Huang Zhuren was still a little afraid.

Although he had reduced some of Xiao Yang-laoshi's workload, it still meant adding another class, seven more lessons a week. That little extra pay for substitute teaching was nothing.

Could Xiao Yang-laoshi, who earned a thousand yuan an hour giving private tutoring, even care about the school's measly few dozen yuan per lesson?

Clearly, Xiao Yang-laoshi wouldn't care about the extra one or two thousand yuan a month.

Now, teaching the college-prep class, as long as the physics scores were solid during the Gaokao, he'd be swimming in bonuses.

And now, he was being asked to teach the most ordinary parallel class, Class 18…

He hoped Xiao Yang-laoshi would curse He Xiao more, rather than him.

He was just a small fry responsible for relaying orders; being cursed really wasn't his fault.

Of course, those who relay orders were usually the ones who got cursed.

Oh well, being cursed was just part of the job.

It was the price he paid for this kind of thankless work.

He should have notified the other two teachers first, but Huang Zhuren figured it was just relieving one teacher's burden by having them teach one less class, and giving another teacher an equivalent class in exchange. These things were easy to discuss, especially since those two teachers were easy to deal with, unlike Xiao Yang.

He'd bite the bullet and deal with the toughest one first.

So, Huang Zhuren walked to the physics department office, knocked on the door, and went inside.

Then, he went to Xiao Yang-laoshi's workstation.

Seeing him, Xiao Yang-laoshi, knowing something was up, immediately picked up his thermos and took a sip of tea, displaying a clear sense of distance.

He couldn't help it; he was He Hongtao's lackey, and his appearance never brought good news.

"Xiao-laoshi, He Xiao has an arrangement, and asked me to… discuss it with you."

That was emotional intelligence.

Even though it was a done deal, practically an order, he phrased it as an 'arrangement that needed to be discussed,' which showed his respect.

And since he'd put it that way, Xiao Yang-laoshi didn't act so aloof, nodding and saying, "Huang-laoshi, go ahead."

That was an experienced teacher.

Even though he was the director, the deputy director of the political education department of the provincial experimental high school, the man didn't address him by his title at all. Just a casual "Huang-laoshi" was enough to show his status.

That was still good.

Sometimes, when teachers got agitated, they even called him by his first name.

The scariest thing was one time when a highly respected, specially-ranked teacher told a student to go buy some materials, and a parent reported it. The political education department, following the rules, wanted to deduct the teacher's performance bonus, and the teacher directly said: "Get He Hongtao over here to talk to me!"

Then, He Hongtao went.

In the end, they had a cordial exchange, and not a penny was deducted from the bonus.

That was an experienced teacher.

On the one hand, they had rich teaching experience and strong skills; on the other hand, many of the school's leaders were their students. Even if you became a big official, like He Hongtao, you still had to show the proper respect.

Zhang Jianjun was powerful enough, wasn't he?

Eleventh High had been shamelessly copying Fourth High for so many years, but he never lost his temper.

That was because Zhang Jianjun was Secretary Han's student, and he had to give him that face.

So, middle-level cadres like him were most afraid of arguing with experienced teachers.

Not to mention 'managing' them.

If your tone wasn't right, you'd get cursed!

"The school thinks Xiao-laoshi has been working too hard, so it plans to have others take over some of the early morning self-study, evening self-study, and the physics department head's work." Huang Zhuren said with a smile.

Although the subject department head sounded like an official, it wasn't actually an administrative position. Usually, the person who took on this role had to lead the younger teachers in learning.

So, for those who didn't have any ambitions, they would be happier to have this position removed.

Hearing this, Xiao Yang nodded with a smile. "Okay."

He was beaming with joy.

"And then, you can just teach another class."

"?"

Hearing this, Xiao Yang immediately got angry, pointing at himself and saying with dissatisfaction, "I'm almost sixty years old, I'm about to retire. To put it bluntly, I have one foot in the grave. You want me to teach two classes like those young people?"

"Xiao-laoshi, listen to me. Although you'll be teaching two classes, you won't have to do anything other than teaching. You won't be bothered with any inspections or dealing with leaders. Compared to before, there won't be more work."

Huang Zhuren quickly said with a smile, "Besides, there's almost two thousand yuan in substitute teaching fees every month, right?"

"Forget it." Xiao Yang took a sip of tea and said reluctantly, "I'll continue to be the department head. As for teaching two classes, please find someone else."

"Hey, hey, that's not how it is." Huang Zhuren quickly said, "Although you'll be teaching two classes, Mo-laoshi is the class advisor for the other class. Everyone knows how professional and capable he is. He definitely won't let you…"

"Mo-laoshi?" Xiao Yang paused, looked at Huang Zhuren, and asked, "Which class does he teach?"

