Chapter 11: Are Poor People People?
The task of distributing exam papers fell to the class representative, and to Nie Qiu’s surprise, the Chinese class representative was that girl with the big wavy hair. Nie Qiu had always felt that perming one’s hair into big waves at fifteen or sixteen was too mature, but surprisingly, this girl carried it off very well.
There were four groups in the classroom, and the class representative was supposed to hand the exam papers to the group leaders of the four groups, and then distribute them. But Nie Qiu waited and waited, and waited again. Two exam papers, distributed twice, and neither time was one given to her!
Nie Qiu frowned, looked around, and then raised her hand. The teacher, who was organizing things on the lectern, saw Nie Qiu raise her hand and quickly asked, “Nie Qiu, is there something you need?”
Nie Qiu stood up, “Teacher, I don’t have an exam paper.”
As soon as Nie Qiu finished speaking, she felt the atmosphere in the classroom suddenly change. Those who had been grumbling and complaining about the exam stopped and looked at Nie Qiu. In less than a second, the classroom erupted in a thunderous roar of laughter, deafening.
“This poor person is actually asking for an exam paper! Hahahaha! She didn’t pay for the printing of the exam paper herself and is asking if she has one!”
“She probably forgot she didn’t pay the money, right? Hahaha!”
“Her grades are so bad, it doesn’t matter if she takes the exam or not! Hahahaha!”
There were all sorts of comments, but they were all demeaning and mocking.
The teacher standing on the platform frowned and shouted, “You say Nie Qiu’s grades are bad, but you’re not any better!” Then, he looked at Nie Qiu again, “You want an exam paper?” In the past, Nie Qiu always didn’t have money to pay for the printing of the exam papers, so she didn’t have the class representative or group leader give them to her. If he helped Nie Qiu pay for the printing, it would cause dissatisfaction among everyone. There were nine subjects in the third year of junior high, and the senior high school entrance examination papers from four provinces. It could be said that he could afford one person’s exam papers, but he couldn’t afford hundreds or thousands of them.
Besides, the grades of Class 10 were really not good. Just as someone said earlier, it didn’t matter if they took the exam or not. Subject teachers generally wouldn’t put much effort into them. However, as the homeroom teacher, he had no choice but to photocopy some of the test papers and questions for them to do, at least to familiarize them with the question types.
But whether they did them or listened was their own business.
Nie Qiu nodded, looking at the teacher on the platform.
The teacher took two exam papers from the lectern, walked down, and went to Nie Qiu’s side. “These are samples I had printed. Take them and do them!”
Nie Qiu took the exam papers with both hands, smiling with joy, “Thank you, Teacher!”
The teacher smiled and nodded. This girl looked up, and her smile was a bit dazzling! Although she wasn’t very beautiful, as long as she smiled and was cheerful, it was still a kind of charm. In the past, this girl always sat in the corner. Whether in class or after class, she always kept her head down. During school hours, she probably wouldn’t leave the classroom except to go to the toilet. Perhaps because of her family situation, except for days when wearing the school uniform was mandatory, she always wore some old and dirty clothes.
But now, her clothes had changed, her hairstyle had changed, she had lifted her head, and she could express what she wanted. It was not a bad thing, at least, he thought it was a good thing.
Although he didn’t know what had changed this girl, he was happy to see such a change. He hoped this girl could continue like this, whether it was her clothes, her hairstyle, or her love for cleanliness.
