Chapter 2: Quick Transmigration: Film & Television Multiverse Chapter 2: Class Teacher

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Protagonist:

Lin Hao

Zhong Yi walked outside with a restless heart, recalling his daughter from his previous life, as if the entire world had lost its color.

Passing a barbecue stall, the wafts of aroma were like an invisible hand, pulling him to a halt.

He sat down in a corner of the barbecue stall, ordered some skewers and a few bottles of beer, attempting to numb the vexation in his heart with food and alcohol.

After more than two hours, he returned to his rental house with a hint of drunkenness, his steps unsteady.

During this time, Zhang Xue'er called countless times; every time the phone rang, a complex emotion would surge in Zhong Yi's heart.

He looked at Zhang Xue'er's name flashing on the screen, and scenes of their past kept emerging in his mind, along with Zhang Xue'er's later actions in the original plot.

He gritted his teeth, directly hung up the phone, and later simply turned it off, as if that could shut all troubles out.

Zhong Yi reached the building downstairs and saw Zhang Xue'er's car had already left.

His heart eased slightly; only then did he turn his phone on.

The moment it powered on, text messages rang nonstop, ding-donging dozens of times.

Zhong Yi roughly skimmed through them; aside from missed-call notifications from when the phone was off, they were all texts from Zhang Xue'er asking why.

Zhong Yi frowned, a trace of helplessness flashing in his eyes; breaking up is such a hassle. He didn't read them closely, just deleted them all, as if that could erase those worries along with them.

Back home, Zhong Yi lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. His mind kept conjuring his daughter from his previous life, that lovely little girl, who had once been all the hope in his life.

Now, he could only meet her in memories. His heart was full of guilt and longing; unknowingly, tears silently flowed, and he didn't know when he fell asleep.

Early the next morning, Zhong Yi was woken by sunlight shining on his face.

Although it was late August, the "autumn tiger" was still fierce; the whole room was enveloped in heat.

Zhong Yi got up and rubbed his head that felt like it was falling apart, feeling like a warrior defeated by life.

Then he went into the bathroom and took a shower, trying to wash away the exhaustion and vexation.

After showering, Zhong Yi looked at himself in the mirror; aside from slightly red eyes and a trace of world-weariness in his gaze, his overall image was still that of a sunny, cheerful young man — "debuting on the spot" would be a bit of an exaggeration, but at a glance he could still make one's eyes light up, and the more one looked, the more likable he became.

Finished tidying up, Zhong Yi left the house in high spirits; after eating some breakfast, he hailed a cab and arrived at the school.

On the way, Zhong Yi deeply felt the inconvenience of not having a car. He secretly decided to go buy a commuter car in the afternoon if he had time, so his life could be at least a little more convenient.

When Zhong Yi got out of the car, he happened to run into Zhang Xue'er's car entering the school gate. Zhang Xue'er rolled down the window, her eyes full of anxiety and expectation. She urgently called Zhong Yi several times: "Zhong Yi! Zhong Yi! Wait for me!"

But Zhong Yi acted as if he hadn't heard, walking straight into the school.

Zhang Xue'er was so angry she slapped the steering wheel several times, muttering: "Zhong Yi, what's wrong with you? Why are you ignoring me?"

Holding his notebook, Zhong Yi went to the conference room; after greeting familiar teachers, a teacher curiously asked Zhong Yi: "How come you didn't come with Teacher Zhang Xue'er? You two are always together, aren't you?"

Zhong Yi said indifferently: "We broke up."

The teachers were all stunned; after all, Zhong Yi and Zhang Xue'er were the school's golden boy and jade girl — whoever saw them would say they were a match made in heaven.

A teacher couldn't help asking: "How did you suddenly break up? What happened?"

Zhong Yi said lightly: "Nothing, we just weren't suitable so we split."

No one asked further; after all, it was their privacy. But their hearts were full of doubt and regret.

Zhang Xue'er rushed into the conference room in a fluster and spotted Zhong Yi sitting there playing with his phone at a glance.

A complex emotion surged in her heart — grievance, sadness, and a thread of expectation.

She walked step by step to the seat next to Zhong Yi and sat down, not expecting Zhong Yi wouldn't even lift his head.

Zhang Xue'er said softly: "Zhong Yi." Zhong Yi remained unmoved, as if she were a transparent person.

Zhang Xue'er raised her volume slightly: "Zhong Yi."

