Free Web NovelChapter 121: Chapter 121: Contempt
"She’s already married, yet she won’t just settle down. Making money is one thing, but now she’s taking the college entrance exam? What is Su Li trying to do?"
"She’s not satisfied with being a teacher, and now she wants to take the college entrance exam. Does she think she can do anything?"
"Isn’t that the truth? Those students who do nothing but study still can’t pass the exam. But her? It doesn’t even look like she studies for a single day. *Sigh*..."
All sorts of things were being said about Su Li behind her back in Xinghua Village.
Qin Shanshan not only brought the news back to the village, but she also perfectly conveyed her contemptuous attitude.
The villagers might not have understood much, but they knew a little about the college entrance exam and higher education. freeweɓnovel.cøm
It wasn’t as if no one had taken the middle or high school entrance exams before. Unfortunately... Zhao Wenming was the only one who had ever gotten into a technical secondary school, and not a single person had made it into a university.
Not only was Su Li overestimating herself by taking the college entrance exam, but she was also competing with Qin Shanshan. This made the people of Xinghua Village shake their heads even more.
Although many of them now looked down on Qin Shanshan with contempt, they still had to admit that she was a good student.
She had been famous for her academic skills since she was a child. Back then, she had missed the cutoff for technical secondary school by just three points on the entrance exam, which was why she chose to attend high school instead.
In high school, Qin Shanshan’s grades remained excellent. She consistently ranked in the top three of her class, and everyone said she was a promising candidate for university.
For Su Li to compete with Qin Shanshan on test scores—wasn’t that just a suicide mission?
When Su Li returned to the village, the looks she got from the people she passed on the road were truly strange.
As she approached the old apricot tree in the center of the village, while still a good distance away, she could hear everyone discussing her.
"My goodness, they made a bet! And not just any bet—it’s so harsh. Ten loud kowtows is just too much."
"I know, right? Everyone will come to watch. She’ll lose all her face. How could she possibly go on living after that!"
"She won’t back out of it then, will she?"
"Backing out would be embarrassing enough on its own."
"I already tried to talk Su Li out of it, but she wouldn’t listen. She was the one who proposed the bet. There was nothing I could do."
In the crowd, Qin Shanshan put on a helpless expression and spoke with feigned kindness, "When the time comes, please don’t force her. It would be ugly if she threw a fit, making a scene with crying and threats."
Su Li stood to the side, cleaned out her ear, and said lightly, "My, what a lively discussion."
The few people who had been in the middle of their excited discussion stiffened when they turned and saw Su Li. "Teacher Su."
"Mm," Su Li acknowledged coolly, her eyes landing on Qin Shanshan. "I’ll just turn what you just said right back around on you."
It took Qin Shanshan a moment to understand what she meant. "You..."
She started to speak, but Su Li had already walked away.
’Putting on a brave face!’ she cursed under her breath.
The words had barely left her lips when Su Li suddenly turned back. Qin Shanshan’s heart skipped a beat, and she immediately went on high alert.
But Su Li didn’t even look at her. Instead, she looked at the few people who had been talking with her.
"I have to ask, you all are hanging out with Qin Shanshan... Aren’t you afraid your families will break your legs when you get home? Aren’t you worried it will affect your marriage prospects?"
After saying her piece, Su Li turned and left.
But Qin Shanshan and the other young women’s faces changed drastically.
Qin Shanshan was so angry her face turned pale. It twisted for a moment as she fought to hold it in. Her eyes reddened, and she wanted to offer a few tearful explanations, but the other young women just shot her a furtive glance before running away.
They ran!
Watching their retreating backs, Qin Shanshan was so furious she nearly coughed up blood. A vicious look filled her eyes as she ground her teeth and cursed under her breath.
"Bitch!"
Just as she finished cursing, she sensed something was wrong. She turned her head and saw Tie Niu not far away.
Tie Niu was looking at her, his gaze a mixture of disgust, disappointment, and shock.
Qin Shanshan’s pupils contracted violently. She opened and closed her mouth, but no sound came out.
