SYLM Chapter 2

Chapter 2: How Could It Be Her?

Chapter 2 How Could It Be Her?

There were a total of 14 classes in the second-year teaching building.

Chen Lu’s Class 12 in the second grade was located on the first floor and was a liberal arts class second only to the top liberal arts class, Class 1.

When Chen Lu entered through the back door, most of the students were already seated in the classroom.

Under the bright fluorescent lights, almost everyone had their heads down, and the air in the classroom seemed to have solidified. The only sounds were the low murmur of recitation, the turning of book pages, and the scratching of pens on paper, all related to studying.

Chen Lu crumpled the wet wipe she had just used to wipe her shoes into a ball and threw it into the trash can near the back door, then went straight back to her seat.

She sat in the third row by the window. The student behind her was her best friend and the Politics Representative, Fu Yi Wen.

From a distance, Chen Lu saw Fu Yi Wen lying face down on the desk, motionless. She wasn’t reading or reciting, or even catching up on the homework she always did.

Chen Lu didn’t even need to think to know why she was like this.

Yesterday afternoon during self-study, the entire second grade was called to the lecture hall for a meeting. The grade principal announced that some classes would be changing teachers. There were two teacher changes related to Class 12—

First, the original Homeroom Teacher Zheng Wei was going on maternity leave, and Class 12 would have a new Homeroom Teacher.

Second, the original Politics teacher, Sun Li Xia, was being transferred to teach the top liberal arts class, Class 1, and Class 12 would have a new Politics teacher.

Their favorite Politics teacher, Sun Li Xia, was being transferred to teach another class.

This was a huge blow to Fu Yi Wen, the Politics Representative.

Since starting high school, Fu Yi Wen had been taught Politics by Sun Li Xia. She especially liked Sun Li Xia’s Politics class, or rather, more than liking the Politics class, she liked this learned and knowledgeable Politics teacher.

Yesterday at the meeting, after hearing the grade principal announce that Sun Li Xia would no longer be teaching Class 12, Fu Yi Wen was first shocked, and then she cried the entire evening self-study as if she had lost her soul, using up two packs of Chen Lu’s tissues.

…

Passing by Fu Yi Wen’s seat, Chen Lu glanced at the back of her head twice, then returned to her seat.

As soon as she sat down, there was a sudden movement behind her.

Probably hearing that Chen Lu had arrived, Fu Yi Wen, who was lying on the desk, suddenly raised her head, her eyes, swollen like walnuts, staring at Chen Lu with a pitiful expression.

“What’s wrong, do you need to borrow homework?” While speaking, Chen Lu had already put all the homework from last night on Fu Yi Wen’s desk.

“Lu Lu, what should I do? Teacher Sun is not teaching us anymore. I can’t take Teacher Sun’s class anymore…”

Fu Yi Wen’s voice was nasal and very sad. Obviously, she still couldn’t accept the fact that the teacher was changing.

Chen Lu looked at her friend, whose nose was red from crying, and didn’t know how to respond.

This was even worse than asking to copy her homework.

…

In many people’s minds, Fu Yi Wen was a typical optimist, always laughing and carefree, and they had never seen her have any worries. But from the current situation, Chen Lu knew that Fu Yi Wen was really sad this time.

Seeing the person in front of her starting to get red-eyed again, Chen Lu, who had never been able to stand seeing others cry, pursed her lips. She reached into her desk, but found that all the snacks she had bought earlier had been distributed, and there was nothing to distract Fu Yi Wen.

Chen Lu sighed and turned her pleading gaze without hesitation to Jiang Zhen Zhen, the Math Representative, who was sitting in the first row near the door and collecting math homework.

Perhaps fate and friendship were destined, Chen Lu, Fu Yi Wen, and Jiang Zhen Zhen had known each other since elementary school. From elementary school to junior high school, and now to high school, the three of them had always been in the same class.

