Chapter 52: Comparison

Junzi, usually cheerful and carefree, was rarely this serious. Lin Qiao straightened up, “What’s the matter?”

“Aren’t you going to give a public lecture with that Teacher Zheng?” Junzi lowered his voice, “You should ask the principal to change the class.”

The decision was made in the morning, and by the afternoon, he already knew about it. Lin Qiao guessed the reason immediately, “Qi Huaiwen told you?”

Qi Huaiwen, being the child of a teacher, often had access to the office and could hear things that weren’t too confidential.

Sure enough, Junzi scratched his head and glanced behind him, “He told me.” He quickly lowered his voice again, “Yu Tao’s younger brother in Class Four heard Teacher Zheng holding a meeting with the class, instructing them not to cooperate or raise their hands to answer questions during your lecture.”

The boy was clearly upset, “This lecture is yours, and she insists on interfering and tripping you up. What kind of person is she?”

Qi Huaiwen, who was not far behind, also walked over upon hearing this, “Teacher Lin, you should change the class.”

“Yes, yes, tell the principal to switch to a class she doesn’t teach,” Junzi nodded in agreement, “She’s being too disgusting.”

These students were genuinely concerned for her, and Lin Qiao smiled and blinked, “What if I told you that I deliberately chose her class?”

“Deliberately chose?” Junzi was clearly shocked, his mouth wide open in surprise.

Qi Huaiwen, however, was quicker to understand, looking at Lin Qiao with a thoughtful expression.

Lin Qiao patted Junzi’s head, “Thank you for telling me this. I know what to do. Now, hurry home and eat.”

Seeing Junzi still confused, she smiled and added, “Remember to keep it a secret for me.”

“Of course, I won’t tell anyone,” Junzi promised. Even though he didn’t fully understand, this didn’t stop him from assuring his Teacher Lin.

The next day, Principal Zeng informed Lin Qiao and Zheng Huifang to prepare for the trial lesson in the experimental building the following afternoon.

Zheng Huifang clearly felt the time was tight, “Let’s wait a few more days. Xiao Lin teaches high school. At least give her some time to prepare.”

Principal Zeng, usually cautious and rarely sharp, was clearly angered by the complaint letter. “Does it take several days to prepare for a trial lesson? What about the formal public lecture? Tomorrow it is. Xiao Lin, do you have any objections?”

Lin Qiao nodded, “No problem.”

Zheng Huifang had nothing more to say. She went back and informed Lin Qiao of the teaching progress, then hurriedly started rehearsing with the students. She instructed the students on when to applaud and conduct experiments. She even taught them the answers to several questions, emphasizing that they must raise their hands regardless of whether they knew the answers. She would only call on the top students to answer.

This was no different from cheating. The students were initially looking forward to the experiment class, but after being dragged through it a second and third time, they were just left feeling impatient.

On the day of the formal trial lesson, all the chemistry teachers in the school indeed showed up, along with Song Jing and another intern teacher.

Principal Zeng, Vice Principal Qi, and Old Qu, who was in charge of party committee work, along with about ten others, brought their stools and sat at the back of the laboratory. The students were already nervous, and seeing this made their faces even more tense. When Zheng Huifang started her lecture, the applause was uneven, with the last two rows only joining in after a long pause. This made her face look very unpleasant. With the school leaders sitting at the back, she couldn’t scold the students as she would in a regular class. Once she got upset, she couldn’t remember the lines she had memorized for several days. Just six minutes into the lecture, she made a mistake.

Not to mention the formal chemistry teachers present, even the two intern teachers couldn’t help but frown.

Seeing Group Leader Gao’s expression, Vice Principal Qi asked in a low voice, and Principal Zeng also looked over. After hearing what he said, their faces also started to look displeased.

The students in the class had heard it several times, and some of them clearly remembered it, but Zheng Huifang was oblivious and continued her lecture.

Teacher Yang, who was in the junior high school department, knew about Zheng Huifang’s rehearsals with the students and couldn’t help but shake his head internally.