"Oh, Mo-laoshi teaches Class 18."

"Class 18?" Xiao Yang thought for a moment and then took out the grade report.

This was the grade report for the entire year.

He started from the top and went all the way down.

In the top thirty, there were twenty-four students from Class 1.

Three from Class 2, two from Class 3, and one from Class 18.

Logically speaking, there shouldn't be any students from Class 18 in this ranking.

To be precise, there shouldn't be any students other than those from Class 1, 2, and 3.

But there was one.

27, Chen Yuan.

Although he was no longer fighting for anything, he still knew a little about the big events at school.

For example, he often heard people talk about this Chen Yuan.

Everyone thought he had the potential to be the top student in the school.

Some even said that this person might replicate the story from ten years ago and help Eleventh High win the Zhuangyuan (top scorer on the Gaokao).

And Xiao Yang wasn't the kind of ordinary teacher who made a fuss over nothing.

He was a specially-ranked teacher who had experienced the ups and downs of life.

Math, 150.

English, 139.

Chinese, 121.

Biology, 81.

Chemistry, 78.

Physics, 92.

The subjects he was good at were very good.

But the subjects he was bad at were very bad.

Chemistry wasn't his responsibility.

But physics, why did it look so glaring?

"Xiao-laoshi." Huang Zhuren immediately said with a smile, "Mainly, He Xiaozhang said your teaching is good, and our school is trying to increase the percentage of students getting into first-tier universities. If you can teach physics in Class 18, it would be a great boost to the school's development."

He was flattering him here.

But Xiao Yang wasn't in the mood to listen to such flattery, and asked, "Did He Xiaozhang specifically ask me to go to Class 18?"

"Um… yes."

"Did he not consider other teachers before mentioning me?"

"No, he directly said Xiao-laoshi."

"Alright, I can't make things difficult for you."

Xiao Yang looked at Huang Zhuren and said, "Then, Huang Zhuren, you can't arrange any other things for me, okay?"

"Of course, Xiao-laoshi, focus on teaching. You don't have to worry about anything else."

"Good." Xiao Yang nodded in agreement.

"Then, I'll leave you to your work. I'll be going."

"Huang Zhuren, take care."

After the vice director left, Xiao Yang picked up his thermos, took a sip of water, and then smiled to himself.

This wasn't asking him to teach Class 18.

This was asking him to give Chen Yuan one-on-one tutoring.

Xiao Yang wasn't averse to this kind of thing.

After all, He Hongtao was giving him face by choosing him as the one-on-one tutor.

And Chen Yuan also reminded him of someone.

The Zhuangyuan from ten years ago.

He was the one Xiao Yang had taught.

But tutoring that Zhuangyuan was a little boring because he had been getting close to full marks in physics since the first year of high school.

It could be said that someone who could become a Zhuangyuan already had the strength to be a Zhuangyuan.

But this Chen Yuan was different.

With a total score of 110 in physics, he could lose 18 points?

In him, Xiao Yang saw four words—great potential.

Smiling as he looked at the name, Xiao Yang picked up his water cup, took a sip of tea, spat out the tea leaves, and then sighed confidently in his heart:

In Eleventh High, the teacher of the Zhuangyuan,

Who else could it be but me?

…………

After Chen Yuan returned home, the first thing he did was call Ms. Yang Junlian.

At this time, Xia Xinyu knocked on the door and came in.

"There's no food at home, so I can't cook." Xia Xinyu said.

"Then, how about ordering takeout?" Chen Yuan said. "It's a bit troublesome to go buy groceries now."

"Okay, then let's order takeout."

Xia Xinyu nodded with a smile, then sat on Chen Yuan's bed and started ordering takeout with her phone.

After the two of them discussed it, they decided to eat delicious and affordable braised chicken and rice.

After ordering with Xia Xinyu's phone, they entered the waiting-for-takeout stage.

And Xia Xinyu sat on the edge of his bed, dangling her feet and playing with her phone.

"Xin Bao, I'm making a video call to Mom." Chen Yuan said.

"Huh?" Xia Xinyu was stunned for a moment, then got up and shrugged. "Then, I'll go back to my room…"

"No need." Chen Yuan quickly said, "Just sit across from me, like that day."

As he spoke, Chen Yuan took the initiative to sit on the bed and cover himself with the blanket.

Xia Xinyu was just about to sit on the bed facing him when she remembered that she had just returned home and hadn't changed her socks or washed her feet.

And with Chen Yuan's slightly perverted personality, he would definitely rub her feet again and again, and even more excessively, he might kiss them with his mouth.

For the sake of his health and her own face, she chose to sit opposite Chen Yuan.

