Chapter 58

Gu Jing Yuan clenched his teeth.

Someone started scolding at the classroom entrance, “What’s there to look at? Even if you keep looking, you still won’t be the top student!”

Facing such a stern chiding, most people left in embarrassment.

Despite the current incident, among the crowd, someone still muttered, “Who knows if her grades are even legit.”

“Are you an idiot? Then why don’t you try cheating in the exams?”

Even if the netizens were not privy to Fu Middle School’s examination proceeding, could a student of the school not know how stringent the surveillance system were in their examination halls? Yet, this person who was exposed still refused to admit defeat.

“Are you one of Tao Yi Xi’s lackeys? What do you care if I talk bad about her?”

“It’s still better than being a garbage like you who only knows how to envy and slander others. Is it so hard to admit that others are more excellent than you?”

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Mys Z Dk tzydnle vsoyaep vbl essa yde vblka lulp xlv. Mbl vos sq vblx byhl dsv prsjld qsa y zsdt vkxl.

“Hbsw Hbk, nyd usw nsxl shla qsa y xsxldv?” Hbsw Hbk oyp nyzzle yoyu cu bla elpjxyvl, kdvlaawrvkdt vbl pkzldv lmnbydtl clvolld vbl vos.

Mys Zk Dk xlppytle bla: [Psd’v tlv kdhszhle yduxsal.]

Hbsw Hbk alrzkle kdpvydvzu: [R osd’v!]

Mys Zk Dk pktble, osaakle vbyv Hbsw Hbk oswze tlv kxrzknyvle clnywpl sq vbkp xsadkdt’p nsxxsvksd. Fbl saktkdyzzu rzyddle vs ds zsdtla ryu yvvldvksd vs vbl qsawx cwv pbl qswde blaplzq ldvlakdt vbl pnbssz’p sdzkdl qsawx sdnl xsal. Zlv, pbl qswde vbyv bla dyxl oyp ds zsdtla rzypvlale yzz shla vbl bsxlrytl.

[Mseyu’p nyqlvlaky xldw: Follv yde Fswa Vkdlyrrzl Vsaj kp elzknkswp!]

[Diary Record: Cute stray cats spotted in school~]

[I feel like the hair on our class teacher’s head is getting sparse…]

[Seeking anti-balding remedies!]

The homepage was now filled with various unrelated and trivial new posts.

She spotted someone trying to bump up the previous post about her, so she refreshed the page by dragging the interface downwards.

Upon refreshing, the few malicious posts were pushed down by more new trivial posts. It seemed like invisible forces were working together, silently but powerfully, supporting her.

She was startled.

One of the IDs in the reply section looked familiar.

[Is this you?]

Zhou Zhi admitted candidly: [You saw it?]

[Thank you.]

[Yi Xi, I’m but one of many people. There are a lot of classmates who are voluntarily helping out as well.]

[Yi Xi, everyone likes you.]

[You managed to subdue the school delinquent, bring honor to our class, and everyone whom you’ve helped remembers your kindness. All of us know exactly what kind of person you are.]

The string of messages from Zhou Zhi pierced her heart. Tao Yi Xi lifted her head and glanced at her classmates who had their heads buried in their phones. Although they did not say a thing, they were all doing their best, privately trying to suppress the negative posts for her.

Not everyone could be courageous enough to step out and voice an opinion that went against the majority, hence, their actions were already very incredible.

A tinge of sourness surged in Tao Yi Xi’s nose, and her eyes became misty.

[Yi Xi, don’t push us away, okay?]

A tear rolled down Tao Yi Xi’s face and fell onto the screen.

[Sorry… I’m sorry, Zhi Zhi.]

She was wrong, just because she had been hurt before, she thought that everyone would be like that. She had forgotten that there was still goodness in this world.

[Since you’ve apologized, I’ll forgive you. Don’t push me away next time!]

[Yes!]

The tear on Tao Yi Xi’s face was wiped away by a warm finger.

“If you continue crying, your eyes will get puffy again.” Gu Jing Yuan was distressed.

Seeing that he was unfazed, Tao Yi Xi asked, “Do you know about this?”

“En, Zhou Zhi talked to me about this yesterday. Just after you were called to the form teacher’s office, we all decided to form a group to help with this matter. But this is just the beginning.”

Tao Yi Xi was puzzled.

Gu Jing Yuan brushed her disheveled bangs, “Let me handle these messy things.”

The phone in Gu Jing Yuan’s pocket vibrated. After checking, he stood up.

“I’m heading out for a bit.”

Tao Yi Xi instinctively grabbed the hem of his clothes, not realizing how dependent this action was.

“Where are you going?”

“To find the mole.”

“???”

“I’ll be back soon.”

Gu Jing Yuan took a USB drive from his backpack and left.

He did not return even after the second class ended.

