"Just jumped up over two hundred ranks, if I’m in a good mood, I can even take first place. What’s the problem with that?" As soon as Marcus Shaw spoke, the grade director and Anastasia were both stunned in place. It took them a long time to react. Is first place something you can just claim like it’s child’s play! "What a big mouth you have!" Anastasia said, her face twisted with anger. Marcus Shaw curled his lips, full of mockery. Anastasia was so furious that she turned directly to the office desk, pulling out a stack of test papers from a folder and slapping them onto the table. "Marcus Shaw, if you have the guts, don’t just talk with words. Here’s the B version of the exam, even easier than version A!" Anastasia smacked the table again in anger, speaking excitedly to Marcus Shaw, "For the questions I’ve drawn out, as long as you can get more than 80% correct, I’ll recognize your results!" Facing the enraged and excited Anastasia, Marcus Shaw remained calm and composed. He didn’t even glance at the pile of test papers, "Why do I need you to recognize my results?" Anastasia shouted angrily, "Because you got results that you definitely couldn’t have achieved with your abilities!" She almost shouted this out. The grade director was so shaken that he turned his head, unconsciously rubbing his ears that had suffered. "Anastasia, calm down, don’t get yourself hurt from anger." The grade director waved his hand at Anastasia, attempting to soothe her. Anastasia was so angry she was breathing heavily, turning her head away, her gaze like a knife cutting into Marcus Shaw. Marcus Shaw was unmoved. So, Anastasia redirected her focus towards Nora Scott, "Marcus Shaw’s parent, understand this clearly, the top thirty in our school’s grade, as long as they maintain this level until the college entrance exams, they can choose any university in the country!" With that, Anastasia pointed at Marcus Shaw, shouting angrily, "Ask Marcus Shaw if he has what it takes?" Nora Scott, who had been watching Anastasia’s solo performance calmly, finally lazily lifted her eyelids. She looked at Marcus Shaw and asked, "Do you?" Marcus Shaw nodded without changing his expression. So, Nora Scott looked at Anastasia again, her expression lazy, honestly conveying, "Teacher, you heard him, he says he does." Grade Director: "..." Yes, yes, yes, what nonsense! Just because he says so, does it mean he really can? Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝⟡𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕥⟡𝕟𝕖𝕥 Such unrealistic words, as long as one’s skin is thick enough and their mouth flaps open and closed, who couldn’t say it? "I understand the situation, Marcus Shaw’s grades improved dramatically, you don’t believe it, and want him to ’retake’ it to prove his capability, right?" Nora Scott’s last question was directed at the grade director. From the moment she entered and saw Nora Scott, the grade director’s attitude had improved significantly. After all, Nora Scott was universally recognized as a beauty. People always have a tendency to appreciate and be lenient towards beautiful things. Now, seeing Nora Scott asking questions, he immediately came forward as a mediator, nodding in agreement, "Yes, yes, yes. Just a few questions, not all of them." Unexpectedly, his friendly smile was met with a sudden coldness in Nora Scott’s expression. Narrowing her eyes, Nora Scott sneered, "Why does he have to prove his capability to you?" The grade director’s face froze. Anastasia’s expression also changed, the just-soothed anger flaring up again. Marcus Shaw slightly lowered his head, looking at her in surprise. "Cheating, is it? Then show the evidence." Nora Scott slowly stood up, pacing towards the two of them, step by step, her aura gradually spreading, like an invisible force slowly tightening around their throats as she approached. "Ten years ago, the midterms and finals at the Affiliated Middle School were conducted entirely like the college entrance exams." Stopping a step away from them, Nora Scott suddenly halted, a faint smile on her face intertwined with sarcasm. She continued, "Pre-exam security checks, signal jamming, prohibiting electronic devices; the strictness of invigilating teachers - you know it well; classrooms with installed surveillance, maybe not always on, but definitely during those two days... Such a strict exam, can’t you provide evidence of cheating?" Her sudden talk of evidence caught the grade director and Anastasia somewhat off guard. Marcus Shaw and she both didn’t appear to be reasonable types. Wiping the sweat off his forehead, the grade director explained awkwardly, "Here’s the thing, Marcus Shaw’s exam room had malfunctioning surveillance." Nora Scott sneered, "The Affiliated Middle School uses seated exams based on grades, so let me ask again, was there anyone with better grades in Marcus Shaw’s exam room?" Director of Studies + Anastasia: "..." This question left both of them speechless. The only one whose grades skyrocketed is Marcus Shaw. "Can’t use electronic devices, can’t cheat on the spot..." Nora Scott paused, her gaze slowly sweeping over the two of them, "Reaching the top thirty of Affiliated Middle School’s grade level, in my