Chapter 77 You Saved Yourself
"An announcement has been made!"
Jiang Deyu rushed into the classroom, immediately attracting the attention of the whole class.
"What announcement??"
"Is there any news regarding Roach's matter?"
Although the school tried to cover it up, the truth eventually came out, and the heinous incident of Roach molesting students eventually spread like wildfire.
This incident was like a boulder dropped into calm water; anxiety and panic spread rapidly among parents like locusts in flight.
Families with daughters were extremely anxious, fearing the police would come knocking on their door one day. They could only tirelessly question their children again and again, and upon receiving a negative answer, they would cry out "Amitabha, may the Bodhisattva protect us!" while simultaneously cursing Luo Qi, this scoundrel, to be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!
"It wasn't Luo Qi," Jiang Deyu said after a moment of respite from running too fast, "It was the notice that Li Lin was expelled that was posted on our school's bulletin board."
"Really?"
"Of course it's true, I even took pictures. Look, here you are." Jiang Deyu placed his phone on Ji Jingyu's desk, and the photo on it was clearly the notice expelling Li Lin from school.
"Jiang Sui, you're really amazing."
Yu Xiaocheng's first reaction was that Jiang Sui had once again stepped in to punish evil and promote good.
"Thank you for the compliment, class monitor, but Li Lin's expulsion has little to do with me. At most, I provided some technical support and told him which corners of the school had been newly equipped with surveillance cameras."
"ah?"
Jiang Sui turned off Jiang Deyu's phone. "I'm not a savior. I can't be the one to solve every problem they encounter. In the end, they have to rely on themselves. Otherwise, they will never know that the person who bullied them was just a weak and useless coward."
"Zhang Peng looks dull and clueless, but I didn't expect him to be so resourceful."
When Jiang Deyu received Zhang Peng's QQ friend request, he had almost forgotten that Zhang Peng even existed.
“Zhang Peng’s attitude toward Li Lin and us is completely different. He is not as stupid and weak as he appears.”
They even have some cunning and are particularly good at seizing opportunities.
With Luo Qi arrested, Li Lin lost his only support at school, which presented the best opportunity to bring him down.
Because of Luo Qi's incident, Li Lin had been keeping a low profile at school for a while. However, he had always been arrogant and domineering, and he spent money extravagantly. Now that he was suddenly short of money, he was holding a grudge and couldn't stand anyone.
Zhang Peng had "bumped into" Li Lin a few times at the supermarket and the cafeteria.
Zhang Peng's sudden increase in spending naturally attracted the attention of Li Lin and his gang of henchmen.
At his underling's urging, Li Lin cornered Zhang Peng again and demanded a considerable amount of money from him.
Li Lin originally thought that Zhang Peng would swallow his pride and accept defeat, just like he had done before.
Unexpectedly, Zhang Peng stormed into the principal's office with a high-definition video of the blackmail he had been extorted by Li Lin this time, along with students who had been blackmailed by Li Lin before.
With witnesses and physical evidence, Li Lin couldn't deny it even if he wanted to, and his parents were called to the school that same day.
Jiang Deyu slammed his hand on the table, overjoyed. "Li Lin has been expelled from school, and all his cronies are on probation. It's absolutely gratifying!"
Jiang Sui snorted coldly, "These people have only themselves to blame. I think their punishment was too lenient."
Li Lin was the biggest accomplice in Lu Shuhe's entanglement with Luo Qi.
He filmed Lu Shuhe stealing and blackmailed her, then sent the video to Luo Qi, plunging Lu Shuhe into an abyss of no return.
Police not only found the video on Roach's phone, but also a large number of photos and videos of him molesting female students.
Roach probably never imagined that the "trophies" he photographed and savored would become the most crucial evidence in his conviction.
Tong Xia suddenly realized, "No wonder when I went to Lao Qin's office to get the test papers, I heard the principal talking to him about going to the temple to pray together this weekend."
"Aren't Lao Qin and the principal both Party members? Can Party members go to temples?"
Qin Lin always checks his Party badge before each class to make sure it's not crooked; he takes it very seriously.
Yu Xiaocheng, as expected of the class monitor, considered things more thoroughly. "Instead of wasting time going to the temple to pray, we should conduct a thorough self-examination of the entire school and completely eliminate the appearance of scum and degenerates."
