“If one day I lose weight, I’ll definitely become the version of myself I love the most.”
Morning jog. Morning. Jog! MORNING JOG!! (shouted with dramatic emphasis)
After puffing and panting her way through 1,000 meters, Xia Hua finally wrapped up her workout for the day.
She knew that if she didn’t make time to take care of her body now, she wouldn’t have time to do it later.
Next to a pork vendor’s stall, Xia Hua stepped onto the meat scale…
“Uncle, is this scale…” Xia Hua frowned, asking hesitantly, “Is it accurate?”
“Scram, scram, scram.” The pork vendor was genuinely tempted to grab his cleaver and swing it her way.
Was she trying to pick a fight?
With a sullen wave of his hand, he said, “Fine, fine, I get it. You’re lighter than a pig. Now move along, will you?”
She left the stall, a little dejected.
Day four of exercise: down 100 grams.
Losing weight, toning up… It was going to be a long road.
She looked up at the already blazing sun and gave it a little fist pump.
“Alright, school— let’s go!”
After a quick cold shower at home, Xia Hua hurried off toward school.
But she didn’t head to the classroom.
She went straight to the broadcasting room.
The mobile-to-station connection was one-way.
That meant Xia Hua’s phone could send a signal, but it needed to be approved by the broadcasting computer.
That prevented most software-based intrusions.
The broadcast room operated differently depending on the time of day.
In the mornings and during class hours, it was managed by a teacher.
After school and during events, student staff took over.
Right now, a young female teacher named Ye Ling was on duty.
Fresh out of college and not assigned to any core subject, she was what they called a “Life Teacher”—basically the same tier as the school nurse or security officer.
Knock knock knock— Xia Hua rapped on the iron door of the broadcast room.
“Come in,” called Ye Ling. She was just steeping a strong cup of morning tea, trying to shake off the sleepiness.
“Teacher, I’d like to request a song.”
“Mhm, just write down the song title and your message in the request book. It’ll get played after school by the student DJ. Five yuan per song, thanks!” Ye Ling said cheerfully.
She was a fresh graduate, so she still treated students with warmth and friendliness.
Few students dared to make song requests when a teacher was present.
But what was the mindset of a student who did?
Most likely, it was a matter of the heart. Love, maybe? Was this pretty little girl dedicating the song to someone? Probably anonymously…
After all, every woman was once a young girl.
Ye Ling smiled kindly. Maybe the girl was just nervous.
Just then, the girl accidentally bumped Ye Ling’s cup. Crash! “Ack—!” the girl gasped.
The beautiful cup shattered on the floor. Tea leaves and water spilled everywhere.
“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Ye Ling quickly stood up to comfort her. “It’s just a cup. I’ll grab a broom. Be careful not to step on the shards…”
She left briefly.
Xia Hua, calm and unhurried, opened the broadcast computer’s control panel.
She found a desktop document titled “Password,” copied the contents, and pasted them into the login screen.
Once inside, the first thing she saw was a connection request— from her phone.
There were already seven or eight connected devices listed— mostly wireless microphones from around the school.
Now hers was quietly added.
Completely unremarkable.
She logged out of the system just as Ye Ling returned with the broom.
“Teacher, I’m really sorry about the cup. I’ll make sure to bring you a prettier one next time. And here’s five yuan for the song I requested— it’s written in the logbook. Thank you so much.”
“It’s really no big deal. Hurry along to morning reading!” Ye Ling waved it off with a smile.
It really was a shame she didn’t teach a main subject—Ye Ling would’ve been a well-liked teacher. But she didn’t seem to care.
Ye Ling’s life was always pretty refined.
Most likely, her family was well-off. She’d probably just taken this job in a public institution to coast through her days.
And since she was just coasting, she didn’t want to hold a position where she might ruin a student’s future.
What? You think she got in through connections?
She’s a grad student— got in fair and square.
If a postdoctoral scholar can become a community office worker, Ye Ling could definitely be a Life Teacher.
Just passing time. As long as it’s an honest job, there’s no shame in it.
“Morning reading?” Xia Hua gave a self-deprecating laugh as she walked out of the room.
“That classroom doesn’t welcome me right now.”
“I just hope that after today—”
“Tomorrow’s morning reading will feel like home again…”
After all, she was about to pull off something big today.
And if even that didn’t change anything…
Then maybe this school really wasn’t the place for her.
She’d already done what she believed she should—
At the very least, she’d made the right choice in her own heart.
She pulled out her class schedule and glanced at it— first and second period again with Zhou Qing.
Chinese, Math, and English. Seemed like every day, the first two periods were always these same subjects.
So, even though she knew she wasn’t welcome, Xia Hua still stepped into Class 1’s morning reading session.
From the moment she walked in, the sound of recitation gradually died down.
“Xia Hua.” Ye Tingzhu was the first to rise, pointing at her accusingly.
“What?” Xia Hua just shrugged and asked lazily, “Is it because the sanitation zone still hasn’t been cleaned, and now you want me to do it?”
She shouldn’t have said anything. But now that she had, several angry gazes turned her way.
It was because Xia Hua had refused to serve her punishment—refused to clean.
And so the rest of them had to pick up the slack according to the original schedule.
They weren’t supposed to be on duty today.
No matter how you looked at it, it was Xia Hua’s fault.
She should be cleaning until the end of the semester.
All eyes turned toward the homeroom teacher, Zhou Qing.
He was the only one who could punish Xia Hua now.
And sure enough— “Xia Hua, you still dare to show your face in this classroom?” Zhou Qing’s face darkened.
“I’m a student of Class 1. Why wouldn’t I dare?” Xia Hua swept her hair back and smiled, “In fact, I’ve already decided— not just today, but every day from now on, I’ll be coming to class.”
“Insolent!” Zhou Qing snapped.
Her defiant expression, utterly unapologetic, was enough to push his fury over the edge.
To Zhou Qing, this was outright provocation— a challenge to his authority built on the ongoing grudge between them.
He slammed the lectern hard, the sharp sound startling the class into silence. Then he shouted:
“There is no place for you in this classroom anymore! I will not allow you to attend my class!”
“But… you don’t actually have that kind of authority,” Xia Hua reminded him calmly.
“Authority?” Zhou Qing sneered. He let out a laugh, one that grew louder and colder.
“As the homeroom teacher, I can report your misconduct and recommend your expulsion. So, do you really think I don’t have power?”
“Xia Hua, is that what you want? To be expelled?”
“No, I don’t.” Xia Hua answered evenly.
“Then why don’t you apologize to me?” Zhou Qing pressed on, thinking he had her right where he wanted.
He thought he was in control now.
Thought he could hold Xia Hua over everyone’s head.
A tool to make an example of.
A warning to others.
He could finally go back to his comfortable routine of ruling through fear— Crushing Xia Hua’s rebellious spirit little by little.
Every class needs a cautionary tale.
And if he could help it— Why shouldn’t it be Xia Hua, the easiest target?
But Xia Hua just shook her head and said:
“Sorry. I refuse.”
Her phone had been recording for a while now.
But it wasn’t enough.
Not nearly enough.
What she wanted was something decisive.
A single blow that would end it all.