Sleeping in the same bed: I’ll take good care of Jiang Xu.

The room was dim, and a single glance took in the entirety of its furnishings.

An old bed that had been slept in for years, a desk salvaged from a trash heap, and a lopsided wardrobe squeezed into the corner.

These were all Jiang Xu possessed. Though she thought her room looked decent enough, she couldn't help but worry it was too shabby. Middle schoolers had the strongest pride—even a single glance from someone else could linger in their minds for a long time.

Jiang Xu tried to act more mature than her peers.

The bed wasn't large, covered with a washed-out bedsheet. Jiang Xu stood at the door for a moment, then reached over and clicked on the old-fashioned light switch.

"Teacher Liang, this is my room."

Click.

The room brightened all at once.

Under the lamplight, every piece of furniture looked even more threadbare, as if a secret were being exposed to the public eye.

Liang Xiaoqing gave an "oh" and walked inside.

Her thoughts were clearly different from Jiang Xu's.

Perhaps because of the rain, the room felt damp. Liang Xiaoqing sniffed, catching the sticky smell of dust in the air. She looked around and decided that this was the cleanest room she'd seen so far.

It was just that the room was run-down, and drafts blew in, making it cold.

Rubbing her arms, Liang Xiaoqing sat on Jiang Xu's modest bed. It creaked, making her think she was about to collapse it, and she jumped up in fright. If it really broke, she'd be mortified.

Luckily, nothing happened. She saw Jiang Xu watching her, gave an awkward smile, and slowly sat back down. The old bedsprings groaned again, but this time Liang Xiaoqing was prepared. Once she was comfortably seated, she solemnly beckoned to Jiang Xu.

"Jiang Xu, come here."

Jiang Xu came over and stood before her.

Liang Xiaoqing touched her shoulder and said apologetically, "Tonight, Teacher Liang is the one troubling you."

Liang Xiaoqing's voice was different from the other women Jiang Xu had met—soft and gentle. Jiang Xu blinked, looking at Liang Xiaoqing, and said obediently, "It's no trouble."

Liang Xiaoqing couldn't resist stroking Jiang Xu's head, smiling. "Alright, let's go to sleep now."

As she spoke, Liang Xiaoqing glanced at the neatly folded bedding at the foot of the bed, and her smile slowly faded. It wasn't really bedding—just a thin blanket for summer nights, the same washed-out color and pattern as the bedsheet.

Liang Xiaoqing leaned over to reach for the thin blanket, her tight short-sleeve shirt riding up to reveal a pale, slender waist—all of it within Jiang Xu's view.

The blanket tumbled loose in her hands. She pulled a corner over herself and asked, "It's been cold these past few days. Aren't you cold with just this...?"

Jiang Xu shook her head, then suddenly ran off.

"Jiang Xu..." Liang Xiaoqing called her name instinctively.

Jiang Xu ignored her. She ran to the wardrobe—a paint-peeled, blackened thing that Liang Xiaoqing couldn't make out in the dim light. All she heard was the creak of the door, every piece of furniture in the place groaning with age.

Jiang Xu stood on her tiptoes, her small figure fidgeting.

Her entire upper body disappeared into the wardrobe.

Liang Xiaoqing, puzzled, sat on the edge of the bed waiting.

The sound of rummaging clattered on. After a while, Jiang Xu popped her head out of the wardrobe. The girl quickly ran back to Liang Xiaoqing, holding two heavy coats in her arms.

Only then did Liang Xiaoqing see Jiang Xu clearly—her hair messy, tangled behind her. Liang Xiaoqing brushed the hair from her face.

Jiang Xu's face was almost hidden behind the thick coats she carried, leaving only a pair of bright, glittering eyes staring at her.

"Teacher Liang, if you put the coats on top, you won't be cold."

"..."

Seeing that Liang Xiaoqing said nothing, Jiang Xu piled all the coats onto the bed on her own, then hopped onto the bed, swinging her feet to kick off her slippers, and lay down on the inner side, turning her head to look at Liang Xiaoqing.

