“You’re the son of a former deputy mayor, yet you’re still just a teacher?” Luo Chen sneered with the same sarcasm.
But this remark seemed to hit Chen Chao right where it hurt. Chen Chao immediately stood up, slammed the table, and said:
“Luo, don’t think you can act all high and mighty just because you got lucky a few times. That was pure chance. This time I refuse to believe your luck will hold.”
“If you really could get the parents of Class Three to show up, you wouldn’t still be a wage slave right now, just an ordinary teacher!”
Chen Chao mocked him. It was precisely because he thought of this point that he felt the matter was extremely reliable.
Indeed, since Class Three was formed, it was not that no teacher had ever tried to hold a parents’ meeting. Even the principal had personally stepped in.
Yet not a single parent came.
“Teacher Luo, stop talking big. In terms of seniority, we have more than a decade over you. If even we couldn’t do it, what makes you think you can?”
“In terms of connections, Teacher Chen here is the son of a former number-two official. His face carries far more weight than yours, and he knows far more important people. Even he couldn’t manage it, so what gives you the confidence?”
Chen Chao had grown up as part of Tongzhou’s elite. Both his classmates and friends belonged to the upper circles of society. Combined with his father’s former position as deputy mayor, Chen Chao’s network in Tongzhou was not only wide but also exceptionally prestigious.
Compared with Chen Chao, Luo Chen really amounted to nothing.
“What, just because you come from a small county town? Or because of your mediocre university degree?” Sun Jianguo’s sarcasm grew thicker as he twirled a ballpoint pen in his hand.
Although Luo Chen had achieved many things they could not, Sun Jianguo still looked down on him. No power, no influence, no strong backing, and a penniless nobody. Rumour had it his girlfriend even dumped him.
To Sun Jianguo, people like that were naturally beneath him. After all, he had been working in education circles for more than ten years and had built up his own foundation.
Besides, he had always stood on Chen Chao’s side, so he targeted Luo Chen at every turn.
Yet even though Sun Jianguo openly ridiculed Luo Chen in front of everyone, Luo Chen remained perfectly calm.
“Let the facts speak for themselves,” Luo Chen said calmly, refusing to argue further with Sun Jianguo. That would only lower his own level.
Sun Jianguo, however, felt he had won the upper hand and left Luo Chen speechless, so the smug look on his face grew even stronger.
Even Chen Chao showed a trace of triumph.
“Luo, let’s be clear. Even if you got lucky a few times before, it was still just luck in the end. Some things depend on real ability. Compared to me, you’re still far behind,” Chen Chao said with great satisfaction.
Today he had finally figured it out. No matter what, he was an official’s son. He had lived in comfort since childhood and wherever he went, people fawned over him.
Although he had suffered setbacks at Luo Chen’s hands several times, if they were really comparing backgrounds, what could a wage slave from a small county town possibly use to compete with him?
“Tomorrow then. Tomorrow I will hold a parents’ meeting for Class Three, and I will make sure every single parent attends, without exception!” Luo Chen said this calmly.
But almost every teacher present showed sarcasm and cold laughter on their faces.
In their view, since Luo Chen wanted to boast so much, let him boast. When tomorrow came and the result was clear, Luo Chen would naturally realise he had been bragging today.
“Fine, we’ll wait and see!” one teacher said mockingly.
“Alright, then let me congratulate Teacher Luo in advance on successfully holding the Class Three parents’ meeting, and let us witness just how capable a wage slave from a small county town really is!”
They kept using the term “wage slave” to belittle Luo Chen, every word dripping with superiority and disdain. Yet they conveniently forgot that, to put it bluntly, they were wage slaves too, drawing salaries just like him.
The meeting continued amid this mockery and cold stares. Only after the principal said a few words did it finally end.
And now, two hours had passed.
Liu Yunhai stood outside the door, almost exploding with anger. With his position and status as the top leader of Tongzhou, this was the first time anyone had given him the cold shoulder and made him wait so long.
Even when he went to the provincial level to report to leaders, he had never been treated like this!
As the meeting dispersed, Chen Chao whispered a few words to Sun Jianguo, causing Sun Jianguo to look up at Luo Chen and burst into loud laughter.
At that moment, Luo Chen was already walking toward the door.
“So, Teacher Luo, didn’t you say in front of Class Three today that you would invite Liu Ziwen’s parent?” Chen Chao taunted.
“I see it’s getting late. I wonder if the parent you invited has arrived yet?” Chen Chao continued to mock.
Just then, Luo Chen reached the doorway. Liu Yunhai, bringing Liu Ziwen with him, was standing anxiously at the entrance waiting for Luo Chen.
Chen Chao’s taunt had barely landed when, through Luo Chen, he caught sight of Liu Yunhai standing at the door with a somewhat anxious expression and Liu Ziwen standing silently beside him.
Chen Chao had met this mayor before, even if others had not.
At first Chen Chao thought he must be seeing things, because it seemed impossible. How could Luo Chen possibly get the mayor to come?
But then he confirmed it, because Liu Yunhai spoke.
Even though Liu Yunhai had been close to losing his temper while waiting outside, the moment he saw Luo Chen he still forced a smile. After all, the other party was Luo Chen, and he himself was in the wrong.
“You must be Teacher Luo? I’m very sorry. I failed to educate my child properly and caused you trouble.”
He used only respectful language and was extremely polite.
But Luo Chen ignored the remark entirely. He glanced at Liu Ziwen, then deliberately put on a cold face. Without giving any face at all, he simply walked away.
This stunned not only Liu Yunhai but also Chen Chao. That was the top leader of Tongzhou. Who would dare ignore him like that and even show him a sour face?
Yet Luo Chen really did it, and he left without looking back.
Chen Chao froze for a second, then cold sweat nearly broke out. That was the mayor of Tongzhou?
Didn’t Luo Chen know?
How dare he put on such airs in front of the man?
But then Chen Chao realised this was an opportunity. If he went over and said a few words, perhaps he could get close to him and maybe even build a connection.
So Chen Chao suddenly put on a smiling face and hurried forward.
“Hello, hello, you’re Ziwen’s parent, right? I’m the dean of discipline at this school. Please come in and sit.” As he spoke, Chen Chao even extended his hand for a handshake.
But what was Liu Yunhai’s status?
The only reason he was polite to Luo Chen was because there was a reason for it. As for you, forget being just a dean of discipline—even if the principal came, he would not bother with you.
Moreover, he had come specifically for Luo Chen and was genuinely quite busy. Why would he waste time on Chen Chao?
So Liu Yunhai barely glanced at Chen Chao, let alone shake his hand. Instead, he turned around with Liu Ziwen and went after Luo Chen.
Leaving Chen Chao standing there with his hand still awkwardly extended in mid-air.
Sometimes, being completely ignored hurts far more than mockery, because it is the purest form of contempt. Right now, Chen Chao felt his dignity had been brutally trampled.
“Luo!” Chen Chao gritted his teeth, his face almost twisted in rage.