Chapter 24

Yu Na did not reply anymore, greeted the guard at the door, and said to let Xiao Chen in after a while.

Taking advantage of no one being in the infirmary at the moment, she calmed down and sat on the edge of the bed, asking Qiao Rui, "What exactly happened just now?"

Qiao Rui said, "Wang Xiao was scolding you, I couldn't stand watching, so I punched him."

Yu Na: "It doesn't look like just one punch to me."

"Then he was asking for it," Qiao Rui's expression was very firm: "Anyway, whoever scolds you, I'll hit them."

Yu Na's heart warmed, but she pretended to sternly criticize him: "I never care about other people's opinions, so don't do this anymore in the future."

"That won't work. If I didn't hear it, then forget it. If he scolds you right in front of me, I can't stand it."

"..."

Yu Na knew clearly in her heart why Wang Xiao was scolding her.

She stood in front of Qiao Rui and questioned him, "Will you listen to me?"

Qiao Rui had one leg on the bed and the other foot on the ground. He looked up to see Yu Na's serious expression and was instantly defeated. He spoke in a frivolous tone: "Listen, listen, listen. No, I was doing this for your own good, why are you throwing a little tantrum?"

Hearing this, Yu Na eased up, and said sincerely: "Thank you. But with you injured like this, how do I explain it to your brother?"

"Don't worry, my brother--" He deliberately dragged out his words, "He will only scold me, he will definitely not blame you."

"Oh right," Qiao Rui gave a silly grin, and added Wisdom King-style: "Because I was helping you, not only will I not be scolded this time, but I will also be praised."

The implied meaning was very obvious.

Yu Na patted him on the head, "Don't talk nonsense."

"Alright alright, I won't talk nonsense. *sigh*--" He made a pretentious sigh, "Outsiders see more clearly after all, I understand."

"..."

Yu Na was thinking about whether or not she should tell him that she and Xiao Chen were university classmates.

He was just a student after all, she didn't want to say too much to him.

Just then, Xiao Chen sent a WeChat message: 【Where are you guys?】 Yu Na replied: 【The infirmary】 Xiao Chen: 【ok】 When he arrived at the infirmary, he saw the injuries on Qiao Rui's face and legs. His expression changed drastically as he walked over and asked, "What happened to you?"

Qiao Rui was very confident: "It's nothing, I just tripped and fell."

"......" He looked a little tired, no longer full of energy like before, ready to punch or scold him.

Instead, he sighed helplessly, "You just can't go a day without causing me trouble, can you?"

Yu Na thought to herself that she had to intervene in this matter. She cut in to say, "Take him to the hospital first to get an X-ray and see if he has injured any bones."

Xiao Chen glanced at his bandaged wounds and then at his leg, asking impatiently, "Can you walk?"

Afraid that Xiao Chen would get angry, Qiao Rui pitifully squeaked out, "It hurts."

"......"

So Xiao Chen and Yu Na supported Qiao Rui out of the school gate under the onlooking and gossiping students.

The car was parked at the school gate.

After Yu Na sent them over, her eyes couldn't help glancing at Xiao Chen as she said, "I'll send you the homework for the weekend after school in the afternoon."

Carrying two dark eye circles that betrayed his fatigue, Xiao Chen responded tiredly, "Yeah. I'll come grab my schoolbag in the afternoon."

Yu Na saw them off, remembering Xiao Chen's abnormal expression just now. She wondered if it was just a bad mood or if he was simply tired.

She thought to herself not to let him vent his frustrations on Qiao Rui if he was in a bad mood.

After all, Qiao Rui was injured because someone else was scolding her.

Yu Na took out her phone and sent Xiao Chen a message: 【Qiao Rui got hurt trying to uphold justice, don't scold him】 Xiao Chen was driving and didn't pick up his phone to see Yu Na's WeChat until the red light.

He didn't reply immediately, but instead asked Qiao Rui, "So what exactly happened with you?"

