Chapter 59

After Anne's finished reading, Billy said to Anne's parents, "Your child has a decent foundation, but she won't be able to keep up with my pace. I'm afraid following my teaching might delay her further. You should seek another teacher." Anne felt like cold water had been poured over her, chilling her to the core. Anne's parents didn't expect such a direct refusal from Billy, "Mr. Beter, please reconsider our request. My child is truly capable. Won't you give it another thought?" Billy knew the truth could hurt. But he had always been straightforward and disliked beating around the bush. He remarked, "Learning a foreign language requires a certain level of talent. Clearly, your child only has average talents, and my standards for students are very high. I'm sorry, but your child doesn't meet my requirements." "What can I do to meet your requirements?" Anne asked defiantly. Billy pursed his lips. "If you can reach your classmate Helen's level of spoken language, I might consider i