Chapter 42: Is that so?

Smack! A sharp, resounding slap echoed through the room.

Lin Xiao had raised his hand and struck Song Tianxing hard, cutting him off mid-sentence. He didn’t hold back—his palm landed with full force.

Stunned, Song Tianxing staggered, spinning from the impact before collapsing onto the floor. A fiery red handprint bloomed across his swollen cheek.

The sudden violence didn’t just silence Song Tianxing—it sent a chill down the spines of Li Li and Li Chenggong, who stood frozen.

Li Li recognized Lin Xiao the moment he walked into the office. The memory of being slapped senseless by him just days ago was still fresh—and terrifying.

Even though she was somewhat frightened, she believed that this was a school, and considering Song Tianxing’s background, she doubted that Lin Xiao would dare to strike as he had before. So, Li Li’s courage surged.

What she didn’t expect was that Lin Xiao didn’t care at all, not only raising his hand to strike but also hitting Song Tianxing.

‘How dare he? How dare he?’ 

Despite her disbelief, the reality was right in front of her eyes.

Seeing Song Tianxing’s face swell up like a pig’s head, she remembered her own injuries from a few days prior. A dreadful thought flickered through her mind. Was she going to end up like that again?

“Young Master Song, are you alright?” 

Li Chenggong and Li Li rushed to help Song Tianxing up.

“Or else what? What would you do?” Lin Xiao flicked his hand casually, his gaze fixed on Song Tianxing as if he had just done an insignificant task.

“You dare to hit me? You, a nobody, dare to hit me?” Song Tianxing covered his face, disbelief spread across his features.

Lin Xiao smiled nonchalantly, raised his hand, and cast a cold glance at him. 

“What, not enough? Want me to give you another taste?”

Lin Xiao merely lifted his hand, feigning another slap. Instantly, Song Tianxing flinched and stumbled backward, fear written all over his face. The first blow had already rattled him, and he was terrified of taking another.

But Lin Xiao hadn’t even moved—his hand remained perfectly still.

Song Tianxing’s face felt hot, whether from the slap or humiliation, he couldn’t tell. His eyes were filled with anger as he glared at Lin Xiao.

At that moment, Li Chenggong stepped forward, seething with rage, and demanded, “Who are you? Who gave you permission to barge into the counseling office? This is a school, not your personal playground. Let me make it clear. If you persist, I will call security.”

Li Chenggong didn’t recognize Lin Xiao, but the current circumstances hinted that he was likely related to Yuan Yu. However, this wasn’t his concern. What he truly cared about was the fact that Song Tianxing was pivotal to his promotion to vice-principal. He couldn’t afford any mishaps.

Lin Xiao glanced coldly at Li Chenggong. “Don’t worry, your turn is coming.”

“What do you mean? Listen, don’t cause a ruckus. This incident is entirely Yuan Yu’s fault. She stole a watch worth three hundred thousand from Li Li.”

Li Chenggong, catching a glimpse of the cold glint in Lin Xiao’s eyes, instinctively retreated a few steps. He had witnessed firsthand how mercilessly Lin Xiao had struck Song Tianxing and had no desire to share the same fate.

“As expected from a teacher, twisting facts even under such circumstances.” Lin Xiao sneered, eyeing Li Chenggong, who was feigning righteousness.

Li Chenggong continued to press his point. “What twisting of facts? Listen, we have solid evidence that points to Yuan Yu as the thief. The watch she stole is a luxury item worth three hundred thousand. I suggest you apologize sincerely. Otherwise, no matter how good a fighter you are, Yuan Yu will still land in prison.”

However, Lin Xiao ignored him and turned his gaze to Li Li standing by the side.

“We meet again, don’t we? I warned you last time, ‘Misfortunes sent by heaven can be forgiven, those invited by oneself deserve no pity.’ You chose not to believe me. Well, now, I’ll make you understand what it truly means.”

“You… what are you trying to do? It was Yuan Yu who stole my watch… Don’t… don’t come closer,” Li Li stammered, her face showing pure terror as Lin Xiao approached.

Unfazed, Lin Xiao slapped Li Li twice before she could even react.

Li Li’s face instantly reddened, with five clear finger marks. Her cheeks began to swell. Within moments, she resembled a pig’s head yet again.

“This is just a little interest,” Lin Xiao said coldly, staring at Li Li.

Feeling the excruciating pain from the fresh swellings on her face, Li Li was on the verge of collapse. She shot a crazed look at Lin Xiao.

“Go on, hit me, hit me! But mark my words, unless you kill me, I’ll make sure Yuan Yu ends up in jail. She stole three hundred thousand. How many years do you think she’ll get?”

Li Li’s words caused Lin Xiao to furrow his brows. Although he knew Yuan Yu had been set up, the others weren’t aware of this fact. Despite these people being lowlifes, from an evidence standpoint, it was indeed challenging to absolve Yuan Yu of the theft charges.

Furthermore, rumors unfavorable to Yuan Yu were rife throughout the school. It would be best to clear Yuan Yu’s name completely and unequivocally.

“So, did the classroom’s surveillance system genuinely break down?” Lin Xiao walked up to Li Chenggong, his face cold as he asked.

Though Li Chenggong was unnerved by Lin Xiao’s intimidating demeanor, he knew his chance of promotion to vice-principal hinged on Song Tianxing. He summoned the courage to respond, “Yes, the surveillance system broke.”

“Good, good. Seems like you’re not going to give up till you reach the bitter end,” Lin Xiao, seeing right through Li Chenggong’s lies, retorted sarcastically.

“Believe it or not, the surveillance system is genuinely broken. I am telling you—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Lin Xiao abruptly slapped him twice. Another pig’s head was born.

“Tell me the truth, did it really malfunction?”

“No, it didn’t,” Li Chenggong managed to say, flinching from the acute pain on his face. Seeing Lin Xiao move closer with that menacing expression, he hastily blurted out, “But the surveillance footage has been deleted. It’s irretrievable. There’s truly nothing I can do.”

“What? Aren’t there any backups?” Lin Xiao asked.

“There are no backups,” Li Chenggong said, shaking his head in haste.

Just then, Song Tianxing burst into laughter from the side. “Haha, what a fool. Do you really think I’m as naive as you? I had everything prepared long ago. If you beg me now, you might still stand a chance. Otherwise, I will make sure Yuan Yu ends up in prison. Let me tell you, no one has the surveillance footage. With the current evidence, the case against Yuan Yu is as solid as a mountain. Even if you return the three hundred thousand, Yuan Yu will face administrative detention, and her record will be forever tarnished.”

Song Tianxing was gloating while watching Lin Xiao’s worried face. He resolved to take revenge on Lin Xiao as soon as he got out.

“Is that so? Nobody has the surveillance footage?” At that moment, a seductive voice suddenly echoed from outside the door.