Chapter 57 – Youth Should Not Be Wasted

Ye Kuang had invested considerable effort to catch up with his classmates’ academic progress.

Every penny was spent wisely. While finding joy in diligent study, he occasionally bantered with his science teachers, making his life quite fulfilling. For the four major liberal arts and science subjects, he unexpectedly coined a personal mantra:

“Before me lie reading recitations demanding answers; behind me loom eight-hundred-word essays stirring melancholy. To enrich one’s knowledge and cultivate depth, nurturing interest is essential. Rather than relying solely on teachers’ eloquent, profound, or thorough explanations, it’s better to read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles oneself.”

“Though numbers and letters may induce headaches, perseverance in grasping key points and patterns is paramount. Avoid impatience, nor merely copy verbatim—only those who apply them flexibly and ingeniously can be called true prodigies.”

“Remember: Without cultivation, one cannot refine their talents; only by opening all five senses can one comprehend heaven and earth…”

It could be said that Ye Kuang spent more hours each week with his textbooks than asleep. Of course, he wasn’t exactly neglecting food and rest, but his driven attitude subtly surpassed that of ordinary people.

Confucius said: “Is it not a pleasure to learn and practice what is learned time and again?”

Only at this moment did Ye Kuang grasp the essence of these words. Knowledge must be continuously reviewed to achieve instant comprehension, thus bringing joy.

Though vast, knowledge ultimately revolves around core principles. Once their causes and effects are understood, even the most perplexing problems can be summarized in a single sentence.

This is the wisdom of predecessors, an indelible cultural heritage through the ages. Those seemingly fragmented phrases actually convey life’s hidden truths through scenes, history, humanities, and emotions.

Other knowledge points closely revolve around natural phenomena and humanistic changes… The truths within are innumerable. When fully utilized, they can undoubtedly transform today’s world.

As the saying goes, the more proficient you become in learning, the more you understand. Sooner or later, the world will lift its mysterious veil for you.

This isn’t mere theory—it’s one of Ye Kuang’s most immediate realizations.

Though monotonous days repeated endlessly, Ye Kuang had to take the approaching college entrance exam seriously.

On odd-numbered weekdays, he absorbed knowledge like his life depended on it; on even-numbered days, he frantically practiced various test questions.

One might say that exam-preparing students like him were everywhere. While universally anxious, they all felt waves of pressure intensifying.

Many had to force their focus onto study materials, yet often failed to prevent their thoughts from drifting far away.

At times, Ye Kuang struggled to concentrate on practice problems. While familiar questions felt manageable, confronting profound challenges left him somewhat overwhelmed.

He reasoned: if practice questions could be this difficult, the actual college entrance exam must be immensely harder.

Thus, he entered a phase of confusion, tinged with nervousness—dreading the exam’s arrival yet yearning for its conclusion.

This sentiment of Ye Kuang’s mirrored the headaches plaguing most students.

Each one brimmed with both anticipation and fear for the exam results. That torment is perhaps only vaguely understood by those who have experienced it.Scores meant heaven or hell to them. Good results naturally spoke for themselves, but if one performed poorly, the invisible blow was self-evident.

…

In ancient times, Mencius’ mother moved three times hoping her son would become a dragon. Today, Ye Kuang studied for two months, striving solely to get into his ideal university.

Speaking of which, it must be mentioned: this was not just a turning point in life, but also an indispensable part of any scholar’s journey.

Because no matter how grand one’s dreams, without the courage to act, the harsh reality would always fall far short of those ideals.

This wasn’t just some abstract principle—it was one of Ye Kuang’s immediate realizations.

As for the stakes involved, they were akin to the relationship between process and outcome.

One should strive to be like the lotus rising unstained from mud: even in adverse conditions, never losing one’s resilient core or courage to face the future. Only after weathering two months of storms could the most beautiful scenery bloom.

Similarly, Ye Kuang’s preparation followed the same logic.

Without enduring two months of diligent effort, how could he take this crucial step toward his future?

Holding boundless hope for what lay ahead, carrying dreams as companions on the journey—perhaps this was life in its purest form.

To eventually reach the end of one’s years and contribute one’s share to the vast world—perhaps this was the lotus’ original striving posture before bearing seed pods.

Ye Kuang suddenly closed his book, sighing at the greatness of knowledge and life.

How tragic it would be for someone to live their whole life without discovering the driving force behind their efforts.

The ancient scholar Zhao Heng once noted: “In books, you find houses of gold; in books, you find beauties like jade.”

Perhaps this saying held deeper meaning beyond its literal interpretation, but books truly contained countless priceless treasures.

That “gold” was not mere metal, but rather cultivation, growth, refinement, and a form of legacy.

Enriched substance could transform a person’s entire demeanor. The “jade” here was not mere gemstone either, but one’s vital energy and spirit—flawless like fine jade, naturally attracting kindred souls.

Thinking of this, Ye Kuang couldn’t help murmuring to himself: “All rivers eastward flow to the sea; when will they return west? If youth is spent in idleness, old age will bring only regret.”

His tone carried profound emotion. For Li Bai, the literary master who created this “Song of Long Regret,” he held boundless respect.

Truthfully, he could scarcely imagine what sentiments and state of mind could produce such an inspiring, captivating masterpiece that would echo through the ages.

“Perhaps Li Bai had witnessed too many youths lacking ambition, or grown accustomed to those who only began striving in old age…” Ye Kuang mused.

Regardless of whether these speculations held truth, they couldn’t diminish Ye Kuang’s admiration for the immortal poet.

Even when flesh perishes and paths vanish, as long as legacy endures, this spiritual imprint will resonate through millennia, fragrant for countless generations.

Despite countless obstacles, those with dreams and determination will ultimately succeed.

And these two months of preparation had precisely been Ye Kuang’s experience—proof that youth’s vigor must not be wasted in its prime.