CHAPTER 36: CHAPTER 36: TEACHER, PLEASE FORGIVE ME

The bell rang, signaling the end of class.

"Alright, that’s all for today. Remember to practice your spoken English diligently outside of class and continuously correct your pronunciation. Only through consistent effort will you achieve fluency. Class dismissed!"

"Goodbye, Teacher Chen!"

Chen Xuewei, her waist and shapely hips swaying, left the classroom under the lingering gazes of her students. The crisp click of her high heels faded into the distance outside the classroom.

Moments later, the classroom erupted into a lively buzz, like boiling milk tea in a pot.

Su Chen suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked up to see Li Xiaoguang, the boy who sat in front of him. They had never interacted much before; Su Chen only knew his name from vague memories.

"Su Chen, did you stay up all night memorizing everything just to impress Teacher Chen today?" Li Xiaoguang chuckled dryly.

"Heh, that’s my personal business. I’d rather not say," Su Chen replied with a faint smile, dismissing the pointless question.

"Stop pretending. We all know your level. ’The early bird catches the worm,’ right?" Li Xiaoguang’s words dripped with sarcasm, clearly fueled by jealousy of Su Chen’s outstanding performance in class.

The mid-morning exercise break was about to begin, and Su Chen had no desire to interact with Li Xiaoguang any further. He’d encountered people like him countless times before and saw no point in arguing. It was a classic case of "sour grapes"—someone who didn’t work hard themselves but envied others’ modest achievements.

The summer sun shone brightly, and refreshing breezes carried the rustling sounds of distant bamboo groves across the vast, verdant schoolyard.

The newly constructed teaching building gleamed with its alternating black and white tiles. A booming loudspeaker announced the start of the exercises and teachers stood in the corridors, watching the restless students lining up in their designated spots.

"Broadcast exercises, begin! March in place!"

Su Chen’s arms moved stiffly to the rhythm. Each class stood in separate formations, with boys in one row and girls in another, the boys of one class adjacent to the girls of the next. Ye Youyou from Class Two (Five) stood beside him.

Ye Youyou was a charming girl with bright, lively eyes that curved into crescent moons when she smiled. Her delicate nose and moist lips already hinted at the beauty she would become.

Ye Youyou and Su Chen had been classmates for over a year. Both were cheerful and outgoing, and over several semesters, they had become close friends who shared everything.

Ye Youyou gazed at Su Chen with a warm smile, her eyelashes fluttering gently. Her eyes sparkled with innocent amusement as she teased him.

"Su Chen, you were suddenly transferred to another class this semester. It seems Li Zishan really couldn’t stand you anymore! By the way, how are you doing in Class 2(6)?"

"Heh, it’s alright! Youyou, did you miss me after I left?"

Ye Youyou turned away, her face flushed. This guy! she thought. Ever since he switched classes, he’s become so brazen! He used to be so reserved, never saying such flirty things before.

"Hmph! As if I’d miss you!" Ye Youyou retorted, lowering her voice in case anyone overheard.

The morning exercises began. The two lines were close together, and the vigorous movements inevitably brought Su Chen’s fingers brushing against Ye Youyou’s hand. Each time, Su Chen could feel her flinch and pull away, her head lowered, avoiding his gaze.

Su Chen pretended not to notice, continuing with his usual enthusiasm. His relationship with Ye Youyou was so close that they could be considered good friends. Casual physical contact between them was common, and they often exchanged smiles. However, nothing like the current situation had ever occurred before.

"Su Chen, focus on the exercises and stop distracting others," Gu Qing’s stern voice cut through the air from the other side. As class monitor, she had the authority to supervise students who weren’t taking the exercises seriously. Though she had only recently become Su Chen’s deskmate, her unwavering principles meant she would never let personal feelings interfere with her duties.

From the start, Su Chen hadn’t been taking the exercises seriously. His movements were either exaggerated or sloppy, and he was often out of sync with the rest of the class—either lagging behind or rushing ahead.

Su Chen sighed inwardly. The lewd energy within him was making it hard to concentrate and his earlier teasing of the girl from the neighboring class had already caused him to stumble during the broadcast exercises. Who knew what other trouble might arise in the future?

After the morning exercises, Ye Youyou immediately followed the students of Class 2(5) as they left. Gu Qing and the Physical Education Representative stayed behind to organize Class 2(6)’s formation, while Su Chen trailed slowly at the back of the group.

"Su Chen, wait up."

Su Chen looked up to see a beautiful young woman with a mature charm. It was Li Zishan, the homeroom teacher of Class 2(5) and Zhao Kaishun’s wife.

