After hearing Lu Yanzhao’s suggestion, the homeroom teacher immediately broke into a calculating smile.
No wonder he was Board Director Yu’s handsome secretary. The way he schemed was exactly like Board Director Yu.
Ten minutes before evening self-study began, the homeroom teacher of Class Three walked into the classroom.
She stood at the podium and rapped on the desk.
Once the classroom had quieted down a little, she said, “Do you all think the board director’s idea was underhanded? That you were tricked and treated unfairly? That you’re angry?”
Her gaze swept over Zheng Wenhao and his group, then moved across the other students, some of whom had their heads lowered while others wore unconvinced expressions.
“Then let me ask you this: Do you really think there’s nothing wrong with students doing this? Don’t you know that this behavior damages your health?”
“Or does it make you look cooler to the opposite sex? Does it help you concentrate better in class? Does it give you more pocket money? Does it make your parents prouder of you?”
“Ah, forget it. I won’t say any more.”
“We teachers all know that at your age, there’s no point in trying to reason with you no matter how earnestly we explain things! That’s why the board director resorted to baiting you into breaking the rules.”
“Anyway, it’s already been done! Don’t even think that the school can’t punish everyone if too many people are involved. Every single one of you will be disciplined this time!”
“If anyone disagrees, call your parents right now or send them a message! Have them come to the school tonight and argue it out with us!”
She finished speaking and stared coldly at the students below.
Actually, only the ringleaders were somewhat defiant. The others had simply gone along with them.
Now that no one was taking the lead, someone nudged Zheng Wenhao and whispered, “Brother Hao, what do we do? Are we starting a rebellion? If you lead us, we’ll follow. If you don’t, everyone will just accept their fate.”
Zheng Wenhao was being pushed forward by the eyes of those around him, and he rather enjoyed the feeling.
He absolutely couldn’t back down now.
Gritting his teeth, he really did take out his phone and unlock it in full view of everyone. He continued to put on a brave front as he said, “My dad will definitely take my side! Brothers, follow me. I don’t believe the school would expel so many people all at once! If all our parents come here together, the school won’t dare do anything to us!”
Quite a few students shared his way of thinking.
As long as there were enough people making a fuss, the school wouldn’t dare do anything.
So several students who usually followed him also took out their phones.
The homeroom teacher watched them for several minutes, then suddenly smiled.
She turned to the class monitor and study committee member sitting in the first row. “Class officers, go and collect the phones of Zheng Wenhao, Liu Jiajia…”
She rattled off the names of every student who had just taken out a phone.
“Collect all their phones! The school rules clearly prohibit using phones. What do you think you’re doing?”
The class officers immediately stood up and swiftly confiscated Zheng Wenhao’s phone, along with those of the other five or six students, before anyone had time to react.
“What the hell!” Zheng Wenhao panicked.
Everyone else was stunned too.
They fell for it every day—and every time, it was the exact same trick!
They’d been baited into breaking the rules by the teacher again!
Some students regretted it so much that they slapped their thighs. They had gotten carried away after being egged on by the teacher and completely forgotten that phones couldn’t be used openly at school.
Quite a few students in the class began to laugh.
Suddenly, a boy who was usually very well-behaved stood up.
It was Zhao Zihan, the boy who had previously been found to be suffering from severe brain fog and cystitis during his physical examination.
He had always been the kind of person who worked very hard but still got poor grades, which was why he had ended up at this school.
He himself thought he was stupid, and his parents often scolded him for being hopeless.
But ever since Board Director Yu had arranged for him to undergo a physical examination, he had learned what was really wrong with him. His parents had finally begun to understand him, and he no longer pushed himself pointlessly.
He made sure to get enough sleep and kept himself relaxed.
In just one short week, he could already feel a qualitative improvement in his ability to concentrate. It was as if the fog clouding his mind was slowly lifting.
So he didn’t want to see his benefactor wrongly accused and locked up at the police station.
He stood up and said, “Teacher, may I take the evening off and skip evening self-study tonight?”
