CHAPTER 301: CHAPTER 288: BEING INTIMIDATED ISN’T HER STYLE

Ma Xiyue forced a fake smile after listening to the gossip, and said sarcastically, "Oh, so this is Yu Xueguan? My fault, my fault...

Look at me... I personally invited someone, but I didn’t recognize them.

Why is Yu Xueguan dressed like this? I thought she was some family’s washing maid!"

Yu Xiaolian felt bitter inside, thinking how she even gave her an extra small mirror, and demanding its return!

What kind of person is this?

She hadn’t even said a word, yet she’d offended someone?

Yu Xiaolian made a long "oh" sound, "Miss Ma also invited a washing maid? A washing maid who can invite Miss Ma to lower herself to associate with must have some extraordinary qualities?

I wonder which household’s washing maid Miss Ma invited? Do I know her?"

Ma Xiyue frowned, her face full of displeasure; did this person not understand what she was saying?

How could a washing maid be worthy of being her friend?

Did she not realize she was being sarcastic to Yu Xiaolian, and she hadn’t picked up on it?

Is this what they call a brilliant female teacher? Is this the math genius everyone praises?

Just so-so!

A worthless reputation!

Ma Xiyue felt the urge to mock Yu Xiaolian, and maliciously said, "How could I have a washing maid as a friend? Washing maids and those who dress poorly, looking like washing maids, are not worthy of being my friend."

Yu Xiaolian cursed inwardly, ’MMP, are you disrespecting my face?’

So she didn’t need to be polite either, "Oh, so Miss Ma means to say I am not worthy of being your friend?"

Ma Xiyue slightly lifted her head, looking condescending, "If you say so, then yes!"

Yu Xiaolian put her hands on her hips, "Then why the hell did you send me an invitation? Were you just bored?

And you say I’m not worthy of being your friend? Do you think I care? There are plenty of people who want to be my friend; I really don’t care about someone like you.

Someone like you, holding a coming-of-age ceremony, hasn’t even learned the most basic manners, you should go back to your mother’s womb and restart!

I heard you just graduated from the Women’s Virtue Academy this fall, haven’t received your diploma yet?

In my opinion, you shouldn’t be issued a graduation certificate; when you’ve learned your manners, then we’ll talk."

Ma Xiyue was furious, "Ha... who do you think you are? Trying to threaten me with my diploma?

Bah, just a teacher from a non-mainstream academy!

Really think you’re a big deal?

Let me kindly remind you, my father is a seventh-ranked official, while you... are just a mere ninth grade!"

From Ma Xiyue’s words, Yu Xiaolian was sure, Ma Xiyue was merely ’mixing in’ at the Women’s Virtue Academy to earn a diploma. If she had studied seriously, she would’ve known that teachers can not only recommend one another but also suggest and cooperate with one another.

The dean of the Women’s Virtue Academy, as early as last year, was already her family’s agent for daily chemicals and skincare products, which was facilitated by Fu Zihan. By the end of last year, the dean had taken a commission of six hundred taels from Taotao Residence alone.

Yu Xiaolian was very certain, once she mentioned it to the dean, Ma Xiyue wouldn’t need her diploma anymore.

Moreover, this dean happens to be the half-sister of Princess Consort Huainan, and it’s likely County Magistrate Ma would not dare to offend them lightly.

"Is that so? Then let’s just give it a try!"

Ma Xiyue saw Yu Xiaolian brimming with confidence, feeling a bit panicked inside.

But thinking of herself as the daughter of a County Magistrate, how could she be bullied by a non-mainstream female teacher?

Just as she wanted someone to throw Yu Xiaolian out, her mother walked over swiftly.

The previously arrogant and angry Ma Xiyue immediately put on an extremely aggrieved face, preparing to complain to her mother.

"Mom~~"

"Slap~~"

Not waiting for her daughter to speak, Madam Ma slapped Ma Xiyue’s fair face.

Madam Ma didn’t hold back on the force of the slap, causing one side of Ma Xiyue’s face to swell.

"Apologize to Yu Xueguan!" Madam Ma commanded sharply.

Ma Xiyue covered her face, tears welling up, filled with disbelief.

Why was her mother siding with an outsider?

Her mom was so muddleheaded; today was her coming-of-age ceremony, and her mom slapped her in front of so many people. How could she continue to mix with the elite circle in Luocheng?

Ma Xiyue felt utterly embarrassed; she refused to apologize, "Mom, she’s just a lowly ninth-grade civil servant, without real power or salary. Why are you afraid of her?"

Her father was a seventh-ranked official and had dozens of people under him; her mom was just... too timid.

When they first arrived in Luocheng, she had warned her about the many powerful families, advising her not to offend them, which was understandable. But now, even a mere teacher without backing requires her to step back?

What was the point of being the daughter of a County Magistrate then?

Ma Xiyue felt completely aggrieved. Disregarding her mother’s widened eyes, she loudly shouted, "Someone, beat Yu Xiaolian out with sticks for me."

"Slap..."

Inevitably, Ma Xiyue got slapped again.

This slap was even harder than the last, the pain causing Ma Xiyue to gasp.

Ma Xiyue yelled in frustration, "Mom—"

Madam Ma instructed the maids to drag Ma Xiyue into the room.

Then, she walked over to Yu Xiaolian with a few steps and with a smiling face, said, "My little girl is young and a bit capricious. I apologize for the offenses caused, and I hope Yu Xueguan can forgive."

Yu Xiaolian responded with an "uh-huh," "She is indeed young, three years older than me.

County Magistrate Ma and Madame Ma have taught her well!"

Madam Ma’s face blushed with embarrassment.

But fearing that Ma Xiyue might really lose her diploma from the Women’s Virtue Academy, Madam Ma was compelled to grit her teeth and continue to apologize, "As for the diploma, I hope Yu Xueguan can be lenient, and not..."

Yu Xiaolian interrupted Madam Ma, "Whether Miss Ma is eligible to graduate still needs assessment by all the teachers; Madam Ma can rest assured that I won’t interfere in that."

Madam Ma was just about to express her gratitude when Ma Xiyue, like a madwoman, rushed out from the room, "Yu Xiaolian, since you dare to question me, dare you challenge me to a competition?

If I lose, I willingly forfeit my diploma from the Women’s Virtue Academy. If you lose, you’ll resign from both teaching and the Xueguan position, so as not to mislead the young students."

With Ma Xiyue’s challenge, if Yu Xiaolian didn’t accept, wouldn’t she look like a coward?

But that wasn’t Yu Xiaolian’s style, "Alright, what shall we compete in?"

Ma Xiyue ignored her mother who hurried back to stop her, and said loudly, "In two days, on the first of October, coincidentally, it’s the graduation assessment day at the Women’s Virtue Academy. On that day, all the examination items, we shall compete one by one, how about that?"

As soon as Ma Xiyue finished speaking, there was a burst of shock among the attendees. Feng Suyue whispered to her sister Feng Suyun, "Isn’t that a bit unfair to Yu Xueguan? Miss Ma studied chess, zither, calligraphy, and etiquette at the Women’s Virtue Academy for three years, but Yu Xueguan hasn’t learned those!"

Just as everyone thought Yu Xiaolian wouldn’t agree, surprisingly, Yu Xiaolian agreed, and she agreed very readily.

However, Yu Xiaolian added a condition, she didn’t have the time to compete one by one; she requested the competition be best of three, with each of the first two tests proposed by each participant, and the third test to be set by Dean Lu of the Women’s Virtue Academy.