Because of the harshness of the warning, those rumors and gossips had not been heard for a long time.
Now, just over a year had passed, and they were surfacing again.
Yang Dan and several others were extremely angry, "That Song Xiaoli never learns her lesson, I'm going to tell Teacher Yu."
Song Jiawen watched outside the window, speaking mildly, "She's found someone to..."
Song Xiaoli was in Class Four. After she was beaten, she went to look for her homeroom teacher, and now she was already at the entrance to their Class Two with a group of students.
"Teacher, they were the ones who hit me..."
Song Xiaoli was in a sorry state, with one side of her face slightly swollen, her usual ponytail now disheveled, messy like a bird's nest, making it hard to see that any hair had been pulled out.
"What's this all about? Why are you fighting in school? And it's several of you ganging up on one person, what are you trying to do? Stage a rebellion?"
The homeroom teacher of Class Four, a short and slightly overweight woman, had her eyes round with anger as she rebuked the students, her face trembling amusingly.
Since she was not their teacher, Yang Dan was not afraid of her. Standing up, she pointed at Song Xiaoli and said, "Teacher Zhu, did she tell you why we would hit her?"
"No matter the reason, you can't resort to violence. You think you have the right just because you hit someone?"
Teacher Zhu became even angrier when she saw that Yang Dan not only refused to admit wrongdoing but also had a self-righteous attitude. "Is this how your Teacher Yu teaches you? To resort to violence as soon as there is disagreement?"
"How Teacher Yu educates us is none of your business, but whether you've properly taught your students, that's something you need to pay attention to. Teacher Zhu, I advise you to ask Song Xiaoli what rumors she's been spreading before you come to bother our class."
Jiang Yan leaned back casually on a desk at the back, his dark eyes coldly fixating on Song Xiaoli. He spoke rapidly, not waiting for Teacher Zhu to respond before continuing, "It's okay to be ugly, but to be ugly at heart too… I thought a beating would make you remember, but it seems you're trying to turn the tables. Song Xiaoli, who gave you the audacity for such actions?"
Song Xiaoli's eyes flitted away guiltily, but upon hearing Jiang Yan call her ugly, her eyes reddened with anger. Coupled with the throbbing pain on her scalp, she couldn't help but burst into tears on the spot.
Teacher Zhu became even more furious upon seeing this, glaring at Jiang Yan and Yang Dan.
But before she could say anything, Teacher Yu arrived, accompanied by a girl who had entered the classroom with Yang Dan, also involved in hitting Song Xiaoli.
So, as soon as Teacher Zhu and Song Xiaoli had entered, she had slipped out to find Teacher Yu and had recounted the whole incident on the way there.
"Crying won't solve the problem, Song Xiaoli. What exactly did you say, and why did Yang Dan and the others beat you? Now, in front of your homeroom teacher, you can repeat it."
Everyone knew that Teacher Yu detested students spreading rumors like busybodies. Previously, to curtail this behavior, he had the principal issue a stern warning during an assembly.
And now, after so short a time, it had happened again.
"Teacher Yu..."
"Teacher Zhu, you come to demand accountability without even understanding the circumstances? Or is it that because it's your student who got hit, you think you have the right?"
Teacher Yu wasn't giving her any face at all, and Teacher Zhu's expression soured.
She turned to look at Song Xiaoli and said sternly, "Stop crying and tell us why they wanted to hit you?"
Struggling to stop her tears, Song Xiaoli stammered after a few sobs, "It's... it's about Song Jiawen's engagement over the weekend. I didn't make it up..."
The class erupted into whispers at the mention of an "engagement."
Teacher Zhu was also shocked, looking incredulously at Song Jiawen. She was a grade-skipping student, only seventeen and with such good grades, how could she...
Yang Dan sneered, "You only mentioned the engagement? What about the other things you said?"
Song Xiaoli looked down, pressed her lips together, and remained silent.
Teacher Zhu realized she had probably said other, nastier, or more scandalous things that Yang Dan and the others had overheard, which then provoked them to beat her.
Teacher Zhu's face darkened instantly. Who did you choose to talk about? Song Jiawen, of all people? Are you seeking death?
"Teacher Yu, what does Song Xiaoli mean by engagement? How could Song Jiawen possibly be getting engaged?"
The class president of Class Two stood up from his seat, glanced at Song Jiawen, then turned to Teacher Yu.
His question was what most of the students in Class Two wanted to ask. They had always protected Song Jiawen, the youngest and with the best grades, like a little sister in their class.
They all believed the engagement rumour must be false, a fiction.
"What engagement, it's utter nonsense. Song Xiaoli, don't you of all people know what the Song Family has done? If others are unaware, shouldn't you be clear about it?"
Teacher Zhu, having roughly understood the actual situation, looked apologetically at Teacher Yu, "I'm sorry, Teacher Yu. I'll take her away now."
After speaking, she glared fiercely at Song Xiaoli, "Aren't you going yet?"
It was only because high school graduation was approaching and both Teacher Yu and the students of Class Two didn't want to escalate the situation that Song Xiaoli was let off so easily.
Knowing that there was no engagement, everyone's mind was eased.
But Teacher Yu still lightly reprimanded Yang Dan and others, reminding that they should not have resorted to violence hastily, as they were about to graduate. What if the fight had caused serious harm or an accident?
The students appeared unconvinced, still feeling that they had been too lenient; at least they hadn't scared her enough to keep her away from their class.
Jiang Yan seemed contemplative, beginning to understand why Song Jiawen suddenly opted to transfer schools.
He guessed that from now on, the Chen surname side would likely continue their petty actions. After all, they were soon to go to the county to take the college entrance exams. What if he tried something then?
So, it was indeed the best arrangement to have her transfer to a city school.