Chapter 556: Chapter 545: You Should’ve Said So Earlier! Yangyang Has Your Back!
Mr. Xue would be lying if he said he wasn’t wary of Cui Yun.
If he had known earlier that Cui Yun’s status was not simple, he naturally would not have let things get to this point.
But he truly detested the Shen Family!
Detested them to the marrow of his bones.
Now, because of Shen Hua, under the watchful eyes of the public, he’d been explicitly scolded by County Magistrate Liu, how could he face anyone after this got out?
If the female college students went back and told their parents, how could he maintain his authority?
If Chengde Academy could no longer accommodate him, I’m afraid no other academy would dare to hire him.
He feared he could no longer be a teacher.
"Your Honor, perhaps I have been negligent in not treating everyone equally as a teacher. But this matter is like being splashed with dirty water, I implore you to investigate thoroughly."
"I have no witnesses, but there’s also no one to prove that I’ve stepped into the classroom."
"Yes, Shen Hua suffers from a frail condition, and as a parent, I can’t help but feel pity. But she is ignorant and trouble-prone, never taking me seriously. With such a student, I truly cannot bring myself to like her, I admit that. It was only after your guidance, Mr. Liu, that I realized, and indeed I have made many mistakes."
Mr. Xue became more composed as he spoke.
"But other accusations, I do not acknowledge."
"I also never harbored any thoughts of framing her. What benefit would there be for me in doing so?"
"Is that so?"
A male voice spoke from outside.
Shen Hua’s eyes lit up, and she was about to jump off her stool to run over, but Cui Yun held her back.
She unusually didn’t talk back, but instead stretched her neck to look outside.
She saw Shen Zhi enter from outside.
As Cui Yun and Shen Zhi exchanged glances, Cui Yun had a sense of what was happening.
"Mr. Liu."
Cui Yun said: "We have asked about everything we need to, and the young students from the female college are probably frightened and hungry by now, having missed their mealtime. Perhaps we should let them leave first."
County Magistrate Liu consented without objection. He glanced at the old teacher.
The old teacher quickly ushered everyone out.
Zhang Qiu was quite worried, her legs were still shaky. After a moment of indecision, she made a point of running over to Shen Hua.
"It really wasn’t me!"
Shen Hua looked at her as if she were a fool.
"Yangyang, go have your meal," Shen Zhi said with his usual gentleness.
Shen Hua was reluctant.
Cui Yun: "If you behave, you won’t have to come back to the academy in the future."
Shen Zhi nodded: "Mhm, brother has decided."
The girl hesitated a few seconds, fearing they would change their minds. She cheered and happily ran out.
Once they left, Cui Yun laughed with a sneer.
"We’ll need to hire a suitable teacher to come and teach at home."
Shen Zhi and he were of one mind.
"Indeed. I already have a suitable candidate in mind."
Saying so, Shen Zhi looked down at the person on the ground.
"Quite stubborn," he remarked.
"Let’s talk about Xue Mouyan."
Mr. Xue’s pupils dilated dramatically.
————
However, Shen Hua was unaware of the events taking place there.
The kitchen had already sent the meals to the classroom. The kitchen maids divided the food.
Families who could afford it had their servants or maids bring food.
The kitchen’s dishes were just ordinary, nowhere near as exquisite as those sent from the Shen Residence, with their complete array of color, fragrance, and taste.
Shen Hua hummed a tune loudly as she walked back to the schoolhouse,
"What happy event have you encountered?"
Zheng Qianyu came over, shamelessly reaching out to pick from her dish.
"It’s not really a happy event." She was very reserved.
"Indeed, you were clearly struck by a sudden disaster today."
Zheng Qianyu felt indignant on her behalf.
"It must have been Mr. Xue’s doing. That old good-for-nothing."
Xu Qingqing, always aloof, approached carefully with Shen Hua’s meal and offered a constrained smile: "May I sit here?"
No, you can’t!
You don’t deserve to dine with Shen Yangyang!
Shen Hua was about to reject her mercilessly.
