Jiang Nian lashed out with the same good leg she had used to kick that cripple, slamming it into her desk. The desk skidded most of the way out of its spot with a piercing screech, giving Li Qing a nasty fright.
Seeing the open defiance on Jiang Nian's face, Li Qing gave her a smile that never reached her eyes. "Jiang Nian, what are you doing? Are you looking for a fight?"
Jiang Nian immediately put on a panicked expression and apologized to Li Qing:
"Ah, sorry, ma'am. Some dumbass startled me, and I accidentally kicked the desk. I'm really sorry."
Li Qing was furious at the way Jiang Nian stared straight at her.
"Who are you calling a dumbass?"
Jiang Nian looked utterly innocent. "Whoever answers!"
Li Qing slammed her hand on the lectern.
"Jiang Nian!"
Jiang Nian stood up with a grin.
"Right here~"
Li Qing was livid at Jiang Nian's shamelessness. She knew the Jiang Family wasn't to be trifled with, but she couldn't swallow this insult.
She took out her teaching pointer, pointed at the empty space in front of the lectern, and looked coldly at Jiang Nian. "Come here."
She clearly intended to get her revenge.
Jiang Nian shot Gao Wen, Song Jici, and the others a reassuring look to ease their worried expressions, then leisurely left her seat and walked forward with a smile.
"What, ma'am? Are you about to start using corporal punishment?"
Li Qing snorted coldly and waited until Jiang Nian stood in front of her before speaking. "Hold out your hand."
She was a teacher, after all. Surely the Jiang Family wouldn't come after her over a little discipline.
Seeing that Li Qing really intended to hit her, Jiang Nian said in surprise:
"Wow, ma'am, you're going to hit me?"
Li Qing tightened her grip on the pointer and sneered. "What? Am I not allowed to discipline my students?"
Jiang Nian said casually, "Of course you are."
But instead of holding out her hand, she turned to face the class.
"You all heard that, right? Our teacher said herself that she's going to use corporal punishment on me, didn't she?"
Tan Xuguang and the others led the response. "She did!"
Jiang Nian nodded in satisfaction. Ignoring Li Qing's livid face, she continued addressing everyone. "Then when the Principal gets here, make sure you tell him the truth, okay?"
Before the students could answer, Li Qing burst out angrily, "You're going to the Principal?"
Jiang Nian was going to get the Principal just because she wanted to give her a couple of smacks on the palm?
Jiang Nian turned back around with a beaming smile. "Yep! Go ahead and hit me, ma'am. Hurry up and finish so I can go get someone."
With that, she held out her palm and waited for Li Qing to strike.
But now Li Qing gripped the pointer tightly, hesitation creeping into her mind.
If I really hit her and she brings the Principal over, he'll definitely make life difficult for me.
Should I just give up, then?
No, absolutely not. Let him make life difficult. I don't believe Jiang Nian has that much pull!
Her gaze hardened, and she gripped the pointer, ready to bring it down hard.
But Jiang Nian swiftly pulled her hand back. Before the pointer even came down, she was already clutching her hand and crying out in pain.
Li Qing, who had struck nothing but air, was baffled.
Was she framing me?
"Ah! It hurts so much! You all saw that clearly, didn't you?"
Jiang Nian looked at her classmates through tear-filled eyes. Everyone held back their laughter as they watched her tell such a blatant lie, but no one exposed her. They all played along:
"We saw it! She hit you really hard!"
"Boohoo, Jiang Nian, does it hurt? You look like you're in so much pain!"
Seeing that she had done enough in the classroom, Jiang Nian suddenly darted outside, sobbing loudly as she ran.
"Help! Help! Ms. Li Qing is hitting students! Principal, save me!"
Her cries even drew students from Class 1 next door, who poked their heads out to watch the commotion.
"What's going on?"
Gao Wen and Liu Chaoshu watched Jiang Nian's outrageous antics with their jaws hanging open, while Tong Chuhe, Shen Hui, and the others merely stifled their laughter.
