Leave Request

Fan Jian stepped out of the crowd and jumped in front of Chu Bai.

"What are you doing? You're a lousy student, a piece of trash. Was everyone wrong to say that? You look like you want to hit someone. Go on, try it. Your grandpa is standing right here for you to hit. I bet you, you little brat, don't dare lay a finger on me!"

The injuries on Fan Jian's face had not fully healed yet, and some spots were still bruised purple and blue. Combined with his arrogant words, he looked utterly punchable.

Chu Bai clenched his fists.

"Brat, I'm letting you hit me. Why don't you dare now? Hit me, then! Come on, hit me! Come on, come on!"

Fan Jian refused to let it go. He craned his neck and stuck out his face, practically begging to be hit. That expression was infuriatingly obnoxious.

Hot-tempered Chu Bai finally could not endure it any longer and slapped Fan Jian across the face.

That slap felt incredibly satisfying.

But Chu Bai regretted it a little afterward.

Fan Jian had clearly been trying to provoke him on purpose.

Sure enough, after taking the slap, Fan Jian immediately turned around to go complain.

However, the moment Fan Jian stepped out of the classroom, he turned around and came back inside.

An old man entered the classroom along with Fan Jian.

It was the Old Principal.

Seeing this, Chu Bai's worry turned to delight, and he immediately greeted the Old Principal.

Many of the surrounding students did not recognize the principal, but after hearing Chu Bai greet him, they immediately understood the old man's identity.

The students followed Chu Bai's example and politely greeted the principal.

The Old Principal smiled and nodded at the students, then turned his gaze to Chu Bai and Fan Jian.

"I heard what happened just now from outside the classroom. You two are classmates. Being able to meet is fate, and classmates should understand and care for each other."

The Old Principal launched into a long lecture, constantly trying to instill his ideas in everyone.

The surrounding students listened in a daze, nodding from time to time as they felt the Old Principal made sense.

But Wang Haoran understood the situation perfectly.

He knew the Old Principal intended to help Chu Bai resolve this matter.

Just as Wang Haoran had guessed, after saying all that, the Old Principal merely criticized Chu Bai a few times without giving him any punishment.

The slap Fan Jian received had basically been given to Chu Bai for free.

Wang Haoran finally understood that this Old Principal was likely an important supporting character in the protagonist's camp.

And he was the kind of supporting character who provided the protagonist with enormous help.

In countless web novels, such supporting characters were extremely disadvantageous to villains.

They often turned the tables, helped the protagonist make a comeback, and drove the villain into a difficult situation.

Looks like I need to figure out a way to deal with this important supporting character. I can't let him keep helping Chu Bai like this. Wang Haoran silently pondered.

After mediating the conflict, the Old Principal took advantage of the break to speak with Chu Bai alone.

On the School Field, the Old Principal walked with Chu Bai as he tried to counsel him.

"The mock exam is over. Whether you performed well or poorly does not matter. The most important thing is the college entrance examination. That is when your true ability will be shown."

"The Principal is right." Chu Bai nodded heavily, and his mood immediately improved somewhat.

Although he had performed poorly on this mock exam, he still had a chance.

He just needed to "perform" well during the college entrance examination.

After all, it was impossible for him to encounter someone like Xin Liangcai during the college entrance examination.

The proctors for the college entrance examination were all from other schools or teachers transferred in from elsewhere.

During the college entrance examination, examinees and proctors did not know one another in order to eliminate cheating.

Even if he happened to encounter one, Chu Bai was not afraid.

The nature of the college entrance examination was different. It determined an examinee's future prospects. If a proctor really sat beside him and watched him closely—

Chu Bai could complain to the roaming examiner that the other party was affecting his test-taking.

That way, Chu Bai would be able to "perform" very well.

Getting into a first-tier university would be a sure thing, and even a key university was entirely possible.

"You look like you're fine now. Go back to class," the Old Principal said to Chu Bai.

"Principal, I have a small request. I hope you'll agree to it."

"Go ahead," the Principal said with a smile.

"When I had dinner at your home last night, you happened to mention that you were going to a friend's place this afternoon to play Gambling Stones."

"You want to go too?"

"Don't let my age fool you. I learned the true essence of this craft from a legendary Gambling Stones expert. Nine out of ten times, I make a profit!"

"This..."

"Principal, please take me with you. My family is not well-off, and my parents work very hard. I want to earn some money too, so I can help ease their burden." Chu Bai played the emotional card.

"What a filial child."

Seeing Chu Bai speak with such certainty and seemingly not lie, the Old Principal said, "Go ask your homeroom teacher for leave."

"Our homeroom teacher is not easy to communicate with, so I'll have to ask you to help me out, Principal." Chu Bai gave an honest-looking smile.

Although Song Zhenyu had not made Wen Jing's matter public last time, she was definitely still angry about it.

Chu Bai did not dare ask Song Zhenyu for leave. He would definitely get scolded, and she would not approve it anyway.

That afternoon.

Wang Haoran found a quiet place and made a phone call.

He was calling his nominal mother.

Because Wang Haoran remembered that his nominal mother had once said, "Our family has connections. At school, you can bully whoever you want."

Although Wang Haoran did not know exactly what those so-called connections were—

He could be certain they were no simple matter.

The phone rang for quite a while, but no one answered.

Afterward, Wang Haoran called several more times, but the result was still the same.

According to his nominal mother's schedule, she should have been busy at the company at this hour.

Wang Haoran gave up calling and prepared to visit his nominal mother's company.

After all, this matter was not easy to explain over the phone. Even if he got through, they would still need to discuss it in person.

Wang Haoran arrived at the office.

Song Zhenyu had stayed up until past four in the morning grading English papers yesterday. She was exhausted today, so during the lunch break, she rested against her desk for a short nap.

There was no one else in the office at the moment. Wang Haoran's heart stirred, and he suddenly leaned close to Song Zhenyu's ear and softly sang that song, "The One I Love Is You": "I pull you tightly into my arms."

"I hold you in the palm of my hand."

"Who told me that the one I truly love is you?"

"In the Pure World of Love."

"You are my Wei Yi."

"Never, ever doubt it."

Song Zhenyu was a light sleeper. Hearing the familiar singing by her ear, she drowsily opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was the handsome face of a young man.

Song Zhenyu unconsciously smiled.

Ding, the host has stirred the heart of Song Zhenyu, one of the Female Leads, and obtained 200 Villain Points.

"I know you sing well, but did you have to come all the way to the office to sing? I'm really sleepy."

Song Zhenyu had been awakened, yet she did not get angry. Instead, she spoke very gently.

"Sister Zhenyu, I want to take the afternoon off. Could you approve my leave?" Wang Haoran handed over a leave slip and a pen.

"Why is there another person asking for leave?" Song Zhenyu casually asked.

"Who else asked for leave?"

"Chu Bai." Song Zhenyu was clearly a little unhappy when she said those two words.

She originally did not want to approve Chu Bai's leave, but Chu Bai had brought up the Principal.

Song Zhenyu had no choice but to give him face.

Why was Chu Bai asking for leave? Wang Haoran was somewhat puzzled, but this was not the time to think about that.

He pointed at the leave slip.

"Sister Zhenyu, help me out."

Song Zhenyu did not even ask for the reason and readily signed the leave slip.

In her eyes, a top student like Wang Haoran would only ask for leave if he had something especially important to do.

That was enough. There was no need to ask so many questions.