Today's Coffee Is So Special

By Ding Zedi, Class 1, Junior One, Shunde No.1 Middle School Experimental School, Shunde District, Foshan, Guangdong

This afternoon after school, I walked home by myself.

The streets were bustling, yet my heart was quiet, quietly taking in the scenery: the upright trees, the flowers in full bloom, the smart suits, the red dresses fluttering to and fro like butterflies... Just as I was reveling in this lovely streetscape, I suddenly saw her — Xiaoqi: she was sitting on a bus, and she saw me too. She waved excitedly and smiled at me, and I smiled back. The slanting rays of the setting sun came through the bus window and fell softly on her two big front teeth, making them dazzlingly bright; a few strands of hair hung over her thick brows and down her cheeks, and she seemed thinner than before, yet she still had that old confidence and that clean, bright smile.

And in the very next instant, a crossroads left her smile behind in the breeze.

A gust of wind blew; I was happy, yet also a little disappointed. Somehow, my heart was instantly hollowed out by that passing wind.

In the evening I went with Dad to the little grove in our neighborhood. Holding a cup of coffee, I sat in a quiet corner, sharing with him the stillness of the night. The moonlight, as if trimmed by a naughty child with scissors, drifted down in scattered patches through the leaves, like white flowers in bloom; for a moment, the world held only Dad and me. I looked at the bright moon — so luminous, so round, so clean, like a mirror — and thought: I saw her again today! What a coincidence.

Through the wreathing fragrance of the coffee, I seemed to see a stubborn boy who, badly misunderstood, was mocked by his classmates and reproached by his teacher. He walked to the washroom door and shed tears he would never lightly have shed before, when she silently handed him a tissue and said: "I know it was Teacher Yang who misunderstood you. You didn't explain yourself because you didn't want Ayi and Xiaoyan to be punished. You were right — I understand you!" He took the tissue and clasped it tightly in his palm; at once a warm current flowed through his whole body, filling every corner of him. He wept no more, and raising his head he saw the setting sun flashing gold, falling softly on her two big front teeth — so beautiful, so confident. In that instant she became the angel in his heart.

Volunteering, vying to clean up, helping Ah Guo with his lessons, eagerly joining in fund-raisers... those two beautiful big front teeth were everywhere.

At the last lesson of primary school, Aliang's mother came holding a bouquet and said through her tears: "Xiaoqi, thank you for six years of thoughtful care for Aliang!" 'Lend a hand, and affection grows an inch; forgive once, and virtue widens a foot.' That was not merely an encouraging line she wrote on her desk — she truly lived it! (Aliang was my classmate; he had congenital polio, his legs were badly disabled, and many things were impossible for him without our help.)

I held the cup, smooth and white, and stirred the coffee; ripples swayed, the wreathing aroma suffused my shadow and soaked into my thoughts, spreading ring after ring, then gathering again into two beautiful big front teeth.

I took a sip of coffee: within its delicate bitterness there was no lack of soft sweetness — so bitter, and yet so sweet.

Had I merged into the coffee, or the coffee into me? For a moment I lost myself in this so fragrant and tranquil night!

Today's coffee was so special!

(Supervising teacher: Yi Zhengbing)