Comparison

"I refuse." Hesta answered crisply. "Let's go upstairs. It's freezing down here."

"...Wait!" Ding Jiali hurried around to stand in front of Hesta. "Why would you refuse? It won't do you any good if this keeps escalating."

"I don't want any benefits. I want his public apology."

"So what if he apologizes? Aren't you just sulking?"

Seeing that Hesta was about to leave, Ding Jiali darted back and forth, blocking her way.

"The old man's spent his whole life at the school. There's nothing much wrong with him except that he's thin-skinned. There's really no need to keep making a fuss over this. If you give him a way out, won't both sides be able to back down?"

Ding Jiali's incessant chatter irritated Hesta immensely. She felt that no matter what she said, Ding Jiali would throw it right back unchanged. After two or three such exchanges, Hesta stopped speaking and simply let him continue lecturing beside her, responding only with "Mm," "True," and "That makes sense."

Ding Jiali talked until his mouth was dry, but seeing that Hesta appeared to have taken much of it in, he felt somewhat relieved.

"Then it's settled," Ding Jiali said. "Tomorrow, go see the Principal and tell her you're satisfied with the investigation results. You and Teacher Zuo can settle the rest privately—"

"I refuse." Hesta looked at him. "Let's go upstairs. It really is cold down here."

Ding Jiali stood frozen for a moment. When he saw Hesta truly turn and leave, an inexplicable rage flared up inside him.

"Hesta! Aren't you being a little excessive? I can't even figure out what Teacher Zuo did to make you hate him so much! Did he hold back your grades so you couldn't graduate, or drag you into his bed? He's a perfectly decent