Chapter 72: Lin Jie's Talent

"What!?" Lin Jie exclaimed in shock, "Why? Teacher Liu, what happened?"

"It's nothing, just personal reasons," feeling Lin Jie's genuine concern and anxiety, Li Nianlong smiled faintly and patted her head, "Being an adult, you have to face various pressures. Sometimes, being a student is better. You don't have to worry about anything, just focus on studying."

"It's not that easy being a student either," Lin Jie muttered, feeling a sense of inexplicable sadness.

The bell for the next class rang, Li Nianlong nudged her, "Go queue up! We'll play basketball together later."

Lin Jie went to line up with her classmates, waiting for Li Nianlong's instructions.

Unlike with Class 1 of Grade 2, in this PE class for Class 3 of Grade 2, Li Nianlong didn't teach them Baguazhang. Is the Earth Element crying for mercy already?

"Are you all tired from the first three periods?" Li Nianlong asked with a smile.

"So tired!"

"Exhausted."

"I miss the days of summer vacation!"

"I'm hungry."

The group of mischievous boys and girls began to complain. After a year of interaction with Li Nianlong, they had come to understand his temperament and personality. He didn't seem like a typical teacher but more like a big brother who could play with them. This was one of the main reasons why the students liked Li Nianlong.

Li Nianlong pressed his hands down, "Alright, I know you all are tired, but it's unavoidable. You're at the age for studying! But I understand, so for this class, let's not do much. Just do whatever you want. Those who want to play soccer, play soccer; those who want to play basketball, play basketball. Those who don't want to do anything, just watch and cheer for your classmates on the field."

"Teacher Liu is the best!"

"Teacher Liu is mighty!"

"Teacher Liu is awesome!"

"Teacher Liu is cool!"

"Teacher Liu is hot!"

The earlier compliments were fine, but the last ones were getting inappropriate. Li Nianlong laughed and scolded, "Anyone who talks nonsense, run two laps around the field."

The students dispersed playfully, some playing soccer on the green field, some playing basketball on the court. As agreed, Li Nianlong and Lin Jie teamed up to play basketball.

The campus was a stage for youth, where boys and girls could sweat and laugh loudly. It was beautiful and unforgettable, but also challenging. With the current exam-oriented education system in China, at least nine out of ten students didn't enjoy going to school. Even the top students, who excelled academically, were not necessarily fond of studying.

Learning should start with interests and hobbies, and then knowledge should be gradually imparted. If someone is forced to do something they dislike, it will only lead to half-hearted efforts.

Li Nianlong understood the students' pain, especially as a PE teacher who didn't have to be responsible for their grades. So, during PE classes, he tried to make the students as happy as possible. He even wrote lower scores on some necessary tests to draw attention to the students' physical deficiencies. Otherwise, the school would just be breeding a bunch of weaklings.

But Li Nianlong's efforts didn't yield any results. The school still didn't prioritize PE classes because neither the high school nor college entrance exams included physical education. To change this, physical education would have to become an exam subject in the future, with high scores required. If the scores were too low, the studious students wouldn't care. They could easily make up for it with scores in other subjects.

However, Li Nianlong didn't worry about these issues anymore. All he wanted now was to spend the remaining time with his students happily.

"Pass the ball!"

Receiving the basketball, Li Nianlong turned, dribbled, made a move, and dunked!

"Wow! Teacher Liu is so handsome!" The girls watching from the sidelines exclaimed.

With his tall figure, handsome face, and caring demeanor, Li Nianlong remained popular among the female students in the school. Nearly 90% of the girls considered him their ideal prince charming, dreaming about him late at night...

While there were many students in the school who played basketball well, none of them were Li Nianlong's match. As for soccer... Li Nianlong was an excellent goalkeeper. Any forward who encountered him would turn into a member of the national team. They wouldn't dare to shoot, and even if they did, it would be off target...

Seeing Li Nianlong effortlessly score a goal, Lin Jie snorted, then shouted to the baseline player, "Pass me the ball!"

