Chapter 137: Swearing Aloud

Long Fei was so depressed he felt like giving the female teacher a slap across the face. What was so serious about being late? She had to drag his ancestors down to the eighth generation and lecture him on how his parents supposedly raised him. Long Fei had been a vagrant since childhood and didn't even know who his parents were. Although he usually didn't show it, hearing others mention parents inevitably left him feeling slightly depressed, as it was almost a scar deep within his heart. Ignoring the astonished gazes of the students, he rudely interrupted He Lingshan.

"Hey, are you done talking yet?" Long Fei sneered.

He Lingshan was right in the middle of her passionate lecture and didn't expect to be interrupted. She said angrily, "I'm asking you, why were you late?"

Long Fei suddenly flashed a wicked smile. "Teacher, I have a reason for being late."

"Then I'd love to hear your reason," He Lingshan sneered.

Seeing the entire class whispering among themselves—some giving Long Fei a thumbs-up, others waiting to watch him make a fool of himself—Long Fei scanned the room and noticed that only Liu Ruoyi was looking at him with genuine concern. He maintained his wicked smile. "Then you better listen up. The whole thing went down like this: yesterday while walking, I was looking at a pretty girl and accidentally broke my glasses. As you can see, I'm not wearing glasses right now. To be honest, my glasses haven't been fixed yet. The repairman said they were too weird and hard to fix, so I got back very late. But as you know, there were stars out last night, right? So I started counting stars, counting and counting, until the middle of the night when I suddenly remembered I needed to sleep, so I overslept a bit this morning. But normally I wouldn't have been late! On my way down the street, I saw an old grandma crossing the road and helped her across. Then I saw a middle school-aged auntie buying a bunch of cabbages, saying she raised a pig at home and that pig loved rooting around in cabbages, so I channeled my inner Lei Feng and helped her carry the cabbages. Still, by the time I rushed to school, I shouldn't have been late, but right at the school gate, I ran into a senior classmate who told me that a dinosaur had arrived at the school and was heading straight for our classroom. So I argued with him for a long time, saying it was impossible for dinosaurs to exist because those things went extinct ages ago, while he insisted they did. We argued back and forth, which took up a lot of time, and that's why I was late. By the way, Teacher, I'm not wearing my glasses today—did you see the dinosaur?"

Long Fei rattled off the excuse like a rap, weaving a lie full of holes. The "dinosaur" he mentioned naturally referred to He Lingshan. By the time he finished, He Lingshan's pretty face had turned pale with fury, while the students below burst into roaring laughter. They were adults, after all, and cared nothing about whether He Lingshan saved face or not.

Actually, Long Fei hadn't originally intended to be so harsh and biting, but he truly loathed this He Lingshan. Perhaps had she not mentioned that his family upbringing was poor, he wouldn't have used such vicious words to retaliate.

Pointing at Long Fei, He Lingshan's finger shook violently. "I can't teach a student like you. Get out!"

Long Fei still chuckled. "I'm a student in this class, and I paid my tuition to come here and study. As for you, the school pays your salary to come here and teach. So logically speaking, I'm a taxpayer. What right do you have to tell me to get out? If anyone is getting out, it should be you, Teacher."

"Fine! If you want me out, I'm out!" Unable to stay a moment longer, He Lingshan grabbed her textbook and stormed out, the sound of her high heels clicking against the ground making the entire class fall silent. Oh no, things had blown up. Long Fei had really stirred up trouble and chased the teacher away.

One group of students began to clap and cheer, presumably because they had long found He Lingshan unpleasant to look at. Another group cast disgusted glances at Long Fei before quietly discussing the matter among themselves, keeping their voices low for fear he might overhear.

Long Fei chuckled and walked over to Liu Ruoyi. The latter frowned slightly and said, "How could you make the teacher storm off like that?"

"What, didn't you see how arrogant she was? So what if I was late? Look at all the nonsense she spouted. Besides, I hate it when people talk about my parents because—I don't even have parents," Long Fei said with a hint of desolation.

Sensing Long Fei's shift in mood, Liu Ruoyi instantly panicked. She cast a cautious glance at him and, seeing that he ignored her, blushed and nudged him with her elbow, whispering softly, "Are you mad?"

