Chapter 39

When Zhang Xiaotian arrived at the office, the room was already crowded with people.

The office was bustling with activity. Li An's parents had both arrived. His father was so angry that his face was red all the way to his neck, and he was spitting in front of the director. His mother was crying and clapping at the hand of the head teacher, Teacher Zhang. Teacher Zhang sighed and couldn't get a word in. Li An's attempts to comfort them were useless. On the other side, there was no big movement. There was just a crowd of people gathered in three layers. Zhang Xiaotian glanced inside as he passed by them and immediately saw Wen Zhongyin standing in the innermost circle. There was someone next to him who looked very similar to him, probably his parent, and there were quite a few other people. Zhang Xiaotian remembered that some of the hooligans who had blocked the way last night were wearing school uniforms, so these should be the other students, hooligans, and parents.

Lu Bai was standing in the corner watching the fun. When he saw Zhang Xiaotian coming, he quickly waved to him to come over.

"They've been coming non-stop since this morning!" Lu Bai bumped Zhang Xiaotian off with his shoulder. "Li An's parents are really aggressive. They've been talking for so long, and not only have they kept repeating themselves, but they haven't used any swear words either. They're truly cultured! How come Li An hasn't followed suit at all?"

Zhang Xiaotian ignored it and stood there quietly. He thought that after yesterday's handling, he could at least get rid of himself and Lu Bai, but he didn't expect that he would still come after him.

"It turns out that Wen Gou's uncle works in the Moral Education Department. I just heard his mother go out to call his uncle, but his uncle hasn't come yet. He crawled up and down the stairs and came here. I guess his uncle is embarrassed." Lu Bai finally waited for the person who came to accompany him. As soon as they met, he kept talking. But he talked for a long time without seeing any response from Zhang Xiaotian, so he asked Zhang Xiaotian again:

"You came here by yourself? Didn't Lao Zhang ask your parents to come?"

"My mother isn't home," Zhang Xiaotian said, "but I should have called her."

"Oh yes, your mother is on a business trip." Lu Bai remembered then.

"Where are your parents?"

"We're heading to school." Lu Bai leaned against the wall, legs crossed. Seeing Zhang Xiaotian's gloomy expression, he comforted him, "We didn't do anything. Don't be afraid. My parents will be here to support us soon!"

Zhang Xiaotian curled the corner of his mouth and just nodded.

"Your school needs to give an explanation. My child is a studious one, and Teacher Zhang knows best how good his grades are. We are working hard to bring honor to No. 4 Middle School, and yet you beat him like this. How can we parents feel at ease to send our children to the school?" Li An's mother still said the same thing.

"Okay, okay, Li An's parents, please calm down. The school will give you a satisfactory answer..." Teacher Zhang took out his handkerchief and did not even bother to wipe the sweat off his face. He held it in his hand while advising Li An's parents, just like a maid or a young lady in ancient times who was possessed by someone. But this time, more trouble than relief came. Li An's mother was still wiping her tears, and his father was getting excited again.

"My family has always had a strict tradition. My son would never go out and cause trouble or make friends with bad people. Is the management of No. 4 Middle School so lax? They let good students get bullied like this and they don't do anything?!"

"Okay, okay, calm down. Only when we calm down can we solve the problem..."

"That's right, calm down," Wen Zhongyin's parents said calmly, "Medical expenses and mental damages can be negotiated. The teachers are not idle either, so let's not waste their time and solve the problem as soon as possible."

"If your son hadn't come to cause trouble for my son, the teacher wouldn't have had to waste time talking to us today!" Li An's mother, tears still wet, spoke like a lioness protecting her cubs. "Instead of accusing us of wasting time, why don't you just educate your child first?"

Upon hearing this, Wen Zhongyin's parents crossed their arms and said, "My son said it was your kid who started it. He was so angry that he acted impulsively. To avoid causing trouble for the school, we decided to just take the loss and let it go. Otherwise, if we go into details, your child will have problems too!"

"What do you mean there's something wrong with my child?" This really pissed off Li An's mother. She wasn't tall, but her strides were long. If Li An hadn't stopped her, she could have stepped on Wen Zhongyin's face. "Your child led others to beat up my child, so how is that my child's problem?! If my child's classmates hadn't called the teacher in time, the situation would have been much more serious!"

"My child just has a bad temper. I don't believe he started a fight!" Wen Zhongyin's parents lied. "It was others who stood up for him. My son said he even tried to stop the fight!"

Teacher Zhang reminded: "Dear parent, we also have a video of the witness..."

"Who knows if that video was doctored?" Wen Zhongyin's parents attacked indiscriminately. "What if they only showed us where my son got hurt, and cut out the others? You're relying on your numbers to bully us, an orphan and a widow. Where's Director Wang? Go call him!"

Director Chi also spoke up: "This parent has already alerted the police and collected evidence from the surrounding residents. Even if Director Wang had come today, it would have been Wen Zhongyin who had gathered a group to bully the students. What's more, Wen Zhongyin also called on people from the community to get involved..."

"Where's Director Wang! I want to see Director Wang!" Wen Zhongyin's parent was completely relaxed. "You guys are slandering my child by saying he's a gangster based on just a video! You even called the police. This is going to ruin my child's future!" After she finished speaking, several parents around her seemed to have a backer, and a few of them joined in the argument. The parents on both sides quarreled fiercely, and the room suddenly became as chaotic as a pot of porridge.

