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Another year flew by.
The class Fang Yuwei taught advanced to fifth grade, a crucial time point.
Fifth grade, one year away from sixth grade, the real graduating class.
Of course, before, Principal Wang and some school leaders only paid symbolic attention because the school had not had students admitted to the several city middle schools for years; all had gone to nearby town schools based on the “proximity principle.”
Then, most of these children would not attend high school but would go straight to work in factories or become unemployed wanderers, girls would marry early, and a small portion would enter technical secondary schools. Once in society, their career options were very limited, mostly becoming low-level assembly line workers. Their children would repeat the same fate—this was reality.
This year was different because several students in Fang Yuwei’s class ranked much higher in the city than before.
Especially Yang Liyu, who once scored full marks in a final exam, tying for first place citywide.
Also, he and Tian Yuxin managed to enter the top sixty in the citywide math Olympiad competition.
If they could rank within the top fifty in the sixth grade citywide math Olympiad, they would qualify for the junior high department of the city’s number one high school without needing exam scores. That would be a great honor.
At a meeting, Principal Wang praised them highly, and Fang Yuwei took the opportunity to mention applying for some prizes for the students.
During class, Fang Yuwei brought the prizes to school: Yang Liyu received a very cool backpack, a style boys liked; Tian Yuxin got a set of study supplies, and both received a finely crafted notebook.
“This time’s results are very commendable, but we still have room for improvement,” Fang Yuwei said without favoritism, even stating, “Before the next math Olympiad starts, our class will hold another test. The top six in the class will represent us in the competition.”
Every time, the spots are not fixed, so there is no favoritism.
Everything is decided by strength.
Therefore, everyone competes hard every time. Their class’s average score exceeds the second class by a large margin. The whole class is very self-disciplined, truly a breath of fresh air.
“Who will be the class committee members for the next two weeks?” Fang Yuwei asked.
Their class committee positions are rotational, even the class monitor is not fixed.
Each committee member has specific responsibilities, and everyone has a chance to try different roles, mainly to train their communication, organization, and leadership skills.
Everyone chattered below in discussion.
This time, Tian Yuxin was class monitor, and Yang Liyu was the labor committee member. The monitor manages the whole class, and the labor committee member leads daily cleaning work.
Tian Yuxin was originally introverted and very nervous, but having been various committee members and leading reading groups, she has changed a lot.
Fang Yuwei assigned this week’s tasks and then prepared to start class.
Knock knock knock
“Teacher Fang, Principal Wang wants to hold a meeting after class.”
Teacher Li next door knocked on the door with a smile.
“Okay.”
After class, Fang Yuwei went to the meeting room and saw Wang Guohai arguing with Principal Wang. Both looked unhappy.
The other students already seated inside showed slight changes in expression when they saw her.
Fang Yuwei did not mind and sat to one side.
Every meeting, Principal Wang stressed the importance of focusing on students’ learning and told Fang Yuwei to closely watch the few potential students in her class, aiming for a top fifty rank in the citywide sixth grade math Olympiad.
“Also, the city’s teacher open-class competition will select three teachers from our school,” Principal Wang said, already having people in mind, “Teacher Su for English, Teacher Fang for Chinese, and Teacher Chen for math. These three should be arranged quickly. I will give you more details later.”
“Additionally, Teacher Zhang will undergo surgery next week and will take a long leave afterward. Someone will need to take over as head of the Chinese department.”
After this, Wang Guohai immediately said, “That position needs someone with education similar to Teacher Zhang. Being group leader isn’t just about teaching ability; otherwise, people will laugh when it spreads.”
Everyone knew who he meant.
Fang Yuwei has been in the limelight recently, and Principal Wang probably wanted to appoint her as the head of the Chinese language group a long time ago. Many people, like Wang Guohai, did not want to see this result, so they were happy to hear it and did not say anything.
Especially since some wanted to just draw their salary and retire quietly, but Fang Yuwei alone had brought a fresh atmosphere. Principal Wang saw hope for higher graduation rates and had tightened many rules.
“Let’s discuss this later,” Principal Wang said, unwilling to argue but feeling a headache.
Don’t think he didn’t know that Wang Guohai had long coveted that group leader position. Fang Yuwei only had a technical secondary school diploma. So what if she did?
After the meeting ended and Principal Wang left, everyone exited the conference hall one after another.
Wang Guohai walked ahead of Fang Yuwei and deliberately said, “Teacher Zhang has a college diploma, right? He taught at the No. 13 Middle School before. He was transferred here to take care of his mother.”
“It seems so.” Someone agreed.
Wang Guohai said again, “There are many excellent teachers in the city. Some show off their little skills in the town, but once they go to the city, I’m afraid they just want to attract attention and embarrass our school.”
He did not name anyone directly, but everyone understood who he was referring to.
“This competition hasn’t even started yet, and someone is already boosting their morale. If this were ancient times, wouldn’t they be caught and beheaded?” Fang Yuwei suddenly half-joked to Teacher Chen beside her, not giving him any face.
Teacher Chen smiled but did not argue.
When Wang Guohai said this, wasn’t he also talking about him?
“Watch your words! Do you know how to show respect?” Wang Guohai turned his head, his face dark and angry as he scolded Fang Yuwei sharply.
Fang Yuwei gave a sarcastic smile and retorted on the spot, “Who tolerates your bad temper, acting all high and mighty because of your age? If you don’t do education in school, then what are you doing, making a mess?”
Everyone present saw Wang Guohai’s defeated expression and couldn’t help but feel pleased.
Fang Yuwei was not easy to mess with and showed no mercy.
Wang Guohai snorted coldly, “Young but with a big official tone.”
“Little ability, many faults,” Fang Yuwei threw back before walking away directly.
