I Returned to the Day He Brought His First Love Home-Chapter 147: A Blatant Scheme

"All right. It’s clear someone is deliberately spreading malicious slander. Go find out who’s behind it. Instead of focusing on their studies, they’re pulling these kinds of pointless, spiteful stunts." Vincent Holland snorted coldly, feeling absolutely no goodwill toward the anonymous informant.

No professor would ever dislike a hardworking student eager to learn.

A student like Grace Winslow was the apple of every professor’s eye.

Grace Winslow was still unaware that someone had filed a report against her.

On Monday afternoon, she left the classroom with her professor.

Due to a last-minute change in plans, she needed to adjust her class schedule for the day.

For someone as disciplined and routine-oriented as Grace, this was a frustrating ordeal.

"I need you to clear your schedule for the next few days. I’m going to put you through some intensive training to help boost your English proficiency."

"The foreign dignitaries visiting this time are very important. A successful reception will be hugely beneficial to our country’s development over the next decade."

"The university selected you for this important event because they see great potential in you. You need to seize this opportunity. After you graduate, you could land a position at the Ministry of Diplomacy."

"Grace, this is especially true for you. Your fundamentals are quite strong. If you keep working hard, a spot at the Ministry of Diplomacy after graduation is practically guaranteed."

Claire Dunn looked at Grace and advised her solemnly.

Grace nodded. "I understand, Professor. I’ll do my very best."

"Is there a detailed training schedule available? I have classes in other departments that I’ll need to reschedule."

Hearing Grace’s response, Claire Dunn didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Anyone else, upon hearing they had a shot at the Ministry of Diplomacy, would be overjoyed.

They certainly wouldn’t be worrying about missing classes in other departments.

But it was precisely this responsible and conscientious attitude that gave Claire even higher hopes for Grace.

"I’ll get it to you shortly. Keep up the good work. I have high expectations for you."

With that, Claire Dunn turned and left.

Grace glanced at the time. She could still make it to her history lecture, so she clutched her textbook and hurried to the history classroom.

When Claire Dunn returned to the Foreign Language Department to find Grace, she learned the young woman had already dashed off to a history class.

She was again left exasperated. Just then, she spotted Pearl Thorne, Grace’s roommate, and gestured for her to come over.

"Professor, you were looking for me?" Pearl Thorne asked, a puzzled look on her face.

’I’ve never really stood out in class. The professor shouldn’t even know who I am.’

"You’re Grace Winslow’s roommate, right? Take this back to her. Tell her she absolutely must be on time for the training." Claire Dunn handed over a notebook.

Pearl took it. "Of course, Professor. I’ll make sure she gets it."

The moment Professor Dunn was gone, Pearl casually tossed the notebook into a nearby trash can.

’Give something to Grace?’

’Not a chance.’

’Hopefully, she’ll miss the session, get chewed out by the professor, and maybe even lose this golden opportunity.’

Grace attended several more classes, not getting back to her dorm until after dark.

Pearl Thorne shot her a glance, the corners of her mouth curling into a cold, gloating smile.

Grace gave her an odd look. ’What’s her problem now? Why is she smiling at me like that?’

She’d had a long, tiring day and couldn’t be bothered with whatever petty scheme Pearl was cooking up. She quickly washed up, climbed into bed, and put on a cassette tape to practice her vocabulary.

The next morning, she had just arrived at the classroom when Claire Dunn stopped her. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Claire Dunn’s face was flushed with anger. "Grace, what is the meaning of this? Didn’t I tell you yesterday how important this opportunity is and that you needed to take it seriously? The department head gave a speech at the session yesterday. Why weren’t you there?"

Grace was taken aback. "I never received any notice, Professor Dunn. What happened?"

"You didn’t know about the session yesterday?" Claire Dunn could tell from Grace’s expression that she wasn’t faking it.

Grace nodded. "I was in my regular classes yesterday. After my history lecture, I went to your office to ask for the schedule, but you were gone. Another professor told me you’d already left campus on an errand."

"I assumed there was nothing scheduled for yesterday, so I just followed my own schedule."

"That’s impossible," Claire Dunn frowned. "I made a special trip to your classroom yesterday and gave the schedule to your roommate."

"Which roommate?" The image of Pearl Thorne’s smug expression from the night before immediately flashed through Grace’s mind.

’She can’t possibly be that stupid, can she?’

’If she did this, she’d be caught the second we confronted her. What’s the point of pulling a pointless, spiteful stunt like that?’

’How did someone with her intelligence even get into this university?’

"How should I know her name?" Claire Dunn said, growing impatient. "She’s in your class. Not very tall, a little chubby, always done up with two braids. Doesn’t seem to study much."

She couldn’t recall Pearl Thorne’s name.

’She’s an unremarkable student with a poor academic record, after all. Why would I remember someone like that?’

The description confirmed Grace’s suspicions. "Professor, let’s go inside. We can ask her when she gets here. She didn’t give me anything yesterday."

Claire Dunn grew even angrier at her words.

’It’s one thing to be a poor student, but to resort to these petty tricks to sabotage a classmate?’

She instantly figured out what malicious game Pearl Thorne was playing.

Her face dark with anger, she followed Grace into the classroom.

Pearl Thorne arrived late, slipping in just as the bell rang for class to begin.

The moment she stepped inside, she sensed that something was wrong with the classroom’s atmosphere.

Professor Dunn was standing at the lectern, her face grim.

Her heart skipped a beat. She quickly launched a preemptive strike. "Professor, I gave the notebook to Grace yesterday, just like you asked. But she didn’t even glance at it before throwing it in the trash."

Claire Dunn already had a poor opinion of Pearl Thorne, and her words only made it worse. "You’re Pearl Thorne, correct? Are you certain it was Grace who threw it in the trash?"

Pearl steeled herself. "Yes, it was her."

"That’s absolute nonsense! Grace never even came back to this classroom yesterday! What’s more, someone saw *you* throw it in the trash! The notebook was found and turned in to the office yesterday. How dare you keep spouting these lies!" Claire Dunn slammed her hand on the lectern, pointing a finger at Pearl’s face as she unleashed her fury.

"I can overlook the fact that you care more about your appearance than your studies, but to stoop to scheming and sabotaging your classmates... How did a person of your character ever get accepted into Crestwood University? If you fail the upcoming exams, you can expect to be expelled!"

With that final threat, a fuming Claire Dunn stormed out.

Pearl Thorne’s face went deathly pale. Her eyes reddening, she turned to Grace. "Grace, I’ve never done anything to you. Even if you don’t like me, you didn’t have to frame me like this, did you? Will you be happy if I get expelled?"

Grace slowly flipped a page in her book. She looked up, a brilliant smile spreading across her face. "Actually, I would be pretty happy about that. When the bad apple gets thrown out, the learning environment improves for everyone. Why wouldn’t I be happy?"