While the decision of her life was being taken by a certain old lady, An Xiulan was standing outside the staff room. Teacher Jin had sent word to her that she had come by his office after lunch as he was going to introduce her to her tutor. She was excited and looking forward to seeing that tutor who would help her in Mandarin.

“Peng Cheng, you will help a student from Class Ten K in her weak Mandarin,” Teacher Jin said. Actually, he had chosen another student for tutoring An Xiulan but at the last moment, he decided to change his man. He believed that Peng Cheng, who also signed up for a tutoring programme, might be the best choice as this student was saving money for college.

Peng Cheng was a student of Class Ten A. He was a scholarship student who passed the entrance test with flying colours. As to why Teacher Jin thought he would be good for An Xiulan was because he could use the extra money that An Xiulan’s mother was willing to offer to any student who would tutor her daughter. Also, he was polite and humble.

“Teacher Jin, why didn’t you tell me she is from Class Ten K?” Peng Chen asked. He was offended as to how he wasn’t informed before that the student he was supposed to tutor was from class Ten K. If he had known, he would have outrightly refused._.

“I can’t help students from class Ten K,” He said, feeling a sudden wave of fear in his heart. “I’m sorry, Teacher Jin. But please allot me that student from Class I or any other class but class K.”

“Peng Cheng, I alloted that student to someone from class Ten B,” Teacher Jin said. “You can tutor this student—”

“Class Ten K students are beyond redemption. They all are a group of brownies, always beating or stealing money from other innocent students,” Peng Chen said. He had heard the reputation of Class Ten K on the forum. He was not going to help any student from Class Ten K at any cost. “They don’t come to school to study but to annoy students like us. They love to squander their parents’ hard-earned money. I’m sorry. I can’t help such students.”

Students like Peng Cheng who came from middle-class families to study at Jingyuan High school on scholarship had this attitude towards rich students. He believed that students like him who are born in small income families and strive hard to study to make a good name for themselves are sincere students. The rest of them are here to squander their parents’ money.

His belief might be true to some extent but it couldn’t be applied to students like An Xiulan, Gu Shangyan or Han Nanxin. They came from big families but their intentions toward study were sincere.

What Peng Cheng failed to understand was that rich or poor didn’t matter when it came to a student’s interest in studies. Some poor wouldn’t study even when given an opportunity and some rich would do their best to study even when they have everything.

“Peng Cheng, the student I’m telling you about, she is a good Student,” Teacher Jin said, trying to change his mind. However,  he was failing to persuade Peng Cheng who had made up his mind and was going to stick by his decision. ” She has a problem with language. But overall, she is a good seedling. She is worth nurturing. Also, she is very well behaved.”

“Teacher Jin, I can’t forget the trauma I got after teaching Lu Xuan from Class Ten K for a day,” Peng Cheng said, shuddering. Even if he agreed to teach that girl, he still couldn’t forget how Lu Xuan had made him see Yama on the very first day he agreed to be the latter’s tutor. Mr Lu was his father’s boss and when he was told to tutor Lu Xuan, he agreed with his father but just after one day, he told Mr Lu that he valued his life and wouldn’t come back to help his son with studies.

“Lu Xuan is not in that class anymore,” Teacher Jin said, massaging his aching temples. He could understand more or less what Lu Xuan might have done to scare this poor boy.

“Still many tyrants are,” Peng Cheng immediately said. “Maybe she is one of them. The students that come to school just for fun, not for studies. I can’t accept someone like her.”

As An Xiulan heard his words, she stiffened. She was so hurt that she dare not breathe out loud. She wanted to make her presence as invisible as possible. And just like that her past ghosts were once again called.

…

Author Note: I’m so glad to tell everyone that my book is successfully contracted. Thus, I’m going to post regularly. As for not posting yesterday, I fell sick. But the notification of the contract signing breathe life back into me.

PS: Don’t I deserve a gift to celebrate my contract signing?

Also, lets have a mass release!

Lots of love

Tanu