Although Yin Fang was strict, she was also known for being reasonable. Since the incident occurred in her class and one of the parties had requested clarification, she felt it necessary to understand the situation thoroughly.
"Wait here," she said, nodding before quickly leaving the office.
The teachers in the office, busy grading assignments, kept their heads down but were clearly listening.
Liu Yazhen, wearing her high heels, approached Xuejiao and said, "Gu Xuejiao, what are you trying to do?"
Xuejiao's tone was flat, devoid of emotion. "I'm doing what Cheng Mingjiao knows I'm doing."
Both Li Sitong and Liu Yazhen instinctively looked at Cheng Mingjiao, who avoided their gaze.
Li Sitong appeared momentarily stunned. Did Xuejiao actually have something to say? Was there more to this than she initially thought?
"M-Mom, I'm fine... just forget it," Cheng Mingjiao said softly, lowering her head.
Liu Yazhen froze for a moment. Realizing what must have happened, she pieced it together in an instant: Cheng Mingjiao had provoked Xuejiao, and the latter had retaliated.
Before Liu Yazhen could respond, Yin Fang returned, bringing in a group of students.
Leading the group were three girls who had been close to the scene earlier, followed by two boys—one was the ever-smiling Xi Junyang, and the other was the rebellious Yi Tianyu.
When Liu Yazhen saw Yi Tianyu, her expression shifted slightly. "Young Master Yi?" she blurted out.
Li Sitong rarely participated in Cheng family business affairs, but Liu Yazhen often sought to make an impression. By attending events and social gatherings on behalf of the Cheng family, she had become familiar with some prominent figures, including the son of one of the city's wealthiest families, Yi Tianyu.
But Yi Tianyu didn't even spare her a glance. His gaze went straight to Xuejiao, and he immediately froze. "Did you get hit?"
Xuejiao didn't respond, but Yin Fang stepped in. "Alright, I've brought you all here to clarify what happened between Gu Xuejiao and Cheng Mingjiao. Can anyone explain?"
The group exchanged hesitant glances, unsure of who should speak first.
"Mingjiao has always been obedient and well-behaved," Liu Yazhen chimed in with a smile, attempting to steer the narrative. "Surely she wouldn't have hit Gu Xuejiao today, right?"
Her tone was practiced and polished, the kind that could easily sway an audience. But no one responded.
"No, she didn't hit her," Yi Tianyu said, raising his eyebrows.
Liu Yazhen's smile widened. She was already envisioning a scenario where the Yi family's heir defended her daughter. After all, how could he not be charmed by someone as smart and beautiful as Mingjiao?
Encouraged, she pressed on. "And Gu Xuejiao? Did she hit Mingjiao?"
"No," Yi Tianyu replied coolly. "Gu Xuejiao didn't hit Cheng Mingjiao."
"That's nonsense!" Liu Yazhen's voice rose sharply. "The teacher said so herself!"
Yi Tianyu maintained his smile. "I don't think so. Gu Xuejiao only grabbed Cheng Mingjiao's collar to stop her from speaking any further. As for the dirty words Cheng Mingjiao said... well, I accidentally knocked over a bench."
His tone remained light, but the room fell silent.
"Gu Xuejiao has small arms and no strength," he added. "How could she possibly 'hit' someone?"
Everyone in the office was momentarily stunned.
Yi Tianyu turned to the group of students. "Right, classmates? Isn't that what happened?"
"Yes," Xi Junyang nodded. "Gu Xuejiao didn't hit Cheng Mingjiao. I'm the class monitor, and I can testify that Gu Xuejiao has been studying diligently this past month and hasn't caused any trouble."
The other students nodded in agreement.
"Her scores have improved significantly. She went from barely passing to achieving full marks in some subjects. Clearly, she's been focused on her studies and hasn't had time to make trouble," Xi Junyang added.
Li Sitong's eyes widened in shock. Passed? Zizania passed?
Meanwhile, Yi Tianyu's gaze lingered on Xuejiao's face. Her fair skin was so delicate it resembled smooth tofu, but now it was marred by a vivid red palm print. His expression darkened.
"Cheng Mingjiao didn't hit Gu Xuejiao, and Gu Xuejiao didn't hit Cheng Mingjiao either," Yi Tianyu concluded. "But after saying such filthy things, Cheng Mingjiao deserved to be hit. The only reason she wasn't is that Gu Xuejiao is too weak to fight anyone. Tell me, classmates, if someone said those things to you, wouldn't you be angry?"
"Of course," Xi Junyang agreed immediately, and the other students nodded.
"What exactly did Mingjiao say?" Li Sitong asked hesitantly, guilt evident in her voice.
Yi Tianyu turned to Xuejiao, silently seeking her permission to reveal the details. Xuejiao, who had no intention of forgiving Cheng Mingjiao or shielding her, nodded slightly.
Yi Tianyu recounted the events clearly, with help from the other students. When they finished, Li Sitong staggered back, her gaze shifting to Cheng Mingjiao. "Is this... what you said about me?"
Cheng Mingjiao shrank behind Liu Yazhen, stammering, "N-no… no."
Liu Yazhen was at a loss for words. Though she wanted to defend her daughter, the students' testimony left no room for doubt.
"Sitong, this must be a misunderstanding," she said finally, forcing a smile. "Mingjiao is still young and may have said something in the heat of the moment. She didn't mean any harm—she respects you very much!"
"Sixteen is still considered a child?" Yi Tianyu muttered under his breath, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Li Sitong looked at Cheng Mingjiao, her face pale. "Mingjiao, is this really how you think of me and Xuejiao?"
Liu Yazhen quickly interjected, "We're all family. Let's resolve this privately."
Xuejiao's cold voice cut through the air. "Family? You just demanded that I be expelled a moment ago."
The students gasped, looking at Liu Yazhen in disbelief.
Yin Fang frowned but remained silent, her gaze shifting to Cheng Mingjiao. After all, Cheng Mingjiao ranked fifth in the class and was still improving—a strong contender for the college entrance exams.
After a moment's pause, Yin Fang declared, "Since you're all family, I won't say more. Both students will write a review of their actions and submit it to class tomorrow morning."
"Thank you, teacher!" Liu Yazhen said quickly, nudging Cheng Mingjiao, who wiped her tears and nodded silently.
Xuejiao didn't linger. She turned and walked out of the office, her steps heavy with frustration.
As she reached the school gate, Li Sitong caught up with her, guilt written all over her face. "Jiaojiao, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…"
Xuejiao stopped and turned to her, her voice quiet but firm. "Mom, are you really my mother?"
Li Sitong froze, her hands trembling. "I'm sorry…"
"You're my mother. If you don't trust me, who will?"
Xuejiao gently pulled her hand free and walked away. "I'm tired. I need to be alone for a while."
Xuejiao wandered the streets aimlessly, passing bustling shops and cheerful families. She felt like an outsider, disconnected from the world around her.
Stopping in front of a doll shop, she stared blankly at a panda plushie in the window, memories of her past life surfacing. She had thought this new life would offer her warmth and belonging. But now, everything felt hollow.
After a while, she walked to a nearby park and sat by the fountain. For half an hour, she held herself together. But eventually, she covered her face and let the tears fall.
When she finally stopped crying, a clean white handkerchief appeared in front of her. Looking up, she saw a familiar face offering it to her.