DDT - Chapter 43
Chapter 43: School Tyrant × The Pushover (20)
While Yi Shuhan hesitated, Jiang Shiqing seemed to have understood something. He turned sideways, and because he was in front of the principal, he only lowered his head in slight displeasure to look at Yi Shuhan standing beside him. He spoke with some restraint, "Yi Shuhan, what is the meaning of this? After stealing the class funds last time, you didn't repent properly. It's bad enough you haven't been paying attention in class these past two days, but now you've called your parents to the school to trouble the principal? You… what on earth is going on in that head of yours?" Jiang Shiqing straightened up, trying to appear more confident.
"Or have you finally figured it out? Decided that school isn't for you and you're planning to drop out?" Jiang Shiqing didn't pause, stating his most anticipated guess as if it were a matter of course.
"You must be Jiang Shiqing, I presume?" Yi Qinglang leaned back lazily on the sofa, his disdainful gaze sweeping over Jiang Shiqing. "You're not wrong. My wife and I came today to take our child home. However, it's to study at home and prepare for the college entrance exams, not to drop out."
Yi Qinglang then turned his gaze to Yi Shuhan. "Shuhan, come sit down. You've been wronged these past two days. You should rest and recuperate."
Yi Shuhan's brain hadn't caught up yet. She walked over in a daze, sitting somewhat stiffly beside Yi Qinglang, her father, nearly moving her arms and legs in unison.
Now, Jiang Shiqing was the only one left standing foolishly at the entrance of the principal's office. He hesitated for a moment before taking a few steps inside, intending to sit on the sofa next to the principal.
"Who gave you permission to sit down?!" Yi Qinglang leaned forward, his right hand slamming down on the coffee table in front of him with a loud bang.
Yi Qinglang's cold voice and the loud noise reached the ears of everyone present. Jiang Shiqing froze beside the sofa, staring dumbfounded at the suddenly aggressive Yi Qinglang. Yi Shuhan and the principal were also stunned.
Yi Shuhan had never seen her father so angry in her entire life. In her memory, her father had always been gentle and refined. Even though they had seen each other less in recent years, he had always maintained his scholarly demeanor. She looked at Yi Qinglang from the side, shocked. A faint guess formed in her mind: could it be that her father found out about Jiang Shiqing calling her to his office?
Still not understanding why her father was angry, Yi Shuhan quietly clenched her fists. Of everyone present, only Yi Qinglang's wife, Shu Ming, sat calmly beside him, not the least bit startled by the sudden outburst.
Jiang Shiqing's expression turned ugly. He was a proud man. Being yelled at for no reason was a huge blow to his pride. How could he save face?!
Jiang Shiqing's face darkened. "Is this the politeness and respect a student's parent shows to a hardworking teacher?"
"Indeed, like parent, like child. A bunch of uncultured, ill-mannered people." Jiang Shiqing wished he could curse them out loud. He used the greatest malice he could muster for a girl to pin these labels on Yi Qinglang and his wife.
"In all of Qingyun City, you're the first person who has dared to speak to my family like this." Yi Qinglang showed no anger on his face. The contrast between the two men was stark.
"Jiang Shiqing! Who told you to speak so recklessly?! Hurry up and apologize to Mr. Yi!" Although the principal didn't know what had happened before, he knew that this Yi Qinglang was not someone a teacher from their humble little school could afford to offend.
Hearing the principal say this, Jiang Shiqing was once again dumbfounded. He was about to retort, feeling both embarrassed and angry, when Yi Qinglang's voice, imposing without being loud, reached him. "Mr. Principal, there's no need for an apology now. It's too late."
Yi Qinglang turned to his wife. "Darling, have Shuhan take you to the classroom to pack her things. Once you're done, wait for me in the car. The three of us will have a nice get-together later."
Shu Ming nodded in agreement, stood up, walked past Yi Qinglang, and extended a hand to Yi Shuhan.
Yi Shuhan silently looked at the well-maintained hand before her. She didn't take it. Instead, she quietly stood up and was the first to walk out of the office.
Shu Ming paused for a moment, then helplessly retracted her hand and followed Shuhan toward the classroom.
On the way, Yi Shuhan received a text from Chi Junluo. Chi Junluo greeted her, asked if she had rested well, and then, like someone reporting their achievements, sent a barrage of texts detailing what had happened last night.
Yi Shuhan frowned when she saw the messages. She stopped walking and started replying on her phone. Shu Ming, who was following behind with a heavy heart, nearly stepped on her heel.
Yi Shuhan: Thanks, Luo Luo. But Wang Yun and the others came to class this morning?
Chi Junluo: ??? What? They were put in administrative detention last night…
Just as Yi Shuhan was about to reply, the screen switched to an incoming call. Yi Shuhan quickly answered it and began chatting with Chi Junluo right there in the hallway.
Shu Ming didn't rush her. She just stood quietly to the side, pretending to look at the scenery in the distance.
Back in the office, after his child and wife had left, Yi Qinglang took out his laptop and placed it on the table.
Jiang Shiqing looked at Yi Qinglang's computer with some jealousy, his heart itching with envy. Damn it, why could Yi Shuhan's family afford such a high-end product?!
