The principal’s expression had already soured after hearing Wang Jingjing and Zhao Xinlan’s complaints, and Li Qiumei’s remarks were like pouring oil on the fire, causing his face to darken immediately.
"So what do you suggest we do?"
Thinking the principal was angry because Shen Mianmian had deceived him, Li Qiumei was happy to devise a plan, "Since the big boss from the city has left, naturally we shouldn’t disturb him anymore, to avoid negatively impacting the school. We simply expel Shen Mianmian and give her spot to a student in need." Thıs text ıs hosted at 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹·𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲·𝗻𝗲𝘁
Before the principal could speak, she added, "I think Wang Hao from the first-year class comes from poor family conditions, he would be a suitable candidate."
Li Qiumei failed to realize that she was overstepping her bounds; the previous allocation of fifty spots, aside from Shen Mianmian’s, were personally investigated and decided upon by the principal, the vice-principal, and two other senior teachers.
They had not lightly decided whom to give the spots to, as Li Qiumei did.
Furthermore, if he wasn’t mistaken, this Wang Hao was the son of Li Qiumei’s cousin, wasn’t he?
In situations like these, to ensure fairness, everyone would dare not prioritize their own relatives first. Yet, Li Qiumei had the audacity to claim someone else’s spot for her cousin’s child.
Everyone was thinking to themselves how Li Qiumei was becoming increasingly outrageous.
The few teachers who knew that Shen Mianmian was a pre-selected candidate were snickering to themselves; Li Qiumei had really hit a snag this time.
Shen Mianmian had made the principal proud and could be considered a favorite in his eyes. Everyone could see it except for Li Qiumei, who was presumptuously trying to deceive the principal with her flattery, as if that would ever be effective.
The principal, driven to the utmost anger, instead calmed down and asked, "Li Teacher, you’ve been teaching for about seven or eight years now, haven’t you?"
Was the principal asking this to commend her?
Li Qiumei was overjoyed, "This year makes it exactly eight and a half years, which rounds up to nine years."
The principal repeated meaningfully as if weighing something in his mind.
"Principal, I’ve been teaching at this school for so many years, always diligent, never taken a day off. Although I have been a bit strict with the students, it’s all for their good. Not to brag, but there’s no teacher in the school as dedicated as I am. I even timed childbearing during the summer vacation, unlike Teacher Liu, who took a whole month off just for a broken leg..."
Li Qiumei, who didn’t really interact with other teachers and was focused on her own interests, didn’t care whether other teachers were present or not, she seized any opportunity to belittle others to highlight her own dedication.
She was completely oblivious to the expressions of the other teachers and the principal.
Once she had finished her speech, the principal snorted coldly, "You have indeed performed well. In another two or three years, both the vice-principal and I might have to make way for you."
Li Qiumei was taken aback, her mouth agape. It was only then that she finally realized—belatedly—that the principal’s words were not in praise of her, but were clearly a reprimand. Yet, after pondering for a moment, she couldn’t think of anything she had done wrong.
The principal didn’t give Li Qiumei a chance to explain herself and continued to rebuke her, "A teacher whose heart isn’t in teaching, who’s always targeting students, gossiping about this and that, just like a blabbermouth, how can you serve as a role model for students?"
This was the first time he had openly chastised Li Qiumei in front of so many people, without leaving her any face.
It was evident that his anger had reached a breaking point.
"Principal, how can you compare me to those uneducated women?" Li Qiumei felt an extreme sense of humiliation, her eyes instantly reddening. If it hadn’t been the principal who made the comment, she would have already lunged forward to rip the person’s mouth apart.