It was a hot and humid day with no clouds in the sky and no wind. Many cars were parked outside the school gates.
Today was the first day of school.
The summer uniforms at Sanzhong School were very trendy. The boys wore small suits with simple ties, while the girls wore dark blue Scottish skirts that went past their knees, paired with white shirts.
Dong Guohao and Chen Junyu were not seen in the office, but Chu Yi didn't care. He quickly tidied up and hurried to the classroom door.
There was a bustling noise coming from inside the classroom, which made him feel nostalgic and even nervous.
He pushed open the door when suddenly a cup of water on it fell with a splash.
Just as everyone wanted to laugh at him, Chu Yi leaned his body to one side and caught it steadily.
"I didn't expect you guys missed me so much that you even prepared water for me." Chu Yi gestured towards his students as disappointed voices came from within the classroom.
"Teacher, why haven't you left yet? I thought you couldn't stand us anymore."
"Chu Laoshi hasn't even passed his probation period yet. Maybe he won't even pass it."
"Hey, Chu Lao Shi (teacher), do you want my dad to introduce you to a job?"
Chu Yi felt infinitely wronged as he looked at these young people full of youthfulness who had united against him in their previous lives. Being a teacher is not easy!
Class 18 was a very special class because many wealthy and influential people in Jiujiang City sent their children here if they did poorly academically. These children represented future upper-class society members of Jiujiang City for years to come.
Previous homeroom teachers had been driven away by them alive before this new inexperienced intern teacher took over cheaply thanks to the former principal.
He walked towards the podium with a slight twitch of his mouth. If he guessed correctly, the floor was covered in soap.
But with his strength, he would naturally be unharmed.
"Teacher, didn't you feel slippery?"
"Could it be that someone leaked our plan?"
Guo Feifei leaned on her desk and felt somewhat annoyed. The two tricks she had prepared earlier did not go as planned since Chu Yi did not fall for them.
"Feifei, did we use too little soap?"
"But we still have one ace up our sleeve."
Several girls sitting next to Guo Feifei chattered away before a tall male student stood up at their urging.
"Chu Lao Shi (teacher), I don't think your education background and teaching experience are enough to qualify you as our Chinese teacher and homeroom teacher. So we hope you can leave voluntarily." Hu Lai said bluntly with arrogance between his eyebrows while also being class monitor.
His father is the leader of Jing'an District and thinks his son should be a man, so he named him Hulai. But he didn't expect Hulai to turn out like this.
Hulai was impolite and straightforward. If it were any other teacher, they would have been driven to tears by now.
But Chu Yi just smiled wryly.
Although his students seemed mischievous, in his previous life when he was at his most difficult times, they had all helped him in one way or another. Otherwise, Chuyi wouldn't continue being a teacher in this life.
Chu Yi was about to speak when Dong Guohao knocked on the door and said: "Teacher Chu, there's something I want to tell you. From now on, your class will switch with Teacher Chen's."
The classroom suddenly fell silent.
Chu Yi frowned and looked at both of them asking: "I don't remember having the authority to arbitrarily change classes. Besides has this matter been approved by the principal?"
"You're just an intern teacher; such matters do not require approval from the principal," Dong Guohao replied while fearing Chuyi somewhat but also knowing that since they were still within school grounds no physical harm could come upon him.
"Teacher Chu please follow protocol," Chen Junyu added calmly. Although what happened that day made him feel embarrassed as someone who held high status like Fan Hong couldn't even help him out without relying on their old headmaster's reputation but after all these years he knew better than anyone else how powerful those behind each student in Class 18 really are - together they could rival half of Jiujiang City itself! If only he could establish good relations with them then everything would be smooth sailing for himself later on...
His gaze appeared peaceful yet carried an air of superiority: "Furthermore we heard earlier that some of your students wanted you gone."
"You're not qualified to teach them, just an intern teacher without even a proper rating," Guo Feifei saw the situation and her eyes lit up - this was going to be good.
These students naturally knew Chen Junyu's identity but they didn't expect him to confront their beloved Teacher Chu like this.
"I think Teacher Chu is better. Chen Junyu doesn't seem like a good person."
"Of course not, he couldn't even inherit his family fortune so he had no choice but to become a teacher here."
These were all young masters and misses who feared nothing in life; they dared say anything.
Chen Junyu felt displeased when Chuyi didn't respond: "Teacher Chu, I'm talking to you. Don't you know how to show some courtesy?"
Chu Yi replied calmly: "I'm sorry, I don't talk with people whose mouths are full of shit."
Chen Junyu was stunned for a moment before realizing what Chuyi meant and angrily retorted: "Are you saying that what I said was bullshit?!"
Chu Yi nodded while looking as if he could teach children well.
Hahaha!"
"Wow, when did Chu Lao become so sharp? He's making jokes about farting and laughing me to death."
"Chu Yi, remember this is a school!" Dong Guohao sternly reminded.
"Teachers, don't argue. Since both of you want to be the homeroom teacher for our Class 18, I'll give you a question. Whoever wins will be the teacher." Hu Lai grinned mischievously with his teeth showing. "Of course, if neither of you answers correctly, then neither of you qualify."
Upon hearing this, Chen Junyu was pleased. In terms of knowledge, he believed that he would not lose to an ordinary college graduate.
"Since it's what the students want and you can't go against it," Chen Junyu poured himself a glass of water and put a piece of chalk in it. "If anyone loses... drink this glass of water."