The baseline player immediately passed the ball to her. Catching it, Lin Jie quickly dribbled into the frontcourt, but Li Nianlong was faster. He caught up with her just past the midline, blocking her path with a confident smile, "Come on, try to shoot in front of me."

"Am I stupid? Shoot?" Lin Jie rolled her eyes, skillfully made a few crossovers, but Li Nianlong didn't fall for her feints. He remained in front of her, ready to steal the ball or block her shot at any moment.

After playing with Li Nianlong for a year, Lin Jie had learned some skills. Seeing Li Nianlong's tight defense, Lin Jie pretended to shoot. Li Nianlong's center of gravity shifted slightly, and Lin Jie immediately seized the opportunity to change direction and drive past him. Just as she approached the basket, Li Nianlong, with his height of 188 centimeters and wingspan of over 190 centimeters, completely enveloped her.

What a move by Lin Jie! She immediately caught the ball, turned around, and headed to the other side of the basket. Li Nianlong had just taken a step to follow her when Lin Jie suddenly turned back again and made a layup...

Swish—

The ball went in without mercy, eliciting another round of screams from the girls watching.

Lin Jie looked at the ball that had been slapped out of bounds with some disappointment. "I thought that shot was going in for sure."

Li Nianlong smiled faintly, "Give it a little more effort next time. You were close."

Actually, Li Nianlong was quite surprised. If it were him from before, Lin Jie would have easily tricked him. Just now, he relied on his speed of 135 points to block the shot relatively effortlessly. But this also indirectly confirmed Lin Jie's improvement in basketball skills. Considering her mediocre academic performance and tall stature, Li Nianlong's mind was racing. Should he train Lin Jie in basketball?

Lin Jie, who was only fourteen years old, displayed remarkable basketball talent at this age. Li Nianlong didn't know about other basketball prodigies, but none of the girls he had encountered during his school days could compare to Lin Jie. Even Li Nianlong's former classmate, who had joined the professional women's basketball league in China two years ago, was far inferior to Lin Jie at the age of fourteen.

After playing for about fifteen minutes, Lin Jie

 became tired and was temporarily substituted. Li Nianlong also found an excuse to be replaced by someone else. Then, he took out some money and sent two runners to buy two boxes of drinks. Amidst the students' gratitude, he walked over to Lin Jie with two cans of iced tea and handed one to her, "Have you ever thought about pursuing basketball in the future?"

"Thank you, Teacher Liu," Lin Jie said gratefully as she took a sip of the iced tea. "I haven't thought that far ahead. Playing basketball is just a hobby for me. I don't know if I can handle the atmosphere and environment of professional basketball if I turn it into a career."

Li Nianlong smiled faintly, "I have a female classmate who is now a professional basketball player in China, and she even has the potential to join the national team. But when she was fourteen, she only knew how to dribble and shoot, unlike your skills."

"Oh?" Lin Jie became interested. "What's your classmate's name?"

"It's quite a rustic name," Li Nianlong smiled faintly. "To give my old classmate some face, I'd better not say."

"Haha, okay, I won't ask then. I'll give Teacher Liu's classmate some face too," Lin Jie giggled.

A ladybug flew to her head, and Li Nianlong flicked it away with his finger, then said seriously, "This classmate, don't laugh too much in the future. You'll attract bugs."

"Meanie! You're the one attracting bugs!" Lin Jie pouted, then chugged down the iced tea, holding the empty can in her hand. "Teacher Liu, do you think I can make it to the national team in the future?"

Chapter 73: Xiang Youyou

"I just said that your talent and skills are much better than hers. As for whether you can translate that into ultimate strength, it depends on your future efforts." Li Nianlong said with a non-committal attitude, "You're still young, don't rush into decisions. Think about it carefully, and it's best to discuss it with your parents. Because I really believe that you have a lot of talent and potential in basketball. It would be a pity if you don't pursue this path."