Long Fei replied indifferently, "No, just in a bit of a bad mood."

"What's wrong?" Liu Ruoyi asked, though she knew the answer perfectly well.

Long Fei didn't hide it. "My mood was actually great today. I just got back from Japan, and I wanted to give you a surprise, but that woman kept making things difficult for me at every turn, and—forget it, I won't say anymore."

How could she not know what Long Fei wanted to say? Liu Ruoyi hesitated before explaining, "Actually... actually, you weren't wrong to treat her like that. Who told her to pick on you first?"

Liu Ruoyi's words went against her true feelings. If this had happened to someone else, she definitely would have criticized them; after all, He Lingshan was a teacher, and teachers deserved respect. But because it was Long Fei who did it, she couldn't bring herself to say that, and deep down, she didn't really feel he was at fault.

"You really think so?" Long Fei was startled. When did this girl have a change of heart? Wasn't she usually fond of playing the role of Guanyin with a heart full of compassion? Now she was taking his side?

Liu Ruoyi still felt a twinge of guilt. "I... I'm just worried that Teacher He is going to tell Teacher Wang about this later and cause trouble for you."

Long Fei finally laughed, and Liu Ruoyi's mood improved considerably.

"Don't worry, rest assured, I'll be fine," Long Fei comforted her.

***

Only then did Long Fei carefully look at Liu Ruoyi. Fortunately, although her skin tone had changed slightly, compared to their classmates who had clearly been tortured out of human shape by military training, she was by far the least affected. Long Fei nodded.

Noticing his lustful gaze wandering all over her body, Liu Ruoyi blushed, lowered her head, and asked with some anxiety, "Do I look terrible?"

Long Fei was stunned. "How could you look terrible? You're still as pretty as ever. In my heart, you're the prettiest, haha."

Long Fei never wanted to pass up an opportunity to butter someone up, and he figured flattering a woman wasn't a big deal anyway. Besides, he wasn't really just flattering her—wasn't Liu Ruoyi pretty? That was just stating the facts.

Of course, Long Fei wasn't entirely telling the truth. For instance, in his heart, there were several other women whose looks and temperament were no less inferior to Liu Ruoyi's—like Yang Danyni, the Dragon Lady, Phoenix, and Ye Qian. Oh right, Ye Qian couldn't quite compare to Liu Ruoyi, Long Fei chuckled inwardly. Who told her to grow a big butt instead of a chest? Still, it wouldn't be long before Ye Qian became a true top-tier beauty; Long Fei was confident of that.

"You're lying," Liu Ruoyi said, even though her heart was filled with joy. Thinking of Ye Qian, however, a sour feeling crept into her heart. Aside from her chest being slightly larger than Ye Qian's, she couldn't guarantee she could beat Ye Qian in any other category.

It was a good thing for a woman to be self-aware, and keeping a low profile wasn't wrong either, but constantly comparing one's own weaknesses to someone else's strengths was simply a sign of low self-esteem.

The moment Liu Ruoyi thought of Ye Qian, she felt somewhat inferior. Ye Qian was a wealthy young heiress, while she was not. This single fact constantly plagued her, making her feel a lingering sense of crisis. Fortunately, Long Fei was always proactive, which slightly balanced things out for her.

"Why would I lie to you?" Long Fei put on an expression of utter astonishment.

Liu Ruoyi said with lingering worry, "I know, with the military training these past few days, my skin has tanned. Do you think I look awful now? You must be thinking that."

"Ruoyi, can you stop always thinking about your flaws? People need to have confidence. I like confident girls. Besides, you really are very pretty, and you probably know it yourself—compared to the others, your skin is the best. It'll bounce back in a few days, what are you afraid of?" Long Fei had long noticed Liu Ruoyi's inferiority complex and took the opportunity to advise her.

Almost subconsciously, Liu Ruoyi blurted out, "I don't want to compare myself to them! By the way, does Ye Qian know you're back?"

Long Fei understood. So this girl had been comparing herself to Ye Qian the whole time! He furrowed his brows deeply. "Can you stop comparing yourself to Ye Qian? What makes you think she's better than you? Is she as gentle as you? As pretty as you? Is she as sensible as you? As obedient as you?"

