I Disagree

After savoring their shocked expressions for a few seconds, Wu Chen began packing up his equipment unhurriedly, putting each piece back in his bag.

Li Lan, Zhao Lei, and the others were thoroughly confused.

What graduate school recommendation?

Were they going to recommend both Yang Yuanjing and Min Xinrou for graduate school to put the matter to rest?

Even so, surely Wang Hongfa had no reason to react so strongly?

Of everyone present, only Jiang Nan knew that Wu Chen was talking about the improper relationship between Wang Hongfa and Liu Ping.

But she worried that since they believed even a video could be faked, they were even less likely to admit to an audio recording.

There was one thing she had overlooked, however.

All Yang Yuanjing needed was a graduate school recommendation, but Wang Hongfa had far more to consider.

Next year, the School of Information Engineering was going to merge with the School of Software to form the School of Computer Science, and Wang Hongfa still wanted to put his grand ambitions into action.

He did want to go after Wu Chen, but if doing so affected his career, the loss would outweigh the gain.

Most importantly, he didn't know how much evidence Wu Chen had.

Nor did he dare gamble.

After taking a deep breath, Wang Hongfa sobered up completely and regained his composure.

He decided to take a step back.

"It seems things are clear now. Teacher Wu was indeed falsely accused, and there's no need for us to keep debating whether the video is real. Let's reach a decision: Yang Yuanjing will receive a demerit and be placed on disciplinary probation. She will also publicly apologize to Teacher Wu and Min Xinrou. Does anyone have any objections?"

Li Lan and the others were utterly astonished.

Wasn't that punishment exactly what Wu Chen had proposed earlier?

And why had Wang Hongfa suddenly backed down?

They had worked with Wang Hongfa for years and knew he was stubborn as a mule. With his own people, he never let anyone off when he could help it; with outsiders, he was a textbook example of "I can't deal with foreigners, but I can certainly deal with you."

As for his asking whether anyone had objections...

There was no point asking, because he had absolute authority here.

Besides, according to the handbook, a demerit and disciplinary probation were appropriate punishments.

So Li Lan was the first to raise his hand in agreement.

The staff from the academic affairs office and the student affairs office also said they had no objections.

Everyone except Yang Yuanjing.

She wanted to say something, but one look from Wang Hongfa made her obediently shut her mouth.

"That's settled, then. The school will issue a notice tomorrow. You can discuss the details of the apology in private. If there are no problems..."

Wang Hongfa quickly summed things up.

He had to talk to Wu Chen as soon as possible and find out exactly how much material he had.

But before he could finish, Wu Chen interrupted him.

"I disagree."

Meeting everyone's shocked gazes, Wu Chen said calmly, "Yang Yuanjing must be expelled and publicly apologize. She also has to compensate Min Xinrou for her computer."

"What?"

Li Lan couldn't help wanting to rebuke him.

Expulsion was a major university-level disciplinary measure. The school couldn't decide on it alone; it could only be carried out after deliberation by the president's executive meeting, the university student affairs leadership group, and other bodies.

But before he could say anything, Wang Hongfa asked in a deep voice, "Do you realize expulsion will ruin a student's future?"

Wu Chen raised an eyebrow. "Yang Yuanjing's future can't be ruined, but Min Xinrou's can?"

Wang Hongfa said angrily, "I'm a teacher too. I wouldn't want to ruin a student's future!"

"Is that so?"

Wu Chen raised a hand and pointed at him with complete disregard for courtesy. "You can fool other people, but don't fool yourself."

"What nonsense are you-"

"Liu."

Wu Chen needed only one word to shut Wang Hongfa up.

The jowls on Wang Hongfa's face twitched, and he slumped back into his seat.

Wu Chen then said to the counselor, Zhang Wei, "You're unqualified as a counselor too. You also need to apologize."

"What did I do wrong?!"

Zhang Wei said indignantly.

"Didn't you know Yang Yuanjing was faking depression? Did you do anything when she broke Min Xinrou's computer? Do you do nothing when she leads others in bullying people? As an educator, your silence and favoritism are a crime!"

When Wu Chen finished, Zhang Wei was dumbstruck.

Min Xinrou also stood rooted to the spot.

There were things she had never even told Wu Chen, so how did he know them so well?