With this level, she still wants to give a public lecture?

When the leaders really come, they won’t know if she’s there to show off or to embarrass herself.

She lectured for 26 minutes, during which the leaders at the back checked their watches several times. Zheng Huifang finally ended slowly, “Now, Teacher Lin Qiao from the second year of high school will give you the next half of the lesson.”

No one applauded.

Lin Qiao didn’t mind. She stood up from her seat and, together with Group Leader Gao, moved the items she needed onto the podium. Once on the podium, she smiled and picked up a piece of chalk, “There was a point that Teacher Zheng mentioned earlier that I need to correct…”

She hit the nail on the head, giving Zheng Huifang a bigger blow than the lack of applause.

Zheng Huifang had just sat down at the back, and her face turned black upon hearing this. But before she could say anything, Lin Qiao had already quickly and efficiently explained the knowledge point in a more understandable way, “Next, I’ll show you something magical.”

She didn’t dwell on Zheng Huifang’s mistake but quickly captured the students’ attention with her efficiency and clarity.

After all, who doesn’t love watching a magical experiment?

Even with Zheng Huifang’s level, the students had paid more attention the first time she demonstrated an experiment.

Moreover, what Lin Qiao brought up was very interesting. Below was an evaporating dish with some unknown powder inside, and above it was a transparent glass bell jar. The only opening in the bell jar was plugged with a single-hole rubber stopper, and inside the rubber stopper was a separatory funnel filled with water.

Lin Qiao didn’t do much, only opening the separatory funnel and letting a few drops of water fall. Immediately, purple smoke rose inside the glass bell jar.

This scene was not only magical but also very beautiful. The students, as well as the school leaders and teachers sitting at the back, were watching intently.

Lin Qiao was in no hurry. She waited until the purple smoke had almost fully risen before smiling and asking the students, “This purple smoke is a chemical element essential to the human body. If we lack it, we will develop a condition known as goiter. Therefore, we need to eat seaweed to supplement it. Does anyone know what it is?”

Most of the students looked puzzled, but some knew and tentatively asked, “Is it iodine?”

“Yes, it’s iodine.”

Even though the student didn’t raise their hand, Lin Qiao still led the applause, “This student guessed correctly. Let’s encourage them with applause.”

With this experiment, many students forgot Zheng Huifang’s earlier instructions. Moreover, not only Lin Qiao but also the teachers and leaders at the back were applauding.

Soon, the laboratory was filled with applause, and the classroom atmosphere was completely energized. Lin Qiao took the opportunity to explain the principle of the experiment and wrote the chemical formula for aluminum iodide on the blackboard. She then used this as a segue to continue teaching the periodic table of elements that Zheng Huifang hadn’t finished.

“This introduction is good, very natural and interesting,” a chemistry teacher from the first year of high school whispered.

The teacher next to him, although silent, nodded in agreement. They had never heard Lin Qiao teach before, and their main impression of her was that she was thoughtful and courageous.

Generally, at her age, who would dare to write a letter of suggestion to the leaders without even being clear about the lesson?

Unexpectedly, she taught so well. No wonder the two classes she taught progressed so quickly. And this was with only one day of preparation, without prior coordination with these students. The effect would undoubtedly be even better if she were teaching her own classes.

Not only the students and these teachers but even the school leaders who didn’t teach chemistry were engrossed in the lesson, feeling that time flew by as the class bell rang.

Lin Qiao finished her last sentence just in time, “So this class ends here. Thank you for your cooperation.”

Is it over so soon? The junior high students below were stunned for a moment, and then applause erupted like a tide. They had long forgotten Zheng Huifang’s instructions and now only felt that the half-class time was too short, leaving them wanting more.

The leaders and teachers at the back were also applauding. Principal Zeng had already stood up from his stool, “Since the class is over, let’s vote on the spot. Write down the name of the person you think taught better and should give this public lecture. We will be fair, just, and open.”

