A warmth spread through Amanda Chapman’s heart. At home, Gentry Chapman would never stand up for her, and it was the same outside. Her brother was too timid and passive. He wouldn’t even fight back when he was bullied himself, let alone defend her. Amanda had never expected him to.

But her cousins gave her that warmth of family and trust, protecting her unconditionally without asking why. It was so different from her own grandmother, who would scold her for being "restless" and "causing trouble for the family" whenever she got bullied outside.

No matter why she got into a fight with someone, her grandmother and father would only scold her. Even when it was clearly the other person’s fault, she was the one who got yelled at and forced to apologize.

For the sake of their reputation and "face," her grandmother and father would only sacrifice her dignity. Time and time again, Amanda Chapman learned her lesson the hard way. That’s why she rarely started trouble. But if she did, she made sure to beat the other person to a pulp. Since she’d get scolded either way, she might as well make the fight worth it. Otherwise, she’d feel even more frustrated.

"Okay, I won’t sweep anymore," Amanda Chapman said, nodding vigorously.

’To hell with it! I’m not sweeping anymore. Phoenix Golding can forget about bullying me again. I’ve got my cousin to back me up, hmph!’

This strengthened Cecelia Thorne’s resolve to drive out Phoenix Golding, that scum of the teaching profession. ’That kind of person isn’t fit to be a teacher at all,’ she thought. ’Her professional skills are lacking, she’s morally corrupt, and she punishes students on a whim to vent her anger. She’s a piece of crap who has to be kicked out!’

"Jim, Amanda, let’s get rid of Phoenix Golding!" Cecelia Thorne said, her little face very serious.

She was ready to make a big move, and Phoenix Golding would be her first target.

Jim Thorne’s eyes lit up, his interest piqued. "How do we get rid of her? Beat her up and throw her out?"

Cecelia Thorne rolled her eyes. ’All he knows is violence.’ Jim Thorne just grinned. He liked the straightforward approach; beating someone up was as direct as it gets.

"We need to get some dirt on Phoenix Golding. Teachers get fired if they make a serious mistake. Mom said Phoenix Golding is involved with a man named Storm Xavier. We need to catch them in the act."

Cecelia Thorne laid out her plan, each word deliberate and her logic clear. Jim Thorne and Amanda Chapman stared at their little sister/cousin, who seemed completely different from her usual self. A surge of admiration washed over them. ’Our sister (cousin) is a genius! To think of such a great plan... we’d never have come up with that.’

"Jim, do you know Storm Xavier?"

Jim Thorne shook his head. "Don’t know him. But he’s definitely from Xavier Village. All the Xaviers are from Xavier Village."

Cecelia Thorne rolled her eyes. ’Well, that was a useless thing to say.’

Jim Thorne added, "We can ask Gentry. He’ll definitely know."

Cecelia Thorne’s eyes lit up. ’That’s right! Gentry grew up in Xavier Village, so he must know that Storm Xavier. All we have to do is keep a close watch on Storm Xavier and Phoenix Golding, and sooner or later we’ll catch them red-handed. Then we’ll get a crowd to come and watch. Hmph, Phoenix Golding will have no choice but to pack her bags and leave in disgrace.’

Having hatched their grand plan to catch the cheaters, the three of them went happily to class. Phoenix Golding’s face had returned to normal. In truth, she wasn’t exceptionally beautiful, but she had an excellent figure. Combined with her sense of style, she possessed a unique allure.

Take the Lenin suit, for example—a women’s jacket popular in the sixties and seventies, somewhat like a blazer. On other women, the suits looked drab and baggy, with no definition at the shoulders or waist, completely hiding any feminine curves.

But Phoenix Golding had skilled hands and excellent sewing abilities. From the same piece of fabric, she could create a Lenin suit that was nipped at the waist and tailored to her measurements. It wasn’t too tight, but the effect was worlds apart—it was both modest and showed off her figure.

In this gray era, where military uniforms were favored over feminine dresses, a good-looking woman like Phoenix Golding, who knew how to present herself, was indeed more likely to attract the attention of men.

’But of all the men to seduce, she had to pick my dad, Felix Thorne, and try to meddle in my family’s affairs. I’m certainly not going to stand by and do nothing.’ Cecelia Thorne stared coldly at Phoenix Golding on the teaching platform, a plan already solidifying in her mind.