HBWMA -Chapter 254 Settling Personal Scores Under the Guise of Public Duty

Unlike the “fatherly kindness and filial piety” over at Bamboo Garden, Plum Garden was in complete chaos.

Shen Yuan trailed behind Shen Qingyu the whole way, nagging nonstop. Shen Qingyu let it go in one ear and out the other. The moment he got back to his room, he put on his wireless earphones. Seeing this, Shen Yuan’s blood pressure shot up. He strode forward, yanked off the earphones, and snapped, “Were you even listening to a word I said?”

Shen Qingyu crossed his legs, curling one corner of his lips. “Obviously not.”

“…” Shen Yuan took a deep breath, his face turning cold. “I know you understand everything. Acting so flippant is just your way of provoking me. But Qingyu, this time is different. Whoever accompanies the old master on the visit to Country S will represent who gets invited to attend the bilateral peace talks. That’s an international political stage—how many people never get the chance in their entire lives? So I hope you understand: even for your own sake, you must seize this opportunity.”

Shen Qingyu picked at his ear. “Give it up. This competition isn’t something I’m good at. I can’t win.”

“You—!” Shen Yuan’s head throbbed. “Can’t you think of a way? Put in some effort?”

Shen Qingyu raised a brow, casting him a sidelong glance. “Effort? What kind of effort? When my mom was dying, I didn’t see you making any effort to get off another woman’s bed. What right do you have to tell me to try?”

A single sentence—fatal blow. Shen Yuan was nearly driven to death by anger.

Seeing his reaction, Shen Qingyu’s tone turned even harsher. “Do you know why I can’t beat Shen Lanxi and Shen Guiling? Because I inherited your inferior genes.”

Shen Yuan clutched his chest in pain, furious to the core, and stormed out of Plum Garden.

Once he had gone far enough, the frivolous expression on Shen Qingyu’s face vanished instantly.

The next morning, Shen Zhuang left early to attend a high-level meeting at the parliament hall, a two-day schedule.

Shen Qian, worried about the Nanwan situation, escorted Shen Zhuang to the parliament and immediately rushed back to Nanwan. Meanwhile, Shen Guiling stayed in Bamboo Garden to recuperate and prepare for the “Little Dark Room” competition three days later.

Everyone else went to class as usual.

Still brooding over the discounted hand cream incident, Shen Qingyu unusually ignored Jiang Huashan when he went out, driving at a life-risking speed of 120 km/h all the way to school.

Shen Lanxi, on the other hand, acted as if “letting bygones be bygones,” but Jiang Huashan still resented him for snitching. The moment she got in the car, she put on sunglasses and remained cold and silent the entire ride.

Gao Zhi, sitting in the front seat, felt secondhand embarrassment creeping in and quietly hid his own sunglasses.

So wearing sunglasses to act cool was actually this annoying?

Under the golden autumn sun, the vibrant campus welcomed another new day.

Xiao Lanlan had been sent abroad, the photography crew had been withdrawn from Yucai, and the blood on the track had already been washed clean. Only a few students on duty were left sweeping fallen leaves.

When Jiang Huashan and Fu Sui’er walked into the classroom, the lively atmosphere instantly dropped into dead silence.

A second ago, Fu Xiaoxiao had been sitting on a desk chatting happily. The moment she saw Jiang Huashan, she shut her mouth and sat back down.

It seemed the intimidation from Shen Rang’s gunshot was still lingering.

Jiang Huashan and Fu Sui’er exchanged a glance, pretending nothing had happened, and calmly returned to their seats.

The silence lingered for a moment before gradually returning to normal.

Fu Sui’er whispered, “They’re even scared of us now? Will Shen Mianzhi get isolated?”

“Who knows?” Jiang Huashan yawned. “I’m going to nap.”

As Jiang Huashan laid her head down, the entire classroom volume dropped by three levels. Fu Xiaoxiao, who usually opposed her, quietly lowered her head and played on her phone.

Fu Sui’er raised an eyebrow—so there were perks to this? She happily pulled out Seeking Delicacy and continued reading.

She had barely read two lines when the classroom suddenly fell into absolute silence again.

This eerie quiet was too unnatural. Jiang Huashan and Fu Sui’er both looked up at the same time.

Shen Mianzhi stood on the podium, holding a duty roster.

Same face, same blunt bangs—but somehow, she felt like a completely different person.

“Today, Class Three is responsible for public sanitation. There are fifteen minutes before class starts. May I ask—where are the students assigned to cleaning duty?”

Silence filled the classroom.

The class monitor stiffly pointed at the duty list on the blackboard.

Public area: Fu Xiaoxiao, Jiang Huashan.

Shen Mianzhi glanced at it, then calmly looked at Fu Xiaoxiao. “You have fourteen minutes left. If it doesn’t meet inspection standards before class, Class Three will be deducted three points as punishment. The students on duty will clean the girls’ restroom for one month.”

Fu Xiaoxiao swallowed her anger and looked at Jiang Huashan.

In the past, she would have flipped the table already. No class in Yucai ever took the student council’s rules seriously—every time, it was Shen Mianzhi and her group of unlucky student council members cleaning up afterward.

“Yawn~” Jiang Huashan stretched lazily. “I’m too tired. Don’t feel like going today.”

Shen Mianzhi nodded. “Then today counts as leave. You can make it up next time.” She turned to Fu Xiaoxiao’s deskmate. “You, please fill in for now.”

The girl who got called turned pale with fright and nodded repeatedly. “O-okay.”

Fu Xiaoxiao clenched her fists, wanting to slam the desk but holding back. In the end, she raised her hand. “President Shen… I’m not feeling well today. Can you switch someone else in?”

Shen Mianzhi replied, “Sure. Submit a leave note to remove your name. It must include a medical certificate from a Class-A tertiary hospital. If falsified, ten academic credit points will be deducted. And let me remind you—if you lose thirty points, you’ll be held back.”

Fu Xiaoxiao: “…”

“Still want to take leave?”

Grinding her teeth, Fu Xiaoxiao snapped, “You’re abusing your power and favoring Jiang Huashan—what do you have to say about that?”

Shen Mianzhi closed her register, her tone even. “If you have objections, you may submit materials for investigation. However, I should remind you—any report must first be verified by the student council before it can be forwarded.”

“Pfft.” Fu Sui’er couldn’t help laughing.

Continuing the argument would only humiliate herself further. Fu Xiaoxiao kicked over her desk and stormed out of the classroom.

The girl who had been called was terrified out of her mind and hurriedly grabbed two brooms to chase after her.

Shen Mianzhi didn’t even raise her eyelids, calmly writing, “Destruction of public property. Fu Xiaoxiao—ten points deducted.”

Kicking a stool cost ten points?

Everyone: “…”

First time seeing someone settle personal scores so openly—and so aggressively.