Chapter Fifty-Three: The Extinction Manuscript Courting Its Own Demise

Back in 1993, at the River Fresh Restaurant, Zhang Ya barely ate a few bites before feeling full. The restaurant staff watched in astonishment as the two children devoured so much food, somewhat uneasy and worried they might not be able to pay. However, seeing their fairly normal attire, they refrained from questioning further.

Zhang Ya sipped a little water and smiled, “Jiang Xiwen, that was a great meal. Thank you. Let’s settle the bill.”

Her words left Jiang Xiwen momentarily stunned. Could this girl really have come just for a meal? If she wanted to see him humiliated, she could have quietly slipped away and left him to be detained by the restaurant. When ordering, Jiang Xiwen had already calculated that he had just enough money, so he felt confident. Seeing Zhang Ya’s triumphant smile, he sensed she was up to something, so he pretended to be embarrassed and said, “Wait a moment, I need to use the restroom.”

Zhang Ya couldn’t suppress her amusement and nodded, “Go ahead, I’ll wait for you here.”

Jiang Xiwen left but soon circled back quietly. From a distance, he saw Zhang Ya speaking with someone who looked like a manager. Their conversation seemed unsuccessful; Zhang Ya appeared uneasy.

After the manager left the table, Jiang Xiwen followed and stopped him. “Excuse me, I’m with that table. May I ask what she said to you?”

“What?!” The manager’s voice shot up, “That little girl claims our general manager is her uncle and wants us to note her name and let her pay later. That’s not how things work. You two little kids better not think you can eat and run. I’ll call the general manager right now to check.”

Jiang Xiwen grinned, “No need for that. How much is the bill? I’ll pay now.”

The manager’s demeanor instantly brightened as he quoted the amount. Jiang Xiwen took out his wallet, paid, and added, “I’ll be leaving now. Before closing for lunch, please don’t bother the girl.”

“Yes, don’t worry, young man,” the manager nodded repeatedly, asking, “Do you need a receipt?”

“No, thank you. Goodbye.” Jiang Xiwen patted the manager’s shoulder and went downstairs.

The manager shook his head, counting the money in his hand, muttering, “Kids these days, really extravagant.”

Zhang Ya had tried to play a trick, but it seemed she truly knew the owner, only wanting to see Jiang Xiwen’s misfortune. Jiang Xiwen pictured Zhang Ya waiting for him, unable to leave, and a sly smile crept across his face.

As the afternoon bell rang for class, Zhang Ya rushed into the classroom, something rarely seen from her. It happened to be Ms. Zhu’s lesson—a woman who had been in low spirits lately. Even her star pupil, Liu Fan, no longer respected her as before. She had complained to her husband, Fang Sixiang, who was also the discipline director, only to be scolded harshly. He reminded her that Liu Fan’s father, Liu Dashan, was crucial to his own position, which depended on Liu Dashan’s connections. She ought to show gratitude to Liu Fan, not assert authority over him.

With nowhere to vent her frustrations, Ms. Zhu saw Zhang Ya slip in just as the bell rang. She thought, Now I’ll show these unruly students my power—even the class monitor dares to be late. Of course, only the principal and Jiang Xiwen knew that Zhang Ya’s father was the deputy mayor. Zhang Yong’s discretion in handling matters was well-known. His wife, though fond of showing off, understood his temperament and never used his name for favors.

“Zhang Ya, stop right there. Why are you late?” Ms. Zhu unleashed her signature shriek, drowning out the bell. The whole class sat stunned, awaiting her barrage.

Cold sweat broke out on Zhang Ya’s forehead. She stared at the floor, cursing Jiang Xiwen inwardly. “Ms. Zhu, I was late because I took too long eating lunch.”

“What?! What kind of imperial feast takes so long? If you’re such a big eater, why not treat the whole class tonight?” Zhu’s sarcasm was her second specialty.

“Teacher, I… I’ll be sure to watch the time next time.”

“There’ll be a next time?” Ms. Zhu snapped, then, without warning, slapped Zhang Ya’s face. The crisp smack stunned the whole class. Ms. Zhu was known for hitting students, but this was the first time she struck Zhang Ya—the best student and most disciplined in the class, praised by every teacher, including Ms. Zhu herself.

The slap burned her cheek; Zhang Ya bit her lip. She had never been struck before, yet her tears refused to fall.

Ning Yan’s anger flared. She had long despised Ms. Zhu’s ways. Her father had taught her how to distinguish good, evil, and ordinary people. In her eyes, Ms. Zhu was a bad teacher—a bad person.

Ms. Zhu sneered, “Sorry, Zhang Ya, I’ll be sure to pay attention next time and won’t hit you again.” Then, to the class, she announced, “Precisely because she’s the class monitor, she must set an example. For this lesson, her punishment will be…”

Ning Yan could hold back no longer. Her father had taught her to punish the wicked but also to be discreet. Yet Jiang Xiwen’s daring prank on Ms. Zhu had left a deep impression on her. Now, Ms. Zhu’s actions were intolerable. She suddenly stood up and shouted, “Teacher, you can’t do this!”

Swish! All eyes turned to Ning Yan, remembering now that this quiet girl had once single-handedly knocked down two older boys.

“Oh!” Ms. Zhu looked at Ning Yan in surprise. “What’s wrong, Ning Yan? You want to stand up for the class monitor? Are you eager to taste punishment yourself…”

Smack! A sound even sharper than before rang through the classroom. Everyone’s gaze snapped back to the front, searching for the source. No one noticed when Jiang Xiwen had stepped onto the podium. What they saw was five bright red finger marks on Ms. Zhu’s face.