Chapter 105: The War of Words Between Two Scoundrels

As soon as Ma Weimin stepped into the office, Chen Hong let out a shrill, startled shriek: "You—you! What are you trying to do now? I’m warning you, don't come any closer! Security!"

"I came here to apologize to you," Ma said, looking incredibly awkward.

Huh?

Seeing that he wasn't brandishing any pepper spray, and hearing that he was there to apologize, Chen Hong calmed down slightly. After scrutinizing him for a moment, she began to feel a sense of smug superiority. She figured this scumbag, who knew nothing of real power, must have been thoroughly intimidated—likely after Chen Haodong had a "talk about life" with him.

With that, her panic subsided. She sat down and addressed the security guard who had rushed in: "It’s fine now. He’s a student’s parent; he’s here to apologize. Now that he’s been taught how to behave, he knows what to do."

Even so, she still kept the guard in the office.

Chen Hong crossed her arms and demanded, "Well? Speak!"

Ma slipped into a submissive state and began, "I think, Teacher Chen, while you were certainly a bit improper yesterday—"

Chen Hong’s face darkened, and she raised her voice: "Is that your attitude? You haven't learned your lesson yet, have you? Talk about yourself, not me."

Realizing that the little girl was indeed in the wrong, Ma sighed in defeat. "I’m sorry, Teacher Chen. I was brainless and impulsive yesterday. Please forgive me for any offense. Furthermore, regarding your claim that Wang Xiaoai was organizing a clique, my subsequent inquiries confirmed it. She has already confessed; it was indeed Wang Xiaoai’s fault, and the others were merely incited by her. I will take responsibility for the compensation for Chen Xiaoyan. As for the grievances of the other parents, I accept them and apologize."

Chen Hong was slightly taken aback; his attitude now seemed genuine. As someone who dealt with students and parents daily, she had seen thousands of apologies and read thousands of written regrets. She had an intuitive sense for what was posturing, what was insincere, and what was genuine—a reflex as natural as the coordination between teeth and tongue, requiring no conscious thought.

She then mused that if he had been "taught a lesson" by Chen Haodong, it surely had to do with her own whim. If this kid were to escalate things and go to the police, although the police generally stayed out of Chen Haodong’s affairs, it could still cause unnecessary trouble and influence.

With this in mind, Chen Hong remained silent, giving a slight nod to signal him to continue.

Ma added, "Beyond the formal apology, I will pay in full for the damage to your clothes. If you sustained any injuries, I will cover all medical expenses as well."

Chen Hong viewed him as a desperate, bottom-feeding thug. She crossed her arms and said coldly, "Pay? How are you going to pay? That outfit cost over twenty thousand. What is your income? Are you planning to cheat at a mahjong table to get the money? Aren't you afraid of getting your hands chopped off?"

Before Ma could reply, she continued, "Medical expenses? If you really needed to pay medical expenses, would you still be sitting here? Do you think I wouldn’t have called the police to have you arrested?"

Ma thought for a moment and said, "I think the only reason you didn’t call the police is that you, as a teacher, gathered thugs to confront a parent. My causing you to fall didn’t even result in minor injuries, making it a civil matter. But your actions might have already crossed the line into criminal territory, don't you think?"

"You..." Chen Hong was left speechless, secretly seething. *How is this "softening his stance"?*

Ma wasn't there to stir up more hatred—that wouldn't benefit the little girl—so he stopped himself appropriately. "Alright, Teacher Chen, I truly came here to apologize for yesterday. Since we aren't discussing medical expenses, I will pay for your clothes."

Chen Hong slammed the table again. "How are you going to pay? I told you, the clothes cost over twenty thousand..."

*Damn it...*

She didn't finish her sentence, watching as Ma picked up a bag from the floor and placed it on his lap. The bag itself was a luxury item—impressive. She wondered what this guy did for a living to get his hands on such an expensive bag.

Chen Hong assumed he must make a living by robbing people; the bag was surely stolen. Plenty of girls carried bags like that without bodyguards. She wondered if he had hurt anyone while snatching it.

Thinking this, Chen Hong kept quiet for the moment. It wasn't that she had reached a state of inner peace, but rather that, suspecting he might be a desperate criminal, she didn't want to escalate the situation too much.

Ma took thirty thousand in cash out of the bag and placed it on the table. "For the clothes. Keep the change."

Chen Hong hesitated for a moment, looking at the money, then shook her head. "I wouldn't dare take extra money from you—who knows if you stole it." She took only twenty-three thousand and pushed the rest back to Ma.

Ma couldn't be bothered to argue; he just wanted to end this misunderstanding as quickly as possible.

After taking back the seven thousand in "change," Chen Hong added, "You can have the damaged clothes. Come pick them up tomorrow, or I can mail them to you. I also have the receipt, which I can give you so you don't misunderstand and think I'm trying to extort you."

Ma said flatly, "That's not important. So, is this over?"

Chen Hong still felt a bit unresolved, but she had regained some face, and it wasn't convenient to dwell on the rest for now. She gave a slight nod. "It’s over. As for the disciplinary action against Wang Xiaoai, since it has been confirmed and you have admitted to it, the school still leans toward expulsion. However, we will take into account your compensation to Chen Xiaoyan’s family and your handling of the other parents' grievances before making a final decision."

"It feels like you speak for the school?" Ma asked curiously.

"Whether you believe it or not is your business, but when I speak, I do indeed represent the school," Chen Hong said coldly, offering no further explanation.

In truth, she had started her career at a high level, beginning as an assistant to the principal rather than a teacher.

She was truly a siren. But since he wasn't there to provoke her, he felt this should be the end of it—he would deal with "taming the demon" another time.

There was nothing left to discuss; she was not a woman who was easy to talk to. Ma stood up, gave a slight nod, and turned to leave without another word.

It was nearly time for school to let out. There was no point in returning to the office, and he would miss lunch if he didn't eat now. Ma chose to grab a bite at a restaurant near the school to avoid the peak-hour crowds.

He wondered if he would run into the little girl. He was just about to call her to come over and eat when he saw the voluptuous and devilish Chen Hong walking out, heading in his direction.

She spotted