Chapter Forty-Two: The Three Teachers

Based on everyone's analysis, there were a total of six teachers who had contact with Xia Ye. However, given the gender characteristic, the three female teachers could be ruled out, leaving the three male teachers: the principal of Timor High School, Xia Ye's vocal music teacher, and the teacher responsible for public relations and external affairs.

"I think it's the principal. Don't be fooled by his usual gentle and upright appearance. I heard he's siphoned a lot of money from the school's accounts and is currently under investigation for embezzlement. If he really did misappropriate public funds, this would be the quickest way to fill the deficit."

Xiaoyin, however, disagreed.

"No, the principal only spoke with Xia Ye twice, both times about the college entrance examination. He hoped Xia Ye wouldn't neglect his studies because of the cello. If he were a pimp, wouldn't he have had no reason to say these things?"

"Then it must be the vocal music teacher. I've seen him use his position to molest female students several times—his hands are anything but clean."

But the K-pop fanboy shook his head.

"It's true he molests female students—not just in our class but others as well. But would such a sleazy man really have the courage to do something as serious as being a pimp? I don't think it's him."

"If it's not them, then it's the external affairs teacher? That can't be. He's always been upright. He handles all external matters for the school, is often on TV, enjoys a good reputation in the education sector, and is even a city-level outstanding teacher."

The students all agreed he couldn't be the culprit, and for a moment, the investigation stalled.

Just then, a girl named Xiao Jiu, who had been hiding in the corner, suddenly stepped forward.

"It was the vocal music teacher. Once, during vocal class, he told Xia Ye and me that he wanted to introduce us to audition at an agency—this one. But I gave up because I injured my hand, so only Xia Ye went."

The classmates were stunned.

"So it was him? I can't believe he actually had the nerve to do that—what a monster."

"Exactly. We have to expose him, so everyone knows what kind of scum he is."

"Yes, he can't get away with this."

At this moment, however, Fang Nian looked at Xiao Jiu and asked, "Are you sure everything you said is true?"

The girl met Fang Nian's cold gaze, her own eyes flickering with doubt.

"Y-yes... I'm sure."

Fang Nian nodded, then connected the computer to a projector. The moment the screen lit up, the students were stunned.

On the other end of the screen were Lin Jun's father and some teachers from the school. The vocal music teacher, who had just been accused, was desperately trying to explain himself.

Xiao Jiu watched the bewildered music teacher, clenched her fists, but said nothing. The teacher's defense sounded hollow, and in the end, he could only ask Xiao Jiu directly, having clearly overheard their earlier conversation.

"Xiao Jiu, are you getting back at me over the performance slot? You know I never said those things to you or Xia Ye. The reason I chose Xia Ye for that performance instead of you was because your parents spoke to me. They told me you had a rare heart condition and couldn't live long-term in a noisy environment. Playing the cello could endanger your life—that's why I chose Xia Ye."

Hearing this, Xiao Jiu burst into tears.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, teacher. I know my illness means I can't keep playing the cello I love, but I just can't accept it. I'm jealous of Xia Ye. Why does she always get everything she wants? Why?"

Fang Nian's gaze turned icy. He grabbed Xiao Jiu, who was sitting on the floor, and dragged her roughly against the iron bars of the cell.

"Sorry? You think a simple 'sorry' is enough? Haven't you understood the lesson I wanted you all to learn? If your words get out, what would happen to that music teacher? Have you thought about it? Answer me!"

"Because of your words, he'd be burdened with a crime he didn't commit. It could destroy his family, his career, his dreams. The pain he'd endure would be a hundred, a thousand times worse than yours. Doesn't your conscience hurt?"

The K-pop fanboy stepped forward.

"Teacher Fang, isn't that a bit too much? Xiao Jiu knows she was wrong."

"Yeah, Teacher Fang, it was just a little lie. Isn't this going too far?"

"Right, Xiao Jiu is usually so well-behaved. Maybe it was just a moment of..."

"Enough," Fang Nian snapped.

Fang Nian was thoroughly enraged, his eyes ablaze.

"What do you mean, 'she knows she was wrong'? What do you mean, 'isn't that too much'? These are just excuses to absolve yourselves after making a mistake. You are all adults now, capable of independent thought. You should know what to say and what not to say, and you must think before you speak."

"Many times, your eyes can deceive you. Don't just look at the surface—think things through before you act. You all only saw the surface and rushed to conclusions. That's how you wronged Xia Ye, and in the future, you could harm many more people. You are responsible for every word you say, do you understand?"

After these words, all the students fell silent. The teachers on the other end of the video were silent. Even the usually stern police officer was silent.

They understood Fang Nian was right—a careless word might not seriously harm someone, but a hundred or a thousand malicious remarks together can be fatal.

Just then, a bespectacled boy in the class suddenly shouted, drawing everyone's attention.

As the crowd gathered around, they were shocked to see that the boy had used high-tech means to enlarge a screenshot from the video. In the corner of the image, in a mirror, the face of a middle-aged man appeared. When they enlarged it, everyone was stunned—they couldn't believe the person was the external affairs teacher.

News spread quickly to the other end of the video. Police immediately detained the external affairs teacher.

"Teacher, I think you owe us a satisfactory explanation," someone said.

The teacher looked utterly shocked and panicked. "It wasn't me! That person can't be me. I did meet with Xia Ye that day, but only to persuade him to take part in the reception. I never saw him in person. I didn't kill her. The person in the video really isn't me!"

Everyone was stunned. Perhaps even the teacher himself hadn't realized that he'd inadvertently admitted he was Liu Xing's inside man at Timor High.

With things as they were, the external affairs teacher could only confess that he had indeed used his position to introduce many female students to work for Liu Xing. However, he denied killing Xia Ye.

Fang Nian spoke coolly. "Officer Lin, the killer is not him."

He then processed the screenshot on the computer, and a shocking scene appeared. The face in the picture had been edited, and when the real face was revealed, everyone was dumbfounded, because the person was—Fang Nian himself.