At this moment, some students were already packing up, while others remained seated waiting for teachers to assign homework.

In the teachers’ office.

“Teacher Li, Teacher Yin, is that… post true? How do you plan to handle this?” someone asked.

Yin Fang and Li Ping’s expressions turned sour simultaneously.

Especially Li Ping—if the online evidence was true, then he, as Gu Shiyun’s homeroom teacher, would be thoroughly embarrassed.

During the parent-teacher conference, he sensed some connection between Gu Xue Jiao and Gu Shiyun, and they turned out to be actual sisters!

And what a complicated relationship between sisters!

Yin Fang opened her mouth: “Naturally… we’ll punish as appropriate…”

Li Ping maintained a stern expression. Despite how much he had favored Gu Shiyun before, he now had to confront her character issues.

“This matter is no longer in our hands. It depends on the students and their parents. The school can’t get involved, at most we can suppress the rumors.”

The Chinese language teacher, Teacher Yuan, the most compassionate one, sighed and stood up: “Let’s just assign homework. This is no longer a minor issue that teachers can mediate.”

Other teachers nodded in agreement, but just as they stood up, they heard a voice from the broadcast system, freezing in their tracks.

They looked at each other in confusion.

Students in the classrooms also paused what they were doing and looked toward the speakers.

Even students outside stopped and looked up in shock, listening to the voices coming from speakers throughout the campus.

“Regarding Gu Shiyun’s recent slander against me, there’s already a clarification post on the forum, so I won’t explain further.”

Her voice was pleasant, soft, and clear, speaking as if without emotional fluctuation, calm and untroubled.

You’re not explaining this? Then what do you want to say?

At that moment, many students wondered.

“I have reported to the police about Gu Shiyun and Li Wei jointly harming me. I hope to receive justice.”

She reported to the police?!

Gu Shiyun lowered her head, trembling all over, completely at a loss.

Reported to the police? Would she go to jail?!

“Fellow students, everyone has a past. I lived in a plotted conspiracy, becoming a version of myself that wasn’t good. I can face my imperfections calmly. I didn’t do anything terrible. You may look down on my past, but you can’t use it as a reason to hurt me. I hope my classmates will, like me, view my past rationally. At noon in the cafeteria, two students from Class 20, Grade 2—Liu Yueyue and Shen Tong—poured soup on me. I hope these two will apologize for their behavior.”

Poured soup—

In an instant, students from Class 20, Grade 2 looked incredulously at Liu Yueyue and Shen Tong.

They poured soup on Gu Xue Jiao because of that earlier post?!

Now, when the clarification post was circulating widely, many students felt sorry for Xue Jiao who had suffered through all this. Upon learning how these two had treated Xue Jiao, they couldn’t help but feel angry.

Especially one round-faced cute girl who had always seen Xue Jiao as her goddess and had even written her a “love letter.” She was now furious.

“Liu Yueyue! Shen Tong! How can there be people like you in this world?! I thought you were just hot-tempered, but it turns out your character is also flawed!” The little girl glared at them angrily.

The two lowered their heads, crying and frightened.

Others also wanted to condemn them, but the broadcast continued—

“That’s all I want to say. I hope everyone can accept who I am now and forget who I was before.”

Xue Jiao’s voice paused.

“In life, we encounter many things, both good and bad. No one knows what challenges await us, nor what kind of bad people we’ll meet. But please remember, as long as you remain steadfast, those who harbor ill intentions cannot defeat you. I wasn’t steadfast enough before and was knocked down by bad people. But I could stand up again and escape the past. As long as life continues, don’t give up.”

Xue Jiao blinked, her eyes slightly moist.

Several young female teachers in the office began to cry, their feelings running much deeper than the students’.

During student years, failing an exam, fighting with a friend, or having an unrequited crush…

These small matters felt like the end of the world.

Back then, they longed to grow up, as if the adult world would be free from constraints, and full of joy and laughter.

Later, when they grew up.

Breakups, divorces, illnesses, exclusion, loneliness…

Any hardship could bring them to tears, grief reaching extremes.

But there was no one to help solve their problems anymore. They would cry, wipe their tears, and then stumble forward.

