This was the extent of Xia Ziyu’s scheme – look what kind of person she got for 500 yuan.

Zhao Gang felt wronged when Xiaolan despised his tactics as despicable. He thought disciplining a student would be easy – just create some small obstacles, and the student would suffer the consequences. Though Zhao Gang had no real abilities, he clung to his identity as a teacher, believing it gave him authority. He had bullied students before, usually through verbal harassment, and frightened them into keeping quiet. He thought Xia Ziyu’s request would be simple, but found almost no way to get to Xiaolan.

Zhao Gang wasn’t Xiaolan’s subject teacher, and she didn’t even come to school, making it impossible to create conflicts.

He couldn’t interfere with the mock exam arrangements because Xiaolan was valued by the school – he couldn’t even get near her exam admission ticket… Breaking into the guesthouse was Zhao Gang’s last resort. Better to act during the mock exam than before the actual college entrance exam!

Xiaolan stared at Zhao Gang. This scumbag had thought it through – even Xiaolan herself didn’t take the mock exam too seriously.

Fortunately, she could earn money and had earned enough in previous months to hire bodyguards. Otherwise, this scumbag might have succeeded!

“Student Xiaolan…”

Sun Tian was furious, but Xiaolan spoke sincerely, “Teacher Sun, this has nothing to do with you. You heard him – whether you were there or not, he would have come to trouble me. Don’t let someone who takes money to do others’ dirty work make you angry – you’ll only hurt yourself.”

Sun Tian was angry not just at Zhao Gang, but also at Xia Ziyu:

“How could she do this? You’re cousins by blood!”

Indeed, how could Xia Ziyu do this? While Sun Tian couldn’t understand it, Xiaolan knew perfectly well. Because the other party had committed wrongdoings, they feared Xiaolan would seek revenge if she succeeded, so they didn’t want Xiaolan to have any prospects. Xiaolan had always been wary of this – she wasn’t a pushover, and she remembered all the evil deeds Xia Ziyu’s family had done.

Destroying a small restaurant wasn’t much, but with Xia Ziyu repeatedly using underhanded tactics, Xiaolan needed to focus on the college entrance exam.

When the exam results came out, Xia Ziyu’s expression would surely be fascinating.

Those people looked down on her because the former ‘Xia Xiaolan’ had been useless – beautiful but empty-headed, attractive enough to be coveted but unable to protect herself. Such a person could only be bullied, despised, and schemed against.

“Blood ties don’t mean closeness. I don’t get along with anyone surnamed Xia, as you’ve seen before, Teacher Sun. In this case, we can only deal with those we catch.”

To catch a thief, you need evidence. While Zhao Gang was caught in the act, Xia Ziyu was far away in Beijing.

This was typical of Xia Ziyu’s careful nature – she never acted directly. Even when spreading rumors that led to ‘Xia Xiaolan’s’ death, she had Xia Zhangzheng and Zhang Cui do it. Xia Ziyu always had perfect alibis and never left evidence that could be used against her.

Sun Tian was indignant, “So there’s nothing we can do about her?”

Every time she did something bad to Xiaolan, she escaped punishment – wouldn’t this just encourage her to continue?

“The envelope only contained money, no written evidence. Zhao Gang’s testimony alone isn’t enough to convict Xia Ziyu.”

The 500 yuan had already been spent by Zhao Gang, and with Xia Ziyu in Beijing, the police wouldn’t believe she had instructed Zhao Gang to do evil deeds. Even if they did believe it, Xia Ziyu had too many ways to deny it – it wouldn’t cause her any real harm. Xiaolan wasn’t letting her off; she was waiting to strike decisively and deal Xia Ziyu a heavy blow.

Money makes the world go round, and Xia Ziyu has too much spare cash.

If she had been a poor student behaving properly, even with countless schemes, she couldn’t have commanded someone like Zhao Gang.

Was Xia Ziyu’s money from her family or did she earn it herself? Xiaolan thought Zhang Cui and Xia Zhangzheng’s business shouldn’t be too successful – she needed to investigate where these two planned to open their new shop.

When Sun Tian asked how to handle Zhao Gang, Xiaolan asked in return:

“What do you suggest, Teacher Sun?”

Sun Tian thought they should hand him over to the school, but Xiaolan shook her head: “He was caught before he could do anything – the school would just give him a warning.”

Even though Principal Sun was in charge, he couldn’t simply fire a teacher – it was difficult to fire even a worker these days, and teaching positions were iron rice bowls. Xiaolan didn’t want this matter discussed in school meetings either. Since Sun Tian lacked confidence, Xiaolan suggested she only tell Principal Sun and keep it secret from others at school.

Who wouldn’t overthink if it got out?

Although Zhao Gang was caught while picking the lock, others wouldn’t see it that way – salacious gossip always spread too quickly.

Xiaolan didn’t care about reputation, but someone with Sun Tian’s personality might be forced into an impossible situation at work and in life! Scum like Zhao Gang relied on society’s harsh judgment of women… Xiaolan wasn’t afraid of fair competition with men – even when doing business against tough opponents, she wouldn’t flinch. But for those who couldn’t win against women fairly and used gender differences to force their way, Xiaolan would deal with them one by one.

Zhao Gang?

Go keep Fan Zhenchuan company, you garbage man!

“Take him back to Shangdu first.”

Li Dongliang nodded – it wasn’t difficult. Zhao Gang would make noise if conscious, so they’d knock him out before taking him from the guesthouse.

Zhao Gang, with the smelly sock in his mouth, tried to speak angrily, probably wanting to say Xiaolan didn’t keep her word – he could discuss with Liang Huan how Xiaolan always had double standards. Keeping promises with bad people could get you killed.

Sun Tian was nervous during checkout. Li Dongliang and Ge Jian had poured some white liquor on Zhao Gang, making him reek of alcohol. With his head drooping limply, Li Dongliang and Ge Jian supported him while complaining: “Bragging about your alcohol tolerance when you can’t even drink – you should drink less if you can’t handle it!”

They checked out of Zhao Gang’s room too, using money found on him.

“Teacher Sun, will you be alright returning to Anqing alone? Would you like to stay another night at the guesthouse?”

Sun Tian shook her head vigorously – after the lock-picking incident, she wouldn’t dare stay at the guesthouse alone. She was also eager to return to school to discuss with Principal Sun about handling Zhao Gang’s case. It was six in the evening, with one last bus to Anqing. After some thought, Xiaolan also bought a ticket to Anqing.

She had originally planned to hand Zhao Gang over to Zhuo Weiping, but since his crime was committed in Fengxian, it should be handled either by Fengxian’s police station or Anqing County – it couldn’t be dealt with in the provincial city. Xiaolan had dealt with Anqing County’s police station before; Chief Liang was a genuinely good person who could be trusted.

They took the bus back to Anqing with Zhao Gang lying like a dead dog. When Sun Tian told Principal Sun about the incident, he was so angry he smashed his teacup:

“That Zhao Gang! He took leave from school, and disappeared for two or three days – so this is what he was up to!”