Chapter 33: The Son of the Board Member

"Mr. Jiang, I have brought the contract. When shall we sign?"

"I apologize for the sudden visit. Please accept these small tokens of appreciation, Mr. and Mrs. Jiang."

"So, this must be Mr. Jiang’s son? Truly a remarkable young man—one can tell at a glance that he is destined for greatness."

Aside from Jiang Zhengguo and Zhong Qing, everyone else in the room—including Jiang Changyuan—was frozen in place by this scene.

What was going on?

"Why are these members of the board here?" Principal Pei was the first to regain his senses, his scalp tingling as he whispered the question.

The vice-principal and Director Lu shook their heads; they were just as clueless.

Yan Chang had not yet managed to smooth the twisted expression off his face, but upon seeing the luxury watch offered by one of the board members, his eyes widened in shock. A sudden sense of unease began to well up within him.

"Distinguished board members, what wind has blown you our way today?"

"Old Pei, from here on out, Shishi High School is going to take flight under your leadership." The middle-aged man patted the principal on the shoulder, smiling in congratulations.

Principal Pei was completely bewildered, yet he voiced the question burning in his mind.

"Look at me, you haven’t met Mr. Jiang yet, have you? This is Mr. Jiang Zhengguo, the wealthiest man in Beining."

"Jiang..."

The wealthiest man?

Principal Pei’s eyes bulged, and he nearly choked on his own saliva. Rumors in the school had always suggested that Jiang Changyuan’s money came from extorting other students, and Yan Chang had even spread word that his parents rode tricycles to collect scrap metal. He had never once associated the surname with the city's richest man.

"Jiang Changyuan’s father is the richest man in Beining?"

"Then what is this all about...?"

The three school leaders huddled together, whispering. They all had their theories, but until confirmed, it still felt like a dream. Their school was neither here nor there, and the board consisted only of minor shareholders who would never normally catch the eye of such a high-profile figure. If things didn't pick up in a few years, the board would withdraw their funding, and the school would likely go under.

And now, because of a dispute over whether a student cheated, a billionaire had suddenly surfaced?

No... Jiang Changyuan hadn't cheated at all, and even if he had, it would just be performance art!

"Changyuan, my boy, why didn't you tell us your father was the wealthiest man in the city? If you had said something, would I have let you suffer such grievances?" Principal Pei grabbed Jiang Changyuan’s hand, his face crinkling into a joyful smile.

"Exactly, Changyuan. Ever since you transferred to Shishi High, I’ve had high hopes for you, and my judgment was spot on."

"Having a talent like you is a blessing for Shishi High. From now on, you shall be the role model for the entire student body."

The vice-principal and Director Lu also scrambled to get on his good side. If their earlier praise of Jiang Changyuan had been merely performative, their current devotion was entirely genuine.

Whether the school would vanish or soar now depended entirely on a single word from the Jiang family.

No one bothered with Yan Chang anymore; in fact, they wished he would vanish immediately so as not to hinder Shishi High’s path to prosperity. Watching his parents being courted by the board members and seeing himself being fawned over by the school’s top three officials, Yan Chang felt as if none of it were real.

How could the Jiang family be the wealthiest in the city?

Yet, the reality was cruel and undeniable, leaving him with only one conclusion: he had offended the richest man in Beining. As this sank in, his shock and anger faded, replaced by cold, creeping dread.

"Principal, you guys... I actually preferred you the way you were before—dignified and imposing."

The sudden, fiery enthusiasm made Jiang Changyuan’s skin crawl. The three old men were acting like veteran performers in an ancient brothel; it was more than an ordinary person could stomach.

Principal Pei stiffened at these words, then pulled Jiang Changyuan over to his own seat. He bent forward, his expression becoming solemn. "As a principal, I must stand with my students. My seat is the student's seat."

Jiang Changyuan, pushed into the principal’s chair, gave it a spin, feeling a sense of pure, unadulterated pleasure. The life of a rich kid was truly fantastic!

"Changyuan, look, today’s incident was just a misunderstanding. Could you have a talk with your father for us later?"

"Yes, Changyuan. Even back in the auditorium, my heart always believed in you. I never doubted you for a second."

"Right, right! It was all Yan Chang splashing mud on your reputation."

Director Lu, who spoke last, immediately threw Yan Chang under the bus. He had long been annoyed by the man, who was always creating trouble for no reason, making a scene over the smallest trifles if things didn't go his way.

"Ahem, Principal, Director. Since someone reported me for cheating, if this isn't resolved, who will believe that I earned my top-ten ranking on merit?"

"Exactly! You are absolutely right. This matter must have a definitive conclusion!"

Principal Pei nodded in agreement. Even if Jiang Changyuan had claimed that garbage smelled like perfume, he would have taken a sniff and agreed with total satisfaction. Was it beneath a principal to lower himself so far? With the school’s future in jeopardy, what were dignity and face compared to the long-term survival of the institution? Anyone else in his position would have gone bald from the pressure, and the fact that he still had three hairs left on his head was a testament to his own resilience.

Therefore, this matter had to be investigated—and with thunderous speed!

With this in mind, Principal Pei cast a cold, sharp look at Yan Chang. He had originally intended to give him a chance to stay, but the man was too stupid to grasp it.

Before the principal could speak, Yan Chang scurried over, stumbling in his haste. "Student Jiang, it was my eyes that were blind. Please, show some mercy and let me off this time."

"I cheated, didn't you want to expel me?"

"I listened to a villain’s words. I was wrong, it was all my fault!"

Jiang Changyuan clicked his tongue; he had thought Yan Chang had more backbone than this.

Yan Chang kept his head bowed, his mind in a chaotic state of panic. He knew that anyone would be angry at his previous actions, but if he wanted to remain at Shishi High, he had to secure Jiang Changyuan’s forgiveness. Suddenly, he thought of someone.

"It was Zhang Chengliang!"

"He was the one who found me and said you cheated! I... I..."

In a moment of desperation, he betrayed his comrade, just as the principal and his cohorts had abandoned him. If not for Zhang Chengliang, how could he have offended the wealthiest man in Beining?

Jiang Zhengguo, having finished signing the contracts and now officially the largest shareholder of Shishi High, set down his pen.

"And does this person have any evidence?"

"N-no, none." Yan Chang looked at Jiang Zhengguo, anxious to distance himself. "I was deceived by him. Mr. Jiang, you must believe me."

"I was his homeroom teacher when he transferred here; how could I possibly want to harm him? It was all Zhang Chengliang’s jealousy. He must have reported him just to cause trouble for the young master."

He thought this would clear his name, but everyone present was a seasoned veteran of the world—who was he trying to fool?

"So, since you say he was trying to cause trouble for my son, that means you didn't verify anything, didn't stop him, and even helped him slander my son?"

"No, no, Mr. Jiang, it’s not like that..."

"Enough, I don't have time for your nonsense." Jiang Zhengguo stood up, his cold gaze sweeping over the principal and his two colleagues. "Can the school finish the investigation and give me a result by tomorrow?"

"Rest assured, Mr. Jiang. I will have the results for you first thing tomorrow morning, and we will announce it to the entire school."

With his status established, there was no need for threats; they all knew exactly what the consequences would be.

"Son, let’s go."

"Coming."

Jiang Changyuan stood up, and his parents flanked him, shielding him in the middle—a clear testament to how much they valued him. Principal Pei breathed a long sigh of relief, only for his heart to leap into his throat the next second as he saw Jiang Changyuan turning back around.