In the year after I graduated from college, on a sudden impulse, Zhu Xin and I signed up to join a volunteer group that went to the impoverished mountainous areas of the northwest to teach. Just the night before we were to take office, Zhuxin received a long-distance call that her mother was seriously ill. This was the first time I learned that Zhu Xin’s widowed mother had been suffering from hemiplegia for many years and relied on her uncle to take care of her daily life. In fact, we often pass each other on campus on weekdays, but we rarely say hello to each other. This time we came together only because of the enthusiasm of ***, so we started to pay attention to Zhu Xin. I found that Zhu Xin is a person who speaks and smiles informally. She speaks in a very soft voice, and wears a pair of glasses on her fair and calm face. There is a deep light shining through the eyes behind the lenses. Zhuxin's support for education in mountainous areas has to come to an end before it even begins. I can't help but feel sorry for her.

I picked up my luggage and embarked on the journey alone.

After roaring on the wide road for several hours, the long-distance bus began to wander hard on the rugged mountain road. It bumped, swayed, and breathed heavily, like an asthmatic. elder. Along the way, I couldn’t see the mountains, rivers, countryside and towering trees I imagined; I couldn’t even see any traces of wild grass, wild flowers, cattle or sheep. I only saw bare, steamed bun-like loess bags next to each other, with large clouds of yellow dust rolling up behind them. The sky is yellow, the ground is yellow, and even everyone's face has turned khaki. I felt like I was going to get carsick, and I soon became dizzy. I noticed that my neighbors were running away.

Towards dusk, the bumpy vehicles finally stopped. The place where I will shine - Dongwo Niu Township has arrived. I got out of the car and shook hands with the township head comrade who came to greet me. The township head carried my luggage and took me a long way, and also introduced me to some situations in the school. He said: There are a total of about 90 students in the three grades of the school, but there are only three teachers, and they are all locals. Their level is not very high, so they can just manage the students. The township head also said that none of the subjects ordered by the education team could be offered. He also said that people with a high level like me should take as many courses as possible. The mayor pointed to the front and said, "Look, that's the school."

The school is not big and very old, but it has been cleaned. As night fell, the students all made homemade red lanterns to welcome me. The lanterns flickered on the loess bags, like lonely stars in the empty sky.

An older man led me into a small earthen house and said: "This is where you live. I went to several houses before I collected some white flour and steamed this basket for you. The steamed buns are enough for you to eat for a week." He pointed to a large vat squatting in the corner and said, "I also asked the children to save some water for you. It is not convenient to get water here. You have to walk several miles to find a well. , just save it. You go to bed early, you have classes tomorrow." After saying that, they both left.

I turned back to make my own bed. There were four crooked wooden boards on two rickety stools, which made a harsh creaking sound when I sat on them. As if to reject me thousands of miles away. A hot heart suddenly seemed to fall into a basin of cold water, and two tears couldn't help but slide to the side of the cheek. When I was thinking about how to make this bed, there was a knock on the door. "Teacher, it's me." I opened the door, and a little girl walked in, holding a small wooden basin in her hand. She said: "My name is Liu Niuniu. Director Wang asked me to give you a wooden basin for you to use when you get up at night." I asked Director Wang who he was, and Liu Niuniu said he was the person who gave you the steamed buns just now. He He is the leader of the township education team. Liu Niuniu also said, "Director Wang said that the first few college students and teachers who came from the provincial capital were all hungry and ran away. He was afraid that you would also be hungry, so he found white flour and steamed steamed buns for you." Liu Niuniu looked at it. I asked: "Teacher, with this basket of steamed buns, you won't be hungry, right?" Before leaving, Liu Niuniu warned me again and again: "Teacher, you must not go out in the dark or get up at night, you are afraid of being outside." My tears burst into tears again fell down. I looked through the basket of white steamed buns. What kind of basket of steamed buns was this? It was yellow and hard, just like the loess buns here. Under Rudou's light, I made a decisive decision: leave as soon as possible, this is simply no place for people to stay.

The next day, at dawn, I packed up and returned to the city. I washed my face with a jar of mixed yellow water prepared by my students, and set off in a hurry. I rushed to the station and found that the mayor and Director Wang had already arrived at the station. The township head glanced at me and said, "I knew you would leave." I seemed to smile and boarded the long-distance bus bound for the provincial capital without looking back.

I am back on campus. After half a year of hard work, I was admitted to the postgraduate program of Professor You, whom I have always admired. Three years later, he graduated with honors

and stayed at the school to teach.

In the rushing time, I am busy with study, busy with work, busy with professional title, busy with love, busy with house, busy with children. Like a fish swimming in the urban ocean.

A new semester has begun. I took a class from a freshman class. On this day, I solemnly stepped onto the podium. I introduced myself enthusiastically and then asked the students to do it. I wanted to get familiar with these students from all over the world. It's the turn of the last female student in the last row. She stood up with a smile and said: "Teacher Bai, in fact we have known each other six years ago. You even served as my teacher for one night! My name is Liu Niuniu, from Dongwo Niu Township, Yinshan County, Gansu. Our hometown The changes have been huge. Now we have electricity, running water, and a Hope Middle School...

My mind was a little confused, so I blurted out: "Who is your teacher?" "

"Zhu Xin, she said she knows you; she is now the principal of our middle school. ”

“Bamboo Heart! "I repeated unconsciously. I felt like a fire began to burn from the roots of my ears, burning all the way to my face and burning to the tips of every hair.