Chapter 39 You are an adult, you should give way to me
Ji Zhi Qiu rushed to the office as fast as she could, but she was still too late; the other party's parents had already arrived.
When the homeroom teacher saw Ji Zhi Qiu, she went up to her and said, "I'm sorry I called you so late."
Ji Zhi Qiu disregarded formalities and asked in a low voice, "What happened? Are the two children alright?"
The homeroom teacher's expression was relatively relaxed, and he was about to explain when he was interrupted by a sharp voice.
"What's so good about it? Look how badly my son was beaten! You're the parent of this little brat? Let me tell you, this isn't over yet!"
The homeroom teacher and Ji Zhi Qiu both frowned. If they weren't so well-mannered, they would have covered their ears by now.
Ji Zhi Qiu looked behind him and saw a fat woman with a face full of scars holding a little boy. Although the little boy was leaning against his mother, he kept fidgeting and looking outside. When he noticed Ji Zhi Qiu's gaze, he glared back defiantly, showing no fear that Ji Zhi Qiu was an adult.
Ji Zhi Qiu pondered for a few seconds, then walked over and asked in a relatively friendly manner, "Excuse me, you just said your son is seriously injured. Does he need to be taken to the hospital?"
The fat woman pointed at him, her sharp nails almost poking his eye. "Of course! We definitely need to go to the hospital for a thorough check-up later. If anything happens to us, I'll make sure you..."
Ji Zhi Qiu interrupted her: "Can I take a look at your injuries?"
The woman pointed at her son's face, "Look how badly he's injured!"
Ji Zhi Qiu bent down and leaned closer, squinting her eyes, "Is there a magnifying glass here?"
"?"
"I really can't see it."
The wound wasn't so tiny that it would have healed automatically if it had been delayed by three seconds; it wasn't even red. After looking at it for a long time, it was just a chubby piece of soft flesh.
"Are you..." The woman was about to burst into a tirade when she suddenly saw her son's face and stopped speaking. She was too ashamed to lie through her teeth.
Whether as a parent or an adult, one must set an example and maintain fairness and impartiality. Ji Zhi Qiu originally wanted to find out the ins and outs of the matter before making a judgment, but given the way the woman and her son were, it was no wonder that he was prejudiced and biased towards his own child.
Ji Zhi Qiu turned her head and looked around, asking anxiously, "Where's Zi Shen? Why isn't he here?"
The teacher was stunned. "That's impossible. He was just here a moment ago."
The spacious office was missing a small child. The two adults panicked instantly and were about to go look for him when a tiny foot appeared next to the desk.
Ji Zhi Qiu quickly went over and hugged Ji Zi Shen, saying, "What are you doing squatting here? Let Dad check if you're hurt."
Ji Zishen pursed his lips. He, who was usually so precocious, rarely felt so uneasy. "I didn't..."
Ji Zhi Qiu was worried that he was just putting on a brave face, so she carefully checked him over before finally letting out a sigh of relief. Looking at Ji Zi Shen's small face, she couldn't help but feel heartache.
Ji Zishen was displaced and mistreated in his childhood, which caused him to suffer from malnutrition and slow development. He took remedial measures, eating meat, eggs and milk at every meal, which made up for some of the damage. But now, holding the little boy in his arms, Ji Zhiqi was shocked to realize that Ji Zishen was still too short compared to his peers.
He didn't do enough, and he was too presumptuous. He thought that Ji Zishen's mental level was more than enough to get along with children and that he wouldn't be bullied, but some things are just unreasonable.
Ji Zishen had never been this anxious when he was unsure if he would be sent back. Ji Zhi Qiu touched his little face tenderly and said softly, "Zishen, do you trust your father?"
Ji Zishen was stunned, unsure how to answer.
Ji Zhi Qiu smiled and tried to lighten the mood, "Dad, I'm super awesome. When have you ever seen me get bullied?"
Ji Zishen nodded slightly, but still looked at him with that same gaze.
Ji Zhi Qiu was stunned for a few seconds before she finally understood.
Ji Zishen wasn't afraid of the fat woman and her son, but rather of him.
I'm afraid he'll get angry, afraid he'll blame me, and even more afraid he'll be disappointed.
