CHAPTER 52: CHAPTER 52: REFUSAL

Li Zuoxin almost thought he was hallucinating. Were these words really spoken by his two students?

In Li Zuoxin’s heart, he believed that a teacher’s responsibility was equivalent to that of a parent.

His authority and status even surpassed that of each student’s parents, and he was proud of this superiority.

Not everyone can become a teacher, after all.

Li Fengying came to the office today to complain, and Li Zuoxin wasn’t very concerned. However, he was aware of Li Fengying’s family situation because Li Fengying’s father, Li Qianjin, was well-known in the county. After all, he had met Li Qianjin several times when handling school matters at the education bureau and exchanged a few words with him.

Li Zuoxin had a plan for Li Fengying joining his class and intended to take this opportunity to cultivate Li Fengying well, to build a connection with Li Qianjin. If the relationship improved, he could rely on it if he faced obstacles in teacher evaluations in the future, finding someone familiar to speak on his behalf.

It’s at least a good thing. Otherwise, as a rural teacher, few people recognize him, and officials look down on him.

That’s why he planned to take advantage of this situation to properly discipline Gu Xiaoqing and Gu Juying. He didn’t know these two students very well, but it was said they came from ordinary families.

Nothing to make a fuss about.

It’s just a favor to be done.

If he could leave a good impression in front of Li Fengying’s father, would his evaluation this year be successful? Then he could be transferred to a county middle school. His wife and children were always in the county, but his teacher grade and qualifications were not enough, so they had been living apart. This summer, his wife had set a requirement: to be evaluated as an excellent teacher no matter what this time.

If successful, his wife could talk to the school principal to transfer his job. So, Li Zuoxin had mentally prepared himself to do this.

He chose to do this in front of the whole class to give face to Li Fengying’s father.

But what did this seemingly thin and small female student say just now?

Did his hearing have a problem?

It wasn’t just Li Zuoxin who was shocked; even Liu Xianghe, sitting in the third row, was astonished.

Looking at the thin, dark-skinned girl in front of him, Liu Xianghe firmly believed it was Gu Xiaoqing. He would never mistake her for someone else.

The coward who would shrink at loud sounds from others, lowering her eyes in fear, now seemed to have swallowed the heart of a lion, standing straight, looking directly at Teacher Li on the podium.

Is this still the Gu Xiaoqing he knew?

This was the coward from his second aunt’s family.

It’s like she became a completely different person.

Her courage had grown to even dare to confront a teacher.

What kind of audacity is this?

Liu Xianghe couldn’t understand because he often heard his second aunt talking about that family, saying they were incapable and pretended to be good. Whenever he went to Gu Family Village, even if he saw Gu Xiaoqing, he would pretend not to and not even greet her, just because of what his second aunt had said.

He also looked down on such people, people who only pretended to be good but had no skills.

Seeing his second aunt’s family, then looking at Gu Xiaoqing’s family, Liu Xianghe felt this was a living example.

Could this Gu Xiaoqing be the same one from Gu Family Village?

Li Zuoxin’s face turned dark, filled with seriousness and dissatisfaction as he had never encountered a student who dared to argue with a teacher.

"You, Gu Xiaoqing, what did you just say?"

This overbearing tone was a bare threat, challenging a teacher like him is courting death.

Believe it or not, he would call Gu Xiaoqing’s parents tomorrow and give them a harsh scolding, making them unable to lift their heads.

Unfortunately, this intimidation had no effect on Gu Xiaoqing at all.

With clear eyes and a determined expression, Gu Xiaoqing said, "Teacher Li, you judged us guilty without doing any investigation, just by listening to one side. We don’t accept this punishment; it’s unfair."

Gu Xiaoqing decided that she wouldn’t be a turtle, letting others trample over her. No one could do that, not even a teacher or her homeroom teacher.

Just because she wanted to attend school didn’t mean she had to endure unreasonable punishment, and Gu Xiaoqing believed that accepting the first time would result in endless harassment because people bully the weak.

At worst, she’d stop going to school. What else could happen?

She wouldn’t wrong herself with baseless accusations.

Li Zuoxin reassessed Gu Xiaoqing, eyeing her calm demeanor and strong insistence, feeling a bit uncertain.

Could it be that Gu Xiaoqing had some influential relatives backing her?

Impossible.

No such information had ever reached him.

His mind resolved that the child was just being defiant, not wanting to bear the blame.

Just a troublemaker, no problem.

He couldn’t believe he, a teacher, couldn’t handle a troublemaking student.

Li Zuoxin shouted sternly, "I said you were wrong, so you’re wrong. Why do you still have a say? Who do you think you are? Get out now."

Indeed, the students below were all terrified by Li Zuoxin’s roar.

A teacher’s authority is a student’s nightmare.

Gu Juying trembled, wanting to move her legs.

But she was held back by Gu Xiaoqing.

Gu Xiaoqing stared at Li Zuoxin, "Teacher Li, what you said is wrong. This is a new society, not the old one; everything has a reason. Just because you’re a teacher, it doesn’t mean whatever you say is right. Although I’m just a student, if a teacher plans to wrong me, I won’t accept it. If you refuse to verify the facts, I won’t hesitate to go to the principal or even appeal to the education bureau leaders."

This statement startled Li Zuoxin.

Appeal to the education bureau?

Whose child is this?

She knows the process better than he does. Who said she was just an ordinary child without background?

But having taught for so many years, Li Zuoxin wasn’t easily intimidated. He couldn’t possibly back down now, not in front of so many people.

If all the students knew he was biased towards Li Fengying, how could he face them later?

But it seemed impossible to settle this peacefully now.

The determination in this child’s eyes was formidable, and today he couldn’t escape this without giving an answer.

What to do?

How to solve this deadlock?