The Ultra-Alpha School Hunk Has Transmigrated into a Cannon Fodder Omega! - Chapter 20

When Ji Cenzhou woke up, the first thing he saw was a white coat. He tried to speak, but his throat burned painfully, and his muscles felt incredibly sore. Even blinking felt like an exhausting task.

“You’re awake?” A hand was placed on his forehead, and a gentle voice said, “You aren’t as hot anymore. The fever should be breaking.” The owner of the voice thoughtfully crouched down so that Ji Cenzhou could see him without having to lift his head.

“Class Monitor?” Ji Cenzhou’s voice was hoarse.

Jiang Mosen nodded. “Do you want some water?”

Ji Cenzhou nodded, and Jiang Mosen helped him sit up, propping a pillow behind his back. “The water is a bit hot. Drink slowly so you don’t scald yourself.”

As he drank, Ji Cenzhou looked around. The room was sterile and white, with medicine cabinets lining the walls. Reading his confusion, Jiang Mosen explained, “You fainted while standing outside for punishment. I brought you to the school infirmary. The doctor gave you a fever-reducing injection. How do you feel now? Is anything else hurting?”

Ji Cenzhou felt miserable all over, but he refused to say it. He was a campus boss; he was supposed to be unfazed by wind or rain. He felt he would lose face if he complained about a mere cold after fainting like a delicate flower. Consequently, he shook his head firmly.

Jiang Mosen looked down at him. Tucked into the bed, Ji Cenzhou looked small and fragile as he took tiny sips of water. Because of the fever, his cheeks were flushed red against his pale skin. His sweat-dampened hair clung to his forehead, and his large eyes were misty, making him look like a dazed young deer. He was clearly suffering, yet his insistence on acting tough only made him look more pitiful.

To distract him, Jiang Mosen asked, “The teacher will be here to see you soon. By the way, do you want me to tell your mother about this?”

“No!” Ji Cenzhou nearly lunged at Jiang Mosen to stop him. “Please, don’t tell my mom. I’m already getting better. Telling her will only make her worry for no reason.”

Jiang Mosen smiled and gently pressed Ji Cenzhou back into the bed, tucking the covers around him. “Don’t worry, the teacher hasn’t called her yet. If you really don’t want her to worry, then hurry up and get well.”

As they spoke, footsteps approached from outside. “Cenzhou, you’re awake. Are you feeling any better?” Xu Lei walked in first, followed by the Grade Director and, finally, Liu Qi.

Since Ji Cenzhou’s throat was sore, Jiang Mosen answered for him. “The doctor checked his temperature while he was asleep. The fever has subsided.”

Xu Lei felt Ji Cenzhou’s forehead with the back of his hand to confirm. Once he was certain the fever was gone, he breathed a sigh of relief.

The Grade Director offered some words of concern before cutting to the chase. “I came here for another reason. What exactly happened during physics class this morning?”

The news had already spread throughout the school: a student who was clearly unwell had been subjected to corporal punishment and subsequently fainted.

Liu Qi’s expression turned sour. He spoke up before Ji Cenzhou could. “Let me explain. During class, I was returning the quiz results. Student Ji performed poorly, ranking second to last in the class. As his physics teacher, I felt responsible for him. I heard his family situation is difficult and that he needs a scholarship to stay here. I was anxious for him and spoke a bit harshly. I had no idea he was running a fever. It was just an unfortunate coincidence that he fainted right after I spoke to him.”

The Grade Director, well aware of Liu Qi’s character, snorted. “You only spoke a few words? You didn’t make him stand outside as punishment?”

Liu Qi choked on his words. After a few seconds, he said defensively, “I did ask him to stand outside for a bit, but my intention was just to help him clear his head! I am his teacher; why would I want to harm him?”

“Mr. Liu, your ability to twist the truth is impressive!” Xu Lei, usually a mild-mannered man, spoke with a stern expression. “How could you not know he was unwell? I heard Ji Cenzhou told you at the start of class that he had a cold. Later, Jiang Mosen and Bai Yu told you as well. Are you telling me now that you didn’t know he was sick?”

Liu Qi was stunned to be confronted by the “nice guy” Xu Lei. He wanted to snap back, but since Xu Lei was speaking the truth, he could only pivot. “He did mention it, but Mr. Xu, you know this student better than anyone. He is… well, glib. To put it bluntly, he lacks respect for teachers. Director, you might not know, but this boy once openly defied me and made a bet that he could reach the top 100 without even doing his physics homework. He is incredibly immature and has even incited the rest of the class against me.”

The Grade Director turned to Ji Cenzhou. “Is this true?”

Ji Cenzhou, his voice still hoarse, spoke slowly. “Mr. Liu attacked me personally first. He called us ‘social trash.’ He said we were bad at studying because our parents had bad brains and we inherited them.”

The Grade Director frowned. “Mr. Liu, did you really say such things?”

At an age where students are developing their personalities and have strong self-esteem, such comments were dangerous. If Liu Qi had said this to a more sensitive student, the consequences could have been disastrous.

