Chapter 23: Breaking into the Principal’s Office; Cheng Jinyan, a golden lawyer
Chapter 23
The math teacher put down the stack of papers in his hand with a stern face.
"Some people here, I don't know whether to say she is fearless or lacks common sense, or she thinks the school lacks common sense."
"The school, in consideration of someone's feelings, did not make her cheating public. But she herself was eager to make everyone know about it."
"Cheating? Are you talking about me?" Qiao Ying's expression was indifferent, with no emotional expression on her face, making it impossible to see what she was thinking.
But those familiar with her knew that the calmer she was, the more dangerous she became.
"Are there any other cheaters in the whole grade?"
"Evidence?"
"Evidence?" The teacher felt amused and simply laughed out loud, looking at the papers on Qiao Ying's desk, and asked rhetorically: "Do you still need evidence?"
"In all my years of teaching, I have encountered all kinds of cheating students, but this is the first time I have seen someone who dares to question the teacher in class after cheating. I have to say your courage is admirable. If only you had put this courage into your studies, your grades wouldn't be so low."
"However, I really underestimated you. I thought with your ability, even if you copied the answers you wouldn't be able to understand them. I didn't expect you to copy quite successfully." The teacher "appreciated" her efforts.
"You're a girl, instead of learning good things, you're learning crooked ways. You usually look quiet and well-behaved, I didn't expect you to be so gutsy. This time you really let the teacher see you in a new light."
"After saying all this, you still can't show any evidence, can you?"
Seeing Qiao Ying so shameless and relentless, admitting to cheating yet daring to question her in this manner, the teacher ran out of patience.
"So you think that after scoring 5 points on the last mock exam, you can get full marks this time? Even those who copy homework know to change a couple of things. Even if you want to cheat, you should at least make it look real. Ask your classmates, do they believe you can get full marks?"
"You said you didn't cheat. Fine, I won't ask about anything else. Just explain the last question to me. Even Xu Mingchen from Class 1 only got the first sub-question right, yet you got the whole question correct. Do you think you're smarter than Xu Mingchen?"
Qiao Ying: "Why can't I be? If he can't solve it, does it mean others can't either? In your eyes, can't underachievers make progress?"
"Qiao Ying, I was only going to make you reflect during the flag raising ceremony next Monday. If you keep messing around like this, just for your cheating, you won't even be able to take the gaokao."
"Making accusations against students without evidence and threatening their gaokao eligibility, I think you've been a teacher for too long."
As soon as these words came out, the whole class erupted.
Everyone looked at Qiao Ying in disbelief.
"Damn, she's so brave to say that."
"Her last two sentences killed it. I never realized she was so awesome before, what made her suddenly change?"
"But to be honest, even if I cheated I couldn't have solved this last question. With her getting only 5 points, how did she manage to do it?"
"Could she have stolen the answers? I heard she handed in her paper after only 20 minutes or so, there's no way she could have copied that fast, right?"
"Hey did you guys notice she lost weight?"
"Noticed it long ago. Gotta say, she looks quite pretty after losing weight. She'll look really good if she drops to 90 pounds or so."
"She's become different."
The teacher was so angry at Qiao Ying's words that she was speechless for a moment. Her chest heaved up and down as she slammed the table: "Qiao Ying, what exactly are you trying to do?!"
"Simple. Show evidence that I cheated. If you can't, change my score back and apologize to me." The last few words came out of Qiao Ying's mouth crisp and clear.
"Evidence? What more evidence do you need?! That test paper of yours is ironclad proof. Go home and ask your parents if you could get that score!"
The teacher was so angry she couldn't control her emotions. Just as she was about to say more, Qiao Ying suddenly stood up.
"What are you doing?"
Qiao Ying kicked away the obstructing chair and strode out from her seat amidst the noise, heading for the door.
"Qiao Ying what are you doing? Come back here."
But Qiao Ying didn't look back, throwing over her shoulder, "Go find someone who's not deaf or blind and can understand human speech."
"How dare you talk to a teacher like that, stop right there!" The teacher was about to go crazy with anger as she chased after Qiao Ying.
"Damn, she's so cocky."
Qiao Ying went straight to the principal's office.
The news that Qiao Ying cheated, got a score of zero, yet stubbornly confronted the teacher in "court", shamelessly asking for points, and even rushed to the principal's office demanding justice, soon spread across the entire school.
Students from other classes: "She dares to ask for points even after cheating? Did a door smack her brain or what was she thinking?"
Class 8 students: "Damn, her few lines were so badass."
The math teacher was the first to arrive, followed by the vice principal, grade director, and Qiao Ying's class advisor, who came rushing over after hearing the news.
After a short while, nearly eight teachers were standing in the principal's office.
Upon learning that the protagonist of this incident was Qiao Ying, they all shook their heads.
The easygoing grade director gently advised: "To err is human, to forgive divine. This matter can be big or small. If you don't admit your mistakes and keep making trouble, it really could affect your gaokao. Just go back to class quickly."
Faced with the intimidation of so many school leaders, any other student would have been scared mute long ago. But Qiao Ying was unfazed, her combativeness in full force: "I want to see a proctor teacher or monitor, otherwise I'll see you all in court."
Everyone present laughed when they heard this. Even the good-tempered grade director looked at Qiao Ying as if she were a silly child.
"I'm not joking." This was the last of Qiao Ying's patience.
"Court? With your family's circumstances, I'm afraid you can't even get into a law firm, let alone hire lawyers." The math teacher scoffed and secretly rolled her eyes. "I think your fall down the stairs gave you a concussion that hasn't healed yet. If you have money to hire lawyers, you should just let your parents take you to the hospital for a checkup."
Qiao Ying was done talking nonsense with them. She took out her phone and dialed a number, heedless of everyone around her.
When the class advisor saw this, she almost cursed in anger: "Qiao Ying, you actually dare to bring a cell phone to school?"
And take it out in front of the principal no less.
The class advisor went forward to confiscate her phone.
Qiao Ying dodged her and warned coldly: "Snatching others' personal belongings, do you want to be sued too?"
"You--"
The call connected, and a steady male voice came through the receiver: "Hello?"
Qiao Ying directly turned on the speakerphone: "Lawyer Cheng Jinyan?"
"This is Cheng Jinyan. May I ask who is calling? How do you have my personal number?"
"A nameless friend gave it to me. I have a lawsuit here I want to entrust your firm with, please send a lawyer over as soon as possible."
"Cheng Jinyan?" Upon hearing this name, the principal immediately sat up straight.
Cheng Jinyan, the top lawyer in the legal community.
Renowned throughout the legal industry for his perfect undefeated record. His personal firm has practically monopolized the entire industry. He is a coveted sweetheart that countless listed companies compete for.
Many people try but cannot hire him, even when offering high fees. Even the prominent Qin family of Beijing once offered a high price to hire him as Qin Hanyue's personal lawyer and as the head of the Qin Group's legal department, but were refused by Cheng Jinyan.
How could a teenage student possibly have Cheng Jinyan's personal contact information? And shamelessly tell Cheng Jinyan to send someone over to fight a lawsuit for her?
Nowadays, students are really being poisoned by the fake things online... The principal shook his head, thinking Qiao Ying was either being scammed or crazy.