Chapter 68: The Quota for Beating People

"Look at Yang Liushan!"
Xiao Cheng grinned, "I've been watching her all along."
"She never studied Olympiad math, yet she worked steadily and scored an impressive 51 points. Isn't that great?"
If Yang Liushan had been present, she would have been mortified!
Xiao Cheng had nothing else to say, so he bowed his head and cooperated, "Mm." He truly had no objections; after all, she had the advantage of good looks.
"The teacher had high hopes for you, and you let everyone down so irresponsibly! You're giving up on yourself! Letting yourself fall! It's fine if you can't solve the problems, but your attitude must be correct. Forget it, I don't have the energy to lecture you anymore. Principal Niu is probably furious. Go to the principal's office and reflect on your behavior. Go!"

In the principal's office, the rotund Principal Niu glared angrily, stewing over an issue with the Sunshine Evening News in hand. His belly heaved as he muttered. The newspaper article directly criticized the Olympiad math competition committee, accusing the education department of bureaucratic self-promotion, focusing only on scale and effect, turning the professional Olympiad math contest into a lottery for extra points in the high school entrance exam. Second Middle School, an obscure third-rate school, naturally became a typical opportunist, with the spotlight falling on Wen Xiaocheng, who handed in his exam after only fifteen minutes.

Turning in the exam in fifteen minutes was, in everyone's eyes, almost no different from abandoning the test—just writing his name and guessing the answers to the multiple-choice questions, like picking lottery numbers. Wen Xiaocheng's example only reinforced their point.

What kind of behavior was this? It was as if a reporter attacked the education bureau, and he went out and testified against them! If the education bureau leaders called to ask about it, what could he say?

Wen Xiaocheng watched as Principal Niu, his flesh quivering, spat as he rebuked him, but he wasn’t angry. In the virtual world beside him, Wen Xiaodao appeared again, mimicking the principal’s gestures and expressions, making Xiao Cheng feel utterly helpless.

"Whenever I think of their bewildered faces when the results come out, I can't help but laugh," Wen Xiaodao said.
"Seeing him scold me now, I'm already secretly delighted."
"You can't just say 'mm', 'ah', 'this', 'that.' You need to reflect seriously, act deeply regretful, so the later drama will be more interesting!"
"Too much is as bad as too little. It's enough to stay low-key and calm," Xiao Cheng thought.
"I'm not asking you to put on a show, but at least play your part, right? Didn't Teacher Dong just tell you to reflect on your actions?"

At that moment, Principal Niu slapped the newspaper. "Look! Just look! You've disgraced yourself all the way to the city! Sunshine Evening News, distributed province-wide! The whole school is humiliated with you!"
Since the principal said to look, Xiao Cheng looked. He glanced at the paper, then looked up and said to Niu Dalong, "Principal, he didn't mention which school."
"Does he need to name it? Your photo is right there! In our school uniform!"

Second Middle School's uniform, though not as famous as Barcelona FC's, was easily recognizable in the photo, thanks to the poorly embroidered 'Dongfeng Town Second Middle School' across the chest.
"Actually, he should thank you," Wen Xiaodao muttered beside him.
Xiao Cheng couldn’t help a smug smile, then immediately put on a pained expression, and said remorsefully, "Mm, that uniform really brought shame to the school."
"And last time!" Principal Niu began dredging up old grievances. "Last time you hit a classmate in class, I didn’t punish you. Don’t you realize that? Huh? Now you cause trouble again!"
That was awkward—there was no pleasure in recalling the fight. Xiao Cheng hesitated, "Principal, that’s all in the past, isn’t it? And I never talked about it outside."
…
Principal Niu wanted nothing more than to squash this kid then and there. Talk outside? This was all in your head! "You think it’s over just because you say so? I just didn’t deal with you at the time! Never mind last time—do you know how much trouble you’ve caused now? This is giving them ammunition! The media wants to target us, and you handed them the knife! If the education bureau leaders ask, I won’t know what to say!"
Wen Xiaocheng bowed his head, "I was being immature..."
"So, what do you think should happen?" Principal Niu, probably exhausted, leaned back in his chair, panting heavily. His tie was choking him; he loosened it for relief.
Wen Xiaocheng thought for a moment, "Previously I fought Zhang Peiyue in class, now I turned in my paper early and brought shame to the school, plus last Tuesday I hit Qiu Hui from Class Four in the ninth grade—three consecutive disciplinary violations. So I accept punishment."
"Punishment is necessary... What? You fought again last week? And with Qiu Hui?"

Everyone in the school knew about Qiu Hui's family background. Whenever there was a parent-teacher meeting, Principal Niu would humble himself, exchange a few words, always addressing him as 'old leader.' If this incident had reached him, Xiao Cheng would have been punished long ago. But Qiu Hui, out of pride, kept quiet, and Principal Niu only learned of it now when Xiao Cheng mentioned it.
"Huh? You mean I didn’t know?"
Principal Niu’s eyes widened, "Now I do!"
"Uh... Principal, I misspoke. It was this Tuesday."
"Today’s only Monday!"
"Monday works too."
"What do you mean, works too?"

"I mean, whether it happened Monday or Tuesday, it doesn’t really matter."
Principal Niu was confused, "What do you mean, Monday? We’ve only just finished morning self-study. Did you hit him on the way to school?"
"No, not yet. I’m about to."
Principal Niu rolled his eyes, "You mean you’re planning to go hit Qiu Hui?"
Xiao Cheng laughed, "Principal, it’s not exactly like that. Hitting Qiu Hui, hitting Zhang Peiyue, and turning in my paper early together count as one punishment. Since you didn’t know about the previous fight, it shouldn’t count. Anyway, since you’re determined to punish me, I still have one quota left for hitting Qiu Hui. So I thought I’d use it soon... It’s like paying ten yuan for three broken jars. I accidentally broke two, and now you can’t give me change, so I might as well break another."
Ha! Principal Niu was so furious—never before had a student dared to speak to him this way. Truly, a broken jar must be smashed! Well, young man, this punishment is yours for sure!
"Call your parents!"
Xiao Cheng replied innocently, "I don’t mind, but the prison won’t let him out. If you’re not in a hurry, you can wait a bit—my dad will be out in about ten years."
Being utterly alone does have its advantages—no weaknesses.
Principal Niu, enraged, forgot about his grandmother and his whole body quivered as his finger jabbed at Xiao Cheng, clicking like a computer mouse.
"You, you, you..."
Principals and students are like cats and mice; almost no student isn’t afraid of the principal. A single glare is usually enough. But with Xiao Cheng’s approach, Principal Niu was at a loss—punishments didn’t scare him, and he really didn’t know how to subdue this child. For a long moment, he couldn’t even finish his sentence.
"Principal, please calm down. Your criticism is right, and I accept your education and punishment. The sea of suffering is boundless, turn back to the shore, lay down the butcher’s knife and become a Buddha. I truly intend to repent sincerely, but before I lay down the knife, I plan to chop someone first. Qiu Hui has bullied me too many times. If I don’t beat him, how can I show that justice prevails? I won’t feel at ease. Once I use this quota—consider it upholding justice—then whatever punishment or review you require, I’ll comply. How’s that?"
Principal Niu’s lips trembled with fury. You’re bargaining now?

——————
This story is pure fiction. Never confront your principal this way—you’ll end up in a very bad place.