69. The Origin of Rumors

At six in the morning, Guo Jingyuan left the Chen family villa with her backpack right on time.

Clearwater Bank wasn’t remote, nor was it far from First High School, but its sheer size was daunting. It took only half an hour by bus from the nearest stop at Clearwater Bank to get to First High, but walking from Chen Ruowen’s house out of the residential area and then to the bus stop nearly took an hour.

Guo Jingyuan didn’t want to trouble Chen Ruowen, so she got up and left early every day.

This past half-month at the Chen family had been the most peaceful days she’d known. She didn’t have to be constantly on guard against traps set for her, didn’t fear being blamed for things she hadn’t done, didn’t worry someone would barge into her room at night to beat her, and didn’t have to hide her studies in fear that her just-finished tests would disappear or her review materials would be inexplicably lost...

Passing through rows of villas, Guo Jingyuan left Clearwater and boarded the bus, arriving at the gates of First High School.

Less than four months remained before she could finally escape and start a new life.

But which city should she apply to for university? North City or West City? Or perhaps... South City?

If she stayed here, she would never escape the shadow cast by her family. Yet Chen Ruowen had helped her so much—wouldn’t leaving just like that be ungrateful?

But Chen Ruowen was studying at South University...

With her current grades, did she even stand a chance of getting in?

“Jingyuan!”

Lost in her thoughts, she was startled by a female voice tinged with just the right amount of excitement. At the sound, Guo Jingyuan’s body tensed instinctively.

She knew that person wouldn’t let her off so easily.

“Jingyuan!” Liu Meijuan called again, looking at her with affection and concern.

But inwardly, Liu Meijuan was seething with envy, gritting her teeth so hard she could almost break them.

She had gone to such lengths to ruin that wretched girl—making her timid and frail, so self-conscious she couldn’t even stand straight, her face haggard, her nerves on edge, sallow-skinned and too poor to afford new clothes...

And yet, how long had it even been? How had she recovered her spirit so quickly? Why was her skin flawless again, and why had that air of grace and composure returned?

And those clothes... Liu Meijuan clenched her teeth.

That coat—she’d just seen it in Fashion magazine a few months ago, an haute couture piece from a top international luxury brand’s autumn-winter collection, priced at eighty thousand! And now it was on Guo Jingyuan?

Where had this woman gotten the money for such expensive clothes?!

Liu Meijuan gazed at Jingyuan with a pained expression, like a helpless mother guiding a wayward daughter, and spoke loudly enough for those nearby to hear.

“Jingyuan, even though you stole from home, your father wasn’t truly angry! How could you leave in a fit of pique and stay at your... boyfriend’s house for over half a month? And now you’ve started gambling, borrowing three hundred thousand in high-interest loans—how can your family not worry about you?”

Guo Jingyuan’s face went deathly pale.

Distracted earlier, she hadn’t noticed the number of people already gathered in the third-floor corridor, mostly near Class Eight. They must have been curious about the sudden appearance of a middle-aged woman at the school...

Seeing Guo Jingyuan’s response, Liu Meijuan felt a surge of satisfaction. Of course this girl couldn’t be better so soon—just a few words and she was already cringing!

“Jingyuan, don’t worry. Your family will find a way to pay off your debts, but you’re still young—you mustn’t go astray for the sake of money! Please, take care of yourself!”

She stepped forward, concern written all over her face as she took Guo Jingyuan’s hand—a gesture that to any onlooker would seem the height of maternal affection.

But Guo Jingyuan reacted violently. At Liu Meijuan’s touch, she screamed, her face ashen, and stumbled back several steps until she could go no further.

“Jingyuan!”

Liu Meijuan hurried after her, grabbing her arm and, out of sight of others, dug her long fingernails in hard, drawing another shriek from Guo Jingyuan.

“It’s all my fault as your mother. I knew your mental health wasn’t good but still failed to protect you. Let’s go home. No matter how you hit or scold me, I won’t blame you. No matter what you become, your father and I will always love you. Come, let’s go home.”

No!

That’s not true!

You’re not my mother!

I’m not mentally ill, I never hit anyone, never stole, never gambled, never took out usurious loans, and certainly never sold myself for money!

I never did any of those things!

Why do you insist on pinning them on me?

Guo Jingyuan screamed in defiance, resisting Liu Meijuan’s touch, letting her nails leave blood-red marks on the back of her hand.

But to the surrounding students, her reaction only confirmed Liu Meijuan’s claim that she was “mentally unstable.” Whispers broke out:

“I always thought something was off about Guo Jingyuan. Turns out she’s mentally ill!”

“If she’s mentally ill, why isn’t she in a hospital? What’s she doing at school? Did you see her just now? What if she hurts someone?”

No! That’s not true!

This isn’t real!

Inside, Guo Jingyuan was screaming, but Liu Meijuan held her arm in a vice grip, staring straight into her eyes, her mouth moving with words designed to provoke. All of Guo Jingyuan’s strength was spent resisting her touch—there was none left to defend herself with words.

“What’s all that commotion outside?”

In the back row of Class Seven’s senior classroom, the noise from the corridor roused Gao Tang. He stretched out a long leg and nudged the chair of the boy sitting by the back door.

The boy poked his head out, covered his ears, and grumbled impatiently, “Isn’t it just that Guo Jingyuan from Class Eight? Who knows what she’s done this time. Every time there’s trouble, it’s her. So annoying!”

“Guo Jingyuan?” Gao Tang mused, glancing toward the door, then rose from his seat. “I’ll go see what’s going on.”

The boy stared at him in surprise, momentarily forgetting to cover his ears. “Don’t tell me you’re interested in Guo Jingyuan? She’s pretty, but not a good person. Who knows how many guys she’s been with—how could you like someone like that?”

Gao Tang paused in the doorway, turned halfway around, placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder, and flashed a smile that could make anyone lose their senses.

“You can eat whatever you want, but watch what you say.”

The boy’s jaw dropped. “You’re not serious, are you—”

Gao Tang squeezed his shoulder hard, and the boy wisely fell silent.

Stepping into the corridor, Gao Tang surveyed the chaos at the center of the crowd, then tapped the shoulder of a nearby girl who was filming with her phone and smiled.

“Could you send me that video?”

Dazed by his charm, the girl nodded eagerly, added his contact, and sent him the video she’d just taken.

Gao Tang watched the scene unfold with a smile, then forwarded the clip directly to Chen Ruowen.

“Hurry to Class Eight—come play the hero and save the damsel.”