Chapter Forty-Seven: Schemes in the Light and Shadows in the Dark
Qin Luo had not expected such an intense reaction from everyone. He knew they would feel reluctant to let him go, but he hadn’t anticipated it would be to this extent.
Wang Jiujiu shot to her feet so abruptly she nearly knocked over the desk in the front row. Her beautiful eyes blazed with anger as she stared at Qin Luo and demanded, “Who dismissed you? What right do they have to fire you? In the entire Medical University, is there a single teacher whose teaching surpasses yours?”
“That’s right. I propose our entire class sign a petition to make our position clear to the school.”
“I used to think I was just idling away my time at school, but ever since Teacher Qin came, I’ve truly become interested in traditional medicine and actually learned something. If Teacher Qin leaves, I’ll leave too.”
“Teacher Qin, if you go, we’ll go with you.”
“I’ll leave as well.”
“Count me in.”
---
One by one, the students rose in support of Qin Luo, their attitudes firm, their expressions indignant.
Qin Luo waved his hand to calm them, smiling as he said, “The school also has its reasons. They asked me for a teaching certificate, and honestly, I don’t have one. To tell you the truth, you might laugh, but I’ve never even had the experience of attending a formal academic institution.”
“What does a certificate really mean?” Li Meng shouted, face flushed with indignation. “Those teachers with certificates aren’t as capable as you. Teacher Qin, you’re the only one we respect. We don’t care about the others.”
“Exactly. What age are we living in, still fussing over certificates? If it’s a certificate they want, I’ll get one for Teacher Qin.”
“Wang Liang, don’t make empty promises. Where are you going to get a teaching certificate?”
“How is that an empty promise? There are plenty under the overpass, twenty yuan a piece. You can get any kind of certificate, even a ‘virginity certificate’ if you want.”
Qin Luo signaled for everyone to quiet down and said, “Let’s not get too emotional. This is my issue, and I’ll handle it. As a teacher, my duty is to impart what I know. As students, your task is to learn. Whoever can teach you, you should study diligently with them.”
“But we only want you to teach ‘Diagnostics of Traditional Medicine.’”
“That’s right. It’s not like we haven’t forced a teacher out before. Teacher Qin, if the school dares to fire you, we’ll stand our ground with them.”
“Yes, life will be unbearable otherwise.”
Just as Qin Luo was about to say more, his phone rang in his pocket.
He smiled apologetically at everyone before quickly stepping outside the classroom.
The incoming call was from an unfamiliar number, no name saved.
“Hello? Who is this?” Qin Luo answered.
“Is this Qin Luo? This is Li Yonggang,” a cheerful male voice replied.
“Li Yonggang?” Qin Luo didn’t immediately recall. The name sounded familiar. When he finally remembered who Li Yonggang was, he quickly said, “Hello, Principal Li.”
Director Guo had always treated Qin Luo as Li Yonggang’s trusted associate, and so his attitude had been particularly warm yet wary. If he knew Qin Luo had almost forgotten this name, who knows what he’d think.
“Haha, hello. I just got your number from Old Lin. I hope I’m not interrupting your class?” Li Yonggang laughed.
“It’s fine. Is there something you need, Principal Li?” Qin Luo asked, thinking to himself that Li Yonggang must have learned about his dismissal. Was it only now that he’d found out?
If so, it meant the person behind all this was truly influential—otherwise, Director Guo wouldn’t have made such a one-sided decision.
“Yes, I just heard about your situation. If you’re not busy, would you come to my office for a chat?”
“Alright. Where is your office, Principal Li?” Qin Luo asked.
Li Yonggang gave him the address, then hung up.
Qin Luo returned to the classroom and said, “I know you’re all very upset right now. Even if I forced you to stay, you wouldn’t be able to focus. I have something to take care of—use this time for self-study.”
As soon as Qin Luo stepped out, Wang Jiujiu caught up to him.
“Jiujiu, is something wrong?” Qin Luo asked with a smile. Since the KTV incident and Ma Youcai’s downfall, the two had grown much closer. Qin Luo no longer saw her as just a student, but also as a trustworthy friend.
“Teacher Qin, where are you going?” Wang Jiujiu asked worriedly, afraid that if Qin Luo left, he would disappear without a trace.
“Principal Li asked to see me,” Qin Luo replied with a smile.
“Principal Li wants to speak with you? Good, I’ll go with you,” she said.
“What for?” Qin Luo looked at her, half exasperated, half amused.
“I’m going as a student representative to negotiate with Principal Li,” she said resolutely.
“Nonsense. Negotiate with him over what? He’s not the one who fired me. Go back to class. This is my matter, I’ll talk to him myself,” Qin Luo waved her off and turned to leave alone.
“Qin Luo, you stop right there!” Wang Jiujiu shouted.
