Cangmang Asks the Way 1: Guardian of the Lamp

The metallic luster of the provincial gold medal seemed to have barely faded from their fingertips when the summer heat, along with an even more rigorous training rhythm, filled the training hall of Jixian Sports School.

Zhou Zhenhua is rarely seen these days; the position of principal weighs heavily on his shoulders like an invisible burden. As a new administrator, he's been consumed by endless meetings and countless school affairs. He's often seen hurrying between offices with documents in hand, or holding meetings with coaches until late at night. The heavy responsibility of guiding the athletes' daily training has fallen squarely on the shoulders of Chen Gang, the newly crowned provincial youth champion.

Having experienced setbacks in the provincial competition and disappointing results in the high school entrance exam, the youthful naiveté of this senior student had been replaced by a silent resolve. His low score on the high school entrance exam disqualified him from entering the provincial sports school. Therefore, he cherished the opportunity Coach Zhou had given him and secretly resolved to do a good job as the acting coach.

Therefore, he spoke less during training than before, but his demands were even stricter, especially on himself. He respected Tianci but also relied on him heavily. Every day before training, he would take a notebook filled with training exercises and find Tianci, who was quietly stretching his legs. His dark face was serious: "Tianci, come and take a look. How does today's set of physical training followed by sparring feel? You've thought it through carefully, so give me your feedback."

On the training field, Chen Gang's booming voice often rang out, accompanied by a call to Tianci. "The key to this set of footwork transitions is the shift in weight. Tianci, you demonstrate so everyone can see it clearly." "The timing of the counter-attack, pay attention to Tianci's anticipation, see how he seizes the 'open space' in the instant before the opponent exerts force." He would even directly give up his position, "In this round, Tianci, you watch them play and point out the problems."

At first, under the spotlight, Tianci's throat would instinctively tighten. But Chen Gang's trusting gaze, and his own clear understanding of the martial arts principles honed through countless battles and meditations, supported him like a calm force. He struggled to overcome the tightness in his throat, controlled the clumsiness of his tongue, and tried his best to organize clear language to explain the key points, analyze the exertion of force, and point out subtle errors to his fellow students... Gradually, as he spoke more, the syllables that had stubbornly stuck between his lips and teeth slowly became more coherent, no longer the anxiously fragmented sounds.

In early August, the results of the elementary school graduation exams were released. Cang Tianci and Lin Wanqing's names were listed side-by-side at the top of the list, gaining admission to the Jixian Middle School's gifted youth program with an absolute advantage. Also achieving top honors were class monitor Lin Ruoxi and academic representative Song Wei. Four students from one class achieved this distinction; this glory belongs to them, and also to Class 5-1 as a whole.

On the day they returned to school to pick up their report cards, Class 5-1 was bustling with activity, filled with the noise of exchanging grades, congratulating each other, and bidding each other farewell. As soon as Tianci entered the classroom, he heard several classmates excitedly discussing, "He really is number one in both subjects!" "He's amazing, excelling in both academics and sports!" Seeing him enter, many pairs of eyes, filled with eagerness and admiration, turned to him, and the classroom fell silent for a brief moment.

Amidst the focused gazes, Tianci noticed Lin Wanqing sitting quietly by the window. Feeling Tianci's gaze, she looked up, smiled at him, and nodded almost imperceptibly.

Class monitor Song Wei broke the silence first, laughing at Tianci, "Cang Tianci, you're amazing! You won a gold medal in the province, and you're still number one in your studies. I just made a bet with them that you'd definitely get into the gifted youth program. Haha, I won!" She proudly raised her chin, then said seriously, "Seriously, you're incredible! In the gifted youth program, we'll have to look out for each other!"

Standing to the side, class monitor Lin Ruoxi waited for Song Wei to finish speaking before continuing, "Congratulations, Cang Tianci. I never imagined you could surpass us so quickly and catch up with Lin Wanqing. You've proven Teacher Fang's judgment right away, creating another miracle." She paused, seemingly considering her words, "At the same time, your tremendous transformation is the best testament to 'where there's a will, there's a way.' I look forward to seeing your continued performance in the gifted youth program."

