Chapter 026: Wronged to Tears, Feng Aotian Softens
The commotion by the window lasted only an instant.
After it passed, no matter how loudly Bai Ruoting shouted, there was no response.
His men exchanged bewildered glances, unsure what had transpired.
"Maybe the glass was subpar and hadn't been maintained for years, so it just shattered?" someone cautiously suggested.
"Is that so?"
Bai Ruoting remained skeptical, yet he didn't lower the stick in his hand.
Ye Zhen, crouched by the doorway, remained completely unflustered.
After all, if there was truly any mortal danger, the system would immediately alert her and find a way to rescue her.
She was a master at staying low-key, so naturally, she minimized her presence to avoid injury.
She waited a little longer.
The iron gate was pounded on loudly.
Bai Ruoting's lips curled upward into a classic, villainous smirk straight out of a comic book. "What did I tell you? This woman knows when to back down. She'll come! Open the door. Let's see how she plans to beg me."
Two girls pinned Ye Zhen against the door while a burly man stepped forward to open the iron gate.
But it wasn't Ye Fuli who appeared at the entrance—it was Huang Li, her face tense with anxiety.
"Yellow Hair? What are you doing here?"
Bai Ruoting's expectations were dashed once more, his expression darkening.
"Where's Ye Fuli? Did you get in touch with her? She should know about tonight's event!"
The parent-teacher meeting had ended, and the hallway was bustling with noise.
No matter how furious Bai Ruoting felt now, he had to leave school and head home within half an hour.
After all, he had only just turned eighteen and wasn't bold enough to defy his parents' orders.
So, growing impatient as Ye Fuli failed to show herself, he snapped, "Speak up, Yellow Hair! Are you deaf or dumb?"
Huang Li swallowed hard and said, "Brother Bai, I think… I think we shouldn't be putting a girl through this."
His gaze kept drifting toward the window.
At that moment, Ye Fuli sat there like a ghost, observing the room with a faint, ambiguous smile.
Huang Li had been practically forced by her to come knock on the door.
Truthfully, he'd never been this afraid of anyone before…
In Ye Fuli, he often glimpsed the shadow of a desperate fugitive. This woman was reckless to the core!
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
Bai Ruoting roared in fury.
"She ruined me like this, and you're defending her? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
In the chaotic gym, only Bai Ruoting's roar echoed.
After a moment of silence.
The commotion outside gradually subsided.
Clearly, the time for the school cleanup was drawing nearer.
At that moment, Ye Fuli's voice drifted in, slow and deliberate: "Oh dear, young master Bai, you look so terrifying like this."
Just as Bai Ruoting turned to look at her, the flash on her phone lit up at the perfect moment.
Click—
She captured the chaotic scene.
Bai Ruoting glared at her, his eyes bulging with fury!
Damn it! She was taking pictures again, right there so close to him, and… she actually dared to laugh so brazenly?!
Rage made his chest heave violently, his heart racing.
"Beat her! Beat her hard!"
Yet not a single one of his henchmen dared to move.
Ye Fuli still held her phone aloft.
That gesture was 100% recording.
At that moment, Ye Zhen, who had been crouched in the corner pretending to be a mushroom, spoke up loudly:
"We're all students about to take our graduation exams! Are you really going to throw away your futures for some so-called brotherly loyalty? Ye Fuli has already taken photos—she might've even notified the dean by now!"
Hearing this, Bai Ruoting flinched twice before glaring at her viciously.
Ye Zhen promptly covered her head and resumed crouching, pretending to be a mushroom.
As for the others, they'd only come to back Bai Ruoting up—who dared actually fight?
They exchanged glances, then silently backed away in unison.
Witnessing this scene, Ye Fuli burst into exaggerated laughter: "Are you really going to hit me? So many of you against just one me? I couldn't possibly handle it… Ha ha! I'm so scared, I'm really scared!"
"Stop acting so cocky!"
Bai Ruoting was thoroughly enraged. He raised his stick and charged forward.
But Ye Fuli sidestepped nimbly, leaping into the gym and circling behind Bai Ruoting.
Bai Ruoting's heart skipped a beat as he swiftly swung his stick backward.