“Okay, I happened to bring a notebook,” Group Leader Gao immediately prepared to tear paper strips and distribute them to the leaders and teachers.

Zheng Huifang became anxious, “Shouldn’t the students vote? This class is meant for the students.”

Letting the teachers vote made her very uneasy. The students were different; they were all taught by her and would continue to be taught by her in the future.

“Is this ever going to end?” Group Leader Gao had already torn half of the paper and couldn’t hold back his frustration.

Principal Zeng’s brow furrowed deeply, but Vice Principal Qi glanced at Zheng Huifang, “Then let the students vote as well, as a reference.”

He was the one who admired Lin Qiao the most, and Principal Zeng couldn’t help but show some surprise. Seeing Vice Principal Qi’s clear and even somewhat meaningful gaze, he gradually understood, “Then let the students vote too.”

Zheng Huifang felt relieved, and her face, which had been dark since the second half of the class, finally brightened.

Soon, the paper strips were written, folded into small squares, and collected row by row by several chemistry teachers who hadn’t participated in the trial lesson, preparing to count the votes on the podium.

Principal Zeng opened the first one, which neatly read “Lin.”

Vice Principal Qi drew a line under Lin Qiao’s name with chalk.

The second one was also “Lin,” and even the third and fourth—all were “Lin.”

Zheng Huifang couldn’t sit still, thinking these must be the teachers’ votes, and tried to calm herself.

Sure enough, the next one was her “Zheng,” and she breathed a sigh of relief.

However, it was the only one. The rest were continuously “Lin,” and by the end of the count, she had only received four votes in total.

Lin Qiao received over a dozen votes, excluding a few abstentions, while Zheng Huifang only got four. Seeing the tally side by side on the blackboard was a huge embarrassment.

Group Leader Gao felt satisfied, while Zheng Huifang’s face turned completely dark. She went up to check the paper slips, not believing the results.

Principal Zeng let her look, and when her actions went from urgent to hesitant and finally stopped, he announced, “So, Lin Qiao will give the public lecture. Does anyone have any objections?”

“No,” several teachers at the back clapped, and some students wanted to clap too but quickly withdrew their hands when they saw Zheng Huifang’s livid face.

As they packed up and left the laboratory, a few students couldn’t help but whisper among themselves.

“Did you all vote for Teacher Lin? I thought we’d vote for Teacher Zheng so we could have the public lecture.”

“What’s the point of a public lecture? Practicing every day and being told what we can’t do.”

“True, but why doesn’t Teacher Lin teach us? If she did, I’d want to attend chemistry class every day.”

“Me too. I didn’t zone out at all during the second half of the class.”

“We’re definitely going to get scolded for voting for Teacher Lin. I don’t know how Teacher Zheng became a teacher with her level…”

Comparison is the thief of joy. They knew Zheng Huifang wasn’t good, but they didn’t understand how bad it was until now. After hearing Lin Qiao’s lesson, they realized how poor Zheng Huifang’s teaching was.

Not far away, Song Jing and another intern teacher overheard the students’ conversation.

The intern teacher couldn’t help but shake his head, “You really have to teach well.” He sighed, “Teacher Lin is excellent. No wonder she can make suggestions to the leaders. She looks younger than me by several years.”

“She’s always been good,” Song Jing said softly, realizing what she had said only after the words left her mouth. During the voting, she and the male intern teacher also received ballots, and she voted for Lin Qiao. The male intern teacher likely did the same.

Song Jing pressed her lips together and said no more. As soon as Lin Qiao left the laboratory, she was met with a wave of congratulations.

Back in the second-year science office, everyone knew the result just by looking at Group Leader Gao’s face.

“You didn’t see it, but her own students voted, and she only got four votes,” Group Leader Gao said with satisfaction, gulping down half a cup of water as he entered.

Lin Qiao’s throat was dry from speaking, so she sipped some hot water, “I didn’t expect her to let the students vote.”

