How can you ascend to heaven when you are a star?

Chapter 334 Bowing Down in Apology
Zhu Zhengyan trembled violently when he heard the question behind him. The man in his forties was so frightened that he almost wet himself. He felt as if the person who had just spoken to him was not a human, but the King of Hell.

Thinking about what he had done that night, and about how he had fallen flat on his face and knocked out two front teeth, his legs began to tremble uncontrollably. The incident that had happened to Principal Zhou was still vivid in his mind, and he did not want to repeat the same mistake.

"Principal Zhang, since you already know, you should also know very well that I didn't come up with the idea, and I didn't do the stinky tofu throwing. I was just a messenger. Can you think of a way to get rid of this bad luck?" Zhu Zhengyan asked in a pleading voice, without even checking on Principal Zhou who was covering his buttocks.

Actually, it wasn't that he didn't want to go see it, but he was worried that he would trip and fall again, and knock out a few more teeth.

Compared to Principal Zhou's buttocks, he still felt that his teeth were more important.

"The solution is very simple: just confess the truth to the victim, sincerely repent, and start anew, and you will be forgiven," Zhang Wen said calmly.

"Really? Really?" Zhu Zhengyan's eyes were filled with hope; the method to break the curse didn't sound difficult.

“Of course, how could such a thing be fake?” Zhang Wen said seriously.

Zhu Zhengyan unconsciously swallowed, hesitated for a moment, and finally made up his mind. He bowed to the young man in front of him and said apologetically, "Principal Zhang, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..."

"Director Zhu!"

A sudden shout interrupted Zhu Zhengting's apology, the voice filled with anger and dissatisfaction.

It was Zhou Maoquan.

Zhou Maoquan limped back, his face flushed and his expression ferocious, like a volcano about to erupt.

"Why did you apologize to him? Whose subordinate are you?" Zhou Maoquan questioned sharply, feeling betrayed.

"Principal, who I work for has nothing to do with apologizing to Principal Zhang," Zhu Zhengyan defended himself.

"No relation? How can there be no relation? You are my subordinate, and Jia Hua and Xing Xiang are mortal enemies. As the teaching director of Jia Hua, you actually apologized to the principal of Xing Xiang. Where does that leave my face?" Zhou Maoquan glared at Zhu Zhengyan with his eyes wide open.

He couldn't believe that the person he trusted most would betray him at this moment.

"Principal, please don't misunderstand. I am only speaking for myself. It has nothing to do with the school, let alone you," Zhu Zhengyan quickly explained.

"Bullshit! This isn't some personal feud between you two, how can you speak for yourself?"

"But I don't want to suffer the consequences!"

"Director Zhu, you are also a highly educated person, how can you believe such a thing? It's all just a coincidence, understand? This Zhang guy is just spreading alarmist rumors," Zhou Maoquan said with a sneer.

"Principal, are you sure it's all a coincidence?" Zhu Zhengyan asked suspiciously.

Once is called a coincidence, twice is called a chance encounter, but three or four times is fate.

The principal first experienced a car emitting smoke, then brake failure, then he sat on a steel pipe, and even wet his pants, which he didn't see with his own eyes...

After so many unlucky experiences, can we explain it all with the word "coincidence"?

Zhou Maoquan naturally didn't think that everything that happened tonight was just a coincidence, but if he admitted that everything was retribution, wouldn't that mean he had done a lot of bad things?
He would never admit to something like that, even if it meant his life.

“It’s absolutely a coincidence,” Zhou Maoquan said through gritted teeth.

"..."

Zhu Zhengting was speechless when he saw the principal's constipated expression.

Isn't this just deceiving yourself?

It's one thing to deceive teachers and make empty promises to everyone, but now you dare to deceive Heaven? Do you think the retribution isn't severe enough?

'You want to die, and I don't want to go with you.'

'Don't drag me down with your bad luck.'

"Old Deng, if you hadn't told me to find someone to throw stinky tofu at Xingxiang, I wouldn't have lost my front tooth."

Zhu Zhengyan thought bitterly.

Seeing that Director Zhu remained silent, Zhou Maoquan assumed that the other party had realized his mistake, and his expression softened. He then turned to Zhang Wen beside him and said, "I'm not riding my bicycle anymore. I'll walk home, hmph!"

After saying that, he turned around and left.

However, he hadn't gone far when his left foot tripped over his right, and he fell straight forward.

"Snapped!"

Zhou Maoquan fell face-first to the ground, making a loud thud and a loud scream.

Zhu Zhengyan didn't go up to help, he just stood there blankly.

He was all too familiar with this scene; he had once slipped and fallen flat on his face, luckily there was no poop on the ground, otherwise he would have been too ashamed to stay at Jia Hua Art Examination Center.

Can it still be a coincidence now?

