The Villainess’s Darling [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 31

After Fang Lei sent his mobile number to He Yue, the more he thought about it, the more unsettled he felt.

 

He couldn’t sit still in the Academic Affairs Office. After checking and finding out that the current period was Chinese class, he decided to head over to Class 1 of the first year to see exactly what was going on.

 

Zhao Mengting was someone he had been specifically instructed to look after, she was Shang Shaotan’s future wife. He had to see for himself; if something went wrong and he was kept in the dark, the responsibility would fall entirely on his shoulders.

 

Fang Lei didn’t like dealing with this “hot potato” that was Zhao Mengting, but he had no choice. Ignoring her wasn’t an option.

 

He rushed to the teaching building and happened to run into Ning Xiao and the others.

 

At a glance, he saw Zhao Mengting’s hand being twisted behind her back by Ning Xiao. Startled, he quickly stepped in front of Ning Xiao and said anxiously, “Teacher He, Xiao Xiao, what is going on? Let go of Zhao Mengting at once!”

 

Ning Xiao sighed. “Director Fang, this matter originally had nothing to do with you, but since you’ve seen it, come with us to the Principal’s office.”

 

Dumbfounded, Fang Lei wanted to ask more, but He Yue interjected, “Director Fang, don’t waste time. You’ll understand once we reach the office.”

 

Fang Lei hesitated, remembering why Ning Xiao had looked for him earlier and He Yue’s request for Zhao Mengting’s parent’s contact info. Sensing the gravity of the situation, he stopped trying to block them and followed closely behind toward the Principal’s office.

 

Fortunately, classes were in session, so the group encountered almost no one along the way. When they reached the door, Fang Lei stepped forward to knock.

 

Knock, knock, knock!

 

“Come in.” The door opened from the inside, and the Principal’s secretary said with a beaming smile, “Director Fang, what brings you here?”

 

Fang Lei gave an awkward smile and stepped aside, revealing the four people behind him. “Secretary Zhou, it’s not me looking for Principal Sun, it’s them.”

 

The secretary’s reaction mirrored Fang Lei’s. Seeing Zhao Mengting’s arm twisted by Ning Xiao, she gasped, “Xiao Xiao, what are you doing? Let go of Miss Zhao!”

 

Zhao Mengting had been brought to Bo Ming High School for her transfer by the head of the Zhao family himself, and Principal Sun had received them personally. Secretary Zhou had a deep impression of the cute-looking girl.

 

“Sister Lan, I can’t let go. Zhao Mengting is mentally unstable; I’m afraid she’ll hurt someone,” Ning Xiao explained. “Please, let us in first.”

 

The secretary froze for a moment before fully opening the door to let them into the office.

 

“Hello, Sister Zhou Lan,” Yun Can’er whispered to the secretary as she stepped inside. All of Yun Can’er’s transfer procedures had been handled by her.

 

Zhou Lan, initially too shocked for words, calmed down upon seeing Yun Can’er and asked softly, “Why are you here too?”

 

“Zhao Mengting’s matter… it involves me,” Yun Can’er said, her fingers curling nervously. She looked quite frightened.

 

Noticing this detail, Zhou Lan immediately began filling in the blanks in her mind.

 

Once the four were inside, Zhou Lan closed the door. “Principal Sun is working. You don’t have an appointment, so please wait here for a moment.”

 

The Principal’s office was divided into two rooms by a wooden door: an outer reception area and an inner private office.

 

Not long after Zhou Lan entered the inner office, she pushed the door open and invited Principal Sun out. Principal Sun was about fifty years old, with an enviably thick head of dark hair, sharp eyes, and a pleasant expression.

 

Seeing Zhao Mengting’s state, he merely frowned slightly.

 

“How did you all end up together? Come, let’s sit and talk,” Principal Sun said.

 

Once everyone was seated, He Yue recounted what she had seen and heard in the restroom, her tone neutral and objective.

 

After listening, Principal Sun immediately turned to Yun Can’er with concern. “Can’er, are you hurt?”

 

He had personally recruited Yun Can’er, and while he had also accepted Zhao Mengting, he certainly didn’t want to see the former harmed by the latter.

 

Yun Can’er glanced at Zhao Mengting, fear flashing in her eyes. She pursed her lips and shook her head obediently. “Uncle Principal, I’m okay.”

 

Principal Sun nodded. “That’s good.”

 

He turned to Zhou Lan. “Secretary Zhou, bring me the mental health reports from my desk.”

 

As Zhou Lan went to fetch them, Principal Sun addressed the group: “I’ve been busy the last few days and only got through half of the reports. I didn’t expect something like this to happen. Rest assured, if there truly is an issue with Zhao Mengting, I will have a serious talk with her parents.”

 

“Principal Sun, I’ve already contacted her father. He should be arriving shortly,” He Yue added.

 

The Principal nodded.

 

Zhao Mengting now looked completely dazed, muttering to herself. She didn’t even struggle against Ning Xiao’s grip. To any observer, she appeared to be having a mental breakdown.