“Yeah,” Group Leader Gao clearly couldn’t understand, “Doesn’t she have any idea how well she teaches?”

“Maybe she thinks the students wouldn’t dare. Over the years, many parents have complained about her, but nothing happened,” guessed the homeroom teacher of Class Three.

Because Zheng Huifang was notoriously bad at teaching, parents who had some influence had managed to get their children into other classes over the past two years. Those left in her class either didn’t know or didn’t have much say. Her teaching level hadn’t improved, but her temper had grown significantly.

“She thinks nothing will happen, so she acts recklessly?” Group Leader Gao didn’t know what to say, “If she keeps this up, something will happen sooner or later. Students and parents aren’t fools.”

This time, the students’ reaction was stronger than before, especially after Zheng Huifang scolded them for most of the class.

Even Liu Cuiying, who came to deliver a box of leeks to Lin Qiao and Ji Duo, couldn’t help but mention it: “The daughter of Commander Zhang in our courtyard came home crying, saying that Teacher Zheng taught poorly. They voted for you, and Teacher Zheng scolded them. Her mother was furious.”

The jujubes in the courtyard were plentiful, and Lin Qiao and Ji Duo couldn’t finish them all, so they took some to their workplaces and gave some to their neighbors.

Liu Cuiying, who was great at cooking, knew Lin Qiao and Ji Duo didn’t cook at home, so she naturally brought food as a return gift.

Ji Duo helped carry the items to the kitchen and, without having joined the conversation, asked, “What voting for Lin Qiao?”

“Someone was competing with Xiao Lin to give a public lecture. Didn’t Xiao Lin tell you?” Liu Cuiying was puzzled.

Lin Qiao, indeed, hadn’t told him. Not only did she not mention the competition, but she also didn’t tell him about the public lecture at the school. However, compared to his initial suspicions, Ji Duo was now much calmer. He only glanced at Lin Qiao, “She didn’t tell me the details.”

That glance was ambiguous, and Lin Qiao couldn’t discern any clear emotion from it. She didn’t think it was a problem not to tell Ji Duo, as she could handle it herself. Why bother telling him? Commander Ji was very busy, after all.

Even though he could guess her thoughts, seeing her reaction, Ji Duo still felt a slight, almost imperceptible pause.

Liu Cuiying didn’t notice the subtlety between the couple, “Because of Xiao Lin, their school built a laboratory, right? After it was built, they planned a public lecture, saying that a high-ranking leader would come. The school originally chose Xiao Lin, but someone, out of spite, reported her…”

Liu Cuiying had heard this from Junzi, who had heard it from others, and she expressed it in her own down-to-earth way. She described how Teacher Zheng had dug a big pit for Lin Qiao to fall into, glaring at her during the lecture, and how Lin Qiao didn’t fall into the pit but instead kicked Teacher Zheng into it, giving an excellent lecture that moved the students to tears.

Really, Lin Qiao rarely felt embarrassed, but after hearing this fantastical account, she wanted to dig a hole and hide.

Ji Duo, however, remained calm, “Was it Teacher Zheng who reported you?”

“I don’t know,” Lin Qiao replied honestly, “I didn’t find any evidence, but only she and I were competing for this opportunity.”

Ji Duo said nothing more. After sending Liu Cuiying off, he asked while setting the table, “Did you do it on purpose?”

This man always looked at people directly, with deep eyes, making you feel like he could see through everything. But Lin Qiao didn’t know how many layers he had seen through, so she just leaned on the table and lightly raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean?”

“That Teacher Zheng,” Ji Duo handed her the chopsticks, his gaze falling on her face, “teaches so poorly. Hasn’t anyone reported her before?”

He was incredibly perceptive, immediately guessing Lin Qiao’s deeper intentions.

Lin Qiao had made many concessions, agreeing to reselect the candidate for the trial lesson, teaching junior high like Zheng Huifang, and even using Zheng Huifang’s students despite knowing there was something fishy. It wasn’t just to show that Zheng Huifang’s level was worse and embarrass her.

