168: Chapter 166 No Compromise on Principles 168: Chapter 166 No Compromise on Principles Having seen off the three playful and adorable schoolgirls, Tangyu shook his head with a smile, finding these young girls more interesting.
A different concern, however, began to occupy his thoughts: Xia Xiaoyu might be affected by the insidious rumors.
For a shy girl like her, this could be a devastating blow.
Tangyu did want to check on Xia Xiaoyu but feared that his appearance might actually deepen the rumors.
Rumors are terrifying—though they are spread among students, they still harm the students.
Before long, a set of heavy footsteps approached, and through the window, Tangyu could see Director Chu heading his way again.
It seemed he was coming to collect Tangyu’s self-criticism.
“Director Chu,” Tangyu called out.
Director Chu faced Tangyu with a stern expression and spoke with a hint of severity, “Have you finished the self-criticism I asked you to write?”
“I haven’t,” Tangyu frankly responded.
Hearing Tangyu’s reply, Director Chu’s face darkened, and his eyes flashed with anger as he looked at Tangyu.
He berated him loudly, “You haven’t?
An hour has already passed, and this is your answer?
Do you not take my words seriously, or do you not care about Linshan Middle School’s discipline either?
Do you still want to stay here or not?”
Tangyu calmly met Director Chu’s gaze and said, “Director Chu, don’t you think that comment is a bit too much?
Leaving aside the fact that those are just rumors with no truth behind them.
Even if there was some truth, I think that would be someone’s personal freedom, right?
The school shouldn’t involve itself in such matters.
Are you suggesting the school would restrict someone’s personal freedom?”
“Hmph, the school naturally won’t restrict your freedom; who you date is up to you, and the school will not interfere.
But—your partner can’t be a student of Linshan Middle School.
I don’t care whether this matter is true or not, all I know is that it has had a huge impact on Linshan Middle School, as well as on Xia Xiaoyu herself.
Do you realize that the school is in an uproar right now?
Everyone is talking about this, have you considered Xia Xiaoyu’s feelings?
If this gets out, do you have any idea how much it could damage Linshan Middle School’s reputation?” Director Chu snorted coldly.
Tangyu replied, “I am aware that this affects Xia Xiaoyu greatly, but I can’t do anything about the rumors since they originated from someone else’s mouth, and I can’t silence so many people.
Damaging the school’s reputation seems a bit of a stretch, doesn’t it?
These are, after all, only rumors.
Director Chu, I think you should be criticizing and educating the person who is spreading the rumors.
The rumor is related to me, or you could say I’m the cause, and for that, I am sorry.
I didn’t want things to be like this, but it’s obviously not my decision.”
“Humph, are you just going to argue your way out of this?
Is this the attitude of someone who admits they’re wrong?
I don’t have time to care about who spread the rumors, I only know that you started this, so I will hold you accountable for all the consequences.
I asked you to write a self-criticism, and you blatantly ignored it; do you dare say you have the proper attitude?” Director Chu huffed again.
“The right attitude isn’t shown by what’s said or written, but by what’s felt in the heart.
I feel sorry, and that’s my attitude.” Tangyu said.
Anyone not a fool could see that these rumors were being deliberately spread, and anyone with any sense would know that they were spread by Wang Ba.
Director Chu, such a shrewd man, surely understood this, but he insisted on lecturing Tangyu repeatedly.
Clearly, he was still upset about Tangyu’s refusal and wanted to give him a hard time to make him comply with treating his brother.
“Bang!”
Director Chu slammed his palm on the table and demanded angrily, “A profound self-criticism is the attitude I want to see, not what’s in your heart.”
Watching Director Chu unrelentingly press the matter, Tangyu grew increasingly frustrated.
Write a damn self-criticism?
Not to mention he hadn’t done anything wrong, and even if he had, why should he do something only a student would be obligated to?
Writing a self-criticism would be nothing short of humiliating for Tangyu.
How could he possibly agree to something like that?
“I’m sorry, but I just don’t have the attitude you’re looking for,” Tangyu said with a sneer.
“You—” Director Chu turned red with rage, glaring furiously at Tangyu: “What are you trying to say?
I suppose you don’t want to stay here anymore, do you?”
“Director Chu, is that your only method of threatening me?” Tangyu asked with a light smile.
“You—” Director Chu was lost for words.
Tangyu continued, “I’ve done nothing wrong.
My apology is to Xia Xiaoyu, not to the school or to you, Director Chu.
Besides, even assuming I were in the wrong, as a leader, you scolding me is one thing, but expecting me to write a self-criticism is out of the question.
Such a punishment is unacceptable to me.
One more thing, if I remember correctly, Xia Xiaoyu is already eighteen, right?
Since she’s reached the age of eighteen, she’s a legal adult in Huaxia Country and has full personal rights.
Even if she decides to date someone, the school has no right to interfere—it’s both illegal and unreasonable.
Hasn’t Linshan Middle School always claimed to be the most humane and the freest school for students?
If even a person’s autonomy is managed and restricted by the school, then I think that reputation isn’t quite deserved.”
I really don’t quite understand, how can such a trivial matter cause an uproar throughout the city?
How can it stir such commotion?
How can it affect the reputation of the school?
