An Earlier Meeting - Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Time flew by quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was Thursday, the day of the big dress rehearsal.

Yuzhong’s art festival was an annual tradition. The entire school was immersed in performances and activities on this day.

Today’s rehearsal didn’t require makeup, only the performance costume.

Huang Xiaozhi took out the peacock dance costume from the depths of her closet. She carefully folded it, put it into a clean cloth bag, and placed it next to her seat.

She didn’t come to school with Yu Wen today. Yu Wen had messaged her early in the morning, saying she would be arriving late, so she had come on her own.

In fact, Yu Wen had arrived early, but He Wei had called her to his office.

…

In the office, Yu Wen sat quietly. He Wei told her to wait while he went to get some water.

Most of the teachers in the sophomore grade level knew this number one student, and their eyes were filled with admiration.

He Wei came back with a cup of water. He adjusted his glasses and sat down. “I heard you’re planning to go abroad?” The news was indeed well-informed. Zhang Yulin had probably already mentioned it.

“Yes,” Yu Wen answered briefly, her fingers unconsciously fidgeting with the corner of her clothes.

“When do you plan to leave? Next semester? Or in your senior year?” He Wei took a sip of tea and looked at her.

“Senior year,” Yu Wen looked up.

He Wei pondered for a moment. “Okay, I understand. Contact me when you’re doing the paperwork. If a parent needs to be present, have your sister come and find me.”

Yu Wen nodded. He Wei waved his hand, signaling that she could go back to the classroom.

…

Huang Xiaozhi thought Yu Wen was simply late and didn’t even consider that she was in a meeting with a teacher.

She was even a little worried if something at home had delayed Yu Wen.

The afternoon was for the program rehearsal. At noon, the three of them ate together in the cafeteria.

Halfway through the meal, a teacher suddenly came over and called both Yu Wen and Su Li away.

Left alone, Huang Xiaozhi quietly sped up her eating, wanting to get back to the classroom quickly.

Just as she reached the classroom door, she saw two girls running out of her class with panicked expressions—they weren’t from Class One! What were they doing here?

Huang Xiaozhi’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly walked into the classroom.

Her gaze swept over her seat, and her heart sank—her drawer had been rummaged through! The bag containing her performance costume was half torn open. The part that was exposed was shocking: it was covered in greasy leftover food and soup, and a disgusting smell emanated from it.

Her eyebrows furrowed tightly, and anger surged in her chest.

From Class Five? She didn’t even know them! Why would they do this to her?

She grabbed the filthy bag of clothes and turned to rush to the Class Five classroom. She stood at the podium, her gaze sweeping the entire room like a searchlight.

The noisy classroom instantly fell silent. Everyone looked at this uninvited guest in shock.

“If you have something to say, say it out loud!” Huang Xiaozhi’s voice was cold, with suppressed anger. “Don’t buzz like mosquitoes down there! Say it, I want to hear it, too!” She hated people who talked behind her back and acted innocent to her face.

Her gaze accurately locked onto the two girls in the back row who were avoiding eye contact. She walked straight over.

“Hi—students,” a cold curve formed on Huang Xiaozhi’s lips. She slapped the desk in front of them with a loud “bang,” which made the whole class flinch. “Why are you hiding? Do you have a guilty conscience?”

One of the girls tried to stay calm. “You… what are you talking about? You’ll be punished for barging into our class like this!”

“Punished?” Huang Xiaozhi sneered. She picked up a book from the desk and slapped it on the desktop again. “Bang!” The sound was so loud it hurt people’s eardrums. “So you know not to barge into other people’s classrooms? Then what are you afraid of?! Huh?!” She raised her voice, every word like ice.

The two girls’ faces turned pale, and they didn’t dare to speak.

“Which class are you from, outside student?! What are you doing!” The sharp voice of Class Five’s homeroom teacher, Zeng Hongjiao, rang out. She walked in angrily.

Huang Xiaozhi turned around, a smile without any warmth on her face. “Teacher Zeng, hello. I’d like to ask, how should we handle students from your class who snuck into our classroom when everyone was at lunch and ruined a student’s performance costume?” Her voice clearly spread to every corner of the classroom.

