My friendship with Fei goes back to middle school, when I first noticed the sourness in her life. Born in the 1970s, Fei is the only daughter in her family. She always dressed brightly and scored the highest when the exam papers were handed back.

In the senior middle school, a new girl came. She wore a laced skirt and a pair of long white gloves to protect her delicate fingers. Her father was working in Shenzhen and paid for her expensive piano lessons.

Not to be outdone by the new girl, Fei studied twice as hard as before. However, during an English contest, the new girl was speaking and writing impeccable English.

Soon after, Fei told me that she hated the new girl. I was shocked, and it was the first time I understood the idiom "upsetting a bottle of vinegar". But Fei was sourer than vinegar.

After college, Fei became an English teacher at a famous middle school. She tries hard to ensure that her students get the highest scores. She often keeps the students in the classroom for grammar exercises until 7 pm. Even when the headmaster talked with her, she brushed it aside.

As the chief teacher of the class, she is patient with all of the students, especially those who don't study well. Fei has written many articles about teaching methods and compiled many sets of tests to improve her students.

Apart from her successful career, Fei is a tall, good looking woman. She joined an amateur model team and her photos often graced fashion magazines. It was only natural that she would be very picky in finding her love. Finally, at a fashion contest she took part in, Mr Right appeared. He is a talented designer.

Whenever there were class reunions, Fei would say that her husband had won awards for the beauty of his designs. But whenever we talked about our children, Fei would avoid the topic. In her nearly perfect life, her 10-year-old son has been a growing thorn.

He once put glue on the chair of a classmate, who then couldn't stand to greet the teacher. He threw a mouse into the drawer of a girl and she let out such a shriek. He also drew a tortoise on a piece of paper which he attached to the teacher's back.

As we sipped tea one sunny afternoon, Fei looked deeply perturbed and sighed constantly. Her son's teacher would visit them over the weekend. She just couldn't figure out why her son was so naughty, while she can easily manage a class of 60 students.

I tried to show her that if she didn't always focus on higher aims and looked around, she would find many beautiful things. After all, a jealous woman is not a happy woman.

Sanlian Life Weekly has contributed to the story

(China Daily 03/19/2008 page20)