Although Peng Li was the homeroom teacher for the Rocket Class, she also served as the advanced mathematics teacher for Class 28. Coincidentally, she had their class that morning.
She strode into the classroom, set her books heavily on the podium, and cast her sharp gaze across the students.
"I heard Class 28 has been in the spotlight lately," she began with a sneer. "Don't you feel embarrassed? You can't keep up with the Rocket Class, so now you resort to these underhanded tricks to get attention. Truly shameful."
The students, who had been sitting upright and trying to focus, exchanged glances. They had done nothing wrong, yet their teacher's tone dripped with sarcasm.
The class monitor, Zuo Ming, frowned. He stood up and asked politely but firmly, "Teacher Peng, what shameful things have we done? Please explain clearly."
Peng Li's face hardened at the challenge. Her gaze snapped toward Celia.
"Do I need to spell it out? You—competing with Yara Lu from my Rocket Class for the school beauty title? Where do you get that confidence?"
A murmur rippled through the classroom. Celia slowly raised her head, her dark eyes steady and calm as she looked straight at Peng Li.
"Teacher Peng, a teacher's duty is to teach, guide, and answer questions. But you're letting your personal biases and preferences interfere with your position, using them to label and discriminate against students. Do you think that's appropriate?"
"You—!"
Furious, Peng Li slammed her book on the podium with a loud bang. "Enough! I refuse to continue this class. You two—Celia, Zuo Ming—come with me to the office. I want your homeroom teacher, Mr. Li Guoxiang, to judge this matter."
······
In the office, Teacher Li Guoxiang sat leisurely behind his desk, a cup of steaming health tea in hand. His silver-framed glasses caught the morning light as he listened to Peng Li complain, her tone sharp and exaggerated.
"Teacher Li, look at your Class 28 students! They're openly talking back to me. You must deal with them severely!"
Li Guoxiang took a slow sip of tea before replying with a faint smile. "Teacher Peng, you're still arguing with children? Calm down. Have some tea."
"I don't want tea!" Peng Li snapped. "I want you to discipline them right now!"
"Alright, alright," Li Guoxiang said, nodding as if to humor her. He turned to Celia, deliberately putting on a stern expression. "Celia, I'm not saying this to criticize, but you shouldn't be competing with Yara Lu from the Rocket Class for the school beauty title. Step down immediately and give her the spot."
Pfft—
Zuo Ming couldn't hold back a laugh.
Celia's lips curved faintly. "Alright."
Peng Li stiffened. Something felt off. "Teacher Li, you—"
"Oh, and Teacher Peng," Li Guoxiang interrupted casually, "you just said the students did something shameful? What exactly was it?"
"I—"
"Nothing? Well, from your tone, I thought it must have been something truly scandalous."
"…"
Peng Li's face flushed. She knew this old man, Li Guoxiang, had always been fiercely protective of Class 28. Clearly, he wasn't going to let her have her way.
With a sharp huff, she turned on her heel and stalked out.
"Teacher Peng, why are you leaving?" Li Guoxiang called after her, his tone teasing. "I was just about to ask them to write a five-hundred-word reflection. Teacher Peng? Teacher Peng?"
Zuo Ming grinned. "Director Li, she's already gone."
The old teacher dropped his act, setting his teacup down with a sigh. His gaze softened as he looked at Celia and Zuo Ming.
"I know Teacher Peng has always been prejudiced against our class. I understand you couldn't stand it. But have you thought about the consequences of confronting her head-on?"
"What consequences?" Zuo Ming asked.
Just then, a staff member walked in. "Director Li, Teacher Peng said she's not feeling well and won't be teaching Class 28's advanced math for the next week."
He paused, then added pointedly, "She also said the advanced math exam is in one week. She hopes Class 28 will try their best—otherwise, finishing last would be quite a humiliation."
"..."
Zuo Ming's smile froze.
The timing was cruel. The advanced math exam was coming, and the results would be publicly announced. With Class 28's already weak foundation, Peng Li had clearly abandoned them to fail—waiting to laugh at their downfall.
······
Celia quietly tightened her grip on her notebook, her calm eyes glinting with determination.
If Teacher Peng thought she could humiliate Class 28 so easily, she was wrong. Celia wasn't afraid of being tested. She had endured harsher storms than this.
I won't let them drag me down, she told herself. This time, I'll make sure they see what Class 28—and I—are truly capable of.