Xu Qingqing timidly said, "Actually, I’ve heard about you from my cousin, she told me to get along well with you."
Cousin, that would be her uncle’s daughter.
But she was afraid.
She had observed Shen Hua, this troublesome girl, several times and the more she observed, the less daring she became.
She had tried once.
It was a year ago. She mustered up the courage to walk up to Shen Hua.
The girl was looking down on her with an air of superiority
——"Oh, so you’re the Xu Qingqing who always ranks second in exams."
——"Tell me, why can’t you surpass Zhou Zhizhi?"
——"Is it really that hard to knock her down a peg?"
At that time, Zheng Qianyu looked down upon Shen Hua’s attitude.
——"You can’t even surpass her yourself; what right do you have to pressure others?"
——"What else can I do! Can I coerce myself?"
She fled in terror upon hearing these words.
After that, she was always ranking second.
Always trembling with fear, wary of Shen Hua coming to settle scores with her, so she took detours.
However, Shen Hua would forget the things she said as soon as she turned her head.
Just like this time.
The little girl was contemptuous.
"Who’s your cousin?"
As if she needed to give Shen Hua face!
"Xiao Sesu."
The disdain in Shen Hua’s mouth became rigid.
!!!
Her gaze towards Xu Qingqing changed!
The little cousin of my future sister-in-law!
You should’ve said so earlier!!!
Yangyang has got your back!
Zheng Qianyu mimicked Shen Hua’s previous disdain.
"I advise you not to cozy up to someone you don’t know well!"
Shen Hua: "Shut up."
Zheng Qianyu: ??
The meals sent by the Shen Residence were always plentiful. She could tell at a glance that Xu Qingqing’s food came from the academy.
Under her frightened gaze, Shen Hua was gentle and tender.
"This is my favorite sweet and sour fish; try it."
She lifted her chin: "Having eaten my dish, from now on, we can consider ourselves as sisters."
Xu Qingqing sincerely terrified: ???
Am I even worthy?
Zheng Qianyu: ??? Hold on, why is that so!?
Shen Hua spoke leisurely: "After today, I won’t come to this lousy academy again. You may come to the Shen Residence to find me; we should keep in touch."
Thinking it over, she hadn’t yet met Xiao Sesu; she had only heard about her from her brother a few times.
Seeing Xu Qingqing about to shake her head, the girl gave her a look.
She unambiguously gave a hint.
"For instance, if you and your cousin go out, or you’re heading to the Daoist School, I can accompany you."
"I’m afraid that won’t be possible."
Xu Qingqing was confounded and naïvely spilled everything.
"My cousin’s household is strict; they seldom let her leave the residence."
"Why is that?"
"She has to take care of her younger brothers at home."
Talking about this matter, Xu Qingqing felt sad for her cousin too.
"My cousin is a very good person, but that cousin brother of mine is a regular in sickbed. The family is always so worried about him, and whenever something isn’t right with him, my aunt would immediately berate my cousin."
In ordinary families, it’s not rare to see males valued over females.
But Xu Qingqing was especially sympathetic.
However, Xiao Sesu always passed it off with a smile, never arguing or taking offense.
"Our families live close by, just next door. We can always hear my aunt scolding and berating her."
She realized she had said too much and promptly clamped her mouth shut.
Shen Hua’s bright and clear eyes looked at her, and she asked with poise: "Speaking of which, I’ve never visited your house."
"Won’t you invite me over as a guest?"
Zheng Qianyu couldn’t bear to listen any longer.
"Are you that familiar with her? Why would you go to her house!"
"Shen Hua, that’s quite enough."
"Who is Xiao Sesu? Never heard of her. What’s so impressive about her?"
She looked at Xu Qingqing with a malevolent gaze: "Alright, you can leave now. What cousin, after all, she’s a stranger to you!"
Shen Hua pressed her head down onto the table.
"Lady Mi, show some respect to Xu Qingqing!"
Zheng Qianyu: ...
In the end, it was a misplaced effort.
