Cangmang Asks the Way 1: Guardian of the Lamp

At 6:30 in the evening, the noise on the construction site gradually subsided. The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the corrugated iron shed in a warm golden light. When Cang Lifeng walked out of his small cubicle partitioned off by wooden planks, the entire shed fell silent for a moment.

He was wearing the light blue striped shirt Lin Wei had chosen for him, paired with dark casual trousers. His hair was carefully combed, and he carried an old canvas bag containing "Introduction to Economics" and Shen Moyuan's notebook. This outfit clashed with the drab surroundings, yet it also made him appear tall and spirited.

"Whoa—"

The bricklayer, Xiao Zhang, was the first to whistle, his eyes widening dramatically: "Boss, are you going on a blind date or a beauty pageant?"

Laughter erupted in the workers' shed. Old Li, who was squatting on the ground washing his hands in an iron basin, looked up at the sound, forgetting to wipe the water droplets from his hands, and sized up Cang Lifeng: "Goodness, Lifeng, dressed up like this, you look better than those office workers in the city."

"Boss, this shirt is made of nice material! How much is it?" Wang Qiang, who was in charge of the scaffolding, came over and touched it.

Cang Lifeng's face flushed slightly. He cleared his throat: "Stop making a scene. If you're going to attend a lecture at Nanjing University tonight, you should at least act like you're listening."

"Nanjing University? My God!" Da Zhou, who was tidying up his tools, straightened up, his dark face filled with shock. "Boss, you're really going to attend classes at a university? Those...aren't they full of professors and undergraduates?"

"I'm just auditing the class. Professor Shen contacted me so I could just listen in and learn something," Cang Lifeng explained.

The atmosphere in the workers' shed became somewhat complex. There was admiration, envy, curiosity, and a subtle, almost imperceptible sense of alienation. Cang Lifeng keenly noticed the last one. He walked over to Old Li, squatted down, took out a cigarette from his pocket, offered one to Old Li, and lit one for himself.

"Uncle Li," he said, taking a drag of his cigarette, "I'm just going to listen and see if I can learn anything useful for us. I won't miss a single day of work on the construction site, but I'm afraid I'll have to spend less time with him on training in the future."

Old Li took the cigarette, lit it with the light Cang Lifeng offered, took a deep drag, and exhaled smoke from his nostrils. He was silent for a few seconds, then patted Cang Lifeng's knee with his rough hand: "Lifeng, none of us brothers doubt you. Your success is a testament to your ability and our good fortune. Study hard, don't worry about us, we all support you."

These words were both sincere and heartwarming. The surrounding workers all agreed.

"Yes, boss, don't worry about your studies. We'll take care of things at the construction site."

"Boss, when you come back and learn these skills, teach us. Then we can be considered half-educated people."

Xiao Zhang winked and said, "Boss, go to Nanjing University, pick up a college girl, and bring her back for us to see."

Old Li slapped him across the face and yelled, "You want to die?! Just wait until Reporter Lin gets back, that'll teach you a lesson!"

Xiao Zhang dodged Lao Li's slap, but then slapped his own mouth with his hand, grinning, "Look at my stinking mouth! How could I forget that our great reporter Lin is the boss's one and only?"

Everyone laughed even harder.

Cang Lifeng made a move to strike, but Xiao Zhang had already scurried away, grinning. He shook his head, but couldn't help but smile. Then he straightened his face, pointed in the direction Xiao Zhang had disappeared, and muttered under his breath, "You brat, talking nonsense."

At 6:50, Cang Lifeng walked out of the workers' quarters carrying a canvas bag. Behind him, he heard his fellow workers chattering and giving him instructions.

"Drive carefully."

"Listen carefully, boss."

"Remember to help us keep those college students in check!"

……

He turned back and waved, then disappeared into the flow of traffic in the twilight.

The lights in classroom 203 of the third teaching building at Nanjing University were dazzlingly bright. Cang Lifeng paused at the door, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open to go inside.

The classroom was already mostly filled with students, about fifty or sixty in total. The students chatted in twos and threes, with the occasional sound of turning pages and soft laughter. Cang Lifeng's appearance caused the students in the rows near the door to fall silent for a moment, their gazes lingering on him—this man, dressed neatly but with undeniable signs of weariness, whose demeanor was distinctly different from the students, seemed somewhat out of place.

He lowered his gaze, found an empty seat on the side of the back row, placed his canvas bag on the table, took out the "Introduction to Economics" and Shen Moyuan's booklet, and then took out a small notebook and a pencil, arranging them neatly.

At seven o'clock sharp, an elderly professor, wearing a gray jacket, with gray hair and a sprightly demeanor, walked into the classroom on time, carrying an old leather bag. It was Professor Li Zhenhua. He put down his bag, his gaze habitually sweeping across the entire room. When he reached the back row, he paused noticeably, a knowing look and a smile flashing in his eyes.

