Libbie (fullname: Ouyang Libi, Chinese: 欧阳理碧 “Oasis of Rational Thinking”) is a science teacher at Zhizheng Primary School and the head teacher of Class 3, where Alice studies. She is easy-going, kind, and funny, making her well-liked by her students, who affectionately call her “Miss Libbie.”
Personality
Libbie is a gentle and responsible teacher who is very patient with her students. She trusts her students and can sometimes be overprotective. Mischievous ones like Leiting and Alice may try to exploit this trust to break the rules without facing consequences. However, Libbie’s tolerance does not mean she is unaware of their actions; she waits for the right moment to teach them a lesson.
Libbie makes sure to appear appropriate in front of her students, to the point of being a bit too self-conscious. Yet, she retains a childlike spirit and sometimes craves mischief and fun. These awkward moments are readily noticed by her students, making her wish for a place to hide.
Libbie is interested in agriculture and eco-related subjects. She does not see a return to the past as feasible or desirable. Instead, she seeks new ways for humans to coexist with nature from a developmental perspective.
Libbie claims she isn’t competitive, yet she often shows a strong desire to win, particularly against Gracie, her friend and teacher at Luosha Primary School—while pretending to be indifferent.
Perhaps shaped by being betrayed during her volunteer work at graduation, Libbie is highly vigilant against frauds and can detect their tricks in seconds.
Specialties
Libbie has rich experience in agriculture. She is tall and strong, able and willing to handle rough and heavy work.
Libbie has exceptional driving skills. Before becoming a teacher, she learned to operate various large farming and construction machinery, and also has experience in long-distance freight transportation.
Libbie has a special fondness for Middle Eastern music and can play the oud.
Life
Libbie faced misfortune early in her career. After college, she pursued idealistic dreams as a volunteer but was deceived and nearly lost her life. She worked on farms, ranches, factories, mines, and docks, yet the companies always went bankrupt or laid off workers shortly after she joined. She also spent some time as a long-distance truck driver.
After years of struggling and feeling exhausted both physically and mentally, she finally returned to her hometown Dongguan and settled down as a primary school teacher. She was pleasantly surprised that she enjoyed and excelled at the job.
Libbie is passionate about the coexistence of humans and nature. She leads the school’s in-house research project, “Ecology Education in Primary School Classes,” with her Class 3 as the experimental group. Libbie manages the school’s experimental farms and orchard. She also takes her students to participate ecology-related projects.
Relationships
The students in Class 3 love Libbie and affectionately call her “Miss Libbie” and simply “Libbie” hehind her. Despite the vivid personalities in her class, including the extraordinary robot kid, Libbie enjoys teaching them every day.
Libbie pays special attention to Alice, as a thinking robot is new to everyone. She organizes the class to help Alice fit in and feels relieved when she does well despite occasional mishaps. Alice behaves well around Libbie, but Libbie sees through her mischievous nature.
Leiting is Libbie’s most mischievous and challenging student. She goes to great lengths in guiding this unruly little girl.
Qiuye is one of Libbie’s most trusted and intelligent students. They share a passion for agriculture. Libbie recognizes Qiuye’s potential and teaches her everything she knows. Qiuye admires Libbie and feels happiest when praised by her.
Mingzhu is one of Libbie’s main concerns as being physically strong but mentally simple. Libbie closely monitors her and enlists various class agents to help Mingzhu’s development.
Miss Gracie of Luosha Primary School is Libbie’s college classmate and close friend. Gracie saved Libbie’s life during a volunteering hoax that put her in danger. They shared a room and ran long-distance transportation together, both eventually becoming elementary school teachers in Dongguan. Gracie is impulsive and often leaves Libbie to deal with the consequences of her actions. Despite their strong friendship, they have distinct values and a rivalry, each wanting to outdo the other, so do their students.
Libbie, Tonyn, Zoey, and Bailian were old neighbors with a bond so close they felt like family.
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