C13 Sixty Thousand!

"I... I really don't know," stammered Hong Chenghui, his face slick with a fine sheen of sweat that made it unclear whether it was from nerves or the exertion of intense exercise.

"You don't know? Then explain to me how Luo Ke managed to cheat," demanded Cheng Linglong, her anger palpable.

Hong Chenghui, with his status as a martial student, had a habit of flouting school rules, frequently arriving late or leaving early. Cheng Linglong had been willing to overlook his behavior, considering there was only a month left until the college entrance exams. She figured as long as he didn't disrupt others, strict discipline wasn't necessary.

But her leniency had backfired. Far from being grateful, Hong Chenghui had grown even more brazen, showing complete disregard for school discipline and now, he had stooped to falsely accusing a classmate. Such a destructive influence couldn't be let off easily.

"I... I didn't actually see Luo Ke cheat. I just thought, with his poor grades, there's no way he could score perfectly. That's why I reported him to Teacher Yang," Hong Chenghui mumbled.

"You... you're despicable, do you realize that? You've wasted so much of my time, Ms. Cheng's, and Teacher Yang's. And you've made Luo Ke come all the way from his job, wasting his time and energy," Chen Yuangan berated him harshly.

He wasn't truly that upset; his harsh words were more about ensuring Cheng Linglong imposed a stiffer punishment on Hong Chenghui.

"What are you standing around for? Apologize to Teacher Chen, Teacher Yang, and Luo Ke, now!" Cheng Linglong said, clearly displeased by Chen Yuangan's severe tone.

Who was he to stir up trouble in her class?

"I apologize, Teacher Chen, Teacher Yang, Luo Ke," Hong Chenghui said, bowing deeply to each in turn.

"It's not a big deal for me. Teacher Yang has lost a lot of time, so you must face some consequences. I'll note a minor infraction..." Chen Yuangan began, but was interrupted by Yang Zhongping, who gestured dismissively.

"It's really okay by me. The main issue is the time you've wasted for Teacher Chen. A stern talking-to should suffice; let's not bother with a formal punishment."

Hong Chenghui was the only martial student in Yang Zhongping's class, and while Yang wanted him to learn his lesson, he wasn't inclined to be overly punitive.

"The negative impact of Hong Chenghui's false accusation is clear, but recording an offense might be too harsh," Cheng Linglong chimed in, echoing the sentiment.

"No, no, no, I'm actually okay," Chen Yuangan interjected, seeing Yang's reluctance to punish Hong Chenghui. He shifted focus, "The main concern is Luo Ke. She works hard for her money, and to have her hustle wasted because of Hong Chenghui's scheme is unacceptable."

"Teacher Chen has a point. Hong Chenghui, you really should compensate Luo Ke," Yang Zhongping agreed.

Knowing that Hong Chenghui came from a wealthy family and was the sole martial student in Class 6, Yang recognized that making him pay a fine would be more beneficial than a mark on his record.

"Yes, Hong Chenghui, you need to make up for today's loss to Luo Ke," said Cheng Linglong, relieved by Chen Yuangan's suggestion.

She had her grievances with Hong Chenghui, but preferred to give him a stern lecture rather than push for harsher school sanctions that might jeopardize his admission to the Martial Arts University.

"Luo Ke, tell us, how much do you earn in a night's work? Hong Chenghui will reimburse you double," Chen Yuangan proposed. He had hoped to push for a formal report to the school, but seeing both Cheng Linglong and Yang Zhongping's reluctance to escalate the issue, he settled for making sure Hong Chenghui learned his lesson.

He was, after all, a teacher at Shanhai High School, and his overzealousness in disciplining a martial student from a regular class didn't look good.

At these words, Hong Chenghui breathed a sigh of relief. His father was wealthy, and the small sum of money lost due to this mistake didn't bother him. But a mark on his school record? That would be a real problem, especially since many martial arts universities would reject students with blemishes on their records.

"I took leave to come to the school because of Hong Chenghui's malicious report. But to demand compensation from him for that seems a bit much, doesn't it?" Luo Ke appeared troubled, yet internally, he was plotting to make Hong Chenghui pay dearly.

"This incident cost you both time and money, and it's taken a toll on you emotionally. It's only right that Hong Chenghui compensates you," Cheng Linglong said, mistakenly thinking Luo Ke was reluctant to accept money from Hong Chenghui, and admiring his kindness.

She couldn't help but think that such a kind-hearted kid must have been misled by someone with ill intentions to abandon the path of a pharmacist for the unsuitable martial arts track. This strengthened her resolve to encourage Luo Ke to pursue pharmacy later on.

"He owes it to you, so please accept it," Yang Zhongping urged, moved by Luo Ke's graciousness. It had been a long time since he had encountered someone as altruistic as Luo Ke.

"Luo Ke, I never realized you were such a good person! And yet Hong Chenghui has treated you so poorly. It's completely unacceptable. You definitely should take his compensation. 'The good are bullied, the kind are ridden.' If you let him feel the consequences this time, he won't dare to mistreat you in the future. Plus, there's no need for guilt; you're entitled to it," Chen Yuangan said, though internally he berated Luo Ke for his naivety. On the outside, however, he wore a smile, playing the role of a wise teacher.

Thinking Luo Ke was intimidated, Hong Chenghui generously offered, "Luo Ke, I admit I was wrong. I really should compensate you. Just name your price, and I'll pay it."

"Well, if everyone insists it's deserved, I'll reluctantly accept Hong Chenghui's compensation," Luo Ke said calmly, prompting everyone to relax, believing the matter was settled. But Luo Ke's next words caught them off guard.

With a slight smile, Luo Ke said, "Before coming to the office today, I earned 30,000 RMB in just over an hour at the Yellow Pharmacy. Now, I've been here for nearly two hours. Since you've offered to double the compensation, please go ahead and transfer the funds. I'll forgo the change; 60,000 will suffice."

"What? 60,000?" Chen Yuangan, who was sipping tea, choked and sprayed the drink all over Hong Chenghui upon hearing Luo Ke's request.

Droplets cascaded down Hong Chenghui's body, indistinguishable as either tea or sweat.

Cheng Linglong and Yang Zhongping were shocked. They had thought Luo Ke was a simple, straightforward person, but who could have imagined he would ask for 60,000?