Teacher Li smiled. “Because, Huang Bo, every great story needs a little trouble. And every great teacher knows: the wildest students often have the wildest hearts.”

For two weeks, they worked secretly. Qian Le wrote a razor-sharp script. Wang Dai designed hauntingly beautiful stage backdrops from recycled cardboard. Huang Bo directed and starred.

One rainy afternoon, Teacher Li kept them after class. “You three think Chinese class is useless,” he said calmly. “So here’s a deal: skip the final exam. Instead, create a project. Anything. But it must use all the Chinese you’ve learned.”

The boys looked at each other. A spark lit.