The Gods' Group Chat

Chapter 5 Behind the Thick Bangs

Several of Bo’s followers, who had been too terrified to move, immediately scrambled forward to support the large boy, whose body now looked weak and whose pride had completely crumbled.

After Bo was taken away, Miss Li Na turned around and fixed Shuwan with a sharp, disciplinary glare.

“And you, Shuwan… come with me to the counseling room! You must be punished for this act of violence! Shu Qi, you’re coming too. You witnessed everything!”

“M-Me, Miss?” Shu Qi asked in surprise, blinking nervously. Honestly, she had no desire whatsoever to get involved in any formal school matter.

“Yes, you! You were standing at the door and saw everything from the beginning, didn’t you? Your testimony will be crucial to this incident!” Miss Li Na snapped firmly.

Shu Qi let out a heavy sigh, rolling her eyes in annoyance before reluctantly walking behind Miss Li Na. Shuwan followed as well. The young man merely slipped both hands into his pockets and calmly walked after their homeroom teacher, allowing the whispers and stares of the other students to follow them.

The counseling room felt cold and formal. The aroma of chrysanthemum tea mixed with stacks of paperwork filled the wooden-toned room. Behind a large desk sat a beautiful woman dressed in dark formal attire. Her black hair was tied neatly into a bun without a single strand out of place, and the square glasses resting on her nose made her appear incredibly strict and intimidating.

She was Miss Xiu, the senior counselor at the school who was famous for never tolerating students who broke the rules.

“Shuwan, look at me,” Miss Xiu said coldly, tapping a pen against her desk.

Shuwan, who had been staring at the tips of his shoes, slowly raised his head. His clear eyes met the woman’s gaze directly.

“Yes, Miss? Is there something wrong?” he replied calmly, his composure only making the atmosphere more tense.

“Is it true that you were the one who slammed Bo to the floor earlier?” Miss Xiu asked bluntly, going straight to the point.

“Yes,” Shuwan answered honestly, short and direct.

Miss Xiu tapped her pen harder.

“And why did you do that? You do realize that physical violence on school grounds can get you expelled, don’t you?”

“Because… I wanted to defend myself, Miss. He threw the first punch at my face. Is defending myself so I won’t get hurt again forbidden in this school?” Shuwan replied evenly, yet every word carried undeniable logic.

Miss Xiu restrained the irritation rising within her. Her jaw tightened. In her eyes, Shuwan was merely a troublesome student with an unclear family background who always seemed to attract chaos. To her, his argument sounded nothing more than a disrespectful excuse. Beneath the desk, her hand clenched tightly. Part of her wanted to slap the boy sitting before her just to teach him proper manners.

Shifting her gaze away from Shuwan, Miss Xiu now looked sharply toward the girl sitting beside him.

“Shu Qi, can you explain what exactly happened in the classroom earlier? Tell me everything chronologically,” Miss Xiu asked. Her tone softened slightly, though it still demanded a firm answer.

Shu Qi fell silent.

Behind the thick bangs covering her forehead, her eyes darted nervously. Her fingers twisted together tightly on her lap. Deep within her heart, a fierce battle was raging.

On one side, Bo was her own cousin. Her entire family would surely be furious if she allowed their family’s reputation to be tarnished by a “loser” like Shuwan. Besides, Bo was her ticket to remaining within the circle of popular students.

But on the other side, her heart screamed in protest.

She knew very well how much Shuwan had suffered all this time, and most importantly… she secretly loved the boy sitting beside her.

“Hurry up, Shu Qi… answer my question! Don’t waste my time!” Miss Xiu pressed impatiently after seeing Shu Qi remain silent.

“I-I…” Shu Qi finally opened her mouth hesitantly. Her voice trembled slightly as she cast a brief uneasy glance toward Shuwan from beneath her bangs.

Seeing that glance, Shuwan could only let out a long sigh inwardly. He resigned himself to fate. After all, Shu Qi was Bo’s cousin and one of his group members. Of course she would twist the truth to save Bo and have him suspended—or perhaps even expelled from school.

Shuwan clenched his fist inside his pocket, touching the surface of his phone as he prepared himself for the worst words that might leave Shu Qi’s thin lips.