NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2 - [Trial lesson (1)]
During weekends, Ling Fan would dedicate a day to providing home tutoring services.
He never expected this skill to turn out surprisingly useful!
If he didn’t do home tutoring, he would most probably starve to death, as he had no one to rely on for financial support; thinking this left him feeling incredibly helpless.
The school paid a decent wage, with less than four hours of work per week, earning him 2,400 yuan monthly. However, being alone and growing, his rent and daily expenses were quite high, and Ling Fan occasionally spent money on games as well.
Ling Fan had also once pondered the idea of regaining his former glory as a wizard and standing proudly like a man. At least, that’s how many novels in this world have been written, which led him to believe he wasn’t the first to transmigrate.
The idea was grand, but reality proved otherwise.
Damn it, intelligence is only for wizards! Why did I become a cripple? Why didn’t I become a knight in my past life? Why do I feel that my stats are related to my past life!
Ling Fan vented his frustrations heavily.
Fortunately, Ling Fan was quite open-minded and didn’t allow the harshness of reality to affect him too much.
When earning money at school during the second year of junior high, Ling Fan thought he could also work part-time on weekends. After all, he had no classmates to hang out with and no extracurricular activities. Even if there were, he wouldn’t go.
Ling Fan used his high-end computer to search for suitable jobs online. This computer was the most valuable asset he owned.
Oh, right, and his smartphone.
After searching the entire weekend, Ling Fan finally found a few suitable jobs.
Sixth-grade math tutor, requirements: no gender restrictions, no educational requirements, but a trial lesson is required. Employment is determined upon the interview’s outcome, and the wage is set through face-to-face negotiation. Location: Junhao Garden Building X.
Hmm, this place seems good. Ling Fan nodded to himself.
Junhao Garden was located in an exclusive villa area, far from the bustling city center, with no high-rise buildings, only detached villas.
In that area, there were multiple villa areas known as the city’s wealthy district.
After checking the location, Ling Fan estimated it would take an hour and a half by bus to get there. It was quite far, but Ling Fan had his own considerations.
Also, after seeing the exorbitant housing prices there, Ling Fan believes that even after fifty years of work, he may still be unable to afford it.
Nevertheless, in such a neighborhood, his safety would be assured, and the inhabitants would likely be wealthy or of high social standing, ensuring favorable treatment, provided he could successfully pass the interview.
Ling Fan didn’t have the ability to handle five people at once, and his pitifully low stats made him feel very insecure.
It would be bad if he got beaten up, but fortunately, incidents of campus violence were rare at DeYu Middle School. Everyone seemed very harmonious, at most just some verbal arguments.
At least, that’s how it appeared to Ling Fan.
Ling Fan immediately contacted the number provided.
“Hello?” A young woman’s voice answered on the other end.
“Hello, am I speaking to Sister Su? I’m Ling Fan. I saw the recruitment notice you posted online and would like to apply. Could you give me this opportunity?” Ling Fan felt that calling the contact “Sister” would be appropriate since her voice sounded young.
“Hehe, Ling Fan, that’s a nice name. You want to apply for tutoring, right? I’ve listed the requirements and address. You can come for a trial lesson at 9:30 AM next Saturday.” Sister Su chuckled, seeming pleased with Ling Fan addressing her as “Sister.”
“Okay, I will be on time. Thank you for giving me this opportunity,” Ling Fan responded politely.
“Ain’t you a polite young man, but being polite alone doesn’t mean you’re qualified.”
“I understand. I’ll contact you again on Saturday.”
“Call me when you arrive on Saturday.” With that, Sister Su hung up.
Damn, dealing with people sure is hard. It seems that his choice of being an invisible person in class was right.
Ling Fan quietly affirmed his idea of being a salted egg.
(Tl: Perfectly idle, fabulously rich)
I have to find a few more jobs. I can’t just hang all my hopes on one, Ling Fan thought.
After an hour, Ling Fan found another promising job.
Wow, it’s as if it was tailor-made for me.
It’s located in a neighboring villa area that is just a ten-minute walk away, LingJian Garden.
First-year junior high math and geography tutor. Salary: This will be discussed during the interview. Requirements: teaching experience, one trial lesson, no gender restrictions.
Perfect! Ling Fan thought happily.
It’s hard for Ling Fan to find a tutoring job. Many either require female tutors or demand a bachelor’s or master’s degree or other qualifications. Although he could teach high school subjects with a few months of preparation, asking a junior high student to teach high school subjects is simply ridiculous.
Is Lady Luck finally smiling upon me? Ling Fan couldn’t help but have such a thought.
However, he still needed to pass the interview.
