Zheng Zhi looked a bit pale. The issue of being replaced was rare in university, but it didn't mean it never happened. She never thought such a rare probability would fall on her.
Xie Zhe took her hand. "Zhi Zhi, don't worry. I'll take you to see the teacher."
"Wait. Are you sure Zheng Zhi actually won the award?"
"Of course. We're not the kind of people who would joke about this."
Xie Zhe thought the person didn't believe them, so his tone wasn't very friendly.
No one was allowed to doubt Zheng Zhi.
"Get the evidence and then go."
Shi Wan's expression was calm. She was just worried that without evidence, they might be wrongly accused.
Xie Zhe was stunned for a moment, then quickly reacted. He pulled the dejected Zheng Zhi away.
"Teacher, Zheng Zhi's name was clearly on the winning list before. Why is it gone now?"
After finding the teacher, Xie Zhe took the teacher aside and asked alone.
"Well... There was a mistake on the school's part before. We didn't have time to notify. I'm really sorry."
Although the teacher said sorry, there was not a hint of guilt on his face. He looked as if it were perfectly reasonable.
"Really? This award was ranked by the school according to grades. Zheng Zhi ranked second in the department. How come she didn't get it while the fifth - ranked student did?"
"You need to ask the school about this. I'm not clear." The teacher shirked a few times. "I have other things to do. If you have objections, go find the teacher in charge of this."
"Isn't this exactly your responsibility, Teacher?"
Xie Zhe blocked his way, as if he wouldn't let the teacher go until he explained clearly.
"Student Xie, although I'm in charge of this, I'm not the only teacher involved. Why do you single me out? I really have things to do. Don't bother me anymore."
The teacher looked impatient.
"Teacher Ji, if this matter gets out of hand, it won't look good on you either."
Teacher Ji stopped in his tracks. "Are you threatening me?"
"I'm just stating the facts."
"This is a school. Don't we teachers have the final say? Student Xie, there's no need to make a fuss over an irrelevant person, right?"
Teacher Ji was a bit nervous. Xie Zhe's status was different from Zheng Zhi's. If he really wanted to pursue this, Teacher Ji wouldn't end up well.
"I'm definitely going to get to the bottom of this. Teacher Ji, although Zheng Zhi has no background, she's not alone."
Xie Zhe implied something.
However, Teacher Ji seemed not to hear and just left on his own.
Shi Wan brought Zheng Zhi out from the other side and heard everything that had been said.
Zheng Zhi was so angry that she was trembling all over. "Are people without a background just supposed to be bullied?"
The school was a sacred place, yet also a man - eating devil.
Shi Wan averted her gaze. "Let's find someone else."
"Wan Wan, maybe we should just let it go."
Zheng Zhi heard that the person who replaced her had a powerful background. She was afraid that if they offended someone, it would implicate her friends.
It was just an award.
She didn't want it anymore.
"Zhi Zhi, we can't just let this go. It's not just about you."
The group found the principal and explained their purpose.
The principal had never tolerated such things. Now that it had come to his attention, he was definitely not going to let it slide.
"Wan Wan, Student Xie, Student Zheng, come with me. I must deal with this person today."
When Teacher Ji heard the principal call him, he went over happily, only to see Xie Zhe at first sight.
His heart skipped a beat. "Principal, what's the matter?"
"Tell me about this award. Are there any mistakes?"
"No. But Student Xie did mention some issues to me. I was in a hurry, so I didn't listen carefully. Besides, this award was decided by several teachers together. I don't think there should be any major problems."
Xie Zhe had actually gone to the principal. But so what?
As long as he insisted that he didn't know, the principal couldn't do anything to him, could he?
"Really? Then call all the teachers involved in this over. I want to ask why the second - ranked student didn't get the award while the fifth - ranked one did?"
"Principal, all the teachers are busy with their own things. Isn't it a bit much for such a small matter? If there is really a mistake, we can just give the second - ranked student some consolation privately. After all, it's already over."
Teacher Ji was extremely nervous, but he didn't show it on his face.
"Go call them!"
Seeing that the principal was really angry, Teacher Ji quickly sent messages to the other teachers and at the same time reminded them of the pre - arranged plan.
Soon, several teachers rushed over.
One of the teachers saw Zheng Zhi and scolded her without hesitation. "Student Zheng, why are you so unreasonable? If there was a mistake, you should have come to us directly. Is it necessary to tell the principal?"
"Teacher, this is not Zheng Zhi's fault at all. Instead, shouldn't you teachers first think about your own problems?"
Xie Zhe, who originally wanted to give them some face, felt it was unnecessary after this.
"What could be our fault?"
"If you have no fault, then explain why the award that belongs to Student Zheng was given to Wu Yu?"
Wu Yu was the fifth - ranked student this time.
"Well... We've been so busy that it's possible we made a mistake." Teacher Ji argued. "But it was really inappropriate for Student Zheng to bring this to you. She should have just come to us privately to solve it."
"You still wanted to hide this from me?"
"No." Teacher Ji and the others glanced at each other. "We just thought this really wasn't necessary."
"What do you teachers plan to do?"
Shi Wan, who had been listening for a long time, spoke up.
"We'll just give you the bonus privately. There's no need to make this public."
"What about the award?"
"Of course, it will still go to the fifth - ranked student."
Anyway, Wu Yu had paid for the award. All she wanted was the title. Without the money, it would be the same.
"No."
"Student Shi Wan, don't think that just because you're in the principal's good books you can do whatever you want. You've already graduated. This is our school's business."
"Really? But as one of the school's shareholders, don't I have the right to talk about this?"
Shi Wan's smile didn't reach her eyes.
Teacher Ji and the others were stunned. "When did you become one of the school's shareholders?"
"It's normal for you teachers who aren't shareholders not to know."
"You!"
The expressions on Teacher Ji and the others' faces were as ugly as if they had swallowed hundreds of dead flies.
"Return Zheng Zhi's rightful honor."
"No!"
They had taken money. If this wasn't done properly, they would have to return the money, and they would surely be in trouble at work in the future.
"What do you mean? Am I, the principal, not in charge here?"
"Principal, this matter is already a foregone conclusion. Maybe we should just do as we said before."
"Yes. Student Zheng didn't come to us first. She waited until after the award ceremony to find the principal. Isn't she just deliberately making things difficult for us?"
"If you had done your jobs properly in the first place, would this have happened?" the principal scolded. "Can't students come to me when they're wronged? You call yourself a teacher? You're no teacher at all!"
He couldn't help but swear.