"Yang Feng! Get up!"
The beautiful teacher on the podium slammed a Chinese textbook onto the desk, then threw an eraser towards him. It hit his head with a thud.
Yang Feng slightly frowned, his head slowly lifting from the desk. He rubbed his head, feeling a bit of pain.
"Haha——"
The classmates around him burst into laughter at the sight of the dazed boy, laughing louder and exchanging mocking glances.
Hearing the loud laughter of the students below, Mo Shan grew more and more annoyed. She had graduated from Beijing Normal University, determined to be a teacher who loved her students, but this student was simply unbearable.
"Yang Feng, look at you now! Sleeping in class every day. Go to the back of the classroom and listen carefully!"
It was Yang Feng's Chinese teacher, who was also his homeroom teacher. Her long, fair fingers pointed to the blackboard in the back. Her beautiful eyes flashed with a hint of regret.
Back in the first year of high school, Yang Feng was the top student in his grade, often outscoring the second-place student by over twenty points. He was incredibly talented. But now, she didn't know what had happened, his grades had dropped terribly.
Yang Feng glanced at the beautiful teacher on the podium, his face expressionless, and slowly walked to the back of the classroom. He shuffled a bit, his back slightly hunched.
"Yang Feng, you're back again. This semester, you've been here four or five times. You're already becoming a regular customer. I can't believe you're already here before the first class starts. Looks like you'll be standing for the whole morning, huh? What a pity," said Chen Xu, who sat at the last row. He had a slightly rogue-like appearance and looked at Yang Feng with a smirk.
Yang Feng glanced at him, ignoring the comment, and instead looked out the window.
Chen Xu, who was usually ranked in the middle academically, was tall and thin, so he was seated in the last row.
"Hey, our genius Yang Feng doesn't even bother with me now?"
Chen Xu raised his eyebrows, smiling teasingly, leaning on his desk.
Yang Feng ignored him as well, silently gazing out the window, a hint of sadness flickering in his eyes. He sighed inwardly.
The reason he acted this way was because his father had passed away at the end of his first year of high school. It had been a huge blow to him. After his father's death, the family was left without a pillar. He had to work part-time elsewhere to help cover the expensive tuition and living costs, and life was extremely difficult.
His mother didn't live with them. She lived in Cangnan Town, Zhejiang City, making bags to ease the family's financial pressure, but her monthly income was barely enough for both siblings to go to school. So, Yang Feng worked a part-time job outside, earning just 1,500 yuan a month, but that was still better than nothing.
When Chen Xu saw that Yang Feng didn't react, he didn't press further, and both of them settled down to listen to the teacher's lecture.
"Ding ding ding——"
The bell rang, signaling the end of the morning session. Everyone stood up and walked out of the classroom slowly.
Just as Yang Feng was about to leave the classroom, a beautiful figure appeared. Her smooth black hair fluttered as she wore a white school uniform, giving off a fresh, pure vibe.
"Yang Feng, are you feeling unwell? Why are you always sleeping in class? If this continues, what will happen when the college entrance exam comes around?"
This was Yang Feng's deskmate, Han Shilan. She had a youthful, delicate face and fair skin, and was one of the most beautiful girls in school. Her blue-and-white uniform subtly highlighted her curves.
Yang Feng forced a bitter smile and shook his head. "What can I do? I have to work part-time in the afternoon until 10 PM, then still have to do homework, laundry, and other things. By the time I finish everything, it's already past midnight."
"You're about to take the college entrance exam! Why are you still working part-time? What if it affects your studies? I think you should quit your job. If you're short on money… I can lend you some," Han Shilan said, her eyes sparkling like stars, but her voice grew softer as she finished, and her fair face slightly reddened.
Back in the first year of high school, Yang Feng had been the super genius, topping every exam, and he had garnered a lot of attention, including from girls. Han Shilan was no exception, having confessed to him in the past.
She didn't know why Yang Feng had fallen so far, but she still insisted on sitting next to him in the hope of helping him.
"I don't need it. See you later."
Yang Feng replied flatly, and then turned to leave the classroom. He wasn't so desperate that he'd borrow money from a girl, especially since she, like him,was just a student. How much money could she have?
After leaving the school, Yang Feng went to his part-time job at Wei Ye Restaurant, where he worked as a table cleaner.
As soon as he entered the backstage area, all the staff looked at him with sighs.
Yang Feng didn't pay attention to their sighs and simply put on his yellow rubber gloves.
At that moment, the manager walked over with a stern face and placed several red bills in front of him. "Yang Feng, you're fired. Here's your salary for this month. Take it and leave!"
Yang Feng paused, his eyes filled with disbelief. He quickly said, "Manager, why? I've been punctual every day and have always worked diligently. Why am I being fired?"
"Well, stop asking. Do you remember that rich young master you fought with the other day? He's the one who told our restaurant's big boss to fire you. I know you've been working hard, but…"
"This is your salary for this month, 1,500 yuan. Even though you only worked half the month, I'm still giving you the full pay. Please leave," the manager sighed helplessly. He was just a small manager, unable to refuse such orders.
Yang Feng gazed at the departing manager, took the 1,500 yuan from the table, and sighed deeply.
Two days ago, he had beaten up a rich young master who had harassed a female waitress. As a hot-blooded young man, he couldn't stand such behavior.
But now, he had lost his job after just two days of work. What could he do? As a high school student who hadn't even graduated, where else could he find a part-time job during his school hours?
With no other option, he left the restaurant