 

When she first transferred to Bo Ming Private High School, she seemed like a perfectly normal girl. How did her mental state deteriorate so suddenly?

 

Sensing the Principal’s confusion, He Yue clarified, “She only became like this after I contacted her parents. She wasn’t like this before.”

 

In short: her condition was triggered by her family, not the school.

 

Zhou Lan returned with the reports. Principal Sun flipped through them until he found the one for Class 1. Zhao Mengting’s name was at the very bottom. The conclusion read: Suspected antisocial personality disorder; requires further diagnosis.

 

Principal Sun knew enough about mental health to know that the causes of antisocial personality disorder were unclear and that it was largely incurable. If she truly suffered from this and exhibited aggressive behavior, she was not fit for a school environment.

 

The Zhao family couldn’t possibly have been ignorant of her condition. Looking back at her sudden transfer, it was likely due to this very diagnosis.

 

 

After waiting for about half an hour, Zhao Mengting’s father—the head of the Zhao family, finally arrived.

 

He was a man of medium build, dressed in a perfectly pressed black suit. His face was stern, marked by deep furrows between his brows from frequent frowning, and his lips were set in a thin line. Not even a hint of a smile appeared when he shook hands with Principal Sun.

 

The moment the man entered, Zhao Mengting stopped muttering. Her body went rigid, her face turned deathly pale, and she fell silent.

 

Seeing that she had stabilized and wouldn’t lash out, Ning Xiao released her. Zhao Mengting kept her arms behind her back, motionless as a statue.

 

After the initial greetings, the man’s deep, cold gaze locked onto He Yue. He walked up to her and said in a low voice, “You are Tingting’s homeroom teacher, Ms. He?”

 

“I am.” He Yue shook his hand, almost shivering at how cold his touch was.

 

“I am Zhao Tangsheng. Thank you for looking after Tingting.”

 

Seeing that he spoke politely, He Yue didn’t mince words. “Mr. Zhao, I can’t really say I’ve looked after her. Fortunately, no one was hurt today, otherwise, I wouldn’t know how to face the other parents. To be blunt, given her condition, she is not suited for a regular school.”

 

Zhao Tangsheng gave his daughter a cold glance. Zhao Mengting shuddered violently, her nails digging into her palms.

 

“I understand your concerns, Teacher He, but I hope you can also understand a father’s devotion,” he said, the lines on his forehead deepening. “I promised Tingting three chances to choose her own school. This is her last one…”

 

“Mr. Zhao, I am responsible for the safety of every student in my class,” He Yue replied, barely masking her anger. Your personal promises to your daughter shouldn’t mean others have to suffer the consequences!

 

Ignoring the implication, Zhao Tangsheng turned to Yun Can’er. “You must be the student Tingting had the misunderstanding with. The Zhao family can offer you a settlement of no less than six figures. Let’s consider this matter closed.”

 

Without waiting for her answer, he turned back to He Yue. “Teacher He, regardless of who Tingting has a ‘misunderstanding’ with in the future, the Zhao family will provide a six-figure compensation. Of course, if this happens again, I will withdraw her from school myself.”

 

“I won’t go!!!” Zhao Mengting suddenly screamed, rushing to her father and grabbing his sleeve in tears. “Dad, I don’t want to leave! Please, don’t make me leave!”

 

Zhao Tangsheng looked down at his disheveled daughter with chilling calm. “As long as you stop causing trouble, you won’t have to leave. Tingting, we had a deal. Don’t make a scene.”

 

At the words “don’t make a scene,” Zhao Mengting’s body trembled. She let go of his suit and sobbed, “I won’t. I won’t.”

 

“Principal Sun, Director Fang, Teacher He, I apologize for the display. I have business to attend to, so I’ll take my leave.”

 

As he turned to go, Ning Xiao stepped in his path. “Mr. Zhao, we didn’t call you here to listen to how you plan to manage your daughter. Your desire to pay people off and keep her in school are your own selfish whims. Does a six-figure check give you the right to ignore someone’s physical safety?”

 

Zhao Tangsheng looked surprised. “Doesn’t it?”

 

In his world of status and power, this was standard procedure. No one had ever questioned him. He added, “You should let the student decide for herself if she wants the money.”

 

Yun Can’er stepped forward. Her small frame stood before Zhao Tangsheng like a child facing a monster. “Mr. Zhao, I don’t want your money. And Zhao Mengting should not be allowed to stay at Bo Ming.”

 

Zhao Tangsheng’s surprise grew. “I can tell from your appearance and behavior that your family is ordinary. You likely rely on scholarships to study here. Why would you refuse the money?”

 

To him, a “poor person” like Yun Can’er had no logical reason to turn down such a windfall over a “minor” incident.

 

“Money can’t buy everything,” Yun Can’er said, her eyes clear and resolute.

 

Zhao Tangsheng looked away indifferently. “Enough money can buy anything. You’re young and don’t understand the weight of wealth. I’ll give you a day to discuss it with your family. Give me your answer this time tomorrow.”

