nine year itch

The night in Burqin is as bright as the day, and there is a bright moon hanging in the blue sky.This extreme day-like phenomenon can only be seen in the mysterious small town on the border of the Western Regions of China.

Every evening, when walking on the streets of this town, you can see a beautiful sunset.The Irtysh River under the setting sun is shining with charming light.

Youqing pedaled his bicycle vigorously on the empty road along the river, the wind blew his white shirt up, as if trying to catch up with the setting sun.

"Mr. You, I'm off work." On the way Youqing cycled home, occasionally a few parents of students carrying fruits and vegetables would pass by and greet him enthusiastically.

Youqing also slowed down the speed of cycling, nodded and smiled.Under the afterglow of the setting sun, Youqing's delicate and delicate facial features looked particularly moving.

Youqing is 27 years old this year, but still looks like a high school student.He is neither tall nor short, about 1.7 meters five, with a thin body and fair skin.The big eyes are clean and clear, and the nose is small and delicate.The eyebrows are not thick but soft in shape, and the red and soft lips are slightly parted, revealing the white and neat teeth.

The most important thing is that his demeanor is pure and clean, unpretentious, just like this quiet town that has not been disturbed by the hustle and bustle.

"Teacher You is good-looking and has a good temper. Why do you still live alone?" After Youqing rode away on his bicycle, two middle-aged women walking together with vegetables began to talk about his private life.

"Yeah, don't look at him, he is 27 years old this year. When I was 27, I gave birth to my second child."

It is said that Youqing has such an outstanding appearance, gentle personality, and a stable job.At his grade, not to mention getting married

You should also have a stable girlfriend.So why has he been living alone all these years?

This is an ulterior secret, just like this mysterious and remote town, it has its own unique and touching secrets.

After graduating from Normal University in Urumqi, Youqing was assigned to Burqin, a small remote county town in Xinjiang, to teach mathematics in a public junior high school due to lack of connections.

Youqing is a native of Shaanxi. He used to think that he was a child of the Loess Plateau, backed by the Qinling Mountains and drinking the water of the Weihe River.But after experiencing twists and turns of fate, he realized that he originally belonged to this strange and remote place.

Burqin is located in the Altay region in northern Xinjiang. Its area is not very large, and it is close to the Irtysh River.This is like a small town described in a fairy tale, a town with windmills.Because it borders Russia, the buildings here are more Russian-style, and small Russian-style castles are full of streets and alleys.

This remote town located at the northernmost tip of the territory is sparsely populated, the folk customs are simple, and the streets are clean. It is a quiet town like a paradise.

In the blink of an eye, Youqing has lived here alone for five years.From being unfamiliar and uncomfortable at the beginning, he gradually fell in love with this fairy-tale border town and its simple and lovely residents.

The remoteness of Burqin is also beneficial. Housing prices are not high and the cost of living is also low.Although Youqing's salary as a teacher is not high, but the benefits are good, and he can live affluently here.

Youqing came to work here for the first year, and the school arranged staff dormitories for him to live in. There is a canteen downstairs with state subsidies and cheap prices. The school also distributes generous meal subsidies to teachers every month.The school, the teachers' dormitory, and he lived the life of two points and one line when he was in college.

The teacher’s dormitory is not close or far from the school. It takes 10 to [-] minutes to walk there, and it takes a long time to walk to get off the bus. Fortunately, Youqing bought a second-hand bicycle to commute to get off work.

Some time ago, the price of the house raised by the school was lower than the market price.Although Youqing didn't have a lot of money, he had saved some savings after working for five years. Finally, he took out a loan to buy a two-bedroom apartment with a poor orientation but the lowest price.

The house is not big, but the sparrow is small and well-equipped.This is his home, the only and last home, although he is the only one in this home.But he was grateful already, he was grateful for everything now.

Although Youqing left his hometown and came to live in this small town that he had never heard of before, he felt that everything was gradually developing in a good direction.

Perhaps everything was arranged by God. He once thought that he would live in Xi'an all the time, or that he might go to a university in the capital of the motherland, be able to do something big, or love someone vigorously.But as time went by, he gradually believed in and resigned to fate now.

Youqing's childhood home was in a small county town near Xi'an.His biggest dream when he was a child was to go to Xi'an to live in a prosperous big city, so he worked hard to pass the key high school in Xi'an.However, after nine years, he has now returned to take root in a small county town, which is still a strange and remote border town.

Many of China's more than one billion people are like this. Because of the helplessness of life, they leave their hometowns, but they regard other places as their hometowns.Youqing is just a member of this migration army.

There are also teachers in the school who introduce girls to Youqing, but he does not want to delay other girls from the bottom of his heart.He has been hurt by others, he doesn't want to hurt anyone else, and he has made a plan to be alone for the rest of his life.Because he's a hetero, he's gay.

