The crowd quickly parted, and a potbellied middle-aged man walked in.
As soon as he entered, he frowned at Bai Fan. “What are you doing? Why are you grabbing him?”
Bai Fan glanced at the grimacing man with braids beside him and slowly released his grip.
“He started it.”
The moment his wrist was freed, the braided man felt alive again. He scurried over to the middle-aged man, a smug smile spreading across his face.
“Dad, it’s this guy! From the Social College Class—he thinks he can bully your son just because he has connections outside!”
Bai Fan was speechless. ‘Is this guy a giant baby? It feels like a three-year-old losing a fight and calling for his dad.’
Whispers broke out around him, and Bai Fan quickly recognized the newcomer.
The Vice Dean of the academy, Liao Wei.
No wonder Liao Zirong was so cocky, constantly threatening to make Bai Fan’s life miserable at school.
So his daddy really did have pull.
Liao Wei’s gaze darkened, piercing into Bai Fan like a nail. “This student looks refined, but I never expected him to be a thug.”
Bai Fan raised an eyebrow. “Vice Dean Liao, are you planning to take sides before even hearing anything?”
Liao Wei snorted coldly. “I, Liao, don’t play favorites or avoid suspicion. I only care about reason. The Dean of Students told me everything you did on the way here. Plus, several students you beat up yesterday are willing to testify. Confess now, and I’ll show some leniency. Keep being stubborn, and don’t blame the school for going hard on you.”
Bai Fan felt a vein throb in his temple. ‘These people really don’t do reason. I want to just punch him and be done with it.’
‘This Vice Dean should be grateful that, no matter what happens below the surface, this is still a society governed by law on the surface. Otherwise, I’d be giving him a couple of punches right now.’
Just then, Lin Xincheng stepped forward and stood beside Bai Fan.
“Dean Liao, you have witnesses, and we have witnesses too. In that case, let’s find a place to sort this out properly.”
Liao Wei frowned, tugging at his belt that was about to burst from his potbelly. “And who are you?”
“The new class teacher for the Social College Class. I’ll be in charge of them for the next few months.”
“Oh—” Liao Wei drew out the word. “I remember now. After Old Huang got sick, you’re the temporary teacher the school hired, right? No wonder you don’t know the rules. If Old Huang were here, he’d know when to speak and when to shut up.”
Lin Xincheng’s brow furrowed slightly, his tone turning cold. “Dean Liao, let’s stick to the issue. There’s no need for personal attacks.”
Liao Wei narrowed his eyes, his gaze growing darker.
“Fine. Let’s stick to the issue.”
He turned to Chen Yuanyuan.
“The witness you mentioned—she used to work as a waitress in multiple KTVs and has been seen entering hotels with different men. According to records I checked, she was even involved in a honey trap case. A marker never changes its spots, even if it’s washed ashore. Last night, she just happened to pass by where my son was taking a walk—probably trying to set up a trap with some social student.”
The area fell silent. Many students exchanged glances.
Bai Fan was momentarily stunned and instinctively looked at Chen Yuanyuan.
Lin Xincheng also raised an eyebrow, his expression thoughtful as he glanced her way.
Chen Yuanyuan’s body trembled slightly, and her eyes dimmed.
She lowered her head, her voice very soft. “Trust me…”
Bai Fan didn’t hesitate. “I do trust you.”
Those four simple words made Chen Yuanyuan tremble. She lifted her head to look at Bai Fan.
Bai Fan stared coldly at Liao Wei. “That’s slander.”
Director Zhang immediately jumped in. “When Dean Liao speaks, what gives you the right to interrupt!”
Bai Fan’s eye twitched. ‘Ah, my fists are so hard. I want to hit him.’
Bai Fan sneered. “Are you still living in feudal times? The superior speaks, and the commoner can’t open their mouth? No wonder you’re so good at brown-nosing—you’ve mastered the true skills of your ancestors.”
A few stifled laughs broke out around them. Director Zhang’s face turned bright red.
Liao Wei was about to speak when Lin Xincheng stepped forward again.
“Dean Liao, do you have evidence for what you just said, or is it just speculation?”
