We ordinary people also need to fall in love.

On Tuesday, Li Mubai was still not used to his new position and felt particularly awkward.

However, Teacher Chen doesn't care about these things when criticizing.

"Look at your test papers! They're a complete mess. Half of our class lost points on those 12 simple questions. How can we compare to No. 1 High School?"

Students have it so tough. At home, they have to be compared to the children of their neighbors and relatives, and at school, they have to be compared to the children of other schools.

"And there are a few students who only scored around 100 in math. I don't know what you're doing?"

Their class's average math score was around 110.

Upon hearing this, Li Mubai knew he was involved. He lowered his head, thankfully Teacher Chen hadn't named anyone, which saved him some face.

"Li Mubai, explain how you answered questions 12."

I laugh at Zhou Yu's lack of strategy and Zhuge Liang's lack of wisdom. —Cao Cao

Life is always like this; it always manages to crush our confidence just when we've gained a little, but it also surprises us in unexpected ways.

"Xie Shu, I didn't understand this math problem just now. Could you teach me?" Chen Qiuhe asked.

"it is good."

"Oh right, I just realized that Li Mubai isn't very good at math either. Xie Shu, could you teach both of us together?" Chen Qiuhe said, pretending to realize something.

"OK."

Chen Qiuhe, you really…

Li Mubai glanced at his new deskmate, Wang Rui, who was sleeping on the desk. It seemed that as a married man, he was particularly careful about keeping his distance from girls.

Now, should Li Mubai stand up, come to the front, and bend down next to Xie Shu?

Fortunately, Chen Qiuhe was always bold. She turned around and placed the math test paper on Li Mubai's desk.

Xie Shu seemed unconcerned and turned around as well.

"This question starts with..."

It took me two or three minutes to explain this problem.

"Did you understand?" It wasn't Xie Shu who asked, but Chen Qiuhe.

Damn it, is it not you, Chen Qiuhe, who can't do it?

"Understood, thank you, class monitor."

"You're welcome."

"Since you two are so kind, then I thank you too, Shu."

...Chen Qiuhe, please don't get sick.

After the exams, almost every subject teacher went over the test papers, and Chinese was no exception.

"For question 15, the answer was C. Are there any other incorrect answers you don't understand?"

Why is Teacher D correct?

"Yes, teacher, didn't you say before that the second couplet in a regulated verse must be a couplet? This second couplet isn't a couplet at all."

Ah, well, even the teacher isn't sure, but as a teacher, one can't simply refuse to answer difficult questions; instead, one would say:

"That's a very good question. Let's discuss it after class."

"It's the Stealing Spring Technique," Li Mubai couldn't help but whisper.

"Teacher, this is called the 'Stealing Spring' pattern!" Chen Qiuhe raised her hand and said.

That's incredible! I should have kept it to myself; I had a bad feeling about it.

"Oh, Chen Qiuhe, you know it? Then stand up and tell everyone the meaning of the Stealing Spring Pattern."

"I don't know much about the teacher; Li Mubai told me about him."

...When did I tell you that? I don't admit it.

"Then, can you tell us what this means?" Chinese teacher Yang said with a smile.

A rustling sound immediately filled the classroom.

"Alright, everyone, please listen quietly," Teacher Yang said loudly.

"The 'Stealing Spring' style means that the first couplet is parallel, but the second couplet is not. This can also be considered a regulated poem," Li Mubai stood up and explained.

"Really! The first couplet is a perfect antithesis." A classmate took another look.

"Why would the teacher who set the question set such an obscure question? Who would have thought?"

Actually, the person who set the question didn't even notice this problem; it was just a verbal habit, but it turned out to be a trap.

"Then why is it called 'stealing spring'?" a student asked.

"This is like the plum blossom stealing the spring's beauty and blooming early, hence the name 'Stealing Spring Style'."

"That's right, where did you hear about Li Mubai?" Teacher Yang praised.

"I learned it from a book."

Of course, he knew it from reading "Detailed Annotations on Du Fu's Poems," as it was fully written in the book. He thought to himself, "If it were a book, I might know it too."

"Okay, sit down. Classmates, this illustrates a point: reading more books does help with answering questions."

"You got away with it again." After class, Chen Qiuhe turned around and said.

How could you use such vulgar words in front of Xie Shu? You are simply lawless!

"I don't want to either."

With Xie Shu present, Li Mubai and Chen Qiuhe became much more restrained in their conversation.

"Class monitor, Li Mubai, Teacher Yang wants to see you," the Chinese language representative called out as he returned from the office.

"Okay, sure."

For some unknown reason, he and Xie Shu walked to the office in complete silence.

I feel that my relationship with Xie Shu is very strange now. In private, we can share an umbrella and encourage each other, but in public, we are like two strangers.

"Teacher Yang."

Other teachers were still sitting in the Chinese language office at that time; probably half of the Chinese language teachers for the second year of high school were here.

"Li Mubai, long time no see! How are your studies going?"

I saw someone I knew in the office.

"Teacher Zhou."

"Meiqin (Teacher Zhou), let me finish talking to them first, then you can catch up," Teacher Yang said.

"Okay, Sister Qin."

"Xie Shu, Li Mubai, come here."

Teacher Yang waved to them and opened a tweet on her computer, saying:

"I've seen your Chinese exam papers. Your compositions were very well written. There's a provincial-level composition competition going on right now; would you be interested in participating?"

There are countless heroes in the world, and Li Mubai was not confident that he could win the award. However, it would be inappropriate to refuse right away, so he waited to see what Xie Shu would say.

"Teacher, can I take a look at the essay topic first?" Xie Shu asked.

"Okay, you can see for yourselves."

Li Mubai also went over to take a look.

The 12th Xiyue Cuiling Cup Essay Competition, themed "Green Mountains as Witness, New Journey for Our Hometown," focuses on the contemporary development of our hometown. The deadline for submissions is December 25th…

"So? Are you interested?" Teacher Yang asked.

No, this kind of theme is the easiest to write in a pretentious and empty way, but what is required is that the emotions are sincere and the content is true. Li Mubai has no memory of his hometown and only goes back once a year during festivals.

Xie Shu glanced at him, seemingly waiting for his answer.

"Teacher Yang, I..."

Just as Li Mubai was about to refuse, Teacher Yang interrupted him: "You can go back and think about it first. The submission period is quite long. You need to decide whether to participate or not before November 25th."

"Okay, teacher." Xie Shu nodded.

What else is there to say? Xie Shu has already said so. I'll go back first and talk about it privately next time. I'm not interested.

Xie Shu left first, and Li Mubai caught up with Teacher Zhou for a while before going back to class.

"Sister Qin, if you manage to produce two provincial first-prize winners, the school will probably give you a lot of bonuses, right?"

"That depends on whether the students are willing to participate." Teacher Yang smiled.

"I think Li Mubai listens to Xie Shu quite a bit. You could ask Xie Shu to talk to him more," suggested Teacher Zhou. She was their first-year high school Chinese teacher and was quite familiar with them.

"Be careful not to let a couple start dating too early," another teacher said.

Actually, bonuses and puppy love don't matter. Ms. Yang is just a middle-aged teacher in her forties, she has everything she needs, and she's not even a homeroom teacher. She just doesn't want to bury talent...