Sweat began to bead on Liu Qi’s forehead. He could ignore Xu Lei, but not the Grade Director. “Director, it was a misunderstanding. My words may have been ambiguous, leading the students to misinterpret them. I will be more careful in the future. I guarantee I won’t make such a mistake again.”

The Grade Director snorted. He knew Liu Qi well, but since he was a veteran teacher, the Director wanted to give him some face. “Then explain exactly what happened today.”

Liu Qi was caught off guard by the Director’s persistence. He stammered, “Today… it was just one of those things. I was frustrated and didn’t hear him say he was sick. It wasn’t intentional. Anyway, Ji Cenzhou, you should rest and get well soon.”

Ji Cenzhou saw right through Liu Qi’s attempt to brush it off. “Mr. Liu, I remember you heard me. I even remember how you responded.” Once everyone was looking at him, he continued, “You said I was too delicate and that you didn’t know if I was faking the cold or not.”

The room’s attention shifted back to Liu Qi. Internally, Liu Qi was seething, but he maintained a look of surprise. “Did I really say that? My memory must be fading. I only recall telling you to exercise more because health is the foundation of learning. I certainly never said that. Student Ji, you shouldn’t ‘artistically’ alter a teacher’s words.”

Liu Qi felt confident. School had ended for the day, and it was just Ji Cenzhou’s word against his. As a teacher, he felt he held the natural advantage of authority.

However, he had forgotten Jiang Mosen. “Mr. Xu, Director, I can testify that Ji Cenzhou has not distorted Mr. Liu’s words.”

Liu Qi was paralyzed. He had never imagined that his “star student” would turn against him. He tried to act heartbroken. “Mr. Xu, look at how Jiang Mosen has been influenced by Ji Cenzhou. Director, Jiang Mosen is a top student with the potential to enter a prestigious university. We cannot let Ji Cenzhou lead him astray.”

The Grade Director hesitated and asked Jiang Mosen, “Is that true?”

Jiang Mosen’s face remained expressionless. “Whether I’ve been led astray or not can be seen in my grades.”

The sheer arrogance of the statement left the Grade Director slightly amused. “Fine, I will look at your monthly exam results. However, although I do not teach these two, I know them well. They are not the kind of people Mr. Liu describes.”

Ji Cenzhou watched Liu Qi’s performance with boredom. “Three students failed the last quiz. Mr. Liu mocked one boy for his rural background and told him to go back to farming. He mocked a girl who had a scar on her forehead from a bike accident, suggesting she only cared about her looks because she wanted to get married. He even implied she was ugly and that her only hope was to study. If you don’t believe me, you can ask them tomorrow.”

The expressions of Xu Lei and the Grade Director darkened. This was blatant personal abuse. The Director was especially concerned, as there had recently been a suicide attempt at another school involving a student under high pressure.

“Is this true?!” the Director barked at Liu Qi.

Liu Qi’s eyes darted around. “No, it… it wasn’t like that…”

The Director saw the truth in Liu Qi’s hesitation. “Tomorrow afternoon, there is a grade-level teachers’ meeting. You will reflect on your behavior in front of everyone so that other teachers can learn from your mistake!”

Liu Qi panicked. He didn’t care about the students’ dignity, but he cared deeply about his own. He considered himself a senior teacher. If he had to make a public self-criticism in front of younger teachers, he would never be able to show his face again. “No, Director, you misunderstand. Let me explain—”

“The decision is final!” the Director shouted. “Mr. Liu, this is your last chance. If you do not reflect, do not blame me for being heartless. You may be a veteran, but I must treat everyone equally. A teacher must have ethics. If you cannot manage that, you will have to find somewhere else to teach!”

Liu Qi’s face turned white. The word “ethics” felt like a slap. He felt humiliated, especially because the students he looked down upon were witnessing his downfall. Yet, the threat of losing his job silenced him. At his age, he could not afford to be fired; his reputation would be ruined, and no other school would take him.

Seeing Liu Qi subdued, the Director said coldly, “Mr. Liu, apologize to Student Ji for your mistakes!”

“This…” Liu Qi looked miserable. “I am his teacher. How can a teacher apologize to a student? What will happen to my reputation?”

“Respect is mutual!” the Director snapped. “Teachers don’t have to apologize when they’re wrong? What kind of warped logic is that?”

After a few seconds of tension, Liu Qi squeezed out the words through gritted teeth: “I’m sorry.”

“Mr. Liu’s attitude seems a bit reluctant,” Ji Cenzhou remarked. “His voice was so quiet I could hardly hear it.”

The Director glared at Liu Qi. “Again!”

Liu Qi’s face looked as though he had swallowed something foul. Veins popped out on his neck as he bowed ninety degrees. “I am sorry!” he barked.

Ji Cenzhou frowned slightly. “What? Could you please speak up, Teacher? I can’t hear you.”

Liu Qi trembled but remained in the bow. After a few seconds, he increased his volume. “I AM SORRY!”

Only then did Ji Cenzhou act as if he were granting a pardon. “Very well. I heard you.” He narrowed his eyes at the pale Liu Qi. Internally, he knew this wasn’t enough; a man like Liu Qi did not deserve to be a teacher at all.

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