Chapter 713: Asking for Benefits
Principal Hu wasn’t a fool. He knew that as soon as Tan You distinguished herself, other schools would surely come trying to poach her. This sort of thing wasn’t uncommon, though it usually happened among the city schools. It was indeed rare for a township middle school.
Li Fugui immediately held his head high and puffed out his chest. "Rest assured, I definitely won’t let anyone influence Tan You. However, if another school comes to poach her, and our own school offers nothing in return..."
Principal Hu looked at Li Fugui. Seeing his innocent expression, as if he were only thinking of the student’s best interests, the principal couldn’t quite tell if Li Fugui was trying to secure benefits for Tan You or if he was genuinely concerned for the school.
He could only pat Li Fugui on the shoulder. "I’ll discuss it with the deans. You’ve really taken her under your wing, haven’t you?"
Li Fugui looked the very picture of righteousness. "We can’t let the disparity be too great, can we? Our school’s facilities, both hardware and software, can’t compare to other schools. Besides, Tan You has been teaching herself ever since she enrolled. I really haven’t helped her with much."
The only thing he’d really done was find a way to poach Tan You for his own class. In terms of her personal life, he and his wife did indeed look after her. But then again, his family had mooched off her breakfast more than a few times.
At that thought, Li Fugui suddenly felt a pang of guilt.
After watching Principal Hu leave, Li Fugui checked the time. There were five minutes until class ended. He went into the classroom and gave Tan You a meaningful look. Tan You understood at once and followed him out.
As she was leaving, Cao Haiyan waved the small notebook they used for passing notes, reminding her not to forget about their dinner gathering that evening. Tan You flashed an "OK" sign back at her before following Li Fugui out.
Li Fugui, of course, saw the whole exchange; he wasn’t severely nearsighted like Tan You. He just smiled at the sight. Once they were out of the classroom, he asked with a chuckle, "What did you two agree on?"
Tan You was straightforward. "Cao Haiyan’s mom is visiting today. She said she made a few dishes and asked us to come over and eat."
Li Fugui didn’t press the matter, just smiled. "Seeing you like this... you’re finally acting more like a teenage girl. You were too serious before."
Tan You just arched an eyebrow slightly. "Is being mature and independent a bad thing?"
"It’s good, too. It’s just that for a parent, there might not be as much of a sense of accomplishment, you know?" Li Fugui said after a moment of thought.
Tan You smiled. "Every family’s parents are different; you can’t generalize. Teacher Li, was there something you needed me for?"
"Yes, there is. Let’s talk as we walk." After dropping off some exam papers at the faculty office, Li Fugui and Tan You started down the central staircase together. "Old Xu gave me a call. You remember Old Xu, right?"
"I remember. You’re the one who had him help me register." ’How could she forget? The image of Old Xu and Li Fugui standing together that day is still hilarious to me.’
’The short and stout Li Fugui standing next to the burly, bear-like Old Xu was like a corgi next to a Tibetan mastiff. The contrast was just too stark. But I can’t say that out loud. If Teacher Li ever found out I picture him as a corgi...’
Tan You had absolutely no intention of belittling Li Fugui. On the contrary, she was genuinely fond of him.
"As long as you remember," Li Fugui said. "Old Xu called. You placed first in the preliminary round with a score of 118. He wanted to know your thoughts—whether you want to continue self-studying or attend the competition training class at No. 2 Middle School."
"I’m not going to the training class," Tan You said, immediately shaking her head. "It’s inconvenient, and I find self-studying quite enjoyable. If it’s not too much trouble, they could just keep me updated on the training class’s progress. For example, they could give me some worksheets or competition problems."
Li Fugui tilted his head back to look up at Tan You. "You’re really not going? That confident in yourself?"
For once, Tan You allowed herself a moment of pride. "I honestly didn’t have much confidence before, but after hearing that score, I realized my abilities are... actually not bad?"
Li Fugui chuckled. "Not bad? That’s an understatement. You’re absolutely brilliant. Even though I’m a math teacher, I don’t specialize in competitions. It would take me a long time just to figure out the problems you solved."
Tan You said, "So I’ll just keep self-studying. Let’s not go to all that trouble."
By the time they finished speaking, they had reached the school’s reception office. Li Fugui was naturally heading to his dormitory for his meal. Noticing that Tan You was still walking in the same direction, he raised an eyebrow. "Don’t you have plans with your friends?"
Tan You glanced at him. "I stewed some large pork bones in soy sauce this morning. I’m bringing them over as an extra dish. I’ll give you some in a bit to thank you for the news."
Li Fugui’s mouth watered. "In that case, I won’t stand on ceremony. Ever since you moved in next door, I’ve been woken up by the fragrant smell of your cooking every single day."
Tan You said, "Don’t worry, I made plenty today. You didn’t pull me aside just to tell me about my preliminary score, did you?"
Li Fugui then remembered the official business Principal Hu had tasked him with. "Now that your preliminary exam scores are out, you’re on the radar at No. 2 Middle School. They will definitely look into your academic record."
"I’m guessing No. 2 Middle School will definitely try to recruit you. What are your thoughts?"
"I don’t have any," Tan You said with a shrug. "I have a lot of freedom living here. Why would I go to a city school? With my current results, I could probably take the college entrance exam directly. Why go through the unnecessary trouble?"
Li Fugui probed, "They might offer you a lot of perks. Are you really not tempted?"
"There’s no need," Tan You said, flicking her ponytail. "I don’t need the money, and I make my own decisions. Even if they went to my parents, my parents can’t make this decision for me."
Li Fugui muttered, "So confident? Just how rich are you? Does submitting articles really make that much money?"
Tan You frequently received mail from magazine publishers; this wasn’t a secret among the teachers. Li Fugui and Huang Ruixiang had often collected her mail for her, so they both knew she had a way with words.
Tan You thought for a moment, then dropped a little hint for Li Fugui. "You’ve read ’The Ranger’s Tale,’ right? Is it any good?"
Li Fugui stopped in his tracks. Seeing that Tan You was already several paces ahead, he hurried to catch up to her. "Don’t tell me you’re the one who wrote that. You’re Qingyou?"
"Keep it a secret, Teacher Li," Tan You said, making a ’shushing’ gesture. "I’m really not short on cash, so material incentives don’t work on me."
Li Fugui was still digesting this bombshell. "So... you’re really not strapped for cash. With writing skills that good, why are you even studying the sciences? If Mr. Huang finds out, he’s going to lament the fact that you didn’t choose liberal arts."
Tan You replied, "My sights are set on the sea of stars. The ocean of literature really isn’t for me."
Li Fugui’s expression turned serious. "Don’t worry. I’ll definitely keep your secret."
"I trust your character, Teacher Li. As for me, my current focus is to do well in the competition. If there’s a chance to get a university recommendation, my main goal is to avoid Tan Ying. That’s all I ask for right now."
Li Fugui said in a low, muffled voice, "If you really want to avoid her, transferring schools would be the easiest way."
"Absolutely not," Tan You refused flatly. "If I went to another school, I wouldn’t find a teacher as interesting as you. Besides, it’s so freeing here. I have no desire to go to a city school and be held to impossibly high standards."