“Pfft—”
Someone there couldn’t hold back laughter and quickly covered their face with a notebook.
Wang Guohai ground his teeth so hard they cracked, his face twisted and grimacing, “Have you ever seen a school use a technical secondary school graduate as the Chinese group leader? Isn’t that just asking to be laughed at? Want to be a joke?”
Fang Yuwei had already walked far away and didn’t hear these words at all.
The weather was very hot, and the water she had brought was already finished. She was extremely thirsty. On her way out of the school gate, she stopped at a milk tea shop diagonally opposite the breakfast shop and lightly tapped the counter with her hand, saying, “I’m dying of thirst. Give me a cup of lemon water. Make it very cold.”
Many changes had happened in the past year and a half. Fang Yuwei was very busy, and Lin Yan was also busy. She was busy with teaching and studying, and he was busy running his shop.
He had bought a nearly three hundred square meter plot of land not far from the school across the road, built a large single-floor building, and was preparing to open the town’s largest supermarket, expected to open in about two months.
Hearing that milk tea shops made good money, Lin Yan had studied for a while and opened a milk tea shop right across from the breakfast shop. Business was decent; there were often large orders, and they even hired a young man to deliver.
“It’s almost mealtime.” Lin Yan did not agree and gave her a glass of cool boiled water.
Fang Yuwei complained, “I’m dying of thirst!”
Lin Yan poured some freshly squeezed watermelon juice for her.
Seeing the sweet watermelon juice, Fang Yuwei’s expression instantly relaxed a lot. She drank it gulp by gulp, and her satisfied expression was exactly like two little kids.
Lin Yan’s lips unconsciously curled up, and he reached out to rub her head, his eyes full of affection.
“Your hair is all messy.”
“I’ll tidy it for you.” He gently combed her hair with his fingers, his voice soft.
Fang Yuwei looked up, seeing the watery tenderness in his eyes, and instinctively pouted her pink lips in a coquettish way.
Those who have been spoiled for a long time naturally show coquettishness, especially in front of someone who indulges them completely, living freely and boldly.
“I want to drink yogurt.” Fang Yuwei said again.
“It’s time to eat.” This time Lin Yan didn’t give in.
Fang Yuwei asked several more times, but he refused and took her back to eat.
Mother Lin had cooked many delicious dishes, including Fang Yuwei’s favorite steamed large squid and stir-fried yellow beef. She ate very satisfyingly and then went upstairs to the third floor.
This half floor here was exquisitely renovated by Lin Yan.
It was a one-bedroom, one-living-room layout. The living room had a partitioned area with a bookshelf and a desk, equipped with an eye-protection desk lamp and an ergonomic chair.
The lamp and chair were both imported. At first, when buying and renovating the house, they could not afford such expensive items. Later, after making some money, Lin Yan had someone buy them for Fang Yuwei.
Entering the room, the tone was warm. A corner was partitioned into a walk-in closet, mostly filled with Fang Yuwei’s clothes.
Fang Yuwei, full and satisfied, lay on the soft bed, hugging the quilt and turning over.
Lin Yan came over holding a file folder, “It seems this is your graduation certificate.”
In the past two years, Fang Yuwei had been going to the provincial capital to take exams regularly and passed all at once. Recently, she was notified that she could graduate.
Fang Yuwei took it and slowly opened it on the bed.
Lin Yan saw it really was the graduation certificate and was even more excited than her, smiling, “We should celebrate properly.”
As expected, Fang Yuwei casually placed the certificate on the bedside table, hugged the quilt, and rolled on the bed again, saying, “I want to drink yogurt! I want to drink yogurt!”
She still remembered that he had just refused to give her yogurt.
“I’ll go get it for you.” Lin Yan laughed and cried at the same time, took the certificate, and looked at it carefully. “Should I put it away in the cabinet for you?”
“I want to drink yogurt!” Fang Yuwei ignored everything else, rolled over again, and sat up angrily. “You don’t love me anymore. Now you won’t even spare a bottle of yogurt for me.”
“I’m going now.” Lin Yan put the graduation certificate away and immediately went out to get it.
“Hurry up.”
Fang Yuwei coquettishly huffed several times.
Lin Yan came back in again, inserted a straw into the yogurt, and handed it to her.
She took a sip, then half-kneeling, handed the yogurt back to him with a smile, coaxing, “Take a sip.”
Lin Yan sucked a little bit symbolically through the straw, then bent down and kissed her lips, full of indulgence and pampering, “Drink it and then sleep. Don’t you have class this afternoon?”
“Mm.” Fang Yuwei thought the yogurt tasted really good. She had never thought it was so delicious before.
What she did not know was that as Lin Yan went downstairs, he was stopped by Xiao Yangyang.
“Drink yogurt!” Xiao Yangyang looked at his dad.
“Go to sleep.” Lin Yan said.
“Drink yogurt, wah wah wah—” Xiao Yangyang sat on the ground, coquettishly kicking his little legs and fake crying twice. Seeing his dad unmoved, he rolled his eyes and then flipped onto the ground, rolling several times expertly, “I want yogurt!!!”
“Get up.” Lin Yan’s tone was heavy.
“Drink yogurt, drink yogurt.” Xiao Yangyang kept rolling skillfully.
Lin Yan walked over and picked him up in one go, like picking up a little chick, expressionless, gave his butt a light smack, “Pop!”
Xiao Chaochao saw this and shrank his neck, immediately ran back to his room, hiding at the door and peeking out with his little head.
“Wuwu—” Xiao Yangyang really squeezed out two tears, struggling and saying, “It’s not like that—Dad is not—”
He had seen mom perform many times, and every time he got to drink yogurt!
Why can’t he have any, wuwu—
Ayalee[Translator]
＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