Chapter 37: The 1990s Teacher Supporting Character Who Despises the Poor and Favors the Rich (14)

After Fang Yuwei became the homeroom teacher, her management of the students was not as strict as Chen Rui. She established several classroom rules.

Besides rearranging the seating, the morning reading was also led by students on a rotating basis.

Every student who led the reading had to go up to the podium and seriously lead the entire class in reading. Moreover, the content to be read would be among a few specific passages that Fang Yuwei would notify beforehand and pick from.

To avoid embarrassment, everyone would study earnestly in advance.

The effect was quite good. Even Yang Liyu, when going up, was familiar with the textbook and led the reading properly, looking quite decent.

Every now and then, Fang Yuwei would conduct tests. Once the test papers were handed out, the students answered seriously.

She graded them just as seriously, even looking at each student’s weaknesses one by one and recording them in a notebook.

After grading the papers, Fang Yuwei brought them to the classroom. The students all looked forward to them. She handed out the papers one by one and went over each student’s test, summarizing their performance.

Every student felt they were receiving attention and care from the teacher.

Fang Yuwei said, “We will go over the papers next class. On Friday, the school will conduct a major inspection of appearance and hygiene. Those with long hair should cut it. Trim your nails too.”

When she said this, quite a few students were staring at their test papers and did not speak. The atmosphere in the class dropped noticeably.

The next day, when Fang Yuwei entered the classroom, she found many students whispering to each other. Tian Yuxin and a few other students had their heads down on their desks.

Fang Yuwei did not ask. She walked to the podium and said, “Class begins.”

Everyone stood up, including Tian Yuxin and those few students. They got up slowly and still had their heads down. Only then did Fang Yuwei notice their hair had been cut short but looked very odd.

At a glance, it was clear the haircut was done by someone at home.

Indeed, Tian Yuxin was an orphan. The other students were left-behind children, growing up with their grandparents. The elderly were reluctant to spend money on haircuts, thinking it was fine to cut it casually. What did it matter if it looked like it had been chewed by a dog? It would grow back in a few days anyway.

In reality, children also have a strong sense of self-esteem.

Fang Yuwei swept her gaze across them and smiled as she said, “Looking at all your haircuts this time, they all seem pretty bad. Not even as good as mine.”

She was referring to everyone.

This made the students who thought their haircuts looked fine suddenly feel insecure. Some even covered their heads.

But since everyone was in the same situation, it did not seem that embarrassing.

“Teacher, you know how to cut hair?” a student asked.

Fang Yuwei replied, “I have a good eye for haircuts. After school, I will fix it for you all and make it more fashionable.”

“Okay!”

Fang Yuwei did know how to cut hair. It was entirely self-taught out of interest.

Her long hair was black and smooth, straight and soft, so she spent quite a bit of time on it. Every time she went to a hairstylist, it felt like a gamble. Rarely was she satisfied.

Over time, she started trimming and cutting it herself.

After school.

At the teacher’s dormitory on the first floor, quite a few students gathered around.

Fang Yuwei brought out a chair, along with a cape and a set of haircutting tools. She looked at the group of students and asked, “Who’s first?”

A bunch of students were eager but too shy to go first.

Fang Yuwei directly looked at Tian Yuxin. “Yuxin, you go first.”

Tian Yuxin was usually timid and did not even dare to speak loudly. But this time, she stepped forward without hesitation and sat down.

The girl had long hair, only her bangs had been cut messily. Fang Yuwei separated a strand and began trimming it for her.

Everyone was curiously and nervously watching. Only Tian Yuxin felt calm inside.

In her nostrils was the fragrance from Fang Yuwei. Many years later, she would still clearly remember this moment.

Her parents passed away when she was young. She lived with her grandmother. Since childhood, all she had been taught was how to save money and survive. She was timid, inferior, sensitive, and shy. This was one of the rare moments she acted without hesitation.

After Fang Yuwei finished cutting her hair, she gently lifted her chin with her fingers, brushed it smooth, then stepped back two steps to observe. A satisfied smile appeared on her face. “Done.”

Tian Yuxin felt that time passed quickly. Her hands, placed under the barber cape, were clasped together.

She even felt motherly love from Fang Yuwei. It was a kind of warmth from being sincerely treated.

A group of students crowded forward.

Not only the students were watching, but the teachers in the dormitory were also watching.

They rarely interacted with Fang Yuwei before and naturally did not know she could cut hair. At first, they thought it was just to deal with the school inspection, so she gave the students haircuts.

When Fang Yuwei removed the cape from Tian Yuxin and looked at her bangs, they were much better than those cut by old men in the barber shops.

A light of excitement instantly appeared in the students’ eyes, and they rushed forward eagerly.

“Teacher, I want a trim!”

“I want one too!”

“Teacher, cut mine!”

……

Fang Yuwei did not dare to keep the students too long. Otherwise, it would be dark by the time they returned home. She quickly selected a few whose hair really couldn’t pass and trimmed it, letting them go home first and saying she would continue cutting the rest tomorrow.

When others had left, Yang Liyu still had not gone.

“You’re not going home?” Fang Yuwei asked.

“My grandpa went to help others with farm work. He won’t be back to pick me up until it’s dark,” Yang Liyu said.

Fang Yuwei was already about to pack up the barber cape. Hearing this, she let him sit down.

