“Empress Dowager, this servant has something to report to you.” William Carter glanced furtively around the classroom like a thief. “Brian Cooper Sir Cooper was dragged out through the Meridian Gate just now for not turning in his homework and talking back to the teacher. His head is about to roll—do you want to come collect the body?”

There was a two-second silence from James Carter’s end, then a long sigh: “Got it.”

Chapter 10: Breaking the Ice

Brian Cooper was an excellent student with behavioral problems, and had been called in for parent-teacher meetings more than once.

At first, the teachers didn’t know much about his family situation. After witnessing the way this kid behaved, they always wished they could bring his whole family to school for a group study on adolescent mental health. Later, after learning a bit more, most of them just turned a blind eye and let things slide.

The last time Brian Cooper’s parents were called in at his previous school, it was because he got into a fight with classmates.

That boarding school also had someone like William Carter, surrounded by followers, who didn’t like Brian Cooper at all. But the “William Carter” over there wasn’t as easygoing as the one here, and was always trying to show Brian Cooper who was boss with his gang.

Brian Cooper was never one to take a beating passively. Proud and stubborn, he didn’t care for any of their low-level “toughness.” The conflict kept escalating until, late one night, they all snuck out of the dorm and got into a fight.

Brian Cooper planned for two days, took advantage of every opportunity, and single-handedly took down five of them. Before their reinforcements arrived, he managed to alert the dorm supervisor—self-defense, an impressive record… Unfortunately, the school didn’t see it that way, and his parents were still called in afterward.

At the time, the teacher called Eric Cooper, who impatiently pushed the responsibility onto Brian Cooper’s grandfather. The old man already had coronary heart disease, and when he heard about it, he rushed to the school but had a heart attack at his own doorstep.

Brian Cooper’s grandmother had passed away earlier. The old man had sent his grandson to boarding school, refused a housekeeper, and lived alone. Since he seemed healthy, his children didn’t worry much. No one expected he’d fall ill so suddenly—by the time anyone found him, his body was already cold.

After that, the teacher never dared contact his family again.

In the long hallway of No. 6 Middle School, Brian Cooper walked silently behind James Carter, backpack on his shoulders. School was already out, and the building was quiet. Only a sliver of faded sunlight remained. Brian Cooper walked noiselessly, and the only sound in the corridor was the click of James Carter’s high heels.

James Carter was not a gentle or approachable woman; even the back of her head seemed to have more thoughts than others. Brian Cooper never felt as comfortable around her as he did with Grandma Carter… but it was still better than the American nun Charles Foster.

Suddenly, James Carter recited a string of numbers and turned to ask him, “Did you remember that?”

Brian Cooper was stunned for a moment, then nodded blankly.

“That’s my number. My phone is on twenty-four hours a day,” James Carter said. “If anything happens again, just have the teacher call this number directly—has your mom ever hit you?”

Brian Cooper: “…”

Growing up, he barely even got to meet Charles Foster, let alone have the “honor” of being hit.

“Here.” James Carter handed her handbag to Brian Cooper.

Brian Cooper took it, confused, and James Carter used the folder she’d brought from work to swat him on the butt.

It didn’t really hurt. Brian Cooper wasn’t sure if he should dodge or not. He just stood there, bewildered, holding the bag as he took a few swats, eyes widening in surprise.

James Carter: “Did the teacher assign you homework just to mess with you? Wasn’t it for your own good?”

Brian Cooper silently shook his head, then nodded.

James Carter: “If you think the homework isn’t suitable for you, why not talk to the teacher privately? She’s so much older, and you embarrassed her in front of the whole class. If other students start copying you, how is she supposed to do her job? Adults have to work to support their families—it’s not easy for anyone. You kids just take your pocket money and go around causing trouble, deliberately making things harder for others at work, and you think you’re so cool, don’t you?”

Brian Cooper was speechless again—who thinks about all that when talking back to a teacher?

“The teacher was being kind to you, but instead of appreciating it, you made things harder for her.” James Carter summed up the incident in one sentence. “So, are you a jerk or not?”

She was completely reasonable, and Brian Cooper silently lowered his head, having to admit he really was a jerk.

“You’re driving me crazy.” James Carter took her bag back from him. “I was halfway through a meeting and got dragged here to your school for this—when we get home, you’re helping Mrs. Bennett wash dishes for a week.”

When Brian Cooper heard the words “go home,” he looked up at James Carter sensitively and noticed her makeup was a bit smudged, and she hadn’t had time to fix it. Suddenly, he felt really guilty.

James Carter was very busy. He’d heard Grandma Carter complain that sometimes she worked over a hundred hours a week, and when she came back from a business trip, even the dog didn’t recognize her. Yet she still had to make a special trip for his little mess—this was the exact opposite of his original plan to “settle in quietly and not cause trouble for anyone.”

Brian Cooper felt he should say “Thank you, Auntie,” but just saying that seemed too thin, so thin it was awkward—maybe better not to say it at all.

He thought, “Should I add something like ‘Sorry for the trouble’ after that?”