Upon receiving the phone, Qiao Zijin took a deep breath. Her hoarse voice said softly, “Hello?”
“Is this Qiao Zijin’s mother, Ding Jiayi?”
At the sound of a stranger, Qiao Zijin felt a little guilty as she mumbled, “Yes.”
“Hi, good day. I am the dean of students of The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China. There’s a situation in the school that we need to reflect and report to you. Qiao Zijin has been studying at our school for three and a half semesters. However, her performance is very poor and she also likes to resort to deception. We have investigated and found that Qiao Zijin had really cheated in her examinations while she was studying here. She had flouted the school’s regulations. Secondly, we had lessons yesterday, but Qiao Zijin skipped her class without a valid reason. She did not return to the school for the entire night. This had also seriously flouted the school’s rules and disciplinary policy. We’ve not had such a bad student like Qiao Zijin, who refused to change after several teachings, in more than ten years. Accordingly, our school would like to formally notify you that Qiao Zijin, this student, has been expelled from our school. I hope that you, as her parents, can quickly come to our school to settle some administrative matters. Please take away all of Qiao Zijin’s personal belongings as well. Thank you for your cooperation.”
Without waiting for a response from the student’s parent, the dean of students hung the phone up swiftly.
Qiao Zijin’s eyes turned still. The school really expelled her. After settling the administrative matters of leaving the school, she would not be a student of The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China anymore?
“Hey?” The auntie from the small retail stall looked at Qiao Zijin strangely. She placed her ears close to the phone and heard the beeping sound. “Zijin, your teacher has already hung up. Oh, right, wasn’t your school looking for your mom? Why did you pick up the phone instead? You also didn’t go to school yesterday. Why are you still at home? Did your school call to urge you to go to school?”
“Yes, yes.” Qiao Zijin’s mouth and tongue were so stiff that she did not know how to talk anymore. She went home looking stiff and frozen.
Ding Jiayi, who was cleaning her wound that was still bleeding, looked pale. “Zijin, why did your school call?”
“Ruined. I’m completely ruined by you now. Are you satisfied now? Are you happy!” Qiao Zijin vented her frustration at Ding Jiayi. “The school just called to ask me to leave the school. They said that I’m no longer a student of The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China. Now, even graduating from senior high school is an issue to me, not to mention going to college!”
If the people in the quad knew about her situation, would she still be able to step out of her house in the future? She would definitely become a laughingstock in the whole quad!
From today onward, the people in the quad would label her. She would not be able to win against Qiao Nan in her entire life!
“How did that happen?” Ding Jiayi was completely stupefied. Perhaps she was scared out of her wits, causing the blood circulation in her body to slow down and her wound to stop bleeding. “How could they expel you so casually like that? Is there really no room for negotiation? You must know that you went to The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China because of Elder Lee’s help.”
Didn’t the school take Elder Lee into consideration when they expelled Zijin?
“I’m afraid that the school had already consulted Elder Lee before expelling me. Both of us know how much Elder Zhu likes Qiao Nan. Zhu Baoguo was pulled out of dire straits by Qiao Nan. For the sake of Qiao Nan, Elder Lee will not allow me to continue to be a student in The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China.” Qiao Zijin sneered.
This world was so unfair. When Qiao Nan was in her mother’s tummy, her parents doted very much on Qiao Nan and neglected her. They left all the good things, be it food, clothing, or toys, to Qiao Nan.
Now, everyone that she wanted to be associated with was so good to Qiao Nan. All of them humiliated her for the sake of Qiao Nan.
How could she not hate Qiao Nan? How could not use all ways and means to step on Qiao Nan for her own progress?
However, at this juncture, Qiao Zijin, who was all alone and had lost all help available, was faced with a miserable situation, being unable to continue with her studies. Besides crying, Qiao Zijin did not know what else she could do. “Mom, I feel so desperate and hopeless. I will definitely be a laughingstock in the quad. I’ve been expelled. How am I going to face others in the future? I couldn’t even graduate from senior high school. How could I find a man with a good family background to be my husband? Who would take a liking to me? Mom, I don’t wish to live anymore. I might as well die. It is too painful to live.”
She had worked so hard and put in so much effort. Why couldn’t she achieve anything that she wanted? On the contrary, Qiao Nan could easily achieve everything.
Was her existence in this world a mere predestined heavenly will, forcing her to accompany Qiao Nan so as she could realize how unfortunate she was?
“Zijin, you’re scaring Mom. No, there won’t be any problem. You will definitely be able to continue with your studies. You’ll not only graduate from senior high school but also college. Mom… Mom will find a way for you.” As she said that, Ding Jiayi also cried.
What would be the next steps given the current situation?
“Zijin, why don’t we turn back and beg your dad? He knows a lot of people. It will be easier for him to seek help. If not… How about I go and beg the wretched girl? I can kneel down to her, as long as she will let you off.” Ding Jiayi ground her teeth. Zijin became so miserable all because of that wretched girl.
As long as that wretched girl was willing to let Zijin off and give her a chance, it was fine for her to go on her knees.
“Right, Mom. Go and beg Qiao Nan. Go and kneel down before Qiao Nan. Don’t go into Ping Cheng High School. Just kneel down at the entrance of Ping Cheng High School. Don’t wipe away the blood on your mouth. Let it continue to drip. As you kneel down at the entrance, you just need to cry and beg Qiao Nan. You also have to kowtow! You definitely have to kowtow. It’ll be best if you hurt your head when kowtowing!”
Qiao Zijin had a vicious and crazy look in her eyes.
If she could not continue with her studies, Qiao Nan could forget about being an outstanding student too!
Although Ping Cheng High School could not bear to expel Qiao Nan, the biological mother had to kneel down, kowtow, cry, and beg her.
She did not believe Qiao Nan could still continue to study at Ping Cheng High School afterward!
She would like to see whether Ping Cheng High School was willing to sacrifice the reputation of the school in exchange for an individual, Qiao Nan!
She could not be a student of a prominent school, and neither should Qiao Nan.
Deprived of education?
Fine. Then, everyone would be deprived of education. Qiao Nan could forget about having all the good things for herself or basking in glory as she watched her, the elder sister, cry miserably!
“Zijin, didn’t you say that it’s wrong for Mom to do that? That I’ll be creating trouble for you? It’s broad daylight…” She had to kneel down, cry, and kowtow. As a normal person with virtues, Ding Jiayi could not accept such a situation even just thinking about it. “Will this help you in any way? Will the school take you in as their student again and not dismiss you after Mom does all these?”