But he believed that Qin Xiao, who loved drawing and was well-behaved, wouldn't be the kind of person who would bully his classmates.
"Why are you still pretending to be kind and asking questions?" one parent sneered. "He's a cold-blooded little monster. No one likes him now, and no one will want to be friends with someone like him in the future."
"Qin Xiao's father, have you never taught your son to share at home?" another parent asked bluntly. "He's so stingy with his things and never wants to share with his friends. How can anyone like him?"
"Exactly! The last time he scared my son to tears was also because he was stingy. Apparently, my son wanted a painting from him, but he refused to give it to him and even hung my son on a big tree. But I can understand, he comes from a working-class family, so he's just petty."
...
As the parents got more and more excited, a new round of criticism was about to begin.
Gu Tang's brows furrowed even more deeply.
He certainly didn't believe Qin Xiao would be stingy.
But wait, what about the drawing...?
"Qin Xiao's father, your son bullied my son. He's so young, yet he's so barbaric and aggressive. He injured my son and he still won't apologize."
At this moment, another parent calmly spoke up: "Since you're here today, why don't you apologize to my son on behalf of your son?"
As the parent continued, he made no attempt to hide his threat: "To be honest, I'm quite familiar with the president of Muzhi University. Although it's an ordinary university, it's still a place for teaching and nurturing people. Mr. Qin Xiao, if you don't apologize, I can only assume that you can't even teach your own son properly. How can someone like that have the nerve to be a teacher at a university? Don't you agree?"
Gu Tang hadn't said anything yet.
Qin Xiao, who had been looking down, suddenly raised his head.
His little face was still flushed, and his eyes were still red.
Those eyes, which always shone brightly with a smile in front of Gu Tang, actually burned with a small flame of anger.
"You're not allowed to talk about my dad like that!"
This was the first time Gu Tang had ever heard Qin Xiao's voice!
It's soft.
Although his tone sounded fierce, it couldn't hide the childishness and innocence of his voice.
Gu Tang's heart melted instantly.
His son is protecting him!
His son, who could endure being called a little monster and described as cold-hearted by others.
Now, whenever they hear someone saying bad things about Gu Tang, they immediately jump out, acting as if they would do anything to protect him.
Gu Tang felt that he could now understand Qin Xiao's reasons for doing those things at school.
"Heh." The parent, who had been stunned by Qin Xiao's shout, finally came to his senses.
He sneered, looking at Qin Xiao: "Weren't you happy pretending to be a mute to gain sympathy? What? You can't keep up the act anymore now that you've hit a sore spot?"
"Shut up!"
"Shut up!"
Two voices rang out at the same time, but from different directions.
One is naturally Gu Tang, and the other is...
Gu Tang straightened up and placed his hand on Qin Xiao's still sullen head.
His gaze passed over the parents and landed on the tall, imposing man behind them, personally accompanied by the Dean of the Imperial Royal Academy.
All eyes turned to the man after the word "shut up" was uttered.
If Gu Tang had simply told them to shut up, they could have ignored him.
But the young man with the lazy smile on his face, when he uttered "Shut up," it was as if it had magic, silencing all the parents and even the students.
Qin Junche was wearing a formal military uniform.
The black three-piece suit made his body look even more fit and tall.
His eyes were bright, and his sharp gaze swept over the group of parents who had just been arguing incessantly.
"What?" Qin Junche calmly walked through the crowd and slowly approached Gu Tang.
His gaze swept over the faces of the parents who were besieging Gu Tang and Qin Xiao once again.
His smile remained languid, but his tone was sharp: "So many people gathered together to besiege the two of them, one big and one small, and on the anniversary of the founding of the Royal Academy. Have you all been living too comfortable lives? You really have a lot of leisure time."
The person interrupted by Qin Junche blushed and subconsciously avoided Qin Junche's gaze.
But he quickly mustered his courage and looked at the Star Army Marshal, who was renowned throughout the empire.
Looking at this future head of the Qin family, who was truly born into the Qin family and possessed immense wealth: "Marshal Qin."
The parent greeted them politely: "This little rascal... he's a habitual liar and incredibly unruly, often resorting to violence against his classmates. That's why we all want to help his parents discipline him properly; we don't mean to gang up on them."
"Oh." Qin Junche nodded casually.