Qiao Rui felt that he had done the righteous thing and so didn't hide anything: "I was playing basketball during P.E. class when someone was badmouthing Teacher Yu from behind. I couldn't stand watching that."

Xiao Chen suddenly understood why Yu Na had sent such a message.

He asked, "Why were they scolding her?"

"Teacher Yu confiscated his comic book and wouldn't give it back. So he started scolding her, cursing her very vulgarly, also spreading lewd rumors. That pissed me off."

Qiao Rui observed Xiao Chen's expression, carefully probing, "Brother, did I do a good thing?"

The green light came on and Xiao Chen started the car.

He gave a faint "Mm-hmm."

He took Qiao Rui to the hospital where luckily no bones were injured. He only needed more rest and some medication.

At the hospital, Xiao Chen replied to Yu Na's previous message: 【I see】 He still had things to do in the afternoon. After dropping Qiao Rui off at home, he had to go back out.

With no time to even make lunch, he ordered takeout for Qiao Rui and told him to pick it up himself, then hurriedly went out again.

...In the afternoon, Yu Na went to the bathroom before her two English classes for Class 3.

She overheard female students gossiping and recognized the voices as her own students.

The girls were talking about Wang Xiao.

"Did you know that comic book that Wang Xiao had was borrowed from Song Kang?" "Huh? Why would Song Kang lend it to him? I don't even want to talk to that guy."

"As for someone like Wang Xiao, tsk tsk tsk, don't even need to ask, it must have been forcefully borrowed. Song Kang must have been heartbroken after the book was confiscated. I heard that comic book was a gift from his father."

"What's there to be sad about, it's not like it won't be returned. Either wait till the parent-teacher meeting or till after the final exams."

"No! Song Kang's father passed away already. That book was a gift his father gave him in the past. He always carries it with him."

"......"

Yu Na's heart immediately sank.

When she taught the first class in the afternoon, she noticed Song Kang's red and swollen eyes, apparently from crying.

It must have been because the book was confiscated.

He knew the teacher would definitely return it, but with that book gifted by his deceased loved one, he'd only feel at ease if it was with him.

He's probably feeling extremely regretful now that the book was borrowed away by Wang Xiao.

After class, Yu Na knocked on Song Kang's desk: "Come with me to the office."

Song Kang gave a start, then obediently followed her to the office.

She was the only one in the office at the moment.

Yu Na opened the drawer and took out the confiscated comic book, asking, "Is this yours?"

Song Kang was stunned for a second before nodding ever so slightly, "Yes."

"I'm returning this book to you," Yu Na said. "But don't bring it to school anymore. Keep it at home."

Song Kang's eyes grew moist again. He couldn't believe it as he took back the comic: "Tea-teacher Yu, are you sure?"

"Yes. But you have to promise me to never bring it to school again."

"Okay, Teacher I promise you."

Yu Na nodded and pulled out a tissue to give him.

Song Kang took the tissue and wiped away some tears. Stopping at the door on his way out, he bowed deeply to Yu Na again, "Thank you Teacher! This book..." He choked up. "Means a lot to me. I will definitely keep it at home and not bring it to school again."

Yu Na smiled and nodded, "Go on back."

They had a quiz in the second period. She observed Song Kang again.

Clearly different from the first period, his whole being suddenly became proactive.

Yu Na also breathed a sigh of relief in turn.

Sitting at the lectern, she watched the children in the spacious classroom with nothing better to do, only hearing the sound of pens moving across paper.

Suddenly, Xiao Chen sent her two WeChat messages.

:【I don't have time to go grab my schoolbag. I asked my assistant to go. He'll contact you later】 Yu Na replied:【You're not home?】1:【No, I have things to do】Yu Na:【How is Qiao Rui?】1:【Walking with difficulty, but unharmed otherwise 】 Yu Na pondered for a few seconds before replying:【I'll go check on him. I can just give the schoolbag to him】1:【Are you free later?】Yu Na:【Yeah】1:【Could you do me a favor then?】Yu Na:?