chapter 3
chapter 3
Under Ms. Li’s expectant gaze, I took my pen and drew a huge X across the waiver.
The nib tore through the thin sheet with an ugly rasp.
“This isn’t greed, Ms. Li. I earned that scholarship. It belongs to me.
“The Song Corporation’s sponsorship ends today because I have turned eighteen. I need this money.
“My parents ran away from their debts. Grandpa lost both legs when a machine crushed them in the fields, and now he is paralyzed and survives on welfare. Our household currently has no income, so I will be applying for hardship assistance as well.”
As everyone exchanged uncomfortable looks, I met Ms. Li’s eyes and defended myself with perfect calm.
The pressure in the room mounted, but I did not blunt my counterattack.
“And I have not disappointed you. You never told everyone I was kind and generous.
“I heard you tell the other teachers that I had the face of a seductress and must be up to no good.
“You said the boys who asked me questions could hardly peel their eyes off me, and that I was tempting them.
“You said I might have done well in my first two years, but with all my scheming, I would never keep it up in senior year.
“You said you had never believed in me. That girls simply weren’t made for science, and that I would run out of stamina because I could never match a boy.”
The vast office fell silent. Even Su Miaomiao stopped crying.
Ms. Li’s face was livid. She did not enjoy having her authority challenged in public, especially when she had no answer.
“Wen Qiuyu, what kind of attitude is that? Is this how you show respect to a teacher?”
“Respect goes both ways. Have you ever respected me, Ms. Li?”
My face remained still. The composure with which I faced her was almost frightening.
From a quiet corner came several small, startled thoughts.
[Holy crap, why is the heroine so fierce?]
[This feels completely out of character. Didn’t the blurb say she was a poor, fragile little flower?]
[She’s supposed to surrender the scholarship! Then Hansheng can stand up for her.]
No one spoke for a long time.
At last, the Chinese teacher, Chen Yuan, stepped in to ease the tension. She found a small stack of hardship-assistance forms on the desk and smiled kindly at me.
“Of course the scholarship belongs to the top scorer. Fill out the assistance application and I’ll submit it for you. Now, both of you should return to class.”
After explaining the forms in detail, she gently patted my back and sent me on my way.
Ms. Li remained silent, her face black with anger. She crumpled the crossed-out waiver and threw it into the trash.
Rather than punishing me for talking back, she was probably more worried that I would report her for insulting a student.
Su Miaomiao left as well. She kept her head bowed and wept the entire time, her long hair hiding her expression.
In the corridor, I passed a stand of pink roses in full bloom beside the notice board. Their stems bristled with tiny thorns, but their blossoms were plump and vivid.
That was how a person ought to live. You had to show that you could draw blood before you could truly flourish.
Otherwise, anyone at all would think they had the right to pluck you.