Zeng Hongjiao had always looked down on Huang Xiaozhi, thinking she had gotten in through connections and that her grades were inflated. She pushed Huang Xiaozhi impatiently. “Nonsense! My students would never do such a thing! You’ve got the wrong people!”

Huang Xiaozhi staggered from the push, but she clearly saw a smug, sneaky smile on one of the girls’ faces.

Anger instantly broke through the gates of her rationality.

“Smack!” A crisp, loud slap rang out. The girl who was hit covered her face, completely stunned.

“How dare you hit someone?! And a student! Get out! You will be dealt with severely…” Zeng Hongjiao shrieked and reached out to grab Huang Xiaozhi.

“Smack!” Another even louder slap! Huang Xiaozhi backhanded Zeng Hongjiao right in the face! The force was so great that Zeng Hongjiao fell directly onto the desk.

“Huang Xiaozhi! How dare you hit a teacher?!” The other girl screamed and stood up.

“I’m hitting you all!” Huang Xiaozhi was so angry she laughed. She grabbed the girl by the collar. “Smack!” A third slap landed! “You do something wrong and don’t dare to admit it. You have to pay the price, don’t you?” She shook her reddened palm, her eyes cold.

Just then, Yu Wen appeared at the classroom door.

She was holding the bag of still-dripping clothes. She walked forward with a blank expression and violently swung the contents of the bag at the two girls!

The greasy soup and chili oil instantly splashed into their eyes!

“Ah—my eyes!” The two girls let out a bloodcurdling wail, covering their eyes and jumping around.

Zeng Hongjiao was shaking with anger. She pointed to the door. “Get out! Both of you, get out of my sight!”

Huang Xiaozhi didn’t move. She just looked at Zeng Hongjiao coldly, stepping closer. “Teacher Zeng, I know you look down on me. You think I got in through connections and that my grades are fake. Why don’t you open your eyes and look at the class you teach? There’s not a single person in the top ten! Don’t you think you’re a failure?” Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a chilling coldness that forced Zeng Hongjiao to retreat again and again.

“When there’s a problem, you should look for the reason within yourself. Why do you always pick on the top ten students? And all your little tricks—being lenient when deducting points for your own class and strict with other classes. Do you really think no one knows?” Huang Xiaozhi’s gaze swept over all the students in Class Five. “Are you fit to be a teacher? If these things were reported to the administration, would your position still be secure?”

She no longer looked at the ashen-faced Zeng Hongjiao. She turned to the whole class and said loudly, “Everyone knows what your class is like. If you don’t believe me, I’ll put the surveillance video on the school’s big screen later and let everyone see the ‘crime’ in action!” She finally looked at the two girls who were still wailing. “Oh, by the way, remember to pay for my performance costume. It’s a custom piece from a world-class dance costume designer. You don’t want to pay? Then wait for the police to come find you.”

After saying that, she pulled Yu Wen and walked out of the Class Five classroom with her head held high, leaving behind a dead silence.

She wasn’t a soft persimmon to be squeezed. If she had a score to settle, she would settle it right there! As for Zeng Hongjiao, it seemed it was time to use some methods to get rid of this trash.

Back in the classroom, Huang Xiaozhi didn’t say anything. She took out her phone from her backpack and dialed Wei Qingwen’s number.

“Hello? Little One?”

“Mom, you might have to come to school.”

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt? Did someone hit you?”

“No, I hit someone.”

“Who made you so angry?”

“Two girls from Class Five snuck into the classroom at noon and poured leftover food and oil all over my performance costume.”

“I see. Don’t worry. Mom won’t say anything. You only hit them because you were angry. You have a sense of propriety. He Wei will call me soon. We won’t pay a penny less for the damages.”

“Okay, I know. I’m hanging up now.”

“Okay.”

After hanging up, she saw Yu Wen looking at her with a worried expression.

Huang Xiaozhi patted her shoulder, acting relaxed. “It’s nothing. We’ll just go have ‘tea’ in the office later.”

Yu Wen’s face was not good. She nodded. Such despicable methods, just to stop Huang Xiaozhi from performing? Jealousy was truly terrifying.

