Chapter 9: The Dean’s Dazzling Intervention

As the homeroom teacher of Class 2-1, Wang Li felt a profound weight of responsibility settle upon her shoulders. Leading this cohort of elite second-year students, she believed she would be failing the principal’s high expectations if she couldn’t elevate their academic performance even further.

Among all the teachers at No. 1 High School, she was, after all, the one earning double salary. This fact intensified Wang Li’s focus on her students, making her considerably stricter than even the most ambitious parents.

Under such stringent conditions, Qiao Xia and Zhou Li, who consistently languished at the bottom of the class, became absolute thorns in Wang Li’s side. She yearned to sweep them out of the classroom at every turn, fearing they would disrupt the academic atmosphere.

Even though they were as quiet as shadows in class, never exhibiting any overtly unruly behavior, their mere presence was enough to deeply vex Wang Li. Her desire to deal with them grew increasingly urgent.

Alas, with Zhou Li’s father effectively “slapping her face with cash,” Wang Li’s attempts to rectify the class atmosphere were destined to be futile. After numerous unspoken clashes with Zhou Li, she was forced to concede this reality, shifting her unwavering gaze instead to Qiao Xia.

Qiao Xia, possessing no influential background, would be far easier to handle. Wang Li had initially planned to make his situation so unbearable that he would choose to leave Class 1 of his own accord.

However, she hadn’t anticipated Qiao Xia’s remarkable resilience. The constant targeting seemed to roll off him, leaving him entirely unfazed. He appeared utterly unlike a typical teenager navigating puberty; instead, he carried a mature, almost zen-like demeanor.

This unexpected composure left Wang Li deeply frustrated, so much so that stress-induced acne began to erupt on her face.

Thankfully, providence seemed to be on her side, finally presenting Wang Li with a golden opportunity! Qiao Xia had dared to engage in a fight at school. This time, even with Zhou Li attempting to intervene, Qiao Xia wouldn’t be able to escape the consequences so easily.

“Qiao Xia, what exactly were you doing? Class has already begun, so why are you still loitering outside the classroom?”

Wang Li fixed a stern gaze upon Qiao Xia and Zhou Li as they approached her obediently. Yet, the moment her words left her lips, they completely bypassed Zhou Li, her eyes singularly focused on Qiao Xia alone.

This immediate exclusion sent Zhou Li into a fit of agitated scratching. He hadn’t anticipated the old hag of a homeroom teacher’s deliberate torment to strike with such sudden ferocity!

He had assumed they would at least make it to the end of the first class, but the old hag had unleashed her ultimate attack prematurely.

“Teacher, I was called out earlier, which caused me to be a little late.”

Although Qiao Xia was well aware of his homeroom teacher’s disdain for him, he hadn’t realized her resentment ran quite so deep. Therefore, upon hearing her pointed interrogation, he saw no need for extensive explanations.

‘It’s merely a slight tardiness,’ he mused. ‘Hardly a major offense.’

‘Besides, it’s currently class time; she wouldn’t possibly waste precious minutes on a low-achiever like me.’

‘If the homeroom teacher insists on making a fuss, well… I haven’t exactly dug up her ancestors’ graves, so why the excessive nitpicking?’

As Qiao Xia harbored these thoughts, he remained utterly oblivious to the stark reality—one entirely contrary to his assumptions. Homeroom teacher Wang Li had long been seeking a suitable opportunity to act, but it had eluded her until this very moment. Now that she had finally caught Qiao Xia in a clear transgression, how could she possibly let him off so easily?

“Called out by someone? I’d say you went out to fight, wouldn’t I? I’ve already received reports that you were involved in a group brawl right here at school. You truly have no respect for this institution or your teachers! Have all these years of education merely taught you how to be aggressive and confrontational?”

As Wang Li spoke, her hand rose to push the spectacles resting on the bridge of her nose. The undisguised contempt in her eyes remained, settling directly upon Qiao Xia.

