Chapter 18.2｜Winter Solstice

After Li Yong and Granny Yu left, the table of the group fell silent for a while. 

Hai picked up a spoon, then put it down. He had always had a keen interest in the field of technology since childhood. Although he had read about the suffering of the common people in poems and history, seen beggars on the streets, and donated to the "Hope Project," his insights into social and humanistic aspects were indeed shallow and superficial. If it were not for coming to FHS, meeting this group of people, witnessing the occurrence and transformation of some events, he thought he might have been hopelessly unaware of his own blessings.

Coming out from indoors, the cold wind of the night woke Hai up a bit. Rubbing his face, Hai suddenly sighed, "I suddenly feel like I have been too fortunate." 

Xiuze gave him a pat on the back of his head, his arm hanging loosely around his shoulder, "Oh, are you starting to perceive the ups and downs of the world? Looks like there is still hope for you." 

"Get lost!" 

Although Hai shouted at Xiuze, he knew that in observing and experiencing life, Xing Xiuze was indeed much stronger than him. Xing Xiuze had mentioned before that his father had always been sponsoring impoverished students, and the number was almost as big as his age. As a child, Xing Xiuze couldn't really understand why his father took him to do these things, but later, he began to gradually understand - being born as a human, we are no different, and regardless of the life we lead, we must learn to be grateful for life.

Lin Xipei rarely engaged in gossip, but instead asked, "Have you not noticed that there are actually underprivileged students in our school?" 

They exchanged glances. Although the teaching philosophy of FHS differs from most other schools, it was a private high school in the past century but is now a public school. This means that the students in the school, and their families and backgrounds, vary significantly, with disparities and even stark differences. Therefore, FHS naturally also has what is commonly known as "underprivileged students." However, the school protects the identities of these students. Besides receiving national financial aid each year, the school directly deposits scholarships into their meal cards each academic year, discreetly preserving the students' self-esteem. 

Xipei stumbled upon this discovery inadvertently. Her upbringing was not much different from Hai's, but this discovery led her to view things differently. 

"Oh," Xiuze suddenly expressed surprise, "It's rare that you noticed this." 

Lin Xipei: "... " I really want to hit someone, what should I do?

"It's like Nie Hai suddenly feeling that his life is too happy, discovering it, what's so difficult about that." 

Entangled in the worries of tonight and caught off guard by the surprise just now, everything was dispelled by Xipei acting as a human shield. 

"I don't feel that way now," Hai retracted his words and said expressionlessly, "I think I'm just happy now." 

"It's not that our lives are too happy," Xipei ignored Hai's subtle retraction of his words and said, "It's that there are indeed barriers between lives." 

When a person grows up in affluent material conditions, receives high-quality or even elite education, they largely develop their own spiritual world. They are nurtured and cared for as they grow up, and before adulthood or in their entire lives, they know very little about the hardships of the world. In a sense, all members of the group are such people. They are all born into middle-class families or higher, with the economic foundation accumulated by their grandparents shaping their upbringing. They can do many things they want without worry, as there is a solid and clear path behind them, although sometimes they must do things they are unwilling to do. What they easily obtain and the daily routines they are accustomed to may be the ultimate pursuit for others throughout their lives, while the daily life and survival that those people rely on are unimaginable to them. 

Colliding with each other in this way, facing a glimpse of the lower class, is enough to have an indescribable impact, a vivid force that even makes one feel inexplicably powerless. 

Xiuze stroked his chin and said, "Our junior Lin's insights are profound." 

Lin Xipei gave him a look, enough with the junior jokes, it's been three years, aren't you tired of it yet?

Meng Yin listened to Xipei's words and smiled thoughtfully. 

"What's so funny?" Xu Zhiyi asked. 

Despite the ongoing commotion, their attention was drawn to Zhiyi's question. 

Yin's smile widened as she looked at Zhiyi and earnestly replied, "I thought of Xu Zhiyi's theory of 'ordinary people'." 

"The theory of ordinary people?" Hai and Xipei asked simultaneously. 

Xiuze shook his head like an elder and said, "Your Bro Yi's theory of 'ordinary people,' is — I am the outstanding and enviable child in everyone's eyes, yet I am just an ordinary person because, in this vast world, I have encountered true geniuses." 

"How does this relate to what we are discussing?" Xipei inquired. Did she lack understanding? Why did her confusion seem to deepen? 

"There are many talented individuals," Yin said, "but there are barriers between them and true geniuses." 

While Yin spoke these words, she was actually thinking of a young man who had seen the real world and could maintain such clarity. 

"So, is there truly a barrier between the insignificance and grandeur of humanity?" Upon hearing the explanation, Hai posed a seemingly... unrelated question. 

Xipei was somewhat surprised. Could Nie Hai, the innocent and naive one in language, really come up with such a question? 

Xiuze couldn't help but chuckle, "Now I understand how you came up with 'Do not worry about the lack of friends ahead, as you set out from the Yang Pass, you have no old acquaintances'." 

"How did you know that too?!" Hai didn't really want to revisit his past Chinese exams; they were all part of his dark history, he thought. 

"No," Hai said, "we are discussing a serious matter." 

Xiuze laughed louder, causing Xipei to join in, both holding their stomachs.

This is fundamentally a philosophical question. 

How do individuals and groups define "insignificant" and "great"? What makes someone insignificant enough to be considered "insignificant"? How exceptional must one's contributions be to be celebrated as "great"? Is there an equivalence between "insignificance" and "greatness"? 

"This question is similar to the debate of who excels between technology and humanity. " Xing Xiuze stopped laughing, guiding Nie Hai with a humanistic perspective, "Our generation grew up in an era of rapid technological advancement; our next generation is born into a fully technological era. The interdependence between humans and technology seems to present an unsolvable question on the surface," he added, "at least for now." 

Following his words, Xu Zhiyi gave his answer, "The insignificance of humans lies in their inability to resist the tide of history, yet they are also great because there are always individuals propelling the development and growth of technology, as well as those who continuously steer history to ensure its preservation and dissemination." 

In the conversation, they arrived at the exit of the late-night snack alley. 

"Look at this," a few people turned around at Yin's words, the scene seemed as if it had been painted, with neon lightboxes in red or yellow, busy white lanterns along the deep alley, resembling a lane filled with flowers, bustling with people yet not feeling noisy, but only a sense of slowing down unexpectedly — a pace slowed down by time. 

"I think this kind of festive atmosphere," Yin said, "is both insignificant and great because it brings happiness."