Duoduo was about to say something when she saw Xiao Che turn his head away.
Duoduo quietly stuck out her tongue.
Her move had been subtle just now; Xiao Che probably hadn’t seen anything.
With that thought, Duoduo began to focus on the lesson.
But Xiao Che’s mind was in turmoil.
He could hardly describe what he had just witnessed.
It had never occurred to him that Duoduo would have the nerve to throw a rock at the Grand Tutor’s head!
And Xiao Yunshi had taken the blame, getting kicked out.
A sliver of wariness toward Duoduo crept into Xiao Che’s heart.
The ancients said it well: “Only women and petty men are hard to raise.”
How true that was!
Meanwhile, Xiao Yunshi, who had been thrown out of the Imperial Academy by the guards, was now brawling with a classmate.
“After all the kindness I’ve shown you, you throw me under the cart?”
“Kindness to me? Then why did you drag me down just now, making me get expelled too?”
The two threw punches and kicks, fighting furiously.
Before long, both were battered and bruised.
“Just you wait!” Xiao Yunshi finally tired and stood up, touching his swollen cheek.
“Wait all you like—think I’m afraid of you?” The classmate spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground.
The two parted ways and left the palace separately.
When the carriage driver from the Fifth Prince’s residence saw Xiao Yunshi, he was startled.
“Heir Apparent, shall I take you to a medical clinic first?”
Xiao Yunshi glared at the driver.
“Forget the clinic—go back to the residence!” Xiao Yunshi said as he climbed into the carriage.
“Yes, sir!” The driver promptly whipped the horses forward.
Xiao Yunshi tossed his book chest onto the seat with force, letting out a hiss of pain.
“Damn it, that was vicious!”
He touched his half-swollen cheek, so furious he could only swear.
“That rotten Grand Tutor, framing me!”
“If I really had the guts, I’d have done it ages ago.”
Just thinking about how he would explain this to his father made his head ache.
Now that he’d been thrown out, he had no idea how his father would punish him.
At that thought, Xiao Yunshi scratched his head in agitation.
“Ouch!”
He accidentally touched a bruised spot and yelped.
Cursing under his breath, he started to think.
Back in the classroom, he’d been too busy whispering with his classmate to pay attention to the rock incident.
He recalled the scene.
If he hadn’t thrown it, then the only ones left in the last row were Eighth Prince Xiao Che… and Changle.
But why would the Eighth Prince throw a rock at the Grand Tutor?
An unfavored prince like him couldn’t be that bold.
After a moment’s thought, Xiao Yunshi ruled out Xiao Che.
Finally, his attention landed on Duoduo.
But then Xiao Yunshi shook his head to himself.
Changle was only four years old—there was no way she’d dare throw a rock at the Grand Tutor.
And yet…
His gaze stopped on the book chest beside him.
Ah!
Xiao Yunshi jumped up from his seat.
He knew now!
It must have been Changle all along!
No—it had to be a collaboration between Changle and Xiao Che!
They were getting back at him for putting needles in Changle’s chair!
Having guessed the truth, Xiao Yunshi kicked the chair in anger.
The driver outside was so startled he quickly asked, “Heir Apparent, what’s wrong?”
“Just drive the carriage! Hurry up, do you want to see me die from pain?”
Xiao Yunshi’s words made the driver crack his whip.
The horse, startled, suddenly sped up.
Caught off guard, Xiao Yunshi stumbled backward and slammed into the carriage wall.
“Ouch!” he cried out, clutching his head as pain shot through him again.
“Heir Apparent, please hold steady!” the driver said, trembling at the sound of Xiao Yunshi’s scream.
“What kind of driving is that? You’re killing me!”
Cursing all the way, Xiao Yunshi slumped back in his seat and took a while to recover.
No way!
He wasn’t going to let this slide today!
Xiao Yunshi nursed his grudge, determined to get even.
And then there was Song Shuyu.
He’d gotten into this mess because he was helping her!
She thought she could just wash her hands of it? No chance!
Clutching his head, Xiao Yunshi sneered darkly.
Speaking of Song Shuyu, she was sitting quietly like a quail, trying to follow the lesson.
Her seat was in the front, so she had no idea what had happened in the back.
But she had heard Xiao Yunshi pleading innocence.
She believed him—he had definitely been framed.
And the one who framed him…
Song Shuyu noticed the interaction between Duoduo and Xiao Che.
Her heart stirred.
It seemed Xiao Yunshi had been tainted by Changle’s bad luck!
Good thing she was smart enough not to act herself—or today she would have been the one cursed by misfortune.
The thought made her shiver slightly.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the class.
Students rose one after another—some headed to the washroom, others went out to stretch.
Duoduo noticed Song Shuyu linking arms with Danyang as they left hand in hand.
Her eyes flickered.
Since when had Song Shuyu and Danyang become so close?
Duoduo stood up and quickened her steps to catch up.
Halfway there, she spotted Xiao Yunming trailing behind Song Shuyu and the others.
Duoduo blinked and smiled slyly.
Truly, the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
No, it was more like—when the clam and the crane fight, it’s the fisherman who profits.
Slowing her pace, Duoduo followed behind Xiao Yunming.
She saw Song Shuyu pulling Danyang into the washroom.
Xiao Yunming went in as well.
Looking left and right, finding no one around, Duoduo tiptoed carefully inside.
She saw Xiao Yunming shaking a pouch into one of the stalls.
A mouse dropped out.
“Ahh!”
The scream came from inside the stall.
Song Shuyu burst out, her clothes in disarray.
“A mouse! There’s a mouse!”
Panicked, she bolted toward the door.
As she ran past Duoduo, her foot slipped on a puddle of water.
Because her trousers weren’t properly fastened, she lost her balance and fell flat on her back.
Her head hit the ground with a loud thud.
“Ahh!”
Song Shuyu let out a scream before fainting.
Even Duoduo winced in sympathy.
Soon, the stodgy superintendent was called over.
He dared not move Song Shuyu himself and sent someone to fetch a physician.
The physician arrived quickly.
After examining her, he declared that while she had multiple injuries, the worst was the blow to her head, which would require rest.
The superintendent then interrogated all the students who had been in the washroom.
The others claimed they didn’t know what had happened.
His gaze finally fell on Duoduo, standing by the entrance.
Duoduo bit her lip.
“Wo didn’t see anything.”
“But wo did hear someone shout ‘A mouse!’”
