Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 158: Niuke Lian
Today, the school was on holiday, so neither teachers nor students had classes. Theresa came specifically to visit Owen.
“Listen to me, Lord Owen.”
She said, leaning slightly forward with her hands on the desk, excitedly recounting recent events.
“A while ago, didn’t the school hold a basic assessment test? My class had the highest average score!”
Owen raised an eyebrow and praised her without hesitation:
“That’s certainly commendable! You really have a knack for teaching. Are you interested in taking the position of Minister of Education?”
He had finally formally extended the invitation to Theresa.
“Minister of Education, huh…”
Theresa straightened her posture, tilted her head, and rested her finger on her chin, adopting a thoughtful expression.
“Please let me think it over and give you an answer in a couple of days.”
“All right,”
Owen said, spreading his arms in a welcoming gesture.
“I really need you, Theresa. The doors of the City Hall will always be open to you.”
“Thank you! Oh, by the way,”
Theresa suddenly remembered something important.
“Lord Owen, in the recent basic science test, the students in my class all performed quite well.”
Owen was not surprised by the results; he remained calm.
“Isn’t that normal? You’re the most knowledgeable among all the teachers in this subject, so naturally, you would teach well.”
“Thank you for the compliment. Although the results were good, the average score was only in the sixties; other classes fared worse, scoring only thirty to forty points.”
Theresa smiled and then returned to a serious tone:
“However, there is one student in my class who is exceptional. He even scored full marks on the test. Keep in mind, if this test were given to any other teacher besides me, they might not achieve full marks.”
“Oh? There’s such a remarkable student?”
Owen immediately became interested. In a situation where most students scored low, someone achieving a perfect score indicated extraordinary learning ability and a capacity to grasp new concepts comparable to Owen himself—a rare talent, and precisely the type Biānshù Town urgently needed.
“What’s the student’s name?”
Owen asked.
“Niuke Lian.”
Niuke Lian? The name was a bit unusual to pronounce; Owen internally wondered why his parents chose such a name.
Regardless, this student was definitely someone to keep an eye on.
“Lord Owen,”
Theresa called softly.
Looking ahead, Owen noticed her expression had grown serious and asked.
“What is it?”
“You’ve always complained about the lack of chemistry-talented individuals in Biānshù Town, haven’t you?”
Theresa suggested.
“Why not recruit Niuke Lian into the laboratory now? He can get familiar with the environment early and learn more advanced chemistry. By the time he graduates this year, he could immediately start working in the lab.”
The classes Theresa taught were for students around fifteen to seventeen years old. This autumn, the school would hold an academic exam, and those who passed would receive a junior-level certificate.
It seemed that Theresa had come today specifically to propose this plan.
Owen thought for a moment, then smiled and nodded:
“Theresa, your suggestion is excellent. I approve it. Tomorrow, I will go to the school to meet this student.”
The next day, during lunch break, Owen arrived at the school office. Theresa brought Niuke Lian along.
Sitting in the teacher’s chair, Owen examined the student before him.
“You must be Niuke Lian?”
From the name alone, he could tell it was a boy. He looked honest and well-behaved, with brown hair and a few freckles on his cheeks. He wore simple clothes, and his hands fidgeted nervously in front of him.
Well, it was only natural for a commoner to be nervous when meeting the lord of the town for the first time.
“Yes… yes, Lord Owen.”
Niuke Lian bowed deeply, not daring to look up at the lord, and said nervously.
“May I ask what you summoned me for?”
“I heard that you scored full marks in basic science—impressive!”
What?! Scoring full marks would earn a personal summons and praise from the lord?
Shocked, Niuke Lian quickly replied.
“Th-thank you for your compliment, Lord Owen! I will work even harder from now on!”
“You don’t need to be so nervous,”
Owen smiled and continued.
“I called you here today because I wanted to have a proper discussion with you about the chemistry part of basic science. How do you feel about learning it?”
“It’s really fascinating!”
When talking about chemistry, Niuke Lian’s eyes sparkled. He spoke eloquently and enthusiastically, seemingly forgetting that the person in front of him was Lord Owen.
He explained that all matter in the world is composed of countless invisible atoms, molecules, and other particles—an exceptionally insightful perspective.
Understanding this concept, he said, makes chemical equations much clearer: many chemical reactions are simply molecules breaking into atoms, which then recombine into new molecules.
Combustion, for example, is a violent chemical reaction that releases light and heat. Grasping this concept is incredibly fun!
Blah, blah, blah—Niuke Lian went on and on, unable to stop.
It wasn’t until he remembered who he was speaking to that he immediately looked apologetic.
“I am terribly sorry, Lord Owen. I’ve been talking so much on my own; it must have been boring for you.”
Niuke Lian thought this because, whenever he had discussed chemistry with classmates before, they usually looked confused and said they didn’t understand, which he found frustrating.
“No, not at all,”
Owen replied.
“I just didn’t expect you to be so passionate about chemistry.”
“Yes, very passionate,”
Niuke Lian said.
Could it be that the lord also liked chemistry? This thought filled him with joy.
However, he soon lowered his head, his expression turning somber.
“I’ve learned so many chemical equations, and I really want to perform experiments to test them. But unfortunately, I don’t have the conditions at home to do so.”
Owen’s school was currently only teaching basic theory and could not yet provide students with experimental materials or tools.
“Oh?”
Hearing this, Owen’s lips curved into a smile.
“Niuke Lian, you now have the chance to fulfill that wish.”
“Lord Owen, do you mean…”
Niuke Lian suddenly looked up, his eyes instantly filled with hope.
“That’s right,”
Owen said, extending an invitation.
“I want to invite you to join my chemistry laboratory. After school and during holidays, I want you to come over. Each time, I’ll give you a topic to experiment on.”
He paused briefly, then added.
“Not only that, the chemistry you’ve learned so far is just the basics. I also have more advanced chemical knowledge to teach you, and later on, there will be even higher-level chemistry—but by that time, you’ll need to study it on your own.”