Chapter 423: Chapter 412: The Best Teacher
"Dad, what are you holding?" Xiao Yu asked casually after school when she saw her dad holding a parcel at the entrance of the community.
"Do you still remember a teacher named Ye Qiu who interviewed you during the winter break?"
Xiao Yu instantly realized: "Is this a book released by Mr. Ye? So soon?"
"This is a sample copy. Mr. Ye said if we have no objections, it will be published like this in the future."
Once home, Xiao Yu couldn’t wait to unwrap the parcel, holding the book with both trepidation and anticipation.
"Let’s look at it together." Xiao Yu’s mother also sat down, and both parents surrounded Xiao Yu, flipping through the book together. The same day, over thirty other households received a copy of the book, including Liu Zhou in prison.
As Liu Zhou turned the pages, the first story was about him. Because of the school bullying incident, his life had drastically changed. Perhaps it was just for a moment of pride, but the consequences for both sides were irreparable.
When he read that the student he bullied had spent more than two months in hospital and even after being discharged was unwilling to return to school, Liu Zhou’s eyes reddened, and he murmured, "I’m sorry!"
"Xiao Yu." Xiao Yu’s mother hugged her daughter, gently calling out.
"I’m fine, Mom. Mr. Ye wrote it really well. Mom, if Mr. Ye prepares a TV program and invites me, should I go?" Xiao Yu asked hopefully. "I was able to walk out of the shadows, but what about others? You’ve seen it too, there are so many classmates struggling or even gone from this world forever. I can help others, right?"
Seeing her daughter’s brave expression, Xiao Yu’s mother smiled: "You’re right, go for it if you want to. I’ll call Mr. Ye Qiu."
After sending out more than thirty books and receiving all-positive feedback, even two students and their parents who had initially been reluctant to reveal their true names agreed to have their photos published in the book. Ye Qiu made revisions with the publisher again, and a month later, "Interviews About School Bullying" was officially on sale at major bookstores.
Initially, without the reputation of Ye Qiu, there wasn’t the capability to release the book nationwide, but who let him have the skill of a Hacker God in his life? After helping a magnate with two issues, the individual promised to fully support Ye Qiu in promoting and selling the book.
At the same time, the internet was also abuzz with various trending searches about school bullying, and Zhonghua Country’s largest video site launched a new season of web series. Different from the usual entertainment and leisure programs, it was a rare serious show that caught the attention of many netizens.
"Xiao Mai Country has been plagiarizing Korean variety shows for years; at last, there is something original."
"School bullying? Eh, are you sure this isn’t a program from the national channel?"
"Shocking! The number one video site actually produces this kind of variety show?"
"You came from UCC, didn’t you? How much did UCC pay you? I’ll give you triple."
"Speaking of school bullying, the nation indeed should take it seriously now. I was cornered in the restroom multiple times back in the day."
"A kid from my neighbor’s family jumped off a building just last month. It’s said that he was bullied at school and couldn’t cope with it. Such a good child, just gone like that."
"My cousin, too, got depression at school; she’s still recuperating at home."
"I saw on the trending searches that there’s a book with this name for sale, and it is said to include real stories of school bullying."
"Really? I’ll take a look."
"Really, I bought this book. The perpetrator Liu Zhou mentioned in the first story was once my classmate. I never expected he would still be in prison."
Due to vigorous online promotion and the fact that the book contains true stories of school bullying, it resonated with netizens in no time. School bullying is not a rare incident; it is widespread. Most netizens are either victims themselves or have been bystanders. The anticipation for the upcoming online show—which is said to invite famous national hosts, former victims, and bullies—quickly fermented across the internet.
"Teacher, my mom read this book and she says thank you," said Liu Tong, holding the book published by Ye Qiu. As one of the main characters in the book, Liu Tong realized that if it weren’t for Ye Qiu, his fate might have been even more tragic than the victims’.
"Teacher said, all this is what I should do, no need to thank me. Go back to class. Your classmates might look at you a bit differently, don’t mind them, just focus on your studies."
"Yes." Liu Tong walked out of the office, his steps steady, his gaze neither servile nor overbearing. He too was once a victim of school bullying, but it would not happen again; he would no longer provide those people with the opportunity to bully him.
Because the online discussion had intensified and Ye Qiu not only compiled the book but was also co-director of the show, the issue of school bullying has been hotly debated at school lately, and Liu Tong was at the center of these discussions because he was once the primary target of bullying.
When Liu Tong entered the classroom, the noise instantly died down. Li Manyu and Zhao Shanshan were stunned, still unaware of what had happened.
Unaffected, Liu Tong took his seat and began to study by himself, opening his textbooks.
"You go."
"No, you go. You were the one who locked him in the bathroom."
"But you were the one who splashed water on him!"
"You also kicked him with your foot."
"And you threw his stuff in the trash can."
"You were the one who called him dirty, too!"
"And you called him a freak!"
...
The classmates argued with each other, and then all fell silent. Had they really done so many things to hurt Liu Tong without realizing it?
Everyone hung their heads. Only after reading that book did they realize how malicious their behavior had been and how much of an impact their seemingly casual actions had on Liu Tong. Had it not been for Mr. Ye forcing them to read the book, and had it not been for him intervening, they might have ended up in prison like Liu Zhou, and Liu Tong might have committed suicide out of desperation?
The classmates exchanged glances and then looked away, knowing they had done wrong. But due to pride and face-saving concerns, none of them were willing to apologize to Liu Tong.
"I’m sorry!" In the midst of their arguing, an unexpected person walked up to Liu Tong.
Almost the entire class looked at Xuanyuan Junrui in surprise, shocked that he took the initiative to apologize to Liu Tong.
"I actually don’t want to forgive you, but Mr. Ye said that I could treat all the suffering as training for a better future, so it’s okay." Liu Tong smiled, did not say much more to Xuanyuan Junrui, and then turned away.
Xuanyuan Junrui pressed his lips together, a faint frown forming between his eyebrows as if his body relaxed for a moment, and then he laid his head down on the desk to sleep coolly as usual.