He was well aware of his place in the villain's heart: an adoptive parent, a tool to keep him alive. Ji Zishen schemed against him without any scruples, disregarding his feelings and his image in the villain's eyes.
But the villain's recent change made his heart clench uncontrollably.
He took a deep breath and squeezed Ji Zishen's small hand. "I am your father."
Ji Zishen didn't understand why Ji Zhiqi would suddenly say this. He stared blankly at him for a few seconds before he vaguely realized something. His pupils trembled slightly, and he stared at him without blinking.
Behind them was a mother and son eyeing them menacingly. This wasn't the place for a heart-to-heart talk, so Ji Zhi Qiu smiled and pinched Ji Zi Shen's cheek before standing up to shield the little man behind her.
"Now that both sets of parents have arrived, let's first find out the whole story and then find a suitable way to resolve the issue."
Being a homeroom teacher is a dirty and tiring job. Seeing that Ji Zhi Qiu was so understanding, he breathed a sigh of relief, but was interrupted again just as he was about to agree.
"Stop pretending! The truth is, my son was beaten!" The fat woman trembled with heartache. "My son is the most well-behaved and sensible boy. He wouldn't even dare step on an ant. Now he's been beaten! I'm going to send your son to the police station! What kind of upbringing is this? He'll grow up to be a scoundrel..."
The homeroom teacher and Ji Zhi Qiu spoke at the same time, telling her to shut up.
The homeroom teacher pushed up her glasses angrily. "Little Deer's mom, you can't do this. This is my office. Don't make a scene and set a bad example for the children. This happened in the classroom, and as the homeroom teacher, I have to give an explanation. This is also my responsibility to the other children and parents in the class!"
Ji Zhi Qiu caught the key phrase and asked, "Is there surveillance footage?"
The homeroom teacher gave him a grateful look and pushed the computer that had been prepared in advance forward: "Here it is."
God knows how many times he had tried to calm things down and resolve the matter peacefully, but the mother's unreasonable behavior and the son's childish antics left him exhausted and unable to make any progress.
Finally, someone reasonable appeared. The homeroom teacher instinctively stood next to Ji Zhi Qiu and pressed play.
The two little figures on the monitor screen were standing together. The chubby little boy suddenly became very agitated and pointed at Ji Zishen. Other children also gathered around. The image was somewhat obscured, but it was still clear that Ji Zishen took a step forward after getting angry, and the little boy reached out to hit him first.
Ji Zhi Qiu pressed the pause button, took two deep breaths before finally giving in to the urge to slam the fat woman's head against the computer screen. "Did you see that clearly? It was your son who started it!"
The fat woman continued to argue, "So what? It must have been your son who insulted us first. I've always taught my son not to be a doormat. He must have reached his limit before he started hitting us."
Ji Zhi Qiu turned to look at the homeroom teacher: "Is there no sound from the surveillance camera?"
The homeroom teacher shook his head regretfully, "I'm sorry, our system hasn't been upgraded; we can only see the visuals."
Ji Zishen already had a plan in mind, but Ji Zishen, who was hiding behind him, peeked out first, "I'm more popular in the class. Give up, everyone will definitely vote for me to be the class monitor. You have no chance."
The fat boy was instantly enraged, "You little bastard, your whole family got hit by a car and died, your parents were crushed into mincemeat, your brother's arms and legs are all over the streets, you, you, you won't even be able to close your eyes in peace when you die!"
The fact that a nine-year-old child could utter such venomous words was chilling. An eerie silence fell over the room. Only the little boy smugly glared at Ji Zhi Qiu and the homeroom teacher like an enemy, then turned to look at his mother with an expression that seemed to be asking for praise, as if to say, "See if I learned it right, and if I spoke it well."
The environment in which children grow up has a crucial influence on them, and almost all the adults present knew who said that.
The plump woman was a little embarrassed, and the fat on her face twitched. "Why do you imitate everything, child? Is that something you're supposed to hear?"
She pretended to hit him, but actually only touched a strand of hair. However, she still looked heartbroken and quickly hugged the boy. The little boy was a bit confused after being scolded by his mother, but now that he was being hugged, he looked at ease and firmly believed that he had not done anything wrong.
