MM | Chapter 23

Punishment

That night, Sheng Wang became the talk of the entire grade.

The craziest were the students from Class A. These top students, despite their high scores, acted as if they had never seen someone jump over a hundred ranks before. They were as excited as if they had inhaled laughing gas, gathering around Sheng Wang’s desk to boast.

Gao Tianyang led the boasting, with class committee rep Song Sirui assisting.

Meanwhile, Sheng Wang, the person in question, was playing on his phone with his head down, hands resting in the desk compartment. Unable to stop these two lively characters, he could only let them carry on.

“Looking at the whole grade, who else dares to jump 100 ranks in a week?” That was Gao Tianyang.

“No one!” That was Song Sirui.

“Sheng-ge, just admit it, are you trying to take our Old Song’s position as class committee rep?” Still Gao Tianyang.

“???” Song Sirui looked confused, but then said, “I can reluctantly give it up.”

“Classy!” Gao Tianyang gave him a thumbs-up.

“Generous!” Song Sirui gave himself a thumbs-up too.

Inside the desk compartment, Jiang Tian was sending a WeChat message saying not to wait for him after evening self-study. Sheng Wang, bored anyway, sent him seven or eight emojis in response.

Canned: Is there any way to make these two shut up?

Jiang Tian: No.

Canned: Aren’t you Gao Tianyang’s childhood friend? Can’t you control him?

Jiang Tian: …

Jiang Tian: Not his mom.

“Hey, Sheng-ge, what are you laughing at?” Gao Tianyang couldn’t hold back and leaned over to take a look, but the angle was wrong, and the desk blocked his view.

“Nothing,” Sheng Wang replied casually.

Gao Tianyang squinted and started to smirk, while Song Sirui wagged his finger, saying, “Something’s up, Sheng-ge—”

“What’s up?” Sheng Wang hadn’t even noticed what they were talking about. He closed a few apps and finally pulled his hands out of the desk compartment.

Seeing his genuinely confused expression, Gao Tianyang lost interest and said, “Forget it, let’s talk about your scores. Seriously, your jump this time was too fast. I’ve been around for years and never seen such a leap forward. You jumped 100 ranks faster than our Pepper gained 100 pounds.”

“Do you have a death wish?” Sheng Wang looked at him in disbelief.

Just then, Pepper shouted from the side, “Gao Tianyang, say that again?!”

Pepper, a top student who often ranked in the top five, was well-loved despite her rebellious nature and frequent punishments. Everyone joked around with her, especially Gao Tianyang, who often got beaten by her.

As soon as he finished speaking, Pepper’s book flew through the crowd.

Gao Tianyang ducked with a curse, and Sheng Wang quickly tilted his head to dodge. Only then did he realize the book was heading straight for Jiang Tian’s face.

Just as he realized, there was a “smack” sound behind him. Jiang Tian had caught the book.

He picked it up, looked at Gao Tianyang speechlessly, and the latter immediately put his hands together in a prayer gesture, respectfully returning the book to Pepper. With the leader gone, the others scattered like birds.

Watching them flee like refugees, Sheng Wang leaned back in his chair, laughing.

“Peaceful now?” Jiang Tian’s cool voice suddenly sounded from behind his ear.

His voice was so low that it always tickled when he spoke softly. Sheng Wang replied with a “hmm” and couldn’t help but pinch his earlobe.

Jiang Tian added, “Move your chair forward a bit, don’t let it shake against the desk.”

Sheng Wang: “…”

Alright, ticklish or not, it depends on the content.

Though the boasting wasn’t fully enjoyed, most Class A students accepted one thing: at least two names on the City Top Three Students list were set, one being Jiang Tian, firmly at the top of the grade, and the other being Sheng Wang, who shot up like a rocket.

As class monitor Li Yu put it, “Congratulations, you can start celebrating early.”

The day after the scores were announced, these two were congratulated into the Political and Educational Office.

The messenger was Small Mouth Xu, dragged by his dad to move a pile of workbooks back to the classroom. His first words upon entering were, “Jiang Tian, Sheng Wang, go to Duxing Building, Director Xu wants to see you.”

He was probably one of the most honest people in Class A, never calling his dad “dad” at school, nor daring to call him Big Mouth. He always respectfully called him Director Xu.

“Looking for both of us?” Sheng Wang turned his head, exchanging glances with Jiang Tian, and asked Small Mouth, “Did he say what it’s about?”

“No,” Small Mouth replied honestly, “but he was smiling, so it should be something good, maybe about the City Top Three Students.”

Sheng Wang and Jiang Tian, half-believing, went to the Political and Educational Office. As soon as they entered, they saw Big Mouth Xu with a fake smile and Zhai Tao standing there with his head down.

