In early July, the continuous rain and the earnest expectations blurted out by the old principal suddenly awakened Zhou Jiao. After catching a cold, she took the opportunity to totally rest at home.
"A tree standing out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind; a bank standing out from the shore will face turbulent flows; a person outstanding in their actions will be criticized by others. The lessons of the past are not far away, the overturned cart is followed by the track of the wheel."
This ancient adage made Zhou Jiao profoundly realize that she need not pursue perfection in everything. She needed more time to reflect on a measure, a measure that would allow her to maintain moderation.
For three consecutive days, whenever Zhou Jiao had free time, she would play chess alone in her study, pondering deeply. Afterwards, with Zhang Guoqing's consent, she packed her bags and set off for the provincial city in the rain.