The homeroom teacher asked, “Why do you want to take the evening off?”
Zhao Zihan replied, “I don’t smoke, but I know that the school has changed since Board Director Yu arrived. Her methods may be strange, but she really is trying to find ways to solve our problems.”
“She was arrested because she tried to deal with this matter. We can’t let her bear the consequences alone. I’m going to the police station to testify for her and give them my statement.”
Another student immediately stood up. “I’m going too! I can finally get enough sleep because Board Director Yu came here. She has been thinking about us, so I can’t just stand by and watch her be falsely accused!”
One, then another… Gradually, more than a dozen students stood up.
Some had always been well-behaved. Others had once been thoughtless but had slowly changed for the better.
Their reasons varied, but they all pointed to the same core truth: They had genuinely felt the care Board Director Yu had shown them.
Zheng Wenhao and his group were completely dumbfounded.
They had originally planned to make trouble by relying on their numbers. So how did it suddenly feel as if the other side had even more people?
The homeroom teacher looked at those earnest young faces, her eyes growing hot.
She had worked at this school for years and had always been looked down upon.
People said that the students here were so poor academically that no matter how hard she tried to teach them, it would be useless.
Yes, many of the students had poor grades.
But poor grades didn’t mean they were bad people!
Some children only needed a little guidance before they could go on to lead decent lives.
She nodded. “I understand how you feel, but the police station can’t possibly let all of us go over there. How about this? I’ll report it to the principal and see whether we can choose a few students to serve as representatives.”
“As for you, Zheng Wenhao, I’m keeping your phones for now! Bring all your parents to school tomorrow!”
Afterward, the homeroom teacher spoke with the teachers from the other classes, only to discover that the situation was more or less the same everywhere.
Many students were deeply concerned about the board director and wanted to go testify on her behalf.
Quite a few cafeteria employees wanted to go as well, to prove that the person who had reported Board Director Yu had a personal grudge against her and had falsely accused her.
When Principal Wang received all these requests…
Even though he knew the whole thing was absurd and completely unlike his usual way of doing things, he still made the final decision and agreed.
In the end, several representatives were chosen from among the students who had signed up, while several representatives were also selected from the staff and teachers.
Principal Wang called for a school bus.
As he looked at the earnest faces filling the bus, a long-forgotten surge of youthful passion welled up inside him.
Perhaps the reckless flames ignited by Yu Xiaxing really had burned away some of the withered branches of old conventions, illuminating a few hearts that had been covered in dust.
—
At the district public security branch, in the lounge beside the mediation room.
Yu Xiaxing sat on a hard plastic chair with her eyes closed, resting.
The police had nearly finished processing everything. The accusations against her had been found to have no basis, and she could leave at any time.
But she had no desire to move.
She was waiting—waiting for the ticking hands of the clock to reach midnight, waiting for the results of Mission Two, waiting for the great Evaluation Committee to grant her the yellow card she had dreamed of for so long…
“Ms. Yu Xiaxing, you’re free to leave now.” A police officer came over to urge her once again.
Yu Xiaxing sighed helplessly. “I just want to sit here for a little while…”
The police officer was at a loss as well. “Your colleagues, family members, and quite a few students, staff, teachers, and parents from the school have all come rushing over. They’re waiting for you outside, and if you don’t leave, they’re seriously disrupting our work.”
What?!
Yu Xiaxing’s heart gave a jolt. “Seriously? Are you sure they’re here to pick me up?”
Am I really that popular...?
The officer said, “Go out and see for yourself.”
Yu Xiaxing had no choice but to rise slowly. She dawdled as she gathered her few personal belongings, trying to buy herself more time.
“Ms. Yu, hurry up!” the officer urged.
“...”
Yu Xiaxing slowly made her way down the corridor and out to the entrance of the police station.
Outside, there really was a huge crowd of people!
She quickly lowered her head, wanting to turn around and hide back inside the station.
Suddenly, a tall figure approached from the side and grabbed her by the wrist.