Yang Liyu was not shy. He walked over and sat on the chair, sitting up very straight.

Fang Yuwei quickly cut with the scissors in her hand. The long hair that Yang Liyu had kept fell bit by bit. He even said, “My grandma cut my hair. It looked really bad.”

So every time the school had a grooming inspection, he would be pulled out and punished to stand. Even so, he refused to cut his hair.

Because his self-esteem did not allow him to be so ugly. Otherwise, how could he be a rebellious student?

Haircuts had to wait until the winter or summer holidays so that his classmates would not see it.

“The elderly are old. Their aesthetic sense can’t keep up with young people,” Fang Yuwei said and then added, “Don’t be too picky.”

Yang Liyu did not explain. When he saw the two little ones holding hands walking back in the distance, a smile appeared on his lips. “Chaochao and Yangyang are back.”

During this time, Yang Liyu had gotten along well with the two little ones. When he came to school and after school, he would intentionally pass by the breakfast shop. If he saw the two little ones, he would deliberately stop.

In no time, a surprised and childish voice would ring out, “Brother!”

Yang Liyu would immediately stop, watching the two small figures run toward him, the corners of his lips unable to stop lifting as he crouched down to hug them.

The two would also hug him back, speaking in a soft, childish voice, “We missed you. Let’s play Ultraman together. There’s a big Ultraman.”

The three of them got along very well.

Fang Yuwei turned her head and saw the two little ones running over with their short legs, shouting, “Brother!”

Lin Yan was carrying two small schoolbags, following behind them.

Yang Liyu’s smile grew deeper as he kept his eyes on the two little ones.

They rushed in front of Yang Liyu. Xiao Yangyang curiously asked, “Brother, what are you doing?”

“Getting a haircut,” Yang Liyu answered seriously.

Xiao Yangyang touched his own hair and looked at Fang Yuwei. “I want a haircut.”

Fang Yuwei told him, “Mom just cut your hair. You have to wait a while before cutting it again.”

Xiao Yangyang looked confused. His big clear eyes looked at Yang Liyu, then slowly walked to the side to play with toys with Xiao Chaochao while waiting for Mom and brother to finish getting haircuts.

Lin Yan saw many hair trimmings on the ground and looked at Fang Yuwei with confusion.

Fang Yuwei did not hide it from Yang Liyu and answered Lin Yan, “I helped some students in class fix their haircuts. I still have to cut more tomorrow.”

Lin Yan knew she could cut hair. A few days ago, she had just cut their son’s hair and trimmed his too. His wife was truly capable of everything.

He was just worried she would be too tired and could not help but feel more love for her.

Fang Yuwei carefully trimmed the hair and had to observe Yang Liyu’s face shape. She half-jokingly said, “I’ll give you a handsome haircut.”

“I need to focus on studying now. No need to care too much about appearance,” Yang Liyu said seriously.

Fang Yuwei found it odd and casually asked, “Why the sudden interest in studying?”

He was always at the bottom of the class. It was said that he had been last since first grade.

Yang Liyu’s eyes were clear and firm. “If I do well in school, I can get scholarships and make a lot of money in the future.”

“You’ve come around, huh?” she laughed.

Yang Liyu looked at the two little ones playing not far away. “Once I get a scholarship, I’ll buy lots of toys and snacks for Yangyang and Chaochao!”

Fang Yuwei’s hands suddenly stopped moving. “!”

The two little ones heard their big brother say he would buy them toys and snacks. Their little heads immediately turned, both looking at Yang Liyu. Xiao Yangyang said with happy surprise, “Brother wants to buy us toys?”

“Yangyang,” Fang Yuwei immediately looked seriously at her son, “You can’t let your big brother buy you toys. That’s wrong. Mom will be angry.”

Given the personalities of the two little ones, she really was not sure whether they would drag Yang Liyu to the supermarket and ask him to buy toys and candy.

Yang Liyu was still a child himself.

Xiao Yangyang was scolded by his mother. His little head drooped sadly.

Fang Yuwei then seriously spoke a few more words to Yang Liyu, but no matter what she said, Yang Liyu stubbornly replied, “I will definitely buy for them in the future. I want to work hard to earn money for them to spend!”

“Teacher, don’t worry about it. This is my choice.”

Not only was Fang Yuwei at a loss for words, but even Lin Yan did not know what to say.

Later, he comforted Fang Yuwei. “It’s just something a child says. No need to take it seriously. They’ll forget in a few days.”

Fang Yuwei also hoped so. But why was Yang Liyu the first to arrive at the classroom every day and loudly read his books?

Not only did he arrive early, but no matter what class it was, he always rushed to answer questions.

Every time Fang Yuwei passed by, he was reciting. Reciting. Reciting the textbook.

If Yang Liyu had not said that he wanted to study hard to earn money for her sons, she would have felt very gratified. Now, what was this all about?

Ever since she helped the students cut their hair, the parents of the students in her class had been very enthusiastic. They often brought vegetables and fruits they grew at home to the breakfast shop for Fang Yuwei.

One early afternoon when Fang Yuwei got up and opened the door, she saw Tian Yuxin putting down a bag of sweet potatoes and was about to leave quietly.

But as soon as she opened the door, Tian Yuxin blushed and ran away.

Fang Yuwei: “……”

She really just wanted to be a gardener who asked for nothing in return. They shouldn’t be like this.