"Ji Mu, how dare you!"
Holding his swollen cheek with his right hand, the man glared angrily.
"Assaulting a teacher on campus, prepare to be expelled!"
This is a serious offense, even being first in the six-school exam won't save you, I'm telling you.
"Don't speak so soon, old man."
Ji Mu unhurriedly took out his phone from his pocket.
He pressed a few buttons in front of the man.
A familiar audio played from it.
"...ordinary people like you in the regular class, even being admitted here is an enormous blessing."
"If you agree to my demands, I can easily help you cross class boundaries..."
"...remember, you lowly commoners are just toys for us rich people!"
The man's face suddenly changed dramatically.
The content playing from the phone was clearly the entire process of him warning and threatening the young man.
If this content got out, his professional career would be completely ruined.
"Teacher Zhang, you wouldn't want people at school to know about this side of you, would you?"
Stopping the phone's playback, Ji Mu asked in a gentle voice.
"Now, let me ask you again, who's waiting to be expelled?"
This guy...
The man's body tensed, his teeth aching with hatred.
Looking at the young man's harmless expression.
Besides resentment and anger, there was also something he didn't want to admit -
Fear.
After dealing with him, Ji Mu successfully obtained a reasonable "confidentiality fee" from him.
Watching the man's pathetic figure fleeing the scene, he satisfactorily put his phone back in his pocket.
Another fruitful day.
"The bell's about to ring, let's go back to class, or we'll be late."
Calling to the girl behind him, Ji Mu walked toward the teaching building.
But after a few steps, he noticed she remained motionless.
He turned back, waving his hand in front of her face.
"Stunned?"
The moving hand brought Ruan Qingqing's wandering eyes back into focus.
She made a confused sound, then shook her head.
"No, no."
Clearly preoccupied with something.
"Is that so."
Ji Mu didn't press further.
"Then let's go."
Ruan Qingqing gazed intently at the young man before her.
She knew.
He had noticed.
He was just quietly accommodating, without saying anything.
Realizing this, an inexplicable impulse rose from deep in her soul.
She paused, wringing her hands.
"Ji, Ji Mu classmate..."
The young man stopped, turning to meet her gaze.
"Hm?"
"In your eyes, am I like what Teacher Zhang just said?"
"Like what?"
"Like..."
Ruan Qingqing's lips moved, but when those difficult words reached her mouth, she couldn't speak them.
"That I deliberately se... seduce others, acting... loose..."
"If you can't say it, don't force yourself."
Ji Mu waved his hand.
"If you can't even say such vulgar words comfortably, how could you be that kind of person?"
"Then why..."
Ruan Qingqing's eyes were confused.
She had never confided in anyone, so her words came extremely slowly.
"Since coming to this school, I always receive different, malicious treatment compared to others."
Even when she protested later, people just looked at her as if she was being unreasonable.
As if whatever she did was wrong.
"Is there really something wrong with me?"
The girl's tone was low.
Her beautiful fox-like eyes were clouded with loneliness, like a small creature ostracized by others.
Every time she gathered courage to step out of her self-imposed protective shell, she would get hurt again.
"Why would you think this is your problem?"
Ji Mu casually crossed his arms.
He wasn't some life coach, nor would he spout profound sayings to comfort people.
His thinking had always been pure.
"Let others think what they want, you're not living to please them."
"But..."
The girl sniffled softly, her voice still as gentle and quiet as before.
"No matter what I do, so many people dislike me."
Especially... those girls.
"So what?"
"Eh?"
"What does it matter if others dislike you? It's not like being liked by others will elevate your life," Ji Mu pointed out the essence of the issue.
Ruan Qingqing froze, seemingly persuaded.
But the struggle flashing across her brows showed she still had doubts.
Ji Mu wasn't surprised by her reaction.
When you're rejected by every social circle, anyone would feel lost, and in serious cases might become withdrawn or depressed.
He didn't expect to immediately undo the effects of the deep psychological manipulation she'd experienced from her environment.
As long as she could take in a little, that was enough.
"Rather than mentally exhausting yourself, better to drive others crazy. In this inherently sick world, there's no need to be too normal."
In short, it came down to one thing.
"Ask less why about yourself, ask more by what right about others."
"Is that... so."
Ruan Qingqing murmured softly, her expression somewhat distant.
"Don't overthink it."
Ji Mu snapped his fingers, gesturing for the girl to come back to reality.
"Beauty isn't a sin, jealousy is."
"Some people envy your beauty, while others try to take advantage of it."
"All these reasons combined lead them to make nasty comments and slander you, hoping to drag you down into the abyss with their vile behavior."
Meeting her gaze, he spoke slowly.
"Just be yourself, you've done nothing wrong."
Ruan Qingqing stood stunned.
The young man stood with his back to the sun, his expression calm and natural, seeming to always bring an inexplicable sense of security.
Her scattered attention was drawn to the first half of what he said.
Beauty...
Was Classmate Ji Mu... complimenting her?
As this thought suddenly crossed her mind, her ears began to burn.
Her heart pounded wildly, blood rushing through her limbs.
Faintly, she could hear it flowing.
This... this isn't right.
Though others had praised her beauty before, no one had ever made her feel so intensely shy like this young man did.
Was she sick or something...
"Still dazed? Have you figured things out a bit?"
The young man's lazy voice came from above.
Ruan Qingqing looked away, not daring to look at his face right now.
She could only give a tiny "mm" as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
"That's good then."
The carefree Ji Mu didn't carefully observe the girl's changes, assuming she was still thinking.
"Let's go back to class, the bell has rung three times, we're definitely late."
"I... won't be like this next time."
"It doesn't matter, just take care of yourself."
Halfway there, Ji Mu didn't forget the main point.
"Oh right, don't forget the payment."
"Okay."
Only after the heat in her face subsided did Ruan Qingqing raise her beautiful eyes.
Even if the young man hadn't brought it up, she wouldn't have forgotten, "What would Classmate Ji Mu like?"
Ji Mu thought for a moment.
"Same as yesterday, buy me a bottle of oolong tea."
Just right since all those steamed buns this morning left him feeling a bit stuck.
"But this time a small bottle is fine."
"Eh?"
"What's surprising about that? I'm already lowering my demands."
Ji Mu turned back to look at her.
"Don't think about defaulting or asking for credit, not allowed!"
The young man's vigilant tone successfully made Ruan Qingqing laugh.
Her lively fox-like eyes, clear as glass, showed an allure that didn't match her pure appearance.
Her eyes curved, filled with gentle laughter.
"I won't."