novel
| ← Ch.020 | Ch.022 → |
Chapter 21
Hearing the word 'apologize', Zhao Haoyuan became flustered. He said, "Why should I apologize? I'm not all to blame for this. If Chen Su didn't go picking up garbage, he wouldn't be thought of as...
He hadn't managed to say the word 'thief' when Qiao Shao cut him off."Enough!"
From beginning to end, Chen Su did nothing wrong.
——Was it wrong to pick up something no one wanted from the trash? Was it a sin to have a bad family situation?
Has he not been shunned enough? Does he also have to be humiliated to this extent!
Qiao Shao asked him sharply, "Is picking up something others didn't want and stealing someone else's things the same thing!"
Zhao Haoyuan was left without an argument.
Qiao Shao's every word sent stabs into his mind."I don't know why you threw Xu Feifan's schoolbag, but you have caused great harm to Chen Su. You obviously knew that they had misunderstood the situation, you knew Chen Su hadn't stolen anything, you knew he was innocent, but you didn't dare to stand up and say a single word because you didn't want to implicate yourself!"
The expression on Zhao Haoyuan's face became uglier and uglier. Everything he'd been trying to press down in his heart since a long time ago was suddenly all flung out.
Qiao Shao was right.
Zhao Haoyuan originally wanted to get back at Xu Feifan. The girl he liked was snatched away by Xu Feifan. He was so angry that he wanted to make him unhappy.
However, he hadn't expected that Chen Su would pick up the schoolbag, and that Xu Feifan would find Chen Su carrying his schoolbag in the cafeteria.
It had been at the canteen and it was the lunch time peak. As soon as the name in the schoolbag was revealed, anyone would think that the schoolbag was stolen.
The matter had blown up into this huge thing. So many people knew of it. If Zhao Haoyuan had stood up and said that he had been the one to throw it. What would everyone think of him?
When they ask him why, how could he explain?
Thinking of this, Zhao Haoyuan lost all courage to speak.
Moreover, Chen Su couldn't admit that he had picked it up from the trash can because of his pride—in fact, even if he had admitted it, aside from losing face, the result would have been the same. No one would have believed him.
As long as Zhao Haoyuan didn't say anything, no one would know the truth about the matter.
But now Qiao Shao had torn it wide open and exposed everything.
For this past half-year, Zhao Haoyuan also felt disgusted. But the longer he dragged it on, the hard it became to speak...
The more he could not bring himself to speak, the longer it dragged on...
It became a vicious circle.
"I didn't expect this to happen..." Zhao Haoyuan was still defending himself."I didn't mean for it to happen. If Chen Su had been closer to other people, he wouldn't have been misunderstood like this..."
Qiao Shao sneered."So, because he's unsociable and eccentric, he deserves to be humiliated and bullied!"
Zhao Haoyuan was speechless.
Qiao Shao repeatedly firmly, "Apologize to him."
Zhao Haoyuan lowered his head and said, "It's useless to apologize, it's been so long &#k2026;"
Qiao Shao said, "He needs it."
It didn't matter if it was useful or not, Chen Su needed this apology!
Zhao Haoyuan was stunned and finally came to terms, "Okay, I'll apologize to him."
Qiao Shao loosened his hold on his shirt and said coldly, "Before noon break, come to the male dormitory. Room 516."
He really wanted Zhao Haoyuan to tell the truth in front of everyone, that Chen Su was not a thief, but that rather, it was his selfishness that allowed Chen Su to be misunderstood and shunned for half a year!
But......
Qiao Shao, who was now a little calmer, thought about Chen Su's situation.
——Exposing the matter of him picking up things from the trash could also be very harmful to Chen Su.
He couldn't be reckless.
"Okay." He Shen, who hadn't spoken the entire time, suddenly said, "Class is starting already, you can go back."
He had been addressing Zhao Haoyuan.
Zhao Haoyuan was so relieved that he didn't dare look at Qiao Shao again and simply headed straight back to the classroom.
Just now, in a fit of anger, Qiao Shao had completely forgotten about his ankle. With things settled for now, he once again felt the prickling pain.
"Hiss..." He took a breath and stood on one foot.
He Shen helped support him, in a bantering tone of voice, he said, "Did the supremely honorable and righteous Sir Qiao Shao, finally remember the pain?"
Qiao Shao: "..."
