The father and son must have taken my words to heart, as they didn’t presume to bother me again. This brief interlude stirred a temporary ripple in my life, then everything returned to calm. Teaching, traveling, or overseas exchanges. Occasionally, Liam and I would encounter each other on campus. Sometimes he walked alone, listening to music. Sometimes he went out to eat with frien- anything
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temporary ripple in my life, then everything returned to calm. Teaching, traveling, or overseas exchanges Occasionally, Liam and I would encounter each other on campus. Sometimes he walked alone, listening to music. Sometimes he went out to eat with frien- ds. Sometimes he would quietly audit my classes. Each time, he sat alone in the front row, listening intently. He never did anything
untoward, so I simply let him be.
I chose to spend my birthday alone. I went to the cemetery and spoke to the Martin family, thanking them for giving me a new life. At home, I cooked my favorite dishes and read my favorite books. Friends from all over the world called, sending gifts. I felt incred- ibly happy. My phone also received many well wishes from students. One message contained only four simple words: [Happy Birth- day.) But I knew it was from Liam. I didn’t reply, nor did I delete it. I simply let it lie in my inbox, knowing it would gradually be buried
by many other messages.
One day, leaving the library after returning books, I encountered Liam again. He had a chattering girl by his side, who seemed to have an endless stream of words. There was, after all, a mother–son bond; I felt a flicker of contentment seeing him in love. The girl seemed to be one of my students. She generously introduced herself. “Professor Martin, hello, I’m Sarah Thompson, and this is my boyfriend, Liam Vance.” She smiled brightly. “He really loves your classes. We actually met in your class.” I nodded, not wanting to spoil their mood, and offered a simple “Congratulations.” I didn’t forget to add a gentle reminder, “Don’t let it interfere with your
studies.”
Later, Liam became a regular presence in my classes. They both sat in the front row, listening intently. During class breaks, Liam would actively approach me with questions. After I answered, he would politely say, “Thank you, Professor Martin.” But as time passed, I would occasionally hear Sarah whisper. “I really don’t know if you like Professor Martin’s class, or her as a person.” Liam would dotingly pat her head. “Silly, I want to apply for Professor Martin’s doctorate program.” Sarah looked puzzled. “But you’re studying microelectronics, and she teaches comparative literature.” Liam just shrugged. “It’s a cross–disciplinary move. I love litera- ture.” He looked at Sarah. “It wouldn’t be bad if we both applied for her doctorate, would it?” Sarah’s face brightened again. “Okay, it‘
s a deal then. Let’s do our doctorates together.”