This couldn’t be about the City Top Three Students???

Sheng Wang immediately wanted to strangle Small Mouth Xu for the misinformation.

Big Mouth Xu looked Sheng Wang up and down with a smile, then turned to Jiang Tian. After a few seconds, his face suddenly turned stern, and he roared, “You think you’re so capable now, huh?! Fighting on the day of the weekly exam! And you chose the busiest spot, the fountain square! What were you thinking?! Huh? Planning a performance match?!”

Just as he took a breath, a loud voice suddenly came from the office door: “Report!”

Big Mouth Xu was startled and looked at the door irritably. Sheng Wang also glanced over and saw Gao Tianyang coming in with Small Mouth Xu. It was Gao Tianyang who had just shouted.

“What are you back for?!” Big Mouth Xu was in a bad mood and didn’t hold back even with his son.

“Report,” Small Mouth Xu began formally, “I haven’t moved the workbooks for Class B yet, so I brought Gao Tianyang to help.”

Big Mouth Xu said, “Do you think I don’t know what kind of person Gao Tianyang is? You didn’t bring him, he must have asked to come, just wanting to join the fun.”

Small Mouth Xu awkwardly pursed his lips, “Not really.”

“Satisfied your curiosity?” Big Mouth Xu said, “Move the workbooks and get out quickly!”

Gao Tianyang didn’t move. He glared at Zhai Tao and said righteously to Big Mouth Xu, “I fought too, why didn’t you call me!”

“Did you hit anyone?” Big Mouth Xu said impatiently.

“I did!”

“Hit what!” Big Mouth Xu pointed out the window, “Do you think the school’s cameras are dead? Stop making trouble, get out! Or I’ll add to your punishment, believe it or not?”

Gao Tianyang wanted to say more, but Small Mouth Xu, knowing his dad’s temper, dragged him out: “Don’t talk back, it’ll only make it worse.”

The office door was slammed shut by Big Mouth Xu, and Zhai Tao couldn’t hold it in: “Report.”

“Speak.”

“I—” Zhai Tao instinctively wanted to curse, but realized where he was and reluctantly held back: “I didn’t hit anyone! Why am I standing here?”

Damn it, he was the one who got beaten from start to finish, and the scratches on his face hadn’t even healed!

Big Mouth Xu, stern-faced, indeed had the authority of the Political and Educational Office Director. He stared at Zhai Tao for a long time, no longer using that roaring tone: “You really don’t know why you’re standing here?”

Though his tone was calm, it was more unsettling than yelling.

“I don’t know,” Zhai Tao said impatiently, neck stiff.

“Our school may not be the best in the province, but it’s a century-old institution. A hundred years of discarding the dross and retaining the essence to develop this educational model, if not the most scientific, is at least sufficient for teaching and nurturing. You’ve been here for over a year, and all you’ve learned is to curse and push people down stairs?”

Zhai Tao breathed heavily, lips pursed, and after a moment said, “I didn’t—”

“I said, the cameras aren’t dead, and the students watching all have eyes and ears.” Big Mouth Xu, seeing his attitude, didn’t bother arguing further. He waved his hand and said, “Alright, I’m not here to hear your excuses. I’ve called you because I’ve verified from multiple sources.”

“You, I won’t say more, you know in your heart.” Big Mouth Xu turned to Sheng Wang and Jiang Tian: “As for you two, I know your intentions might not have been bad, but!”

He emphasized, “There are countless ways to solve problems, why did you have to resort to violence? Fighting in front of the whole school is cool, right? Throwing a backpack far is impressive, right?”

Sheng Wang looked down, seemingly deep in reflection.

He had a fair complexion, long eyes that drooped slightly at the corners. When he smiled, he was full of spirit, but when he lowered his eyes, he looked deceptively innocent, three parts innocent and seven parts scholarly, making Big Mouth Xu choke twice.

“The day you arrived, I even told other teachers you looked like a particularly well-behaved student, and this is how you prove it to me?!”

The more Big Mouth Xu thought about it, the angrier he got. He took a sip of tea from his thermos, spat out the tea leaves, and said, “You like being watched, don’t you? You like performing in front of the whole school, right? Well—Teaching Zone Road No. 3, running through the teaching buildings, cafeteria, and dormitories, that stage is grand enough, right? Go sweep the sycamore leaves, save our cleaning staff some effort.”

He held up a finger: “Not long, just a week. This week, report with a broom every morning during the big break. I’ll have someone watch you. You kids don’t know how long life is until you’ve lost face a few times! Sweep for a week, then come to me for the formal punishment result.”

After venting his anger, Director Xu sent the three fighters on their way to sweep the streets.

