Ultimate Teacher

So cool!

Cool to the point it's bubbling!

This was the thought running through the minds of all the students in Class 9. Before this, none of them had imagined that the ancient literature, which they found so dull and tedious, could be presented in such a suave and spectacular way.

Is this the traditional culture they had discarded as worthless? Is this the ancient relic they wouldn't even mention or look at?

"If I could pull off something like that, how many girls could I impress?" many of the boys secretly wondered.

As they pictured a beautiful and exciting future, they looked at Fang Yan with eyes full of admiration.

"What a great teacher," they thought. "The school really does take care of us."

Huang Haoran's eyes reddened. He removed his glasses once more, wiped his eyes with a cloth, then put them back on and walked to the center of the aisle. He bowed deeply to Fang Yan and said, "Mr. Fang, I admit defeat. I lost fair and square."

Fang Yan smiled at him and said, "Isn't it a bit early to admit defeat?"

To be honest, if Huang Haoran had asked different questions or recited a different classical text, Fang Yan wasn't sure he could have answered. But Huang's challenge was none other than the Dao De Jing.

Fang Yan came from a family deeply rooted in the practice of Tai Chi. His father, a scholar, wasn't particularly skilled in martial arts but placed his hopes for reviving the family's martial traditions on his precious son. Fang Yan worked hard, but... then there was Ye Wenrou—a once-in-a-century prodigy from the Ye family.

As a result, Fang Yan could only lose over and over, yet continue to fight again and again.

She knocked out his teeth, tore out his hair, and beat him until he cried for mercy. Fang Yan couldn't even imagine what she might do to him this year, so he simply left a note and ran away from home.

Fang Yan's father, Fang Yixing, not only pushed him to practice martial arts but also forced him to master both the literary and martial arts. Under his father's guidance, Fang Yan had read widely from a young age, and the Dao De Jing, one of Taoism's highest classics, was one of his first books.

To enhance his understanding of Tai Chi, Fang Yan read the Dao De Jing every day, dissecting it word by word.

So when Huang Haoran's third challenge was to recite the Dao De Jing, Fang Yan felt an overwhelming urge to laugh.

He did feel the impulse to laugh, but instead of laughing out loud, he made the bold claim that he would recite the Dao De Jing backward.

His performance was flawless, and the effect was astonishing. Seeing their awestruck expressions, Fang Yan secretly gave himself a mental high-five.

Huang Haoran looked at Fang Yan in confusion, not understanding what he meant by "too early to admit defeat."

"We agreed you would ask me three questions, and I would ask you three questions," Fang Yan reminded him. "Surely you haven't forgotten?"

"Mr. Fang, no need for more questions. Huang Haoran is definitely no match for you," a lively girl shouted from the class.

"Exactly! I used to think Huang Haoran was a top student, but now I see that Mr. Fang is the real king of scholars!" a cheeky boy added, suggesting that Huang Haoran was no longer a worthy opponent.

"Mr. Fang, do you have a girlfriend?" someone asked, clearly trying to stir things up.

When Xu Ying asked if Fang Yan had a girlfriend, the whole class burst into laughter.

Xu Ying was a cute girl with an oval face. After asking the question, she blushed deeply. But seeing the whole class laughing at her, she rolled her eyes in mock anger and said, "I like Mr. Fang, so what? You guys don't, so don't try to steal him from me."

"We won't fight you for him. We don't like men," a boy teased.

Watching their playful banter, Fang Yan felt relaxed and content.

This was the feeling of youth. This was the breath of freedom. This was a carefree life.

Being a teacher really wasn't so bad!

Not getting beaten up—it was great!

After they had laughed and joked for a while, Fang Yan looked at Huang Haoran and said, "You have to see things through to the end. Don't you think? How can you be sure you've lost until the very last moment?"

Huang Haoran understood what Fang Yan meant and, with a serious expression, said, "I'm willing to accept Mr. Fang's challenge."

Fang Yan nodded in satisfaction and said, "Here's the first question. Other students can also answer. For each correct answer, I'll add a point to your test score. The famous line 'The moonlight in front of the bed' is a timeless verse by Li Bai. What does the word 'bed' refer to?"

"The well's railing," Huang Haoran answered before anyone else had finished thinking, demonstrating his scholarly prowess.

"The garden of poetry has blossomed for a thousand years, with countless flowers competing to bloom, but only one daughter-flower stands out." Which historical female poet does this refer to?"

"Li Qingzhao!" A chubby girl answered eagerly, her voice rising with excitement. Her face flushed as she looked at Fang Yan and said, "I love Li Qingzhao the most."

"What's your name?" Fang Yan asked, walking up to her.

"Wang Fang."

"Congratulations, Wang Fang, you answered correctly. I'll add a point to your test score for the next exam."

"Thank you, Mr. Fang!" Wang Fang said happily.

