97 Rule Awareness

Selma Payne’s POV:

It would look so cool to slam the door and leave, wouldn’t it?

But not everyone thought so, at least not in my parents’ eyes.

“That’s a bit of a joke.” My father frowned and said sternly, “Going against the principal? She even threatened him? Baby, this is not what a good student should do.”

My mother’s eyes told me she didn’t agree with my actions.

I wrung my fingers and retorted softly, “I know I shouldn’t have contradicted my teacher, but does that old man look like a principal at all? He became the protective umbrella of the bullies, allowing them to bully ordinary students as they pleased, just because the bullies brought honor to the school and added to his resume. With all due respect, such a person is not qualified to sit in the school office. The prison is his best place!”

“That’s still not a reason for you to do this.” My father rubbed his brows tiredly. “Even if you don’t like him, why don’t you use a gentler and more subtle way? When you want to do something, it’s best not to leave any evidence. My dear daughter, your principal has already submitted a protest letter to the palace. What do you want me to do? Cover for you? Are you going to be punished?”

His words shocked me. A subtler way? Not leaving any evidence?

This didn’t sound that righteous!

“Don’t look at me like that, child!” My father said slyly, “A 100% good person can’t control such a big and complicated country. The rules are for those who follow the rules. For those who don’t follow the rules, we should have a way to deal with them outside the rules.”

It was as if I had only just discovered another side of my father today, a side that was very different from his great, majestic, and benevolent image of a king. Just like the shadow under the sun, it was incompatible with the sunlight, but it was also an indispensable part of the world.

“To be honest, this is a little beyond my expectations.” I mumbled, “I thought I’d be lectured when I got home.”

My mother hugged me gently and pinched my face. She smiled and said, “Of course, don’t think you can escape the punishment!”

“But Father, you’re going to teach me the best way to deal with those who don’t follow the rules, right?” I pounced into her arms and acted coquettishly. “Forget about the family punishment. I’d rather hear the way to do it.”

My mother held me and fell onto the sofa. I lay in her arms and stared at my father with bright eyes.

My father laughed and said, “What a strange girl! Alright, Selma. Listen up. The most effective way to deal with those who don’t follow the rules is to be even more lawless than them.

“Why do these people have the confidence not to follow the rules? They either think they have the confidence and ability to challenge the rules, or they think that they are the ones who made the rules so that they can play with the rules in their hands.”

I raised my hand high like a curious primary school student and said eagerly, “So, Mr. Principal is the kind of person who thinks he’s the one who made the rules, so he doesn’t follow them?”

“I think so.” My father smiled. “As a principal in charge of so many teachers and students, it’s not difficult to understand why he would have such an arrogant thought. It’s also very easy to deal with this kind of person. As long as we let reality tell him who the real owner of the rules is, it’ll be fine.”

“Of course it’s you! The great Lycan King, the absolute leader of the werewolves, the agent of Moon Goddess in the human world. No one has more power than you to control the rules!”

My father rubbed my head and scolded me with a smile, “You glib-tongued cheeky brat. I’m going to check your social circle and see who led you astray!”

I pulled my father to the sofa and squeezed myself between my parents “Warm arms,” I said happily. “I don’t have a glib tongue. This is my respect for you from the bottom of my heart!”

My mother pinched my nose and said sweetly, “What a smart little mouth! Look at your father; he’s being praised so much that he can’t even find the north anymore!”

My father tried to regain his dignity, but his smiling eyes betrayed him mercilessly.

“I’m very happy my daughter has such a high opinion of me, but unfortunately, even I can’t control the rules.” He shook his head and said seriously, “One or a few people do not make the rules. From the moment they are born into the world, they are destined to restrain everyone. Therefore, everyone will have them.

“In other words, everyone is the owner of the rules. We use rules to restrict ourselves and the actions of others, to protect our and the rights of others.

“Some people are used to being in a high position and think they can restrain the rules in their palms, using rules to hurt others. This is simply too arrogant.

“When they are hurting others without restraint, isn’t he someone with a higher status than him? On the other hand, a person’s identity will change. Economically, politically, emotionally, and in terms of value, no one can always be established in an undefeatable place.

“Just like your principal, he can use the power granted to him by the rules to do whatever he wants. You can also use the higher power granted to you by the rules to punish him.”

“That’s why rules aren’t the root of everything. Only the human heart can cause such waves.”