“Uh— I’m your teacher. At least give me a little respect here at school, won’t you?” Qin Luo turned back, startled. Being addressed by his student by name felt strange.
“If you don’t take me, I swear I’ll go back and lead the whole class in a sit-in at the school gates,” Wang Jiujiu retorted, biting her lip with determination.
“———”
“I’m not threatening you. You can refuse,” she added.
“You are threatening me,” Qin Luo said, staring at her.
“If that’s how you see it—so be it.”
Their eyes met in a tense standoff.
“Fine, let’s go,” Qin Luo conceded.
Wang Jiujiu’s tense expression melted into a smile as she ran over and clung to Qin Luo’s arm. “I knew you’d agree.”
“Men and women should keep their distance. Let go,” Qin Luo quickly pulled his arm free.
“You say that, but honestly, I wish you’d get fired—then I could hold you and no one would care.”
“Why do I feel you’re becoming more and more like your mother?”
“She gave birth to me—who else would I take after?”
---
Li Yonggang was the president of Capital Medical University, which made him the undisputed leader of all the major departments. His office was in Zhixing Building, the school’s oldest structure. Its darkened exterior lent it an air of ancient gravitas.
Qin Luo knocked on the office door, and a bespectacled young man opened it. Seeing Qin Luo, he smiled, “You must be Teacher Qin. The principal is waiting for you.”
“Thank you,” Qin Luo replied politely.
The young man noticed Wang Jiujiu following behind, but despite his curiosity, he courteously invited them both in.
Li Yonggang was bent over his desk. After signing a document, he handed it to the bespectacled man. “Xiao Li, please distribute this.”
“Yes, sir,” the young man replied. Instead of leaving immediately, he poured tea for the guests before closing the door behind him.
Li Yonggang came over to sit opposite Qin Luo, glancing at the openly hostile Wang Jiujiu. “And this young lady is?”
“I’m Wang Jiujiu, a student representative from the Clinical Traditional Medicine program at the School of Traditional Medicine, and also Teacher Qin’s student. I’m here on behalf of forty-nine classmates and forty-five auditors to negotiate with you,” she announced, face stern, all business.
“Negotiate? Negotiate over what?” Li Yonggang looked at Qin Luo, who could only give a wry smile.
“We want to know why the school is dismissing Teacher Qin,” Wang Jiujiu said.
“That’s precisely why I asked Qin Luo to come,” Li Yonggang replied with a smile.
“Well then, what’s the reason?”
“The reason? Qin Luo doesn’t have a teaching certificate.”
“But Teacher Qin is the best traditional medicine teacher.”
“I believe you. But will others?”
“Why should we care whether others believe it? We’re the students—we know where we can truly learn. The school used to send us mediocre teachers, but now you finally sent us someone genuinely talented. We’re not willing to let him go.”
Li Yonggang shook his head and smiled wryly. “Young lady, you’re still too young. Once you enter society, you’ll realize that some things can’t be solved just because everyone knows the truth. Right can be wrong, wrong can be right.”
Wang Jiujiu waved her hand dismissively, “Don’t give me that philosophical talk. We just don’t want Teacher Qin to leave. That’s the request from our whole class. Maybe we’re young, but if the school doesn’t agree, then we young people will do what young people do.”
“Well, well, the young lady is even threatening the principal now,” Li Yonggang laughed.
“She threatened me the same way just now,” Qin Luo said with a helpless smile. It wasn’t obvious before, but when something happened, this woman was as fierce as her mother—neither of them were the type to back down.
“Haha, Qin Luo, to have students threaten you like this is a blessing. I’ve been busy and haven’t had time to check on your situation at school. But it seems you’re a natural teacher,” Li Yonggang said with a smile.
“It seems talent is no match for a slip of paper,” Qin Luo joked.
“Sigh. If I hadn’t received a baffling phone call from up above, I wouldn’t have imagined this would happen. I asked Director Guo about it and only then learned you’d been dismissed by the School of Traditional Medicine,” Li Yonggang said with a sigh.
He glanced at Wang Jiujiu, then turned to Qin Luo. “The former president called personally, saying the school can’t hire teachers through connections. We must be fully responsible to both students and patients, and the qualifications of teachers must be strictly assessed. Director Guo was the former president’s protégé, so without my approval, he went ahead and dismissed you. Of course, department heads do have the authority to hire and fire teachers without reporting to me.”
“Looks like I’ve offended someone important,” Qin Luo said with a bitter smile.
“Indeed,” Li Yonggang replied. Because of Lin Qingyuan’s connection, he wasn’t overly cautious. He continued, “There are two kinds of strategy: covert and open. We’re not afraid of covert maneuvers—those can be exposed. But now the other party is using an open tactic, and that puts us in a difficult spot. Not having a medical school background or a teaching certificate is truly your Achilles’ heel.”
“So there’s no other solution?” Wang Jiujiu asked anxiously.