Chapter 14

With a soft ding, Lin Shizhao’s phone screen lit up, displaying the name "Tan Jiang." The moment she saw those two characters, her heart sank, and a wave of unease washed over her. "Hey, beauty. Make sure to bring Gu Helin with you. If not, you can come alone—but think carefully about the consequences." A location was attached at the end of the message. There was no way Lin Shizhao could tell Gu Helin about this. Knowing his personality, he’d definitely cause even bigger trouble. "What are you thinking about?" Gu Helin knocked on the desk, pulling her from her thoughts. "Hurry up and pack your stuff—we’re leaving." "Um… You go ahead. Yufei and I are staying back to ask the teacher some questions." "I can tutor you instead. What, you think I’m not good enough?" "It’s too much trouble." "Oh, but going to the teacher isn’t trouble, hmm?" "Forget it, I’m not arguing with you. We’re going now—you don’t have to wait for me." Lin Shizhao slung her backpack over her shoulder and waved at Yu Fei. "Why are you in such a rush?" "Tan Jiang wants to see me." Lin Shizhao told Yu Fei everything about Tan Jiang. "Are you crazy?! Going alone is way too dangerous!" "I’ll be fine. If things get out of hand, just call the police for me." "I still don’t feel good about this. We should just tell Gu Helin. I’m calling He Junming right now." "No! If they show up, they won’t let Tan Jiang off the hook either, and then there’ll definitely be a fight. Please, just this once. Just this one time." "Fine, fine—but we have to be careful." The two girls left the school gates and hailed a taxi. The car stopped on an unfamiliar street. Following the location Tan Jiang had sent, Lin Shizhao passed by a small convenience store, turned a corner, and entered a dead-end alley. There were no large shopping malls or residential complexes nearby—just an abandoned steel factory in the distance. The street was eerily empty. Yu Fei hid in a corner near the convenience store, nervously scanning the surroundings. A group of boys stood together, chatting and laughing, cigarettes dangling between their fingers. Every so often, they took a drag, exhaling thick clouds of smoke that shrouded their faces in a hazy mist. Tan Jiang and his gang were arrogant at school, but outside of it, they were nobodies. They knew that well. Plus, they were all legally adults now—old enough to bear legal consequences. That’s why they had chosen such a deserted location. Out here, no one would interfere. After reassuring Yu Fei, Lin Shizhao took a deep breath, steadied herself, and walked toward the group with determined steps. In the crowd, she spotted two familiar faces—one was Shen Qian, with her striking purple-dyed hair, and the other was Luo Yao. Shen Qian watched Lin Shizhao with a sneering, almost entertained expression, her eyes brimming with malice and jealousy. She despised that face. She despised her personality. Most of all, she despised the fact that people liked her.