Chapter 16: Unexpected Encounters and Disciplinary Measures

“Teacher Lin?”

Faced with the sudden appearance of the woman, I couldn’t help but speak up.

It was none other than Lin Shujuan, Su Yuanyi’s homeroom teacher and the instructor I was closest with at school.

“Hmm, Wangqiu, how are you feeling now? Did you have the school doctor re-examine you?”

Lin Shujuan asked, drawing closer and scrutinizing me with unconcealed worry.

“I feel alright. The school doctor went to tend to the injured members of the track and field club, but they should be back soon. I’m truly sorry to have caused you such worry.”

“You’re still the same as ever. Setting aside my duties as a teacher to care for students, we’re also friends in private, so this makes me a little sad.”

Lin Shujuan, having discerned that I was concealing my true condition, gently admonished me with a tone that hinted at reproach and words laden with double meaning.

Truly worthy of an outstanding teacher, with eyes as sharp as a torch.

I could only manage an awkward chuckle.

“What’s more, this matter is not unrelated to me.”

“Huh?”

‘Wha—?!’

As I stood there in astonishment, Lin Shujuan turned, her gaze fixed on the girl with an exceedingly stern expression, her sheer presence causing the girl to let out a small gasp, like a startled animal.

“Xiaorou, did you apologize properly?”

“Y-yes, Sister.”

“Eh?”

After my surprised exclamation, Lin Shujuan unceremoniously pulled the girl closer.

“Allow me to formally introduce you: Lin Shurou from Class 6, Year 1, my younger sister.”

“Oh…”

‘Huh? Doesn’t this make her a ‘Lin Meimei’ (TL Note: A famous character from the classic Chinese novel ‘Dream of the Red Chamber,’ often used to describe a delicate, beautiful, and somewhat melancholic young woman) falling from the sky?’

“Xiaorou, this is Zhao Wangqiu from Class 2, Year 1. Outside of school, he’s your sister’s friend. Now, apologize again with me.”

Having spoken, Lin Shujuan pressed down on Lin Shurou’s head, and together they bowed towards me.

“I apologize, Wangqiu. My sister has caused you trouble.”

“I apologize, Student Zhao. I’ve caused you trouble.”

“Please don’t, Teacher Lin. As you can see, we’re all fine, aren’t we? Student Lin already apologized properly just now; please don’t add any more pressure on her.”

I said, waving my hands in a fluster, only to see Lin Shujuan shake her head.

“No, it’s necessary. Although my words may sound like an excuse, Xiaorou is actually a well-behaved and sensible child. Perhaps my parents sometimes spoil her too much, leading her to get carried away and do something like this. Rest assured, I will certainly discipline her properly from now on.”

‘Ah. This person probably spoils her sister quite a bit normally too, doesn’t she?’

“Sister?”

Lin Shurou called out, her voice laced with nervousness, but Lin Shujuan immediately reprimanded her.

“Don’t even think about trying to get away with it! You need to understand, if the security drone hadn’t arrived in time, given Wangqiu’s character, he would surely have tried to catch you. Not only would the consequences have been far more severe than they are now, but if an irreversible situation had occurred, any apology would have been too late. So, reflect properly!”

‘Eh? Catch her? Me?’

‘Ugh… that’s strange, I can’t quite deny it decisively.’

‘But isn’t she praising me a bit too highly by saying that?’

“…I understand, Sister.”

Lin Shurou responded softly, lowering her head.

I couldn’t help but exchange glances with Nina and Su Yuanyi, each of us discerning the other’s profound embarrassment.

Still, with things having developed this far, it should be brought to an end, shouldn’t it?

“Well then, Wangqiu, whatever the results of your examination, remember to tell me later. As for Xiaorou, while I’d very much like her to wait here for the results, since a security drone intervened and left a record on the intranet, I must first take her for disciplinary education. We’ll have to find another time for her to properly express her sincerity.”

‘No, this will just go on endlessly. Why don’t you reconsider more carefully?’

“Eh? But Sister, I already…”

“Stop! Do you really think ten minutes of regulatory education from a security drone is enough? You need to remember this lesson firmly!”

Lin Shujuan unceremoniously cut off Lin Shurou, then, with a huff, ruffled her sister’s hair into a messy tangle.

