Unexpected Second Chance at Love

Ji Jingxu walked behind Mr. Wei through the school corridors as the two made their way to the principal’s office. He wanted to ask why he was being called but decided to wait.

He knows that he will find out when he gets there.

Mr. Wei stops in front of the principal’s office and turns around to face the boy.

“Ji Jingxu, I know you are a smart boy. You are one of the few students with potential, but you should know what to do from where you stand.”

Hearing the staff member’s words, Ji Jingxu glanced at him without moving his head. He had always thought all teachers should help students, but he realized it didn’t work that way.

Some teachers will help, but only to a certain extent, while others will even look down upon students.

Mr. Wei was a good teacher, but he was easily bribed.

However, not wanting to pick a fight with an adult, he nods his head.

“I will remember your words, Mr. Wei.”

Mr. Wei was baffled by Ji Jingxu’s behavior. In times like this, he (Ji Jingxu) should bow, not nod.

He wanted to hit the boy on the head for bad manners, but knowing that the school director and principal would hear, he inhaled a deep breath.

Once he calmed down, he walked away, but the moment he briefly passed Ji Jingxu, he sneered a whisper.

“A brat like you will only bring shame to the Ji family.”

Ji Jingxu seemed unfazed by the words, but his fingers curled, shifting his hands into tight fists. He had heard these words since he was adopted into the Ji family.

No matter how much time passed or where he went, it was always the same.

He looks at the closed door in front of him and sighs.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the people inside think the same.”

He mutters under his breath and opens the door.

“Ah, Ji Jingxu, you’re here.”

Upon entering the room, he was greeted by the school director, Mr. Xiao. The elderly man stood up from his seat and smiled at the boy.

“Come. Have a seat.”

Ji Jingxu stares at the elderly man and then at the middle-aged principal, Mr. Li. He gestures a polite bow to the two men and then walks over to a chair. However, he sees that there are three more people in the room.

It was none other than Deng Xian and his parents.

The schoolmate wore an arm cast from their fight and glared at Ji Jingxu. Like him, his parents were no different, with eyes staring with daggers at the boy who had broken their son’s arm.

Ji Jingxu was reluctant, but having been taught by his grandfather, he gestured another polite bow to Deng Xian’s parents. He then sits and does his best to ignore the malicious glares.

Madam Deng sized up the boy from head to toe. She couldn’t believe someone born from a lower background dared to lay a hand on her son. Even she had not hit her son.

Being reminded of what happened to her son, her blood began to boil, but she snorted a hmmf and looked at the elderly man.

“Mr. Xiao, we have been waiting long enough. Can you tell us how you plan to deal with this?”

Mr. Xiao smiles at the woman. He doesn’t speak immediately but looks at the door like he is waiting for another person.

However, seeing no one walk in, he sighs and looks back at the woman.

“Madam Deng, I understand you took time out of your busy schedule to come here, but if you will wait for another few minutes, we—”

“We’ve waited long enough.”

Madam Deng cut off the man’s words and scowled in displeasure. She looked at Ji Jingxu, who sat across from her son, and the foul taste in her mouth worsened.

“We did enough waiting for someone not worth our time. I think it is in our rights that you tell us. Besides, isn’t the person we are waiting for already here?”

Despite the words full of ridicule filling up the room, Ji Jingxu didn’t look at the woman. He kept his head slightly down with his eyes closed. His entire being was like he was meditating at home.

However, seeing him behave like this, Mr. Xiao grew anxious.

He thinks Ji Jingxu is hurt by the woman’s words and breathes a heavy sigh.

“Madam Deng. You shouldn’t cross the line with your words. Although you did not cause physical harassment, it is still considered verbal harassment.”

Madam Deng’s mouth opened, and she gasped in shock. She wanted to retort to the elderly man, but her husband stopped her.

“Mr. Xiao, you are this school’s head director with all due respect. You, of all people, should know who contributes the most to the school’s funding. As I am that person, I have every say in this.”

Old Deng wanted to remind the old man and put him in his place. Without his donations throughout the years, the school would not have flourished to be what it is today.

He looked at Ji Jingxu but didn’t need to say anything to the boy. His expression alone was enough to let others know how he felt inside. Full of loathing.

“I think it is best to expel students who do not wish to learn.”

