It was the first day of the second month in the 19th year of the 20th century.Schools of this generation usually began at 8:00 AM.
DAV High School was no exception. But today, Xiao Tian arrived at 8:50 AM — nearly an hour late. To make things worse, the first person he bumped into was the school's first beauty, Su Han… and she slapped him.
Xiao Tian had no time to explain. He simply sighed and walked toward his classroom.
As he opened the door to Class 1-C, a shrill voice sliced through the air:"You trash and useless boy! You finally decided to show up! I've already given you nine chances. This is the tenth. Get ready!" 😈👹☠️
Xiao Tian shivered. That voice belonged to none other than the terrifying "Tyrant Teacher," Zhu Lan.
She was in her early fifties, with gray hair and a permanently wrinkled frown. A twisted witch. A cunning fox. She had the reputation of being ruthless and partial to the rich.
Many students whispered complaints about her—how she took bribes from parents and only supported those with wealth or good grades. But the Zhu Family was deeply connected in the world of education. No one dared to officially complain.
When Xiao Tian heard her words, his legs nearly gave out. But he had a strong heart… he held on.
"Xiao Tian, you useless, poor brat! If this school hadn't given you a scholarship, you wouldn't have made it this far!"
Everyone knew it: education had become a business. Expensive. Exclusive. Out of reach for many.
DAV was among the top schools in the city—ranked fourth. Despite its high costs, it offered scholarships to a few students each year. That was how Xiao Tian had made it to his final year of high school.
"Even though the school gives you a scholarship, your grades are horrible!" Zhu Lan continued. "You're always late. You never submit your assignments on time. You're a total waste! Because of you, our class's reputation might fall! Do you understand that Class 1-C is ranked number one in the school?! If we drop, the school could fall from the top 5!"
Tyrant Zhu came to DAV for its reputation, and she wasn't going to let anyone ruin it.
Xiao Tian felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes—not from her words, but from helplessness.
It wasn't that he was a waste. He was just poor. He had no extra help. No tutors. No cram schools. No materials. His only family was his elderly grandmother, Xin Lan, who had taken care of him since she found him abandoned at age four.
All he could do was try to absorb as much as he could during class. That was his only shot.
He wanted to defend himself… but he knew better. He had no status. No power. Even his classmates looked down on him. They saw his worn clothes and called him names behind his back.
"I've already given you nine chances, but you never learn…" Zhu Lan's voice dropped to a colder tone.
Xiao Tian began to sweat. Something bad was coming.
"You've crossed the line now. This is your tenth time. I won't tolerate it anymore.""You are hereby expelled from participating in the College Mock Entrance Exam three months from now."
The classroom went silent… then erupted.
This mock exam was one of the few lifelines for students like Xiao Tian. It wasn't just practice—it was a chance to improve, to access study material, and to be seen by colleges. Rich students had tutors and prep centers. He had nothing but this.
The students snickered and whispered. Some even smiled.
Xiao Tian's knees buckled. He couldn't help it—tears streamed down his face.
"Please, Teacher… don't do this. My grandmother… she wants me to succeed. Just give me one more chance," he begged.
Tyrant Zhu's eyes narrowed. "Don't test my patience… or you'll regret it."
Desperate, Xiao Tian fell to his knees. "Please, Teacher Zhu! Just one last chance! I'll do anything!"
Zhu Lan paused… then let out a cold laugh."Fine. One last chance. But there will be punishment."
Xiao Tian almost cried again—this time from relief. "Yes, Teacher! I accept."
"Very well," she said coldly. "You have one month. In the next monthly test, you must rank in the top 10 of the entire division."
Gasps filled the classroom.
Top 10 in the division?! That meant out of 600 students—60 in each of the 10 classes! Even getting into the top 10 of the class would be a miracle for someone like him. Top 10 of the whole grade? That was madness!
The class erupted into laughter. Some students outright jeered. "Toilet Boy's dreaming now!" one of them cackled.
And Zhu Lan wasn't done yet.
"Also, for the next month… you will clean both the boys' and girls' toilets after school every single day."
The laughter doubled. Xiao Tian stood frozen as his classmates pointed and howled. "Toilet Boy! Toilet Boy!"
This time, he couldn't stay conscious.He fainted—not because of the cleaning job (he'd done worse), but because of the impossible condition.
He was ranked near the bottom of his class. In a school filled with elite geniuses, improving even ten positions was a feat. But reaching the top 10 out of 600 students?
It was a joke. A trap.
If he could drop out now, he would have. But then he remembered his kind grandmother's face… and the promise he made to her.
So he clenched his fists. Even if the world called him trash…
He would fight.
To be continued in Chapter 2…