“Alright, Sister, I will seriously heed the disciplinary education.”

After Lin Shurou’s earnest reply, she seemed to want to tidy her dishevelled hair, yet, fearing further reprimand from her sister, she simply stood there, head bowed and obedient.

“Very good, continue to maintain this attitude.”

Lin Shujuan, a mixture of helplessness and tenderness in her gaze, gently ruffled Lin Shurou’s head, then looked over at me.

“Wangqiu, we won’t disturb your rest then. Xiaorou.”

Hearing this, Lin Shurou quickly looked towards me.

“Student Zhao, I’m sorry I couldn’t take responsibility until the end. Please rest well first.”

Having said that, she followed Lin Shujuan, who had already turned to leave.

It was then that I noticed her casting a rather complex glance at Su Yuanyi.

“Oh! I was so exasperated I completely forgot, we haven’t exchanged contact information yet.”

Lin Shujuan had already reached the doorway when she suddenly remembered this detail.

Subsequently, she forcefully entered Lin Shurou’s contact information into my phone as well.

This time, I confirmed that Lin Shurou was indeed frequently glancing at Su Yuanyi.

It seems the Vice President’s charm truly captivates both men and women.

****

Once the two sisters had departed, Nina and Su Yuanyi both let out a collective sigh of relief.

Indeed, although Teacher Lin had come to apologize alongside her sister, her formidable presence when reprimanding her sister must have been quite overwhelming for them.

“In the end, we still couldn’t find out why she climbed up there.”

No sooner had Nina finished speaking than Su Yuanyi began tapping on a screen, quickly presenting the message before Nina’s eyes.

[Could it be related to the love letter you mentioned?]

“Hmm? That’s highly possible! She only reacted suddenly when Qiūqiū (TL Note: A common Chinese nickname, often used for someone named ‘Qiu’ or as an affectionate diminutive) mentioned the phrase ‘chuunibyou (TL Note: A Japanese term for ‘eighth-grade syndrome,’ referring to delusions of grandeur common in early adolescence) love letter,’ and she did literally fall from the sky, didn’t she?”

‘Could you please stop discussing this topic in front of me?’

‘Even though less than an hour had passed, it already felt like ancient, embarrassing history.’

‘And I hadn’t forgotten that I still needed to explain the situation to my workplace.’

‘Hopefully, I wouldn’t be fired outright.’

‘However, I couldn’t find my phone in my pocket.’

“Are you looking for your phone?”

Nina asked, seeing my predicament.

“Mm.”

“It’s with me. Here.”

Watching her retrieve my phone from her skirt pocket, a sudden sense of foreboding washed over me.

“Nana, you didn’t happen to answer a call or reply to a message for me, did you?”

“That’s right, but please let me explain. I originally just wanted to see who was calling you, and it showed ‘convenience store senior.’ I was worried you’d be marked as an unexcused absence, so I took the liberty of explaining the situation to them.”

“…Oh, thank you. Did he say anything?”

I hadn’t intended to blame her, as she was usually very sensible in such matters. In fact, her explanation made me feel a little guilty.

“Yes, he said to get some good rest. If possible, to get an accident report from the school to prove the situation to the manager. Given Teacher Lin’s attitude just now, that shouldn’t be a problem. Hmm… but before he hung up, he seemed to whisper something. I didn’t quite catch it, but he didn’t call back, so it should be nothing serious, right?”

“Ah… haha, I suppose so.”

‘Yes, I was actually quite clear on it, exceedingly clear.’

‘After all, that senior had once complained that no matter how much love there was before, graduation from university always seemed to be breakup season.’

‘I hoped it wouldn’t turn into a troublesome affair.’

Regardless, I still contacted the store manager and my senior colleague, explaining the situation once more.

Just as I hung up the phone, Lan Xinyue returned, accompanied by the school doctor.

“Xinyue, Student Lin has already been taken away for disciplinary education.”

Seeing that she looked as if she wanted to search even under the bed, I reluctantly gave her the answer she sought.

Lan Xinyue, however, immediately shot me a fierce glare, then settled back onto her previous stool and resumed reading her book.

“Qiūqiū, you sometimes leave people utterly speechless.”