Chen Lu was cold on the outside but warm on the inside, calm and decisive. In the eyes of outsiders, she was definitely a high-level beauty that was hard to approach. Only those who knew her knew that she was someone who preferred to do practical things rather than say nice words.

Fu Yi Wen was sunny and optimistic, carefree, and full of clever ideas, claiming to be the strategist of their trio.

Jiang Zhen Zhen was quiet and easygoing, careful and considerate, and had excellent grades. She had always been the ‘child of someone else’s family’ in the mouths of parents, and also the mediator of the trio.

It was these three people with different personalities who naturally became very good friends after getting along, and it has lasted until today.

…

Unintentionally meeting Chen Lu’s pleading gaze, Jiang Zhen Zhen immediately understood what had happened. She glanced at the time, and then, holding the math papers that hadn’t been collected yet, she walked through the podium to the two of them, trying to keep her voice down:

“Student Fu Yi Wen, you’ve been crying all morning. I’m almost done collecting the homework.”

“I’m sad, can’t I cry when I’m sad!”

“Okay, okay, I know you’re sad. We’re also very reluctant to see Sister Wei and Teacher Sun leave, but Teacher Sun is only temporarily not teaching our class. But if we have any questions we don’t know, we can still go to the office and ask her as before. It’s not like we won’t see her again.”

“Can it be the same? I just want to take Teacher Sun’s Politics class!”

“Okay, okay, you want to take it, you want to take it. Then… why don’t you go and discuss it with Principal Lu of our grade?”

Jiang Zhen Zhen joked with Fu Yi Wen while paying attention to the movements at the front and back doors of the classroom. She was afraid that the Homeroom Teacher… or rather, the new Homeroom Teacher would make a surprise attack.

“Actually, it’s not like there’s no solution…” Looking at Fu Yi Wen, who was pulling out tissues to wipe her tears, Chen Lu, who had been silent, interjected seriously:

“Teacher Sun is teaching Class 1 now. Work hard on the next monthly exam and get into Class 1.”

As soon as the words fell, the corners of Fu Yi Wen’s mouth drooped completely. She had a helpless expression of ‘do you know what you’re saying’:

“Student Lu Lu, what kind of bad idea is that? What am I going to use to get into Class 1? My English score of 36? If I could get into Class 1, my parents would have to get up in the middle of the night to kowtow twice to thank the heavens! Besides, I don’t want to leave you two!”

Fu Yi Wen sniffed and muttered in protest: “That old man Lu is really ruthless. This time, he not only transferred my Teacher Sun away, but also changed our old Homeroom Teacher. I think he’s deliberately using our class as an example. Why aren’t other classes like this?”

“I don’t know why Teacher Sun was transferred, but Sister Wei is going to have a baby, so taking maternity leave is a must.”

Jiang Zhen Zhen’s voice was very soft, recalling the scene of Zheng Wei teaching them while pregnant. It must not have been easy.

“Well, that’s true…”

Fu Yi Wen pouted and her head drooped:

“But I’m still so sad. Why are Lu Lu and I so miserable? One is a Politics Representative and the other is a Literature Representative, but both of their teachers have been changed… I can’t do this anymore. I feel like crying again. If it weren’t for being able to go to the office to see Teacher Sun openly in the future, I really want to quit being the Politics Representative!”

“…”

As soon as the words fell, Jiang Zhen Zhen’s face changed slightly, fearing that someone would say the same thing. She glanced at Chen Lu subconsciously and took the initiative to change the subject:

“By the way, Lu Lu, didn’t you stay at home yesterday? My mom said she saw you on the bus.”

Chen Lu’s home was in the school district housing estate opposite the school. After leaving the school gate, crossing the road, and walking a few dozen steps, she would swipe her access card and arrive home. There was no need to take the bus at all.

“Yesterday I went to see my grandma, I didn’t go home.” Chen Lu told the truth.