Su Li also ran over, out of breath. She grabbed Huang Xiaozhi and checked her from head to toe. “Are you hurt? Did they hit you?”

Huang Xiaozhi shook her head. “No.”

“They ruined your performance costume? That’s disgusting! And they wouldn’t admit it, and that Zeng Hongjiao was being biased! She’s always been jealous of you…” Su Li said indignantly.

Huang Xiaozhi interrupted her. “It’s okay, Su Li. I know you’re worried. We have to go through the proper channels. Hitting people was an impulse, and I’ll take the punishment.” She patted Su Li’s shoulder to calm her down.

Su Li pouted. “But that was your one-of-a-kind costume…”

“It’s okay,” Huang Xiaozhi gently tapped Su Li’s lips with her index finger, stopping her from continuing. “We’ll see how it’s handled later. I’ll probably have to go to the office.” She also knew that this matter wouldn’t be resolved easily.

…

The atmosphere in the grade office in the afternoon was heavy.

He Wei sat in the main seat, and Zeng Hongjiao sat next to him with a livid expression.

The parents from both sides had arrived, and the students were standing. The two girls were huddled together, far away from Huang Xiaozhi.

He Wei spoke first, his tone filled with helplessness and blame. “Huang Xiaozhi, how could you hit a teacher?”

Huang Xiaozhi’s lips twitched, revealing a nearly mocking smile. “I hit her because I wanted to.” Seeing this group of people, the anger she had just calmed down started to flare up again. She only felt sick to her stomach.

Wei Qingwen sat there, her aura strong. She spoke directly, her voice not loud but carrying an undeniable weight. “We will pay all the damages and emotional compensation we should pay. So, who will pay for my daughter’s performance costume?”

One of the girls’ parents immediately shouted, “We’ll pay! How much can one dress be worth!”

Wei Qingwen coldly swept her gaze over them. “Seventy-six thousand eight hundred fifty-four.”

“What?! Thirty-five thousand?! Are you f***ing robbing us?!” The parent instantly jumped up.

He Wei quickly tried to mediate. “Calm down! Calm down! All parents! The children made a mistake. They have to bear the responsibility! Is there any point in regretting it now?” He sighed and looked at Wei Qingwen. “Ms. Huang’s mom, what do you think… can they pay in installments?”

Wei Qingwen was very straightforward. “Fine, installments. I’ll also pay the emotional compensation that we should pay.”

After saying that, her gaze turned to Zeng Hongjiao, filled with cold scrutiny. “Oh, by the way, Teacher Zeng Hongjiao? You can pack up your things and go home to retire. This school doesn’t need you.”

She stood up, walked to Zeng Hongjiao, and leaned down slightly. She said in a voice only the two of them could hear, “Don’t think I don’t know about the things you’ve done. You’ve spread rumors about Huang Xiaozhi, slandered her, and done those dirty things behind her back. I know everything. And your Zeng family’s methods… hmph.” After saying that, she straightened up and gave He Wei a formal smile. “Teacher He, if there are no other issues, it’s settled. I have work, so I’ll be leaving now.” Her words were like a verdict.

The two parents’ faces were pale. They were angry but didn’t dare to speak.

Zeng Hongjiao froze in place. Her lips trembled, and she finally nodded stiffly.

He Wei waved his hand tiredly. “Then let’s leave it at that.”

When everyone was about to leave, one of the girls who was hit cried out to Huang Xiaozhi, “You haven’t apologized yet!”

Huang Xiaozhi stopped and turned around. A calm smile appeared on her face. “I’m sorry. But—”

Her eyes scanned them sharply. “I don’t regret hitting you.” After saying that, she left the office without looking back. She didn’t want to stay with these people for a minute longer.

The two girls were both angry and resentful. They exchanged venomous glances, clearly planning to find someone more powerful to “seek justice.”

…

School relationships were as complex as a spiderweb. Huang Xiaozhi couldn’t care less.

Her principle was simple: right is right, and wrong is wrong.

She had tolerated Zeng Hongjiao for a long time. It was indeed wrong for a junior to hit a senior, but the premise was that the person was worthy of respect. When the other person had lost basic respect, she didn’t need to be polite.

Some people said she was bullying others with her power. Yes, her family was powerful.