Nina, clearly displeased, began lightly poking my cheek.

[Wangqiu, you were in the wrong just now. You’re truly too insensitive.]

Su Yuanyi directly held the message up to my eyes.

‘But the way the young miss was acting just now, it was obvious she wanted me to say something.’

‘So, no matter what, I was going to be jointly reprimanded, was I?’

“Alright, three lovely female students, the teacher needs to perform a full-body examination on him, so I’ll need you to step out for a moment.”

‘But Teacher, you’re clearly an outstanding woman yourself, so couldn’t you refrain from provoking them like that?’

“Villain!”

[Pervert!]

“Go to hell!”

‘See? I knew it would come to this.’

The three of them departed one after another, closing the door behind them.

The school doctor, meanwhile, walked over, gave me a once-over, then suddenly raised her hand—

Slap~

—and clapped it directly onto the right side of my back.

“Hiss!?~”

A stinging pain, as if piercing through my entire right lung, made me involuntarily gasp.

“Hmm, and here?”

Slap~

Before I could even ask anything, another slap landed on the left side of my back.

“Ouch?!~”

“Ah, how about here?”

Slap~

“Ow?!~”

“Oh, it seems you were actually enduring quite a bit just now. But since you still feel pain, it’s nothing serious.”

‘This is completely different from the physical examination I imagined, hey!’

“Alright, stop glaring at me like that. I already checked before; there are no signs of fracture, and this is entirely the consequence of your heroics. Just bear with it.”

The school doctor’s clearly amused expression left me unsure whether to show anger or express my frustration.

She had already sat down at her desk, picked up a pen and paper, and began writing.

“All your pain reactions just now were natural, so no internal medication is needed. For external use, mix the same dosage of medicine and apply it mainly to the upper part of your back. It’s best to find someone to help, and try to wash it off after an hour. It should be fine once you’ve used it all. Also, which one do you like?”

“Huh?”

I had originally intended to ask if there would be any adverse reactions if I didn’t wash it off.

But then she immediately hit me with a question completely outside my predicted scope?

“Heh~ So you’re actually going to play dumb at a time like this, huh? But I understand how you feel, after all, all three of them were so anxious they were flustered. Especially that blonde girl; she practically thought you were going to die, crying so much that I almost didn’t know whether to deal with you first or prepare for her to become the next patient.”

“Oh…”

‘So Nina cried that badly, huh? I really left her with a bad memory.’

‘But words like ‘deal with me’ shouldn’t come out of a school doctor’s mouth, should they?’

“Right, after all, it concerns privacy. Since you don’t want to talk about it, then never mind.”

“Oh…”

Before I could even offer a rebuttal, I heard her speak without interruption.

“Moreover, the main impact area was the back of your head, but your consciousness is clear, conversation is normal, emotions are stable, and attention is relatively focused. There are no signs of nausea or vomiting even now, which proves the concussion is very mild. It seems you’re lucky; you passed out very cleanly. It makes me quite curious, though re-enacting the scene might be a bit difficult.”

‘Hey! Are you really the school doctor?’

“In any case, if any related adverse reactions appear, it’s best to seek medical attention immediately. Even if no adverse reactions appear, remember to apply cold compresses intermittently after returning home, and from this time tomorrow onwards, switch to hot compresses. Avoid strenuous exercise and carrying heavy objects for the near future, maintain a balanced diet, drink plenty of water, and limit caffeinated beverages.”

“Additionally, take walks or do some stretching exercises when you have time. Try to sleep on your side or directly on your stomach. Before next Friday, even if everything seems normal, if you have time, it’s best to come back for a follow-up examination. Alright, take these and hurry out to reassure them.”

Before she had even finished speaking, three small rectangular boxes flew towards me.

I instinctively reached out to catch them, but in my fumbling, my whole body ended up hurting even more.

“Oh~ Good catch.”

She, however, enthusiastically applauded.

‘Which is why I feel emotionally unstable right now…’

‘It’s not that I want to deliberately contradict her, but this teacher has absolutely no self-awareness.’

“Then I’ll take my leave.”

“Mm, it’s best not to come again. The infirmary isn’t an amusement park.”

‘So I guess I should say I’m completely busy next week?’

‘Do we have too many eccentrics at our school?’