The rest was much simpler. Fang Bai got a pass allowing him to leave the school regularly. The Principal personally placed him in Class 1 of the Retake Class and gave the Homeroom Teacher a few instructions.
The Homeroom Teacher of Class 1 of the Retake Class was a woman in her thirties named Zhan Feng. She taught english.
After the Principal left her office, Zhan Feng sat in her chair with a cool expression. Fang Bai stood before her with his hands folded over his stomach like a well-behaved student as she said:
"Fang Bai, the Principal said I don't need to manage you too strictly. You may enter and leave the school freely, and you may take leave freely as well. I don't know what connection or background you have with the Principal, but I hope you study hard and get into a good university.
Our class is an elite retake class. Everyone scored above 470 on the college entrance exam, and several even passed the Undergraduate Line.
You joined the class a month late, so you'll have to work hard and make up the lessons you missed yourself."
If he had entered her class through normal channels, Zhan Feng would not have had any objections. But she particularly disliked students for whom the school made special exceptions, especially ones who could take leave whenever they wanted!
Free access in and out of the school!
What kind of student was that? Was the school inviting a deity in?
So, deep down, she already disliked Fang Bai somewhat.
"Thank you for your concern, Homeroom Teacher. I understand."
The moment Fang Bai heard that, he knew the Principal had not clearly explained the situation to his new Homeroom Teacher, causing her to misunderstand.
Forget it. He could not be bothered to explain. Maybe this was better.
"Mm. Go collect your review materials. I'll take you to the classroom and find you a seat."
Fang Bai acted like a good student in front of Zhan Feng. He was rather afraid of female teachers. If he was not careful, she might nag him endlessly and give him a whole ideological lecture.
Afternoon classes were in session. Carrying a stack of review materials several centimeters thick, Fang Bai followed behind Zhan Feng to Repeat Class One, located in the westernmost classroom on the first floor.
Zhan Feng knocked on the classroom door. The math teacher inside, who was in the middle of a lesson, saw that it was Zhan Feng and paused before walking to the door to ask what was going on.
"Teacher Li, there's a new repeating student. He was assigned by the Principal."
Zhan Feng spoke evenly to the math teacher, then turned to Fang Bai. "Fang Bai, introduce yourself to the class, then take the empty seat in the last row."
"Okay."
Following the direction of her finger, Fang Bai saw that there was indeed an empty seat in the last row.
He also glanced at the students who were all looking at him. There were four two-person desks in each row, eight rows in total, and sixty-three students in the class. There were more boys than girls.
The desks were crude and simple, each piled high with books and study materials. Shorter students had their view blocked by the stacks.
A line of red words was posted on the wall at the back of the classroom: "Since you chose to try again, you should fight with all your strength."
Another line of red words was posted on the wall above the blackboard: "Raise your score by one point, increase your hopes without limit."
The entire classroom was filled with a tense atmosphere of studying. Fang Bai saw their desire for university in their eyes and was immediately affected by it.
After taking everything in, he extended his left hand toward Teacher Li and flashed an even brighter smile. "Hello, Teacher Li. If I have any questions in the future, I'll have to rely on your guidance."
"Hehe, welcome. Let's exchange ideas." Teacher Li froze for a moment before shaking his hand.
Fang Bai straightened his back and walked into the classroom. He first placed his materials on the podium, then swept his gaze across the students below once more.
The students below were also sizing up the handsome, fashionably dressed boy on the stage. He seemed extremely calm. After smiling faintly, he began to speak in a clear voice:
"Hello, everyone. Sorry to take up a little of your time. Let me briefly introduce myself.
"My name is Fang Bai. Fang as in upright, Bai as in cypress. I'm an ordinary student from the countryside.
"My parents hoped I would be an upright and honorable person, strong and unyielding like a cypress tree, unafraid of hardship.
"Like all of you, I was very unlucky in this year's college entrance exam. I failed as well. Unwilling to accept it, I wanted to return to the battlefield and fight once more..."
As Fang Bai introduced himself, he wrote his name on the blackboard.
He spoke at an unhurried pace, clearly and distinctly. There was a depth and confidence in his words that made people listen without realizing it.
Yet the moment he began speaking, both teachers and the students were a little surprised.
Zhan Feng in particular felt that Fang Bai was completely unlike an ordinary student, and she could not help studying him more closely.
It was the first time the students below had seen someone so good at speaking. Ordinary students stumbled through self-introductions. Even the more articulate ones could not speak as well as Fang Bai, much less with such natural ease.
"In July, I went to work at a factory to earn money for my tuition and fees. By accident, a machine cut off three of my fingers. It felt as if the sky had fallen."
Fang Bai calmly raised his right hand. The students in the front row could clearly see the scars on the middle three fingers. The two girls at the very front covered their mouths after one glance, not daring to look any longer.
He was not afraid of the teachers and students learning about his severed fingers. Even if he said nothing, his classmates would soon find out and gossip about it in private. Things could easily turn into all sorts of rumors he did not want, so he might as well reveal it himself. At least it made the story sound more inspiring.
Both teachers and the entire class were shocked. None of them had expected the student on stage to have gone through something so terrible, and they could not help sympathizing with him.
Everyone stared at Fang Bai as he continued, "I underwent surgery to reattach my fingers. They were reconnected, but I can't put any strength into them.
"So I had no choice but to use my left hand. I worked hard at practicing writing with it, and now I can write again.
"I only want to tell everyone that past setbacks and failures are nothing at all!
"In the coming months, I hope I can work hard alongside all of you and strive to get into the university we want next year."
After saying that, Fang Bai stepped down from the podium.
"Good!"
"Well said! Past setbacks and failures are nothing at all!"
Quite a few students immediately responded. Moved by Fang Bai's inspiring story, they broke into enthusiastic applause, and the others joined in.
"Fang Bai spoke very well. After such an unexpected tragedy, he still found the courage to stand back up. I hope everyone studies hard, strives to get into a good university, and fights for a better future for yourselves."
Zhan Feng, who was standing at the classroom door, had no choice but to enter. She clapped first, then pressed her hands down, signaling for the students not to shout so loudly and disturb the other classes.
After speaking, she said to Fang Bai, "Fang Bai, return to your seat. If you're not used to sitting in the back, we can move you when we rearrange seats next time.
"Teacher Li, sorry for interrupting your lesson."
She had originally wanted to find a time to give the repeating students an ideological talk, but she had not known what to say. Now it seemed Fang Bai had completed that task for her, making the purpose and meaning of the college entrance exam clear and helping them establish the right mindset.
She had thought Fang Bai had gotten in through connections, but it seemed he had gone through something else that delayed his schooling. His wish to leave the school freely was probably also related to treating his right hand.
Sigh, I really misunderstood him.
Since he wanted to leave the school whenever necessary to receive treatment, she would let him.
"It's fine. Fang Bai gave me a lesson too. Very good."
Teacher Li smiled and nodded. At first, he had felt that Fang Bai was delaying his class, but after hearing Fang Bai's introduction and seeing the students filled with fighting spirit, he figured teaching future lessons would be much easier.
As Fang Bai walked down from the podium, he had not expected to cause his Homeroom Teacher to misunderstand him again.
If he had known, he probably would have slapped his thigh and said: I just wanted to leave the school, that's all.
Before you continue