The Principal's Transformation

This was a declaration of war.

On what grounds did that penniless student with zero background dare to stand against him and curse right in his face?

For Zhou Nianqian, who had been pampered since childhood, this kind of provocation was worse than a physical blow.

His innate sense of superiority was instantly ignited, burning into furious humiliation.

"Lin Mo, stop acting like you are some big shot!"

Zhou Nianqian leaned forward, the veins on his neck bulging as he roared into his phone.

"Lin Mo, do you think you are so tough? Do you think having good grades makes you amazing? So what if you can fight? Fighting is useless in the real world! In society, you need power, wealth, and background. What the hell do you have?"

The more he spoke, the more worked up he got, as if trying to use his volume to cover up a faint, inexplicable sense of unease in his heart.

Ye Minghui stood to the side. Though he didn't say a word, the undisguised mockery on his face showed his deep agreement with these words.

The office fell silent for a second.

Immediately after, a very faint chuckle came from the receiver.

The laughter held no anger. Instead, it sounded like someone watching a monkey performing its heart out in a circus, carrying a chilling sense of amusement.

"Oh? So this is what gives you confidence."

Lin Mo's tone was so leisurely that it made it seem as if he were the real young master.

"Oh? Is that so? Since you have put it that way, you better be prepared. It is time to show you what true background, wealth, and power look like."

Lin Mo's tone was incredibly teasing.

It caused a strange palpitation in Zhou Nianqian's heart, making him feel as though he had provoked someone he shouldn't have.

The next second, the call was disconnected.

The dial tone echoing from the receiver sounded a bit harsh in the principal's office.

The air didn't freeze, nor was there any awkwardness. Instead, Zhou Nianqian was the first to laugh.

As if he had just watched a comedy act, he let out a short, scoffing snort.

"Ignorant fool."

Zhou Nianqian leaned back, sinking into the sofa and crossing his legs.

His innate sense of superiority made him completely dismiss the hung-up call.

"Heh... hehe, what the hell is Lin Mo anyway!"

Tilting his head, he cast a lazy glance at Shen Zhongping behind the desk. His fingers tapped rhythmically on his knee as he spoke in a light, airy tone, as if discussing the price of pork at a wet market:

"Principal Shen, let's not beat around the bush. The Zhou family will provide the school with a sum of money. Whether it is used to update teaching equipment or for something else, we won't ask. You name the price for this funding, and I won't haggle over the number. There is only one condition: I want Lin Mo to disappear from this school."

Shen Zhongping was holding a thermos cup. Hearing this, his movements paused. Without even batting an eyelid, he slowly screwed the lid back on.

To him, Lin Mo was not a matter of money.

It was about his political career.

At his position, money was just paper, a hot potato, a landmine that could blow up his career at any moment.

Besides, the money wasn't even going straight into his pocket, so it only brought him risk.

If he took the Zhou family's money, it would be bribery, a weakness to be exploited, something that would get him reported.

But Lin Mo was different.

He was the seed of a provincial top scorer, a solid political achievement, the ladder for Shen Zhongping's meteoric rise.

As long as Lin Mo took first place in the final exams, Shen Zhongping's name would be written on the very first line of the merit record.

When that time came, moving up to the Education Bureau would be a natural progression, and he might even be able to look toward a provincial position.

Trade his political career for a bit of money that could land him in prison at any time?

Was this young master of the Zhou family missing a screw in his head?

Did he really think having some filthy money meant he could walk sideways in a Chinese public school?

Capital was indeed powerful, but in the face of authority, especially the final exam system concerning talent selection, it had to learn to bow its head.

The only reason he had cooperated so far was entirely due to orders from his superiors. The current director of the municipal education bureau was his former teacher, and it was his teacher's request.

Since his teacher had made the request, he could only comply.

However, Lin Mo was very important to him. If he gave Lin Mo away just for this petty profit, he would definitely regret it for the rest of his life.

Shen Zhongping wasn't in a hurry to speak. Instead, he unhurriedly stood up, walked around the large desk, and approached the two of them.

With his hands behind his back, he put away his usually amiable expression, replacing it with the imposing aura of someone who had long held a high position.

"You two young masters."

Shen Zhongping's voice wasn't loud, nor did it have much inflection, yet it made the temperature in the room drop a few degrees.

"I know your families have money and connections. They even managed to pull strings at the top to squeeze you in here. I give that much face to the families behind you."

At this point, Shen Zhongping paused. He looked straight at Zhou Nianqian, his eyes holding no fear, but rather the calmness of someone who saw right through the rules of the secular world.

"But this is Guangba High School. It is a school. That doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. Allowing you to stay in this school is already giving a lot of face to your parents."

The smile on Zhou Nianqian's face froze, and the fingers tapping his knee stopped in mid-air.

He hadn't expected a mere principal to dare speak to him like this. In his eyes, there was nothing in this world that money couldn't settle. If there was, it just meant there wasn't enough money.

"Principal Shen, what do you mean by that? Are you looking down on our Zhou family?" Zhou Nianqian narrowed his eyes, his tone unfriendly.

"It is not about looking down; it is about rules."

Shen Zhongping pointed upward. "This is China. The ways you operate abroad or in private school circles won't work here. Lin Mo is my student. As long as he doesn't violate school rules, no one can touch him. Let alone donating funds, even if you paid to renovate the entire campus, my answer would be the same."

Hearing this, Zhou Nianqian's expression instantly turned incredibly ugly.

After all, he was the young master of the Zhou family and its future heir.

A mere principal dared to give him attitude?

Where did he get the nerve?

In fact, Shen Zhongping did have the nerve.

He was the principal of Guangba High School, after all. One step higher, and he could sit in the seat of the Education Bureau Director.

There was no need to elaborate on the weight of such a position.

Why would he fear a mere capitalist?!

What a joke. This was China, alright?

They really had read too many female-oriented romance novels.

Although Shen Zhongping would give the two young masters some special care, it didn't mean he would offend Lin Mo for their sake.

If Lin Mo got pissed off and left, turning to the neighboring school, and First High produced the top scorer in next year's final exams, who would Shen Zhongping go crying to?

That was the talent of a top scorer!

Looking at these two so-called big shots who seemed like they hadn't even been weaned yet, Shen Zhongping only found it amusing.

Did they really think they were capitalists? They were nothing but second-generation rich kids throwing their weight around under the shadow of their parents.

Even if their parents met him, they would be polite and respectful. What gave these two the right to order him around?

"I will speak with your parents about what happened today. But I hope the words that were just spoken will never be uttered again."