Lingguang No.1 Middle School, office.
The class teacher looked at the three students in front of her and felt as if she had aged five or six years since taking on this grade.
"The reason I’ve called you here, you should all be clear about, I hope you can apologize to Lu Zhu in person."
Lu Zhu stood casually, while Ye Chunxiao looked down with her face flushed.
Zhou Xitong appeared indifferent.
"Apologize? Can’t we just give her money instead?"
This was the first time the class teacher had encountered such a student, and she was visibly irritated.
"Zhou Xitong! Do you think money can solve all problems?"
Lu Zhu, however, spoke up, "It can."
Zhou Xitong curled her lips, "How much?"
Lu Zhu thought for a moment, "A thousand."
With a thousand yuan, she would be able to pay the rent when she went home this weekend.
The rest of the money would be enough for food, and she could ask the landlady to take care of her mother.
Zhou Xitong gave the class teacher a cold smirk, "See, isn’t that settled?"
Zhou Xitong left with her head held high, leaving the class teacher to sigh.
"Lu Zhu, by doing this, she won’t realize her own issues."
"Why should I make her realize?" Lu Zhu glanced in the direction Zhou Xitong had left, "I’m not related to her in any way. Why should I go out of my way to educate her? As long as I get what I need, that’s enough."
An apology from Zhou Xitong? She didn’t need it.
Money from Zhou Xitong? That she could take.
At least in Lu Zhu’s eyes, this was much more valuable than a flimsy, empty apology.
Ye Chunxiao looked at Lu Zhu’s indifferent eyes, and her heart tightened.
The class teacher had called Ye Chunxiao and Zhou Xitong first, informing them that the situation had gotten quite serious.
The school had considered expelling Lu Zhu before, but now that the facts were clear, they might be expelled instead.
Unless Lu Zhu, the victim, could forgive them.
It was only afterward that Lu Zhu was called in to hear their apologies.
Zhou Xitong could afford to give money, but Ye Chunxiao was aware of her own circumstances.
Let alone a thousand yuan, she couldn’t even come up with a hundred.
Realizing this, Ye Chunxiao suddenly burst into tears, "I’m sorry, Lu Zhu. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have done that."
She cried unattractively, without any care for her image, her face smeared with tears and snot.
The class teacher felt uncomfortable watching this and handed over her handkerchief.
Ye Chunxiao just looked at Lu Zhu pathetically, "Please, I really know I was wrong."
Lu Zhu didn’t utter a word, her indifference clear.
Ye Chunxiao, unable to squeeze out any more tears and feeling extremely uneasy, grew to resent Lu Zhu even more.
She was already so pitiful, yet Lu Zhu wouldn’t even say it didn’t matter, showing no compassion whatsoever.
Lu Zhu didn’t miss the subtle change in Ye Chunxiao’s expression and snorted coldly.
"You know you were wrong?"
Ye Chunxiao wiped her tears and sobbed, "I know, I know. I’ll be a better person from now on."
"How interesting you are—hating me to death and still having to apologize. I guess the school must have said something to you," Lu Zhu said, smartly guessing the crux of the matter, "Just stay away from me in the future. You make me sick."
Lu Zhu asked the class teacher, "Can I go now?"
She didn’t want to continue watching Ye Chunxiao put on an act.
Ye Chunxiao was stunned, "Lu Zhu... I..."
If Lu Zhu could see what was going on, could the class teacher not?
She felt somewhat disheartened; many kids at this age were already set in their ways.
It was hard to change them.
She was a teacher meant to educate, but she wasn’t omnipotent.
"You may go," the class teacher didn’t insist that Lu Zhu accept Ye Chunxiao’s apology and let her leave first.
Ye Chunxiao was at a loss and looked at the class teacher, "Then what about me...?"
"The decision regarding your punishment will be made after the school discusses it. For the next few days, you should attend classes as normal."
Ye Chunxiao left dispirited, with the class teacher’s voice following from behind.
"The most important thing in life and actions is sincerity, Miss Ye. There’s still time."