Ma Lili was clearly adept at flattery. Noticing the shift in Wang Hailong and Wang Dong's attitudes, she understood immediately and softened her tone slightly:
"Xu Jingyin, since Mr. Wang is willing to settle this, I can promise on behalf of the school that your brother will not be punished in any way."
Her delicate brows furrowed, Xu Jingyin argued in a tone that was both timid and resolute:
"Teacher Ma, Mr. Wang Dong's father, do you have any evidence that my brother stole? A small theft leads to a big one. If Xu Jingwen really stole, I will give you an explanation, but if he is being framed, I..."
"Bang!"
Slamming her hand hard on the desk, Ma Lili interrupted Xu Jingyin ferociously:
"What do you mean, you think we would frame your brother?"
Wang Dong scoffed with disdain:
"Hmph! Xu Jingwen is the only one from the countryside in the whole class. He can't even afford a basic mobile phone, and he sits next to me. My phone is missing, so of course he stole it."
Wang Hailong threatened sinisterly:
"Xu Jingyin, since you're unwilling to do me the favor of settling this privately, then we'll handle it officially. Teacher Ma's written report alone can leave a stain on your brother's academic record forever."
"I'm going to call and report this to the school!"
Xu Jingyin was unfazed by the threats from the three and refused to back down. She instinctively reached into her pocket for her phone, only to find it empty. Her heart sank, and she finally realized her phone was still in Chen Xiao's car. She then grabbed the trembling Xu Jingwen and prepared to leave:
"Jingwen, come with me downstairs to get my phone. Even if it goes to court, I will clear your name!"
Wang Dong chuckled and suddenly blocked the door:
"Xu Jingyin, you're soaked from the rain. You don't have a car, do you? If you don't have a car, how are you going downstairs to get your phone? Are you planning to run away with your country bumpkin brother?"
Ma Lili chimed in with an air of certainty:
"Student Wang Dong's analysis is very reasonable. Outsiders are not allowed to bring vehicles into Zijing Middle School. Even if Xu Jingyin had a car, she couldn't drive it downstairs!"
"You... you..."
Facing the pincer attack from Wang Dong and Ma Lili, with Wang Hailong on the side staring at her body greedily like a famished wolf, Xu Jingyin, despite her desire to protect her brother, faltered. She instinctively lowered her head:
"My... my colleague's car is indeed parked downstairs..."
Wang Hailong feigned disgust, tearing his greedy gaze away from Xu Jingyin's alluring figure, and coldly interrupted her:
"Teacher Ma, just call the police. Tomorrow morning, we'll give Xu Jingwen a demerit and announce it to the whole school!"
Xu Jingyin was thoroughly frightened and nervously shook her head:
"No... don't!"
Wang Hailong sneered:
"Then are you willing to settle this privately with me? It was a minor issue that could have been resolved with just a meal. Why would you jeopardize your own brother's future?"
"I... I... I..."
Xu Jingyin stammered, her expression filled with despair.
Though naive, she wasn't foolish and could guess Wang Hailong's ill intentions in forcing her to have dinner.
More importantly, if she accepted a private settlement, she would implicitly admit that her brother was a thief.
Just as she was trapped between a rock and a hard place, a tall, slender, and handsome figure suddenly appeared at the office door – it was Chen Xiao!
"Nurse Xu, your phone was left in my car. I brought it up for you. Did I interrupt anything?"
Chen Xiao spoke politely with a smile, stating his purpose while subtly observing the people in the office. The moment his eyes fell on Xu Jingwen, who was thin and short next to Xu Jingyin, his doctor's compassion was momentarily stunned.
Then, as his gaze moved to Wang Dong blocking the door and Wang Hailong sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed, Chen Xiao's smile froze. These father and son were, by chance, the brother and nephew of his second aunt, Wang Xiaoxia.
Seeing Chen Xiao, Xu Jingyin frantically grasped at a lifeline and explained:
"Teacher Ma, I wasn't lying. Dr. Chen is the colleague I mentioned. His car is still parked downstairs..."
"Pfft—"
Before Xu Jingyin could finish, Wang Dong couldn't help but burst into laughter:
"Xu Jingyin, are you kidding me? My so-called cousin is just a good-for-nothing who's spent over twenty years reading useless books. Besides being handsome, he's utterly useless. Although he recently got an internship at the central hospital, a mere intern wouldn't have money to buy a car. Don't be fooled by a car he borrowed or rented."
Wang Hailong glared at Chen Xiao with distaste and then said to Ma Lili with a half-smile:
"Teacher Ma, if someone drove a car into the school campus without authorization while the gatekeeper wasn't paying attention, that wouldn't be compliant, would it? Heh heh."
Ma Lili understood immediately and picked up her phone on the desk without hesitation:
"Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Wang. I'll call the gatehouse right now."