face to the letter and inhaled its feminine fragrance. All this delayed him quite a bit and he was still only halfway up by the time some of the people who lived along the mountain track were starting their lunch. Unconcerned, Yingcai dug out two boiled eggs from his bag and ate them as he walked.
Yingcai found Principle Yu and the two teachers outside of school. "Station-Head Wan asked me to bring an urgent memo," he said to the principal. "He says you should follow the instructions in here promptly and that there is a lot to do."
Principal Yu read the memo and passed it straight to Deng Youmi, who was straining his neck to see. He took the memo and cleared his throat. "Memorandum 31, Produced by Xihe County Education Station. Urgent Notice Concerning Forthcoming Inspections of the Implementation of the Compulsory Education Law Across the County." Deng Youmi's face changed colour as he read the title of the memo. There was almost a sob in his last few words.
Principal Yu asked, "Deputy Deng, are you alright?"
He could not hold back the tears. "I really thought we were going to be made state teachers. The last few announcements have all been at this time of year."
Sun Sihai finished reading the memo, then folded it back up.
"All told, we have only ten days," said Principal Yu. "There is no time for debate. For once, I will be a dictator. From tomorrow, we will divide our work as follows: Teacher Zhang, you will take the top class. Director Sun will have to cover both of the other classes. Deputy Deng and I will not teach and instead focus on what needs to be done in preparation for the inspection."
Yingcai interrupted. "I don't understand. How can you eliminate illiteracy in ten days?"
"There is much you don't understand, but you'll learn," Principal Yu replied brusquely. "There's no time to explain now. The future of the school is at stake, we can't spare a minute."
The principal also announced three new rules: Everything for Education in Jieling, Everything for the Children of Jieling, and Everything for the Future of Jieling Elementary School. Yingcai didn't understand what these meant; to him they sounded more like slogans. But the principal's serious, leader-like expression scared him a little, so he didn't dare to interrupt again.
Principal Yu didn't have much more to say. When he finished he asked everyone to add their thoughts. Deng Youmi suggested that the village should send a senior cadre to help with the preparations.
"One person won't help us set homework or get the marking done," Sun Sihai said. "It would be better to take the opportunity to get the village to pay us the wages we're owed."
"Hear, hear!" Deng Youmi shouted.
Principal Yu gave a bitter laugh. "It will never work but we may as well try. But it will cost you. Let's invite the village head and bookkeeper to dinner here. We could put in ten yuan each. What do you think?"
"I have no objection. It's also an opportunity to show the village cadres how difficult life is for us here," Sun Sihai said quietly.
"Yes, it could work," Deng Youmi said. "But who will cook?"
Principal Yu looked at each of them in turn. Finally, he said, "I will host. Teacher Ming is not a great cook though, so we should find someone to come and cook for us."
They spoke for a long time before deciding that Wang Xiaolan was the only suitable person to ask to cook for them; her food was both frugal and tasty.
By the time everything was settled, it was dark.
After dinner, Yingcai sat down under the light of his oil lamp and racked his brains for the perfect reply to Yao Yan's perfect letter. He flicked through his novel, carefully studying every phrase to do with love, but there was nothing he could easily lift nor anything that inspired him. He was still there, bored, at midnight when Principal Yu checked in on him briefly. After the principal left, Yingcai had a brainwave. To knock is too slow, I will come straight in through your window.
