Chapter 23.1 - (Part 1) (1/2)

The first thing Zhao Zhanhuai did when he got home was to call his mother to the study room and briefly explain the situation to her.

His mother was skeptical. “Auntie Zhang has been working for us for so many years. She has always been an obedient one. Mingxi has only been in our home for two years, what could she possibly have against her? Was your secretary mistaken?”

When Zhao Zhanhuai recalled how firm Mingxi was when she threw away the photograph, a gush of courage emerged and he said to his mother, “Then let’s get everyone to testify their version of events.”

Aside from the nanny Auntie Zhang, there was another hourly maid, a chef, a driver and a gardener working in the Zhao family villa.

Zhang Yufen had no idea that the first thing Zhao Zhanhuai did when he got home was to call Madam Zhao to the study room. Then, he ordered everyone aside from herself to go to the study room as well.

She only knew that after these people came out, they all could not help but to look at her.

“What happened?” For some reason, Zhang Yufen felt a sense of foreboding.

Everyone avoided her.

The hourly maid whom she never really had a great relationship with looked at her with an odd gleam in her eyes. She said, “I hope you sought enough blessings for yourself.”

As Zhao Mingxi only got here two years ago, the Zhao family’s explanation to them was that due to Zhao Mingxi’s poor health, she was always living in the countryside. Now that she is 15 years old, they feel like it was about time she came home.

No one thought much of it. After all, they only started to work here a few years ago, so they had no say in the Zhao family’s internal affairs.

However, Zhang Yufen was different from them. Zhang Yufen has been in the Zhao family for years. She was a long-time worker. She often flaunted her seniority and advantage of having taken care of Zhao Yuan for many years.

When she saw how the Zhao family had to share half the attention they used to spend on Zhao Yuan on Zhao Mingxi, Zhang Yufen often felt unjust on behalf of Zhao Yuan.

Nonetheless, she never did anything extreme save for the few times she gave her the cold eye and said a few passive aggressive words.

There was one time when Zhao Mingxi wanted to talk about this, but as she could not produce any evidence of Zhang Yufen treating her badly, she could only let it slide.

As for the other workers, they all felt that Zhang Yufen was a senior, hence there was no need for them to go against her. Therefore it was impossible for them to report this to the Zhao family.

Furthermore, none of the members of the Zhao family noticed anything amiss.

Who would’ve thought that this was what Zhao Zhanhuai purposely came home to ask about?

Zhang Yufen immediately understood what was going on, but she didn’t take it to heart. She even said to that hourly maid, “What’s the big deal? Even if they know that I don’t treat Miss Mingxi well, what will they do? There’s no way they would fire me just because of such a small matter, right? At most they would only give me a short lecture.”

The hourly maid gave her a dissatisfied look before knocking on the door to the study room and entering.

Although she disliked her, she felt like she made a fair point.

It was just her attitude problem. Zhang Yufen has been working in the Zhao family home for so many years, everyone in the Zhao family respected her, so there was no way that just because of this small matter…

In the end, before she could finish her thought, Zhao Zhanhuai’s raised voice could be heard from the study room, “Small matter? How is the matter of you, a nanny, exceeding your limits a small matter?! Did you know that just because of your ‘small matters’, Mingxi—”

In the study room, Madam Zhao exclaimed, “What happened to Mingxi?!”

“Nothing.” Zhao Zhanhuai was frustrated. He did not dare to tell her about the fact that Zhao Mingxi wanted to sever all ties with them. Instead he said, “Because of these things, Mingxi left home.”

His mother found this suspicious. “Mingxi has left home many times. Didn’t you see her recently and said that she was going to return on my birthday? Why are you suddenly so angry today?”

Zhao Zhanhuai did not know how to explain himself. He could only glare at Zhang Yufen who was trembling in fear. “Fine. Take your salary and leave.”

With regards to how he was to convince Mingxi to come home, Zhao Zhanhuai had no idea. If he were to send things over, he would appear insincere. But if he were to fire Zhang Yufen, Mingxi just might come home before the birthday banquet. Then his family’s stability can still be saved.

Zhang Yufen’s head went into a buzz. She was in disbelief. Her face went pale as her jaw dropped.

Madam Zhao stood up in confusion as well. “Why can’t she just apologize to Mingxi? Why must you kick her out? She’s already almost fifty years old. Where else can she find work?”

When the people outside heard what was going on in the study room, they all looked at each other in shock.

What happened to Zhao Zhanhuai today? He was usually such a gentle person. Why was he firing people so suddenly?

*

While things were getting more intense on Zhao Zhanhuai’s side…

Mingxi was called out by the International Class’ homeroom teacher.

