30 Self-Defense

Even Ms. Kim was looking awkward. She told herself that Jing Yunzhao was only acting like this because of the stress from going through probably one of the biggest changes in her life. 

"What happened, Jing Yunzhao?" Ms. Kim asked seriously. 

Jing Yunzhao did not feel hurt by Ms. Kim's question. After all, Ms. Kim was known for being fair, and she must have trusted her to not be blaming her first. 

"It was my fault for getting physical, Ms. Kim, and I apologize," Jing Yunzhao said as she turned to Lu Jia, then continued firmly, "but I don't regret what I did, and I only did it out of self-defense."

Ms. Kim was stunned at Jing Yunzhao's words. 

"What do you mean? Are you saying it was Lu Jia who started it?" The Class 2 teacher asked in surprise. 

Lu Jia who was still sobbing could hardly speak with her swollen face. 

"Lu Jia started to say nasty things to me when I came to school today. It pissed her off when I talked back, and she started calling me a bastard. It was not my fault that I was abandoned by my real parents, Ms. Kim. Who would want to be an abandoned child if the choice was theirs? Wouldn't any of you get angry if you were called a bastard?" Jing Yunzhao explained calmly. 

"That's why you beat her up?" asked Ms. Kim. 

It would be understandable if that was why Jing Yunzhao beat Lu Jia up, although it was still rather cruel to beat her up to that extent. 

"Nope," said Jing Yunzhao confidently, "her words got so nasty that I talked back to her, and she got so angry that she reached out and tried to claw my face. You saw how long her nails are, I would definitely be disfigured if she managed it. I couldn't allow her to do that so I defended myself, only to find that her bark was worse than her bite. She was definitely the one who picked the fight; I just outdid her." 

The teachers were speechless after what Jing Yunzhao said. They looked at Lu Jia's nails and agreed that they were unreasonably long. 

"Is what Jing Yunzhao said true, Lu Jia?" One of the teachers of Class 2 asked finally. 

"I… I did not get to do anything to her…" Lu Jia started crying. She nodded at first, and then shook her head as she answered. 

Of course she did not get to do anything to Jing Yunzhao. Jing Yunzhao had successfully restrained her before she could do anything, and it was Jing Yunzhao alone who got physical thereafter. 

"You only didn't get to do anything because I reacted fast and dodged. What if I was too slow? You ought to know how important appearance is, especially for girls," Jing Yunzhao sneered. 

The teachers realized that Jing Yunzhao was quite different now. 

Before this, she used to be quiet and submissive in front of the teachers. She wouldn't complain even if she was wronged, and would be easily overlooked if it weren't for her outstanding results. 

But Jing Yunzhao now had an attitude and a temper. 

Lu Jia pointed at her own face and said pitifully, "there was no need to beat me up this severely even if that was the case, teacher…" 

"I made her apologize during our encounter but she refused. Instead, she continued saying mean things to me, and I think it's normal for someone to act impulsively under such circumstances. I would never have gotten physical if not for Lu Jia provoking me. As for the gangsters, I honestly do not understand why anyone would continue to spread untrue rumors and stress me out when the police have already announced the truth. Lu Jia's action of spreading untrue allegations greatly traumatized me, and I believe that her guardians would be liable for her if I pursue legal action against her."