“I’m not joking; this is indeed something I’ve always wanted to do and have planned for a long time.”
“Alright! Since you’ve made up your mind, I won’t stop you, but I’m afraid this kind of leave won’t be approved by the school.”
“Don’t worry, teacher, I will definitely persuade Principal Ricky well.” Seeing me so confident, the class advisor couldn’t help but smile at me. Indeed, the class advisor was easy to talk to, and I smoothly passed the second hurdle. However, I wouldn’t let my guard down; the real challenge was the principal.
Ricky Aya, the new principal of Grammar Girls’ School, was also the former principal’s secretary. If you think she got her position through connections and lacks any real power, you’d be gravely mistaken. Her assertiveness and authoritarian nature were already well-known when she was the academic director. Now that she has taken the principal’s position, it’s even more pronounced. When the news of her becoming principal broke, the entire school was in an uproar. A teacher posted unfavorable comments about her online, and she issued a warning that was heavily laced with threats. Since then, no one has dared to voice any dissatisfaction about her online. Among the students, a classic saying emerged due to the new principal: “Grammar, Grammar, Grammar Girls’ School is now filled with worries.” It’s clear that she will be my biggest obstacle on this journey, so I need to be extra cautious.
Knock knock. “Come in.”
“Hello, Director.” As the saying goes, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; I decided to start with a show of strength to suppress my opponent’s arrogance.
“…Hello.” Her voice seemed to tremble slightly. I stole a glance at her expression—hmm, not bad, her face looked terrible, like it had been smeared with feces.
“Please have a seat!” After I sat down, I looked at her expression again. What? A radiant smile? Wasn’t she just gritting her teeth? “I heard you want to take a leave for a social gathering; may I ask why?”
“It’s nothing, it’s just time for me to get married.”
Ricky Aya picked up her teacup and took a sip, speaking softly, “Our country’s law states that one cannot marry freely until the age of eighteen.”
“According to Article 981 of our country’s Civil Code, minors who wish to apply for marriage registration must submit a consent form from their legal guardian. This means I can get married; I just need the consent of my legal guardian, and you are not my legal guardian, so it has nothing to do with you.”
“Ha!” She was so infuriated that she laughed, but the smile quickly vanished, replaced by a cold and proud expression.
I thought this must be her true self.
With her arms crossed and legs crossed, her tone carried a hint of sarcasm, “To be frank, your mother probably thinks you’re going to see a ‘psychiatrist’ rather than going on a blind date.”
“Oh! You might not know, but starting from December 31st, 2024, Article 980 of the Civil Code was amended to state that ‘neither males nor females under the age of eighteen may marry.’ Article 981 was abolished, which means that as long as one is over eighteen, they can marry without anyone’s consent.” I watched her expression gradually twist, her body starting to tremble.
I thought to myself that she was finally about to lose her composure. After being cornered by my words, she would finally tear off the mask of a smiling face she had been wearing. I would be the only one in the entire school to witness this miracle; it was truly an honor, and it made my blood boil with excitement. Just as the long-maintained gentleness was about to shatter, and her anger was about to spill over, she suddenly seemed to think of something and returned to a smile. This smile was the most genuine I had ever seen from her; having seen this smile, I realized that all her previous smiles were fake. This was the only time she showed a sincere smile, but why did it feel somewhat unsettling?
“Alright, you can go! I approve this leave.”
Just like that, my leave was approved without any conditions. I should be happy, but why did I have an ominous premonition?
Megan Alaska was tidying up the teacups on the table and cautiously asked Ricky Aya, who was meditating with her eyes closed, “Are you really going to approve the leave?”
“Of course! Why wouldn’t I? I want to see what that overconfident little thing is capable of.” She stood up and returned to her desk, flipping through the pile of documents on it.
“Secretary Megan.”
Her hand trembled as she was tidying up.
“Go make a cup of coffee, and also bring that child’s information over.”
At one o’clock in the afternoon, at the Lorenzo Italian restaurant.
