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[Chapter 051] Bian JinYuan smiled and winked at him
The matter of Lu YunFei being falsely accused and scoring 101 in the retest, resulting in Zhang YanRong apologising to him, had already made the rounds in school. Those who had believed in him went to the discussion boards to get rid of false accusations, saying, “Where are all the people who were adamant about Lu YunFei cheating? Are your faces hurting?”
Yet there were also those who hated Lu YunFei and chose to fan the fire, “Who knows if he really scored 101, perhaps he got off easy.”
“The department head being lenient? I’ll give you a hundred to ask the department head to go easy on you too.”
The other party retorted, “Tch, how could I compare with Lu YunFei? Look at Lu YunFei’s family status, how could mine compare.”
“If Lu YunFei’s family was so great, why would they still allow you to generate rumours? Weirdo.”
“Can the naysayers just leave! Reading this makes me so annoyed! I’d like to say that Lu YunFei’s face-slapping of Zhang YanRong was so cathartic. Who doesn’t know about Zhang YanRong’s exorbitant prices for her lousy extracurricular tuition classes. If she weren’t untouchable because of her connections to the course teacher, who would want to take her classes.”
“Speaking of, Zhang YanRong is even the head of English.”
“Heh, isn’t it because she has someone backing her. She should have retired long ago given her teaching skills. Teacher Zhao is much better than her.”
“Let’s stop, the moderators will likely delete this thread in a short while.”
Everyone then stopped fanning the fire and changed the topic.
On the other side, the department head looked at Zhang YanRong and warned sternly, “I don’t care how you used to charge for your tuition care. From now on, you either put a stop to it, or you follow the general rates of other teachers. This was never something that was allowed under the school regulations. If the parents hadn’t requested for it, the school wouldn’t have allowed you to conduct tuition classes. Aren’t you afraid that Lu YunFei would put this online and generate more negative news from this.”
“I really didn’t, I
”
“Zhang YanRong, enough. It’s just you and me in this office, so you shouldn’t deny it. We both know that you’re capable of doing this. Furthermore, Lu YunFei has no reason to frame you. You should rectify this now that I have spoken to you about it. Otherwise, I’ll bring this up with the principal to speak to you about this.”
“I understand,” Zhang YanRong muttered.
“You can go back now. Take the time to reflect on how it would be better to spend your time preparing for class instead of ways to get more money.”
Zhang YanRong didn’t say anything in response, but she continued to stew in anger.
Lu YunFei and Bian JinYuan had hotpot with the rest as they complained about Zhang YanRong. After complaining, the mood lifted as they finished their drinks and headed back to the classroom.
That night, Lu YunFei placed the paper with the score of 98 on the coffee table at home, as arrogant as a peacock as he sat on the sofa to wait for his parents to praise him.
Father Lu was shocked, Mother Lu was pleasantly surprised.
Lu YunFei exclaimed proudly, “I did say that my deskmate is exceptionally talented, he was able to predict the questions accurately.”
Mother Lu was very pleased, “I’ll raise his pay!”
Lu YunFei’s eyes brightened, “Raise it more.”
At this point, mother Lu groused, “Look at you, Xiao Bian is so amazing as well as your classmate. How could you bear to pay him only a hundred per hour? If this got out, we’d be accused of being bullies.”
Lu YunFei felt that he was being accused unfairly, “I wanted to pay him more, but my deskmate is so upright that he didn’t want to accept.”
“That’s expected,” Father Lu nodded, “You’re still students. Nobody likes to talk about money during their student days, they think that it would come in between friendships. Especially for someone with such a well-rounded character, he would feel that his dignity would be in trouble if you were to pay him more.”
“Dad is right,” Lu YunFei said accedingly.
“In this case, Xiǎo Mǐn , when it’s new year’s, do remember to give a larger red packet to Xiao Bian.”
“Alright,” Mother Lu said laughingly.
“Give him a few ten thousand,” Lu YunFei suggested. This would help Bian JinYuan return the money to his second uncle and family, “We can take it that we’re paying him the normal rate and pay him in one lump sum over new year’s.”
“Sure,” Mother Lu looked at him, “Everything’s fine as long as you pass your English.”
The three of them chatted happily for a while. Lu YunFei noticed that it was almost 9pm and quickly bade his parents good night as he retired to his bedroom.
Bian JinYuan was sitting on the sofa organising Lu YunFei’s common English mistakes. Lu YunFei looked through the Tmall Genie’s eyes and quietly accompanied him, not forgetting to remind him to go to bed early. However, his urging wasn’t effective as usual. Bian JinYuan would simply tease him for a few sentences before resuming whatever he was doing.
Lu YunFei huffed in dissatisfaction. He suddenly realised that when he was in his body, Bian JinYuan was easy to get along with; when he was in a Tmall Genie, Bian JinYuan no longer listened to him. Tch, such double standards, teacher Bian.
Bian JinYuan stayed up till past 1am, finally completing his organisation of Lu YunFei’s common mistakes that he wanted him to memorise this week. The next morning, he handed them to him.
Lu YunFei received it, looked at the jam-packed English words, and promptly let his head fall onto the booklet. Bian JinYuan reminded him, “Tests will begin tomorrow.”
Lu YunFei felt as if his heart would shatter.
