Liu Yunyun watched the two chatting happily with unwillingness in her eyes. She bit her lip and silently retreated…
Xie Qingxiao and the Gossip System immediately caught Liu Yunyun’s intention.
Xie Qingxiao crossed his arms, a hint of killing intent hidden in his eyes, and said indifferently:
“Liu Yunyun, didn’t you say my sister was suspected of cheating? Why are you trying to run now? Secretary Lin is here. You can explain in detail how my sister threatened you to help her cheat.”
Xie Qingxiao’s words made everyone present turn their attention to Liu Yunyun.
Those who knew Liu Yunyun had framed Xie Qingtao for cheating looked at her with malice and disgust.
Those who didn’t understand the situation stared at Liu Yunyun in confusion.
Liu Yunyun’s face was swollen and red. The gazes of those around her made her feel extremely humiliated. Her face turned deathly pale, and her frail body swayed unsteadily.
The Gossip System in Xie Qingtao’s mind was buzzing with excitement:
【Host, Liu Yunyun is trying to run. I know her motive and the process of her scheme.】
Motive?
Process!
Xie Qingtao became interested and asked with curiosity:
［Tell me.］
【It’s the work of the Comparison Group System. Liu Yunyun accepted a mission with the goal of ruining your reputation. Since you’re a senior high school student about to take the college entrance exam, the best way to ruin you is to pin a cheating charge on you.
Liu Yunyun collaborated with the Comparison Group System to alter the handwriting on her completed exam papers and then used the Comparison Group System to swap them…】
While Xie Qingtao was learning the ins and outs of the situation from the Gossip System, Secretary Lin’s attention was focused on Liu Yunyun.
When Secretary Lin saw Liu Yunyun’s swollen face, he was taken aback.
Instead of asking Liu Yunyun directly, he turned his gaze to Xie Qingxiao:
“Young man, what’s going on here?”
Xie Qingxiao set aside his arrogance and disrespect toward Liu Yunyun and answered truthfully:
“Secretary Lin, my name is Xie Qingxiao, and I am Xie Qingtao’s brother. This person framed my sister for cheating, claiming that my sister had been threatening her to help with cheating. She also seemed to be colluding with this invigilator to pin the blame on my sister.”
After speaking, Xie Qingxiao looked at the female invigilator, whose face was covered in nervous sweat, and chuckled inwardly.
She was so tough earlier, but now she’s like a paper tiger—easily torn apart.
He couldn’t let off someone who had offended him, Xie Qingxiao.
Secretary Lin turned to the female invigilator and said sternly:
“Teacher, how many years have you been in the teaching profession?”
Secretary Lin’s simple question about her teaching experience terrified the female invigilator.
She lowered her head and stammered, “Five years.”
Five years ago, she was the pride of her family. She still remembered the joy she felt when she passed the teacher qualification exam. Back then, she wanted to educate students and fight against injustice.
“Five years… As a teacher, you should calmly judge right and wrong among students and not overlook any factor that could lead a student astray.
You, as a teacher, acted improperly in this matter. You shouldn’t favor one side but should have an eye for spotting mistakes and strive to resolve issues, rather than silencing a student out of bias.
If Xie Qingtao hadn’t had evidence to prove her innocence, wouldn’t she have been falsely accused by you?”
Such a method of preventing someone from speaking was truly inappropriate.
Thinking of this, Secretary Lin’s eyes were filled with clear disdain and disgust.
The female invigilator hung her head even lower now, unable to utter a word for a long time.
Secretary Lin then turned her gaze to Liu Yunyun.
Liu Yunyun was still pretending to be the victim.
Seeing her act like this reminded Secretary Lin of women from a certain island country who behaved the same way, making her feel disgusted:
“Little comrade, one must have the right attitude in life and not dwell on unnecessary thoughts.”
She spent her days resentful and jealous of others, never focusing her mind on studying.
Such a person could hardly achieve great things.