Liao Wei gave a cold laugh. “Of course I’ve seen the evidence. But who are you? Do I need to prove anything to you?”
Lin Xincheng’s expression remained calm. “You don’t need to prove it to me, but what you said in front of so many people has caused great damage to a female student’s reputation. If you can’t produce evidence, you should apologize.”
The air suddenly went still. Many students were stunned—no one expected a new class teacher to dare demand an apology from the Vice Dean.
Liao Wei froze for a moment, then laughed, though the smile grew colder. “A newly hired teacher dares to ask me to apologize? You’re fired starting tomorrow. At tonight’s council meeting, I’ll personally propose your dismissal. If you don’t want to leave gracefully, I’ll help you do it ungracefully.”
Bai Fan’s heart shook. ‘The Captain… risked this much just to defend us?’
Yet Lin Xincheng remained utterly calm, as if these threats didn’t faze him at all.
“You might want to say that to the Dean in person.”
Liao Wei snorted. “Playing the fox by using the tiger’s power? Trying to intimidate me with the Dean?”
He puffed out his belly, his expression arrogant. “Even if the Dean himself were here, he’d still show me some respect.”
Lin Xincheng didn’t reply. He just looked at Liao Wei calmly, as if waiting for a verdict to fall.
Just then, an old, steady voice came from behind the crowd.
“Is that so? Then tell me—what kind of respect do I owe you?”
Liao Wei’s body stiffened violently. All the color drained from his face in an instant.
He turned mechanically. An old man in traditional Haizhou attire, leaning on a cane, slowly made his way through the crowd.
“D-Dean? How did you… get here?” His voice was already trembling.
Bai Fan was equally surprised.
Qiu Zhengyuan, the Dean of the academy and a board member of the council.
“Someone reported to me that there was trouble in the Social College Class, and even the Director and Vice Dean had personally gotten involved. Naturally, I had to come and see.”
The Dean’s gaze swept across the scene. Liao Wei and Director Zhang’s faces turned ashen.
Finally, the Dean’s eyes landed on Lin Xincheng.
Bai Fan couldn’t be sure, but he felt that when the Dean spoke to Lin Xincheng, his tone carried an extra note of caution.
“Teacher, please explain.”
…
Twenty minutes later.
In the security room, the surveillance footage ended, and the truth was fully revealed.
When they all returned to the front of the Social College Class building, the scene was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.
The Dean walked in front, Lin Xincheng beside him.
Behind them, Liao Wei, Director Zhang, and Liao Zirong were as pale as frosted eggplants.
The Dean stopped and said flatly, “You know what to do.”
Liao Wei trembled. His face cycled through shades of white and green before he finally turned to his son and roared, “What are you waiting for? Apologize!”
Liao Zirong’s face was iron. Under the gaze of countless eyes, he bent at the waist. “I’m sorry.”
The crowd erupted.
“He actually apologized?”
“Oh my god!”
“The Vice Dean backed down?”
“Is it because Teacher Lin has too much backing?”
Bai Fan frowned. “That’s not enough.”
He stepped aside, letting Chen Yuanyuan move forward. “The person you really need to apologize to is her.”
Chen Yuanyuan was still nervous, her hands instinctively clenching the hem of her clothes.
But then she saw Bai Fan’s eyes.
‘It’s okay. I’m here.’
At that moment, a surge of courage welled up inside her. She slowly raised her head and met Liao Zirong’s gaze.
Liao Zirong’s face twisted. “I’m not gonna—”
Slap.
A hand stopped less than five centimeters from his face.
Bai Fan’s palm hung there, not falling, but the fierce pressure made every hair on Liao Zirong’s body stand on end.
Liao Zirong froze. He saw Bai Fan’s eyes.
Cold. Deep. A faint hint of ice blue swirling in the depths of his pupils.
His throat bobbed. In his peripheral vision, he even noticed his father had quietly looked away, not daring to watch.
Finally, he lowered his head and bowed deeply to Chen Yuanyuan.
Clenching his teeth, he said word by word, “I’m sorry.”
“It was my fault.”