"Teacher Liang, can I sleep on the inside? If I sleep on the outside, I'm afraid I'll roll off the bed."

Liang Xiaoqing was momentarily taken aback. She had thought Jiang Xu was a shy child, but she wasn't like that at all.

The old clothes piled on the bed were clearly not meant for Jiang Xu. For a moment, she didn't know what to say. Meeting Jiang Xu's eyes, she could only hum in agreement and lie down to sleep, just like Jiang Xu.

The night grew deep, sleepless. A slightly uneven breathing sounded beside Liang Xiaoqing's ear. Soon, a warm body leaned closer—like a kitten, curling up and shrinking against her.

Liang Xiaoqing was pushed to the edge of the bed. The cold bed grew warm because of the other body's closeness. She wasn't asleep; she kept thinking about Jiang Xu's situation.

The more she thought, the more uncomfortable it felt. She understood that students like Jiang Xu were not rare, and her help was minimal. But if Jiang Xu continued like this...

Liang Xiaoqing stared at the pitch-black ceiling and sighed.

The rain never stopped. Because they were on the second floor, the sound of raindrops hitting the tiles was even louder, keeping Liang Xiaoqing from dozing off.

Jiang Xu's sleeping posture wasn't great. Liang Xiaoqing was nearly pushed off the bed. With no other choice, she touched Jiang Xu's head. The girl seemed fast asleep, her little head buried against Liang Xiaoqing's chest.

Though it was a bit uncomfortable, the two of them huddled together did keep each other warmer.

Liang Xiaoqing was indeed afraid of the cold. She was a true southerner. When she'd first responded to the national call to teach in Shuiqing Town, it was half for her own reasons, half because she genuinely wanted to do something for these children.

But ideals were beautiful, and reality was always harsh. In over a year of teaching here, she hadn't accomplished anything grand. Not to mention, she'd failed to persuade many dropouts to return to school.

Helplessly, she'd watched children of tender age head down entirely different paths in life.

She shifted inward, holding Jiang Xu closer. The girl nuzzled against her chest. Liang Xiaoqing stiffened, then Jiang Xu squirmed further into the bed, releasing her.

The thin blanket plus coats provided little warmth. The only thing that truly kept Liang Xiaoqing warm was the heat radiating from Jiang Xu's body.

Her stiff frame relaxed. A shallow breath hitched, and Liang Xiaoqing thought Jiang Xu had woken. But the girl's breathing evened out again, mingling with the rain in Liang Xiaoqing's ears.

Liang Xiaoqing turned over gently, facing Jiang Xu. Without her glasses, she couldn't see a thing.

Through the old glass in the wall, the distant mountains stretched dark and rolling, too dark to show a single glimmer of light.

Liang Xiaoqing wasn't used to this kind of darkness. She was used to a wall lamp by her bedside when she slept. After coming to Shuiqing Town, she didn't have that luxury, so in the dorm provided by the school, she'd turn on a desk lamp before bed.

She fumbled forward in the dark, her fingers touching Jiang Xu's arm. Her hand groped, found the thin blanket, and pulled it up to cover Jiang Xu's shoulder. She also moved closer to the girl.

The movement was gentle. Feeling the warmth, she lay still for a while, and with the patter of rain, finally felt a trace of drowsiness.

"Teacher Liang..."

A lowered voice sent Liang Xiaoqing's drowsiness fleeing. She blinked groggily in that direction. A woman stood at the door, slightly hunched, holding a kerosene lamp whose flame flickered. As the woman drew near, the room brightened.

"Teacher Liang, did you sleep well?"

The newcomer was none other than Wang Cai. In one hand she carried the kerosene lamp, in the other she clutched a rolled-up bedroll under her arm.

"You and Jiang Xu are sleeping together. I came to see if you need an extra quilt."

"Thank you so much, Sister Wang." Liang Xiaoqing rubbed her eyes and sat up, a polite smile on her face. Rising from the covers was still cold, so she slipped on the clothes Jiang Xu had found.