Only then could they understand how important it was to learn to say goodbye to the past, to learn to be strong and persevere.

That was the most precious spirit—to live well through life’s difficulties.

Not everyone’s life has someone holding an umbrella for them.

——

“I’m very sorry for taking up your time. Thank you all.”

Xue Jiao turned off the broadcast and let out a deep breath.

Today, she finally bid farewell to Gu Xue Jiao’s life completely. From today on, the one living would be Xue Jiao without Gu Xue Jiao’s influence.

Gu Xue Jiao, I’m sorry for reopening your festering wounds, and giving you the truth.

Goodbye, Gu Xue Jiao. Xue Jiao will live well for you. I hope in your new life, you can live happily and freely.

With someone who cares, someone who cherishes, someone who loves.

Xue Jiao’s body relaxed, as if whatever had been weighing her down was completely gone, leaving only lightness and freedom.

With a smile at the corners of her lips, she slowly walked out.

“Well, thank you both for these past two days.” Xue Jiao smiled lightly, looking at them with grateful eyes.

Cheng Mingze couldn’t smile. In the past, he had genuinely disliked the loud and troublesome Gu Xue Jiao. Sometimes he even felt annoyed just looking at her.

But today, after truly understanding what Gu Xue Jiao had been through, he realized how narrow his perspective had been.

“I’m sorry…” Cheng Mingze slowly opened his mouth, his hand tightening.

Xue Jiao smiled lightly: “I accept your apology for my past self, but I was indeed immature. You didn’t wrong me.”

Cheng Mingze fell silent, staring at her blankly.

Yi Tianyu couldn’t smile either, his eyes red. He suddenly reached out and pulled Xue Jiao into his arms.

He was tall, and she was short, her cheek pressed against Yi Tianyu’s chest. Xue Jiao was momentarily stunned.

“Bookworm, I still like who you are now. You should always stay as you are now, but if someone bullies you, you can tell me. Brother Yu will fight to the death for you. If anyone bullies you again, they’ll have to go through me first.” Yi Tianyu’s voice was firm, his chest vibrating, making Xue Jiao tingle.

Cheng Mingze’s face darkened as he pulled them apart, hiding Xue Jiao behind him.

“Jiaojiao, Brother is here. Don’t listen to certain physically developed but mentally underdeveloped people talking nonsense.”

“Hey, hey, hey, who’s physically developed?!”

Cheng Mingze raised an eyebrow: “Aren’t you physically developed?”

Yi Tianyu: “…”

He was furious but couldn’t find words to retort.

Xue Jiao laughed softly, her eyes curving into crescents, obviously amused by the two.

Cheng Mingze reached out and fondly ruffled her head.

Yi Tianyu also deflated, scratching his head and grinning stupidly.

Xue Jiao smiled. If they called her simple-minded, then simple-minded she would be.

——

As Xue Jiao walked back to the classroom, people approached her along the way to apologize.

“Gu Xue Jiao, I’m sorry. I apologize for misunderstanding you earlier. You’ve always been my goddess. Keep going!!”

“Sorry, Gu Xue Jiao. I didn’t dare stand up for you.”

“Goddess, goddess! I like you. Be happy every day from now on!”

“Gu Xue Jiao, I’m sorry!”

“I’m sorry!”

…

Xue Jiao just nodded with a smile. She didn’t say it was okay because she didn’t have the right to say it was okay. The one who experienced all this was Gu Xue Jiao.

Today was destined to be an extraordinary day. Students were apologizing to Gu Xue Jiao, and even teachers didn’t assign much homework.

And this was May Day break!

The homework was almost the same as for a regular weekend.

The teachers were so shocked that they had forgotten to assign more homework.

In Class 2.

Gu Shiyun’s tears kept flowing, the area where they fell already soaked, but no one spoke to her. Everyone looked at her with disdain.

Once, these were the looks she had directed at Gu Xue Jiao. Today, they all returned to her.

She had always wanted Gu Xue Jiao to live under contemptuous gazes, and today, she experienced it herself.

The feeling of being so despised that no one wanted to say a word to her.

After the homework was assigned, Class 2 immediately dispersed.

