"My name is Wu Xiang. I am your new substitute mathematics teacher."
The tall and willowy man in his late twenties with olive skin, dressed in an oversized blue shirt and navy trousers, declares to the class. The duster falls off the table when he picks up the class roster. He bends down to pick up the duster. The class roster slips from his hand. He ignores the laughing students. He stands up as nothing happened.
"I have a Ph.D. in mathematics and a master degree from A University, London. I have a bachelor degree from C University, California." He looks at the students of Class B solemnly. "Your former mathematics teacher had to leave because of an emergency. I will be taking his duties from now on."
"Our first lecture is language?" One boy in the front row asks. The other students also make faces. Clearly, nobody wants to study mathematics first in the morning.
"There are changes in the lecture schedule." He frowns slightly. His slanted eyes flash at a pink haired girl who is lazily looking out of the window. He picks up the chalk and throws in her direction. The pink haired girl tilts the body to the right.
"Ow!" The chalk hits the innocent boy behind her. There is a small bump on the boy's forehead. He massages his forehead and curses the pink haired girl in his heart.
"Your name?" She has fast reflexes. This girl is interesting.
The girl cocks her head and watches him with her big almond eyes thoughtfully.
"Fang Aisa."
"I see." Teacher Wu mumbles to himself and doesn't pay any more attention at the pink-haired girl. His expression is calm, but he is a bit annoyed at heart. He turns the pages of the class roster in impatience.
"Aren't you overqualified to teach at H high school?"
His face clouds with darkness when he hears the question. The questioner is Fang Aisa.
"No, it is my privilege to teach students like you." His slight smile doesn't meet his eyes. The girl chuckles quietly. His smile fades a bit. She can see through him.
"With your degrees, you can be hired at N University." She has a lofty smile on her face. Wu Xiang finds it irritating like the sound of rubbing sandpaper on the board.
"I like H High School." He releases forced laughter.
"Really?" She grins at him. "I like you, Teacher Wu."
He doesn't know what to reply. Wu Xiang grimaces at the girl. This girl is trying to make him uneasy. Suddenly, he feels goosebumps on his back. His eyes shift to the last row of troublemakers. The red-headed girl is looking down at her hands with a conflicted expression. A slender boy is looking at the girl with an almost smile on his face. Others are waiting enthusiastically for him to reply to Fang Aisa.
"Thank you, Fang Aisa." He doesn't hide the annoyance in his tone this time. "I am going to teach you multi-variable integration today. "
"That's not in our syllabus." Someone comments. He doesn't turn back to look at the person.
"The syllabus and the exam questions will be decided by me." He writes the equation on the blackboard. "Fang Aisa, come and solve this question on the board."
"I don't know how to solve it." Fang Aisa leans back, clearly amused. He doesn't understand what's wrong with her. "Teacher Wu, I have a question for you though."
"Is it related to mathematics?" He doesn't like this girl. But then, he doesn't like anyone.
"Yes." She stands up with confidence and grace. She walks to the board and takes the chalk from Teacher Wu's hand. Then, she writes a complicated equation on the board.
"Solve this, Teacher Wu." She gives him the chalk and returns to her desk.
Teacher Wu is surprised to look at the equation. This equation is actually part of his research. He hasn't been able to solve it for years. His obsession with this equation has lost him everything.
The students look at the equation on the board. They can't make head or tail of it. Judging from Teacher Wu's reaction, it is probably gibberish that Fang Aisa wrote on the board. Everyone knows that Fang Aisa is not good at studies. Her middle school record was bad. The mathematics score was even worse.
"Fang Aisa, where did you find this equation?" Teacher Wu doesn't think much. She must have seen it somewhere and decided to ask him. The equation has been unsolvable for years now. There have been several articles on him and his work. She must have read them. It is no wonder that this girl was cheeky earlier.
"I know the solution," She replies in a relaxed manner. "Teacher Wu, if will tell you the solution, what will you give me in return?"
Teacher Wu laughs genuinely after a long time. A fifteen years old girl can solve this equation?
Right!
"What do you want in return?" Teacher Wu finds it hilarious, but he isn't angry. He didn't expect to find someone from a low-grade high school to recognize him or know about his work.
"Will you give anything I ask for?"
He points at the equation. "If you can solve it, I will do anything you want. I will give you anything you want."
"All the students of Class B are witnesses that Teacher Wu agreed to do whatever I want if I solve this equation." Her eyes linger on the snickering students who are waiting for Fang Aisa to make fool of herself.
She laughs and says, "They hate to repeat themselves."
"What?" The students didn't expect to hear that. What kind of solution is that? She didn't even pick up the chalk again. She is really a fool.
"Hate to repeat?" Wu Xiang frowns a bit. He realizes something and glances back at the equation. He mentally does the numbers and mutters absentmindedly for the next five minutes. Class B looks at him with pity. Their new teacher is duped by Fang Aisa.
"You really solved it." Wu Xiang's next words shock the entire class.