Chapter 30: Losing Control

Chapter 30: Outburst

"Principal."

"You're here." Principal Fu set down the file in his hand. "There are two transfer students, both in their senior year. I want one in each of your classes."

As he spoke, he handed them the files for Gu Mang and Meng Jinyang.

Luo Songhua reached out and took them. Before she had even finished reading the dossiers, her brows were already furrowed. "Principal, you want to place students like these in our class?"

"Correct." Principal Fu rested his hands, fingers interlaced, on the desk and looked at them.

Luo Songhua flipped through the files and sneered. "One has a track record of misconduct and scores of absolute zero; the other has barely received any formal education. Are you joking, Principal? How could either of them qualify for Class One, the top class of the entire senior year?"

Join Class One? Don't even think about it! Class One wasn't for just any trash.

Luo Songhua had connections at the Education Bureau, so she was quite sharp in her tone toward the principal, especially since this involved her teaching record.

After she finished, it was Xi Yan's turn.

Xi Yan flipped to Gu Mang's impeccably clean record of zeros and her mouth twitched. She didn't know how Meng Jinyang performed, but as for this Gu Mang, her grades were truly breathtaking. One had to be incredibly unlucky to perfectly avoid every single correct answer and score zero for over a decade.

Principal Fu remained expressionless. "Teacher Luo, it is precisely because I trust your teaching standards that I want to entrust these students to you."

Luo Songhua’s face darkened, but she remained unyielding. "Principal, you don't need to butter me up. I won't accept either of these students. I think Teacher Xi's class would suit them quite well."

She cast a disdainful glance at Xi Yan, who was younger and prettier than herself, and gave a cold laugh. "People should go where they belong. If they want to squeeze into a good place, they should first see if they're even qualified."

Xi Yan said nothing; it wasn't her place to speak anyway. It had always been this way—any "problem students" that no other class wanted were dumped on her.

Principal Fu had already promised to place Meng Jinyang in Class One, and for some inexplicable reason, he didn't want to lose his authority in front of Gu Mang. That girl’s gaze was far too sharp.

He looked at Luo Songhua, his tone light and airy. "Let Meng Jinyang go to Class One and Gu Mang to Class Twenty. That is final."

"Principal! The school has high expectations for Class One; doing this is a disregard for the school's reputation!" Luo Songhua’s expression turned ugly, her tone filled with irritation.

Principal Fu raised an eyebrow. "Then how about we swap? Gu Mang goes to Class One, and Meng Jinyang to Class Twenty."

Luo Songhua: "..."

She would rather have Meng Jinyang than that girl, who looked like she refused to be disciplined.

Seeing that Luo Songhua had finally quieted down, Principal Fu looked at Xi Yan. "Teacher Xi, do you have any objections?"

Xi Yan offered a gentle, warm smile. "Don't worry, Principal. I will work hard to ensure she at least makes it into a third-tier university."

Regardless of how this girl had been in the past, a teacher should not view a student through colored lenses. That was the essence of professional ethics.

Principal Fu nodded with satisfaction.

...

Meng Jinyang did not want to be separated from Gu Mang, but she could guess what Gu Mang was planning. Gu Mang could not protect her for her entire life; she had to learn how to interact and coexist with the outside world.

She pulled a lollipop from her pocket and handed it to Gu Mang.

Gu Mang gripped the lollipop, her eyes dark and deep. She said in a low voice, "Class One and Class Twenty aren't far apart. If something happens, find me."

"Mhm."

Meng Jinyang bit her lip and smiled at her, shouldered her bag, and turned to follow Luo Songhua out.

"Let’s get this straight: once you’re in Class One, if your grades drag the class down, don't expect any mercy from me!" Luo Songhua said unceremoniously. "To ensure the quality of the lessons, you won't have a seat for the first two weeks. You'll stand for the duration of the class."

Gu Mang’s pupils contracted. She glanced over and saw Meng Jinyang, who was hanging her head, looking cautious and timid. A flicker of cold, dark malice surfaced in her icy eyes.

Suddenly, she stood up. "I've changed my mind."