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nEditor: SimoB

nThe situation was extremely embarrassing.

nThe parents were even more uncomfortable. One turned to ask their son, “What’s going on? Didn’t you tell me he fights all the time?”

nThey only came because they thought some bad students were bullying their children. They even self-righteously chased them to the rooftop.

nThey were expecting to see a group of students maliciously beating other students up. They even had their phones ready to record.

nHowever, what greeted them was this harmonious scene.

nWhat were they supposed to do now?

nTheir delinquent sons were also at a loss.

nThey knew exactly what kind of person Shi Qing was. He had always been unbearably arrogant and out of control.

nTo put it nicely, he was the leader of a specific clique.

nTo be more blunt, he collected bad students like they were pokemon.

nHe lured them with his money or threatened them with his fists. Nothing was off-limits to him.

nBecause their own group didn’t fall in line behind him, Shi Qing often brought some lackeys to teach them a lesson when they cornered students and robbed them.

nThey managed to hold on until this guy had left to make a bigger name for himself at another school.

nBut what did they see?

nShi Qing was actually studying.

nThis was as unbelievable as aliens invading Earth, as Mars colliding with Saturn, and the big bad wolf falling in love with a little white rabbit.

nThe parents became anxious when they didn’t receive an answer, “Why aren’t you guys saying anything?”

nThe leader delinquent: “W-we don’t know what’s going on either…”

nIn the end, it was the homeroom teacher who broke the silence, coughing awkwardly after managing to squeeze through the crowd. He straightened his tie, which had migrated to his back as he was running over here.

n“Um. Hey Shi Qing, what are you guys doing? Studying?”

n“What else could we be doing.”

nThe good-looking school bully quirked an eyebrow and shook the book he was holding, “Or do you think we came here to eat books?”

n“How can you talk to your teacher like that?!” his homeroom teacher exclaimed. Zhuo Junli immediately pulled himself in front of Shi Qing.

nThe youth was as gentle and well-behaved as ever: “Don’t be angry, teacher. Shi Qing’s just scared because all of you suddenly barged in here by kicking down the door.”

nScared…

nThe homeroom teacher stared at Shi Qing’s ‘Laozi’s the best’ expression before turning to the completely straight-faced Zhuo Junli.

nThis kid’s so timid he thinks everyone else is timid too.

nHe had another coughing fit. “What kind of learning is this? Are you teaching them?”

n“Yeah.”

nThe top student warmly turned to look at Shi Qing.

n“Shi Qing and the others were worried that they wouldn’t be able to get into college with their current grades. They also knew that my family isn’t well off, so they offered me a job as their tutor.”

n“Other students were using the classrooms, and we’re a pretty big group, so we decided to come to the rooftop.”

nAs he rushed here, the homeroom teacher imagined the many ways this situation could play out, but not one of them was anything like what was happening now.

nHe coughed dryly. His throat was dying on him.

nHis voice was hoarse. “G-good. Very good. Your teacher is very happy that all of you are taking your education so seriously.”

nThe other teacher looked at Shi Qing’s group, the faintly smiling Zhuo Junli and the originally incensed parents that were now all silently deflating like leaky balloons. The teacher stepped forward.

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n“Please don’t be alarmed. This kind of learning environment is very common at our school. Bad students don’t need to be micromanaged by their teachers. They look for opportunities to improve on their own.”

nThen he pointed to Zhuo Junli. “See? They brought the number one student in their year to help them. Not only are they improving his life, they are also improving their own grades. How commendable!”

nTo sum it up: our school’s students are beyond impressive!

nYou wanted to find fault with our students, right?

nLook at the books in their hands! Look at the words on the little chalkboard! Where is the problem? Huh?!

nAfter seeing such a harmonious picture of ‘friendly communication and education’, the questioning parents and the pacifying teachers had their roles reversed.

nNow the parents were guilty and the teachers were righteous.

n“Could there be some kind of misunderstanding? Shi Qing might have poor grades, but he…um…”

nThe teacher wasn’t too familiar with Shi Qing either. Although he had heard about his powerful background and his group of lackeys and his rudeness to teachers…

n…He’s only heard bad things about this kid. As for Shi Qing’s merits…he has no idea.

nUnable to say anymore, he immediately looked to the homeroom teacher at his side.

nNo matter what, he was Shi Qing’s homeroom teacher. He had to have a better understanding of his student, right?

nThe homeroom teacher: “……”

n“…But he’s very sociable and enjoys being around and helping his classmates.”

nHe especially liked strutting into the cafeteria and cutting in line.

n“He also never brings his phone to class to secretly play with unlike some students.”

nAfter all, he didn’t try to hide that he was on his phone in the slightest.

n“He’s eager to help other students with carrying water and such.”

nIt went unsaid that he only did so while ‘courting’ Tong Xinyu, and that it was one of his lackeys who carried the water for her on his behalf.

n“And he’s also very…um…very…”

nThe homeroom teacher was all out of ideas.

nZhuo Junli very naturally picked up the torch, “He has a strong sense of justice. He was the one who saved me when I was robbed before.”

nThen the top student glanced behind his homeroom teacher. His eyes lit up as he pointed, “Teacher, they’re the ones who robbed me!”

