Chapter 54

“Please come in, Teacher Luo.”

“Da Yong, get Teacher Luo a bowl and serve him some food.”

It wasn’t appropriate to keep Teacher Luo outside in the freezing winter, especially since he’d come to deliver Li Ye a parcel.

So Li Ye ultimately invited him in, and before even stepping into the small storage room, he called out to Li Da Yong to serve up a portion of sour cabbage fish.

“No, no, I already ate in the canteen, really no need.”

Teacher Luo refused even as he swallowed saliva.

The sour, spicy aroma was overpowering.

Li Ye pulled back the curtain and led Teacher Luo into the storage room, and Teacher Luo was stunned.

“Whoa~ so warm.”

“Whoa~ your dinner... is quite lavish!”

The stove in the storage room burned day and night, keeping it warm as spring; the large aluminum basin was brimming with sour cabbage fish, glistening with oil and packed with ingredients.

This intense sensory assault left Teacher Luo, who had just been holding back, utterly unprepared.

Coal was rationed back then; most families lit a fire after work just to keep their hands from freezing until midnight, and that was already considered “wealthy.”

Here, Li Ye kept the temperature at twenty degrees all day—how much coal was he wasting?

Teacher Luo glanced at the coal basket beside the stove, completely full of lump coal, his eyelids twitching with envy.

【People comparing people kill people—schools and food systems just can’t be compared.】

Teacher Luo was comforting himself when, without realizing it, he took the large enamel mug Li Da Yong handed him.

Only then did he snap back and hurriedly say: “No, no, I already ate, I already ate...”

“Teacher Luo, don’t be so formal—this dish is homemade, just taste it and give us your feedback.”

Li Ye handed Teacher Luo a pair of chopsticks, then signaled everyone to start eating.

Hu Man, Li Da Yong, and the others quickly grabbed food, filling their enamel mugs to the brim.

Teacher Luo’s eyelids twitched—【They really know how to eat!】

Looking down at his own half-full bowl of sour cabbage fish, he felt less embarrassed.

In the 1980s, some rural village primary schools had families take turns feeding the teacher.

Teacher Luo was just being modest and shy, but eating a student’s meal wouldn’t cost him any dignity.

“Teacher, look at our study environment—it’s much better, and everyone’s motivation is higher.”

Besides... the class has been so peaceful lately, thanks partly to our concessions, right?”

“Mmm, yes, the environment here is really good... munch munch... hehehe...”

The hot, numbing, spicy sour cabbage fish made Teacher Luo puff and blow, yet the sourness was refreshing and comforting.

Jiang Xiaoyan quickly poured him a bowl of water: “Here, Teacher Luo, drink some water.”

“Mm, yes,” Teacher Luo took a few sips, caught his breath, and said: “I came today just to take a look—honestly, your conditions here are truly excellent.”

“But...”

Teacher Luo changed tone: “In this exam, several of you scored poorly... are you facing any learning difficulties?”

Hu Man and the others stayed silent, chopsticks flying, mouths full of fragrant sour cabbage fish, too busy eating to speak.

Teacher Luo felt awkward—he truly meant well.

This exam had brought the pleasant surprise of Jiang Xiaoyan, but also the unexpected drop of Hu Man and Wen Leyu.

With the college entrance exam just months away, every potential candidate tugged at his nerves as homeroom teacher—he couldn’t help but worry.

Seeing Teacher Luo lose his appetite, Li Ye finally said: “Ah, they weren’t feeling well those days... performed poorly... so Teacher Luo, don’t worry about it.”

“I... uh uh uh...”

Teacher Luo choked, gulped down several sips of water, and finally recovered.

He had children of his own—he knew exactly what “not feeling well” meant for a woman.

But why the hell does Li Ye, a kid, know this?

What kind of upbringing did his parents give him?

Is it true that kids who are betrothed are just different?

Li Ye noticed the girls’ faces flushing, and realized he’d spoken too casually for this era.

But before he could backtrack, Wen Leyu calmly and firmly said: “Yes, I wasn’t feeling well those days.”

“...........”

That night’s meal was strangely quiet; no one spoke, only the crisp crunch of sour cabbage being chewed echoed.

After dinner, Teacher Luo finally turned to Jiang Xiaoyan: “Jiang Xiaoyan, you did exceptionally well on this exam. The school believes you have great potential.”

“So I’d like to hear your thoughts—would you be willing... to join Xia Yue and the others for specialized tutoring?”

Jiang Xiaoyan’s expression changed instantly—she finally understood why Teacher Luo had come tonight.

She asked: “Teacher Luo, did Xia Yue say something to you?”