Mentioning Chen Lu’s grandma, Fu Yi Wen and Jiang Zhen Zhen paused at the same time, and then the three of them tacitly didn’t continue the topic.

…

There were less than ten minutes left before the morning self-study bell rang.

Jiang Zhen Zhen temporarily exited the trio sisters group chat to collect math homework from the students who had just arrived.

Before leaving, she told Fu Yi Wen to quickly catch up on the math test and not forget to give it to her later.

After Jiang Zhen Zhen left, Chen Lu took out a black leather notebook from the innermost part of her desk. This was the manuscript of the detective novel she had been conceiving these days, and there were still many places that needed to be revised and improved.

From childhood to adulthood, the biggest difference between Chen Lu and other children was that she especially liked to read, especially suspenseful detective books. She had a whole bookshelf of detective novels at home, with various styles of detective writing. Chen Lu had read each one no less than five times.

In the fourth grade of elementary school, Chen Lu began to try to create her own detective novels. From elementary school to high school, she had been writing for eight years. It could be said that reading and writing novels were Chen Lu’s two biggest hobbies.

Moreover, she currently had a reason to insist on writing, but she didn’t want to mention it.

…

Chen Lu opened the notebook and prepared to revise the manuscript. Fu Yi Wen behind her was copying the math test with both hands and eyes, still chattering non-stop:

“Hey, Lu Lu, what are you doing, memorizing cheat sheets?”

“No, I finished memorizing them last night.”

“Conceiving your novel again?”

“Yeah.”

“Seriously, aren’t you worried about the new teachers at all?”

“What’s there to worry about?”

“Sigh, I don’t have any hope for the new Politics teacher. Anyway, she definitely won’t be as good as my Teacher Sun. I don’t know what the new Homeroom Teacher is like either. May the Bodhisattva bless us, I hope they’re both easy to get along with, otherwise how will I survive the next year and a half of high school? I don’t want to be a representative for a teacher who’s so troublesome!”

“…”

Fu Yi Wen’s tone was like complaining and like praying, Chen Lu didn’t respond.

She didn’t think it was a problem, because the moment she heard that they were getting a new Homeroom Teacher, she had already decided to resign from her position as Literature Representative.

It wasn’t that she had any opinions about the new teachers, it was just that, apart from Zheng Wei, Chen Lu didn’t want to be a representative for any teacher at the moment, that’s all.

…

Fu Yi Wen kept chattering about the topic of the new teacher. Chen Lu was really not interested. She didn’t want to waste time on this issue anymore. She directly picked up a neutral pen and began to carefully revise the novel manuscript.

——

4th floor, Literature Office.

Apart from the time she moved her things here before, this was the first time Gu Wan Jun had come to this office.

Gu Wan Jun was the first to arrive at the office. She sat by the window, which was originally the seat of the original Class 12 Homeroom Teacher, Zheng Wei. Zheng Wei had taken maternity leave, and Gu Wan Jun was here to replace her as the Class 12 Homeroom Teacher.

Apart from the fact that the window seams weren’t tight in winter and let in a little cold wind, this position was pretty good.

Gu Wan Jun touched her frozen red earlobes. She had just put down her breakfast when someone pushed the door open and came in.

Neat, fluffy, short, permed hair, sharp eyes, and a rhythmic tone… Gu Wan Jun recognized that the other party was Yang Jin Feng, the Homeroom Teacher of Class 4.

“Ha, this weather is really freezing, it’s so cold, hey, Teacher Wan Jun is here.”

Yang Jin Feng’s seat was right across from Gu Wan Jun. She pulled out her chair and put down her bag while greeting Gu Wan Jun enthusiastically.

“Sister Jin Feng, good morning, it’s quite cold today.” Gu Wan Jun untied her scarf and responded with a smile.

A few days ago, Gu Wan Jun had seen Yang Jin Feng when she came to the office to pack her things. The other party was 20 years older than her and had been teaching at Ningcheng No. 1 High School for more than 20 years. She was an old teacher at this school.

