Principal 06

Even now, they still couldn't figure out how they had lost their perfectly good jobs. Hong Yanwen had packed up and left, while they had been brutally beaten by a gang of vicious peers. Of course, the one who hit them the hardest was none other than Fang Zhiyi.

These people all had some sort of criminal record or bad history, so Fang Zhiyi wasn't worried in the slightest that they would call the police.

"I don't understand, why not just close the school? What's so good about this kind of place!" Fang Chenghan asked the moment he saw his father return to the dorm after a busy day.

Fang Zhiyi pointed at him. "Do I need to teach you some manners?"

Fang Chenghan swallowed hard. "Dad, I'm asking why you want to run a school. These students are truly pitiful!"

Fang Zhiyi snorted. "If I don't run it, will others stop running them? Do you think places like this exist just because of one Hong Yanwen? If one Hong Yanwen falls, thousands of others will rise to take his place."

He pushed open the window and pointed at the scattered figures outside. "If I make them drop out and go home today, what about tomorrow? Won't their parents just send them to another 'Happiness School'?"

"Then... are you thinking of running a normal school?" Fang Chenghan asked.

Fang Zhiyi glanced at him. "Do you think a piece of work like you could go to a normal school?"

Fang Chenghan was a bit defiant. "What's wrong with me? I..." But when he saw Fang Zhiyi reach for that thin bamboo cane, he immediately shut his mouth.

Still, he didn't quite understand. He could have comfortably returned to their spacious flat at home and lain in a soft bed, but now he had to squeeze into a run-down single room with Fang Zhiyi, where the bedboards creaked incessantly every time he rolled over.

Little Hei teased, "Hey, I'm not the one messing with you this time; it's you who spent all your money."

Fang Zhiyi said in annoyance, "Then tell me, what should I do? Kill them all? Wouldn't I rot in prison for the rest of my life?"

"You really are a good person. But speaking of which, you've never been a principal before, have you?"

"That's true." Fang Zhiyi scratched his head. "To be honest, I really don't know much about how to be a principal."

Early in the morning, Ruan Wenkang opened his eyes. Long-standing habits made him too afraid to keep sleeping; if he didn't get up by five o'clock, the instructors would barge in and verbally abuse them.

But today was very strange. It remained quiet outside, and even after five o'clock, no one came to tell them to go out and run laps.

Ruan Wenkang felt a bit panicked. This abnormal situation made him incredibly anxious, so he pushed open the broken door and walked out. Several roommates silently put on their thin clothes and followed behind him.

Just as they were heading downstairs, they ran straight into a man wearing black-rimmed glasses. Ruan Wenkang remembered that yesterday, this man had introduced himself as the new dorm manager, whose name seemed to be Zhao Dali.

Zhao Dali looked at the students in confusion. "Wait, it's not even dawn yet. Where are you guys going?"

Ruan Wenkang was a little scared, but he still answered, "To run."

"Run? Run for what?" Zhao Dali was completely baffled.

"The school rules require us to wake up and wash at five in the morning, and start running by five-ten..." someone replied.

Zhao Dali looked completely lost. "I didn't hear the principal mention any such rule." Seeing the students shivering, he frowned slightly. "Look at you, coming out in so few clothes? Hurry back and go to sleep. Kids need enough sleep, or else you won't grow! Go back, quick!"

By this time, the stairs were full of early-rising students. Seeing their hesitation, Zhao Dali directly put on an angry face and scolded them to go back to bed. The students, fearing him, finally turned around and left.

"Wenkang, do you think the school has changed?" a student suddenly asked.

Ruan Wenkang thought about what happened yesterday, hesitated for a moment, and just shook his head.

"You're dreaming. They must be thinking of some new way to punish us," another tall student said.

Most of the others remained silent.

It wasn't until the sky was completely bright that Zhao Dali rang the wake-up bell. He hadn't been able to sleep after seeing the state of those kids earlier. Sitting in his dorm manager's office, he had grown angrier the more he thought about it. After ringing the bell, he headed straight for Fang Zhiyi's principal's office.

He hadn't expected that the moment he pushed open the door, several colleagues would already be standing in the room.

"Principal, I checked on that Ruan Wenkang yesterday. He's covered in injuries—whip marks from belts and cigarette burns on his arms. What kind of monsters were those people?!" A beautiful woman said indignantly. She sported a pair of dark circles under her eyes, looking as though she hadn't slept well all night either.

Lin Guoqiang crossed his arms. "I don't even dare to speak loudly. The moment I raise my voice, those students start trembling. What is going on with this school?"

"My class isn't right either. Those kids act like robots."

Everyone talked at once.

Fang Zhiyi looked at the people in front of him and yawned. These so-called new teachers were all people he had asked Little Hei to help find. Now it seemed he hadn't chosen the wrong people.

"Let's not mention what they suffered in the past. Your priority right now is to first break their shackles." Fang Zhiyi stood up and glanced at Zhao Dali. Zhao Dali suddenly understood that Fang Zhiyi had probably known about these kids' problems all along.

"Principal, are you really just letting that former principal walk away? Shouldn't we expose him?"

"Would that help?" Fang Zhiyi asked. "What happens after he's exposed? You'd get to vent your anger, but what about these kids? Their parents would pick them up and then continue looking for the next 'Happiness School'? And what about the kids who aren't even at this school?"

"I sought you all out because you each have your own strengths. I want you to teach these kids that everyone's life has meaning. You need to discover their strengths and completely change their lives."

Fang Zhiyi let out a long breath.

"As for that Hong Yanwen guy... since he's gone, let him go. We always have to look forward."

Finally, the teachers dispersed. They had to return to their classes to gather the students. Fang Zhiyi had already reviewed yesterday's forms, and today he would personally oversee the class assignments.

Seeing the students standing on the sports field looking at their principal, someone recognized that he was the father of Fang Chenghan, who had arrived yesterday. Remembering how he had beaten Fang Chenghan yesterday, everyone shrank their necks in fear.

"I won't waste words. Teacher Lin Guoqiang, step forward!"

Lin Guoqiang stepped out.

"Those who are interested in combat, physical training, or fighting, please go stand in front of Teacher Lin Guoqiang."

No one moved. Everyone looked at him in confusion.

Could it be that this new principal wanted them to fight one-on-one with that thug-like teacher?

Fang Zhiyi ignored their silence.

"Those who like drawing, go stand in front of that teacher with glasses. Those who like singing, stand by that elderly gentleman. And... uh, those who like playing video games will have to wait a bit; your teacher is hurrying over from out of town."