Meng Yan's Transformation

Chapter 560 Suggestive Criticism

As Xu Yanmei spoke, she pointed at Zhan Mengyan, who happened to see Zhan Mengyan whispering in Dong Hanmei's ear.

"Well, Zhan Mengyan, you won't answer any of my questions, but you're chatting away with Dong Hanmei like a pro."

As Xu Yanmei thought to herself, she looked at Zhan Mengyan and Dong Hanmei with resentment and jealousy.

“We dare not chat with Zhan Mengyan. She’s so cold, we’re afraid of getting scolded. It’s different since you’re her deskmate. You can talk freely. Go ask her and satisfy our curiosity.”

As one of the female students spoke, she nudged Xu Yanmei.

"I don't have the time to satisfy your curiosity; I have many unsolved problems."

As Xu Yanmei spoke, she glanced in Zhan Mengyan's direction and strode towards the classroom.

"Oh dear, you really do learn from those you associate with! No wonder the ancients said, 'One who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black'! Xu Yanmei used to speak so gently, but today she's sitting next to Zhan Mengyan, and she's become so aggressive! She even left on her own. She's learned Zhan Mengyan's 'keeping people at arm's length'!"

As another female classmate spoke, she glared angrily at Xu Yanmei's back.

After the day's classes ended, Zhan Mengyan asked her homeroom teacher for leave.

"Zhan Mengyan, why are you taking leave so soon after the start of the semester? Last semester, you spent too little time in evening self-study sessions. Some classmates and teachers reported that you weren't concentrating in class, and sometimes you even dozed off, which affected class discipline. You spent most of your time on part-time jobs, which will affect your health and academic performance. This semester, you need to adjust your schedule and manage your time better. Your grades aren't as good as they were in the high school entrance exam. If you don't work harder, you'll easily be surpassed by your classmates. Some classmates also reported that you and Dong Hanmei are often whispering and acting mysteriously, and you're not united with your classmates. Dong Hanmei's grades have dropped too quickly. Why don't you help her? So this time, I'm not assigning you two to be deskmates, so that you can both abide by the rules, not form cliques, and work hard to improve your grades. Mr. Liu, the political science teacher, confiscated Xu Xiaqing's romance novels, including 'Outside the Window,' 'Misty Rain,' and 'A Thousand Knots in My Heart,' during class." "Books," Xu Xiaqing said, "you and Dong Hanmei also participated in the book collecting and secretly read some. I heard that Sanmao's *The Crying Camel* is popular at school again. Zhan Mengyan, be careful not to be led astray by anyone. You don't have time for those frivolous books! As for the poetry clubs on campus that are popular for writing obscure poetry, don't join them. That obscure language like 'Baseness is the passport of the base, nobility is the epitaph of the noble' won't be on the college entrance exam, so it's useless for you to learn it."

When the homeroom teacher spoke, her eyes were filled with worry, and she looked at Zhan Mengyan with gentle eyes.

Upon hearing her homeroom teacher's words, Zhan Mengyan's face flushed red. She had read Qiong Yao's novels and liked the Misty Poetry, but she hadn't done anything else! Zhan Mengyan lowered her head, her hands tightly gripping her clothes. She felt like a child who had done something wrong, her heart filled with grievance and helplessness. Tears welled in her eyes, but she dared not let them fall. She could only silently endure the teacher's gentle, suggestive criticism, using silence to conceal her inner pain. The teacher's doubt and distrust made her feel as if the world had instantly darkened, and feelings of disappointment and helplessness welled up within her.

"Zhan Mengyan, I'm just giving you a suggestion, not criticizing you. Don't be nervous. Tell me why you asked for leave today?"