I Will Certainly Make a Change Next Time

At Feng City First High School, in Sophomore Class 9 during the last period.

The math teacher, Wen Guanjie, known for his strictness, stood at the podium explaining the questions. His teaching voice easily filled the room. 

Suddenly, his gaze shifted to the students slumbering in the back row. With a forceful slap of the test paper on the desk, he called out, "Tang Qiao!"

Tang Qiao jerked awake and looked around blankly. Where is this place?

Wen Guanjie's anger flared at Tang Qiao's drowsy state. He grabbed the ferule and walked toward her aggressively.

The surrounding students gloated. Everyone at First High School knew about Wen Guanjie's no-nonsense teaching style; he used his ferule to discipline those who didn't take their studies seriously, and many mischievous students quivered at his approach. Tang Qiao, a recent transfer to the school, had not only the lowest grades but also a reputation for nodding off in class and playing hooky. It meant trouble for her to fall into Wen Guanjie's clutches this time.

"Tang Qiao, give me your hand," Wen Guanjie demanded sternly.

Tang Qiao was still not fully awake. She obediently extended her hand and looked bewildered. Her fingers were delicate and fair, but Wen Guanjie showed no mercy, raising the ferule high before bringing it down with force. If it struck her, her hand would surely swell.

"It's all over. Tang Qiao's hand will be ruined," one student muttered, covering his eyes as though he couldn't bear to watch. Yet, curiosity got the better of him, and he peeked through the gaps in his fingers.

In an unexpected turn of events, Tang Qiao, acting quicker than she thought, managed to catch the falling ferule with her fingers. She felt a faint tingling sensation on her fingertips, further deepening her confusion. Isn't this supposed to be a dream?

In the next instant, the ferule snapped with a resounding crack.

The students stared in shock, witnessing the ferule that Wen Guanjie had employed countless times to discipline students, the very nightmare of many, now broken in two, falling to the ground with a loud thud.

All the students gasped in disbelief. Wen Guanjie's ferule was seven inches long and five centimeters thick. It would have taken considerable effort for an adult man to snap it in two, yet Tang Qiao had done so with just a gentle squeeze!

Tang Qiao herself was slowly realizing the gravity of her situation. She nervously rubbed her nose and stammered, 'Um... I'm sorry... Would you like me to buy you a new one?'

The entire class was left baffled, their collective expression a chorus of question marks. Is this some kind of provocation? A blatant provocation?

Wen Guanjie, taken aback by the unexpected turn of events, found his anger dissipating. He folded his hands behind his back and asked seriously, "Tang Qiao, do you believe I shouldn't have disciplined you?"

Tang Qiao, still trying to figure out the situation, remained silent. She couldn't risk saying anything yet, fearing that she might reveal something about herself.

Upon seeing Tang Qiao's reticence, Wen Guanjie's frustration surged, evident in the veins throbbing on his forehead. He rapped the desk three times. "Look at you! You scored a mere five out of 150 on the math test! Even if I tossed the answer sheet on the floor and stomped on it, I'd still score higher than you! And you dare to sleep in my class?"

Tang Qiao blinked, gazing earnestly at the irate Wen Guanjie. She nodded sincerely and said, "Yes, I was wrong. I promise I won't sleep in class again."

Wen Guanjie hesitated briefly, then adjusted his sleeves and retorted, "You'd better keep your word!" With that, he turned and walked back to the podium.

The class was left dumbfounded. Has it ended just like that? Does Wen Guanjie let Tang Qiao off so easily? That can't be right...

As expected, a moment later, Wen Guanjie, now back at the podium, raised another challenge. "Tang Qiao, solve this question for me."

The entire class fell silent. Their math teacher was notorious for being terrifying, and this question had not yet been discussed. It was also the most challenging question on the test. Even the Mathematics class representative struggled with it, let alone Tang Qiao...

Tang Qiao blinked and rose slowly from her seat. She looked at the question on the blackboard, in the direction of Wen Guanjie's broken ferule.

After a quick assessment, she confidently provided the correct answer.

The entire class turned around in astonishment, their eyes fixed on Wen Guanjie.

Wen Guanjie maintained his stoic expression and inquired, "The answer is correct. Can you explain the process of solving the question?"

This time, it was Tang Qiao's turn to be caught off guard. One plus one equals two. Do I really need to explain the process?

Her classmates assumed her blank expression was a lucky guess and eagerly anticipated a show. Wen Guanjie's face, on the other hand, grew darker as he pressed, "So you know the answer but not the process?"

Tang Qiao snapped back to reality and shook her head. "No, it's just that I didn't expect such a simple question to require a detailed process."

With that, she proceeded to calmly outline the problem-solving steps, as though a mental calculator guided her every explanation.