Around thirty years old, she had a classic oval face and long hair styled into an elegant updo. She wore a purple qipao, its fabric stretched taut over her full breasts, which were particularly voluptuous due to breastfeeding. Her slightly plump waistline, though lacking any excess fat, only enhanced her allure. The qipao’s slit revealed slender, fair legs clad in sheer, flesh-toned stockings. Standing on the steps in red stilettos, her 168-centimeter height forced Su Chen to look down at her.

Li Zishan felt a surge of annoyance. For a fleeting moment, she had the unsettling impression that the boy’s gaze and expression as he looked at her resembled those of her male colleagues at school, who often secretly swallowed hard while staring at her. Though there was no overt lewdness in his gaze, the way he admired her left her secretly startled.

"Su Chen, where do you think you’re looking?" Li Zishan snapped, her face flushed with anger and embarrassment.

"Nothing much, Teacher Li," Su Chen replied calmly. "You’ve recovered your figure well after childbirth, but you should still focus on regular exercise, eat plenty of fiber-rich whole grains, and do waist-twisting exercises to maintain your figure. With the autumn winds rising and lingering toxins still present, remember to help your baby detoxify and reduce heatiness. Add some cooling herbal tea to your diet..."

"Heh, who knew you were such an expert?" Li Zishan chuckled, her anger fading. "Why don’t you focus that energy on your studies? I’m curious to see if transferring classes has made any difference!"

"That’s something Teacher Li doesn’t need to worry about," Su Chen replied coolly. This woman had been the one who kicked him out of Class 2(5). Beyond the humiliation and sense of being cast aside, Su Chen realized he might actually owe her a debt of gratitude. If he hadn’t switched classes and continued fooling around with the carefree, reckless Ye Youyou, who knew what his grades would have before the National College Entrance Examination?

"Hmph, as if I care about you! I came to tell you to stop bothering Ye Youyou. If that girl puts in some effort and pushes herself, she could still get into a decent key university. I heard about your bet with Teacher Zhao—that you’d rank in the top three of the class by the end of the semester. With your lazy, unambitious attitude, you might as well concede to Teacher Zhao privately now to save yourself the embarrassment in front of your classmates later!" Li Zishan finally snapped, her anger ignited by Su Chen’s insolent attitude. She had never encountered a student who showed such blatant disrespect for teachers and disregarded their authority.

"Oh? Teacher Li, since you have such little faith in me, let’s make another bet. If I win, you must grant me one condition without hesitation. If I lose, I’ll retreat ten meters whenever I see you from now on. What do you say?" Su Chen’s eyes lingered on Li Zishan’s voluptuous figure, a mischievous plan forming in his mind. He smiled slyly as he spoke.

"Heh, you still want to bet with me? It seems you truly won’t shed tears until you see the coffin! If you’re not afraid of embarrassing yourself, why should I hold back? Go ahead, what’s your condition?" Li Zishan, oblivious to the lecherous glint in Su Chen’s eyes, confidently accepted the challenge.

"If I win, I want..." Su Chen deliberately dragged out his words, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "I want a kiss from you, Teacher Li!"

"What?! Absolutely not! Su Chen, you’ve gone too far!" Li Zishan’s beautiful eyes widened in disbelief, and she gasped in shock.

"Heh, didn’t you already agree to the bet, Teacher Li? Or do you want the whole school to know you’re a liar who breaks her promises?" Su Chen smirked at Li Zishan’s flushed, indignant face, casually crossed his arms, and tilted his head back, acting as if he had already won.

"This... Su Chen, you’re being outrageous! How dare a student tease his teacher like this!" Li Zishan’s cheeks flushed, as if painted with rouge, her eyes burning with humiliation and anger. Her voice trembled slightly with fury.

"I know my request is a bit much, but first I have to beat you, right? Teacher Li, do you really think I have a good chance of getting in the top three on the final exam? Hehehe ... If that’s the case, wasn’t it a bit short-sighted of you to kick me out back then?" Su Chen suddenly leaned close to Li Zishan’s ear, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. He gently blew a warm breath against her fair neck before mocking her with a taunting tone.

"You..." Li Zishan was clearly unaccustomed to Su Chen’s teasing. The warm breath from his mouth instantly flushed her neck. She never expected Su Chen, usually as demure as a virgin, to suddenly become so bold, daring to tease her repeatedly.

Faced with his aggressive advances, she hastily retreated a large step, evading his pursuit. Overwhelmed by embarrassment and anger, she blurted out, "Fine! Since you’re so confident, I accept your challenge! If you fail to make the top three, I’ll expose your past misdeeds to the entire school, making it impossible for you to ever set foot in Pallet City No. 1 High School again!"

"Heh heh, Teacher Li, rest assured: for your kiss, I’ll definitely make the top three!"

"We’ll see about that!" Li Zishan snorted coldly, glaring fiercely at Su Chen before turning on her heel and storming away.