Chapter Sixty-Seven: Counterattack

Early the next morning, Zhang Wenhao headed to school as usual. Ignoring the announcement made by the school the previous day, he went straight to Class Twenty-One’s classroom. To his surprise, more than half of his classmates were already there! After receiving a call from Li Nan, they had all chosen to disregard the school’s order to return to their original classes, coming back instead to Class Twenty-One to wait for Zhang Wenhao to lead them in a resounding counterattack.

In their hearts, the worst fate was to be sent back to their former classes—not only would the teachers treat them differently, but they would also be ostracized by their classmates. In their previous classes, they never truly found a place where they belonged. Class Twenty-One was different: here, the teacher treated everyone equally and gave them the respect they deserved, and the class was united. Compared to their original classes, this was the refuge they had always dreamed of. If there was even the slightest chance to stay, they were willing to fight for it.

“Wenhao.” When Zhang Wenhao entered, Li Nan stood up from his seat, raised his eyebrows at Zhang Wenhao, and said, “Whether the next two months are heaven or hell for us all depends on you now!”

The other students also expressed their hopes and their desire to stay in Class Twenty-One. In their eyes, Zhang Wenhao was different. The speech he gave in front of the entire school had greatly inspired them. If Class Twenty-One was to resist this time, the only one who could lead them was Zhang Wenhao.

Zhang Wenhao understood their feelings well. As more students trickled in, soon all fifty students of Class Twenty-One were present. Zhang Wenhao was deeply moved—there was nothing more important for a class than unity.

He then walked up to the podium and said, “Today, just sit here and attend class as usual. If no teacher comes, we’ll study by ourselves. Ignore everything else. I promise you a satisfactory answer!”

“Alright!” The students of Class Twenty-One felt that what lay ahead was the most thrilling and anticipated battle of their entire high school life. Today, they were defending not just their rights, but their dignity!

For Zhang Wenhao, the only attraction in Class Three was Su Ruoran. But this was not important, as Su Ruoran had already told him she understood his decision. Besides, they still had a long journey ahead together; whether or not they spent these next two and a half months in the same classroom was insignificant compared to standing up for the rights of all his classmates.

Ma Qianyong was in high spirits that morning. He had thought that all his hopes would be shattered by Zhang Wenhao, but he had managed to come up with such a flawless plan that everything took a dramatic turn. The sense of accomplishment thrilled him every time he thought about it.

Just as he had expected, the parents were furious that their children were being treated differently. Their coming to the school to cause trouble was no surprise to him, and the principal’s concession under pressure was part of his calculation. In this way, he could effortlessly bring Zhang Wenhao, the student most likely to take first place in the college entrance exams, back to Class Three.

Ma Qianyong still felt no fondness for Zhang Wenhao, but that did not matter. He did not need to like Zhang Wenhao—he only saw him as money, status, and a ticket to his own future. By bringing Zhang Wenhao back to Class Three, along with Su Ruoran, he now had a double guarantee for top honors in the college entrance exams, and Zhang Wenhao, no matter how dissatisfied, could do nothing against the school. Once the dissolution of Class Twenty-One was announced, Zhang Wenhao would once again become a student of Class Three, never able to escape his grasp.

Ma Qianyong was confident that the school would never suspect him as the mastermind behind the scenes. After all, he was the one who had requested the class division in the first place, and every teacher knew he disdained underachievers. Why would he now go to such lengths to bring them back?

“Truly flawless!” Standing at the podium in Class Three, Ma Qianyong was still brimming with excitement. He kept glancing at the door, eager to see what expression Zhang Wenhao would have when he walked in with his backpack—surely it would be dramatic.

As the bell for morning study rang, Ma Qianyong frowned slightly. Still, Zhang Wenhao had not shown up. Could he be trying to make a statement by being late? How childish!

Finally, the bell for class rang, and Ma Qianyong’s frown deepened. Not a single one of the students he had expelled, including Zhang Wenhao, had come! Outrageous! Was this their planned method of resistance?