Amitabha, dear heavens, Ye Qian must never find out about this, or he'd be dead meat. But to be fair, Ye Qian really couldn't compare to Liu Ruoyi in those specific areas. Then again, both girls had their own unique charms—like Liu Ruoyi's gentleness and obedience, and Ye Qian's spoiled cuteness, both of which were fatal temptations to a man.

"But... but I—"

Long Fei cut Liu Ruoyi off. "Stop with the 'buts'. Can you stop dwelling on the fact that she's the heiress of the Ye Group? She didn't create any of that herself; she merely inherited the glory of the previous generation. What's so admirable about that? If you keep obsessing over this, I'm really going to be disappointed in you."

Liu Ruoyi hurriedly shook her head and said anxiously, "I... I know I was wrong."

"As long as you know. How about this—after class this afternoon, let's go buy some groceries and head to my place. I'll cook for you, okay? Let you taste my cooking so you won't doubt me anymore." Long Fei pressed his advantage and made his request.

Liu Ruoyi hesitated, but ultimately didn't refuse—perhaps afraid that Long Fei would get angry again—and nodded. "Alright, but tonight—" The girl was quite alert; she was already considering where she'd sleep at night. If Long Fei asked her to stay at his place, she would likely feel nervous and worried, and probably make up an excuse to decline.

So Long Fei laughed. "Relax, I'm not going to eat you. After dinner, you can stay wherever you want. Anyway, the four-bedroom apartment I rented is plenty spacious. If you don't trust my character, I can just send you back."

"It's not that I don't trust you," Liu Ruoyi blushed and hurriedly explained. "It's just—"

She fumbled for words for a long time without coming up with a good excuse. When it came down to it, she simply didn't trust this wolf of a man named Long Fei.

The atmosphere became somewhat awkward. Just then, Wang Ziguo appeared right on cue. Standing at the classroom door with no intention of coming in, he simply gestured to Long Fei. Long Fei understood, and all the students understood—this was undoubtedly that wretched hag filing a complaint, and being summoned by Wang Ziguo now certainly wouldn't lead to anything good.

"Be careful," Liu Ruoyi urged from behind as Long Fei unconcernedly stood up to leave.

***

Long Fei gave a faint smile, offering Liu Ruoyi a reassuring look before walking straight out.

"Teacher Wang, you were looking for me?" Long Fei greeted Wang Ziguo with a smile.

Wang Ziguo walked over to an empty spot and chuckled. "You take a leave of absence and stay away for so long, and the moment you get back, you cause trouble for me. What do you suppose I should do?"

Long Fei also chuckled. "That hag came to find you?"

"You bet she did. Come on, she's still waiting in my office for me to bring you in for a face-to-face settlement." Wang Ziguo led the way, with Long Fei following behind.

"Tell me, Teacher Wang, how should this matter be handled? I can't teach a student like this anymore. I suggest at least a major disciplinary demerit, or outright expulsion! It's completely outrageous, actually daring to treat a teacher like that. Is there any student like him?" As soon as she saw Wang Ziguo bring Long Fei in, He Lingshan started nagging endlessly, acting as though she wouldn't stop until Long Fei was severely punished.

Wang Ziguo frowned, poured a cup of water for Long Fei, and said nothing. This single action almost drove He Lingshan crazy with rage. She had been there for so long talking her head off, and Wang Ziguo hadn't even offered her a glass of water. But now, the primary culprit, Long Fei, arrives and receives such treatment—how could she not be infuriated?

Glaring at Wang Ziguo with a strange look, He Lingshan almost pointed at him and cursed out loud, though her words were already sharp enough. "Teacher Wang, you certainly care a lot about your students, pouring water the moment they walk through the door."

"I've always cared about my students like this. Alright, Teacher He, now that both of you are here, you've already explained the situation to me. But I can't just listen to your side of the story, so now let's have Long Fei recount what happened," Wang Ziguo said calmly.