Zhong Yi was still unmoved; his heart seemed to hold an iceberg, freezing Zhang Xue'er's calls.

Unable to endure any longer, Zhang Xue'er slammed her notebook onto the table with a bang and said loudly: "Zhong Yi!"

The other teachers who had been watching them jumped in fright; the conference room fell instantly silent.

Only then did Zhong Yi unhurriedly take off his Bluetooth earpiece and say: "Was Teacher Zhang calling me?"

His tone was cold and distant, as if there had never been any relationship between them.

At this moment Zhang Xue'er noticed Zhong Yi had a tiny Bluetooth earpiece in his ear — it was the gift she had given Zhong Yi on the previous Qixi Festival.

Zhang Xue'er's face alternated between pale and red, her heart full of grievance and sadness.

She was about to say something when she saw Principal Liu and a group of leaders walk into the conference room; Zhang Xue'er could not continue, and Zhong Yi put away his Bluetooth earpiece and sat upright preparing for the meeting, as if none of it concerned him.

During the meeting, the leaders spoke in turn; a solemn atmosphere permeated the conference room.

The leaders mainly emphasized precautions for the start of the semester; this year leaders at all levels especially stressed the Education Bureau's new regulation that all in-service teachers are forbidden from opening cram schools, hoping teachers would take it seriously and not harbor侥幸心理.

The principal stood on the podium, expression solemn, and said: "Teachers, the new semester has begun; we must devote ourselves to work with fuller enthusiasm and a higher sense of responsibility. This year there is a very important regulation: all in-service teachers are forbidden from opening cram schools. This is a clear requirement from higher authorities; we must strictly comply. I hope no one harbors侥幸心理; once discovered, it will be severely dealt with."

Other leaders also spoke one after another, emphasizing the importance of this regulation.

At the end of the meeting, Academic Affairs Director Director Wang read out the appointments for class teachers and subject teachers of each class.

Holding the list, he read clearly: "Grade 5 Class 1 class teacher Zhang Xue'er, responsible for English teaching for Grade 5 Class 1 and Class 2. Mathematics teaching for Grade 5 Class 1 and Class 2 is handled by Teacher Zhong Yi……"

After finishing the reading, Director Wang said to everyone: "If there are any questions about the appointments for each class, you can go to the office before noon to report to the respective Grade Directors of each grade."

Then he announced the meeting adjourned.

Normally, the class teacher and subject teacher assignments for each class, barring special circumstances, generally have no objections; it just so happened that this year a special circumstance arose — Zhong Yi.

After the meeting adjourned, Zhong Yi ignored Zhang Xue'er who wanted to say something to him, and directly chased after Academic Affairs Director Director Wang to his office.

Because Director Wang is not only the Academic Affairs Director but also concurrently serves as the Grade 5 Grade Director.

Arriving at Director Wang's office, Zhong Yi stated directly that he wanted to serve as the Grade 5 Class 1 class teacher.

Hearing this, Director Wang was momentarily stunned and asked Zhong Yi doubtfully, "Teacher Zhong, why do you want to serve as Class Teacher this year? In previous years, didn't you always push it off if you could?"

In previous years, Zhong Yi indeed pushed it off whenever he could, because in previous years he had to run a Cram School, so he didn't want to waste his Energy/Focus on class management.

But this year there was a new Regulation/Rule prohibiting in-school teachers from running Cram Schools, and on top of that Zhong Yi was dissatisfied with the performance of Zhang Xue'er, this Class Teacher, in the original story.

In the original story, after learning that Zhong Yi had opened a Cram School, this Class Teacher Zhang Xue'er neither Communicated with Parent Tian Yulan nor Reported/Complained to the School; the so-called home-school linkage was completely empty talk, causing Tian Yulan to directly Report/Complaint to the Education Bureau, making not only Zhong Yi passive but the School also passive, so this time Zhong Yi wanted to serve as Class Teacher himself.

But this matter could not be stated outright; after all, the events that followed had not yet happened, and Zhong Yi realized he had been a bit too eager for quick success since just transmigrating over, so he could only brace himself and say, "I just feel I am more suited to be Class Teacher; after all, Fifth Grade children are older and also more mischievous."

Director Wang thought for a moment and said, "Teacher Zhong, your idea has some merit. However, Teacher Zhang is also a very excellent teacher. How about this: I'll Consider/Think Over it first, and you also think it over carefully."

Just as they were speaking, a burst of Knocking sounds came from outside the Door.