No matter whether it’s windy or rainy, Ms He is never late, and never leaves early. Every day she does her best to help her students. Ms He is now the vice principal of the school to which she has dedicated decades of her life.

After schools reopened in 2021 after a lengthy lockdown, Ms He was so happy to be reunited with her students. “When I went back to school and saw the cute and childlike smiles of my students, I felt that my life was full of joy and meaning again,” she said.

While teaching, 50-year-old Ms He relies on a microphone, warm smiles and lots of personal interaction to teach her students.

Huang Weiwen, one of Ms He’s students, said his teacher had taught him many things, including how to love life.

Ms He’s work isn’t finished when her classes ends. She also has to prepare for the next day and mark homework and exam papers. “Although every task requires a lot of effort, I am tired but happy,” she said.

When she returns home from a tiring day of teaching, Ms He, like most working mothers, still has a lot of work to do, such as watering plants, preparing meals and washing clothes. “Although teaching children makes me feel fulfilled, I feel that these moments at home when I am doing the housework really belong to me,” she said.