Mistaken Canary Chapter 36 (Part 2)
Chapter 36.2
Half a month quickly passed, and the stressful preparation for midterms came to an end. Next, it was time to prepare for the sports competition.
As soon as the students relaxed, they became extremely excited.
Since they had done a lot of practice before the exams, Ying Tongchen decided to show them a fun American movie that would help with their spoken English. Then he went to the office to grade papers with the other teachers.
By the time he finished grading, it was already late at night. The next day, he continued grading for the whole morning, and by the afternoon, the results were out.
The two classes he taught had ranked first in English across the grade, and aside from biology, his class performed well in all other subjects, too.
Ying Tongchen said, "You all did really well this time. I have a reward for you."
"What is it?!" The students exclaimed with excitement. Ying Tongchen had rewarded them with small treats before, and they had been quite well received.
"It’s just outside the door. Boys, go out and help bring it in."
A moment later, a chorus of groans echoed from the hallway: "Oh man, so this is the infamous NCEE Study Guide! And what...what…what are all of these?!"
Inside the classroom, the students were all looking pale. "Teacher, you’re a devil!"
Ying Tongchen smiled tranquilly.
Students: Alright, alright, devilish teaching, angel-like face... we’ll forgive you.
The bell rang, and Ying Tongchen pointed to the bulletin board next to the blackboard and announced, "The class rankings are posted here, and the grade rankings are on the bulletin board downstairs. You can check them out during break. This was just the midterm exam, so don’t get too arrogant, frustrated, or discouraged. The sports competition is coming up soon, so take a good rest. Think of it as a way to relax—just have fun. Sports committee, have you filled out the sign-up forms?"
The students slammed their hands on the desks in unison. "Oh yeah! Sports! Competition!"
"It’s done," said the head of the sports committee, handing over the form. Ying Tongchen quickly scanned it, flipping to the last column. He saw that Zhuo Zi had signed up for the sack race. Looking down at her, he asked, "Do you like sack racing?"
"Yep!" Zhuo Zi grinned. "I’m super good at it, and I’m definitely going to win first place! I’ll beat my brother’s record!"
"Ambitious," Ying Tongchen smiled.
Zhuo Zi grinned mischievously. "Mr. Ying, remember to cheer for us!"
"Of course."
…
On the day of the sports competition, the opening ceremony was quite grand. Not only were there student teams, but the school had also invited a few well-known local university clubs to participate in the parade.
The cutest part was a group of little kids, around seven or eight years old from the Taekwondo academy, wearing their doboks as they walked past the rostrum, melting the hearts of all the teachers and students.
After the speeches from the school leaders, each class orderly retreated to their designated areas.
Each class was arranged around the perimeter of the sports field, with the bleachers filled with people.
The first day of events focused on endurance and standard competitions, while the second day had more fun events and competitions for the teachers.
Ying Tongchen served as a timekeeper for several events. Whenever he had a moment, he would head back to his class to check on the students' progress. Many of them were exhausted.
In the evening, Zhuo Zi had collapsed on the bleachers, lying back to watch the sunset when she noticed someone blocking her view.
Just as she was about to complain, she realized it was her homeroom teacher. She weakly waved and greeted him, "Hello, Teacher~"
"Don’t lie down right after running. Get up and walk around." Ying Tongchen called to a few students to help her get up and go for a walk.
Zhuo Zi groaned in agony, "I’m done for. Tomorrow, I’ll definitely fail the sack race. Hey, where are you all bringing me? Take me to the cafeteria."
Ying Tongchen watched their youthful figures as they walked away and chuckled.
…
The next day, when Ying Tongchen showed up at the class’s base area, it caused a bit of a stir, especially with Class 2, whose cheers were the loudest: "What the heck!?"
It wasn’t that surprising—they had finally gotten used to their homeroom teacher always wearing dress shirts and dress pants, so suddenly seeing him in a casual, sporty outfit was a bit hard to believe.
But to be honest, it wasn’t anything particularly stylish—just athletic pants and a t-shirt.
The t-shirt was the class’s custom-made team shirt, orange and yellow, with various sizes of text printed on the back. Some of it referred to inside jokes among the students, and of course, there were also the catchphrases of the teachers from different subjects.
This simple outfit looked great on Ying Tongchen. With his clean, sunny appearance, he could easily pass as a high school freshman, resembling the perfect "all-around good school grass" that every school has.