Li Qing was a little flustered, but remembering that she hadn't actually hit anyone calmed her somewhat.
"Quiet!"
She slammed her hand on the desk, trying to silence the class, but no one listened anymore. Everyone had their heads lowered, whispering among themselves.
She banged on the desk a few more times, but still no one listened. Just as she was about to storm off in anger, she saw Jiang Nian leading a whole crowd into the classroom.
The Principal, Jiang Nian's father, Song Jici's father, and a group of investors in the school...
Had she happened to run into the Principal while he was courting investors?
Faced with so many people, Li Qing tried to stay composed, but her voice trembled. "Principal..."
The Principal gave her a cold look.
"Be quiet! Ms. Li, school rules explicitly prohibit corporal punishment. Have you been ignoring those rules?"
He was trying to find people to fund a new Teaching Building, and now someone's daughter had been hit. What kind of rotten luck was this?
Li Qing hurriedly explained:
"Principal, I didn't hit her, I swear! She talked back to me, and I reprimanded her, then she ran out. I really didn't hit her! Look at her hand if you don't believe me. There isn't a mark on it!"
Jiang Father's face was full of anger. "Are you saying my daughter lied?"
He opened Jiang Nian's hand, revealing several red welts across her palm.
"And you still claim you didn't hit her?!"
Li Qing stared at the welts in disbelief.
"No... I didn't. I didn't hit her. I really didn't hit her. She did that herself!"
Jiang Nian watched Li Qing's expression with satisfaction. All that pleading with 88 had been worth it; 88 had finally agreed to draw those marks on her palm.
But her face remained full of hurt as she held Jiang Father's hand. "Dad, I'm fine. Don't be angry."
Song Jici's father watched the panicking Li Qing coldly, then asked his son, "Ji Ci, tell us what happened. Did she hit Nian?"
Song Jici put on a troubled expression and hesitated for a long time before speaking as though he had finally found the courage to reveal the truth. "She hit Nian. That's why Nian ran out."
The students chimed in, embellishing the story. In a panic, Li Qing looked toward Fu Zhenzhen. She doted on Fu Zhenzhen more than anyone. Surely Fu Zhenzhen would speak up for her!
But when Fu Zhenzhen met Li Qing's eyes, she merely looked away and pretended not to notice.
Seeing everyone side with Jiang Nian, Li Qing lost heart. To keep her job, she could only grit her teeth and admit fault.
"I'm sorry. It was my fault. The students got me so worked up today that I made this mistake. It won't happen again, Principal."
The Principal reprimanded her, told her to apologize to Jiang Nian, and warned her never to do anything like this again.
Jiang Father and Song Father still felt that wasn't enough, but Jiang Nian talked them down.
"Dad, Godfather, I'm fine. I believe our teacher will change after this. Right?"
With that, she looked at Li Qing with a bright smile.
With the Principal, Jiang Father, and the others staring her down, Li Qing could only grit her teeth and agree.
Li Qing apologized, and the Principal, Jiang Father, and the others prepared to resume their discussion about working together.
They patted Jiang Nian's head and offered a few comforting words, then all left together.
Once everyone had gone, Jiang Nian's expression turned cool again. She looked at Li Qing.
"Ma'am, may I go back to my seat?"
Li Qing answered expressionlessly, "Go ahead."
Jiang Nian glanced at Liu Chaoshu and Gao Wen, who were still standing, then asked Li Qing with smiling eyes:
"Ma'am, what about Gao Wen and Liu Chaoshu?"
Seeing the veiled threat in her eyes, Li Qing clenched her teeth so hard they nearly cracked and forced the words out of her throat:
"You don't need to stand anymore. Go back to your seats."
Jiang Nian nodded in satisfaction and started back toward her seat. As she passed Li Qing, she warned her quietly:
"Watch what you say and do. If you can't do your job as a teacher properly, then stop being one."
Before you continue