"The squad leader is right," Jiang Deyu nodded in agreement.
“We really misunderstood the principal this time. The school will be organizing a psychological lecture next week, the topic of which is how to help yourself when you encounter similar situations and how to seek help from others,” Jiang Sui said. “Hao Ge and the others have already held several meetings about this matter.”
Yu Xiaocheng was somewhat surprised: "How did you know?"
She would be the first in the class to know if there were any announcements about lectures or similar events, but she knew nothing about this one.
"That's what Teacher Su said."
"Oh right, I almost forgot you're neighbors with Teacher Su."
Only Ji Jingyu and Jiang Deyu, along with a few close friends, knew that Jiang Sui was staying at Su Yinian's house. Yu Xiaocheng only knew that they all lived in the same neighborhood.
After everyone had left, Ji Jingyu spoke softly, "I hope Teacher Su wasn't affected by this?"
Jiang Sui asked, puzzled, "Huh?"
Ji Jingyu succinctly stated, "Lu Shuhe's parents."
"What right do they have to come to Teacher Su?"
Her voice paused, then dropped to a very low hue, "At that time, she wasn't even Teacher Su's student yet, and Teacher Su had been protecting and helping her ever since she found out. They shouldn't have come to Teacher Su for help!"
Jiang Sui was furious whenever she talked about her outrageous and irresponsible parents.
They are also among the culprits behind Lu Shuhe's suffering and helplessness.
Ji Jingyu's face remained expressionless, but her eyes held a mocking chill. "Sometimes, human nature cannot withstand the test."
Jiang Sui didn't care. "It's alright, let them come. I will protect Teacher Su."
A sudden idea flashed through her mind. She moved closer to Ji Jingyu and gently poked his arm with her slender white index finger. "If they really make trouble, I will tell you immediately. You have to come and protect me and Teacher Su."
Ji Jingyu gently pushed Jiang Sui's head away as she leaned closer.
After a while, he said, "Hmm."
There was an indescribable gentleness in his tone.
Jiang Sui bit her lip lightly, a pleased smile curving her lips.
—
"I'm so envious of those kids in the first and second years of high school."
"It's fucking unfair! They're having a great time at the New Year's Eve party, but we're forced to attend this damn evening study session."
"The last day of the year was still so difficult. When will fate finally be kind to me?"
"Roche, that sinner for all time, truly deserves to die!"
...
The molestation case ultimately had a significant impact on the reputation of No. 2 Middle School.
In an effort to salvage its reputation, the school leadership temporarily canceled all activities for the senior students except for academic pursuits, striving to ensure that this graduating class achieves outstanding results in next year's college entrance examination and creates new glories!
After all, for the vast majority of parents, grades and scores are the indicators of whether a school is excellent.
The cheers and screams could be heard from far away on the playground, making it impossible to concentrate on the test.
Hearing these occasional noises, even Yu Xiaocheng couldn't help but feel a little restless.
As she worked on the test, her face grew increasingly miserable. "Everyone says this is the best age of our lives, but look at me, my dark circles are so bad I could cosplay as a panda."
"You bet." Xia Fan touched her forehead, where a new pimple had just appeared, red and swollen, and painful to the touch. "The old pimple hasn't healed yet, and now a new one has appeared. Will I be disfigured?"
"Fanfan, turn around."
Jiang Sui called to her from behind.
"What's wrong?"
As soon as she turned around, a star-shaped pimple patch was carefully placed on the biggest pimple on Xia Fan's face.
"Don't move, I'll cover it all up for you. Our poor little Fanfan is so pitiful."
Jiang Sui also had two star stickers on her face.
One is on the forehead, and the other is on the wing of the nose.
Xia Fan reached out and pinched Jiang Sui's cheek. "Sui Sui, why do you have pimples too?"
“One pimple from internal heat, and another from staying up late.” Jiang Sui’s eyes were almost lifeless. “I didn’t fall asleep until almost 1 a.m. yesterday, and then I dreamt of doing math problems all night long. I was almost exhausted.”
Now she finally understands how hard her father worked back then.
For a struggling student to surpass a top student, it's not something that can be achieved simply by talking.
Jiang Sui turned her head and met Ji Jingyu's worried gaze.
"Did I give you too much homework?"
