Chapter 73: The Cafeteria Riot (02)

  Although the student "riot" incident passed quietly, the cafeteria slowly returned to normal operation, but SARS is still spreading. The number of infected and dead people is constantly being updated on TV and in newspapers, and people are still struggling with panic. However, inside Yannan Middle School, things are relatively calm, classes are held as usual, exercises are carried out as usual, and the big cleaning campaign is also carried out as usual...

  However, the "riot" in the students' cafeteria was stirred up again after a period of calm.

  Because too many students were involved in the disturbance, the school leaders of Yannan S only gave a cold treatment to this student "riot" incident. However, the matter still caused a stir and became a hot topic throughout the town. A reporter from the county TV station got wind of it and came disguised to conduct an undercover interview. Once the news was broadcast, the whole county was in an uproar, especially the Education Bureau which received a barrage of criticism from government leaders: How could this happen? At such a critical moment when we are fighting against SARS, such an incident occurred, it's really outrageous!

  The county education bureau's leaders, who had also been put under pressure, immediately exerted pressure on the school leadership of S, clamoring that they must find out the "mastermind" behind the student "riot" and severely punish them. As a result, the education bureau's leaders made several phone calls a day, almost driving the school leadership of S, led by Peng Dageng (also known as "Peng Old Root" by the students), to madness.

  Since ancient times, it has been a common principle that big fish eat small fish and small fish eat shrimp. This level of pressure is driving the school leaders crazy, so they can only roar at the students' department and class directors to investigate. As soon as they start investigating, everyone's heart in the whole school is stirred up again, and people are worried and frightened.

  Three days passed, and the student affairs office and class teachers didn't find out anything. But to be honest, it's not that this matter is difficult to investigate, it's just that this thing is a hot potato, and whoever touches it doesn't want to investigate - they all understand in their hearts that someone who can incite so many people to take extreme actions must have some relationship with the school leaders, or has a complex family background, or has some connection with the underworld. Moreover, there's also the possibility that it's a conspiracy between people with multiple identities. Furthermore, which class teacher would want "Leizi" to appear in their own class? If the perpetrator is caught, they will definitely be expelled, and the class teacher will also be held accountable, scolded, and punished. Who would still be willing to do such thankless work?

  Although that's the case, a high-ranking official can still crush people to death! The higher-ups kept calling "Peng Laogen" one phone call after another, making "Laogen'er" anxious and angry. Of course, he wouldn't let the people below him have an easy time either...

  Another day has passed, and still no results have been found. At night, "Peng Lao Gen" sat in the office, staring with red eyes and smoking - he had already received four calls from his superiors today. Although each call made him angrier, he had no choice but to listen patiently to their instructions. Now, Peng Lao Gen sat on the sofa, feeling more and more uncomfortable. Suddenly, he loudly called out to his assistant "Xiao Zhu".

  These days, because of the investigation into the student "riot", Little Zhu has not been idle, running around every day, tired to death. At this moment, he was half-closing his eyes and sleeping on the desk in the neighboring office. A loud roar from "Old Peng" scared him half to death. He stumbled up, without fully opening his eyes, and rushed towards the principal's office. If it weren't for these frequent "emergencies", I'm afraid Little Zhu wouldn't have been able to cultivate such a great skill!

  "Principal, is there anything?" Little Zhu quickly came to the principal's office door and gently pushed it open to ask, very softly.

  "Hurry up and go get Director Zhou (Director of Student Affairs), I have something to discuss with him!" Old Peng said, puffing on his cigarette.

  "Ah?" Little Zhu's face was full of surprise, but he still managed to keep his voice down, "Didn't you just talk to Director Zhou this afternoon? Besides, it's already dark outside..."

  "What's the big deal if it gets dark? Are we supposed to stop working just because it's dark?" "Old Root" spat out his cigarette butt and let out a fierce yell, drowning out Little Zhu's words.

  "I didn't mean it, I didn't mean it..." Little Zhu hastily explained.

  "What's all the fuss about? Hurry up and go already!"

  "Yes, yes, yes..." Little Zhu hastily retreated from the office.

  It's been a whole day, and Director Zhou has been arranging personnel to conduct key investigations on students in each class. Although some clues have been found, there are still no significant results. Exhausted for the day, he returned home and took a cool shower, preparing to rest well. However, just as he sat down on the sofa for less than ten minutes, Little Zhu knocked on his door.

  Xiao Zhu explained the situation, and Director Zhou naturally felt a bit embarrassed. However, he just hesitated for a moment without saying anything and walked out of the house...

