The girl shielded behind Song Yanshi stared at her in astonishment.
Just minutes ago, Song Yanshi had been kicking the easels in their classroom in high heels, fiercely gripping her chin, looking as if she was determined to beat her up to vent anger for Mu Jia’en.
Yet in such a short span of time, she was now pleading on her behalf?
Jiang Youwan thought for a moment and poked Song Yanshi’s jacket with her finger.
“Don’t speak.”
Song Yanshi still used that fierce tone, but after saying this, she peculiarly and uncharacteristically grasped Jiang Youwan’s hand.
She even pressed it meaningfully.
Jiang Youwan: “…”
A light chuckle sounded nearby. The man with cool, distant features looked down at Song Yanshi, his voice icy and detached.
“Song Yanshi, could you please pour the water out of your brain?”
Before Song Yanshi could react, the pretty troublemaker she had been shielding was once again taken by the wrist by Huo Linyuan and brought to his side.
Huo Linyuan was extremely tall—his nearly two-meter frame combined with his intensely aggressive, cold expression made his presence feel almost overwhelming.
The slender, fragile, and pitiable little white flower, Jiang Youwan, standing beside him, appeared several sizes smaller.
Faced with this stark contrast in their physiques, Song Yanshi froze for several seconds, the phrase “sexual tension” suddenly and inappropriately popping into her mind.
Realizing she was using this term to describe Huo Linyuan and Jiang Youwan, Song Yanshi’s expression turned blank.
After all, whether considering Huo Linyuan’s persona or his relationship with Jiang Youwan, there was no way the phrase “sexual tension” could ever apply!
She shook her head, trying to dispel the terrifying phrase from her thoughts.
Huo Linyuan looked at her with a mocking, insincere smile, his voice carrying its usual sarcasm and authoritarian tone.
“Take your little followers to the academic affairs office and call each of their parents, one by one.”
“I want to ask them face-to-face if they’re too busy with work to properly discipline their children.”
Song Yanshi gasped, her whole demeanor crumbling. Her group of followers looked even more devastated, their eyebrows practically drooping to the ground.
Who among them dared to provoke Huo Linyuan?
This was someone even their parents rushed to please, yet they had foolishly managed to offend him.
As long as their families wanted to survive in S City, they dared not disobey Huo Linyuan. If he told them to call their parents, they would; if he ordered them to apologize to Jiang Youwan, they would kneel down without hesitation.
In no time, the people in the art studio scattered.
Some went to class, others headed to the academic affairs office.
The police cars arrived as well—the bullying incident was finally going to be properly addressed.
In the academic affairs office.
Jiang Youwan was wrapped in a large coat, holding a cup with both hands as she sipped hot water.
The water stains on her lambskin boots had completely dried, her wool shawl was neatly arranged, and her pale, delicate hands gripped the rim of the cup.
The water was a bit hot, and the steam curled around her brows, making her look as beautiful as a perfectly balanced landscape painting.
She didn’t need to worry about anything—just sit here obediently and wait for the outcome.
Meanwhile, the person who had truly orchestrated and inflicted harm upon herself was now in the adjacent room, watching the surveillance footage of her own crime scene.
School administrators were there, Huo Linyuan was there, and police officers were present as well.
Everything was clear, even the sound of Mu Jia’en slapping her own face in the corner could be heard distinctly.
There was no need to ask further—the truth of the situation was now completely exposed.
Mu Jia’en’s face was deathly pale, drained of all color—
How could there be no blind spots for surveillance cameras in a normal school?
She had clearly inquired about it, she had clearly observed many times—the school’s surveillance cameras simply couldn’t cover this spot!
Unless… unless besides those visible surveillance cameras, there were also hidden ones…
Not only was Mu Jia’en terrified to the extreme, even Song Yanshi was utterly astonished, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Perhaps it was because she read too many novels or because her mind was unusually active today.
The densely packed cameras on the walls, covering every corner of the campus without exception, gave off a strangely eerie and thrilling sensation, stirring an inexplicable excitement within her—
Those who knew understood this was just campus surveillance.
Those who didn’t might think it was some big shot secretly watching his delicate little wife!
A beautiful and fragile canary walked through the campus, completely unaware that behind every camera, a pair of sticky, shadowy eyes were fixed intently on her…
Song Yanshi was so excited she could barely contain herself, nearly driven mad by the scenes her imagination conjured up!
Her little followers, accompanied by their parents, hung their heads dejectedly. One by one, they apologized to the girl outside before being dragged into cars and taken home.
Not long after, Song Yanshi was also about to be taken away.
Before leaving, she sincerely apologized to Jiang Youwan and openly, passionately expressed her intention to look out for her in the future.
Her older brother gave her a flick on the forehead. Clutching her head, Song Yanshi was dragged away for nearly ten meters but still strained to look back, pitifully calling out:
“Wanwan, I’ll add you as a friend as soon as I get my phone back—you must accept me!”
One by one, the students left the academic affairs office, and the air grew increasingly silent, leaving only Mu Jia’en’s sobs and pleas.
Tears streaked her entire face, unlike her previous fake crying—this time, her grief was genuine, her voice hoarse from crying.
“Teacher! You can’t be so unfair!”
“It was just a joke—I didn’t even hurt her. Why should I be expelled?”
“I can’t be expelled, teacher! I worked so hard to get into university, I worked so hard to get into S University!”
“Teacher! Mr. Huo! Please, I beg you! I really know I was wrong!”
“I really know I was wrong! Please don’t expel me! Please, I beg you…”
She crawled forward, weeping, but the Principal avoided her as if she were a plague, stepping aside as quickly as possible.
A female instructor of the same gender helped her up, her expression filled with pity and disappointment.
“Student Mu Jia’en, your series of actions today seriously violated the ‘Regulations on the Administration of Students in Regular Higher Education Institutions’ and our school’s ‘Regulations on Student Disciplinary Punishments.’ The impact is particularly severe. After deliberation by the school leadership, it has been decided to expel you and revoke your student status.”
“We have already contacted your parents. Since your home is quite far away, they said they can arrive this afternoon.”
“Go to your dormitory and pack your belongings. From now on… take care of yourself.”
After toiling through over a decade of schooling, only to be expelled in her third year of university—what could her future possibly hold now?
The instructor shook her head inwardly.
Just on the other side of the wall.
Having left all matters to his assistant, Huo Linyuan stood beside Jiang Youwan. He leaned down slightly, his tall figure completely enveloping the young girl.
His slender, pale hand brushed against the rim of her cup, his voice low.
“It’s a bit cold.”
He poured Jiang Youwan a fresh cup of water. As he handed it over, their fingers touched, the warmth of his fingertips seeming to spread through her. The girl, with features as delicate as a painting, fluttered her lashes, her cheeks growing warm once more.
The man’s fingers brushed against her ear, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind it.
For some reason, Jiang Youwan felt her entire body tense up, as if even her breathing was no longer under her control.
It always seemed to be like this.
Whenever Huo Linyuan drew a little closer, her face would flush, her heart would race, and her fingers would grow numb.
She pursed her soft, rosy lips, her long, upturned lashes fluttering as she couldn’t help but ask:
“Mr. Huo, why are you so kind to me?”