Tie Niu had already looked away. He lowered his head and walked past quickly, taking a wide berth, putting as much distance between himself and Qin Shanshan as possible, as if she were something filthy.
Watching him act like this, Qin Shanshan nearly ground her teeth to dust.
She had put in so much effort, yet Tie Niu and her other admirers in the village hadn’t had a change of heart. The people who used to come to her house with marriage proposals had completely stopped.
Tie Niu, who had once sworn he would marry no one but her, was now rumored to be arranging a marriage with another family.
"Illiterate, ignorant fools!"
Qin Shanshan cursed under her breath, the good mood she’d felt from looking down on Su Li instantly vanishing without a trace.
Meanwhile, Su Li returned to the Tang Family home and was once again met with the sight of Mrs. Tang’s long, sullen face.
"Su Li, this business about you taking the college entrance exam, is it true?"
Mrs. Tang... was very unhappy.
When she first heard the news, she thought she must have misheard. Su Li had been married into the Tang Family for over a year. As a daughter-in-law, she was supposed to be supporting her husband and raising children. The college entrance exam, what was that!
Mrs. Tang had already received advice from many "well-meaning" people, telling her to talk some sense into Su Li and stop her from this foolishness that would bring shame to the family.
"It’s true."
Hearing Su Li’s answer, Mrs. Tang immediately started shouting.
"So it is true! I forbid you from taking it! You won’t pass anyway, so what’s the point? It’s utterly humiliating! Everyone in the village is saying you’ve lost your mind, dreaming of getting into a university!"
She shot Su Li a fierce glare. "Go and tell everyone it was a misunderstanding."
Su Li looked at Mrs. Tang and smiled. "Humiliating? Who’s the one being humiliated? The people spreading rumors and insults aren’t ashamed, so why should I be?"
"I’m taking my own exam. Who am I bothering? Taking the college entrance exam is a personal choice. No one can control that but me."
Mrs. Tang’s brow furrowed. "What do you mean, no one can control it?"
"It means you can’t control it," Su Li said coolly. "The college entrance exam—I am definitely taking it."
"Su Li, you get back here..."
Su Li walked right out the door, completely ignoring Mrs. Tang’s yelling.
She hadn’t gotten far from the Tang Family home when she saw the principal in the distance.
"Teacher Su." The principal had seen her too.
"Principal, were you looking for me?" Su Li hurried to greet him.
"Yes, I heard you were back, so I came to find you right away." The principal faintly heard Mrs. Tang’s shouting, so he turned around. "Let’s go to the school to talk."
Once they were at the school, the principal’s first words were in support of Su Li.
"Teacher Su, I fully support you taking the college entrance exam."
He smiled. "I heard yesterday that you were going to take the exam. I was surprised, yet it also felt expected. No matter what the villagers say about you, I believe in your choice and your judgment. Study hard and try to get a good score."
Su Li closed her eyes for a moment. "Thank you, Principal."
"No need to thank me. The exam is in four days. You can’t stay in the village anymore. You need to go to Fengcheng County to prepare."
The principal took a sip of tea. "This is why I came looking for you. I’ve approved your leave of absence. Focus on preparing for the exam this week. I’ll personally take over your class for you. You can come back after the exam is over."
"Principal..." Su Li let out a breath. "You’re just too kind..."
She had been planning to teach for three more days and then ask for two days off, but the principal had spoken up first and was being so considerate.
"It’s nothing. This is what I should be doing." The principal shook his head. "It’s no good for you to stay in the village. Since there’s still time, you should leave today."
Su Li thought for a moment and nodded. "Okay."
"Study hard. I hope you can get a great score. Don’t worry about anything here. Just come back after the exam to organize the final exams and wrap things up."
The principal truly liked Su Li. She was a good teacher and a responsible person. No matter what others said, he admired her very much.
He had previously entertained the thought of keeping Su Li at the school long-term, but now he didn’t dare to think that way anymore.
This Xinghua Village elementary school... couldn’t contain Su Li. Even Fengcheng County couldn’t contain Su Li.
She was meant to go to farther, higher, better places. Otherwise, her talent would just be buried.
