Chapter 65: Pushing the Pace

Two flowers blossoming from one branch.

Zhong Yuxiu led Hao Nan and the other into the school. The campus at night was shrouded in dim light, the winding paths barely revealing the outlines of grass and trees.

“Comrade Zhong, watch your step.” Unlike during the day, it was harder to see at night. Hao Nan and Tian Shangguo followed her into the school.

“It’s fine, thank you.”

With her spiritual strength to aid her, she would not stumble; she acknowledged Hao Nan and Tian Shangguo’s reminder with a nod.

The three of them first went to the office to retrieve the lesson plan. “Comrade Hao, Comrade Tian, would you prefer to wait for me in the office, or come with me to the classroom?”

“We’ll come along,” Tian Shangguo replied, with Hao Nan nodding in agreement.

“Alright, let’s go then.”

The three left the office in single file. Zhong Yuxiu locked the door and led them towards the classrooms. When they were still a hundred meters away, Hao Nan and Tian Shangguo slowed their pace, letting Zhong Yuxiu advance while they watched from a distance as she entered the classroom.

“Zhong?!” Xu Hongqi suddenly stood up and walked over. “Why are you here for evening study? Don’t you usually skip these sessions?”

Zhong Yuxiu nodded slightly. “Hello, Xu.”

The other students looked over, and the once lively classroom fell suddenly silent.

“Xu, let her through. Zhong isn’t here for evening study; she’s here to teach us,” the class committee member called out from his seat.

Xu Hongqi was taken aback, not understanding right away. The rest of the students turned to look at the committee member, waiting for an explanation.

Everyone knew Zhong Yuxiu was an excellent student—kind, approachable, beautiful, and gentle. She never participated in any of their activities, kept to herself, and only occasionally spoke with Xu Hongqi, who was probably the one in class closest to her.

“Hahaha, look at all of you, utterly dumbfounded,” the committee member gloated, genuinely delighted.

Better to share the joy than keep it to himself—why should only he and the former vice class leader be left in shock? Now the whole class could join in.

A student beside him nudged him. “What’s going on? Stop laughing and explain.”

“Yes, hurry up!”

“Are we just out of touch with the times?”

“What’s happening? I’m completely in the dark here.”

The entire class’s attention was focused on the committee member, urging him to explain.

Zhong Yuxiu smiled at Xu Hongqi and strode to the podium, placing her lesson plan on the desk. “Alright, everyone, let’s quiet down.”

The classroom fell into instant silence.

No matter the reason, as long as the class leader, vice leader, and committee member stayed put, the rest of the class would follow suit and not fall behind.

“Let’s get to know each other again.” Her smile faded and she grew serious. “My name is Zhong Yuxiu. Starting this semester, I will be your teaching assistant. If you have any difficulties in life, come to me. If you need help with your studies, you can also come to me.”

Teaching assistant?!

The news was so sudden, it left everyone stunned.

Class Leader Luo offered a respectful smile. “Yes, Assistant Zhong.”

With that, the students all looked to Class Leader Luo, then to the former vice class leader, both of whom seemed perfectly accepting. They realized if they still didn’t understand, they were being foolish—three class officers were aware, only they were left in the dark.

“There’s no need to be shocked, and please don’t doubt me,” Zhong Yuxiu continued. “Next, I’ll help you review last semester’s material. If my explanations are unclear, speak up. If you think they’re good, keep your questions to yourself for now. We’ll get along harmoniously.”

Having said what she needed, Zhong Yuxiu opened her textbook. “Now, please start taking notes. Let’s begin with the origins of physics…”

She lectured while writing on the blackboard, never once glancing at the lesson plan again. Instead, she summarized all the key points from the first ten pages of last semester’s textbook, helping the students refresh and deepen their memory of what they had learned.

“Alright, that’s all for today. It’s getting late; everyone should get some rest.” She closed her lesson plan and headed for the door.

“Assistant Zhong, please wait. There’s something I don’t understand—could I ask you about it?” a shy male student asked.

She recognized him vaguely—a boy so bashful he barely dared speak to girls. “If you have questions, come with me to the office and I’ll help you.”

“Thank you, Professor Zhong.” The shy student, clutching his notebook, followed her.

Class Leader Luo stood up and said, “I also have something to ask Assistant Zhong.”

“Come along,” Zhong Yuxiu replied with a hint of a smile in her eyes as she left the classroom.

Luo and the other student packed up their things and followed Zhong Yuxiu into the office.

She sat down at her desk and set her lesson plan aside. “Find yourselves a chair.”

“Alright.”

The two of them fetched chairs from the corner and sat beside her desk.

“Go ahead with your question,” Zhong Yuxiu said kindly.

The shy student bit his lip and brought out all his accumulated questions, filling several pages of his notebook. “I have quite a few questions—please don’t mind, Assistant Zhong.”

“Not at all. Asking questions is a good habit.” She recalled her own days as a student in the interstellar academy, always hoarding questions to ask whenever she could, sometimes to the exasperation of her teachers, who, by interstellar education regulations, were not allowed to show their annoyance.

In retrospect, it was rather amusing.

Zhong Yuxiu quickly glanced over the questions. She did not cut corners, even for the simple ones, and answered each one thoroughly. For every question, she gave clear explanations, sometimes even writing down formulas or substitutions the student could understand. With each solution, the boy’s expression shifted from confusion to sudden enlightenment.

Class Leader Luo, sitting nearby, benefited greatly.

“Thank you, Assistant Zhong,” the boy said, rising to bow.

Zhong Yuxiu waved him off. “No need for that. Since the school trusts me with this position, it’s my duty to help you with your questions. If there’s nothing else, you can head back now. See you tomorrow.”

“Yes, see you, Assistant Zhong.”

Once the boy had left, Zhong Yuxiu glanced at Luo, who seemed lost in thought, but said nothing. Luo was clearly still immersed in the world of academic problems. It would have been impolite and inconsiderate to interrupt—those in her profession knew never to break someone’s train of thought.

Who knew how long Luo drifted before snapping out of it and noticing Zhong Yuxiu reading the latest edition of the textbook, feeling rather apologetic.

“Sorry, Assistant Zhong, I was thinking about a problem and lost track of time. Did I delay you? Should I come back tomorrow?”

Zhong Yuxiu shook her head. “You did hold me up a bit, but there’s no need to wait until tomorrow. Tell me what’s on your mind, and then I’ll head home.”

“Alright.” Luo quickly organized his thoughts and explained, “The opening ceremony for this semester hasn’t been held yet. Professor Ding told me he hopes I’ll give a speech as the representative of our Physics Class One. I’ve never given a speech before, and I don’t know how to compose one.”