Volume One, Chapter 15: Forced to Take a Leave of Absence from School?

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Su Jin had known since yesterday that Shen Yubai was going to the county town. Today, having some free time, she slung her backpack over her shoulder and planned to seek advice from Elder Du about Yue history.

Since their teacher fell ill, no one had been giving lessons.

The last time she spoke with Elder Du, many of her previous assumptions were shattered, making her realize that she needed to engage more with those knowledgeable about Yue history to make progress.

After breakfast, as she reached the school gate, a call from the academic affairs office summoned her back.

Entering the office, she found not only the staff but also Wang Qiqi present.

Wang Qiqi’s face was unmistakably smug.

Even more strangely, all the teachers in the office were wearing masks.

A male teacher near the door, seeing her approach, waved his hand dismissively, "Stand outside!"

Su Jin stepped in but immediately withdrew her foot.

The man held a small plastic spray bottle and sprayed several times at the spot where she had just stepped, emphasizing the area with repeated sprays.

The doorway was filled with a strong smell of alcohol.

He then sprayed a few times toward Su Jin herself before disgustedly demanding, "Why didn’t you tell the school?"

Su Jin’s eyelid twitched. "Tell them what?"

"You’re already at the academic office—are you still pretending?"

Wang Qiqi stepped forward, placing a white medicine bottle on the desk. "This was found in your trash bin. You have tuberculosis and didn’t say a word. You must be trying to infect me!"

Turning to the teachers, she added, "Teachers, I’m demanding a dorm change!"

The male teacher at the door, young but sharp-tongued, scoffed, "She’s not trying to infect you. She’s just afraid that if people find out, she won’t be able to replace Hu Ming at the seminar. There will be many school leaders present. If Su Jin infects any of them, can you take responsibility?"

His voice rose into a shout.

The other masked teachers, their expressions hidden but their eyes full of resentment and anger, nodded in agreement.

If the school leaders caught tuberculosis, none of them would have an easy time.

A woman in her early fifties with curly hair spoke up, "You won’t be attending the seminar. You’ll take a six-month leave to treat your illness."

Her words carried weight; upon hearing this, the male teacher immediately fawned over her, "Sister Xu, you’re too soft. She could have easily been given a major demerit."

The curly-haired woman waved her hand, "We’re teachers; we focus on educating students."

The other teachers praised her, completely ignoring Su Jin standing in the corridor insisting she didn’t have tuberculosis.

Wang Qiqi nearly laughed with delight.

After finding the bottle, she had gone to Liu Lei, who days later asked her to come to the academic affairs office to report Su Jin.

If Liu Lei hadn’t promised to buy her a donkey bag, she wouldn’t have come.

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The school rules didn’t require students to report illnesses.

Liu Lei taught her to tell teachers she had tuberculosis so they would be afraid and intervene.

Because the seminar involved school leaders, they would fear being blamed and would stop Su Jin from attending.

She came to the academic office with her story. At first, the teachers didn’t care, but once they learned Su Jin was from the Yue History Department and planned to represent the department at the seminar, they immediately called her over.

Without her saying much, they suspended her from school.

"You lied even after I found the bottle. Do you think the teachers believe you?" Wang Qiqi taunted as if boasting.

Su Jin didn’t bother responding and stayed outside.

The teachers inside chatted for a few minutes before quieting.

The male teacher glanced outside, saw Su Jin, and shouted impatiently, "Didn’t you hear? You’re suspended to go home and get treated! What are you still standing there for?"

Suppressing her temper, Su Jin said, "I’m not sick."

The teachers looked at her with disapproval, even the curly-haired woman frowned.

The male teacher screamed, "The evidence is right here, and you still deny it?!"

This time, Su Jin stopped talking in circles, took off her backpack, and rummaged inside.

The last time she had visited the hospital for her aunt to prescribe tuberculosis medicine, her aunt had made her undergo many tests out of concern.

She had stuffed the reports into her backpack and never taken them out until now, when she needed proof.

Quickly finding the reports, she stepped into the office.

The male teacher shouted sharply, "What are you doing here? Get out!"

He sprayed alcohol toward her as if she were a walking pathogen.

Su Jin placed the test reports in front of the curly-haired woman, "These are my test results. I don’t have tuberculosis. Teachers shouldn’t slander their students."

The curly-haired woman, clearly a leader in the academic office, was the most direct person to approach.

Before she could respond, the male teacher sprayed the reports with alcohol, "You keep bringing everything to the leaders. Do you want to make them sick too?"

Su Jin was furious.

She hated this male teacher intensely.

Grabbing the reports, she said angrily, "If you don’t want to see them, then give them to someone who does."

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She turned to leave.

The curly-haired woman watched her retreating figure, feeling a bad premonition.

"Su Jin, bring the reports here."

Su Jin turned, her beautiful large eyes questioning, "You really want to see them?"

The woman knew she was right; if Su Jin left, it would cause her serious trouble.

"Bring them here."

Su Jin placed the reports back on the desk. The woman flipped through them carefully; there was no problem, and the test date was this month.

"You’re indeed healthy. No need to suspend your studies."

The woman lightly dismissed the matter.

Wang Qiqi stepped forward anxiously, "She’s been taking medicine; she definitely has tuberculosis. The report might be fake. Besides, I heard her coughing last night!"

Su Jin responded bluntly, "I heard you coughing up blood. How come you’re still standing here?"

"You’re lying! I never coughed up blood!"

"Your mouth is attached to your body—you can say whatever you want. Maybe you bought those medicines yourself to frame me. Believe it or not, I’ll sue you for defamation."

Su Jin would never tolerate someone who harmed her.

She turned to the curly-haired woman, "Teacher, I demand she be kicked out of my dorm."

"Wang Qiqi, on what grounds?"

Wang Qiqi was furious.

"On the grounds that she slandered me! Our department should have separate dorms anyway. If you don’t move, I’ll report this to the dean, the vice principal, and the principal. If that doesn’t work, I’ll call the education bureau. I don’t believe anyone thinks it’s acceptable to slander students or suspend them without cause!"

The office fell silent.

The curly-haired woman removed her mask, revealing a solemn face.

"Slandering a student is punishable. Wang Qiqi, you must move out of the dorm immediately."

Su Jin interrupted, "Today."

"It takes time for the school to arrange another dorm for her," the woman said gravely.

Having already crossed this teacher, Su Jin didn’t mind offending her a little more.

"I’m afraid she’ll poison me."