In between classes, they headed downstairs to do radio calisthenics. Zhou Zhi enthusiastically walked towards Tao Yi Xi, and the two reconciled. Zhou Zhi warmly looped her arms with Tao Yi Xi’s and sighed, “I thought in this lifetime, I would never have a chance to walk with you again.”

“I’m sorry.” Tao Yi Xi felt guilty and apologized.

“Don’t be, I was just sighing. Let’s put this matter behind us, and not mention it again.”

On their way down to the field, they met Tang Wan and Cai Li Ling.

Zhou Zhi suggested, “After the radio calisthenics, let’s all go to the convenience store. I’ll treat everyone to yogurt to celebrate our partial victory.”

Zhou Zhi had invited the two of them into the group. The group also consisted of students from other classes. Those who were willing to help were all welcomed.

“Sure~” Tang Wan agreed with a smile. Tang Wan’s arms linked with Cai Li Ling’s, in pairs, the four of them walked together.

Zhou Zhi complained in dissatisfaction, “I don’t even know what kind of lunatic would deliberately bring Weibo matters into the school’s forum. Their post was even laced with negative connotations, trying to manipulate public opinion. Sima Zhao’s intentions are obvious to everyone!¹<司马昭之心路人皆知> This idiom is used to describe a situation where someone’s true intentions or concealed plans are so obvious that even casual observers can discern them. If I ever find out who it is, I’ll gather everyone in our group and expose them!”

“I concur!” Tang Wan responded indignantly.

Surprisingly, the usually talkative Cai Li Ling remained silent.

Zhou Zhi continued, “Let me share a piece of insider’s information with y’all. A little bird told me that the teachers also know who is behind all this and they even have evidence!”

“That’s great! I also want to take a look and see who’s so bitter and despicable!” Tang Wan was full of righteous outrage.

After Tang Wan spoke, the person beside her suddenly froze. Tang Wan turned and spotted Cai Li Ling’s pallid complexion.

“Li Ling, are you not feeling well?”

Cai Li Ling forced a smile and asked Zhou Zhi, “Do you know who is it?”

“Not yet, but I believe with the evidence we have, the person would not be able to run from it! After all, the one providing the evidence is our school delinquent.”

“Gu Jing Yuan?” Tao Yi Xi was the first to react. She finally understood what he headed out to do.

“That’s right!” Zhou Zhi recalled the initial CP that she rejected. Unexpectedly, they turned out to be the sweetest pair!

Cai Li Ling could not walk any longer; her breaths became uneven. “I feel a bit light-headed, I’ll go back first.”

“We’ll accompany you to the infirmary.”

“No need, I can go on my own.” Cai Li Ling refused and briskly walked away.

“Don’t walk so fast if you’re feeling dizzy!” Zhou Zhi called after her, but Cai Li Ling did not stop.

**

After the music stopped and the students completed the set of radio calisthenics, everyone was about to return to class. However, the person on the rostrum stopped them.

“Students, please stay where you are for a moment as we have a warning to issue.”

The principal sternly announced, “Cai Li Ling, a Year Two student from our school, has been found to have spread false information she retrieved from the internet and used the school computer to publish such rumors on the school’s forum. She collaborated with unidentified individuals from outside the school to damage the reputation of a fellow student! If not for the enthusiastic help from other fellow students, the bright future of the student in question would have been nearly ruined! This incident also has a detrimental impact on the school! This is her first warning and we hope that it serves as a deterrent to other students as well!”

The field full of students instantly erupted into a buzz of whispers, and many eyes turned to Tao Yi Xi, who remained composed.

Zhou Zhi was so shocked that her eyes almost popped out. “Did… did I hear it wrong? It was Li Ling?”

“En, it’s her.”

“You’ve known all this while?”

Tao Yi Xi shook her head. “I also just found out, but I’ve had my suspicions. Previously, the contents of our conversation in the cafeteria were also leaked by her.”

“What?! Why didn’t you say anything back then?” Each and every one of this news kept bombarding Zhou Zhi.

A trusted friend turned out to be a backstabber, the betrayal was suffocating.

Tao Yi Xi replied, “You’ve been friends for a longer period.”

She did not know how to make friends, and being blessed to have such a pure friendship was rare. She did not want it to be destroyed by trivial gossip.

Deep down, she also did not believe that her friendship with them could surpass the longstanding bond between them and Cai Li Ling.

Zhou Zhi was furious. “Are you stupid? So what if we’ve been friends with Li Ling for a longer time? Can’t you see my unreserved and biased love for you?!”

“I know it now.” Tao Yi Xi blinked innocently, and Zhou Zhi could not find it in herself to remain angry at Tao Yi Xi.

“Let’s go and gather at the convenience store first.”

Tang Wan saw them approaching from a distance. “Do you all believe this?”

Seeing that Cai Li Ling was nowhere to be seen, Zhou Zhi expressed her disappointment. “In the entire Year Two, there’s only one person with that name.”

Tang Wan did not reply, and the three of them lapsed into silence.