Teacher Xu kept ranting, her words growing uglier by the second, completely unaware that she had walked into a deserted alley.
Zhou Zedong said with a dark expression, "You really don't deserve to be a teacher. Your mouth is filthier than shit."
Teacher Xu hadn't expected Zhou Zedong, who usually never dared to talk back, to say such a thing. She was so furious she was seeing red and raised her hand to hit him. "Did your mother not teach you how to respect your elders? Today, I'll teach you a proper lesson on behalf of your family!"
But before her hand could land on Zhou Zedong's face, everything suddenly went dark before her eyes.
Zhou Zedong looked grimly at Teacher Xu, whose head was now covered by a piece of clothing, then at the three older boys standing before him with complicated looks in their eyes. Without a word, he turned and walked away.
Behind him, the woman's pig-slaughter-like screams erupted.
"Officers, it's right over there." Zhou Zedong led two policemen over, pointing at Teacher Xu lying on the ground like a dead dog.
Teacher Xu had been beaten black and blue, with two of her teeth knocked out. Her head was buzzing, and she couldn't comprehend what had just happened.
One moment she had been about to teach Zhou Zedong a lesson, and the next, she was being beaten up.
Fists as big as beans rained down on her face, the pain so intense she nearly passed out.
The two policemen hurried over to help her up.
"Comrade, are you alright?"
"Teacher Xu, are you okay?"
Zhou Zedong's concerned voice rang out.
As if suddenly snapping back to reality, Teacher Xu sharply turned her gaze towards him.
Zhou Zedong tilted his head, looking at her. A faint smile flickered across his young face, as if deliberately letting her see it.
Teacher Xu also found it suspicious. She lived here; how did Zhou Zedong know? And why did he appear in this alley? Could it be that he had someone attack her?
Although it was hard to believe, she was still furious. Pointing a trembling finger at Zhou Zedong, she slurred, "It was you, wasn't it? It was you!"
Zhou Zedong jumped as if frightened and hid behind the other policeman.
"Comrade, what are you talking about?" The policeman was also confused.
Teacher Xu quickly pointed at Zhou Zedong. "Officers, there's something wrong with this child! He came to find me here, and then I was inexplicably beaten up. I suspect he had someone deliberately attack me out of revenge!"
Hearing this, the policemen looked at the ten-year-old Zhou Zedong in astonishment.
Zhou Zedong's little face turned pale. "Teacher Xu, what are you talking about? I don't understand. Officer, I just came to beg Teacher Xu to stop hitting my little brother. How could I possibly have someone beat her up?"
The policemen were baffled and instinctively asked, "Why would she hit your brother?"
Zhou Zedong glanced fearfully at Teacher Xu. When she glared back, he immediately lowered his head and whispered, "Be...because we're from the countryside. Teacher Xu is from the city. She doesn't like us, says we're dirty. So she makes me stand in class as punishment and hits my brother in the face with a book..." He roughly wiped his eyes with his coarse fingers.
"Dad is away on a long trip. Only Mom is at home, and she's very gentle. She'd be heartbroken if she knew we were being hit. So I thought I'd come and beg Teacher Xu not to hit my brother anymore. If she has to hit someone, she can hit me from now on..."
He broke down crying before he could finish.
Hearing this, the two policemen's expressions towards Teacher Xu changed completely.
They never expected her to be such a person, and for a moment, they felt immense pity for the child before them.
Teacher Xu's eyes widened, her eyeballs nearly popping out. "You... what nonsense are you spouting? When... when did I ever hit you? You... you damned little brat..."
Zhou Zedong trembled all over, seeming on the verge of collapse. A policeman quickly steadied him.
They saw him wiping his tears, his voice hoarse from crying. "It's all true. All the students in my brother's class saw it. Because of this, Teacher Xu was even replaced. I was worried she might hold a grudge against my brother..."
If Si Nian were here now, she might be stunned. These tactics were exactly the same as the ones she used when dealing with outsiders.