Teacher Luo clicked his tongue and nodded: “Yes. Xia Yue said you cook for others after class, wasting precious study time. Given your current situation, you shouldn’t waste a single minute outside studying.”

“.........”

Jiang Xiaoyan’s mind raced, then she asked Teacher Luo: “If I join Xia Yue and the others for review, will I get meat every meal?”

Teacher Luo: “.........”

Jiang Xiaoyan spoke rapidly: “Yesterday we had pork knuckle with yellow beans, the day before that iron pot stewed catfish, the day before that chicken with mushrooms, the day before that ribs with potatoes, the day before that twice-cooked pork...”

The chicken stewed with mushrooms I ate the day before yesterday, the pork ribs stewed with potatoes the day before that, the twice-cooked pork the day before that........

Are you running a restaurant? Eating banquets every day?

Then Jiang Xiaoyan added: “One jiao per meal, unlimited.”

【Damn, save me a seat too.】

Looking at the remaining sour cabbage fish in the aluminum basin, Teacher Luo had no defense left.

With this menu, even a department-level cadre wouldn’t get such treatment.

Teacher Luo had no argument. He knew Jiang Xiaoyan’s situation—she ate a few steamed buns and boiled water every day, and the school had never offered any aid. Now she’d found a place with meals—would you really drag her away?

Teacher Luo had no excuse left—he knew Jiang Xiao’s situation: she ate a few steamed buns with plain water every day, and the school had never provided any assistance. Now that she’s found a place that serves meals, are you going to drag her away?

In this era, nothing mattered more than eating—no fault there.

“Alright, it’s all voluntary.”

Teacher Luo stood to leave, then spotted Li Ye’s new book.

“Li Ye, I’ve heard you’re a writer, but I’ve never read your work. Mind if I take a look?”

Li Ye couldn’t refuse, so he handed him the freshly opened copy of “Infiltration,” making Wen Leyu pout.

She was Li Ye’s proofreader—she’d been hoping to be the first to read the new book!

Seeing this, everyone realized they wouldn’t be able to study right away—they’d just review and memorize on their own until Teacher Luo left.

But they waited and waited—over an hour passed—and Teacher Luo sat as if rooted to his chair.

Teacher Luo was completely lost in the gripping plot of “Infiltration.”

Hu Man and the others were agonized. After experiencing the benefits of Li Ye’s brilliance, evening problem sessions were their lifeline—every second was priceless. Now Teacher Luo was being clueless and obstructive—it was unbearable.

Hu Man and the others were suffering terribly; after experiencing the benefits of having Li Ye as their golden lifeline, the evening lecture time had become their lifeline—every minute and second was invaluable to them, and now Teacher Luo was being inconveniently obstructive, leaving them speechless.

“It’s time for our nightly reading. Today we’ll read English Lesson Nine together.”

Li Ye pulled out his English book and began leading the reading.

Hu Man and the others followed, their clear voices instantly jolting Teacher Luo out of his novel.

“Oh oh, this book is amazing...”

Teacher Luo clutched “Infiltration” tightly—he never imagined Li Ye could write something like this. A true child prodigy.

But then Teacher Luo noticed another standout trait in Li Ye.

Li Ye’s English pronunciation was extremely pure—even more accurate than the part-time teachers at school.

Li Ye’s English pronunciation was extremely authentic, even more standard than that of the several part-time substitute teachers at the school.

After Li Ye and the students finished reading, Teacher Luo said to Li Ye: “Li Ye, your English pronunciation is excellent. Why don’t you help the class practice reading aloud?”

“Nope,” Li Ye replied without hesitation: “I don’t have the time or the patience for such thankless work.”

“Not really,” Li Ye said without hesitation: “I don’t have the time, nor the inclination, to do something that’s labor-intensive and unrewarding.”

Teacher Luo had nothing to say.

The “Huang Shiren” incident had just settled—Xia Yue and Zhou Chenggong’s parents had been called to school, and only after great effort had Li Ye’s resentment been calmed, restoring peace to the repeat class.

Now you want him to help those who mocked him? Do you really think Director Li won’t drop his dignity and bully a few students?

“Alright then. It’s just that Teacher Ma has family matters, and Teacher Ke is on leave—there’s been no English teacher these past few days, and I was just panicking...”

“Alright then! It’s just that Teacher Ma has family matters, and Teacher Ke is on leave—there’s been no English teacher at school these past few days, and I was just panicking...”

Li Ye looked questioningly at Wen Leyu—the little mute hadn’t told him anything.

Li Ye frowned at Wen Leyu—this little mute hadn’t told him!