He was often touched by Bian JinYuan’s diligence, but was also paralysed with fear by his over-diligence.
The first morning class was English. Lu YunFei didn’t wish to listen to Zhang YanRong conduct class, so he started memorising the words that Bian JinYuan had organised for him. When he came across something he didn’t understand, he nudged the person beside him to explain it to him.
As Bian JinYuan prepared to open his mouth, Zhang YanRong’s angry voice could be heard, “Lu YunFei what are you doing?! Not paying attention in class and even talking during it, you must think that your grades are exceptional huh.”
Lu YunFei had no words to say to that. He had simply poked Bian JinYuan and signaled to the question with his eyes, he hadn’t spoken a word at all! Was she now addicted to framing him? Once was not enough, now it was another time!
Zhang YanRong looked at his disgruntled expression, her anger rising, “Don’t want to listen in class huh? Fine, leave. Go stand outside.”
Hearing this, Lu YunFei smiled sardonically and took his booklet as he stood up to leave the classroom. He would go, who was afraid of whom!
The class was silent, the students looking in askance at each other. The group chat was flurried with messages: What happened, was teacher Zhang doing this on purpose?
“Definitely on purpose. Teacher Zhang had accused Lu YunFei of cheating, but Lu YunFei had not only scored higher on the retest, he had also asked her to apologise. She’s probably taking revenge on Lu YunFei.”
“Ridiculous! She was the one who had wrongly accused Lu YunFei, yet she still wants to take revenge, is she crazy!”
As the class discussed, they heard a clear sliding sound as a chair was pushed away. Everyone looked over to find that Bian JinYuan had also stood up to head outside.
“Bian JinYuan, what are you doing, class is ongoing,” Zhang YanRong said coldly.
Bian JinYuan looked at her, his expression cool, “Didn’t you say to leave if we talked? Lu YunFei wasn’t talking to himself, he was talking to me. I naturally have to go outside.”
Saying this, Bian JinYuan walked down the steps and exited the classroom.
The group chat exploded, “Fuck, Bian JinYuan was too cool!”
“The study god is awesome! He’s too damn righteous!”
“Hahaha well done Zhang YanRong, I’m guessing that this is the first time Bian JinYuan has been punished to stand outside after so many years in school.”
“Sigh, why must teacher Zhang do that? Lu YunFei isn’t the sort to be petty. He didn’t say anything after coming back yesterday, so how could a teacher be so petty with a student.”
Sigh, everyone couldn’t help but sigh inwardly as they shared the same sentiment with the message.
Lu YunFei was standing firmly outside the classroom as he held his booklet up to memorise the words, when he heard footsteps approaching. In the next moment, he saw Bian JinYuan emerge to stand next to him.
Lu YunFei: ???
“Zhang YanRong also chased you out?”
Bian JinYuan shook his head.
“Then why are you out here?”
“Didn’t you have a question?” Bian JinYuan took the booklet over, “Is it this one?
“Wait wait wait wait,” Lu YunFei held onto him, “You wouldn’t come out just to explain this for me right?”
“Of course not.”
Lu YunFei breathed a sigh of relief.
But then he heard Bian JinYuan’s next words, “I’d still have come out even if I didn’t need to explain things for you.”
Lu YunFei: !!!
Lu YunFei looked at him in bafflement, but Bian JinYuan was calm, “If Zhang YanRong had punished me to stand outside, what would you have done?”
“Of course I’d accompany you,” Lu YunFei stated immediately.
Bian JinYuan smiled as he winked at him.
Lu YunFei understood, “You’re quite just.”
Having said that, he thought about the wink just now, “Do it again, that wink looked good.”
Bian JinYuan had thought that he would be in a bad mood after Zhang YanRong found trouble with him, but it looked like he had been overthinking. He cocked his head and smiled at Lu YunFei as he winked.
Lu YunFei felt as if a spring breeze had suddenly arrived and thousands of flowers blossomed. He looked at Bian JinYuan and couldn’t help but smile back at him.
Zhang YanRong hadn’t expected Bian JinYuan to disrespect her like this, talking back at her and even leaving. She suddenly felt overwhelmed by a rush of emotions and didn’t feel like teaching anymore, taunting, “Students nowadays are so amazing, you can’t reason with them anymore. It’s the bare minimum to pay attention in class, yet they’re talking and can even criticise teachers. How amazing.”
Li YuanQing heard her sarcastic tone and asked, “Teacher, could you continue the lesson?”
“Did I say that I wouldn’t continue? Teaching is only possible under the condition that everyone listens, otherwise who am I teaching to? If I don’t rectify the class discipline now, what’s the use of me teaching when someone else talks next time.”
“Alright,” Li YuanQing smiled, “How do you plan to rectify this?”
“Is this how you talk to a teacher? I see, you’re good friends with Lu YunFei. Why, are you trying to stand up for your friend?”
Li YuanQing scoffed, “How was that me standing up for my friend.”
As he said that, he stood up, “This is me standing up for my friend.”
And then, before anyone had time to react, Li YuanQing walked down the steps and towards the first row.
“Do whatever you want to rectify this, good luck,” He said, as he shifted his gaze away from Zhang YanRong to leave the classroom.
Lu YunFei saw that another person had come out of the classroom and asked, “It can’t be that you’re here to accompany me?”
“No, Zhang YanRong is inside going crazy.”