Sold for 300, I Fight Back with Superpowers

”Class President, this class trip is meant to bring us all closer together. We’re all classmates, so if some of us go and others don’t, I think that’s a little unfair. Beautiful sights should be enjoyed by everyone, right?”

Huo Tao, the class president of Economics Class 1, was taking a headcount with a small notebook when Zhao Xiaohui shot up from her seat and addressed him.

At twenty-eight, Huo Tao was a bit older than the other students. He was also an extrovert who wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, which was why their advisor, Teacher Sun, had made him class president. Huo Tao was always happy to help his classmates and had a gentle disposition. As a result, after just over half a month together, he had earned everyone’s approval.

Hearing this, Huo Tao adjusted his glasses and replied gently, ”Zhao Xiaohui, the trip is voluntary.”

Zhao Xiaohui pouted. ”That’s just because some students can’t afford to go.”

Zhao Xiaohui’s comment made several students from poorer families blush with embarrassment. Their families weren’t wealthy. Just getting into Beijing University meant their relatives had to scrape together every penny for their travel and living expenses. For some, it had taken the combined effort of their entire village to send them to university.

The university had waived their tuition and miscellaneous fees, but money was still tight. Naturally, they wouldn’t join an activity like a class trip. The cost of one outing was enough to cover several days’ worth of meals for them.

Everyone understood this, and Huo Tao was careful to respect their feelings. But Zhao Xiaohui’s comment had just dragged their difficult situation out into the open.

Huo Tao frowned. ”Zhao Xiaohui, you...”

Before Huo Tao could finish, Zhao Xiaohui pointed at Su Qing and Li Huan. ”Class President, our class’s two rich young ladies are right here. I bet you all don’t know this, but their family owns a house right here on the Beijing University campus. You know those courtyards on the east side? Well, they spent thirty thousand yuan to buy one. If they can afford a thirty-thousand-yuan courtyard, I don’t think covering the trip fee for a few classmates would be a problem for them, right?”

The other students were stunned. They all knew about the courtyard houses east of the Beijing University campus. They were large, sprawling compounds, some with one or two main courtyards. In fact, those houses were much older than the university itself, with two or three hundred years of history. Their original owners had donated money and resources for the university’s founding, which was why the houses were preserved. Several current professors at Beijing University were descendants of those families and still lived in them.

Li Huan exploded. ’When we bought that courtyard for thirty thousand yuan, only the owner, Liu Jiajia, and her mother knew about it. The owner had moved abroad long ago, so it was obvious who the source was. That snake Liu Jiajia! To think she’d tell someone like Zhao Xiaohui... She’s clearly trying to make my life difficult!’

Just as Li Huan was about to erupt, Su Qing put a hand on her arm. Li Huan caught the signal and clamped her mouth shut. Su Qing smiled faintly and looked at Zhao Xiaohui. ”So, is this about you hating the rich?”

”I’m just stating the facts.” Zhao Xiaohui lifted her chin, staring at Su Qing. ”What, you’re not even willing to part with such a small amount of money?”

Before Su Qing could answer, the very students she was talking about—the ones with tight finances—spoke up. ”Zhao Xiaohui, we wouldn’t let Su Qing pay for us. Buying a house is her own business. You can’t expect her to pay for us just because she can afford a house. That’s completely unreasonable.”

Although these students weren’t wealthy, they had a clear sense of right and wrong. They never felt entitled to someone else’s money. Besides, they already felt incredibly lucky just to be attending Beijing University, especially with the university waiving their fees.

”Are you all stupid?” Zhao Xiaohui was so angry she could have died. ’I’m trying to get you a free trip, and what do you do? You turn around and undermine me right to my face! This is outrageous!’

”Zhao Xiaohui.” Huo Tao’s expression was serious. ”These students are right. You can’t just assume someone should do something simply because they have money. Besides, it’s not your money to offer. You have no right to make decisions for Su Qing and Li Huan.”

Su Qing was surprised. ’I haven’t even said a word, and Huo Tao and the other students have already shot Zhao Xiaohui down so hard she’s speechless.’

”Fine, fine, fine! You’re all so high and mighty!” Zhao Xiaohui was livid. ”My mistake for meddling, alright? Hmph. And here I was, trying to get you a chance to go on the trip.”

”If you wanted to help them go on the trip, why didn’t you offer to pay?” Liu Juan chimed in. ”Oh, right. You want to ’help’ by making Su Qing and Li Huan pay. Have you no shame? Do you even know what that’s called?”

”I do!” Ye Qingqing raised her hand. ”It’s called being generous with other people’s money.”

”Exactly!” said Sun Xiaowen and Chen Meizhen. ”Zhao Xiaohui, you’ve got some nerve, trying to make decisions about money in someone else’s pocket. You’re so meddlesome!”

Niu Wenying added, ”Seriously, way out of line.”

”You’re all going too far!” Zhao Xiaohui’s eyes welled up with tears from the verbal assault.

Song Yufang spoke up. ”You guys, don’t take it too far.”

”Who’s bullying who? We were minding our own business when Zhao Xiaohui came over and started shit.” Li Huan glared at Song Yufang. ”What, she’s allowed to start something, but we’re not allowed to fight back?”

”Alright, alright, that’s enough from everyone. Let’s just get along.” Seeing that a full-blown argument was about to erupt, Huo Tao quickly intervened. ”Let’s just drop the matter.”

When both sides fell silent, Huo Tao prepared to resume his headcount. But then Su Qing smiled and said, ”Class President, you can stop counting. I’ll cover the expenses for the trip.”

”What?!” Huo Tao hadn’t expected that. ”Su Qing, you don’t have to...”

The students with tight finances also chimed in, ”Su Qing, really, you don’t have to pay for us.”

Su Qing just smiled. ”It’s nothing. I’m just happy to do it. However...”

Su Qing pointed to Zhao Xiaohui and Song Yufang. ”Class President, the expenses I’m covering don’t include Song Yufang and Zhao Xiaohui. So, if those two want to go on the trip, you’ll still need to collect the fee from them.”

”Su Qing, you’re going way too far!” Hearing this, Zhao Xiaohui burst into tears. ”This is discrimination! You’re undermining class unity and sowing discord!”