Aizhen's face revealed a faint smile, an uncommon sight, as she watched the young couple sitting in the front row.
Aizhen was very thin, not in an ordinary girl's slender way, but rather giving off an emaciated feeling. Her legs were probably as thick as a slightly fat person's arms, thin in an unhealthy way. Actually, a few years ago, she had suffered from anorexia due to health issues, which was why she always gave people the impression of having lost too much weight.
However, she dressed very sophisticately with an elegant temperament and well-behaved actions and manners.
Young people are so nice. Watching the male and female students at the front table, all wearing plaid shirts, put Aizhen in an even better mood.
"Today I will introduce you to Federico García Lorca, a famous Spanish poet," Aizhen said in English.
Li Weijin's English was pretty good. He had originally planned to study abroad but after taking the IELTS exam several times and still not getting a satisfactory score, those plans fell through. However, his spoken English was quite good since his annoying older brother often mocked him in English. His mother was also quite exaggerated. Because she loved luxury goods, she insisted on learning English herself and would chat with the family in English from time to time so she could understand what they were saying.
But Li Weijin really didn't have any experience with Spanish. He knew Xiao Qi had taken it as an elective, which was why he had deliberately come to this class.
He knew Xiao Qi was very serious and didn't like frivolous people. Although he had come today, he also planned to listen carefully in class and not disrupt Xiao Qi since they were sitting at the same table. That shouldn't affect her, right? Xiao Qi was so diligent.
Xiao Qi: ...It actually was distracting.
She wasn't used to sitting next to a sweet-smelling boy.
But learning came first during class. The teacher was already here, so she didn't want to argue with Li Weijin either. She just listened attentively.
"There is a city in Spain called Granada. Granada's city emblem contains a pomegranate. In Spanish, 'pomegranate' is said 'granada'," Aizhen said gently. Her way of speaking English also had a melodious narration-like quality. She taught without pretense, imperceptibly imparting knowledge in a deeply memorable way.
"The city of Granada is extremely romantic. You could say Lorca's poetry collections walk the streets of Granada, with his verses found everywhere. Today we're learning one of Lorca's most famous poems, 'Three Water Songs', which is carved on a simple little bridge over the Genil River on the riverbank. I'll recite it in English first, then in Spanish. It's a very beautiful poem, perfect for people in love," Aizhen said. Then she surprisingly grinned mischievously. She was in a very good mood today.
Xiao Qi felt a little embarrassed hearing her teacher say that, but she really liked this kind of class.
Without needing to do anything special, just gaining knowledge felt very beautiful to her.
Without much reading or traveling experience, how would she know about Spain, or about a Spanish city called Granada, or that the city's emblem contained a pomegranate, and that the Spanish word for pomegranate was 'granada'? Talking about it like this made it sound romantic and wonderful, and she had learned a new word - the Spanish pronunciation for pomegranate.
There is golden treasure to be found in books that prevents one's thoughts from being confined to what is in front of them.
Xiao Qi's world used to be a village, visible in one glance, but now her world was vast and limitless.
Although Li Weijin sitting next to her had distracted her a bit at first, arousing some frivolous thoughts, she was now completely immersed in the classroom, listening attentively to the teacher, and following Aizhen's words into the city.
It was as if she could hear the murmuring sound of the river water, passing through Queen Isabella's square, then walking through half of the ancient city, before arriving at the little bridge, looking at the poem carved into history there.
"Three Water Songs:
The Guadquivir
flows through orchards of oranges and olives.
The two rivers of Granada
flow from the snow to the wheat fields.
Ah, love,
once gone, never returning!
The Guadquivir's orange groves,
tall balconies, gentle breezes.
Bringing olives, orange blossoms,
Andalucía, to your ocean.
Once gone, never forgotten!"
Aizhen recited it passionately. It was like a love poem, yet not like one - the casual nature of foreign poetry, describing the scenery of a foreign land, along with the people and stories in that scenery.
Xiao Qi listened attentively.
Aizhen taught conscientiously as well, preparing lesson plans and PPT slides. Images of the city of Granada appeared on the blackboard as a backdrop, with a close-up of the poem on the bridge. English captions flashed on the slides and Xiao Qi swiftly copied them down.
Next, Aizhen recited the Spanish version, even more authentic, not just like a poem but like an easily intoxicating aged wine, a candy with a slightly sour aftertaste, a juicy sugarcane.
Xiao Qi enjoyed this kind of class, so beautiful.
She felt like she was not only learning a language, but also undergoing another kind of learning and growth, a type of edification from knowledge, something that would give her more confidence on her life's path in the future, although she didn't know what to call it right now.
After cunningly sitting down next to Xiao Qi, Li Weijin didn't dare disturb her again, knowing Xiao Qi wouldn't chase him away out of respect for the teacher. He also listened carefully and took notes diligently, looking every bit the model student. In truth, he didn't understand some parts very well since his English wasn't as good as Xiao Qi's - many words were obscure to him. But he would copy the teacher's PPT slides and lesson plans, writing everything down carefully.
His beautiful orange Hermès notebook, Tiffany blue Montblanc pen, handsome hand - everything about him from head to toe was exquisite. Even his diligent note-taking was a visual treat. Xiao Qi would occasionally glimpse from the corner of her eye but didn't say anything.
She just felt this guy was more fragrant than Honey, and he smelled really nice too. Honey's shampoo and shower gel scents were quite strong. She liked to run around and sweat a lot, so there was a slight body odor sometimes. But Li Weijin next to her was very fresh, without any sweaty smell, just a faint pleasant scent, subtle, like this poem.
Xiao Qi's mind wandered a little, but for some reason, she felt like her learning efficiency was even higher than usual this class. She practically memorized the teacher's recited poem after hearing it once, though the Spanish version was still difficult.
Then the bell rang signaling class was over. Aizhen also closed her lesson plan, saying they would thoroughly analyze the poem next class.
When class ended, Li Weijin was actually a little nervous, worried Xiao Qi would switch seats, so he spoke first: "I promise I won't disturb you, affect you, or hold you back from learning."
Seeing his model student, goody-two-shoes act, Xiao Qi didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"We're not the same. I heard you're planning to go abroad after passing the IELTS. But I'm not planning to go abroad. I want to apply for graduate school at a top university in Beijing or Shanghai. I don't plan to have a long distance relationship, so we're not suitable," Xiao Qi said.
From the lessons taught by the retired professors from top Beijing and Shanghai universities that Enhua had hired, Xiao Qi realized they were extremely brilliant. Their teaching was thought-provoking and enlightening. If she could attend a top university in Beijing or Shanghai, it would definitely be something amazing and impressive. So Xiao Qi wanted to go to those schools.
Before, it had just been a vague idea, but saying it out loud to her classmate Li Weijin today made Xiao Qi suddenly feel more motivated, like she had established a clear short-term goal, giving her life more drive.
