Chapter 84: Mind Reading (25)

Jin Yingyao’s presence instantly darkened Gu Li’s expression.

Gu Li usually greeted people with a warm smile, but Jin Yingyao had forfeited any pretense of friendliness from him.

Gu Li texted, “Can you believe Jin Yingyao has the audacity to show up here?! It’s all his fault that Lingling considered dropping out. How dare he even ask?”

”…,” replied Jin Yingyao.

Initially, Jin Yingyao believed he was entirely justified in his actions. He thought exposing someone who led a double life, someone who toyed with his and their friends’ emotions, and revealing her reckless behavior behind closed doors—what wrong could there be in that?

He should have felt good about doing the right thing, yet why wasn’t he happy at all? The mere thought of others harboring baseless fantasies about Yan Ling ignited his fury, not to mention he never intended for her to drop out…

His aim was simply to make Yan Ling acknowledge her mistakes and help his friends see her true nature, but the outcome fell far short of his expectations.

Gu Li remained completely unperturbed by the revelations. Far from diminishing, his affection for Yan Ling only grew stronger. Jin Yingyao could sense Gu Li’s heart brimming with tenderness towards her, as if no amount of evidence would sway him; he would turn a blind eye to it all.

In stark contrast, Gu Li now held Jin Yingyao in utmost disdain.

Yan Ling had indeed changed; the past Yan Ling was undeniably proud and confident, whereas now she began to belittle herself. Witnessing this transformation, Jin Yingyao felt inexplicably… uneasy.

“Schoolmate Jin, I will withdraw from school and disappear from your sight.” The girl turned her head towards him, her expression remarkably calm.

“I’m sorry… there’s no need for someone as terrible as me to remain here,” Yan Ling said, revealing a hint of apology in her eyes for the first time. “I will vanish completely.”

[The information on the forum… was it released by Yingyao? Is this because I refused to publicly acknowledge our relationship? But I won’t sacrifice others just for him, one person’s affection isn’t enough!]

[I crave boundless love, I want people to adore me… I’ll present myself as perfect, becoming the ideal they wish to see. That way, even without my father’s or mother’s love, it doesn’t matter; someone still loves me.]

[But now everyone knows. To my parents, I have lost all value. Those unloved hold no worth, and so I am worthless…]

Jin Yingyao’s heart trembled.

With a look of shock, he stared at Yan Ling as if truly recognizing her for the first time that day.

Previously, Yan Ling’s thoughts were filled with greed and filth, leading him to always view her as a disturbed individual. Why hadn’t he considered… what circumstances led Yan Ling to become this way?

He knew nothing about Yan Ling’s family or her life!

Jin Yingyao had assumed Yan Ling was inherently a vile woman by nature, but if her transformation into someone desperately lacking love stemmed from a lack of familial affection, whose fault was it really…

His mind became a tangled mess. He felt a sense of guilt, realizing his past judgments might have been misplaced. This error now left him feeling uncertain when facing Yan Ling.

“Don’t withdraw,” Jin Yingyao stammered, trying to dissuade her hastily, “There’s no need… to withdraw.”

Yan Ling did not respond to him; instead, she turned back to Gu Li. “President Gu Li, thank you for your help.”

“But why…! Why would you withdraw over something like this?!” Jin Yingyao raised his voice, directing his plea at Gu Li, “Gu Li, quickly talk her out of it!”

Jin Yingyao could no longer afford to feel jealous of Gu Li; all he wanted was for Yan Ling to abandon this idea!

Even without Jin Yingyao’s reminder, Gu Li had already begun to persuade her.

“The forum posts are just temporary; I’ll swiftly remove those remarks. Lingling, dropping out is a significant decision. If you’re feeling uncomfortable, I can help arrange a few days off for you. Please don’t think about leaving school right now, okay?”

Gu Li took the withdrawal application from Yan Ling’s hands and gently advised her with patience, “Let me hold onto the withdrawal form for now. I will wait until you’ve reconsidered. However, if you truly cannot bear Saint Hieria’s environment, I will respect your choice.”

Yan Ling’s features slightly relaxed. “Thank you, Gu Li.”

[Gu Li is such a good person. Even if I leave, I won’t forget him.]

Yan Ling nodded towards both of them and turned to walk back to her class.

Her demeanor remained graceful and composed, as if this incident had not deeply affected her. But Jin Yingyao knew it wasn’t so; the thoughts within the girl’s mind…

[I’ll quietly depart on my own. How could I bring shame to my parents? Once I’m… no longer here, might they spare me a glance? Or perhaps even hug me…]

[Why can’t they love me… Indeed, I shouldn’t have existed…]

Leave… No longer here…

Jin Yingyao was stunned. Yan Ling, what is she thinking?!

What did she mean by “not meant to exist”? How could she think like this?!

“Yan Ling!” Pale-faced, Jin Yingyao took a step forward, intent on chasing after her.

