Zhang Yining led Lu Xuan through a maze of turns, finally stopping at the corner of a disused stairwell.
The light here was dim, a thin layer of dust covered everything, and the air had a stuffy smell; almost no one ever came here.
As soon as she stopped, Zhang Yining immediately turned around, the sweet smile she had deliberately maintained vanishing without a trace, replaced by an expression mixed with panic and a show of bravado.
Her voice carried an almost imperceptible tremor, but she deliberately raised her tone: "You... what nonsense were you spouting just now? Who told you there was a problem with my college entrance exam scores? I'm warning you, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't talk nonsense! If you dare to spread rumors again, believe it or not, I'll immediately sue you for defamation!"
She clasped her hands across her chest, trying to hide her inner turmoil with this posture, but her slightly whitened knuckles and rapid breathing betrayed her.
Lu Xuan, however, seemed unaffected by her "threat," maintaining his composed demeanor, even with a hint of playful amusement.
He said nothing, only watching her quietly and intently with his eyes, which had become exceptionally clear and bright after his rebirth.
His gaze seemed to penetrate her, making Zhang Yining's heart pound and a chill run down her spine.
He... he couldn't really know something, could he? Impossible! Absolutely impossible! That matter was handled flawlessly!
"Heh heh," Lu Xuan finally chuckled, breaking the suffocating silence, "Student Zhang Yining, whether it's nonsense or not, don't you have a clue yourself? Or do you need me to help you recall?"
He unhurriedly pulled out his phone, swiped his finger across the screen a few times, then turned the screen towards Zhang Yining.
Displayed on the screen was a blurry photo of a transcript; the name and ID number were clearly visible, indeed Zhang Yining, but the score was a full fifty points lower than what was in her official records!
Zhang Yining's pupils sharply contracted, her heart felt as if an invisible hand had squeezed it, almost leaping into her throat.
But her remaining rationality forced her to calm down; she even managed a stiff smile: "Heh, what is this? A tattered photo from who knows where? P-faking technology is so advanced now, who knows if it's real or fake? Besides, there are countless people with the same name across the country, why should this be me?"
She was still being stubborn, making her final struggle.
"Oh? Is that so?" Lu Xuan raised an eyebrow, seemingly having anticipated her reaction.
He retrieved his phone, tapping his finger a few more times; this time, the screen displayed the cover of a PPT, with the title boldly stating, "Investigation Report on Zhang Yining's Abnormal College Entrance Exam Scores."
He didn't immediately show Zhang Yining the detailed content, but unhurriedly said, "Same name? Well, the name Zhang Jianguo shouldn't be that common, should it? A deputy-division level cadre in the Municipal Education Bureau, in charge of admissions-related work... Is that information specific enough?"
Zhang Jianguo!
These three words were like a heavy hammer, striking Zhang Yining's heart! Her face instantly turned ashen, unable to maintain any expression, leaving only pure terror.
Lu Xuan savored her sudden change in expression, the curve of his lips deepening: "This PPT contains more than just a simple photo. Call log summaries, bank transfer screenshots, internal operation process descriptions... A chain of evidence spanning over a dozen pages, detailed enough, wouldn't you say? What do you think would happen if I anonymously posted it on the school forum, or simply leaked it to those media outlets who love big news, letting the vast number of netizens help analyze it?"
His voice remained gentle, even with a smile, but to Zhang Yining, it was more terrifying than a devil's whisper.
Every word was like a cold knife, scraping at her nerves.
She couldn't understand how this Student, who had been virtually invisible in class before, could know so much.
Where did he get these details, some of which even she wasn't fully aware of?!
Fear enveloped her like a tide; her body began to tremble slightly uncontrollably, and her teeth even chattered a little.
"No... don't..." She finally completely broke down, her voice laced with a sob, her gaze towards Lu Xuan filled with pleading, "Don't... don't send it out... I beg you..."
Lu Xuan watched her leisurely, waiting for her next words.
Zhang Yining bit her lower lip, almost drawing blood.
She knew she was finished, completely fallen into the hands of this mysterious Student.
She took a deep breath, as if having made some kind of decision: "Tell me... how much money do you want? As long as you don't reveal these things, and... and give me that PPT, I'll give you any amount! Ten thousand? Twenty thousand? Or... fifty thousand?"
She cautiously stated the maximum she could afford, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
In her opinion, the other party must be after money, given the effort he put in.
"Pfft..." Lu Xuan laughed outright, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.
"Fifty thousand? Student Zhang Yining, do you perhaps misunderstand something about your future, and your deputy-division level father's career? In your eyes, is all this only worth fifty thousand yuan?"
His laughter echoed in the empty stairwell, sounding particularly harsh.
Zhang Yining's face grew paler; she realized that the other party didn't even care for that amount of money.
In despair, she instead felt a surge of recklessness, as if throwing caution to the wind: "Then what exactly do you want?! Don't go too far! If you push me too hard, then it's a lose-lose situation! No one will have an easy time!"
"A lose-lose situation?" Lu Xuan's smile gradually faded, his eyes turning cold.
"You don't seem to understand the situation. The fish, it will definitely die, completely dead. As for the net..." He paused, taking a step closer, looking down at her.
"Do you think that flimsy net your father wove through connections can protect himself? When he can't even save himself, like a clay Buddha crossing a river, you still think he can stand up for you and deal with me? Are you living in a dream?"
These words were like a basin of ice water, instantly extinguishing the last shred of hope in Zhang Yining's heart.
Yes, once the matter was exposed, her father would certainly be implicated, perhaps even imprisoned; how could he possibly have the ability to retaliate against anyone?
She completely lost her nerve, her eyes dimmed, and her shoulders slumped, like a flower wilted by a downpour.
She murmured, "Then... then what do you want? You don't want money..."
As she said this, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind.
Since childhood, because of her outstanding appearance, countless Students had showered her with attention and used various methods to attract her notice.
Could it be... could this Lu Xuan, after going through such a big roundabout, actually want to...
A faint blush quietly crept onto her cheeks; she unconsciously straightened her back, and her eyes regained a bit of the 'class beauty's' reservedness and complex emotions.
She lifted her chin, her tone carrying a hint of self-important understanding: "Heh, I understand. You went to all this trouble just to make me your girlfriend, didn't you?"
She even brushed back some pink strands of hair near her ear, trying to make herself look more appealing: "If you wanted to pursue me, you should have said so earlier, did you need to resort to these intimidating tactics? Given how 'earnest' you are, I might consider..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Lu Xuan suddenly reached out and grabbed her smooth, delicate chin.
The force wasn't very strong, but it carried an undeniable sense of control, making all her subsequent words catch in her throat.
"Bitch!" Lu Xuan's voice was icy cold, his eyes filled with undisguised disgust and scorn.
"Even at this point, you still truly think of yourself as that high and mighty goddess? Be my girlfriend? Are you even worthy?"