Tianci, after being praised by them in turn, scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly and said, "Th...thank you! I...I'm not as good as you say. My...my progress is...I also have to thank Lin Wanqing for her help."

At this point, his gaze involuntarily drifted to Lin Wanqing by the window. She sat there quietly, a gentle smile on her face, her clear eyes reflecting the light from outside and a rare, lighthearted joy. Tianci noticed that there were no traces of her injuries on her face, and a slight sense of relief washed over him. He didn't know how much of this joy was for his achievements, or for the new life to come, but seeing her smile like this was truly comforting. It reminded him of how Teacher Fang had reached out to help him when he was struggling, and how Lin Wanqing had given him strength with her quiet demeanor. This success didn't just belong to him; it belonged to all those who had illuminated his life. A vague desire to become stronger, and to one day illuminate others like Teacher Fang, quietly sprouted within him.

Just then, Mr. Zhang Zhengping walked in with a beaming smile, and the noise in the classroom subsided slightly. Every wrinkle on his face smoothed out.

He handed out the admission notices to each student. When he reached Cang Tianci, he smiled and said, "Good lad, you've really made your teacher proud. You're accomplished in both academics and sports. Middle school is a much bigger world for you; keep up this spirit, and your future is limitless."

Tianci took the notification letter, feeling the texture of the paper and its heavy weight. He nodded emphatically and said excitedly, "Thank you, Teacher Zhang! I...I will!"

It was the busy summer season, and the sports school had given the rural students a week off. Tianci, filled with joy, embarked on his journey home. The familiar earthy smell and fresh scent of grass and trees from Xiqiao Village wafted towards him. This familiar aroma eased the tension that had gripped him for days. He quickened his pace and rushed towards that familiar house.

"Mom! Mom!" Tianci called out as he ran to the kitchen.

Su Yumei stopped what she was doing and turned around in surprise: "Oh, my Tianci is back! Slow down, why are you running?"

Tianci eagerly took out the gold medal and admission notice from his canvas bag, excitedly saying, "Mom, a gold medal in the provincial martial arts competition. I got first place in the county in my graduation exam and was admitted to the gifted youth program." This was the most fluent sentence he had ever uttered in his life.

Su Yumei didn't notice the change in Tianci's words; instead, she was completely overwhelmed by their content. She carefully took the gold medal and the notification letter, gazing at them for a long time, her trembling hands caressing them repeatedly, tears of joy welling up in her eyes.

Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, she clutched her medal and acceptance letter tightly and rushed out of the kitchen. Tianci, not understanding what his mother was going to do, quickly put down his bag and followed behind her.

The mother and son arrived at the fields of Xiqiao Village. The scorching sun hung high in the sky, its harsh rays pouring down without any obstruction, baking the entire paddy field like a giant steamer. The air was filled with humid heat and the distinctive smell of sun-baked soil. The weeds along the field ridges drooped listlessly.

Tianci spotted his father at a glance.

Cang Zhenye stood alone in the middle of the brightly lit paddy field, his back hunched over. His tattered straw hat offered no protection from the blazing sun, and sweat streamed down his bronze face and neck, disappearing instantly into the murky water. His entire back, clad in a patched coarse cloth shirt, was completely soaked, clinging tightly to his spine and clearly outlining the strong, yet slightly hunched, muscles of his back, honed by years of hard labor.

His movements were mechanical and swift, seemingly tireless. His left hand separated the seedlings, while his right hand plunged into the muddy water with lightning speed, precise and steady. Each bend and straighten carried a silent yet resilient rhythm. Mud splashed onto his trousers, arms, and even his face, leaving mottled marks. The rows of seedlings around him stretched out neatly. In the vast expanse of paddy field, his solitary figure appeared so small, yet so upright, like an old pine tree firmly rooted in the earth, resisting hardship and the scorching sun.