If he had known that Jiang Sui would stay up so late, he definitely wouldn't have assigned her any extra tasks.
"Not much, it's just that I didn't know how to do some of the questions, which wasted some time."
Ji Jingyu had already explained those questions to her during the day.
"Next time you encounter a problem you don't know how to solve, put it aside for now and don't stay up all night. Or," he paused, as if he had thought of a better solution, his tone naturally gentle, "just call me on video, and I'll teach you."
Jiang Sui immediately agreed, as if hesitating for even a second longer would be disrespectful to Ji Jingyu. "That's a good idea."
She teased, half-jokingly, "Looking at Teacher Ji's face before bed will definitely give you sweet dreams tonight."
Xia Fan and Yu Xiaocheng exchanged a glance and smiled knowingly.
"Sui Sui, you're getting better and better at teasing Brother Ji now."
Yu Xiaocheng disagreed, "How can this be called flirting? It's clearly just a normal conversation."
It's just a little romantic gesture between young couples.
She understands.
Jiang Deyu craned his neck to look over from next door, "What is this? I want one too."
Jiang Sui simply tossed him a box, saying, "Take this and play with it."
Jiang Deyu leaned closer to Ji Jingyu's table. "Let me see how many pimples Brother Ji has... Damn, how come he doesn't have a single one?"
Jiang Deyu carefully examined Ji Jingyu's face several times, but couldn't find a single flaw.
"God is so unfair. It's one thing to be inferior to Brother Ji in academics, but now I can't even compare to him in looks."
Jiang Sui scoffed, "You talk as if you can surpass Brother Ji."
"That's not necessarily true. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some people like Ji Ge's type, but there will definitely be people who like mine."
Jiang Deyu's gaze swept over the three girls in front of him, and he chose the one who seemed most likely. "Class monitor, don't you think so?"
Yu Xiaocheng, who was suddenly called out, was blank for a moment, "I... I guess so."
"Hehehe." Jiang Deyu laughed smugly.
Once her thoughts returned, Yu Xiaocheng looked at Jiang Deyu, who was grinning foolishly, and inexplicably felt a surge of anger, uttering the words "idiot dog."
Jiang Sui and Xia Fan burst into laughter. "Yeah, it really is pretty silly."
"Hey, why are you making personal attacks again? You're corrupting our class monitor."
Just then, Tong Xia rushed to the podium with a stack of test papers in her arms. "New Year's Day homework, two sets of test papers."
The classroom fell silent for a moment, then a series of sounds of pens being thrown and desks being slammed filled the air, and cries of agony echoed throughout the room.
"We only get one day off for New Year's Day, and Old Qin actually gave out two sets of exam papers. Is there no justice? Is there no law?"
"Where would I get a day off? I still have to go to evening self-study tomorrow."
"This department issues two sets of certificates, that department issues two sets of certificates, it would be better not to have a holiday for New Year's Day."
"That's right."
"It's no use complaining to me. I'm just a megaphone and a conveyor belt." Tong Xia handed out the test papers while reassuring the students, "Old Qin said that one of the sets is a review of wrong questions. They are all questions we have done before, so it won't take long."
Upon receiving the exam paper, Jiang Deyu couldn't help but exclaim, "Holy crap!"
"Tong'er, are you sure Lao Qin gave you the wrong answer sheet? Every question on it seems unfamiliar to me."
Tong Xia was speechless and had no intention of paying any attention to him.
Jiang Deyu looked at the test paper over and over again several times, but still couldn't remember anything. He then casually folded the paper and stuffed it into his schoolbag.
Jiang Sui stretched out her arms and lay on the desk with a look of utter despair. "Studying is so hard."
Upon hearing Jiang Sui's words, Jiang Deyu asked a very philosophical question, "Do you think going to school is harder or going to work is harder?"
Yu Xiaocheng touched her chin, "I've never had a job. For me, going to school must have been tough."
Her dark circles are the best proof.
Xia Fan disagreed, saying, "My dad always loses a lot of weight when he comes back from business trips, so I think working is more tiring."
"Although I don't know which is harder, working or studying, I do know there is a job that allows you to experience both kinds of hardship at the same time."
The clever ones have already guessed the answer, while the foolish ones remain completely clueless.
"What's your profession?"
"Someone like Lao Qin."
