After receiving the transfer order, Edward Brooks returned to his hometown. The personnel department told him that he must report before the start of school on September 1st. There was still half a month left at that time, but Edward Brooks didn’t want to stay in Yuhua County, not even for a moment. He almost fled back to his hometown in Furong County.

Half a month passed in a flash, and tomorrow was the first day of school. He had to report to Shumuling Middle School today. Under the worried gaze of his parents, Edward Brooks left home with his simple luggage. Both of Edward Brooks’s parents were farmers who toiled in the fields. Their son’s admission to a provincial university had made them feel proud in the village these past few years. But now that their son had graduated and started working, they found his mood had suddenly become low. Was it because things weren’t going well at work?

But in the end, they didn’t ask, only giving their son more silent care and love, and tried not to let him do any farm work at home. Even when it came to drinking, they let him be. Originally, his mother wanted to say a few words, but was sternly stopped by his father. Their son had grown up, like an eagle whose wings had become strong. Let him face all kinds of hardships on his own—maybe that would be best for his future.

Edward Brooks had actually long noticed his parents’ worries, but he didn’t want to talk about it. He would rather cry under the covers than tell them the whole story. When he graduated, his parents had hoped he could be assigned back to Furong, so he’d be close to home and could help out if anything happened. But at the time, he was determined to go to Yuhua, and even told his parents he’d found a girlfriend. They immediately changed their attitude—his lifelong happiness was important, so they firmly supported his move to Yuhua County.

At the time, Edward Brooks also noticed his parents wanted to say something but held back. He understood—they wanted to meet their future daughter-in-law. He didn’t mention it then, but thought he’d bring Lily Carter back to Furong during the New Year so his parents could meet her. But now… all of that was impossible.

It took him over an hour to reach Huangtuling Township, where he caught a bus to the county seat, then transferred to another bus to Yuhua. By the time he arrived in Yuhua County, it was already past three in the afternoon. The last bus to Shumuling Township left at 4:30 p.m. Edward Brooks didn’t want to waste any more time—everything was already over. Could a relationship gained by begging really last? Now, he just wanted to leave the county seat as soon as possible, to get away from this place of heartbreak.

Shumuling Middle School was the best middle school in Shumuling Township, with more than 600 students, nearly half of whom boarded at the school. Half the students in the entire township studied there. Although it was the best in Shumuling, the township itself was one of the worst in Yuhua County, ranking near the bottom. So even though Shumuling Middle School was the best in the township, its teaching conditions were only average.

Looking at Shumuling Middle School, which didn’t even have a school gate, Edward Brooks suddenly remembered what James Carter had said: “Shumuling Middle School has developed quite well these past few years.” This is “developed quite well”? Edward Brooks let out a cold laugh, paused for a moment, and then walked into the school. This would be the place where he would live and work from now on. If nothing unexpected happened, he’d probably spend the next few years, maybe even the next decade or more, here. But at this moment, Edward Brooks had no desire to take a good look at the school. His heart was numb—even if he spent the rest of his life here, it wouldn’t stir any ripples in his heart.

Chapter 2: Drowning Sorrows in Wine

Half a month was enough for Edward Brooks to gradually adapt to the simple and orderly life at the school. Since he graduated from the Provincial Normal University, the school immediately made him a homeroom teacher, and he also taught Chinese to two other seventh-grade classes. He was very busy during the day, with at least five classes a day, plus managing a class. Only after school did he have any free time.

But Edward Brooks was very unaccustomed to having free time, because whenever he was idle, a certain figure would haunt his mind. Yet he couldn’t throw himself wholeheartedly into work either—he had no passion! How could a young man with no passion possibly be enthusiastic about his job? So he did only what was required, never a bit more.

He had no energy in class, just going through the motions. He let the students do as they pleased. Although Principal David Clark mentioned this to him several times, each time Edward Brooks would agree in person, but behind the scenes, nothing changed. This made the other teachers complain about him, especially the normal school graduates who were assigned with him—they were even gloating. After all, Edward Brooks was a Provincial Normal University graduate, while they were only from normal schools.

This kind of life was full of uncertainty, loss, and sadness for him. He felt like an outsider, a drop of oil that could never blend into the bowl of water that was Shumuling.

During this time, Edward Brooks would drink alone whenever he had the chance. He didn’t have any real friends at the school. If he had to name one, the substitute English teacher in his class, Grace Howard, might count as half a friend.

Grace Howard was the school’s only substitute teacher. She was unmarried, but had a boyfriend, rumored to be an officer in the army. She had arched eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes, rosy lips and white teeth, her jet-black hair piled in a bun at the back of her head—very eye-catching. She also had a pair of prominent breasts that inevitably drew people’s attention.