nAll eyes quickly fell upon the delinquents, who had come to tattle.

nThe delinquents: “…”

nUnder the dangerous gazes of their parents, small beads of sweat began to gather on their foreheads.

n“That’s a lie! Mom, Dad, listen to me. We really didn’t rob him. He set us up! Really! He walked past us, then the money fell out, and then I went to pick it up, and then…”

nZhuo Junli added slowly, “They also robbed Tong Xinyu. Shi Qing rescued her as well.”

nThe delinquents: “……”

nThat one really happened…

nTheir leader tried to salvage the situation one last time. “Although that really happened, this guy’s lying about the other one!”

n“He’s clearly trying to screw us over with Shi Qing! This is entrapment!”

nShi Qing grinned widely as he stepped forward with a hand on Zhuo Junli’s shoulder. He lazily leaned on the youth while looking at these people with a raised eyebrow.

n“I have to say, you guys have been bullying younger students and extorting money from them after school, since before I transferred. Everyone knows about it. If I didn’t stop you all, you would probably have been expelled already.”

n“I didn’t think you guys would fall into old habits after I left. You even tried to smear my reputation after I stopped you again. How shameless.”

n“That’s right.” Zhuo Junli also frowned. He appeared as though he was trying to remain polite despite his disgust. “That $500 was from my part time job. How shameless do you guys have to be to snatch that money?”

n“Yeah.” Shi Qing played along and even rubbed his elbow. “My whole body aches from the fight yesterday. Especially my elbow.”

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nThe thugs who were like sitting ducks the entire time yesterday: “…”

nThey were already shocked beyond words.

nHow shameless were these two?!!

n“Liars! Mom, don’t look at me like that! I really didn’t rob this guy!!”

nShi Qing continued to lazily lean on Zhuo Junli.

n“Whether you did or not will become clear if someone goes to their school and asks for their disciplinary record. I could keep them in check before my transfer so they behaved themselves, but now they must be the same as before.”

n“And just to make it clear. You guys are old enough that if I call the police on you for robbery, you’ll go to juvie or at least to jail for a few days.”

nThe parents’ harsh gaze towards their sons intensified.

nThey knew their children were troublemakers.

nPlus the school they were in was notoriously messy, so it was quite possible that they didn’t learn well. But they had always thought that their children would only have bad grades or something.

nIt hadn’t really occurred to them that they had reached the point of robbing people.

nThe delinquents looked at their parents with more sweat on their foreheads.

nThey were trembling with fear. “Mom…Dad…you guys don’t really believe his bull**, do you?!”

n“We really didn’t rob that guy! It was Shi Qing! He worked together with this guy to set a trap for us!”

n“Tsk.”

nThe school bully looked disdainful. “I’m already tired enough from studying everyday. Who has time to play with you guys? Besides, accusing me is one thing, but Zhuo Junli? Everyone in our class knows that he’s always been a model student! He’s number one in our grade! You’re saying he set a trap for you? What a joke.”

nShi Qing’s lackeys chuckled at his comment.

n“Did you watch too many TV shows?”

n“I’m going to laugh to death from how ridiculous this is. He thinks he’s the emperor and everyone wants to assassinate him.”

n“Even if our Shi-ge had a bone to pick with you, he would just beat you up. Who’s bored enough to set a trap for you? What’s the point of doing that?”

nCough cough cough cough “Quiet. All of you be quiet.”

nTheir homeroom teacher noticed their words becoming more and more outrageous, so he stopped them preemptively and turned to the parents, whose faces had grown unsightly.

n“Ahem. So since we can’t settle this matter right now, why don’t you take your children back to their school and ask the teachers and classmates for more information. We can deal with this after we find out what happened.”

nIf they had heard these words before, these parents might’ve thought that Chang Yin High School was deliberately dragging their feet on this, but now…

nThey looked at Zhuo Junli.

nHe was white and clean, handsome but weak. He also looked very confident, speaking neither fast nor slow, yet remaining polite and clear. He looked at them without any hesitation.

nThis was, by all accounts, a good student who wouldn’t lie.

nThey looked at their own sons again.

nTheir faces were bruised, their bodies were dirty, their posture was slumped and there were even drawings made with ballpoint pens on their school uniforms.

nThey looked like uneducated and scummy scumbags.

nThe parents looked at Zhuo Junli, then at their children.

nThey looked at their children, and then at Zhuo Junli.

nThe delinquents gradually began to realize that something was wrong as their parents’ gaze grew increasingly disgusted with every swivel of their heads.

n“Mom! Dad! Things really aren’t like what you’re thinking!”

nShi Qing: “Their school isn’t far from here. Just go check and everything will become crystal clear.”

nThe delinquents: “……”

nShi Qing: “If they really are innocent, they should be fine, right?”

nThe delinquents: “………”

nShi Qing: “It’s not like we can run from here, so why don’t you come back when you figure things out.”

nThe parents were convinced.

nTheir faces were green and blue as they dragged their not-so-innocent children down the stairs, after saying goodbye to the teachers, all while their sons continued to protest their innocence.

nThat left a group of delinquents holding books on the rooftop, facing off against the teachers who had criticized them countless times in the past.

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