Ji Zhi Qiu couldn't bear to see this scene of maternal love and filial piety, and coldly interrupted, "Now you understand, right? Your son said those things first and then hit someone. Isn't he the one who did wrong? Shouldn't he apologize?"
The fat woman immediately bristled upon hearing this, glaring at him fiercely. "As the saying goes, it takes two to tango. Why doesn't my son hit or scold others? Your son must be at fault too!"
Ji Zhi Qiu wasn't buying it: "Come closer."
The fat woman looked at him suspiciously: "What are you doing?"
"Let's do an experiment." Ji Zhi Qiu was already rolling up his sleeves: "Let's see if my slap makes a loud noise."
“…You!” The fat woman was so angry she was panting heavily.
Ji Zhiqi wouldn't even blink if two adults fought each other to resolve a problem, but in front of a child, this matter had to be resolved in a dignified and fair manner.
Seemingly sensing Ji Zhi Qiu's thoughts, Ji Zi Shen, who prided himself on being an independent and self-reliant adult, calmly took a step forward, his eyes showing no fear. Seeing him like this, Ji Zhi Qiu felt both gratified and heartbroken, and still gave him her seat.
Ji Zishen said, “The class is electing a class monitor, and the students are voting. I had no communication with him before. Because everyone likes me and wants me to be the class monitor, he came to cause trouble. He said those things and then hit me. I can’t just stand there and take the beating. Even if I did that, you would blame me for everything.”
"If you don't believe me, there are so many students here. You can call them over one by one to talk to them, and they will naturally testify for me."
Ji Zishen was only nine years old, but he spoke clearly and logically. His words not only explained the ins and outs, but also covered everything in detail, which impressed all the adults present. The homeroom teacher looked at him with increasing admiration, while the fat woman was a little jealous.
“You…” She was about to speak up for her son when she saw him shrink back into her arms guiltily, not daring to look Ji Zishen in the eye.
A surge of anger welled up inside her, rising to the top of her head. Filled with bitterness and jealousy, she blurted out, "So what if I said all that? My son is such a good kid! Why do his classmates like you more? It's all your fault, all your fault! My son didn't say anything wrong! Your whole family deserves to be..."
The homeroom teacher sternly interrupted him: "Xiao Lu's parent, please watch your words! You're not an ignorant child. Don't you know there are things you can and can't say? This is a school. If you continue to speak so recklessly, I'll ask you to leave!!"
Being a homeroom teacher is really tough. Parents want to make things difficult for him, and he can only put up with it. So he has always been concerned about his reputation, but this has crossed his bottom line. He will not allow anyone to make a scene in front of him.
The fat woman, a bully who preys on the weak, saw the homeroom teacher's harsh words and the fact that he seemed to be on Ji Zhi Qiu's side, so her momentum weakened. She reluctantly said, "Fine, you're right, you just know how to bully people. I won't say anything more, okay?"
The homeroom teacher didn't want to dwell on it any longer. "Now that the facts are clear, and it's true that Xiaolu was wrong today, he must apologize to Zishen, and you must apologize to Zishen's father."
The moment the word "apology" was uttered, the fat woman couldn't take it anymore. "Why should I? My baby is still so young. What does he know? You two are really something, two grown men arguing with a nine-year-old child. What's wrong with letting him have his way? What could a child have done wrong!"
"..." Ji Zhi Qiu was so angry that he laughed.
This was the first time he had ever seen someone whose left and right hemispheres were fighting each other, whose body was having a severe rejection reaction to the brain, and who wished they could get rid of their brain.
Reasoning with her wouldn't work; he had to find a way to make the fat woman suffer before she would learn to restrain herself.
Just as Ji Zhi Qiu was brainstorming, Yu Guangzhong suddenly saw a small figure running over quickly. With all its might, like a short, chubby Corgi, it jumped up and crashed headfirst into the fat woman's stomach.
Caught off guard, the overweight woman stumbled and fell onto the chair behind her, groaning in pain, "Ouch, my stomach, my back..."
"I'm just a child, I'm only three years old, I don't understand anything, what did I do wrong!" Ji Yanyan put her hands on her hips, imitating the fat woman's expression and tone vividly: "You're an adult, you have to give way to me!"