The girls who usually bid her fond farewells before holidays all ran off like a gust of wind as soon as class ended.

As if even looking at her might cause trouble.

Faintly, voices could be heard from outside—

“Goodness, I’m scared to death.”

“Is this the Gu Shiyun we knew?”

“When we spoke ill of Gu Xue Jiao before, she never said anything…”

“She was probably suppressing her evil nature!”

“I want to curse her, but I’m afraid she’ll scheme against me too…”

“Me too! Like a venomous snake!”

…

Gradually, few students remained in the classroom. Soon after, several police officers walked in.

“Where is Gu Shiyun?”

——

“Boss, how should we handle Li Wei?” Chen Yan bowed respectfully.

Lin Zhihua, wearing earphones, had just finished listening to Xue Jiao’s voice. If anyone had been there, they would have discovered that Lin Zhihua was listening to exactly what Xue Jiao had said on the school broadcast.

Word for word.

He removed his earphones and waved his hand.

“Send her to the police station where Xue Jiao is. Have Li Wei bring the evidence herself and confess honestly.”

“Yes!”

Chen Yan paused, then added: “Has the PR department disbanded?”

“Yes, disbanded. Delete the post at 8 PM tonight. Continue controlling this matter to the scope of those who know Gu Xue Jiao in W City, otherwise, the scope will expand. Also, there should be no current photos of Xue Jiao.”

“Understood.”

Just then, his phone rang. Lin Zhihua’s lips curled up slightly as he waved his hand, and Chen Yan quickly left.

As he closed the door, Chen Yan heard his typically cold boss say two words very tenderly—

“Jiaojiao.”

He closed the door, thinking for the first time that “flying into a rage out of love” really could happen to his boss.

Today, the entire PR department had been operating together. This small school storm had received the highest level of PR handling.

It needed to be controlled within the scope of those who knew Gu Xue Jiao, yet ensure everyone felt angry for her.

No current photos should leak out, and no one who didn’t know Gu Xue Jiao should learn about her or her experience.

The precision required made operational costs extremely high.

But then, Chen Yan reconsidered.

He thought the operational costs were high, but the PR department was working for the boss anyway, and these expenses weren’t even considered expenses to him.

The more he thought about it, the more Chen Yan felt his poverty.

And the more it stung his heart.

——

“Thank you. You’ve helped me so much.” Xue Jiao’s voice was soft, filled with gratitude and admiration.

Lin Zhihua chuckled, his voice rumbling from his throat.

“The disciple I’ve taught cannot be ruined here.”

Xue Jiao’s lips curled up, and she said once more: “Thank you.”

“Work hard. When you come to Jing City, you can treat me to a meal.”

“Okay…” Xue Jiao said, pausing slightly, “Will you be coming back to W City soon?”

“I’ll be in W City during your summer vacation. Why?”

Xue Jiao smiled and said: “Actually, W City has good food too. When you come back, I can treat you then.”

“Alright.”

Suddenly, there was silence.

Lin Zhihua spoke again: “Jiaojiao, happy new life.”

Xue Jiao’s breath caught.

For some reason, she felt as if Lin Zhihua knew something. This feeling was very strong at that moment.

After hanging up, Xue Jiao held the phone to her heart and shook her head.

She must be overthinking it!

——

When they received the call, Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong were confused about why Xue Jiao was at the police station, reporting to Gu Shiyun.

Then, Cheng Mingze called.

“Dad, Mom, I’m with Jiaojiao at the police station. Please look at the two posts first. I’ve sent you the links. Don’t drive yourselves and be careful on the road.”

After hanging up, Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong carefully read the posts while Uncle Xing drove.

Soon, Cheng Shuo’s eyes turned red.

Li Sitong was momentarily stunned, then burst into loud sobs.

“Jiaojiao—”

Cheng Shuo held her, patting her while gritting his teeth: “Gu Shiyun, I won’t let her get away with this! So young, yet so vicious!”

Li Sitong bit Cheng Shuo’s wrist, filled with overwhelming hatred at that moment.

How could she! How could she!

When the two arrived at the police station, Gu Jingxu and Wu Wanjun were already there. Their appearances were no better than Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong—pale faces and disheveled hair.

