Epiphanies of Rebirth (重生之豁然)

Chapter 5

Though the teachers of Cla.s.ses 2, 3, and 4 were relatively kind, when they saw the textbooks, they were critical. They talked over each other, picking holes:

"Line integrals? Multiple integrals? This is too difficult!"

"That's right! Finding arc lengths by integrating? Even I take a long time to calculate it! This is beyond the ability of high school students!"

"You went a little overboard—the college entrance exam is right around the corner, now it's time for reviewing. The students are busy as it is; if we take out this set of textbooks, they will collapse."

"No, no, absolutely not."

Hu Yu's brows furrowed in a worried frown. "Don't be in such a hurry to reject them. Take a closer look, and you'll surely change your mind."

It was to be expected. While they didn't show it, the other teachers somewhat looked down on the honest and simple Hu Yu. For them, her proposal was like a primary school student trying to instruct college students on how to write their graduation thesis—who would take it seriously?

Li Yurong mocked her on the spot: "Take a closer look at what? It's no wonder Cla.s.s 5's grades aren't going up—instead of teaching them, their homeroom teacher is busy studying useless things. The whole school cadre spent more than half a year painstakingly compiling the review materials, and you think they're worse than some random textbooks bought in Xinhua Bookstore, Teacher Hu? If you're so capable, why are Cla.s.s 5's results the worst in school?"

Li Yurong was a novice teacher who came to the school only a few years ago. While she had neither work experience nor seniority, she had a strong backer. The work benefits and welfare she enjoyed were, naturally, plundered.

The teachers' quota, training courses in the provincial capital, performance rewards... Before Li Yurong came, Hu Yu was the teacher in charge of Cla.s.s 1. The contradictions between them were well known throughout the school; Li Yurong's performance in Cla.s.s 5 was exceptionally perfunctory. However, she was malicious and sharp-tongued—it was impossible for Hu Yu, a gentle middle-aged woman, to put up a fight. Often, just like now, she could only flush and tear up, humiliated and angry because of Li Yurong's ridicule, but not knowing how to refute.

The other teachers frowned at Li Yurong's mean words but said nothing. Teaching might be the n.o.blest profession of all, but it was also an ordinary job. An aged teacher openly shortchanged by the school, or a young and pretty one who received preferential treatment and could enter the princ.i.p.al's office any time—it was obvious which they could afford to offend.

Hu Yu's thin back hunched. Li Yurong sneered and wanted to continue mocking, but a sudden bang startled her before she opened her mouth.

Everyone reflexively turned to the source of the noise—Lin Jingzhe, standing at the door of the teacher's office with hands in his uniform's pockets, watching them expressionlessly. He glanced at Li Yurong's dumbstruck face, and said in a normal tone of voice as if he hadn't just kicked in the door: "Teacher Hu, it's time for cla.s.s."

The school uniform was loose on his tall, almost too-thin body. It was clearly the ordinary uniform everyone wore but combined with Lin Jingzhe's extraordinary temperament, it made people unable to look away.

Hu Yu wiped her tears, nodded gratefully, and hastily gathered up her textbooks.

Lin Jingzhe stared after Li Yurong for a while longer then also left.

It wasn't until his delicate face was out of sight that Li Yurong regained her breath. A moment later, her anger flared. "Look at him! What a rude..."