Chapter 70: Unexpected Harvest (05)

  The Chinese teacher of Class 214 is a young female university graduate who has just graduated from the Normal University. She was assigned to practice at Yannan S Middle School last year, and for some reason, she took over teaching Class 214's Chinese this semester. Her name is Nie Xiaofeng, looking around 21 or 22 years old. Although she isn't very tall and looks a bit petite, her face is pretty and lovely, making people like her. Maybe because of their close age, plus her lively and cheerful personality, it didn't take long for her to get along with the students. The students even affectionately call her "Little Nie Teacher".

  However, Chen Haonan was very clear in his heart that he didn't have any "relationship" with Xiao Nie teacher, and they hadn't even exchanged a few words... "But why did she suddenly 'summon' him?" This question kept echoing in Chen Haonan's mind, but he still knocked on the door of the Chinese department office.

  "Come in!" A crisp and clear response immediately came from the office. Chen Haonan took a deep breath, adjusted his glasses, and pushed open the door. There, Teacher Xiao Nie was sitting at her desk, looking towards the door, seemingly having waited for it to be opened for quite some time.

  "Teacher, you want me for something?" This was Chen Haonan's first sentence after entering the door, his voice was louder but he spoke very slowly.

  Xiao Nian's teacher smiled and gestured for Chen Haonan to sit down - he had no choice but to comply, slowly sitting down. As soon as he was seated, she spoke with a smile: "Don't use 'you' this way, it makes me feel old... In terms of age, I'm only three or four years older than you, at most just an older sister..."

  "Alright, I...I won't use 'you' anymore, but...it'll be a bit hard to get used to for now." Chen Haonan replied with a somewhat awkward smile.

  "It's okay, just adapt quickly!" Xiao Nian teacher still had a smile on her face. "I asked Ouyang Yiweng to bring you here today because I wanted to have a good talk with you, it might take a long time - won't it delay you?" She looked at Chen Haonan with gentle and affectionate eyes, which made people feel very comfortable, absolutely no one would refuse her request.

  "How could that be? If there's a problem, please feel free to ask the teacher..." Chen Haonan didn't expect Teacher Xiao Nie's words to be so soft and gentle, without any air of authority, it felt like chatting with a good friend. Without thinking much, he quickly responded, but as soon as he thought that evening self-study was about to start, he hastily said: "However, evening self-study is about to begin, if we don't go, the head teacher will..."

  "Don't worry about this, I'll just give Teacher Wang Ze a call." Little Nie teacher quickly interrupted Chen Haonan's words and said as she took out her phone to dial the number. Before long, Chen Haonan vaguely heard Wang Ze's somewhat hoarse voice from the side...

  After more than a minute, Xiaoni teacher put down the phone and said with a busy smile: "I've talked to Wang teacher, he said it's no problem!"

  "Thanks, teacher!" Chen Haonan smiled naturally. This kind of ease and naturalness hadn't appeared in a long time, but it was like a fleeting cloud, quickly disappearing into his solemnity and melancholy...

  There was a memory etched in Chen Haonan's heart, dating back to his second year of elementary school. Once, the newly transferred young female teacher had taken a look at Xiao Haonan's homework and, without any deliberation, determined that he had copied someone else's work. When the young teacher questioned Xiao Haonan, he vigorously shook his head in denial. The teacher thus said he was refusing to admit his mistake and punished him by making him stand outside the classroom——after a while, Xiao Haonan's hands were blown red by the strong northern wind...

  Since then, Chen Haonan had a grudge against the little female teacher, gritting his teeth in anger, and even at his young age, he wanted to blow her up with a bomb - unfortunately, Chen Haonan didn't have any bombs, nor did he know where to find one, otherwise...

  However, the bias and resentment towards a teacher gradually developed into bias and resentment towards all teachers. That is to say, since then Chen Haonan had no good impression of any teacher, especially young female teachers, and even felt a little panicked when he saw them. Fortunately, many teachers' behaviors since junior high school have enlightened him, making his somewhat extreme heart fade away. For example, during the time in class 211, the head teacher Li made Chen Haonan realize many things and understand many truths. At this time, Chen Haonan gradually felt that the petite little Nie teacher in front of him seemed to be approaching his lonely and melancholic heart step by step...

  "What's on your mind?" Little Nie teacher broke the silence with a smile.

  Chen Haonan smiled somewhat shyly: "Nothing, I just remembered some things from before..."

  "What happened before? What's going on? Can you tell me?" Little Nie asked several questions in a row, still with a beautiful smile.

  Mr. Chen's words were unlocked by Teacher Xiao Niao's question, like a key: "In the second grade of elementary school, a young female teacher who had just graduated from a normal college was assigned to our class to teach math... One time, she checked my homework and determined that I had copied someone else's work. I refused to admit it, so she pulled me out of the classroom. It was freezing outside with strong winds blowing, and I started shivering all over... Luckily, the principal at the time was a relative of our family, and he spoke up for me... From then on, I held a grudge against that young female teacher, to the point where I developed prejudices and even fear towards most teachers... Even now, on hot days, I sometimes feel the north wind blowing in my ear, blowing into my heart." He stopped suddenly because he saw Teacher Xiao Niao looking at him quietly. So, he hastily asked: "Teacher Xiao Niao, don't you believe me?"

