Peter and I were classmates for years, yet I rarely talked with him. With a remote expression on his face, he held himself aloof from everyone else around. He behaved badly, and his school performance could not have been worse. Both teachers and classmates shunned him.

It was said that his family was broken. He had even attempted to set their family house ablaze once. Addicted to alcohol, his father cared little about him. As a result, both his emotional and his physical needs were neglected. In school, the miserable preteen always carried that cold blank faraway look on his face. Obviously, he was alienated from us.

Luckily, change came about in middle school after we got a class director. The new teacher, Mr Huang, who took charge of our class, often sent the tight-lipped pupil on errands. For example, he was often asked to go and fetch some books from the office. Little by little, Peter’s blank expression gave way to sparkling eyes. Given attention and warmth, the boy stopped being a soulless body. Life started to refill his existence.

Unfortunately, because of his family’s financial difficulties, the preteen student dropped out and started to work to contribute to the family income. One day months later, he returned to our school and visited our teacher in the office. I happened to be there, witnessing it all, when the ex-classmate was back. At the time my teacher Mr Huang and his former student, seated side by side, were talking cordially just like two buddies. He was all smiles, warmth and determination written all over his face.

Peter had to brave an independent life much earlier than his contemporaries. The improvement in his personality could not have happened, but for the teacher’s respect and attention.

Even today, the scene where the dropout and our teacher were chatting warmly in the office as equals is still as vivid as if it were playing out right before my eyes.