Chapter 42: What Should I Do? I Feel So Guilty
Although Qin Xing was a low-key tomboy at heart, she normally never stuck her nose into other people’s business.
The only reason she’d impulsively stood up today was because the transfer student, Su Keke, was someone her Fourth Uncle had specifically told her to look out for.
That cold, stone-faced Buddha of a man had actually taken the initiative to speak—there was no way she wouldn’t protect her.
The moment Qin Xing spoke up, her few little followers immediately chimed in.
“Yeah, Teacher Zhao, you can’t let something happen to the new student the moment she arrives, right?”
“Teacher Zhao, the students who sat there before either fell ill or got injured in accidents. That seat is really unlucky.”
Zhao Changxing grew annoyed when he heard this.
“A curse? Unlucky? I think you’ve been reading too many ghost stories! Getting sick is normal—how does that have anything to do with curses? What have you all been studying?”
He’d only temporarily seated the new student there. Since when did this bunch of little brats get a say?
But then, as if he suddenly thought of something, Zhao Changxing smiled. Nearly fifty years old and naturally refined with a scholar’s elegance, that smile instantly made him look kindly and approachable.
Zhao Changxing, the Chinese teacher and homeroom teacher, said, “Now that Qin Xing has mentioned it, I suddenly feel your seating arrangement really should be adjusted. So—”
He paused, smiling even more gently, “At the end of this month’s mock exam, everyone work a bit harder. We’ll rearrange seats based on the results. Top-ranking students can choose their own desk mates. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?”
Everyone: …
Damn it, Old Zhao!
Exciting my ass!
Qin Xing choked on her own saliva. “Teacher Zhao, please reconsider.”
Zhao Changxing replied, “If you do well, you can have the new student as your desk mate. Aren’t you all about loyalty? I’m just granting your wish.”
Then he looked at the class and said cheerfully, “I know your parents all have power and influence. If you think you can afford the embarrassment, whoever does poorly can go home crying to Mom and Dad and have them come complain to me—maybe even bring a little gift. Who knows, I might treat you differently.”
Hearing the teasing tone in Old Zhao’s voice, everyone felt utterly defeated.
What ‘little gift’? Everyone knew Old Zhao was famous for being strictly fair—no one could sway him.
It was said that years ago, back when Old Zhao was still Young Zhao, he’d offended a powerful parent by refusing to bend the rules and was fired. Later, for some unknown reason, the administration rehired him at a high salary.
From then on, Old Zhao became even more free-spirited. Backgrounds, power—none of it mattered to him.
Don’t like me? Fine. Fire me. Anyone else can be a teacher if they want. He didn’t need the money anyway.
In the end, Old Zhao made the final call, and the matter was settled.
As soon as he left, the classroom erupted.
“Qin Xing, this is all your fault for running your mouth!” a girl who never got along with her snapped.
Qin Xing rolled her eyes. “I’m showing concern for a classmate. How is that running my mouth? What, like you, Jiang Yueyue—blocking out the outside world and only reading the sages? Then why haven’t I ever seen you score that well? You get famous tutors every day—how come you’ve never beaten Luo Man even once?”
Luo Man, who was suddenly named, paused slightly, then continued reading with her head down.
“Qin Xing, you—!” Jiang Yueyue slammed the desk in anger.
Su Keke was a bit confused, not understanding how things had suddenly turned into a fight.
“Alright, alright, stop arguing!” the ignored math teacher finally spoke up. She was a young woman in her twenties and clearly didn’t have Old Zhao’s authority. After one sentence, the arguing continued anyway.
“I said stop! If you keep this up, I’m calling Teacher Zhao!” she warned with a stern face.
At the mention of Old Zhao’s name, the two rivals finally withdrew their hostile auras and sat back down.
The young math teacher finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“Now let’s begin class. Today we’ll be studying…”
Qin Xing glanced back at Su Keke.
An exam was just an exam. There were only seven or eight days left until the mock test anyway. Once she scored well, she’d make Su Keke her desk mate.
Her current desk mate, Zhao Kexin, whispered, “Qin Xing, you’re not planning to abandon me, are you?”
“Your grades aren’t that bad. Worst case, we just won’t be desk mates anymore.”
Zhao Kexin pouted. “You heartless scumbag, chasing the new and ditching the old.”
Su Keke took out the textbooks her uncle had prepared for her. The math book was brand new. She flipped to the page the teacher was talking about, glanced here and there, and felt like she was listening to a heavenly script.
This mock exam… she was probably going to rank dead last.
Unable to understand anything and left staring blankly, Su Keke suddenly sensed something after sitting there for a while. Her little face tightened, and her expression grew serious.
She lowered her head and looked at the desk in front of her.
This desk really was… strange.
As soon as the bell rang, a boy in front immediately turned around with a grin.
“Hi, new classmate. I’m Bao Chen, nickname ‘Mr. Know-It-All.’ May I ask you a few questions? Where did you go to school before? Anyone who can transfer in midway must have quite a family background. May I ask what your uncle does?”
Just as Su Keke was about to answer, a loud female voice cut in: “Hey, Mr. Know-It-All, why do you want to know everything? Why should she tell you such private things?”
Seeing that particular young lady, Bao Chen immediately executed a strategic retreat.
Qin Xing took over his seat and smiled as she extended her hand to Su Keke.
“Let’s get acquainted. I’m Qin Xing.”
Su Keke liked her a lot and smiled sweetly.
“Hello, I’m Su Keke.”
“Our dorm just happens to have an empty bed. Has your accommodation been arranged yet? If not, you can stay in the same room as me.”
“Does everyone have to live in the dorm?” Su Keke asked curiously. Her uncle and that board member uncle hadn’t mentioned it.
“Not really living there—more like a place to rest. Lunch breaks are too short to go back and forth. Some students do stay long-term, though—like Luo Man.”
She nodded toward the front.
“The quiet girl with the ponytail.”
Su Keke looked over and paused slightly, her eyes immediately lighting up.
That girl…
“She’s from another city. Back then she ranked first in the entire province and got a special slot. Super geniuses who get in purely on ability like that have all their fees waived. As for the rest—half are top students from local middle schools, and the other half…”
Qin Xing smacked her lips with disdain.
“Were stuffed in by their parents.”
Seeing Su Keke staring at her, Qin Xing quickly added, “Even though my parents have some influence, I got in on my own merits. I entered Class Three through my own ability—unlike certain people whose grades clearly aren’t enough but still insist on squeezing into Class One.”
She sighed dramatically and said in a deep, world-weary tone, “I really don’t get what’s so great about this lousy school. Sure, the food’s a bit better, the teachers stronger, and the environment nicer—but is that really worth it? The fees are ridiculous. Only families with money to burn think this place is good and try every possible way to shove their kids in.”
Thinking of how that board-member uncle had initially wanted to put her in Class One, Su Keke fell silent.
She seemed to be someone her uncle had… shoved in as well.
What should she do? She felt so guilty.
