Chapter 23: If He Goes, I Go Too!

The atmosphere in the meeting room was heavy, the air thick with the acrid smell of gunpowder.

The leadership of Zhuque Middle School had convened meetings for two consecutive days to deal with a single teacher, an unprecedented event in the school's history.

Zhang Shaofeng, the principal of Zhuque Middle School, toyed with a cigarette in his hand, his eyes scanning the room. "Everyone, let's speak up."

No one spoke.

"What? No one wants to speak?" Zhang Shaofeng smiled, his mouth curling. "You all clamored for a meeting, and now that everyone is here, no one wants to speak. What's going on?"

Lu Chaoge sat ramrod straight, drawing on her notebook. She was sketching 'Snowfield,' a high-difficulty flower arrangement technique. She was still in the stage of seeking inspiration and didn't dare to directly ruin the valuable floral materials.

Li Mingqiang crossed his arms and lowered his head, lost in thought. The others all kept their eyes on their noses, maintaining a meditative state.

"If no one speaks, I'll declare the meeting over," Zhang Shaofeng said, tapping his fingers on the table.

"Principal, it's not that we don't want to speak, but we don't know how to say it," Jia Siting, the head of the first-year Chinese department, said with a troubled expression. Originally, Jia Siting was not of a high enough rank to attend today's meeting, but because Fang Yan was a teacher in the first-year Chinese department and the incident fell under the department's jurisdiction, the office director Fu Qiang personally invited him.

"Hmm?" The wrinkles on Zhang Shaofeng's forehead deepened. "What difficulties is Head Jia facing? We've been working together for a long time. We are steadfast revolutionary comrades. Is there anything that can't be said directly?"

"Principal, originally, this matter would definitely require the teacher to be held responsible," Jia Siting said, glancing at Lu Chaoge and adopting a determined stance. "Taking students to Que River during class time and causing a female student to fall in, how serious is this dereliction of duty?"

Lu Chaoge didn't stop drawing, her head still down. "Head Jia, you haven't understood the situation—Fang Yan didn't take the students to Que River for fun, but to study 'Farewell to Cambridge.' This is something everyone in the school knows. How did it become a dereliction of duty in your mouth?"

"Principal Lu, I am the head of the first-year Chinese department. You say Fang Yan took the students to Que River to study the text, but why didn't I see his application for an off-campus activity? Not only me, but none of the Chinese department colleagues saw it."

"Furthermore, every new teaching method needs to be discussed in the Chinese department meeting—effective ones we support, and ineffective ones we stop in time. We won't discuss whether Fang Yan's method is good or bad, but he didn't communicate with us in advance, which already violates the rules."

Jia Siting looked at Lu Chaoge, pleading. "Principal Lu, you must understand our difficulties. If all the Chinese department teachers act like Fang Yan, deviating from the lesson plan and doing whatever they want, wouldn't our work be in chaos? If we waste the students' precious time and affect their academic performance, I can't bear that responsibility."

Snap—

Lu Chaoge's pencil tip broke from the force.

Lu Chaoge closed her notebook, her eyes sharp as she stared at Jia Siting. "Who says Fang Yan didn't write an application? His report is on my desk, and I've already asked Director Zheng to fetch it. You'll see it soon."

"Who knows if you didn't just have someone write it for him on the spot?" Li Mingqiang sneered. "Besides, the activity report should be submitted to the Chinese department, not to you, the vice-principal in charge of personnel."

"Director Li, shouldn't we trust our teachers fully?" Lu Chaoge countered. "Fang Yan is a new teacher I recruited, so he's more familiar with me. He's not very familiar with the school's rules, so he submitted his application to me—Fang Yan did make a mistake, but it was a procedural one. I will criticize and educate him and ask him to write a self-criticism."

This was the strategy Lu Chaoge had prepared in advance. Just because a new teacher is unfamiliar with the procedures, we can't just fire him, right?

She didn't give anyone a chance to catch their breath, immediately taking the initiative and targeting Jia Siting for a precise attack. "Head Jia, you say every new teaching method needs to be discussed in the Chinese department meeting—how many new methods have been discussed and approved in the past two semesters?"

"This—"

"None," Lu Chaoge directly answered. "Do you mean the current teaching methods are the best and don't need any changes?"

