However, looks can’t provide sustenance in school; they are merely extraneous. For girls, once out of school, looks might still be considered the best asset, but for boys, unless they rely on their appearance for their livelihood, looks are merely a highlight. Luo Qianqian would never voice such a sentiment.
After lunch break ended, Luo Qianqian returned to her class and noticed her classmates staring at her strangely.
She went back to her seat. Li Qi hadn’t returned yet, so she turned around to ask the two behind her what this was all about, what exactly had happened.
No sooner had she turned her head than Wang Wei jumped out from one side: "Seducing Class One wasn’t enough, you want to seduce the class president too?"
Luo Qianqian looked coldly across Wang Wei’s face, and he, frightened, his leg muscles twitching, quickly added, "It’s not just me who saw you flirting with Gu Yanzhi, why are you looking at me?"
"Keep talking." Luo Qianqian laughed angrily. In her past life, her first relationship began in college, and yet in this life, she was rumored to be involved at just nine years old? This was indeed a novelty, and she could surely get a laugh from telling it to her brother Xiao Yu.
"What should I say? Don’t think I’m afraid of you. Isn’t it just that you like Gu Yanzhi because he looks good and studies well, and you can’t let go of the class president because he’s rich, so you keep them both on the hook?" Wang Wei saw more and more onlookers gathering and felt a surge of excitement. "You kicked me last time, I must ruin you."
"Good imagination. If the class president wants to act in a play at the school celebration, this guy would make a decent scriptwriter." Luo Qianqian sneered, stood up, and said: "How much of ’propriety, justice, honesty, and honor’ have you learned? Slandering others, lying profusely, you’ve lost all sense of propriety; accusing others without investigation, disrespecting the innocent, and refusing to admit your errors when discovered, you’ve lost all honor. As for justice, I’d have to ask your friends about that, I’m not sure. Honesty? Whether you could even serve in office is questionable. You score low on all these counts!"
Seeing Wang Wei try to argue, she continued: "I wonder if you know the basic moral principle of ’the five constants’? I, Luo Qianqian, am going to enlighten you today, and I won’t even charge you tuition." Seeing Wang Wei’s unpleased expression, Luo Qianqian scoffed twice: "The five virtues are benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and fidelity,
Benevolence: A benevolent person possesses humane virtues. This is the conscience, which is natural law, intended to treat others as oneself would like to be treated. Thus, benevolence derives from communal life since one cannot exist in isolation. It fosters amicable and harmonious interactions, establishing oneself and respecting others, transforming feelings of lifelong compassion into acts of kindness and gentle generosity.
Righteousness: Appropriate actions or justice, which means acting suitably according to different circumstances and individuals. Do what is right and avoid the wrong. Recognize righteous thoughts and steer clear of undeserved wealth. Confucius said: ’The noble man comprehends what is just; the petty man comprehends profit. Wealth and rank attained through injustice are to me as fleeting clouds.’ Therefore, foster a sense of shame and an aura of stern justice.
Propriety: Etiquette, the method of offering and conducting oneself rightly in societal dealings. It incorporates the appropriate behavior and respect in various relationships and contexts, preventing violations and upholding human relations based on correctness, engendering a sense of respectful piety and dignity in one’s demeanor.
Wisdom: Knowledgeable in all matters, discerning right from wrong, straight from crooked, ethical from unethical, truth from falsehood—thus promoting a conscientious mindset and meticulous judgment.
Fidelity: Sincerity or faith, characterized by dependable speech. Today’s concept can be interpreted as understanding and applying ideas or theories appropriately. Fidelity juxtaposes knowledge against blind acceptance: Intelligence guides appropriate actions, while unknown truths are learned through others’ truthful discourse, following propriety to embrace benevolence. Thus, it’s said: ’To need faith is to lack righteousness.’ (Quoted from Baidu)"
"’Do not impose on others what you do not desire,’ you lack benevolence; devoid of a sense of shame, you’re unrighteous; handling affairs without due structure, utterly lacking in justice and respect, you are impolite; failing to distinguish right from wrong, you invert truth, so you lack wisdom; accepting hearsay as fact without proper scrutiny, you lack fidelity! You possess none of the virtues of the five constants, yet you dare to criticize me, who gave you such courage?" Luo Qianqian stood up and slammed the desk. "Even if I fall short, I at least understand benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and fidelity, kindness, respect, frugality, and humility, loyalty, filial piety, courage, and integrity. What do you know? Even at my worst, I wouldn’t concoct falsehoods to corrupt your character or distort the truth. Even at my worst, I’m just a nine-year-old child, yet to even be accused so harshly by someone much older than me, do you even know what it means ’to care for the old because they were once cared for and to care for the young because they will one day lead’?"
Luo Qianqian looked at Wang Wei, advancing step by step. When Li Qi returned, he saw several teachers outside the classroom and hurriedly grabbed Luo Qianqian, "Enough, don’t stoop to such a level, ha. Anyone with eyes can see who you are, and you’re not stupid. Why would you rely on others to understand a person instead of making contact yourself?"
"As the class monitor, it bothers me to see classmates behaving , but I just want to say, ’Luo Qianqian, you are so cool.’" Pei Yuhao didn’t even glance at Wang Wei’s displeased face, knowing him as he did from so many years at the same elementary school.
"Luo Qianqian, from now on, you’re my idol. Anyone who messes with you messes with me!" Sui Jiao, You Yong’s desk mate, also spoke up.
"To pollute a clear pond, remembering someone like you from junior high might just be the biggest mistake of my life!" Luo Qianqian finished speaking, turned her head, and sat down, catching Sun Xuan’s resentful gaze and cornering her lips as she mouthed, "The same goes for you."
Sun Xuan returned to her seat and sat down without responding to Luo Qianqian’s words, though her eyes betrayed her unwillingness.
"Luo Qianqian!" Wang Wei shouted loudly as he saw her sit down, pointing at Luo Qianqian.
"What do you want? I really dislike you, so if it’s nothing important, don’t talk to me. Don’t upset me." Luo Qianqian looked up at Wang Wei briefly before opening her book and bowing her head to study.
"That’s how it should be, what good face to show to such a person?" Li Qi nodded in agreement, "Monitor, the lunch break is over, aren’t you going to do something about the people still standing here?"
"Everyone, back to your seats." Pei Yuhao stood up and looked at Wang Wei, "Settle your issues privately, don’t overdo it, this isn’t your house, and you’re not your dad, public opinion doesn’t represent the facts."
Wang Wei returned to his seat resentfully, his gaze at Luo Qianqian filled with fierceness.
The self-study class finally arrived, and just as Luo Qianqian had expected, the people in her class weren’t very interested in the school anniversary; there were a few votes agreeing on chorus, poetry recital, and solo performances.
"Is there anyone in the class who wants to sing or dance solo? You can sign up as well," Pei Yuhao stood on the podium and conducted a class meeting with the arts committee member, Xia Qi.
"If you need accompaniment, you can also mention it, if there isn’t an original sound track our class has people who can do piano accompaniment," Xia Qi continued from where Pei Yuhao left off.
Piano accompaniment paired with chorus and poetry recitation isn’t that all decent? Luo Qianqian blinked her eyes, lowered her head, and continued reading. This had nothing to do with her, she just needed to follow the organizational arrangements.