However, at that very moment, Gu Li blocked his path.

“Haven’t you caused enough trouble?” Gu Li stood in front of him, expression icy cold. “Jin Yingyao, what more do you plan to do to Yan Ling?”

“It’s not like that,” Jin Yingyao said anxiously. “Yan Ling…her state is not right!”

“Whose fault is it for her state to be ‘not right’?” Anger flared in Gu Li’s eyes. “I never imagined you would resort to such tactics to retaliate against someone who rejected you. Is only her complete ruin going to satisfy you?”

Jin Yingyao’s lips parted twice, desperately wanting to explain he had no intention of ruining Yan Ling. However, any words that came out felt like feeble excuses.

“If you truly feel remorseful, delete the post and publicly apologize to her.” This was likely Gu Li’s last conversation with Jin Yingyao as a “friend”. “Don’t wait until things reach a point of no return; then…” Unspoken but clear from Gu Li’s gaze, “…then, I won’t spare you.”

Gu Li showed no inclination to engage further with Jin Yingyao, casting him one final cold glance before leaving.

Jin Yingyao abruptly snapped back to reality. Yes, there’s still time, everything can be fixed in time! He wouldn’t let Yan Ling leave—public opinion didn’t matter; he could delete the post and make amends!

Jin Yingyao hastily opened his phone and logged onto the academy’s forum. If he could delete that post and clear those comments, Yan Ling might not leave.

However, upon accessing the forum, Jin Yingyao discovered that his account had no administrative privileges whatsoever. He couldn’t delete posts, make new ones, or even get any response when reporting threads.

The entire forum was inundated with insults and mockery directed at Yan Ling; every single thread… revolved around her discussion.

His original post had been bumped to the very top, spanning countless pages, with replies still pouring in relentlessly.

Something’s wrong… This forum isn’t right…

Frustrated, Jin Yingyao furiously tapped on his phone, nearly tempted to smash it in anger.

At that moment, Xiao Lingfei’s call came through. Jin Yingyao hesitated but ultimately answered.

“Jin Yingyao.” Xiao Lingfei’s voice over the phone remained utterly devoid of emotion. “Your desire for revenge has gone far enough.”

“Call it off,” Xiao Lingfei sighed. “Withdraw the hacker you hired, restore control of the forum, and stop further tarnishing Lingling’s reputation.”

Hacker? Is someone manipulating the forum behind the scenes?

Jin Yingyao suddenly recalled that Gu Li had deletion privileges on the forum. Given how much Gu Li cared for Yan Ling, it was inconceivable that he would let public opinion escalate to this extent without intervention. Indeed, something seemed amiss with the forum!

“I didn’t hire any hackers!” Jin Yingyao hastily responded, “I can’t delete posts either!”

“Ha.” Xiao Lingfei clearly did not believe Jin Yingyao’s explanation, letting out a derisive laugh. “Well, I even considered giving you another chance. Fine, if you won’t admit it, no problem. Just wait—you’ll see, I will find the evidence eventually!”

With those words, Xiao Lingfei hung up the phone immediately.

He hadn’t entertained the thought of meeting Jin Yingyao in person, fearing he might lose control and resort to violence. If that happened, Yan Ling would undoubtedly worry whether her presence influenced their supposed “friendship.”

Xiao Lingfei silently fumed, Fuck friendship! There’s no way I’m letting that bastard Jin Yingyao off the hook!

Jin Yingyao felt his head splitting from pain. He had indeed posted the initial thread, but why it spiraled into such chaos afterward baffled him!

The worst part was losing control over public opinion. Every comment across the entire forum targeted Yan Ling, and if this continued…

If this continued, Yan Ling might reach a breaking point.

Jin Yingyao’s heart clenched as he swiftly dialed a number. “Check if someone is manipulating Saint Hieria’s college forum from behind the scenes. If not possible, get me an elite hacker immediately and have them delete all posts on the forum.”

After a brief pause, Jin Yingyao added, “I also need information on Yan Ling and her parents. Yes, including everything they’ve been involved in, I want to know it all.”

Just as Jin Yingyao hung up, he overheard nearby students discussing Yan Ling again.

“‘College Goddess’ truly lives up to her title—eight dates in one day! How does she manage that?”

“No wonder she became a goddess. If you could be like her, you’d be next in line!”

“Hahaha, no way, she’s too impressive. Do men really fall for her act? Seemingly innocent on the surface, but actually… tsk tsk tsk.”

“Didn’t the forum say it already? She’s a classic ‘Green Tea Bitch.’ And today, she had the audacity to show up at school. Would you dare if you were in her shoes?”

“No way, I still have some dignity.”

The group of young ladies burst out laughing uncontrollably.

A surge of anger flared within Jin Yingyao. Before he could confront those gossiping girls, the classroom door slammed open with a loud bang.

