C19 The Contract

The atmosphere among the parents quickly became subdued when they realized that the most significant shareholder of this prestigious school was none other than School Board Member Ma. His influence towered over every family in Lan City. None of them had ever met the School Board Member, and they certainly hadn't anticipated the honor of meeting him today.

With a click, the car door opened, and a man in his fifties emerged. He was dressed in a traditional suit and wore glasses. His deep, steady gaze conveyed a sense of calm authority. His stern face, however, made him seem unapproachable.

"School Board Member, you've arrived?" The principal approached him with a sycophantic smile.

From the moment School Board Member Ma stepped out of the car, his attention was fixed on a particular woman. Could it be that his vision was failing him today? Was it really her that he was seeing? He wondered if he was dreaming.

"School Board Member, your timing is impeccable. We have a parent here who has forged a contract, causing significant issues for the school. How should we handle this situation?" The principal followed closely behind him, eager for his intervention in this difficult matter.

"School Board Member Ma, your arrival is most fortuitous. It's this woman who forged the contract! Who would have thought that among the parents of Chongming Middle School students, we would find such a person?" Mrs. Guo pointed accusingly at Su Rann, her words sharp and biting.

"School Board Member Ma, this incident has nothing to do with the Lu family. The fault lies solely with her!" Lin Manyin quickly interjected, aware of School Board Member Ma's formidable reputation and anxious not to offend him. She was determined to distance herself from the accused woman.

Su Rann watched the man approach, her expression as impassive as ever. "Do you want the contract or not?" she asked, her voice tinged with nonchalance.

Without hesitation, School Board Member Ma took the contract, giving it only a cursory glance before cradling it in his hands as though it were a precious artifact. "Everyone has misunderstood. This is the genuine contract," he declared, each word deliberate. As he looked at Su Rann, a complex gleam flickered in his eyes.

"The genuine contract?" The crowd was dumbfounded. How could this be possible?

The principal rushed forward, "School Board Member Ma, how can this be authentic? Clearly..."

"Silence!" If they upset her today, they feared the repercussions would make their future in Lan City very difficult indeed.

Everyone exchanged glances, bewildered. With School Board Member Ma confirming the contract's authenticity, they held their tongues, not daring to object.

Lin Manyin was equally taken aback upon hearing School Board Member Ma's confirmation. She had come to witness this woman's embarrassment, to revel in her ridicule.

What stroke of fortune had Su Rann stumbled upon these past few days?

As School Board Member Ma declared the contract genuine, Mrs. Guo attempted to slip away unnoticed.

"Wait!" A chilly voice rang out.

"Mrs. Guo, have you forgotten the wager we made earlier?"

Su Rann's indifference wasn't due to a mild disposition; she simply found it beneath her to engage in petty squabbles.

"What wager? I don't recall discussing anything with you," Mrs. Guo retorted with a shrug, unwilling to concede.

As a distinguished lady of Lan City, the prospect of cleaning Chongming Middle School's restrooms for a month would be a disgrace to the Guo family's name. Now that School Board Member Ma had verified the contract, she couldn't deny it.

"Shall I jog your memory, Mrs. Guo?" Su Rann suggested, producing a pen.

"You—you recorded it? Very well, I'll honor the bet," Mrs. Guo conceded, careful not to misspeak in School Board Member Ma's presence, where she represented her family's reputation.

"Then let's begin today, Mrs. Guo! We're all eyes," Su Rann stated coolly, leaning against the car door.

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