She wanted Zheng Huifang’s students to know that lessons could be taught differently and to prevent teachers like Zheng Huifang from continuing to mislead students.

Lin Qiao looked at the man, “Do you think what I did was wrong?” Her words asked this, but her gaze was steady. She clearly did not feel she was wrong.

The man raised his eyelids and, instead of answering, asked, “What makes you think I’m the type to be lenient?”

Of course, his serious and proper appearance, his old-fashioned style, and his tendency to talk to subordinates like a superior were also factors. But his question clearly indicated he didn’t think she had done anything wrong. Indeed, he remembered even a small tease until the evening to settle with her, showing he wasn’t a particularly forgiving person.

This made Lin Qiao feel much better, at least her partner wasn’t opposing her. Sometimes, the most feared thing between people who spend a lot of time together is having different values. Her parents in her previous life were like that: they were always busy, rarely sitting down to talk, and every conversation ended in disagreement. Both were strong-willed, and neither would compromise, so eventually, they stopped talking about anything. Other issues could be avoided, but her education was the main contention. From which extracurricular class she should take to which school she should apply to, they always had different opinions, treating her as a battleground for their arguments.

Lin Qiao was also strong-willed. Since no one could be relied on, she relied on herself, making her own decisions for university and graduate school. She feared this man might have different values and a strong desire to control, wanting to manage everything.

Perhaps inspired by the complaint letter or simply fed up, Principal Zeng was called to the education bureau again within a few days.

Within two weeks, Principal Zeng was called to the education bureau again, feeling overwhelmed. The education bureau staff were also exasperated, handing him a stack of letters, “Take a look.”

Yes, a stack.

At a glance, at least thirty or forty letters complained about Zheng Huifang’s poor teaching.

“Parents have significant concerns. They not only report that Comrade Zheng’s teaching is inadequate but also that she physically and verbally abuses students,” the education bureau staff said earnestly. “Your school is one of the first national chemistry pilot schools, with many eyes on it. If someone is unsuitable, they shouldn’t be in such an important position.”

This was a clear directive: if someone is unfit, replace them. Don’t keep them in a position where many parents will complain.

What could Principal Zeng say? He had nothing to say and locked himself in his office for most of the day.

The next day, he called Zheng Huifang for a talk. She left crying and slammed the office door loudly.

Soon, all the teachers knew that Zheng Huifang, due to her poor teaching, had been reported and would be transferred from her teaching position to a logistics role. Two intern teachers would temporarily take over her two classes, and new teachers would be officially hired once the education students graduated next year.

A good teaching position turned into a logistics role, and Zheng Huifang was clearly dissatisfied with this outcome. She didn’t even return to the office that day, going straight home, reportedly to pull some strings, and spread many unpleasant things about Principal Zeng.

Previously, when parents complained, Principal Zeng hesitated to take action. Now that the situation couldn’t be covered up, he was the one getting scolded.

The noise from Zheng Huifang slamming the door was so loud that it startled Vice Principal Qi next door. He came in, saw Principal Zeng’s unhappy face, and after a moment of silence, said, “In the future, let’s have exams.”

All military family members entering the school must first pass an exam. If they don’t pass, they don’t get the job, avoiding collective complaints from parents.

Principal Zeng didn’t speak for a long time, finally sighing, “Then let’s have exams. We can’t have people reporting to higher authorities again.”

“By the way, has the public lecture time been set?” Vice Principal Qi asked, trying to lift his spirits.

Principal Zeng perked up a bit, “Yes, it was set yesterday. Next Wednesday. I haven’t had time to inform Lin Qiao yet.”

“Then hurry and notify her so she can prepare.”

The school had made many preparations for this public lecture, including a thorough cleaning and stricter student discipline. Despite this, when they saw the people getting out of the car from a distance, several school leaders were still surprised, “Why is this person here too?”