[Mini Story] Substitute Teacher

Hi Hi✨

Hope your week is going good, I have a little story for you! I created this image a while ago, and didn't had a story for it, until now. That's all for now, thank you!

📦 Grab the full res image from the attachment section of this post. ⬇️

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Substitute Teacher

Fmg-35 universe, 3038

"...and remember, they can be little troublemakers, especially after lunch," Ms. Liu said, gathering her things from her desk. She paused, looking up at her towering substitute. "Are you sure you've got all this, Ms. Chen?"

Mei Chen nodded, her long black hair swaying with the motion. She had to bend slightly to avoid hitting her head on the classroom's light fixtures. "Don't worry, Ms. Liu. I've dealt with troublemakers before. Besides, it's just for a week while you're at the conference. How hard can it be?"

Ms. Liu chuckled, shaking her head. "Oh, you'd be surprised. Eighth graders can smell fear, you know." She glanced at her watch. "Oh! I'd better run if I want to catch my train. The students will be here in about fifteen minutes. Remember, seating chart is in the top drawer, and—"

"—lesson plans are on your desk, I know," Mei finished with a smile. "Go on, you'll be late. I've got this."

Ms. Liu hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Right. Well, good luck, Ms. Chen. And... mind the doorways."

As Ms. Liu hurried out, Mei let out a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding. She looked around the classroom, taking in the posters of Chinese calligraphy and famous landmarks. The desks seemed comically small from her perspective.

Mei made her way to Ms. Liu's desk, her traditional qipao dress rustling with each step. She'd chosen to wear it today, hoping to make a good impression on her first day. Now, as she felt the fabric strain across her muscular shoulders, she was starting to regret the decision.

The sound of chattering voices in the hallway made her straighten up. Show time.

The first student through the door stopped dead in his tracks, eyes widening. "Whoa," he breathed.

Mei put on her best welcoming smile. "Good morning! I'm Ms. Chen. I'll be substituting for Ms. Liu this week while she's at a conference."

More students filed in, each with a similar reaction of surprise. Mei could hear the whispers:

"She's huge!"

"Is she really our sub?"

"Do you think she'll fit in Ms. Liu's chair?"

Mei cleared her throat. "Alright, everyone. Find your seats, please. We've got a lot to cover today."

As the students settled in, a girl in the front row raised her hand tentatively.

"Yes?" Mei asked, trying to remember the name from the seating chart. "Ling, isn't it?"

The girl nodded, looking nervous. "Um, Ms. Chen? Are you... are you going to teach us kung fu?"

A ripple of laughter went through the class. Mei raised an eyebrow, amused. "Kung fu? Why would you think that?"

A boy in the back piped up, "Because you're so big and strong! You must be a martial arts master!"

Mei chuckled. "I'm flattered, but no. I'm here to teach you Chinese literature and history, just like Ms. Liu. Although..." she paused for effect, "I do know a thing or two about tai chi. Maybe if you're all very good this week, I'll show you some moves on Friday."

This elicited excited murmurs from the class. Mei smiled to herself. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Now," she said, turning to write on the blackboard, "who can tell me what you've been studying in your history lesson?"

A forest of hands shot up. Mei pointed to a boy in the middle row. "Yes, you there."

"We've been learning about the Tang Dynasty, Ms. Chen," the boy answered eagerly.

"Excellent," Mei nodded. "And can anyone tell me—" She was cut off by a loud crash. In her enthusiasm, she had accidentally knocked over a stack of books with her elbow.

The class erupted in giggles. Mei felt her face flush. "Oops," she said, bending down to pick up the books. "Looks like I'll have to be more careful. You'd think after three years, I'd be used to this size."

A girl with glasses spoke up, curiosity overcoming her shyness. "Ms. Chen? If you don't mind me asking... what was it like? When you changed, I mean."

Mei paused, considering the question. It wasn't the first time she'd been asked, but it always gave her pause. "Well," she began, perching carefully on the edge of Ms. Liu's desk, "it was... strange. Exciting and scary all at once. Imagine waking up one day and suddenly everything seems smaller. Your clothes don't fit, you bump your head on doorframes... but you also feel incredibly strong."

The class listened in rapt attention. Mei continued, "But you know what the strangest part was? My voice didn't change at all. So here I was, this big, tall woman, still sounding exactly the same as before. It took some getting used to."

A boy in the back row raised his hand. "Did it hurt? Growing so much?"