The security guard standing nearby didn't dare to step forward to help, fearing he might get implicated, since the principal had almost hit him with his car earlier.

"Uh……"

Zhou Maoquan groaned in pain and then got up from the ground.

Damn it, you can fall down even if you forget how to walk.

I used to think that driving or riding a bicycle would cause accidents, but I forgot that Director Zhu had also had an accident while walking.

Huh?
What's in your mouth?
Pebbles?
"spit!"

Zhou Maoquan spat the hard object from his mouth into his hand; it was two teeth, and judging from their shape, they should be front teeth.

He licked it with his tongue.

"hiss!"

it hurts!

It really is a front tooth.

“Heaven not only punishes those who do bad things, but also those who are stubborn.” Zhang Wen looked at Zhou Maoquan and asked, “Do you still think it’s a coincidence?”

Zhou Maoquan opened his mouth, but after a long pause, he finally said, "What's it to you? Get out of here, don't get in my way."

"Ugh!"

Zhang Wen sighed deeply, shook his head and said, "I gave you a chance, but you didn't seize it. In that case, I'll be leaving. Good luck tonight."

"Principal Zhang, don't go yet." Zhu Zhengyan hurriedly stepped forward to stop him.

Zhang Wen stopped and looked at the other person with a puzzled expression. "Is there something you need?"

"Ahem, Principal Zhang, I haven't confessed and repented yet, and haven't received your forgiveness," Zhu Zhengyan said.

"Director Zhu, you..."

Just as Zhou Maoquan was about to use his power to intimidate him, Zhu Zhengyan suddenly turned around and said loudly, "Principal Zhou, can you please stop being so stubborn? Haven't you suffered enough retribution? Do you want to be carried into the hospital again?"

"..."

Zhou Maoquan was startled and looked at Director Zhu with a surprised expression. He didn't expect that the other party would dare to yell at him, especially because of that Zhang guy.

Ignoring the principal's reaction, Zhu Zhengyan continued, "Good medicine tastes bitter but is good for the disease, and honest advice is hard to hear but beneficial to conduct. There are some things I must say."

“Principal, you know better than anyone what you went through tonight. Don’t you really think this is retribution? No, you think so too, but you’re too proud to admit it. But you need to know that compared to life and safety, pride is worthless. You were lucky to escape from the car in time. What if you couldn’t open the car door? Have you thought about the consequences?”

“Principal, our Jia Hua Art Examination Training Center can’t do without you. You are the backbone of us teachers. What would we do if something really happened to you?”

“Principal, if you’re wrong, you should admit it. If you’re going to be punished, you should stand up straight. You should apologize to Principal Zhang. Our opponents aren’t Xingxiang, but Huanya, Xinling, and Yiying.” Zhou Maoquan stood there, his face ashen.

He was very angry at the criticism and complaints from his employees, but he had to admit that they were right.

To save face, he kept putting on a brave face, from being trapped in the elevator to his car emitting smoke to his brakes failing, he was always panicked and scared.

But whenever he sees that guy surnamed Zhang, his brain goes out of control and is filled with anger.

To be honest, Xingxiang is just a newly emerged art exam training center. Even if it tries to poach talent from Jiahua, it's no match for Jiahua.

And what about him?
Because of Xingxiang, not only was a lot of time and energy wasted, but large training institutions such as Huaying, Huanya, and Yiying also had an opportunity to take advantage of him and watch him make a fool of himself from the shadows.

Ugh!
Zhou Maoquan remained silent and began to reflect on the mistakes he had made recently.

Over the years, Jia Hua's success has made him increasingly arrogant. When provoked by Xing Xiang, he always tries to get revenge, but he fails to distinguish between priorities and falls into Xing Xiang's swamp, sinking deeper and deeper.

If he could get rid of Xingxiang sooner and promote Jiahua in the usual way, even if some students were poached by Xingxiang, new students would fill the gap.

Now, the entanglement with Xingxiang has affected Jiahua's reputation, resulting in a 40% decrease in students for this year's summer classes compared to last year.

Looking at Principal Zhou's grim face, Zhu Zhengyan realized what he had just done. Given Principal Zhou's petty and vindictive nature, he probably wouldn't have a good time at Jiahua in the future.

Thinking about this, he felt a wave of frustration, but then he thought, so what if he was removed from his position as head of teaching? He could just go to another art exam training class.

Given his past experience, finding a new employer shouldn't be difficult.

As the old saying goes: If this place doesn't want me, there's always another place that will.

Personal safety is more important than work.

Having figured this out, Zhu Zhengyan ignored the principal and looked at Principal Zhang of Xingxiang again, saying sincerely, "Principal Zhang, I apologize to you. I shouldn't have had someone throw stinky tofu at Xingxiang. I promise you that this will never happen again. Please forgive me."

After speaking, he bent down and bowed deeply.