Ignoring the overly obvious look of jealous hatred, Yi Qinglang pulled up a video and turned the laptop to face the principal and Jiang Shiqing.
Watching the video's content, the principal's face darkened bit by bit. Jiang Shiqing, on the other hand, took a small, guilty step back, cursing inwardly. Didn't that girl say she wouldn't release the video?! How did it end up in her father's hands??
Yi Qinglang's phone rang. It was Shu Ming. They spoke briefly before hanging up.
Yi Qinglang's eyes darkened. In last night's video, those girls were all taken away. Given the bad things they did, they should have been detained for at least ten days to half a month. How could they be back in school this morning? You didn't need to be a genius to figure it out—their parents must have pulled some strings to get them out!
But it didn't matter. He, Yi Qinglang, would just send them right back in today.
The principal had finished watching the video. The two men tacitly remained silent, waiting for Yi Qinglang to speak. But Yi Qinglang seemed to have forgotten them and started making a phone call.
"Hello, Mayor Zhang, this is Yi Qinglang."
"Yes, yes, it's me."
"No, today I'm on your turf in my capacity as the head of the Yi Family from Beijing."
…
"Right. I couldn't be bothered to call the city's Public Security Bureau Chief, so I hope you can make a trip to Qingshui High School before two in the afternoon."
"I hope to see a satisfactory result for these two matters."
…
Finally, Yi Qinglang hung up. When he looked up again, the faces of the two men before him were as white as paper.
"Finished watching?" Yi Qinglang reached up and undid two buttons, flexing his hands. He retrieved his laptop. "What? Jiang Shiqing, you still looked unconvinced just now, didn't you? It's fine. I have things to do now. We'll see each other again this afternoon when everyone is here."
After packing up his laptop, Yi Qinglang stood up briskly, picked up his computer bag, and strode out of the principal's office.
Once he was gone, Jiang Shiqing collapsed onto the sofa next to the principal with a thud. Beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead. He finally understood just how solid of an iron plate he had kicked!
It was all Wang Yun and her friends' fault! If Wang Yun hadn't instigated it, he never would have hit Yi Shuhan! And he certainly wouldn't have provoked someone from Beijing!
Fuck! Why would a child from a prominent Beijing family come to a small place like Qingyun to study?! Damn it!
No matter how much Jiang Shiqing regretted and cursed in his heart, the situation seemed to have reached a point of no return.
Shu Ming stood outside Yi Shuhan's classroom, waiting for her to pack her textbooks and materials. Class was in session, and the noise Yi Shuhan made while packing wasn't quiet. Students kept glancing back to peek at her. At the front of the room, the teacher tapped the desk to regain everyone's attention. Only Wang Yun and her friends glared at Yi Shuhan with hidden resentment.
Shu Ming was gazing into the distance with a heavy heart when a set of calm, unhurried footsteps came from around the corner of the hallway.
The footsteps stopped beside Shu Ming. Curious, she turned her head and saw a girl about her own height leaning against the hallway railing not far from her, seemingly waiting for someone.
Just then, the girl also turned her head. Their eyes met unexpectedly.
Chi Junluo didn't shy away from the sharp gaze of the woman not far from her. The woman's features bore some resemblance to Shuhan's; she must be her mother. Shuhan's parents were certainly fast. They received the video last night and came running over today. It seemed they weren't so heartless after all.
"Hello, Auntie." Chi Junluo nodded gracefully at Shu Ming and offered a polite greeting.
"…Hello." Shu Ming belatedly realized who this somewhat familiar girl was. Wasn't this "Sister Chi," the girl who had gotten along well with Shuhan these past few months? She was much better-looking in person than in photos. Her aura wasn't like a high school student's at all, but more like that of a mature and steady adult.
Shu Ming couldn't help but see her in a new light.
"Luo Luo! What are you doing here?" Yi Shuhan finished packing, slung a stuffed backpack over her shoulder, and slowly shuffled out of the classroom carrying a tall stack of books and papers. The first thing she saw was Chi Junluo's smiling face. She deliberately ignored her mother and called out loudly to Chi Junluo.
Yi Shuhan: Hmph ╭(╯^╰)╮, I have friends who care about me, too!
Seeing her daughter deliberately ignore her, a flash of pain crossed Shu Ming's eyes.
Chi Junluo naturally reached out and took the heavy books from Yi Shuhan's hands. The two started walking toward the school gate. Seeing Shu Ming following closely behind them, Chi Junluo showed a perfectly timed look of confusion in her eyes, but Yi Shuhan didn't give Shu Ming a chance to introduce herself and instead quickened her pace.
The three of them quickly reached the car. Chi Junluo helped put the books and backpack in the trunk. After settling Yi Shuhan in, she waved goodbye and left with her hands in her pockets. Before leaving, she politely said farewell to Shu Ming, "Goodbye, Auntie."
"Goodbye." Throughout the entire exchange, Shu Ming saw nothing amiss in Chi Junluo's eyes. She nodded to herself. A good kid.
A moment later, Yi Qinglang came downstairs and arrived at the car. He and Shu Ming exchanged a few words, then got in. Shu Ming sat in the back with Yi Shuhan, while Yi Qinglang took the front passenger seat.
The driver slowly drove out of the school campus, heading toward the restaurant they had already booked.
The car was silent for the entire journey.
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