Mingxi initially thought that their teacher was going to scold her for chatting even though it was minutes before class was about to start, but what the teacher was actually concerned about was whether she was struggling with her studies ever since she transferred here from the Normal Class.

Their teacher Mr. Lu said with a smile, “Mingxi, the October monthly exam will be held tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. If you feel like it will be too hard for you, you can excuse yourself from it with the reason being your failure to catch up with our syllabus.”

Mingxi was a little confused. Why did their teacher sound as if he didn’t want her to take part in this month’s exams?

The teacher avoided her gaze. He took a sip of his tea and said in a muffled and sad tone, “Truth is, the average mark of the International Class has always been much lower than the other two classes’, and the greater the gap, the more embarrassed I am— So do you want to take part from November onwards? When it comes to transfers, the school will allow a one-time exemption.”

Mingxi instantly understood his words.

In A High, these three classes were independent from the Normal Classes. Their learning speed was a few times faster.

Aside from the Gold Medal Class who takes part in the National Competition every year and the Evergreen Class which was ever growing in terms of their results, even the syllabus of the International Class was greatly ahead of Normal Classes’.

It could be said that the 20 over Normal Classes could not be compared to these three classes.

Their exam papers were different as well.

And Mingxi’s results were always slightly below average among the Normal Classes.

The only time she got good results was when she accidentally came in 3rd place.

However, even if she had the best results among the Normal Classes, she would still be considered below average in these three classes.

In other words, Mingxi was not qualified for this exam.

Their class already had someone like Fu Yangxi who would obtain great results when he was in a good mood and would simply fill in the blanks when he was in a bad mood. He would constantly make their class’ average go up and down like a roller coaster.

If someone from the Normal Class came over, would it not just pull down their average even further?

Although their homeroom teacher was feeling anxious about it, he did not show it.

Mingxi did not know how to tell her teacher that she had been ‘debuffed’ during her previous exams, and now that she had absorbed Fu Yangxi’s luck and obtained 66 tiny buds, these ‘debuff’ would no longer influence her when it came to the exams.

With her standards, it was impossible for her to be ranked last in the International Class!

She could only pretend not to understand his words. “But teacher, I really want to take this exam. I’ve already caught up to the syllabus, and I want to see what level I am at right now.”

The teacher was a little impatient. “The main point is that our International Class is always in the last place…”

Mingxi cut him off, “What is the total number of students in these three classes? 150, right? What if I can get into the Top 20 for this month’s exam? Then there won’t be the possibility of me pulling down our average marks, right?”

The teacher looked at her with his jaw dropped. He must be feeling like she was a little too overconfident with her abilities.

Young girls sure like to dream.

What kind of people made up the Top 20? Shen Liyao and his competition team already took 6 spots. As for the rest, they were all from the Gold Medal Class and Evergreen Class. None of them from the International Class has ever made it into the Top 20.

Seeing as how his attempts to persuade Mingxi was futile, their teacher could only let her go.

Nonetheless, he was now even more depressed when he thought about the upcoming monthly exams.

Due to this matter, Mingxi had a heavier load on her shoulders. She had to obtain great results for this monthly exam, or at least to a point where she would not pull down the average scores for their class.

When she returned to class, she spent her whole afternoon break on doing test papers.

Fu Yangxi knew that she took her exams seriously, hence he did not bother her. When afternoon rolled around, he lied and said that his hands slipped so he accidentally got another meal, but it was only for her.

Mingxi finished a paper with lightning speed. After she was done eating, she placed the empty container aside. She didn’t even notice that in order to avoid walking out from behind her, Fu Yangxi had jumped out the window to throw away the container.

The whole class watched this scene unfold in shock.

Mingxi continued to do test papers until the next afternoon when Mr. Yang from the Literary Center came to find her during the second period. He asked if she was willing to be the host for the upcoming Annual School Celebration.

“Why me?”

“You probably don’t know this, but you’re really popular right now.” Mr. Yang smiled and blinked as he spoke, “But we have yet to decide on the host, so why not sign yourself up? I strongly recommend you to do it.”

After Mr. Yang left, Mingxi opened up the forum to take a look. Only then did she realize that after that incident with E Xiaoxia, she had become this year’s School Beauty.

Previously, be it the Annual School Celebration or New Year’s Day, such festivities were usually hosted by Zhao Yuan or another guy who was well-versed in hosting and performing.

But for this year, it might be because she was fresh meat that she obtained many cheers of confidence by the crowd.

Nonetheless, there were people questioning this in the forum: “Hasn’t she already stolen Zhao Yuan’s title of School Beauty? And now she wants to take away Zhao Yuan’s right to become the host?”