*This article is the content of the third issue of "Reading Reading" in 2023
After National Day that year, on a passenger plane to Xiamen, I met Mr. Lin, a large northern group company.
I was a little surprised that as an executive of a well-known domestic electronics company, he flew around the world all day, but like me, he chose economy class instead of more comfortable business class. He smiled and explained to me: It's affordable and you can meet more new people.
I agreed with him about the affordability, but wondered him for another reason: how can you meet more new people in economy class because you don't allow you to move around on the plane and only a few strangers are seated?
In the smooth flight of the plane in the clouds, he pointed to the "Selected Poems of Nobel Prize Winners" in my hand, saying that he liked the works of the Swiss poet Hesse, fresh and profound, especially reading his works such as "Impermanence" and "Evening Road", he would have a feeling of listening to country music. He also spoke of the lyric poem of the Spanish poet Simenez, "setting an example for the noble heart and pure art"; He also talked about the Italian poet Montale, and casually recited "A Walk at Noon in Summer", lamenting that the poem exudes the power of the drummer of the human heart... A Ph.D. in electrical engineering, I was amazed by the swiftness and precision with which he interpreted the works of several famous poets and works.
When I talked about my purpose in giving a college entrance examination essay lecture to students in a middle school, he asked me bluntly: "It won't be a 'secret' to teach students how to get high scores, and teach students some short and fast routines, right?" ”
I smiled: "Of course not, the kind of essay guidance that restricts students' thinking is also something I have always opposed." "A few years ago, I met a pioneering headmistress at an academic conference, and we had a speculative conversation about the reform of composition teaching in secondary schools. Since then, she has invited me to give a college entrance examination essay lecture every year, saying that she "helps students broaden their writing horizons." This lecture was invited by the non-utilitarian principal to share my creative writing ideas.
Mr. Lin is also interested in creative writing, and he is not only familiar with the origin and development trend of creative writing at home and abroad, but also has a pertinent evaluation, which makes me add a surprise of "meeting a soulmate on the journey".
When the plane stopped in Jinan, the departure time was delayed for some reason. Mr. Lin and I smiled heartily: God hopes we can talk a little longer.
Mr. Lin invited me to the lounge to sit, we each ordered a cup of fresh green tea, tasted it slowly, and continued to chat unrestrained: the domestic economic situation, talent training, educational philosophy, the true meaning of happiness, the topic of random switching is relaxed and comfortable, and from time to time there are punchlines blurted out...
The plane took off again, the flight continued, and after chatting for a while, Mr. Lin suddenly turned to the porthole, and I followed his gaze, and I saw a cloud of cotton-like white clouds slowly floating in the blue sky, as if rushing to an invitation, and seemed to stroll leisurely. We gaze at the changing clouds, silent, as if watching a time slowly passing.
The plane landed, we turned on our phones, and all kinds of information immediately poured in. We all travel lightly, so we smile at each other and have a sense of intimacy with similar styles. At the exit of the airport, we shook goodbye and said in unison: "Thank you for the happy meeting!" "We didn't leave each other's phone calls, didn't add WeChat to each other, and didn't even say kind words such as "there will be a period later".
I think Mr. Lin knows as well as I do: we met on the way, we are each other's tea-like friends, and the faint fragrance is naturally flowing and moisturizing. Sit against such a friend without pushing your heart; Just a light topic, a pleasant small talk, is very beautiful.
Author: Jiashan
Editor: Zhang Ziqing / Proofreader: Guo Yanhui