In recent years, the deterioration of relations between China and the Soviet Union has also had some impact on the education sector, one of which is changing the first foreign language in secondary schools from Russian to English.

Mingyang Middle School in Bincheng was originally a Western church school. After it was nationalized, the English curriculum was retained, but Russian classes were added later.

When Feng Mingshu was still young, Yu Jingqiu planned to send her abroad to study when she was older, so she hired an English tutor for her, who also taught her some French and German.

Feng Mingshu studied like this for five or six years, but due to changes in the situation, the foreign teacher voluntarily resigned and returned to his country.

Later, when she entered middle school, Feng Mingshu found that the English teachers at the school seemed to be less proficient than her. So she learned on her own through foreign language books and English channels on the radio, which is why she has basically gotten full marks in English exams over the years.

It's likely that Principal Yao made a special trip to invite her because her academic records contained these transcripts.

Feng Mingshu thought for a moment and asked, "Are the school's English textbooks complete?"

Principal Yao nodded: "Complete, all printed and distributed by the Ministry of Education."

As long as everything is complete, that's fine. She likes to follow the textbook exactly. Even if there are any problems, they are the problems of those above, and have nothing to do with her, a teacher.

If the unrest really spreads to this island, she can just quit her job.

So she invited Principal Yao into the house, offered him tea, and then asked, "If I were to take the position, what would my salary be?"

Upon hearing this, Principal Yao knew she was interested, but he didn't dare to be careless. He carefully said, "Currently, our middle school doesn't have any other English teachers. If you take the position, you'll have more classes, but your salary will also increase accordingly..."

Feng Mingshu smiled and interjected, "May I ask how many classes are there in the middle school?"

“There is only a junior high school on the island, with two classes in each grade,” Principal Yao replied.

The system hasn't been reformed yet, and junior high school still has three grades, meaning she has to teach English to six classes.

If each class has one English lesson per day, she would have to teach six lessons a day.

Feng Mingshu sighed and said, "Principal Yao, you're asking too much of us."

Upon hearing this, Principal Yao stopped arguing: "Your monthly salary of sixty-five yuan is the highest among all the faculty and staff in the school, except for me, the principal."

Feng Mingshu shook his head and said, "Principal Yao, I don't really care about the salary."

Principal Yao, thinking that Comrade Feng's husband was a regimental commander and that the family was certainly not short of money, couldn't help but feel a little anxious: "Comrade Feng, you can make any requests you have, and we can discuss them."

Upon hearing this, Feng Mingshu smiled and said, "Principal Yao, you see, it's a bit troublesome to teach two classes in one grade separately. Why not merge them? That would save half the class time."

“If there are thirty or forty students in one class, then two classes would be seventy or eighty students. We don’t have classrooms that big,” Principal Yao said, also in a dilemma.

“If the classrooms aren’t big enough, let’s put it on the playground,” Feng Mingshu suggested, then remembered something else, “Since it’s a newly revised curriculum, students from grades 7 to 9 probably don’t have any English foundation, so why don’t we combine the three grades into one course…”

Principal Yao interrupted her before she could finish, saying, "Merging one grade is fine; I'll find a way to solve the classroom problem."

Upon hearing this, Feng Mingshu stood up and thanked Principal Yao, saying, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Principal Yao."

Principal Yao realized what was going on, but he wasn't angry. He smiled and said, "If it's convenient for Comrade Feng, could you come with me to the school to start your new job now?"

Principal Yao is actually a very nice person, and since she will be her superior from now on, Feng Mingshu didn't put on airs anymore and nodded in agreement with Principal Yao. They went to the school together to complete the onboarding process.

When he arrived, it was lunchtime, and students rushed out of the classrooms. Some of them were running so fast that they almost bumped into Feng Mingshu.

Feng Mingshu stepped back to the side in time, smiling and reminding her, "Be careful, don't fall."

The fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy felt a little dizzy when he saw her smile: "No, it's okay, I won't fall."

Feng Mingshu said nothing and followed Principal Yao to the office.

"Li Jianguo, what are you looking at?"

Several friends gathered around and asked.

Upon seeing Feng Mingshu enter the principal's office, Li Jianguo exclaimed excitedly, "We'll have a new student this afternoon!"

The other students immediately lost interest: "What's so special about new classmates? Every year a few come and a few leave."

"This is different. You'll see this afternoon," Li Jianguo said mysteriously.

"What's different? Don't keep me in suspense."

A group of boys were fooling around on their way home for dinner, while others went straight to the cafeteria.

However, this school also has children of military personnel and island residents.

Influenced by the atmosphere of the military, the islanders also value their children's education, so each grade can be divided into two classes.

Li Jianguo is one of the children from the island.

He rushed home, ate a few bites of rice, and then hurriedly ran to school.

Li's mother asked in surprise, "When did this boy become so eager to go to school?"

Mr. Li said impatiently, "Whatever he does, he's too good for high school anyway. Once he graduates from junior high, I'll have him come out to sea with me to fish."

Li's mother sighed and said nothing more.

Li Jianguo was unaware of his parents' disappointment in him. He excitedly ran to school, with about an hour to go before afternoon classes.

Several of his close friends arrived at school early and gathered around Li Jianguo, asking, "Are you sure that new student will be able to attend class today?"

Li Jianguo stared at the school gate for a long time, but now that class was about to start, he was a little unsure: "Maybe I'll come tomorrow."

His friends immediately scoffed at him.

The bell rang for class, and Li Jianguo entered the classroom full of disappointment.

As usual, he slumped onto his desk, ready to fall asleep during the class, but his deskmate suddenly became excited and nudged his arm, saying, "Jianguo, get up! Look, isn't that a new classmate?"

Li Jianguo straightened up abruptly, his eyes lighting up as he saw Principal Yao leading the new students in.

With a kind smile, Principal Yao raised his hand to calm the students' restlessness and said slowly, "Let me introduce you to your new teacher, Ms. Feng Mingshu. She will be your English teacher starting today."

The girls were alright, but the boys were completely dumbfounded.

What? A new teacher? Aren't they new students?

Li Jianguo stood up abruptly and blurted out the question.

Other boys joined in, saying she was too young and didn't look like a teacher.

Feng Mingshu looked at the boy in the lead and felt that he looked somewhat familiar, but she didn't think much of it. She walked to the podium, picked up the chalk and wrote her name on the blackboard with swift, elegant strokes.

In addition to Chinese, there is also cursive English.

After finishing writing, Feng Mingshu turned around and smiled at the students below, saying, "Knowledge knows no age; it is the accomplished who are teachers. I also welcome students to point out my mistakes, but that's for the future. Now, please quiet down, and let's begin our first lesson."