When Li Lin Guan had called Qiao Xia out, not only had Zhou Li prepared to summon the dean to the scene, but other students had also proactively informed the homeroom teacher about the incident. Upon receiving this news, Wang Li had not rushed to the scene. Instead, she had shrewdly decided to wait until Qiao Xia returned before unleashing her reprimand.

“Teacher, that’s not all! Duan Yulan and Qiao Xia from our class are dating! They were hugging and cuddling at the school gate early this morning; so many people witnessed it!”

“Yes, I saw it too,” another voice chimed in.

“Duan Yulan even kissed Qiao Xia! I saw it perfectly clear—they’re definitely in an early relationship.”

“Qiao Xia’s fight was also because of Duan Yulan.”

Even as Wang Li was sternly questioning Qiao Xia, some students in the classroom, delighting in the unfolding drama, eagerly fanned the flames. It was unclear who spoke first, but their words managed to drag Duan Yulan into the burgeoning mess.

Overtly and subtly, beyond mere schadenfreude, a palpable undercurrent of malice laced their accusations. This made Qiao Xia instinctively frown. He had no desire to implicate innocent individuals—though, he conceded, Duan Yulan wasn’t entirely blameless. Still, aside from her occasional physical advances, she hadn’t truly done anything excessive.

A girl’s reputation held considerable weight. Now that this had been exposed so publicly, he wondered how she would react if she were to hear it herself.

‘But then again…’ he mused. ‘If Duan Yulan were actually in the classroom, surely no one would dare say such things directly to her face!’

‘Which means,’ he concluded, ‘my original plan to ask Duan Yulan about the black bracelet’s origin is now completely ruined. Duan Yulan definitely isn’t in the classroom!’

“What?! Such a thing actually happened!”

When Wang Li heard the students mention Duan Yulan, her heart lurched in utter astonishment. She had never conceived that Duan Yulan, the top student in their entire grade, could possibly be linked to Qiao Xia, who consistently ranked among the lowest in the school.

On any given weekday, she had never observed any intimacy between them; they barely even exchanged a word. To be engaged in an early relationship right under her very nose—this was utterly intolerable!

If Qiao Xia had previously been a troublesome thorn in Homeroom Teacher Wang Li’s side, he had now directly escalated to a universally loathed delinquent.

Duan Yulan, that well-behaved, obedient, and academically brilliant student, was also a prodigy outside of class, accumulating awards until her hands were soft. With her exceptional looks, she was a figure the entire school took immense pride in. Under no circumstances could Wang Li imagine how such an outstanding Duan Yulan could possibly associate with Qiao Xia, a boy utterly devoid of distinguishing features or advantages.

Even Zhou Li, at least, had a wealthy father. But Qiao Xia? He possessed absolutely nothing! What could Duan Yulan possibly see in him?

‘No, this matter cannot be overlooked,’ she resolved. ‘Even if Duan Yulan and Qiao Xia are genuinely dating, I must intervene and break them apart. A girl this exceptional deserves someone far better!’

“Qiao Xia, you’ve been involved in a fight and are engaged in an early relationship. You absolutely must provide an explanation for this! There’s no need for you to continue class now; go home and reflect for a week!”

Convinced she needed to resolve this swiftly, Wang Li spared Qiao Xia no courtesies. After delivering her disciplinary decision, her mind immediately pivoted to locating Duan Yulan as quickly as possible.

Indeed, compared to her beloved student Duan Yulan, the matter of expelling Qiao Xia now seemed almost trivial.

Upon hearing that he was to be sent home for reflection, Qiao Xia was utterly flabbergasted by his homeroom teacher’s convoluted logic. She had pronounced judgment based solely on the words of others, without even granting him a single opportunity to explain himself!

‘This is far too autocratic!’

“Wait, Qiao Xia has committed no error. He does not need to go home for reflection.”

Just as Qiao Xia was gloomily contemplating his homeroom teacher’s peculiar logic, another voice suddenly resonated from directly behind him. He immediately turned his head to look, only to see the dean’s shining scalp, gleaming brilliantly under the sunlight and emitting an almost blinding radiance.