Chen Yongchao was already starting to lose his composure. He turned his face away and tried to salvage the situation:
"They are still students, after all. I can't let something like this affect their studies, can I?"
Teacher Zhu chuckled, "Who doesn't know the situation in your class?"
"It's one thing to talk about the others, but isn't your class monitor notorious for sleeping in class every day? With his grades, is there any room for him to be affected?"
" Old Zhu, your thinking is seriously flawed!" Chen Yongchao immediately retorted, "So what if I'm a poor student? Poor students have the right to learn! Besides, our class monitor is different now."
"Don't take this so seriously," Teacher Zhu said irritably. "You're not suggesting that your class monitor, under your tutelage, has decided to mend his ways starting today, are you?"
Chen Yongchao: "..."
No, comrade, why did you steal my lines?
You've said everything, so what am I supposed to say?
"Is that not allowed?" He could only stubbornly reply, "You have no idea, I only discovered today that our class monitor is a hidden genius!"
Teacher Zhu couldn't help but chuckle, " Old Chen, you're only just realizing this? Aren't you a little too slow?"
"Huh?" Chen Yongchao was taken aback for a moment. "How did you find out?"
"Is there even a question?" Teacher Zhu said speechlessly, "A high school sophomore can attract so many people, even people my age have to shamelessly ask you to make connections. What else could he be but a genius in image design?"
Chen Yongchao waved his hand forcefully. "That's not what I meant, you misunderstood... Although I admit he's a genius in image design, that's not the point!"
He took a deep breath. "The key point is, he's also a genius when it comes to academics!"
"Puff--"
"What are you laughing at?" Chen Yongchao asked, pursing his lips and looking displeased.
"No... I was just thinking about my blind date this weekend, and I'm a little happy about it."
Teacher Zhu made up a very considerate excuse, which softened Chen Yongchao's expression somewhat.
" Old Chen."
Then, he said earnestly, "I know you're a great teacher who's particularly good at discovering students' potential, but you're not teaching the humanities class, you're teaching a special talent class... you know what I mean?"
Chen Yongchao took a deep breath.
How could he not have understood what the other person meant?
Even the most gifted students at Xinxi No. 1 High School are all in the top classes of the arts and sciences streams.
You're a lazy bum who takes on art students every year, so don't worry about being the head teacher of that elite class.
"How dare you insult me like this, you brat!"
At this moment, a burning resentment raged within him. He really wanted to call Zhang Zhaomu over and demonstrate to her what a genius with a photographic memory truly meant.
But in the end, he held back. It was one thing to sulk with a colleague in the office, but there was no need to deliberately affect Zhang Zhaomu's studies over something like this.
I only had to run to the office once, and they could already recite half a text!
It's not worth it for such a narrow-minded and utterly foolish person!
"Don't believe me if you don't want to." Chen Yongchao curled his lip. "When the college entrance exam results come out and our Class 9 students hang up the banner, you'll know that everything I said today came from the bottom of my heart."
"I know you've hung up a lot of banners for your special talent classes, but there are still two years until the college entrance exam. There's no need to show off in advance," Teacher Zhu said irritably.
"I meant our class monitor's banner will also be hung up!" Chen Yongchao realized his words had been misunderstood and quickly added.
"Alright, alright... Anyway, the college entrance exam is still a long way off, anything is possible." Teacher Zhu said perfunctorily, "I also hope your wish can come true, just as I sincerely hope that every student can achieve top marks in the exam."
It would have been better if the other party had been confrontational; this perfunctory response only made Chen Yongchao feel more frustrated.
He couldn't help but raise his voice. "I'm not joking, how about we make a bet?"
"Bet on college entrance exam scores? There are still two years left, by then we'll probably have forgotten all about it." Teacher Zhu laughed, "If you're going to bet, let's bet on something closer to home, how about the next monthly exam?"
"Monthly exam?" Chen Yongchao said irritably, "Isn't that next week?"
"That's right," Teacher Zhu provoked, "Didn't you say your class monitor is a learning genius?"
"He is indeed a genius, but..." Chen Yongchao paused, "... after all, his foundation is a bit weak; even in our class, he's currently at the bottom."
Based on Zhang Zhaomu's past report cards, Chen Yongchao felt that his foundation was not just a little weak, but rather that he hadn't studied anything at all during his entire first year of high school.
There's no way you can catch up in just over a week.
"I didn't say I was betting on him suddenly becoming one of the top students," Teacher Zhu said. "If he can get into the top thirty in your class this monthly exam, I'll consider it a loss, okay?"
He then provoked him, saying, "There are less than fifty people in your class, you're not afraid to bet on that, are you?"
"Why wouldn't I dare?!" Chen Yongchao's eyes widened. "We're betting! What's the stake?"
"That ornament on your desk looks pretty nice... it just so happens my desk is a bit empty right now." Teacher Zhu chuckled.
Chen Yongchao's expression froze.
The items aren't expensive, of course, but the two workstations are next to each other. If you lose, you'll have to watch your own decorations sitting on someone else's desk every day... That's definitely not a pleasant feeling.
But now he was in a bind, so he nodded vigorously. "That plant on your desk seems to be doing quite well. I happen to be getting a bit interested in plants lately."
"Then it's settled!" Teacher Zhu revealed a smug look on her face.
How could a student who was at the bottom of the class in the humanities stream improve by more than ten places in a week?
Old Chen, that old fox, has really lost his mind; he actually dared to take on such a bet.
He simply couldn't imagine the possibility of losing his bet.
As for Chen Yongchao, he was already starting to regret it.
"I acted impulsively again..."
"I really need to change this habit of getting carried away by my pride."
He tried to comfort himself, "It's not like we're destined to lose. Our class's overall performance... well, it's not like that anyway."
"It's just about making it into the top thirty. What if Zhang Zhaomu really can do it?"
At this moment, Teacher Zhu had already gathered the things she needed for the next class and was walking out of the office. Before leaving, she didn't forget to give a cheerful reminder:
" Old Chen, let's gamble, but let's not hurt our friendship."
"Regarding the image makeover, remember to let me know when your class monitor is available."
Chen Yongchao took a deep breath. "I won't forget! Just you wait!"
Damn it! There's still this hurdle to overcome!
The words have already been spoken. If I can't keep them, I'll put aside Old Zhu's happiness for now, because I'm afraid I'll never be able to hold my head high in front of him again.
How should I talk to Zhang Zhaomu about this?
As his homeroom teacher, I couldn't very well shamelessly beg him, could I?