A Good-for-Nothing

109. A Clue (1)

Translator: Dragon Rider

Liu Lanxue was shaking all over. Her slightly chubby cheek had swelled noticeably. She was never a woman who would assume the worst of anybody, but it was beyond her imagination that a student could be so unruly. Liu Lanxue knew that she must report this to the principal. ‘This student needs to see a mental health counselor. There’s something wrong with his personality!’

Liu Lanxue wiped off the tears on her face, recorded all this in her diary and then made a phone call to her parents, who were very indignant about what she had been through. They told her to talk to the Director of Teaching Affairs of their school first thing the next morning and tell this matter to the principal.

On that very night, Liu Lanxue called the principal and also informed Xu Tianhao’s parents.

The next day, everything went as usual, but Xu Tianhao was absent from class.

After finishing the first class, Liu Lanxue saw that the Director of Teaching Affairs was waiting for her at the doorway of the classroom, a slightly concerned look on his face. “Mrs. Liu, I’d like you to come with me to the principal’s office.”

Liu Lanxue gave a nod and then followed him to the principal’s office.

“Oh, Mrs. Liu.” The principal was a middle-aged man, about fifty, which was not really old age.

“Principal.”

“You said that Xu Tianhao stole the money. Do you have any proofs? Theft of money is a serious accusation that is not to be made without concrete evidence.”

“I do.” Liu Lanxue had got the proof ready some time ago. She calmly fished out her thumb drive and handed it to the principal. “I copied this from my computer. Please take a look, principal.”

Then Liu Lanxue played the video, the contents of which were what Xu Tianhao did in the office the night before.

After watching the video, the principal noticeably lapsed into silence.

“Is this the only copy of the video?”

“Yeah. It’s right in this flash drive.”

The principal inclined his head. “Give it to me.”

Unsuspicious of anything, Liu Lanxue handed the flash drive to the principal.

Holding the flash drive in his hand, the principal suddenly queried, “Xiao Liu, how do you suggest we should deal with this matter?”

Liu Lanxue was astonished, wondering, ‘Why is the principal asking me how to deal with it? Isn’t it the duty of the executive level to handle this kind of matters?’ She stuttered, “I don’t quite understand your meaning, principal.”

“This video of yours is indistinct. It’s hard to tell if that person was Xu Tianhao… Last night, Mrs. Xu gave me a call and told me that Xu Tianhao suffered a lot from your inappropriate words and even threatened to take his own life. People of Xu family are very unhappy.”

Liu Lanxue saw the light. Xu family had some influence over the First High School of Coastal City. Mrs. Xu was even one of the honorary presidents of the parents’ council of this school.

She couldn’t believe what she had just heard. “Principal, you… Xu Tianhao’s face is quite distinct in this video. Why are you still saying that I wronged him?”

“A teacher’s duty is to impart knowledge to students and give correct answers to their questions. When they do something wrong, we are supposed to be tolerant towards them. It was very inadvisable and reckless of you to have directly called his parents. Now Xu Tianhao is kicking up a stink at home, threatening to jump to his death. Even if he did make a mistake, what harm can it do if you give him a chance to rectify it and turn over a new leaf?”

“I…”

Seeing Liu Lanxue was swayed, the principal put down the stick and fished out the carrot. “I know that things have been tough for you who are new to this profession. How about this? After you help this class through their twelfth-grade study, I’ll transfer you to the tenth or the eleventh grade. You may choose whichever one you like. What do you say?”

Had the principal not made these remarks, Liu Lanxue would probably agree, but after hearing the principal’s words, Liu Lanxue came to a full realization of what was going on. She looked at the principal whom she had always trusted, unable to believe what was happening. “Are you saying that you want this whole thing hushed up?”

“And your apology to Xu Tianhao.”

“Me apologize to him?! For what?!”

“Just now I had the Director of Teaching Affairs check your handbag. Not a single penny is missing. You wronged your student, so of course you need to apologize to him.”

As if someone had just dealt her a heavy blow with a staff, Liu Lanxue started trembling uncontrollably. ‘I can’t believe this! I can’t believe this!’

“Xiao Liu, you are still young, and it’s very normal for young people to act on impulse in certain circumstances. You have a high level of education. It would be a pity if you get a disciplinary sanction because of a small careless mistake in your work which might compromise your career prospects, right?”

Not a single word of these remarks of the principal seemed to mean anything to Liu Lanxue.

However, the last remark of him forced Liu Lanxue into a concession.

“Xiao Liu, you are still in your probationary period. Nowadays, for youngsters like you, jobs are hard to find, and it’s certainly not easy to land a job in the First High School of Coastal City. I suggest you take this seriously and think it through.”

Losing her job would mean losing her housing allowance, the five insurances (insurance against old age, medical problems, unemployment, work injury and childbirth), the housing accumulation fund and all other perks.

Liu Lanxue’s countenance changed.

“I can see that you have the cardinal principles in mind and also a good sense of propriety,” the principal smiled cordially. “One of this batch of new teachers is to be given the privilege of finishing their probation ahead of schedule. You may rest assured that it’ll be yours.”

Liu Lanxue’s lips involuntarily quivered, but no matter how hard she tried, she was unable to utter a single word of gratitude to the principal.

There was a glass of water beside the principal’s hand and he casually threw thumb drive into it. Liu Lanxue’s pupils contracted drastically. She wanted to yell but her throat was so tight that she couldn’t make any sounds.

She mentally died in this instant when she compromised.

It was the principal who arranged all the rest. People of Xu family took Xu Tianhao to the school. In an office, Liu Lanxue met Xu Tianhao and his parents.

She made an apology to Xu Tianhao, but it had never occurred to her that people of Xu family would be so shameless. The mistress of Xu family, face frosty, condescendingly looked at this poor female teacher and observed, “Sorry? You must kneel before my son! Who do you think you are? Why did you wrong my dear son? Female teachers like you are the very reason why this whole school is shamed!”

‘Kneel?!’

Flustered, Liu Lanxue looked at the principal, as if asking him for help.

With a sullen face, the principal said, “Xiao Liu, you know what to do.”