Chapter 145: Chapter 137: The Red Thread
The male teacher, bare-chested, was caressing the delicate skin of the girl. In the dimly lit room, with the rain pouring outside the window, no one could have imagined that this seemingly respectable man was in fact such a demon in disguise.
The female teacher was terrified; she had even forgotten how she had made her way back to her dormitory, her mind a complete blank.
It wasn’t until the next day that she came to the office in a daze, just to see Teacher Wang with his head down preparing for class. His gentle profile and focused demeanor made her feel sick.
She knew that she absolutely couldn’t let the demon wreak havoc any longer, or else there was no telling how many innocent children would fall victim to his clutches.
She gathered her courage, went to the principal, and exposed Teacher Wang’s evil deeds. Perhaps his usual persona was too deeply rooted in people’s hearts, no one believed her story.
However, out of a sense of responsibility and the female teacher’s insistence, the principal still summoned the student from the previous night. After questioning the girl, an unexpected scene unfolded—the student outright denied everything, claiming that Teacher Wang was merely teaching her to dance.
With the girl’s explanation, the principal’s belief was further solidified. He thought the female teacher was being overly sensitive. Since it was a dance lesson, some physical contact was inevitable. Teacher Wang was known for his closeness with the students—this was common knowledge throughout the school. Therefore, he reassured the female teacher not to overthink it since everyone was aware of Teacher Wang’s character.
The female teacher persisted, repeatedly questioning why the girl lied and even suggested bringing in more students for questioning. But this move also angered the principal. It was a rare opportunity for a college student to come to such a remote place to teach. The local leaders valued this and saw it as a positive start to benefiting the hometown’s development. Yet now, just because of some unfounded suspicions, the female teacher was trying to tarnish someone’s reputation and ruin their future. Wasn’t she causing harm?
The female teacher argued her case, but the principal ignored her. After criticizing her, he sent her away, warning her to drop the matter.
But the female teacher believed in what she had seen that night in the dimly lit dormitory. The scene that unfolded was something that should never occur between a teacher and a student; it had crossed a line.
From that day on, the female teacher noticed that the student began to deliberately distance herself. She would even run away upon spotting the teacher from afar on the playground, which was highly unusual.
So, the female teacher began investigating discreetly. Indeed, she noticed that recently the student’s living conditions had noticeably improved. She was wearing new clothes, new shoes, and other students mentioned seeing a fancy doll in the girl’s backpack, which they all envied.
Such items were only available in the city. They were rare in such an impoverished rural area, not to mention in a family as poor as that girl’s.
One day after school, the female teacher intercepted the girl on the road and confronted her about why she lied. The girl was terrified and turned to run, but the teacher forcefully stopped her. She searched the girl’s backpack and found two boiled eggs and a finely crafted blonde doll.
Following the girl home, the teacher was shocked to discover that the girl’s home conditions had greatly improved. The roof that used to leak was fixed and a new stove was built. The girl had a grandmother who was in poor health and couldn’t afford medication due to their financial situation. But this time, the teacher found many bottles of medicine at the child’s home, and the girl’s grandmother was feeling much better. The grandmother immediately began praising Teacher Wang, saying he was a good man who often visited and took great care of their family.
Seeing all this, the female teacher finally understood. She understood the reason behind the girl’s concealment for Teacher Wang—it was more like a transaction.
The female teacher didn’t say much more. She left the little money she had with them and walked away alone. On her way back, she kept thinking, pondering, until she made up her mind not to let this tragedy continue, even if it meant giving her all.
From that day on, she began to look after the girl’s well-being, tirelessly working to make her understand the situation, until she finally won the girl’s trust.
It was from the girl that the teacher learned the whole truth, a truth far more cruel and squalid than she could have imagined.
Not only had Teacher Wang used favors to control the student, but he had even demanded that she bring more female students to him. For each new girl she lured in, Teacher Wang would reward her with more gifts, such as new clothes, new shoes, and new toys.
Most crucial was that he would have someone bring expensive medicines from the city for the girl’s grandmother. Seeing her grandmother getting better day by day was the girl’s greatest wish.
The girl also mentioned that to avoid suspicion, Teacher Wang would use the excuse of teaching them the latest popular dance to lure them to his dormitory. After school, there were hardly any people around, and Teacher Wang’s dorm was secluded. Once there, he would turn up the music loud, effectively masking everything else.
Each detail was like a knife to the female teacher, sending chills down her spine. She couldn’t imagine that such a beast could exist in a place meant for teaching and nurturing young minds.
