Chapter 554: Chapter 543: Brother Cui, Don’t Push Yourself
This statement, truly bold. Everyone gasped in response.
Zheng Qianyu: ...
You really do have some nerve.
Just a few hours ago, someone had said this.
——There’s no need to seriously engage over such unworthy matters.
She has come to realize, Shen Hua either doesn’t make a fuss or if she really does, she goes all out in a rift.
Since Cui Yun entered the hall, how could he not perceive Mr. Xue’s unstoppable hostility towards Shen Hua.
Initially, he thought it was just the playful nature of a little girl offending the teacher, afraid that this matter isn’t so simple.
He had thought, with the little girl’s irritable and playful nature, her resistance to coming to the academy must have had another reason.
Shen Hua’s childish and extremely humiliating words enraged Mr. Xue, who had just been calmed by the old man.
He, who prides himself on integrity, suddenly felt ashamed.
How could one have the cheek to ask back for a gift given away.
"Fine!"
He sneered: "Training a student like you, truly, I am ashamed."
Shen Hua glanced at the old man: "He’s scolding you."
With her cunning beyond her age, she sighed, "Earlier it was all senior this, senior that, truly out of sight, out of mind."
"Senior, not me."
The old man’s head ached. He chose to stand aside and not interject.
Shen Hua raised her thumb.
"Since I came to the academy, mostly the old man has taught me, why claim the credit?"
She stretches out her index finger.
"Half a year since you came, you have repeatedly targeted me. The old man taught me to respect and heed teachers, which is why I gave you some face. Previously I was generous and didn’t hold it against you, do you really think I am good-tempered?"
She then raised her middle finger.
"Nor have I seen you have greater abilities. Your teaching is a complete mess, yet you have the nerve to call me foolish."
"You truly are stubbornly ignorant!"
Mr. Xue’s face turned dark, nearly fainting.
Yet this remark struck a chord with Zheng Qianyu.
"Exactly!"
She mumbled, "All day chirping, I really don’t understand."
She did not admit she wasn’t smart enough.
Shen Hua was about to raise another finger. But before she could speak further, Mr. Xue grabbed his rattan stick and slammed it heavily on Shen Hua’s desk.
A crisp ’snap’ sound.
"Enough!"
"Pack your stuff and get out!"
Shen Hua blinked, momentarily stunned by the shouting. Her proud posture shrank. She turned to tug at Cui Yun’s hand.
"So scared."
Cui Yun leisurely watched her act.
Shen Hua blinked and softly added, "Oh."
She was slow to react but did not forget to shiver to add to her persuasiveness.
Cui Yun: ...
Could be a bit more fake.
"This rattan stick was originally meant to hit me. If you hadn’t come, I might not have made it out alive."
Cui Yun responded indifferently, "Then what I would have seen was merely your corpse."
Shen Hua nodded gravely.
"You would have to burn paper offerings for me."
Mr. Xue’s face turned a mix of blue and purple, looking extremely awful.
"This matter—"
Cui Yun coldly interrupted him: "As for the pigment issue, my girl does not acknowledge it. Thus, she cannot be vaguely accused."
He mocked, "It’s hard to guard against villains, Mr. Xue with his prior convincing talks posing as a virtuous educator, I remember well."
"Black is black, white is white. They can’t be confused!"
"If I were to investigate this matter, I would be accused of being partial. Since it’s difficult to judge, let’s report it to the authorities."
The old man was stunned; he too was somewhat annoyed by Mr. Xue’s earlier behavior.
What, does he have a grudge against the Shen Family? Clinging to an issue relentlessly?
Seeing this and fearing Mr. Xue might still persist alone, he hurried forward, "This is not proper."
"I know you’re annoyed, but if this matter is taken to the government office, not only will the academy’s reputation suffer, Shen Hua will also become the focal point of public opinion."
The academy’s reputation, Cui Yun didn’t care about.
But what the old man said, did hold some rationale.
"Ji Qing, take my token and invite the County Magistrate here."