Jiang Deyu processed Jiang Sui's words before realizing what she meant. "It's true. I've decided to treat Lao Qin better from now on; he's had a tough time too."
Tong Xia was about to return to his seat when he heard this and patted him hard on the shoulder, "The best thing you can do for him is not to say that the wrong answer sheet is unfamiliar in front of Lao Qin."
Jiang Deyu: "..."
—
Jiang Sui didn't see Lu Shuhe's parents, but instead waited for Lu Shuhe herself downstairs in the apartment complex.
"Jiang Sui".
"Lu Shuhe? What brings you here?"
Jiang Sui wondered if it was because Lu Shuhe was wearing thick clothes, but Lu Shuhe seemed to have gained some weight and was not as thin as before.
Lu Shuhe looked a little reserved, her pale fingertips tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, creating several creases. But when she saw Jiang Sui, she still showed a shy smile. "The old lady at the old bookstore said you live here, so I came looking for you."
Jiang Sui's gaze fell on her nose, which was red from the cold. "Have you been waiting long?"
"Not long after, I arrived at the right time."
"Come to my place, it's too cold downstairs."
Besides Ji Jingyu, Xia Fan and Jiang Deyu also knew more or less about Lu Shuhe.
The two stood obediently behind Ji Jingyu, even slowing their breathing.
He was afraid of scaring Lu Shuhe.
After Jiang Sui led Lu Shuhe into the apartment building, Jiang Deyu took a deep breath. "I almost suffocated. What does Lu Shuhe want with Jiang Sui?"
Ji Jingyu slowly raised her eyes, a barely perceptible softness flashing in them, "You came here to say thank you."
"Jiang Sui probably won't be well for a while, so I'll go home to put my things away first, and then come to your house to meet up."
They agreed to spend New Year's Eve together.
"Um."
—
Upon returning home, Jiang Sui immediately turned on the air conditioner and then poured Lu Shuhe a cup of hot water.
"Did you go to return the book money during the day?"
"Mmm." Lu Shuhe sat on the sofa, the hot water in her hands dispelling the chill and easing her tension. "The bookstore lady is very kind. She wasn't angry with me at all, and she even gave me milk and candy."
Lu Shuhe subconsciously reached into her pocket, where Grandma Ji had given her candy.
The rustling sound of the candy wrapper being squeezed made her feel inexplicably at ease.
"I'm leaving Xunning. I'll go to the school tomorrow to complete the withdrawal procedures."
"Your parents are going to take you away from here?"
“No.” Lu Shuhe shook her head. “I plan to go live with my aunt. She’s against marriage. We’ve agreed on three rules: she’ll support my studies, and I’ll take care of her in her old age.”
Jiang Sui frowned slightly. She seemed to have many questions, but in the end, she chose to continue listening.
"My mom is pregnant again."
Jiang Sui was taken aback.
"The whole family is very happy."
Lu Shuhe couldn't remember the last time she had seen her parents smile.
She is still taking medication, and under its influence, she says almost anything that comes to mind.
“They always thought I shouldn’t have called the police, that family scandals shouldn’t be aired in public, but I’ve made them lose face.”
Lu Shuhe tugged at the corners of her mouth, trying to force a smile, but the smile vanished before it even reached her eyes, her breath trembling and hard. "I saw disgust and defensiveness in their eyes. They were afraid I would suddenly go crazy and hurt the baby in my mother's womb."
Lu Shuhe guessed that Jiang Sui must live in a very happy family and have a lot of love, because the look in her eyes was full of heartache.
She squeezed the candy in her pocket tightly. "I barely survived, I can't let myself rot in the mud any longer. Leaving this home is a good thing for me."
"Jiang Sui, can I hug you?"
Jiang Sui immediately opened her arms to her, and Lu Shuhe showed her second smile of the night.
"Thank you, Jiang Sui, you saved me."
“You saved yourself. You are brave and amazing.” Jiang Sui patted her head. “Lu Shuhe, leave all the unpleasantness and negative emotions in today. Tomorrow is a new year, a new day, and it will be your rebirth. Nothing will be able to hurt you anymore.”
Lu Shuhe couldn't help but shed tears, her voice choked and trembling, "Okay."
Author's Note: Thank you so much for the nutrient solution you guys sent me! I'm so happy! [Let me see...]
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