  "How could I not believe it!" Little Nie teacher smiled again, revealing her pearly white teeth. "Maybe that little teacher hurt you and left a shadow on your heart... Haven't you met any good teachers since then?"

  "That's not true, I've had many good teachers too, but for a long time, I had a strong sense of hostility towards them..." As he said this, Chen Haonan let out a sigh and his head involuntarily drooped down.

  "Don't think that way, you should remember those teachers who care about you and think of their kindness, then you will feel very happy and slowly forget those prejudices... even hatred." Teacher Xiao Nie comforted in a soft voice. Seeing Chen Haonan slightly raised his head, she smiled and asked, pointing to the homework book beside her: "Haonan, what you wrote in your composition - is it true?"

  "Hao Nan", Chen Hao Nan did not expect that Teacher Xiao Nie would call his name so intimately, his heart was a little shaken. To know that in Yan Nan S, except for Old Li, Li Donglin and Xiao Qiuying, as well as Yu Fen and Yu Na sisters, no one had ever called him so intimately before. However, at this moment, Teacher Xiao Nie also called him like that - although it was a bit sudden, but he felt it was so familiar. However, what exactly did the composition write about, Chen Hao Nan couldn't remember at all for a while. He scratched his head and asked softly: "What's up? I forgot suddenly, can you remind me a little?"

  "It's about your father..." Teacher Xiao Nie looked at Chen Haonan's melancholy and deep eyes, and couldn't help but say it out loud, but her voice was very small - she was afraid that a slightly louder voice would scare the boy in front of her, this boy whose heart was already extremely fragile.

  "My dad..." Chen Haonan muttered to himself. Although Teacher Xiao Nie's voice was soft and gentle, his heart skipped a beat. In an instant, he remembered the essay incident. It had been two weeks since then, when Teacher Xiao Nie assigned a composition on heartfelt feelings. After much contemplation, Chen Haonan wrote about the immense pain of losing his father through a nighttime stroll, expressing his loneliness, helplessness, and irrepressible sorrow... As he thought about it, he nodded in response: "My dad passed away just before the liberal arts and science division exams; he had terminal stomach cancer... But I always misunderstood him, blamed him, even hated him. However, when I found out he had been caring for me all along, he was already gone..." Chen Haonan's voice choked, and tears welled up in his eyes.

  Xiao Nian's teacher saw the situation and hastily handed Chen Haonan a tissue. However, Chen Haonan waved his hand and refused: "I won't cry, I've made an oath not to shed tears easily again!"

  "Isn't it hard for you to hold it in...?" said Little Nie, hastily lowering her head and using the tissue in her hand to wipe away the tears from the corner of her eyes - actually, she had been crying for a while, but hadn't realized it until now. "Can I be your friend?" Wiping away her tears, Little Nie quickly turned back around and said very seriously.

  "What?" Chen Haonan's head buzzed, but he remained calm, even with a hint of a smile. "Little Nie teacher, are you kidding me? We all call you 'Little Nie teacher', which would be extremely disrespectful in the old society. Not to mention being friends with a teacher, isn't that even more improper?"

  "Haven't you heard of 'both teacher and friend'?"

  "I've heard it before, but..." Chen Haonan scratched his head and said.

  "It's just a formality, it's what our predecessors left behind!" Teacher Xiao Nie stood up with a smile. She poured Chen Haonan a glass of water and sat back down, saying: "You should know that we're already in the 21st century, the old society's complicated etiquette is long outdated; besides, I'm only three or four years older than you, what's wrong with being friends?" Teacher Xiao Nie smiled faintly as she spoke.

  "Maybe," Chen Haonan said, his eyes fixed on Xiao Nie's face as he spoke seriously, "I was born into a big family and have been strictly raised by my family since I was young, especially my dad. Learning rules and being polite is the most basic thing - I'm afraid it will take a long time to adapt to having a 'teacher friend'..."

  "So you're introducing me to this friend of yours!" Little Nie's teacher was so excited that she almost jumped up.

  "Hmm!" Chen Haonan nodded solemnly.

  "Well, now I can give you some advice as a friend, right?" Little Nie's tone was like that of a 7 or 8 year old child, completely devoid of the solemnity and seriousness she had in class.

  "Of course!"

  "Alright, listen up!" said Little Nie, standing up again. Walking to the empty area of the office, she started pacing back and forth, shaking her head and speaking slowly: "First, you need to change your facial expression, always having a cold face scares people; second, you need to communicate more with others, it's best if you come here every now and then to report your situation to me in a timely manner; third, you need to get a haircut as soon as possible, shorter hair makes you look more spirited, got it? Fourth... I haven't thought of anything else yet, just remember that for now, and I'll remind you when I think of something..." After finishing her words, Little Nie looked at Chen Haonan's face and smiled again.

  "Ah?" Chen Haonan exaggeratedly opened his mouth wide, "I've been deceived. As soon as I became friends with you, you issued so many rules and regulations. It seems that in the future, I'll have to be more careful when making friends..."