Reciprocal Warmth

The sun shone especially bright on the campus after a week of dim spring rain, enveloping the land with fresh vitality. We shuttle through the campus every day and night, never noticing the ones in the back, who continuously create and maintain the comfortable environment for us.

Mr. Wei Xiangxiang is one of the members of the campus construction team.

I met him at noon, and he was wearing his usual workwear – a plain jacket chequered with contrasting red and blue patterns.

He smiled lightly and said he had worked in the construction team at YK Pao School for one and a half years.

“There are different small groups in our construction team,” he told me, “Some of my co-workers are in charge of lights or the maintenance of building floors, walls, and furniture in classrooms. I am responsible for the inspection of air conditioning on campus.”

A picture of Mr. Wei Xiangxiang

Construction masters like Mr. Wei have some daily routines. They go to the top of the campus buildings and monitor the conditions of the AC machines every day. This way, problems can be eliminated straight away before they can cause inconvenience.

“This everyday inspection is vital,” he said earnestly. “The machines in school have been used for years, so we cannot be sure when the malfunction will occur.”

He laughed, “I remember I have worn out three pairs of work shoes already.” A sense of contrasting humor flew out from his sedate articulation of words, disclosing the feeling of pride and content he has toward his own hard work in the past years. 

I raised my head in shock and confusion. He seemed to notice my puzzlement, and added, “Because we run back and forth a lot, about 20,000 steps a day.”

Sometimes, in winter, when cohort exams are happening in school, Mr. Wei’s colleagues come exceptionally early (6:30am) to turn on the lights and ACs before students start to fill the room. This way, we won’t feel like entering a refrigerator, adding agony to the already pain-causing exams.

Just last week, he said, a teacher reported that the AC in a classroom on the third floor of the North building is not heating. He immediately went to check and found that the “sub-compressor” of the AC was burned out. After a series of communication and reparation, the classroom successfully regained its warmth within only one day.

My brain seemed to malfunction like a lagging computer when trying to input the terms popping out of his mouth.

He chuckled, “I graduated in Beijing studying air conditioning, and then engaged in the same type of work after graduation. So, I have a certain degree of professional knowledge and experience to deal with a variety of related issues quickly.” His tone was earnest and solemn, full of logic and clarity, exuding confidence and pride he has towards his work.

When I asked him if he liked working at YK Pao, Mr. Wei nodded vigorously. “The campus greenery is very good, and the air is fresh, making me happy.” He smiled brilliantly, “and I love the campus atmosphere. Students are always energetic and vibrant; it is as if I have relived my college life.”

I told Mr. Wei that I barely see them on campus, he thought for a moment and claimed that it is because “sometimes we are not allowed to work during your classes, only during your breaks, weekends or holidays.”

Later that school day, I started to notice the masters of blue and red workwear scattered around campus sporadically - some carrying heavy ladders, some carrying black equipment boxes…

If the school campus is a stage and we are actors and actresses, it is them, people like Mr. Wei, who remain behind the spotlight, restlessly maintaining the smooth run of all the acts and scenes day after day.