Wang Cai had brought an old quilt. She set the kerosene lamp by the bedside table. Liang Xiaoqing, quick on the uptake, got off the bed and took the quilt from Wang Cai's hands. It looked thick and heavy to carry, and with the damp, it smelled of dust.

Wang Cai's kindness was clear. Liang Xiaoqing thanked her, then unfolded the quilt and laid it over the bed, covering Jiang Xu's side too. The girl hadn't stirred; she was still fast asleep.

But Liang Xiaoqing noticed dry straw rolled up inside the quilt. Wang Cai paused and said, "Spread this under the mattress, and it'll be much warmer. Teacher Liang, please don't mind."

Wang Cai had the simple honesty and unease of a rural woman. Facing a pretty city girl like Liang Xiaoqing, she couldn't help but feel nervous. Besides, Liang Xiaoqing was a people's teacher, respected by the whole town.

"How could I?" Liang Xiaoqing said with a smile, swiftly tucking the straw under the mattress. No matter how careful she was, some noise was unavoidable, so Wang Cai helped her. They only spread it on the outer side, leaving the inner side untouched since Jiang Xu was sleeping.

The firelight swayed, and the rain outside showed no sign of stopping.

After making the bed, both of them rested.

Wang Cai didn't leave right away. She leaned over and sat on the edge of the bed, her overworked body showing its strain. Her face, lined with wrinkles, still hinted at the beauty of her youth, and her black hair had turned mostly gray.

The woman sat there, deflated.

"What's wrong?" Liang Xiaoqing sat down too, close to Wang Cai.

The kerosene lamp cast its glow over the tiny room, their shadows dancing on the blackened mud wall.

"Teacher Liang," Wang Cai said, "I heard Jiang Xu's grades are very good. Is that true?"

There was still a wound at the corner of Wang Cai's mouth, blood seeping through—probably from Jiang Daguo.

Liang Xiaoqing didn't answer right away. Instead, she turned to look at Jiang Xu.

The girl had just started middle school, her face still childlike, but even in sleep, the weariness was unmistakable.

Wang Cai followed her gaze, looking at her daughter.

Rows of yellowed award certificates covered the mud wall at the head of the bed, from elementary school to now.

The certificates reflected the blurred, flickering shadows of Liang Xiaoqing and Wang Cai.

Liang Xiaoqing said, "Jiang Xu certainly has a gift for studying. If she keeps at it, she might even get into a university."

"University..." Wang Cai was dazed, her eyes full of confusion at those two words.

"That's right, university. If Jiang Xu goes to university, she'll make something of herself and can support herself with her degree. Sister Wang, I know you care about Jiang Xu deep down. If Shuiqing Town produced one university student, it'll produce another. If Jiang Lun can go to university, why can't Jiang Xu? As the country progresses, there will be more and more university students. Sister Wang, Jiang Xu is a good girl. Right now, studying is the best choice for her."

Perhaps Wang Cai would never fully understand why a girl needed to study so much. From her experience, a girl's role was to marry well, raise a family, and toil through life until old age, surrounded by children and grandchildren.

But she knew that Liang Xiaoqing, who had gone to university, was different—she had a certain bearing that other women lacked. Wang Cai couldn't articulate exactly what it was, but it was undoubtedly something to aspire to.

Wang Cai sighed and said, "Teacher Liang, this is what I wanted to talk to you about. Jiang Xu is still too young; what could she do outside? ...I've thought it over carefully. I was hoping you might take Jiang Xu in for a while. I'll talk to her father again. I don't know if you..."

Liang Xiaoqing hadn't expected Wang Cai to suggest such a thing. It was a pleasant surprise.

"Of course!" She was so happy that her voice rose before she quickly lowered it.

She took Wang Cai's hand and patted it. "Don't worry, Sister Wang. I'll take good care of Jiang Xu."

Wang Cai seemed to want to say more but finally just nodded. "Teacher Liang, thank you so much."