After just two days of sweeping, Sheng Wang wanted to throw a tantrum and quit.

It wasn’t because of embarrassment. During the big break, all classes had to go to the playground. As long as they avoided the crowd, Teaching Zone Road No. 3 was quiet and empty, so there was no embarrassment.

What really drove Sheng Wang crazy was the sycamore fluff itself. Was this stuff meant to be swept by humans???

As soon as you finished sweeping, the wind would blow a new layer onto the ground. It even blew onto people, and getting it on your face wasn’t the worst. Getting it in your eyes was truly despairing.

The wind was strong that day, and Sheng Wang got poked in the eyes several times. His eye rims were red from rubbing, and he had to pull his eyelids every now and then. When the young master got annoyed, he would shut down, closing off all his senses, entering a state of seeing nothing, hearing nothing, and recognizing no one.

The Nth time he got poked in the eye, he vaguely heard someone say, “Don’t move, there’s grass debris in your hair.”

Sheng Wang didn’t realize who was speaking and retorted, “None of your business, I’m raising it.”

His left eye blinked out a tear, finally getting rid of the irritant. Just as he sighed in relief, he realized the speaker might have been Jiang Tian…

Sheng Wang paused for a second, squinting with one eye and turning his head, seeing Jiang Tian retracting his hand from above him.

“What did you say?” he asked sheepishly.

“Nothing,” Jiang Tian said, nodding his chin, “keep raising it.”

Sheng Wang immediately leaned his head over, “I was wrong, I was wrong, help me pick it out, can’t go back to class with a head full of fluff.”

Nearby, Zhai Tao slammed his broom on the ground, cursing, “Damn…”

While he was cursing, someone approached in high heels: “Sheng Wang? Jiang Tian? What are you two doing?”

Sheng Wang withdrew his head from Jiang Tian’s side and looked up to see English teacher Yang Jing approaching with a stack of papers. She frowned and said disapprovingly, “I’ve been looking for you everywhere, what are you doing here acting like good Samaritans?”

“Teacher,” Sheng Wang laughed awkwardly, “we’re not being good Samaritans, we’re being punished.”

He always said “we,” as if Zhai Tao beside them was air, nearly making the “air” explode with anger.

“Punished?” Yang Jing’s eyebrows knitted tighter, “Who has such bad timing?”

Sheng Wang was at a loss for words.

“Oh, don’t mind me, I rant, you answer,” Yang Jing said.

“Director Xu,” Sheng Wang replied, “because we fought on the day of the weekly exam.”

“I heard,” Yang Jing nodded, “picking quite the spot, bad influence, deserved punishment. But why punish now? How many days do you have to sweep?”

“A week.”

“This week?” Yang Jing raised her voice.

“Yes.”

“Come on,” Yang Jing placed a stack of papers into Sheng Wang and Jiang Tian’s arms, clicking her heels as she said, “I’m going to find Big Mouth Xu!”

“Huh? Isn’t that a bit much, teacher…” Sheng Wang quietly made a peace sign to Jiang Tian and followed Yang Jing, asking, “Why find Director Xu?”

“I’m counting on you two to work on the English competition during the big break, what’s he messing around for!”

Yang Jing, a woman who had confronted all the school leaders, stormed into the Political and Educational Office, closed the door, and unleashed a fierce scolding.

Finally, she threw a parting shot at Big Mouth Xu: “The English competition is next Tuesday, the two most likely to win in the entire second year are outside. If you insist on punishing them this week, you’ll have to take their place in the competition. If you don’t bring back the trophy, I’ll hang myself at your office door, you decide!”

“…”

Big Mouth Xu was dumbfounded and speechless.

Under Yang Jing’s pressure, he retreated step by step, finally throwing back a condition.

He said, “Then two requirements: one, there must be a result in the English competition. Two, the improvement in next weekend’s monthly exam can’t be less than 50 ranks.”

Jiang Tian, the grade’s top student: “???”

Fortunately, in the next second, Big Mouth Xu regained his senses and added, “Sheng Wang, I mean Sheng Wang. Jiang Tian can’t improve anymore.”

Sheng Wang, eavesdropping at the door, couldn’t hold back. He opened a crack in the door and poked his head in, asking, “Director Xu, do you know it’s harder to move up the ranks the higher you go?”

“I know! Otherwise, why call it punishment?” Big Mouth Xu replied confidently.

Sheng Wang wanted to slam the door in his face.

“Either meet these two conditions, or continue sweeping the streets, and fighting will lead to punishment, forget about the City Top Three Students!” Big Mouth Xu delivered the final blow.

Under pressure, there was no room for face.

The next night, after much mental preparation, Sheng Wang finally reached out his devilish hand to the door of the adjacent bedroom.