"Years of tradition have their advantages," Jia Siting defended. "Of course, there are some flaws, but our teachers have rich experience and can self-correct during teaching."

"Then you must be a very relaxed head of the Chinese department," Lu Chaoge sneered.

"I have to thank the school leadership's trust and the support of my colleagues. Some colleagues who don't support or cooperate make me very regretful—"

Jia Siting, a Chinese teacher, was extremely eloquent, and even Lu Chaoge found it hard to argue with him.

"Head Jia, society is moving forward, and the demand for talent is constantly changing. Our Zhuque Middle School students need to adapt to the trends, even lead them, not be taught to be bookworms—"

"Vice-Principal Lu, you may be too pessimistic about our students," Li Mingqiang said with a smile. "Our Zhuque Middle School students can all enter excellent universities. The graduates from the past few years have achieved great success in society. Principal Shaofeng, isn't that true? I suggested last time that during the 50th anniversary of Zhuque Middle School, we should invite more outstanding graduates to participate in the activities."

Zhang Shaofeng nodded. "That's true."

"Vice-Principal Lu just returned from abroad and isn't very familiar with the school's situation and the employment status of our students, which is understandable—after all, everyone needs an adjustment period."

Li Mingqiang looked at Lu Chaoge. "Vice-Principal Lu, we all know Fang Yan is a teacher you recruited, and you have high hopes and feelings for him. However, the school has its rules, and Fang Yan did violate them—if nothing had happened, it would be one thing, but now a student fell in the water due to his negligence. The parents will soon come to the school, and if we can't give them an explanation, it will be hard to accept."

"Yes, someone has to take responsibility—"

"Young people are too radical, and student work allows no room for carelessness—"

——

Zhang Shaofeng tapped the table and asked, "What are everyone's opinions on the handling?"

"Fire Fang Yan."

"He hasn't passed the three-month probationary period, so it's not a firing, just a probation failure—"

"Agree to fire Fang Yan."

——

"Doing nothing means making no mistakes," Lu Chaoge said loudly. "Fang Yan is dedicated to the students. Although there were some minor flaws, we can't treat a passionate and innovative teacher like this—"

"Principal Lu, you can't say that. A student falling in the water is a minor flaw?" Li Mingqiang countered.

"Everyone knows the water in Que River is shallow. Even if they fall in, there's no danger."

"But what if they hit their head on a rock when they fell?"

"That's just speculation."

"Isn't that also speculation? It's great that the student is fine, but if something had happened, we would have regretted it. Therefore, we must strictly handle this unorganized and undisciplined teacher."

Knock, knock, knock—

Zhang Shaofeng tapped the table. "Let's vote. Those in favor of firing Fang Yan, raise your hands."

Everyone except Lu Chaoge and Zhang Shaofeng raised their hands.

Zhang Shaofeng nodded. "The result is clear. The school board has decided to fire Fang Yan, the Chinese teacher of Class 9, Grade 1."

Li Mingqiang and Jia Siting exchanged glances, their faces expressionless but their hearts satisfied.

This time, they not only got rid of the annoying Fang Yan but also undermined Lu Chaoge's authority.

Don't think that just because you came back from abroad, you can suppress us. You learned wild methods in America, while our teaching is traditional and orthodox.

In fact, the incident with Fang Yan not only concerned his fate but also reflected the intense conflict between the conservative and reformist factions in the school.

The conservatives were numerous and powerful, with the support of board member Zheng Tiancheng, and their attacks were fierce. Lu Chaoge was isolated and weak, making it difficult for her to gain the upper hand.

Zhang Shaofeng looked at Lu Chaoge. "Teacher Lu, can you talk to Fang Yan? Explain it to him properly so he doesn't leave with negative emotions. After all, he has a connection with our Zhuque."

"Principal, I'm afraid I can't handle it," Lu Chaoge said coldly.

Zhang Shaofeng's eyes narrowed, looking at Lu Chaoge thoughtfully. "Vice-Principal Lu, you're in charge of personnel. How can you not handle it? This is part of your job."

"Because before Fang Yan is fired, I might have already resigned," Lu Chaoge said. "If he goes, I go too."

The entire room was stunned!

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