Chapter 471: Reason for Leave

Pff—!

She collapsed onto the chair like a deflated rubber ball, her head drooping weakly, and a voice like a soul leaving the body came out of her mouth:

"No... you... all... asked for leave... then... I... just now... Bai was happy..."

Her soul seemed to drift out of her mouth, spun three times in the air, then vanished with a "pop".

Bai Hang, Ying, and Jian Tong silently watched the scene.

The atmosphere became extremely awkward.

But the leave still had to be requested.

Bai Hang cleared her throat: "Um... Teacher, could you approve the leave?"

Fujimura Dahe slowly lifted his head, his eyes hollow as he looked at the three people before him.

"…Reason."

Bai Hang had prepared in advance.

She took a deep breath and said with the most sincere expression:

"My grandfather… he… forgot to change his diaper."

Ying: "…?"

Jian Tong: "…?"

Fujimura Dahe: "…Ha?"

Bai Hang continued, unfazed, fabricating: "He's old, can't move, bedridden. The nanny took leave today, no one at home to look after him. I have to go back to change his diaper, otherwise he'll be uncomfortable. It's urgent. Really."

She spoke earnestly, even a tear forming at the corner of her eye.

(—Actually, she was going to steal a gun.)

Fujimura Dahe stared at her, his brain freezing for three seconds.

"…Diaper?"

"Hmm."

"Your grandfather?"

"Right."

"…Bedridden?"

"Bedridden."

Fujimura Dahe opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but realized there was nothing to say.

She silently gestured, indicating that Bai Hang could pass.

Bai Hang let out a sigh and stepped aside.

Next was Ying.

Ying's cheeks flushed slightly.

She wasn't good at lying, let alone asking for leave.

But for her sister, she had to come up with a reason.

She racked her brain, imitating Bai Hang's tone just now:

"Um... I went out and locked the door from the outside... she called me, asked me to go back... she... she couldn't get out..."

She said it haltingly, her ears turning bright red.

(—Actually, she was going to find her sister.)

Fujimura Dahe stared at her, his gaze complicated.

"…your sister, Tohsaka Lin?"

"Um, um."

"I wonder why she didn't come."

Fujimura Dahe was silent for three seconds, then gestured again.

Ying stepped aside, as if a weight had been lifted.

Finally, it was Jiantong Shen'er.

He still wore that deadpan expression, speaking in a completely emotionless, reverent tone:

"My uncle went out and was killed by a car; I need to handle the funeral arrangements."

Bai Hang: "…?"

Ying: "…?"

Fujimura Dahe: "…???"

Jiantong Shen'er's expression didn't change at all, as if saying "The weather's nice today."

His tone was so calm, calm enough to make people doubt he actually said "my uncle died" and not "my uncle went out to buy groceries."

Fujimura Dahe stared at him, looking for a very long time.

"…killed by a car...?"

"Hmm."

"Your uncle?"

"Right."

"When?"

"Just now."

"Just now?!"

"Hmm."

Fujimura Dahe opened his mouth, then closed it again.

She looked at Bai Hang, then at Sakura, then at Jian Tong.

Three students stood before her, each with a more sincere expression than the last, each with a more absurd excuse than the previous.

(Grandpa forgot to change the diaper… went out and locked the door from the inside… uncle was killed by a car crash…)

(What kind of hellish joke is this?!)

She covered her head, feeling her temples throb rapidly.

But she wasn't an unreasonable person either.

Although each excuse was more nonsense than the last, the students were already standing here; she couldn't just refuse to let them go, could she?

"... Go, go, go, go, go," she waved weakly, "All of you leave, leave, don't bother me here."

"Thank you, teacher!"

The three spoke in unison, then rushed out of the classroom at speed.

Fujimura Dahe slumped in his chair, staring at the ceiling, muttering to himself:

"Are today's students... all their leave excuses this abstract...?"

She was still sighing when, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a figure shuffling over.

It was Fujimura Lixiang.

Fujimura Dahe's eyes lit up instantly!

(Could it be—!)

(Lixiang saw that I, her sister, was in trouble, and came specifically to rescue me?!)

(She must have come to ask a question! Must have come to comfort me! As expected of my good little sister!!!)

She sat up abruptly, and even tears of gratitude welled up in her eyes.

She wiped her eyes forcefully, summoned all her energy, and instantly switched from Gray-White State back to Burning State!

"Lixiang!!!"

She slapped the podium, rising with a soaring momentum:

"Are you here to ask a question?! Come on! Sister me—no, teacher me! I will definitely answer your question properly! Any question is fine! Grammar! Reading! Writing! Ask anything!"

Her eyes gleamed, her fighting spirit soaring.

Fujimura Lixiang stood before her, watching her sister's over‑excited demeanor, and suddenly felt a bit guilty.

"... Um... sis."

"Mm, mm! Speak!"

"I..."

"Speak!"

Lixiang took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and said quickly:

"I want to take leave."

".............."

Fujimura Dahe's expression froze.

Like a stone statue.

Like a painting.

Like a robot that has been unplugged.

Her eyes were still open, her mouth still agape, but the pupils had completely lost their light.

"Leave..."

She muttered.

"Another leave..."

Her body slowly tipped backward, collapsing onto the chair, as if her soul had been drained.

"... Lixiang... you also taking leave?"

Lixiang nodded cautiously.

"What kind of leave are you taking?"

Lixiang racked her brain, trying to find a reason. But she had never taken leave before, and her mind was a blank.

"... Um... I... have a stomachache?"

"It was fine just now."

"Now it suddenly hurts."

"Really?"

"Really..."

Fujimura Dahe stared at her for three seconds.

Then she let out a long sigh, and she was completely Burned Out.

"... Go, go."

She waved weakly, "Everyone leave, I'll teach this class by myself... after all there are no students left..."

Lixiang was startled for a moment, then quickly bowed: "Thank you, sis! No, thank you, teacher!"

She turned and ran out of the classroom, leaving Fujimura Dahe alone, slumped on the podium, staring in bewilderment at the empty classroom.

"... Should I... change careers... go teach physical education..."

She muttered.

The only response was the laughing and chatter of classmates coming from outside the window.

The three silhouettes almost rushed out of the school gate at the same time.

Bai Hang, Yuanban Ying, Jian Tong.

The three stopped at the school gate and glanced at each other.

Bai Hang: (Why are those two running so fast? What are they going to do?)

Yuanban Ying: (Classmate Bai Hang and classmate Jian Tong… they both look so hurried… is there really something at home?)

Jian Tong: (These two women… I'd better not let them block my way.)

The three stared at each other silently for three seconds.

Then—

Bai Hang spoke first: "I'll go first; there really is something at home."

Yuanban Ying quickly nodded: "Mm, me too; sister's waiting for me."

Jian Tong let out a cold snort, said nothing, and turned to leave.

The three dispersed in different directions.

Bai Hang walked a few steps, suddenly remembered something, and looked back.

Yuanban Ying's figure had already vanished around the corner.

Bai Hang didn't think further and continued toward the direction she had planned.

She didn't notice—

Not far behind her, Jiantong Shen'er had not gone far.

He hid behind a utility pole, staring intently at the direction Yuanban Ying disappeared, a grim smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

(Yuanban Ying... the way home?)

(Heaven never completely blocks a path.)

He lowered his voice and muttered:

"I originally intended to go straight to the Yuanban Family… Since you brought it to my doorstep, I'll start with you."

His eyes bulged slightly with excitement, and his whole face twisted into a crazy Mask.

He quickened his pace and followed.