Ms. Lin gave a resigned smile. If she hadn't heard that Qin Sheng had already taught Lin Feng a lesson right after arriving in Class Four, she might have believed that Qin Sheng was a model student.
"Are you adjusting well to school life?" Ms. Lin inquired about Qin Sheng's well-being.
"Yes," Qin Sheng nodded.
Ms. Lin hesitated for a moment, then asked, "What do you think about today's incident?"
Ms. Lin trusted Qin Sheng. She knew Qin Sheng was proud and arrogant but had a strong moral compass; she would never allow herself to be kept by someone. Moreover, Ms. Lin was aware of the truth: the family who managed to get her into Class One was not ordinary.
She was simply worried that this matter might affect Qin Sheng. Public opinion can be a powerful weapon, capable of destroying someone. For those who are fragile, it could easily lead to suicide or depression. As a homeroom teacher, it was her duty to ensure her students were safe and well.
But Qin Sheng merely curled her lips into a faint smile and replied indifferently, "It's just nonsense. Their opinions don't affect me."
Ms. Lin breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. It seemed she had not been wrong about Qin Sheng; the girl was indeed remarkable.
"And how do you plan to handle this?"
"I'll let nature take its course."
Qin Sheng had already guessed who might have spread these rumors. Who else could it be but Qin Churou? Qin Churou was a top student, highly valued in Class One, and she was also a master at putting on a facade. She got along well with everyone at school, so no one would believe that she would start such rumors.
People are inherently gossipy. Even when the truth is laid out before them, they still cling to their preconceived notions. If they believe you are kept, then you must be kept; they will never admit their mistake.
Given time, when the matter loses its novelty, they will naturally stop.
Ms. Lin was momentarily stumped by Qin Sheng's response and rubbed her temples in frustration.
If the person involved wasn't in a hurry, why should she be?
Although it would be difficult to find evidence to clear Qin Sheng's name, Qin Sheng's nonchalant attitude left Ms. Lin feeling quite helpless.
Ms. Lin decided she didn't want to see Qin Sheng anymore. Waving her hand, she said, "You can go back now."
As Qin Sheng left the office, she encountered the homeroom teacher of Class One, who was also the English teacher of Class Four, Liang Hua.
Liang Hua held a deep-seated dislike for Qin Sheng. The moment she arrived at the school, she overheard students gossiping about how Qin Sheng was being kept by an older man. Believing these rumors, she instinctively concluded that Qin Sheng was just that sort of person.
The person who placed Qin Sheng in Class One was probably that old man.
Liang Hua wasn't aware that Qin Sheng was a member of the Qin family. Qin Hai, unwilling to let others know Qin Sheng was his daughter, had warned the principal and the head of the grade not to reveal Qin Sheng's connection to the Qin family.
Seeing that Qin Sheng was not negatively affected by the rumors, Liang Hua felt a twinge of disappointment.
But she wasn't about to miss the opportunity to mock Qin Sheng. With a cold sneer, she remarked, "As expected, not a good student at all. So young, yet already behaving like those women from disreputable places."
"Liang Hua, you don't deserve to be called a teacher." Qin Sheng didn't bother sparing her any face and brushed past her.
Liang Hua's chest heaved with fury as she stormed into the office, redirecting her anger toward Ms. Lin.
"Ms. Lin, you're quite young and inexperienced in discerning what kind of students are worth keeping and what kind are not. Look at what sort of student you've brought into your class! A girl being kept by a man, with no morals at all. If this gets out, it might tarnish the reputation of my top students in Class One."
Liang Hua was in charge of Class One, the best class in H City Middle School, and she believed her position was superior to the other three homeroom teachers. She often gave orders to the other three, who usually tried to curry favor with her. Only Ms. Lin refused to indulge her.
So Liang Hua would often mock Ms. Lin whenever she had the chance.
She even wanted to drive Ms. Lin out of the school, but unfortunately, Ms. Lin had a strong backing, and the head of the academic affairs office had rejected her request.
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(End of Chapter)