Chapter 164: The Outcome
By the time Xia Hong and Wang Wenjuan got the message and made it to the school, nearly half an hour had passed since the incident. During this time, Xia Yu was so exhausted that she sat down on the ground, buried her head in her arms, and cried silently.
Even when Xia Ling went in to try comforting her, it didn’t help much. It wasn’t until Xia Hong and Wang Wenjuan arrived that Xia Yu cried herself out cold. Something like this happening on the first day of school definitely caught the attention of the school leadership, who now needed to step in to deal with it.
Particularly, the head of the academic affairs office was involved since his job was to handle fights between students. He hadn’t expected Xia Yu to get so easily triggered. But now that it happened, he could only try to resolve the situation before it escalated further.
Through interviews with other students from Class Fifteen and viewing security camera footage, they pieced together what happened. It seemed the trouble kicked off when a boy joked around and then Xia Yu reacted.
The boy’s parents, once they learned their son was roughed up by Xia Yu, were summoned to the school to discuss how to handle the situation.
Naturally, the boys’ parents stood up for their son: “What’s there to talk about? My son just wanted to play a joke. Your son went too far! So you guys have to take care of all the medical expenses.”
Xia Hong, hearing this, wasn’t too happy either and countered, “Why did your son pick a fight with mine? If they didn’t mess with each other, none of this would have happened! And now you want me to pay medical bills? How do you live with yourself?”
“It doesn’t matter whose fault it is anyway. Your son got hurt worse, and he started it. Your family needs to take responsibility.”
“Be responsible? Ha! My son hasn’t even woken up yet. What if something else happens? How would you take responsibility then?”
Seeing the parents getting more agitated, the head of the academic affairs office stood up and tried to calm them down, “Please, both of you, stay calm and let’s handle this rationally?”
After hearing the director’s words, Xia Hong and the other parent were willing to give him some face; they stopped their verbal spat.
“So, since it happened, let’s follow the proper procedures, yes?” He continued, “Whether we decide to punish or not will follow standard procedures. If you’re still not satisfied, feel free to call law enforcement.”
…
Meanwhile, Xia Yu, who had fallen asleep from exhaustion, was already being loaded onto a car where Huang Wenjuan and Xia Ling were accompanying her. With the situation, they couldn’t make it to class. Lots of people were involved, including Xia Hong and the other father, in a small meeting to decide the outcome. The final decision left neither side entirely happy.
The boy, who didn’t mean any harm but lost his temper, bore some responsibility. Still, with Xia Hong presenting a report claiming a mental health condition for Xia Yu, the leadership had little reason to blame her further.
To put it simply, if the boy didn’t touch Xia Yu in the first place, nothing would have happened.
So Xia Yu, as it turned out, didn’t need compensation. Not only that, Xia Hong had to sign an agreement:
Xia Yu wouldn’t be entering girls’ bathrooms or dormitories, among other areas boys weren’t allowed in. Word of that reached the higher-ups somehow.
Naturally, the parents weren’t thrilled with the result, but they had no choice. Xia Hong gathered his thoughts and decided to confront the leadership with a question: “If I transfer my kids to another school right now, can I get a refund?”
“Sure, but any generated fees won’t be returned,” replied the financial director, adjusting his glasses. He laid out the detailed costs: “Your child’s records are now with us, and if you withdraw, each record incurs a 600 RMB fee. As for uniforms, ID cards, textbooks, and fees already paid, they’re non-refundable. And refunds involve multiple approvals, so the fastest it can take is four months. Please consider carefully before making such a move.”
This clearly annoyed Xia Hong. Hearing it’d be so troublesome and costly, he slammed the door and left the room. Seeing his leave, no one tried to stop him; if there was anything in the future, he’d likely call instead.
The other parent, seeing Xia Hong go, was delighted. His son having a psychological issue seemed fitting.
Back at the car, Xia Hong drove home silently, looking sour. Wang Wenjuan, planning to ask about the outcome, noticed his mood and held back her questions. Xia Ling, too, remained silent, fearing her father’s tempers.
Still, Xia Hong personally carried Xia Yu home, putting her in bed, and examined her room—an unlikely setup for a boy. He wondered if he should adjust it, but decided against it, knowing Xia Yu’s immediate situation took precedence over renovations.
Before leaving, Xia Hong reminded Wang Wenjuan and Xia Ling to watch Xia Yu in case she woke up causing more trouble.
As Xia Hong had business to attend to, he headed to work. Xia Yu’s unexpected situation had disrupted his plans, but now, with her back, he could get back to handling things.
What good would he do staying? Xia Yu was still out. Even if she woke up, he believed his presence wouldn’t comfort her. Rather than wait, he chose to focus on work, bringing in more cash to support the family.
Meanwhile, Lin Jie received the first news that a long-haired student resembling a girl had brawled with another boy at the Elementary School Department, giving him quite a scare. The other boy was beaten badly, bruised and bloody.
The victim’s name, they said, was Xia Yu.
News of Xia Yu spread. Apparently, he had visited the girls’ restroom today and was reported by several girls to the authorities. His whereabouts were unknown.
Rummaging through text messages from an informant, Lin Jie grinned, satisfied. With his money swindled by Jiang Kekai, Xia Yu’s trouble brought him some solace.
Not only Lin Jie, Xia Jun, informed by Xia Ling, also learned and rushed to intervene.
Though school rules forbade cellphones, a few rebellious students, including Xia Jun, had them nonetheless.
But when Xia Jun tried to head to the Elementary School Department, Lin Jie quickly stopped him, pressing so hard Xia Jun couldn’t move.
“What’s up, Xiao Shao?” Xia Jun asked, feeling helpless.
Lin Jie, knowing Xia Jun saw him as a benefactor, stopped him from rushing to Xia Yu and Xia Ling.
“No rush, really. I just heard our teacher needs to speak to you. It seems urgent. Go ahead.”
Xia Jun, believing it to be minor, walked off. Unbeknownst to him, Lin Jie called their teacher and asked him to keep Xia Jun occupied for as long as possible.
The last thing Lin Jie wanted was someone close to Xia Yu helping his recovery. The more trouble he caused, the better.
Everyone knew of Lin Jie’s reputation. Their teacher gave him face by stalling Xia Jun for two hours.
When Xia Jun finally arrived, he discovered Xia Yu and Xia Ling had been sent home, leaving him empty-handed at the scene.
On that note, the Jiang family’s convoy arrived at Peng City High School.
Stepping out, Jiang Handan heard a security guard speaking.
“I heard the new student causing trouble has a psychological disorder. A boy with long hair wouldn’t act this way. But, his sister took him to the girls’ toilet today. Teachers are dealing with it.”
“That sounds like trouble starting on the first day. Leadership must be working overtime.”
Listening, Jiang Handan realized they spoke of Xia Yu. She approached:
“Excuse me, may I know the name of the student you’ve been discussing?”
