Chapter 226: The Voice of the Children’s Hearts

Chapter 226: Chapter 226: The Voice of the Children’s Hearts

"Of course, Mr. Bai."

"Then, shall we sit over here and talk?"

Mr. Bai went back to his desk, and Jiang Fan pulled up a chair to sit beside him.

"Mr. Bai, how are Tian’s grades?"

"I’ve been a poor excuse for a big brother. I was too busy before and never paid attention to his studies."

Jiang Fan said, taking the initiative with a self-reproachful tone.

"Tian’s academic performance is excellent. He’s consistently in the top ten of his grade and second in his class."

"He might not be the smartest kid I’ve ever met, but he is absolutely the most hardworking and diligent student I’ve had in all my years of teaching."

"You could say he’s a role model for many of the other kids in class."

A clear hint of pride appeared on Mr. Bai’s face as he spoke of Tian’s achievements.

"As long as his grades are decent, that’s good. But I heard from my sister that Tian won’t be able to study here next semester?"

"What’s the reason for that?"

After a few pleasantries, Jiang Fan cut straight to the chase.

"Huh? Something like that is happening? Why haven’t I, his homeroom teacher, been notified?"

Mr. Bai was clearly taken aback by Jiang Fan’s words.

"You don’t know?"

Jiang Fan hadn’t expected that either.

"I really don’t. Besides, Tian is such a promising student. How could they possibly not let him study here?"

"Wait a moment. I’ll call our director and ask."

Mr. Bai was now even more anxious than Jiang Fan, immediately dialing the head of discipline.

"Director Liu, what’s going on? Why can’t Tian study here next semester?"

"He’s such a promising kid, and you know his grades. If he suddenly has to transfer to another school, it’ll be a blow to him."

"Besides, he’s a shoo-in for a key high school."

Mr. Bai spoke quickly, his tone urgent.

"I know, I know. But this was the principal’s decision."

"Apparently, the notice came from the Education Bureau. There’s nothing I can do."

"I’ve already argued until I’m blue in the face."

Jiang Fan, who was listening on the side, furrowed his brow. Judging by the tone and resentment in Director Liu’s voice, it didn’t sound like he was lying.

"In that case, since his brother is here now, I’m taking him straight to the principal."

"Why wasn’t I, his homeroom teacher, told about this? What is this nonsense?"

With that, Mr. Bai hung up the phone.

Jiang Fan, standing nearby, felt a bit of secondhand embarrassment. This teacher was truly fierce; he dared to lecture the director and confront the principal head-on.

"Of the ten students from this school who get into key high schools, eight of them are mine."

Mr. Bai glanced back at Jiang Fan and said calmly.

Hearing this, Jiang Fan was filled with deep respect.

’This teacher is the real deal!’

’No wonder he’s so bold. Any school would be fighting to hire a teacher like him.’

"Come on. I’m taking you to the principal."

With that, Mr. Bai marched Jiang Fan straight to the principal’s office.

A pot-bellied, middle-aged man had just finished brewing a cup of tea and was leaning back comfortably in his office chair.

BANG.

The office door was suddenly thrown open, and the loud noise made him jump.

"Principal Liu, what’s going on with Tian from my class? Why can’t he study here next semester?"

Mr. Bai didn’t bother with any pleasantries, questioning him directly.

"Ah, Mr. Bai, and this gentleman next to you is...?"

Principal Liu was so startled he sloshed the tea in his hand onto his pants.

"This is Tian’s older brother. If he hadn’t come to ask me today, I still wouldn’t know."

"You kept this from me, his homeroom teacher?"

"It’s not that I was hiding it from you. The main thing is, this is a new regulation from the Education Bureau."

"Before, we took pity on them because they’re kids from the orphanage and sort of squeezed them in."

"A lot of their documents weren’t in order, but I turned a blind eye."

"But we can’t do that anymore. The Education Bureau wants to review the documents and records of all students."

"It’s supposedly for reorganizing the school districts."

"How could I dare tell you something like this? We’ve all seen Tian’s grades—he’s a definite candidate for a key high school. You would’ve exploded!"

"I was just trying to find the right time to tell you."

As he said this, Principal Liu started to feel a little wronged himself.

Jiang Fan’s brow was deeply furrowed.

’Did we really overthink this? Was it just a new regulation from the Education Bureau?’

’But this rule seems to be aimed specifically at the kids from the orphanage.’

’Everything about it felt wrong.’

"Principal Liu, I’d like to ask, is there absolutely no room for negotiation on this matter?"

"Or, what documents are needed? Can we go and get them?"

"We can’t let the children’s education be delayed."

Jiang Fan adopted a very humble attitude.

"Tian’s brother, the issue now isn’t about the documents. It’s that our school is only permitted to enroll a certain number of students, and they were squeezed in."

"Even if you had all the complete documents, it wouldn’t work. Do you understand what I’m saying?"

"My suggestion is to see if you can spend a bit more money to find a spot elsewhere, or look into some private schools."

"Try your best not to let their studies be delayed."

At this, Principal Liu sighed. He understood that Tian was from an orphanage. For someone in his situation, what kind of pressure would attending a private school entail?

But many schools operate based on the surrounding residential school districts. The rules clearly state they can only enroll a set number of students, and they truly can’t accept any more.

So he was also helpless, with no way to solve the problem.

"This is the official document issued by the Education Bureau. You can take a look."

It seemed Principal Liu was afraid Jiang Fan wouldn’t believe him, or perhaps that Mr. Bai wouldn’t, so he opened a drawer under his desk and pulled out a folder.

Jiang Fan took it and fell silent after reading it. Mr. Bai fell silent as well.

’Even though everything felt suspicious, the official document was right there. What more could Jiang Fan say?’

"Thank you for your time, Principal Liu. And you as well, Mr. Bai."

After bidding farewell to the two of them, Jiang Fan returned to the orphanage.

But as soon as he got back, he found that not only had Junyue already returned, but Qing was also sitting beside her, looking completely dejected.

"What’s going on?"

"Why aren’t you at school?"

Jiang Fan strode forward and asked, confused.

"I’m so mad I could die! How could a perverted, trashy scumbag like that become a principal?!"

Junyue’s chest heaved up and down with anger.

For someone with her temperament to curse like that, one could only imagine how furious she must be.

"What’s the situation?"

Jiang Fan looked toward Li Qian’Er, who was sitting nearby.

"Junyue won’t say. You should ask Qing."

"Huh? Qing, what happened?"

Jiang Fan was completely baffled.