Zhang Wen was taken aback, not expecting Director Zhu to apologize so quickly.

However, upon closer reflection, although it was somewhat unexpected, it was also reasonable. After all, with Zhou Maoquan, that unlucky fellow, preceding them, who would want to suffer the same misfortune?
This isn't called being greedy for life or afraid of death; it's called being a wise person who knows when to yield.

Zhu Zhengting's awareness is commendable; at least by doing this, he can avoid a lot of suffering.

"Is that all?" Zhang Wen asked.

"what?"

Zhu Zhengyan paused for a moment, then suddenly seemed to remember something and hurriedly said, "I'll go to Xingxiang right now and make sure the stinky tofu is cleaned up completely, without any smell at all."

He didn't feel that doing so would lower his status.

As long as he can atone for his sins and avoid retribution, he'd be willing to clean up stinky tofu for a week straight, let alone do so.

It's better than the brakes failing and the chrysanthemum bursting open.

"No need, I've already finished cleaning," Zhang Wen said casually.

"Um……"

Zhu Zhengyan thought about it seriously for a moment, then said, "Principal Zhang, if you're still angry, I'll go buy a few bottles of stinky tofu and pour them into my own home, how about that?"

Zhou Maoquan, who was standing to the side, was completely dumbfounded.

Is it necessary to go to this extent?

So, if he apologizes later, will he also throw a few bottles of stinky tofu into Jiahua?

"Fine, since Director Zhu is so sincere, I forgive you," Zhang Wen said magnanimously.

"Ah? Thank you, Principal Zhang. You are truly magnanimous." Zhu Zhengyan's face was full of smiles, but he was missing his two front teeth, making his smile look somewhat comical.

He glanced up at the Big Dipper in the night sky. Now that the victim had forgiven him, he didn't know if further disaster would strike.

Zhang Wen immediately understood Zhu Zhengyan's thoughts, so he comforted him, "Don't worry, misfortune will not continue to befall someone who has truly repented."

He said it wouldn't happen, and it wouldn't happen, not because he could read the stars, but because the curse of bad luck was in his hands.

He can throw things at whomever he wants, and he can make whoever he wants suffer.

"I am absolutely sincere in my repentance, more sincere than diamonds," Zhu Zhengyan said solemnly, his right hand still on his chest as a guarantee.

Zhang Wen nodded to show his belief, then looked at Zhou Maoquan not far away, who was still standing in the same spot, seemingly lost in thought.

When Zhou Maoquan met Zhang Wen's gaze, his eyes darted away for a moment. However, thinking about what had happened that night, and in order to get home safely, he mustered up his courage and approached the other man.

“Principal Zhang, I arranged this whole stinky tofu thing. I sincerely apologize for the trouble it has caused you. If you're still angry, I'll go buy some stinky tofu right now and dump it into Jia Hua's restaurant to vent your anger.”

"Okay, go buy it."

what?
Zhou Maoquan immediately stood still.

what's the situation?
Why did the other party forgive Director Zhu when he suggested dumping stinky tofu at home, but when he suggested dumping it at Jia Hua, the other party told him to go buy it himself?

Isn't this different treatment?

Seeing the principal's expression, Zhu Zhengyan worried that the principal might change his mind, so he immediately said, "Principal, you wait here, I'll go buy it for you."

After saying that, he hurriedly ran to the nearby convenience store.

Of course, he left not only to help Principal Zhou buy stinky tofu, but also to test whether the disaster had left him.

If he doesn't fall flat on his face, it means the disaster has passed him by.

"..."

Zhou Maoquan wanted to say something more, but then he saw Director Zhu rush into the convenience store not far away.

For a moment, he couldn't tell whether the other person was helping him or Principal Zhang.

Soon, Zhu Zhengyan came out of the convenience store carrying a plastic bag containing eight bottles.

The unemployed man spilled six bottles of stinky tofu in total, and he bought two extra bottles as an apology.

After Zhou Maoquan saw clearly, his face darkened immediately. However, seeing that Director Zhu had not fallen, it seemed that the disaster had truly passed. So he took the plastic bag and walked towards Jia Hua's gate.

The students had finished their classes, and only a few teachers remained at the training center.

Zhou Maoquan opened the bottle cap and poured out the stinky tofu inside.

Some spilled on the door, some on the glass, and some on the floor; these places are relatively easy to clean.

As for the wall, it didn't collapse because it was too difficult to clean.

Soon, all eight bottles of stinky tofu were poured out, and the smell of stinky tofu filled not only the lobby of Jia Hua's first floor but also the air outside the door.

Zhang Wen looked at Zhou Maoquan and nodded to him.

I forgive you!

"Thank you."

Zhou Maoquan breathed a heavy sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted, and he felt completely relaxed.

……

(End of this chapter)