Seeing how easily Wang Fang interacted with the new teacher, the other girls were full of envy. Each silently vowed to be the one to answer the next question correctly.

Whether by chance or design, Fang Yan's actions immediately boosted the students' enthusiasm for learning, drawing everyone along with his teaching.

This is the mark of an excellent teacher—an ability to command attention and inspire students.

"The third question, and the last one," Fang Yan announced as he scanned the classroom. "Who can recite The Standards for Being a Good Student and Child in full?"

No one answered.

Fang Yan looked at Huang Haoran and asked, "Can you?"

"I can."

"Then why don't you recite it?"

"Because…" Huang Haoran hesitated for a moment before saying, "I can only recite it the normal way."

Fang Yan couldn't help but laugh. "Just because I recited the Dao De Jing backward, you think you have to recite The Standards for Being a Good Student and Child backward too?"

"Recite it," Fang Yan ordered.

Huang Haoran nodded and began to recite: "The Standards for Being a Good Student and Child, teachings of the sages. First comes filial piety and respect for elders, followed by caution and trust…"

When Huang finished, Fang Yan was the first to applaud. "Not bad, very well done. You only made a few small mistakes, switching the order of two sentences. Knowledge isn't magic; it doesn't have to be flashy. At your age and education level, being able to do this is something to be proud of."

"Thank you, Mr. Fang," Huang Haoran said happily.

"You've proven you're ready to graduate from elementary school," Fang Yan said with a smile.

Huang Haoran's face turned red with embarrassment.

The other students, hearing that Huang Haoran had only graduated from elementary school in Fang Yan's eyes, felt like dying of embarrassment themselves. If Huang was only at elementary school level, what did that make them? Preschoolers?

"Are you guys unhappy with that?" Fang Yan asked, reading their expressions. He smiled and said, "Actually, The Standards for Being a Good Student and Child used to be a text for children's early education. None of you can deny that, right?"

"Mr. Fang, it's not our fault. The school makes us memorize so much stuff all the time, but they never ask us to memorize The Standards for Being a Good Student and Child. Besides, it's not on the exams, so what's the point of memorizing it?" one student argued.

"That's true, you're not to blame," Fang Yan agreed. "It's not on the exams, so you don't memorize it. But that doesn't mean The Standards for Being a Good Student and Child isn't useful. Our ancestors often said, 'First set your mind right and cultivate yourself, then you can manage your family, rule the country, and bring peace to the world.' If you don't cultivate yourself first, how can you bring peace to the world? The Standards for Being a Good Student and Child helps us cultivate ourselves. Reading and reflecting on it can be endlessly rewarding."

"But don't worry. From today, I'll be guiding you through the five thousand years of classical Chinese culture. We'll get to know the legendary figures who left their mark on history. We'll drink fine wine, meet great heroes, and appreciate beautiful women, and we'll befriend all the people we admire and respect. Whether it's Li Bai or Du Fu, Li Shishi or Liu Rushi."

"Mr. Fang, both Li Shishi and Liu Rushi were prostitutes," a student interrupted.

"Who told you that?" Fang Yan turned, angry, to face the pimple-faced boy who had spoken. "They were courtesans, doesn't that sound a bit more refined?"

Fang Yan sat down on a student's desk with a casual demeanor and said, "To be honest, I'm really jealous of your luck. You've got a guy like me as your teacher… Don't laugh, we're still in class."

"Hahaha—"

The students burst into laughter once again. This teacher was too much!

At that moment, the back door of the classroom burst open, and three students came in, arms around each other's shoulders.

"Stop right there," Fang Yan ordered.

Zheng Guodong, his eyes bleary with drunkenness, looked at Fang Yan on the podium and asked, "Can someone tell me who this guy is? He looks kinda new."

"Fang Yan. Fang as in square, Yan as in two fires stacked on top of each other," Fang Yan introduced himself. "I'm the Chinese teacher for this class."

"Oh, so you're Mr. Fang." Zheng Guodong let out a hiccup and waved at Fang Yan. "Mr. Fang, I'll treat you to a drink sometime."

Fang Yan wrinkled his nose at the strong smell of alcohol in the room and frowned. "The three of you, get out. Come back when you've sobered up."

Zheng Guodong kicked a chair out of his way and pointed at Fang Yan, shouting, "Hey, Fang, don't push your luck. When I'm in a good mood, you're Mr. Fang. But if you piss me off, you're nothing but a pile of crap."

"Hahaha, a pile of crap!" Zheng Guodong's two lackeys, Li Yang and Chen Tao, echoed with laughter.

Fang Yan's expression grew cold, and the smile on his face disappeared.

It seemed someone had come to challenge him.

By the rules of the streets, both sides should send out their best fighters, each displaying their skills, and the winner takes all.

Fang Yan decided he would send himself into the ring.