The group of students cheered.
Chu Yi's face flashed with coldness - did they really think he was made out mud?
"No way! This bet is too small and not ruthless enough. If we're going to play let's make it big." Chu Yi spat into the cup before handing it over to Chen Junyu with a smile on his face. "You take a sip too."
"I'm going! This is too much..." Several students gagged.
"Chu Lao isn't honest at all; why do I feel like he's very scheming?" Hu Lai looked at the disgusting water almost vomiting.
Finally, Chu Yi made Dong Guohao take a sip as well.
Looking at the nauseating water in front him caused Chen Junyu's facial muscles tremble uncontrollably as he said sinisterly: "I'm looking forward to seeing your expression after drinking."
"All right Hu Lai; now you can ask your question," Chu Yi said.
Hu Lai cleared his throat and grinned wickedly. "Listen up, both of you. My question is to recite the first thousand words of the first part of the Tao Te Ching, which covers two blackboards."
"Hu Lai is really ruthless; who would memorize that?"
"But seeing Chen Junyu so confident, I guess Chu Lao will lose."
"This guy is really embarrassing." Gu Feifei frowned in disgust. Although she disliked Chu Yi, he was still related to her grandfather.
"The Tao Te Ching?" Chen Junyu smiled confidently upon hearing this. "Not just a thousand words from the first part; I can recite the whole thing."
He picked up a piece of chalk and challenged Chu Yi: "Chu Laoshi, it looks like you're going to lose."
However, Chu Yi was laughing inside because he came from Tai Chi Sect - not only could he recite the Tao Te Ching but even if someone said one word randomly from it, he knew exactly where it appeared in its original text.
"Chu Wu Ya (crow), hurry up and write," Guo Feifei urged impatiently as she wondered if he really didn't know how to do it.
Chu Yi winked at her before slowly picking up a piece of chalk and writing down the first character.
"If we're going to win let's win beautifully," he thought.
"Wrong!" Hu Lai judged after seeing Chu Yi's first character.
"What? He got it wrong on the very first sentence?"
"I know even that much - 'The Dao that can be spoken is not eternal.' "
Everyone was dumbfounded until they realized something wasn't right when they compared each elegant stroke with their phones' search results for accuracy. A chill ran through them all at once as they wondered how there could be such a person in this world!
Hahaha!"
"Wow, when did Chu Lao become so sharp? He's making jokes about farting and laughing me to death."
"Chu Yi, remember this is a school!" Dong Guohao sternly reminded.
"Teachers, don't argue. Since both of you want to be the homeroom teacher for our Class 18, I'll give you a question. Whoever wins will be the teacher." Hu Lai grinned mischievously with his teeth showing. "Of course, if neither of you answers correctly, then neither of you qualify."
Upon hearing this, Chen Junyu was pleased. In terms of knowledge, he believed that he would not lose to an ordinary college graduate.
"Since it's what the students want and you can't go against it," Chen Junyu poured himself a glass of water and put a piece of chalk in it. "If anyone loses... drink this glass of water."
The group of students cheered.
Chu Yi's face flashed with coldness - did they really think he was made out mud?
"No way! This bet is too small and not ruthless enough. If we're going to play let's make it big." Chu Yi spat into the cup before handing it over to Chen Junyu with a smile on his face. "You take a sip too."
"I'm going! This is too much..." Several students gagged.
"Chu Lao isn't honest at all; why do I feel like he's very scheming?" Hu Lai looked at the disgusting water almost vomiting.
Finally, Chu Yi made Dong Guohao take a sip as well.
Looking at the nauseating water in front him caused Chen Junyu's facial muscles tremble uncontrollably as he said sinisterly: "I'm looking forward to seeing your expression after drinking."
"All right Hu Lai; now you can ask your question," Chu Yi said.
Hu Lai cleared his throat and grinned wickedly. "Listen up, both of you. My question is to recite the first thousand words of the first part of the Tao Te Ching, which covers two blackboards."
"Hu Lai is really ruthless; who would memorize that?"
"But seeing Chen Junyu so confident, I guess Chu Lao will lose."
"This guy is really embarrassing." Gu Feifei frowned in disgust. Although she disliked Chu Yi, he was still related to her grandfather.
"The Tao Te Ching?" Chen Junyu smiled confidently upon hearing this. "Not just a thousand words from the first part; I can recite the whole thing."
He picked up a piece of chalk and challenged Chu Yi: "Chu Laoshi, it looks like you're going to lose."
However, Chu Yi was laughing inside because he came from Tai Chi Sect - not only could he recite the Tao Te Ching but even if someone said one word randomly from it, he knew exactly where it appeared in its original text.
"Chu Wu Ya (crow), hurry up and write," Guo Feifei urged impatiently as she wondered if he really didn't know how to do it.
Chu Yi winked at her before slowly picking up a piece of chalk and writing down the first character.
"If we're going to win let's win beautifully," he thought.
"Wrong!" Hu Lai judged after seeing Chu Yi's first character.
"What? He got it wrong on the very first sentence?"
"I know even that much - 'The Dao that can be spoken is not eternal.' "
Everyone was dumbfounded until they realized something wasn't right when they compared each elegant stroke with their phones' search results for accuracy. A chill ran through them all at once as they wondered how there could be such a person in this world!
//Tao Te Ching = Chinese Classic Text