This statement completely changed Mr. Xue’s expression.
Shen Hua was utterly bewildered.
She leaned close to Cui Yun.
"Rein it in."
"I can say such things too. But a person like the County Magistrate isn’t someone you can just see whenever you want."
Shen Hua whispered softly: "Brother Cui, don’t overdo it."
This time, calling him ’brother’ was completely voluntary. It also sounded particularly sweet.
It shows she is not heartless.
Cui Yun slightly curved his lips. Following Shen Hua’s solemn advice, he calmly added.
"Also bring Shen Zhi here."
Ji Qing: "Yes."
With his departure, the room fell into deadly silence.
Shen Hua was very anxious about the incident where she slapped the fat man for Cui Yun’s sake.
Mr. Xue’s expression flickered, showing a moment of unnatural stiffness.
————
Shen Residence.
Shen Wei was feeling quite unwell. He clenched his fist and held it against his lips, coughing violently.
The more he coughed, the itchier his throat became.
"Father, could it be that you have caught a cold?" Shen Zhi showed concern.
"Cough, cough, it’s nothing."
He rarely fell ill. It seems that the anger he had vented yesterday, followed by getting soaked in the rain and tossing and turning all night, had led to the intrusion of pathogenic influences into his body.
"Thanks to your medication last night, if I hadn’t taken it, it might have been more severe."
Just then, a servant reported from outside.
"Master, Ji Qing from Young Master Cui’s side is looking for you."
"Go ahead. Don’t stay with me any longer to avoid catching the disease," Shen Wei urged, eagerly hoping Shen Zhi would get along well with Cui Yun.
Only then did Shen Zhi pretentiously bid farewell to Shen Wei.
After Ji Qing explained the situation and stated softly,
"Mr. Shen, that teacher’s surname is Xue."
There cannot be so many coincidences in the world.
"Our lord hasn’t investigated Xue Mouyan, so he specifically sent me to ask you."
Shen Zhi recalled the message he received early in the morning.
Xue Mouyan has a distant cousin several generations apart, who is a scholar by education.
"Xue? Is it Xue Dan?"
Ji Qing had specifically inquired on his way here: "That’s the one."
————
At the academy, the atmosphere still remained tense and rigid.
Mr. Xue clearly shared Shen Hua’s thoughts.
If the Shen Family had the County Magistrate as a backer, with Shen Hua’s domineering attitude, she would have declared it much sooner.
Until he saw County Magistrate Liu hurriedly rushing back with swift steps.
Mr. Xue was shocked as he watched the high and mighty County Magistrate Liu walking up to Cui Yun.
"I greatly admire General Cui. Second Young Master, why didn’t you say you were coming to Fengzhou? I would have welcomed you with a proper reception."
Cui Yun maintained his usual cool demeanor: "There’s an issue today, I request you to properly handle it."
"Of course, of course! The little Young Master told me before coming here. We absolutely cannot tolerate any misconduct in the school!"
Shen Hua: "???"
She saw how the County Magistrate, who was affable towards Cui Yun a moment ago, suddenly turned stern.
"Explain! What exactly is going on?"
Mr. Xue’s hands trembled involuntarily beneath his sleeves.
Zheng Qianyu, who was generally inactive in class, became the target of questioning again.
"Xu Qingqing had left, but it wasn’t her. Zhang Qiu also left, and she is the most suspicious, yet she staunchly denies any wrongdoing."
As he spoke, Zheng Qianyu slapped his head.
"Right, Mr. Xue had also left."
Mr. Xue: "Everyone has emergencies, I... I went to the restroom."
Shen Hua looked at him with utter displeasure, but now spoke very politely: "Please prove that you went to the restroom."
The County Magistrate looked at Cui Yun’s expression: "Hmm, do you have any witnesses?"
"There was no one on the way."
Shen Hua seriously said, "Oh."
Then in a cooing tone, she added: "Then why don’t you beg the restroom to appear and help out? It might also clear your name of any wrongdoing."