He didn't start the lesson immediately. Instead, he cleared his throat and said in a clear voice, "Good evening, students. Before we begin today's lesson, I'd like to introduce a special new student."

The classroom fell silent, and all eyes turned to the podium.

Professor Li looked in Cang Lifeng's direction, a gentle yet solemn smile on his face: "The student in the blue shirt by the window in the back row, please stand up for a moment."

Cang Lifeng's heart skipped a beat, and he stood up somewhat stiffly under the gaze of the entire class.

"This is Cang Lifeng," Professor Li introduced. "He is a construction worker and a hero who bravely fought against the criminals and protected the hostages in the recent robbery at Nancheng Bank."

A murmur of surprise and whispers filled the classroom. Many students stared wide-eyed at Cang Lifeng with curiosity and admiration.

"What's even more commendable is that," Professor Li continued, "after receiving the honor, Cang Lifeng didn't stop there. He realized that to better lead his fellow workers and contribute to society, he needed to learn new knowledge. So, he contacted me through Professor Shen Moyuan, hoping to audit this course, 'Principles of Economics'."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the class: "Classmates, knowledge is not only found in books, but also in the vast practice of society. Cang Lifeng's journey from the construction site to the classroom—his thirst for knowledge and his dedication to self-improvement—is something we should all learn from. I hope you can all take him as an example, cherish learning opportunities, and combine theory with social reality."

After he finished speaking, he led the applause.

After a brief silence, the classroom erupted in enthusiastic and sustained applause. The students' gazes towards Cang Lifeng shifted from initial curiosity to genuine admiration. Several girls in the front row even turned around and gave him friendly smiles.

Cang Lifeng stood there, his face flushed red, unsure of what to do with his hands and feet. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but in the end, he simply bowed deeply to Professor Li and the students before awkwardly sitting down.

Seeing Cang Lifeng sit down, Professor Li nodded and said, "Alright, let's get back to the main topic. This course aims to build a platform for dialogue between theory and practice, and between the campus and society, which is why it's scheduled for the evening. Now, let's begin today's content..."

Cang Lifeng listened with exceptional focus to the following lecture. Professor Li's lectures were indeed as Shen Moyuan had described—comprehensive yet easy to understand, often using real-life examples. Even so, terms like "demand curve," "marginal utility," and "opportunity cost," along with the charts and formulas on the blackboard, remained obscure and incomprehensible to him. He frowned, his pencil flying across his notebook, marking anything he didn't understand with a large question mark.

When Professor Li drew a downward-sloping "demand curve" on the blackboard and explained that "as prices rise, demand falls," Cang Lifeng could barely keep up. His mind flashed back and forth between contractors and material suppliers, the unseen tug-of-war and calculations arising from fluctuating building material prices at construction sites—a vague force seemingly pushing and shoving back and forth. But when the professor began discussing "marginal utility" and "opportunity cost," his mind went completely tangled. On his notebook, the words "marginal utility" were written crookedly.

He tried to understand it using all his experience. He knew that the first bowl of rice tasted best when you were hungry. But the word "decreasing" puzzled him. He suddenly recalled the process of the force rising from the soles of his feet, passing through his waist and hips, and reaching his fingertips when practicing Tai Chi's "Grasp the Sparrow's Tail"—the initial burst of power was the strongest, but as it continued, it needed to transform and accumulate momentum, and it was impossible to maintain the initial intensity indefinitely. Did this flow and ebb of power correspond to some kind of change in "utility"? And was this knowledge meant to help him see how to use his brothers' strength and sweat, like the movement of Tai Chi energy, more rationally and persistently, to produce the greatest "utility"? Thinking of this, his heart suddenly warmed, as if a match had been struck in the darkness. But this flash of inspiration was quickly extinguished by a series of more complex formulas on the blackboard.

"Opportunity cost..." he muttered to himself, his Adam's apple bobbing. Every minute he chose to sit here meant giving up the opportunity to lead his brothers in extra practice sessions in the work shed, or to figure out how to improve a certain construction process. The cost of this choice was now weighing heavily on his shoulders in the most concrete way.

During breaks in his lectures, Professor Li would deliberately walk to the back row, lean over to look at his notes, and whisper, "Can you understand this part?" or give him pointers: "For this example, you can think about the choices you make when purchasing materials on your construction site."

During the break between classes, he wanted to go out for some fresh air, but he was surrounded by a group of students.

"Brother Cang, can you tell us how you fought off three armed robbers?" a girl wearing glasses asked excitedly.

"Your kung fu must be amazing, right? Like in the movies?" another tall, thin man gestured.

"Why did you decide to study economics?" a girl with a ponytail asked curiously.

……

Questions came one after another, the students' eyes shining, their tone devoid of any disdain, only genuine curiosity and admiration. Cang Lifeng was initially overwhelmed, his answers hesitant and stuttering, but gradually he relaxed, describing the scene and his thoughts in the simplest language. He spoke of his fellow workers, his desire to improve their lives, and Professor Shen Moyuan's encouragement.

