Chapter 175
When Josie entered, Hadley was driving people out. “Except for the parties involved, everyone else must leave first.”
Sean, who had intended to enter, was also driven out together with the others.
Only Delilah, Josie, the talkative girl, and the two directors remained in the room. There was also an elderly person dressed plainly.
Josie nodded to the elderly man and said, “Thank you for going to all this trouble to come here.”
The old man waved his hand and said, “Let us set this aside for now and address the issue first.”
Josie looked at the Director of the Department of Student Affairs. “Director, could you please, in the presence of this student, announce the findings of the investigation into the report that someone accused me of having a disorderly private life?”
“Okay.” The director didn’t say anything extra and directly pulled up the surveillance footage.
The director started, “This is the surveillance footage we obtained from Aloville Traditional Medicine Hospital. It confirms that the footage referenced in the complaint letter, showing you with Jeremy, was recorded at the entrance of Aloville Traditional Medicine Hospital.”
“The individual who filed the report blurred the background of the photograph in an attempt to cast aspersions on Josie and Jeremy. However, the facts have demonstrated that you did not engage in any of the improper conduct mentioned in the report,” the explanation continued.
Delilah pursed her lips and said, “The whistleblower has cast serious aspersions on both my husband and Josie. I request that the school identify the whistleblower and thoroughly investigate the source of these rumors.”
Hadley spoke up, “Strict disciplinary measures will be imposed on those responsible for spreading rumors and defamation. This not only provides accountability to the public but also purges negative influences from the school environment. It is essential for all students to understand that this is a place for learning, not for rumor-mongering or causing disturbances.”
“Please rest assured, Professor Wilcourt. Our school will certainly provide everyone with a clear explanation regarding this matter,” Hadley said with assurance.
Hadley continued, “Next, I will address the second issue raised in the report letter, namely, how Josie grew up, how she was admitted to our university, and the sources of her tuition fees, among other related matters. To clarify this matter, our school specifically dispatched personnel to the village where Josie lives and invited the local village branch secretary. Sir, what do you think about this?”
The elderly man who had been sitting beside tugged at the hem of his garment and stood up.
“Before I begin, I would like everyone to take a look at these receipts.” The elderly man took a rusty iron box from his backpack. The box was filled to the brim with receipts.
Some are severely damaged, with yellowed paper and writing that has become partially blurred, clearly indicating their considerable age.
“These are IOUs written by Josie from childhood to adulthood. Each IOU specifies the creditor and the amount owed,” the elderly man explained.
He pressed his lips together and cast an apologetic glance at Josie. “She grew up without a father, and within a few years, her mother also passed. From the age of five or six, she survived on the charity of various households. At that time, the villagers were poor, and no one was willing to take her in.”
“It was at my instruction that each household took turns to care for her for one day. She was not cared for without compensation. The food she received had to be earned through work. From a young age, she was small, yet she was notably intelligent and exceptionally efficient in her tasks,” the elderly man explained.
The elderly man continued, “When she reached school age, she went to school and pleaded with the teachers to let her work while attending classes. A volunteer teacher recognized her potential and personally approached me, asking if I could provide financial support for her education.”
“During those years, all the men in the village left to work elsewhere, resulting in a shortage of labor for village tasks. After careful consideration, I arranged for the village to fund her education on the condition that she would work for the village in return. Despite her young age, she has never lost any cattle or sheep while tending them, and livestock are all fond of her. Gradually, I came to believe she would have a promising future, so I have continued to support her education.” The elderly man looked at Josie.
He continued, “Later, she was admitted to university. However, the tuition was too expensive for our village, and we simply could not afford her living expenses. When the town learned that someone from our village had been admitted to university, they sent us some money. However, it was not enough to cover the tuition fees, so I went around the village with her to borrow money.”
“I borrowed money from more than ten households, totaling six thousand dollars, and brought all of it to the school for her. Dear professors, please take a look. These are the IOUS from when the money was originally borrowed.” The elderly man gestured to the pieces of paper.