Chapter 698: Becoming His Teacher
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The female teacher was in her twilight years, her hair a snowy white, yet her face was rosy and plump. Her entire being radiated an aura of elegance and simplicity, a quality that had been refined over many years.
This quality was particularly evident as she spoke in a soft voice while preparing tea. It was an aura that commanded an inexplicable respect, causing Gu Zi to sit up straighter as she continued to listen to her.
“We would like Su Bing to take the entrance exam for the fourth grade,” she said. “The exam is out of three hundred points, and we will grade it on the spot. If Su Bing can score above two hundred and fifty, we would like him to skip a grade and go directly to the fourth grade.
“We don’t want such an outstanding child to waste precious learning time studying things he has already mastered. We all believe he can handle skipping a grade.”
Gu Zi was surprised. Su Bing was indeed a genius, worthy of being the antagonist in a novel. His intelligence was extraordinary. Gu Zi had only given him some early tutoring, and the results were astonishing.
Gu Zi had been worried before, thinking that Su Bing, being older than his classmates, might struggle to fit in. Su Bing’s character was naturally reserved, and while this wasn’t a problem in elementary school, it might become one in middle school.
If that were the case, Su Bing might become even more introverted and potentially walk a darker path. But now, Su Bing was about to leap to a grade that matched his abilities. Gu Zi felt somewhat dreamy and asked for confirmation, “So you mean that Su Bing is currently taking the fourth-grade exam?”
The teacher handed a cup of clear tea to Gu Zi. After she took it, Teacher Du responded, “Yes, it’s a bit hard to believe, but it’s true. Now, I think I can introduce myself so that you can feel at ease entrusting Su Bing to me.
“I used to be a professor at a prestigious school in the capital, where I worked for over a decade. However, I am dedicated to researching child development and education. One day, I realized that to truly understand children and nurture them into talents that the country needs, I should go to the grassroots level.
“So, I resigned and returned to my hometown, Guangcheng, to become an elementary school foreign language teacher. It’s been six or seven years now, and I believe my decision was correct, especially after seeing Su Bing’s exam. I am very much looking forward to becoming his teacher…”
Gu Zi finally understood why she had no memory of this teacher. It turned out that she had arrived at the school after she had graduated. She hadn’t realized that Teacher Du was a foreign language teacher who had given up the prestige, benefits, and interests of being a professor at a prestigious school in the capital to follow her heart. It was truly admirable.
Gu Zi felt a genuine respect for the elderly woman in front of her. However, she had some questions about Teacher Du’s words and asked, “Since you wanted to go to the grassroots level, why did you choose the most prestigious foreign language school in Guangcheng?”
The elderly woman’s expression didn’t change as she calmly answered the daring parent, “Firstly, I studied foreign languages myself. I can speak four foreign languages, and I enjoy teaching children to master the languages of other countries or ethnic groups. Language is a fascinating thing.
“The second reason, and the main one, might sound absurd. But I don’t mind saying it. I believe in luck. If the children can come to this school, they will naturally meet me. If they can’t, I can’t give up the opportunity to cultivate more talents for society and insist on going to teach in impoverished rural areas.
“To put it bluntly, I don’t think impoverished rural areas need teachers like me. Average teachers can complete the teaching tasks because what those children need to do first is to break out from their not-so-high positions, then become talents and serve society…”
After listening, Gu Zi felt a dryness in her mouth. She took another sip of tea before she could recover from her shock. She was shocked because she hadn’t expected the elderly woman’s answer to be so realistic. But indeed, the old teacher’s words were not without reason…
Two hours and three minutes later, the door of the small room opened from the inside. The teacher approached immediately, “Did you encounter any difficulties? If there are questions you can’t answer, it’s normal. The questions are supposed to be difficult. You can leave them blank, but you need to finish the exam first.”