“Gu Xue Jiao! Shiyun is your sister, and you want to send her to prison? Are you even human?!” Wu Wanjun was furious.

Li Sitong broke free from Cheng Shuo, rushed to Wu Wanjun, and slapped her across the face.

This image-conscious woman cursed loudly for the first time, completely losing her composure—

“Pah! How is Jiaojiao wrong? What about Gu Shiyun?! So young yet harming Jiaojiao like that! She’s as despicable as you! Gu Jingxu, look at the sort of people you surround yourself with!”

“Li Sitong! You dare slap me!”

“Slap—” Li Sitong slapped her again. “I’m slapping you, you bastard! I’m telling you, I want to kill you right now!”

“Ahhhh—” Wu Wanjun tried to hit back, but Cheng Shuo and Cheng Mingze stepped forward to block her, and Li Sitong slapped her again.

This one-sided fight continued for several minutes before the female police officer standing nearby finally spoke—

“Quiet! No physical altercations in the police station!”

She had watched Li Sitong deliver several slaps before calling out. Having just received the case and understanding the whole incident, she was also angry.

If it were her daughter, she’d also want to kill this mother-daughter pair!

So she hadn’t spoken up earlier, waiting until after a few slaps to sternly intervene.

“She hit me!” Wu Wanjun covered her face and looked at the police.

The female officer nodded, turned to Li Sitong, and calmly said: “Family members, please control your emotions.”

“She—”

“Shut up!” Gu Jingxu shoved Wu Wanjun aside, glaring at her fiercely.

Immediately, Wu Wanjun calmed down somewhat, though tears streamed down her face as she looked at Gu Jingxu: “Shiyun has college entrance exams next year, Jingxu… save her…”

Gu Jingxu’s expression changed repeatedly, finally becoming dejected.

“Officer, how will this matter be handled?”

The female officer maintained a stern face, looking at everyone: “Li Wei has already confessed to everything. Gu Shiyun is still giving her statement. If the situation is as described, she will face detention or control. If the circumstances are serious, she will bear the corresponding criminal responsibility.”

Wu Wanjun’s eyes darkened, and she nearly fainted.

“Shiyun! My Shiyun!”

Gu Jingxu’s face was equally ashen. After a while, he asked hoarsely: “Can we listen to the statement? Shiyun… is still a minor.”

The female officer was silent for a moment, then said: “But you cannot speak without our permission.”

Gu Jingxu and Wu Wanjun were led inside, leaving only Xue Jiao and the others outside.

Li Sitong grabbed Xue Jiao in a tight embrace, sobbing loudly: “Jiaojiao—Mom is so sorry!!”

She had never imagined that behind Xue Jiao’s past behavior lay so many issues, that the time she had gone to a nightclub and run back only to be beaten was because she had been tricked, and had nearly…

Li Sitong had always thought she was a good mother. She cared for Xue Jiao and worried about her constantly.

Even when Xue Jiao’s relationship with her cooled, when she became distant and formal,

Li Sitong only thought she shouldn’t have hit her, and that her education methods were wrong, but she still loved and cared for her.

Until today, Li Sitong realized she was a completely failed mother!

Her marriage had been invaded by a mistress. Unable to deal with the mistress, she had instead almost let the mistress and her illegitimate daughter ruin her daughter!

That post was heart-wrenching. Just a little more, just a bit more—if Xue Jiao hadn’t escaped on her own, what tragedy might have occurred that day?

Li Sitong dared not imagine.

She dared not think about what her daughter had endured. She truly was a failed mother.

She had never paid attention to what her daughter experienced, nor to her psychological journey.

“Jiaojiao—” Li Sitong cried agonizingly.

Xue Jiao said nothing. As before, Xue Jiao had no right to forgive on behalf of Gu Xue Jiao.

In the original story, she never knew until her death that she had lived in others’ deliberate distortions. She didn’t even know that her annoying personality and behavior had been deliberately cultivated by others.

Cheng Shuo reached out and embraced them both.

He was also at fault. He had thought his stepdaughter was too difficult to manage and had never cared about what she was going through.