The overweight woman was about to retort when the homeroom teacher stopped her, "Xiao Lu's parent, that's exactly what you just said."
Although the fat woman was brainless, she still cared about her image. Thinking about her unreasonable words just now, she shut her mouth with an embarrassed expression, but she was still angry and wanted to glare at Ji Yanyan, but Ji Zhi Qiu blocked her with her body.
Seeing that the two parents were about to argue again, the homeroom teacher quickly said, "The right and wrong of this matter is already very clear. Xiaolu's mother, parents are the best role models for their children. To tell you the truth, Xiaolu is not popular in class. No one wants to play with him."
“I could tell he was lonely and upset, but from a teacher’s perspective, I also have to give a stern assessment. Xiao Lu is very poor in terms of manners and personal habits. This requires not only the teacher’s help, but also the parents’ efforts.”
The little boy had been putting on a brave face, but when he heard what the teacher said and thought about the pain of not having any friends at school, his eyes reddened and he snuggled into his mother's arms.
The chubby woman was heartbroken, and she was about to habitually berate and blame others, but when she met the teacher's stern gaze, she knew that if she didn't apologize, she probably wouldn't be able to leave this office, and her son probably wouldn't be able to study properly here anymore. So she could only swallow her anger and say, "I'm sorry, I was wrong today."
The little boy peeked out from his arms, glanced around, and then snorted coldly, looking completely smug.
The homeroom teacher frowned, his head throbbing with pain, when Ji Yanyan said crisply, "I bumped into you just now, I'm sorry."
After he finished speaking, he walked to his father's side, still looking innocent and cheerful, as if the incident had left no trace on his mind.
The homeroom teacher stared blankly at the father and his two sons.
The eldest son is smart and sensible, and can stand on his own at a young age. The younger son is clever and lively, knows right from wrong and knows how to protect his family. The second son is a recognized little genius. Almost all the teachers in the school went to see him, and they were so envious that they almost drooled.
He really envied this father for having three such obedient children, and he greatly admired how well he had raised all three of his children.
A child's performance is a father's glory.
He felt even more favorably toward Ji Zhi Qiu, speaking to her politely and full of praise, which contrasted sharply with the fat woman, who was left out and worried that her son would be prejudiced against. She belatedly tried to please the homeroom teacher but was met with indifference.
"Please wait a moment, Mr./Ms. Xiaolu. I need to have a more serious discussion with you about your child's education."
When the homeroom teacher turned around, her expression changed again. She warmly escorted Ji Zhi Qiu and his two sons to the door, assuring them that the little boy would apologize in front of the whole class the next day. She also mentioned that Ji Zhi Qiu would speak at the parent-teacher meeting that was arranged in advance, where he could share his educational insights.
The matter was resolved perfectly, and Ji Zhi Qiu, holding one in each hand, went to find Ji Si Cheng.
He looked at the two children in silence, pondered for a few seconds, and decided to start with Ji Yanyan.
"Why is Yan Yan here?"
Ji Yanyan looked up at her father and said, "I woke up and couldn't find you. Grandma was coming to pick me up anyway, so I asked her to take me."
Ji Zhi Qiu then realized that he had been too anxious and had given the still-sleepy Ji Yan Yan to the neighbor lady. Ji Yan Yan was so attached to him that she would naturally be anxious when she woke up and found that her father was not there. The neighbor lady had no other choice but to bring her to school.
Ji Zhi Qiu gently patted his head, "Yan Yan just apologized, are you upset?"
“I bumped into her, so I should apologize, but I don’t think I did anything wrong. My brother and father are…” Long Aotian was unusually protective of his own, and he puffed out his cheeks and waved his fist, “I…”
Seeing that her son couldn't deliver his lines well, Ji Zhi Qiu helped him out, saying, "I'll protect you."
Ji Yanyan repeated it softly, her eyes lighting up, and she pointed at herself with a thumbs up: "Brother and Dad, I've got your back!"
This incident did not leave any psychological shadow on Ji Yanyan's heart, so Ji Zhi Qiu was relieved and went to see her eldest son.
Ji Zishen thought a lot. "I want to grow up quickly and become an adult."
Ji Zhi Qiu chuckled, "Even when you're all grown up, family members still need to help each other."