Pausing for a moment, Li Nianlong smiled and said, "Even if you can't make it in basketball, it doesn't matter. You're a girl, you can still find a good man to marry in the future, and live a worry-free life."

"Annoying, I'm still young!" Lin Jie's face turned red, she rolled her eyes lightly, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Then I'll go home and discuss it with my parents."

"Up to you." Li Nianlong smiled faintly. At this point, the dismissal bell rang. Li Nianlong took a sip of cold tea and said, "School's out, let's go!"

"Teacher Liu, you still haven't told me why you want to resign!" Lin Jie grabbed Li Nianlong's sleeve, "I've been holding back for a whole class, this time you can't escape."

Li Nianlong smiled helplessly, "It's all personal reasons, and besides, what difference would it make if I told you? You can't help me anyway."

"You should tell me first!" Lin Jie insisted, "How do you know if I can't help you if you don't tell me?"

"I really can't say." Li Nianlong said apologetically, removing Lin Jie's hand, "The reasons are a bit complicated, from various aspects. Anyway, thank you for your concern, but even if I'm no longer your teacher in the future, we'll still be good friends. Whenever you want to play basketball, just call me."

"Okay!" Although Lin Jie was somewhat unhappy that Li Nianlong refused to explain the reasons, she had to relent since Li Nianlong had already said so much. She pouted, "Don't lie to me, I'll still find you in the future."

Li Nianlong smiled and patted Lin Jie's shoulder, bidding each other farewell.

During this lunch break, Li Nianlong continued to work at the construction site. In the afternoon, he taught a class to the students of Class 2 of the second year, then returned to work at the construction site. After a day of intermittent work, Li Nianlong only gained 1 proficiency point.

Running between the school and the construction site during the day, mixing experience on the training ground at night, and honing skills and leveling up by fighting monsters in the early morning. This kind of life continued for five days. Finally, on the sixth day, the new teacher who replaced Li Nianlong arrived.

"Hello, I'm Xiang Youyou."

In the principal's office, Li Nianlong was quite surprised to see this female teacher who was several years younger than himself. He shook hands with her, saying, "Hello, I'm Li Nianlong."

Xiang Youyou, in her early twenties, stood tall at 1.73 meters with a slender figure. She had a neat ear-length haircut and was dressed in sportswear, exuding an air of confidence. However, her appearance was rather plain, which somewhat lowered her overall appeal.

A faint, sweet fragrance emanated from Xiang Youyou, and as Li Nianlong took a deep breath, he recognized it as the fragrance of a virgin.

Glancing at her aura, which emitted a white hue indicating she was a good person, Li Nianlong found it rare.

As Li Nianlong appraised Xiang Youyou, she was also sizing him up. 'Mr. Perfect' was her first impression—handsome, tall, and rich... He had the complete package, but would the 'rich' part match?

Seeing the mutual appraisal, the principal chuckled, "Teacher Liu, this is Teacher Xiang, a high-achieving graduate from the Sports College. I want you to help her familiarize herself with the school's work and environment in the next few days. Teacher Xiang, Teacher Liu is the most popular teacher among our students. Feel free to ask him anything you're unsure about. I believe you two can perfectly handle the handover."

Xiang Youyou smiled brightly, "Sure, I'll definitely seek guidance from Teacher Liu."

Li Nianlong felt a fondness for Xiang Youyou because good people always seemed likable. "Actually, the school's work isn't difficult. I believe Teacher Xiang will quickly become familiar with everything here."

"I hope so," Xiang Youyou nodded with a smile. Then she asked, "Teacher Liu, perhaps I shouldn't ask, but since the students adore you so much, why are you resigning?"

Faced with a question he had been asked countless times in recent days, Li Nianlong smiled faintly, "Various reasons, I suppose." Pausing for a moment, he continued, "The next class is a PE class for Class 3 of Grade 8. Principal, I'll take Teacher Xiang to familiarize herself with the environment."

The principal chuckled, "Sure, thanks Teacher Liu."