Armed with the girl’s testimony, the female teacher went straight to the principal, thinking she could finally expose Teacher Wang’s crimes. But she was too naive. After confirming everything was true, the principal hesitated, recognizing the far-reaching implications of the case.
After an agonizing two-day wait, the female teacher, expecting a resolution, was called to the principal’s office. The moment she opened the door, she was stunned. Inside, there was not only the principal but also several unfamiliar faces. From their positions, it was clear the principal was not as influential as these individuals.
Then a man in a suit stood up from the sofa, greeted the female teacher warmly, first praising her sense of justice and bravery. But then he changed his tone, playing the emotional card with her.
The man spoke of the potential adverse effect this incident might have on the town, warning that once it spread, public opinion would be in uproar. Many investments that were already in discussion might fall through, a blow the town could not afford, which would also be detrimental to attracting top talent.
The man hoped the female teacher would consider the greater good. Of course, there would be punishment for the male teacher. The school would find a reason to dismiss him and handle the matter seriously, promissing that the girls would receive compensation.
As a champion of justice, the female teacher deserved a reward, she would receive a promotion and a raise, as well as a handsome bonus, on the condition that she sign a contract. The contract stipulated that she must keep this matter to herself for life, let it rot in her stomach.
Seemingly not expecting the female teacher to refuse, the man took out the contract from his briefcase, placed it on the table, and considerately passed her a pen. The female teacher noticed the amount promised to her was substantial, more than her salary of 10 years.
"What is this, hush money?" Teacher Wang scorned, or more accurately, she was in despair over these people. She wanted justice, nothing less than fairness.
"Teacher Wang, let’s not say things that sound so unpleasant. This is a decision made after careful consideration by the town, and you should also consider our town’s development," the principal said sternly, chiding her.
In the end, the meeting concluded on a sour note, and the very next day, the female teacher’s job was unexpectedly halted for an absurd reason.
What drove the female teacher even deeper into despair was the news that the male teacher was packing his things, preparing to leave the town within the next few days.
Once he left, he would never return, and all the sins would remain here, while he would face no punishment.
She couldn’t let this demon escape, or more innocent children would be harmed. The female teacher resolved to fight the darkness that loomed over the entire town with her own hands.
She sought justice everywhere, reaching out to influential people in the town—business owners, investors, television stations... She went to all places she could, undaunted by threats, declining compensation, seeking only to expose the male teacher’s wrongdoings.
Eventually, on a rainy night, she knelt on the highway holding a banner filled with grievances, just to stop a VIP’s car.
Finally, the female teacher’s efforts paid off. The incident gained increasing attention, and the male teacher who had planned to flee was trapped at the school.
The town’s residents were incensed. Parents who worked away from home rushed back in droves. They wrote a joint letter, each cutting their fingers to stamp a bloody print, demanding justice.
In the end, the principal stood in for the male teacher, apologized to the victims’ families, and promised everyone that the male teacher would come out to apologize to everyone first thing the next morning. After that, the appropriate actions would be taken with no cover-ups, but for the moment, evidence was still being sorted out.
Regrettably, when everyone opened their doors the next day, they discovered the male teacher, who had been locked in his room, had committed suicide out of fear of his crimes. His body hung from the ceiling.
Although the demon met his end, the contemplation he left behind was far from over. The female teacher became the town’s hero. Under her advocacy, attention to female left-behind children greatly increased, and the local custom of favoring males over females began to change.
The female teacher became famous overnight, and her reputation was unmatched. Various letters, interviews, and invitations flowed in incessantly. Admirers flocked to her. She gained innumerable titles and became a symbol of standing against tyranny, the purest defender of women’s rights.
On the last page of the register was a rough poster, its content thought-provoking.
In the center of the poster was a girl in a tattered school uniform, head bowed, her awkward posture symbolizing innocence and helplessness.
On the left edge of the poster, in the shadows, was a male teacher with a claw reaching out, the deformed hand stretched towards the girl signifying desire and perversion.
On the right side of the poster stood the female teacher bathed in holy light. She too reached out towards the girl in the center, but unlike the male teacher, her hand was palm-up, representing hope and redemption offered to the student.
Hovering above everyone’s head was a pervasive gloom. Upon closer inspection, hidden within the gloom were faces, all of them men.
Without exception, they were men’s faces—some high-ranking and imperious, others round and well-fed with prosperity, some leering with lust, and some ordinary, like any other man.
The stark contrast of light and shadow, along with the subtly expressed implications, made the female teacher’s lone act of courage seem even more magnificent. Enscribed behind the female teacher bathed in sanctity was a bold and resonant line of text.
"If equality is but a lie, then we shall awaken. Women are not half the sky, but can stand against the whole world."
