Chapter 46 - 46: A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned
Tang Beibei was very surprised to see Jiang Jingchen and quickly walked up to him.
She asked him softly, “Hubby, why are you here? Where’s Song Zhou? How can he leave you here alone?”
Jiang Jingchen saw her squatting beside the wheelchair and patted her head. “How can I not come when you are bullied?”
His wife’s money was meant for his livelihood. If anyone else dared to take a single cent, they would be fighting with him for food. How could he allow such a thing to happen?
“You should be at home recuperating. I can handle such a small matter.”
“Even if you can handle it, I should still be here. Beibei, wheel me in.”
Since he was already here, Tang Beibei couldn’t stop him and wheeled him into the staffroom.
The middle-aged male teacher looked at the man in the wheelchair. Sitting in a wheelchair meant that he was disabled. He was also wearing a mask. Was he so unpresentable?
He said to Jiang Jingchen, “Tang Beibei has hit Yuan Jiaojiao and even threatened her. She should be punished!”
“Did you investigate why Tang Beibei hit her? What was the cause of their fight? There must also be a winner in a fight. Why is the winner punished instead of being rewarded? How can the loser of the fight still ask for money? Teacher, don’t you understand the natural law of survival of the fittest?”
Ruan Qi looked at the man in surprise when she heard his interesting remarks.
She had only heard people say that the first young master of the Jiang family was a sickly person. But based on what she saw, his aura was powerful despite his disability, and he spoke eloquently.
Rong Qi immediately liked him and added quickly, “That’s right. Don’t fight if you can’t accept losing. And you are crying to the teacher now. It’s not like you are a stupid and childish three-year-old!”
“You, you, you guys are ganging up on me, and you think you are reasonable?” Yuan Jiaojiao was furious.
After hearing Jiang Jingchen’s absurd remarks, the teacher also said angrily, “I saw Tang Beibei and Ruan Qi bully Yuan Jiaojiao with my own eyes. No matter the reason, fighting is still wrong. Besides, who am I to interfere in their matters?”
Jiang Jingchen didn’t look at the teacher. He was staring at Tang Beibei, waiting for her to introduce him.
Tang Beibei didn’t want anyone to scold her husband, so she introduced him coldly, “This is my husband, Jiang Jingchen.”
She then said, “Teacher, you haven’t even investigated the reason of our fight. You are biased to judge that it must be our fault. Besides, any medical compensation shouldn’t just be a number Yuan Jiaojiao quotes. Her face isn’t injured to the point that she needed plastic surgery. Why should we each give her 5,000 yuan?”
“The 5,000 yuan isn’t only to treat the injury on my face. It’s also compensation for my emotional distress!”
Yuan Jiaojiao sized up the man in the wheelchair as spoke.
She suddenly remembered what Rong Chan’er told her. Tang Beibei had snatched her sister’s man and married a rich second-generation heir.
Although this man was in a wheelchair, the suit he was wearing wasn’t cheap. There was also a branded watch on his wrist. He was indeed a rich second-generation heir.
She felt a little sorry for herself. 5,000 was too low a figure. She should have asked for 10,000 yuan. This man would definitely help Tang Beibei pay.
Jiang Jingchen chuckled. “You are sure that someone should pay you 5,000 yuan for emotional distress from a slap?”
“Of course. I quoted this figure only because we are classmates. Mr. Jiang, are you going to help your wife pay?” Yuan Jiaojiao said expectantly.
Tang Beibei frowned and held Jiang Jingchen’s big hand. “We are not paying her a single cent. I didn’t do anything wrong. If she hadn’t hit Qiqi, I wouldn’t have fought back. Qiqi has also been slapped.”
Jiang Jingchen looked at her. “I know. We need to be frugal. A penny saved is a penny earned.”
“Yes!” Tang Beibei nodded solemnly.
Although a penny wasn’t much, it represented her attitude. She would never compromise!
Ruan Qi looked at their held hands and felt that Tang Beibei and Jiang Jingchen were a well-matched couple. She thought that her eyes were playing tricks on her!
She cleared her throat and said, “Yes, I’ve been slapped and I’m not going to let it go. Teacher, we won’t accept any punishment!”
“I didn’t hit you guys. You were the ones who bullied me. Teacher, I’m so scared.” Yuan Jiaojiao started her delicate, hurt child act again.
The teacher comforted her, “Don’t worry, Yuan Jiaojiao. I will protect you and seek justice for you.”
The teacher then turned his head and glared at Tang Beibei. “There’s no point in quibbling. Give Yuan Jiaojiao the medical compensation or I’ll give you demerit points!”
“The person who deserves demerit points is you, Teacher Lu.”
A deep and rough voice came from outside the staff room. Then, everyone saw the principal walk in.
Teacher Lu didn’t expect the principal to come over. He immediately stood up and asked respectfully, “Principal, why are you here?”
“I’m not here because of you. I’m here to see what’s happening and to punish a student.” The principal said sarcastically.
Teacher Lu lowered his head out of guilt. Indeed, he didn’t investigate the cause of the fight, but he saw Tang Beibei and Ruan Qi hit Yuan Jiaojiao with his own eyes. Besides, Yuan Jiaojiao was such a delicate girl. How could she start a fight?
Moreover, these two students didn’t only beat up Yuan Jiaojiao. They also threatened and intimidated her. These two student must be severely punished. “Principal, why did you say that?”
The principal glanced at the man in the wheelchair before he looked at Yuan Jiaojiao coldly. “You’ll have to ask Yuan Jiaojiao about this.”
Yuan Jiaojiao didn’t know why the principal was picking on her. She cried aggrievedly, “Me? How would I know? I’m so scared.”
“You’re scared but you hit others?”
“I… No, I didn’t hit anyone.” Yuan Jiaojiao looked away guiltily but refused to admit her mistake. She cried and said, “Principal, how can you frame me? I was the one who was bullied by them!”
“Yuan Jiaojiao, let me ask you one more time. Were you the one who started the fight?” The principal’s tone became even colder.
“I, I didn’t. Teacher Lu, help me. I’m the one who was bullied. I didn’t hurt them.”
Teacher Lu stood still and stared at Yuan Jiaojiao doubtfully.
The principal asked if she was the one who attacked first, but she didn’t answer the question. Could he have read the whole situation wrong?
“Yuan Jiaojiao, I’ve already given you a chance. You didn’t want it. Alright then, the students outside can come in now!”
Yuan Jiaojiao suddenly had a very bad feeling. She saw three unfamiliar students walk into the staffroom.
The principal asked them, “Were you there when they argued and fought?”
The three students nodded. “Yes. We walked by when school was over and saw Yuan Jiaojiao blocking Tang Beibei’s way. The three of them argued for a bit before Yuan Jiaojiao slapped Ruan Qi. Ruan Qi fought back, and Tang Beibei helped. When Teacher Lu came over, she saw Yuan Jiaojiao being taught a lesson by them.”
Teacher Lu’s forehead was covered in cold sweat. He didn’t expect that he had misjudged Yuan Jiaojiao and had been deceived by her delicate appearance.
Yuan Jiaojiao’s face turned pale. She had never expected the principal to personally investigate this matter and even called in the students who witnessed the whole thing. She was terrified.
“No, no, they are just helping Tang Beibei to frame me. I, I didn’t start the fight!”
She figured that the school wouldn’t be able to do anything to her if she didn’t admit it. At most, she would give up the compensation money.
“I knew that you would still quibble, so I went to find the surveillance video.”
At this moment, Song Zhou rushed into the staffroom, took out his phone, and played a video for everyone.
That video shattered all of Yuan Jiaojiao’s hopes..