Considering this, Ling Fan dialed another number, and a deep male voice answered this time.
Ling Fan’s courteous demeanor made a positive impact on the other party, leading to the scheduling of the interview for Saturday afternoon.
On Saturday, Ling Fan arrived at Junhao Garden as promised.
Once inside JunHao Garden, Ling Fan felt like a country bumpkin in the city, finding everything new and fascinating.
The place was on a whole other level compared to his own tiny, cramped home. Ling Fan’s humble abode consisted of a bedroom, a bathroom, and a balcony—nothing more.
As Ling Fan gazed upon the rows of exquisite villas, each adorned with its own garden, he felt a renewed sense of his own poverty.
Arriving at Sister Su’s house, Ling Fan couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. However, he wasn’t your average junior high student. He swiftly gathered his composure and sent a message to Sister Su, letting her know he had arrived.
Soon, the door was opened.
“You are Ling Fan?” Sister Su was taken aback, her mouth slightly agape, as she looked at the young boy before her. Her carefully rehearsed opening lines were lost in her surprise.
Ling Fan, who is in his second year of junior high, is still under 170 cm tall. No matter how mature his soul was, his youthful face remained unchanged.
“Yes, Sister Su, I am Ling Fan.” Ling Fan replied honestly. The woman in front of him looked exceptionally well-maintained, looking around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, though Ling Fan believed she must be in her thirties, given that her child was in sixth grade.
“Given your appearance, you’re in junior high, right? How can you tutor my daughter?”
Sister Su said, preparing to send the young boy away. Her time was tight, and she didn’t want to waste it on a kid.
“Wait, you are from DeYu Middle School?” Sister Su noticed Ling Fan’s school uniform, particularly the school badge on his left chest, and asked before Ling Fan could explain anything.
“Yes, I’m in the second year of junior high at DeYu Middle School.” Ling Fan also noticed Sister Su’s gaze.
“Who is your homeroom teacher?” Sister Su asked, looking at Ling Fan’s class uniform.
“Lan XiaoYue.” Ling Fan said, thinking that the other party was most likely confirming his identity.
The uniform this kid is wearing looks like the one from the elite class. Sister Su immediately took out her phone and sent a message to Lan XiaoYue, her close friend, to verify Ling Fan’s identity.
“Please come in and have a seat. Sorry to keep you waiting at the door. Also, my name is SuWen; you can call me Sister Su.” SuWen apologized with a smile and invited Ling Fan inside. Her first impression of the boy was quite positive.
When Ling Fan thought things would get a little complicated, he never expected that his uniform would unintentionally help him avoid some problems.
Ling Fan didn’t have many extra clothes, so he wore his class uniform today. Wearing the class uniform was part of his consideration, given his appearance, and Ling Fan wasn’t planning to hide his identity.
In a way, the school uniform of DeYu Middle School symbolizes excellence in character and academics. The school has not only regular classes but also advanced and elite classes.
And the elite class Ling Fan is in has its own uniforms.
The elite classes consisted of a select group of students, with only 40 students per grade and a total of 240 students from junior high to high school, and they were the top students in the province.
The class uniform was a provincial limited edition, a symbol of status. Not something just anyone could wear.
Because the elite class was the school’s pride, entering it wasn’t something that could be done with connections alone. Only a few could enter with connections, but a decent academic performance is required. Poor performance was out of the question. Once an elite class was established, it mostly remained unchanged.
At DeYu Middle School, academic performance and character were the highest priorities, complemented by advanced management and strong teaching resources, making the school highly sought after by parents.
The living room had a sleek and contemporary look, likely designed by a professional.
“Here, try these slippers to see if they fit,” SuWen said, offering a pair of newly unpacked indoor slippers.
“Thank you, Sister Su. They fit perfectly.” Could she somehow tell his shoe size just by looking? Ling Fan wondered as he followed SuWen into the living room.
“Please wait on the sofa for a moment. I’ll get you something to drink. What would you like?”
“Just plain water is fine. Thank you, Sister Su.” Ling Fan sat on the sofa. Despite his limited social skills, he maintained a courteous demeanor and refrained from any actions that could be perceived as rude.
“Plain water? You’re in a growth period; I’ll get you some milk instead,” Su Wen said and headed to the kitchen.
While pouring milk for Ling Fan, SuWen received a reply from Lan XiaoYue.
Lan XiaoYue: What’s up, Wenwen? Ling Fan is a student in my class, excellent in character and academics. Is there something wrong?
Su Wen: Got it, Xiaoyue. I’ll call you back later.
SuWen put her phone away and rubbed her chin, deep in thought.