Lu Xuan leisurely watched Zhao Mengqi, his gaze like someone observing a newly tamed pet, with a hint of scrutiny and amusement.
"Now, can you tell me? Who exactly is the person hiding behind you, directing you to do these dirty deeds?"
His voice wasn't loud, but it was like an invisible vice, tightly gripping Zhao Mengqi's throat.
Lu Xuan was indeed a bit impatient.
From first discovering Luo Xiaoran's staged accident, to digging out the big fish that was Zhao Mengqi, and now to this moment, he felt he was only a thin pane of glass away from the true mastermind.
Zhao Mengqi was in a sorry state, two of her cheongsam's frog buttons were still loose, her face was swollen, blood streaked her lips, and her hair clung messily to her sweaty temples and cheeks.
She slowly raised her hand, somewhat laboriously tucking a few stray strands behind her ear, her movements slow and stiff.
Her eyes darted around, not daring to meet Lu Xuan's gaze, which seemed to see through everything. Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz, thick with a nasal tone and a desperate tremor: "I...I actually...don't know who that person specifically is..."
"Hmm?" Lu Xuan's brows instantly furrowed into a knot, his gaze turning abruptly cold.
His body, which had been relaxed against the sofa, suddenly straightened, and an invisible pressure instantly enveloped the entire office.
"What did you say?" Lu Xuan's voice suddenly rose, carrying a hint of incredulous anger, "Are you fucking playing me? You've been putting on a tragic act and a honey trap for half a day, even playing with S&M, and then you tell me you don't know who it is?"
He suddenly stood up, crossing the distance to Zhao Mengqi in a few strides, staring down at her, his eyes seeming to spit fire: "Are you trying to con me here? Huh? Director Zhao, do you think I, Lu Xuan, am particularly easy to fool?"
Zhao Mengqi trembled from the violent aura emanating from him, subconsciously wanting to retreat, but found that behind her was the cold wall, leaving her nowhere to go.
"No...it's not like that...Lu Xuan, please listen to me explain..." She frantically waved her hands, her voice tearful, "I...I really don't know, he only contacted me using an anonymous account, I..."
"Explain? I'm listening to your bullshit!" Lu Xuan was so enraged he laughed, raising his hand to teach her a lesson again.
Just then, "Bang—!" an even louder crash sounded.
The office door, which had already been left shaky by Lu Xuan's kick, was now directly kicked open from the outside, the entire door panel crashing to the ground with a "clunk," stirring up a cloud of dust.
A tall, muscular, dark-skinned male Student, who clearly spent years in the gym, stormed in angrily.
He was wearing a tracksuit, his muscles bulging, and sweat still beaded on his forehead, clearly having rushed over.
"Qiqi! Are you okay?" As soon as the Student entered, his gaze locked onto the scene in the office. When he saw the swelling on Zhao Mengqi's face and the blood on her lips, as well as Lu Xuan standing in front of her, poised to strike, his eyes instantly turned red.
"Who the hell are you! How dare you touch Qiqi! I'll kill you!"
The dark-skinned sports Student roared, like an enraged bull, and lunged forward in a single bound, spreading his arms to shield Zhao Mengqi behind him.
He glared at Lu Xuan, extending a finger that almost poked Lu Xuan's nose: "Kid, what department are you from? What class? What's your name? How dare you hit a teacher at Yan University, I think you're tired of living! I'm calling the police right now! I'll make sure you regret it!"
With that, the sports Student pulled out his phone from his pocket, making to dial 110.
Lu Xuan looked at this sudden "knight in shining armor," first stunned, then understood.
Heh, is he one of Zhao Mengqi's many simps?
Looking at his posture, he's a bit of a simpleton, a brainless loyalist.
Lu Xuan couldn't even be bothered to look at him, simply casting an impatient glance at Zhao Mengqi, who was shielded behind him, the meaning in his eyes self-evident: get this fly away from me immediately.
Zhao Mengqi's heart skipped a beat under Lu Xuan's cold gaze, and she dared not hesitate for a moment.
She quickly squeezed out from behind Chen Ze, forcing a smile onto her face that was uglier than crying, but her voice carried an undeniable firmness, and even a hint of the usual aloofness and annoyance she showed towards her suitors: "Chen Ze, why are you here? I'm fine, you should go back first, this has nothing to do with you."
Chen Ze, filled with a sense of justice and ready to stand up for his goddess and denounce the "thug," froze with his phone in mid-air.
