Thứ wakes up early in a school room in the suburbs, sitting on a divan and looking over textbooks for his morning classes. Having taught for two years, he knows the curriculum by heart, but he is deeply weary of the exhausting profession. He works eight hours a day, speaks continuously, grades papers at home, and works up to ten hours daily, all for a meager monthly salary of twenty dong.
The school was originally opened by Đích, a cousin of Thứ, who partnered with a colleague named Oanh. When Đích passed a civil service exam and moved away, he left Thứ in charge with vague promises of better pay as the school grew. Initially, Thứ was deeply devoted, working hard and successfully increasing student enrollment. However, his satisfaction faded when he realized his workload had doubled while his pay remained unchanged, forcing him to struggle while supporting his wife and child in the countryside. Calculating the school's income, Thứ realizes Oanh profits heavily while he does all the hard work.
Oanh frequently reassures Thứ that she will eventually return the school to him once Đích saves enough money to marry her, which once gave Thứ grand dreams of reforming the institution. He had imagined expanding the curriculum, creating a proper library, and fairly compensating his fellow teachers. Over time, however, he lost faith, realizing Oanh and Đích will never give up a profitable venture. Hearing Oanh bicker with a servant inside, Thứ steps out onto the veranda where another teacher, San, frantically studies French geography for an upcoming exam. San makes a vulgar, flirtatious comment about a young girl named Lan, which disgusts Thứ. San then complains bitterly about having to endure Oanh's nagging bossiness despite leaving his own wife behind.