Celestial Night Emperor

Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Teacher Humiliated, Is It This Hard to Go to School?

Getting into a school was hard.

Impossibly hard.

While there were various policies in place and several suburban and local elementary schools had openings, Han Biwei, considering Niannian’s education and future, went straight to the best school in Su City: Tianjiao Experimental Primary School.

It had the best faculty and educational resources in all of Su City. It was also a renowned elite elementary school, well on its way to becoming fully private.

Han Biwei herself was a graduate of this school.

She waited at the school gate for seven hours until school let out. Then, with a gift she had bought, she went to visit her old homeroom teacher, Teacher Wang.

Teacher Wang was close to retirement, her hair streaked with gray, her expression as kind as Han Biwei remembered.

”Weiwei, you’re the only student who still calls to check on me every year. I know you. Things aren’t going so well for you right now, are they?” Teacher Wang said gently. ”Forget about the gift. If there’s any chance, I will definitely help you with this.”

Han Biwei felt terribly ashamed. ”You’re already so tired, and I’m still here troubling you.”

”It’s nothing. My husband passed away, and my son and daughter have both emigrated. It’s just this old lady and a cat left. There isn’t much I can do anymore.”

Teacher Wang took the documents Han Biwei had brought and looked them over for a long time before finally smiling. ”Weiwei, weren’t you named one of Su City’s Outstanding Young Talents? You still have this honor in your file. According to the city’s current regulations, you are absolutely qualified to enroll your child here!”

Han Biwei was overjoyed. ”That’s wonderful.”

And so, the frail Teacher Wang led Han Biwei from one office to the next.

Finally, they arrived at the admissions department.

Director Zhang, dressed in a suit, was sipping tea. He glanced over. ”Eldest Sister Wang, it’s not that I won’t do you this favor, but the school is at full capacity. There isn’t a single spot left.”

Teacher Wang pleaded desperately, ”She’s my student. She’s a registered resident now, she’s an Outstanding Talent, and she’s about to buy a house.”

Director Zhang chuckled drily. ”People with houses and money have all come begging me. I always do things by the book. It doesn’t matter who puts in a good word.”

Just as he was putting on a stern face, a man with glasses appeared from outside and sat down casually. ”Old Zhang, our boss only has two sons. They have to get into the top genius class at your school. Why haven’t you arranged it yet?”

Director Zhang immediately ignored Teacher Wang and Han Biwei, pouring tea and offering a cigarette to the man with glasses. ”It’s all arranged. I took the spots from two students on financial aid... heh, revoked them. The problem is, the parents of those two students are refusing to accept it. They’re causing a scene at the school gate every day. Once that’s dealt with, the boss’s kids can come right in!”

The man with the glasses drooped his eyelids. ”The parents of the students who were kicked out are making a fuss? Are they those two top students sent from the suburbs? Heh. That’s just how people from the countryside are—savage, unreasonable, all they know is how to cause trouble. Don’t worry. Our boss is the second-in-command of the Public Security Division, after all. I’ll get someone to take care of it for you.”

With that, he grabbed Director Zhang’s carton of Zhonghua cigarettes and sauntered off.

Director Zhang was very pleased with himself. He’d just established a connection with a top official in the public security department. ’I handled that beautifully,’ he thought.

He turned his head, only to see Teacher Wang and Han Biwei still standing there stiffly.

His mood soured. ”Eldest Sister Wang, you saw it yourself. Even a big shot from the Public Security Bureau has to wait his turn! Let me be blunt. Go and find whatever connections you can. If you can find someone with more influence, you can come back to me for an approval slip! In the end, it all comes down to who you know.”

Teacher Wang couldn’t stand it.

’Two top students, excellent students sent from the suburbs, pushed aside just like that? And as for Han Biwei, she wasn’t even getting a chance for a regular class.’

Furious, Teacher Wang pushed her glasses up her nose. ”Xiaozhang, you came from a poor family yourself. Do you know what this school is? It’s the foundation of our nation! No, I can’t let this stand. I’m going to talk to the principal.”

Director Zhang let out a malevolent laugh. ”Teacher Wang! Let me tell you something. Our Principal Li is the brother of that high-level official from the Public Security Bureau! You think I’m the one trying to use backdoors? Principal Li made the call himself! You... you’re getting more muddled the older you get. All these years, you’re about to retire and you still don’t have a senior title. You really think it’s because you’re not capable? It’s because you don’t know how to play the game!”

Spittle flew from his mouth as he spoke, and Han Biwei was so angry her hands and feet trembled.

She grabbed her teacher’s hand. ”Teacher, let’s go! We won’t beg him. You don’t deserve this. I’m so sorry. I’ve caused you to suffer this humiliation.”

Teacher Wang was trembling. She was truly incensed.

To be a model for her students, to be a person of integrity—this sacred profession was her entire life’s belief.

She absolutely could not watch this belief be insulted.

The old teacher walked forward, her body trembling, and stood right in front of Director Zhang’s desk. ”You don’t have to help my student’s child. I’m not begging you. But for those two poor students, the starting point of their entire lives is at our school. You can’t do this to them!”

”Dammit, you old hag! Why can’t you understand what I’m saying?”

Director Zhang’s temper flared. He grabbed his teacup and threw the hot water in Teacher Wang’s face. ”Get out! Cause any more trouble and I’ll tell Principal Li to cut off your pension! Let’s see how you live then! Hmph, even your own son and daughter don’t want you, everyone at school knows that! You old coot, what are you shouting for?”

Tea dripped down Teacher Wang’s face, but her forehead felt ice-cold. Overcome with rage, she fainted on the spot.