Ma Qianyong was furious. It had to be Zhang Wenhao behind this—he was the one with the biggest grudge against him. On the very first day back, neither Zhang Wenhao nor the others showed up for class. Clearly, they had no respect for him!

But what he didn’t know was that Zhang Wenhao and his forty-nine classmates were all sitting in Class Twenty-One’s classroom, quietly studying on their own.

“Mr. Ma.” A young substitute teacher knocked on the classroom door and said, “The grade director wants to see you in the office.”

Ma Qianyong nodded suspiciously and headed to the office, only to find the other four homeroom teachers of the arts classes already there.

The grade director wore a worried expression. “This is becoming a tricky situation.”

“Director,” Ma Qianyong stepped forward, “has something happened?”

When the grade director saw Ma Qianyong enter, he sighed and said, “Mr. Ma, the students of Class Twenty-One have refused to return to their original classes. They’re all in their old classroom, studying on their own.”

“What?!” Ma Qianyong was stunned. After a moment, he snapped, “Are these students rebelling? They dare to defy school orders!”

The grade director replied helplessly, “Ms. Song Yanni has gone over to persuade them. I don’t know if she’ll succeed.”

One of the other homeroom teachers chuckled, “Director, if they’re unwilling to come back, just let them stay in Class Twenty-One. It’s their own choice to remain, so no one can accuse us of discrimination against underachievers, can they? My students were all complaining when they heard those students might return. Since their departure, the class environment has improved so much. If they come back, it will only disrupt things and affect the other students’ learning.”

The other three homeroom teachers nodded in agreement. Unlike Ma Qianyong, none of them had top students like Zhang Wenhao in Class Twenty-One. For them, those students were troublemakers, and they dreaded their return. Now that these students were refusing to come back, it suited them perfectly.

“No!” Ma Qianyong blurted out, “We can’t let them stay in Class Twenty-One!”

A teacher asked in surprise, “Mr. Ma, weren’t you the one who wanted them separated in the first place?”

Ma Qianyong panicked for a moment, almost letting something slip in his agitation. He quickly changed his tune, “I’m just worried that the parents will make more trouble. If things escalate, it could seriously damage the school’s reputation.”

The grade director nodded, “Mr. Ma is right. Regardless of whether they truly want to stay in Class Twenty-One, we can’t give the parents any ammunition. Get them back to their original classes and this matter will be settled. Otherwise, there could be major repercussions. This is the principal’s personal instruction.”

The other teachers looked unhappy. One asked, “What if the students keep refusing to return?”

The director hesitated for a moment. “If they refuse, we’ll hold a parent meeting for Class Twenty-One. Call in all the parents and let them handle it. That way, the parents can’t blame the school any longer.”

Meanwhile, Song Yanni stood at the podium in Class Twenty-One, eyes red with emotion, but still tried to persuade the class, “I’m grateful for your loyalty, but I hope you’ll quickly return to your original classes. Dragging this out will only harm your studies; it’s not worth it.”

Zhang Wenhao spoke up, “Ms. Song, our class has reached a consensus. Before the truth comes to light, we will not leave Class Twenty-One.”

“The truth?” Song Yanni asked in surprise. “Do you suspect there’s some conspiracy here? Your parents only want what’s best for you, so they came to the school for answers. If you just return to your original classes, not only will your parents be at ease, but the school will be as well. You can then get back to your studies. There are only two months left until the college entrance exams. Every second counts now, and continuing this standoff will only hurt you.”

Zhang Wenhao stood up and said to her earnestly, “Ms. Song, please tell the grade director and the other school leaders that we are people, not furniture to be moved in and out at will. Even if there’s no hidden agenda behind all this, we will not accept such arbitrary and irresponsible treatment!”

“That’s right!” the other students echoed indignantly. “They threw us out like garbage before, and now, under pressure, they want to sweep us back in. Why should we let them toy with us like this?”

Seeing that her persuasion was having no effect, and recognizing the unprecedented unity among the students, Song Yanni could only nod and say, “I’ll go discuss this with the director.”