With Mr. Johnson's words "You may leave now," the students in the class rushed out of the classroom.
Aria said, "Let's go, Ellie."
Ellie responded, "Okay."
"Let's go, little prude."
Ellie looked up at him, then said, "Goodbye."
The early autumn evening breeze was still a bit warm. Ellie watched the youth walking in front of her and felt as if a small gap had been pried open in her heart.
...
The next day.
"Wake up."
In the third period of William's sleep, Ellie finally woke him up.
William opened his eyes, with red blood vessels still visible.
It has to be said that William just woken up from sleep looked a bit fierce.
"What's up?" William asked.
Ellie whispered, "The new English teacher is coming this period. Don't sleep anymore."
Daniel was just about to turn around to see if William was awake when he saw William leaning against the chair behind him, looking not fully awake.
William looked up at him and asked, "What's up?"
Daniel shook his head and said, "Nothing, nothing." After speaking, he quickly turned back around.
Ellie looked at William, who seemed unable to wake up properly, and asked, "Did you not sleep last night?"
"I slept for two hours, a bit of insomnia."
Ellie was silent for a while, then said, "You can try taking a hot bath before bed, drinking a cup of hot milk, or reading some books you find the most boring."
William glanced at the books in his drawer and said, "I'll try tonight."
The classroom door was gently knocked.
A somewhat chubby boy came in, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, black capris, and white sports shoes.
"Classmate, who are you looking for?"
"Me?" Mr. Sunnybrook pointed at himself, then spoke to the class: "I am your new English teacher."
Daniel whispered to William, "If he didn't say it, I would have thought he was a junior high school student."
William glanced at the person on the podium, who indeed looked no more than twenty years old.
Mr. Sunnybrook wrote "Mr. Sunnybrook" in big letters on the blackboard, then said, "My name is Mr. Sunnybrook, and I will be your English teacher from now on. I am already twenty-eight years old, and my child is running around everywhere, so I am not one of you."
The students below laughed together.
Mr. Sunnybrook continued, "I have already understood the English situation of your class, and the foundation is still there. Work hard, and I believe that next time everyone will definitely achieve better results than before."
Lucas couldn't help but say, "Teacher, you are the first person to say that we have a foundation."
Daniel followed, "Many teachers before said that there is no hope for your class, always ranking last, saying that we are the worst class they have ever taught."
Mr. Sunnybrook smiled and said, "That's exactly why you have a lot of room for improvement." He finished speaking and asked, "I don't know which student is Ellie? Raise your hand so I can see."
Ellie raised her hand.
Someone teased from below,
"Teacher, Ellie scored full marks last time."
"Although our English is poor, it doesn't affect our class having the top English student in the grade."
Mr. Sunnybrook smiled and said, "Good, I've got to know you. Then the position of English class representative will be handed over to Ellie. Ellie, my office is upstairs."
Ellie obediently responded, "Okay."
Ethan patted his chest and said, "This teacher finally didn't say which student is the English class representative and continue to be it. How can an English class representative not even pass English?"
Lucas said, "Aren't you?"
Ethan glanced at him and said, "Go away."
Mr. Sunnybrook's class was not rigid and could easily stimulate the enthusiasm of the students.
Upon hearing the bell for the end of class, he decisively packed up the books on the table and said, "Alright, this class is over. We will continue with the remaining content next time. Class representative, come with me to the office."
In the office.
Mr. Sunnybrook said, "I was just talking about myself and forgot to ask if you wanted to be a class representative."
Ellie said, "I want to be."
Mr. Sunnybrook smiled, then said, "That's good. All you have to do is collect their homework and ask me what homework to assign every day after class. If someone doesn't cooperate with your work, just tell me."
"Okay, I understand, thank you, teacher."
Mr. Sunnybrook said, "Alright, today's homework is to do two more pages in the materials provided by the school. Collect them before the second period of evening self-study. Remember to inform everyone."
"Okay."
Mr. Sunnybrook watched Ellie leave, and the new class representative was quite pleasing to the eye.
A few minutes before the start of the next class, Ellie squeezed her notebook and said, "The English homework is to do two more pages in the materials provided by the school, and it will be collected before the second period of evening self-study."
"What?"
"Didn't hear it, say it again, Ellie."
William felt that Ellie seemed to have used her loudest voice and impatiently repeated, "The English materials provided by the school, do two more pages, and they will be collected before the second period of evening self-study."
The class was silent.
William asked again, "Is there anyone who didn't hear it?"
The people who said they didn't hear it before stammered, "We heard it."
William finished speaking and continued to play with his phone. Ellie looked at him and whispered, "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Your voice is quiet. I can help you shout in the future, or writing it on the blackboard is also fine."
...
The teacher for the fifth period was unavailable, so it was changed to a self-study class.
Ellie was working on her physics homework.
William couldn't sleep anymore and pulled out the book Ellie had given him.
He flipped through it for a while and found the page where they had previously read.
Mr. Anderson came in from behind at some point. He walked up to William and said, "William, I've caught you this time, haven't I? What are you reading? Let me see."
With that, he picked up the book on William's desk. He glanced at the title and said, "Come with me."
William followed him out.
Mr. Anderson said, "You don't have a teacher for this period, right? This is a self-study class for you to do homework, not for you to read extracurricular books. Have you finished all your homework? Are you bored and reading extracurricular books here?"
William didn't say anything.
Mr. Anderson looked at him and said, "Are you even listening to me?"
William said, "I am listening."
Mr. Anderson was annoyed by his casual demeanor. He said, "William, it's not that I'm criticizing you, but it's time to study seriously. You're already a sophomore. Aren't you worried? You're reading this kind of extracurricular book in class, and can you still focus?"
William remained leaning against the wall without speaking.
"I'm taking the book. Write me a 1,000-word self-criticism."
William said, "You can't take the book."
Mr. Anderson looked suspiciously at the book in his hand and said, "Why can't I take it?"