Xu Jingjing, with her striking red curls, strode over, her lips curling into a cold sneer. “What’s making you all so cheerful?”

Tall and commanding, Xu Jingjing stood out among the girls like a crane amidst chickens.

As soon as she approached, the previously chattering young ladies promptly closed their mouths obediently.

Still unsatisfied, Xu Jingjing draped an arm around one of the young ladies’ shoulders and loudly addressed the group, “Didn’t I make it clear that Yan Ling is under my protection? Spreading gossip about her behind her back shows blatant disregard for my words!”

“I can’t stand insubordination from those beneath me,” Xu Jingjing continued, tightening her grip on the young lady’s neck. “Have you all forgotten who’s in charge because I haven’t been disciplining lately?”

The young lady, face turning red from the chokehold, hastily pleaded, “I was wrong, Sis Xu, I’m sorry, truly sorry. I won’t speak ill of Yan Ling again.”

The other young ladies nervously echoed their apologies, stammering, “S-sorry!”

“And there’s one more thing you got wrong.” Xu Jingjing lifted her chin and declared, “Lingling didn’t just have plans with eight others; she also has a date with me tonight.”

“Tonight, she’ll be spending time with me.” Xu Jingjing’s gaze swept across the faces of the young ladies. “She’s that sought after - your jealousy won’t change anything.”

The other young ladies fell silent.

Xu Jingjing released her grip and pushed aside the trembling girl, who obediently resembled a quail. “Remember, if you must gossip, talk about her and me, not involve anyone else.”

”…Yes,” the young ladies responded hastily before quickly leaving the scene.

Even Jin Yingyao was startled by Xu Jingjing’s sudden intervention, involuntarily recalling the punch and kick she had landed on him that night. A chill ran through his heart.

However, it couldn’t be denied that Xu Jingjing’s intimidation was impressive. Seeing how those girls froze with fear, even Jin Yingyao let out a relieved sigh.

With the situation resolved, Jin Yingyao naturally planned to leave. Just as he was about to walk away, Xu Jingjing called out from behind.

“Jin Yingyao.” She approached him directly and asked bluntly, “Were you the one who posted that message?”

When Jin Yingyao hesitated to respond, Xu Jingjing continued, “Did you secretly follow Lingling all day just to spread rumors about her online?”

“No wonder Lingling rejected you, someone like you.” Xu Jingjing sneered, “I truly have no respect for you.”

Jin Yingyao’s heart sank heavily, barely noticing when Xu Jingjing left.

Indeed, having no respect for him was justified; even he couldn’t respect himself anymore!

Why had he foolishly posted that thread and hastily judged someone? What if Yan Ling…

Jin Yingyao knew Yan Ling wouldn’t want him near her again, but he just wanted to ensure she was okay.

He arrived outside Yan Ling’s classroom and saw Lu Yifan by her side.

Everyone around them cast curious glances, yet Lu Yifan’s smile remained as radiant as ever. His friends seemed unaffected by the rumors, making Jin Yingyao feel even more like a clown for his post.

For however long Lu Yifan stayed with Yan Ling, Jin Yingyao observed from afar. When the school bell rang, Lu Yifan exited the classroom, prompting Jin Yingyao to swiftly hide himself.

m577 signaled, [The male lead is still spying from outside.]

Tong Ling flipped through her book, “Seems like he’s starting to regret it.”

“But it’s not enough yet.” Tong Ling rested her chin on one hand and drew a little pig pierced by countless arrows in her notebook. “Regret is the most useless emotion; people must be held accountable for their actions.”

Shivering, m577 reported, [The CP thread has been posted.]

“Stir up some gossip among those boys,” Tong Ling instructed. “Following the original plot, someone should ask me how much I charge for a night. Once this scene plays out, I can leave school sooner.”

The corner of m577’s text representation twitched: [Just how much courage would it take for someone to withstand Xiao Lingfei and their threats, let alone approach you with such a question?]

Tong Ling replied, “Give it a try; if not successful, we’ll offer a substantial reward. Surely someone will take the chance.”

[m577: Actually, skipping this plot point wouldn’t matter much; there isn’t significant deviation.]

“No, that won’t do,” Tong Ling said firmly. “This is a crucial moment where the female supporting character experiences emotional breakdown. How can we abandon it?”

m577 couldn’t shake off the feeling that its host had ulterior motives. Was she truly aiming to torment the female supporting character or preparing to inflict suffering on the male lead instead?

[…Post made.] m577 obediently followed through: [High-reward bounty seeking a brave warrior—hoping someone applies.]

Tong Ling lowered her head, hiding the smile at the corners of her mouth. “Someone will step up. In such an environment, emotions easily sway people.”

“Didn’t the original female supporting character get killed by public opinion? Those involved felt no remorse, completely unaware of the severe consequences their single comment or word could have.”

“Someone needs to teach them that words should not be carelessly thrown around.”