For an ordinary passerby, hearing that the male vice principal of Qianpu School was having an affair with a male teacher would be shocking enough.
But for the students and teachers within the school, this explosive news was even more astounding.
The students couldn't help but wonder just how many earth-shattering secrets Shi Li knew.
They pondered if she could, perhaps, spend an entire day mentally recounting all the hidden truths she was privy to.
Of course, they weren't interested in gossip - they were simply concerned about those around them.
Truly!
They couldn't fathom how delightful it must be for Shi Li to possess such a wealth of information.
Naturally, Shi Li wasn't some clairvoyant as everyone imagined. Her knowledge of this scandal came from memories of her previous life.
After graduating and entering university, Shi Li visited her uncle's home during the New Year. It was then that her cousin shared this juicy piece of gossip with her.
The Shi family held shares in Qianpu School, and her cousin had overheard her mother discussing the vice principal's shocking behavior at the dinner table.
In truth, Shi Li's parents were also aware of this matter but found it too revolting to share with their daughter.
The saying "corruption is exposed by wives" proved true in this case. Principal Lu's misdeeds came to light thanks to his wife's revelation.
Mrs. Lu accidentally discovered her husband's affair with another man. The realization that her longtime companion actually preferred men left her feeling nauseated.
What disgusted her even more was learning that her own brother not only knew about this but was actively involved, acting as her husband's procurer.
In an instant, she felt doubly betrayed by both her husband and her brother.
Throwing caution to the wind, she reported the matter directly to the school board.
As for ruining her brother's and husband's futures, Mrs. Lu had already considered this possibility.
In moments of extreme anger, the mind can be surprisingly clear.
She only wished she could make the two scoundrels suffer even more. As for destroying their futures?
She didn't believe she was the one ruining them - they had done that to themselves. They deserved it!
Upon hearing this, Shi Li nearly dropped her jaw in shock, only for her cousin to help her close it.
If Shi Li's initial reaction was so dramatic, one can only imagine how others might respond.
Especially the Class Teacher, who had almost become an unwitting victim in this sordid affair.
Rather than reveling in the gossip, he was horrified at how close he had come to being at the center of the scandal.
The Class Teacher recalled how Principal Lu often summoned him to his office, seemingly with no real purpose other than to chat for an entire afternoon.
However, being socially awkward, he always managed to steer conversations into dead ends, causing them to conclude quickly.
The Class Teacher could still vividly remember Principal Lu's sour expression each time he left.
A certain suspicion was beginning to take shape.
Realizing how close he had come to losing his... virtue, the Class Teacher instinctively clutched his lower back.
[The Class Teacher is quite handsome, with both good looks and a nice physique]
Despite being complimented on his appearance, the Class Teacher felt no joy whatsoever.
Class Teacher: I'm not attractive, don't say such things.
[Did that pervert Principal Lu have his eye on him?]
Class Teacher: It's not true, nothing happened, please don't spread rumors.
Facing the curious gazes of over thirty students made him feel even more distraught.
Q: What's worse than knowing you've caught the eye of a disgusting male superior?
A: Having your students find out about it.
Talk about instant social death.
Talk about losing all authority.
He felt he could never face these students again or maintain his dignity as a teacher.
Good heavens, being a class teacher was exhausting not just physically, but mentally as well.
He had prepared himself mentally and physically for the administrative work that came with teaching when he chose this career.
But he never imagined that being an ordinary teacher would involve worrying about his... personal safety.
Even though he had no actual involvement in the incident so far, he felt as if he had become a central figure in the scandal.
[So, did the Class Teacher have that kind of relationship with Principal Lu?]
The Class Teacher knew that once people suspected a connection between him and Principal Lu, the next step would be to wonder if they had an inappropriate relationship.
It wasn't just Shi Li who would think this way - everyone would.
[Probably not]
She dismissed her own speculation.
[Our teacher doesn't seem like the type to tolerate such things]
Although he didn't know exactly what Shi Li meant by "that type," he was moved to tears by her words.
It was an acknowledgment of his character.
[If they were involved, Principal Lu would have given him a better position, right?]
The more Shi Li thought about it, the more certain she became of this idea.
Qianpu Middle School had designated teachers serving as class teachers - essentially acting as mother hens for the entire class, handling all sorts of trivial matters.
We won't discuss the status of class teachers in other schools.
At Qianpu, class teachers were considered among the lowest-ranking teachers.
Nobody wanted to do this job - managing a group of little emperors. Doing it well meant simply fulfilling one's duties, but any misstep that displeased the class's little lords could result in being fired.
With high turnover rates and tedious daily tasks, it's no wonder nobody wanted this position.
Only newcomers to the school or teachers on the verge of retirement would take on this role.
Even among newcomers, there were distinctions.
The Class Teacher, for instance, was a standout among his cohort of new hires, with an impressive educational background.
Upon joining the faculty, he was immediately entrusted with important responsibilities.
He was assigned to teach mathematics to the top-performing third-year high school class for two consecutive years, significantly improving their results.
Under normal circumstances, he would have either continued teaching third-year students, been assigned to teach first-year advanced classes or competition students, or been placed in the academic affairs office to design exams - all reasonable options.
Instead, he was demoted to teaching first-year students as an ordinary class teacher.
At the time, the leadership sugar-coated the decision, saying it was an opportunity for him to bond with students. While he excelled at teaching, they claimed he rarely had chances to interact closely with students, and this move was supposedly for his future career development.
The Class Teacher didn't mind such arrangements and was willing to do whatever the school assigned.
He hadn't been suspicious at the time, but if Shi Li hadn't mentioned Principal Lu's preference for men, he might never have guessed that his reassignment to first-year class teacher was due to offending Principal Lu.
[Look at how his job changed - it's obvious he offended someone and is being deliberately targeted]
[He seems like the type to offend superiors without realizing it. I doubt someone like that could climb into a leader's bed]
Class Teacher: Although you seem to be insulting me, I'm not angry.
[There are seven or eight male teachers in the school who've been with Principal Lu, like Teacher Hong...]
Class Teacher: I can't believe he would do such a thing!
Everyone: Wow~
[And Teacher Huang]
Class Teacher: Him too?!
Everyone: Unbelievable!
[Teacher Fang seems to have also...]
Class Teacher: ...He's gone numb now.
Learning that his colleagues were involved with their superior left him with complicated feelings.
But as he learned exactly who was involved with the principal, his emotions shifted once again.
It was the feeling of uncovering secrets about those around you.
We agreed to be ordinary workers together, yet you secretly became a kept man behind my back!
Moreover, Teacher Huang and Teacher Fang were both married men. Just last winter, he had attended Teacher Fang's wedding.
Did Teacher Fang's wife know her husband was secretly a kept man?
Some of the Class Teacher's lingering questions were now answered.
For instance, he now understood how Teacher Fang, with unremarkable abilities and qualifications, had managed to secure a position at the highly selective Qianpu School.
At the time, many had speculated that Teacher Fang must have possessed some hidden talents.
Now it seemed he did indeed have certain "exceptional qualities."