But she sat at the foot of the bed with her back to him.

"You can actually sit on the bed…"

"It's okay, hurry up and call."

Sigh.

This Yu Zi has too strong of an idol complex.

We've become estranged.

Just like that, Chen Yuan opened the video call.

On the phone screen, a stunningly beautiful face appeared.

This person was the head of the Chen family, Yang Junlian.

Or to put it more directly, the village chief of Chen Village, Yang Junlian!

Two people with the surname Chen were being ruled by someone with the surname Yang, it was embarrassing to say it out loud.

Of course, it was Old Deng Chen who was embarrassing.

"Mom, have you eaten?" Chen Yuan said with a smile.

"Yes, yes." Yang Junlian replied with a smile, and then quickly asked with anticipation, "Have the results of the Seven-School Joint Exam come out? They should be out today, right?"

Every time after an exam, the bond between mother and son began to fade.

The former Chen Yuan was most afraid of this time because he would probably be scolded.

If he hadn't improved, he wouldn't even recognize this mother.

Might as well let Zhou Fu be my mother… Chen Yuan, what kind of marketplace are you talking about!

"They're out." Chen Yuan said calmly, and then deliberately recalled, "The total score seems to be around 661…"

"Ah?!"

The sharp explosion came from Ms. Yang Junlian inside the screen.

After almost deafening Chen Yuan, he rubbed his ears and gave this woman a smile.

"How much?" Yang Junlian asked again.

"661… Don't shout!" Chen Yuan quickly reminded.

But it was too late. Ms. Yang Junlian had already happily shouted, "My son is amazing! You got this score? Can you get into Hai Dong University?!"

"Yeah, the cutoff line was drawn today. 658 is the line for Hai Dong University."

"Our family can produce talent for Hai Dong University? I hope this is the Gaokao score!" Ms. Yang Junlian was going crazy and started talking nonsense.

After saying that, she suddenly reacted, "Wait, less than four months from 500 to 660, are you really not lying to me? Son?"

"What would I lie to you for? It's real."

Speaking of this, Chen Yuan instructed, "By the way, because I scored ten points higher than the average score of Class 1, the school wants me to transfer to Class 1. But, I think our class teachers are especially good, they all give me one-on-one tutoring, and their level is quite high. So, I really don't want to go to Class 1."

"Class 1 is the ace class, the class atmosphere is very good." Ms. Yang Junlian said in confusion, "You don't want to go?"

"Do you know the class advisor of our class, Lao Mo?"

"I know, I met him at the parents' meeting before. He's a very good teacher, especially responsible."

"He's very concerned about me. If I really go to Class 1, I won't have this kind of treatment. Really, my progress has a lot to do with him."

Chen Yuan had to explain the pros and cons to Yang Junlian, rather than using impractical reasons such as not wanting to leave Class 18 or being reluctant to leave his classmates and teachers.

Only by letting the other party know that his progress came from this class would she support his decision.

"Okay, whatever my son says is what it is." Yang Junlian smiled, saying happily, "If you don't want to transfer, then don't transfer. I'll listen to you."

"That's what you say, but the school might call you later to talk about the transfer. You just say you support my decision, don't be persuaded."

After Chen Yuan finished speaking, he joked again, "And if the school teacher tells you, you should believe it now, right?"

"Why wouldn't I believe you? It's just that happiness came too easily, it's a little unbelievable."

"The score may still improve later, you stay calm."

"Okay, okay, no matter what score you get, Mom won't be scared to death." After Yang Junlian joked, she said with a little worry, "If this goes on, won't you not be able to go to the same school as Xinyu?"

"…That's hard to say, even if we don't go to the same school, we can still be in the same city." Because Xia Xinyu was present, Chen Yuan said cautiously.

"Being in the same city is okay, but your girlfriend is so beautiful, aren't you worried that she'll run away if you're not in the same school?"

After Yang Junlian finished speaking, Chen Yuan immediately put his finger on his lips, reminding her not to make jokes!

But this action startled Yang Junlian, and she whispered, "Xin, Xinyu is next to you?"

"…"

Chen Yuan's overreaction directly exposed Xinyu.

Looking at Xinyu, after discovering that she had an awkward expression, Chen Yuan realized that Ms. Yang Junlian's joke had also been heard by Xinyu, and she was quite embarrassed.

At this moment, the air froze.

Ms. Yang Junlian was like a child who had done something wrong, not daring to say anything more.

And Chen Yuan was the awkward middleman, not knowing how to continue the topic.

Xinyu had no choice but to show herself.

Walking in front of the camera, she politely greeted her and said with an awkward smile, "Auntie, I won't run away…"

(End of Chapter)