Chapter 74

"How did you know?" Tong Gexiao was first surprised, then her face turned red all the way to her neck.

She stammered, "It was yesterday... I confiscated it from him. Otherwise... otherwise the teacher wouldn't carry that thing around."

Seeing Tong Gexiao so embarrassed, Li Yi couldn't help but find it a bit amusing, "Teacher, you're already married. Even if you carry a small raincoat around, it's not a big deal."

"You... you don't talk to me about this!" Tong Gexiao's face turned even redder, and she felt that letting Li Yi sit in the office was a mistake.

Which student would talk to their teacher about such topics? This was too much!

Seeing Tong Gexiao's embarrassment, Li Yi changed the subject, "Teacher, in the future, my sister Xiaoting might take leave irregularly. I wanted to let you know in advance."

"Take leave?" Tong Gexiao raised her eyebrows. As Li Ting's homeroom teacher, Li Ting's leave needed her approval, "Why does she need to take leave?"

Li Yi said, "Xiaoting is growing up and should understand more. She shouldn't waste time at school. I plan to have her participate in the family business, so she might not be able to manage school."

"Family business?" Tong Gexiao's eyes widened, "Have you been watching too many Korean dramas?"

Although the domestic economy is developing rapidly, there aren't many so-called family businesses. After all, most family businesses have been built over a century, passed down through generations. How long has it been since the reform and opening up?

"It's like this. You know I didn't come to class a few days ago, right? That's because I went abroad to inherit my grandfather's estate. Now I control a conglomerate and plan to invest in Tangshui City!"

Hearing Li Yi's explanation, Tong Gexiao was even more shocked. Inheriting a grandfather's estate and controlling a conglomerate—this was straight out of a Korean drama! Using such a reason to take leave, was he really out of his mind?

After some consideration, Tong Gexiao said softly, "Li Yi, I know you're capable, but for taking leave, you should find a normal reason..."

Li Yi smiled, "Teacher, my reason is normal. If you don't trust me, why don't you call my mom? She will agree with my decision."

"Are you really going to call her?" Tong Gexiao took out the parent contact book and waved it at Li Yi.

Most students would be afraid if the teacher called their parents, and she thought Li Yi would be the same. But Li Yi completely surprised her, making a gesture for her to go ahead.

Tong Gexiao hesitated for a moment and then dialed Lin Ruyu's number. Kids could lie, but adults wouldn't, especially about inheriting an estate and controlling a conglomerate. She didn't believe it at all!

But after the call, Tong Gexiao felt like a deflated balloon, staring blankly at Li Yi.

What was wrong with this family? Even the mother sounded exactly like her son!

"Do you believe me now, Teacher Tong?" Li Yi asked with a smile.

"But... but even if your family has a business, it shouldn't interfere with Li Ting's studies. Learning is very precious. If she doesn't get into a good university because of this, it will harm her for life."

"Teacher, you're right. Learning is very precious, so I won't let Xiaoting's grades suffer. I promise that no matter how many days she takes off, her grades will always be in the top five of the grade. What do you think?"

Tong Gexiao bit her thin lips, not believing Li Yi's promise at all. But since the parents agreed to her taking leave, she, as the homeroom teacher, couldn't make things difficult.

"That's what you said. If Li Ting's grades drop, I'll hold you accountable! I'm counting on her to be the top student in the grade and bring me glory!"

"Hehe, Xiaoting wants to bring you glory, which is why she wants to stay in school. If it were up to me, I might have already had her drop out."

"Drop out?" Tong Gexiao shook her head, "Li Yi, I'm not saying this to criticize you, but your thinking is clearly wrong. No matter how much money you make, it can't compare to learning at school."

Li Yi nodded, "Teacher, you're right. At Xiaoting's age, experiencing student life is good. She needs her own social circle and friends her age. We shouldn't force her. If I really made her drop out, she would probably blame me for ruining her childhood."

Listening to Li Yi, Tong Gexiao suddenly felt like she wasn't talking to a student but to a parent. Some kids might pretend to be mature, but the natural way Li Yi spoke couldn't be faked.

The two in the office chatted more and more comfortably, while Liu Tian outside the office became increasingly agitated.

"Li Yi, you bastard, you're so unbrotherly. I'm standing out here working so hard, and you're in there chatting with the teacher!"

Quietly slipping to the corner of the stairs to smoke a cigarette, Liu Tian carefully returned. Pressing his ear to the office door, he found that Li Yi was still chatting with Tong Gexiao and hadn't noticed he had left. He breathed a sigh of relief.

After a while, the class bell rang.

Hearing the bell, Liu Tian immediately stood up straight. Then, Luo Xiayao, who was teaching Class 4, slowly walked out of the classroom and came this way. Seeing Liu Tian standing straight, she flashed a look of approval.

"Hello, Teacher Luo, you've worked hard!" Liu Tian immediately called out loudly.

"Smart mouth!" Luo Xiayao glared at Liu Tian, then asked, "Where's your good friend Li Yi? Have you seen him?"

Liu Tian immediately pointed to the office, "Li Yi is sitting inside!"

"What?" Luo Xiayao's eyebrows shot up.

Li Yi, who had been absent for three days without a word, was nowhere to be found by the school or his parents. It was too much. She planned to give Li Yi a good scolding and make him write a pledge. She didn't expect him to come to the office and sit down first!

Does he even know who he is? Does he understand the severity of his mistake?

This is outrageous!

Pushing open the office door forcefully, Luo Xiayao immediately saw Li Yi sitting in her seat, chatting with Tong Gexiao. They seemed to be discussing something interesting and were laughing together.

"Li Yi!" Luo Xiayao shouted coldly, her sharp voice almost piercing the eardrums.

Li Yi turned around and nodded to Luo Xiayao, "Hello, Teacher Luo."

"Stand up!" Luo Xiayao roared.

Seeing the homeroom teacher come in, he still sat calmly in the chair. What kind of person is this?

Do you think you're the school principal?

Li Yi smiled slightly, stood up from Luo Xiayao's chair, and said, "Sure, Teacher Luo, please sit down."

"Do you still know to call me teacher? Is there anyone who treats their teacher with such disrespect? Where were you last week? Do you know your mother was looking for you everywhere, and I was looking for you everywhere? We even called the police!"

"Teacher Luo, please calm down. I had important matters to attend to those days and didn't have time to call home," Li Yi said calmly, as if Luo Xiayao's anger had nothing to do with him.