Chapter 30 Chapter 30: The Problem Girl
Su Yuan sat on the sofa in the living room. A glass coffee table stood before her. Aunt Zhang served tea to both guests and smiled at Su Yuan. “So you are Wen’s new teacher.”
Su Yuan straightened her posture and answered politely. “Hello Aunt Zhang, my name is Su Yuan. Sister Xia recommended me to be the tutor.”
Aunt Zhang smiled. “No need to be so formal. Since Xia recommended you, Wen will be in your care. This child is lively but not very bright. Her father and I are worried sick.”
“Mom, how can you say that about me.” The girl named Tang Wen protested.
From the moment Su Yuan entered, the little girl had been sneaking glances at her. Perhaps she needed time to get used to the new tutor. Hearing her mother’s blunt words, she felt embarrassed and quickly retorted.
Aunt Zhang glared. “Did I say anything wrong. Look at yourself. Forty students in your class, and last term you ranked sixth from the bottom. Do you still have the face to argue.”
Tang Wen pouted, her bright eyes flashing with grievance. “I have improved. What you said is old news. At the start of this term I already tested better. I am confident I can rise to seventh from the bottom, and by midterm I will reach ninth from the bottom.”
“You are calculating progress backwards. Tell me, when will you finally leave the bottom ten.”
“With effort, I believe by the end of this term it is possible.”
Aunt Zhang flicked her forehead. “My dear daughter, others strive to enter the top ten. You aim only to escape the bottom ten, and even then only hope for it.”
Tang Wen jumped up angrily. “We must take things step by step. Dad taught us that our family values are steady and practical. We must not aim too high. And you must not ruin my image in front of the new teacher.”
Su Yuan and Xia Linfei exchanged looks. They wanted to tell Tang Wen that her behavior had already ruined her image.
Aunt Zhang turned to Su Yuan. “You see how wild she is. If she disobeys, do not hesitate to discipline her. We spoiled her too much before, that is why she is like this now.”
Tang Wen gasped. “Are you my stepmother.”
“Say that again.”
Tang Wen fell silent, muttering as she sat beside Xia Linfei, swinging her feet.
Su Yuan chuckled inwardly. She now saw Tang Wen as a spoiled little princess. Her skin was fair, her long black hair tied neatly, her features delicate, her height just over one meter forty. In her light clothes, the faint curve of her chest was already visible. A pretty young girl with great potential.
As Su Yuan observed her, Tang Wen also studied Su Yuan. She decided she liked her new teacher. She seemed kind like Sister Xia and not too strict.
“Since there is time, why not let Su Yuan teach Wen a lesson now.” Xia Linfei suggested.
Aunt Zhang agreed. “Good idea. Wen, take your teacher to your room.”
“Please come, Teacher Su.” Tang Wen hopped off the sofa and led Su Yuan upstairs.
Her room was filled with girlish charm. Delicate wallpaper, neat decorations, like a princess’s chamber. On the white desk lay a small mirror, with pencils and books scattered around.
“Let us begin, Sister Su.” Tang Wen brought her a chair and sat opposite her at the desk.
She had just called her Teacher Su, now she called her Sister Su. Su Yuan wanted to correct her but sighed instead.
“Call me Teacher Su, or brother…”
Tang Wen glanced at her chest and nodded. “I think Sister Su sounds better.”
Children these days were too clever. Su Yuan was about to insist when Tang Wen suddenly said, “Let me touch it.” She pointed at Su Yuan’s chest.
Su Yuan choked and surrendered.
“Where did Sister Xia leave off last time.” Su Yuan opened the book and began teaching.
Natural Science covered physics, chemistry, and biology. Tang Wen was in her second year of middle school, so she needed to master the first year’s basics. Su Yuan had already reviewed the material online.
“Can we start from the beginning.” Tang Wen asked innocently, then added quickly, “Sister Xia mainly helped me with fifth and sixth grade math.”
So they had to start from scratch.
Su Yuan did not mind. Challenges gave her motivation.
Her speaking skills were strong, well suited for teaching a child like Tang Wen. The girl moved from doubt to serious listening. Aunt Zhang and Xia Linfei peeked in once, saw them studying earnestly, and left pleased.
Two hours passed quickly. Su Yuan closed the book. Tang Wen’s foundation was poor, but thanks to Xia Linfei’s earlier tutoring, she had some basics. Otherwise Su Yuan might have wanted to bang her head against the wall.
Some say high school science is hardest to teach. Su Yuan believed the basics were harder. High school knowledge had depth, but with clear guidance even weak students could learn. The basics required building concepts, which was often frustrating for tutors.
After a short break, Su Yuan taught another two hours.
That meant she earned two days’ pay in one afternoon.
By evening, Tang Wen’s father returned. He was delighted to see his daughter studying willingly. He wished Su Yuan could be her full‑time teacher, though he knew she was still a student herself.
Unable to refuse their hospitality, Su Yuan and Xia Linfei stayed for dinner. The schedule was adjusted. Instead of three sessions a week, they added Saturday afternoons for four hours.
Ten hours a week, eight hundred yuan. In Binhe City, that was a high rate.
For Su Yuan, it was a fortune.
Back at Dorm 330, Gao Jun was tinkering with his electronics. Wires sprawled across the desk. He always turned order into chaos.
On the desk sat a large fan. Gao Jun held a small wind turbine connected by wires to a voltage regulator, then through a USB cable to a phone.
“What is this.” Su Yuan asked.
“You came at the right time. Look at my latest invention. Wind power charging for phones.” He smiled, switched on the fan, and the turbine spun. The phone showed charging.
Su Yuan praised. “Amazing invention.”
“Of course.” Gao Jun beamed.
Ji Yehao laughed. “Gao Jun, make me a solar flashlight next week. I want to use it for lighting.”
The words hit him hard. His smile froze, his face turned pale. He laughed weakly and lowered his head.
Su Yuan chuckled and patted his shoulder. “The revolution has not yet succeeded. Comrade, you must keep trying.”
After teasing Gao Jun, Su Yuan felt cheerful. She pulled out the green jade, hoping to unlock its secret. If she could, she might return to being male. Perhaps she could even open a clinic for breast enhancement.
But no matter how she tried, the jade remained inert.
She sighed, put it away, and decided to wait for another day.
Bored, she glanced at Ji Yehao and remembered his plan to buy Huaxin Technology stock. Curious, she asked, “Yehao, did you buy it.”
“Yes.”
“Did it rise or fall.”
He frowned. “It fell. But I think tomorrow it will rise.”
“You had inside information. How could it fall.” Su Yuan was surprised.
“Inside information cannot predict the exact day. The future is bright. This stock must be held long term.” His tone grew serious. Perhaps he regretted missing the lowest price.
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