"Ye Fuli, if you've got the guts, fight me fair and square! Stop hiding like a coward!"
He shouted, turning around and raising the stick high once more.
This blow would leave Ye Fuli crippled if not dead!
His eyes flashed with malice, his expression twisted into a savage grimace, as if victory were already his.
"Heh."
Ye Fuli let out a cold laugh, deftly tilting her head to dodge the blow.
Seizing his moment of distraction, she swiftly raised her leg and delivered a vicious kick to his… not the pair everyone possesses.
In that instant, every male present sucked in a sharp breath.
Bai Ruoting's agonized scream echoed throughout the entire campus.
Before school officials could arrive, everyone scattered in a panic—even Huang Li fled at top speed.
By the time Ye Zhen snapped out of her shock, Ye Fuli had already grabbed her hand and dragged her far away.
Gasping for breath, she felt tonight had been utterly terrifying!
"Ye Zhen, why were you there?"
Ye Fuli's gaze was heavy as she stared at her.
Step by step, she closed in!
Soon, she had the exhausted Ye Zhen cornered against the wall.
"Why do you have Huang Li's contact information?"
"You're still pining for Bai Ruoting, aren't you?"
"Ye Zhen, answer me."
Ye Zhen shook her head frantically.
She didn't know how to explain. The more nervous she got, the less she could say.
Ye Fuli, standing before her, seemed unsatisfied with the beating she'd already given her, as if she might strangle her at any moment!
"You can't explain it anymore, can you?" Ye Fuli gave a bitter laugh. "Now, I even suspect you're in cahoots with them."
Falsely accused like this, even the usually passive Ye Zhen was enraged.
She snapped, "Shut up!"
The words barely left her mouth before she cringed, her tone softening. "Um, what I meant was… could you please stop talking? The truth isn't what you're saying. Why are you accusing me like this?"
"Am I framing you?"
Ye Zhen nodded vigorously.
Suppressing her unease, she explained word by word:
"First, I was there by pure coincidence—I swear on my life! Second, the school has all these club groups with member contacts; he reached out to me unilaterally. And finally, that damn Bai Ruoting…"
Her voice turned venomous at the mention of Bai Ruoting. "I swear to heaven, if I ever like him, may I get my period thirty days a month!"
Such an absurd and vicious oath left Ye Fuli momentarily speechless.
The cold wind swept across their faces, tangling their hair wildly.
They stood there in the wind, speechless for a long time.
With the threat gone, Ye Zhen’s heart finally settled. She exhaled in relief, but suddenly felt a wave of bitterness wash over her, and tears began to fall.
Damn it, this is so unfair.
She wasn't some evil villainess. All she wanted was three square meals a day, meat at every meal, the occasional bubble tea, munching on sunflower seeds when bored, and just living peacefully until old age.
Why did they have to make things so hard for her?
She'd tried so hard to make herself seem harmless.
"Ye Fuli, you bastard! Why do you always pick on me? I swear, I swear I've been trying so hard… hiccup~ trying so hard not to mess up…"
Ye Fuli, who had viewed everyone around her with hatred since her rebirth, was now flustered.
She hadn't expected Ye Zhen to suddenly break down like this.
In all the scenarios she'd imagined interacting with Ye Zhen, this moment hadn't been part of the plan.
"Stop… stop crying."
She reached out her hand, trying to comfort her.
But Ye Zhen only cried even harder.
"Stop crying. I… I'll give you money… That should be fine, right?"
"Who wants your filthy money!"
When someone's emotions collapse, they become bold.
Ye Zhen's sobs were ugly and raucous—even men who usually found her appealing would turn tail and run at the sight.
But Ye Fuli couldn't move a single step.
She forced her mouth open, but the words that came out were hollow: "Well… all I can give you right now… is money…"
Ye Zhen roared, "You wronged me! You owe me an apology!"
Apologize?
Ye Fuli's entire body tensed.
Her face remained cold, her red lips pressed tightly together, unable to utter a single soft word.
After a moment of deep thought, she reached out, pulled the petite figure before her into her embrace, and gently patted her back.
Then, in a voice barely audible, she uttered an awkward "I'm sorry"…