Plus, to prepare for the competition, he was wearing contact lenses, which was a stark contrast to his usual scholarly demeanor. It really made him stand out.
The adjacent classes couldn't help but glance over, sending envious looks, which were proudly received by Class 2.
"Teacher Ying, you should join 101*?" Zhuo Zi couldn't contain her excitement. "Please!! Hurry up and debut!"
(TLN: Produce 101, is a reality television talent competition franchise based around the formation of a K-pop girl group or boy group.)
Xiang Fangjia: "So, Teacher, why do you always wear dress shirts? Is it to prevent us from falling in love too early?!"
You Diansha: "We can crowdfund to buy you new clothes! Please, wear something less formal!"
Ying Tongchen couldn’t help but laugh at these kids.
Whenever the homeroom teacher smiled, Class 2 was bound to be assigned more work.
Ying Tongchen: "Hurry up and get ready! Zhuo Zi, Xiang Fangjia, aren’t you two participating in the sack race?"
"Going now," Zhuo Zi said, pulling Xiang Fangjia's hand and making a fist. "Once we're done with the race, we'll come cheer for you!"
Ying Tongchen nodded and was then pulled to the back by Zheng Zhinan from the next class, followed by Sheng Wu and Fu Lu. The four of them were the mixed relay race team.
Zheng Zhinan started by scolding Ying Tongchen for showing off, then clenched his fist. "We have to beat the sophomore and senior teams. If we win, there's a cash prize, and we can go out for a feast."
Fu Lu shouted, "Go for it!"
The four were discussing the baton order when they suddenly heard a loud gasp from Class 2.
Ying Tongchen quickly turned around and saw Zhuo Zi near the finish line. Someone from behind had bumped into her. She was on the ground, crying out in pain, separated from her sack.
He rushed over and, along with a few classmates, helped her to the medical room.
It was a knee injury, and she couldn't walk for the time being. After the doctor treated the wound, Zhuo Zi finally said, "You guys can head back."
Ying Tongchen asked the other students to leave first, glanced at the injury, still feeling uneasy. "Take the day off and head home. Call your family to come pick you up."
"Okay." Zhuo Zi called her parents, but, as expected, they were in another city for a live competition.
She had no choice but to call Zhuo Shu: "Ge, can you come to the school?"
"What's up? Did you get called in by the teachers again?"
"No." Zhuo Zi felt a little wronged, not showing it in front of her classmates or teachers, but as soon as she heard her brother's voice, her tears started to fall. "I fell, it hurts so much. Can you come pick me up?"
There was a brief silence on the other end, and just when Zhuo Zi thought he was going to say he was busy with work again, she heard him tell the others, "The meeting's over for today. I'm going to pick up my sister."
She hung up the phone and, feeling a bit pathetic, hugged a pillow and started crying. A large hand gently patted her head. She looked up, eyes full of tears. "Teacher, why haven't you left yet? It's so embarrassing."
"I'll wait for your family with you," Ying Tongchen said, sitting across from her. Though he couldn't hear everything clearly from the phone, it was obvious that her older brother cared a lot about her.
Thinking about the last text he sent to Zhuo Zi's brother, he felt a little bad for having misunderstood him. He decided he should apologize when they met later.
Watching Zhuo Zi struggle to hold back tears despite clearly wanting to cry, he spoke gently, "It’s alright. No matter what happens, your family will always be by your side—that’s what truly matters."
Zhuo Zi nodded, holding back her tears.
They sat there for a long while, until suddenly there was a rush of footsteps at the door. Both of them turned to look.
Zheng Zhinan appeared, drenched in sweat. "Hurry up, bro, the relay race is about to start!"
"My student's still here," Ying Tongchen replied.
Zhuo Zi immediately spoke up, "Teacher, go ahead and race! You have to represent us! Go first, I'll come cheer for you right after!"
"Hurry up!" Zheng Zhinan urged. "We don’t have time to swap runners."
Ying Tongchen, feeling helpless, gave the doctor a few instructions before following Zheng Zhinan to take his position in the teachers’ relay.
Outside the school gate, a car pulled up. Zhuo Shu unbuckled his seatbelt and, without meaning to, his eyes landed on a contract in the passenger seat.
A brand new sponsorship contract.
Lately, he's been debating the matter of continuing to sponsor Ying Tongchen. The answer was, of course, yes. While this little celebrity was not widely known, Ying Tongchen was quite to his liking in other ways.
