Chapter 33: Accompanying Family Members

At that moment, Jian Ruo Ci’s phone rang. She picked up the phone on the coffee table and looked at the note. It was Principal Jian Xu. Her brows furrowed. Her first reaction was that something might have happened to Jian Xu.

She quickly answered the phone. The principal said that Jian Xu had gotten into a fight at school. The other boy’s parents were very influential in Beijing. They were adamant about the matter, refusing to accept apologies or settlements. They insisted on seeing Jian Xu’s parents. The principal was helpless and had to call her.

Jian Ruo Ci’s brows were tightly knit. The knuckles of her hand holding the phone turned white. She asked, “Where’s Jian Xu? Is he injured?”

The principal reassured her that Jian Xu wasn’t injured. It was just that the other boy had been beaten up by Jian Xu, leaving him with a bruised and swollen nose.

Hearing that Jian Xu wasn’t injured, Jian Ruo Ci breathed a sigh of relief. She hung up the phone and looked at Pei Yan Zhou, who was standing beside her.

Pei Yan Zhou spoke first. “I’ll take you.”

It was difficult to hail a taxi in this old villa district. It would save a lot of time if Pei Yan Zhou took her.

“Thank you.” Jian Ruo Ci said, then turned and went upstairs to change clothes.

When they arrived at the principal’s office, Jian Xu was standing to the side. A woman and a boy were sitting on the sofa. The woman was looking at the boy beside her with a heartbroken expression. The boy next to her had a bruised and swollen nose. He was the other boy’s parent.

The moment Jian Xu saw Jian Ruo Ci, he lowered his head. Jian Ruo Ci saw the guilt in his eyes before he lowered his head.

Jian Xu had always been obedient. He rarely caused trouble for her. For Jian Xu to fight, it must have been because the other boy had provoked him first, saying or doing something that Jian Xu couldn’t tolerate.

The principal greeted Jian Ruo Ci when he saw her. Jian Ruo Ci didn’t look at him. She brushed past the principal and walked to Jian Xu, looking him up and down. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No.”

The principal looked at the man who had come in with Jian Ruo Ci. He was cold, elegant, and exuded an aura of authority.

He recognized him. He was the CEO of Jingche Entertainment Group.

He was so nervous that a layer of fine sweat broke out on his forehead. He had come with Jian Ruo Ci. It was just a fight between two teenagers. Now, it was becoming a difficult situation to resolve.

This was just a regular middle school. Why did it keep attracting such big shots lately?

Someone had come to protect Jian Xu before, saying to call him if there were any problems. But this time, the phone was unreachable, and the other boy’s parents were adamant about the matter. He had no choice but to call Jian Xu’s sister.

He ingratiated himself. “Mr. Pei, what brings you here?”

Pei Yan Zhou ignored him. He walked directly to the sofa and sat down, his long legs crossed. His aura was powerful. “Accompanying family members.”

“The principal will handle the matter.”

The principal nodded, nervously wiping the sweat from his forehead. He couldn’t afford to offend either side.

The other boy’s mother, wearing high heels that were at least five inches tall, walked over to Jian Ruo Ci. She looked at Jian Ruo Ci.

Her tone was sarcastic and mocking. “Oh, who is this? It’s the eldest daughter of the Jian family, the sister of this illegitimate child.”

Jian Ruo Ci turned her head to look at her. Only then did she see her face clearly. It was an old acquaintance.

So, she had some grievances with this woman. She could tell that this woman wanted to take this opportunity to humiliate her.

Speaking of grievances, it all started with a cocktail party five years ago.

She was eighteen years old at the time. This woman, Yu Tian, was the wife of the Yang family in Beijing. She was a socialite with no culture. She didn’t get along with her husband and they were separated for most of the time. Her son was rebellious.

At that cocktail party, she gossiped with several ladies from high society, talking about how Jian Xu was an illegitimate child and insulting his mother. The words she said were harsh and hurtful. Without thinking, she picked up a bottle of red wine, filled a glass, and walked towards Yu Tian, splashing her with a full glass of red wine.

She still remembers that scene. Yu Tian’s white dress was stained with wine. She was utterly humiliated and lost face.

She was young at the time, and although Yu Tian was angry, she didn’t make a scene at the cocktail party.

Otherwise, people would have gossiped about how a noble lady was arguing with a child. Jian Senran reprimanded her and apologized to Yu Tian. The matter ended there. From then on, Yu Tian held a grudge. Now, she finally had her chance.

She looked at Yu Tian apologetically. “Mrs. Yu, I apologize on behalf of my brother. I will compensate for medical expenses and emotional distress.”

Yu Tian: “That’s it? Do I look like I need money?”

“Then what do you want? I’ll do whatever I can.” Jian Ruo Ci couldn’t offend her anymore. Her son and Jian Xu went to the same middle school. If she offended her again, Jian Xu’s life would be miserable.

The principal stepped forward to mediate. “Both parents, listen to me. Children at the age of fifteen or sixteen are bound to be impulsive. Fighting is normal. There’s no need to make a fuss about it, right? Let Jian Xu apologize to Yang Rui, and we’ll forget about it.”

Yu Tian sneered. “That’s easy for you to say. It’s not your child who got beaten up. You’re talking from a position of comfort.”

“I think you’re going to lose your job as principal. My son could have gone to a prestigious school, but he chose your trash school. It’s your school’s good fortune.”

“My son was beaten up by this illegitimate child. You, as the principal, just apologize and it’s over?”

The principal was speechless, choked by Yu Tian’s words.

Jian Ruo Ci looked at her. “Mrs. Yu, what do you want?”

Yu Tian curled her lips, her face full of malice. “Kneel down and apologize. Bow your head. Then we’ll forget about it.”

Pei Yan Zhou’s cold eyes narrowed, his face gloomy.

Jian Xu grabbed Jian Ruo Ci’s wrist. “Jian Ruo Ci! I didn’t do anything wrong. I won’t let you apologize. I’m quitting this school.”

Jian Xu didn’t say anything, but he knew how hard Jian Ruo Ci had worked to get him into this school.

Jian Ruo Ci slapped Jian Xu on the head. “I’m your sister. It’s fine if you’re disrespectful at home, but not outside.”

She turned and looked directly at Yu Tian, her aura not losing to hers, even surpassing it. “You keep calling him an illegitimate child. This is the upbringing of a noble lady?”

“What? You can’t even say illegitimate child?” Yu Tian glanced at Jian Xu and snorted.

Illegitimate child was the most insulting thing you could call Jian Xu.

Jian Ruo Ci crossed her arms. “My brother never fights. I’m not surprised that he beat up your son.”

She turned her head and asked Jian Xu, “Did he insult your mother?”

Jian Xu didn’t say anything, which was an admission.

She patted Jian Xu on the shoulder. “Good job. I support you.”

Yu Tian was furious. “No wonder the Jian family doesn’t want you two. One illegitimate child, one sharp-tongued, ill-mannered brat. Two pieces of trash with a mother but no upbringing.”

Jian Xu clenched his fist at his side, his knuckles turning white. Jian Ruo Ci grabbed his hand. “A-Xu, if you can’t go to school, don’t blame your sister.”

Jian Xu shook his head. “No.”

Jian Ruo Ci smiled. “Then that’s fine.”

When she looked at Yu Tian, the smile on her face disappeared. Her expression turned cold. She slapped Yu Tian hard across the face.