“You took the earliest bus, right?”

“Yeah.” Gu Wan Jun nodded.

“After becoming a Homeroom Teacher, you live this life of getting up early and working late. Sigh, it’s okay in the summer, but getting up early and taking the bus in the winter is really painful. Oh, right, the winters in the Northeast are dry and cold, are you used to it?”

“I’m used to it, I’m also from the Northeast.”

Gu Wan Jun replied with a smile, but this answer completely exceeded Yang Jin Feng’s expectations. As soon as the words fell, those sharp eyes sized Gu Wan Jun up from head to toe, and she said in surprise:

“You’re from the Northeast? Where are you from?”

“Yunjiang City.”

“Oh, isn’t this a coincidence? I’m also from Yunjiang City!”

Yang Jin Feng twisted open the lid of her thermos cup and took a sip of hot water, finally warming up a little,

“Listening to you speak so gently and softly, I thought you were a girl from the Jiangnan region. I didn’t expect you to be a fellow villager.”

Yang Jin Feng sighed. This was probably a case of judging people by appearances. From the outside, who would have thought that Gu Wan Jun was from the Northeast?

Moreover, Yang Jin Feng had heard that this Teacher Gu was a graduate of Peking University, young and promising, and had amazing grades. Many prestigious schools had extended olive branches, eager to get her, but in the end, Gu Wan Jun unexpectedly came to Ningcheng, this remote and backward small county town, which was really puzzling.

…

The two chatted briefly for a few words, and then Yang Jin Feng went downstairs with her thermos cup.

Class 4 was a science class with more boys, so they were more likely to make trouble. Usually, Yang Jin Feng would go to the classroom early to sit and supervise, and also catch any cases of copying homework.

After Yang Jin Feng left, Gu Wan Jun was the only one left in the office. The smile on her lips instantly faded a lot, and even revealed a trace of unease between her eyebrows. While eating breakfast, she thought about how to break the ice with the new students later.

In fact, when the principal first found Gu Wan Jun and proposed that she take over Zheng Wei as the Homeroom Teacher of Class 12 in the second grade, Gu Wan Jun refused.

High school Homeroom Teachers need to manage many things, not only being responsible for the students’ studies, but also being responsible for communicating with parents, coordinating with teachers of various subjects, and many other aspects.

Gu Wan Jun had only been in Ningcheng No. 1 High School for half a year. Not only did she not have any experience as a Homeroom Teacher, but the most important thing was that it was already the second half of the first semester of the second year. Some students had a certain resistance to the change of teachers. Establishing a good teacher-student relationship was really not a good time.

But the principal directly told Gu Wan Jun frankly that there was really no way. Small county towns had limited teaching resources to begin with. The teachers sitting in the third grade were currently in a critical period and could not be withdrawn, and several teachers in the second grade had asked for leave due to various matters, so they could only transfer teachers from the first grade.

They selected Gu Wan Jun, who had an excellent resume, from among the teachers, and also said that if Gu Wan Jun did not take over Class 12, the grade director would probably have to do it himself.

So, after two hours of painstaking persuasion, Gu Wan Jun agreed to take over Zheng Wei as the Homeroom Teacher of Class 12.

Fortunately, when handing over the Homeroom Teacher work, Zheng Wei mentioned to Gu Wan Jun that the class cadres in the class were very responsible and capable, so Gu Wan Jun didn’t need to worry too much about that.

Zheng Wei also specifically emphasized that her Literature Representative was a careful and thoughtful person who would definitely be able to help Gu Wan Jun well.

There were many girls in the liberal arts class, and coupled with these points mentioned by Teacher Zheng Wei, it should be easier for her to integrate into the class, right?

A few days ago, Gu Wan Jun, who had no experience as a Homeroom Teacher, was comforting herself in this way.