opinion, isn’t something a few crib notes can achieve. So, have you considered what method Marcus Shaw used to cheat?" Her series of analyses left the Director of Studies and Anastasia momentarily speechless. Anastasia hadn’t analyzed it that much at all. When she saw the grades, her first instinct was—Marcus Shaw cheated. Then she hurried to the school to adjust the surveillance, and as luck would have it, the surveillance in their exam hall was broken. How could there be such a coincidence? Anastasia didn’t think much about it and directly concluded Marcus Shaw plagiarized. She thought her approach was fairly harmonious, not immediately giving Marcus Shaw a "death sentence," but offering a chance for redemption by having him try the questions on Test B. Yet, Marcus Shaw flatly refused, no matter what he wouldn’t do it. —If he wasn’t guilty, why wouldn’t he do it? —Wouldn’t such a reaction be enough to prove he cheated? It wasn’t just her; the other teachers thought the same, even the grade director. "Nowadays, these students’ cheating tactics are so sophisticated that they’re hard to guard against," Anastasia stubbornly insisted. Nora Scott sneered, "Are all Affiliated Middle School’s teachers so unreasonable now?" "You want to conclude Marcus Shaw plagiarized without evidence. It’s like I accuse you of murder without evidence, what’s the difference?" Nora Scott stared straight into her eyes, "You casually smear a student with your careless allegations. Are you fit to be a teacher?" "That’s bandit logic!" Anastasia furiously pointed at the pile of test papers, "If he didn’t cheat, why won’t he do the questions?!" Nora Scott looked at her steadily for two seconds. Then, suddenly, Nora Scott laughed, and this laugh unsettled Anastasia and the grade director, stopping their hearts from flustering. "Marcus Shaw needs to waste time on a set of questions he’s not supposed to answer just because you recklessly doubt him." At this point, the amusement in Nora Scott’s eyes gradually cooled down, like a rapidly sweeping winter; her tone was full of disdain, each word striking with emphasis, "Who do you think you are?" Who do you think you are? Just seven words, casually spoken, yet they toppled Anastasia into the dust, stripping her skin and leaving only the bones, a blatant humiliation. She stood on a higher ground full of scorn, completely dismissing her. Shame, anger, flooded in like a deluge, overwhelming enough to drown Anastasia instantly. "And who do you think you are!" Enraged to the core, Anastasia’s eyes reddened, her teeth gritted, and she launched a question while charging toward Nora Scott. "Anastasia! Anastasia!" The grade director was startled, quickly reaching out to grab Anastasia. Anastasia, though not tall and strong, had an explosive strength in that moment; the grade director was briefly shaken off, but fortunately, he recovered in time, tightly restraining her from behind, with great effort preventing her from truly lunging at Nora Scott. "What makes you so special, just luring people in with your face? Without that face, what else do you have—" Overcome with anger, Anastasia continued to unleash personal attacks on Nora Scott, spewing accusations with a stream of hurtful words, even while being restrained by the grade director. However, gradually, her voice weakened, and her arrogance diminished— Because Nora Scott remained unprovoked by her insults, showing completely no reaction. And Nora Scott’s gaze was indifferent, calm, aloof, as if watching a clown. When Anastasia finally quieted down, she suddenly heard a slight stir, and she turned her head stiffly to look outside the door, seeing a crowd of teachers, students, and even some parents gathered there. Each and every one of them was there purely for the spectacle. Like a bucket of cold water poured over her head, Anastasia trembled and went absolutely silent. —What had she done in front of all these people? Seeing she had quieted down, Nora Scott moved her wrist slightly, unhurriedly stating the final words, "I’ll leave my words here: either produce evidence of cheating to prove Marcus Shaw plagiarized, then whether it’s punishment or expulsion, we’ll accept it. Or apologize, for recklessly imposing a baseless charge on Marcus Shaw, and disrespecting him." The grade director, already exhausted and sweating profusely from restraining Anastasia, almost couldn’t contain his exasperation at having to face such bluntly unreasonable arguments, nearly losing consciousness. "Impossible!" Anastasia’s voice was hoarse, "There’s no evidence that he cheated, but there’s also no evidence that he didn’t cheat! There’s obviously an issue with his grades, we can’t apologize!" At this moment, a refreshing voice came from outside the door. The sound prompted those blocking the door to instinctively make way. On the path wide enough for one person to pass, two figures appeared in succession, first Oliver Scott, who entered ahead, followed closely by Mr. Flynn. Walking into the office, Mr. Flynn first looked around, momentarily pausing upon seeing Nora Scott, but quickly shifting his gaze away. He looked at Anastasia and the Director of Studies, smilingly saying, "I happen to have a piece of evidence here."