The whole class was silent.
Unable to bear such humiliation, Phoebe shed tears incessantly. She got up, and ran out of the classroom.
“Phoebe!” Her deskmate hurriedly chased her behind.
The two ran to the bathroom and deleted the anonymous post with trembling hands.
Dora sat back, cupping her small face, and smiled silly at Claire. “Am I awesome?”
Claire didn’t say a word but smiled back at her.
Interesting.
Dora turned on the phone and snorted. “Cowards! They deleted the post so soon.”
Derek held his chin and poked her shoulder with a pen. “Hey, where are you from?”
Dora took a sip of calcium milk to moisten her throat. “What do you mean?”
Playing dumb?
Derek sneered. “There is only one Johnsons in the entire capital. Where did you come from?”
“My surname is Johnson. What’s wrong with that?” Dora straightened up, looking very proud.
Someone cut in. “Are you Mr. Johnson’s illegitimate daughter?”
“Screw you!” Derek glared and cursed. “My uncle is famous for his deep affection for his wife. Even if he is in love with a woman, he can just marry her. Why would he bother to give birth to an illegitimate daughter?!”
He raised his chin towards Dora. “Do you know Simon Johnson and Hunter Johnson?”
Dora shook her head, like a hamster, gnawing on the straw.
After school.
Outside the security guard room, Claire was sitting on a bench, with her long legs bent and a lollipop in her mouth. She was chewing the lollipop with a crunching sund, and her face was cold and arrogant, revealing a sense of wickedness.
“Claire!”
Bruce ran over.
Wrapped in a big jacket, he was tall and strong, with dark skin. He had a big sack on his shoulders, and his smile was honest and rustic.
Claire stood up and spat the little stick into the trash can. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
Bruce said in a dialect, “I didn’t want to come, but my grandpa insisted on taking me into the city. Since you are in the city and I was bored in the country, I came here.”
“Which class are you in?”
Bruce chuckled. “Class two, right next to your class. We can take care of each other in the future.”
It was time to leave school, and people came and went, looking sideways at them.
Phoebe and her friends happened to walk to the school gate.
“Who is that guy? What a bumpkin!”
“He should be Claire’s friend from the countryside, who came to visit her.”
“Claire has such a bumpkin friend? She is embarrassing the Smiths.”
“Like attracts like. She is only worthy of making friends with the country folks.”
“Look, the bumpkin is carrying luggage along. Claire must be planning to take him back to the Smiths’ house. Phoebe, be careful. The country folks are all thieves. Don’t let him steal anything from your house!”
Phoebe frowned in disgust and looked away.
Teachers’ office.
James was still correcting the students’ homework.
The other teachers packed up their things and prepared to leave.
“Mr. Walker, we’re leaving. Don’t stay till too late.”
They walked to the door and suddenly exclaimed.
James raised his head.
Derek swaggered in.
He casually pulled a chair over and sat down opposite James, leaning back lazily.
James was calm. “Derek, what’s the matter?”
“Nothing, I’m here to make peace with you.”
Derek crossed his legs casually and didn’t look sincere at all.
James narrowed his eyes. “If you want to make trouble for me in this way, you don’t have to.”
“No, I’m not here making trouble for you. I’m serious.” Derek took out something and threw it on James’s table. “This is my apology gift for you. Don’t worry. I won’t go against you in the future.”