Chapter Sixty-Five: Time to Grow Up

January 1st, 2013. Early morning, 7:00.

All the students of Qingshui No. 1 High School sat obediently in their classrooms, each class supervised by its homeroom teacher. Some teachers wore stern expressions, while others appeared more approachable. Among the latter was Yu Xianglin, the homeroom teacher of Class Eight, Grade One. In the recent "Spring Thunder Operation," not a single student from his class had been caught, allowing him to preserve his dignity. Yet he understood clearly: just because no one was caught this time didn’t mean his class was spotless—some students had simply not gone out last night by chance.

The atmosphere in every classroom was one of utter silence, especially among those who had only returned that morning. Everyone was waiting for the school’s verdict and punishment of the students apprehended in the "Spring Thunder Operation." They didn’t realize that this might become the most important lesson of their lives—a lesson delivered by their principal.

A series of coughs crackled through the loudspeakers mounted in the upper right corner of every classroom, followed by a few test words from Principal Zheng Zemin. After a few seconds, a voice sounded—a gentle yet authoritative tone.

"Good morning, students of Qingshui No. 1 High School. I am your principal, Zheng Zemin. By now, you should all be aware of last night’s sweeping ‘Spring Thunder Operation.’ Let me first deliver some good news to those who were caught: the school will impose no punishment upon you, nor will we inform your parents. I give you my word as principal of Qingshui No. 1 High School."

This announcement left some students, sitting upright and sweating with nerves, utterly stunned. This was not the script they had imagined. Normally, the school would begin with a public reprimand, then notify parents, and finally suspend the students for a week. But today, none of this was happening. Happiness arrived so suddenly they wondered if they had misheard.

Those who stayed out all night typically fell into three categories. The first: students who, despite good grades and diligence, simply could not resist the lure of fun or the pull of the group. These usually feared their parents most and sneaked out whenever they could. The second: students who had given up on studying, choosing instead to play, yet still cared about their reputation and dreaded both parental and teacher criticism. The third: those who were utterly indifferent—accustomed to criticism and education, they drifted through school, fearing neither parents nor censure.

Regardless of which type, all agreed it was best not to be punished or reported to their parents. Less trouble is always better. Still, what had just occurred was so unexpected that it was hard to believe.

Even the homeroom teachers were bewildered. What exactly had Principal Zheng just announced? No punishment? No notification of parents? Wouldn’t this encourage students to act without restraint? Hadn’t they already tried all manner of verbal warnings, to no avail? Only real consequences ever brought change. Every teacher was deeply confused.

But what Principal Zheng said next over the broadcast made everyone reflect.

"Yesterday, while I was preparing for this morning’s New Year’s performance, I received an unexpected phone call."

At this, teachers and students alike realized that today’s unusual proceedings must be connected to this call. All attention sharpened, they listened intently to what their principal would say next.

"The call came from a number in the bustling metropolis of Shanghai. I was puzzled—after all, I know no one there. But since answering calls costs nothing, and I can usually spot a scam, I picked up without hesitation. The first thing the caller asked was, ‘Are you the principal of Qingshui No. 1 High School?’ I immediately sensed he wasn’t a scammer—after all, what kind of con artist would target a high school principal?"

Zheng Zemin’s voice grew warmer, even tinged with amusement, putting his audience at ease. The students felt as though he were chatting with someone his own age. Their nerves gave way to curiosity, then to relaxation.

But his next words stunned everyone.

"Once I confirmed my identity, the caller explained his purpose in one breath. In short, he was a representative from the Nike Greater China Headquarters. He had watched our student, Lin Nan, give an outstanding performance in the National High School Basketball League, and now wished to invite him to endorse Nike’s basketball shoes. He called to request Lin Nan’s parents’ contact information. I was shocked, but then I realized it wasn’t entirely unexpected."

