You're Fired 02

"Alright."

Chen Mo nodded.

With trepidation, he walked over to the Principal. "Principal."

The Principal narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Chen Mo. His voice was grave. "So, you are Chen Mo?"

"Yes, sir." Chen Mo’s palms were slick with sweat. "May I ask why you summoned me? Is something the matter?"

"Heh."

The Principal let out a cold laugh. "Chen Mo, I recall that you are a student of our Shangqing University, correct?"

Chen Mo didn't dare utter a word; he simply stood there, trembling in fear before the Principal.

He suspected that the Principal had found out about his involvement in the scheme against Lin Xuan...

The academic advisor frowned.

Why did the Principal's words imply that Chen Mo had done something detrimental to the school?

"Since you are a student of Shangqing, why did you collude with outsiders to target our school?" the Principal asked in a low, heavy voice.

Chen Mo clenched his fists.

From the Principal's tone, it sounded like he really did know about his involvement in the Lin Xuan affair.

No!

He had to stay calm. He couldn't reveal any abnormalities.

Maybe the Principal wasn't talking about Lin Xuan?

"Principal, is there some kind of misunderstanding?" Chen Mo struggled to maintain his composure. "I have always treated the school as my home. I would never dare to do anything to harm the school, nor have I ever harbored such thoughts."

The Principal’s expression darkened.

He hadn't expected a student to be so manipulative and scheming.

"Chen Mo," the Principal said coldly. "Let me ask you: did you leak the information about Lin Xuan leading our students in the research of chips and lithography machines?"

The advisor was stunned.

The incident regarding Lin Xuan had caused quite a stir today; he had heard other teachers discussing it.

At the time, he had been filled with righteous indignation. Lin Xuan was such an excellent student—how could he be the kind of person netizens were portraying him to be?

Surely, someone was framing Lin Xuan.

He had even silently cursed the person behind the frame-up.

Now, hearing the Principal’s words... was the person framing Lin Xuan actually Chen Mo?

The advisor cast a suspicious look at Chen Mo.

The Principal wasn't the type to make baseless accusations against students.

Unless Chen Mo had really done something...

But Chen Mo had always been excellent in character and academics. She had mentored Chen Mo for over two years. Based on her understanding, Chen Mo wasn't the type to frame others.

Frowning, the advisor spoke up, "Chen Mo, is what the Principal said true?"

"I didn't!" Chen Mo denied instinctively. "Principal, Professor, I've never had any interactions with Lin Xuan, let alone any conflict. I have absolutely no reason to slander or frame him. Is someone framing me?"

"Principal, please investigate this thoroughly and clear my name."

"Heh." The Principal laughed coldly. "You're still quibbling even now."

"Then let me let you hear what this is."

The Principal played a recording on his phone.

"Mr. Wang, this is Chen Mo. I wanted to talk to you about the situation with Lin Xuan at our school."

Chen Mo's voice drifted from the phone.

The subsequent words Chen Mo spoke into the phone filled the ears of both the advisor and Chen Mo.

"This..."

Chen Mo’s eyes widened.

His call with Mr. Wang had actually been recorded.

He had checked at the time; there was no one around him when he made the call. How was it recorded?

No, that wasn't the point. The point was, he couldn't deny it anymore.

"Chen Mo, do you have anything left to say?" The Principal put away his phone and spoke coldly.

"Principal."

With a loud thud, Chen Mo dropped to his knees.

"I did do it. But I had absolutely no intention of targeting Lin Xuan personally. I just felt that his research on this project was a waste of the school's resources. I felt it was an impossible project, and continuing it would just waste everyone's time. Principal, you know how precious time is for doctoral and graduate students."

"I didn't admit it just now because I was scared. I only wanted to use Yundu University to stop Lin Xuan from researching this project. I never imagined it would lead to such massive cyberbullying against him. I knew I would be punished if you found out, so I didn't dare admit it."

Clap, clap, clap.

The Principal applauded slowly. "I have to say, Chen Mo, that is a well-crafted excuse."

"However..."

The Principal scoffed. "Do you really take me for a fool?"

"You know perfectly well in your own heart whether that is the real reason."

The advisor watched all this in disbelief.

She hadn't thought Chen Mo was this kind of person.

To actually sell out the school's information to a competitor university?

Chen Mo clearly intended to ruin the reputations of both Lin Xuan and Shangqing University!

Chen Mo knew he couldn't deceive the Principal any longer. Red-eyed, he apologized, "Principal, I'm sorry. I know I was wrong. I won't dare do it again."

The Principal spoke coldly: "You are expelled."

Expelled?

Chen Mo felt as though he had been struck by lightning. He stood frozen, a piercing chill rising from the soles of his feet and spreading through his entire body.

His family was extremely poor. He had always known that education was the only way to change his destiny, so he had studied bitterly hard since childhood.

If Shangqing University expelled him, it would go into his permanent record and follow him for the rest of his life.

He definitely wouldn't pass the political background checks for government jobs.

Major corporations wouldn't hire him once they saw his file.

His life would be ruined by this expulsion.

He hadn't expected that contacting a teacher at Yundu University would be exposed.

For such a small matter, he thought he would face disciplinary action at most—not expulsion.

"Principal!" Chen Mo was terrified. He knelt on the ground, frantically kowtowing to the Principal, his head banging loudly against the floor.

He didn't even feel the pain as the skin on his forehead broke.

"I'm sorry, I really know I was wrong," Chen Mo cried, blubbering through his tears. "Please give me one more chance. I will perform well in the future and put Shangqing University's honor first. I will absolutely never do anything like this again."

Chen Mo was filled with regret.

If he had known, he never would have used such underhanded means against Lin Xuan.

Not only was Lin Xuan unaffected, but he himself was getting expelled.

Really, he didn't want to be expelled.

If he was expelled, his bright future would be gone.

The Principal said, "Chen Mo, I don't mind telling you this: it was President Su who discovered your plot to frame Lin Xuan. And it was she who personally gave the order for your expulsion."

Chen Mo’s fists, hanging by his sides, slowly tightened.