Meng Yan's Transformation

Chapter 613 Signing up for the school's "Young Swallow" Literary Society

After morning self-study, the students headed to the cafeteria.

Zhan Mengyan made herself a bowl of thin porridge and a steamed bun. She sprinkled a little soy sauce on the porridge and happily finished it. She didn't eat the steamed bun, saving it for later to eat while studying late into the night in her dorm.

One tap serves a thousand people. After washing their dishes, students bring back a bowl of clean water to share.

It was in this close-knit community life of "sharing blessings and hardships" and in the strong atmosphere where the sole goal was to "escape rural life" through learning that those seemingly distant dreams about the future received the most genuine nourishment. The dream of studying military strategists did not stem from superior conditions, but rather from a heart yearning to transcend the present and explore the laws of history and human wisdom, which began to quietly grow in this rough, noisy, and resilient soil.

In the vibrant years of high school, the soil of campus culture always nurtures seeds that carry dreams. This is the origin of the Young Swallow Literary Society—a literary spark ignited by a group of teachers and students within a specific time and space.

The idea of ​​a literary society often sprouts between teachers and students with similar interests, or among a few young teachers who love literature, who, in their spare time, repeatedly discuss creating a publication for students, providing a stage for their pure voices and youthful writing. It may also be that from the very beginning, the school has regarded the development of student organizations as an important vehicle for holistic education, systematically promoting the establishment and development of literary societies. Wherever the name was ultimately agreed upon—"Young Swallow"—it carries the most beautiful meaning: like a fledgling swallow in spring, its wings not yet fully grown, it yearns for the blue sky, eager to try its wings and soar in the realm of literature, emitting a clear and vibrant song.

The establishment process was filled with a simple sense of ritual and a passionate spirit of hard work. Without a grand ceremony, the core preparatory team began operating. The first presidents were Wu Yongkuan, a young teacher with enthusiasm and organizational skills, and a literature enthusiast with considerable prestige among the students. Together, they discussed the club's constitution, planned the first issue of the club's journal, and designed activity programs. Recruitment posters were prominently displayed on the school bulletin board. Students who wrote poems in their diaries and poured their hearts into their essays passed application forms from hand to hand, and the joy of shared ideals quietly spread.

Every time Zhan Mengyan passed by the school bulletin board, she would linger in front of the recruitment poster for a long time. Finally, she decided to sign up. She chose to register under the pen name "Mengshi," attaching a piece of her writing to her application—if the registration was successful, she could leave a note on the windowsill of the school cafeteria. After waiting three days without a reply, Zhan Mengyan registered again, attaching her writing again. This time, she changed her notification method: "Please have the club president leave a message on the corner of the school bulletin board: 'Mengshi.' That will let me know I've successfully registered. I will write my piece according to the club's requirements."

Sure enough, the next day, a new line appeared on the school bulletin board: All members of the Chuyan Literary Society warmly welcome "Mengshi" to join!

"Who is this Meng Shi? Is he some important figure? Why is he specially listed on the school bulletin board?"

"They must be a specially invited guest of the Young Swallow Literary Society!"

"This Meng Shi must have a strong literary background, otherwise he wouldn't be on the school's bulletin board."

Zhan Mengyan arrived at the school bulletin board, saw her pen name, and overheard her classmates' chatter. Her face flushed red, but she pretended to be nonchalant. She had intended to register under a pen name, not wanting her classmates to know she was a member of the "Young Swallow" Literary Society. She wanted to keep a low profile and didn't want to stand out in class, especially not to let Fan Yingying, the class's Chinese language representative, know. If Fan Yingying found out, she would say something sarcastic. Besides, Fan Yingying had tried to register for the "Young Swallow" Literary Society several times without success, and had complained in class that the society's president, Wu Yongkuan, wasn't a discerning judge of talent and therefore didn't recognize her literary potential.