After a while, Gu Jingxu emerged with Gu Shiyun.

“Why is she out?!” Li Sitong’s eyes widened.

“She’s a minor, eligible for bail,” the police explained.

Li Sitong ground her teeth: “Gu Shiyun, I won’t let you off!”

Gu Shiyun was pale. Her gaze shifted toward Cheng Mingze, meeting eyes filled with anger and hatred.

That’s right, Cheng Mingze would surely hate her from now on.

She liked him so much, but it was impossible now…

Gu Shiyun looked up at Xue Jiao, her voice slightly trembling but calm—

“I didn’t like Gu Xue Jiao. I was jealous of her, so I wanted Li Wei to corrupt her. I was young then, and my goal was to vent and make her grades drop. I didn’t instruct Li Wei to find someone to seduce her. I intended to keep her out late.”

“Gu Shiyun!!” Li Sitong shouted angrily, about to pounce on her, but was held back by Cheng Shuo and others.

Cheng Shuo looked at Gu Shiyun and sneered: “No wonder you could do such things at such a young age. Your calculations are truly impressive.”

Indeed, according to her statement, she only wanted to vent and harm Xue Jiao’s grades. She wasn’t directly involved, and she was young at the time. Even now she was still a minor. Under these circumstances, she might not even face detention…

Gu Shiyun calmly said: “I’m telling the truth.”

“Did Li Wei confess?” Cheng Mingze looked at the police.

“She confessed… She admitted that Gu Shiyun incited her to find someone to seduce Xue Jiao, but there’s no direct evidence.” The police were also helpless. In that screenshot, Gu Shiyun never specified what to do; it was all Li Wei’s own words.

As for other incitements, the impact was minimal, hardly constituting a crime.

“How will Li Wei be sentenced?” Cheng Mingze continued to ask.

“She’s already an adult, and with the ‘brother’ Li Wei found also confessing, she will bear the corresponding criminal responsibility.”

Cheng Mingze nodded, looking at Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong: “So now it’s just the issue between Gu Shiyun and Jiaojiao, and how to hold Gu Shiyun accountable.”

Gu Shiyun’s heart ached. The person she liked… was thinking about how to put her away…

“Gu Shiyun, if you have any conscience left, admit it yourself!” Li Sitong’s voice was cold and angry.

Gu Shiyun lowered her head slightly. How could she possibly admit it? If she did, what would happen to her future?

She was still so young; she absolutely couldn’t let her life be ruined!

Even if everyone cursed her, it was better than going to prison!

“I’ve admitted what I did wrong. Why should I admit things I’m not responsible for?”

“Slap—” Gu Jingxu delivered a hard slap to Gu Shiyun’s face.

This slap was forceful, and half of Gu Shiyun’s face immediately turned red and began to swell.

“Shiyun!” Wu Wanjun rushed over.

Gu Jingxu’s face was frighteningly dark as he swept Wu Wanjun aside with one hand. “This is the daughter you raised!!”

He turned around and delivered another slap to the other side of Gu Shiyun’s face. Immediately, both cheeks were bright red and slightly swollen.

Tears streamed down Gu Shiyun’s face as she looked at Gu Jingxu, bewildered.

Gradually, resentment rose in her eyes. Her father was also siding with Gu Xue Jiao!

Gu Jingxu took a deep breath and shouted: “Gu Shiyun! Apologize to Jiaojiao!!”

Gu Shiyun was stunned for a long while as if understanding something. Covering her face, she said to Xue Jiao: “I’m sorry.”

Xue Jiao didn’t respond.

Gu Jingxu turned to Xue Jiao and struggled to produce a smile—

“Jiaojiao, Gu Shiyun is still young. She’s your sister. I’ll teach her properly from now on. Please forgive her just this once.”

“Gu Jingxu, are you speaking human language?!” Li Sitong’s eyes widened, and she wanted nothing more than to rush up and beat him to death.

Gu Jingxu took a deep breath: “Isn’t Jiaojiao fine? She’s so outstanding now, which proves Gu Shiyun didn’t cause irreparable harm. She’s still young—if she goes to prison, her life is ruined… Give her a chance…”