Over the years, conditions at the school have improved greatly. It now has a cement playground, basketball hoops and Wi-Fi. Wang and Zhang get regular teacher training in the county. Two broad-leaved trees he planted in the playground during his second year at the school have now grown over 20 meters tall.

They also have a garden, in which they grow vegetables to feed themselves and their students.

In 2020, they lost their son at the age of 28 as the result of a sudden illness. Wang said due to the pain of losing their only son, they now rarely return to their home in Zhongxian county. They prefer to stay at the school, taking care of the students and of each other.

The couple enjoy a quiet life, cooking and planting vegetables. Knowing that there are teachers to replace them, Wang said that he and his wife might travel a little bit once they retire in two years' time.

To attract more teachers to rural areas and improve teaching quality, China is working on measures to improve salaries and subsidies for rural teachers, to better their working and living conditions, and to upgrade their level of education. In addition, colleges will continue to offer preferential enrollment for students from rural central and western regions.