Working to make money and repaying the mortgage seems to be the whole meaning of Youqing's life. After saving a few years, he can buy a second-hand car and travel to the desolate Gobi Desert by himself, which is also a good choice.Youqing got used to the habit and loved everything here, as if she didn't come here five years ago, but has been here since she was born.

He lived happily and contentedly like this, but he saw the rest of his life lonely and numbly.Life is like this day after day, repeating and repeating, like the sun rises and sets, the sun rises and the moon sinks.It's just that there are some variables and accidents in the repetition.

Today is Friday. After finishing his last class, he was called into the office by the dean, Teacher Ai.

Director Ai is a man in his 50s from an ethnic minority. He spoke some substandard Mandarin and said: "Mr. You, the superior asked to send some teachers to study and exchange at the school in Xi'an. I think it is you. You are from Shaanxi. I grew up, and I also studied in Xi'an in high school, so you are the perfect candidate."

Youqing was stunned in surprise, and didn't speak for a long time.

Xi'an, he hadn't heard of this city for many years.This ancient city with a long history hides all his youthful memories and moving secrets.

Director Ai patted him on the shoulder again, and said earnestly: "This opportunity is rare. Your teaching performance is still outstanding among the teachers, but you are a little younger. Go to study and exchange for half a year, and you will be the leader of the math group when you come back. .”

While Youqing was surprised, she was also very grateful.There are only four mathematics teachers in the school including him, but the leader of the mathematics group has not been selected for a long time. The other three teachers are all older than him, and have many more years of teaching than him.But the dean in front of him obviously prefers the young him.

He couldn't help but sigh in admiration in his heart. Director Ai is a good teacher who values ​​ability rather than relationship and affection, and is dedicated to education.

"Ms. Ai, I'm still young, so I may not be able to do the job assigned to me by my superiors. There are many old teachers in the mathematics group who are more experienced than me. They may be more suitable than me." Youqing thought for a long time, and politely refused. Ai teacher's proposal.

Xi'an hides his secret, a secret that makes him hesitant to speak, which makes him feel itchy, but he still hesitates.It has been nine years since he left Xi'an, and he wanted to go back and have a look, but he was afraid of being emotional.Responding to all changes with the same is a life experience that Youqing has gained from working in these years.

Since you can't afford a bad outcome, luckily don't take this step.Just like feelings, you won't be sad if you don't touch them.

Director Ai heard Youqing's refusal, and said earnestly: "Mr. You, you don't need to put too much pressure on me. I believe you can do it. The teacher in the math group, you are indeed the youngest, and you have the shortest years as a teacher. This is your responsibility." Disadvantage, but also your advantage."

"You are young and energetic, and you are deeply loved by students and parents. Your teaching methods and models are more innovative and up-to-date than those old teachers. You are not blindly following the scriptures, but entertaining and engaging with students."

"So, I have already thought about it. You are the most suitable candidate for this matter. You are young, have a strong learning ability, are more flexible in thinking, and are more likely to accept new knowledge and new methods in teaching."

Director Ai's words have already reached this point, obviously he has already made up his mind to send Youqing there.If Youqing continues to refuse, it will appear that she is neither understanding nor understanding.

Youqing pondered for a while, then smiled and said, "Okay, Teacher Ai, I will do it well."

Director Ai smiled gratifiedly when he heard this, "Youqing, I knew you would live up to my entrustment."

Director Ai finished speaking, then turned around and took out a bag of snacks from the cabinet, and said, "My wife made it, you should try it too." Youqing picked it up and saw that it was a unique beauty of Xinjiang's authentic ethnic minorities, and it was fried. .

Teacher Ai continued to talk to Youqing in the office, and told him to book a flight to Xi'an this weekend, and report to the school in Xi'an next Monday, and the school will reimburse him for all travel expenses.After that, the two went back to their respective homes.

Youqing carried the sanzi and walked on the way home.It's past eight o'clock now, but because of the big time difference with the inland, the sky in Burqin is still as bright as day at this time.Although the sky is still bright, the nightlife in this quiet town is also very monotonous, there are few people on the street, and the scattered shops along the street have also locked their doors.

Looking at the round sun, he couldn't help thinking that it should be dark in Xi'an now.At this moment, the nightlife at the Bell and Drum Tower has just begun, various small vendors in the night market, flashing neon lights in the bar street, and teenagers riding bicycles on the city wall.

Only then did You Qing realize that he hadn't forgotten it at all, he had buried everything deep in his heart.That ancient city named Xi'an, that period of youth called first love, that boy named Gu Ze.When I think about it again, everything seems to reappear from yesterday.