After Chu Tao followed Yang Liu out, Xu Bo Xue couldn’t help but lower his voice to ask Xu Yuan, “What’s going on between brother She and the class monitor? Why do I feel like he’s about to stand up for the class monitor?”

Xu Yuan rolled his eyes. “Nonsense, Ah She is using money to humiliate the class monitor.”

Xu Bo Xue scratched his head in confusion. “Are you sure?”

Xu Yuan sneered, “Of course! I’ve known Ah She since we were kids. Don’t I know him well enough?”

Xu Bo Xue hesitated, “But if that’s the case, and if Pang Cai’s mom goes a bit overboard and the class monitor retaliates, would She Ge really intervene?”

Xu Yuan paused and replied seriously, “You don’t get it. Ah She hates it when others act on his behalf. Who does Pang Cai think he is? If he goes behind Ah She’s back, it’s good for him to be taught a lesson.”

Xu Bo Xue was a bit of a gossip and couldn’t help but spread everything. While the teacher was away and the class was chaotic, he quickly nudged a classmate across the aisle.

“Xu Yuan says Brother She is humiliating the class monitor with money. Their relationship is pretty bad right now.”

“Is that so? I was wondering about it just now, but now it all makes sense.”

Xu Bo Xue replied, “But judging by the class monitor’s reaction, it seems he didn’t catch on.”

“Hey, the class monitor isn’t your average person. Just look at how he beat up Pang Cai. He’s clearly not afraid of authority.”

Xu Bo Xue sighed, “Honestly, I think the class monitor’s got it rough. Doesn’t seem like anyone here is on his side.”

“Even if we support the class monitor, we can’t exactly shout it out loud. No one wants to offend Brother She”

Xu Bo Xue hesitated. “Actually… I think the class monitor’s pretty decent.”

“Me too… Plus, he’s Chu Xingning’s brother, and I’ve always respected him.”

The rumors in class started to take on a different spin, but Yang Liu knew that Jiang She was capable of anything.

As soon as they left the room, she cautioned Chu Tao, “The teacher’s here to support you, but don’t lose your cool. Just let it go in one ear and out the other.”

Chu Tao softly replied, “Mm.”

During class, the hallway was very quiet.

The empty corridor echoed faintly, and each echo stretched out the end of each sound slightly, blending subtly with the original sound.

Yang Liu vaguely sensed that Chu Tao seemed to be in a decent mood.

She led Chu Tao into an empty faculty office.

The teachers were all out in their classes, and only the sound of papers lightly rustling in the breeze filled the room.

As soon as Chu Tao entered, he saw a woman with a sharp, severe demeanor.

Her arms were crossed over her chest, glasses perched on her nose, and a handbag placed on the table beside her. Her tailored skirt ended just above her knees, and the pointed toes of her high heels looked as sharp as the snout of a marlin.

Yang Liu kept a sweet smile on her face and positioned Chu Tao behind her.

This was the first time Chu Tao saw Yang Liu show such a compliant, non-threatening smile that seemed typical of an Omega—soft, unassuming, and very low-key.

“Teacher Cai, Chu Tao is here, he—”

“You’re the class bully who made Cai Cai’s nose bleed?” Cai Xiuya abruptly stepped past Yang Liu’s petite figure and rudely pushed Chu Tao in the chest.

Caught off guard and surprised by the force, Chu Tao was slammed hard against the door.

The door, worn out over the years and made of metal, made an incredibly loud sound on impact that echoed down the hallway.

It actually didn’t hurt much, though.

Yang Liu was startled by the sound, momentarily stunned.

She expected Cai Xiuya to cause trouble, but didn’t expect her to start off so aggressively.

Chu Tao looked down, calmly brushing the spot Cai Xiuya had touched before straightening up and responding, “And you must be the mother of the idiot who tried to mess with my chair?”

Cai Xiuya didn’t expect Chu Tao to be so sharp-tongued.

She thought he would either be silent and stubborn or timid and shrinking.

She had always seen the difference in status between teachers and students as significant. Over the years as the director of student affairs, she’d seen all kinds of students—troublesome, rebellious, arrogant, insecure.

But Chu Tao acted as if he was on equal footing with her, entirely disregarding her authority as a teacher.

For a moment, Cai Xiuya didn’t know how to respond.

She had wanted to avoid making a big scene, partly because Pang Cai wasn’t entirely in the right either.

But, driven by a protective instinct for her son, she still wanted to use her authority to privately vent her anger.

Cai Xiuya’s eyes widened. “How dare you speak to a teacher like that!”

