Chapter 70 The Sky Has Fallen

"Criticism?!"

Sun Xiaorong was stunned for a moment.

Her eyes widened, and the smile on her face vanished in an instant, replaced by a look of sheer disbelief.

She had always been diligent, honest, and dutiful. How could anyone have leaked her affair with Lin Yang to the higher authorities?

And it had even escalated to the point of a formal reprimand!

Then, the principal said with a solemn expression, "Someone reported that regarding your upcoming marriage with Lin Yang, you demanded an exorbitant bride price—as high as five hundred yuan—and also insisted that the groom prepare the 'three rounds and one sound'."

"This is a serious violation of the fine virtues of arduous struggle and thrifty diligence. The report even mentioned some improper dealings between you and Liu Datong."

"Comrade Sun Xiaorong, teachers are the diligent gardeners bearing the heavy responsibility of cultivating the future pillars of our motherland. It is a noble profession worthy of respect."

"However, if a teacher's own moral character is flawed, how can they lead by example and educate students of high moral standing?"

The principal's words struck Sun Xiaorong's heart like heavy hammers, making the world spin before her eyes. Her legs grew weak, and her entire body began to tremble violently and uncontrollably.

Sun Xiaorong's eyes were wide with terror and helplessness. She waved her hands frantically, and with a voice on the verge of tears, she eagerly explained, "Principal, you've really misunderstood me! This must be a malicious smear by someone with an ulterior motive. How could I ever do such a despicable thing?"

"Could it be that Lin Yang came to the school to stir up trouble? It must be him! Apart from him, no one else would be so vicious as to maliciously slander me!"

"When I originally agreed to be Lin Yang's girlfriend, I genuinely wanted to get along with him properly. But after getting to know him better, I discovered endless flaws in him, especially regarding his character, which completely shattered my expectations..."

Before she could finish, the principal impatiently waved a large hand, cutting her off roughly.

The principal's brow furrowed into a deep frown, his eyes filled with anger and disappointment as he coldly rebuked, "Sun Xiaorong, I truly misjudged you! Even at this point, you are still attempting to confound black and white and shift the blame!"

Furious, the principal's face turned crimson, and he raised his voice by an octave, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"As for the scandal between you and Liu Datong, although there is no conclusive and irrefutable proof at the moment, do you dare to go to the health clinic for an examination?!"

"If you dare, I will surely back you up and seek justice for you!"

At these words, Sun Xiaorong was struck as if by lightning. She hung her mouth open, but it was as if an invisible force had choked her throat, leaving her unable to utter a single syllable.

She knew better than anyone that given the principal's upright and unyielding character, as long as she dared to accept, the principal would immediately take her to the health clinic.

And once she went, those secrets she had tried desperately to hide would have nowhere to hide.

"You don't dare?"

Seeing her shrink back in such a manner, the principal let out a cold snort, his voice as chilling as the biting wind of deep winter:

"Our sacred teaching force cannot tolerate a pest like you!"

Bang!

The principal slammed his palm down on the desk so hard that the teacup bounced up.

He stood up, pointing his finger like a sword toward the door, and shouted sternly, "Get out of here immediately! From now on, you are no longer a teacher at our school! Your household registration will be immediately transferred back to Lotus Village, and I will truthfully report the reasons to the commune!"

Sun Xiaorong felt the world go dark before her eyes. Like a soulless puppet, she stumbled out of the school.

Her steps were unsteady, her gaze hollow, as if she had been cast into an endless dark abyss.

As soon as she reached the school gates, she saw Liu Datong charging toward her on a bicycle like a mad bull.

"Brother Liu..."

Sun Xiaorong instinctively uttered those words, her voice as faint as the flickering flame of a candle in the wind.

However, before her voice even faded, Liu Datong leaped off his bicycle like a fierce tiger pouncing on its prey. Ignoring the clatter of the bicycle crashing to the ground, he rushed up to Sun Xiaorong in a few strides and delivered two solid, resounding slaps directly across her face.

These slaps were delivered with full force, making Sun Xiaorong's head ring with a loud "buzz." She saw stars, and bright red handprints instantly bloomed on her cheeks.

Liu Datong's eyes were bloodshot like a web of red threads, burning with a frantic rage. He grabbed her by the collar, frantic with anger, and roared:

"You bitch, was this your doing?! Did you deliberately leak our dirty secrets just to force your way into our family?"

"Now look! Because of this, my father has been suspended from work, and I've been expelled! Tell me, explain to me, what on earth was your intention in doing this?!"

With reddened eyes, Liu Datong roared at the top of his lungs, as if trying to vent all the fury and despair in his heart.

He had just learned that his father had been summoned by superiors for a talk, which was immediately followed by harsh questioning about whether he was involved in an improper relationship outside.

He was completely dumbfounded by this sudden turn of events, while his father was anxiously scrambling to pull strings to resolve the matter.

After racking his brain, he concluded that the root cause of all this trouble could be none other than Sun Xiaorong.

After all, that day his father-in-law had flown into a towering rage, and his wife had cried and made a scene demanding a divorce, telling him to go marry Sun Xiaorong instead.

The mere thought of his two hot-tempered brothers-in-law sent shudders through his heart.

They were notorious for their volatile tempers and would genuinely beat him half to death.

At this moment, he felt his world collapse instantly, plunging him into an irredeemable abyss.

Sun Xiaorong was dizzy and disoriented from the blows. Her ears rang with the buzzing of countless bees, and the burning pain on her face robbed her of the ability to think.

When she finally managed to regain some composure, she grabbed Liu Datong's wrists and cried out with a grievance-laden voice, "What right do you have to hit me?"

"I'm hitting you, you cheap bitch!" Liu Datong's furious roar exploded in Sun Xiaorong's ears like a thunderclap.

One of his hands gripped her throat like an iron clamp. His breathing was rapid and heavy, his chest heaving violently like a wounded beast struggling frantically.

"You cheap bitch, if you hadn't leaked the matter, how would anyone have known you were pregnant?"

"They said during the talk with my father that as long as it can be proven I am innocent, everything will be fine. But the key to all of this lies with you, you wretched woman!"

"You're driving our whole family to a dead end! I could strangle you right now!"

Sun Xiaorong's pupils constricted sharply, her eyes filled with profound terror.

She never imagined that things would spiral so out of control, even dragging Liu Datong's father into it.

She wanted to explain, to defend herself, but her throat was locked tight in a death grip, preventing oxygen from reaching her lungs.

She could only emit a weak, whimpering sound while desperately trying to pry Liu Datong's hand away, her legs kicking about in panic.