Mr. Tian called Lin Yue to his office after class. Lin Yue had been expecting this. He knew that Mr. Tian had been watching him. He knew that Mr. Tian could see the fear in his eyes. He walked into the office and sat down. The room was small and crowded with books. The walls were covered with photos of former students. Some of them had become doctors. Some had become lawyers. Some had become teachers. Some had disappeared. Lin Yue wondered which photo he would end up in.
田老师课后把林越叫到他的办公室。林越一直在等这个。他知道田老师一直在观察他。他知道田老师能看到他眼中的恐惧。他走进办公室坐下了。房间很小，堆满了书。墙上挂满了以前学生的照片。其中一些成了医生。一些成了律师。一些成了老师。一些消失了。林越想知道自己最终会出现在哪张照片里。
"Sit down," Mr. Tian said.
"坐下，"他说。
Lin Yue sat.
林越坐下了。
Mr. Tian looked at him. He didn't say anything for a long time. Then he spoke. "Do you know what this system really is?" he asked.
田老师看着他。他沉默了很长时间。然后他开口了。"你知道这个制度到底是什么吗？"他问。
"A way to sort people," Lin Yue said. "A screening. 620 for 985. 570 for 211. 540 for key. 460 for second-tier. 420 for private. 360 for vocational."
"一种把人分类的方式，"林越说。"一种筛选。620分上985。570分上211。540分上重点一本。460分上普通二本。420分上民办本科。360分上高职专科。"
"Yes," Mr. Tian said. "But more than that. It's a sieve. It's a filter. It's designed to separate those who can push themselves from those who cannot. The people who get above 620 are not the smartest. They are the ones who figured out how to push themselves. The people who get above 540 are the ones who learned to be their own drill sergeants. This screening is a challenge that builds character. It is a motivation that forces growth. The numbers—620, 570, 540, 460, 420, 360—they are the marks of that sieve. "
"对，"田老师说。"但不止于此。它是一个筛子。一个过滤器。它的设计是为了把那些能逼自己的人从不能的人中分离出来。考到620分以上的人不是最聪明的。是那些明白了如何逼自己的人。考到540分以上的人是那些学会了做自己的教官的人。这种筛选是塑造品格的挑战。是推动成长的动力。那些数字——620、570、540、460、420、360——它们是那个筛子的标记。 "
He paused. He looked at Lin Yue. "There is a saying," he said. "Self-pushers become kings. Those who are pushed by others become servants. Those who are never pushed become slaves."
他停顿了一下。他看着林越。"有一句话，"他说。"自逼为王。他逼为臣。不逼为奴。"
Lin Yue felt the words land in his chest. They were heavy. They were true. He knew that he had been pushing himself. He had been pushing himself for years. But he also knew that he was afraid. He was afraid of failing. He was afraid of disappointing his parents. He was afraid of ending up like his father. He was afraid of the university of life.
林越感到那些话落在他胸口。它们是沉重的。它们是真实的。他知道他一直在逼自己。他已经逼了自己好几年了。但他也知道他在害怕。他害怕失败。害怕让父母失望。害怕像父亲一样。害怕社会大学。
"Look at Chen Yan," Mr. Tian said. "He doesn't need this system. He has money. He has connections. He can buy his way out. But you can't. You have to push yourself. No one else is going to do it for you. Your mother can't. Your father can't. I can't. Only you can. This screening is your channel. Your only channel. 540 is your gate. If you fall to 539, you fall through the sieve. "
"看看陈岩，"田老师说。"他不需要这个制度。他有钱。有人脉。他能买出一条路。但你不行。你必须逼自己。没有别人会替你逼。你母亲不能。你父亲不能。我不能。只有你能。这种筛选是你的通道。你唯一的通道。540分是你的门。如果你掉到539分，你就会从筛子里掉下去。 "
He leaned forward. "So ask yourself," he said. "Are you going to push yourself? Or are you going to wait for someone else to push you? Or are you going to let yourself fall through the sieve—below 540, below 460, below 360?"
他向前倾身。"所以问问你自己，"他说。"你是要逼自己？还是要等着别人来逼你？还是要让自己从这个筛子里掉下去——掉到540分以下，460分以下，360分以下？"
Lin Yue didn't have an answer. He sat there in silence, feeling the weight of the question. It was the most important question he had ever been asked. And he didn't know how to answer it. But he knew that he had to find the answer soon. The exam was coming. And there was no time left.
林越没有答案。他沉默地坐在那里，感受着那个问题的重量。那是他被问过的最重要的问题。他不知道怎么回答。但他知道他必须很快找到答案。考试就要来了。没有时间了。