With a devious mind and a narrow heart, she was not fit for important roles.
Secretary Lin made her judgment of Liu Yunyun in her heart.
There were no shortage of clever people present; some understood the meaning behind Secretary Lin’s words and took a few steps away from Liu Yunyun.
The way they avoided her like the plague nearly drove Liu Yunyun mad with anger.
This farce finally came to an end when staff from the county’s education department and school leaders intervened.
After sincerely bidding farewell to Secretary Lin and their homeroom teacher, Xie Qingtao and her brother headed home.
Xie Qingtao decided not to attend the afternoon exam.
When asked, she simply said she was hurt by the morning’s incident and needed time to recover.
By the time they returned home, lunch was already prepared.
A pot of coarse corn porridge and a plate of stir-fried vegetables without a trace of oil.
As soon as Xie Qingtao stepped into the house, she met Liu Guiyun’s worried gaze.
“Mom, I’m back.”
“Taotao, why are you back so late?”
Liu Guiyun pulled Xie Qingtao closer, her eyes filled with concern as she asked.
Xie Qingtao didn’t want the incident with Liu Yunyun to ruin her family’s appetite, so she changed the subject.
“Mom, I’m hungry. Let’s eat first, and we can talk later.”
Xie Jianguo sensed something was off and silently glanced at Xie Qingxiao before serving a bowl of thick coarse corn porridge for Xie Qingtao.
“Taotao, eat first. You can talk after you’ve had your fill and regained your strength.”
Xie Jianguo keenly noticed the listless air about Xie Qingtao.
“Mom, after lunch, take the afternoon off. There’s something I need you to do.”
Halfway through the meal, Xie Qingxiao calmly picked up a portion of vegetables for his sister and spoke.
Xie Qingxiao’s sudden statement left everyone puzzled.
Even Xie Qingping, who had been sipping his thin porridge, looked up at Xie Qingxiao.
Xie Qingtao was only halfway through her bowl of thick coarse corn porridge when she felt full.
Seeing this, Xie Qingxiao took her bowl and finished the porridge for her.
Xie Qingtao kindly explained:
“Mom, Dad, the reason I came back so late today is because Liu Yunyun falsely accused me of cheating on the exam.”
Xie Qingtao’s words exploded like a thunderclap in the Xie family’s living room, which was less than five square meters in size.
And the impact was significant.
“What?”
Xie Jianguo’s eyes widened as he looked up and exclaimed in shock.
Xie Qingping forgot about his meal, his chopsticks clattering to the floor.
His mouth hung open in astonishment.
“Taotao, that debt-collecting ghost from the Liu family actually dared to bully you? She must be tired of living.”
Because Liu Yunyun always wore a mournful expression, as if everyone owed her money,
the residents of the compound secretly called her the “debt-collecting ghost.”
Liu Guiyun lost her composure, her eyes blazing with anger. She put down her bowl and chopsticks, gritted her teeth, and prepared to storm out.
Xie Qingtao stopped Liu Guiyun’s movement.
“Mom, I’m fine. Liu Yunyun tried to frame me, but I fought back. Whether she can even take the exam now is another matter.”
Xie Qingtao roughly guessed the school’s punishment for Liu Yunyun and smiled inwardly.
Unless she had some extraordinary ability, she would likely be expelled.
Xie Qingtao seemed to think of something, her eyes flickering slightly.
Liu Guiyun’s anger had subsided by half, her face now beaming with satisfaction as she spat fiercely in the direction of the Liu family:
“That’s perfect. That debt-collecting ghost from the Liu family will probably be taken by Xiao Lianhua to exchange for a bride price.”
Hearing her daughter’s words, Xie Jianguo’s heavy heart also eased somewhat, a look of approval appearing on his face:
“Well done, Taotao!”
Xie Jianguo took out fifty cents and gave it to Xie Qingtao.
“Take this money and go to the supply and marketing cooperative with your brother later to buy some ice cream. It’s hot out—cool off a bit.”