He looked back at Zhao Mengqi with a shocked expression, as if he didn't recognize the woman in front of him.
"Huh? Qiqi, he...he was clearly hitting you just now! I saw it! Your face is all swollen!"
Chen Ze pointed at Lu Xuan, then at Zhao Mengqi's face, sweating profusely in his agitation.
Zhao Mengqi's patience had clearly run out. She now only wanted to get rid of this fool quickly, lest she further anger Lu Xuan.
She frowned, her tone hardening a few degrees, with obvious impatience: "I already said, I'm fine! This has nothing to do with you! Don't you understand?"
She paused, looking at Chen Ze's incredulous and hurt expression, a flicker of satisfaction crossed her mind, but more so, agitation. She decided to be even more blunt: "Whatever happens to me, it's because I'm willing! Now go, don't stand here being an eyesore, affecting me from handling my business!"
"I...I'm willing?"
"Don't stand here being an eyesore?"
Chen Ze was struck as if by lightning, completely dumbfounded, his mind a blank.
He had been pursuing Zhao Mengqi for three whole years!
From the moment Zhao Mengqi first joined the Yan University Network Information Center, when he first saw her at the freshman welcoming event, he was deeply attracted by her gentle and refined demeanor, her tender and flowing grace.
That pure white cheongsam, that classical Jiangnan Charm in her every gesture, was simply the perfect embodiment of his dream goddess, his future wife that he yearned for day and night!
He knew that Zhao Mengqi had many suitors around her, including rich second-generation heirs who drove luxury cars and spent lavishly, and even some young and promising teachers.
However, he observed that Zhao Mengqi seemed to keep her distance from those people, even with a hint of faint disdain.
This made him feel that he had a chance!
Although he, Chen Ze, was not a rich second-generation heir, he was a key player on the school's basketball team, not bad-looking, and his family background was decent enough.
He firmly believed that sincerity could move mountains!
And so, for three years, rain or shine.
Every morning, a cup of warm imported milk was delivered to Zhao Mengqi's desk without fail.
Every Monday, a carefully selected bouquet of fresh flowers was delivered on time, ensuring they were the freshest and best suited to her temperament.
Every month, a small gift he had painstakingly prepared, either handmade or something he heard from other female teachers that she liked, was delivered punctually.
Warm greetings were commonplace, from reminding her to add or remove clothes due to weather changes, to immediately sending various tonics whenever she occasionally showed a hint of fatigue...
He thought that his efforts were seen by his goddess and kept in her heart.
Even if she hadn't accepted him yet, it was only a matter of time; she must be testing him!
But today, now, what did he see?
A stinky brat who appeared out of nowhere actually hit his goddess right in front of him!
And his goddess, Qiqi, who was pure and unattainable in his heart, not only didn't resist, but instead said...said she was willing? And even found him an eyesore?
Moreover, when he rushed in just now, he vaguely saw that Qiqi's expression, while flustered, seemed...seemed to carry a hint of...enjoyment?
No! Impossible!
Chen Ze felt his worldview collapse in that moment, shattering into nothingness.
His unattainable, cherished goddess, the dream lover he feared even speaking loudly to, actually...actually acted like a fawning pug in front of someone else?!
What...what the hell is going on?!
Chen Ze stood rooted to the spot, dazed and distraught, his phone falling to the ground with a "clatter," its screen instantly shattering into pieces, just like his heart at that moment.
Lu Xuan watched this farcical scene with interest, a mocking curve playing on his lips.
Tsk, another innocent young man's dream shattered.
However, this Zhao Mengqi was even easier to train than he had imagined.
He glanced at Chen Ze, who was now pale and swaying, then looked at Zhao Mengqi, his eyes signaling her to continue.
Zhao Mengqi took a deep breath, trying to compose herself, and gave Lu Xuan a fawning and humble smile, then turned to Chen Ze, her voice cold and firm as she urged him again: "Chen Ze, why are you still standing there? Get out! Don't disturb me and...this Student from discussing important matters!"
Discussing important matters?
Chen Ze looked at the fawning smile on Zhao Mengqi's face that he had never seen before, and then at the hint of undeniable fear and...submission? in the depths of her eyes when she looked at the young male Student.
He felt as if his heart was being tightly squeezed by an invisible hand, the pain making it impossible to breathe.
It turned out that the clown was himself.