Colorful years

Time flies like an arrow, and September 1978 arrived in a hurry.

The unique and rich scent of autumn begins to permeate the air, and the earth seems to be tinged with a golden hue. The autumn wind blows, and the leaves rustle, like a beautiful symphony played by nature.

The Zhang Tiesheng college entrance examination blank paper incident, which once caused a great uproar, has gradually subsided with the passage of time and faded from people's sight.

For the education authorities and many parents in the mountain city, their focus has shifted to the upcoming college entrance examination.

I still remember that scorching July when the county education bureau meticulously organized a highly anticipated exam – the recruitment exam for the "key class for preparing for the college entrance examination".

The recruitment targets both outstanding recent graduates and high-achieving students from the previous year who unfortunately failed to gain admission. The aim is to select a group of elite students and provide them with intensive training to help them achieve excellent results in the following year's college entrance examination.

This recruitment drive offers two hundred valuable places, half for arts and half for sciences. All admitted students will be concentrated at Ganziping Middle School to prepare for the college entrance examination. The teachers who will instruct these students will be the most outstanding team of instructors carefully selected from all the middle schools in the county.

Congcong, as the most outstanding graduating student of Baiheping Middle School, naturally met the recruitment requirements, registered for the exam, and was successfully admitted to the first science class, embarking on a new journey full of challenges and opportunities.

On the first day of school, the sun shone brightly and a gentle breeze blew. Congcong carried a bulging backpack, filled with daily necessities and school supplies carefully prepared for him by his family.

Besides that, there was a thick stack of grain coupons—a full hundred jin (approximately 50 kg) accumulated bit by bit by the entire production team working together! These grain coupons carried everyone's earnest expectations for Congcong's academic success.

As Congcong strode confidently through the gates of Ganziping Middle School, a solemn and sacred aura washed over him like a tidal wave.

The campus is lush with green trees, like giant umbrellas shielding students from the summer sun; colorful flowers bloom in competition, emitting a refreshing fragrance that is intoxicating; and the magnificent teaching buildings stand tall, like a majestic temple of knowledge, attracting countless minds eager for learning.

Congcong couldn't help but take a deep breath of the fresh, pleasant air, feeling the hope and vitality permeating it. At this moment, his heart was filled with boundless longing for a bright future, as if a pair of invisible wings were leading him to the other side of his dreams.

With excitement, Congcong first went to the Academic Affairs Office to complete the enrollment procedures. After completing the registration process, he carefully dragged his heavy luggage to his dormitory according to the dormitory information arranged by the school in advance, and carefully arranged it in an orderly manner.

After everything was settled, Congcong, unable to contain her joy, rushed to her classroom—Science Class 1.

The classroom of Class 1, Science major, was located on the third floor of the teaching building. When Congcong stood at the classroom door, he couldn't help but look out through the bright window. The rolling mountains in the distance resembled a winding dragon lying across the land, and the vast fields looked like a green ocean with rolling waves. Such a beautiful view filled Congcong with joy and delight.

The classroom was already full of new students, who were chatting enthusiastically, sharing their experiences and observations. Congcong found a seat by the window, quietly observing everything around him and feeling the unfamiliar yet welcoming atmosphere.

A short while later, the homeroom teacher, Mr. Chen Qiushi, entered the classroom. He was a middle-aged man, burly and with a serious face, but his eyes revealed a warmth and care.

Teacher Chen stood on the podium, cleared his throat, and began his opening remarks: "Students, welcome to the intensive class for college entrance examination preparation. Here, we will spend an unforgettable time together and strive for the college entrance examination. I hope you will cherish this opportunity, study hard, and live up to your youthful years."

Then, Teacher Chen entered the classroom with a list in his hand. He first had the students line up in order of height, and then began to assign seats one by one. The whole process proceeded in an orderly manner, and soon every student had found their seat.

Next, Teacher Li went up to the podium, picked up the chalk and wrote the words "Class 1 (1)" in large characters on the blackboard, and introduced the basic information of the class to everyone with a smile. At the same time, he also emphasized the various rules and regulations of the school and the discipline of study, hoping that the students would strictly abide by them.

Just then, Teacher Chen noticed Congcong sitting in the front row. He was sitting upright, listening attentively to the teacher, and his eyes revealed intelligence and cleverness. After observing him for a while, Teacher Chen decided to appoint Congcong as the class's study committee member.

When Congcong heard that he had been selected as the class monitor, he felt a surge of joy, but he also felt a greater sense of responsibility and expectation behind this honor.

He knew that as the class's academic representative, he not only had to have excellent grades himself, but also actively help other students improve their grades and set a good example.

Therefore, Congcong secretly made up his mind: he must study harder and continuously improve his overall quality so as to set an excellent example for the class.

The exciting moment has finally arrived—the first day of formal classes.