A New Substitute and a Peculiar Exam

I returned to the classroom with Chenxi. Perhaps that brief interaction, grabbing books with my deskmate, had fostered a sliver of friendship, as much of my resentment toward her had dissipated. What struck me as odd was the absence of the little loli who usually sat behind me.

From the murmurs of my classmates, I learned her name was Yamashita Izumi. She was an exceptionally diligent student, never missing or skipping class. Though she sat in the back row, her grades were astonishingly good; no one seemed to know why she chose that particular seat.

“Jiu, wasn’t that exciting just now?” Chenxi whispered into my ear, her soft voice tickling me.

She was clearly referring to our escapade of retrieving books behind Teacher Cang’s back. I shot her a glare and quickly scribbled a line in my notebook: “I was practically scared to death. Kill me before I ever agree to anything like that again.”

Chenxi merely chuckled at my nervous expression. I didn’t dare speak further, fearing the repercussions if Teacher Cang caught us chatting during class. My only desire was to be a quiet, unassuming slacker, not one to disrupt classroom discipline.

Just as Teacher Li was lecturing us, they received a phone call and dashed out of the room with a surprising swiftness, as if something urgent had arisen. Five minutes later…

****

*Tap-tap-tap!*

High heels clicked crisply on the corridor floor, each step firm and resonant, suggesting a vibrant energy from their owner. I glanced towards the classroom door and froze, while simultaneously, the entire classroom erupted into a cacophony of chatter.

“Wow! What a cute girl!”

“A uniform fetish, definitely a uniform fetish! If every class had a beautiful teacher like her, I’d never skip!”

“That figure! I’m in love!”

“Her skin is even whiter than milk!”

“And her legs are so long!”

“Why do I feel a thrill like I’m watching a movie?”

“Ahhh, I love her so much, what should I do?”

“Why are you boys acting like you’ve never seen a girl before?”

“Exactly!”

“Their expressions are so lewd.”

The boys marveled at the beauty of the girl who had just entered.

Meanwhile, the girls found the boys’ exaggerated, infatuated expressions utterly speechless. Though they unconsciously compared themselves to the woman at the podium, they had to admit she was indeed outstanding.

“Ahhh! New teacher, I love you, I love you! Little brother, look, look! She’s wearing black stockings! My favorite kind!” Chao’s fervent shout was akin to a fanatical celebrity worshipper. When I finally recognized the person on the stage, I instinctively lowered my head. Ignoring her face, one might have been tempted to charge forward at any moment, but looking at her face, I wouldn’t dare even if it killed me.

Standing at the podium was a beautiful girl, perhaps seventeen or eighteen, her hair pulled high and secured with a headband, cascading naturally down her back like a heroine from a wuxia novel. Her crescent-moon eyes made it impossible to tell if she was squinting or wide awake, yet they always seemed to be smiling.

Beneath her delicate, upturned nose was a rosy, small mouth, making her flawless face even more radiant. She wore a fitted black teacher’s uniform, with a white floral-patterned lining peeking from the collar.

Her lower half was adorned with a matching black pencil skirt, and her captivating, shapely legs were encased in the black stockings that so mesmerized the boys. Completing her ensemble were white high heels, at least ten centimeters tall, which made her appear incredibly statuesque. My ears were filled with the sound of gulps and swallows; I couldn’t comprehend why she was here.

Holding a stack of thick test papers, it was clear this meant an exam. When I saw her gentle gaze sweep toward me, I frantically covered my eyes with my hand, tilting my head to look towards the fourth row. There, in the corner, I saw Zhou Yu, his face flushed crimson, staring intently at the podium, his hand beneath his desk vibrating at an exponential speed.

“Oh my god! Zhou Yu, you pervert! Wanking to my sister in broad daylight, have you no shame?!”

“Y-y-yah…”

Chao’s frantic, high-pitched shriek, laced with a feminine squeal, suddenly rang in my ears, startling me. I thought he was having an epileptic fit. I turned to look, and holy cow, after a series of shudders, Chao had slipped under his desk. He still clutched two pieces of tissue paper in his hand, his face flushed a deeper red than a stoplight. He mumbled weakly, “I… I… I’m done.”

I gasped, covering my mouth in disbelief at what my eyes had just witnessed. He clearly looked like someone who had just finished. Chao’s towering image in my mind plummeted instantly.

“Disgusting!” Chenxi spat out, not bothering to hide her revulsion, and buried her head back in her book.

Suddenly, I felt that no matter how malicious Chenxi could be, she was merely throwing petty tantrums. Compared to potential deviants like Chao and Zhou Yu, she was practically a saint.

“Hello, junior students! I am Xia Yinuo from Class Two, Grade Three. Due to Teacher Li having a family matter, I will be your substitute teacher for a short period.”

“Great! That’s wonderful!”

“We finally have a pretty teacher!”

“The campus belle of Grade Three, isn’t she?”

“Ahhh, this is too much, too blissful!”

“Teacher, I’ll listen carefully to your lessons!”

The male students cheered excitedly, their claps echoing throughout the classroom. Most of the shouts came from the ‘three-bad’ students—those who slacked off in class and ran wild after. This left the girls quite astonished. Was she just pretty? How had she managed to ignite such academic interest in those poor students, without even saying anything else?

“Thank you, thank you all for your support. Please continue to take care of me in the future. Next, we will have an open-book exam. I will distribute both the test papers and the answers. The requirement is to copy without being discovered by me. If you are caught, I will make the boys wear girls’ clothing, and the girls will be expelled from the Girls’ Association!” Xia Yinuo tilted her head, revealing a cute yet meaningful smile.

The classroom buzzed once more with whispers, captivated by this novel rule. Previous exams strictly forbade cheating, but now answers were provided, and copying was allowed—provided one wasn’t caught. This wasn’t testing actual knowledge but rather the ability to copy discreetly. The boys secretly chuckled at the punishment; some wore girls’ clothes at home but dared not in public. This rule conveniently solved their dilemma of not daring to wear them in class.

For girls, the Girls’ Association was paramount. It wasn’t just a place for leisure; it was a sanctuary that resolved student disputes and protected their interests. In some respects, the Girls’ Association was even more effective than teachers in handling campus bullying and dormitory conflicts, as no one could possibly contend with all the girls in the school. The association president wielded significant personal power and could expel a student without needing a reason.

“Jiu, the task of distributing the test papers is yours. I’m going to take a break; meet me in the psychology room in twenty minutes!”

Upon hearing my sister’s words, I shot up from my seat. My sister smiled, radiant as a flower, waved at me, and then departed.

I dared not call her ‘sister’ in front of everyone. If they knew we were siblings, wouldn’t it look like she was showing favoritism? As a substitute teacher, she should have remained in the classroom, yet she openly declared she was going to rest. Anyone with malicious intent would surely complain to the grade director, and she might even lose her position as president.

I was relieved that my sister wasn’t some official. If she were, I’m certain she’d end up in jail for corruption and bribery.

After my sister left, the classmates stared at me strangely. I knew it was because she had suddenly called out my name and asked me to distribute the papers. Ignoring their peculiar gazes, I walked silently towards the podium.

Distributing test papers was typically reserved for class representatives or class monitors. This was my first time facing all my classmates in this capacity, and I felt incredibly nervous. I lowered my head, picked up the papers, and handed them out one by one.