Cang Tianci suddenly stopped in his tracks.

An indescribable bitterness and a powerful sense of shock struck his heart like a hammer blow, making it almost impossible for him to breathe. The sweat in the training hall, the struggles in the ring, the joy of victory… at this moment, compared to the silent, almost cruel labor his father was doing before him, everything seemed complex and insignificant. His father, with his sun-scorched back and hands soaked countless times in mud, was digging tangible food from the earth—food to feed the family, a survival that was evident in every drop of sweat, an undisputed means of survival. And the victories, honors, medals, and even the calculations behind them that they pursued—for the first time, before this heavy, vibrant green exuding the primal scent of life, he felt a distance that seemed almost insurmountable. His father's "way" was deeply rooted in this mud, but how could his own "way," which he had just begun to grasp, take root in this wider, more resilient land?

Just then, he saw his father unconsciously press his palm heavily against his lower back as he stood up. That small, weary movement pierced through all his philosophical thoughts like a needle. The sense of distance he felt regarding the "Tao" collapsed instantly, replaced by an incomparably urgent and real "present moment"—his "Tao," if it couldn't touch his father's hardships at this moment, would forever remain a castle in the air. He felt heartache, guilt, and an impulse to do something immediately to share the burden.

Unaware of her son's emotional shift, Su Yumei stood on the edge of the field, clutching the gold medal and acceptance letter, waving them around: "Zhenye! Zhenye! Look, look at Tianci! Our Tianci... won a gold medal in the provincial competition, ranked first in the county, and was admitted to the gifted youth program!" Her voice, choked with sobs, was exceptionally clear in the quiet fields.

Cang Zhenye's rice planting motion suddenly stopped.

He slowly and stiffly straightened his back, which had been hunched over for too long. The blazing sun made him squint. He raised his mud-covered arm and wiped the sweat and mud from his face with the back of his equally mud-covered hand. His gaze followed the sound and fell on the golden and red items in his wife's hands. Then, he looked past his wife and saw his son standing on the edge of the field, his eyes red and staring blankly at him.

At that moment, time seemed to stand still.

The hot wind from the fields brushed against his weathered face. He didn't cheer, he didn't laugh, he just stared fixedly, his chest rising and falling slightly with his heavy breathing. In his eyes, etched with deep lines of time and toil, a look of disbelief flashed across them, then, as if a spark had been ignited, they burst forth with an extremely scorching and bright light.

That radiance was shock, it was ecstasy, but even more profound was the supreme comfort and immense pride of finally seeing seedlings sprout and stones bloom after a lifetime of hard work.

He grinned, his lips, chapped from thirst, trembling slightly as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately remained silent. He simply nodded heavily, with an almost vow-like force. Then, towards his son on the edge of the field, he slowly and solemnly extended his thumb, covered in mud and sweat.

Sunlight fell on him, sweat trickled down his cheeks, and dripped into the mud beneath his feet. His figure remained hunched over in the middle of the paddy field, surrounded by sweltering heat and boundless greenery. But this simple gesture, this mud-covered thumb, seemed to contain a tremendous force, more powerful and awe-inspiring than any words.

That was a father conveying his highest praise and deepest expectations to his son in the simplest and most profound way. Within it lay the value of his lifelong perseverance, his complete reliance on the family's future, and a silent yet overwhelming sense of honor rooted in the land and in his bloodline!

Standing on the ridge of the field, Cang Tianci gazed at his father's raised thumb and blazing eyes under the scorching sun. His throat felt like it was being choked shut, and his vision blurred instantly. In this blurry, burning vision, his father's hunched yet upright figure, his mother's waving arm and the golden-red admission notice in her hand, and Lin Wanqing's clear, worried eyes, strangely intertwined. All the honor, sweat, expectations, and worries, before this muddy ridge under the blazing sun, settled into an unprecedented, heavy clarity.