After mulling it over for a few days, he decided to formally draft the contract. He figured he might as well set a clear time frame—at least two years.
Naturally, he made the terms even better. He even shamefully included phrases like "Absolutely no temper flare-ups" in the agreement.
Finally, the contract was ready. He had planned to meet Ying Tongchen that evening, but then something happened with Zhuo Zi.
He quickly entered the school grounds. As he passed the sports field, he heard a chorus of cheers and shouts of encouragement. He didn't stop, but then someone shouted, "Mr. Ying, go for it!"
Mr. Ying?
Zhuo Zi's homeroom teacher?
The one who dared to scold him and even had him handwrite home visit reflections? That old fossil?
He kept walking but turned his head to glance at the field. At this point, only the teachers’ relay race was left, so there weren't many people remaining on the sports field.
Zhuo Shu didn’t see any old man, but just as he looked away, he suddenly froze in his tracks, his gaze locked on a familiar figure in an orange-yellow shirt standing in the middle of the field.
The figure was too familiar.
However, since he was still too far to confirm the details, Zhuo Shu quickly changed his direction and hurried down the bleachers, rushing across the temporarily empty track and into the middle of the sports field. Just then, he heard the sound of the referee’s gunshot.
The first runners from all three teams took off at the same time. Zhuo Shu didn’t think about that. He strode straight towards the other side, his gaze fixed on the familiar man.
The batons passed to the second runners. At that moment, the man turned his head, revealing a finely sculpted, fair side profile.
Zhuo Shu's breath caught in his throat, and he quickened his pace. The third runners took their turn in the relay, heading towards the last exchange zone. When Zhuo Shu was only a few meters away from the man, he finally confirmed his identity and, in disbelief, shouted, "Ying Tongchen!"
Ying Tongchen, distracted, turned to look in his direction, his pupils contracting.
Simultaneously, they both asked: "What are you doing here—?"
A number of students in the nearby crowd were momentarily stunned silent by Zhuo Shu's shout, but it was quickly overtaken by an even louder wave of cheers: "Mr. Ying, get ready! Grab the baton, go go go!"
The other final runners had already received their team’s baton and had raced away without politeness.
Ying Tongchen refocused on his role as anchor runner and with precise, swift movements, he gripped the baton that Sheng Wu passed to him. They were currently in last place, but he quickly sprinted forward, his feet cutting through the track like the wind.
Many people were shouting Ying Tongchen’s name, mixed with voices from other classes, "Who’s that guy? Where did he come from, disturbing the race? Ahh, Mr. Ying, go go go! I want to be your student in the next life!"
Ying Tongchen pushed himself harder, passing the second-place runner, and closing in on first place. Just as he was about to take the lead, he noticed someone closing in.
"Ying Tongchen!" Zhou Shu kept pace beside him. "What are you doing here?!"
Ying Tongchen didn’t have the energy to spare for even a glance.
Zhuo Shu continued. "Isn’t this a school? How did you end up in a race?"
"Say something!"
"You used to call every day, what happened? Why haven’t you been calling lately?"
"Don’t think just because you’re faster than me I can’t catch you!"
Ying Tongchen pulled ahead and was now close to the finish line, preparing his final sprint. At the other end, the referee was already getting ready to receive the last runners.
Just as Ying Tongchen was about to cross the finish, he suddenly stumbled. Zhuo Shu was close behind, and he ended up in Zhuo Shu’s arms and they lurched across the line together.
Instinctively, Ying Tongchen grabbed his waist for support, his chest heaving rapidly. His face was flushed from the exertion, and he lowered his head to catch his breath.
His breathing was heavy, and the sound was loud enough to disturb his usually calm heart.
Zhuo Shu had a thousand questions, but seeing Ying Tongchen in this breathless state, he held his questions, gently patting his back. "Alright, alright, it's over now."
Just then, someone removed his hand from Ying Tongchen's waist.
"?" Zhuo Shu turned to look at the referee, who had a whistle hanging from their neck.
Holding his wrist up high, the referee announced, "We have a winner!"
Zhuo Shu: "?"
Ying Tongchen: "......."
Referee: "Hey, buddy, you're not a familiar face. Which class do you teach?"
.
.
.
Author's note:
Zhuo Zi: Ge, I think you forgot somethingone?