Ji Jingxu’s eyes remained closed as the words entered his ears. His clasped hands tightened over his lap, and he tried to hold himself back from arguing against the man.

It wasn’t because he was afraid but because he did not want to bring more trouble to his grandfather. The old man already has enough on his shoulders.

Mr. Xiao knitted his eyebrows together at Old Deng. From his observation, Ji Jingxu is a model student; meanwhile, Deng Xian never wanted to learn.

He turns his head to the right and stares at Ji Jingxu with a pondering face. He exhales deeply and turns his attention back to the family sitting on his left.

“Mr. Deng, I understand your concerns as a parent, but I hope you can understand the situation too.”

He glances at Deng Xian then his words continue.

“Your son was the one who initiated the fight. Other teachers and students said they saw Ji Jingxu studying in the library when your son went to find him.”

Deng Xian was at a loss when he heard the old man. He thought that he (Mr. Xiao) would be on his side out of everyone here.

His mouth opened to speak on his behalf, but his mother stopped him. Left with no say in the situation, he could only cast a murderous glare in Ji Jingxu’s direction.

Madam Deng held her son’s hand like a mother caring about her child’s well-being.

“Mr. Xiao, my son broke his arm because of the student you are trying to help. I am generous enough not to ask him to pay the medical bill but to be removed from the school immediately.”

She emphasized her last word, putting Mr. Xiao in a problematic situation. He had hoped to solve the problem without trouble, but it appears the Deng family is adamant about their decision.

Mr. Li nods his head in agreement with Madam Deng. He looks at Mr. Xiao, and upon seeing the elderly man having difficulty making a decision, he chuckles.

“Mr. Xiao, what is there to think about? Have you forgotten the Deng family’s contributions to the school?”

He looks at Ji Jingxu scornfully, but when he looks at Deng Xian, he shows sympathy for the boy whose arm was injured.

“Our school is strictly against violence. Any student who causes harm to another must be removed from the premises.”

His head shakes to show disappointment.

“It’s a pity, but the only conclusion we can come up with is removing Ji Jingxu. If we don’t do this, it will give our school a bad name.”

Mr. Xiao kept calm, but his eyes rolled over and over on the inside. He was well aware that the Deng family had bribed Mr. Li to go against Ji Jingxu.

He was even aware of Deng Xian’s bullying.

He hadn’t told Grandfather Ji about it because Ji Jingxu begged him not to say a word. The boy said he wanted to handle the situation independently and that if things got too far out of hand, he would ask for help.

However, not once did Ji Jingxu ask for help.

Thinking this, he couldn’t help but sigh again. He looks at Ji Jingxu, and his eyes show pity for the boy.

“Ji Jingxu.”

Hearing his name, Ji Jingxu lifts his head and looks at the elderly man. When their eyes met, Mr. Xiao smiled gently at him.

Ji Jingxu kept his eyes on Mr. Xiao, but from his peripheral vision, he could see Mr. Li and the Deng family staring in his direction. He didn’t need to look at them to know how they felt toward him.

“I—”

He could only utter one word when Mr. Li raised his hand at him. The middle-aged man’s gesture was like a feint, and he growls.

“Don’t even think about lying.”

Mr. Xiao was in disbelief at his coworker’s lack of behavior. Only seconds ago, he (Mr. Li) was talking about violence between students. Isn’t his behavior right now that of violence?

He (Mr. Xiao) quickly moves into action and stops the man.

“Mr. Li, are you out of your mind?! Is this how a principal should behave towards the students?!”

The middle-aged principal ignored his superior and grimaced at Ji Jingxu, wanting to intimidate the boy. However, his blood rose when he saw that the boy did not flinch or change his expression.

He clicks his tongue in annoyance and gestures a feint again. His behavior clearly shows how much he didn’t like the boy to everyone in the room.

“Keep acting like that, and I will make sure you receive severe punishment.”

BAANG!!—

“I DARE YOU!!!”

The door suddenly flung open with great force, and a thunderous voice bellows into the room. Everyone recoils at the sounds and turns to the source.

When they saw who it was, all life force drained from them. It was as if they were in the presence of King Yama, the God of death.

However, unlike the others in the room, Ji Jingxu’s eyes grew wide.

He subconsciously stood up and tilted his head at the person in confusion and surprise.

“Grandfather… why are you here?”