Mei shook her head. "Not really. It was more... uncomfortable. Like growing pains, but all over and much more intense. But it only lasted about two weeks."

Another student chimed in, "My mom says she grew even taller after those two weeks. Did you?"

"A little bit," Mei admitted. "About an inch or two over the next year. But nothing as dramatic as those initial two weeks."

Suddenly, Mei realized how far off track they'd gotten. She clapped her hands together, the sound echoing in the classroom. "But enough about me! We're here to learn about the Tang Dynasty, remember? Now, who can tell me about the emperor Tang Taizong?"

As the lesson progressed, Mei found herself relaxing. The students were engaged, asking thoughtful questions and participating enthusiastically. She moved carefully around the room, mindful of her size, but the initial awkwardness began to fade.

The next day, Ms. Chen arrived early to prepare for her lessons. She was feeling more confident after yesterday's success, having swapped her qipao for a more practical but still traditional-looking blouse and trousers.

As the students filed in for the morning class, Ms. Chen noticed a commotion near the back of the room. Liu Wei, one of the taller boys in the class, was holding a notebook high above his head, while Mei Ling, a petite girl, was jumping unsuccessfully to reach it.

"Come on, shorty! Jump higher!" Liu Wei taunted, a mischievous grin on his face.

Mei Ling's face was flushed with frustration and embarrassment. "Give it back, Liu Wei! That's not funny!"

Ms. Chen strode over, her long legs crossing the classroom in just a few steps. "What's going on here?" she asked, her voice calm but firm.

Liu Wei's grin faltered as he looked up - and up - at Ms. Chen. He quickly lowered the notebook. "Nothing, Ms. Chen. We were just playing."

Mei Ling scowled. "He took my notebook and wouldn't give it back!"

Ms. Chen raised an eyebrow at Liu Wei. "Is this true?"

The boy shuffled his feet, avoiding eye contact. "It was just a joke..."

"I see," Ms. Chen said, her tone serious. She gently took the notebook from Liu Wei and handed it back to Mei Ling. "Return to your seat, Mei Ling. I'd like to have a word with Liu Wei."

As Mei Ling scurried back to her desk, Ms. Chen crouched down to be at eye level with Liu Wei. Even crouching, she was still slightly taller than him.

"Liu Wei, do you understand why what you did was wrong?" she asked.

The boy shrugged, still not meeting her eyes. "It was just a bit of fun."

Ms. Chen shook her head. "It's not fun if both people aren't laughing. You used your height to make Mei Ling feel small and powerless. That's not okay."

Liu Wei finally looked up, a hint of defiance in his eyes. "But I'm taller than her. That's just how it is."

"For now," Ms. Chen said, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "But let me tell you something, Liu Wei. In just a couple of years, things are going to change. You know about the virus that affected women, right?"

Liu Wei nodded slowly.

"Well," Ms. Chen continued, "soon, girls like Mei Ling are going to start growing. And I don't just mean a little bit. They're going to get tall - maybe even taller than me. And strong, too."

Liu Wei's eyes widened as he glanced over at Mei Ling, then back at Ms. Chen's towering form.

"So," Ms. Chen said, her voice lowering conspiratorially, "if I were you, I'd be very careful about how I treat the girls in this class. Because in a few years, you might find yourself wishing you'd been a bit kinder."

She straightened up, addressing the whole class now. "This goes for all of you. We don't know exactly how each person will be affected by the virus, but chances are, many of the girls here will experience significant growth. It's important to treat each other with respect now, regardless of size or strength."

The class was silent, many of the students exchanging wide-eyed glances.

Ms. Chen turned back to Liu Wei. "Now, I think you owe Mei Ling an apology. And perhaps you could offer to help her with her books for the rest of the week?"

Liu Wei nodded sheepishly. "Yes, Ms. Chen." He turned to Mei Ling. "I'm sorry, Mei Ling. It won't happen again."

As Liu Wei made his way back to his seat, Ms. Chen noticed several of the boys in the class sitting up a bit straighter, casting nervous glances at the girls around them.

She smiled to herself. It wasn't exactly in the curriculum, but sometimes the most important lessons weren't found in textbooks.

"Alright, class," she said, clapping her hands together. "Let's turn to page 57 in your history books. Today, we're going to learn about the invention of paper in ancient China. And remember, knowledge is power - no matter how tall you are."

As the lesson began, Ms. Chen couldn't help but wonder how this class would look in a few years' time. One thing was certain - the dynamics were bound to be interesting.