He Lingshan was beyond depressed. "What did you say? Teacher Wang, you aren't suspecting that I framed him, are you? You actually refuse to believe your colleague's words? This, this, this—"

Wang Ziguo frowned; he hated nothing more than being interrupted. He said coldly, "Teacher He, even a person condemned to death is allowed by the state to hire a defense attorney. Are you telling me you expect me to expel Long Fei based solely on your unilateral account? Besides, the petty matter between you two isn't nearly as severe as you make it out to be, so let's drop talk of expulsion or major demerits. By the way, our school gives every newly arrived teacher a student handbook. Didn't you get one? If not, I can give you one. If you do have it, please go back and read it carefully. It details precisely what kind of punishment corresponds to what level of offense."

"You—" He Lingshan's face turned pale with anger, and she nodded repeatedly. "Fine, fine, fine! Go ahead, let him speak then. I really never expected Teacher Wang to be so 'open-minded' toward students."

Wang Ziguo smiled. "Don't worry, once he finishes explaining, you can have your say too. You have the right to speak as well, and I'll know how to handle it properly afterward. If you're still unsatisfied then, you can appeal to the school and take the matter up with the principal. How about that?"

He Lingshan's complexion looked ghastly. Had she known, she wouldn't have come to Wang Ziguo; she would have gone straight to the dean of the branch department or the head of the department to back her up. But since she was already here, she had no choice and simply nodded, though she didn't want to utter another word.

Long Fei cast a look of utter contempt at He Lingshan, then calmly recounted the sequence of events. The story became crystal clear: Long Fei was initially in the wrong for not shouting "Report," but he subsequently followed instructions and shouted it properly. Furthermore, the reason he didn't shout "Report" in the first place was out of consideration, so as not to interrupt He Lingshan's ongoing class. Therefore, from the moment he re-shouted "Report," he was in the clear. Meanwhile, the series of scathing remarks he directed at He Lingshan were reframed as the most exquisite and reasonable justifications—at least, that was Wang Ziguo's ultimate verdict.

He Lingshan was on the verge of being moved to tears. After all this fuss, Wang Ziguo not only refused to back her up, but he was actively covering for Long Fei. Pointing at her own nose in absolute despair, she said, "Teacher Wang, you don't really think the fault lies with me, do you?"

Wang Ziguo laughed heartily. "Teacher He, I know you used to teach at a private college, but our Jiaotong University is one of the top institutions in the Huaxia nation, and top universities have their own rules. It's understandable that you don't understand certain things yet. But we can't just beat someone down to the ground the moment they make a mistake—that would be far too lacking in human touch. So, I believe student Long Fei understands you too, and he won't force you to apologize. After all, you're a teacher, right? Isn't that so, Long Fei?"

Long Fei chimed in cooperatively. "Right. Since Teacher He was newly transferred here and doesn't know the rules, I'll let it slide. I'll be the bigger person and drop it. By the way, we still don't know Teacher He's stance. Who knows, she might not want to let it go and might still want to go crying to the department head or the college dean to seek justice."

The two of them sang in harmony, driving He Lingshan to the point where tears swirled in her eyes. Ultimately holding them back, she angrily stood up, glared fiercely at the two men, and stormed out without uttering a single word.

"What a piece of work! Relying on her uncle working in the Ministry of Education to act all high and mighty—I refuse to give her the time of day," Wang Ziguo muttered angrily as he stared at He Lingshan's retreating back.

*Sweat.* Wang Ziguo actually cursed! Long Fei was both astonished and appreciative. He believed there were three types of men who didn't deserve to be called men: those who didn't drink, those who didn't sleep with women, and those who didn't swear.

Noticing Long Fei staring at him with a strange look, Wang Ziguo laughed sheepishly. "Sorry, I swore. I was just so pissed off by that wretched hag. What a piece of work."

Long Fei smiled. "Teacher Wang, you're being too modest, haha. Tell me, if men stopped swearing altogether, wouldn't they lack masculine charm? Look at many women who act prim and pure in public, but once they're in bed, they actually force men to curse and talk dirty to them. The dirtier and meaner the insults, the more excited they get. Some even want to be whipped with a leather belt to feel the thrill, haha. So, cursing isn't necessarily a bad habit; it all depends on who you're cursing and in what context, right?"