Director Chu, don’t blame me for speaking bluntly, but there’s no shortage of students in love at Linshan Middle School, right?
I’ve seen quite a few such cases in the school myself.
Why doesn’t Director Chu go and manage that as well?”
“You, you, you—” Director Chu’s face turned green with anger, and pointing a finger at Tangyu, he was momentarily at a loss for words.
The issues Tangyu mentioned did indeed exist in the school, and of course, Director Chu was aware of them.
There were no small number of students in love, but it was a situation that was impossible to manage, so it had to be let go.
He only wanted to use this incident to thoroughly deal with Tangyu, to make him submit to him, so naturally, he was acting with a lot of personal volition.
“I absolutely will not compromise on matters of principle.
If Director Chu insists the fault lies with me, I have nothing to say.
I will not write a self-criticism, and if this upsets Director Chu, then I have even less to say.
I know Director Chu has the power to make me leave the school.
If Director Chu insists on my departure, I am helpless.”
Tangyu spoke calmly, looking at Director Chu as he awaited his next decision.
Director Chu’s complexion flickered between gloom and light, facing such a disobedient subordinate for the first time.
If Tangyu were just an ordinary new school doctor, he would have definitely kicked him out on the spot.
But Tangyu was different.
Not to mention that he was recommended by the Lin Family, which is also one of the school trustees of Linshan Middle School; even the headmaster had to show adequate respect to the Lin Family.
It wouldn’t make sense to act rashly against Tangyu and oust him from the school for something trivial; that would be akin to slapping the Lin Family’s face and showing them disrespect.
Though he was the Academic Director, just a word from the Lin Family could get him kicked out of Linshan Middle School.
It wasn’t that he wouldn’t be able to survive in another school, but after all, he had been thriving at Linshan Middle School, so he couldn’t risk offending the Lin Family over a minor issue.
How deep Tangyu’s relationship with the Lin Family really was, that was hard to say.
If there was a legitimate excuse that he could accept, naturally he wouldn’t mind, as the school did operate on systems.
But this particular incident seemed rather insignificant.
Moreover, today Tangyu had achieved two great services for the school, something that the principal and vice-principal both remembered and had praised highly.
If he rashly dismissed Tangyu now, it would obviously be difficult to explain to the headmaster.
But he was indignant about the situation, being defied by a subordinate like this.
“Hmph, you’ve really grown your wings now, completely disregarding me, your director.
Considering your two great services for the school today, I’ll let this go for now.
But if you commit such an act again, don’t blame me for being truly ruthless.
Hmph, principles crumble before brutal reality,” Director Chu huffed coldly and stormed off.
His last sentence was clearly meaningful.
Tangyu just mentioned that he wouldn’t compromise on principles, which obviously insinuated he would not make concessions about treating Director Chu’s brother.
Director Chu responded in kind.
This made it clear to Tangyu that if there was a chance, Director Chu would continue to cause him trouble.
If he could grab hold of any major wrongdoing, Director Chu would try to force him out of the school.
However, Tangyu didn’t dwell on it much; if it really came to that, then no complaints if he didn’t play nice.
Tangyu usually found the school environment tolerable and had no wish to leave.
He was generally easy to talk to, but when truly angered, he could be very fearsome.
Not long after Director Chu left, another visitor came to the infirmary, not a student but a teacher.
He appeared to be in his early thirties, not very tall, with a slim build.
He wore thick, nearsighted glasses, and his hair style, somewhat amusingly, resembled someone in their forties or fifties rather than someone in their thirties.
As a result, he looked somewhat old-fashioned, somewhat prematurely aged.
His attire wasn’t particularly stylish, but it was clean and tidy.
His looks, however, were slightly less pleasing to the eye.
Particularly, when he smiled at Tangyu upon entering, it gave off a somewhat sleazy impression.
Of course, it might not reflect his inner self, but that smile naturally gave off such a vibe, an inherent sleaziness.
As soon as the visitor entered, he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered one to Tangyu with a smile, “You must be Doctor Tang, have a smoke?”
Tangyu shook his head, “No need, thank you, I don’t smoke.
Sorry, I don’t think I recognize you.
Which grade are you teaching?
Is there something I can help you with?”
“Heh, my humble name is Zhong, and I am the homeroom teacher of Senior Year 2, Class B.
Oh right, Xia Xiaoyu is from my class,” the visitor said with a smile.
“I see,” Tangyu raised his eyebrows slightly.
Xia Xiaoyu’s homeroom teacher had come looking for him?
Seeing Tangyu’s furrowed brow, Teacher Zhong quickly waved his hands and said, “Doctor Tang, please don’t misunderstand, I am not here because of Xia Xiaoyu’s issue.
I know that was a rumor started by Wang Ba.”
“Oh?
Then may I ask what business you have, Teacher Zhong?” Tangyu asked with a smile.
If it wasn’t about Xia Xiaoyu’s matter, then why would Xia Xiaoyu’s homeroom teacher come looking for him?
Teacher Zhong replied, “Nothing in particular, I just didn’t have class and was free, so I thought I’d drop by for a visit, pay a call.
My office is just two doors down from yours, so I guess we’re half-neighbors.
I hope I’m not disturbing, Doctor Tang?”