The Sweetness of the Seventies
Chapter 846 - 815: Flying Birds, Little Fish

Chapter 846: Chapter 815: Flying Birds, Little Fish

Upon hearing Tang Ping’an’s comments, everyone nodded and agreed with him.

"Exactly, it’s our Teacher He." Everyone laughed heartily, "We will always remember Teacher He’s teachings."

Encountering such an open-minded teacher at university was indeed a stroke of great fortune.

He Tiantian, standing outside the door, was truly moved by these words.

The students were so adorable.

She also felt the noble responsibility of being a role model as a teacher.

Though she had only taught this class for one year, it was the most earnest year for He Tiantian.

She dared not dream of widespread fame, but she hoped for a bright future for all her students.

Once inside, everyone had some drinks and sang songs, making the atmosphere lively.

"Alright, everyone has had their fill," He Tiantian said after they ate and drank. "I want to thank you all for treating me today. You all have trains to catch, so let’s not continue. I’ve given my address to Yuan Hua. Whoever comes to Yanjing, come and find me, and I’ll welcome you warmly."

Everyone looked at Yuan Hua, thinking they must get Teacher He’s address from the class president later.

Maybe they could visit Teacher He when they were in Yanjing.

"Goodbye, Teacher He, we’ll watch you as you go," Yuan Hua said, his parting words brief.

"Okay." Teacher He smiled, her eyes slightly teary, as she pushed her bicycle and disappeared around the street corner.

Everyone watched as Teacher He left. The crowd then turned to Yuan Hua and asked, "Class president, where is the teacher’s address?"

"Go buy a pen and notebook over there, and I’ll write down the address for each of you," Yuan Hua said, following Teacher He’s instructions to provide the address for those who might visit her or write to her.

Liu Hua was quick and returned with a notebook and pen.

Having memorized the address, Yuan Hua wrote it down repeatedly, tearing off pieces to hand out to everyone.

With Teacher He’s address in hand, everyone then dispersed back to school. Most of them, carrying their luggage, headed for the train station to catch their trains.

In the end, only Yuan Hua and Tang Ping’an were left.

"Tang Ping’an, why aren’t you leaving?" Yuan Hua asked curiously. Tang Ping’an’s hometown was very far away, and he usually went straight home as soon as vacation started.

"I still have some drafts to finish," Tang Ping’an said. "I’ll finish them as soon as possible, send them out the day after tomorrow, and then head home. How about you?"

"I’m okay, just reluctant to leave this school," Yuan Hua said, feeling sentimental. "Just in a blink, a year has passed."

Yes, the seasons changed, and another year had gone by.

Tang Ping’an looked bewilderedly at the green trees by the shaded avenues in the school, his expression somewhat lost.

Yuan Hua remained silent, and the two walked quietly through the campus.

At the upcoming junction, they parted ways, one to the left and the other to the right.

Yuan Hua returned to his dormitory and immediately took out some paper and quickly wrote down a poem.

The poem’s title, "Her."

It didn’t contain an excess of flamboyant words, but through unique rhymes, it recorded her every action and every smile.

Although Tang Ping’an was slightly drunk, his mind was clear, and his pen flew across the paper, writing non-stop. The storylines poured out like a mountain spring, flowing endlessly.

He continued until late into the night, exhausted, Tang Ping’an fell asleep on the desk.

When he woke up the next morning, Tang Ping’an was astounded to see he had written the entire ending of "Wind and Cloud" on the thick stack of manuscript paper in front of him.

Tang Ping’an couldn’t believe it and worried about the quality, he read it word by word. Except for the messy handwriting, the sentences flowed smoothly, very coherent and accomplished in one go.

It was an unexpected pleasure.

Tang Ping’an took the original manuscript to the library and asked the staff there to make a copy. Afterwards, he carefully collected the originals in a plastic folder and mailed the copied manuscript along with an interview to Xie Wanying.

Tang Ping’an walked down the shady boulevard at the school with his luggage.

The setting sun stretched his tall silhouette very long.

Yuan Hua, also carrying his luggage, saw Tang Ping’an and asked, "Tang Ping’an, what time is your train?"

"Eight in the evening, what about you?" Tang Ping’an asked, turning to look at class president Yuan Hua.

"Mine is at seven thirty. Let’s have dinner together and go to the train station together," Yuan Hua said. "I wrote a poem, can you take a look for me?"

"Sure, I’ll take a look," Tang Ping’an said.

While waiting for their dishes, Yuan Hua took out his notebook and handed it to Tang Ping’an, saying, "The last page, take a look."

"’Her,’ she has bright eyes, she has an empathetic soul..." Tang Ping’an carefully savored each word, each phrase.

Yuan Hua was excited. She had drunk the previous day, feeling weak in her limbs, yet her brain was incredibly clear. It had only taken her a few minutes to create this poem.

After a while, Tang Ping’an nodded and said, "Very good! Did you write this based on Teacher He?"

"Mhm," Yuan Hua replied, "It could be any great woman, or all things beautiful..."

"This is the most emotional poem among all your works," Tang Ping’an said. "Could you copy it for me?"

"Of course!" Yuan Hua nodded and personally made a copy for Tang Ping’an.

Tang Ping’an read it twice and then memorized it, engraving it in his heart.

After eating, they went to the train station together.

Yuan Hua’s train was at 7:30 PM. Tang Ping’an saw Yuan Hua, the class leader, onto the train and then waited alone for his own train!

As he checked in, he walked among the crowded flow of people.

The night sky was not dark but instead appeared somewhat ethereal under the glow of the lights.

She was leaving.

She was heading north.

He was heading south.

The tears finally rolled down from the corners of his eyes.

He was not a fool.

Even though he had refused to admit it previously, alone with that poem, he had understood his own heart.

Leaving was for the best. Tang Ping’an decided he would never see He Tiantian in this life.

Not because he did not want to see her.

But because he could not see her.

He feared that seeing her again would make him want to see her even more, and in the end, he would not be able to control his emotions, shattering both the friendship between teacher and student and that beautiful relationship!

At that moment, Tang Ping’an recalled the poem "The Furthest Distance in the World" by the Indian poet Tagore

The furthest distance in the world is not that between life and death

But that I stand before you, and you don’t know I love you

The furthest distance in the world

Is not that I stand before you and you don’t know I love you

But that love to the point of madness and not being able to say ’I love you’

The furthest distance in the world is not that I can not say ’I love you’

But that I long for you so painfully, yet I can only bury it deep within my heart

The furthest distance in the world is not that I can not say ’I miss you’

...

The furthest distance in the world is between a fish and a bird, one flying in the sky

While the other plunges deep into the ocean

Having read this poem before, he just thought of Tagore as a famous poet capable of writing such incisive verses.

But only those who have truly experienced the furthest distance in the world understand the sweetness, the pain, the struggle, the helplessness in this poem...

Tang Ping’an lifted his head, hoping the tears in his eyes would evaporate.

He adored her.

She did not know.

He couldn’t tell, only able to bury it deep within his heart.

Because they did not love each other, they could even less be together.

She was a free bird in the sky.

While he was just a humble fish in the water, destined not to be together.