Yang Liu quickly tried to smooth things over, “Teacher Cai, please calm down. Chu Tao didn’t mean anything by it. It was just a misunderstanding between two boys. They were impulsive, but it can be resolved once they talk it out.”

Cai Xiuya sneered, “No wonder people say Class 3 is the garbage dump of the school. Teacher Yang, this is the class monitor you chose? Look at his behavior, bullying classmates, disrespecting teachers! I think it’s best if I transfer Cai Cai out of your class before he’s affected by this environment!”

She had actually thought about this for a while.

Class 3 used to be a good place with many high-performing students from strong family backgrounds.

Studying in that class for three years allowed students to form valuable connections with promising friends.

But over time, the top students transferred out, and the class’s reputation worsened.

Even though Pang Cai’s grades were at the bottom of Class 3, Cai Xiuya still held on to a bit of hope, thinking he might benefit from the influence of good students in other classes.

Before Yang Liu could say anything, Chu Tao nodded, “That’s fine.”

Pang Cai didn’t seem to accept his defeat based on his attitude towards Chu Tao, he has also no desire to fight him again.

Cai Xiuya snapped, “Do you even know that Cai Cai practices taekwondo? He was showing restraint by not going all out. Do you think you’re impressive for winning?”

A look of disbelief flashed in Chu Tao’s eyes.

“Really? I’m a fourth-degree black belt. If you want, we could spar again.”

“You!”

“Teacher Cai! You’re getting too worked up, and it’s getting late. I’ll take Chu Tao back to class now.”

Ever since Cai Xiuya had begun insulting Class 3, Yang Liu had been unhappy. Now, hearing Cai Xiuya argue with a student about physical skills, she felt it was quite disgraceful for the teaching profession.

Yang Liu whispered to Chu Tao, “Head back to class first.”

Chu Tao nodded, adjusted his clothes where Cai Xiuya had grabbed them, and walked out.

Cai Xiuya roared, “Who gave him permission to leave!”

Yang Liu quietly warned, “Teacher Cai, Jiang She and Chu Tao are pretty close, and you should know the Jiang family.”

Cai Xiuya froze for a moment, not immediately registering Jiang She’s name, but she definitely recognized the Jiang family.

When Jiang Qifeng attended a parent-teacher conference, he didn’t even need to go to the classroom; all of Class Three’s teachers would report to him directly.

Yang Liu said coolly, “Before coming here, that kid joked that if Chu Tao blew up the school, he’d still cover for him. Kids these days are so reckless. They really need proper guidance.”

Cai Xiuya’s eyelid twitched, and her previously severe expression softened.

She said mildly, “I’ll leave it to you, Teacher Yang, to smooth things over and clarify things for Cai Cai. Conflicts are bound to happen among classmates.”

Yang Liu finally smiled. “Who could disagree?”

Chu Tao stepped out of the office and took a deep breath of fresh air.

The coolness filled his lungs, and the gloom in his heart dissipated instantly.

Being able to confront Cai Xiuya face-to-face felt incredibly satisfying, and he owed that satisfaction to Yang Liu, who always supported him, and… Jiang She.

Unhurriedly, he strolled back to class, savoring the rare opportunity to take in the view of the school.

Sunlight streamed through the clear glass, casting a brilliant glow on the long-standing red banner.

[Three years of hard study has its challenges, but I shall strive with effort. After a thousand days of sharpening my sword, who will dare to match blades when it’s finally drawn?]

The bold, fiery lettering almost made him dizzy.

Outside Class Three’s door, Jiang She leaned casually against the wall, his right knee slightly bent, not on his phone, chin raised as he silently gazed at the ten-year-old couplet hanging in Huainan.

Hearing footsteps, he turned and looked over.

“I heard a noise just now but didn’t know which office you were in.”

Chu Tao’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. “Mm.”

Jiang She raised an eyebrow. “Everything okay?”

Chu Tao shook his head, “His mom said Pang Cai practices taekwondo, but I’d guess he’s probably at white belt level.”

Jiang She looked down and chuckled, then raised a hand to rub his brow with a tired expression.

“I’m exhausted; I’m heading back to sleep.”

---

Author’s note: Tao Tao, hubby’s worried about you!

Thank you to the little angels who sent me “landmines”: Hei Jila, 1128yuan (1 each);

Thank you to the little angels who watered me with nutrient solution: Hei Jila (28 bottles); Once Upon a Mountain (2 bottles); a portion of Clumsy Snails?, Wen Yu, and Xiang Ji (1 bottle each);

Thank you all so much for your support. I will continue to work hard!