Chapter 56: Invisible Crushing

Cai Gang didn't catch on at first, but then he remembered something and said to the people in the Academic Affairs Office, "Oh, right, I just remembered something else. Wasn't there a child who fell into the water a while ago? A citizen wrote a letter of commendation saying it was a student from No. 1 High School who bravely jumped in to save them. It was also about Qiao Nian."

"It's said that there were other students from No. 1 High School there at the time, but they were all too afraid of the danger and refused to go down to help. Only Qiao Nian ignored the personal risk and jumped in to save the person..."

Shen Qiongzhi and Qiao Chen didn't hear clearly what he said next; they only felt a stinging heat on their faces, as if they were being slapped until their faces swelled.

They watched helplessly as the Dean shook hands with Cai Gang and escorted them out, unable to squeeze out a single word the entire time.

...

Inside the Academic Affairs Office.

Cai Gang had only come and gone in a hurry.

However, the atmosphere in the office had completely changed.

Shen Qiongzhi, Qiao Chen, and the others sat there as if on pins and needles, while the Dean and the other teachers who had supported Qiao Nian from the beginning felt an instant sense of vindication.

The Dean was a shrewd man; he didn't mention what had just happened and instead spoke gently to Qiao Nian, "It's alright now. You can head back to class."

"Mm."

Qiao Nian gave a brief response, picked up her things, and brushed past Shen Qiongzhi and the others without a moment's pause, walking straight out.

Only after she had left did the Dean say with a half-smile, "Mrs. Qiao, I believe you've also made it clear what happened. Regarding your recent suggestion that Qiao Nian be expelled, the school does not agree. I assume you won't have any objections?"

Shen Qiongzhi gripped her handbag tightly, her face feeling as though she had been slapped, her throat filled with the sensation of burning blisters.

With her current status, she had never encountered such humiliation in her life, yet this humiliation was one she had brought upon herself!

She was so choked up that she had nothing to say!

...

Leaving the Academic Affairs Office, Qiao Nian walked back toward her classroom.

Just as she reached the corridor.

Qiao Chen suddenly chased up from behind and called out to her.

"Sister!"

Qiao Nian's brow furrowed, a flash of impatience quickly crossing her eyes. She stopped walking, turned around, and spoke with extreme indifference, "What is it?"

With that attitude!

Qiao Chen suppressed her inner frustration and glanced around. It was currently the break between two classes, and many students were coming out of their classrooms for fresh air; quite a few people had already noticed them.

She lowered her eyelashes and bit her lip, appearing as if she found it difficult to speak, as she said softly, "Sister, you shouldn't have made Auntie Fu and the others lose face just now... even if we misunderstood you, you could have explained it to us. If you had explained it to us first, you wouldn't have made Mom... made me so embarrassed."

"Auntie Fu has relatives who are leaders in the Education Department. If you act like this and happen to provoke her, how will you be able to continue your studies in Raocheng? You didn't go back to Luohe County and stayed in Raocheng to study because you wanted to rely on education to change your family's fate. You... don't be so impulsive next time."

Qiao Nian patiently listened to her finish. Seeing that she had stopped, Qiao Nian's eyes were dark, the corners of them tinged with a faint redness. "Finished?"

Qiao Chen dug her fingers hard into her flesh, her delicate face looking somewhat unsightly, her lip color so pale it was hard to see. She nodded, "...Finished."

"Now that you're done, stop following me. You're noisy!"

She was annoying!

Qiao Nian dropped those words and turned to walk away, leaving behind a beautiful and cool silhouette!

...

What did it mean to be humiliated?

It meant you went looking for trouble yourself, blathered on and on, and the other person didn't care at all, treating your words like nothing more than flatulence!

Qiao Chen's expression shifted slightly, her nails digging into her skin until they almost bled. Standing there, she was so angry that she forced her eyes to turn red.

What was Qiao Nian so proud of? She was merely praised by the police for performing a brave deed. To offend the Fu family for this was utterly foolish; sooner or later, she would have to pack her bags and crawl back to Luohe County!

...

The news that a "class beauty" had arrived in Class A had spread throughout No. 1 High School since yesterday. It was said that the beauty of Class A was exceptionally pretty, and others had long wanted to see which of the two was more beautiful!

Therefore, from the moment the two stood together, there were already many onlookers.

(End of Chapter)