Seeing Qin Junche nod, another parent added, "Yes, Your Excellency, this child is incredibly cruel at such a young age. Everyone initially thought that no child is beyond redemption, and we could just let it go. But seeing his father today, we realized he comes from such a family. Therefore, we all hope that the principal will expel him!"
"Yes, yes! Fire him!"
"If people like this stay on campus, they will only pollute the campus environment."
"That's right!"
...
Seeing that Qin Junche didn't seem to have any intention of protecting Qin Xiao and Gu Tang, the parents immediately became more active again.
"Expel him..." Qin Junche waited until they had stopped arguing before turning his gaze to the dean of the Royal Academy.
“I remember,” he said slowly. “The Imperial Royal Academy is directly under the military. All the education, starting from kindergarten, is designed to cultivate the Empire’s best generals.”
"Yes," the dean of the college quickly replied.
Qin Junche smiled slightly: "So, including myself, I also come from the Royal Academy. I also remember the academy's traditions."
As Qin Junche finished speaking, his gaze slowly swept over the students and their parents.
This time, however, everyone who was swept by his gaze lowered their heads instinctively.
Gu Tang was still somewhat confused, but Qin Xiao, who was standing next to him, suddenly became excited.
"It seems that the vast majority of parents here have also studied at the academy," Qin Junche added. "Do I need to remind everyone of the academy's tradition again?"
"What is it?" It was Gu Tang who spoke.
Qin Junche turned and smiled at him.
On that handsome face, which could make countless young girls in the capital scream, a gentle smile appeared that he had never shown before.
"It's very simple," Qin Junche said. "If a student wants to expel a classmate, or even their teacher, they can. But here, it will always be about strength that matters!"
His voice turned sharp: "The victor is king, the loser is villain. On the mecha simulation battlefield, whoever loses gets out!"
Gu Tang: "!!!"
He looked down at Qin Xiao and finally understood why Qin Xiao was so excited.
With his son's talent, he's probably unbeatable among his peers in mech simulation battles.
"Marshal!" a parent suddenly exclaimed, "There's another rule to this tradition."
He paused for a moment before saying, "Parents can intervene instead of students. So..."
The parent looked at Gu Tang with eyes as sharp as a viper: "I am here to challenge Qin Xiao's father, representing my son. Whoever loses will be expelled from the academy."
"Okay." Gu Tang agreed almost without hesitation.
His mental strength was indeed only at the F level, but for his son's sake, he was willing to fight.
At least let Qin Xiao know that he will always stand by his side.
If they met on a narrow path, he would draw his sword for his son.
Qin Xiao's face turned even redder.
He looked up, staring blankly at his father.
He had assumed he would definitely be scolded.
Once his father finds out what he did, he will no longer protect him.
He also knew that his father's mental strength was at level F, meaning he couldn't even control the simplest mecha.
But he...
"Since Qin Xiao's father has agreed to the challenge, let's head to the mecha simulation battlefield now," Qin Junche said with a smile.
“Okay.” The parent glanced at Gu Tang smugly. “I have one more request. If Qin Xiao’s father loses, he has to apologize to me and my son in public. A ninety-degree bow.”
He felt he had no chance of losing, because someone had just said that Gu Tang was a botany teacher at a third-rate university like Muzhi University.
His mental strength must be incredibly weak for him to become a botany teacher.
"Okay." Qin Junche agreed on Gu Tang's behalf without even asking him this time. "On the other hand, if you lose, you will have to apologize to Qin Xiao and the others, and get out of the Royal Academy."
Although he used the word "get lost" very rudely, the parent clearly did not want to have any more arguments with the Marshal of the Star Army.
He pretended not to hear and said, "Then let's go now."
***
Ten minutes later, in one of the preparation rooms of the Imperial Royal Academy's mecha simulation battlefield.
The cockpit of the tall, jet-black mecha was already open.
Gu Tang took off his suit jacket, put on a tight-fitting combat suit, and sat down inside.
"Don't worry." He turned to Qin Xiao, whose face was full of worry, and smiled slightly. "Dad will do his best."
Gu Tang knew he would most likely lose.
But it's okay.
He didn't really want Qin Xiao to stay in that kind of academy any longer.
Just as he was about to close the door, Qin Junche, who was originally standing next to Qin Xiao, suddenly jumped and easily climbed into the cockpit.
"What are you doing?" The not-so-spacious cockpit, with two adult men inside, suddenly felt cramped.
"How dare you look down on Qin Xiao's father." Qin Junche reached out and closed the cockpit door.