"You... you're lying! Officers, don't listen to his nonsense. He's completely making this up! Fine, you Zhou Zedong, you've learned to lie and deceive at such a young age, haven't you!"
"I get it now. It must have been you who had someone beat me up today!"
Teacher Xu, who had only been suspicious before, now spoke with near certainty.
Her face twisted with rage. Paired with her already swollen, pig-like face, the expression was downright terrifying.
"I... I didn't. Teacher Xu bullies and curses at kids at school every day, calling us animals. Maybe it was someone else seeking revenge on you." Zhou Zedong burst into loud sobs.
A policeman quickly held him in his arms to comfort him.
"Don't cry, good boy. Uncle believes you."
He then turned and glared fiercely at Teacher Xu. "You... what kind of teacher are you? How can you insult children like that? What teacher has such a foul mouth!"
"Exactly. This child is so young. Where would he get such wicked ideas?"
"If the kid hadn't been kind-hearted and come to find us after seeing you beaten up, do you think you'd even be able to speak right now?"
"Being so mean-spirited, it's no wonder someone wanted revenge."
Teacher Xu was shaking with anger. "Bullshit! Bullshit! Are you even policemen? Can't you see I've been beaten up? I've been beaten so badly, and you're actually saying such callous things!"
"You're yelling so loud; how bad can it be?"
"The wretched have only themselves to blame! Laying hands on a child, you didn't get beaten up for nothing."
Both men had children of their own. The thought of such a mean-spirited teacher at a school, looking down on and bullying children from the countryside, forcing a mere ten-year-old to come begging at her door...
What kind of heartless person would do such a thing?
It was truly despicable!
"Little friend, you're very brave, but someone like this isn't worth your help."
"Even though she punishes me, scolds me, and humiliates me... my mom says we shouldn't stand by and watch someone die." Zhou Zedong choked out.
Good heavens, what a little angel.
It was utterly heartbreaking.
The two grown men's eyes actually reddened.
"Little friend, where do you live? Uncles will take you home."
"Don't worry. You're a good boy who did a brave deed. Tomorrow, we'll go to your school and tell your teachers to give you an award. You saved her; you're her savior. If she hits you again, that's repaying kindness with ingratitude. You come find us uncles, and we'll report her to the school. We'll definitely make sure she's punished!"
"Right, report her. Let's see how she keeps being a teacher then."
Hearing this, Teacher Xu nearly fainted from rage.
"Wait, what do you mean? Am I just supposed to take this beating for nothing? This matter can't just be dropped."
The two policemen turned back, their looks unfriendly. "Since this appears to be a deliberate act of revenge, it's likely this teacher did something bad to someone's child to provoke it. Don't worry, we'll investigate at the school. If Teacher Xu is truly innocent and didn't lay a hand on any children, we'll certainly clear your name."
With that, they took Zhou Zedong's hand and left.
Teacher Xu swayed on her feet.
At this moment, she was no longer sure if it was really someone sent by Zhou Zedong.
Because today, she had managed to offend practically the entire first-grade class!
If the police went to investigate, they would definitely find out what had happened at school today!
Her face instantly turned pale.
Brother Chen and the others, hiding around the corner, watched dumbfounded as Zhou Zedong was escorted away by two police officers.
He swallowed hard with difficulty and asked, "Brother Chen, was he... like this before?"
Brother Chen was also utterly astonished.
Vicious, truly vicious.
Originally, he hadn't been too keen on coming to beat someone up or the like.
Although they loved to fight, they didn't just hit anyone.
After all, if someone targeted them and got the police to arrest them, that would be a real hassle.
Zhou Zedong had given assurances, but Brother Chen hadn't known what he would actually do.
Who could have imagined he would pull off such a sudden reversal?
Not only did he avoid police scrutiny over the incident, but he also earned himself some credit, becoming the good guy?
It was hard to imagine what kind of family could raise such a terrifying child.
Si Nian had no classes in the afternoon and went home early.
She had gone out to buy Zhou Zedong a few new copybooks, planning to have a good talk with him when he got back.
Unexpectedly, she had just arrived home when she received a call from the school.