Leaving the principal's office, Li Nianlong and Xiang Youyou walked side by side towards the playground. Along the way, Li Nianlong introduced Xiang Youyou to the school's environment and the things to pay attention to during classes. Xiang Youyou listened attentively and asked questions when she didn't understand, to which Li Nianlong patiently provided answers. In just a short distance, they developed a further fondness for each other.

"Teacher Liu..." Arriving at the playground, Xiang Youyou sighed as she saw the students of Class 3 of Grade 8 chatting and laughing with Li Nianlong, while casting strange looks at her. "You really shouldn't resign. It's evident that the students like you a lot."

Li Nianlong smiled slightly, "Life always presents different choices, and there are things we can't control. Lin Dong! You mischievous brat, bullying others for having short legs again? Do you want me to saw off your legs?"

"Hehehe, Teacher Liu, I'm not bullying others for having short legs. I just feel like they waste money by needing to hem their pants." A boy with exceptionally long legs chuckled lasciviously.

Li Nianlong was furious, "That's unreasonable! Can you tolerate that, classmates?"

"No!" Dozens of mischievous kids shouted in unison.

"What are you waiting for then?" Li Nianlong pointed at Lin Dong, "Get him!"

The kids swarmed over and lifted up Lin Dong, who looked terrified. They ran towards the goal post, and when they reached it, they spread Lin Dong's legs apart and pressed them against the goal post. Then, they began to grind his legs against the post...

"Ahh... I give up! Spare me!" Lin Dong's 'agonized' cries echoed far and wide.

Seeing this incredible scene, Xiang Youyou was taken aback, "Teacher Liu, what is this?"

Li Nianlong chuckled, "The students are already tired from their academic classes. If they can't release some energy during PE class, wouldn't it be too pitiful?"

Xiang Youyou looked at Li Nianlong, who stood there with arms crossed and a smile on his face, and a hint of inexplicable admiration flashed in her eyes. She smiled faintly, "No wonder the students like you so much, Teacher Liu. I'm impressed."

"Don't say that," Li Nianlong waved his hand with a smile. "I'm just fooling around. After all, I've been through their age, and I know what students of this age face. Heavy academic workload has made these kids suffer enough. I just want them to know that school isn't just about pain; there's also joy."

As he said this, Li Nianlong looked at Xiang Youyou very seriously and earnestly pleaded, "Teacher Xiang, I hope that after I leave, you'll also treat these kids well—not as students, but as friends. Because no matter who it is, there are some things you can only say to a friend."

Looking at Li Nianlong's solemn expression, Xiang Youyou nodded with a hint of hesitation, "I'll do my best. After all, I'm new here, and I'm not familiar with these kids. I don't know if they'll accept me?"

Xiang Youyou's reaction and response pleased Li Nianlong greatly. If she had readily agreed, he would have worried.

"Don't worry!" Li Nianlong smiled and said, "These kids are descendants of the disbanded Heavenly Garrison, just like their elders. They're straightforward and passionate teenagers. As long as you treat them sincerely, they'll reciprocate with sincerity."

Patting Xiang Youyou on the shoulder, Li Nianlong said, "If I can do it, I believe Teacher Xiang can too." Pausing, Li Nianlong grinned, "And if you ever encounter something you can't solve, feel free to give me a call. Even if I'm no longer a teacher, I can still offer you some assistance."

Xiang Youyou responded with a bright laugh, "It's a deal then. But I don't have a mobile phone yet. Teacher Liu, please give me your phone number. I'll call you when I get one in the future."

"It's rare to find someone without a mobile phone these days!" Li Nianlong remarked with mild surprise, his lips curling into a smile. He proceeded to recite his phone number. To his amazement, Xiang Youyou, with her remarkable memory, repeated it accurately after hearing it just once.

"Teacher Liu!" From a distance, Lin Jie's voice carried over. Li Nianlong turned around to see Lin Jie bounding towards him like a joyful fawn. Arriving before Li Nianlong, she beamed, "Teacher Liu, I have some good news to share with you."