Xia Qingtian put her phone away and leaned over Jiang Yingying's desk, asking, "Did you really cry?"
"Xia Qingtian, that's enough!" A girl who was good friends with Jiang Yingying pulled Xia Qingtian away and said, "Don't push your luck when you're already in the right!"
"So you admit I'm in the right? If you know I'm in the right, then where were you when our class monitor was unreasonable with me? Why didn't you rush out immediately to uphold justice?" Xia Qingtian retorted.
"You!" The girl's face flushed, and she stammered, "Our class really has the worst attendance. Jiang Yingying is understandably upset and anxious."
"What does poor attendance have to do with me? You don't care about those who truly skipped class, but you're trying to flex your authority by targeting me for taking sick leave?" Xia Qingtian laughed. "What a calculation! Am I just meant to be bullied by you all?"
The girl was completely silenced.
"Alright! I misunderstood you! I'll apologize, won't that do!" Jiang Yingying, lifting her proud head, tearfully looked at Xia Qingtian, as if she were the one who had been wronged.
"Fine, apologize," Xia Qingtian said, not indulging Jiang Yingying. "Be sincere, be earnest, and get the emotions right."
"You!" Jiang Yingying's outburst was fueled by anger. Most people would be ashamed if a delicate girl spoke like that, but how could this Xia Qingtian be so shameless!
"What about me?" Xia Qingtian met Jiang Yingying's gaze, her smile radiant. "Don't tell me the class monitor needs me to teach her how to apologize? So you only know how to put on airs and exert authority, and nothing else!"
Despite feeling immensely wronged, Jiang Yingying's face flushed red as she shouted, "I'm sorry! Happy now!"
After saying that, Jiang Yingying turned to run out of the classroom crying, but was stopped by her friend.
Seeing Jiang Yingying sobbing uncontrollably, appearing to have suffered an immense injustice, her friend became angry. She glared at Xia Qingtian and said, "Are you satisfied? You're going too far! This is simply bullying!"
"Am I going too far?" Xia Qingtian said with a smile. "What's that saying again? Right, don't think you can act cute and expect others to tolerate your bad behavior just because you're pretty!"
"Pfft." Someone chuckled, remembering that these were Jiang Yingying's own words from earlier when she slammed the table. To hear Xia Qingtian throw them back at her now made them laugh out loud.
This sound seemed to shatter Jiang Yingying's pride. She abruptly threw off her friend's hand and ran out of the classroom in tears.
"Yingying! Yingying!" Her friend immediately chased after her in concern. Neither of them returned before the class started.
When the elderly teacher called roll, he happened to call their names. He sighed and said, "What's going on with Finance Class 1? How long has this semester been? Have you all gotten too big for your britches! Today, Finance Class 1, I've just called roll for those absent, you classmates notify them! Anyone absent will be marked as failed! You won't even be able to take the final exam this semester! You dare skip compulsory courses! You're rebelling!"
Hearing this, someone couldn't help but laugh, remembering Jiang Yingying's earlier outburst.
One by one, others started to laugh too, until everyone was laughing, while the teacher stood there, utterly bewildered.
What had happened?
Young people these days were becoming increasingly difficult to understand...
After this class, there was only one more lecture in the afternoon.
Xia Qingtian asked Li Xiaoxiao if anything had happened while she was away. Li Xiaoxiao scratched the back of her head. "Your absence this morning was less exciting than my entire morning."
Li Xiaoxiao counted on her fingers, telling Xia Qingtian about recent school arrangements, who was dating whom among their classmates, and who had broken up.
Xia Qingtian only listened to the gossip for amusement. She was, however, more interested in the school's essay competition.
She had missed classes due to her injury. Although she had a leave request, it only ensured she wouldn't lose credits.
To earn extra credits, she needed to participate more in school activities.
Taking advantage of the morning break, Xia Qingtian went to the library to find some information and wrote an essay for the school competition. After printing it out at the library, she went to submit it to her advisor.
As she approached the advisor's office door, Xia Qingtian heard the advisor's stern criticism from inside.
"What are you crying about? One is the class monitor, the other is the academic representative." The advisor said impatiently, "You led the skipping class, and you have the nerve to ask me for retroactive leave forms? And you want sick leave right off the bat! What illness do you have? Where's the hospital certificate? Let me see it!"
Hearing the advisor's words, Jiang Yingying felt even more wronged and started to cry.
Why could Xia Qingtian take sick leave, but they couldn't!
Xia Qingtian looked perfectly fine, without any missing limbs or broken legs, not like someone who needed sick leave at all.
"Xia Qingtian also took a long sick leave!" Jiang Yingying's friend retorted indignantly. "We only took one class!"
They had just learned from a classmate that the teacher had called their names and mentioned failing them. Both of them were so scared they rushed to the advisor to get retroactive leave forms.
While personal leave was possible, it deducted credits. They were hoping to apply for scholarships, so they could only ask for sick leave, which didn't deduct credits.
"Xia Qingtian's sick leave was legitimate, with a doctor's certificate. Do you have one?" the advisor asked.
"Advisor, we didn't intentionally skip class, it's Xia Qingtian who..." Jiang Yingying's tearful words were interrupted by Xia Qingtian.
"Advisor, excuse me for a moment." Hearing Jiang Yingying mention her name, Xia Qingtian walked in directly, knocked, and presented her completed essay. "I heard from a classmate about the school's essay competition. I've been sick for a while and haven't been able to come. I feel quite embarrassed, and I wanted to see if I could do something for the Finance department. I just finished writing it. It might not be very good, but please take a look and see if it can be used."
Seeing the essay Xia Qingtian handed over, the advisor's mood visibly improved. "Look at Xia Qingtian! You two are the class monitor and academic representative! Why don't you want to do anything for the class or the department, and you just lead the skipping classes!"
Hearing the advisor's words, Jiang Yingying and her friend's faces became even uglier. This Xia Qingtian was truly despicable and shameless!
They had felt it during military training. This Xia Qingtian looked like a seductive slut, so pretentious! She even went to reapply sunscreen during breaks, wasn't that just to lure others!
They had noticed that many male classmates were staring at Xia Qingtian back then, and even called Xia Qingtian the new campus belle of the Finance department.
A bunch of blind people, they only liked that kind of slut!
The two women glared at Xia Qingtian sinisterly, but Xia Qingtian didn't even spare them an extra glance, bidding farewell to the advisor with a smile.