  Director Zhou's name is "Zhou Ziming", he is very tall, has a very kind face, and more importantly, he is the only one among the main leaders of Yan Nan S who does not have a big belly. Although he is almost fifty years old, he looks like a young man in his thirties, always dressing neatly and cleanly, with his hair combed neatly, giving people a very good impression.

  Director Zhou has been in charge of student affairs for many years. Although he is known for being fair and having a good work ethic, with a great reputation among teachers and students, the resentment that has accumulated over the years still weighs heavily on him. He and "Old Peng" were classmates from high school to university, and after graduation, they were assigned to work together at Yan Nan S Middle School. For some reason, Director Zhou was better than "Old Peng" in all aspects, except for one thing - he was far inferior to his old classmate when it came to flattering teachers and leaders. So, from their school days to the present, he has always been "Old Peng's" supporting actor, which makes him resentful. However, after so many years have passed, and considering that "Old Peng" has been quite respectful and polite to him in recent years, Director Zhou's resentment has almost dissipated.

  However, this time for investigating the student "riot" incident, "Peng Lao Gen" surprisingly scolded and reprimanded Director Zhou three to five times, which made Comrade Zhou's anger surge up again. Fortunately, his tolerance was relatively good; if he had encountered someone like "Black Whirlwind" Li Kui, he might have already picked up a board axe to fight with "Peng Lao Gen". However, everyone's tolerance has its limits... This time, Little Zhu brought "Peng Lao Gen"'s "imperial decree" and came to ask in the dark, coincidentally breaking through Director Zhou's bottom line of tolerance. Although Director Zhou did not scold Little Zhu, nor gave him a strange look, as soon as he reached the principal's office door, he kicked it open with one foot.

  With a loud "bang", "Old Peng" was startled and shook for a moment, and the cigarette in his hand also fell to the ground. Before the stunned "Old Root" could speak, Director Zhou started firing his machine gun: "You old Peng, don't be too arrogant! If you provoke me, I won't care about anything anymore! What's so great about having a higher position? If it weren't for my hard work all these years, running around and working tirelessly, would you have it so easy?... If you dare to yell at me again, don't blame me for turning against you. Anyway, I've been holding back this anger for too long..."

  In "Old Peng's" memory, this surname Zhou old classmate was rarely in a good mood, never had a big temper, didn't expect this time he came in like a storm, Old Peng couldn't help but tremble...

  "Hey, Old Zhou, the two of us are still at this...". Seeing Director Zhou's anger subside a bit, "Peng Dagen" hastily smiled and stepped forward, offering him a cigarette.

  Director Zhou pushed away "Old Peng's" hand and said: "Don't try that with me!"

  "What's the big deal about smoking a cigarette?" "Old Peng" continued to laugh and try to get close to Director Zhou, "We've been partners for so many years, you also know my temper, I'm not getting anxious for nothing - the leaders in the bureau are calling me several times a day, making me lose all sense of direction... isn't that why I called you here to help me think?"

  Director Zhou took the cigarette from Old Peng, lit it, and after spitting out a smoke ring, he slowly said: "The more you rush me, the less I'll rush - no matter how much the leader urges us, we can't do anything about it. It's not like we haven't investigated, and we can't just catch someone randomly to settle accounts... But aren't you exhausting people by making me run around like that?"

  "I'm not ordering you around, I am... I am..."

  "Stop talking so much, let's study what we should do next!" Director Zhou interrupted Old Peng.

  "Go on!" said "Peng Dagen", lighting another cigarette.

  "These days, we students have used all sorts of methods and also asked many classmates to understand the situation, but still haven't caught any big fish..." Director Zhou was analyzing this when the phone rang again. Old Peng hurriedly got up to answer it:

  "Hello, who is this?"

  ……

  "Oh, Director Wang (the head of the county education bureau), it's so late and you still haven't rested?"

  ……

  "Yes, we have tried our best to investigate, but there were too many students involved. We are working hard to screen them out and will give severe punishment to the main culprits..."

  ……

  "Don't worry about it!"

  ……

  "Goodbye!"

  "Who is it? Director Wang has even called?" Old Peng had just hung up the phone when Director Zhou hastily asked.

  "Yes..." Peng Dagen couldn't help but sigh, "Even Director Wang called to ask about it. I think we'd better hurry up with our matter... or else things will get even more complicated if it gets reported to the higher-ups!"

  "Digging all the way up?" Director Zhou was a bit puzzled, his eyebrows furrowed.

  "Yes, Director Wang said that the students making a fuss about this matter may have alerted the municipal bureau leaders, and told us to quickly resolve the issue..."

  The two "giants" were talking when suddenly a black shadow slipped into the principal's office...