The school assembly was already dragging on with a long, boring list of honors and awards. Principal Wang stood on the stage with a stiff smile plastered on his face as he handed out certificates like factory-pressed cookies.
Then, just when Doug Feng thought he could survive this whole ordeal unnoticed, the atmosphere took a sharp turn.
"Of course," said Principal Wang, clearing his throat dramatically, "not everything this past week has been sunshine and rainbows. We also have to address serious disciplinary issues. For example—Doug Feng from Class 3-2 was involved in a physical altercation near the school gate, violating school rules. He has received a major demerit and will be officially reprimanded in front of the entire student body."
The microphone echoed across the school field. Every head turned.
Doug's heart dropped like a stone into a frozen lake.
What the hell?! That old dog Qiu really picked TODAY to broadcast my punishment to the whole school?
Standing among the students, Doug instinctively looked toward the guest platform behind them. Sure enough, his father—Mr. Du Changsheng—was seated there in the VIP section, looking like he'd just swallowed a lemon. His face was stone cold, and his eyes shot laser beams straight at Doug's skull.
I'm screwed. Absolutely screwed.
Doug, you magnificent idiot. You got publicly shamed on a day this important? In front of your dad?! Get ready for a week's worth of stir-fried bamboo shoots and shredded pork—you know, the kind served with discipline.
Beside him, Howie gave Doug a sympathetic pat on the shoulder.
"Don't worry, buddy. You're not alone. I probably failed this last exam again, so my dad's going to skin me alive when I get home too. Misery loves company, right?"
Doug gave a hollow laugh. Misery did love company—but not this kind of company.
Meanwhile, students from all grades and classes began turning their heads, whispering, murmuring, and even gasping with exaggerated pity. Doug felt like he was standing naked in a hurricane of judgment.
In Class 3-2, class rep and school beauty Linjie Feng furrowed her brow unhappily. She knew very well that the entire situation had stemmed from her. If she hadn't gotten tangled up with Lin Yi, Doug would've never gotten into that fight in the first place, and certainly wouldn't be standing here now with a public demerit stuck to his name like a dunce cap.
I have to help him… I have to do something.
Linjie's worried gaze drifted toward the front row of the stage, where the city officials and school executives were seated. Sitting at the very center was a poised, confident woman who exuded elegance and power. Her aura was impossible to ignore—this was none other than Qin Qing, the charismatic mayor of Zhicheng.
"Principal Wang," Mayor Qin said suddenly, turning to the man beside her. "That student—Doug Feng. Why was he just publicly reprimanded?"
Principal Wang stiffened. "Ah, Mayor Qin, that matter was handled entirely by our disciplinary office. Director Qiu oversees those cases. I'm not personally familiar with the details, but if you'd like, I can call him over now."
He gestured quickly to a staff member, who ran off to fetch the offending party.
Moments later, the disciplinarian in question, Director Qiu Guohua, came striding up, looking slightly confused—until he realized he was being summoned by the mayor herself.
Why would the mayor be interested in some student's punishment? he thought, his heart skipping a beat. Still, he couldn't refuse.
Mayor Qin, although elegant and striking, had a reputation across the city—she wasn't someone to be trifled with.
Qiu kept his eyes low and answered carefully, "Mayor Qin, my apologies. While Zhicheng No.1 High is one of the best in the province, we still have our share of… problematic students. This Doug Feng in particular—he's a troublemaker. His grades are poor, and he's known to get into fights. We had to discipline him to preserve the school's reputation."
He straightened slightly, thinking he'd handled the situation well—firm, fair, and diplomatic.
But Mayor Qin's brows only furrowed deeper.
Then, without warning, she relaxed, leaned back, and chuckled softly.
The Deputy Mayor sitting next to her flinched. That laugh—it wasn't a good sign.
Everyone who had worked with Mayor Qin long enough knew one thing: when she smiles like that, someone's about to get wrecked.
She gently set down her teacup.
"Hmmph."
Then she fixed Director Qiu with a frosty glare and spoke with a calm, cutting authority.
"As the Director of Discipline, you should see every student under your care as someone with potential—not as riffraff to be discarded."
Her voice grew sharper with each sentence.
"You talk about 'bad students' and 'school reputation,' but let me ask you: if students were already perfect, why would they need school at all? The purpose of education is to guide the imperfect, not to judge them. If you can't see past a student's flaws and instead divide them into categories of worth, then how can you call yourself an educator?"
The silence that followed was deafening.
Mayor Qin took another sip of tea, her crimson lips curling into a delicate, dangerous smile.
Everyone on the platform—principals, vice principals, even the security officer—was frozen in place. No one dared speak.
Even worse?
Director Qiu's mic had been left on.
Her entire speech had been broadcast across the school through the loudspeakers.
Doug, still standing on the field, looked up in disbelief.
Howie nudged him, eyes wide. "Dude! Dude! Did you hear that? She just roasted Qiu on the loudspeaker! That's what you call justice!"
They both turned toward the stage, where Director Qiu was getting verbally flayed in front of the entire student body and faculty—and he couldn't even argue back.
All over the field, a tidal wave of cheers erupted.
"Woo! Go Mayor Qin!"
"Long live the mayor!"
"Someone finally shut that guy up!"
Students from every grade—freshmen, sophomores, seniors—couldn't contain their joy. Qiu had been feared for years, always lurking in corridors like a hawk, ready to snatch students for the tiniest dress code violation.
Now? He looked like a deflated balloon, pale and humiliated, trying to discreetly switch off the mic with shaky hands.
But the damage was done.
Doug turned his gaze toward the platform again, eyes narrowing.
Wait a sec… why does that mayor look so familiar?
Then it hit him like a thunderbolt.
Holy crap! Isn't that the same woman I rescued at the Golden Sun Hotel?!