Ou Yilian

Biodata

Background / History

Earlier teaching career

Ou Yilian had taught elsewhere before joining Jingcheng No. 1 High School. She introduced herself to Class One with a lengthy account of her university education, overseas study, and successful former students. The principal later described her as an experienced senior English teacher and the school’s intended nominee for the provincial outstanding teacher award 18 38.

At a previous school, a female student repeatedly sought her help over sexual harassment by a deskmate. Ou Yilian refused a seating change, telling the girl to improve her interpersonal skills. When the harassment and bullying escalated, she blamed the student rather than intervening. After the girl appealed to the principal, Ou Yilian repeatedly played a recording of the harassment before the class, presenting it as an example of classmates joking too far 34.

The student subsequently suffered depression and multiple suicide attempts. Her family transferred her to another school, while the perpetrator’s influential family suppressed the incident online. An anonymous correspondent later supplied Song Yu with records of Ou Yilian’s teaching history and the student’s account, reporting that the girl was doing better in her new environment 33 34.

Role in *Gentle Control*

In Gentle Control, the novel known to Song Yu, Ou Yilian bore substantial responsibility for the harassment and ostracism Xie Sui experienced throughout high school. She ignored Wang Ci’s persistent harassment and dismissed it as minor conflict between classmates 18 33.

Conflict with Song Yu

Upon taking charge of Class One, Ou Yilian announced that students could choose their own seats until the first monthly examination. She nevertheless tried to move Song Yu beside the podium so Wang Ci could sit with Xie Sui, using Song Yu’s health as her stated justification 18 19.

When Song Yu refused, she attacked his attitude, threatened to have him transferred, and said he would become “the scum of society.” Song Yu called the principal, who allowed him to remain in Class One and reprimanded her for disguising hurtful remarks as concern. Believing Song Yu came from an ordinary wage-earning family, Ou Yilian attributed his protection to his poor health and resented losing an opportunity to please the Wang family 19.

Her hostility continued during classroom introductions. She hoped to turn the class against Song Yu and looked for an opportunity to force him out of school, but his exchange of praise with Xie Sui instead delighted their classmates 27.

Lin Shuangqiu’s leave request

Ou Yilian refused Lin Shuangqiu permission to visit her seriously ill grandmother, asking whether she could wait until her grandmother died before requesting leave. When Lin cried, Ou Yilian ordered her to remain outside the classroom. Song Yu recorded the exchange and demanded that she approve the leave slip 32.

After signing and stamping it, Ou Yilian adopted a gentler manner and brought up Lin’s poverty and possible financial aid, which she later described as compensation. She dismissed her earlier words as a mistake caused by overwork and insisted that her connections would protect her from dismissal. Song Yu sent the recording to the principal 32.

The anonymous evidence about her former student arrived afterward. Rather than publicize the victim’s experiences and risk hurting her again, Song Yu forwarded the material to the principal and Meng Guang. Ou Yilian continued targeting him, openly mocking his illness while he slept in class 33 34.

Office confrontation and suspension

After Wang Ci was hospitalized following his attack on Xie Sui, Ou Yilian summoned Xie Sui to the office on behalf of Wang Ci’s mother. She threatened to bar him from class if he arrived late and agreed with the mother’s accusations before hearing his account 36.

Xie Sui presented a video documenting Wang Ci’s threats and attempted sexual assault. Despite the evidence, Ou Yilian called the incident a joke between classmates and accused him of overreacting. She then berated Song Yu for slapping Wang Ci’s mother, continuing even after the dean objected to her treatment of a student 36 37.

Her confidence collapsed when Song Yu’s aunt, Wen Yuan, arrived. Recognizing that Wen Yuan had considerable social standing, Ou Yilian retracted her accusations and attempted to apologize. Wang Ci’s mother subsequently blamed and slapped her. The arrival of Mayor Meng revealed that Song Yu was the mayor’s nephew 37.

Mayor Meng rejected her outstanding-teacher nomination and ordered all her classes suspended. He also disclosed that a serious report concerning her conduct at a previous school had been referred to the police. Ou Yilian pleaded that she had not known Song Yu’s identity; Song Yu answered that her predicament resulted from her past wrongdoing, not merely her treatment of him 38.

Teacher Cheng subsequently took over both her English lessons and her homeroom responsibilities 41.

Appearance

Ou Yilian appears young and cultivates a carefully dressed, heavily perfumed image 18 26.

• Hair: Long, which she sweeps back during her introduction 18.
• Clothing: A white slip dress on her first appearance; skirts and high heels in later classes 18 26.
• Perfume: Expensive and strong enough to be conspicuous as she moves 18 26.

Personality

Ou Yilian is explicitly characterized as vain and snobbish, valuing students’ family backgrounds above their grades. She spends an entire evening study period advertising her accomplishments, yet overlooks Wang Ci and his followers’ absence from class without question 18 26.

She treats challenges to her authority as personal insults and recasts abusive conduct as concern or strict teaching. Her responses to complaints repeatedly blame victims and minimize harassment, while her attitude toward influential adults is ingratiating 19 32 34 36.

Her final apologies remain tied to status rather than an understanding of the harm she caused: even after the police referral is disclosed, she protests that she did not know Song Yu was the mayor’s nephew 38.

Relationships

• Song Yu — Student and principal opponent; records her misconduct, reports her past abuse, and challenges her attempts to protect Wang Ci 19 32 34 37.
• Xie Sui — Student whose harassment she minimizes; attempts to rearrange his seating for Wang Ci and dismisses evidence of attempted assault as a joke 19 36.
• Wang Ci — Favored student whose family she hopes to cultivate; she overlooks his absences and supports his mother’s accusations 19 26 36.
• Wu Xinmei / Wang Ci’s mother — Influential parent whom she flatters and assists; ultimately blames and slaps Ou Yilian when the confrontation turns against them 36 37.
• Lin Shuangqiu — Student whose urgent leave request she cruelly rejects before Song Yu intervenes 32.
• Mayor Meng — Orders her teaching suspension, rejects her award nomination, and announces the police referral concerning her earlier conduct 38.
• Teacher Cheng — Successor as Class One’s English teacher and homeroom teacher 41.

Notable Quotes

“I treat every student like my own child.” 19

“Mayor! I wasn’t targeting Song Yu today! I didn’t know he was your nephew!” 38