C12 Who Did You Say Was a Little Bastard??

Wood's brow furrowed with concern as he murmured, "Why haven't they come out yet? Could there be a problem?"

He hastened into the school and headed straight for the first-grade classroom.

The classroom was eerily deserted, devoid of any sign of Selena or Eldon, which sent a wave of unease through Wood.

Then, he heard two familiar voices from a nearby office.

It was Eldon and Selena.

Bursting through the door, Wood was met by Selena's tears.

"Daddy!" She leapt into his embrace, her cries filling the room.

Eldon came over, his clothes smeared with dirt and his face sporting several bruises.

The temperature in the room seemed to plummet. Wood inhaled deeply, reining in his anger to keep from scaring the children.

"Eldon, what's going on?" Wood asked, his voice strained with concern.

Selena, still trembling, spoke up. "Dad, some kids said I don't have a dad, but I do—you're right here."

"They picked a fight, and when one tried to hit me, brother defended me."

"The teacher said we shouldn't have fought and made us stay behind."

With her eyes brimming with tears, Selena relayed the ordeal.

Wood's tension eased slightly; it was just a squabble among children, nothing more serious.

At that moment, a male teacher with a stern demeanor approached.

"You're Eldon and Selena's father? Their conduct today was quite unacceptable," he stated sharply.

Eldon countered, "It was him—he kept saying we didn't have a dad and then tried to hit my sister. We did nothing wrong."

The teacher's face grew stern. "No matter the circumstances, hitting is wrong. You're here to learn from this."

He turned to Wood. "I suggest you pay closer attention to your children's education at home. Their moral development is crucial and shouldn't be overlooked due to a busy work schedule."

Wood's gaze swept the office, noting the absence of the other child involved.

"Where is the other student?" he asked.

"The other child is resting in the infirmary, and we've informed his parents. Since you're here to collect your children, it would be best for the parents to discuss the matter," the teacher explained.

Wood's expression hardened. "Why are my children waiting here while the other is allowed to rest? Shouldn't the same rules apply to everyone?"

The male teacher's face tensed as he spoke. "The other child has sustained more serious injuries, but that's not the main concern here. The issue at hand is your son's aggression. Learning to be violent at such a young age could lead to significant problems later in life."

"And may I ask your name, sir? Where are you employed?"

Wood responded with a hint of detachment, "Wood. I'm currently between jobs."

"Well, Mr. Wood, being unemployed means you should have more time to spend with your child, to address these issues of character," the teacher advised.

Eldon's cheeks reddened with frustration. "I barely touched him, and Liu Xing fell on his own. Why are we being blamed?"

Selena's face was the picture of innocence wronged. "It's not fair that you're pinning all the blame on us, Teacher."

Wood's face clouded over. "Don't you think you owe me an explanation for this unfair treatment?"

The teacher's expression flickered with panic. "Eldon, don't you think you should show some remorse?"

"Why should I apologize when I've done nothing wrong?" Eldon stood tall.

"That's my boy," Wood praised. "If he's not at fault, there's no need for an apology."

"Nonsense! Your child assaults someone and you think he's justified? Who's saying there's no mistake here?"

Wood's words were cut off by an angry roar from outside the office.

Bang!

The door burst open, and a stout middle-aged woman barged in, a chubby boy in tow.

"Ms. Liu, I'm terribly sorry to have troubled you at this hour," the teacher said, his attitude flipping a full 180 degrees as he rushed to greet her with a forced smile.

"Teacher Zhou, what kind of instruction are you providing? Look at the state my Liu Xing is in! Do you even care about your job?" The woman berated him, pointing accusatorily.

Teacher Zhou was all nods and bows. "My deepest apologies, Ms. Liu. This happened on my watch; it's my fault."

"Eldon, Selena, apologize to Liu Xing right now."

Eldon's face was etched with defiance. "I'm not in the wrong. Why should I apologize?"

"Liu Xing called us 'fatherless' and 'unwanted.' I only pushed him because I was angry, not expecting him to fall and start crying."

The woman's gaze fell on Eldon, filled with disdain. "Is this the little troublemaker who hit my dear son?"

"Your precious Liu Xing wouldn't lie? Now who's spouting nonsense?"

"Get on your knees and apologize to my precious Liu Xing, and we can let this whole thing go. Otherwise, don't blame me for not being nice."

"Oh? And how exactly do you intend to not be nice?" Wood stepped forward, his face cold, as he protectively moved Eldon behind him.

The male teacher's face showed dissatisfaction. "Mr. Ochoa, this whole incident is Eldon's fault. Ms. Liu's request is perfectly reasonable, you..."

"Shut up! What gives you the right to teach, behaving like this? Step aside," Wood snapped coldly.

He was now thoroughly disillusioned with the school, contemplating whether it was time for a transfer.

The best aristocratic school in Vriayledo, and it harbors such a disgraceful teacher? If he hadn't come today, Selena and Eldon might have suffered untold indignities.

With this thought, Wood's anger was kindled.

"Quite the attitude you've got there. Who do you think you are, looking so shabby, and yet you send your kids to Huan'an Academy?" The plump woman looked Wood up and down, her eyes filled with scorn.

She couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. "You look like you can barely afford the tuition."

She sneered again. "These days, too many people don't know their place. They don't weigh their own worth, yet they send their kids to a noble school without considering if they can even afford it."

"I'm telling you, your two little mongrels hit my son, and they must kneel and apologize today."

"Otherwise, I'll make sure you don't walk out of this school's gates..."

Slap!

A resounding slap cut the fat woman's words short, reverberating through the entire office.

Wood stepped forward, a terrifying intent swirling around him, as the temperature in the office plummeted.

"Who did you just call little mongrels?"