But she had never proactively bullied anyone. She only fought back with a thunderous force when her bottom line was truly crossed.

Wei Qingwen had taught her since she was a child that “a gentleman talks, he doesn’t use his hands.” She was very strict with her when she was young. But now, she believed her daughter had a sense of propriety and could judge right from wrong. She also implicitly approved of her way of protecting herself.

Huang Xiaozhi also believed she could handle it well.

…

Back in the classroom, Yu Wen immediately asked with concern, “Is it settled?”

Huang Xiaozhi nodded, but there was no joy on her face. Her mind was filled with the afternoon rehearsal. It had been years since she had performed on stage, and the first time back, she had to deal with such a frustrating incident. It was truly bad luck.

Yu Wen gently patted her back to comfort her. “Don’t worry too much. Even without that costume, you will definitely be as beautiful as a real peacock when you dance.”

This made Huang Xiaozhi feel a little better. She shamelessly admitted, “Mm, I am indeed quite beautiful.”

The small incident couldn’t stop the rehearsal. Huang Xiaozhi arrived at the waiting area on the field early.

She had asked Yu Wen to go to the broadcasting room in advance to confirm her accompaniment music. She always felt uneasy, as if she was being watched by a venomous snake.

Su Li was also worried. She went down with Huang Xiaozhi, tightly clutching her phone.

Her intuition told her that the two girls who had suffered a great loss would not give up easily.

…

Yu Wen arrived at the door of the broadcasting room and saw a girl furtively operating something in front of the computer.

From Class Two? She looks a little unfamiliar.

She quietly walked over and patted the girl’s shoulder.

The girl flinched in fright and turned her head abruptly. A hint of panic flashed across her face. “Yu… Student Yu? Why are you in the broadcasting room?” Her hand was still on the mouse.

“If you can come in, why can’t I?” Yu Wen’s tone was flat.

The girl’s face immediately changed. She spoke in a scolding tone. “Students aren’t allowed in the broadcasting room without a teacher’s permission!”

Yu Wen smiled lightly. “Oh? You yourself admitted you’re an ‘animal,’ so there’s really nothing I can do.”

The girl’s face instantly turned red. She pointed at Yu Wen. “You… how dare you call me an animal?! Don’t think you’re great just because you’re number one in the grade! I don’t know how you could hang out with someone like Huang Xiaozhi. Is she even worthy?”

Yu Wen raised her eyebrows, and her eyes sharpened.

This person looks more and more familiar… from the Zeng family?

“So what if I called you an animal? Using ‘you’ to describe an animal. Such underhanded methods can only be done by your Zeng family, right?” Yu Wen took a step forward. She was smiling, but it made the girl feel an invisible pressure. “I got number one with my own ability. Are you jealous? Just say it. I won’t laugh at you. As for who I like to hang out with…” She leaned in closer and clearly said the other person’s name. “Zeng Ling, what does that have to do with you? Are we close?”

Zeng Ling’s eyes widened in horror. She looked at Yu Wen in disbelief.

In her memory, Yu Wen was just an ordinary student with good grades, and she even had a “living under someone else’s roof” vibe.

Why was her aura so terrifying at this moment? This was completely wrong!

“How… how do you know…” Zeng Ling’s voice trembled.

“What I want to know, I will know naturally,” Yu Wen interrupted her. Her gaze fell on the computer screen. “As for what you’re doing here… you’re just trying to make Huang Xiaozhi look foolish later.” Her voice turned cold. “Aren’t you leaving?”

Zeng Ling was intimidated by Yu Wen’s gaze. She felt a chill rise from the soles of her feet.

She finally realized that their Zeng family had probably greatly underestimated the Wei family’s power and had completely misjudged this seemingly calm Yu Wen.

She didn’t dare to stay for another second. She fled the broadcasting room in a panic.

Yu Wen watched her back disappear at the door. Before she entered the broadcasting room, she had already greeted the teacher in charge.

As for Zeng Ling? She obviously hadn’t.

She walked to the computer and carefully checked Huang Xiaozhi’s accompaniment file.

In City H, don’t underestimate the Yu family. In City A, don’t underestimate the Wei family either.

She thought with a cold look in her eyes.