He Shen told him quietly, "Sit on the steps."
Qiao Shao looked at him."Why?"
He Shen pressed on his shoulder and let him sit down slowly. Then he walked down two steps, and touched Qiao Shao's ankle with his long straight fingers.
Qiao Shao realized what he was about to do and said, "It doesn't matter. It's already been a while since class started. We need to hurry back."
He was a very attentive student in class.
"Don't move, " While looking down and examining his foot, He Shen still managed to joke, "If your injury worsen, who knows, you might just be known in all of jianghu as the lame knight.
Qiao Shao was not amused."What a hideous mess!"
Even so, seeing He Shen look so focused, Qiao Shao couldn't help but feel a burst of warmth.
This seatmate of his, apart from his complete lack of dedication to learning, love of fighting, and absolutely rotten mouth, really was quite nice.
At this moment He Shen pressed on the outside of his ankle, Qiao Shao immediately sucked in his breath.
He Shen lifted his eyes."Painful?"
Qiao Shao put on a brave front and said, "No."
He Shen said, "You should still go get an x-ray taken."
Qiao Shao said immediately, "No need!"
He Shen knew what he was worried about: "We won't call your parents. I'll go with you during this afternoon's self-study class."
Qiao Shao was dumbfounded.
He Shen got up and then helped him up."The Central hospital is very close. We'll ask Old Tang for permission to leave. We'll be back for dinner and the evening self-study."
This way, not only will they not need to call his parent, but it also won't delay his studies.
Qiao Shao hesitated...
He Shen scared him again, "What? You really want to be a lame knight?"
Qiao Shao stared at him.
He Shen continued to scare him, "If you leave a hidden danger, you might regret it forever."
This, Qiao Shao did care about.
He wanted to conceal his foot injury, but if it really was something serious and he became partially lame...
En, his dad, Comrade Qiao Zongmin, would be beaten to death by hid granddad and grandpa.
The picture was too cruel, and Qiao Shao cannot be a dishonest son.
"Okay..." Qiao Shao agreed, "Then, I will have to trouble you this afternoon."
He Shen calmly said, "It's no trouble. This way, I can justly and honorably leave school for the day."
Qiao Shao: "..."
Also, it was time to wake up in the afternoon anyway, it would be better to go out for a walk!
After the two returned to the classroom, Qiao Shao listened absently to a lesson.
During the lesson, he poked a certain someone who was sound asleep.
He Shen turned his head to face him."En?"
He was feeling so languid that he hadn't even opened his eyes.
Qiao Shao didn't want others to hear so he just lay down on the table as well. With his head pillowed on his arm, he asked, "I have to help Chen Su clarify the misunderstanding."
Zhao Haoyuan will apologize to Chen Su in private. Although this could give Chen Su a lot of comfort, it wouldn't solve the fundamental problem.
Everyone still had the wrong impression of Chen Su. Chen Su would still have this bad reputation. It would still be difficult to be accepted by his classmates, and he himself wouldn't be able to muster any self-confidence.
So to cure the roots, you need to eliminate the poison.
"Well, what do you want to do?" He Shen opened his mouth before opening his eyes. When he lifted open his eyelids he suddenly saw the delicate face so close at hand.
He Shen's drowsiness was almost completely dispersed. He always had to look down before and hadn't taken a good look at Qiao Shao's features.
Seen at such a close distance, it really was...
Qiao Shao whispered, "As long as the video is released, everything can be clarified. But this won't work. Chen Su wouldn't want to let people know that he'd been picking things up from the trash."
He Shen stared at him."Yes."
Qiao Shao then said, "So I want to ask Chen Su for his thoughts before deciding what to do."
He Shen responded, "Right."
In fact, He Shen hadn't given any comments, but just having him listen to what he said was good enough. Qiao Shao was relieved. That's settled then, he'll look for Chen Su during lunch break!
Now that his thoughts had been set to rest, Qiao Shao noticed He Shen's gaze."Why have you been staring at me?"
He Shen didn't move, looking from his forehead to his eyes to his nose and mouth."En..."
Qiao Shao wondered, "Why, what's with my face?"
He touched his cheek with his hand.
"It's..." He Shen answered slowly.
Qiao Shao got up slightly, "What is it, what is it?"
He Shen finished his words."It's a bit nice."
| ← Ch. 020 | Ch. 022 → |