"Actually... I don't understand a lot of it." He scratched his head, pointing somewhat embarrassedly to the question marks in his notebook, "It's like listening to gibberish. But Professor Li said to take it slow and put on the 'glasses' first."

The students were amused by his honesty, and the girl with the ponytail volunteered, "Brother Cang, if you have any questions in the future, you can ask us. We'll form a study group to help you!"

"Yes, yes, we'll take turns telling you!"

"You can borrow my notes to copy!"

……

The bell rang, and the students quickly returned to their seats. Cang Lifeng noticed that the tall, thin boy with black-rimmed glasses who had been standing quietly on the outside smiled and nodded at him before leaving, then pointed slightly to himself, then pointed outside the classroom, making a "we'll talk later" gesture.

The second period passed in a state of intense concentration yet utter confusion for Cang Lifeng. At nine o'clock, the bell rang to signal the end of get out of class.

Cang Lifeng packed his things and was about to leave when Professor Li came over and handed him two thick volumes of photocopied materials.

"These are some basic concept diagrams and supplementary reading materials I've compiled, along with two more introductory books I recommend," Professor Li said gently. "Since your foundation is weak, don't rush to catch up. First, build a basic framework. If you have any questions, feel free to come to my office anytime. I'm available Wednesday and Friday afternoons."

Cang Lifeng accepted the gift with both hands, his throat tightening: "Thank you, Professor Li... I, I will definitely do my best."

After Professor Li left, the boy with black-rimmed glasses walked up from the waiting crowd, extended his hand and said, "Brother Cang, hello. My name is Lu Wenyuan. I am Professor Li's graduate student and also the teaching assistant for this course."

Cang Lifeng quickly extended his hand to shake hands with the other person and said, "Hello, Lu... classmate Lu."

"You mentioned earlier that you didn't understand many parts," Lu Wenyuan said, adjusting his glasses and pausing briefly. "This course was actually specially designed by Professor Li. He places great emphasis on bridging theory and practice in his lectures. Because the content is practical, not only undergraduates like us, but also many visiting scholars and working professionals from nearby organizations come to attend, so it was specially scheduled for the evening."

He carefully chose his words, wanting to express his help without sounding condescending: "Professor Li also mentioned that you might need some extra tutoring. If you don't mind, I can spend two evenings a week at the library helping you review the basic concepts."

Cang Lifeng was stunned. This help came at the perfect time, and he didn't know how to respond for a moment.

Lu Wenyuan seemed to sense his concerns and explained, "Please don't misunderstand, this isn't entirely about helping. I'm working with Professor Li on research about 'social capital in the informal employment sector,' which involves understanding how people work and live in environments like construction sites through relationships, trust, and reciprocity. We need to understand real-world cases and perspectives. Is this a way of learning from each other and exchanging information?"

"Well... that's too much trouble for you. But my foundation is really weak, so I'll probably have to start from the very basics."

Lu Wenyuan smiled: "No problem. Economics, in the end, also starts with the most basic question: 'Why do people exchange things?' Let's take it slow."

The two exchanged contact information and agreed to meet at the library on Thursday evening.

Stepping out of the teaching building, a cool night breeze blew. The streetlights on campus cast long shadows of him. He carried a heavy canvas bag filled with textbooks, notes, and materials given to him by Professor Li.

That night, he once again felt that long-lost feeling of being elevated to the status of a "hero." But this time, it was different from the halo he received after the bank robbery. The honor then stemmed from a momentary outburst of courage, while tonight's respect pointed to a long and arduous road that required accumulation over time, with no shortcuts.

He subconsciously moved his left shoulder, a familiar ache returning to his old injury. This sensation pulled him back to reality. His academic journey had just begun, but the construction site was his "training ground," the place where he could make a living and protect it. The sinister look in "Fourth Master's" eyes, and that warning, "The waters of Nancheng are deep," hadn't dissipated even under the classroom lights. Wasn't he learning all this precisely to see these undercurrents more clearly, and to lead his brothers more steadily through this complex world, forging a path where they could take root and stand tall?

He touched the soft fabric of his shirt, recalling the jokes and words of advice from his brothers in the work shed, and the kind, curious gazes from the classroom. Two worlds, two identities, were now strangely intertwined within him.

The road ahead remains uncertain, and the books are still difficult to digest. But with a map in hand and companions by my side, what I carry on my shoulders is no longer just the livelihoods of a few dozen people, but also a heavy burden of expectations from many.

He straightened his back and strode towards the bus stop. The lights of the southern city shone brightly in the night, and the light that had been lit in his heart, illuminated by the fleeting sense of alertness, seemed not only to shine a little brighter, but also to settle into a warmth ignited by desire and forged by responsibility.