But when she really stood at the door of Class 12 in the second grade and prepared to push the door open, listening to her thumping heartbeat, Gu Wan Jun suddenly felt that she didn’t seem to have much confidence in her heart.

——

The morning self-study bell at 6:30 rang on time.

Class 12, Second Grade.

In the last minute before the bell rang, Fu Yi Wen urgently handed in her math homework.

After the bell rang, all the students in the class were sitting up straight. Everyone had a book in their hands, but their eyes were constantly glancing towards the door.

Usually at this time, the Homeroom Teacher Zheng Wei would come to the classroom on time to supervise the morning reading and dictate the cheat sheets for each subject. Although the Homeroom Teacher had been changed now, this rule would definitely not change.

As the only high school in a small county town, not only Class 12 in the second grade, but all the teachers, students, and even parents of students in Ningcheng No. 1 High School were trying their best to seize every opportunity to improve their grades. Only by achieving good grades could these children from small places have the opportunity and possibility to go out and see the world.

Who exactly was the new Homeroom Teacher? And what kind of person would he/she be? Would he/she be stricter than Zheng Wei?

All the students’ faces were filled with curiosity.

…

Time passed by minute by minute. Some of the students who couldn’t sit still had already started discussing in whispers. For a time, the originally quiet classroom became noisy.

Seeing that the sound of the discussion was getting louder and louder, the Class Monitor, Li Wen Qi—a cute girl with a Cherry Maruko short haircut and black-rimmed glasses, spoke up to maintain order:

“The new Homeroom Teacher may be delayed by something, everyone stop talking! The monitors in the back are still on, if the director sees that our class’s discipline is not good, we’ll be criticized!”

“…”

Accompanied by the creaking sound of the rear monitors turning, Class Monitor Li Wen Qi’s words had some effect, and the sound of discussion in the classroom immediately quieted down a bit.

Before doing anything sneaky, Fu Yi Wen first turned her head to look at the monitor in the corner of the back right of the classroom. After confirming that the monitor was not facing her direction, she reached out and patted Chen Lu’s shoulder in front of her and leaned over to whisper:

“Hey Lu Lu, what’s the situation, why hasn’t the new teacher come yet?”

“Didn’t the Class Monitor say that she might be delayed by something?”

Chen Lu’s eyes never left her novel manuscript, but her body subconsciously leaned back against the back of the chair the moment Fu Yi Wen spoke, so that it would be easier to hear what the other party was saying.

“Could it be that she got lost and couldn’t find the class? Do you want to go to the Literature Office and look for her?”

“Each class has a number plate, how could she get lost?”

Chen Lu was sketching and deleting plots in the black notebook. She didn’t turn her head and her tone was quite calm: “Besides, why let me go?”

“Tsk, aren’t you the Literature Representative, who else would go if you don’t?”

“It’s not like I’m the only Literature Representative, besides, I’m not going to be one soon.”

“Ah? What did you say? I didn’t hear you clearly, speak a little louder—”

Fu Yi Wen was halfway through her question when there was a sudden movement at the classroom door. Startled, she reflexively shut up and sat up straight.

At 6:35 in the morning, the classroom door opened.

The students stopped discussing at the same time. The classroom was silent, and everyone’s eyes were fixed on the door.

This also included Chen Lu, who had hidden the novel manuscript in her desk.

After all, she would be meeting the new Homeroom Teacher, so she couldn’t be caught writing novels on the first day.

The previous Homeroom Teacher Zheng Wei had confiscated several of Chen Lu’s novel manuscripts in class, saying that she would return them to her after the college entrance examination. Chen Lu had to rewrite them for several nights to finish them, and since then she had started to act cautiously.

She needed to understand the new Homeroom Teacher’s temper first.

That’s what Chen Lu thought.

But when she saw the face of the person who came, a shock like a bolt of lightning quickly flashed through Chen Lu’s mind, and a burst of ripples instantly rose in her crescent-shaped eyes, which were originally as calm as a lake.

How could it be her?