Lu Bai's mother didn't get involved, but just stood beside Lu Bai and Zhang Xiaotian. She hesitated for a moment and whispered to Lu Bai, "You two really didn't participate, did you?"

"Of course." Lu Bai looked a little proud when he said this, "My Tian'er had foresight and stopped me!"

"Virtue." His mother snorted, then turned and smiled at Zhang Xiaotian again, "It's okay, Auntie is here."

Zhang Xiaotian muttered a thank you and turned back to the quarrel. According to the current situation, it really had nothing to do with Lu Bai and the others, but he knew the call had reached his mother, and neither his mother nor Secretary Wang had contacted him yet. He couldn't tell his mother's attitude, so he was always unsure.

"I don't believe you, as a parent, don't know what kind of person your child is," Li An's mother said with full force. "But you're lying while others are watching! Ask other students, ask them what kind of person your son is at school!"

Everyone's attention immediately turned to Lu Bai and Zhang Xiaotian. Wen Zhongyin's parents seemed to have found their target and pointed their finger in the distance.

"Is this the video you two called the police on?!"

"Our children were just trying to protect themselves!" Lu Bai's mother stepped forward.

"Just because your child is trying to protect himself, can you blindly call the police and ruin someone's future?!"

Seeing Lu Bai's mother protecting Lu Bai and Zhang Xiaotian behind her, Wen Zhongyin's parents strode over and said, "I don't think your child has any good intentions! Are you the only one who would call the police?"

"This parent should be mindful of the impact! Don't do it in the office..."

Before Director Chi finished speaking, there was a knock on the office door. Everyone present stopped and looked at the door. When the door opened, Secretary Wang came in.

"Excuse me, who are you?" Teacher Zhang asked.

"Hello, I'm here on behalf of Zhang Xiaotian's parents." Secretary Wang bowed slightly and handed over a business card, then looked at Zhang Xiaotian standing in the corner.

"You've arrived just in time, my son..."

"Teachers, we parents will handle the rest," Secretary Wang interrupted Wen Zhongyin's parents and looked directly at Teacher Zhang and Director Chi. "Let the children return to the classroom so that they don't delay the class."

"Yes, kids, let's go back." Director Chi quickly followed up.

Several students were watching a show in the office and hadn't figured out what was going on when they were asked to leave. They didn't know where to go for a while, so they just stood at the door.

Zhang Xiaotian hadn't expected Secretary Wang's visit, but it wasn't a surprise either. It wasn't like his mother to know about it and yet remain silent. Now that the matter was in Secretary Wang's hands, he should be able to rest assured. Zhang Xiaotian looked at Lu Bai, then back toward the office, but his sight couldn't penetrate the door.

"What's wrong?" Lu Bai asked when he saw him looking at him.

Zhang Xiaotian shook his head.

With Secretary Wang around, no matter how much Wen Zhongyin's parents threw a tantrum, the dirty water wouldn't fall on Lu Bai and the others. It was just that he would be punished afterward, but that was nothing.

Several people were preoccupied with their own thoughts, and only came back to their senses when they heard the noise coming from the radio. They had watched a farce without a beginning or an end, and the bell for the second class had just rung.

Wen Zhongyin put away his usual arrogance. Just now in the office, he acted as if nothing had happened to him. He didn't bother them at the door anymore, but just bumped Li An's shoulder hard as they passed by. Li An cursed inwardly and was about to stab back when Lu Bai stopped him.

"Forget it, just calm down." Lu Bai pulled his arm, "Let's go back."

Li An was indignant and kept muttering along the way, but no one listened.

After the break, Teacher Zhang called Li An, Lu Bai and Zhang Xiaotian to the office and told them about the follow-up results.

"Wen Zhongyin has been suspended from classes for one week, expelled from the school, and placed on probation."

Before Teacher Zhang finished speaking, he heard Li An make a "tsk" sound. He frowned and reached out to pat Li An lightly.

"Are you still angry?" He nodded at Li An. "Do you think I don't know what kind of person you are? It must be you who's been showing off again. You've caused me so much trouble for no reason!"

Li An pouted and muttered, taking the scolding in silence. Teacher Zhang cleared his throat and then turned to Lu Bai and Zhang Xiaotian. "This matter will be much easier to resolve with Zhang Xiaotian's parents. As for your punishment, the school has decided to have each of you write a 1,000-word self-criticism. Please submit it to me next Monday. Li An, I'll also punish you by having you write an English newspaper. Revise and prepare it yourself, and present it to everyone in English class next Monday!"

Li An got the advantage and acted like a good kid: "Ah, let me tell you, I'm not as good as you, Brother Zhang..."

"Get out of the way! I'm not buying it! Go get the newspaper I put on the windowsill." Teacher Zhang directed Li An to do the work. When he turned around, he remembered that there were two other people in the room, so he waved to them.

"Go back."

The two turned around and walked out, and just as they reached the door they heard Teacher Zhang calling them again.

"There's one more thing."

Teacher Zhang rubbed his bald head and said, "Go back to the classroom and tell everyone to pack their things in advance. I need to change the seats for the next class."