Here, Principal Zheng paused, allowing the magnitude of his words to sink in. Indeed, every student in the school was now in shock. Lin Nan’s recent rise to fame through his league performance was common knowledge. Many had sensed he was destined for greatness in basketball. But none expected it to happen so soon.

Nike. One of the world’s leading sports brands. The swoosh found everywhere. And they had come, of their own accord, to seek out a first-year high school student from their own school as a spokesperson? It took a long moment for the class to digest this explosive news.

Principal Zheng continued, "In the end, I gave them Lin Nan’s father’s phone number. You may wonder why I said I wasn’t surprised. True, Nike is a world-renowned brand, and although Lin Nan has made a name for himself in this league, he has yet to reach the finals and is only well-known within our city’s basketball scene. By Nike’s usual standards, he’s still far from the mark. Yet I believe Nike’s decision is absolutely correct.

"I first met Lin Nan this past summer at our county’s sports plaza basketball courts. I got to know this boy, who’s your age. Every day during the holidays, I played basketball there—usually arriving early. But each time, Lin Nan was already there, drenched in sweat. And when I left, he was still on the court playing with joy. Under my watchful eye, his skills grew by leaps and bounds—from a raw beginner to a true basketball ace by summer’s end. Later, when I watched him play in the high school league, he had already become the unquestioned core of his team.

"But even witnessing these changes firsthand, I was still curious—how could someone improve so rapidly?"

It wasn’t until last night, after speaking with Lin Nan’s father, that I understood. Since January of his third year in middle school, after discovering a passion for basketball, Lin Nan has trained every morning and evening without a single break—rain or shine, no matter what happened. His teammates and dorm mates can vouch for this. Isn’t that right? Such dedication, such perseverance—shouldn’t someone like this be allowed to endorse Nike?"

Principal Zheng paused to catch his breath and take a sip of water. His long speech had left his mouth dry. In every classroom, basketball team members and Lin Nan’s dorm mates in Class Eight felt this most deeply. They knew better than anyone Lin Nan’s passion and persistence. His teammates, of course, could attest, and his roommates all knew Lin Nan showered at least twice a day, sometimes three or four times—not from fastidiousness, but because his clothes were soaked through with sweat. They could picture his shirt, as if just pulled from water. Among all, his dorm mates were the least surprised by the endorsement news. Having Lin Nan right beside them, they knew in their hearts that he was fully deserving of such an opportunity.

...

Finally, Principal Zheng spoke with sincerity, "I hope that every student at our school reflects during this New Year holiday, and has an honest conversation with your parents about your future. For those who dislike studying, think carefully—what will you do if you don’t study? What do you want to do? Will you, like Lin Nan, play basketball? Or football? Or pursue something else? You’re not children anymore. It’s time to grow up, to take responsibility for your future. You may not love academics, but you must find something you are passionate about and pursue it with all your heart—something that brings you true happiness. Chase your dreams early. It really is time to grow up.

"And for those with excellent grades, think carefully about what university you want to attend, what major you will choose, and what career you will pursue. These are questions you must start considering now. Don’t focus solely on exams—know why you are studying, why you are acquiring knowledge.

"That’s all I have to say. Please assemble on the sports field to prepare for today’s New Year’s performance!"

As Principal Zheng’s final words faded and the broadcast clicked off, it took a moment for the homeroom teachers to recover and instruct their students to prepare and head to the field.

For teachers who had taught for decades, a student like Lin Nan was a first.

On the way to the sports field, students from neighboring classes glanced over at Class Eight, searching for Lin Nan—the protagonist of the recent announcement. Celebrities, after all, were common enough in books, on TV, and on the internet. But seeing one up close was a first. It hadn’t felt notable when he seemed distant, but now, seeing him so near, they realized Lin Nan was just an ordinary person—cropped hair, one-seventy-eight tall, wearing the same padded jacket and speaking the same dialect as them.

And yet—why was he able to be so... so... successful?

Was it because he had a goal, a passion, and the perseverance to pursue them?