David Clark is a married man, and Olivia Howard is even the fiancée of a military officer, yet he actually dared to... dared! The image of David Clark in Edward Brooks's mind was instantly shattered! David Clark was simply worse than a beast! Doing such a shameful thing in broad daylight was bad enough, but he still engaged in this illicit affair with an unmarried woman.

Edward Brooks felt all the blood in his body rush to his head; he wished he could kick open Grace Howard's door right now and catch the adulterous pair in the act!

David Clark was short and fat, while Grace Howard was the belle of the school. Anyone could guess how they ended up in bed together. David Clark used his power to pressure others, and Grace Howard was willing—who knows what promises David Clark made to her. Did she really think she could become a full-time teacher just like that? But even so, did it have to be this way?

But as Edward Brooks walked to the staff dormitory building, he gradually calmed down. If he barged in like this, there would be no witnesses except himself—how could he possibly argue with David Clark, the principal? Everyone knew that David Clark's word was law at the school; even the vice principal and the director of teaching trembled before him, having only the right to raise their hands, not to speak. What if David Clark turned the tables and accused him instead?

A cold sweat broke out on Edward Brooks's back. With David Clark's ability to manipulate things, he could easily pin the blame on him! After all, he had no power or influence, Lily Carter had left, and her father had even arranged for him to be sent to this godforsaken place. If he acted rashly now, it was entirely possible he could be fired.

When it came to the power struggles at school, some things Edward Brooks saw clearly, others he did not. But he knew that the vice principal, Richard Bolton, was secretly contending with David Clark, though David Clark had absolute control and Richard Bolton couldn't make any waves. Whether he understood their affairs or not, Edward Brooks chose not to get involved, remaining a bystander—what he understood, he took as experience; what he didn't, he would try to figure out later.

But now that he knew about this, he couldn't let David Clark off the hook so easily. Since a direct confrontation wouldn't work, he'd have to take a more indirect approach. As he reached Grace Howard's dormitory, an idea suddenly came to Edward Brooks.

"Teacher Hu, you haven't gone home yet?" From several meters away, Edward Brooks called out loudly.

"Ah! Teacher Zhu, I... I..." Grace Howard, hearing Edward Brooks's voice from inside the dorm, was so startled she nearly collapsed on the spot. His voice was so clear, he must already be at the door.

Fortunately, David Clark was used to handling crises. He quickly withdrew his "other self." After being startled by Edward Brooks, who knows if there would be any consequences in the future, but for now, there was no way they could continue.

"You're still sleeping, right? I won't disturb your rest." Edward Brooks deliberately hesitated before saying, "reluctantly," making it clear to those inside that he had discovered something.

"Okay... okay..." Grace Howard replied hurriedly, her back drenched in cold sweat.

Not long after Edward Brooks left the staff building, David Clark came out behind him, hands clasped behind his back. Edward Brooks paid special attention: David Clark's steps were steady, his expression unchanged, as if nothing had happened. If he hadn't heard it with his own ears, Edward Brooks would have doubted what had just occurred.

"Just now, I was talking to Teacher Hu about joining the Party. She wrote an application to join," David Clark said blandly as he walked up to Edward Brooks. "You’re not a Party member yet, are you?"

"Oh," Edward Brooks replied softly, his eardrums throbbing painfully. He was growing more and more impressed by David Clark—why be a principal? He should be an actor; maybe he'd have an even brighter future.

"Xiao Zhu, I have to say, when it comes to striving for progress and aligning oneself with the organization, you're not as proactive as Teacher Hu. Even a substitute teacher can write a Party application—why haven't you?"

"Well... maybe I'm not qualified," Edward Brooks replied stiffly. David Clark's tactic of taking the initiative left him little room to respond. It seemed that hanging around with the nameless Taoist had its benefits—at least his skin was getting thicker. Though not as thick as the Taoist's, it was enough to get by at school. Playing along with David Clark like this, at least no outsiders would notice anything amiss.

"Qualification is one thing; whether you write it or not is a matter of attitude!"

"Yes, yes, I'll write it tomorrow."

David Clark walked away unhurriedly, hands behind his back, leaving Edward Brooks dumbfounded. To be so shameless—Edward Brooks almost had to admire him.

Three days later, at a school affairs meeting, David Clark proposed that the teaching office still lacked a deputy director, and among all the teachers, only Edward Brooks was the most suitable. He was a university graduate, and the class he led had the best discipline, average grades, and overall performance in the school. Not promoting someone like that would be a dereliction of duty!