Chapter 35: A Three-Thousand-Word Reflection

Tong Qingyan’s face alternated between pale and flushed, standing rooted to the spot in utter embarrassment. She never imagined Deng Man and her friends would actually do such a thing—and to make matters worse, they admitted it openly! She wondered if they had any sense at all.

Without a word, Tong Qingyan quietly returned to her seat.

Deng Man realized her mouth had finally stopped running. She cast a fearful glance at Bai Chuwei, then tried to feign composure, saying, “It was just some harmless play between classmates in the restroom. Bai Chuwei, aren’t you being a little too serious? Can’t you even take a joke?”

Bai Chuwei retorted, “A joke is meant to make both of us laugh—otherwise, it’s not a joke.”

Deng Man and her friends looked awkward, noticing approving glances from their classmates directed at Bai Chuwei. Just as she was about to argue back, a coarse and familiar voice erupted in anger:

“Who was it?! Who tied a mop to the girls’ restroom door?”

Director Huang, the head of the senior grade, was a portly woman in her forties, dressed in formal teacher’s attire, shouting furiously from the doorway.

Class Eleven, seeing Director Huang arrive, immediately covered their noses and whispered among themselves.

“Did you hear? Director Huang has a bad stomach—she’s always running to the toilet.”

“No way, did Director Huang not make it in time…”

Director Huang was so angry her head spun. Her stomach was indeed sensitive; a chill could send her running to the restroom. Today, she rushed to the girls’ restroom, with all the other stalls under repair, and the only one left was jammed shut by a mop, impossible to untie. She couldn’t hold it any longer and—

These students! If they aren’t disciplined, they’ll turn the school upside down!

She barked, “Who did it? Step forward now!”

Deng Man and her friends trembled all over, heads bowed, fearfully stepping out from their seats. Their faces were white as sheets, and they stared at Bai Chuwei in terror.

Director Huang mentioned the mop was still hanging on the restroom door—so how had Bai Chuwei managed to come out from inside? It was uncanny, truly uncanny! Could Bai Chuwei be some kind of witch?

“Deng Man? You again?” Director Huang shook with fury. “Before evening study session, each of you will hand in a three-thousand-word written report. Not a single word less!”

The girls’ faces drained of color, nearly collapsing in fright. Homework in senior year was already overwhelming, and now they had to handwrite a three-thousand-word report! Their hands would surely give out.

“Not satisfied? If you’re not, I’ll call your parents right now!”

Deng Man bit her lip, swallowing her resentment, and remained silent.

Director Huang, still boiling with anger, glanced at Bai Chuwei and snapped, “Which class are you in? Get back there at once!”

Bai Chuwei looked meaningfully at Bai Yinyin, then turned and walked toward the door.

Bai Yinyin finally raised her head, still shaken. Bai Chuwei hadn’t simply taught Deng Man and her friends a lesson—she’d made an example of them, warning her in the process! That illegitimate daughter her grandfather brought home was truly overbearing.

Tong Qingyan, seated in the academic achievers’ area, glanced at the nearly tearful Deng Man and then at Bai Yinyin, her willow-leaf brows drawn together in a frown. A thought suddenly surfaced in her mind.

Her aunt had always said men prefer gentle, obedient women. If Fourth Master were to learn how forceful Bai Chuwei had been with her classmates just now…

She bit her red lips, quietly took her phone from the drawer, and sent a message to Duan Feihan, who was pinned at the top of her WeChat.

*

Bai Chuwei left with Director Huang, who was still fuming.

Director Huang didn’t know Bai Chuwei’s academic standing, only that she was from Class Nine and guessed she was an achiever, so her tone became more congenial.

Bai Chuwei thought for a moment, then took a small white porcelain bottle with blue patterns from her pocket and smiled, “Director Huang, take this for your stomach discomfort. I’ll return to Class Nine for my lesson now.”

Director Huang watched Bai Chuwei leave, opened the porcelain bottle, and caught a whiff of a delicate fragrance. She chuckled, “A senior student, still carrying candy like a child.”