Chapter 157 - 157 Liu Cheng Must Save Herself
157 Liu Cheng Must Save Herself
Jiang Xue answered meekly as if Zhao Yuan had coerced her. “I was just telling the truth,” she said, her words barely more than a murmur.
“You!” Zhao Yuan was so angry her whole body shook. If she had recorded the conversation back then, Shen Xi would not be in such a vulnerable position now.
Zhao Yuan turned to the students who had spoken up. Not one had been around when Shen Xi fought Liu Cheng, yet they each spoke as if they had witnessed everything.
It grated on Zhao Yuan’s nerves. “Xixi, wait for me. I’ll try and clear your name,” she said to Shen Xi.
As soon as she gave her word, Zhao Yuan bolted out the door.
Li Xie snorted coldly. “Principal Li, shouldn’t the truth be clear now? It’s utter nonsense that Liu Cheng would badmouth her classmate. Shen Xi is probably jealous of my daughter and our family’s wealth.”
“Why else would she stir up trouble except to smear my daughter’s good name?” Li Xie asked rhetorically, “She is the sort to do as she likes, even if it means it hurts her peers. Students like her need to be taught with a firm hand. Should the school not respond satisfactorily, I will file a complaint with the police for slander!”
Shen Xi was no stranger to Liu Xie; he had met her before while she was a part of the Jiang family. He did not expect her to become so arrogant upon returning to her true parents.
Since Shen Xi dared to bully his daughter, he would let her taste what it meant to cross him.
Li Hai did not want to escalate the matter. Since Liu Cheng’s father had come knocking on his door, it would be best if Shen Xi’s parents joined them to discuss a peaceful resolution.
If Liu Xie had his way, word would spread that the school forced their students to stuff their heads into toilet bowls while apologising on their knees.
“Shen Xi, I believe your parents should be informed. Please ask them to come over as we try and settle this matter,” Li Hai said.
Shen Xi’s form teacher did not agree. She feared that Shen Xi’s parents would be forced to accept the school’s decision to expel her prized student. The Liu family possessed some influence, and she did not want the student she had painstakingly nurtured to be cast out. It was an outcome she could not accept.
“Principal Li…” Sun Ling began, hoping to speak up on Shen Xi’s behalf. However, Li Hai stopped her. He, too, felt helpless.
Li Hai knew what Sun Ling was thinking, but there was nothing he could do. Shen Xi was in a precarious position, and it was not one the school could lend its aid to even if it weren’t for the Liu family throwing their weight around. The Liu family was not one to be trifled with.
While this occurred, Su Ni followed Lu Lin to school, the two quickly making their way to the principal’s office.
Su Ni did not think she was a genius, so it was a surprise when a bout of inspiration struck her, showing her an opportunity to save herself.
The Su family had been in miserable straights in recent days. Although she did not know why they were messing with her family, she guessed they had some sort of relationship with Shen Xi. Since the Su family could not contend with this power, she would do the next best thing: She would curry favour with Shen Xi, who she believed held connections to those targeting her family.
Hence, she had quietly recorded the heated words Liu Cheng used to scold Shen Xi the previous day.
Su Ni was not very close to Liu Cheng, so it was no loss to her if she exposed Liu Cheng’s dirty little secret. Knowing Liu Cheng’s father, he would exact a heavy price from Shen Xi if he believed she was bullying his daughter.
Su Ni had been paying close attention to this matter. When she heard from Jiang Xue that Liu Cheng’s father had come knocking on the principal’s door, she immediately went to Lu Lin with the information.
By her estimation, Lu Lin reacted so strongly because of Shen Xi’s connection to his grandfather. Perhaps if she lent her aid to Shen Xi, Lu Lin would throw her a bone and stop suing her family.
Su Ni did not have high hopes at first, so she did not expect Lu Lin to agree to her request. If nothing else, Lu Lin’s prompt agreement proved he cared about Shen Xi.
Was it worth it? Absolutely. The greater Lu Li’s concern for Shen Xi, the more valuable her recording was to him.
Even if Lu Lin was not the perpetrator of the Su family’s predicament, she could still leverage the help she had given him to publicise her involvement in Shen Xi’s matter. That way, those powers acting behind the scenes would know she held no enmity with Shen Xi and would let her family off. At least, that was what Su Ni believed.
Better to try and fail than not try at all; there was always a chance her gamble would pay off.
The first thing Su Ni and Lu Lin felt upon arriving at the principal’s office was the tension in the air.
Guan Lei stood defensively in front of Shen Xi. In a harsh tone, he growled, “If Shen Xi doesn’t think she needs to apologise, then no one can make her apologise while I am around!”