C17 17

Pei Na stood rooted to the spot, her mind reeling with a loud buzz. Behind her, the scorn and mockery of her classmates relentlessly invaded her ears. "Pei Na is so vile, accusing others when she's the guilty one!" "Exactly. I've always said Tong Qing is too pretty to stoop to such lowly acts." "Pfft. That's hindsight for you!" "Hindsight? I'm just telling it like it is." "Hold on. Did you all forget something? Didn't the principal just say Tong Qing is his niece? So her master must be the renowned Tao Qiming, right?" From a thief in the slums to a revered teacher's prized pupil, this twist had everyone looking at Tong Qing with a mix of envy and jealousy. Consequently, the stinging remarks became increasingly directed at Pei Na. Unable to bear it any longer, Pei Na shot Tong Qing a spiteful look, then fled the classroom with her face in her hands. Tong Nianyu watched her leave and called out urgently, "Na!" Pei Na ignored her, and Pei Zhiru hurried after her. The principal approached Tong Qing and said, "Today's incident nearly caused you undue distress. I apologize for my oversight. Should anything like this happen again, come straight to me. I'll stand up for you." His voice was soft yet carried a warning to every student in the room. Tong Qing nodded and replied, "Thank you, Principal." "Thank me? Your mentor has finally entrusted his favorite disciple to my care. I can't disappoint him. Besides, having you choose Jiangcheng University is our privilege." A privilege? What kind of student could make a principal speak so highly of them? The students began to speculate once more. Did Tong Qing pull strings, or did she genuinely have the talent? The classroom buzzed with speculation until the principal intervened, "Let's put an end to this matter now. Continue with the lesson." Then, turning to Fu Chijing, he added, "Mr. Fu, since you've come all this way, why not join me in my office for a cup of tea before you go?" Fu Chijing cast a meaningful glance at Tong Qing. Tong Qing's heart skipped a beat as she locked eyes with him. His deep gaze seemed to pull her in, enveloping her completely. "Cough." Her cheeks warmed slightly. She cleared her throat, feigning nonchalance, and returned to her seat.

Fu Chijing subtly curled his lips, withdrew his gaze, and gave the principal a nod. The principal, eager to please, quickly ushered him into his office. The relationship between Tong Qing and Fu Chijing was unknown to the onlookers, who missed their exchanged glances. Tong Nianyu, however, saw everything clearly. The thought of Pei Na, who had been expelled, made her clench her teeth in frustration. "Sister," Tong Nianyu halted in front of Tong Qing, her voice tinged with emotion. "What Na did today was wrong, but you didn't have to get her expelled." Tong Qing gave her a sidelong glance, silently observing her performance. When Tong Qing remained silent, Tong Nianyu sniffled and persisted. "Sister, I'm begging you. Let's go to the principal and ask him to forgive Na just this once, okay?" At that, Tong Qing couldn't suppress a laugh. "Why should I?" Pei Na had framed her, and now she was expected to plead for her? "Everyone is classmates here. Don't hold grudges." "I'm sorry," Tong Qing said with a benign smile, "but someone who's been expelled from Jiangcheng University hardly qualifies as my classmate anymore." Tong Nianyu, desperate, stamped her foot. "Sister!" "Be quiet. I don't want to hear 'sister' from you again," Tong Qing said, her gaze turning icy as she enunciated each word. "You don't deserve it." "And if you're so concerned about her, why didn't you speak up earlier instead of waiting to put on this show after she's gone?" At her words, Tong Nianyu's face drained of color. Tears silently traced her cheeks. She looked at Tong Qing as if she were the villain, heartless and unfeeling. Her response also turned the tide of jealousy among the classmates against Tong Qing. "What kind of person does that? The school beauty humbled herself to ask for mercy, and not only does she not appreciate it, but she's also cold and dismissive. That's just too much." "She claims to be a disciple of Prof. Tao, but I bet she's just coasting on her looks. She's got that sly fox vibe." "Shh. Didn't you just hear what the principal said? If Tong Qing reports us to the principal, we're going to be in deep trouble."

"Fine, don't talk about it then. She's just a connected insider, acting all high and mighty."

Despite the blatant mockery and insults, Tong Qing's expression did not change. She nudged Tong Nianyu, who was putting on a show of sorrow in front of her, and said, "Are you finished crying? If you are, move aside. You're blocking my view of the blackboard."

Tong Nianyu paused, then cried even harder. She still did not say a word. She returned to her seat and buried her face in her arms on the desk, as if trying to hide her heartbreak from prying eyes. From a corner of the classroom, Su Cheng watched the scene unfold, his sharp gaze lingering on Tong Qing. Tong Qing put on her headphones and glanced down at the lit screen. Mr. Fu: Meet me in Garage 1 after school. The message lifted Tong Qing's mood.

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