 

“That won’t be necessary, Mr. Zhao,” Principal Sun interjected, finally fed up with the man’s arrogance. “Yun Can’er is an exceptional student. She is more than capable of achieving success through her own hard work.”

 

He stepped forward and placed the mental health report in front of Zhao Tangsheng. “Mr. Zhao, your family must have known about her antisocial personality disorder. Was transferring her here really just about getting her close to Shang Shaotan? I highly doubt it.”

 

Zhao Tangsheng stared at the Principal in silence. The atmosphere turned suffocatingly tense.

 

After a long pause, he said slowly, “Principal Sun, are you choosing to make an enemy of the Zhao family?”

 

“I am choosing to protect my students,” the Principal replied firmly. “I cannot allow them to suffer harm for the sake of private interests. If you truly love your daughter, you shouldn’t let her make the choices. Does she want to be in a regular school to study? I think not. No one can guarantee she won’t attack someone again. You should take her home for treatment.”

 

“Treatment? Ha!” Scorn filled Zhao Tangsheng’s eyes. “Do you think antisocial personality disorder can be ‘cured’?”

 

“So you admit the family knew?” Ning Xiao pressed.

 

Zhao Tangsheng narrowed his eyes. “So what if we did?”

 

“Then it’s likely that her previous transfers were also due to her attacking other students,” Ning Xiao theorized. “Let me guess—the victims were numerous? Thirty? Fifty? The Zhao family couldn’t handle the pressure, so you hurried to transfer her to Bo Ming while hiding the truth of her illness.”

 

Ning Xiao continued, her voice cold, “It’s no surprise she turned out like this. You are all cold, calculating, and utterly selfish.”

 

Zhao Tangsheng’s eyes flashed with rage. “What right do you have to speak to me like that? Perhaps when you can stand on my level, I’ll listen to what you have to say.”

 

Fearless, Ning Xiao replied, “Have you ever heard the saying: ‘Karma is a circle, and retribution is certain’? I’m giving that phrase to you today.”

 

In the original novel, the Zhao family wouldn’t fall for another four years. Ning Xiao decided right then that she would move that timeline up. Allowing such people to remain in power for four more years would only ruin more lives.

 

 

In the end, Zhao Mengting was not expelled. Shortly after Zhao Tangsheng left with a cold sneer, the Bureau of Education called to give Principal Sun a verbal warning. Although Bo Ming was private, its licensing depended on the Bureau, and the Principal couldn’t gamble the school’s future.

 

Since the problem couldn’t be solved by simply switching classes, Zhao Mengting returned to Class 1.

 

He Yue, fearing another attack on Yun Can’er, moved Zhao Mengting to a solitary desk right next to the teacher’s podium a spot usually reserved for the most disruptive students in primary school.

 

The class was naturally baffled by the sudden change.

 

The one most desperate for answers was Shang Shaotan. Zhao Mengting was his newly found “replacement” for Ning Xiao. They had barely started interacting when this happened. He couldn’t ask Zhao Mengting directly, so he tried to get Yuan Wei to fish for information from Ning Xiao.

 

Yuan Wei refused flatly. “I am unswervingly loyal to my Goddess. I will never betray her trust!”

 

Shang Shaotan was nearly fuming. “You’re just choosing a pretty face over your friend!”

 

Yuan Wei grinned mischievously. “So, you finally admit Ning Xiao is beautiful, Shaotan?”

 

Shang Shaotan’s expression went cold. “Her beauty has nothing to do with me. How many times do I have to say it? I’m not a superficial person.” Ning Xiao… hmph, she’s nothing but a pretty face.

 

“Fine, you’re noble, and we’re all shallow.”

 

With no one to do his dirty work, Shang Shaotan decided to “bump into” Zhao Mengting at the cafeteria. Surely he could get her to talk.

 

To his shock, Zhao Mengting had become incredibly cold.

 

When he approached her with his tray and gave her a gentle, charming smile, asking, “May I sit here?”

 

Zhao Mengting looked up at him with icy eyes. “Piss off.”

 

Shang Shaotan froze, unable to process the rejection.

 

Yuan Wei, knowing how much Shang Shaotan valued his dignity, realized his friend wouldn’t be able to handle such a public humiliation. He quickly pulled Shang Shaotan away before he could react, finding a seat as far from Zhao Mengting as possible.

 

As Yuan Wei pushed him into a chair, Shang Shaotan finally snapped out of it.

 

“She told me to ‘piss off.’ Did you hear that?” he asked in a low, suppressed rage.

 

Yuan Wei put some bitter melon and scrambled eggs onto his plate. “Cool down, cool down. She’s just a young girl speaking without thinking. Don’t take it to heart.”

 

Shang Shaotan frowned. “No, something big definitely happened. Otherwise, her attitude wouldn’t change so drastically.”

 

He thought for a moment. “Who was missing from Chinese class this morning?”

 

“My Goddess, Yun Can’er, Zhao Mengting… just those three, I think,” Yuan Wei answered.

 

“And the homeroom teacher,” Shang Shaotan added, unable to wrap his head around it. “What could those four possibly be doing together?”