Chapter 21: Tingting 19

“To be loved by students like this, it makes a lifetime worth it.” The Chinese teacher from the classroom next door smiled. Teaching and nurturing students was their profession, but earning the respect and affection of their students brought them far more satisfaction than any amount of money.

The math teacher from Class One spoke quite candidly: “Teacher Shi deserves it too. Everyone saw Han Tingting’s math grades before; they were indeed terrible. It was only because Teacher Shi was patient and never found her a nuisance.”

“Knowing that Han Tingting came by frequently, she even went out of her way to prepare a small stool for her. That was truly thoughtful. Preparing all those various practice papers takes a lot of heart, too.”

Tan You, of course, was unaware of the discussions in the office. Under Teacher Qin's guidance, she had transitioned smoothly into the high school department—a place that, in Han Tingting's memory, she had never once visited.

Tan You was also a stranger to this place, but the mere thought that Teacher Shi was within the teaching building made her steps feel light and brisk.

Teacher Qin found it amusing. “You’re that happy?”

Tan You counted on her fingers. “I hadn't seen Teacher Shi since before the final exams. It’s already March; I haven't seen her in over two months.”

Teacher Qin replied, “Teacher Shi was hospitalized back then. Aren't I bringing you to see her now?”

The two spoke in low voices as they reached the third floor of the teaching building. At the classroom on the far west side of the third floor, Teacher Qin gently pushed the door open, and Teacher Shi looked up.

Teacher Qin made a gesture, and Teacher Shi set down her pen and walked out. Standing at the door, Tan You suddenly felt a wave of nervousness. On the way here, she had been consumed by excitement—pure, simple joy—but now that she was facing Teacher Shi, what was she supposed to say?

She wasn't a very eloquent person; for instance, she could never bring herself to say something like, "Teacher, I missed you." Seeing Han Tingting's unease, Teacher Qin sighed; she was still just a child, after all.

So, in the end, he had to take the lead. Teacher Qin handed the report card to Teacher Shi. “This is the result of the first monthly exam of the new semester. You put a lot of effort into this student, Han Tingting; everyone wanted you to see the fruits of your labor.”

Teacher Shi took the report card. Han Tingting's name caught her eye immediately, and upon closer inspection, she saw the student was ranked third in the city. Teacher Shi couldn't help but be surprised. She looked closely at the grades: “Han Tingting, you are truly wonderful.”

“I heard from Teacher Wang about your final exam results. Congratulations; your hard work has paid off.”

Tan You didn't know what to say; she only knew how to look at Teacher Shi and smile. Han Tingting had very large eyes, and when she smiled, it looked as if there were stars within them. She looked so well-behaved and gentle—where was the stubborn girl who had been so defiant in the office with Teacher Qin?

Even Teacher Qin couldn't help but sigh. As a fellow math teacher, why had Han Tingting never smiled at him so sweetly?

Teacher Shi smiled as well, reaching out to pat Tan You's hair. “You have always done so well. I am incredibly proud of you. It has been a great honor to teach you for a period of time.”

Tan You spoke earnestly, “It is I who feel truly honored to be your student. Teacher, one day I will become a person like you, and if given the chance in the future, I will be able to brighten someone else's life as well.”

Teacher Shi was deeply moved. “If that day truly comes, Tingting, you will be the greatest pride of my teaching career. I look forward to it very much.”

Tan You bit her lip. “I will work hard to become your glory.”

Watching this scene, Teacher Qin suddenly felt that teacher-student relationships like this one between Han Tingting and Teacher Shi were truly rare and precious. For one person to become a role model for another was something incredibly valuable and hard to come by.

He tapped Tan You on the head. “Lunch break is almost over. If you want to use Teacher Shi as your role model, then study hard and strive to be her student again in the future.”

Tan You nodded heavily. “Teacher, during the next midterm, I will ask Teacher Qin to bring me to see you again.”

Teacher Shi was clever; her eyes flickered toward Teacher Qin, and she immediately understood the meaning behind Tan You's words. She smiled and said, “Alright. Work hard. I’ve collected quite a few practice papers and exercises lately; they are all in my office. I was actually planning to ask Teacher Qin to hand them to you this afternoon.”

Tan You was thrilled. “Really? Thank you, Teacher!”

If anyone else had received such a pile of papers and exercises, they would have wailed in despair. But Tan You was different. The mere thought that Teacher Shi was thinking of her, even though she no longer taught her math, made Tan You feel incredibly happy.

Even while clutching the thick stack of papers, Tan You’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled, and her steps were much lighter. Seeing her like this, the smile in Teacher Shi's eyes deepened.

Being loved so sincerely by a student was a first for her. As a teacher, receiving such genuine affection moved her deeply.

Tan You’s smile didn't fade even after they left the teaching building. Teacher Qin, watching her, felt his eyes ache. “Is that really necessary? With so many papers, aren't you even a little bit unhappy about it?”

Tan You countered, “Not at all. This is Teacher Shi thinking of me; I should cherish someone's kindness.”

Teacher Qin threw cold water on her enthusiasm. “If I remember correctly, you are still studying ninth-grade material, so your workload is already heavy. With all these extra papers, can you even manage?”

Tan You replied without hesitation, “Maybe I shouldn't go to PE class in the future? Teacher, could you help me ask for leave? Just say my math is poor and I need time for extra study?”

“That won't do,” Teacher Qin rolled his eyes. “You're saying your math is poor now? I'm very close with the PE teacher; I'm not helping you cheat.”

Tan You sighed. “Then I'll have to find a way myself. I'll just have to squeeze in the time. I need to improve my problem-solving speed; as long as I'm fast enough, I can finish them all.”

Teacher Qin said helplessly, “Quite stubborn, a real little donkey.”

Being called a "stubborn donkey" didn't upset Tan You in the slightest. Why would she be angry with Teacher Qin? She was counting on him to bring her to see Teacher Shi again; she had to maintain a good relationship with him.

However, when she thought about how Teacher Shi mentioned that Teacher Wang had contacted her after the final exams, Tan You couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart. Emotionally, she was grateful to Wang Lanfeng, but when she thought about what Han Tingting had gone through...

Despite this, as Teacher Qin returned to the eighth-grade office, Tan You very quickly said a word of thanks to Wang Lanfeng. Wang Lanfeng was left bewildered, but Tan You had already darted away like a rabbit.

Teacher Qin said amusedly, “Little Shi said you specifically told her about Han Tingting's situation.”

Wang Lanfeng froze, her heart filled with a complex mix of emotions.

Carrying back that massive stack of exercises and papers, Tan You immediately became the most prominent figure in the entire class. The girls in front turned around and flipped through them. “So many? Will you have time to do them all?”