But Wu Chen couldn't be bothered with their reactions. He simply said coldly to Yang Yuanjing, "Apologize."

Yang Yuanjing, however, clenched her fists tightly and glared at Wu Chen, wishing she could tear him to pieces.

She wanted to say something, but after seeing Wang Hongfa's expression, she forcibly suppressed the urge to curse.

After taking several quick breaths, she said hoarsely, "Teacher Wu, I'm willing to apologize, but could you please not make me leave school? I... I still want to study hard and serve my country in the future..."

Wu Chen raised an eyebrow and said with the hint of a smile, "You don't still want a graduate school recommendation, do you?"

Yang Yuanjing swayed.

She didn't understand how Wu Chen knew about her deal with Wang Hongfa.

There would be plenty of time in the future...

Finally, Yang Yuanjing bit her lip, turned her gaze away from Wu Chen, and looked at Min Xinrou beside her.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lied. I sincerely apologize to Teacher Wu and Min Xinrou..."

Min Xinrou seemed not to have expected Yang Yuanjing to actually apologize.

Looking flustered, she tried to move away, but Wu Chen put a hand on her shoulder to keep her still. "She's apologized. Do you accept it or not?"

"I..."

Min Xinrou froze.

She was a sensitive person. Although Yang Yuanjing had hidden it well just now, Min Xinrou had still seen the malice in her eyes.

And Wang Hongfa, sitting farther away, made no attempt to hide his anger.

She was afraid of retaliation, afraid of being targeted...

"Speak."

Wu Chen interrupted her thoughts, forcing her to speak.

Looking into Wu Chen's calm eyes, she finally spoke in a trembling voice. "I... I accept her apology, but... but she still has to pay for my computer!"

She seemed to have summoned great resolve before voicing her demand.

Wu Chen nodded, turned to Wang Hongfa, and said, "Dean Wang, what do you think?"

Wang Hongfa slowly lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and said to Zhang Wei, "Yang Yuanjing will compensate her for the loss within three days. Zhang Wei, follow up and make sure it's done."

"Uh, okay."

Zhang Wei answered blankly.

Wang Hongfa continued, "As for expulsion, that has to be reported to the university. We can't make that decision."

Wu Chen said calmly, "All I want is the result. If I'm not satisfied, I'll tell everyone about everything that happened today."

He put special emphasis on "everything."

Wang Hongfa seemed to have understood.

The two looked at each other for a few seconds before Wang Hongfa finally looked away first.

"Fine."

Wu Chen didn't press the matter any further. He slung his packed schoolbag over his shoulder and beckoned to Jiang Nan and Min Xinrou.

"Let's go."

"Oh."

Jiang Nan responded and followed him. Min Xinrou glanced at Wang Hongfa once more before clutching her schoolbag and jogging after them.

Once outside the office, Jiang Nan and Min Xinrou both couldn't help taking a deep breath of fresh air.

Although they had only been spectators just now, the oppressive atmosphere had still made them instinctively slow their breathing.

Jiang Nan looked at Wu Chen and saw that he was expressionless, simply swiping away on his phone.

He looked like a cultured man, a world apart from the way he had pointed at Wang Hongfa's nose and berated him just now.

But when she recalled how he had joked with her with a completely straight face, Jiang Nan seemed able to bring the two different versions of him together again.

He was usually gentle, but when he needed to be tough, he really was tough. There was a bit of her father in him.

Without realizing it, Jiang Nan compared Wu Chen and Jiang Hongfa in her mind.

Min Xinrou, meanwhile, stared at Wu Chen blankly, seemingly still not recovered from the shock.

Wu Chen paid neither of them any attention. He simply took out his phone and made a call.

"Hello, President Xu... mm-hmm, yes, I've finished what I was doing. I'll come to your office right away... okay, okay. Thank you, President Xu. See you in a bit."

After hanging up, Wu Chen headed toward the administration building.

Min Xinrou stared blankly at his back.

Wu Chen hadn't backed down in the slightest before Dean Wang just now, but he had been exceedingly respectful to President Xu...

Was it because of her?

Wu Chen was clearly someone who feared neither power nor authority!

Min Xinrou gritted her teeth, hurried after Wu Chen, and stopped in front of him.

"Teacher, are you going to see the president because of the trouble I caused you?"