Upon hearing the word "family," Ji Zishen's eyes flickered, his expression became quite strange, and the tips of his ears turned an unnatural red.
He tugged at his clothes, avoiding Ji Zhi Qiu's smiling gaze, "Then if you get bullied in the future, never just stand there and take the beating. Fight back and win, and I'll help you argue and take you home."
After he finished speaking, he seemed a little embarrassed, but he still weakly added, "Yan Yan is the same, and Si Cheng is the same."
Ji Zhi Qiu said solemnly, "Okay, then I'll leave it to you."
As expected of the minor villains, this little thing had no effect on them at all. Ji Zhi Qiu led them to find Ji Si Cheng.
Ji Sicheng was playing with other children in the yard. He didn't know what methods he used, but he managed to make his classmates obedient and follow his lead.
Ji Zhi Qiu hesitated whether to let them play a little longer, and in those few seconds, Ji Zi Shen was surrounded by his classmates.
Ji Zishen's previous efforts have not been in vain. He is very popular in the class. His classmates were very worried after they learned that he had been called away by the teacher. Now that they have finally seen him again, they chattered and asked him questions non-stop.
"Zishen, are you alright?"
"It's all Xiaolu's fault, I'll go tell the teacher for you!"
"Yes, you didn't do anything. He rushed over first, swearing and hitting you. The teacher called your parents, your dad..."
The children noticed Ji Zhiqi standing to the side, looked at him timidly, and mustered up their courage to ask, "Uncle, please don't scold Zishen, it really wasn't Zishen's fault."
Ji Zhi Qiu said with a smile, "Why did Uncle scold him? Zi Shen was bullied, and Uncle came to protect him."
Upon hearing this, the students cheered and crowded around Ji Zishen to play.
Only Ji Yanyan was left beside him. Although Ji Yanyan was clutching the hem of her clothes tightly, her eyes darted around curiously, showing great interest in everything around her.
Ji Zhi Qiu patted his shoulder: "Go play with your older brothers and sisters."
Ji Yanyan, a little bull, immediately ran forward and greeted everyone cheerfully. This time, it was a two-way run, and someone ran even faster than him.
"Sicheng, your little brother is so cute!"
"I also want a cute little brother like that."
"Give him to me, I want to take him home."
When Ji Yanyan is not throwing a tantrum, she is loved by everyone, young and old, and immediately became the darling of the group, integrating very well.
Out of a sense of responsibility as an older brother, Ji Sicheng watched for a while, then grabbed one of his classmates and asked, "Do you want to fight me?"
The classmate exclaimed, clearly not having heard clearly, "What... you like making rice cakes? You like making rice cakes too!"
As he spoke, his voice rose higher and higher, and he was practically drooling. "Grandpa and Grandma make rice cakes every year. I really want to eat some, hehehe."
Ji Sicheng: "..."
Looking into the other person's clear yet foolish eyes, he couldn't say anything more and waved his hand, "Alright, go play with my brother."
The little boy ran away. After standing there for a while, Ji Sicheng suddenly tripped over his right leg with his left leg without warning, lost his balance, and fell to the ground.
But the pain didn't come. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a very strange position, with something supporting his back. His gaze slowly moved up and met Ji Zhi Qiu's face.
Ji Zhi Qiu: "..."
Ji Sicheng: "..."
Caught red-handed, the father and son looked at each other, both feeling somewhat awkward.
Ji Zhi Qiu put Ji Si Cheng down under the shade of a tree and asked with concern, "Are you hurt?"
Ji Sicheng's eyes darted away, and he tapped the ground with his toe: "No, it's nothing."
Ji Zhi Qiu frowned thoughtfully.
Yesterday was too chaotic, and he didn't have time to think things through. Now he realizes that something is wrong everywhere.
Ji Sicheng hates childishness the most, so why did he wear a pumpkin head, get stuck, and embarrass himself so much?
It's the same now. If he trips over his own legs and falls down on the spot, losing face in front of his classmates, why would he do that?
Ji Zhi Qiu had a vague idea of what was going on, but wasn't sure, so she could only say, "Si Cheng, let's talk. Is there something you've been keeping to yourself?"
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