A voice of remarkable distinctness immediately drew everyone's gaze.
A young man in a school uniform stood at the brightest entrance, yet exuded a chilling, somber aura.
Almost instinctively, people cleared a path for him.
Yu Yahe pinched her palm, trying to use the pain to quell the sorrow in her heart.
She never knew he could possess such patience.
That he was actually willing to grow with Wen Tingxue, problem by problem.
She had overestimated herself...
Yu Yahe, like a defeated dog, hung her head dejectedly and fell silent.
Yu Wenli walked past her without looking sideways.
His long legs, clad in a blue and white school uniform, were straight and sharp.
Like a gleaming spear, every step pierced her heart.
Bleeding profusely.
Wen Di stared blankly for a long moment, until Yu Wenli reached him, and he finally remembered to ask.
"Is what she said true? You've been tutoring her all along?"
"Yes."
Yu Wenli nodded, and the backpack slung over his shoulder was removed and placed on the table.
Wen Di glanced at it briefly, then averted his gaze, still frowning in disbelief.
"Even if you tutored her, that doesn't prove she didn't cheat."
"I know."
Yu Wenli nodded again, his left hand, resting on the black backpack, was fair and slender, strikingly noticeable.
"Therefore, I've brought Wen Tingxue's work. From March 1st to March 27th, a total of one hundred sets of practice exams she completed within twenty-seven days."
The moment she saw him, Wen Tingxue's eyes welled up with tears.
As if finding a pillar of support, she felt a sense of security permeate her entire being.
When he unzipped the backpack and took out stacks of exams she had filled out,
Her eyes grew even more teary, wanting to cry.
That was nearly a month of her hard work.
She had strived with all her might, not daring to relax for a single day, to achieve these nearly perfect results.
How could she be accused of cheating?
Feelings of injustice, dissatisfaction, and dullness surged into her heart, making her feel miserable in body and mind.
As tears spilled from her eyes, fingertips with a faint scent of tobacco brushed across her cheek.
His movements were exceedingly gentle, just like his voice as he whispered near her ear.
"Don't cry, little one. Big brother has your back."
The moment he heard that she was under suspicion, he wasted no time and returned home directly.
He grabbed the pre-prepared exams and notebooks and rushed back.
He would never allow a single drop of dirt to be cast upon her.
The situation had escalated, and the principal and head of the grade quickly arrived.
They happened to see the stacks of exams, and their hearts trembled.
The academic rigor at First High School was not low. To have completed so many exams while balancing studies showed the extent of her efforts.
Judging by this dedication, one should not utter the word 'cheating'!
Wen Di was also stunned by the sight of the exams, speechless for a long time.
It wasn't until the principal spoke that he snapped back to reality.
"Have the security cameras been checked?"
The principal carefully reviewed the exams in his hands, then looked at two perfect answer sheets, and finally asked Wen Di.
The head of the grade answered first, "I haven't received any requests to retrieve surveillance footage, but I've already had someone check it before I came."
Wen Di shook his head, his mind heavy with worry. "No."
"Then on what grounds are you accusing her of cheating?"
The principal, displeased, threw down the exams and pointed at the various practice questions on the table, saying, "Look at the difficulty of these questions.
"And then look at the handwriting. If you had paid just a little more attention, you wouldn't have caused this ridiculous misunderstanding."
Wen Di opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.
Xu Kexin was right; he had a prejudice against people from Lu Cheng No. 7 High School.
Or, to be more precise, he had an instinctive prejudice against underperforming students.
This was his problem, and he admitted it.
However, it wasn't that he couldn't accept a student's progress. It was simply that Wen Tingxue's improvement was too significant.
So significant that he couldn't accept it at first.
It wasn't until the hundreds of exams were presented that he suddenly realized, perhaps, he was indeed mistaken.
He had underestimated Wen Tingxue's diligence and overestimated his own judgment.
"Of course," the principal said, considerate of Wen Di's feelings.
He said as objectively as possible, "These exams can only prove Wen Tingxue's effort, but they cannot completely clear her of suspicion.
"Therefore, until the surveillance footage arrives, no one can draw conclusions. We will all wait together."
The principal patted Wen Tingxue's shoulder comfortingly and smiled, saying, "Child, if Teacher Wen has wronged you, I will make him apologize.
"Everyone who has doubted you will also apologize to you, but my dear,"
The principal said earnestly, "Please remember, whether it's a teacher or an elder, everyone is human.
"Humans are bound to make mistakes, so I hope that no matter the outcome today, it won't leave a psychological shadow on you.
"Everyone is born equal. Teachers are not judges, and what they say is not necessarily always correct.
"Ultimately, we must have our own ability to discern and persevere."
Wen Tingxue stared intently at the kind-faced middle-aged man before her.
Compared to when she first met him, he now seemed more like a dedicated educator.
The gloom that Wen Di had cast upon her heart was gently dispersed by his few words.
"Mhm!"
The little girl nodded heavily, her heart brightening a little more.
Perhaps, she shouldn't have cowered and avoided the situation from the very beginning.
Instead, she should have argued her case. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Because no one knew better than she did about her efforts and her innocence.
Her silence would not earn her understanding, only deepen everyone's suspicion.
...
The surveillance video was quickly brought. Under everyone's witness, Wen Tingxue's innocence was confirmed.
During the exam, let alone cheating, she had barely stopped writing.
Did she have time to engage in sly tricks?
Wen Di pursed his lips, his expression awkward and guilt-ridden.
Yu Yahe stared at the girl in the video with a grim expression, her hands clenched tightly.
First place in the grade, a position she dared not even dream of.
She had reached it in just one month...
What did that even mean?
The person she had once looked down upon was now leaving her far behind with her strength.
Yu Yahe remembered Wen Tingxue's words—
"...It's not shameful to lose to you, but it's very shameful for you to lose to a country girl like me."
She was right, it was indeed very shameful!
Especially since she had often mocked her about her grades in the past.
Thinking back now, her face felt like it was burning.
Yu Yahe lowered her eyes with complex emotions, wanting to leave unnoticed.
Unexpectedly, Xu Kexin spoke abruptly, "Shouldn't you apologize?"
Yu Yahe turned her head, meeting the accusatory gazes of everyone, feeling utterly mortified.
But how could her pride possibly allow her to apologize to someone she disliked?
"Apologize for what? Don't I even have the right to question?"
Yu Yahe said as a matter of course, "All signs pointed to her grades being problematic, and she didn't even speak up to defend herself. What's wrong with me saying a few words? Is it not allowed?"
Xu Kexin frowned, seemingly speechless at her sophistry.
Wen Di glanced at her with displeasure, "Yahe."
Yu Yahe's heart trembled. She knew deep down that she should concede the point now, but she just couldn't bring herself to.
She couldn't accept that someone who was inferior to her in every aspect was now surpassing her in academics.
Especially since such an achievement was cultivated by the person she admired, step by step!