บท 76: Coercion
One of the scariest things in the world is when the air suddenly becomes quiet. Miaoyi, who had just let out a sigh of relief, grateful to escape yet another dreaded exam, felt her heart skip a beat.
Swoosh~
All of a sudden, the gaze of nearly half the class was fixated on Miaoyi and Qiuying, their eyes locking onto their unsuspecting targets.
Miaoyi had an inkling that something was awry.
"As the class president and monitor, how about I entrust you with this important task?" Indeed, in the next moment, the homeroom teacher smiled and said, "As exemplary student leaders, I'm sure you're eager to bring glory to our class, right? So, how about we entrust you with this important mission?"
"Um, Teacher, isn't this task a bit overwhelming? I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it," Miaoyi stuttered, her confidence faltering as she nervously scratched her head, trying to force a smile.
Was she being publicly called out? It was undeniably awkward.
No wonder the Teacher had initially dangled the carrot of erasing bad grades and offering scholarships. They had clearly set their sights on Miaoyi from the start.
Of course, the school expected Miaoyi to accept the assignment and go on stage obediently.
However, Miaoyi had no intention of meekly accepting the assignment. It was simply inconceivable.
It wasn't that she held any particular aversion to the school's anniversary celebration. Not at all. The real issue was that she was utterly unsuited for it.
Miaoyi had plenty of talent besides electronic music.
But her natural talent in other subjects, such as manners, public decency, social interactions, and basically anything involving strangers, was practically nothing.
Would they make her go DJ at the high school anniversary if she didn't refuse? That would feel so out of place! Would they turn the school into a rave?
Moreover, participating in the anniversary celebration meant two things: rehearsals and time commitment.
Miaoyi's schedule was already packed, and she barely had enough time as it was.
How could she find time to play games? She had just spent the whole night raiding dungeons with Song Ziyin, sacrificing her sleep, and she hadn't even had a chance to enjoy her new epic artifact.
However, Miaoyi's refusal was met with a warm smile from the Teacher, who calmly stated, "You can't decline, my dear. Come, both of you, follow me to the office."
"The rest of you can continue with your self-study!"
"..."
Seeking help, she glanced at Qiuying, but Qiuying remained unfazed.
In the end, Miaoyi had no choice but to walk out of the classroom and follow the Teacher into the office.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Have a seat," the homeroom teacher smiled, gesturing towards the sofa beside them, indicating Miaoyi and An Qiuying to sit and talk.
"Well... Teacher Tang, could we perhaps discuss this matter further?" Miaoyi, feeling a bit unsure, mustered the courage to make a small suggestion.
"What do you suggest? Of course not!" Tang Lina, Tang Miaoyi's homeroom teacher, shot her a sharp glance and responded without a trace of kindness. "Apart from the two of you, is there anyone else in our class who can be relied upon? Don't forget, you managed both the first-year and second-year school anniversaries. Oh, and let's not overlook your additional role as the head of the Art Committee. You have significant responsibilities. Don't disappoint everyone's expectations."
"Besides..."
As Tang Lina spoke, her words seemed to have a hidden meaning. "You've been skipping so many classes lately. I haven't even mentioned it to your mother yet. Do you think you can simply take leave whenever you want just because I'm your aunt? I've been too busy to discipline you properly. Are you getting too big for your boots so soon?"
"But, Teacher..." Miaoyi's eyes welled up with tears as she desperately tried to salvage the situation.
"Alright, alright. There's no one else here. Just call me 'Aunt' as usual." Tang Lina poured two glasses of water from a kettle for Miaoyi and Qiuying, interrupting Miaoyi's impending words. "If your grades had changed significantly, I would have taken disciplinary action long ago. This time, I'll take it as a chance to make up for your merits and demerits."
"Aunt..."
"Shush!"
Miaoyi suddenly found herself unable to utter a word, mainly because she didn't dare to argue any further.
Indeed, Miaoyi's homeroom teacher was actually her blood relative, her aunt...
After Miaoyi's father passed away, while her mother was at work, Tang Lina looked after Miaoyi. When her mother moved away, she took a more active role, placing herself as Miaoyi's homeroom teacher and checking in on her occasionally.
Though Miaoyi had mixed feelings about her biological mother, Tang Lina had always been there, caring for and looking after her. She was the person Miaoyi felt closest to.
At the same time, this was also the reason why Miaoyi felt audacious enough to take unauthorized leave frequently...
Needless to say, with her solid academic performance and efficiency, Miaoyi had grown audacious enough to frequently take unauthorized leave, relying on her unwavering status in the school due to her outstanding academic performance.
However, Tang Lina's frustration seemed genuine rather than an act.
"I..." Miaoyi turned her head silently to look at Qiuying, the corners of her mouth twitching slightly.
Tang Lina glanced at Miaoyi with a stern look, then turned her head and smiled at Qiuying. "Qiuying, thanks for taking care of her during this period. How have you two been getting along?"
"It's been alright. Thank you for your concern, Teacher. We're doing fine. In fact, Miaoyi had reasons for her recent absence from school." Qiuying glanced at Miaoyi and explained, "We hope you won't hold it against her."
"Oh? Reasons for not attending classes?" Tang Lina seized upon the crucial point, her curiosity piqued. "What reasons might those be?"
"Actually, Miaoyi and I have been working on our own music projects. We've even landed a contract with a record label and had discussions with a film crew for a theme song in a movie called 'Counting the Seconds.'" Qiuying explained slowly, letting the words sink in. "It's quite exciting."
Tang Lina's mind raced to catch up with the unexpected information, her eyes widening in realization. "Wait a minute, isn't that the movie Xia Zilan is currently shooting? Are you telling me this is no joke?"
"No, it's all true," Qiuying affirmed without a hint of deception, her sincerity shining through. She trusted a relative of Miaoyi enough to share these details, especially one she sees every day in class.
Although Tang Lina was surprised and skeptical about the authenticity of these events, she chose to trust Miaoyi.
"You little rascal! How could you keep me in the dark about all this?" Tang Lina's dissatisfaction with Miaoyi erupted, her eyes narrowing with displeasure. "Have you forgotten that I'm your aunt?"
Miaoyi's brows furrowed, and she responded in a soft tone, "I was afraid you were too busy."
"Well then, I'll leave this matter in your hands. The selection process is about to begin, and I'll visit your home for an inspection during this period just to check-in. If you can handle it well, I won't inform your mother about what you've been up to recently!"
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